"Listen carefully, Ratrangasa…"
Both sages spoke in a grave tone.
"The only power capable of destroying them… lies with Agomi—the very force you possess."
Ratrangasan remained silent.
Vajra Munivar continued:
"The leader of the Yokai… Koduvan. If he is destroyed, the entire Yokai race will perish."
Ratrangasan's eyes narrowed.
"Then I will kill him."
But the sages shook their heads.
"No… there is only one way."
A heavy silence fell.
"You must sacrifice your life."
Ratrangasan stood frozen.
"When the Yokai attack you… you must not resist. You must let them kill you."
"And when your life leaves your body…"
"Agomi will awaken in its true form."
"In that moment… it will annihilate every Yokai—completely."
"There is no other way."
The words echoed in his mind.
For the first time…
The great emperor felt helpless.
Without saying a word, he turned and walked away.
Back at the palace—
A soldier rushed in, breathless.
"My lord! The Yokai… they have broken through!"
"One of them—like a monstrous bird—spit fire and shattered the wall!"
"They have begun to enter the kingdom!"
Ratrangasan's eyes hardened.
Without wasting a second, he went to his chamber and wrote a long message.
He handed it to the minister.
"After this danger ends… read this. You will know what to do next."
He walked through the palace one last time.
Sat upon his throne…
For the final time.
Met his people…
Without revealing anything.
Then he gave the order:
"Open Agomi's chamber."
And he left.
At the battlefield, the Yokai army surged like a dark tide.
Ratrangasan stepped forward.
But—
He left his divine sword behind.
He took an ordinary blade.
And fought.
No matter how many times he cut them—
They regenerated.
Again.
And again.
Then—
Koduvan appeared.
A monstrous entity.
The final battle began.
Koduvan struck.
A deadly spear pierced through Ratrangasan's stomach.
He accepted it.
Without resistance.
Another strike.
And another.
Blood flowed like a river.
His body collapsed.
At that very moment—
Agomi arrived.
It sensed its master's death.
And rage consumed it.
A roar shook the heavens.
Agomi unleashed an inferno.
It tore through the Yokai army, slaughtering them mercilessly.
Koduvan himself—
Was destroyed.
Burned into nothingness.
The entire Yokai race—
Was erased.
But—
As Ratrangasan lay dying…
In his final moments…
Before his eyes closed—
He raised his hand…
Pointing toward the direction of his palace.
And then—
His life left him.
In his last seven minutes…
Only one face appeared before him.
Alli.
Her smile.
Their memories.
Nothing else.
Thus ended—
The era of a great warrior.
Ratrangasan.
Even death could not touch him—
Until he chose it.
News of his death spread across all lands.
The invincible king…
Was gone.
The people wept.
His body was brought through the city streets.
Cries filled the air.
Even the ministers broke down.
The chief minister fell at his feet.
"My king… without you, what will we do? Who will protect this land…?"
His final rites were performed.
A samadhi was built.
And the emperor was laid to rest.
Fear spread among the people.
"What will happen now…?"
At that moment, the two sages addressed them.
"Do not fear," they said.
"A kingdom without a king may tremble…"
"But your next king will rise within two months."
"Until then… we will protect this land."
A man stepped forward.
"If God exists… why did this happen? Why did our king die like this?"
The sages answered calmly.
"Every life is bound by karma."
"Ratrangasan… knowingly or unknowingly… has taken countless lives in war."
"Many families suffered because of him."
"This… is the balance of fate."
"To save thousands of lives…"
"He gave his own."
"He may be gone…"
"But his love… will never die."
The kingdom fell silent.
Later—
The chief minister remembered the message.
Ratrangasan's final note.
He took it to the sages.
They opened it.
Inside, it read:
"After my death… my son has the full right to the throne.His name is Rudrasenan.The map to his location is hidden beneath my blade.Find him… and bring him back."
Without delay—
They began their journey.
After a long travel…
They reached a dense forest.
Pushpavana.
Following the map—
They discovered a hidden city.
Thanga Nagaram.
The guards stopped them.
"Who are you? How do you know this path?"
They showed the royal message.
They were allowed inside.
There—
Two people welcomed them.
Bermi.
Chandravathi.
"Where is Ariyan?" they asked.
The minister's voice broke.
"He… is no more."
They revealed everything.
Tears filled their eyes.
"Two days ago… he warned us about danger…"
"And now… he is gone?"
After a moment—
The minister asked:
"Can we see the prince?"
They nodded.
"There… that is Rudrasenan."
The boy stood in the field.
Fighting alone against twenty warriors.
And defeating all of them.
Everyone was stunned.
"And the other one?" they asked.
"That is my son… Pandu."
They sat together.
And spoke.
Bermi said softly:
"Ariyan came here… years ago.He left the child with us."
"He asked us… never to reveal the truth."
"So we raised him… as our own son."
Tears filled their eyes.
"How can we tell him now…?"
"That his real father… is gone?"
Silence fell.
The future of the kingdom…
Now rested—
On a boy who knew nothing of his destiny.