Chapter 12 Between Love and Darkness
The first rays of morning fell on the ancient stones of Tapobhumi but today they did not have their golden gleam A dull cold sheen lay upon them like frost on old gold The air held a strange stiffness as if time itself was holding its breath waiting for something terrible
Agni stood outside his hut His golden robes looked lifeless today as if his fire had shrunk inward The past month had carved new lines on his face lines born not from lack of sleep but from the constant gnawing pain that ate at him with every breath Since Neer left his nights had become a procession of restless shadows Every moment that incomplete breath that emptiness which without Neers laughter was just an echo
Agni closed his eyes Once again the image surfaced Neers smiling face wrapped in blue robes saying Agni our love is our greatest fortress The coolness of his voice was still fresh in Agnis memories like a pleasant chill But now A month had passed Every night Agni looked at his own hands the hands that held Neers hand that tangled in his hair and felt a tremor in them Where was Neer Was he safe Or or was the price of the path he had taken his very soul
Agni gripped his sword Agnishikha tightly The hilt was warm a steady reliable heat a reflection of his own existence But today even that warmth held an emptiness
Then a subtle vibration in the air
It was not a physical tremor but a jolt to the soul A sweet yet strange fragrance spread through the air the scent of the blue lotus the one Neer always loved the fragrance that clung to his robes But today that scent held a bitterness like a flower beginning to rot
Agnis eyes flew open
And he saw
A vision clear and terrible A dark cave its walls carved with ancient symbols And in its center Neer sat Before him lay a damru black stone with the serene face of a celestial on one side and the distorted roar of a Tamansh on the other A black dense energy was seeping from the damru wavering through the air and going straight to Neers heart where it was absorbed Each time the energy entered him Neers body jerked his eyelids fluttered and a wave of terrible pain crossed his face which he tried desperately to suppress
Neer Agnis scream caught in his throat
The vision shattered
Agni gasped His heart was pounding wildly like a trapped bird fluttering in a cage What what was that A vision or or the truth
He ran without wasting a moment The ground beneath his feet felt like burning coals He threw open the door to Margdarshak Vishrayans hut
The Margdarshak sat in meditation His white matted hair and beard looked especially ancient and heavy today as if they bore the burden of time itself His eyes were closed but a deep line of anguish was etched on his face
Margdarshak Agnis voice was ragged He fell to his knees and touched the Margdarshaks feet I saw I saw Neer In a cave with a damru and a black energy coming from it its consuming him
The Margdarshak slowly opened his eyes His gaze always sharp and far seeing like a serpents pierced Agni differently today with a compassionate sorrowful sharpness Agni my son his voice was like stones grinding This was Neers choice That damru is the Chhaya Damru An ancient instrument that can bind the consciousness of the dark shadow Neer played it so the darkness would enter him instead To save you To save your son
But the price Agnis voice trembled What is the price Margdarshak
The price The Margdarshak took a deep pained breath The price is that the shadow is not changing him from the outside It is from within slowly eating his memories his love his self Like a poison spreading through every vein He is still Neer but with every moment he becomes less Neer and more it
Agnis head spun He placed his hands on the floor No that cannot be I I will find him I will pull him out of there He is mine Margdarshak Our bond it is not so fragile that a darkness can break it
The Margdarshak shook his head slowly his eyes holding the helplessness of a seer Go Agni But remember love is the most powerful light but it can also make one the most deeply blind You will see only what you wish to see
Agni bowed once more and left the hut His mind was like a boiling ocean waves of love depths of fear and flames of anger all churning together
He reached the boundary of Tapobhumi where the green meadow turned into dense forest He stopped here That scent in the air again the blue lotus But now it seemed sharper like something rotting
And then from the darkness of the forest a figure emerged
A blue shadow Light soft steps The same gracefully flowing robes
Agnis heart gave a powerful thud then almost stopped Neer
The figure came closer And yes it was him Neer His blue robes were the same light the colour of the sky His eyes held the same blue bright and clear And on his face was that same smiling expression the smile that always brought one to Agnis face too
Agni Neer said his voice sweet and calm exactly as before I have returned Forgive me for being away so long But I promised didnt I that I would always return to you
Agnis feet moved on their own He ran And as he reached Neer he pulled him into his arms so tightly it felt their bones would crack Neers body was warm that same cool warmth of the water element which balanced Agnis flame which kept him from burning
Neer you Agnis throat choked The words came out broken I I was afraid of losing you Every night every breath I took your name
Neer stroked Agnis back His touch was the same gentle comforting I know my Agni I know But see everything will be alright I have found a way The dark shadow it is within me now I have bound it But dont be afraid I am the same Your Neer Always Forever
Agni pulled back a little to look into Neers eyes That blue that peace that love Everything was the same But what was that For a moment for a thousandth of a second Agni felt something shift behind Neers eyes A black spark which immediately drowned in his blue
Perhaps a trick of the light Perhaps his own anxiety
In Tapobhumi field Nirag stood alone The pain of farewell was still fresh an open wound that screamed at the mere touch of air Anvays last gesture that raised hand that smile floated before his eyes Akshanshs laughter Vedikas concern all seemed like blurry dreams
His eyes one red Agnis gift one blue Neers legacy were both moist today Father he whispered his voice lost in the wind Where have you gone And Uncle that fear in his eyes what is it about
He picked up his sword Sheetapsi The swords weight felt especially heavy today He tried to strike but his hand trembled The sword traced an uncertain arc in the air
Then a vibration in the air It was not a sound but a pulsation as if a gigantic heart was beating somewhere far away
Nirag lifted his head
And he heard a voice Fathers voice But this voice was not the same It was suppressed choked broken as if coming from deep within a cave
Nirag run go
The voice was cut off as if someone had grabbed it by the throat and strangled it
Nirags blood ran cold Father
And then voices from afar reached his ears Agnis voice And Fathers But this voice was different clear cheerful normal
Nirag began to run Crossing the field he ran towards where the voices were coming from And then he saw
At the boundary at the edge of the forest two figures stood Uncle Agni And Father Neer In blue robes with a smiling face hugging Uncle Agni
Nirags eyes widened All the darkness within him all the loneliness vanished in an instant Father
Neer turned to look His smile widened his eyes lit up My son you have come He spread his arms
Nirag ran and disappeared into those arms Father hugged him And Nirag felt that same warmth that same cool pleasant warmth of the water element which always calmed him which controlled the fire within him
You where were you Nirags voice was on the verge of crying I I thought you had
Be calm my prince Neer said stroking his hair His voice held the same old love the same affection Dont be afraid Everything will be alright I am right here With you and Uncle Without you both where would I go
But Nirag felt a strange sensation When Father hugged him there was a coldness in his arms Not a surface coldness but a deep inner chill like the walls of a cave And for a moment he felt as if a black mist rose from behind Fathers back which immediately dissolved into the air
Nirag shook himself Tried to push that thought away from his mind Its an illusion Its fatigue Father has returned That is all that matters
Agni watched with a smile but his smile was strained See Nirag your Father has returned Now the three of us are together again But the farewells Anvay and the others
Nirag nodded still nestled in Fathers warmth Yes Uncle Everyone has left But Anvay said He promised he would return Until Father returns he will return
In his mind Anvays face flashed that calm trustworthy smile The hand that would hold his hand reminding him he was not alone But now Was he not alone now Father had returned Yet a strange emptiness remained
Neer placed a hand on Nirags shoulder His touch was light but it held a new kind of firmness You are not alone son We are here arent we Your Uncle and I Come lets go inside now I am I am feeling a little tired This journey was a bit long
Neers smile was still on his face but Agnis sharp eyes caught it a subtle wrinkle that ran from the corner of Neers eye to his temple Not fatigue tension
The three returned to the hut Neer sat on the cot and took Agnis hand His fingers interlaced with Agnis an old habitual action
Agni Neer said a new depth in his voice You know I did all this for you Only for you The dark shadow is now imprisoned within me I am its chain And I I will control it Our love it is far stronger than it He kissed the back of Agnis hand that same old intimate gesture that had always been a secret language between them
Agnis eyes grew moist He took Neers hand in both of his Neer you you look exactly as before Your eyes your voice everything is the same But I am afraid If that darkness if it is hollowing you out from within
Neer gave a gentle firm laugh Hollowing me Look He raised one hand palm upward
And a blue glowing wave of water spread through the room It was pure transparent like the water of a mountain lake The wave filled the room spreading a calm cool aura Nirag watched in amazement this was Fathers power exactly the same
But as the wave reached Agni something happened at its edges The edges of the blue light began to turn black like paper beginning to burn Black smoke like strands began to emerge from the waves edges waving in the air towards Agni And then a crack appeared in the entire wave a black crack from which a cold dead air burst forth
The wave shattered The blue light in the room went out replaced by a momentary heavy silence
Neers face hardened for a moment A sharp cruel glint flashed in his eyes vanishing instantly Then he smiled again but this smile seemed a little forced See Nothing Just an instability After a long journey the balance of power is disturbed I am the same Agni Your Neer
Nirag watched all this silently A strange coldness had spread within him different from his own water element It was fear Father his voice trembled You you are really alright right That black thing
Neer immediately pulled Nirag towards him hugging him again This time his arms were so tight that Nirag had trouble breathing Yes son I am perfectly fine Dont you worry Now everything will be alright Now go to sleep From tomorrow from tomorrow we will start practicing again Like the old days
The night had deepened Only a single lamp burned in the hut its flame strangely still as if the air too had fallen asleep holding its breath
Agni lay beside Neer Neer was asleep peaceful wrapped in blue robes a slight smile on his face Agni kept watching him His eyes read every curve every line of his face lost in the memories attached to it
But sleep would not come Margdarshaks words echoed in his ears Love can make one the most deeply blind
He gently took Neers hand This hand was warm but beneath its skin was there a subtle vibration A pulsation that did not seem human but of something else
Neer Agni whispered You have returned But this peace this silence how fragile is it How false
Then Neers breathing changed
The deep regular breaths suddenly became fast and ragged as if he was running in a dream Sweat beads appeared on his forehead but this sweat was cold clammy
Agni sat up with a start Neer
Neers eyes fluttered open
And Agni saw
Neers eyes were still blue But within those blue eyes behind the pupils something was moving A black expansion expanding and contracting as if an invisible eyelid was blinking
Agni it was Neers voice but this voice sounded dual One layer was the same gentle tone And the other layer a raspy heavy whisper like the sound of grinding stones Agni run go
Neer Fight it Agni grabbed his shoulders
It it is getting out of control Neers lips trembled He raised his hand to grasp Agnis arm But the moment his hand touched Agnis skin something changed
Black smoke like strands began to emerge from Neers fingers These strands did not float in the air but began to burrow directly into Agnis skin like living worms And wherever the strands touched the skin grew numb spreading a poisonous cold
Agni run Neer screamed and this time his voice was entirely that raspy tone His face held an expression of pain but his eyes now held a black glint a glint of wicked pleasure
Neers hand went to Agnis neck It was Neers hand the same hand that caressed Agnis face that combed his hair But now this hand was like a predators claw black strands emerging from its fingers and burrowing into Agnis neck
Or else I will kill you Neer or It shrieked
Agni grabbed Neers wrists His eyes held tears but also a determination No Neer You will not You are not that Fight We will fight together
Outside the hut screams suddenly began to echo through Tapobhumi The screams of other disciples The nights silence was filled with dark magic Black smoke pillars rose from the ground swirling in the air to form strange shapes The dark shadow was awakening and this time it was awakening through Neer
And far away in those depths of the Tamogahan where light never reaches a laugh echoed A deep infinite laugh that shook the stones The laugh of the Dark One
He had found his servant And now the real chapter of the game was about to begin
In the hut Agni and Neers eyes were locked on each other one pair holding love and hope the other holding the pain of darkness and self division And between them that web of black strands was spreading binding not only bodies but souls
This battle between love and darkness had only just begun
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