40. Mirror’s Curse and the Shadow Within

Sambh looked around in horror as cannibals emerged from the thick, clinging mud all around him. These creatures, gaunt and emaciated, shuffled forward like walking dead, their hollow eyes reflecting a madness borne of centuries.

Without warning, one of them lunged, and Sambh summoned a surge of lightning. The bolt struck the creature, shattering its frail body into scattered bones. Yet even in its destruction, the horror did not cease: the creature's head tumbled toward him, and its hands and other severed parts began to crawl as if animated by an unholy force.

Instinct took over. Sambh raised his gleaming sword and began hacking at the writhing remains. Each swing split the undead into pieces, but with every cut, more of these cursed beings stirred and advanced.

Overwhelmed, Sambh could no longer contain the relentless assault. Desperation laced his voice as he cried out toward Ruchi.

"Help!"

Before he could be completely overrun, one of the shambling corpses barreled toward him. A sudden force pushed it away, and Sambh was pulled back, his vision blurring as he caught sight of Ruchi.

Standing firm despite the chaos, she lifted her hands and declared, "This is one of the three swords of the divine land. It is said that only one true Prince can move the sword of lightning. He was the one who killed Vall-eran—the last and most triumphant prince of that era, the one who mastered the entirety of their ancient technology."

Her words rang with both hope and despair. In an instant, Ruchi raised her own sword and, as if propelled by divine grace, soared toward the island.

With each swing of her blade, fire erupted, consuming the relentless horde of creatures that clung to the darkened landscape. The flames danced over their bodies until only ash and charred remnants remained.

The pair then found themselves transported onto a mysterious island. The environment was a striking contrast to the chaos behind them. Here, beautiful trees with translucent, multicolored leaves swayed gently in the cool breeze.

Every plant and flower seemed to glow with an otherworldly light. Ahead of them lay a small pond, its waters shimmering a vibrant green.

"The mirror must be inside the water," Ruchi whispered, her eyes scanning the luminous surface.

They stepped cautiously toward the pond, but their hope was quickly dashed. The island was overrun by mummies—another form of the walking dead. Ruchi's voice trembled as she observed, "These are mummies."

Acting swiftly, she raised her wand and unleashed a burst of magical flame. The fire licked at the mummies, yet they staggered forward, their charred bodies reanimating with unyielding determination.

"We can't stop them!" she exclaimed, desperation coloring her tone. In a split-second decision, Ruchi shoved Sambh toward the pond and leapt in after him. But fate was cruel; as Sambh struggled in the water, a mummy leaped from the darkness and seized her.

In a matter of seconds, Ruchi was caged by the relentless undead, and they began to devour her with ravenous hunger.

"Ruchi!"

Sambh cried out, reaching desperately for her hand. But she was pulled farther away, and he had no choice but to plunge deeper into the water in a frantic bid to rescue her. As he sank into the depths, the world around him warped into a surreal mirage.

Before him, a spectral image materialized—a figure that looked strikingly like himself. A voice, calm yet laden with an eerie familiarity, spoke from behind him, "It's been so long to see you, Sambh."

Spinning around, Sambh stared in disbelief at the apparition of his own likeness. The spectral figure moved closer, and in a measured tone said, "Sambh, how have you been these days?"

Confusion gripped him as he stuttered, "Have we met before?"

Suddenly, his legs began to darken, tendrils of snake-like muscles twisting around them. His body was shrouded in a deep black aura, and enormous wings unfurled behind him. The transformation was both terrifying and mesmerizing.

The being before him spoke, voice resonating with newfound power, "Do you recognize me now?"

Sambh's heart pounded as he managed to reply, "I saw your statue on the cannibal island. You must be their benefactor—Vall-eran."

A sly smile played upon the spectral figure's lips as he countered, "Haven't you seen me before?" Sambh's response was a defiant, "Noooo!"

His anger flared, and he raised his sword. "You have infected thousands of creatures on this island. You must die!" With all his might, he struck at Vall-eran, but the blow seemed to pass through him as if his sword met only shadow.

Vall-eran's smile deepened into a chilling laugh. "If I am not mistaken, you have come here to retrieve the mirror of fate," he remarked coolly.

Sambh attacked again, this time unleashing a volley of strikes. With an unexpected surge of dark power, he ensnared Vall-eran in thick, twisted vines that sprouted from the very trees around them.

"You are seeking the dark side of me," he accused, his voice trembling with a mixture of fury and sorrow. "Anyone can turn vicious under such dire circumstances. Do you even know what has happened to me?"

Between the clash of magical energies and the encroaching undead, Sambh's reply was desperate and clear, "My friend is in danger outside, and I need the mirror of fate to return immediately!"

His words were carried away by the tumultuous currents of the mysterious water as the island itself seemed to shudder under the weight of ancient curses and imminent doom.

As the dark vines tightened and Vall-eran's form flickered like a dying ember, the spectral figure's eyes gleamed with inscrutable intent.

The mirror of fate lay hidden somewhere within the glowing pond, its secrets promising salvation—or further damnation. With every passing moment, the stakes grew higher, and the fate of not only Ruchi but the entire realm now hung precariously in the balance.

A heavy silence followed, punctuated only by the crackle of supernatural energy and the distant, echoing moans of the reanimated dead. Sambh stood at the crossroads of destiny, torn between his duty to rescue Ruchi and the insidious lure of the mirror that could either mend or shatter his very soul.

Then, as if the island itself was whispering a final, ominous warning, a voice rose from the depths of the murky water, "Choose wisely, for the mirror reveals not just the future but the truth of who you have become…"

In that charged moment, with Vall-eran caged by dark vines and Ruchi's uncertain journey of Sambh teetered on the edge of revelation and ruin.