Chapter 40 Six Months Later The Shattered Empire and the Burning Wounds
Prakashgadh Nirag Hellish Reign
Prakashgadh six months later was no longer what it once had been The white walls of the palace now bore marks of soot In the gardens where flowers once bloomed dry grass and thorny bushes had grown instead The air no longer carried the fragrance of jasmine but a mixed stench of alcohol sweat and something rotten
In the main chamber of the palace Nirag sat on a huge golden throne But that throne was now crooked and one of its legs was broken as if someone had pushed it with great force In Nirag hand was a large golden goblet from which the strong smell of wine arose
Before him ten dancers were performing But this was not a dance of celebration There was fear on their faces and their eyes were lowered Their steps held a reluctance that reflected in every movement They were not dancing They were trembling
Dance Dance And dance Nirag screamed and his voice held a hollow intoxicated excitement He took a gulp from his goblet then picked up one of the golden coins he held in his hand and threw it at the dancers
The gold coin struck the shoulder of one dancer She flinched and stopped dancing and began rubbing her shoulder Where the coin had struck a red mark had appeared
Servant girl Servant girl bring more wine Nirag looked at a maidservant standing beside him
The girl was trembling Her hands shook so much that when she tried to pour wine into Nirag goblet the pitcher slipped from her hand and fell to the ground
Crash
The glass pitcher shattered into pieces Red wine spread across the marble floor looking like blood
Nirag rose slowly His eyes Now completely black Fixed upon the girl The girl stepped back and her back hit the wall
Soldiers Nirag voice was like the hiss of a serpent Throw this girl into the dungeon And keep her starved And for me bring more wine
Two soldiers came Their eyes were lowered and there was no expression on their faces They grabbed the girl and dragged her outside The girl did not scream She did not even try She just wept a soundless cry
Nirag looked at the dancers They had stopped dancing and were trembling
Dance Nirag screamed and this time his voice held a threat Do you all want to go to the dungeon as well
The dancers began dancing again Fast uncontrolled movements that were not dance but a frantic scramble
Nirag kept drinking wine and throwing gold coins at the dancers He was laughing A loud tuneless laugh that echoed in the chamber
Finally all my enemies are finished He screamed Agni Neer Did I not tell you that I would end you I have already killed Neer And what should I kill you for You are already dead
He laughed even louder and took a large gulp of wine some of which spilled from his chin onto his black silk robes
Who will stop me now Who will defeat me He spread his arms wide as if wanting to embrace the whole world This is my kingdom I am its master
And he kept laughing An endless hollow laughter that kept bouncing back from the palace walls as if a ghost was laughing
Pawangadh Anvay Struggle
In the palace of Pawangadh there was a different scene In Agni chamber Anvay sat on a chair and in his hand was a spoon holding a golden liquid
Agni lay on the bed His eyes were closed but his breaths were regular His body had become thin The bones were clearly visible beneath the skin A beard had grown on his face long and unkempt
Margdarshak Anvay said softly and his voice held a tired hope You know Now you will recover very soon The physician said that you can move your fingers And now there is movement beginning in your body You will recover very soon And you will see Nirag will also come to see you and will say Tauji
Anvay stopped His throat had gone dry Tears came to his eyes He wiped his tears and whispered
Alright Leave it Margdarshak What am I even talking about Just you recover quickly And then we both will go to Nirag and convince him to come back to us Hmm You rest now I will be right back
Tears began flowing from Agni eyes Two thin streams that ran down his cheeks
Anvay stood up and walked out of the chamber He went straight to his own chamber and closed the door and collapsed to his knees
He began crying loudly A suffocating breaking cry
Nirag Why did you do this You took away Margdarshak greatest joy and his greatest strength from him Why You killed your own father Why You slaughtered the parents of your own friend Why
He began striking his head on the ground Lightly repeatedly Why Why Why
Just then the door opened Chief Minister Prathamesh entered His face held a deep worry and there were dark circles under his eyes
Compose yourself Maharaj Prathamesh said and his voice held a fatherly tenderness Pull yourself together This is not the time to break If you give up now then who will become the support for Maharaj Agni
Anvay wept and clung to the Chief Minister
Uncle What should I do How do I bring Nirag back How do I heal Margdarshak Agni And he began crying again
The Chief Minister wiped Anvay tears
Compose yourself Anvay You must not lose courage Did we not go to Nirag six months ago What did he do He pushed you out of the palace and insulted you and threw wine on you If that had been Nirag he would have definitely invited you into his palace Why do you keep forgetting son that he is no longer Nirag He is Andhak Void And Andhak Void loves no one
Anvay kept crying Then what should I do Uncle You tell me What should I do How do I remind Nirag that he is Nirag and not Andhak Void
The Uncle said nothing He just kept looking at Anvay His eyes held a pain that words could not carry
Nabhgadh Akshansh Revenge
In the courtyard of Nabhgadh Akshansh was practicing swordsmanship with his sword Medhanshi But this was not practice In every strike there was a frenzy A rage sharper than the edge of the sword
The sword waved in the air Fast precise movements that cut through the air with a whistling sound And all around lightning was striking
Clouds had gathered in the sky and flashes of lightning were visible within them But this was no ordinary lightning It was directly connected to Akshansh sword Every time he raised his sword the lightning struck the blade and the entire courtyard was bathed in a bright blue light
In Akshansh eyes there was rage A rage that had been burning for six months and had now become a flame There were deep circles around his eyes and there was no expression on his face Only a stone like hardness
Aksh and Kalpit stood at a distance watching They looked at each other
Aksh said Kalpit Look at the rage in Akshansh eyes This lightning striking around him is showing his revenge Now no one can stop the end of Andhak Void
Kalpit looked at Aksh and said No Aksh Even though the Prince has become powerful in these six months do not forget that when Andhak Void was in his own body the entire elemental realm fell short in defeating him And now Andhak Void is in Nirag body In the body of that Nirag who possesses the fragment of the most powerful elements in the entire elemental realm Agni and Jal Do you think even all of us together can defeat Nirag that is Andhak Void
Kalpit thought for a moment and then said But we must support Akshansh They were our King and Queen too
Kalpit nodded yes
There the rage was still blazing in Akshansh eyes He raised his sword towards the sky and lightning began striking his sword from the sky A direct gleaming light that merged into the blade
And Akshansh said and his voice was a roar louder than the crack of lightning
I am coming Andhak Void For your end
And in his eyes a flash of lightning gleamed The same gleam that was in the flames of his parents pyre and had now become the flame of his revenge
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