Chapter 7: Storms of the Soul
The air smelled of salt and rust as the team’s transport glided low over the turbulent waters of the Arabian Sea. The coordinates Riya had decrypted from ancient texts led them to the heart of a forgotten naval graveyard—an expanse of shattered ships and submerged ruins.
“According to the map,” Riya said, leaning over the console, “the Ring of Budha should be located within the wreckage of an ancient flagship. Its records mention a storm so fierce that it swallowed an entire fleet, leaving nothing but debris behind.”
“Storms don’t just happen,” Sona said from her seat, her eyes scanning the horizon. “Not ones that wipe out entire fleets. Something—or someone—caused it.”
“And let me guess,” Arjun said, leaning back casually, though his grip on Vritra was tight. “We’re about to find out who.”
Prithvi stood at the transport’s edge, the faint hum of the Kavach VII audible over the sound of the waves. “Varunasura’s influence is already spreading. The closer we get to the ring, the stronger his hold on this region will be.”
“And that’s supposed to reassure us?” Arjun asked, raising an eyebrow.
Prithvi didn’t answer, his gaze fixed on the churning waters below.
The transport slowed, its engines adjusting as it hovered above a massive wreck half-submerged in the ocean. The ship’s splintered hull jutted out of the water like a skeletal hand, its once-proud masts now broken and draped in seaweed.
“This is it,” Riya said, her voice tinged with awe. “The flagship of the lost fleet. If the texts are correct, the Ring of Budha should be inside.”
“Of course it’s underwater,” Arjun muttered. “Because where else would it be?”
Sona rolled her eyes. “You’re not afraid of getting wet, are you?”
“No, I’m afraid of whatever’s lurking down there,” Arjun shot back.
Prithvi stepped forward, activating the Kavach VII’s underwater systems. “Suit up. We’ll need to move quickly. If Varunasura’s forces know the ring is here, they won’t waste time.”
The team dove into the water, their suits adapting seamlessly to the depths. The ocean was dark and cold, the faint beams of sunlight filtering down through the surface casting eerie shadows across the wreckage.
“Stay close,” Prithvi said, his voice steady over the comms. “Riya, keep an eye on energy signatures. If anything moves down here, I want to know.”
“Already on it,” Riya replied. “But the interference is strong. The ring’s energy is masking a lot of the signals.”
As they approached the wreck, the silence of the deep was broken by the faint sound of creaking wood and shifting metal. The ship seemed almost alive, its timbers groaning as if protesting their intrusion.
“This place is a tomb,” Vikram said, his voice quieter than usual. “So many lives lost, all because of one storm.”
“And now we’re here to disturb the grave,” Sona added grimly.
Prithvi led the way into the wreck, his suit’s lights cutting through the darkness. The interior was a maze of collapsed beams and tangled nets, the remains of the ship’s crew still visible in the form of skeletal fragments and rusted weapons.
“The ring’s energy is strongest in the captain’s quarters,” Riya said. “Keep heading forward.”
The team moved cautiously, their movements slow and deliberate to avoid disturbing the fragile structure. But the deeper they went, the more oppressive the atmosphere became.
“Anyone else feel that?” Arjun asked, his tone uneasy.
“Feel what?” Sona replied.
“Like we’re being watched,” he said, gripping Vritra tightly.
“You’re imagining things,” Vikram said, though his voice betrayed his own unease.
Prithvi’s visor flickered briefly as the interference grew stronger. “Riya, do you have eyes on us?”
“Barely,” Riya replied. “The interference is getting worse. It’s like something is blocking the signal.”
“Not something,” Sona said quietly. “Someone.”
A sudden surge of movement in the water caught their attention. From the shadows emerged a group of Naga cultists, their forms twisting unnaturally as they moved through the water with frightening speed.
“They’re here!” Prithvi shouted, raising his gauntlets as the first cultist lunged toward him.
The battle erupted in the confined space, the team fighting to hold their ground as the cultists attacked with bladed weapons and bursts of shadow energy.
Sona moved with precision, her plasma baton crackling as she struck down one cultist after another. Arjun’s blade gleamed with temporal energy, his strikes creating brief distortions that slowed the enemy’s movements.
Vikram unleashed bursts of arcane energy from his gauntlet, creating shields and counterattacks to keep the cultists at bay.
But the cultists were relentless, their numbers overwhelming in the tight quarters of the wreck.
“They’re not trying to kill us,” Sona said, her voice strained as she deflected another attack. “They’re trying to delay us.”
Prithvi’s eyes narrowed as he activated his thrusters, propelling himself toward the captain’s quarters. “Keep them busy! I’m going for the ring!”
The captain’s quarters were dark and foreboding, the faint glow of the Ring of Budha casting long shadows across the ruined space. The artifact floated above a shattered table, its surface pulsing with energy.
Prithvi approached cautiously, his suit’s systems adjusting to the ring’s powerful energy field.
“Chanakya, give me a containment analysis,” he said, his voice calm despite the chaos behind him.
“Containment field stable,” the AI replied. “Proceed with caution.”
Prithvi reached out, his gauntlets glowing as he prepared to secure the ring. But just as his fingers brushed its surface, a violent surge of energy erupted from the artifact, sending him flying backward.
“Prithvi!” Riya’s voice shouted over the comms.
“I’m fine,” Prithvi said, steadying himself. “But the ring… it’s resisting.”
The water around him grew colder, darker. From the shadows emerged a massive figure—an aquatic construct, its serpentine form wreathed in shadow and glowing runes. Its eyes burned with malice as it coiled around the wreck, blocking the exit.
“Varunasura’s forces have arrived,” Prithvi said, his voice steady but grim. “And they brought backup.”
The serpent-like construct coiled around the wreck, its glowing eyes narrowing as it locked onto Prithvi. The water seemed to pulse with its presence, the currents swirling violently around the team.
“Big guy,” Arjun muttered over the comms, his voice strained. “Very big guy.”
“It’s worse than that,” Riya said, her tone sharp. “The energy readings from that thing are off the charts—it’s directly tied to the ring. The longer it stays active, the stronger it’ll get.”
“Perfect,” Prithvi replied, thrusters activating as he dodged a swipe from the creature’s tail. “How do we bring it down?”
“You can’t fight it head-on,” Riya said. “Its armor is reinforced by the ring’s energy. You’ll need to sever its connection to the artifact first.”
“Of course we do,” Arjun muttered, shifting Vritra into a defensive position as the creature lunged toward him.
The construct moved with terrifying speed, its massive body slicing through the water as it struck at the team. Sona dodged its sweeping tail, her plasma baton sparking as she tried to find an opening to attack.
“It’s too fast!” she called, narrowly avoiding another strike.
“Then slow it down,” Prithvi ordered, firing a burst of wind and fire at the construct’s flank. The attack struck its armor, creating a brief ripple of energy, but it didn’t slow the creature’s advance.
“I’m on it!” Arjun shouted, propelling himself toward the creature’s head. His blade gleamed with temporal energy as he struck at the glowing runes on its neck, creating a distortion that briefly halted its movements.
The construct roared, its coils thrashing violently as it shook off the effects of the attack.
“Not enough!” Arjun said, dodging its retaliatory swipe.
Prithvi’s visor scanned the creature, highlighting weak points near its glowing core. “Chanakya, analyze the connection to the ring.”
“The construct’s core is acting as a conduit,” the AI replied. “It’s drawing power directly from the Ring of Budha, amplifying its capabilities. Disrupting the core will sever the link.”
“Easier said than done,” Sona said, striking at the construct’s tail. Her baton connected with one of the glowing runes, causing the creature to recoil briefly. “It’s protecting the core like its life depends on it.”
“Because it does,” Vikram added, unleashing a burst of arcane energy from his gauntlet. The attack struck the creature’s flank, creating a crack in its armor. “Keep hitting the runes! If we weaken its defenses, Prithvi can get to the core.”
The team worked in unison, their movements coordinated as they chipped away at the construct’s glowing runes. Each strike sent ripples of energy through the water, destabilizing the creature’s connection to the ring.
Prithvi moved quickly, using his thrusters to evade the construct’s attacks while targeting its weak points. His gauntlets glowed with fiery energy as he unleashed a concentrated blast at the runes on its chest, creating a deep fissure.
“It’s working!” Riya shouted over the comms. “The core’s connection is weakening!”
The construct roared again, its movements becoming more erratic as it thrashed against the team’s assault.
But the fight was far from over.
The construct’s eyes burned brighter, and a surge of shadow energy erupted from its body, creating a powerful current that sent the team tumbling backward.
“It’s not going down without a fight,” Sona said, steadying herself.
“Neither are we,” Prithvi replied, propelling himself toward the construct’s head.
Arjun moved to intercept its next attack, Vritra slicing through one of its coils. “Prithvi, get to the core! We’ll hold it off!”
The construct lunged at Arjun, its massive jaws snapping shut just as he dodged to the side.
Prithvi took advantage of the opening, propelling himself toward the creature’s chest. The glowing core pulsed with energy, its light growing more unstable with each strike from the team.
“Chanakya, give me everything we’ve got,” Prithvi said, his suit’s systems glowing as they channeled the combined energy of the Kavach VII and the Ring of Mangala.
“Energy levels critical,” Chanakya warned. “This attack will deplete your reserves.”
“Do it,” Prithvi said, his voice steady.
His gauntlets flared with fiery light as he unleashed a concentrated blast at the core, the energy piercing through the construct’s defenses. The core shattered in a burst of light, and the creature let out a final, guttural roar as its body began to disintegrate.
The water around them grew still as the construct collapsed, its remains dissolving into glowing fragments. The glow of the Ring of Budha dimmed slightly, its energy stabilizing now that the connection had been severed.
“Is it over?” Arjun asked, his voice strained.
“For now,” Prithvi replied, reaching for the ring. This time, the artifact’s energy felt steady, almost calm, as he secured it in a containment field.
Sona approached him, her plasma baton deactivating. “Two rings down. How many more to go?”
“Enough to make this fight worth it,” Prithvi said, his grip tightening on the artifact.
As the team made their way back toward the surface, the weight of their mission settled heavily over them. Each battle brought them closer to victory—but also closer to the edge.
And in the depths of the ocean, far beyond the wreckage, something stirred.
The eerie calm that followed the destruction of the aquatic construct lasted only moments. As Prithvi secured the Ring of Budha, the surrounding water grew darker, the faint shafts of sunlight from above swallowed by an ominous, churning current.
“Something’s wrong,” Riya said over the comms, her voice sharp. “The interference is spiking again—whatever’s happening down there, it’s not natural.”
“Define ‘not natural,’” Arjun replied, glancing uneasily at the swirling waters around them.
“Like we just kicked over a hornet’s nest,” Riya said. “And the hornets are very, very big.”
Prithvi’s visor flickered as his suit’s systems adjusted to the sudden changes in pressure. “Chanakya, analysis?”
“Localized storm activity is increasing at an exponential rate,” the AI replied. “Energy readings suggest residual interference from Varunasura’s influence. Recommendation: immediate extraction.”
“Extraction sounds great right about now,” Sona muttered, her eyes narrowing as the currents intensified. “Let’s not stick around to see what happens next.”
The team moved quickly, their suits’ thrusters propelling them upward through the darkening water. But the currents grew stronger with each passing moment, pulling them back toward the wreckage.
“Riya, we’re losing ground!” Prithvi called over the comms.
“I’m trying to stabilize the transport’s position,” Riya replied, her voice strained. “But the storm’s affecting the engines. You’ll need to surface fast or risk getting dragged down.”
“Easier said than done,” Vikram said, his gauntlet sparking as he struggled to maintain his balance against the surging waves.
A sudden burst of shadow energy erupted from below, sending a shockwave through the water that scattered the team.
“Hold formation!” Prithvi shouted, firing a burst of wind to steady himself.
“I’m trying!” Arjun snapped, barely dodging a jagged piece of debris swept up by the current.
The storm worsened, the currents coiling into massive whirlpools that threatened to drag them back into the depths. The team fought against the pull, their movements frantic as they pushed toward the surface.
Prithvi activated the Ring of Mangala, channeling its fiery energy into his suit to create a temporary shield against the swirling waters. “Stay close to me!” he called, the glow of his suit cutting through the darkness.
Sona and Vikram followed closely, their suits battered but functional. Arjun brought up the rear, his blade glowing faintly as he carved through the debris that littered their path.
“Almost there!” Riya’s voice urged them on. “Just a few more meters!”
But just as the surface came into view, a massive wave surged toward them, its force threatening to slam them back into the depths.
“Brace yourselves!” Prithvi shouted.
The wave hit like a freight train, scattering the team and sending them tumbling through the water. Prithvi gritted his teeth as the force of the impact rattled his suit, the glow of the Ring of Mangala flickering briefly before stabilizing.
“Everyone, report!” he called, his voice sharp.
“Still alive,” Sona replied, her voice strained.
“Barely,” Arjun added, coughing as his suit’s systems recalibrated.
“I’m fine,” Vikram said, though his tone betrayed his exhaustion. “But we need to move now.”
Prithvi activated his thrusters, propelling himself toward the surface. “Let’s finish this. Riya, prepare for extraction.”
The team broke through the surface of the water, gasping as they were greeted by the sight of the transport hovering above the churning waves. The storm raged around them, lightning arcing across the sky and illuminating the dark clouds that swirled overhead.
Riya’s voice came through the comms again. “Engines are barely holding, but I’ve got you. Get on board before—”
Her voice cut off abruptly, replaced by static.
“Riya?” Prithvi called, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the transport.
The loading ramp was extended, but something was wrong. The faint glow of shadow energy emanated from the cockpit, and the transport’s systems flickered erratically.
“Something’s not right,” Sona said, her gaze fixed on the transport.
As the team climbed aboard, the source of the disturbance became clear. Standing in the cockpit, her movements unnaturally fluid, was Kangana. Her eyes glowed faintly with shadow energy, and the Ring of Surya sparkled on her hand.
“Well,” she said, her voice dripping with mockery. “Look who decided to join the party.”
“Kangana,” Prithvi said, his tone cold. “What are you doing here?”
“Finishing what I started,” she replied, stepping forward. “You really thought you could keep playing this little game and not expect me to change the rules?”
“You’ve betrayed us before,” Sona said, her plasma baton sparking to life. “But this time, you won’t get away with it.”
Kangana smirked. “Oh, I’ll get away just fine. It’s you who won’t.”
Before anyone could react, Kangana raised her hand, the Ring of Surya flaring with energy. A burst of solar light erupted from her palm, blinding the team and sending them reeling.
Prithvi activated his thrusters to stabilize himself, but the intense heat from Kangana’s attack overwhelmed his systems. “Stand down, Kangana!” he shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos.
“Why would I do that?” she replied, her tone mocking. “I’ve got everything I need—and soon, so will Varunasura.”
She turned toward the console, her fingers flying across the controls. The transport shuddered as its engines powered down, leaving it vulnerable to the storm’s fury.
“She’s sabotaging the ship!” Vikram shouted, raising his gauntlet.
Arjun lunged toward Kangana, Vritra slicing through the air. But she dodged effortlessly, her movements enhanced by the Ring of Surya’s power.
“Too slow,” she taunted, striking out with a burst of solar energy that sent Arjun crashing into the wall.
Sona and Vikram moved to intercept her, their combined attacks forcing her to retreat momentarily. But Kangana was relentless, her strikes precise and devastating.
“You can’t win,” she said, her voice laced with confidence. “Not against me. Not against Varunasura.”
“We’ll see about that,” Prithvi said, stepping forward. The Ring of Mangala flared to life in his hand, its fiery energy clashing with the light of the Ring of Surya as their powers collided.
The battle raged within the transport, the confined space amplifying the intensity of each strike. Kangana’s attacks were brutal, her mastery of the Ring of Surya evident as she kept the team on the defensive.
But Prithvi pressed forward, his determination unshaken. “You think you’re fighting for power,” he said, his voice steady. “But all you’re doing is destroying yourself.”
“Spare me the lecture,” Kangana snapped, launching another attack.
With a final surge of energy, Prithvi countered, the combined force of his suit and the Ring of Mangala overwhelming her defenses. Kangana staggered, her eyes widening in shock as the power of her ring faltered.
Before Prithvi could deliver the finishing blow, Kangana raised her hand, activating a device on her wrist. A portal of shadow energy erupted behind her, and she stepped back into its swirling depths.
“This isn’t over,” she said, her voice echoing as she disappeared.
The portal closed, leaving the transport in chaos as the storm outside intensified.
“We need to get out of here,” Sona said, rushing to the cockpit.
Prithvi nodded, his jaw tightening. “Riya, bring us online. We’re not letting her get away.”
The transport groaned under the strain of the storm, the engines sputtering as sparks flew from the sabotaged control panel. The once-sturdy ship now felt like a fragile shell tossed about by the raging winds and churning waves below.
“Engines are offline,” Riya said, her voice strained as she worked furiously to override the system lockout. “She’s fried half the circuits. We’re dead in the water if I can’t reroute power.”
“Do it fast,” Sona said, gripping the edge of a console to steady herself as the ship lurched again. “This thing won’t hold much longer.”
“I know,” Riya snapped, sweat beading on her brow as her fingers flew across the controls. “But Kangana didn’t just disable the engines—she tied the shutdown into the power core. If I mess this up, we could overload.”
“Overload?” Arjun asked, leaning on Vritra for balance. “You mean explode?”
“Yes, Arjun,” Riya said tersely. “That’s exactly what I mean.”
Prithvi stood near the cockpit, his suit’s systems feeding him data on the failing structure of the ship. Every alert was a warning of impending collapse: weakened hull integrity, unstable power flow, catastrophic energy fluctuations.
“We don’t have time to debate,” he said, turning to the team. “Arjun, Vikram—head to the engine room and stabilize the core. Sona, you’re with me. Riya, guide us through the reroute.”
“Got it,” Riya said, her focus unbroken. “The backup conduit is on deck three. If you can reconnect it manually, I can restart the engines from here.”
“Let’s move,” Prithvi said, his voice cutting through the chaos.
The team split up, their movements precise despite the constant tremors rattling the ship. Arjun and Vikram descended into the lower levels, the flickering emergency lights casting long shadows across the narrow corridors.
“This place is falling apart,” Vikram muttered, his gauntlet glowing faintly as he scanned the walls for structural weak points.
“Tell me something I don’t know,” Arjun replied, kicking open a stuck hatch. The engine room was a mess of sparking wires and leaking coolant, the main power core pulsing erratically in the center.
“Riya, we’re here,” Vikram said, his voice calm despite the chaos around him. “The core’s destabilizing fast.”
“You need to vent the excess energy before it overloads,” Riya instructed. “There should be a control panel near the reactor. Arjun, give Vikram cover.”
Arjun nodded, positioning himself near the doorway. “You focus on the tech stuff. I’ll handle anything that decides to crash the party.”
Meanwhile, Prithvi and Sona moved toward the backup conduit, the deck shaking violently beneath their feet.
“What Kangana did wasn’t just sabotage,” Sona said, her tone clipped as she scanned the corridor. “She was stalling us. Buying time for Varunasura’s forces to get here.”
“She’ll get more than she bargained for,” Prithvi replied, his visor highlighting the conduit junction up ahead. The control panel was partially crushed under a fallen beam, sparks arcing from the exposed wires.
Sona moved quickly, using her plasma baton to cut through the debris. “This is worse than I thought. The connection’s completely severed.”
“Can you fix it?” Prithvi asked, crouching beside her.
“Maybe,” Sona said, pulling a tool kit from her belt. “But I’ll need a few minutes.”
“You’ve got two,” Prithvi replied, standing guard as the ship groaned ominously.
In the engine room, Vikram worked with calm precision, his gauntlet glowing as he manipulated the reactor’s energy flow. Sweat dripped down his face as he carefully vented the unstable energy into a containment unit.
“How’s it coming?” Arjun asked, his eyes scanning the corridor for threats.
“Almost there,” Vikram replied, his voice steady. “But if I release too much pressure at once, the entire system could collapse.”
“Yeah, let’s not do that,” Arjun said, gripping Vritra as the ship shuddered again. “We’ve got enough problems.”
Back on deck three, Sona finished splicing the severed wires, her hands moving quickly despite the tremors shaking the ship.
“Done,” she said, stepping back. “Riya, the conduit’s reconnected.”
“Good work,” Riya replied. “I’m restarting the engines now.”
The transport’s lights flickered, then stabilized as the engines hummed faintly back to life.
“We’re not out of the woods yet,” Prithvi said, his suit’s sensors picking up a new signal. “We’ve got company.”
Through the cockpit windows, dark shapes moved in the storm—Naga assault drones, their sleek forms cutting through the water with deadly precision.
“They’ve sent reinforcements,” Sona said, activating her baton.
“Of course they have,” Arjun muttered over the comms. “Because why wouldn’t they?”
“Riya, how long until we’re operational?” Prithvi asked, his tone sharp.
“Two minutes,” Riya replied. “Maybe less, if you keep them off me.”
“Consider it done,” Prithvi said, turning to Sona. “Let’s go.”
The battle was intense, the team fighting to hold off the drones as the storm raged around them. Prithvi’s suit glowed brightly as he unleashed bursts of fire and wind, each strike tearing through the drones’ armor.
Sona moved with precision, her baton crackling as she struck down drone after drone. “They’re targeting the engines!” she called, her voice cutting through the chaos.
“Not on my watch,” Arjun replied, leaping onto the deck and slicing through a drone with Vritra.
The drones swarmed relentlessly, their attacks coordinated and devastating. But the team held their ground, their movements precise and unyielding.
Finally, the engines roared to full power, the ship stabilizing as the storm began to abate.
“Engines are online,” Riya announced, her voice filled with relief. “We’re back in business.”
“Get us out of here,” Prithvi said, his voice steady despite the exhaustion creeping into his tone.
The transport surged forward, leaving the storm and the remaining drones behind. The team collapsed into their seats, their breaths coming in ragged gasps as the adrenaline faded.
“That was too close,” Vikram said, his voice quiet.
“Too close is becoming a habit,” Arjun replied, sheathing Vritra.
Prithvi held the Ring of Budha tightly, its glow a stark reminder of the battles still to come. “We’ve got what we came for,” he said, his gaze hardening. “Now we need to prepare for what’s next.”
The rhythmic hum of the transport’s engines filled the cabin as the team drifted in an uneasy silence. The storm still raged on the horizon, its dark clouds swirling ominously, but the ship had escaped the worst of it.
Prithvi stood near the cockpit, his hands resting on the control panel as he watched the storm fade into the distance. The Ring of Budha glowed faintly in a containment unit at his side, its energy stable but palpable.
Behind him, the team sat scattered across the cabin, their exhaustion evident. Arjun leaned against a bulkhead, his blade resting across his knees. Vikram sat cross-legged, his gauntlet dim as he fiddled with the settings.
Sona was seated furthest from the group, her gaze fixed on the floor. She hadn’t said a word since they’d left the storm behind, her expression unreadable but heavy with tension.
Prithvi turned, his gaze falling on her. He approached slowly, his armored boots clicking softly against the metal floor.
“You okay?” he asked, his tone calm but direct.
Sona didn’t look up. “Do I look okay?”
“You look like someone who’s blaming herself for something that wasn’t her fault,” Prithvi replied, taking a seat across from her.
Sona let out a bitter laugh, finally meeting his gaze. “And how do you know it wasn’t my fault? We almost died back there. If I’d been faster, more precise—if I’d seen Kangana’s betrayal coming—”
“Kangana didn’t just fool you,” Prithvi said, his tone firm but not unkind. “She fooled all of us. You’re not responsible for her choices.”
“I should’ve known,” Sona said, her voice tinged with frustration. “She worked with me, fought beside me. And I didn’t see it. I trusted her.”
Prithvi leaned back slightly, his expression thoughtful. “Trust isn’t a weakness, Sona. It’s a risk we all take, every day. Sometimes it pays off, and sometimes it doesn’t. But if we stop trusting, we lose the very thing we’re fighting to protect.”
“And what’s that?” Sona asked, her tone sharp.
“Each other,” Prithvi said simply.
Sona frowned, her shoulders sagging slightly as she let his words sink in. “I just keep thinking… what if I’m not strong enough? What if I fail again, and it costs us everything?”
Prithvi’s gaze softened, and he reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder. “You won’t fail, Sona. Because you’re not alone in this. None of us are.”
She looked at him, searching his expression for something—certainty, perhaps, or reassurance. “You really believe that?”
“I do,” he said. “Because I’ve seen what you’re capable of. You’re one of the strongest people I know, Sona. Not just because of your skills, but because you care. That’s what makes you a leader.”
Sona let out a slow breath, her tension easing slightly. “You always know the right thing to say, don’t you?”
“Not always,” Prithvi replied, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “But I try.”
Their conversation was interrupted by Riya’s voice over the comms. “Prithvi, we’re approaching the rendezvous point. ETA five minutes.”
“Thanks, Riya,” Prithvi replied, standing.
Sona rose as well, her expression steadier now. “I’ll be ready.”
“I know you will,” Prithvi said, giving her a nod before turning back to the cockpit.
As Sona returned to the others, the weight on her shoulders felt a little lighter. The battle ahead would be brutal, and the stakes higher than ever—but for the first time in days, she felt a renewed sense of purpose.
They still had a chance.
And she wouldn’t let it slip away.