The Forbidden Element

The air outside the garrison was thick with smoke and the scent of charred wood. The rebellion had struck, and though they had won the battle, the weight of what came next loomed over them.

Surya wiped the sweat from his brow, his golden eyes scanning the battlefield. The rebels had already begun tending to their wounded, carrying the fallen and securing weapons from their fallen foes.

Saria crouched beside a wounded rebel, her hands glowing faintly with healing magic as she tried to stop the bleeding. Aaryan, still recovering from the brutal fight, leaned against a broken pillar, his silver hair matted with sweat.

Rohan sat on a pile of rubble, his usual grin nowhere to be seen. He had fought hard, but seeing his flames rendered useless had left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"We barely made it," Saria muttered, her voice heavy with exhaustion.

Aaryan exhaled sharply. "And they weren't even the First Kingdom's true elites. Just a taste of what's coming."

Surya clenched his fists. "Then we need to get stronger. Fast."

Aaryan nodded. "Agreed. But first, we need to disappear."

Surya raised a brow. "Disappear?"

Aaryan motioned toward the horizon, where the flickering glow of approaching torches signaled reinforcements. "That explosion wasn't just heard by us. The First Kingdom will send more than just Sentinels next time."

The realization hit hard.

The rebellion had made its move.

Now, the First Kingdom would retaliate.

Aaryan pulled out a rolled-up parchment from his belt, spreading it across a makeshift table. 

"We need to regroup. There's a hidden route under the eastern cliffs that leads to an abandoned temple. It hasn't been touched in decades."

Saria frowned. "That's deep in cursed territory. Nobody goes there for a reason."

Aaryan met her gaze. "And that's exactly why it's the safest place for us right now."

Surya studied the map, his mind already racing. "If it means buying us time, we take the risk."

The decision was made.

The rebellion moved quickly, gathering what they could before vanishing into the darkness, leaving behind only the scorched remains of their battle.

The journey was grueling.

The hidden path was narrow, winding through jagged cliffs where one misstep could mean death. The waves of the ocean crashed against the rocks below, the distant moonlight illuminating the treacherous route.

Hours passed before the rebels finally reached the ruins.

The temple was colossal, its stone pillars worn by time, vines creeping over its surface like nature reclaiming its domain. Massive statues of forgotten deities loomed in the shadows, their cracked faces barely visible under the starlit sky.

A strange stillness filled the air.

Rohan shivered. "This place is giving me all kinds of bad vibes."

Saria glanced around, uneasy. "It feels... abandoned, but not empty."

Aaryan stepped forward. "This temple once belonged to the Order of the Seven Flames—an ancient sect wiped out centuries ago. Their knowledge was lost, but some say their spirits still wander these halls."

Rohan scoffed. "Spirits? Great. As if today wasn't bad enough."

Surya remained silent, his gaze fixed on the massive doorway ahead.

Something about this place felt... different.

Almost as if it was waiting for them.

Aaryan motioned for the group to move inside. "We rest here for the night. Keep your weapons close."

The rebels settled in, some setting up makeshift beds while others kept watch.

But sleep did not come easily.

In the dead of night, Surya stirred.

A whisper.

Faint, yet unmistakable.

"Come forth..."

His eyes snapped open.

The temple chamber was dark, the faint glow of dying torches casting eerie shadows across the walls.

Surya sat up, his heart pounding. He glanced around—his crew was still asleep. The air was thick, almost suffocating.

Then he heard it again.

"Come forth... child of the fallen kingdom."

His breath hitched.

Slowly, he stood, gripping his sword.

The whisper was coming from deeper within the temple.

Drawn by an unseen force, he followed.

His footsteps echoed against the stone floor as he walked through ancient corridors lined with murals—depictions of warriors locked in battle, flames devouring cities, and a great catastrophe that seemed to shatter the very sky.

Then, he reached it.

A vast chamber bathed in an eerie blue glow.

At its center stood a monolithic stone tablet, covered in ancient inscriptions. Its surface pulsed faintly, as if alive.

Surya stepped closer, his fingers hovering just above the carvings.

The moment he touched it—

FLASH!

His mind was consumed by visions.

A battlefield drenched in blood.

A warrior clad in obsidian armor, his eyes burning like twin suns.

A power unlike anything he had ever felt—raw, unchained destruction.

And then—

A name.

A name whispered through the void.

"...Brahma Shakti."

The vision shattered.

Surya gasped, stumbling back. His body trembled, his mind reeling from what he had just witnessed.

His heart pounded against his chest.

That name—he had never heard it before.

But somehow, he knew.

It was connected to him.

To his past.

To his future.

"What... was that?" he whispered.

And in the silence, the tablet pulsed once more.

As if... it was waiting.

(TO BE CONTINUED...)