Fifteen years ago...
The remains of the ashram continued burning beneath the night sky.
The flames had begun to weaken, but the smoke still rose endlessly into the heavens. The home that had once sheltered abandoned children was now nothing more than charred ruins.
The silence was suffocating.
Dukhchar floated before Bheem and the others, his skeletal face illuminated by the fire.
"There is a forbidden ritual in the Narvan world," he said in a deep voice. "A ritual that requires the sacrifice of six hundred and sixty-seven humans."
Everyone stared at him.
"The ritual gathers the life force of every sacrifice. Their Prāṇa Cores fuse together into one, and all that power is transferred to a single individual."
His eyes glowed faintly.
"The one who completes the ritual will gain unimaginable strength... enough to destroy the entire world."
Silence.
Not a single person spoke.
The weight of those words settled heavily upon them.
Then Bheem stepped forward.
His eyes no longer held grief.
Only despair.
He slowly extended his hand toward his friends.
"I know this path is cruel."
His voice was calm.
"I know what Dukhchar is asking sounds unforgivable."
He looked at every one of them.
"But if we truly want revenge..."
His hand remained stretched before them.
"...then this is our only chance."
The fire crackled behind him.
"We'll destroy the world that stole everything from us."
No one moved.
For several long moments, everyone remained silent.
Then...
Booma stepped forward.
He looked at Master's body one last time.
Then at Chutki.
The cheerful smile he always wore was gone.
Only emptiness remained.
Slowly...
He placed his hand over Bheem's.
"I believe you."
His voice trembled.
"If destroying this world is the only way..."
His fists tightened.
"...then I'll destroy it with you."
Kaali's eyes widened.
He had known Booma for years.
The boy who always smiled...
The one who constantly encouraged everyone...
His eyes were now filled with despair.
"This..."
Kaali thought.
"This is the first time I've ever seen him like this."
The light inside Booma had disappeared.
Next...
Kamali stepped forward.
Tears still flowed down her face.
"I couldn't save Master."
She lowered her head.
"I couldn't save Chutki."
Her voice shook.
"This world has taken everything from me."
She placed her hand beside Booma's.
"So now..."
Her eyes became cold.
"...I'll take everything from this world."
Daabur silently walked forward.
Without saying a word...
He placed his hand on theirs.
"I don't have anything left to protect."
His voice was emotionless.
"If revenge is all that's left..."
"...then I'll walk that path."
The circle was complete.
Everyone...
Except Kaali.
He remained standing alone.
His breathing became heavier.
Inside his heart...
Fear slowly grew.
"They're all falling into despair..."
His body trembled.
"They're becoming exactly like I once was."
Images flashed before his eyes.
The gang leader.
The betrayal.
The hatred.
The burning desire to kill.
Then...
Master Sahanzaa's smile appeared in his memories.
The man who had saved him from that darkness.
"What should I do?"
Kaali clenched his fists.
"If I stop them..."
His breathing became uneven.
"What if they leave me?"
His voice echoed inside his mind.
"I'll be alone again."
The fear terrified him.
After Master...
They were the only family he had left.
"But if I follow them..."
He closed his eyes.
"Will I fall into despair again?"
His entire body trembled.
"Master saved me once..."
His lips shook.
"But now..."
"...who will save me?"
Suddenly—
A hand appeared before him.
Kaali slowly opened his eyes.
It was Bheem.
His expression remained emotionless.
"Kaali."
His voice felt strangely cold.
"Will you come with us?"
Kaali looked into his friend's eyes.
Something was different.
"This..."
He thought.
"This doesn't feel like Bheem anymore."
It was as if another person stood before him.
Someone consumed by hatred.
Kaali slowly looked at everyone.
Booma.
Kamali.
Daabur.
Then...
He remembered every meal they had shared.
Every laugh.
Every training session.
Every memory.
He couldn't abandon them.
Slowly...
He reached out.
And grabbed Bheem's hand.
"...Yeah."
His voice was quiet.
"I'll come."
A faint smile appeared on Bheem's face.
"Good."
He turned around.
"Then let's begin preparing..."
His voice became cold once more.
"...to destroy this world."
The group slowly walked away from the burning ruins.
Kaali followed behind them.
His footsteps felt incredibly heavy.
But inside his heart...
He silently made a promise.
"Master..."
"I can't leave them."
"They're my family."
"Even if I must walk beside them..."
"I'll never stop trying to save them."
He looked toward the burning ashram one last time.
"I promise..."
"One day..."
"I'll bring your students back."
Present Day
Deep inside the forest...
Silence returned.
Lioran, Sharin, and Aishwarya listened quietly as Kaali finished telling the story.
The wind gently rustled the bushes around them.
Kaali lowered his head.
"It's been almost fifteen years."
His voice was filled with regret.
"I tried everything."
His fists tightened.
"I argued with them."
"I begged them."
"I reminded them of Master."
"I tried making them smile again."
A tear rolled down his cheek.
"But despair had already rooted itself inside their souls."
He closed his eyes.
"I failed."
More tears followed.
"I couldn't save my friends."
His voice cracked.
"And now..."
"...I'm about to lose all of them."
Lioran silently walked toward him.
Without saying anything...
He placed a hand on Kaali's shoulder.
Kaali looked up.
Lioran smiled gently.
"You're wrong."
Kaali blinked.
"You aren't useless."
Lioran's voice was firm.
"You spent fifteen years trying to save your friends."
He smiled.
"That alone proves you never gave up."
Aishwarya nodded.
"Lioran's right."
"You kept fighting for them even when they pushed you away."
Sharin crossed his arms.
"Most people would've abandoned them years ago."
Kaali stared at the three of them.
His eyes slowly filled with hope.
Lioran extended his hand.
"This time..."
He smiled confidently.
"You won't fight alone."
Kaali looked at him.
"We'll help you."
"We'll save your friends together."
For the first time in years...
Kaali smiled from the bottom of his heart.
"...Thank you."
Then—
RUMBLE!
The ground suddenly shook violently.
Everyone immediately looked around.
"What was that?" Sharin shouted.
Kaali's expression changed.
"No..."
He immediately recognized it.
"This is Daabur's Prāṇa!"
His eyes widened.
"They found us!"
Before anyone could react—
Massive stone walls erupted from the ground.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
The walls rapidly surrounded them.
"They're making a prison!" Aishwarya shouted.
The stone walls rose higher and higher.
They were about to be trapped.
Lioran immediately reacted.
"Everyone!"
He stretched out both hands.
"Grab onto me!"
Without hesitation—
Kaali, Sharin, and Aishwarya grabbed him tightly.
Golden Prāṇa exploded around Lioran.
"Prāṇa Swift!"
BOOM!
A brilliant golden circle formed beneath his feet.
The explosion launched all four of them skyward.
Just as the stone cage sealed shut—
They shot out of it like a meteor.
The group landed safely in a nearby clearing.
But they weren't alone.
Several figures already stood waiting.
Bheem.
Booma.
Kamali.
Daabur.
They had completely surrounded them.
Silence filled the forest.
Bheem's gaze slowly shifted toward Kaali.
"...So."
His voice was cold.
"You finally betrayed us."
Kaali immediately stepped forward.
"No, Bheem."
His voice trembled.
"You've misunderstood."
"I only wanted to save all of you."
Bheem laughed bitterly.
"Save us?"
His eyes narrowed.
"By siding with our enemies?"
"No!"
Kaali shook his head desperately.
"Please just listen—"
"Why should I listen..."
Bheem interrupted.
"...to a traitor?"
Those words struck Kaali harder than any blade.
He froze.
His body wouldn't move.
Then—
Tears slowly fell from Bheem's eyes.
Everyone stared in shock.
Bheem wasn't crying from weakness.
He was crying from unbearable pain.
"This filthy world..."
His fists trembled.
"When will it stop taking everything away from me?"
His voice cracked.
"First my parents."
"My Master."
"My sister."
"And now..."
He looked directly at Kaali.
"...my friend."
"No..."
Kaali whispered.
"I'm still your friend."
But Bheem no longer heard him.
Hatred had consumed his heart.
Lioran slowly stepped forward.
He positioned himself between Kaali and Bheem.
"Bheem."
His calm voice echoed through the forest.
"I understand you've suffered but destroying the world won't heal your pain."
Bheem glared at him.
"This world is cruel."
Lioran nodded.
"I know that."
"But it's also beautiful."
He smiled gently.
"There are people worth protecting."
"There are dreams worth chasing."
"There are families still waiting for tomorrow."
"Don't destroy all of that because of the people who hurt you."
"SHUT UP!"
Bheem's roar shook the forest.
"You know nothing!"
"You've never experienced our pain!"
Golden Prāṇa slowly surrounded Lioran.
"You're right."
His voice remained calm.
"I haven't."
"But I do know one thing."
His golden aura shone brightly.
"If your parents..."
"If your Master..."
"If your sister..."
"...could see you now..."
His eyes met Bheem's.
"They would never want this."
Bheem's pupils shrank.
Lioran raised his fists.
"I'll carry all the despair inside your heart..."
His golden aura erupted across the forest.
"...and I'll free you from it."
"For their sake."
"For Kaali's sake."
"And for your own."
Dark Prāṇa exploded from Bheem's body.
The black aura swallowed the surrounding light.
His eyes resembled those of a beast.
"How dare you..."
His voice dripped with hatred.
"...speak about them."
His killing intent filled the forest.
"I'll kill you."
Lioran smiled.
His golden aura continued shining against the darkness.
"No."
He took his fighting stance.
"I'll save you."
The golden light and black darkness collided—
And the forest trembled.
TO BE CONTINUED…