The Battered Crown

Chapter 24: Hope

Viaan was floating in the void. There was only one explanation which explained why he felt no pain. He opened his eyes and the bright colors assaulted his eyes. He blinked and tried to make sense of his surroundings. Viaan was tired and then he remembered his brother. His brother who was slowly dying in that ominous place. Viaan could feel his pain and he tried to get back to Vivaan.

The colors deepened into a swirling vortex and Viaan was blasted back from it as soon as he touched its centre. The vortex was churning away from him and it completely disappeared in a blink of eye. Viaan was desperate to get back and this otherworld was getting on his nerves.

Viaan calmed his breathing and began thinking. The vortex had appeared randomly so he had to summon one to get back now. Viaan concentrated on his brother's face in his mind and imagined a swirling blue vortex. He opened his eyes when he felt the gravitational pull of something. Viaan was not surprised when he saw in real the vortex he imagined.

He step into it, without getting blasted away this time and tumbled into a heap beside his brother who was looking as pale as a ghost. Viaan only concentrated on getting his brother back to normal and touched his freezing forehead. The warmth began flowing from his palm and slowly Vivaan opened his eyes after what felt like eternity.

He slowly blinked and croaked, "Vi?"

Viaan nodded at him.

"You have to save everyone. Mother is stuck there and my baby is stuck in that prison. He is torturing my son. I couldn't do anything. I'm the worst person and I couldn't help anyone. Couldn't help..."

Vivaan was in shock and he was out before he could say anything else. Viaan understood everything though. His nephew was captive somewhere and his mother too. Viaan saw no way of winning in this situation but he had to try. He had to get out of there fast. Vivaan was as safe as anyone could be in his situation and he would come back to get him as soon as he found someone.

Viaan willed himself to move and concentrate on his mission rather than the pain echoing through his body. He moved towards the end of the room the way he came in and found the tunnel. It lead him straight to the person he trusted most.

Nairiti was hunched over someone. She was wrapping a cloth over Rudra's forehead. But she turned when she heard Viaan's footsteps. She gaped at him and Viaan understood he looked like a battered ghost.

Rudra was injured and he had many bandages. Nairiti was bleeding too. Her trousers were bloody but she wasn't caring about that.

"What happened?"

"Get my brother out of there and where is Vidyut?"

"Vidyut is working in the palace. We were coming back to help you and we were ambushed by a man. He seemed very adept at magical fighting but he vanished at the last moment."

There went his idea of asking where the impostor had gone. But regardless he had to move.

"Get out of here and take my brother. I have to go search for my nephew. He is in danger."

Both of them nodded.

"Why do you look different? The colors look all wrong on you. And they are not stopping. What's happening to you, Viaan?"

Viaan honestly had no idea. But whatever power he had acquired, it was helping him stay alive. Even if it was weird and was changing him, it was keeping his family alive. Viaan only needed that.

"Don't worry about me. All of you, get to safety and don't come after me. There might be danger. So keep everyone safe. Stop the attack on Mihira." Viaan left them there.

"But where are you going?"

He turned and found Nairiti following him.

"My nephew is here somewhere. I have to find him."

"Rudra can scan how many people are in tunnels, you know. We found that way, where you were before we came in here. And trust me, there is no one else here now."

"But?"

"The guy we fought, he is the one who was controlling your brother, right? I mean if he had both your brother and your nephew, he wouldn't keep them at the same place. One of them is his way out. Like an insurance."

It all made sense but Viaan couldn't wait and do nothing. His dearest person, an innocent child was held captive by a madman for his mad schemes. That child did nothing wrong.

"Let's get back to the palace and then plan. Even if you get to know where the little prince is, it would be of no help if you went there alone. Both of you can get hurt."

Nairiti was right like always and Viaan understood why his brother couldn't tell him all this when he was imprisoned.

Viaan allowed himself to be taken back to the palace where he met Vidyut. They had stopped the indirect war but that didn't mean the attack was stopping. Their would be some backup plan and Viaan had to protect everyone.

He went to the medical wing and observed both his brother and Rudra. Rudra was sleeping and Vivaan was sitting at the edge looking defeated. He looked up at Viaan and his eyes filled with tears. Viaan could count the number of times he saw his big brother cry.

"You will be the king now. I'm obviously compromised. And you have to do your duty now. I failed at everything. I couldn't do anything, anything to help my family or my people."

"You did everything you could. You helped me even when you were being controlled by him. That's very brave of you and you did whatever you could. Don't blame yourself. We will get Aroh back. You can't lose hope now."

Vivaan nodded and Viaan saw the same determination he loved in his brother.

"You are right. We can never lose hope."

Author's note:

So I'm back, kinda. I dont know how this chapter is. So tell me what you think?

I mean, I have to add many twists because the story is just getting started now.