Ariyan wandered through the depths of the forest, lost—not just in direction, but within himself. He had no sense of where he was going or what he was doing. His feet carried him aimlessly toward the western reaches of the Pushpavana Forest, as if guided by an unseen force.
Time passed.
A sudden wave of dizziness struck him. His vision blurred, and his body gave in. He collapsed onto the cold earth, struggling to stay conscious.
Then—
A sound.
A terrifying, unnatural sound echoed through the forest.
Meanwhile, the soldiers chasing him stormed into the forest without hesitation, ignoring the dangers that lurked within. Their eyes locked onto Ariyan, who sat defenseless.
"Kill him!"
They charged.
Though weakened, Ariyan rose to fight. His movements were slower now, his strength fading. Surrounded, unarmed, and outnumbered—yet he refused to fall. He defended himself with sheer will.
But fate was merciless.
A blade pierced through his back.
Ariyan gasped, his body trembling. With a surge of anger, he turned and struck down the one who attacked him—but before he could react—
A heavy chain wrapped around his neck.
It tightened.
His breath choked.
Another warrior stepped forward, raising his sword high into the air.
"This ends now."
But before the blade could fall—
Whoosh!
The soldier was instantly engulfed in flames.
In a heartbeat, his body turned to ashes.
Silence fell.
Then—
It appeared.
A massive, demonic figure emerged from the shadows.
Agomi.
Its presence alone twisted the air with fear. Without mercy, it unleashed a storm of fire upon the soldiers. Screams filled the forest as bodies burned, torn apart, reduced to nothing.
Ariyan, witnessing the horror, could no longer endure it.
His consciousness faded.
Darkness consumed him.
When Ariyan opened his eyes again, it was morning.
Sunlight filtered through the trees. The forest was quiet… too quiet.
There were no bodies.
No blood.
No wounds on him.
"…What happened?"
Confused, he stood up and began walking once more.
As he moved deeper into the forest, the atmosphere began to change. The light dimmed unnaturally, and the air grew heavy.
Then he saw it.
A temple.
Ancient. Silent. Unfamiliar.
Inside, at its center—
A sword.
It radiated an intense, blinding glow, sealed within a shimmering magical barrier.
Ariyan felt drawn to it.
Step by step, he approached.
A presence.
He felt it behind him.
Slowly, he turned.
Agomi stood there.
Watching.
Ariyan's heart pounded. Fear gripped him—but he did not run.
Agomi simply smiled.
A faint… unsettling smile.
For a moment, something stirred within Ariyan.
Something he couldn't understand.
Suddenly—
He ran.
Straight toward the temple.
Agomi followed.
Without hesitation, Ariyan stepped through the magical barrier—as if it had accepted him.
His hand grasped the sword.
BOOM!
A surge of overwhelming energy exploded outward.
Blinding light consumed everything.
Power—unknown, ancient, terrifying—flowed into Ariyan's body.
His eyes turned crimson.
A shadow coiled around the blade.
Agomi sat before him… as if acknowledging him.
Ariyan rose.
And walked out of the forest.
What followed…
Was destruction.
Ariyan entered the Land of the Dead.
The soldiers attacked—but they were nothing before him now.
In the blink of an eye—
They were gone.
Slaughtered.
None could even come close.
He walked through them like death itself.
The royal court trembled.
Bodies fell one after another as he advanced.
Then—
Janadharangan charged at him.
But it ended in a single strike.
His head fell.
A cry echoed.
"Ariyan!"
He turned.
Alli.
Tears streamed down her face as she called out for her father.
For a moment—
Time froze.
Ariyan stood still, staring at her… as if seeing her for the first time.
He took a step toward her.
But—
A sudden attack from behind.
Kaladhiran.
Rage burned in his eyes.
Their clash shook the surroundings.
Steel met steel.
Power against power.
"Stop! Please stop!"
Alli's voice broke through the chaos.
Her desperation halted Ariyan.
She turned to Kaladhiran.
"If you don't stop… I will end my life."
Silence.
Both men froze.
Alli faced Ariyan.
"Why did you come…?" she asked, her voice trembling."Why are you destroying my peace… my family?"
Her words pierced deeper than any blade.
Ariyan's voice shook."How can you say that…? I suffered every moment thinking of you…"
Then she told him everything.
She didn't know if he was alive.
She waited.
For a long time.
But life didn't wait with her.
Her brother had lost both his hands.
Responsibilities crushed her.
A prince offered help.
In return—
She gave her life.
Her future.
"I had no choice…"
Tears fell endlessly.
"Please… leave my life."
Forever.
She turned and walked away.
Something inside Ariyan shattered.
Not his heart.
His soul.
He left.
Not as a warrior.
But as a broken man.
Time passed.
Pain changed him.
Consumed him.
Destroyed him.
Ariyan was no more.
From the ashes…
Rose a new name.
Ratrangasan.
A merciless ruler.
A conqueror.
A nightmare.
Kingdoms fell.
Armies grew.
Fear spread.
He conquered the Gandharva Kingdom.
King Raktadev fought bravely—
But even he fell.
Ratrangasan ruled.
But peace… never came.
Alli's memories haunted him endlessly.
And then—
She appeared.
Mithradevi.
A woman who loved him without fear.
One day, when death came for him—
She stood in its path.
Protected him.
And lost her hand.
For the first time in years…
Ratrangasan felt something.
Not rage.
Not emptiness.
But…
Pain.
And in that moment—
He made a decision.