: The Throne of Shadows and a Shattered Family
The deepest part of night was receding, like a black curtain slowly rising. But inside Agni's hut, the silence that follows a nocturnal horror still hung—heavy, sticky, obstructing even breath.
Neer's body still twitched with subtle tremors, as if dreaming in a deep sleep. But these tremors were not normal. Each time his body shuddered, the skin under his eyes would darken for a moment, like a drop of ink spreading in water, then vanish instantly.
Agni rose quietly and went to Neer, placing a hand on his head. His palm was warm, but today it lacked that natural warmth it held an artificial, mantra-induced heat.
"Om Agnaye Namah," Agni recited slowly, pouring all his power into each word. A stream of golden energy flowed from his palm, wavering through the air and entering Neer's forehead.
As the golden energy entered Neer, the trembling of his body gradually lessened. The dark shadow under his eyes lightened, and his breaths grew deeper, more regular. Within moments, he was again submerged in deep sleep.
"Agni..." Neer whispered, still asleep. His voice was so weak it seemed the wind was speaking. "I... what was I doing? I did something..."
Agni hugged him, resting his head on his shoulder. "Nothing, Neer. Nothing. Just a bad dream. You are fine. Everything is fine."
But the reassurance in his tone did not reach his own heart. He knew. This was no dream.
Nearby, on his own bed, Nirgh was watching all this. He lay with eyes closed, but his eyelids fluttered rapidly. His heart fluttered like a trapped bird inside his chest. What is this? Who is this? This is not the man I call Pitashree. This... this is someone else. But that face... that voice...
He clenched his fists, nails digging into his palms. The pain kept him anchored to reality.
Agni gently laid Neer back on the bed, covering him with a blanket. Then he turned to Nirgh. He saw Nirgh's fluttering eyelids. He understood.
He went to Nirgh and sat on the edge of his bed. He took his hand. "Nirgh," he said softly. "Neer is fine. I was just... I was just checking if his hand was cold. He is tired, that's all. Go to sleep. Everything will be alright."
Nirgh did not open his eyes. He only nodded, a barely visible gesture.
And so, the three slept in that hut Agni, Neer, and Nirgh. Physically close, but the distances between their minds were so vast an ocean could fit. A different storm raged within each within Agni, the battle between love and truth; within Nirgh, the struggle between fear and devotion; and within Neer... within Neer, two souls were at war.
---
The first rays of morning entered the hut, painting dust motes gold. Neer was still asleep, but his rest was troubled his lips twitched occasionally, his brows furrowed.
Nirgh and Agni were already awake. Agni went to Neer and shook his shoulder gently. "Neer. Wake up. It is time."
Neer's eyes opened. He sat up immediately, without any sleep-induced grogginess, as if he knew he had to wake. His eyes were blue—clear, calm. But today they lacked depth. It was a superficial blueness, like a thin layer of ice.
"We must leave," Agni said, offering a vessel of water to Neer. "Drink some water first."
Neer took the vessel without a word and took a long sip. He handed it back. "Alright. I am ready." And he got up and walked towards the door, without looking back.
Agni watched his back. A pang pierced his heart. This was not Neer. Neer was never so brusque. He always paused a moment, offered a smile, a touch. But now... now he walked like a soldier, a soldier who had forgotten everything but his objective.
---
Before Guru Vishrayan's hut, the three stood. Nirgh was already there, his face holding a strange indifference, as if trying to distance himself from his emotions.
Agni joined his hands and said, "Gurudev, it is time for us to take our leave. We have come to take your permission and blessings."
Nirgh also joined his hands and touched the Guru's feet. "My respects, Gurudev."
But Neer... Neer stood still. He did not join his hands. He did not bow. He stood straight, his gaze fixed on the Guru, but it held not reverence, but a strange scrutiny, as if evaluating an enemy.
Guru Vishrayan looked at the three. His eyes lingered on Neer, and for a moment, a sorrowful understanding surfaced on his face. Then he grew calm. "Very well, Agni. My blessings will always be with you all. Remember, the door of knowledge never closes. This gurukul will always be your home."
Agni and Nirgh bowed again. "Our gratitude, Gurudev."
They turned and began walking towards the gurukul gates. Neer looked back one last time. His gaze met the Guru's. And in that moment, the Guru saw within Neer's blue eyes, just behind the pupil, a black spark flashed and vanished.
Guru Vishrayan stood alone, his eyes closed. "I told you, didn't I," he whispered to himself, his voice on the verge of vanishing in the air. "What is destined will happen. Neer... you cannot stop it. Because this time, you are not facing just the dark shadow. You are facing the master of shadows. The source of darkness."
He took a deep, painful breath, as if centuries of pain filled his chest.
"Andhak. His name is Andhak. And he is awakening within you."
---
Outside the gurukul, a massive, golden chariot stood waiting. Neer climbed into it without hesitation and sat in a corner, like a mere passenger.
Nirgh paused beside Agni, his voice low and serious. "Tauji... don't you feel it? Pitashree's behavior... this is not his behavior. Last night... and today before Gurudev... he neither joined his hands, nor bowed, nor spoke. This... this is not the Neer we know."
Agni placed a hand on Nirgh's shoulder. His fingers trembled, but he kept his voice steady. "Everything will be alright, Nirgh. Perhaps... perhaps he is very tired. The fatigue of the journey. The stress of leaving the gurukul. He will be fine when we reach Prakashgarh."
But his words held no conviction. And Nirgh felt it.
Both boarded the chariot. The chariot moved, leaving the peace of the gurukul behind, heading towards Prakashgarh. During the journey, Neer did not look out the window even once. He stared straight ahead, his face devoid of any expression.
---
The palace of Prakashgarh was bathed in sunlight. White marble walls gleamed in golden light, and tall towers seemed to touch the sky. But today, even in this light, there was a strange harshness.
As the chariot halted at the main palace gates, a line of ministers and servants stood to welcome them. The chief minister, an elderly, dignified man, stepped forward.
"Welcome, Maharaj! Welcome, Prince!" His voice held joy and relief.
The palace was decorated with flowers and flags. A festive atmosphere was everywhere. But Neer paid no attention to any of this. He stepped straight out of the chariot and walked towards the minister.
"Minister ji," Neer said, a strange sharpness in his voice. "How are you? Did you... did you take any 'liberties' with the kingdom in our absence?"
The question was asked with such sharpness that a moment of silence gripped the air. The minister's face turned pale. He immediately joined his hands.
"Maharaj! I... I am merely your servant. How could I even think such a thing? But... but if there is any deficiency in my service, any error in your welcome, please forgive me."
Agni stepped forward immediately. He took Neer's hand and pulled him back gently but firmly. "Let's go inside, Neer. Minister ji, thank you for your services."
Agni's eyes held a warning, and Neer saw it. He paused for a moment, then turned and walked into the palace.
Nirgh watched all this. His heart grew heavy. This is not him. This is not him. Pitashree never insults anyone. He is kind. He is wise. This... this is someone else.
---
The opulence inside the palace was breathtaking. Halls adorned with gold and jewels, high ceilings, coloured glass windows from which multicoloured light danced on the floor. But Neer did not look at any of it. He walked straight to the throne room.
There, at the heart of the palace, was the throne of Prakashgarh golden, with flame-like patterns carved into it, and above it a massive sun symbol.
Neer sat on the throne without any hesitation.
Agni and Nirgh stood at the doorway watching this. Agni's face turned to stone. Neer did not even look at them. He sat on the throne, his gaze fixed on the empty wall ahead, as if seeing another world.
Then, Neer looked at the soldiers and servants standing at the throne room door. A strange glint came into his eyes. He raised his hand.
And a wave of water shot from his hand. But this was not normal water. It was black. Deep, dense black, like a night sea. The wave surged straight towards the soldiers.
"Did you fools not clean the royal throne properly?" Neer shouted, a hint of madness in his voice. "Useless! Incompetent!"
The black water wave was about to crash upon the soldiers when Agni raised his hand.
A golden flame shot from his hand, spreading in the air and colliding with the black wave. With a hissing sound, the black water turned to steam, a black, poisonous smoke that began to spread in the air.
Within the smoke, Neer's body slipped from the throne and he fell to the floor.
Nirgh ran. He reached Neer and tried to lift him. "Pitashree! Get up! Come, you need to rest!"
Neer's eyes opened. He looked at Nirgh and his eyes held no recognition. Only anger. Black, dark anger.
"Move!" Neer screamed, and he pushed Nirgh hard.
The push was so forceful that Nirgh flew through the air and crashed against the far wall, hitting his head. He sat dazed.
"Or you will die!" Neer growled. His eyes were now completely black, no white remained. He raised his hand again, and this time another black wave shot forth smaller, but denser, more poisonous straight at Nirgh.
Nirgh closed his eyes. He accepted death.
But death did not come.
A golden wall appeared before him. Agni had placed himself between Nirgh and Neer. The black wave crashed against the golden wall, and the two energies clashed, releasing a terrible, shrieking sound.
"Neer!" Agni's voice held pain, anger, and a broken prayer. "Stop this! This is not you!"
Neer looked at Agni. A distorted smile appeared on his blackened face. And then, suddenly, his eyes returned to normal in a blink blue, confused. He looked at his hands, then at Agni, then at Nirgh, who sat slumped against the wall, black water stains on his body.
"I..." Neer's voice trembled. "What did I..."
And he collapsed, unconscious.
Agni immediately looked at Nirgh. He ran to him. "Nirgh!"
Nirgh lay on the floor. Where the drops of black water had touched his chest and arms, his skin was growing numb, black veins spreading. He was breathing, but his breaths were ragged.
"Tauji..." Nirgh whispered, his eyes half-open. "He... he is not Pitashree. Is he?"
Agni lifted him into his arms. Tears streamed from his eyes, but these tears were not warm. They were cold. Icy tears.
He looked at Neer, who lay unconscious on the floor near the throne. Then he looked at the throne itself that golden throne that now stood empty. But it was not empty. A black shadow hovered over it, slowly taking the shape of the throne a black throne.
From the palace walls, streams of black water suddenly began to flow. This water was not falling to the ground, but flowing upwards on the walls, towards the ceiling, as if gravity had reversed. A laugh began to echo in the air a deep, hollow, endless laugh that bounced off every wall of the palace.
Agni hugged Nirgh to his chest, so tightly it seemed they would merge into one. His eyes were closed.
His family was shattering. His love was turning into darkness. And before his eyes, his kingdom, his Prakashgarh, was drowning in a black sea.
And the most terrible thing was that all of this was happening at the hands of the person he loved most. The person without whom his existence was incomplete.
Neer.