The night was long, as the infiltrated Rakshas roared. Their voices reached the boy, who was lost in his own thoughts in his room. As he was thinking, he realized that the palace was awfully quiet—so quiet that one could hear their own heartbeat. The atmosphere of the palace felt malicious and chaotic.
When the boy stepped outside his room, an illusion appeared in front of him—a black flame wall, hot enough to burn a person to ash. Even though it was an illusion, the sensation of burning and heat wasn't. He startled and fell backward. Now he was trapped in his room, but he refused to accept it. His suspicion became reality; this was proof that something was happening.
He gathered courage, took a deep breath, and thought, "I know that I won't be of any help, but I still want to do what I can. And I get the feeling that the wall of fire won't burn me. I'm not sure though. But I won't know if I don't try. Even if I get burned down, it would be for better or for worse. The more I doubt my instincts, the closer death comes."
He ran with all his might, but his momentum became zero in front of the burning wall. He failed many times, got up, and tried again. To his surprise, every time he tried to pass the burning wall, he felt the pain of being burnt alive but took no physical toll on his body—not even a single burn visible. Then he realized it was just an illusion. He closed his eyes and started concentrating. While concentrating, he felt as if he himself was the burning wall. He saw the wall's weak spot, but he didn't have enough power to pull it off.
He opened his eyes, disappointed.
"Why did you trap it under your illusion, sire?" said a Rakshas who walked like a man, pitch black in color. It's skin drank the light like a starless void.
"I just want to ensure that we take it with us safely, as our pets can't restrain themselves and are just mindless," said a Rakshas walking on two legs, silver in color.
Meanwhile, the nameless boy tried to escape but failed every time. At last, he stopped to take a break. He was tired and depressed after seeing his helpless position. He closed his eyes while biting his lips. Then he saw a vision. Everything was black. It seemed like the Abyss but wasn't. It was something else, more like a prison devoid of everything. The boy was looking at it from the prisoner's point of view. He felt the pain, loneliness, and emptiness of that person who cried to feel warmth.
Suddenly, the boy opened his eyes, tears dripping down from them.
"This time, I will not fail," said the boy, wiping his tears in a confident tone. This time, instead of running, he walked towards the burning wall and entered it. The wall started pushing him away, but he didn't look back. At last, he passed through it. When he escaped, the flame walls disappeared.
"Will the fire be extinguished if the trapped person escapes?" asked the black Rakshas.
"It's impossible. If someone tries to escape, he will feel the pain of being burnt alive, but they won't be harmed physically. If someone escapes despite that pain, the flame won't disappear," said the silver Rakshas.
"Where did the flames go?" the boy asked himself. "Aureya must've done something," he said, smiling. "No, this isn't the time to rest," he said, his voice carrying duty and responsibility.
He ran with all his might towards the hall of the palace. There they were: Aureya and Krul.
"Looks like you're late, gentleman," said Krul with a smirk on her face.
"Shut it! Oh! Are you safe? Uh, you don't have a name, right? It would be a problem. Hey! I have an idea—why don't I suggest a name for you?" said Aureya.
"Where are the Rakshas? They trapped me in my room. I sensed a malicious presence, so I came to check. But where are they?" said the nameless boy.
"What name should I give you? Hmm, any suggestions, Krul?" said Aureya, completely ignoring him.
"Hey, hey!" said the guy.
"Yeah, I have some. What about Divit or Param?" Krul asked, also ignoring him.
"Is my name really more important than the infiltration?" he asked.
"Okay, okay, but what attack are you talking about? And what infiltration?" asked Aureya.
"What do you mean? The Rakshas infiltrated the palace and trapped me in my room! And you're asking me what attack?" said the boy, his voice frustrated and shaking.
"Wait. You were trapped in your room? That's impossible. Every room's door has a special material that disbands any type of spells from Rakshas below black-colored. And there was no attack in the palace hall. Everything was fine. Krul and I went to our meeting and told you to wait in your room. And why are you sweating this much?" she said, placing her hand on the boy's forehead and checking his temperature.
"I am... fine," the boy said.
"Anyway, your temperature seems normal. So, let's have fun tonight. And by the way, I have decided a name for you," she said with a proud smile on her face.
"From now on, your name is Aaryan. It means power and nobility, It also matches mine, Aureya & Aaryan, sounds good, right? So, did you like it?"
He didn't replied immediately. He thought. "A name, a form of identification, I must've had one previously but I have lost my memories, and so that name too. But I am different now, I will be reborn with this name by aureya. I will began the journey to filling the void within me and live my peaceful life." After some time :
"Yeah, I love it," he said with a big smile on his face. I feel like I've reborn thank you, Aureya... For this name and everything.
Aureya blushed slightly. Krul saw it and then began her torture time.
"Oi, oi, what's with those red cheeks, Aureya?"
"Shut up!" said Aureya.
Then, at that joyful and wholesome moment, she remembered her conversation with the Sarvansh, the top 5 Ansh who sat at the throne and the pinnacle of Ansh power.
"Make that boy blend into this world with everyone," said Rudhav.
"Huh? Are you out of your mind? If it becomes angry at us, I don't have to say it aloud. Everybody knows what would happen," said a guy from the throne. Everybody agreed with him and lectured Rudhav.
But Rudhav didn't back down. He drew his sword and stood up from his seat, walked down towards Aureya, then instantly turned around and looked at them. He touched the blade of his sword with his fingers and said, "Please, give it another thought. Because neither I nor any of you wants to crush the life of a weak person. Ain't I right?"
"Don't get carried away, Rudhav. You should know that you can't use violence in this place," said someone with a serious and manly voice. He began walking towards Rudhav, his face now visible. His green eyes glowed like emerald fire beneath storm clouds, silver hair cascading like a blade's edge, a body sculpted like a warrior king, and a face beautiful enough to terrify lesser men. His name was Balt Laik.
"And what if I did?" said Rudhav with a smug look. Not even a single ounce a fear on his face.
"In that case," said Balt. A strange red aura formed around him—its color as red as blood, symbolizing his current bloodlust. Then boom! He threw a punch at Rudhav. But Rudhav dodged it and teleported right behind him.
"Yo! Slowpoke, I am here," said Rudhav.
Then Balt started throwing punches everywhere in hopes of hitting him, like a hungry lion using all his might to kill its prey. But not even a single attack touched Rudhav, like it was child's play to dodge them, and the whole time he was teasing him by calling Balt slowpoke.
Then Rudhav's eyes narrowed. It looked like he was switching to offense, but instead he teleported right above him and hit Balt on the head softly with the guard of his sword. Then again, he called him a slowpoke and started laughing.
Balt, now furious, gathered all his power in one punch in an attempt to stop Rudhav. Then, just at the last moment, Aureya told them to stop. But Balt didn't. He released his attack. In an instant, his attack vanished. He thought he had defeated Rudhav, but then he collapsed and fell to the ground. Right behind him stood Rudhav, sheathing his sword.
"So there you have it. And anyone who thinks that this is power abuse, then hell yeah it is. After all, that's what all of you have been doing until now. And I guarantee you with my life that if he goes out of control, then I myself will kill him," said Rudhav.
Then he did something no one expected. Rudhav, for the first time in his life, knelt down in front of someone. Whispers broke out. Then they came to a conclusion that they would give that boy a chance. Rudhav smiled and gave a thumbs-up sign to Aureya and Krul.
"Hey, come on, say something?" said Krul.
"Huh? Yeah, I was just remembering our conversation with them," said Aureya.
Then she looked at Aaryan and gave him a smile, real one.
Meanwhile, Aaryan was lost in his own thoughts. "I am pretty sure that I was trapped, and I really felt a malicious presence. So how? And what was that memory? Was it a dream or a vision?"
Then he saw Aureya smiling at him genuinely. His thoughts ended. All he knew now was that he had Aureya and Krul with him, so he didn't need to worry.
"What!? You lost? How?" a mysterious demonic voice came and echoed in the dark night.
Did Karna have a dream, or was it real? What was that vision of? Was it his memories, or something else?