Chapter 9: The Shadow Below
The swamp was alive with sound, though none of it was welcoming. Low croaks and guttural screeches echoed through the air, blending with the faint buzz of insects and the occasional splash of something unseen moving beneath the surface. The air was thick and damp, carrying the scent of rotting vegetation and stagnant water.
Kaal Sarp crouched at the edge of the murky marsh, his dark, tattered cloak blending into the shadows cast by the gnarled trees. His pale eyes scanned the horizon, piercing through the gloom like a predator assessing its prey.
The path ahead was treacherous, but it was one he had chosen to walk alone.
“This place reeks of death,” he muttered, his voice low and gravelly.
“It suits you,” came a voice from within.
Kaal stiffened, his fingers brushing the hilt of his blade. The voice wasn’t external—it was in his mind, a whisper he had long grown used to. The Ring of Rahu wasn’t his yet, but its influence already tugged at him, like an old friend reminding him of his darker days.
“I’m here to claim what’s mine,” Kaal replied, his tone defiant.
The voice chuckled. “We’ll see.”
The swamp grew darker as he ventured deeper, the canopy above thickening until it blocked out all light. Only the faint glow of his gauntlet illuminated the path ahead, casting eerie reflections on the black water.
Kaal moved carefully, his steps silent despite the uneven ground. He knew the enemy wouldn’t announce themselves with fanfare—they thrived in the shadows, waiting for a moment of weakness to strike.
The Ring of Rahu was somewhere in the heart of this swamp, guarded by a being known only as Umbra, a master of shadow and deception. Umbra’s reputation was one of fear, a creature said to wield darkness itself like a weapon.
But Kaal Sarp wasn’t afraid. Not of Umbra. Not of the shadows. Not of the thing inside him that whispered its poison into his mind.
The first attack came without warning.
From the darkness, tendrils of shadow erupted, lashing out with lethal precision. Kaal moved instinctively, his blade flashing as he sliced through the tendrils, their forms dissipating into mist.
“You’ve come far, Kaal Sarp,” a voice echoed through the swamp, deep and resonant. “But you’ve made a mistake.”
“Have I?” Kaal replied, his voice calm despite the tension coiling in his muscles.
“You don’t belong here,” the voice continued, each word dripping with menace. “The Ring of Rahu doesn’t belong to you. It belongs to the darkness.”
“I’ve been in the darkness longer than you’ve existed,” Kaal said, his blade steady in his hand. “If anyone deserves that ring, it’s me.”
The voice laughed, a sound that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. “Then prove it.”
The shadows surged again, this time forming into humanoid shapes that advanced toward Kaal. Their movements were unnatural, fluid and jerky at the same time, as if the darkness itself was testing different forms.
Kaal struck quickly, his blade slicing through the figures with ruthless efficiency. But for every shadow he destroyed, two more took its place, their forms twisting and multiplying with each passing moment.
“You can’t fight the dark,” the voice taunted.
“I don’t fight it,” Kaal replied, his eyes narrowing. “I command it.”
He raised his gauntlet, its glow shifting from pale light to a deep, pulsing black. The shadows around him hesitated, as if recognizing the power emanating from his hand.
The figures faltered, their forms dissolving into the mist.
“Impressive,” the voice said, a hint of amusement creeping into its tone. “But parlor tricks won’t save you.”
The swamp fell silent again, the oppressive stillness weighing heavily on Kaal. He moved forward cautiously, his senses heightened.
As he approached a clearing, the air grew colder, the shadows deepening until they seemed to press against him like a physical force.
In the center of the clearing stood a figure cloaked in darkness, its form indistinct but unmistakably human. The Ring of Rahu floated above its hand, its glow a deep, malevolent black that pulsed in time with Kaal’s heartbeat.
“Umbra,” Kaal said, his voice steady.
The figure tilted its head, as if studying him. “You seek the ring,” it said, its voice soft but filled with power. “But you carry the stench of betrayal. The shadows know your heart, Kaal Sarp. They know your lies.”
Kaal tightened his grip on his blade. “Then they know I’m not here to negotiate.”
Umbra’s laughter echoed through the clearing, a sound that sent a shiver down Kaal’s spine. “You think yourself strong because you’ve walked in the dark. But you’ve only skimmed the surface. I am the abyss.”
The shadows surged around the figure, coalescing into a massive, serpentine form that towered over Kaal. Its eyes burned with malice as it lunged toward him, its fanged maw open wide.
Kaal moved with precision, dodging the attack and striking at the creature’s flank. His blade connected, but the shadow absorbed the blow, reforming instantly.
“You can’t destroy me,” Umbra’s voice echoed. “Not while you still cling to the light.”
“I don’t cling to anything,” Kaal replied, his tone sharp. “I take what I need, and I leave the rest.”
He raised his gauntlet again, channeling its dark energy into a focused burst that struck the creature’s core. The shadows recoiled, their form destabilizing for a brief moment.
But Umbra reformed quickly, its laughter reverberating through the swamp. “You’ll have to do better than that, Kaal Sarp. Show me the darkness within you—or die.”
Kaal’s jaw tightened, his heart pounding as the shadows pressed closer. He knew Umbra was right—if he wanted to claim the Ring of Rahu, he would have to embrace the part of himself he had spent years suppressing.
The part that thrived in the dark.
He closed his eyes, letting the voice of the ring fill his mind. The whispers grew louder, stronger, urging him forward.
“Let go,” the voice said. “The shadows are your home. Become what you were meant to be.”
When Kaal opened his eyes, they glowed with a faint, eerie light. The darkness around him shifted, bending to his will as he raised his blade.
“I don’t serve the shadows,” he said, his voice cold and commanding. “They serve me.”
The clearing grew colder, the shadows swirling around Kaal Sarp like a living tide. His glowing eyes locked onto Umbra, the serpentine figure towering over him, its darkness pulsating in rhythm with the energy of the Ring of Rahu.
“So, you’ve embraced it,” Umbra said, its voice rippling through the air like a low growl. “The shadows answer your call—but do they respect you? Do they fear you?”
“They don’t need to,” Kaal replied, his voice a sharp contrast to Umbra’s guttural tone. “They only need to obey.”
He raised his gauntlet, and the shadows around him coalesced into jagged spikes that launched toward Umbra. The attack struck the serpentine form, slicing through its inky mass, but the wounds sealed almost instantly, the darkness reforming.
Umbra laughed, a hollow sound that echoed through the swamp. “Is that the best you can do? The Ring of Rahu demands dominance, Kaal Sarp. Show me your strength, or be consumed by your weakness.”
Umbra lunged, its massive coils sweeping toward Kaal with terrifying speed. He dodged the first strike, his movements fluid as he spun away from the second. The shadows at his feet writhed, responding to his will as he counterattacked, sending a wave of serrated tendrils toward his opponent.
The tendrils struck true, wrapping around Umbra’s form and tightening like constricting vines. For a moment, the shadowy serpent faltered, its movements sluggish as Kaal poured his energy into the attack.
But Umbra roared, the sound reverberating through the swamp as it shattered the bindings with a burst of raw shadow energy. The force sent Kaal flying, his back slamming into a twisted tree.
“Pathetic,” Umbra sneered, its voice dripping with contempt. “You wield the shadows like a child wields a toy. You’ll never claim the ring with such feeble resolve.”
Kaal gritted his teeth, forcing himself to his feet. The taste of blood filled his mouth, but he ignored it, his focus locked on the glowing Ring of Rahu that hovered just out of reach.
“I’ve walked through worse than you,” he said, his voice low and defiant. “And I’ve come out stronger every time.”
He extended his gauntlet, the darkness around him thickening until it formed a pair of shadowy blades in his hands. Their edges gleamed faintly, pulsating with the energy of the swamp.
Umbra tilted its head, its glowing eyes narrowing. “Interesting. But the shadows are not yours to command—they are mine.”
The serpent’s body writhed, splitting into multiple tendrils that lashed out at Kaal in unison.
The battle escalated into a deadly dance of shadows and steel. Kaal’s twin blades moved like extensions of his own body, deflecting Umbra’s attacks with precision while striking back with equal ferocity.
For every tendril he severed, two more replaced it, each one more aggressive than the last. Umbra’s laughter echoed through the swamp, taunting him with every strike.
“You can’t win, Kaal Sarp,” the voice sneered. “You fight like a man afraid of his own power. Accept your place in the darkness, or be devoured by it.”
Kaal’s eyes burned with resolve as he slashed through another wave of tendrils. “You talk too much,” he said, his voice steady.
The tide began to turn. Kaal’s movements grew sharper, more deliberate, as he tapped deeper into the shadows’ power. The blades in his hands extended, their forms twisting into serrated edges that tore through Umbra’s attacks with ruthless efficiency.
The serpent recoiled, its massive form faltering as Kaal pressed the advantage.
“You think you’re the master of the shadows?” Kaal said, his voice rising. “You’re nothing but a parasite—a relic clinging to power you don’t deserve.”
Umbra hissed, its coils thrashing as it lunged for Kaal. But this time, he was ready.
Kaal raised his gauntlet, and the shadows around him surged upward, forming a massive spear of dark energy. The weapon crackled with power, its form unstable but deadly.
With a roar, Kaal hurled the spear at Umbra, the projectile piercing through the serpent’s core. The creature let out a deafening cry as its form began to unravel, the shadows that composed it collapsing into a swirling vortex.
Umbra’s voice echoed one last time, filled with rage and desperation. “The shadows may serve you now, Kaal Sarp… but they will demand their price.”
As the vortex faded, the Ring of Rahu floated gently to the ground, its glow dim but steady.
Kaal approached the ring, his steps slow and deliberate. He reached down, his gauntlet trembling slightly as he picked it up.
The moment his fingers closed around the ring, a surge of energy coursed through him, cold and intoxicating. The whispers in his mind grew louder, more insistent, but he didn’t flinch.
Instead, he closed his eyes and let the power settle, his breathing steady. When he opened them again, his gaze was sharper, more focused.
The Ring of Rahu pulsed faintly on his hand, its energy now fully under his control.
As Kaal turned to leave the clearing, the shadows around him seemed to bow, their movements deferential. The swamp itself grew quieter, the oppressive darkness retreating in his presence.
But as he made his way back toward the team, a single thought lingered in his mind—a warning, buried deep within the whispers of the ring.
The shadows served him now.
But they wouldn’t serve him forever.
The camp was quiet, the crackle of a small fire the only sound breaking the desert night. The team sat scattered around the flickering flames, their expressions drawn and weary.
Prithvi adjusted his suit’s systems, his visor casting a faint blue glow over his face as he reviewed their next steps. Sona leaned back against a rock, her plasma baton lying idle at her side, though her sharp gaze betrayed her restless thoughts. Vikram was hunched over his console, his fingers flying across the interface as he deciphered fragments of the Phoenix Prophecy.
Arjun, meanwhile, stood at the edge of the camp, Vritra resting on his shoulder. He stared into the distance, his grip on the blade tight as if trying to anchor himself against the chaos that seemed to follow them.
The air grew heavier as Kaal Sarp emerged from the shadows.
His presence was different now—darker, more commanding. The Ring of Rahu glinted faintly on his hand, its black glow pulsating in rhythm with his movements. The shadows seemed to shift around him, their edges blurring as if they were part of him.
“Welcome back,” Prithvi said, his tone carefully neutral.
Kaal stopped near the fire, his pale eyes scanning the group. “You didn’t wait for me.”
“We didn’t know if you’d be coming back,” Sona said, her voice sharp. “You decided to wander off alone without telling anyone.”
“I had my reasons,” Kaal replied evenly. “And I accomplished what I set out to do.”
The tension crackled like the fire between them. Sona stood, her stance defensive. “We’re a team, Kaal. You don’t just disappear without a word and then stroll back in like nothing happened.”
“I didn’t need your help,” Kaal said, his tone dismissive. “If I had, I would’ve asked.”
“Enough,” Prithvi said, stepping between them. “Sona’s right—we’re a team. And that means we move together.”
Kaal’s gaze shifted to Prithvi, cold and unyielding. “You mean like how you moved without me when you left for the forge?”
Prithvi’s jaw tightened, but his tone remained calm. “That was different.”
“Was it?” Kaal asked, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Or is it just easier for you to give orders than to follow them?”
The tension rose palpably, but it was Vikram who spoke next, his voice measured. “Kaal, no one’s questioning your abilities. But the energy coming off that ring… it’s different. And it’s affecting you.”
Kaal’s smirk faded, his expression hardening. “I’m fine, Vikram. The ring answers to me, not the other way around.”
“Does it?” Vikram asked, his gaze steady. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’ve changed. And not for the better.”
“You don’t know anything about me,” Kaal said, his voice low and sharp. “You sit behind your consoles and analyze runes, but you’ve never had to make the choices I’ve made.”
“And what choices are those?” Sona pressed, stepping forward. “Abandoning the team? Chasing power you can’t control?”
Kaal’s eyes flashed, the shadows around him thickening briefly before settling. “I didn’t abandon anyone,” he said, his voice cold. “I did what needed to be done. And I came back stronger because of it.”
Arjun, who had been silent until now, finally spoke, his tone calm but pointed. “Stronger doesn’t mean better, Kaal. We’ve all sacrificed something to get here. But if you think this fight is about power, you’re already losing.”
Kaal turned to him, his pale eyes narrowing. “Easy for you to say, with your dragon blade and your heroic speeches. But some of us weren’t born into glory, Arjun. Some of us had to crawl through the dark just to survive.”
Arjun’s grip on Vritra tightened, but he didn’t rise to the bait. “And maybe that’s why you don’t have to crawl anymore. But if you keep holding onto that darkness like it’s your only weapon, it’s going to eat you alive.”
Kaal’s smirk returned, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Thanks for the advice, hero. I’ll be sure to write it down.”
Prithvi stepped forward again, his tone firm but measured. “Enough. We don’t have time for this. Varunasura’s forces are regrouping, and the next move has to be ours. If we’re going to win, we need to trust each other.”
Kaal’s gaze lingered on Prithvi, his expression unreadable. After a long moment, he nodded. “Fine. But don’t expect me to follow blindly.”
“No one’s asking you to,” Prithvi said. “Just don’t forget who your allies are.”
Kaal said nothing, turning and walking toward the edge of the camp. The shadows followed him like a second skin, their movements unnatural and unsettling.
As the team settled back into their routine, the unease lingered. Sona approached Prithvi, her voice low. “You really think we can trust him?”
Prithvi hesitated, his gaze fixed on Kaal’s retreating figure. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “But for now, we don’t have a choice.”
Sona frowned but didn’t press the issue.
Vikram, meanwhile, leaned closer to Prithvi. “The ring’s energy isn’t stable,” he said quietly. “Kaal’s fighting to control it, but if he loses that fight…”
Prithvi’s expression darkened. “Then we’ll have another enemy to deal with.”
At the edge of the camp, Kaal stared into the darkness, the Ring of Rahu pulsing faintly on his hand. The whispers in his mind grew louder, their tone insistent.
“You are stronger now,” they said. “But strength is not enough. The shadows demand more.”
Kaal closed his eyes, his jaw tightening. “I won’t lose control,” he muttered. “Not to you. Not to anyone.”
The whispers faded into silence, but the unease remained.
Kaal Sarp was back with the team. But the question lingered: how long before the shadows took him completely?
The team moved through the narrow canyon in tense silence, the jagged rock walls rising high on either side like a fortress carved by ancient hands. The air was dry and heavy, the faint whistle of wind the only sound in the oppressive stillness.
Riya’s voice crackled over the comms. “You’re about a kilometer from the site. Sensors are picking up unusual seismic activity—localized, not natural.”
“More minions?” Sona asked, her plasma baton already in her hand.
“Could be,” Riya replied. “Or it could be another elemental commander. Either way, keep your guard up.”
Prithvi nodded, his voice calm as he responded. “Understood. We’ll handle it.”
He glanced back at the team, his gaze lingering on Kaal Sarp. The shadows around him had grown quieter, less overtly menacing, but there was an edge to Kaal’s movements that made Prithvi uneasy.
“Stay sharp,” Prithvi said, his tone firm. “This canyon’s the perfect place for an ambush.”
The group pressed on, their movements deliberate as they navigated the uneven terrain. Vikram’s gauntlet glowed faintly as he scanned the surrounding rock formations, his expression focused.
“There’s residual energy here,” he said. “It’s faint, but it matches the patterns we picked up near the forge. Varunasura’s forces were here recently.”
“Recently enough to set a trap?” Arjun asked, his grip tightening on Vritra.
“Most likely,” Vikram replied. “The energy’s still active, which means—”
The ground beneath them shuddered violently, cutting him off mid-sentence.
“—we’re walking right into it,” he finished grimly.
The first wave of attackers emerged from the canyon walls—figures made of jagged stone, their forms twisting as they moved. Their eyes glowed with an eerie light, and their movements were unnaturally fast for creatures of rock.
“Ambush!” Prithvi shouted, activating his thrusters as he fired a blast of wind and fire at the advancing creatures.
The attack struck the nearest figure, shattering it into rubble, but more appeared in its place, crawling from cracks in the canyon walls like insects from a hive.
“They’re everywhere!” Sona called, deflecting a strike with her plasma baton before retaliating with a precise counterattack.
Arjun leapt into the fray, Vritra blazing as he cut through the stone figures with devastating precision. The blade’s energy rippled outward, slowing the creatures’ movements just long enough for him to dismantle them one by one.
“We can’t keep this up forever,” Vikram said, hurling a burst of arcane energy at another cluster of attackers. “They’re regenerating too quickly!”
Kaal Sarp stood at the edge of the fight, his pale eyes scanning the battlefield with an unnerving calm. The shadows around him stirred, eager and hungry, but he hesitated.
“Any time now, Kaal!” Sona shouted, striking down another attacker. “Or are you just here for the scenery?”
Kaal’s jaw tightened, and he raised his gauntlet. The shadows surged forward, coiling around the nearest stone figures and pulling them apart with brutal efficiency.
The creatures writhed and crumbled under the assault, but as the shadows retreated, Kaal staggered slightly, his breathing shallow.
“You alright?” Prithvi asked, moving to cover him.
“I’m fine,” Kaal said tersely. “Focus on the fight.”
The battle raged on, the team holding their ground against the relentless onslaught. But the canyon itself seemed to turn against them, the walls closing in as if manipulated by an unseen force.
“It’s the seismic activity,” Vikram said, his voice strained. “Something’s controlling the terrain!”
Prithvi’s sensors flared, and his visor locked onto a figure high above them—a humanoid form carved from obsidian, its body radiating with elemental energy.
“Terrax,” Prithvi said, his tone grim. “One of Varunasura’s commanders.”
The figure raised its arms, and the canyon walls groaned as massive boulders broke free, crashing down toward the team.
“Move!” Prithvi shouted, his thrusters flaring as he dodged the falling debris.
As the team scattered, Terrax leapt down from its perch, landing with a thunderous impact that sent shockwaves rippling through the ground. Its glowing eyes locked onto Prithvi, and it charged with surprising speed, its massive fists swinging in a wide arc.
Prithvi blocked the attack with a shield of wind, but the force sent him skidding backward.
“Focus on Terrax!” he called. “The stone minions are just distractions!”
Sona darted in from the side, her plasma baton crackling as she struck at Terrax’s legs. The attack left scorch marks but did little to slow the creature’s movements.
“Great,” she muttered. “It’s built like a tank.”
Kaal stepped forward, the shadows around him surging as he raised his gauntlet.
“Get clear,” he said, his voice low but commanding.
Prithvi hesitated for a fraction of a second before nodding. “Do it.”
Kaal unleashed a wave of shadow energy that engulfed Terrax, the tendrils wrapping tightly around its form. The creature struggled, its obsidian body cracking under the pressure, but the energy took its toll on Kaal as well.
The shadows pulsed erratically, their movements chaotic as they threatened to spiral out of control.
“Kaal, pull back!” Vikram shouted. “You’re pushing too hard!”
Kaal gritted his teeth, his pale eyes glowing faintly. “I can handle it.”
Arjun stepped in, his blade glowing brightly as he struck at Terrax’s exposed core. The temporal energy rippled through the creature, destabilizing its form just long enough for Sona to deliver a final blow with her baton.
Terrax let out a guttural roar as its body crumbled into rubble, the ground beneath it shaking one last time before falling silent.
The remaining stone minions faltered, their movements sluggish as the energy animating them dissipated.
As the dust settled, the team regrouped, their breathing heavy.
“That was too close,” Sona said, her tone sharp as she looked at Kaal. “And it would’ve been worse if your little shadow trick had gone out of control.”
Kaal glared at her, his jaw tight. “It didn’t.”
“But it could have,” Prithvi said, his tone measured. “You need to be more careful, Kaal. We can’t afford to lose control—not now.”
Kaal said nothing, turning away as the shadows around him receded.
Prithvi watched him go, his expression troubled. The fight had been a victory, but the cracks in their team were growing wider—and he wasn’t sure how much longer they could hold together.
Far above them, the first stars of the evening began to appear, their faint light a distant reminder of the battles still to come.
The campfire cast flickering shadows across the jagged rocks that surrounded the team’s temporary base. The aftermath of their battle with Terrax lingered in the air like an unspoken accusation.
Kaal Sarp sat apart from the others, his silhouette blending into the darkness beyond the fire’s glow. The Ring of Rahu glinted faintly on his hand, its pulsing energy muted but still palpable.
The others sat around the fire, their exhaustion apparent. Sona’s plasma baton rested at her side, but her sharp gaze remained fixed on Kaal. Vikram was hunched over his console, his expression grim as he reviewed the data from their fight. Arjun leaned against a nearby rock, Vritra sheathed but never far from reach.
Prithvi stood, his armored frame illuminated by the firelight. His gaze moved from one teammate to the next, assessing the growing tension.
“We need to talk,” he said finally, his tone calm but firm.
Sona was the first to speak, her voice sharp. “Talk about what? How Kaal almost got us killed back there?”
Kaal didn’t look at her, but his jaw tightened.
“I had it under control,” he said evenly.
“Control?” Sona repeated, her tone incredulous. “You call nearly losing yourself to that shadow power ‘control’?”
Kaal turned to her, his pale eyes glowing faintly. “I did what needed to be done. We won, didn’t we?”
“At what cost?” Vikram asked, his tone measured but laced with concern. “The energy you’re channeling from that ring—it’s not stable, Kaal. It’s reacting to you, feeding off your emotions. If you keep pushing it like this, it could consume you.”
Kaal’s lips twisted into a faint smirk. “I appreciate the concern, Vikram, but I’m fine. The shadows answer to me, not the other way around.”
“You keep saying that,” Arjun said, his tone calm but pointed. “But from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re losing yourself. And if that happens, we’re the ones who’ll have to deal with the fallout.”
Kaal stood abruptly, the shadows around him stirring. “I don’t need a lecture from you, dragon boy. You’ve got your own little ticking time bomb strapped to your back.”
Arjun’s grip on Vritra tightened, but he didn’t rise to the bait. “This isn’t about me, Kaal. It’s about you—and whether we can trust you to have our backs when it matters.”
The silence that followed was heavy, the crackle of the fire the only sound.
Prithvi stepped forward, his tone even but firm. “Kaal, we’re not your enemies. But you need to understand the risks you’re taking. That ring is powerful, but it’s also dangerous. If you lose control, it won’t just be you who suffers—it’ll be all of us.”
Kaal’s gaze shifted to Prithvi, his expression unreadable. “You think I don’t know that? You think I don’t hear the whispers, feel the pull of the shadows every second of every day? I’m not blind, Prithvi. I know exactly what I’m dealing with.”
“Then prove it,” Prithvi said, his voice steady. “Show us that you can control it. That you can control yourself.”
The challenge hung in the air, and for a moment, Kaal said nothing. The shadows around him seemed to recede slightly, their edges softening.
“Fine,” he said finally, his tone quiet but resolute. “I’ll prove it. But don’t mistake my control for weakness. I won’t hold back just because you’re afraid of what I might become.”
“No one’s asking you to hold back,” Prithvi said. “We’re asking you to fight with us, not against us.”
Kaal’s smirk returned, faint but noticeable. “We’ll see.”
As Kaal walked away from the fire, disappearing into the shadows at the edge of the camp, the remaining team members exchanged uneasy glances.
“This isn’t sustainable,” Sona said, her voice low. “He’s a liability, Prithvi. We can’t keep pretending otherwise.”
“He’s more than a liability,” Vikram added, his tone grim. “That ring isn’t just affecting him—it’s changing him. And if he can’t handle it…”
Prithvi cut him off, his tone sharp. “He can handle it. He has to.”
“Why?” Arjun asked, his gaze steady. “Why does he have to?”
Prithvi looked at the group, his expression resolute. “Because if we don’t trust him, we’ve already lost. Varunasura wants us divided. We can’t give him that advantage.”
The team fell silent, the weight of Prithvi’s words settling over them.
Far beyond the camp, Kaal stood alone, the Ring of Rahu glowing faintly on his hand. The whispers in his mind had grown quieter, but they were still there, lingering just beneath the surface.
“You’re stronger now,” they said, their tone almost soothing. “But strength is only the beginning. To master the shadows, you must become one with them.”
Kaal closed his eyes, his breathing steady.
“I’m already one with the shadows,” he muttered. “I always have been.”
The whispers faded into silence, leaving Kaal alone in the dark.