Chapter 6: The Secrets of the Deep
The waters of the Bay of Bengal stretched endlessly before them, shimmering in the light of the setting sun. The group had traveled quickly, reaching a hidden cove tucked between jagged cliffs that concealed the entrance to Chozha-Nagari, the legendary underwater city.
Standing on the rocky shore, Devika adjusted her pack, her gaze fixed on the waves as if searching for something just below the surface. The salty breeze ruffled her hair, but her expression remained focused and intense. Beside her, Arinjaya, now fully clad in the Simhamukha suit, stood like a sentinel, the faint glow of the armor catching the fading light. Agni, leaning on his staff, watched them both in contemplative silence.
“Chozha-Nagari,” Devika began, breaking the quiet. “The crown jewel of Rajendra Chola’s empire. Most people think it’s just a myth, but it’s real—more real than the world is ready for.”
She turned to Arinjaya, her tone growing sharper. “Do you even know what this place represents? What your ancestors built down there?”
Arinjaya tilted his head, caught off guard by the edge in her voice. “I know it was a naval city—an outpost for the Chola fleet during their conquests.”
“It was much more than that,” Devika replied, stepping closer. “Chozha-Nagari wasn’t just a base. It was a sanctuary, a laboratory, and a fortress all in one. It was where your forefathers stored the secrets of their empire—maps, technology, weapons that even today would seem impossible.”
She gestured toward the horizon. “And it was built to last. Rajendra Chola designed it to be hidden, to remain untouched by time. He sealed it away with ancient wards, knowing that its secrets were too dangerous to fall into the wrong hands.”
Arinjaya glanced at Agni, who nodded solemnly.
“Your father believed in keeping those secrets buried,” Agni said. “He knew the power of Thandavam Ore could be both a blessing and a curse. That’s why he guarded it so fiercely—and why Rudrajit’s actions are so dangerous. If he gains control of Chozha-Nagari, he’ll have access to the knowledge your ancestors swore to protect.”
Devika crossed her arms. “And it gets worse. There’s a section of Chozha-Nagari that even your father didn’t dare open. It’s called the Velakkai Chamber—the ‘Luminous Armory.’ It holds weapons and war machines powered entirely by Thandavam Ore, designed to turn the tides of war on a scale we can’t even imagine.”
Arinjaya’s chest tightened. “And Rudrajit knows about this?”
Devika nodded grimly. “He’s not just after the scrolls or Simhamukha. He wants to awaken the Velakkai Chamber. If he succeeds… no one will be able to stop him.”
The weight of her words hung heavily in the air, the crashing waves below seeming to echo their urgency.
“So how do we stop him?” Arinjaya asked, his voice firm.
“We get to Chozha-Nagari before he does,” Devika replied. “And we seal the Velakkai Chamber permanently.”
Agni’s expression darkened. “That won’t be easy. The chamber’s defenses were designed to keep out even the most skilled warriors. And Rudrajit will undoubtedly have already sent his forces ahead.”
“That’s why we have Simhamukha,” Arinjaya said, his resolve hardening. “This suit was made for this purpose—to protect what matters. I won’t let him desecrate my ancestors’ legacy.”
Devika gave him a small, approving nod. “Good. Then let’s move. The entrance to the underwater tunnels isn’t far.”
She led them to a narrow crevice between the rocks, where the tide rushed in and out with a steady rhythm. Hidden within the crevice was a small, ancient stone archway, its surface covered in intricate carvings of waves, lotuses, and Tamil inscriptions.
“This is it,” Devika said, kneeling to brush away the moss that had grown over the base of the arch. “The gateway to Chozha-Nagari. The tunnel runs underwater, but it’s lined with air pockets and wards to guide us.”
Arinjaya studied the archway, his gaze lingering on the glowing symbols. “And the wards? Will they still work after all this time?”
“They should,” Devika replied, though there was a flicker of uncertainty in her tone. “But if they don’t… we’ll need you to open the way.”
Agni stepped forward, his gaze scanning the archway. “Your father passed through here once, long ago. He wrote about it in his journals. The wards recognize the energy of the Chola bloodline. You carry that legacy now, Arinjaya. The gateway will respond to you.”
Arinjaya nodded, his heart pounding as he stepped toward the archway. Placing his hand on the cold stone, he closed his eyes and focused, letting his breathing steady. He could feel the faint hum of energy within the structure, like the echo of a heartbeat long forgotten.
Slowly, the carvings began to glow, their light spreading across the archway until the entire structure pulsed with life. The water within the tunnel shimmered, and a faint golden path appeared, winding its way downward into the depths.
“It worked,” Devika murmured, awe in her voice.
“Let’s go,” Arinjaya said, stepping forward.
They entered the tunnel, the water cool and clear as they waded in. The golden path illuminated their way, casting a warm light that seemed to push back the oppressive darkness of the underwater cavern. Air pockets formed periodically above them, allowing them to surface and catch their breath as they descended deeper into the ocean.
As they moved, Arinjaya couldn’t help but marvel at the ingenuity of his ancestors. The tunnel walls were reinforced with shimmering Thandavam Ore, their surfaces etched with symbols that glowed faintly, as though the fortress itself was alive and guiding them.
“This place is incredible,” Devika said, her voice hushed. “The craftsmanship, the engineering… it’s like they built it with knowledge from another world.”
“They built it with vision,” Agni replied. “Rajendra Chola was a ruler who understood the balance between progress and restraint. He didn’t build Chozha-Nagari to flaunt his power. He built it to protect the world from what that power could do.”
As they reached the end of the tunnel, the path opened into a vast, underwater cavern. In the distance, the glowing domes and spires of Chozha-Nagari came into view, their surfaces shimmering like liquid gold. The city was enormous, its architecture blending the grandeur of ancient Tamil temples with an otherworldly elegance.
Arinjaya stared in awe, his breath catching in his throat. “So this is Chozha-Nagari.”
“It’s beautiful,” Devika said softly.
“And dangerous,” Agni reminded them. “This city is the last line of defense for the secrets your ancestors hid. Rudrajit won’t hesitate to tear it apart to get what he wants.”
Arinjaya’s gaze hardened as he stepped forward, the Simhamukha suit gleaming in the dim light. “Then we stop him here.”
As they stepped into Chozha-Nagari, the silence was deafening. The vast underwater city loomed before them, its golden domes and ornate towers shimmering faintly under the glow of bioluminescent algae. The entire city felt alive, though not with the bustling energy of a thriving civilization. Instead, it pulsed with the remnants of something ancient—something waiting to be awakened.
The group moved cautiously through the main thoroughfare, a wide path flanked by massive bronze statues of Chola warriors and stone reliefs that told the story of Rajendra Chola’s empire. The intricate carvings depicted battles at sea, celestial beings blessing the empire, and the forging of Thandavam Ore weapons, their glow carved into the stone with uncanny precision.
“This place doesn’t feel abandoned,” Devika murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. Her eyes darted to the shadows that seemed to shift with every step.
“It isn’t,” Agni replied. His staff tapped against the stone floor, the sound echoing faintly in the hollow stillness. “The city’s wards are still active, protecting it from decay. But they won’t protect us if we make a wrong move.”
Arinjaya, clad in the Simhamukha suit, moved ahead of the group, his senses heightened by the armor. He could feel the faint hum of energy coursing through the city’s veins, like a heartbeat. It made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.
“What exactly are we looking for?” he asked, his voice steady but tense.
“The central archive,” Devika said, scanning the walls. “If Rajendra Chola left any records about the Velakkai Chamber, that’s where we’ll find them.”
As they advanced, the city seemed to grow more surreal. The structures, though undeniably ancient, gleamed as though freshly polished. The streets were lined with mechanical constructs, their forms humanoid but unmistakably artificial, their metallic limbs fused with Thandavam Ore.
Arinjaya stopped beside one of the constructs, its lifeless form slumped against a pillar. Its chest bore the Chola tiger emblem, and its hands were molded into claws, clearly designed for combat.
“Automatons,” Devika said, her voice filled with awe. “Rajendra’s journals mentioned these. They were built to defend the city in case of an invasion.”
“Why aren’t they moving?” Arinjaya asked, his hand hovering over the hilt of his sword.
“They’re dormant,” Agni replied. “Their power source would have been cut when the city was sealed.”
“Let’s hope they stay that way,” Devika muttered.
The group continued deeper into the city, their path leading them to a massive plaza dominated by a towering statue of Rajendra Chola himself. The statue depicted him standing tall, a sword in one hand and a globe in the other, symbolizing his maritime conquests and dominion over the seas.
At the base of the statue was a large circular platform, its surface engraved with a yantra similar to the one Arinjaya had seen during his trials. The yantra glowed faintly, pulsing in time with the energy that seemed to flow through the entire city.
“This is it,” Devika said, kneeling to examine the carvings. “The central archive is beneath this platform.”
“How do we get in?” Arinjaya asked.
Before Devika could answer, a low, mechanical hum filled the air.
The group froze as the automatons around the plaza began to stir. Their eyes, previously dark and lifeless, flared to life with a harsh blue light. Their joints creaked as they rose to their feet, their movements stiff but deliberate.
“Guess they’re not so dormant after all,” Devika said, drawing her blades.
Arinjaya stepped forward, his stance steady. “Stay behind me.”
The Simhamukha suit seemed to respond to his resolve, its energy flaring as the tiger emblem on his chest glowed brighter. The first automaton lunged, its claws swiping at Arinjaya with terrifying speed.
Arinjaya sidestepped the attack, his movements fluid, and countered with a strike to the automaton’s chest. The force of the blow sent it crashing into a pillar, where it sparked and collapsed in a heap of metal.
“Hit them hard and fast!” Agni called, spinning his staff to block an incoming strike from another construct. “They may be machines, but they still have weak points!”
The plaza erupted into chaos as more automatons activated, their glowing eyes and weapons lighting up the darkened streets. Devika darted between them with her characteristic agility, her twin blades finding weak spots in the constructs’ armor. Sparks flew as she sliced through a mechanical arm, disarming one of the automatons before delivering a finishing blow to its neck.
Agni held his ground near the base of the statue, his staff striking with pinpoint precision. Each blow he landed disrupted the constructs’ movements, sending them stumbling as if their circuits were momentarily scrambled.
Arinjaya, meanwhile, moved like a force of nature. The Simhamukha suit amplified his speed and strength, allowing him to strike with devastating efficiency. He targeted the pressure points on the automatons, his movements guided by the techniques Agni had drilled into him. With every strike, another construct fell, its glowing eyes dimming as it collapsed to the ground.
But the fight was far from over.
From the shadows at the edge of the plaza, a new figure emerged—a larger automaton, its body reinforced with heavier armor and its chest pulsing with a concentrated core of Thandavam Ore. Its movements were smoother, more deliberate, and its glowing eyes locked onto Arinjaya with an unsettling intensity.
“Watch out!” Devika shouted, but the warning came too late.
The automaton charged with surprising speed, its massive arm swinging toward Arinjaya like a battering ram. He barely managed to block the attack with his sword, the impact sending him skidding backward across the plaza.
“That one’s different,” Agni said, his tone grim.
Arinjaya steadied himself, the Simhamukha suit absorbing the brunt of the blow. “Good,” he said, his voice calm but determined. “Let’s see what it’s got.”
The larger automaton attacked again, its movements unnervingly precise. Arinjaya dodged its strikes, searching for a weakness. His sword clashed against its armor, but the blade barely left a scratch.
“It’s too strong!” Devika shouted, fending off two smaller constructs as she tried to reach him.
“No,” Arinjaya muttered, his mind racing. “It’s not invincible.”
He focused on the Thandavam Ore core pulsing in the automaton’s chest. That was its weakness—the source of its power.
The automaton lunged again, its claws aiming for his chest. This time, Arinjaya didn’t dodge. Instead, he stepped into the attack, deflecting the blow with his armored gauntlet and driving his sword into the core.
The result was immediate. The automaton froze, its glowing eyes flickering before it collapsed in a heap of sparking metal.
The remaining constructs faltered, their movements slowing as if the destruction of the larger automaton had disrupted their power. Within moments, the plaza was silent again, the broken bodies of the automatons scattered across the ground.
Arinjaya lowered his sword, his chest heaving as the glow of the Simhamukha suit dimmed slightly.
“Well,” Devika said, brushing dust from her armor. “That was dramatic.”
Agni stepped forward, his gaze lingering on the defeated constructs. “Rudrajit must have triggered their activation. He’s already inside the city.”
“Then we’d better move fast,” Arinjaya said, turning back to the platform. “Where’s the entrance to the archive?”
Devika pointed to the yantra on the ground. “Right here. Let’s hope we’re not too late.”
The yantra at the base of the towering statue pulsed softly, its patterns shifting and swirling in response to the group’s presence. Devika knelt by the intricate carvings, her fingers tracing the glowing lines as she studied the mechanism.
“This isn’t just an entrance,” she murmured. “It’s a key. The yantra is connected to the city’s energy grid. We can’t just force it open—we have to align the patterns correctly.”
“Let me,” Arinjaya said, stepping forward. Clad in the Simhamukha suit, he could feel the energy beneath the platform, humming in rhythm with his own. The suit seemed to amplify his awareness, as though the city itself was speaking to him.
He knelt beside Devika, focusing on the glowing yantra. The patterns shifted unpredictably, but as he moved his hands over the carvings, they began to respond. Each touch sent a ripple of energy across the platform, the lines slowly aligning into a coherent shape—a tiger’s face surrounded by swirling waves.
With a final pulse of light, the platform shuddered and began to descend, revealing a spiral staircase carved into the stone.
“Nice work, prince,” Devika said, smirking as she stood.
Arinjaya ignored the jab, his focus on the staircase. The air coming from below was colder, carrying with it the faint metallic tang of Thandavam Ore.
“Stay close,” Agni said, his voice low. “Whatever Rudrajit is looking for, it’s down there—and we can’t let him find it first.”
The group descended into the central archive, their footsteps echoing in the vast, empty space. The staircase spiraled downward for what felt like an eternity, the faint glow of the city above fading with every step.
When they finally reached the bottom, they found themselves in a massive chamber, its walls lined with ancient shelves holding scrolls, tablets, and mechanical blueprints. The air was thick with the scent of aged parchment and metal, and the only light came from the faintly glowing ore veins embedded in the walls.
“This is it,” Devika whispered, her voice filled with awe. “The heart of Chozha-Nagari.”
Arinjaya moved through the rows of shelves, his eyes scanning the scrolls and inscriptions. Each artifact told a story of innovation and ambition—schematics for naval ships powered by ore, detailed maps of ancient trade routes, and even instructions for building the automatons they had fought earlier.
But one section of the archive caught his attention. At the far end of the chamber, a row of sealed cabinets glowed faintly, their surfaces marked with warning sigils.
“What are these?” he asked, motioning for the others to join him.
Agni’s expression darkened as he examined the markings. “These are restricted records. Rajendra Chola sealed them himself. Whatever’s in here… it was never meant to be used.”
Devika studied the sigils, her brow furrowing. “But Rudrajit won’t care about that, will he?”
“No,” Agni replied grimly. “He’ll see this as a treasure trove. And if he manages to unlock the Velakkai Chamber…”
“He won’t,” Arinjaya said, his voice firm. “We won’t let him.”
As they continued searching, they came across a large central table, its surface covered in scattered scrolls and maps. One map, in particular, caught Arinjaya’s eye. It depicted the layout of Chozha-Nagari, with a large section marked in red—the Velakkai Chamber.
“Here,” he said, pointing to the map. “This is where he’s heading.”
Devika leaned over the table, studying the markings. “The Velakkai Chamber… It’s at the deepest level of the city, near the central power core.”
“And it’s heavily guarded,” Agni added. “Even if the automatons above were defeated, the chamber’s internal defenses are far more advanced.”
Arinjaya’s gaze hardened. “That won’t stop him. Rudrajit has the scrolls and the knowledge to bypass those defenses. If he gets to the Velakkai Chamber, he’ll have access to weapons that could destroy everything.”
Devika frowned. “So what’s the plan? We can’t just wait for him to come to us.”
“We don’t,” Arinjaya said, straightening. The Simhamukha suit glowed faintly, its energy pulsing in time with his determination. “We go to the Velakkai Chamber and stop him before he can activate anything.”
Before they could move, a loud crash echoed through the chamber, followed by the sound of approaching footsteps.
“They’re already here,” Agni said, his grip tightening on his staff.
The group turned toward the sound, their weapons ready. From the shadows emerged Kalki, Rudrajit’s towering lieutenant, flanked by a squad of heavily armed mercenaries. Their weapons, infused with Thandavam Ore, crackled with energy as they fanned out across the archive.
“Well, well,” Kalki said, his voice dripping with mockery. “Looks like we’re not the only ones interested in ancient secrets.”
“Rudrajit sent you to do his dirty work, I see,” Arinjaya said, stepping forward. His voice was calm, but the glow of the Simhamukha suit flared slightly, betraying his readiness to fight.
Kalki smirked, his grip tightening on his blade. “He didn’t have to send me. I volunteered. Someone needs to teach you your place, little prince.”
The mercenaries moved first, their weapons glowing as they charged toward the group.
Arinjaya met them head-on, the Simhamukha suit amplifying his speed and strength. He ducked under a spear thrust, countering with a precise strike to his opponent’s chest. The mercenary crumpled, and Arinjaya moved on to the next, his movements fluid and relentless.
Devika darted through the chaos, her twin blades flashing as she disarmed one mercenary and incapacitated another with a swift kick to the back of his knee.
Agni, meanwhile, held his ground near the table, his staff spinning in a blur of motion. Each strike was calculated, targeting weak points and rendering his opponents powerless.
But Kalki was a different beast entirely.
The lieutenant strode toward Arinjaya, his blade crackling with energy. Their weapons clashed in a blinding shower of sparks, the force of the impact reverberating through the chamber.
“You’re fast,” Kalki said, his tone amused. “But you’re not strong enough.”
Arinjaya gritted his teeth, parrying another strike. “We’ll see about that.”
Their duel was brutal, each strike faster and more precise than the last. Kalki’s strength was overwhelming, but the Simhamukha suit allowed Arinjaya to match him blow for blow.
Finally, Arinjaya saw his opening. He feinted left, then drove his blade into the pressure point at Kalki’s shoulder. The lieutenant staggered, his weapon falling from his grasp.
Kalki glared at him, his expression twisted with rage. “This isn’t over, prince. Rudrajit will finish what I started.”
With that, he retreated, his remaining mercenaries following him into the shadows.
The chamber fell silent once more, the only sound the faint hum of energy from the walls.
“We need to move,” Agni said, his tone urgent. “Rudrajit’s forces are already heading to the Velakkai Chamber. If we don’t stop him now, it’ll be too late.”
Arinjaya nodded, his gaze fixed on the path ahead. “Then let’s finish this.”
The central archive still hummed with residual energy from the battle. The bodies of Rudrajit’s mercenaries lay scattered, some groaning in pain, others unconscious. The air smelled of scorched ore and dust, the ancient city’s defenses stirred by the conflict.
Arinjaya tightened his grip on his sword, his mind already ahead—the Velakkai Chamber. Rudrajit was close. Too close.
“We don’t have time to waste,” Agni said, already moving toward the far end of the chamber. “If Kalki and his forces were just the vanguard, that means Rudrajit is already at the core of the city.”
“And trying to wake up whatever nightmares are inside,” Devika added, wiping her blades clean. “We need to shut him down before he gets that chance.”
Arinjaya nodded. “Let’s move.”
The passage leading to the Velakkai Chamber was unlike the rest of Chozha-Nagari. While the city above had been designed with grace and precision, blending ancient Tamil architecture with futuristic energy-based technology, this corridor felt different.
It was colder, the walls lined with Thandavam Ore, pulsating faintly like veins of an ancient, sleeping beast. The deeper they descended, the more Arinjaya felt it—a thrumming vibration beneath his feet, like a massive heart beginning to stir.
“This place,” Agni murmured. “It was built to contain something powerful.”
“Not just powerful,” Devika corrected. “Dangerous.”
As they moved deeper, the tunnel opened into a vast chamber, unlike anything they had seen before.
The Velakkai Chamber stretched impossibly far, its walls carved with yantras and war inscriptions from an age long past. At the center of the chamber stood four massive statues, each depicting a tiger-headed guardian, their arms crossed over their chests, their eyes set with Thandavam Ore crystals that pulsed with latent energy.
But beyond them—at the far end of the chamber—stood a colossal structure, its doors covered in glowing Tamil inscriptions, locked with mechanisms too intricate for the untrained eye to decipher. It was unmistakably a vault—the final seal of Rajendra Chola’s last, most dangerous weapons.
And standing before it, already at work dismantling its defenses, was Rudrajit.
Draped in deep blue and gold armor forged from Thandavam Ore, Rudrajit looked like a king of old, his presence commanding, his eyes alight with hunger. Around him, his most elite warriors worked feverishly to break the seals, their hands covered in the golden dust of ancient engravings.
At his side stood Kalki, nursing the wound Arinjaya had given him earlier, his expression twisted in fury.
“You took your time, cousin,” Rudrajit called out without turning around, his voice smooth as silk. “I expected you sooner.”
Arinjaya stepped forward, the Simhamukha suit pulsing with his rising energy. “Step away from the vault, Rudrajit.”
Rudrajit chuckled, finally turning to face them. “Step away? Do you have any idea what’s behind these doors? What our ancestors built? The Chola Empire was the greatest power this land has ever seen, and they ensured that no force on earth could ever challenge them.”
His gaze darkened. “And yet, our people have hidden in the shadows for centuries, hoarding this power, refusing to claim what is rightfully ours.”
Arinjaya’s jaw clenched. “That power was meant to be protected, not unleashed.”
Rudrajit scoffed. “And who told you that? The same council of cowards who let our empire fade into myth? The world has changed, cousin. But with these weapons, we can change it back.”
He gestured to the tiger-headed statues, the crystals in their eyes beginning to glow brighter. “These sentinels have been sleeping for centuries. But once I wake them, they will recognize only the blood of the Chola kings. They will serve me.”
Arinjaya took another step forward. “No, Rudrajit. They won’t.”
Rudrajit’s lips curled into a smirk. “Then stop me.”
With a flick of his wrist, Kalki and Rudrajit’s warriors attacked.
The battle erupted in an instant.
Agni was the first to move, his staff blurring as he intercepted two warriors at once, striking vital points with deadly precision. The energy within the Thandavam Ore weapons crackled against his staff, but Agni didn’t falter—his movements were deliberate, flowing like a river around each attack.
Devika dodged a sweeping blade, twisting in midair before landing a sharp kick to her opponent’s chest. She rolled away just as another warrior lunged, using the momentum to slash across his side, sending him crumpling.
Arinjaya locked eyes with Kalki, who had recovered from his wounds with a new, modified weapon—a massive double-bladed spear infused with Thandavam Ore.
“I owe you for earlier,” Kalki growled, spinning the weapon effortlessly.
Arinjaya barely had time to brace before Kalki lunged.
Their weapons clashed, sending a shockwave through the chamber. The sheer force of Kalki’s attacks made the stone beneath them crack, but Simhamukha absorbed the energy, redirecting it through Arinjaya’s strikes.
Kalki aimed for his head, but Arinjaya ducked, pivoting behind him and driving his elbow into the lieutenant’s ribs. Kalki stumbled, but he was fast—before Arinjaya could press the advantage, the warrior spun and drove the butt of his spear into Arinjaya’s chest.
The impact sent Arinjaya skidding across the chamber, his boots scraping against the stone.
“I see the suit makes you stronger,” Kalki said, twirling his weapon. “Let’s see how much it can take before it breaks.”
Arinjaya exhaled sharply, resetting his stance. “Come find out.”
Across the chamber, Rudrajit ignored the fight, focusing on the vault. He pressed his hands against the ancient engravings, and the Thandavam Ore sigils on the door flared to life. The tiger-headed statues trembled, the crystals in their eyes burning brighter.
“The sentinels are waking!” Devika shouted, parrying another attacker.
Agni turned, his eyes narrowing. “If he activates them, we won’t be able to stop him.”
Arinjaya knew they were out of time.
He disengaged from Kalki, his instincts screaming at him as he turned to Rudrajit. The vault doors began to shift, ancient gears grinding to life. The energy inside surged, and Arinjaya could feel something powerful stirring—something that should never have been disturbed.
He had one chance.
The Simhamukha suit pulsed, responding to his will. Every fiber of his being aligned with the rhythm of the Tandava, the cosmic energy he had connected to in his trials.
Arinjaya launched forward with blinding speed, bypassing Kalki entirely. Rudrajit barely had time to react before Arinjaya struck his hands away from the vault, his palm striking a vital point at the center of Rudrajit’s chest.
Rudrajit staggered back, gasping as his body seized.
The vault shuddered—then stopped opening. The energy pulsing from within flickered, then faded back into silence.
The sentinels’ eyes dimmed.
For the first time, Rudrajit’s smirk was gone.
“You…” he hissed, staggering.
Arinjaya stood over him, breath steady, eyes blazing. “It’s over.”
The Velakkai Chamber stood silent, the air heavy with the echoes of energy that had surged and now faded. The tiger-headed statues around the room seemed frozen in time, their once-brilliant eyes dimmed, their colossal forms looming like ancient guardians unwilling to awaken.
Arinjaya tightened his grip on his sword, the glow of the Simhamukha suit pulsing faintly in rhythm with his steady breathing. Across from him, Rudrajit staggered back from the vault, clutching his chest where Arinjaya’s strike had landed moments before. The blow hadn’t been fatal, but it had disrupted his energy—temporarily halting whatever connection he was trying to establish with the vault’s mechanisms.
“It’s over, Rudrajit,” Arinjaya said, his voice cold and resolute. “You’ve lost.”
But Rudrajit’s expression didn’t reflect defeat. Instead, he laughed—a low, humorless sound that sent a shiver down Devika’s spine as she approached from behind Arinjaya, her blades still glinting from battle.
“Lost?” Rudrajit hissed, his lips curling into a sinister smile. “Do you think this ends with a single strike? Do you think you’ve won because you closed the vault?”
He straightened, the Thandavam Ore-infused armor he wore crackling with renewed energy. “I am not just a rival prince, Arinjaya. I am the one chosen to restore our family’s glory—to wield the power our ancestors left behind.”
His hands rose, fingers clawing the air as he called upon the energy of the Thandavam Ore crystals embedded in his armor. The light from the dormant vault flickered again, responding to his will.
And then, the ground beneath their feet shook violently.
“What is he doing?” Devika demanded, bracing herself as the tremors grew stronger.
“Drawing power directly from the vault,” Agni said grimly, his staff glowing faintly as he moved to Arinjaya’s side. “He’s forcing the energy to respond to him—bypassing the seals entirely. If he succeeds…”
He didn’t need to finish the sentence. The implications were clear: if Rudrajit awakened even a fraction of the Velakkai Chamber’s contents, it could unleash untold destruction—not just in Chozha-Nagari, but across the world.
Arinjaya stepped forward, the Simhamukha suit amplifying his every movement. “I won’t let him.”
Rudrajit turned to face him, the energy in his armor surging as he drew a double-edged spear from his back. The weapon, forged entirely of Thandavam Ore, pulsed with an unnatural light, as though it were alive.
“Come then, cousin,” Rudrajit taunted, his voice filled with venom. “Let’s end this—Chola against Chola. Let’s see who the gods truly favor.”
Arinjaya didn’t hesitate.
The two clashed in a blinding explosion of energy, their weapons sparking as they collided. Rudrajit’s strikes were wild but powerful, each one leaving cracks in the stone floor as Arinjaya dodged and countered with precision.
“You’ve always been afraid of power,” Rudrajit snarled, swinging his spear in a wide arc that Arinjaya narrowly deflected. “Afraid of what it means to be a ruler. That’s why you’ll always be a shadow.”
“And you’ve always been blinded by ambition,” Arinjaya shot back, ducking under another strike and slamming his shoulder into Rudrajit’s chest, sending him stumbling. “That’s why you’ll never be a leader.”
Rudrajit growled, recovering quickly. He lunged forward with a series of rapid strikes, his spear crackling with energy. Arinjaya moved fluidly, the Simhamukha suit guiding his movements as he deflected each blow with his sword.
But Rudrajit’s attacks weren’t just physical—they carried the overwhelming force of the Thandavam Ore, each strike sending waves of energy through the chamber. The floor trembled, and the faint light of the dormant vault began to grow brighter, as if responding to Rudrajit’s desperation.
“I don’t need the vault to defeat you,” Rudrajit hissed, driving his spear downward in a devastating strike that shattered the stone beneath Arinjaya’s feet.
Arinjaya leapt back, his breathing steady despite the intensity of the fight. “You don’t understand, do you?” he said, his voice calm but firm. “Power isn’t what makes a ruler. It’s how you use it. And all you’ve done is destroy.”
Rudrajit sneered. “Save your lectures for the dead.”
The battle raged on, their movements a blur of light and shadow as they clashed. Devika and Agni, unable to intervene in the ferocity of the duel, focused on containing the energy emanating from the vault.
“The seals are breaking,” Agni muttered, his staff glowing as he chanted a low mantra, attempting to stabilize the room’s energy.
“We can’t hold this forever,” Devika said, glancing toward Arinjaya. “He needs to finish this—now.”
Rudrajit raised his spear, the weapon’s energy surging to its peak as he prepared for a final, devastating strike. “This ends here!” he roared, driving the spear downward with all his strength.
But Arinjaya didn’t retreat.
Instead, he stepped forward, his focus narrowing as he channeled the full power of the Simhamukha suit. The tiger emblem on his chest flared with brilliant light, and his movements became a seamless extension of the Tandava rhythm he had embraced during his trials.
As Rudrajit’s spear descended, Arinjaya sidestepped with perfect timing, his sword cutting through the weapon’s shaft in one fluid motion. The spear shattered, its energy dispersing in a shockwave that sent Rudrajit stumbling backward.
Before Rudrajit could recover, Arinjaya surged forward, his sword aimed with unerring precision. He struck Rudrajit’s chestplate, targeting a vital point in the armor’s energy flow.
The result was immediate. Rudrajit’s armor crackled and dimmed, the energy within it collapsing as he fell to his knees, gasping for breath.
The chamber fell silent, the tremors subsiding as the vault’s light dimmed once more.
Arinjaya stood over Rudrajit, his sword lowered but his gaze unwavering. “It’s over,” he said quietly.
Rudrajit looked up at him, his face twisted with rage and despair. “You… you don’t understand what you’re throwing away,” he spat. “The Chola Empire was destined to rule—to rise above the world!”
Arinjaya shook his head. “The Chola Empire wasn’t built on power. It was built on balance—on protecting what matters. You’ve forgotten that.”
Rudrajit’s eyes flickered with desperation, but his body betrayed his defeat. He collapsed fully, the faint glow of his shattered armor fading into darkness.
Agni and Devika approached, their expressions a mixture of relief and exhaustion.
“You did it,” Devika said, her voice laced with awe.
Arinjaya exhaled, the glow of the Simhamukha suit dimming as he sheathed his sword. “It’s not about me,” he said quietly. “It’s about all of us—and what we choose to protect.”
Agni placed a hand on his shoulder, his gaze filled with quiet pride. “Your father would have been proud, Arinjaya. You’ve proven yourself as more than just a warrior. You’re a leader.”
Arinjaya nodded, his gaze lingering on the dormant vault. “Let’s seal this place for good,” he said. “The world doesn’t need what’s in there—it needs us to ensure it stays buried.”
And as the three of them began the process of restoring the seals, the White Tiger of Mayilnadu stood ready for the battles yet to come.