Chapter 9: The War Within and The Sacrifice Outside
"Kiyan?" Arushi's voice held fear, her eyes fixed on the door.
Aarav and Nayan's eyes also turned in that direction. The air froze.
Then, the door swung open with a jerk, and Kiyan entered. But it was not the Kiyan they knew. His walk had a strange, crawling flexibility, as if someone was pulling his muscles. His eyes were like black abysses, with only a golden eel-like thing wandering in between. A glowing wave of anger floated around him.
He appeared in front of Aarav with lightning speed. "How dare you, Devanshik (divinely blessed one) ?" Virbhadra's rasping voice emerged from Kiyan's mouth, hissing like poison. "Coming to my cave and stealing my own book?"
He grabbed Aarav's throat and lifted him into the air. Aarav's feet left the ground, his soles flailing. Aarav's legs began to tremble, his breath choked. But he grabbed Kiyan's wrist with both hands and, with a painful jerk, shook himself free.
Kiyan flung him away with a jerk. Aarav fell backward, his back hitting the ground, and began coughing, hand on his throat.
Arushi and Nayan ran to Aarav. "Aarav! Are you okay? Get up, Aarav!"
Aarav struggled to his feet, shaking his head. He stepped forward again, eyes fixed on Kiyan. Kiyan stepped forward again and kicked Aarav hard in the stomach. Aarav gasped and fell again, writhing in pain.
Kiyan laughed a high, soulless laugh that bounced off the walls and returned.
Arushi ran to help Aarav up. Nayan quickly looked around. His eyes fell on a heavy vase in the corner. Without thinking, he picked it up and threw it at Kiyan. "Get out of here!"
Kiyan raised his hand. The vase stopped mid-air, inches from his face, and hung there, as if hitting an invisible wall. Then, he focused his attention on Nayan. With a jerk, Nayan rose into the air, his feet leaving the ground. Kiyan reached out his hand from a distance, and Nayan's throat began to choke, as if an invisible hand was strangling him. Nayan's eyes began to bulge, his face turning blue.
Then, suddenly, a braid bright, golden flashed in the air and wrapped around Kiyan's throat, pulling him backward and slamming him against the wall. Kiyan's concentration broke, and Nayan fell down, gasping.
Karishma, now awake and standing, her eyes burning with golden flames, her long braid waving in the air like a living snake. "Leave him alone," her voice carried an supernatural, double tone.
Kiyan rose from the wall, anger boiling on his face. "How dare you, Chhayagrasini (witch-like entity) ?" he thundered. "Attacking me?" He moved forward at lightning speed and grabbed Karishma's throat, lifting her into the air. A golden mist began to emanate from Karishma's body, her youthful energy, being drawn toward Kiyan's open mouth.
Karishma's eyes glowed brighter. Her braid, now fully under her control, waving in the air, wrapped around Kiyan's neck, squeezing him. Kiyan gasped and released Karishma. Karishma steadied herself, and with a sharp jerk, lifted Kiyan with her braid and threw him out of the house.
Nayan got up and went to Karishma. "Karishma, are you okay?"
Karishma nodded, breathing heavily. "Yes."
Just then, Kiyan ran back inside at lightning speed, murder in his eyes. He lunged straight at Karishma, his nails long and black, reaching for her. But then, Aarav stepped forward and spread his hands.
In front of Aarav, a shimmering, silver shield emerged in the air, stopping Kiyan's strike and scattering sparks. Kiyan hit the shield and fell backward, crashing to the ground.
Aarav stepped forward. "Kiyan," his voice calm, but firm. "I know you are still inside him. Control yourself. I am Aarav. Your friend."
Kiyan rose. For a moment, the black glow in his eyes dimmed. His lips moved. "Aarav…" his own, suppressed voice emerged. He took a step forward.
Aarav smiled, filled with hope. "Yes, Kiyan. I am Aarav."
Then, suddenly, Kiyan again moved forward at lightning speed and shoved Aarav hard, throwing him away. He began to laugh. "What do you think? Kiyan will defeat me? My name is Virbhadra! This mere Chhayodhbhav (nightborn entity) will defeat me? That cannot happen!"
Aarav got up, dusting himself off. "What do you want? Why are you holding Kiyan? Leave him."
"Leave him?" Virbhadra laughed. "If I leave him, then inside whom will I reside? Inside you?"
Aarav nodded, a deep, painful resolve in his eyes. "Yes. You leave Kiyan and come into my body."
Silence filled the room. Karishma and Nayan's breaths stopped. Virbhadra burst into laughter. "Oh! Into your body? But you are a Devanshik (divinely blessed one) , aren't you? So why do you want to help me?"
"I don't want to help you," Aarav said, emphasizing every word. "I want to help Kiyan."
Virbhadra kept laughing. "Oh! A Devanshik wants to help a Chhayodhbhav!" He looked toward the sky, as if speaking to an invisible audience. "See, Manikya? The power you created years ago to destroy my evil forces, today that same power is sacrificing itself to save a creature created by me!"
Aarav knelt down. "Whatever you want, I will give you. Just leave Kiyan. Take my body if you want, but let Kiyan go."
Virbhadra kept laughing. "What a joy! That a Devanshik is kneeling before me, begging me!"
Aarav folded his hands. "Let him go. I will do whatever you say."
"Fine," Virbhadra said, with a devilish smile. "Then rub your nose at my feet."
Aarav began to rise. Arushi quickly stepped forward and grabbed his hand. "What are you doing, Aarav? You will rub your nose in front of this beast? No! You will not do this, never!"
Aarav looked at Arushi. "If I have to do this to save Kiyan, then I will do this too."
Virbhadra kept laughing. Arushi's face turned white with terror. "No, Aarav! No!"
Aarav freed his hand from Arushi's grip, and slowly began to move toward Kiyan. "I will do as you said. But please, leave Kiyan."
Aarav bent down near Kiyan's feet. Virbhadra looked toward the sky and said, "No one can stop me from becoming all-powerful now!" He raised both his hands in the air and began to laugh loudly.
Just then, Aarav rose at lightning speed, and in a quick, precise motion, he snatched the amulet from Kiyan's neck the same black amulet that held Virbhadra's remnant.
"No!" Virbhadra's scream emerged from Kiyan's mouth, filled with real fear.
Aarav stepped away with the amulet. He signaled to Karishma. Karishma immediately extended her braid, which, waving in the air, began to wrap around Kiyan. Kiyan looked angrily at Karishma, grabbed her braid, and flung her away.
Just then, Aarav stepped forward. Kiyan looked at Aarav and stepped back. Real fear began to appear in his eyes. Aarav had assumed his full Devanshik form a glowing gem on his forehead, armlets on his arms, a tilak on his forehead, silver eyes, royal garments on his feet, a pearl necklace around his neck. A silver radiance emanated from his body, filling the entire room.
Kiyan began to step back, seeing him. "Devanshik…" his voice trembled.
Aarav looked at his hand. The Aadisrashta Chakra (divine discus of the creator) glowed, becoming a flaming, spinning disc. Kiyan tried to run in fear, but Aarav appeared in front of him with lightning speed and reached out his hand toward him.
Kiyan rose into the air, writhing. "No! Devanshik, no! Let me go! Release me!"
Aarav kept looking at him, pain and determination in his eyes. "If you don't leave Kiyan's body, I will destroy this piece of your soul."
Aarav began to squeeze the amulet tightly in his fist. A faint crackling sound started coming from the amulet.
"No! Devanshik, no!" Kiyan screamed, writhing in unbearable pain. "Don't do anything to the piece of my soul!"
Aarav squeezed harder. A black, smoky energy burst out of Kiyan's body, waving in the air. Aarav lowered Kiyan to the ground and ran to him. "Kiyan! Kiyan, wake up!"
He placed the amulet on the ground and lifted Kiyan in both his arms. The black energy hovered over the amulet, then picked it up and began to flee the house.
Nayan pointed. "Aarav, that amulet!"
Aarav turned to look, but by then, the energy had flown away with the amulet. Aarav laid Kiyan on the bed and placed his hand on his head. Silver light began to emanate from Aarav's palms, and Kiyan began to regain consciousness. He slowly began to open his eyes, and looking at Aarav, he said, "Aarav…"
Aarav smiled, tears of relief in his eyes. "Yes, Kiyan. I am Aarav."
In the street, the amulet fell on the road. A drunk man, staggering, passed by. His eyes fell on the glowing metal. "Hey, what's this?" he mumbled, bending down to pick it up. He turned it in his palm.
Then, the same black energy burst from the amulet, and at lightning speed, entered the man's chest. The man's eyes widened, then turned completely black. He stood there for a moment, then a strange, crooked smile spread across his face.
He put the amulet in his pocket, and slowly walked down the dark street, carrying an old, hungry soul in a new body.
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