The Battered Crown

Chapter 23: Celestial Magic

"And if I listen to you, my brother will die." Viaan stood his ground and stared at the person before him who was looking at him with a sinister smile. That expression was never seen on Vivaan and this made Viaan stronger. He stood straight and kept his eyes on the stranger before him.

"Your brother?" The stranger schooled his features to a neutral look and replied.

Viaan nodded.

"My play is up then. I'm not your brother. But then again, I'm him. A bit confusing, right?" He grinned.

"I don't know how, but you are controlling my brother. I can see him fighting through you. I can see the toll it's taking on him. He is weak, his eyes aren't bright like they were and more importantly, my brother wouldn't abandon me like you did."

"Who will believe you anyway? You realised this now. None of your friends know this. I can kill you right now and then kill your brother. People will believe the news. I can spread the rumor that you killed each other. A murderer prince kills his own brother to escape the death penalty. What a great drama! How about that?" The stranger whose name was unknown to Viaan leaned against the large rock beside the lake.

Viaan thought about it. The stranger was right. No one would know anything about whatever that had happened, if he died. And his brother would be killed if Viaan didn't think of something fast.

"Why are you targeting us?"

"Wouldn't you like to know? You want me to waste time telling you about my plan? Haha ha. It's time. Come stand in the water. Or you know, your brother gets it."

Viaan obeyed without any word. He was desperately searching for a way out. Like the impostor predicted, light was filling in the clearing. The light bounced across every wall and stopped in the water. The rocks acted like a group of reflectors and concentrated  the light in the centre of lake. The eclipse was near. Viaan reached the edge and dipped his feet in the water. It was surprisingly warm and Viaan continued towards the centre. It calmed him and Viaan somehow forgot all his fears.

The man started chanting something which was akin to a murmuring to Viaan's ears. He didn't care to concentrate on him. Viaan was more interested in the energy coursing through him which was making him all tingly.

The voice of the stranger became an all time low before he opened his eyes. And then he declared in an ominous voice, "Behold the power of Celestial pool."

Viaan was lifted off his feet and he had no idea about it. He was drugged with the magic moving inside him and he didn't know what was happening around him. Viaan was in the centre of a big ball of multicolor light which happened when the eclipse was witnessed by the Celestial water in the kingdom of Mihira. Viaan could hear the wonder in the stranger's thoughts and yet, he couldn't make sense of them.

Viaan stayed suspended in the moment and then all of the brilliance was gone. He fell in the water, helpless and energy less. The man levitated Viaan and laid him by the edge of the pond. Viaan could now make sense of the jumble of thoughts in the stranger's mind. The stranger was looking at him and Viaan felt it very odd when he saw his own unconscious face. His skin was shining and the glow was slowly disappearing. Viaan was wrenched back to his own body and he opened his eyes.

He found the stranger gazing at him and Viaan moved away from him. He could see the concern and mistake it for his brother's love. But Viaan was strong and he wouldn't fall for it again.

"Now you are ready."

Viaan saw his brother come back to himself and then something changed in him. It felt like he was pushed off in his own body. Viaan felt hot all over. His thoughts mixed with the stranger's and he realised what the stranger did. He possessed victims and then discarded them. And Viaan was the victim now. Viaan could feel him lifting his hands and pointing them towards the now wheezing Vivaan.

Viaan tried to control his own body but it was like moving a mountain. Viaan remembered the words he always believed.

I am stronger than I think

He remembered how he had felt when he was with his friends and family. He would do anything to feel that again. Viaan couldn't be a guest in his own body. He had to stop the control the stranger was exhibiting. Viaan had to block his senses and search for the thread of control. Viaan had experienced mind waves in that strange out of body experience. He tapped into that and he clearly saw the golden thread which wasn't attached to him. Viaan had to snap it.

But it was easier thought than done. The thread was rethreading itself. Viaan had to break it before it became a permanent addition to his being.

Viaan did the only thing he knew how to do. He was an Enhancer in Nairiti's words. So he energized that thread which was becoming more strong and Viaan was slowly losing himself. He pulled the remnant of the celestial energy which was disappearing fast and then the gold thread burst from the energy overload. Viaan hoped that his enemy was knocked out somewhere.

But it was hopeless to hope. The guy materialized before him. Vivaan was crawling towards Viaan and the guy kicked him. Vivaan got up and fell.

His brother was bleeding and Viaan's heart was breaking.

"Please save him," Viaan asked the person standing before him. The person was older than Adhyay and yet he had youthful look. He had an evil glint in his eye which was all wrong on Vivaan when he controlled his brother.

"You will both die from the magic here. Your brother from the energy loss and you from the energy overload. I'll go and take care of your kingdom. Farewell, the king and prince of Mihira!"

With that ominous words, the old man disappeared. Viaan could feel his body becoming weak and he closed his eyes.

Author's note:
Hiii!
This chapter was deep. What do you say?

I'll explain things in later chapters. But you can still tell me your theories:)