?Ariyan laid Nihira down on the bed. There were bite marks on her back; it must have happened while fighting that creature. Raiyan looked at them with a frustrated expression and said, “Both of you have the ability to heal, yet you refuse to use your biological powers just to preserve your humanity. If you have so much humanity, why did you have to kill that boy?” Nihira regained consciousness and replied, “I will become a monster myself to protect my brother’s humanity.” Ariyan said, “You’ve done enough. You don’t need to do any more. Now, get some rest.”
Soon, Nihira fell into a healthy sleep. Malicha asked, “Sister hasn’t eaten yet.” Ariyan replied, “Let her sleep now. I’ll feed her when she wakes up.” Raiyan turned to Ariyan and said, “Hey, who’s going to feed you? Just a moment ago, you couldn’t even get out of bed.” Nihira woke up and said, “I’ll feed him.” Raiyan asked, “Then who will feed you?” Ariyan said, “I will.” Raiyan sighed, “This family has problems.” Nihira asked, “Why? Should I feed you too? I can do it.” “No, I’d rather hang myself,” Raiyan replied irritably.
?On the other side, Ouroboros asked Niha, “I am much older than you. Why should I address you as mother?” Niha said, “I gave you this form. If you don’t want to be part of my name, then go back to being a snake.” Ouroboros quickly said, “No, wait, I’m sorry.” Niha smiled, “Good boy.” Ouroboros then asked her, “If you and Ariyan have a child, will he be my brother?” Niha laughed and said, “Yes, of course. You will look after him.” Ouroboros replied despondently, “No. I want to die.”
?Meanwhile, Maliha and Malicha fed Ariyan and Nihira. Raiyan said, “Finish eating quickly; we have to go outside again.” Nihira said, “You haven’t even started eating yourself.” Raiyan replied, “Oh, I’m almost done.” Ariyan said, “Keep Nihira away from all this.” “No, I go where you go,” Nihira insisted. While they were talking, the old man suddenly screamed, saying his son had arrived. Ariyan and Nihira ran to him just as a shadow flickered away from the window. Nihira realized that this old man also belonged to a supernatural family, and his son was now a vessel of the Void. Nihira spoke to the old man in a sweet voice, “Your son is very young. How could such a large man be your son?” The old man paused and said, “Yes… you are right.”
While Ariyan calmed the old man, Raiyan stood on the balcony watching the fog. Because of the house’s protective shield, no evil spirits could enter, but the atmosphere was growing heavy. At the other end of the house, the domestic staff—Maliha, Malicha, and Abdur Rahman—were discussing their duties. They were appointed by Nihira to protect the house. Maliha peered through the curtain and said, “Malicha, look at the fog. It looks like liquid tar surrounding us. Is the shield holding?” Malicha, checking a small clay pot of magical ash, replied, “Yes, sister. But this fog isn't normal. It’s increasing the pressure of the Void. If the shield weakens even a little, it’s all over.”
Abdur Rahman spoke in a grave voice, “Do not be afraid. This house is not just made of bricks; it is alive. It can protect itself. But there is something else in the wind tonight. A ‘shadow’ is circling us, not looking for a way in, but trying to pull someone out.” Maliha asked fearfully, “Are you talking about Master Ariyan? His chest wound is burning again today.” Abdur Rahman replied, “Yes. That wound is a compass. The greater the danger outside, the more it bleeds. But as long as we are here, no shadow shall cross this threshold. Check the shield near the garden; the energy feels low there.”
In the kitchen, Rajia was sitting alone when the water in her glass began to vibrate despite there being no earthquake. She realized someone was constantly striking the outer shield. It was the shadow of the Void. It knew it couldn’t enter, so it was plotting to use Ariyan’s mental instability to lure him out of the house.
As Ariyan and Nihira moved to the next room, a strange silence fell behind the heavy curtains of the drawing room. This house was an intricate machine; every wall and piece of furniture was tied with invisible threads held by the servants. Maliha whispered as she walked down the corridor, “Malicha, can you hear it? The walls are whispering. Since Master Ariyan arrived, the blood of the house has become active again.” They were the last representatives of a tradition chosen by Ariyan’s ancestors. To Ariyan, they were just servants, but Nihira knew their true identity.
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Maliha and Malicha stood in a narrow servant’s passage on the second floor. Maliha looked at her palm and said, “As long as Mistress Nihira commands us as the head of this house, we will not be disconnected. Our ancestors owe this family. Our blood is mixed with this soil.” Malicha asked, “What if Master Ariyan finds out? He doesn’t know that every night when we serve his food, we mix a portion of our own life force into it to keep that cursed wound on his chest under control.” Maliha replied, “It’s better he doesn’t know. He is still ‘Incomplete.’ If he knew what Nihira was doing to protect him, he might run away.”
Suddenly, footsteps were heard. The sisters immediately changed their demeanor. Ariyan appeared, looking exhausted. “What are you doing here? It’s late,” he said. Maliha bowed her head, “Master, we were just checking if the windows were closed against the storm. Go to your room; I’ll bring you some warm milk.” Ariyan looked at them suspiciously but said nothing. Once he left, Maliha looked at him with strange pity.
Ariyan stood on his balcony watching the fog rise, as if to swallow the building. He heard footsteps and turned to see Nihira in white, looking like a phantom in the dim light. “I can’t sleep,” Ariyan sighed. “Nihira, this house… I don’t recognize myself anymore. When I look in the mirror, my eyes feel like they belong to a stranger. Are you hiding something?” Nihira stood beside him, her hand ice-cold. “There is nothing to hide, Brother. The time just hasn't come yet. When Mom and Dad left, they gave me the responsibility to protect you. I know you think you should protect me, but in this world, the rules are reversed.”
Ariyan said, “You’ve done enough. No more.” Nihira looked at his chest wound and whispered, “Incomplete means a part of your soul is still trapped somewhere in this house. The day it returns to your body, you will either become a god or a demon. I just want you to remain my brother.” To break the heavy mood, Ariyan tried to joke, “Nihira, you’re getting old. I see wrinkles on your forehead. How long will you be my guard? Find a groom and get settled!” Nihira was shocked, “What? Wrinkles? I’m not getting married because of you!”
Ariyan laughed and messed up her hair, but his eyes were sad. “Seriously, you live your life for my diet charts and my wounds. I want you to be free, Nihira. To go to a coffee shop, to have a life of your own. Don't waste your youth for me.” Nihira smiled faintly, “Brother, seeing you healthy is my greatest joy. I have no one else.”
Suddenly, the atmosphere shattered. The glass windows rattled under immense air pressure. A young man named Adrian stepped forward. He was known for 'The Sovereign Glare' and was always neglected as the weakest of the noble families. But today, his eyes burned with an ancient darkness. Nihira stepped in front of Ariyan. “Adrian? You are forbidden from this house!” Adrian gave a chilling smile, “Prohibitions are for the weak. I have joined hands with the shadows.”
He revealed two ‘Optical Axioms’ granted by the Void: The Newtonian Optic, which allowed him to manipulate physics (gravity, friction) within his sight, and the Protean Optic, which allowed him to transmute matter instantly. Nihira realized he was now a major threat as he already possessed the Axiom of Control.
Nihira stood tall, her eyes reflecting the thrill of battle. “Adrian, I thought you were just power-hungry, but you’ve become an artist of destruction.” Adrian waved his hand, turning a marble table into smoke and then into thousands of glass needles floating in the air. “I didn't come for revenge, Nihira. I came to prove that the weakest blood can shake the greatest throne.” Nihira smiled, “If you want to prove yourself, not in this house. This building holds the memories of our ancestors. We will fight under the open sky.”
Adrian dimmed his aura. “Fine. I’ll give you time to prepare. I don’t want anyone saying I caught you at your weakest.” He vanished like a ghost. Nihira looked at Ariyan with a pale smile. “Brother, tonight might be the last quiet night in this house. Tomorrow's sunrise may bring a new world.” Ariyan looked out the window. His wound wasn't burning anymore; instead, a cold sensation gripped him. He knew this fight wasn't just between Adrian and Nihira—the shadows would eventually drag him into his inevitable destiny.
