In Kailasha
The boundless Akasha stretched infinitely, its vast expanse shimmering with divine radiance. The Trimurti, Tridevi, Rishi, and Munis stood in silent witness as the great game unfolded below.
Mahadeva sat motionless, his expression unchanging, yet the air around him pulsed with a presence that could shake creation. His Trishul rested in his grasp. Though his face remained serene, a faint, almost imperceptible smile flickered at the corner of his lips as he observed Indra using his boon masterfully against Haygriva.
Beside him, Vishnu watched, his lotus-eyes glinting with quiet amusement. His smile was not of surprise, nor curiosity, but of absolute control, as though every move had already been foreseen. His four arms moved in slow, rhythmic precision, and within them, the Sudarshana Chakra spun effortlessly, its golden glow casting ripples through the fabric of existence.
Yes, this was how it should be.
When faced with overwhelming force, sometimes the only answer… was to overturn the table.
But of course, no one could overturn it for Mahadeva or Narayana.
And Shakti? She was the force that overturned the table because she is the force behind all change.
In Satyaloka
"He certainly knows how to turn the tide," Devi Saraswati mused, her melodious voice carrying a note of admiration. A delicate smile adorned her youthful face, her eyes shimmering with divine wisdom.
Brahma, seated upon his lotus throne, nodded slightly. From his very being, waves of Tapas-Shakti radiated outward, sanctifying the boundless realm of Brahmaloka, making it even more resplendent.
And yet…
Could Indra truly outwit Hayagriva's boon, granted by the cosmic decree?
Brahma's brows furrowed, a shadow of concern flitting across his usually tranquil features. The very wording of Mahadevi's boon had made Hayagriva nearly invincible—Ajeya (unconquerable) and Avadhya (unkillable) except by one of equal nature and similar to him.
Not only that…
Hayagriva's power was twofold, rooted in the blessings of both as the King of Svargaloka and Pātālaloka. As an Asura, his endurance was beyond mortal comprehension, bolstered by the very realms of merits and pleasure & Rajas, and Tamas.
This battle would not be easy. If Indra faltered, Narayana would be forced to intervene.
But there was something more.
Madhu and Kaitabha.
Born from the remnants of Vishnu's Yoganidra, these two Daityas, manifestations of his tamasic energy, were no weaker than Hayagriva. Their very nature disrupted the cosmic balance, distorting Dharma itself. Deep within Rasātala, their tapasya ascended ceaselessly, bringing them ever closer to divine perfection, which even gave them the confidence to challenge The Preserver.
Brahma exhaled slowly, his divine gaze piercing through the vast layers of existence, shifting toward Amarāvati, the celestial capital of Svarga.
There, far beyond the clouds of Somagandharva's melodies, battle was about to erupt.
"Hurry, Indra," he murmured.
The skies of Triloka trembled in anticipation.
...
From the skies, countless black embers rained down like dying fireflies in the heart of a summer night—flickering for a moment before vanishing into the vast, starry abyss.
Indra exhaled sharply, a wild grin spreading across his face.
"I never thought I'd see the day when I could overpower others with boons from Trimurti!"
"This is incredible!"
His heart pounded with exhilaration. His arms, sanctified by Lord Shiva himself, carried an unshakable divine power. As long as his will remained firm, no weapon in existence could withstand his grip.
Proof of this lay before him, the once-indestructible battle axe of his enemy, reduced to nothing more than dust. Real dust.
Indra clenched his fist. The sensation of absolute power surged through him.
"Impossible..." His voice wavered, caught between rage and disbelief.
His crimson eyes widened as he stared at the space where his weapon had once been. This wasn't just any weapon, it was forged by Mayasura himself, crafted from the essence of conquest after he had laid claim to both Svarga and Pātāla. A blade meant to sunder gods, now reduced to nothing.
"No... this can't be..." Hayagriva took a staggering step back, his breath ragged. "How could my attack be... worthless?!"
His voice wavered, and for the first time, doubt seeped into his once-unshakable confidence. His hooves scraped against the trembling ground as he retreated further, his eyes locked onto Indra as though staring at a monster.
Behind him, the Asura generals, once brimming with warlust, hesitated. Their hands trembled around their enchanted weapons, uncertainty clouding their expressions.
Should they charge forward? Or retreat?
A storm of thoughts raged in Hayagriva's mind, his pupils contracting.
"A blessing... It has to be a boon from at least one of the Trimurti!"
Hayagriva's teeth ground together, his breath ragged as he muttered, his mind racing.
"I possess the blessing of invulnerability... I am invincible! I will face Indra myself!"
His crimson eyes burned with fury as he whipped his head around, his gaze locking onto his forces.
"Shumbha! Take the others and seize the Devas!"
There was no hesitation—no room for doubt. Without waiting for a response, he surged forward, his massive frame shaking the battlefield with every thunderous step.
BOOM!
As his hooves struck the ground, the power of Svarga and the earth entwined, blessing him in return.
Volcanoes erupted. Tsunamis raged. The very planet trembled under his fury.
RUMBLE!
Both devas and Asuras took to the skies, their figures turning into radiant streaks of light as they fled from the cataclysm.
Swish! Swish!
Indra moved, leaping into the air with supernatural grace. He raised his right hand, divine light pooling into his palm, forging a weapon of overwhelming power.
The Vajra.
The diamond pestle gleamed like crystal, its jagged edges resembling a fusion of a hammer and a staff, its ends ringed with divine markings.
Lightning crackled violently across its surface, the very air quivering from its sheer intensity. Thunder rumbled in response, rippling through the heavens in dazzling flashes.
And then, Indra's will surged through the weapon, binding it to his command.
The Sahasra Kavacha flared to life, radiating divine brilliance.
At that moment, the essence of Halahala—the blue-green poison of cosmic destruction—coiled around the vajra like a living entity, flowing alongside the lightning.
The venom and lightning entwined like twin Naga, their bodies slithering and twisting, their fangs dripping with annihilation.
Indra's grip tightened. He swung the vajra.
CRACK!
The air screamed as the divine weapon tore through the sky, descending upon Hayagriva with the force of celestial judgment.
BANG!
The vajra struck true, slamming into Hayagriva's forehead. The impact shattered his mighty mane, sending divine sparks and remnants of fur flying.
At the same time—
BOOM!
Hayagriva's fist, charged with unrestrained power, crashed into Indra's chest.
The vacuum itself fractured. For a single, frozen moment, time seemed to halt.
And then. Indra exploded into light, his body sent hurtling backward at impossible speed.
"AAAAHHHH… IT BURNS! It burns!!!"
His voice cracked, raw with agony. Clutching his head, his fingers dug into his skull as though trying to rip the pain away. His breath came in ragged gasps, his body trembling violently.
"This… this is impossible!" he rasped, his crimson eyes wide with disbelief. "What… what have you done to me?!"
His knees buckled, his vision blurred by searing pain. "No… NO! I AM HAYAGRIVA! I CANNOT BE HARMED LIKE THIS!"
His divine boon granted him invulnerability—no wound could mar his body, no force could truly harm him. Unless an existence identical to his own appeared in this world, he could neither be injured nor slain.
And yet—!
There was no wound, no gaping injury. But the pain was real. Unbearable.
"Is this… Halahala?!"
Now he understood. No wonder neither Hiranyaksha nor Hiranyakashipu could resist the agony!
Still clutching his head, Hayagriva let out a pained hum. He had long since read of the world-corrupting poison stirred up from the churning Kshira Sagara.
Halahala—!
A venom so potent it burned even Lord Shiva's throat blue. A poison so insidious it had seeped into Indra's divine armor itself.
He just never expected it to hurt this much! And he didn't want to go through that again!
"AGHH…! H-Halahala?!" Hayagriva's voice wavered between agony and rage, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. His entire body tensed, the searing pain latching onto him like a venomous serpent.
His crimson eyes flared with fury as he glared at Indra, his teeth grinding audibly. "You insidious bastard…! Using the very poison that devours existence itself—not to seal it, but to weaponize it?!"
He staggered back, his fingers clawing at his skin as if trying to rid himself of the unseen torment. "Cunning filth! You dare drape yourself in the essence of destruction—just to turn every touch into suffering?!"
His nostrils flared, his breath sharp and uneven. "You would twist even death itself into a shield, just to lay waste to your enemies!" His voice dripped with venomous hatred, but beneath it, a flicker of something else—wariness, perhaps even fear.
A flicker of divine light ignited in his palm. With a sharp snap, a massive black bow materialized in his grip. He pulled the bowstring taut, summoning an arrow of roaring flame, its tip burning like a star. His eyes locked onto Indra, now tumbling through the distant sky.
No more close combat.
He would shoot Indra to death from afar.
Meanwhile…
Indra's body was still hurtling through the cosmos.
"Oof…"
His arms spread wide, his body weightless as he gazed up at the stars, their lights streaking past him like falling comets.
"That punch… damn…"
"That was exhilarating."
Sucking in a deep breath, he pressed a hand against his chest, feeling the lingering ache beneath his fingertips. Divine chakra surged through his body, chakra igniting as it mended the damage from Hayagriva's devastating blow.
Indra exhaled sharply. He had to admit it.
With the combined blessings of Svarga and the Patalaloka, Hayagriva's strength had reached terrifying heights. His raw power, amplified both by divine numerics and celestial mechanisms, had exceeded Indra's expectations.
Right now—right now—he couldn't afford a direct clash.
Time to switch tactics.
Time for a bow and arrow!
BOOM!
A pulse of divine energy rippled through the void as Indra suddenly righted himself, his body snapping into position.
He stretched out his hands.
In a brilliant burst of multicolored radiance, Indradanush materialized within his grasp, its seven-colored brilliance illuminating the starry battlefield.
His fingers pulled back the bowstring, divine energy condensing into an arrow of pure celestial might.
"Vajra-Shakti!"
In that instant, both warriors released their shots—
Flaming death streaked across the Svarga.
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