The sky above the AATMIK headquarters was smeared with hues of fading gold, the sun slowly retreating behind the city's edge. In the courtyard just outside the grand building, Harun and Zoya stood in silence, their clothes still bearing the scuffs and scars of recent battles.
Harun turned toward her, guilt evident in his eyes. "Zoya… I just wanted to say thank you," he said softly. "For saving me back there. And… I'm sorry. For arguing with Sahil like that. It was stupid."
Zoya looked at him with calm eyes. "You're not wrong to feel frustrated, Harun. But we can't afford to splinter now. We've all seen what's coming. You're strong, but you're not alone."
Harun nodded, grateful for her steadiness. The weight of recent events — the battles, the chaos, the growing threat of Azaldera — sat heavy on his shoulders.
Before their conversation could continue, the sliding glass doors of HQ opened with a mechanical hiss. Minister Gohan stood there, his arms behind his back, his eyes narrowed with urgency.
"Harun. Zoya. Come inside. There's a situation you need to be briefed on — immediately."
---
The war room buzzed with quiet intensity. Monitors displayed encrypted data streams, heat signatures, and magical pulse maps. In the center, a massive table projected a 3D holographic map of India — and one region was marked in red: Bhouldera.
"A new threat has emerged," Gohan began, voice firm. "There is an underground organization attempting to summon Azaldera back into our world. The same demon you fought, Harun — but this time, stronger. They're moving faster than we expected."
Harun's stomach tightened.
"This group is led by a man named Gautam. He wields a Soulburn-level Dravillian Stone… called Gambhir."
Zoya's brows furrowed. "Soulburn level? That's beyond anything we've encountered."
Gohan nodded. "It enhances his strength drastically — but also sharpens his intelligence. He's a tactical genius, capable of warping magical laws around him. Worse… Gambhir can nullify any known Dravillian Stone's magic."
The room went quiet.
"You will be deployed to the village of Bhouldera in West Bengal. Gautam's forces have raided that region multiple times. We believe they are attempting to open a soul gate — a portal to Azaldera's dimension."
Harun's jaw clenched. "We'll stop them."
"You won't go alone," Gohan said. "Zoya, Sahil, and Radha will accompany you."
Just then, Sahil — ever arrogant — scoffed from the corner. "You expect me to babysit this Tej-level weakling?" He looked directly at Harun. "He couldn't even land a clean blow last fight."
Gohan's voice dropped to a dangerous calm. "Are you questioning my orders, Sahil?"
Sahil hesitated, eyes flickering between defiance and submission. "…No, master. Forgive me."
---
By dusk, the squad had entered the edge of the Bhouldera Jungle. The canopy above was dense, the sounds of nocturnal creatures echoing around them. As they moved deeper into the foliage, the temperature dropped. Tension in the group was palpable.
Suddenly — a snarl.
Varkash — mutant wolf-beasts twisted by dark soul energy — leapt from the undergrowth. Their eyes glowed an unnatural purple.
Zoya launched into motion, her ice-blades slicing through two beasts in a single elegant motion. Radha summoned vines to pin others to the trees, whispering prayers of nature beneath her breath.
Harun clenched his fists, blue aura spiraling. "Abyssal Meteor Punch!" he yelled, slamming the ground — but before his attack could land, Sahil appeared in a blink, his sword glowing with wind energy. In one swift stroke, he decapitated the Varkash leader.
He turned to Harun, smirking. "Too slow… again."
Harun glared but said nothing. Zoya looked between them, her silence more cutting than any insult.
---
After hours of navigating the jungle, they arrived at the village of Bhouldera.
But it wasn't what they expected.
The streets were silent. Doors were locked. Windows barred. It was as if the village had emptied itself of life. Dust danced in the wind. A broken bicycle wheel spun slowly outside a blacksmith's shop.
Sahil shouted into the empty air, "Why the hell is it so quiet here?!"
An old voice responded from a dark alley. An elder man stepped out — the sarpanch of Bhouldera, his back hunched, face tired.
"We hide," he said. "Every night… at 10:30 sharp, Gautam's men raid us. Anyone outside… is killed."
He looked at the gates. "It's 10:27. We must lock down."
The metal gates slammed shut.
---
But the silence was short-lived.
Hoofbeats. Dozens. Then hundreds.
From the shadows emerged a gang of 600, riding twisted beasts called Ryden — four-legged creatures with spiked scales and red smoke trailing from their nostrils.
At the front was a man with scarred cheeks and a chain-blade in hand — Raj, one of Gautam's generals.
Screams erupted as the raiders stormed in. Arrows whistled through the air. Fireballs tore through rooftops.
Then — a scream from the side.
A woman, face bloodied, came sprinting through the crowd, clutching a tiny baby wrapped in a red cloth. Without thinking, she threw the child toward the AATMIK squad and fled into the chaos.
Radha stretched her arms. "Nature, guide me—!"
A magical vine shot forward, catching the child midair.
But a Ryden had already locked on. Its rider raised his spear, aiming straight for the infant.
Sahil jumped into the path, summoning a barrier of compressed air. The spear bounced back — but the baby still fell.
"NO!" Zoya screamed.
Harun's heart froze. Time seemed to slow. He had a split second to act — a moment that would define his strength, not just in power, but in heart.
He slammed his hands together.
"ABYSSAL CRIPSAL BARRIER!"
A surge of dark-blue magic exploded outward, forming a crystalline dome around the baby. The spear shattered against it. The Ryden stumbled and collapsed. The air trembled with the force of the spell.
Everyone — allies and enemies alike — stopped for a moment.
The child was alive. Protected.
The villagers, watching from behind broken doors and shattered windows, gasped.
"He saved it… the baby…"
---
The battle wasn't over, but something had changed. The people of Bhouldera saw hope. They saw a boy they once didn't know… become a protector.
Sahil looked at Harun again — but this time, something in his eyes had shifted. Not admiration. Not friendship. But a recognition he couldn't deny.
Harun stood, breathing hard, and said quietly, "I'm not weak. Not anymore."
Zoya stepped beside him. Radha carried the baby gently. The flames around them flickered, casting long shadows.
Raj, still atop his Ryden, glared at the team. "This isn't over. Gautam will come for all of you."
And then, with a whistle, the gang retreated into the jungle — vanishing as quickly as they had come.
---
Later that night, the team gathered near the village square.
The baby slept peacefully in Radha's arms.
Harun sat on the steps, eyes on the stars.
Zoya sat beside him. "You did good today."
He smiled, exhausted. "I just… didn't want to lose someone else. Not again."
She looked at him, her voice gentle. "That's what makes you strong, Harun. You still care."
---
But in a dark room hundreds of miles away, Gautam sat watching footage from a magical orb.
He had seen everything.
"So… the boy has awakened a Cripsal Barrier," he murmured. "Interesting. Let's see how long you last."