Chapter 11: Into the Void
The rift sealed behind Aryan, cutting off the golden light of Deva-Kshetra.
In an instant, he was swallowed by darkness.
No sound.
No light.
No ground beneath his feet.
Just **infinite nothingness**.
For a brief, **terrifying moment**, Aryan felt as though he was **falling endlessly**, his body tumbling through an abyss without direction. The void **clung to his skin**, chilling him to the bone.
The **sigil on his wrist** pulsed faintly, its golden light the **only source of illumination**. But the further he fell, the dimmer it became.
And then—**he hit the ground.**
Hard.
The impact **knocked the air from his lungs**, sending a sharp jolt of pain through his ribs. He **rolled across the blackened earth**, dust and shadow clinging to his skin.
Aryan **gasped for breath**, forcing himself onto his knees.
The void was **cold and desolate**, stretching endlessly in all directions. The sky above him was **cracked and broken**, filled with jagged **veins of violet lightning**.
The **ground was uneven**, composed of jagged stone and **crimson sand**, occasionally marked with **twisted, blackened bones** of ancient beasts.
A faint **howl** echoed through the endless expanse—a **distant, mournful wail**, as though the very fabric of the realm was in pain.
Aryan slowly **pushed himself upright**, his legs unsteady beneath him. He glanced down at the **sigil on his wrist**, which was now **pulsing faintly**, guiding him forward.
"**One hour,**" he muttered under his breath.
"That's all I've got."
He clenched his fists.
"No turning back."
---
### **The Void's Guardians**
Aryan moved swiftly across the **broken landscape**, his boots crunching against the blackened soil. The sigil **flickered brighter** whenever he moved in the right direction, dimming slightly when he veered off course.
But as he pressed forward, he felt **something shift** in the atmosphere.
The faint, howling wail **grew louder**.
Then—he heard it.
The faint, **distant clatter of armor**.
He **froze in place**, his muscles tensing.
From the swirling shadows ahead, **three figures emerged**, their forms **twisting and flickering** as if the void itself clung to them.
They were **void guardians**—ancient constructs of **twisted bone and metal**, forged by **Vritra himself** to protect the prison.
Each one was over **seven feet tall**, their skeletal faces **fused with iron masks**, and their eyes **blazed with violet flame**.
They moved with **unnatural grace**, gliding across the ground as though **floating through darkness**.
Aryan's **heart pounded**.
"Not gonna make this easy, huh?"
The **first guardian lunged**, its **void-forged blade** slicing through the air in a violet blur.
Aryan **sidestepped just in time**, the blade **whistling past his cheek**. He spun around, his hands glowing faintly with divine light.
**WHOOSH!**
In a flash of golden energy, his twin blades **manifested in his hands**, humming faintly with celestial power.
Without hesitation, he **rushed the nearest guardian**, his feet **slamming into the blackened ground**.
The guardian **swung downward**, its sword aiming for his head.
But Aryan was **faster.**
He **dropped low**, sliding beneath the blade, and in one fluid motion—he **sliced upward**, his golden blades flashing.
**SLASH!**
The guardian's **arm was severed**, its skeletal frame **shrieking in agony** as it staggered backward.
But the other two guardians were already on him.
The second one's **axe came crashing down**, the void energy pulsing violently along its edge.
Aryan barely had time to **parry the strike**, his blades **clashing against the massive weapon**. The force of the blow sent him **staggering backward**, his boots **skidding across the stone**.
The **third guardian** raised its hand—and with a violent gesture, it **unleashed a wave of shadow energy**, a swirling torrent of violet-black flame.
Aryan's eyes **widened**.
Instinct took over.
He **crossed his blades in front of him**, channeling the divine power into a protective barrier.
The **flames struck** the shield head-on, sending **violent shockwaves** rippling outward. Aryan gritted his teeth, his boots **digging into the soil** as he held his ground.
The barrier **cracked slightly** but held.
As the flames dissipated, Aryan **leapt forward**, his blades glowing with divine fire.
He **slashed upward**, cutting through the second guardian's chest in a **blinding arc**.
**CRACK!**
The guardian **staggered backward**, black ichor **spewing from the gash**.
But before it could recover, Aryan **spun around** and drove both of his blades **deep into the third guardian's skull**, splitting its iron mask in two.
**BOOM!**
The guardian **collapsed into dust**, its corrupted essence dissipating into the void.
Panting heavily, Aryan **whirled back around** just as the first guardian charged once more—its severed arm **regenerating instantly** in a burst of shadow.
"**Oh, come on!**" Aryan growled.
The guardian's sword **came down in a deadly arc**.
Aryan's eyes **flared with golden light**, and in one swift motion, he **threw up his blades** and blocked the strike.
But the **force of the impact** sent him flying backward, **slamming into a jagged rock formation**.
Pain **exploded across his back**, his breath **ripping from his lungs**.
The guardians **closed in**, their void-forged weapons **gleaming with corrupted energy**.
For a brief moment, **Aryan's hands trembled**, his grip on his blades weakening.
His vision **blurred**.
But then—he remembered **Yama's voice**.
His **vow**.
No.
He **forced himself upright**, his hands **tightening around his blades**.
His eyes **blazed with golden fury**, and in a burst of divine power, he **slashed through the first guardian's midsection**, **cutting it clean in half**.
The **second guardian** lunged.
But Aryan **twisted sharply**, his blade arcing through the void—and with a single, precise stroke, he **cleaved its head from its shoulders**.
The final guardian tried to flee.
Aryan's eyes narrowed.
"Not this time."
He **hurled one of his blades** through the air, golden energy **trailing in its wake**.
The weapon **speared through the fleeing guardian's chest**, pinning it against the stone.
The guardian **let out a final shriek** before it **dissolved into ash**, leaving nothing but silence.
Panting heavily, Aryan slowly retrieved his blade, his chest **heaving with exertion**.
He glanced down at the **sigil on his wrist**.
It was **flickering faster now**—the path ahead becoming clearer.
Without hesitation, he **moved forward**, his steps swift and deliberate.
---
### **Vritra's Awakening**
Far beyond the prison, in the **heart of the void**, **Vritra stirred.**
The **chains that bound him**—ancient and unyielding—began to crack.
His massive form, once slumbering in darkness, **shuddered violently** as the prison's magic began to **weaken**.
His **crimson eyes snapped open**, glowing with infernal fire.
A low, **rumbling chuckle** echoed through the void, making the very fabric of the prison **tremble**.
Vritra's lips curled into a **predatory grin**.
"**Come, mortal…**"
His voice was a guttural snarl, dripping with malice.
"Come and see… what it means to face a **god-killer**."