The divine energy surged from Yash's blade, shattering Ravrakta's dark aura. The monstrous rakshasa staggered back, his towering form shrinking to its original size. Falling to his knees, Ravrakta coughed weakly, his crimson eyes burning with hatred. "How... how did you defeat me?"
Yash stood over him, his body trembling from exhaustion, yet his eyes remained resolute. The glow of divine power still lingered around him. "Because I fight for something greater than myself," he said, his voice steady despite his fatigue. "That's a strength you'll never understand."
Ravrakta growled, his voice laced with bitterness. Before he could respond, his remaining forces rushed to his side, dragging their defeated leader away. The ambush had failed, and the rakshasa army retreated into the shadows of the forest.
As silence settled over the battlefield, Yash lowered his blade. The divine glow around him faded, leaving him to feel the full weight of his exhaustion. Every muscle in his body screamed in protest, and his vision blurred. He took a shaky breath, glancing toward the direction where Aarav and Gurdeep had been taken.
From the distance, Ashwatthama and Takshak appeared, running toward him with urgency. Karan followed close behind, his face pale from the chaos.
Takshak's eyes widened as they landed on Ravrakta's fallen position. "You defeated him?"
Yash nodded weakly. "It wasn't easy. But it's done now."
Karan stepped forward, his tone respectful. "When I saw the ambush, I alerted them immediately. I managed to get Aarav and Gurdeep to safety in time. They're being treated now."
Relief flickered across Yash's face, but his concern remained. "What about Aarav and Gurdeep? Are they okay?"
Ashwatthama stepped closer, his expression grave. "They're stable for now."
Yash frowned, his tired eyes narrowing. "What do you mean, 'for now'?"
Ashwatthama sighed, his gaze meeting Yash's. "The rakshasa ambush unit used some kind of injection during the fight. We don't know what it is yet. It's not immediately life-threatening, but we need to identify and counteract it before it worsens their condition."
Yash let out a shaky breath, his relief tempered by worry. "At least they're safe for now," he murmured, his body swaying slightly.
Before anyone could respond, Yash's strength gave out, and he collapsed to the ground. Takshak caught him just in time, lowering him gently.
"He's completely drained," Takshak said, concern evident in his voice.
Ashwatthama nodded. "He's pushed himself far beyond his limit. Let's get him back to the camp for treatment."
Together, they carried Yash toward the camp, his body limp from exhaustion. Despite the temporary reprieve, the atmosphere remained heavy with unease. The shadow of the rakshasa army lingered, and the mystery of the injection weighed heavily on their minds.
As the fires of the battlefield died down, the Sanctuary and Naga Clan knew that their battle against darkness was far from over.
To be continued...