chap 16

[continuation of chapter 14 when jilpa sensed the ENTITY]

The lavish reunion party buzzed with chatter and laughter, the scent of gourmet food wafting through the air. Rivaan and Jilpa navigated the room cautiously, each trying to suppress their unease. Jilpa's encounter with the entity weighed heavily on his mind, but he hadn't yet found the right moment to share everything with Rivaan.

As Jilpa stood near the buffet table, pretending to be interested in the array of dishes, he felt a strange sensation—a faint tugging in his mind, like an echo calling to him. He turned, and his eyes locked onto a faint, translucent figure hovering near the edge of the room.

The spirit was unlike any he had seen before. Its form shimmered like water, constantly shifting, and its energy felt foreign yet ancient.

Spirit (whispering): "Chain Wielder, we must speak."

Jilpa froze. Rivaan noticed his friend's rigid posture and followed his gaze.

Rivaan: "Jilpa, what's wrong?"

Jilpa (quietly): "It's a spirit... but not one from here."

The spirit beckoned, drifting toward an empty hallway. Jilpa exchanged a quick glance with Rivaan before following it, his heart pounding. Rivaan trailed behind, his senses sharp.

Once they were alone, the spirit solidified slightly, its features becoming more defined. It had a humanoid form with elongated limbs and a face that seemed to ripple like water.

Spirit: "You've seen it. The entity."

Jilpa (narrowing his eyes): "What is it? What does it want with me?"

The spirit hesitated, its voice filled with urgency.

Spirit: "It is not of this universe. It comes from a realm beyond comprehension, where laws of existence bend and break. It is known as Enoch, the Void Sovereign. For eons, it has sought a Chain Wielder—someone like you."

Rivaan (stepping forward): "Why? What does it want with Jilpa?"

The spirit's form flickered, its energy growing unstable.

Spirit: "The Chains are a bridge between realms, a power strong enough to bind even the most supreme forces. Enoch seeks to use them to overthrow the balance—destroy hell, conquer heaven, and reshape existence in its image."

Jilpa's breath hitched. The memory of those piercing red eyes burned in his mind.

Jilpa: "But why now? Why me?"

Spirit: "It has waited for millennia, moving across universes, searching. Your awakening has drawn its attention. You must prepare, Chain Wielder. Enoch will stop at nothing to claim you. If it succeeds, no realm—no existence—will be safe."

The spirit's form shimmered violently as if the strain of staying in this dimension was too much.

Rivaan: "Wait! How do we fight it?"

Spirit (fading): "The Chains are your strength, but you are not ready i suggest, run while you can."

With that, the spirit vanished, leaving an icy chill in the air.

Rivaan and Jilpa stood in silence, the weight of the revelation sinking in.

Rivaan (breaking the silence): "Well we have to go now!."

Jilpa nodded, his jaw tightening.

Jilpa: "No more holding back. If Enoch wants a fight, we'll give it one. But we're doing this on our terms."

As they returned to the party, their minds were racing, the carefree atmosphere now feeling hollow. They knew the clock was ticking, and the battle for existence had already begun.

The Flames of Chaos

As the faint sound of the ocean breeze met their ears, Jilpa and Rivaan stepped outside the grand mansion, ready to leave the party before the enoch comes to them. The revelation of Enoch and the rogue spirit's warning left them restless. They needed time to process and plan their next steps.

The night was calm, the stars scattered across the sky, when suddenly—

BOOM!

A deafening explosion rocked the earth, throwing them off their feet. The shockwave shattered windows, flames erupted into the night, and the once serene evening turned into chaos.

Jilpa (coughing): "What the—?!"

They scrambled to their feet, looking back at the mansion now engulfed in flames and debris. Screams echoed through the night.

Rivaan (gritting his teeth): "We need to go back!"

The two sprinted toward the inferno. The ornate mansion, once a symbol of elegance and power, was now a smoldering ruin. As they entered the wreckage, their eyes widened in horror.

The Carnage Inside

The scene was a nightmare. Bodies were strewn across the marble floor, some burnt beyond recognition, others moaning in agony. The stench of charred flesh filled the air.

Jilpa froze as his gaze landed on a familiar figure—Aiyana, Rivaan's fiancée, barely conscious and cradling a lifeless relative. Jilpa's hands clenched into fists, trembling with rage.

Jilpa (muttering): "Not again... this can't be happening again."

For Rivaan, the scene was a sickening echo of his past. The sight of the burned and broken bodies brought flashes of his family's death to the forefront of his mind.

At the center of the devastation stood Enoch, shrouded in his ominous black mist. His piercing red eyes glowed like embers in the night, his twisted grin stretching unnaturally.

Enoch (mockingly): "Where are you running off to, little heroes? Did you think you could escape me so easily?"

Unleashed Fury

Jilpa's mind snapped as his mother's burned body flashed before his eyes. The memory of her lifeless form in his arms, the cloth that condemned her murderers—all of it came rushing back. His rage surged, primal and uncontainable.

Chains erupted from his back, glowing with an unearthly light. The air around him warped, the sheer force of his power causing cracks to spread across the ground.

Jilpa (screaming): "You'll pay for this!"

Rivaan's fists burned with intensity, his body radiating a blinding golden heat. His thoughts were consumed by his family—their faces, their voices, their lives stolen from him.

Rivaan: "you...YOU FUCKING BASTARD!!!"

A brilliant beam of light shot from his hands, obliterating a section of the burning ceiling. Enoch chuckled, unfazed.

Enoch (amused): "Ah, such emotion. Such power. Yes... show me what you're capable of, Chain Wielder. Show me why they call you're power the Light of Destruction, Rivaan."

A Battle Unleashed

The mansion became a battlefield as Jilpa and Rivaan unleashed their full might. Chains whipped through the air, wrapping around fiery debris and hurling it at Enoch, while Rivaan's beams of light scorched through the mist surrounding him.

But Enoch was no ordinary foe. With a mere wave of his hand, he deflected Jilpa's chains and dissipated Rivaan's light. His laughter echoed, chilling and hollow.

Enoch: "You are strong, yes. But strength without control is meaningless. You are but children playing with fire."

The fight raged on, destruction tearing through the once-grand estate. Jilpa and Rivaan fought with everything they had, fueled by grief, anger, and determination. Yet, no matter how hard they pushed, Enoch remained untouchable—a god-like force they could not yet comprehend.

The Brink of Death

The mansion burned around them as Jilpa and Rivaan faced Enoch, their bodies already trembling from the overwhelming aura of the shadowy entity. The laughter of their foe echoed in their ears, a constant reminder of how powerless they truly were.

Enoch (smirking): "Come now, is that all you've got? I expected more from the legendary Chain Wielder and the Light of Destruction."

A Desperate Assault

Jilpa, fueled by blinding rage, hurled his chains at Enoch with unrelenting force. They lashed through the air, glowing with raw energy, aiming to constrict the entity.

Jilpa (roaring): "I'll rip you apart!"

The chains wrapped around Enoch, tightening with a force that cracked the marble beneath them. But the entity barely flinched. With a single flick of his hand, the chains shattered into fragments, sending Jilpa flying backward.

Enoch (mockingly): "Chains are only as strong as the hands that wield them. Yours? Pathetic."

Rivaan, refusing to back down, stepped forward, his fists ablaze with golden light. The ground beneath him scorched as his power reached its peak.

Rivaan: "You think we'll give up that easily? Think again!"

A brilliant beam of light shot from his palms, brighter and hotter than anything he'd ever produced before. It tore through the air, slamming into Enoch with enough force to obliterate the ceiling above them.

But as the dust settled, Enoch emerged unscathed, his dark mist consuming the remnants of Rivaan's attack.

Enoch (laughing): "Impressive. For an insect."

In an instant, Enoch appeared before Rivaan, his speed beyond the speed of light maybe 70x faster. A shadowy hand struck Rivaan's chest, sending him crashing into a pillar. The sound of bones cracking echoed through the burning mansion.

Rivaan (gasping): "GAHHH—!"

Jilpa staggered to his feet, blood dripping from his forehead. His chains reformed, whipping wildly through the air as he charged Enoch.

Jilpa: "Stay away from him!"

Enoch caught the chains mid-air, yanking Jilpa forward with an inhuman force. A shadowy tendril wrapped around Jilpa's throat, lifting him off the ground.

Enoch (coldly): "You're brave. Foolish, but brave. Let me reward you."

He slammed Jilpa into the ground, the impact leaving a crater beneath him. Jilpa groaned, unable to move as pain wracked his body.

On the Edge of Oblivion

Rivaan crawled toward Jilpa, his vision blurred. His body was broken, every breath a struggle. Yet, he forced himself forward, refusing to let his friend fall alone using every ounce of his strength left he got back up and said with blood spilling from his mouth...

Rivaan (weakly): "get the FUCK AWAY FROM HIM!"

Enoch tilted his head, amused by their determination.

Enoch: "You two are resilient. But resilience without strength is worthless."

A massive wave of CHI erupted from Enoch, engulfing both Rivaan and Jilpa. Their screams filled the air as the energy tore through them, leaving their bodies battered and bloodied.

As the energy subsided, the two lay motionless on the ground, their breaths shallow and labored.

A Mocking Departure

Enoch stood over them, his twisted grin ever-present.

Enoch: "This is the best your world has to offer? How pitiful. You're not worth my time... yet."

With a wave of his hand, he vanished into the shadows, leaving the mansion in ruins and the two warriors on the brink of death.

A Faint Hope

Rivaan coughed, spitting blood as he struggled to turn his head toward Jilpa.

Rivaan (weakly): "Jilpa... you alive?"

Jilpa groaned, his body refusing to respond.

Jilpa (rasping): "Barely... but yeah."

They lay there amidst the destruction, their bodies broken.

Jilpa (weakly): "We're not ready... but we will be."

Rivaan (nodding faintly): "Next time... we don't lose."

As the sirens of emergency responders grew louder, the two friends closed their eyes, clinging to the faint hope that they would rise stronger. The battle was lost, but the war was far from over.

THANK YOU FOR READING

TO BE CONTINUED