After wandering for hours, Avir finally found the camp of Shashi's group.
Meanwhile, the beast continued its rampage, attacking the group. Everyone was wounded except for their leader, who was still standing. The beast lunged at him with terrifying speed, but just before it could strike, a strong hand stopped it mid-air—it was Avir.
With his other hand, Avir landed a powerful punch on the beast, sending it flying backward. However, one of the beast's sharp spikes injured Avir's hand. Furious, Avir pulled the spike out and charged at the beast, which was now roaring at him. The beast, too, dashed toward Avir, and both leaped toward each other. At that moment, Avir's eyes and the mark ☯︎ on his hand began to glow red. A faint red flame appeared around his hand. Clenching his fiery fist, Avir struck the beast's head with a mighty punch. The impact sent the beast flying, smashing through trees, and it landed far away, leaving a deep crater in the ground.
Shashi quickly ran to Avir and held his hand, inspecting his wound. Concerned, she said, "Are you okay? That spike has poisoned you!" She had just finished speaking when Avir collapsed onto her. His head rested on her shoulder, and his lips brushed against her neck, sending shivers down her spine. Her cheeks turned red, and in a soft voice, she asked lovingly, "Avir, are you alright?"
Avir didn't respond. The man Avir had saved then spoke to Shashi, "Shashi! He's unconscious from the poison. We need to take him to the village immediately." Shashi nodded in agreement.
A Few Days Later
Avir slowly opened his eyes and found himself in a hut. Moments later, an elderly man entered the room. He had a long white beard, a large turban on his head, and appeared to be around 90 years old. Behind him walked Shashi.
Seeing them, Avir hurriedly got up, but the old man reassured him, "Don't worry, I'm Sajiwan, the head of this village and a healer."
Shashi smiled at Avir and said, "Avir, this is my grandfather, whom you wanted to meet—the great healer Sajiwan, one of the seven most renowned healers in the world."
Hearing this, Avir smiled and stood respectfully before Sajiwan. Clasping his right palm with his left fist, he bowed slightly to greet him. Sajiwan nodded in acknowledgment and sat at a nearby table, gesturing for Avir to sit as well.
Shashi poured tea and placed it in front of Avir and Vaidya Sajiwan, standing nearby with a smile on her face. Her eyes were fixed on Avir. Sajiwan, however, broke the silence with a serious tone, saying, "Avir, you saved my granddaughter and the people of this village. For that, I am deeply grateful. I also know why you wanted to meet me."
Hearing this, Avir looked surprised. His face turned serious as he glanced at Sajiwan. The elderly man gestured toward the mark ☯︎ on Avir's hand and continued, "This mark ☯︎—this is the root of all your problems. It's not just a mark but a curse. No matter how much you practice spiritual power, it will be of no benefit to you. Instead, this curse will continue to grow stronger."
Avir looked at Sajiwan helplessly and asked, "Vaidya Sajiwan, is there no way to cure this curse?"
Sajiwan appeared deep in thought for a moment before asking Avir to extend his hand. When Avir complied, Sajiwan placed two fingers, glowing with a faint green flame, on the mark ☯︎ and closed his eyes.
Inside Sajiwan's consciousness, he found himself in a vast expanse. On the ground, the same mark ☯︎ that was on Avir's hand appeared, and sitting on it was a beautiful yet sinister-looking woman. She wore a revealing black off-shoulder dress, short enough to expose her legs and midriff. Her long brown hair flowed behind her, and two small red horns adorned her head. Her devilish smile revealed sharp, pointed teeth, and her mischievous gaze seemed to mock Sajiwan.
As he stared, it felt as though everything was being drawn into her eyes. Darkness enveloped the scene, and suddenly, another shadowy figure of a woman appeared. Startled, Sajiwan immediately opened his eyes, beads of sweat forming on his forehead and fear evident on his face.
Shashi, noticing her grandfather's distress, rushed to his side. "Grandfather, are you okay?" she asked.
Sajiwan nodded weakly. Meanwhile, Avir looked at him with hopeful eyes and asked, "What happened, Vaidya Sajiwan? Did you find a way to break the curse?"
Sajiwan sighed deeply, his expression serious. "You are truly a great warrior, Avir. Without this curse, you would have become a legendary warrior. Despite the curse siphoning your spiritual energy to create a physical form for itself, you still remain incredibly strong. Astonishingly, the curse, though more powerful than you, hasn't completely subdued you yet."
Hearing this, Avir's expression grew more serious. "Then is there no way to remove it?" he asked.
Sajiwan shook his head. "Within this curse, I sensed the presence of the Queen's aura. Her power and the curse's power are beyond my capabilities. I cannot overcome it."
Startled, Avir exclaimed, "The Queen's aura? But what does the Queen have to do with me? Why would she curse me?" His voice carried a mix of shock and sadness, and Shashi's face mirrored his sorrow. Both of them looked at Sajiwan with hope in their eyes.
After a brief pause, Sajiwan met Avir's gaze and said gravely, "Listen, Avir. We are healers, not warriors. None of us can break this curse. But…" He hesitated before continuing, "...there is one way."
Hearing this, smiles of hope returned to Shashi and Avir's faces. Avir quickly asked, "Vaidya Sajiwan, please tell me what I need to do to break this curse."
Sajiwan stroked his long beard thoughtfully before replying, "You must enter the mark ☯︎ itself and confront the curse that has taken on a human form. To break the curse, you must defeat it and bring it under your control. But remember, it is far more powerful than you. Your physical body will remain here, but your astral form will enter the mark."
A Short While Later
Avir sat in a dark chamber on a glowing yellow circle etched into the ground. His eyes were closed, and the mark ☯︎ on his hand began to glow red. Suddenly, he found himself within the mark, surrounded by a strange, otherworldly scene.
Avir stood in a dark place, surrounded by an endless expanse of darkness. Resolute and unyielding, his face bore a serious expression. As he took a step forward, a sudden gust of wind swept past his face. Instinctively, he raised his hand to his face, only to see blood on his palm. Shocked, he realized a small cut had appeared on his face, from which blood was dripping.
Avir grew alert and cautiously moved forward. Suddenly, a shadow darted past behind him, forcefully pushing him. Struggling to regain his balance, he felt a sharp pain in his back. His face twisted in a mix of anger and helplessness as his fists clenched tightly. A deep cut had opened on his back, exposing his muscles.
Meanwhile, in the real world, Avir's body was drenched in sweat. Shashi, standing nearby, watched with a heavy heart. She remembered what Vaidya Sajiwan had warned: if Avir's physical body died while his astral form was inside the mark, he would either die or be paralyzed for life. Shashi had tried to stop Avir, but his response had been resolute.
"If I stay like this, I'm already crippled," he had said. "I can't increase my spiritual power no matter how hard I try. I'd rather fight and die than live this way."
Back in the darkness, Avir was being attacked sporadically from different directions. His coat had been torn to shreds and now lay on the ground. His upper body was bare, revealing his broad chest and chiseled six-pack abs, a sight of striking strength and beauty. The cuts on his body added a rugged charm, each wound a testament to his resilience.
But Avir's eyes burned with fury. He was tired of his helplessness—unable to grow his spiritual power and now unable to break the curse that had shackled him.
Avir stood in despair, motionless, when suddenly a sweet, soothing voice reached his ears—a voice so familiar that it immediately struck a chord in his heart. It was the voice of a woman, and Avir instantly recognized it. It was his mother's voice, one he had heard since childhood but never in person, only in his dreams.
The voice spoke softly yet firmly, "My son, have you given up so soon? You were born to win. How can you surrender so easily? Sometimes, victory lies within our grasp; we just need to realize it. When your mind fails, ask your heart—there's always a way out."
Hearing his mother's voice, Avir's eyes welled up with tears. But he composed himself, closed his eyes, and began to focus.
Suddenly, a strong gust of wind surged toward him. Just as it was about to touch him, Avir's hand shot out, and he grabbed something. When he opened his eyes, he saw a strikingly beautiful yet dangerous-looking girl dressed in black. It was the same girl Vaidya Sajiwan had described—the one wearing the off-shoulder, short dress.
Avir had her wrist firmly in his grasp, and a triumphant smile of a warrior catching his adversary spread across his face. The girl looked at her captured wrist with a glance, then shifted her gaze to Avir. Smirking wickedly, she leaned closer to him and said in a teasing tone, "Hmm... you're different, aren't you? There's something special about you."
Her gaze moved over his body, and with a sly smile, she added, "And very handsome too."
Before Avir could respond, the girl leaned closer, her face near his. She licked the blood trickling down his face with her tongue.
Out of nowhere, a sharp pain surged through Avir's body. He glanced down to find a wound in his stomach. The girl stood at a distance, smiling mischievously. She extended her hand, and blood began to seep out from her palm, pooling into a liquid mass before gradually taking the shape of a sword.
Avir stood there, still reeling from the pain, glaring at her with a mix of fury and determination. The girl, unfazed by his reaction, smirked devilishly and, with one swift motion, plunged the blood-red sword into Avir's chest.
What will happen to Avir now? Is this the end of his journey, or the beginning of a new chapter?
Stay tuned to find out!