The battlefield was silent.
Time had frozen—literally. Not a breeze moved, not a flame flickered, not a soul dared to breathe. Vayunanda was gone. Sealed forever, his final breath spent to protect the three he loved most.
Vaidehi collapsed to her knees. Her blade slipped from her fingers. Her scream pierced the dead silence.
"BABA!!!"
Tears streamed down her face, mixing with the blood on her cheeks. She clutched the ground as if trying to hold onto time itself—trying to pull him back through the soil.
"You said we'll fight together, Baba… You said you'd see me wear the crown of fire one day. You promised…"
She pounded the earth with her fists, eyes burning with rage, grief, and helplessness. Her body shook—not from pain, but from the hollow emptiness that followed love lost. The Spear of Bhugol beside her trembled, then fell still, as if mourning too.
Yug stood silent, eyes wide. The boy who never cried now broke apart.
"Father…?"
His voice cracked. He stared at the spot where his father once stood, where the seal's final shimmer faded into the sky.
"He didn't even say goodbye…"
He turned to Satya, his small hands clenched, his face contorted.
"Why didn't you stop him? You're strong now! You have all the power!"
And then Yug cried—ugly, raw sobs that came from the soul. The kind of cry that doesn't fade in a day, or a week. The kind that stays forever.
Satya didn't answer. He couldn't.
His Trishul slipped from his grip, piercing into the ground beside him. His knees gave out.
For the first time since his awakening—since he became the Garud Vessel—he cried. Silently. Broken.
"He was the only one… who saw me when I was nothing."
He looked up at the sky, his glowing eyes dimmed, no longer divine—just human.
"He trained me. He yelled at me. But he fed me. He protected me. He… He called me his disciple. But I was more."
"I was his son…"
Memories flooded him—of sneaking food with Yug, of Vaidehi laughing during fire training, of Vayunanda yelling at them like a strict monk but hugging them like a secret father.
He saw the day Vayunanda stood before him during punishment. The day he placed a trembling hand on Satya's shoulder after his first win. The day he bled to protect him without hesitation.
"I never called him Baba. Not once…"
Satya clenched his fists, fire gathering unknowingly around him, eyes now burning with new resolve beneath the sorrow.
[SYSTEM ALERT: Emotional Surge Detected. New Pathway Available.]
[UNLOCKED: Garud Form Phase II - 'Flame of the Fallen']
[System Notice: Accessing Vayunanda's Last Gift...]
Oorja's voice entered softly, no longer snarky but laced with sorrow.
"Satya… he left you more than memories. He sealed his essence into your Garud tattoo. That was his last wish—to give you his mastery."
[Inheritance of Master Vayunanda Initiated.]
Skill Acquired: 'Sutra of the Blazing Breath' — A defensive-offensive hybrid flame barrier rooted in ancient yogic fire-bending.
Skill Acquired: 'Agni Dhyana' — Meditative fire trance allowing battle intuition and extreme pain resistance.
Unique Trait Unlocked: 'Ash Pact - Legacy of the Dead'
Satya gasped.
"Wait… What's that?"
Oorja: "Ash Pact is a forbidden legacy. When a warrior dies while protecting you with love, their final emotion becomes an eternal mark on your soul. From now on… Vayunanda's flame will live inside you. He is not an ally—he is the reason this power exists. He gave you everything."
[System Sync Complete.][Ash Pact - Origin Spirit: Vayunanda]
[System Update: New Functionality Available — Ashen Pact Protocols Initialized]
[To summon a fallen warrior, a Ritual Word must be spoken. This word will seek the spirit's permission to join your side as a Dead Ally.]
"Satya, speak the word," Oorja whispered.
Satya closed his eyes, heart heavy. Then he spoke—not loudly, but with purpose.
"Ignite".
The sky dimmed. Ash spiraled upward. Three figures slowly rose from the dark mist—faded, broken, yet radiating raw power.
Karadosh – The Twin-Souled Blade.Velissara – The Ninth Dream.Raghnor – The Ash Monk.
Their eyes opened, glowing faintly. They were not puppets. Not ghosts. They were.
Satya bowed. "Will you fight again? Not for me, but beside me. I do not command you—I ask."
The three looked at each other. Then at him.
Karadosh: "You speak like a king, boy. We accept."
Velissara: "If you dishonor us, we will haunt your soul."
Raghnor: "Heh… Let's see if your fire can keep up."
[System Update: Dead Allies Accepted — Rename Them as Your Own]
Satya stood tall.
"From now, you are not the forgotten. You are the Ash Vanguard."
Karadosh the Vira.Velissara the Ashi.Raghnor the Vahn.
They nodded in approval.
[Ash Pact Rules Initialized]
Dead allies must give permission to be summoned.
They retain emotions, roast Satya, talk, argue.
Each has their own army, not directly under Satya, but may fight under his banner.
Satya must treat them with respect—or lose their trust.
Satya turned. The battlefield had changed.
Now, he walked not alone. But with legacies beside him.
"We rise… as fire and ash."
[SYSTEM ALERT: Oorja Physically Joins Your Side]
[SYSTEM UPDATE: Oorja is now your physical ally and no longer just a guide.]
The system buzzed with energy, a new shift taking place within Satya's world. Oorja, who had always been a voice in his mind, now stood beside him, her presence tangible and undeniable.
Satya looked at her, blinking in surprise. "I guess... this is goodnight for you too?"
Oorja raised an eyebrow, a mischievous smirk appearing on her face. "Goodnight? Really?"
With a snap of her fingers, a vibrant burst of energy swirled around her, and the system chimed again.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: Choose a New Name for Your Guide Who Becomes an Ally]
Satya grinned through the grief and typed it with resolve. "Lucky."
She extended her hand toward Satya, her fingers still glowing with the fire of her transformation. "From now on, Satya, you're not just roasted by my words…"
A pause.
"… but by my hand as well. You've been roasted, toasted, and fried, . How does that feel?"
Satya grinned, his usual teasing nature flaring up. "Oh, I feel all kinds of hot now." He winked playfully. "Nice to meet you, Lucky."
Oorja rolled her eyes but stepped closer, wrapping her arms around him in a friendly hug. "Nice to meet you too, Satya. And don't think I'm done with you."
Satya chuckled, adjusting himself, his voice laced with friendly banter. "Well, I'm certainly going to need to keep you on your toes, Lucky. Who else is going to roast you back, huh?"
Oorja playfully punched him on the arm. "You're lucky I'm not the roaster around here, Satya."
The bond between them had shifted, from one of mere guidance to that of true allies, with a camaraderie that would only grow from here.
Then Satya turned to Vaidehi and Yug, still shattered by Vayunanda's death.
He knelt beside them.
"I know… it hurts. I miss him too. But he didn't die for an end—he died so we could continue."
Lucky placed her hand gently on Yug's head. "You are his flame now. Don't let it go out."
Vaidehi wiped her eyes, still shaking, but nodded slowly. Yug clutched Satya's hand. The storm inside them hadn't passed—but a new fire had lit inside.
They would walk forward.
Together.