Chapter :- 5
Scene 1
The void was an absolute, suffocating negation. Not merely dark, but a complete absence—of light, sound, gravity, and even the resistance of air. Shekhar was not floating so much as suspended in this pitch-black, dimensionless expanse, a solitary point against infinite nothingness.
Then, the silence fractured.
A series of voices, strangely familiar yet distorted, began to echo within the nothingness, not from a direction, but seemingly originating directly inside his mind.
"Hey Shekhar... please don't be like this."
"You are so annoying."
"Stay away from us. Don't you dare come near."
"Useless bastard."
"Oh, please... don't compare me to this shit."
The words weren't just heard; they were physical blows, lashing out like unseen tendrils. A cacophony of negative comments, harsh judgments, and remembered slights converged, creating an invisible, suffocating pressure.
Shekhar's muscles instantly seized. The psychological assault manifested physically, freezing his body rigid in the void. He was utterly overwhelmed, every nerve ending screaming under the relentless verbal barrage. The pressure was immense, driving down on him as if he were being crushed by an impossible weight.
Yet, despite the overwhelming force—the complete mental and emotional collapse these phantom voices demanded—he barely maintained his posture. His body remained tense, rigid, refusing to buckle, stubbornly suspended in the black, inches from dropping to metaphorical knees in surrender.
_______
Scene 2: The Manifestation
Just as Shekhar refused to yield to the verbal assault, the void twisted.
An abrupt shift in the featureless blackness resolved itself into a figure standing directly before him. It was a person he knew, instantly, deeply—a familiar silhouette that triggered a reaction far worse than the echoing voices.
The sight of the figure sent a jolt of pure terror through his system. Shekhar’s brain instantly erupted in a blinding panic attack. A searing, electric pain—as though a thousand needles were simultaneously plunged into his body, each delivering a shock—shot from the base of his skull. The agony was so intense, so visceral, that a sudden urge to heave overcame him; he tasted the metallic warmth of vomit and blood rising in his throat. He swallowed it down, enduring the crippling physical blow.
Then, the figure spoke.
The voice was not the distorted echo of the others; it was clear, distinct, and carried a devastating weight.
Upon hearing the sound, the immediate, overwhelming pain and panic vanished. Shekhar's focus snapped entirely away from his surroundings, his shock, and his physical suffering. His mind went utterly blank, a sudden, deep internal silence replacing the earlier chaos.
In that moment of suspended thought, something internal shifted. A sensation of cold, heavy black liquid began to seep through the deepest core of his heart, swiftly coating and consuming it. The liquid spread outward, swelling and enveloping his entire body. His awareness, his physical form, and his very soul were rapidly absorbed into the inky substance, becoming indistinguishable from the black void itself.
Shekhar was gone.
______
Scene 3: The Breakthrough
The black liquid, cold and final, had almost consumed Shekhar. His entire form was suspended within the inky mass. Mysteriously, his heart, still pumping a faint rhythm, had been wrenched free of his chest, floating before him, also encapsulated in the suffocating blackness. They were two separate, dying entities in the void.
Just as the darkness threatened to extinguish his consciousness forever, a new, warm voice cut through the silence—a voice of unconditional love and disappointment. It was the voice of his Mother.
"Why, Shekhar, why are you like this? Have you forgotten the life your father saved you for? Why are you letting those old memories poison you? You have a new life now, brimming with love and happiness. Live for it."
"And don't you dare die like this, my son, without taking revenge for your family."
"Now, please, open your wings and soar! Fly so high that everyone can see where you started and where you reached!"
As the words finished, a different hand—a hand radiating pure, gentle light—reached into the thick black liquid. It grabbed both Shekhar and his floating heart, pulling them with impossible force.
With a wrenching, explosive sensation, they were ripped out of the void and plunged into a new reality. The blackness dissolved into a stunning, beautiful environment saturated with vibrant light and warm air. An overwhelming sensation of love and happiness flooded into Shekhar's body as his heart was drawn back to its rightful place.
He snapped back to full consciousness. Standing before him, bathed in the gentle light, were his mother and father.
Before he could speak, a new sound echoed into this sacred space—a sweet, concerned voice from the outside world: "Hey, Kid! Please, just stay with me! Can you hear my voice? You have to wake up now!"
Shekhar turned his gaze back to his parents one last time. Tears streamed down his face, a mixture of pain and peace.
"Goodbye, Mom. Goodbye, Dad. I promise you, I will never die. I will see our revenge through to the end. Until then, please, rest in peace."
As he spoke the final words, his vision blurred, the beautiful sanctuary faded, and he felt himself finally surrendering to the pull of the outside world. He was coming back.
____________
Scene 4: Return and Retaliation
Shekhar's eyes snapped open to a harsh reality. A girl was kneeling beside him, her face strained with immense effort. She was maintaining a flickering, transparent B-Class Mana Barrier around them, desperately trying to protect them both from an unseen threat. Cracks spider-webbed across the shield's surface; it was seconds from shattering.
Suddenly, a massive, invisible AA-Class Barrier flared into existence, instantly encompassing the failing shield. A violent shockwave erupted, pushing the surrounding air away. The girl, relieved, glanced behind her just as a powerful surge of high-intensity mana energy began to radiate.
A hand—large and firm—reached down from behind the newly formed barrier, gently touching the girl's shoulder.
"Please, rest yourself now. You did good work, and thank you for protecting me too. Now, just leave it to me."
The relief was too much. Her effort spent, the girl immediately crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
Shekhar—now fully alert and filled with a cold, renewed purpose—looked up. Ahead, two monstrous figures, the source of the danger, loomed: the dragons. With a snarl of frustration and incandescent anger, he cast multiple A-Class Mana Barriers over the collapsed girl, ensuring her immediate safety.
His mind raced, analyzing the threat. Physical or standard elemental attacks clearly haven't breached their scales effectively. I need something far stronger. What could it be?
Then, realization struck him, and a grim smile touched his lips. He began to chant a powerful spell.
His left hand ignited, enveloped in cold blue flame. His right hand shimmered, encased in brutal black ice. With a final, critical incantation, he fused the opposing elements, simultaneously pouring 90% of his remaining mana into a final, calculated assault, boosting its damage output.
"Flame-Ice Dragon!" he roared.
A colossal beam of energy launched from his hands. It was a dragon-shaped construct of pure power, combining the intense heat of the blue flame with the freezing cold of the black ice. A dark blue, crystalline layer of ice formed the core of the beam. It tore forward, burning everything in its path yet simultaneously leaving a trail of frozen stillness in its wake.
Boom! The attack easily pulverized three high-class defensive barriers the dragons had hastily thrown up. It struck both dragons before they could even register the combined energy, giving them no chance to retaliate or avoid the hit.
BOOM! BOOM! A massive explosion rocked the area. Smoke and dust instantly billowed, obscuring everything.
Shekhar held his position, breathing heavily but refusing to rest, his senses still on full alert mode.
Suddenly, a notification panel flickered into his vision.
[You have successfully defeated an Amateur Dragon!]
[Your rewards have been transferred to your Inventory.]
[You got 1000 EXP.]
[LEVEL + 1]
[You have successfully defeated an Amateur Dragon!]
[Your rewards have been transferred to your Inventory.]
[You got 1000 EXP.]
[LEVEL + 1]
Seeing the confirmation of his victory, the last thread of adrenaline snapped. Shekhar finally allowed himself to relax, his body immediately collapsing from the sheer exhaustion of pouring 90% of his mana into the attack.
The girl, who had been shielded by his barriers, instantly rushed forward to catch him before he hit the ground. She gently lowered him, supporting his head. Tears welled in her eyes, not from fear, but from overwhelming relief and gratitude.
"I don't know who you are, or what world you live in," she whispered, a tremulous smile touching her lips. "But thank you. Thank you for saving my life. I promise I will never forget your kindness."
To be continued.......
