Chapter 30 Dance Love and Phantom
The final beat of Nayan and Karishma's dance was swallowed by a thunderclap of applause. The cheers were still rippling through the hall when Nayan dropped to one knee in front of Karishma. The stage lights caught the single white rose he held out its petals trembling slightly.
Karishma he said his voice carrying in the sudden hush. I like you. Will you be my girlfriend. He squeezed his eyes shut bracing.
A collective gasp then utter silence. Karishma's hands flew to her mouth. A slow deep blush crept from her neck to her cheeks. She looked from the rose to Nayan's tightly closed eyes and a smile shy then radiant broke through. She reached out her fingers brushing his as she took the flower.
Nayan's eyes snapped open. Seeing her smile he surged to his feet and pulled her into a crushing hug. Her arms wrapped around him just as tightly. The hall erupted. Whistles cheers stomping feet. From the wings Aarav and Kiyan grinned clapping along. Aarav's applause was broad relieved Kiyan's was a softer slower rhythm his golden eyes watching the embrace with an unreadable depth.
Then the world blinked out.
Not a fade. A guillotine drop into absolute black. The music died mid cheer. For a heartbeat there was only stunned silence then the chaos of a blind stampede began shouts scraping chairs the thud of collisions.
A moment later the emergency lights flickered on casting a sickly green pallor.
Standing directly before Aarav where the darkness had been was his father.
Papa. You you came.
Bhaskar's smile did not reach his eyes. Yes beta. You danced very well. He took a step closer. The air grew cold. But now the real dance begins.
His form shimmered like a heat haze over tar. His skin bubbled and stretched. A sickening crunch of bone and cartilage echoed in the hollow hall as he elongated his posture hunching his skin morphing into a mottled vibrant green. Before their horrified eyes Bhaskar twisted and expanded into a colossal Girgit Raj (Chameleon King) its tail lashing against the stage floor with a whip crack.
Karishma's scream was razor sharp. Save us.
Nayan shoved her behind him his body a shield. Kiyan moved faster than sight. One second he was beside Aarav the next he had Karishma in his arms darting off the stage and through the panicked stragglers. At the college gate he set her down his hands on her shoulders. His golden eyes locked onto hers holding her terrified gaze. You will go straight home he said his voice a low resonant command that vibrated in her skull. You will forget everything you saw here. Her pupils dilated the fear smoothing into blankness and she turned and walked away with robotic steps.
Kiyan was a blur returning. He grabbed Nayan who was still staring at the monstrous form on stage and repeated the process at the gate. Forget. Go home.
Back on the stage the giant Girgit Raj tail whipped towards Aarav like a fleshy spear. Kiyan intercepted yanking Aarav back by his collar. The tail tip whistled through the space Aarav's head had occupied.
Aarav are you hurt.
The creature shuddered its form melting and re solidifying. Now it stood half man half beast. From the waist up it was a muscular green skinned humanoid with a reptilian face slitted yellow eyes and a crest of spines along its back. From the waist down powerful lizard legs ended in clawed feet a thick muscular tail sweeping behind it. It let out a guttural laugh.
A Devanshik (a divinely blessed one who wields divine power) and a Chhayodhbhav (a nightborn entity who drains age) together. How amusing that two ancient enemies are saving each other's lives.
Where is my father Aarav's voice was low dangerous.
I ate him the creature Girgit Raj hissed.
Aarav's arm shot forward. A bolt of raw silver lightning erupted from his palm striking the creature square in the chest. Girgit Raj staggered back scales smoking. Ah. So the mouse has teeth. Its tail whipped out again.
This time Kiyan was the target. It did not strike instead the creature's maw gaped releasing a cloud of noxious yellow green gas directly at Kiyan. Kiyan dodged but the edge of the cloud caught him. He gasped stumbling the skin on his hands and neck already turning an alarming shade of grey green.
Kiyan.
Girgit Raj laughed. So predictable. The Chhayodhbhav throws himself in harm's way for the Devanshik.
Ignoring the taunt Aarav lunged. Tell me where he is. The tail wrapped around his torso with bruising force yanking him off his feet and dragging him towards the grinning reptilian face.
Or what. What will you do little sage.
Aarav's answer was a fist fueled by rage and crackling with residual energy smashing into the creature's snout. With a screech Girgit Raj flung him away. Kiyan moving through obvious pain caught him breaking his fall.
Enraged Girgit Raj inhaled deeply aiming another denser poison cloud at Aarav. Kiyan moved. He placed himself between Aarav and the blast taking the full concentrated brunt. The toxin hit him like a physical blow. He cried out a raw pained sound and collapsed his body convulsing slightly the green pallor spreading rapidly.
Kiyan. Kiyan why Aarav fell to his knees cradling Kiyan's head in his lap. Kiyan's golden eyes dimmed with pain found his.
He was aiming for you Kiyan rasped each word a struggle.
Aarav gripped his hand. I will not let anything happen to you. You hear me. You are going to be fine. His own eyes began to glow with a fierce desperate silver light responding to the life fading before him.
Girgit Raj advanced its laughter echoing. Touching. Now watch him die.
Aarav's head snapped up. A snarl ripped from his throat. He moved a streak of silver fury. His fist wrapped in crackling energy connected with the creature's jaw with a sound like breaking stone. Girgit Raj was lifted off its feet and slammed into the far wall.
Aarav was back at Kiyan's side in an instant. Stay with me.
Kiyan's eyes were fluttering closed. His breathing grew shallow.
Then a black blur descended from the rafters.
A man in a long dark coat landed between them and the groaning Girgit Raj. His eyes when he glanced back were a blazing familiar molten gold. He scooped Kiyan up with unsettling ease. With his free hand he ripped a small ornate locket from Kiyan's neck and pocketed it. Then in a movement too fast to follow he was at Girgit Raj side.
He rose into the air defying gravity one hand closing around the creature's throat. His coat billowed. His golden eyes blazed like miniature suns. His hair lifted as if in a static storm his nails elongating into black talons. A high piercing scream tore from his lips and Girgit Raj began to shrivel aging centuries in seconds collapsing into a small ordinary chameleon that skittered away into the shadows.
The stranger dropped Kiyan unceremoniously onto the stage and vanished into the night.
The moment the locket was removed Kiyan's body arched off the ground. A silent scream stretched his mouth. His own eyes flew open not their usual warm gold but a blinding predatory liquid light. His hair whipped around a face contorted in agony and hunger. His nails grew black and sharp.
He floated upright his feet not touching the ground.
Kiyan Aarav's voice was a whisper.
Kiyan's head turned mechanically. Those empty glowing orbs fixed on Aarav. There was no recognition only a vast consuming void. He drifted forward.
Kiyan snap out of it. It is me. Aarav.
A hand cold as marble shot out and closed around Aarav's throat. He was lifted his feet kicking at empty air. He clawed at the unyielding fingers his vision spotting. Kiyan's other hand came up cradling the back of Aarav's head holding him in place.
Kiyan's jaw unhinged with an awful tearing sound. From the depths of his throat a vortex of swirling golden light emerged pulling at the very air pulling at Aarav's essence. Aarav felt a terrifying tug deep in his core a cold draining sensation starting behind his eyes. His struggles weakened. His eyelids grew heavy
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