Back at the entrance of the Cave - Manali Forest:

  Surya, Chandru, and the combined members of Team Two and Team Three skidded to a halt. Loose gravel sprayed beneath their boots as they stopped.

  Mayi stood near the jagged mouth of the cave, her hands waving frantically.

  “Mayi! What happened?” Surya panted. “Are they inside?”

  “I can’t trace their life forces,” Mayi said, her voice trembling. “Something in there is suppressing everything. It’s like a void.”

  Chandru didn’t wait for a plan. He strode straight into the darkness.

  “Hey—wait!” Sheetal called, but Surya was already following him.

  “Move,” Surya ordered. “We’re going in.”

  Mayi stepped forward, but Mia and Mona blocked her path.

  “No,” Mia said firmly. “You stay here. If you enter, we lose our connection to the camp completely.”

  Vaishu nodded, her face grim. “We need someone at the entrance. Listen to them.”

  Mayi clenched her fists, watching their silhouettes vanish into the cave.

  Deep inside, the throne of bone and stone shuddered.

  Naraga rose to his full height, his massive form casting a shadow that swallowed the firelight.

  “I have decided,” he rumbled. “I will give you Hamsa (Swan) and Panjurli (Boar). A fair exchange for the First Queen.”

  Vana smiled, cold and composed, and extended his palm.

  “A wise decision, King Naraga.”

  Naraga’s eyes narrowed. “Not yet. Only when Neeli stands before me.”

  Neon’s expression darkened. “Why not the other way around? You give us the orbs first.”

  Naraga’s lips curled into a scarred grin. “Because there is a possibility that you would use them to attack your own community and if Bhavirana learns his Vahanas were turned against his own kind, he will flay you alive.”

  Vana stepped between them, her voice calm and gentle, easing the tension in the air.

  “I understand,” she said softly. “But please—could you tell us how one commands these Vahanas?”

  Naraga spoke slowly.

  “The Rules of the Orb.”

  “Rule One: The one who releases a Vahana becomes its Master for that summoning.”

  “Rule Two: The Vahana will fight relentlessly until its command is fulfilled.”

  “Rule Three: Vahanas do not die. If an enemy defeats a Vahana before its command is completed, its soul retreats into the orb. It cannot be summoned again for one Mandala—forty-eight days.”

  “Rule Four: A Master may cancel a command by speaking directly to the orb, recalling the beast before it is destroyed.”

  He leaned back against his throne.

  “Now you understand the mechanism.”

  Vana inclined his head. “An enlightening conversation, King Naraga.”

  Neon turned to leave, jaw clenched at the empty-handed retreat. Vana paused, glancing toward a jagged ledge high above.

  “Oh—and King Naraga,” he said softly. “Do remember to greet the Vessels hiding behind the stone.”

  Aishwarya, Jatayu, and Pari froze.

  “I have known they were there since before you arrived,” Naraga added calmly.

  Aishwarya stepped out.

  She drew her bow to its limit, divine energy humming through the string.

  “AGNI-ASTRA.”

  The arrow ignited—not into flame, but into a core of living sun. Heat rippled through the cavern.

  “Move to the surface!” she shouted to Pari and Jatayu. “I’ll hold them!”

  She didn’t aim at Naraga.

  Instead, she twisted and released the arrow toward the cave’s mouth.

  The Agni-Astra screamed through the tunnel, trailing roaring fire. When it struck the sonic barrier, flame met vibration. Thousands of cave-bats were incinerated instantly, their echoes silenced by burning wings.

  Surya and Chandru were sprinting through the tunnel when the darkness turned orange.

  “Chandru—do you hear that?” Surya yelled.

  “Everyone, down!” Chandru roared.

  They hit the damp stone floor.

  Surya froze, eyes wide as the fire-wave rushed toward them. Vaishu lunged, yanking him down just as the heat surged overhead.

  Sheetal slammed her palms into the ground, raising a thick wall of ice to deflect the blast.

  Mia and Mona combined their spiritual energy, forming a shimmering dome around themselves, Rana, and Nova.

  The arrow tore past them, purging the tunnel of darkness, and burst out of the cave.

  Mayi stood frozen as the blazing projectile shot straight toward her.

  She squeezed her eyes shut.

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  Nothing hit.

  “Nice catch, Rohan,” a calm voice said.

  Mayi opened her eyes.

  Subha and the camp team stood behind her. Rohan held the flaming arrow inches from her face, his grip steady.

  “Where are the others?” Subha asked, scanning the scorched entrance.

  “They’re all inside,” Mayi gasped. “They told me to wait.”

  “ATTACK!”

  The General of the Cave-Demons’ roar shook the cavern.

  Aishwarya rolled behind cover, her bow blazing white. She loosed arrows in rapid succession. One split into ten. Ten became a hundred.

  Explosions thundered through the chamber, dust and stone filling the air.

  Then the smoke cleared.

  The Cave-Demons walked forward.

  Their grey, stone-like skin was untouched. No wounds. No hesitation.

  They had felt nothing.

  Aishwarya’s teeth were gritted so hard her jaw ached. "My arrows are not sufficient... these creatures are something else," she muttered, her eyes darting between the encroaching grey-skinned monsters.

  She looked up. The ceiling of the cavern was a jagged mess of stalactites and ancient rock. The top... that’s the surface ground, she thought. She raised her bow, aiming at the structural weak points of the cavern roof.

  Suddenly, a firm hand forced her bow down. It was Pari, his face bruised but determined. "If you hit the top, the ceiling will collapse. It’ll destroy everything."

  "I know," Aishwarya countered, her voice cold.

  "That includes you," Pari reminded her.

  "I’m well aware. What’s your point?"

  Pari didn't answer with words. He stepped forward, the metallic shing of his retractable gauntlet blades echoing against the stone. In a blur of movement, he became a whirlwind of steel. Slash! Slash! The blades sparked against the demons' hide, but as the smoke cleared, there were only minor white scratches.

  The Cave-Demons threw their heads back, a hollow, grating sound escaping their throats. "These scratches are nothing to us, little human!"

  To the left, Jatayu let out a piercing shriek. His body shifted, muscles bulging and feathers erupting as he transformed into his Eagle-Human hybrid form. A massive beat of his wings sent a localized gale-force wind through the cavern, staggering the front line of demons.

  But the sheer numbers were overwhelming. One demon caught Pari’s blades mid-air and hurled him back like a ragdoll. Another lunged at Jatayu from the shadows, pinning his arms. A sickening CRACK followed as a third demon gripped Jatayu's left wing and tore the primary feathers and bone.

  "JATAYU!" Aishwarya screamed. She unleashed a volley of explosive arrows, the blasts creating a temporary wall of fire that pushed the demons back long enough for her to reach the fallen bird-man.

  As she knelt by Jatayu, the wall beside her exploded. A Cave-Demon burst through the rock, a massive fist slamming into Aishwarya’s side. She was sent skidding across the floor, her bow sliding out of reach into the shadows.

  The demon loomed over her, raising a jagged stone club to finish her. Pari, barely conscious, watched through a haze of blood. A small, strange sound escaped him.

  He was laughing.

  "Why are you laughing?" the demon grunted, pausing. "Does death look funny to you?"

  "No," Pari whispered, his eyes looking past the demon toward the charred entrance tunnel. "It’s just that... they’re finally here."

  "Who?" the demon growled. Even Naraga and his General leaned forward, their curiosity piqued.

  "The DUMB-FIST," Pari muttered.

  "Come again?"

  "AHHHHHHH!"

  The roar didn't come from a demon. It was a human battle cry, amplified by the acoustics of the cave. A silhouette blurred through the sloppy, fire-charred entrance hole, descending with the momentum of a falling star.

  Surya landed. His right leg extended in a perfect, high-velocity dropkick.

  CRUNCH.

  The impact didn't just scratch the demon—it shattered its jaw into a thousand fragments. The creature was sent hurtling backward, its massive body slamming into the demon troop like a bowling ball, scattering the front line.

  Surya stood for a brief, cinematic moment, looking like the savior the team had prayed for. Then, the facade cracked.

  "AGHH! My foot!" Surya yipped, hopping on one leg and clutching his knee. "It’s like kicking a church bell! Why are they so hard?!"

  Chandru stepped past him, his face calm but his eyes sharp. "I told you not to lead with a dropkick against stone-types."

  As the rest of the team—Vaishu, Sheetal, Rana, Mona, and Nova—poured into the cavern, the air grew heavy. From his throne, Naraga pointed a grey finger. "KILL THEM ALL!"

  The Cave-Demons roared, a sound like tectonic plates grinding. In the shadows, Vana and Neon leaned against the damp wall, their arms crossed. They were observers now, waiting to see which side would bleed out first.

  Surya regained his footing and launched a flurry of Soul Punches, his fists glowing with spiritual energy. Thud. Thud. Thud. The Cave-Demon didn't even flinch. It actually started laughing. "Stop it, little human. It feels like you’re tickling me with a feather."

  A demon lunged at Surya’s blind side, but Sheetal was faster. She slammed her hands together, and a flash of frost encased the demon in a solid block of ice.

  "Nova! Now!" Vaishu commanded.

  Nova stepped forward. He opened his palms, and a high-frequency 25 kHz sound beam ripped through the air. The vibration hit the frozen demon perfectly.

  CRACK-SHATTER! The ice and the demon inside disintegrated into tiny pebbles.

  "It’s working!" Vaishu shouted. "Thermal shock and resonance! Nova, Sheetal—focus on one at a time!"

  Surya stepped back, panting, his knuckles bruised. "I couldn't hurt them... why?" he muttered, looking at his hands. Soul punches usually bypass physical armor, but these things... their souls might be as hard as their skin.

  While the cavern echoed with the sound of shattering demons, the atmosphere at the entrance was far more… academic.

  “My sisters,” Mayi complained, kicking a pile of snow. “They’re always dragging me back. They won’t let me show my true power.”

  Rohan leaned against a tree, trying to look cool despite the biting wind. “Don’t worry about it. They just think their little sister is weak. Protective instincts.”

  Mayi eyed him suspiciously. “And you? Why did they leave you out here? Too weak to go inside?”

  Rohan’s face flushed bright red. “Hey! I’m the powerhouse of Section D! Without me, we never would’ve defeated the Gremblin Giant.”

  Mayi let out a dry laugh. “Gremblins? Those are pests, Rohan. Beating them is like doing chores.”

  “We also took down a Gravesage!” Rohan shot back, his voice rising.

  “None of those compare to a Titan,” Mayi said flatly.

  “…How old are you?” Rohan asked.

  “Same as you,” she replied. “Thirteen.”

  “And how long have you been using spiritual powers?” Rohan asked.

  “A year and a half.”

  Rohan puffed out his chest. “I defeated my first Titan when I was nine!”

  Mayi rolled her eyes. “Liar. At nine, you probably didn’t even know you were a Vessel.”

  “That part’s true,” Rohan admitted. “My village Kartha was stunned. He told me to wait four more years before joining BLINK—I was too young to be classified as a Vessel.”

  “Bluffer,” Mayi said.

  “Believe it or not,” Rohan argued, “I’ve handled more Titans than anyone in there. That’s why they left me here—to protect you. If a Titan shows up, I’m the only thing standing between you and a very flat grave.”

  Mayi smirked, crossing her arms. “Your words are fire, Rohan. But I don’t see any action.”

  “Oh, you want action?” Rohan snapped, his eyes flashing. “Fine. You’ll see.”

  Aishwarya pulled Pari to his feet, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She noticed the jagged nicks on his gauntlets. "It seems your blades are just as 'protective' as you are,"

  Pari didn't laugh. He looked at the pack of grey-skinned demons. "We’re in trouble, Aishwarya. Even a Celestial Vessel like Surya can’t dent their hides with raw power. We need a different angle."

  "What about the one in the suit? He is also a celestial vessel. Right." Aishwarya asked, pointing toward Chandru. "He’s just standing there, watching everyone else bleed. Is he afraid?"

  "He is assessing the battlefield," a calm, authoritative voice cut through the noise.

  Pari spun around. "Subha!"

  Subha stepped into the light, flanked by Nuvan, Aaron, and Varun. The reinforcements had arrived, and the air in the cavern felt heavier with their combined spiritual presence.

  Naraga growled from his throne, his patience evaporating. “More of them? This is no longer a negotiation. Close the entrance. Seal them in this tomb!”

  A massive Cave-Demon soldier lunged toward a primitive stone lever embedded in the wall. He wrapped his claws around the cold rock and heaved.

  Clunk.

  He pulled again, muscles bulging.

  Crrr-ack.

  The lever shifted an inch—then stopped dead.

  “What are you doing?!” Naraga roared. “Do you lack the strength to move a simple stone? Pull it!”

  “My King…” the soldier stammered, his grey skin pale with strain. “I am trying! The mechanism is clear—but the door is not closing. Something is jamming the entrance from outside!”

  The scene shifted to the cavern entrance.

  Sweat streamed down Rohan’s forehead as he stood beneath the descending stone slab. His teeth were clenched, his arms trembling—not from fear, but from effort.

  Using his stasis power, he had frozen the massive stone door mid-fall.

  That was why the Cave-Demon soldier couldn’t move it.

  And why the entrance would not close.