At the center of the marble dais, Prince Rudr knelt—
King Kesari raised his staff.
"By the will of Heaven, and by the ancient oath of the forest," he declared,
" Prince Rudr , I entrust the future of Vanrakshak to you. ."
The air trembled.
At his command, the skies above the hall shimmered—and nine Divine stars descended in a radiant circle around Rudr, in sky.
Rudr inhaled slowly and opened his spirit channel.
One by one, aura rings ignited around him, spinning in perfect harmony—
Violet.Indigo.Blue.Green.Yellow.
Gasps rippled through the hall.
Such power… such balance.
Prince Rudr was no ordinary heir—he was a master of powerful aura rings, chosen by fate itself.
King Kesari stepped forward.
"From this moment onward," he proclaimed, "I declare you the Crown Prince of Vanrakshak."
The crown was bestowed.
Applause thundered through the hall.
Joy filled the air.
Yet—
Not everyone felt at ease.
General Bijli's Unease
Among the guards, General Bijli moved restlessly, her sharp eyes scanning the crowd, the pillars, the balconies.
'Where is Prince Shaurya? He would never miss his brother's coronation.'
Her jaw tightened.
She summoned a guard and whispered urgent instructions.
Then—
A presence behind her.
Bijli turned sharply.
Standing there was Queen Vishtara, her lips curved in a calm, knowing smile.
Bijli immediately bowed."Your Highness."
Vishtara tilted her head. "Is there something bothering you, General?"
As Bijli straightened, Vishtara lifted a finger, beckoning her closer.
She leaned in, her voice soft as poison.
"You look troubled," she whispered into Bijli's ear. "Let me lighten that burden for you."
Her fingers moved.
A thin purple smoke slipped into the air.
Bijli's pupils dilated.
Her body froze.
She stood still, obedient, empty.
Vishtara straightened, her smile unchanged.
"General?"
Bijli said faintly, mechanically, "My lady…"
Vishtara gently tapped her shoulder.
"Good girl."
Elsewhere in the Hall
Across the hall, a soldier leaned close to Queen Asthika of Jalnandan, whispering hurriedly into her ear.
The color drained from her face.
"How did this happen…?" she murmured.
Without hesitation, she turned and issued orders in a low, urgent voice.
"Prepare to leave immediately. No delay."
Then, masking her expression, she silently slipped away from the gathering.
Among guest, Master Zaydan, leader of the Peacock Clan, noticed the sudden movement.
His eyes narrowed.
He leaned toward Master Numan and spoke under his breath.
"The Queen of Jalnandan is leaving abruptly," he said. "Find out where Inara is. Something is not right."
He glanced toward the palace exits.
"Prepare to evacuate the others from the palace. Immediately."
The music continued. The smiles remained.
But beneath the celebration—
The storm had already begun.
Agneera and her friends had already made it outside and were now hiding inside a secluded chamber.
Ayush rushed in, his voice low and uneasy.
"Something is terribly wrong outside. Everyone's behavior… They behave like puppet."
Suddenly, Agneera sensed someone. She grabbed the figure and pulled her inside.
It was Niritya.
Her eyes were empty. Her movements stiff—like a puppet.
"Niritya, what are you doing here?" Agnira asked sharply.
"You are being searched for, Agnira," Niritya replied flatly. "You must come to the hall. You should be there. Come with me."
She clutched Agnira's hand and began dragging her.
Inara reacted instantly—jerking Niritya back and pinning her against the wall, feather-blades pressing near her neck.
"What is happening to her?" Taal muttered, disturbed.
"They're hypnotized," Ayush said grimly.
"Fox charm?" Jhumki asked.
"No," Agnira replied, kneeling beside Niritya. "This is different. Look at her nerves—her hands are turning blue."
"Poison," Shaurya said.
"Yes," Agnira nodded. "If we force anything, we could lose them… or the poison could affect us too."
"But the celebration is still going on," Shaurya said anxiously. "My brother… my grandfather—they're in danger."
He moved toward the exit, but Inara stopped him.
"Have you lost your senses? Half of Drishmaya is outside—my father, my people. Every one of us has someone there."
She steadied herself.
"We need to find a way to break this."
Agnira took a breath. "Think carefully. Did anyone sense or see anything unusual during the celebration?"
They all shook their heads.
She turned to Shaurya.
"Simrath—does it have anything that can cure or help in this kind of magic? Think."
"There is," Shaurya said slowly. "A sacred spring deep in the northern forest. It can neutralize almost any poison."
Then he hesitated.
"But we'll have to wait for the first light of dawn. It's far—and the path is filled with dangers."
Just then, a blue peacock feather drifted into the room, circling Inara.
Her eyes widened.
"Uncle Numan…"
She caught the feather. "This is his message. He survived the poisonous air—and he has a plan."
"You trust him?" Ayush asked.
"Yes," Inara said firmly. "He always prepares an answer before the problem arrives."
Agnira nodded. "Then ask for his help. We need that water brought here."
She turned to Ayush, extending her hand.
"Give me the orb."
Ayush placed it carefully in her palm.
"I won it by risking my life," he said lightly with teasing. "What do I get in return?"
Shaurya groaned. "Here we go again…"
Agnira smirked.
"Your life—protected. At least for today."
Ayush released the orb.
Soft laughter broke the tension.
"What are you planning?" Shaurya asked.
"This orb can absorb some fragmnets of powers—for a short time," Agnira said.
She drew some of the purple energy from Niritya, then shattered the orb into six pieces.
"Keep one with you. It'll prevent suspicion."
"But the poison outside—" Taal began.
Agnira pulled small vials from her pouch.
"Hold this near your nose. It'll shield us for a while."
She met their eyes, serious now.
"We'll enter as performers of Swarjan —with a masked. It'll buy us time until dawn."
Outside, the celebration roared on.
Some guests were drunk on joy.
Some were lost in rhythm.
And some had already fallen prey to the toxic, hypnotic poison—
their eyes dulled, movements hollow, bodies swaying like puppets pulled by unseen strings.
Unnoticed by all, Team Agneera had taken the place of the Swarjan tribe members, locking the real performers inside a chamber and leaving them unconscious.
The performance began with a thunderous drumbeat.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
At the heart of the hall, six figures emerged—faces hidden behind fox masks.
Taal stood at the center, his hands striking the tabla with deliberate force. With every beat, the direction of the music shifted, weaving unseen patterns into the air.
One by one, they moved.
Shaurya and Inara stepped forward first, their movements sharp and fluid, blending royal grace dance.
Ayush followed, ribbons unfurling from his hands like living threads of light, adding beauty and illusion to the performance.
Then Jhumki emerged, walking forward as she sang—her sitar humming with ancient resonance, her voice carrying more than melody.
The circle closed again.
And when it opened—
Agnira stepped forward.
Her flute sang.
The crowd applauded, enchanted by their charm.
Murmurs of admiration spread through the hall.
"Exceptional rhythm," King Scorpio remarked, nodding in approval.
"Brilliant performance ," another monarch added.
They didn't know.
This wasn't just a performance.
It was a musical shield, holding back the poisonous air from consuming the hall.
As they danced, Agnira spoke softly through the rhythm:
"Scan everything. We must find the source of the poison—quickly."
Her eyes locked onto Vishtara.
Ayush leaned toward her, smirking even now.
"You play the flute too well. My heart's melting—careful, everyone might fall for you."
Agneera hissed back without missing a note,
"Stop talking nonsense."
Inara spun through the air, her dress flashing.
" Stop flirting , Jhumki needs support. She's carrying most of the frequency."
They began drifting among the guests, dancing closer, observing carefully.
Agneera's voice tightened.
"The poison marks are visible—on their wrists… and necks."
The audience clapped louder, unaware of the danger brushing against them.
Inara rose higher, circling the hall.
Thunderous applause erupted.
Her gaze sharpened.
"I think it's coming from the lamp near the Crown Prince."
Before anyone could stop him—
Shaurya moved.
Still dancing, he leapt onto the steps of the throne and reached for the lamp near Prince Rudra.
Dark smoke seeped from its base.
But before Shaurya could react—
Rudra lunged.
The Crown Prince attacked from behind, grabbing Shaurya.
Instinctively, Shaurya twisted to break free.
In that instant—
Rudra intentionally injured himself.
Blood spilled.
The music died.
Gasps ripped through the hall.
Soldiers swarmed.
Agneera's heart sank.
From behind her mask, she whispered urgently,
"… If we expose—disappear into the crowd. Don't reveal yourselves."
General Bijli stepped forward, sword drawn—its edge aimed at Shaurya.
Rudra tore the fox mask away.
"Prince Shaurya."
Shock thundered across the hall.
King Scorpio rose sharply.
"What does this mean? Prince Shaurya attacking his own brother for the throne?"
King Kesari's face hardened.
Shaurya fell to his knees.
"Grandfather—this is a misunderstanding. I was trying to protect him… all of you. The smoke—it's poison!"
Vishtara stepped forward, her voice calm and cruel.
"Young Prince," she said smoothly,
"That lamp is a gift from the Queen of Agniyata—meant to bless the Crown Prince's future." She turned to the crowd.
She turned to the crowd.
"There is no poison."
Her eyes gleamed.
"But you did injure the Crown Prince."
King Aakesh slammed his staff down.
"An attack on the Crown Prince during a royal gathering is treason."
"King Kesari ,You must decide soon , otherwise what example you present Infront of yours's people."
Before Shaurya could answer—
A soldier rushed in.
"My King! Six individuals have stolen a sacred artifact from the Royal Library—the ancient Vanrakshak book is missing!"
The hall erupted.
Agnira's decision was instant.
"Get ready," she whispered.
Smoke exploded across the floor.
Through the haze—
Agnira, Ayush, Inara, Taal and Jhumki vanished.
Moments later, even Shaurya disappeared from his guarded position.
Chaos followed.
"Where did they go?!"
Vishtara rose, power flaring.
King Kesari roared,
"Find them. Kill them."
Vishtara laughed softly.
"Useless soldiers."
She turned.
"Dhruv. Veer."
Two figures stepped forward—her deadliest generals.
Swords gleamed.
A chained blade unfurled.
Their orange aura rings burned bright—raw, brutal power.
Hidden beneath the hall—
Agnira and Ayush hid within flowing water.
Inara and Shaurya were trapped himself inside a mirror cage.
Jhumki and Taal remained inside the tabla shield.
Too slow.
Dhruv notice them , shattered the shield with his chained blades.
Jhumki screamed—
Her green aura ring flared, thorn-like soundwaves bursting from her sitar as she twisted aside.
Taal stepped in front of her, his blue aura pulsing, a sharp tabla strike forming a brief shield of vibrating air.
Steel cut through it.
Veer struck his sword from behind.
They staggered, bleeding—but still standing, gripping each other's arms, refusing to fall.
Beneath water ——
Agneera struggled against Ayush's grip.
"Let me go," she hissed. "I won't stand by and watch my friends die like this."
Ayush tightened his hold, panic sharp in his voice.
"You don't understand—this is a trap. They want you out there."
"I don't care," Agneera screamed, tears burning her eyes.
"I will not abandon my friends. Not even if the cost is my life."
She broke free.
Water exploded around her as she surged forward—and Ayush, Shaurya, and Inara followed her and came out.
The sight that greeted them froze their hearts.
Jhumki and Taal stood drenched in blood—yet when they saw their friends, they smiled.
Not weak.
Not defeated.
Proud.
Vishtara watched with a slow, delighted smirk.
"So the weapon steps out of its cage," she said softly.
"I was curious how much strength do you truly holds."
She lifted a hand.
"No one interferes."
The battlefield was drawn.
On one side—
Agnira, without aura rings, fighting only with instinct and protection spells.
Shaurya and Inara, their violet aura rings flickering, drained but unyielding.
Jhumki, the strongest among them, her green aura dim but burning.
Taal, blue aura cracked, still standing.
Ayush, with his magical brush —only sharp intellect.
On the other—
Dhruv and Veer.
Orange aura rings with their powerful weapons .
Sword mastery and chained blades tearing through the air.
Agneera raised her flute, weaving a fragile shield with magic—
Shaurya lunged forward, claws and Inara feather blades flashing.
Jhumki attacked through pain, soundstrings slicing the air.
Taal amplified their strength with every fractured beat.
Still—it wasn't enough.
Dhruv's chained blades shot forward.
Taal stepped in front of Jhumki.
Steel tore through him.
Blood soaked his chest as he collapsed.
"Taal --!" Jhumki cried, retaliating with a scream of sound.
Agnira tried to distracted Dhruv with her magical rhythm —but another chain whipped through the air, slashing Agneera's side.
Jhumki leapt between them.
The blade struck her instead.
She fell—onto Agneera.
Blood dripped from Jhumki's lips onto Agneera's face.
"Why…?" Agneera whispered, sobbing. "Why would you do this?"
Jhumki smiled through agony.
"Because you're extraordinary… and I kept my promise—as a friend."
Her eyes shifted to Taal, gasping for breath nearby.
"I'm going to him now," she murmured softly. "To the one I love."
Ayush try to safe them but collapsed nearby, wounded by Veer's blade.
And then—
Veer raised his sword.
One final strike.
Taal's body went still.
His friend heart erupted in screams.
Agneera's cry shattered the air.
"AAAAAA—!"
She rose into the sky.
Her eyes ignited brilliant blue.
Her hair turned blue, streaked with wild rainbow flames.
Madness. Grief. Rage.
Fire obeyed her call.
Walls of blazing inferno surged up on both sides, tearing the hall apart.
The monarchs gasped.
"Dragon powers—"
"She has dragon powers!"
Vishtara snarled, fear flashing beneath her fury.
"She must die. She's a threat to all of Drishmaya!"
Flaming orbs rained down.
The four monarchs raised shields instantly.
King Kesari roared,
"Protect the people first! We cannot risk attacking her now!"
Soldiers collapsed one by one—the poison weakening them from within.
Agnira's Blue Blaze awakened fully.
With every wave of fire, hypnotized guests regained consciousness.
General Bijli staggered back to herself—her eyes clearing as she saw Shaurya bleeding on the ground.
Confusion. Horror.
Then—
Agneera slammed her power into the earth.
A massive explosion tore through the hall.
Black smoke. Burning embers. Blood-stained marble.
Screams echoed into silence.
And in the heart of the destruction—
the Blue Blaze burned.
—End of Part One—