Chapter 12: The Breakdown of Fortune

The battle broke out as Arjuna’s sword hit Kiritan’s huge black blade, the air shaking with the power of each blow. Sparks flew away, illuminating the darkness in a blinding glow. The walls of the sanctum sanctorum trembled with the force of their war, and the echo of their weapons filled the air, drowned by the ferocity of their will.

“You are nothing but a mortal, Arjun!” roared Kiritan, his deep voice echoing through the room. “None of this counts in the face of your strength, your power, true power. The codex is mine!”

Arjuna gritted his teeth, fighting to hold his ground. Every blow made by Kiritan seemed to tear him apart, but Arjuna’s resolve remained unshakable. His sword, the divine blade gifted to him by the gods, shimmered with golden light. But Kiritan’s sword, dark and frightening, broke with malevolent energy.

With a roar, Kiritan swung his sword downwards, aiming to split Arjuna into two parts. But Arjun was fast. With a swift speed, he bypassed the blow and jumped forward, his sword shining brighter than ever.

“You’re wrong, Kiritan!” shouted Arjuna, his voice filled with defiance. “I am more than a mortal. I am the protector of this kingdom, and I will not allow you to destroy it.

Keritan’s eyes lit up with rage as he faltered as he faltered as he repelled Arjuna’s blow. “Silly words. Your precious territory is already ruined. You will fall before the power of the Asuras, and the codex will be mine. All that you cherish will fade away.

As Kiritan prepared for another deadly attack, Arjuna’s mind raced. He needed a plan. He needed to find a way to defeat this monstrous enemy. But the power of the asura was tremendous. Each invasion of Kiritan had a full army force, and Arjuna was exhausted. The divine power within him flickered like a flame in the air. He could feel it, the stress of battling such an opponent—his muscles burned, and his mind bogged down with exhaustion. He couldn’t sustain this fight for long.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Vikram and Radhika struggling against Kiritan’s ministers. They were holding their own, but even together, they could barely keep up with the relentless onslaught.

“I need to end this,” Arjuna muttered under his breath, his grip tightened around his sword. But as she gathered her resolve, a voice echoed through her mind—a voice familiar with consolation, but now laced with urgency.

Arjuna, listen to me. It was Avni, the oracle.

Arjuna paused for a moment, staring at the broken mirror where his image had once appeared. “Avni? What is this? I’m in the middle of a fight here!

“I know,” she replied, her voice quiet yet necessary. But there’s something inside you that Kiritan can’t understand. It’s not about strength, Arjuna. It’s about control. The codex isn’t just a book – it’s a key. The key to unlocking your true potential. You must learn to use your inner balance, not just your own power.

Arjun’s mind raced, pieces began to fall into place. Codecs. Balance between worlds. The divine power within him. He was relying heavily on brute power. He wanted something more – something deeper.

At that moment, everything around him seemed to slow down. The chaos of the war faded, and Arjuna stopped breathing. The divine energy within him grew not as a violent storm, but as a calm, concentrated river. He felt it - his connection with the universe, the divine and mortal worlds. He could feel the pulse of the universe, the rhythm of life.

Kiritan’s next blow came at the speed of a comet, but Arjuna did not retreat. Instead, she stepped into it, her movements flowing like water. He easily avoided Kiritan’s sword, the divine energy around him vibrating with harmony.

Kiritan stumbled back, confusion flashing in his eyes. “What... What is this power?”

Arjun’s voice was calm, full of newfound confidence. “It’s the power of balance. The power to comprehend that true power lies in the harmony of all things.

In a single motion, Arjuna raised his sword, and a wave of divine light burst outwards. The energy was pure, refined, invincible. It crashed like a tidal wave into Kiritan, sending the Asura chieftain to fly backwards, his dark blade shattered into pieces as divine energy engulfed him.

For a moment, there was silence in the room. The light from Arjuna’s sword continued to pulse, illuminating the room with an ethereal glow. Kiritan, the mighty chief of the Asuras, lay motionless on the ground, his body scorched by divine power.

Arjuna stood tall, his sword shining with the glow of the gods. He could feel the exhaustion creeping back, but now it was different. He had opened something within himself – a new understanding of his own power.

“Is he dead?” asked Radhika, stepping cautiously towards the fallen asura.

Arjuna shook his head. “No. But he’s lost - for now.

As he lowered his sword, a deep, resonant voice echoed through the chamber.

“Well done, Arjun. But the battle isn’t over yet.

Arjuna stepped out of the shadows to look at the figure of a man. His presence was commanding, his eyes burning with cold fire.

“You may have defeated Kiritan, but you have no idea what exactly you are facing,” the man said, his voice low and menacing. “I am the true force behind the Asura armies. And you, Arjuna, are just a pawn in a much bigger game.

The emergence of a major threat

The figure stepped forward, his appearance suffocating the air with an oppressive weight. He was tall, wrapped in shadow, and his face was covered with a mask that resembled the skull of a demon. The power emanating from it was unlike anything Arjuna had felt before.

“Are you?” asked Arjuna, his sword still raised, ready for whatever came next.

“I’m skilled,” the man said, his voice filled with an eerie calm. “And I am the one who planned the collapse of your world.” The codex was never meant to keep to you. It was always intended to bring about the destruction of the realms.

The air in the room cooled down and a sense of fear washed away in Arjun’s mind. He could feel the weight of Daksha’s words pressing down on him, but refused to give in to something inside him.

“You are wrong,” Arjuna said firmly, his grip tightened on his sword. “I don’t care what your plans are. I’ll stop you.

Daksha laughed, a dark, foreboding sound. “You may think you can, but the truth is... You can’t stop what’s already in motion.

Before Arjuna could answer, Daksha raised his hand, and the ground beneath his feet began to tremble. The walls of the sanctum sanctorum crumbled, and the air thickened with the weight of an ancient power - which threatened to consume everything in its path.

The real battle was about to begin.

Chapter end