Avyan looked around, his heart pounding in his chest, but nothing changed. Nothing happened. Kanghis stood at a long distance, smiling smugly as Avyan tried to make sense of the situation. The eerie calm was unnerving.

"Think, Avyan. Think!" he muttered under his breath, scanning the area in desperation. His eyes darted around, searching for any signs of an impending attack. His gaze landed on Anirudh, lying on the ground, a pool of blood spreading around him. Panic surged through Avyan. "No, not Anirudh!".

He bolted towards his fallen friend, but the ground began to rattle violently. The bodies of the undead, the rubble, the stones, even the leaves, everything was shaking, creating a haunting symphony of rattling sounds.

Avyan stumbled back, his eyes wide with horror as he turned to Kanghis. He was bent over, hands clutching his head. The rattling seemed to emanate from him. Blood began to flow rapidly within Kanghis, his body swelling, muscles bulging, and skin shedding to reveal armour-like metallic scales underneath. He shouted aggressively as his muscles grew double in size, and the bands around his hands exploded from the sheer pressure

Avyan's eyes widened in shock. He couldn't believe what he saw in front of him. He wondered, "What is happening? It looks like he is evolving. What should I do?". He sprinted towards Anirudh and picked up his friend's broken hammer. "Why is this so heavy?" he grunted, struggling to lift it. He pointed it towards the monstrous Kanghis, bracing himself for whatever came next.

Kanghis laughed maniacally, the sound echoing ominously. "It's a shame your friend couldn't see my perfect form," he sneered. "I am a little disappointed. He was interesting." He then turned his piercing gaze on Avyan. "You, on the other hand, are useless. A weakling."

Avyan's heart sank. The words stung, piercing through his confidence. "I know," he wailed, tears streaming down his face. "I know I'm a weakling, but I have to do this." He looked up at Kanghis, determination hardening his features. "I have to try."

In that moment, something shifted within Avyan. He felt a new energy surge from deep inside him. His feet trembled with fear, but his heart was resolute. "I must flow, just like an endless river," he thought, embracing the metaphor. The words of his grandpa echoed in his mind, reminding him of the strength he held within.

He charged at Kanghis, his speed noticeably faster than before. He shouted, a battle cry filled with raw emotion and newfound determination. Kanghis's smile faltered, replaced by a look of surprise. Avyan swung the hammer with all his might. Kanghis blocked it with one hand and threw a punch with the other.

Avyan anticipated the move. He leaped onto Kanghis's arm, using the momentum to rotate in mid-air, landing a powerful kick directly on Kanghis's face. The force of the kick made Kanghis stumble, his balance faltering.

Seizing the opportunity, Avyan swung the hammer again, this time aiming for Kanghis's back. The blow was so powerful that the ground beneath Kanghis cracked, sending shockwaves through the battlefield.

Kanghis lay on the ground, his colossal form heaving with exertion. Avyan knew this was his chance—his only chance. Summoning every ounce of strength, he lifted the hammer high above his head, his muscles straining with the effort. The new power surging within him fuelled his resolve. He roared, a primal sound that echoed through the desolate, hollow buildings around them. The hammer began its descent, aimed directly at Kanghis's head.

Just as the hammer was about to make contact, Kanghis vanished in a blinding flash. Avyan's eyes widened in disbelief. "No, not again!" he thought desperately. He could feel Kanghis behind him, but before he could react, a devastating punch landed squarely on his back. The force of the blow sent him hurtling forward, skidding across the ground, and crashing into a bus stand. The impact created a crater, but it also brought him to a jarring halt.

Avyan crumpled to the ground, gasping for breath. Pain radiated through his body, each breath a struggle. Blood splattered across the bus stand, painting a grim picture of his dire situation. He tried to push himself up, but his limbs betrayed him, and he collapsed back onto the cold, unforgiving ground.

Kanghis breathed a sigh of relief, his monstrous form towering as he began to walk towards Avyan. "You got me worried for a minute there," he said, his voice dripping with condescension. The sound of his footsteps grew louder, each step a reminder of the relentless enemy Avyan faced.

Avyan's mind raced, thoughts clashing with each other in a whirlwind of pain and determination. "Is this it? Is this how it ends?" he wondered. But deep down, he knew he couldn't give up. Not now. Not ever. He thought of Anirudh, of all the sacrifices that had been made, and a spark of defiance ignited within him.

With trembling hands, Avyan reached out and grabbed the hammer once more. "Come on, just one more time," he urged himself, trying to coax strength from his battered body. The world seemed to blur around him, but his focus remained on Kanghis. The villain was close now, too close, but Avyan could feel a flicker of hope still burning within him.

Kanghis laughed, a cold, mirthless sound. "Look at you, struggling like a worm. It's pathetic."

Avyan clenched his teeth, his resolve hardening. "No," he whispered, the word growing stronger as he repeated it. "No! I won't let it end like this!"

Avyan's hand moved weakly, slithering across the ground as he tried to grip the hammer. Every movement was a struggle, each inch gained a small victory against the overwhelming pain. Just as his fingers brushed the handle, Kanghis's massive foot came down, crushing the hammer and Avyan's hand beneath it. The pain was excruciating, and Avyan screamed, the sound tearing through the air.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Kanghis pressed harder, grinding Avyan's hand into the ground. "Now, what do you say?" he taunted, his voice filled with cruel satisfaction.

Avyan's vision blurred with tears, the agony almost too much to bear. But deep inside, something unyielding refused to break. He looked up at Kanghis, meeting his gaze with fierce determination. "Your ideals are flawed," he spat out, his voice shaking but resolute.

Kanghis's eyes widened in utter disbelief. He could not comprehend that even in the face of death, Avyan's resolve remained unshattered. "How... how can you still defy me?" he muttered, more to himself than to Avyan.

The pain in Avyan's hand was unbearable, but he focused on something deeper. He thought of his friends, his grandpa, of all the people who depended on him. He thought of the sacrifices made, the hopes and dreams that rode on his shoulders. "I can't give up," he thought. "Not now. Not ever."

Inside his mind, memories flashed—laughing with his friends, eating sweets with his grandpa, training with Pulkit. "So, if something bad happens, I shouldn't give up. I should keep trying to find a way, just like the river?". Those words echoed now, giving him strength.

Kanghis leaned down, his face inches from Avyan's. "You're a fool, Avyan. A weak, pathetic fool. Humans will always betray you. It's in their nature."

"COPY ME"

Suddenly, Kanghis felt a strange tickle across his body. He glanced around, scanning the area, but saw nothing. Without warning, he found himself lifting into the air. His feet no longer touched the ground, and confusion gave way to amazement and then to worry. He struggled ferociously, thrashing in the air, but to no avail. He lifted his head to see Avyan, but a cloud of mist surrounded him, obscuring his vision. He couldn't move, he couldn't see.

Out of the mist, Avyan emerged, his eyes glowing with a misty colour. His face was emotionless, almost serene. "I don't know much about human nature," he said, his voice steady and calm. He lifted his head and locked eyes with Kanghis. "But I am clear about what I have to do."

With a wave of his hand, he sent Kanghis flying. The monstrous figure smashed into one building, then another, then another, all around Avyan. The impact shook the ground, debris flying everywhere. Avyan moved his hand again, pulling Kanghis back towards him and slamming him into the ground. He lifted him once more and hurled him into the ground again. He repeated this, each slam creating a deeper crater and eliciting agonized shouts from Kanghis. Black blood covered Kanghis's body and face, but still, the ground started rumbling once again.

Avyan's trance-like state broke, and he fumbled, almost collapsing. But he did not release Kanghis. The villain clung desperately to the bus stand, his grip unyielding. Avyan roared, trying his hardest to lift him. He applied all his force, but Kanghis did not let go. With a final surge of effort, Kanghis broke free of Avyan's hold.

Avyan tried to use the technique again. The mist disappeared and his eyes went back to normal. He lifted his hand in the air, trying to apply force, but he failed. He couldn't replicate it. The process began anew—the hand signs, the skin shredding. Blood splattered from Kanghis's mouth as he smiled menacingly. "Shadow Art: Divine Scales."

Kanghis's body began to grow once more, the scales thickening and multiplying, his muscles bulging even larger than before. Now, he towered over Avyan, larger than an elephant. Avyan breathed heavily, the weight of exhaustion and pain pulling at him. Blood splattered out of his eyes as he shouted in pain. Blood loss made him dizzy. He took a step toward Kanghis but fell to the ground, his vision blurring.

He looked up, seeing Kanghis approaching, but his body refused to move. "I can't let it end like this," he thought, struggling to stay conscious. "Everyone is counting on me. Anirudh, Ishan... I can't give up."

Avyan's vision was blurry, his body heavy and unresponsive. He lay still on the ground, unable to muster the strength to move. Suddenly, a foot appeared in front of his eyes, and he tried to look up but couldn't. He lay there, helpless. Then, a strong, commanding voice cut through the haze, "You have done enough."

A haori dropped onto Avyan's face, blocking his vision entirely. The fabric was soft, almost comforting against his battered skin. He could hear the rustle of movement and felt a presence beside him.

Pulkit stood there, his stance strong, his eyes distant and filled with a calm fury. He seemed almost in a trance-like state, his focus solely on Kanghis. "I'll take care of it," he declared, his voice resolute.

The strongest Marshall moved forward, his demeanor devoid of fear or visible emotion. Kanghis, despite his recent torment, managed to laugh again. "You are a Grand Marshall," he sneered, "I can sense that." However, his confidence wavered as he took in the look on Pulkit's face—an unsettling calm that spoke of unshakable resolve.

Kanghis continued, trying to bolster his own morale, "With this perfect form, no one can even touch me."

Pulkit remained silent, his eyes locked onto Kanghis with an intensity that seemed to pierce through him. Kanghis's bravado began to falter. There was something in Pulkit's gaze, an unwavering determination that unsettled him. He shifted his stance, muscles tensing, as he prepared to attack.

"You think you can intimidate me with silence?" Kanghis snarled, but there was a trace of uncertainty in his voice. "I am invincible in this form!"

Kanghis roared, charging at Pulkit with all his might. His colossal form, now even more imposing with the thick scales and increased muscle mass, crashed towards Pulkit like a living avalanche. But Pulkit stood his ground, his expression unchanging.

In the blink of an eye, Pulkit moved. With a speed that defied his composed demeanour, he sidestepped Kanghis's charge and delivered a powerful strike to his side. Kanghis howled in pain, stumbling but quickly regaining his footing.

What followed was a cacophony of desperation and violence. Avyan, his vision obscured, could only listen as Kanghis's voice filled the air with cries of desperation. "Help me, someone!". Kanghis snivelled, "Papa, help me!", his once mighty demeanour shattered. The sounds of body parts being crushed, bones breaking, and blood splattering echoed around them. Kanghis's screams grew more frantic, "kill me please, please I beg you" but there was no one to save him.

Avyan's heart pounded in his chest, each beat a painful reminder of his own fragility. He lifted a trembling hand to uncover the haori, but his strength failed him. The world spun, and darkness edged into his vision. Exhaustion and blood loss overtook him, and he felt himself slipping away.

As he lost consciousness, Avyan's thoughts were a jumbled mix of fear, relief, and confusion. "Pulkit... what is happening? Is it over?" He wanted to stay awake, to understand what was happening, but his body had reached its limit. The last sounds he heard were the pitiful cries of Kanghis and the relentless, methodical sounds of Pulkit's assault.

Avyan's world went black, his mind surrendering to the overwhelming need for rest. The battle had taken everything from him, and as he slipped into unconsciousness, he hoped that when he awoke, he would find his friends safe, the nightmare finally over.