Chapter 8: Shadows Over Years

Time passed, but the fight never truly ended.

From age 8 to 17, Aarav transformed from a quiet, observant boy into a fierce protector. The Axis Guardians evolved too Meera had become a strategist, guiding them with her sharp mind, while Rishi mastered air and speed, pushing his body beyond limits.

They had traveled to forgotten temples, hidden labs, and places outside time. Every year, new threats came shadow walkers, glitches in space, rogue elements that leaked from other universes. Aarav had faced each one, collecting scars and wisdom. He still smiled at memories of birthdays and silly lunch breaks, but now his eyes carried the burden of battles.

Now, at 17, the city stood on the brink.

Reality fractures were happening daily people vanishing mid-step, buildings flickering out, and skies pulsing with unnatural colors. The government had noticed, but they couldn't explain it.

Aarav knew the truth.

It was him they were after the entities. And now, the strongest among them had come.

He stood atop a broken highway bridge, overlooking the city. Rain poured around him as wind howled. Beside him, Meera and Rishi stood tense.

"Where is it?" Meera asked, scanning the fog.

A pulse of energy split the sky. From it descended a tall figure cloaked in red and black a humanoid form, but twisted. Its face was smooth, featureless, except for two glowing circles where eyes should be.

"The Harbinger," Aarav whispered.

They had seen him before in dreams, in the cube's warnings.

It spoke without sound: "You were never meant to hold power, Child of Axis. Surrender."

Aarav stepped forward. "I won't. Not today. Not ever."

Then, the battle began.

The Harbinger moved like lightning, hurling blasts of energy. Aarav flew through the air, summoning magnetic force to pull in metal barriers, shielding Meera and Rishi. He countered with gravitational blasts, pushing the entity back.

But The Harbinger was stronger than anything he'd fought before.

Rishi tried flanking it, speeding across rooftops, throwing wind blades. Meera guided the fight with coded commands, rerouting power grids to disrupt its frequency.

But still, The Harbinger advanced.

Then came the moment that would change everything.

Aarav rushed forward, drawing all his powers gravity, magnetism, electricity, strength into one massive strike. He hit the Harbinger square in the chest.

Silence.

Then a crack of dark energy burst outward.

The Harbinger retaliated with a strike that tore through the sky.

Aarav took it full to the chest.

The impact launched him backward, crashing through concrete.

"AARAV!" Meera screamed.

He hit the ground hard. The rain fell harder. The world dimmed.

Aarav's vision blurred. His chest burned. The cube inside his jacket flickered. He looked at the sky his eyes wide, filled with memory and pain.

Then…

Darkness.

His eyes faded.

The world blacked out.

And everything went still.