"Aah!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.
"Ofh—damn it!"
"Everyone get off me!" I shouted at my group, who had collapsed on top of me after we were teleported into the ruined city.
Once the chaos settled, Amanda and Talia began scanning the surroundings.
"This is the ancient city of Mathura… huh, seems pretty beautiful to me," Talia murmured.
"Oy, what the hell do you guys see as beautiful in this wrecked place?" I snapped.
"Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder," Amanda replied calmly, turning toward me.
"What the hell does that even mean?" I asked, irritated.
"Nevermind."
The moment I stood, the city pressed down on me like a curse. The air was thick—soaked in the iron stench of blood, heavy enough to choke. Every breath burned my lungs, as if the battles fought here had poisoned the very wind. The silence was deceptive; beneath it lurked the faint echoes of screams, carried on currents of decay.
Sunlight struggled to pierce the haze, fractured into shards that painted long, jagged shadows across the ruins. What should have been warmth felt cold, sinister—like the city itself was alive, watching us. The streets told their story without words: bones scattered like forgotten toys, corpses rotting where joy once thrived, demons prowling with mechanical precision, slaughtering anything that dared to move.
It wasn't just a battlefield. It was a graveyard with a pulse.
"Everyone, masks on. Especially you, Rudra—you need it more than anyone," Amanda instructed, her tone sharp, natural authority slipping into place.
"Okay, got it," I muttered. Best not to poke a demon.
"So what now?" Sammy asked, looking to Amanda.
"For now, we move forward carefully. Take cover. There are demons here, and we don't know their rank," Amanda commanded.
We followed her lead, clearing rubble as quietly as possible, trying not to draw attention. The city stretched before us—a place that had once been alive with laughter, children playing, animals coexisting with humans. Now, it was a nightmare. Corpses littered the streets, and demons prowled, slaughtering anything that dared to breathe.
"The situation is critical. One mistake, and we'll be lying among them," Amanda said grimly.
"Hey Amanda, look at the demons. Don't you see something weird?" I pointed out.
"Yeah… the way they're walking. It's like they're being controlled," Sammy added.
Amanda nodded. "Exactly."
Talia frowned. "Don't you find it suspicious? There are fewer demons here than expected. But when we were teleported, the noise was overwhelming."
"Right," I said, piecing it together. "It's like they're concentrated somewhere else. Guarding something. Whoever—or whatever—is controlling them doesn't want us near."
Amanda turned to me. "So what do we do?"
"I've got a plan. But it's risky. If we screw up, we're dead. Do you understand?" I warned.
"Go on, Rudra. Don't stop now," Amanda urged.
"Alright. Here's the deal: we split into two groups. One flies above the city, scouting for the densest cluster of demons—that'll likely be where the temple is. They'll stay hidden and wait for instructions. The second group moves on foot, heading toward the location the aerial team identifies. Once both groups meet, we decide the next step."
Silence hung for a moment before Amanda spoke. "Dangerous, yes. But practical. Without a map, this is our best shot."
"You can actually think, Rudra. Congrats—your father would be proud," Sammy said, grinning like an idiot.
"Of course I can think. How do you think I came first in the practical exam?" I shot back, bewildered by his stupidity.
"So we're following this plan then?" Sammy asked Amanda.
"Yes."
"So what are the groups?" Talia asked, finally breaking her silence.
"I suggest Sammy and Talia form one group, while Amanda and I take the other."
"Hey, why can't I be with Amanda?" Talia protested.
"Because I'm the only one without mana, and Amanda excels in close-range combat. You two are exceptional flyers. That's why. Logical enough?" I explained, cutting through her argument.
Amanda nodded. "That's sound reasoning. We'll go with that arrangement."
"Alright then. Sammy, Talia—off you go," I instructed.
"How the hell are we supposed to communicate? There's no network coverage in this destroyed city," Sammy asked.
"For that, I built something." I pulled out a device resembling an ancient walkie-talkie.
"What is this?" Sammy asked, eyes wide.
"Communication device."
"You made this?" Talia asked.
"Yes."
"Nice try, Rudra. Where'd you get it?" Sammy pressed.
"Why do you think I was sleeping late every damn morning?" I shot back.
Amanda cut in sharply. "Enough. Go. Every second wasted here has consequences."
"Fine. We're leaving," Sammy muttered, and he and Talia took off.
Sammy and Talia vanished into the sky, leaving Amanda and me behind. For a moment, the world was quiet—too quiet. Dust drifted lazily in the air, settling on broken stones and shattered walls.
Amanda adjusted her mask, her eyes sharp, unreadable. "C'mon, Rudra. Let's move."
"Yeah… let's go," I muttered, falling in step behind her.
The silence between us was heavy, awkward, but beneath it was something else—an unspoken tension, the weight of what lay ahead. Every step echoed against the ruins, reminding me that this mission wasn't just long. It was dangerous.
And somewhere in the heart of Mathura, something was waiting for us.