- - -...
A Chapter from Legacy of Vetala
The forest trembled under the weight of battle. Ash hung in the air like ghostly snowfall, clinging to the burned leaves and shattered ground. Parashu staggered to his feet, panting heavily, blood trickling from a wound above his brow.
Across from him, a boy—no older than himself—stood calmly, his clothes torn, but his eyes glowing with eerie confidence.
"Hey!" Parashu shouted, bewildered. "You're just a kid—my age! Why are you risking your life to protect me from this monster?"
The boy stepped forward, his voice carrying an unsettling calm. "Maybe it's time we saved ourselves instead of asking questions," he said with a smirk. "Do you really want to know who I am right now?"
Parashu clenched his fists, heart pounding. The fear was real—but so was the fire burning inside him. "First," he growled, "let's teach this monster a lesson. Then you can tell me who you are."
The stranger's smirk widened. A radiant glow suddenly erupted from his body. Bones cracked, muscle stretched, and light seared the air as he transformed—his form shifting into a towering figure, part angel, part beast. The wind howled around him, reacting to the sudden divine energy unleashed.
The monster, once towering and fierce, now cowered. With a trembling growl, it turned and fled into the shadows.
Moments later, footsteps crunched over the ruined soil. Master Vishma and Asura emerged into the clearing, their eyes widening at the sight before them—Parashu and the transformed stranger standing amidst the remains of battle.
"What happened here?" Vishma asked, his voice calm but urgent. "Are both of you alright?"
"We're fine," the stranger replied simply.
Asura stepped forward, narrowing his eyes at the stranger. There was something unnatural—no, otherworldly—about him.
"You…" Asura said slowly, eyes glinting. "You resemble a demon. Don't tell me you're bound to a Yakshini—the devil angel."
The boy smirked again. "Seems you know quite a bit about her."
Vishma's expression grew somber. "Yakshinis are nature spirits," he explained to Parashu. "Some protect treasures, others bring ruin. They can be benevolent… or dangerously capricious."
"I'm not her servant," the stranger interrupted. "But our paths are intertwined. For now, our goals align."
Asura looked unconvinced, but Vishma placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Trust is earned in deeds, not words," the master said quietly.
They pressed on, walking deeper into the ruins of the once-thriving village. The silence was heavy, broken only by the distant creak of scorched wood and the occasional moan of wind. Broken statues stared lifelessly into the distance. Burnt houses stood like open graves.
"This village…" Vishma murmured, looking around. "It was alive not long ago. Now there's nothing left."
A new voice broke the silence. "Because of the monster."
They turned to see the stranger again, his face hardening.
"A few years ago," he said, "this place was full of life. But before I tell you more…" His eyes locked onto Parashu. "You. Your name is Parashu, isn't it?"
Parashu nodded. "Yes. That's me."
The boy studied him for a moment. "You're different. The monster that attacked this place—he's from the Kara Army."
Parashu flinched. "Kara… the Monster Army?"
"Yes," the boy said. "And not just any member. That monster is their leader. He destroyed this village. He slaughtered its people. He captured their souls."
Master Vishma clenched his fists. "I've heard rumors… but never the full truth."
The stranger stepped closer. "Then tell me—why do you think their leader attacked you?"
Before Parashu could speak, Asura's deep voice cut through the air.
"It's simple," he said. "They want to kill Parashu… and take his soul."
"But why?" the stranger asked, brow furrowed. "They've taken so many souls. What makes his so special?"
There was silence. Then, slowly, the stranger lowered his voice.
"They attacked me once, too. Wanted my soul because of the cursed spirit inside me. But my curse became my shield. Every time they tried to take it… it protected me."
Parashu absorbed the words like shards of glass.
"They know me now. That monster ran because he recognized me."
Asura folded his arms, deep in thought. "That means… Parashu has something. Something hidden. Like your curse."
The wind picked up, sweeping through the ruins. There were too many questions. Too many buried truths.
Then came the voice that changed everything.
"Yes," Master Vishma said. "He is different. He hails from Clan Vetala… and more than that—he is the son of Maharathi."
Asura's eyes widened. "Maharathi?! The One-Man Army?!"
Vishma nodded. "His real name was Jamadighini."
Asura's face twisted with fury. His blade hissed halfway out of its sheath. "The son of a traitor?! Why are you protecting him, Master? You should end his cursed bloodline!"
"Control yourself, Asura," Vishma said, raising a hand. "The sins of the father are not the sins of the son. This boy bears no guilt."
Parashu trembled. "I… I don't even remember my father's face. But the way everyone looks at me, the way they hate me because of his name…" His voice cracked. "Maybe I shouldn't even exist. If my blood is so cursed… then kill me. Do it. I won't fight."
A silence fell—before a bitter voice rose from the shadows.
"No matter what we do, people will always judge us by our past."
A boy emerged from the dark, about Parashu's age, his face weathered beyond his years.
"My uncle was the village head. Even he despised me—because of who my father was." His voice turned cold. "I killed him with my own hands."
Vishma narrowed his eyes. "You said was. Why?"
The boy looked away. "It's a long story."
Rain began to fall, soft at first, then harder, dripping down his cheeks like silent tears.
"My grandfather was a healer. A wise man. During the war, he led the village. He had two sons—my father, who healed, and my uncle, who fought. When grandfather died, the village chose my father. But my uncle… he craved power. He murdered my father and had me locked in a cell."
Parashu whispered, "Your own blood… betrayed you?"
The boy nodded. "The day the Kara Army attacked, they thought I was just another prisoner. But they didn't know… the darkness inside me saved me. When I broke free, I saw my uncle still alive. And I knew. I killed him."
Asura stepped forward, sharp suspicion in his eyes. "Wait. You said you were imprisoned before the Kara Army attacked. Then tell me—how did the devil spirit enter your body?"
The stranger held his gaze, silent.
The rain fell harder.
The answers were coming.
But so was something far worse.
---
TO BE CONTINUED