The legion of little Aria traveled towards the cloud barrier. Similar to little kids, Aria couldn't help but become bored and started chatting with others. However, the Kun Peng brat held a grudge after being smacked away, while the Crystal Titans were becoming more and more tensed as they were reaching the cloud barrier and weren't in the mood of talking. Aria's little mouth curled downwards and her eyes moved, finally landing down, at her mount.
She patted the young White Winged Elephant and asked him.
"Senior, what is your name?"
The elephant shivered when he heard her voice. How could one bear to send such a cute and little girl to a battlefield?
He trumpeted in response, replying with his spiritual consciousness. "I don't have a name yet." Of course, he didn't dare to tell the truth, which was that Father had actually forgotten to name him!
Aria made an exaggeratedly horrified expression, as if the elephant was going to die in a few days. She made a determined expression and patted her chest.
"Don't worry Senior! I shall name you! Henceforth, your name will be Rain Cloud!"
Suddenly North Cloud made a surprised expression. He could sense changes in the laws of the world in response to little Aria's words. He couldn't help but take another glance at her. According to what they'd been told, Vritra was the personification of Drought and Adversity. And now little Aria had named her mount Rain Cloud, making her the master of one who commands the rain, wind and clouds. Was this a coincidence, or fate?
***
Sometime before on the Island…
The fight between Garuda and Vritra had reached new heights. Ground shook and craters formed, changing the landscape of the Island. The Sura had long since retreated under the protection of the Yaksha couple G1 and G2 to the vast garden, and they occasionally prayed to their Mother and Father to save them. Unfortunately they didn't know that their Father was fatally wounded, while their Mother Gaia was meditating deep underground in seclusion to learn from the profound veins.
The Sura began to feel safer as the garden was the domain of the First Born Plants, the Tulsi, the Bamboo, the Soma, and the Banyan. After Param told them to proliferate these plants rapidly gave birth to a variety of plants, trees and herbs, and had turned the garden into a forest. The plant life created by them was intelligent, and they even had their spiritual forms. Thus, the garden had turned into a small kingdom, with the four First Born as their Kings.
Far away, Vritra and Garuda stared at each other while huffing deeply. The mighty fight consumed a large amount of their energies, yet ended in a draw. The both of them knew that if they forced themselves they were bound to die.
Garuda took deep breaths as he looked at his Youngest Brother and couldn't help but sigh. Compared to him, Vritra seemed to have a deeper intimacy with their Father, and his strength seemed even larger than what he'd showed until now.
The both parties stared at each other, and prepared their signature attack. Vritra took a deep breath, and his hands made a clawing motion. Garuda readied his talons and spread his wings. The two moved and quickly the distance between the two reduced to zero. Vritra's clawed hand and Garuda's talons clashed, and a sphere of shock-wave spread out. Vritra's body retreated a dozen meters, and Garuda's body flew back and disappeared into the distance.
Garuda quickly made use of the momentum and retreated. He flew into the garden, and the Sura helped him treat his injuries. He sighed, and glanced at the Sura kids whom he'd watched over since the day they were born.
"I've lost this time!"
Hearing his words the Sura grew silent and even the Yaksha couple didn't know what to say.
"He will return. We have to hold him, at least until the White Winged Elephant kid returns with reinforcements from the Ocean." Violet said.
They all nodded, as they knew that the Ocean was another Mother, just like their Mother Gaia.
***
Vritra's POV…
I opened my eyes after a long meditation in satisfaction. My wounds caused by the fight had been healed, and I had once again reached the peak of my power. I smirked as I remembered the last fight. Although I showed my siblings respect out of courtesy, I've always felt that I was the strongest since the moment I was born. I could not help but act in malice. It was my nature; whenever I sensed the vitality in my siblings I felt a powerful urge to destroy, and return the world to its previous state.
I glanced at the river above in the sky, and my eyes reddened. I felt a deep anger, and a thought magnified in my mind to destroy it. I was born to bring Drought and Adversity, and I gained joy from it.
I flew in the air and utilized by innate powers. Smoke came out in massive quantities and enveloped the sky. This smoke, born from me, had the ability to suppress any kind of flowing water. The river in the sky was a symbol of origin of life- the nemesis of me! The smoke surrounded the river and suppressed it.
The river turned thinner and thinner, and the bubble enveloping the sun disappeared. Gradually the river shrank and became imprisoned in a ball of smoke. The smoke floated in the air, and I scratched my beard as I glanced at my masterpiece. As the sun was no longer enveloped by the bubble of water its high temperature flames nearly burned the sky and melted the earth. The white layered rainbow became dim as it lost its source of strength. Life in the world began to struggle and begged for the flaming giant for mercy. Isn't this what I wanted?
Drought and Adversity…. Both have finally appeared in the world!