The air in Indiranagar was heavy with a strange mix of celebration and dread. The Red Moon, a rare and magically powerful celestial event, was only a few days away. On the surface, the palace hummed with preparations for the grand "Festival of Lunar Blessing," a public event meant to show the Maharaja's power and bring good fortune. But beneath this festive façade, a chilling plot was about to unfold. Prince Dhruva, his eyes burning with ambition, was making his final preparations for the forbidden ritual that would grant him absolute power. Arjun Varma, now sixteen and officially a 4th Circle Mage, felt the weight of Aravalli's fate on his young shoulders. He knew he could no longer wait for the Maharaja's slow investigation; he had to act.
The Eve: A Network in Motion
Arjun spent the last few days before the Red Moon in intense, secret meetings with his trusted allies.
Princess Priya: Her face was pale with worry, but her resolve was firm. "He moves more swiftly now, Arjun," she whispered during a clandestine meeting in a rarely used section of the palace gardens. "His trusted mages are constantly with him. They've sealed off the lower archives, and there's a new, unusual scent of ancient mana in the air around the oldest wing." She gave him the exact routes Dhruva and his mages took, and even the subtle hand signals they used to communicate. She was his eyes and ears, risking everything for him. "Be careful," she pleaded, her hand briefly touching his. "Please, be safe. "Prince Rohan: The scholar prince was exhausted, his eyes red from sleepless nights in the archives. "The ritual chamber is directly beneath the old library wing," Rohan confirmed, unrolling a brittle, ancient parchment map. "The main entrance is sealed with complex, decaying wards. They won't hold a true elemental force, but they are designed to explode if triggered incorrectly. I've found faint traces of a forgotten passage, a servant's tunnel, that might bypass the strongest wards. It's narrow, unstable, but it's our best way in." He also pointed out weaknesses in the chamber's structure and the probable locations of Dhruva's ritual artifacts. Princess Siya: Siya had quietly moved her most loyal palace servants, including a few guards and cleaners, into strategic positions near the old library wing. "My people report unusual movements in the late hours," she informed Arjun. "Strange bundles carried in, hushed conversations. The guards there are new, loyal only to Dhruva. We can create a brief diversion above ground to draw their attention." She was ready to trigger an "accident" – perhaps a spilled cart of cleaning supplies, a minor fire alarm, or a sudden, loud argument – at a precise moment.
Arjun shared his plan: he would lead a small, elite team through the secret passage into the ritual chamber. Priya would be safe, remaining above ground, but ready to relay any last-minute information. Rohan would help guide them through the complex tunnel system with his knowledge of ancient blueprints, while Siya would create the diversion.
The Festival of Lunar Blessing: The Stage is Set
The night of the Red Moon arrived. A huge feast was held in the palace's grand ballroom, a public spectacle designed to distract from the true purpose of the celestial event. The Maharaja, looking regal but weary, sat on his throne. Prince Dhruva, at his side, was a picture of charming confidence, his eyes occasionally flicking towards Arjun, who stood with his Vanguard members, officially on security detail. Dhruva even offered a mocking toast, his gaze specifically landing on Arjun: "To Aravalli's strength, and to all who protect its peace, even those who delve into its deepest shadows!" The veiled insult was clear, a final taunt before his expected triumph.
Arjun simply met Dhruva's gaze, a silent promise of reckoning in his own eyes.
The Infiltration: Into the Serpent's Lair
As the feast reached its peak, Arjun gave the signal. Rohan, feigning a sudden illness, slipped away. Arjun and a few trusted members of his Vanguard, all aware of the extreme danger but not the full depth of his power, also excused themselves discreetly.
They met Rohan at the hidden entrance to the servant's tunnel beneath the old library. It was dark, dusty, and impossibly narrow. Rohan, clutching an old map, pointed. "The wards are active here," he warned, his voice low. "Ancient mana, decaying but volatile. Triggering them could bring the entire wing down."
Arjun moved first, his Sound Void (ध्वनिशून्य - Dhvani Shunya) spell creating a bubble of absolute silence around them. He then used his Soil Whisper (मिट्टीफुसफुसाहट - Mitti Phusphusahat) to subtly detect the mana currents of the ancient wards, feeling their intricate patterns. With precise movements of his hands, he channeled his earth magic, gently shifting tiny amounts of stone and dirt, nudging loose bricks, and making small sections of the tunnel collapse and reform just enough to bypass the ward triggers. It was delicate, painstaking work, requiring a level of control that astonished his Vanguard. They crawled through the tight, dusty passage, the muffled sounds of the distant feast serving as a bizarre backdrop to their perilous journey.
Suddenly, they heard footsteps approaching from deeper within the tunnel. Dhruva's guards. Just as the footsteps grew louder, Siya's diversion began: a loud crash echoed from above, followed by shouts and the unmistakable sound of a bell clanging wildly. The footsteps in the tunnel hesitated, then began to retreat, moving towards the commotion. Arjun's allies were playing their part perfectly.
The Ritual Chamber: A Scene of Darkness
They finally reached the entrance to the ritual chamber. It was a massive, circular cavern deep beneath the palace, carved from living rock. In the center, on a raised dais, stood Prince Dhruva, robed in dark, ceremonial attire. Around him, eight of his most loyal and powerful mages, all adorned with snake sigils, chanted in low, guttural tones. Ancient, corrupted artifacts – glowing stones, a dark, pulsing orb, and a ceremonial dagger – lay on a stone altar before him. The air thrummed with a dark, oppressive mana, almost suffocating.
And there, bound in intricate magical chains that pulsed with faint, dark energy, was Maharaja Vikramaditya. His eyes were glazed, his body weak, his own immense 7th and 8th Circle mana being slowly drained, channeled into the dark orb. Dhruva wasn't just after the throne; he was trying to steal his father's very power, to consume his soul, becoming an unparalleled force.
As the Red Moon began to rise, its crimson light filtering eerily through hidden vents and ancient magical conduits in the cavern ceiling, Dhruva raised his hands. "The time is at hand!" he cried, his voice echoing with mad triumph. "Aravalli shall be reforged in my image! The age of the Serpent Prince begins!"
The Confrontation: Phoenix vs. Serpent
"Stop, Dhruva!" Arjun's voice, though young, rang out, cutting through the chanting. He stepped into the cavern, his Vanguard members fanning out behind him, weapons drawn, their faces grim. The cavern fell silent, broken only by the low hum of the draining ritual.
Dhruva turned, his eyes widening in disbelief, then narrowing with pure venom. "Arjun Varma! How did you...?" He saw the crossbow bolts Arjun held, the faint glimmer of the ledger in Rohan's hand, who had joined Arjun at the entrance. "You meddling fool! You dare defy the Crown Prince? You expose yourself as a traitor!"
"I am no traitor," Arjun retorted, his voice steady despite the overwhelming magical pressure. "You are. You have conspired with our enemies, drained Aravalli's resources, and now you seek to betray your own father, to steal his life force and desecrate his power with forbidden magic!" He held up the crossbow bolt, clearly displaying the golden snake sigil. "This, and this ledger, prove your treason. And Rohan has uncovered the prophecies of the Serpent Prince, which speak of this very ritual, Dhruva, and the destruction it brings!"
Dhruva snarled, his composure finally breaking. "Fool! Prophecies are just stories! And those pathetic trinkets prove nothing! Kill them all!" He roared, pointing at Arjun. His mages ceased their chanting and lunged forward, unleashing dark spells.
The Battle Begins: Magic Unleashed
The cavern exploded into chaos. Arjun moved with lightning speed, his Wind's Cloak making him a blur, deflecting incoming spells. He unleashed Gust Push (प्रचंडधक्का - Prachand Dhakka) blasts that slammed Dhruva's mages into the cavern walls, disorienting them. His Earth bind (भूमिबंधन - Bhoomi Bandhan) spells erupted, roots of stone shooting from the ground, trapping enemy mages and guards. His Vanguard clashed with Dhruva's forces, the clang of steel echoing against bursts of magic.
Dhruva, his face contorted with rage, began to channel powerful spells, elemental blasts of corrupted mana. He was powerful, his own innate talent amplified by the dark artifacts, but Arjun matched him blow for blow. Arjun unleashed a volley of Air Daggers (वायुकटार - Vayu Katar), invisible and lethal, forcing Dhruva to erect a shimmering shield of dark energy.
As the Red Moon's light intensified, painting the cavern in an ominous crimson glow, Dhruva screamed, "You are too late! The ritual is nearly complete! The power will be mine!" He focused on the bound Maharaja, his eyes glowing with dark energy.
Arjun knew this was the moment. With a guttural roar, a release of power he had hidden for years, he cast aside all pretense. "अग्निज्वलितहो! (Agni Jvalit Ho! - Fire, ignite!)" he bellowed, his voice echoing with raw power. A torrent of crimson flames erupted from his outstretched hands, not the controlled precision he used for Priya, but a pure, unbridled force. The Fire Explosion (अग्निविस्फोट - Agni Visfot) slammed into Dhruva's corrupted mana shield, not dissipating, but burning through it, forcing Dhruva to stagger back, his eyes wide with shock and fear.
"Impossible! Three elements?!" Dhruva shrieked, disbelief warring with rage.
Arjun didn't answer. He followed with a combined assault of wind and earth. He tore through Dhruva's mages with visible blasts of wind, then slammed his palm onto the cavern floor. "पृथ्वीकाक्रोध! (Prithvi Ka Krodh! - Earth's Wrath!)" he roared, and the very ground beneath the remaining mages buckled and surged, throwing them off balance, some falling into sudden fissures that opened and closed with a sickening crunch. His Vanguard watched, awestruck and terrified, as the young mage unleashed powers beyond anything they had ever conceived.
The cavern became a maelstrom of elemental fury controlled by Arjun. Earth rose and fell, winds howled, and flashes of pure fire illuminated the crimson-lit chamber. He was no longer just a talented mage; he was a force of nature, a phoenix rising from the ashes, ready to incinerate all threats. He would not fail Priya again. He would not let Dhruva destroy Aravalli.