Chapter 46: "Resurgence of the Brahmastra"

The dark corridors of Andhaka's fortress echoed with the sound of footsteps as Rihan and his companions pursued the fleeing Asura. Every step was heavy with tension, the air thick with the remnants of dark energy. The faint tremors underfoot hinted at the immense power that Andhaka still wielded, despite their efforts in the previous battle.

Rihan's mind raced. Andhaka had retreated, but not out of weakness. There was something deeper at play, something that made the battle feel incomplete. The fortress, its ominous structure, the twisted architecture, all seemed to pulse with dark magic.

Gunakar's voice broke Rihan's thoughts. "He's heading for the crown room. That's where his power lies."

Arjun nodded, gripping Sarang tightly. "We can't let him fully recover. If he regains all his strength, we might not stand a chance."

Rohit, ever calm and analytical, added, "We've injured him, but Andhaka's connection to Shukracharya's dark magic is deep. He'll be even more dangerous in the crown room. We have to be smart about this."

They reached the entrance to the crown room, a massive set of doors adorned with ancient Asuric symbols, glowing with a faint dark light. Rihan could feel the pulse of energy from within, and his heart pounded in response.

As they pushed open the doors, the sight before them made their breath catch. The room was enormous, with walls lined with strange artifacts of immense power. In the center of the room, seated upon a throne carved from dark stone, was Andhaka. His wounds from the earlier battle had vanished, and he radiated with renewed strength. Dark energy swirled around him like a storm, the crown on his head shimmering with an eerie glow.

Andhaka stood, his eyes glowing with malevolent light. "You have come so far," he said, his voice booming through the room. "But this is where your journey ends. You think you can stop me? You are mere mortals, bound by time and weakness."

Rihan stepped forward, his gaze locked on Andhaka. "We've faced your kind before, Andhaka. You can't hide behind your power forever."

A smirk crossed Andhaka's face. "You underestimate me, child of Surya. I am not like the other Asuras you've faced. I was born of darkness, and the prophecy foretells my rise. Shukracharya has gifted me powers you cannot fathom."

Before they could react, Andhaka raised his hand, summoning a wave of dark energy that surged toward them. The force of the blast was immense, sending the group scrambling for cover.

Rihan activated his Kavacha once again, the divine armor glowing as it absorbed the impact. But even with the protection, the sheer force of Andhaka's power was overwhelming. They could barely keep up.

Gunakar charged in first, his mace raised high. He swung it with all his might, aiming to break through Andhaka's defenses. The impact sent shockwaves through the room, but Andhaka deflected the blow with ease, the dark energy around him acting like an impenetrable shield.

Arjun fired a volley of arrows, each one infused with divine energy. They streaked through the air, aiming for Andhaka's weak points. But Andhaka deflected them all with a casual wave of his hand, his laughter filling the room.

Rohit, ever focused, launched a spear attack, aiming directly at Andhaka's heart. The spear crackled with divine energy as it flew, but just as it was about to strike, Andhaka caught it mid-air, his grip tightening until the spear cracks and return's to Rohit.

"Is this all you have?" Andhaka taunted. "You are mere insects before me."

Rihan, his heart pounding, knew they had to find a way to weaken Andhaka. They couldn't keep fighting at this pace. Every move they made was met with counterattacks that only grew stronger.

In the midst of the chaos, something stirred within Rihan. As Andhaka's overwhelming power threatened to crush them, Rihan's mind drifted back to his past life. Memories of his time as Karna flashed before him—memories of battles, of the wisdom Parshuram imparted, and of the curse that had hung over him like a shadow. He remembered Parshuram's teachings about the ultimate weapon: the Brahmastra, the divine weapon he had never used.

The Brahmastra, he thought. It could end this battle… but…

The memory of Parshuram's curse weighed heavily on him. The Brahmastra had been denied to him because of the curse. He had never dared to use it, fearing its failure. But now, with Andhaka's overwhelming strength, there was no other option. They needed a weapon of that magnitude.

But as the thought of invoking the Brahmastra crossed his mind, he realized something else: they couldn't use it yet. Andhaka was still too strong. The Brahmastra, as powerful as it was, could only work if Andhaka was weakened first.

Rihan shouted over the battle, "We need to weaken him before I can use the Brahmastra! His dark energy is too strong right now. It'll deflect the weapon!"

Arjun, firing another arrow, grunted in frustration. "Then how do we weaken him? He's barely breaking a sweat!"

Rohit's eyes gleamed with realization. "The crown! It's the source of his power! If we can remove it, he'll be vulnerable!"

Gunakar, ever the fighter, nodded. "Then we target the crown. We need to knock it off his head!"

Andhaka, overhearing their conversation, smirked. "You think you can touch the crown of Shukracharya? Fools!"

Without warning, Andhaka unleashed another wave of dark energy, but this time it was different. The energy coalesced into black flames that swept across the room, licking at the walls and floor. The heroes were forced to scatter, barely avoiding the deadly fire.

Rihan, clutching Vijayadanusu, took a deep breath. The only way to succeed was to coordinate their attacks and distract Andhaka long enough for him to invoke the Brahmastra. He had to trust in his companions.

"Gunakar, Rohit, keep him occupied! Arjun, aim for the crown! We don't have much time!" Rihan commanded, his voice steady despite the danger.

Gunakar charged forward once again, his mace glowing with divine light as he swung at Andhaka. Rohit followed suit, launching spear strikes with precision, forcing Andhaka to focus on them. The Asura retaliated with blasts of dark energy, but the Kavacha and Kundala protected Rihan from the worst of the attacks.

Meanwhile, Arjun drew his bow, his focus solely on the crown atop Andhaka's head. His hands moved with the grace of a master archer as he released arrow after arrow, each one aimed to dislodge the crown.

Andhaka snarled, his eyes narrowing as he realized what they were attempting. He deflected most of the arrows, but one slipped through his defenses, grazing the crown and causing it to tilt slightly on his head.

"Now!" Rihan shouted. He saw his chance. With a surge of energy, he began to prepare the Brahmastra. The divine energy coursed through him, filling the room with a blinding light. He could feel the immense power of the weapon building inside him, ready to be unleashed.

But Andhaka wasn't about to let them succeed so easily. With a roar of fury, he summoned every ounce of dark energy at his disposal, creating a massive wave of destruction that threatened to consume them all.

"Hold him off!" Rihan yelled, his hands glowing as the Brahmastra took shape.

Gunakar, Rohit, and Arjun fought with everything they had, their combined efforts keeping Andhaka distracted just long enough. As the room shook with the force of the battle, Rihan knew the moment had come.

With a final breath, Rihan raised his bow and released the Brahmastra, the divine weapon streaking toward Andhaka with the force of a thousand suns.

Andhaka's eyes widened in shock as the Brahmastra tore through his dark energy. The room filled with light as the weapon struck its target, and for the first time, Andhaka faltered.

The crown shattered, and Andhaka let out a scream of pure agony as his power began to wane. His dark energy flickered and then collapsed entirely.

The heroes stood amidst the wreckage, breathing heavily but victorious.