Episode 3: The Black Prince of the Fallen Empire

Delta Planet ke aasman badal chuke the.

Jo aasman kabhi shanti aur roshni se bhara rehta tha, ab uspar darr ka saya chha gaya tha. Indriya ke upar chamakne wale sitare ab sukoon nahi dete the. Woh aise lag rahe the jaise andhere ke samandar mein phansi hui bujhti hui lau.

Crystal Palace ke andar, rajsi chamber mein gehri khamoshi chhayi hui thi.

Prince Aryamaan apne pita, King Viraat, ke saamne khada tha.

Lekin aaj woh rajkumar jaisa nahi lag raha tha.

Usne chandi jaisa chamakta battle armor pehna hua tha, jispar pavitra chakra ke nishaan bane hue the. Pehli baar, Aryamaan kisi prince se zyada ek aise warrior ki tarah dikh raha tha jise khud kismat ne chuna ho.

Uske aas-paas King Viraat ke sabse vishwasniya disciples khade the.

Yeh wahi spiritual guardians the jo kabhi Void ke khilaaf lad chuke the.

Lekin aaj...

Woh sab zakhmi the.

Unke sharir par gehre ghaav the jo ajeeb si baingani (purple) corruption se chamak rahe the. Kuch toh mushkil se khade bhi ho paa rahe the.

Aryamaan ne hairani se unhe dekha.

Agar itne shaktishaali yoddha itni aasani se haar gaye...

Toh woh kis cheez se lad rahe the?

King Viraat dheere-dheere uske paas aaye aur uske haath mein ek praacheen crystal compass rakh diya.

Compass se halki neeli roshni nikal rahi thi.

"Void ab chhup nahi raha," Viraat ne bhaari awaaz mein kaha.

"Koi usse control kar raha hai."

Aryamaan ki bhawein sikud gayin.

"Kaun?"

Viraat ki aankhen andheri ho gayin.

"Sirf ek hi kingdom hai jo itni tabahi macha sakta hai."

King ne chamber ke beech mein tairte holographic crystal map ki taraf ishara kiya.

Map par Delta Planet ke bahar ek kaala ilaaka ubhar aaya.

The Second Kingdom.

Ek aisi bhoomi jiska naam sunkar bhi Indriya ke warriors ka khoon thanda pad jaata tha.

Ek aisa rajya jo shanti se nahi...

Balki shakti aur darr se bana tha.

Uske ruler ko poori galaxy mein kai naamon se jaana jaata tha.

The Destroyer.

The Shadow Prince.

The Black King.

Lekin uska asli naam tha...

King Arthurel.

Aryamaan bachpan se uski kahaniyan sunta aaya tha.

Aisi kahaniyan jo bachchon ko daraane ke liye sone se pehle sunayi jaati thi.

Kehte the ki Arthurel ek Blood Eclipse ke dauraan paida hua tha.

Jahan bhi woh jaata, poore ke poore shehar jal kar raakh ho jaate.

Koi nahi jaanta tha ki woh insaan tha...

Rakshas tha...

Ya kuch aur bhi zyada khatarnak.

"Void ne uske empire ko infect kar diya hai," Viraat ne kaha.

"Ya phir... shayad woh khud Void ko control karta hai."

Chamber mein bhaari sannata chha gaya.

Tabhi achanak—

BOOOOM!

Poora mahal zor se hil gaya.

Bahar emergency alarms gunjne lage.

Ek disciple ghabra kar balcony ki taraf dauda.

"Outer villages par attack ho raha hai!"

Aryamaan turant bahar ki taraf bhaaga.

Aur jo usne dekha...

Uska khoon jam gaya.

Door crystal mountains ke paar aasman tak aag ki laptein uth rahi thi.

Kaale warships zameen ke upar mandra rahe the jaise maut ke saaye.

Baingani tufaan aasman ko cheer rahe the.

Log cheekh rahe the.

Imaratein gir rahi thi.

THUD!

THUD!

THUD!

Vishaal war beasts ke kadmon ki awaaz poori dharti ko hila rahi thi.

WOOOOOSH!

Kaali aag ki ek bhayanak lehar jungle ke beech se nikli aur pavitra vrikshon ko pal bhar mein raakh bana diya.

Indriya ki women warriors bahaduri se lad rahi thi.

Woh bachchon ko bachate hue apne haathon se chakra energy release kar rahi thi.

SLASHHH!

Talwarein takraayin.

Chingariyaan hawa mein phail gayin.

Ek soldier ki cheekh goonji aur woh zameen par gir gaya.

Aryamaan ki saansein tez ho gayin.

Yeh jung nahi thi.

Yeh tabahi thi.

Indriya ka shaant rajya barbaadi mein doob raha tha.

Bachche ro rahe the.

Parivaar jalti hui galiyon se bhaag rahe the.

Healers ghayalon ko bachane ki koshish kar rahe the.

Lekin dark energy zeher ki tarah poori dharti mein phail rahi thi.

Ek disciple ne apna staff uthaya aur aasman ki taraf neeli chakra energy ki vishaal wave chhod di.

BOOOOM!

Ek enemy ship hawa mein hi phat gaya.

Lekin phir...

Kuch aur bhi zyada daraavna hua.

Aag ke beech se dark armored warriors bahar nikle.

Unki aankhen laal roshni se chamak rahi thi.

Unki harkatein ajeeb thi.

Jaise kisi adrishya shakti ne unhe puppet ki tarah control kar rakha ho.

"Void Soldiers..." ek disciple ne darr se fusfusaaya.

Achanak—

Ek vishaal kaali talwar aasman se aakar battlefield mein ghus gayi.

CRAAACK!

Zameen turant toot gayi.

Ek pal ke liye poora maidan khamosh ho gaya.

Phir...

Kadmon ki awaaz sunai di.

THUD...

THUD...

THUD...

Aag ke beech se ek aadmi chal kar bahar aaya.

Kaala armor.

Lamba dark cape.

Aur aankhen...

Jo jalte hue angaaron ki tarah chamak rahi thi.

Indriya ke soldiers darr kar peeche hat gaye.

Aisa lag raha tha jaise aasman ke tufaan bhi uski maujoodgi ke saamne jhuk gaye hon.

King Arthurel aa chuka tha.

Usne seedha Crystal Palace ki taraf dekha.

Seedha Aryamaan ki aankhon mein.

Aur phir...

Woh muskuraya.

Daya se nahi.

Reham se nahi.

Balki ek shikari ki tarah...

Jise aakhirkaar apna shikaar mil gaya ho.

"Prince Aryamaan..." Arthurel ki gehri awaaz poore battlefield mein goonj uthi.

"Poora universe tumhara intezaar kar raha tha."

Usi pal aasman mein bhayanak tufaan phat pada.

Dono kingdoms jung ke kinaare khade the.

Aur pehli baar apni zindagi mein...

Aryamaan ko samajh aaya ki asli darr kaisa mehsoos hota hai.

TO BE CONTINUED...

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