Chapter 17: The Way of Redemption

The ruins of the sanctum sanctorum were a grim reminder of the battle that had just ended. The once sacred place, now reduced to rubble, was witness to Arjuna’s journey – his sacrifice, his victories, and the irreversible toll the Codex had taken on him. He held the Codex in his hands, but its once glorious glow was now gone, replaced by a cold, lifeless glow.

As the others began to move towards the fallen area and began to secure the area, Arjun stood motionless, his eyes fixed on the relic. He could feel the weight of his decision pressing on him like a thousand stones. The voice, the cosmic presence that spoke to him in the void, still lingering in his mind, reminded him of the price of the power he had once so blindly embraced.

“Arjun, you’re still here,” Radhika’s voice broke the silence, her soft footsteps growing louder as she approached her. Her expression was one of concern, mixed with understanding. “Are you all right?”

Arjun did not respond immediately. Instead, he picked up the Codex one last time, staring at it as if it expected him to speak again. But this time there was no sound, no divine whisper. It was just a relic, a hollow piece of what once held immeasurable power.

“I think...” Arjun’s voice stopped. It was difficult to put into words the emptiness that had filled him, left by the loss of the energy of the Codex. He couldn’t even find the right words to describe it – betrayal, perhaps. Or abandonment.

“I’m not the same anymore,” she said at the end, her voice tense. “The power that Codex gave me is gone, but it has taken something away from me. Something I can’t get back.

Radhika was standing next to him, her hand gently touching his arm in a gesture of comfort. “You are not alone in this, Arjuna. We all change after a battle like this. But that doesn’t mean you’re lost. You can still find your way.

Arjuna turned to look at her, his face full of exhaustion. “I don’t even know who I am now. I was a protector, but now... I feel like a vessel without purpose.

Radhika’s eyes softened, and she gave him a short, understandable smile. “So let’s find our purpose together. You’ve always been more than the power you wielded. The strength within you, the heart that led you through the darkest battles – it’s still there. You just have to watch it.

There was a warmth in her words that momentarily calmed the storm within her. But there was still doubt in his mind. He did his part in saving the worlds, but at what cost? How could he return to the world he once saw? After all, did he make the sacrifice?

Arjuna took a deep breath, his shoulders relaxing under the weight of his thoughts. “But now what? The codex is gone, and I can feel the loss of its power every time I move. It feels like a part of me has fallen apart, and I’m not sure how to fix it.

Radhika pondered over his words, then nodded. “It’s okay to mourn what you’ve lost, Arjuna. But remember, what you’ve achieved is just as important. The codex was just a tool. You have saved for the worlds, for your friends, for those you have saved—this is what defines you now.

Arjuna looked at the Codex once more. The ancient artwork, though no longer glowing with divine power, still had its place in its hands. It was a reminder of everything he had endured, everything he had become.

“I don’t think I’ll ever be the same again,” he muttered more to himself than to Radhika.

“You won’t,” Radhika replied softly, her voice full of compassion. “But that doesn’t mean you won’t find something worth living for. We are all changed, Arjuna. And sometimes, the hardest thing is to accept who we are once the dust settles.

He let out a slow breath, the weight in his chest slightly lighter than before. Radhika was right. He had sacrificed a lot, but he still had his life to live. And it was time to find out what came next. For her, for her friends, and for the realms they had saved together.

Suddenly, there was a commotion on the edge of the sanctum sanctorum. Arjuna stepped out of his thoughts and turned his gaze towards the sound. A group of survivors, their faces covered in soot and blood, emerged from the shadows. Among them was Kunal, his face serious but firm.

“Arjun,” said Kunal, coming up with hurried steps. “We have trouble. Daksha’s army was not the only one to target us. There is a larger, more sinister force in the game.

Arjun’s heart skipped a beat. “What do you mean?”

Kunal nodded seriously. “We’ve got words from outside cities. Dark forces are running through the portals. Animals, animals, asuras are flooding from the region. But there is something worse: a figure wrapped in shadow, ordering them. Someone powerful. Someone who is not afraid of the laws of the worlds.

Radhika exchanged a worried glance with Arjun. It wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

“Who is this man?” asked Arjuna, steeling his voice with determination.

“We don’t know,” Kunal replied. “But they’re gathering power, and it’s only a matter of time before they reach us.” If we don’t take action now, we could lose everything we’ve fought for.

Arjuna’s eyes hardened. The last battle had drained him, but the battle for the realms was not over. “Then we find this person,” he said, the resolve in his voice unmistakable. “And we stop them.

With this, he turned and walked towards the group, his hands clutched in fists, the weight of the codex was still in his fist. He could feel its presence, even though its power had diminished. It was a part of it, an indelible scar that could never be erased.

Radhika followed him, her steps steady, as others gathered around. They had all suffered a lot, but Arjuna could see the unbreakable strength in their eyes. They will fight together as always.

And this time, they will face an enemy even darker than Daksha.

Arjuna did not know what lay ahead, but one thing was certain: the path to redemption was not a straight line. It was a winding road full of obstacles, but he would drive it by his side with his friends.

Chapter end