Chapter 15 The Arrival of Friends and the Amulets Limit
A week had passed In those seven days Agni had molded himself into a mechanical routine that kept his emotions at bay Wake at four Hear soldiers reports Give judgments on judicial matters Then go to Neers chamber check the glow of the amulet tied to his arm and give him the medicine Margdarshak had provided a golden powder to be mixed in water and drunk Then tend to Nirag supervise his practice
A peace lay over the palace like the calm before a storm deep heavy and so silent that even every gust of wind felt like a scream
Then one morning as Agni was hearing daily reports in the throne room a soldier rushed in Maharaj Maharaja Vaayansh and Maharani Dharaaya from Pavangadh have come to meet you Prince Anvay is with them
Agnis heart forgot to beat for a moment The pen in his hand stilled Now When Neers condition was so fragile When every moment held the fear that he would slip beyond the amulets protection
He tried to bring a kings impassive expression to his face Take them to the assembly hall with full honors I will be there shortly
The grand doors of the assembly hall opened and Vaayansh Dharaaya and Anvay entered Sunlight filtered through colored glass and fell upon them but today even that light held a strange coldness
Their eyes went to the throne Only Agni stood there alone In golden robes but his face lacked the usual brilliance A deep fatigue had settled in the corners of his eyes
Vaayansh stepped forward Agni Friend you here Where is Neer And Nirag Is everything alright
Agni took a deep measured breath He did not wish to lie to his oldest friends to Anvays parents But to tell the truth to tell the truth meant exposing Neers weakness his battle to the world And as a king he could not risk that
Vaayansh Dharaaya Agni said trying to bring a faint smile to his lips Welcome Neer Neer is unwell Since returning from the Tapobhumi he has been a little indisposed Needs rest
Dharaayas brows furrowed Her maternal concern awakened instantly Unwell What happened Nothing serious is it Can we see him
He is resting Agni repeated an unyielding firmness entering his voice And Anvay you have come to meet Nirag
Anvay joined his hands in respect Yes Acharya Nirag is my friend After leaving the Tapobhumi I couldnt meet him I was worried
Alright Anvay Agni said and his gaze fixed on the chamber door as if waiting for someone
Then the door opened
And Neer walked in
He was in his usual blue robes a light blue anchala that flowed with his steps The silver amulet on his arm glowed casting a soft light in the suns rays Most importantly his face held that same old calm gentle smile the smile that reached his eyes and filled them with a warm blue
Dharaaya Vaayansh Neer said the same sweetness in his voice You came and didnt even tell us After so long
Dharaaya and Vaayansh were stunned He looked perfectly healthy No fatigue no weakness no pain He was the same Neer they knew
Vaayansh laughed a wave of relief washing over his face And Agni was saying youre unwell You look exactly as before Neer Perfectly fine
Neer looked at Agni and his smile widened a playful glint entering it Agni worries too much about me I am perfectly fine Just a little tired after returning from the Tapobhumi I slept Now Im completely recovered
Agni remained silent He only watched Neer trying to read his every move every gesture He knew This was all the amulets effect The amulet had pushed the dark shadow beneath the surface imprisoning it behind a beautiful calm mask But how long would the mask hold
Dharaaya sighed in relief We are so glad you are well Neer We were just talking about Nirag and Anvay
Neer turned to look at Anvay His gaze pierced Anvays eyes deep understanding Yes Anvay Nirag will be very happy to see you You two your friendship is as deep as ours He needs you
Neers behavior was so normal so affectionate that for a moment even Agni felt perhaps everything really was fine Perhaps the amulet had provided a permanent solution Perhaps Neer was back
But as Neer turned to look at Agni and a fleeting black glint flashed in the depths of his eyes a spark that extinguished instantly Agni knew
This was only a pause And the pause was about to end
Evening was approaching Dharaaya and Vaayansh were preparing to leave Anvay went to their chamber a firm resolve on his face
Mother Father I wish to stay here in Prakashgadh for a few days
Dharaaya looked at him in surprise Here But why son You have duties in your own kingdom
Nirag Anvay said his voice clear and decisive He is not well Since we arrived I have seen he is alone Sad Even at the Tapobhumi on the farewell day he looked broken I feel as a friend I should stay with him Be his support
Vaayansh looked at Agni who stood at the door Agnis eyes held a weariness and heaviness only those who had suffered such pain could recognize
Vaayansh placed a hand on Anvays shoulder Alright son If your staying supports Agni and Neer too you may stay We trust you
Dharaaya and Vaayansh took their leave and left As soon as they were gone the palace air grew heavy and cold again
That night Anvay went to Nirags chamber The two friends sat by the window looking at the gardens bathed in moonlight But today even the moonlight held a white dead glow
Pitashree looked completely fine today Nirag said an uncertain hope in his voice Right I thought he that his condition was worse But today he was just like before
Yes Anvay said but his voice held no enthusiasm He looked fine But when he spoke to me his eyes they were very cold Nirag
Cold Nirag turned to look No he was just tired The days work
I have seen fatigue Anvay said softly This wasnt fatigue This was emptiness As if someone else was watching from behind his eyes
An uncomfortable silence fell between them
Then a sound came from the corridor outside
It wasnt a scream It was a suppressed choked gasp as if someones throat had been squeezed and their last breath had been trapped in the air
Both were instantly alert Anvay immediately placed his hand on his swords hilt
Then another sound a raspy wet snoring sound as if someone was breathing through shards of ice
Anvay and Nirag looked at each other and ran towards the door
As soon as they stepped into the corridor they felt as if they had entered another world
The corridor was plunged into complete darkness The torches on the walls werent burning they had frozen like ice statues and a ghostly blue light emanated from them The air was cold as ice so cold that their breath steamed and that steam froze in the air turning into ice crystals
And on the floor Ramlal lay
He was writhing on the ground no sound escaping his mouth A thin black layer of frost was spreading around his body like a poisonous fungus The frost upon touching his skin turned it black and transparent like glass
Ramlal Nirag yelled and tried to step forward
But Anvay grabbed his arm Stop Look up
Both looked up together
On the ceiling clinging to the darkness was a figure It was Neer but not the Neer they had seen during the day His robes were still blue but now they were a deep shadowy blue that looked almost black in the dark His fingers had grown long and thin his nails black and sharp And the most horrifying the silver amulet was not on his arm
Neers eyes were fixed on them completely black without pupils just two black glossy pits
I told you Neers voice came a resonating cold unfamiliar voice as if from grinding stones not to dare bandy words with me He did And now now he is suffering
Neer turned his head and his black gaze fixed on Anvay who was trying to draw his sword but his hands were so cold they were growing numb
New guest A distorted smile played on Neers lips Agni thinks this piece of silver can stop me How foolish How ignorant
He opened his palm In it lay the broken crushed remains of the amulet The silver pieces had turned black and the Naad Sutra engraved on them now appeared distorted reversed He threw the pieces to the ground They scattered on the floor with a clinking sound and each piece upon touching the ground turned into ice crystals
Anvay pushed Nirag back Nirag Run Call Acharya Agni Quickly
Neer laughed a high sharp madmans laugh that echoed off the corridor walls No one is going anywhere now The doors are closed The windows are closed This is my kingdom now
And he jumped straight down from the ceiling slowly floating through the air as if his body was lighter than air and landed right between Anvay and Nirag
The air around him grew even colder Anvays breath began to catch His fingers were frozen to his swords hilt
Just then the sound of footsteps came from the other end of the corridor Fast heavy steps
Agni arrived
As he entered the corridor he paused for a moment His gaze swept rapidly over Ramlals writhing body then at the black distorted figure that was Neer then at Anvay and Nirag standing stunned by the fear of death
Nirag Anvay Agnis voice came And this voice this voice was too calm Too controlled What happened Why are you here at this hour of the night
Nirag raised a trembling finger his voice shaking Tauji That that Pitashree He he did something to Ramlal Look
Agni looked in the direction of Nirags finger There where Ramlal had lain now there was nothing
The floor was clean No black frost No writhing body Just the normal stone floor with dim moonlight falling on it
Anvays eyes widened in disbelief No he was right here Acharya Neer was here On the ceiling And he broke the amulet Look
Agni looked at the ground There were no broken amulet pieces either Nothing
Agni took a deep breath as if lifting a heavy burden Anvay Ramlal left the palace long ago He only does guard duty during the day At night he stays at his home
But we saw Nirags voice was on the verge of crying Tauji we saw He broke the amulet His eyes they were black
Agnis voice suddenly turned harsh a harshness never seen in him before Both of you be quiet It seems you both had a bad nightmare Something you ate must have caused a hallucination Come with me Now
He grabbed both their hands so tightly it hurt Nirag and pulled them towards Neers chamber
Anvay and Nirag wanted to resist but Agnis grip was like iron and his face held an expression that brooked no argument
He opened the door to Neers chamber
The chamber was dark but moonlight filtered through the window and in its light everything was clear
Neer was sleeping peacefully on his bed His breaths were regular deep His face held no pain but a calm pleasant expression And on his arm the silver amulet was perfectly intact glowing not broken
Anvay and Nirags eyes widened in shock Their minds spun Was it really an illusion A shared hallucination
See Agni said his voice now soft grave like a doctor explaining to a patient He is sleeping Peacefully Both of you you are tired from war and stress The shock of returning from the Tapobhumi Anvays long journey Combined your mind played a trick Come you both sleep in my chamber tonight You will be safe there
Nirag nodded fearfully his voice a whisper Y yes Tauji
Agni led them both towards his chamber As Nirag walked with Agni he looked back at the corridor they had come from
There in the darkness of the corridor where Ramlal had fallen for a moment he saw a black shadow hovering The shadow turned to look and smiled A wide toothy terrifying smile
Nirag averted his eyes in fear and hurried after Agni trying to convince his mind that this too was an illusion
But when Agni closed the door to his chamber and let Anvay and Nirag inside he himself paused for a moment outside the door He reached into his pocket and pulled out something
It was a piece of the broken amulet Blackened Cold
He looked at it then looked towards Neers chamber in the distance
His eyes held no fatigue now They held a new terrible decision
The amulets limit had been reached And now the real battle was about to begin
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