The Demon's True Face
The night sky over Mumbai turned blood-red.
Kaalrath's molten aura surged outward, flames spiraling into the clouds. Entire buildings melted in seconds, streets warped like wax, and the Arabian Sea boiled at its shores.
His laughter rolled across the city.
"For two centuries I have waited, hidden in the seal's shadow. And now… feel the inferno that kings once feared!"
His wings spread wide. Molten veins cracked open across his body, spilling rivers of magma that coiled into the air. His form expanded, towering higher than the nearby apartments—a demon born of firestorms and betrayal.
---
The Inferno Descends
With a roar, he raised both claws skyward.
"Cinder Cataclysm!"
Dozens of molten spheres erupted above him, each the size of a marketplace. They ignited the clouds, casting Mumbai in apocalyptic light.
The spheres rained down, slamming into the streets. Explosions rippled in every direction—high-rises collapsing, cars flung like toys, entire blocks reduced to rubble.
Civilians screamed, scattering into chaos.
Rehan charged into the streets, fists blazing gold as he punched falling debris into dust. "Keep moving!" he roared, shielding children with his aura barrier.
Beside him, Ishita's Scarlet wings arched protectively. Her flames wrapped around families, forming tunnels of safety through collapsing buildings. Sweat drenched her face, but her eyes burned with resolve.
I won't let anyone else die. Not tonight.
---
Li Wei's Stand
High above, Li Wei floated serenely amid the storm, his robes untouched by ash. Soul threads spun faster around him, forming constellations that outshone the inferno.
Kaalrath sneered.
"Do you think your glowing strings can save them all?"
Li Wei's voice was calm, but steel lay beneath it.
"They do not save. They remember. And memory is stronger than fire."
He pressed his palms together.
"Soul Sanctuary."
Threads exploded outward, weaving into a colossal dome of pale light that encompassed half the district. The falling cinders struck it and dissolved instantly into sparks, leaving the civilians beneath unharmed.
Kaalrath snarled, molten blood dripping from his claws. "Arrogant relic! Let's see how long you can protect them!"
He dove, wings crashing into the Soul barrier, claws tearing at it. Sparks flew, the sky shaking with their collision.
---
Clash of Titans
Every strike from Kaalrath sent shockwaves through the city. Bridges trembled, glass towers split down the middle.
Every counter from Li Wei sent waves of calm light across the battlefield, turning destruction into fleeting embers.
The streets below lit up like a second sun, the clash visible from miles away. People from Malad to Dahisar watched in terror and awe as the sky burned.
Rehan clenched his fists tighter, rage boiling.
"He's… he's holding that monster off all by himself."
Ishita whispered, trembling. "Li Wei… how much power are you hiding?"
---
The Limit
Inside the Soul barrier, Li Wei's breathing grew heavier. Threads strained against the weight of Kaalrath's power, snapping and reforming instantly. Sweat trickled down his brow, but his eyes never wavered.
Kaalrath roared.
"You cannot hold me, Soul Wielder! Your sanctuary crumbles!"
Li Wei's voice cut through the roar, sharp and resolute.
"Then I will not hold you. I will end you."
He raised both arms, threads spiraling into a singular, blinding spear of light.
"Soul Severance!"
The spear shot forward, piercing Kaalrath's shoulder. The demon howled, molten blood spraying across the skyline, igniting entire rooftops.
His body shuddered, cracks deepening across his molten chest. For the first time, his grin faltered.
---
The Foreshadow
Kaalrath staggered, clutching the wound. His molten blood dripped onto the streets, sizzling into firestorms. Yet his laughter returned, strained but unbroken.
"You wound me, relic. But you cannot erase what I am. Even if this body falls… my wrath burns eternal."
Li Wei's eyes narrowed.
"Then I will strike at the soul that fuels it."
The threads around him blazed brighter, constellations forming ancient symbols.
Far below, Rehan and Ishita stared upward, breathless.
And for the briefest moment—
As Kaalrath's molten body cracked further—
Visions flickered in the demon's eyes.
A starving fort.
A crying child.
A man screaming at silent gods.
The memories of Raghav Joshi—the man he once was—began to stir.