51. The Last Stand

The tunnel was pitch black, an eerie silence hanging in the air. Not a single sound echoed from its walls. Bdoll and Yon stood at the center of the darkness, their focus entirely on Sambh's motionless body. Yon, with his practiced hands, gently examined the monk.

"His pulse is steady," Yon muttered, his brow furrowed in concern.

"But the wound... it's causing turmoil. It's draining his blood."

He reached into his cloak and pulled out the badge Ruchi had given Sambh. Placing it carefully on the monk's chest, a soft, golden glow emanated from the badge. Slowly, the wound began to close, and Sambh's body began to show signs of recovery.

Just as hope began to stir, the air shifted violently. A portal tore open behind them, and in an instant, a massive force blasted them both across the room. Bdoll crashed against the far wall, while Yon slammed into the opposite side with a brutal impact.

Both struggled to regain their footing, their eyes narrowing as they faced the new threat. Standing before them were Sage Sandh, Ruchi, and Trikanth.

Sage Sandh's cold eyes locked onto the fallen body of Sambh. Without a word, Trikanth raised his wand, and Sambh's body floated into the air. The tunnel was suddenly bathed in a blinding light, casting long shadows across the walls.

Ruchi stepped forward, her gaze fierce. "You said you were here to receive him. Let him survive," she commanded, her voice resolute.

Trikanth smiled darkly. "He is a threat," he said with chilling certainty. "And threats must die."

As the words left his mouth, Sambh's wound worsened once more. Blood began to seep from his body, and the damage was becoming too much to repair. Ruchi's eyes widened in alarm, and with a swift flick of her wand, the air around them darkened.

A burst of energy erupted from the tip of her wand, but it was not enough to halt the worsening injury. The body of Sambh plummeted to the ground, and Yon rushed to catch it.

"We have to move him," Yon said urgently, his voice steady despite the chaos. He unsheathed his sword and turned to Bdoll. "You take him. I'll handle this."

Bdoll nodded, carefully lifting Sambh's body into his arms. But as he turned to escape, Sage Sandh stepped forward, blocking his path. A vicious attack aimed at Sambh's lifeless form was launched by Sandh, but Yon was quick to intervene.

He threw himself in front of the strike, managing to block it with his sword—but the blow was too powerful. Yon vomited blood as the force of the attack pushed him back.

Sage Sandh, undeterred, shoved Yon aside and advanced toward Bdoll. Bdoll's eyes widened in terror as he realized the sage was far too powerful for him to face alone. He quickly tried to open a portal, but it felt as though something, or someone, had sealed it shut.

"Sage Sandh!" Bdoll shouted, taking a step back. "This is not your fight."

But the sage was relentless. With a mighty roar, he swung his sword again, but this time Ruchi stepped in to block the blow. The two forces collided, and Sambh's body was cast aside. Bdoll fell to the ground with a loud thud, but Ruchi stood firm.

"I can't let you harm the innocent," she said, her voice steady but tinged with sorrow.

Sage Sandh laughed bitterly, his eyes wild with anger. "Innocent?" he spat. "This man has killed thousands, including my dearest disciple!"

Ruchi's eyes narrowed. "You're lying," she said, her voice calm yet defiant. "I've known you since you were a child. You never had a disciple."

Sage Sandh's expression twisted into one of rage and disbelief. "I had one," he hissed. "Before I came to this land."

The tension between them escalated as they clashed in the dark tunnel, their magic creating a violent storm of light and shadows. Meanwhile, Trikanth, sensing the urgency of the situation, gathered his strength and ignited the tunnel in a brilliant flash of light.

Both Ruchi and Sage Sandh were thrown back by the force of the blast, and Ruchi's wand flew from her hand, tumbling across the floor.

With a roar, Sage Sandh lunged at the body of Sambh, but Trikanth was there to intercept, blocking the attack with his own power. "He must die with my hands!" Sandh bellowed, his rage clouding his judgment.

Trikanth, with all his remaining strength, pointed his wand at Sage Sandh. The two exchanged blows, their magic crashing into one another in a furious battle. Despite Trikanth's power, Sage Sandh's strength in his own domain was overwhelming.

"You're strong," Trikanth grunted as he staggered back, blood dripping from his wounds. "But you can't outwit me."

Sage Sandh's eyes gleamed with fury. With a swift, devastating strike, he pushed Trikanth back once more. "You cannot snatch him from me!" he shouted.

Trikanth raised his wand, summoning all the magic he could muster, but it was not enough. With a roar of anger, Sage Sandh cleaved Trikanth's wand in two with a single strike, the magic crackling as it shattered.

Thrown across the room, Trikanth hit the ground with a sickening thud. He coughed violently, blood staining the floor beneath him. His energy was spent, and it seemed that the battle was lost.

But Sage Sandh did not stop. He turned toward the fallen body of Sambh, eyes cold with determination. He raised his sword high, ready to strike the final blow. But in a moment of desperation, Ruchi appeared before him, her hands raised to stop the attack. She missed, and the blade of Sage Sandh plunged deep into Sambh's chest.

Blood spilled across the floor, staining the earth as the room fell silent.

"NO!" Ruchi cried out in horror, rushing to Sambh's side. But it was too late. The wound was fatal.

Sage Sandh stood over them, breathing heavily, a cruel smile spreading across his face. "He is mine to kill," he whispered, his voice low and triumphant.

But in the silence that followed, something stirred. A flicker of movement from Sambh's body. His eyes slowly opened, and a dark energy began to swirl around him, darker than anything they had ever seen.

And then, in the midst of the chaos, a chilling voice whispered through the air.

"You thought you had killed me."

The room shook as the power within Sambh stirred to life.