Chapter 32 – A Fight for Survival
The room shimmered with the aftermath of Tara's light, the air thick with the scent of ozone and burning flesh. Her heart pounded in her chest as she stood frozen, the energy in her hand still crackling with the faintest glow. Dhiren's blade had missed its mark, but not by much. Samudra's reflexes had been faster than she anticipated, his movements a blur as he deflected the blow with a sharp twist of his sword, the blade grazing his shoulder instead of puncturing his chest.
Tara's breath caught in her throat. He could have died.
Her pulse hammered in her ears, the realization hitting her hard. She had hesitated—just for a moment—but that moment had been enough to almost cost them everything. A cold, bitter taste of guilt curled in her stomach, but she couldn't afford to dwell on it. Not now.
Behind her, the chimera horde continued to advance, their grotesque forms thrashing as they closed in. Tara's fingers twitched, the elemental energy inside her begging to be released, but a flash of memory—a swirling, uncontrollable surge of power, a world reduced to ash—stilled her hand. She had seen the consequences of unleashing too much before.
The battle raged on around her, chaotic and brutal. Samudra's movements were fluid, but there was a sharpness to his strikes that hadn't been there before. His shirt was torn, blood staining the fabric, and his face was set in a grimace of concentration. Tara's mind screamed at her to help him, but her body remained rooted to the spot. Not again. Not again.
"Samudra, behind you!" Aryan's voice cut through the chaos, sharp and urgent. Tara's eyes darted to Samudra as he turned just in time to parry a blow from one of Dhiren's chimeras.
"I'm fine," Samudra gritted out, his voice strained but unwavering. "Focus on those behind us!"
The fight between Samudra and Dhiren intensified, each attack a deadly exchange of power. Dhiren's blade sliced through the air, glowing with an unnatural energy, and Samudra's movements became more erratic, his earlier confidence now tinged with desperation.
"You're slowing down, Prince," Dhiren taunted, his voice dripping with malice. "I thought you were supposed to be the shining hope of your empire. What happened to the great warrior?"
Samudra's jaw tightened, but he didn't answer. Instead, he parried a vicious strike from Dhiren, the force of the blow sending a shockwave through his body. His shoulder throbbed painfully, but he pushed through it, swinging his sword once more.
"I'm not done yet," Samudra muttered under his breath.
Aryan, his movements strained but still quick despite his injuries, darted through the fray. He threw a dagger with surgical precision, hitting another chimera square in the eye. "I'mnot falling so easily and that too to these hideous things!",he muttered, gritting his teeth. "We need to finish this."
Aryan was no stranger to pain. His own body had taken a beating, but he wouldn't back down. The chimeras surrounded him, a mass of twisted limbs and glowing eyes, but he kept moving, his daggers flashing in the dim light.
"Can't... let them... down," he grunted, his face pale from exhaustion.
A chimera lunged at him, its claws outstretched, but Aryan's quick reflexes saved him, the creature barely grazing him as he spun to the side. He staggered, his injury slowing him down, but he still fought on, his eyes never leaving Samudra.
Tara's gaze flicked to him, her heart aching at the sight of his torn form. His side was still bleeding, the dark stain spreading across his clothing, but he kept fighting, even as his breaths grew more ragged. He's pushing himself too hard.
Aryan's eyes caught hers for a brief moment, and he flashed her a crooked grin, despite the blood dripping from his lips. "Don't just stand there," he called out, his voice barely audible over the battle. "I'm not dying on you now, am I?"
Tara could see the toll it was taking on him. The subtle tremor in his hands, the way his movements grew sluggish. His earlier cocky demeanor was replaced with sheer determination.
Tara bit her lip, her chest tightening. Why can't I move?
Azeus's roar cut through the air, and Tara's head whipped around as the dragon-blooded warrior unleashed a blistering wave of fire. The flames incinerated a dozen chimeras in seconds, the heat so intense that Tara felt it even from where she stood. But as the fire died down, Azeus's shoulders sagged slightly, his breath coming in sharp gasps. His glowing form flickered, and she could see the strain in his eyes.
Tara saw the exhaustion in his eyes, the way his chest heaved with every breath.
He wasn't invincible. And that realization made her heart tighten.
Azeus caught her eye from across the room, his expression a mix of pride and concern. "Tara," he said, his voice carrying over the chaos, "You need to step in. We can't do this alone."
"Stay back, Azeus!" Samudra called, his voice sharp with concern. "You're pushing yourself too hard!"
"I'm fine," Azeus growled in reply, his voice carrying a low, draconic resonance. "I'llgive my all to stop them if it'sthe last thing I do!"
Tara watched as the battle shifted once more. Samudra's sword flashed as he cut through another chimera, but his movements were slower now, his strikes less precise. A grimace twisted his features as he took a heavy breath. He's injured. He's slowing down.
Tara's gaze darted between the group. Aryan was still fighting, though his injury made every movement seem like a struggle. Azeus's power was draining, and Samudra's focus was slipping as exhaustion set in. They can't do this without me.
Suddenly, a piercing scream ripped through the room as another chimera lunged at Aryan from behind. Tara's heart skipped a beat as she saw the creature's claws swipe toward him.
"Aryan!" Tara shouted without thinking.
He whipped around just in time, his dagger flashing as he disarmed the chimera, but not without taking a deep gash across his arm. He gritted his teeth but didn't fall, his eyes wild with determination. "I'm not dead yet, princess."
Tara's breath hitched as she watched him stagger slightly. He's too injured to keep this up.
Her hand tightened around the light orb in her palm, her mind racing. The elemental energy within her stirred, urging her to act. I can't hold back anymore. I can't let them die.
"They're fighting for their lives. For me. Can I really stay back? Can I stand here and just watch?" Tara thought, the voices of her past echoing in her mind. "I've destroyed everything before... I can't—"
The memories hit her like a wave. The cities she'd leveled, the lives she'd taken, all because of her powers. The guilt suffocated her, and the thought of losing control again terrified her. "If I give in to this, will I destroy them too?"
Tara's gaze flicked between her companions, each one fighting with everything they had. But the weight of her decision pressed down on her. Every instinct in her body screamed to stay back, to hide her powers, to protect them from what they didn't know about her. But in that moment, she realized that her fear was just as much of a threat as Dhiren's army.
"I can't let them die."
Her heart raced as she took a step forward, her mind flashing back to the destruction she'd caused before. The world around her seemed to close in, the air thick with the energy of the rift. She could feel the pulse of magic within her, calling to her, urging her to unleash it, to fight.
But as she watched Samudra's sword clash against Dhiren's, her resolve began to harden. Samudra was slowing, his steps more deliberate. Aryan was barely standing, and Azeus was on the brink of collapse. Tara knew, deep down, that it was now or never.
Before she could second-guess herself, she stepped forward, her powers flaring to life. The air shimmered around her as the light orb in her hand blazed brighter, casting a golden glow that illuminated the battle. The air around her shimmered, as if the very world was responding to her intent.
Her eyes locked onto Dhiren as he prepared for another strike.
This ends now.
Tara thrust her hand forward, sending a blast of light straight toward Dhiren. The energy lanced through the air, forcing him to stumble back, his expression one of shock and fury. "What the—"
"Stay away from them," Tara's voice was steady, her fear now replaced by fierce determination. "This is where your game ends."
Samudra's eyes met hers, his expression unreadable. For a moment, the battle around them seemed to still. "Tara," he said quietly, his voice carrying a mix of relief and concern, "You should've done this sooner."
Tara's heart raced as the room seemed to explode back into chaos. The chimera horde pressed forward, and Dhiren snarled, his blade glowing with dark energy. But this time, Tara wasn't waiting. Her powers surged, an unstoppable force that would protect her new family—no matter the cost.