Shambhrājiṇī floated before them like a living nightmare. Her pale gray skin glowed with red veins that pulsed like magma beneath cracked stone. Her left eye spun slowly in black and silver spirals, hypnotic and dangerous. Her right eye was worse — a hollow pool of shifting darkness that threatened to pull anyone who looked too long into madness.Shambhrājiṇī floated before them like a living nightmare. Her pale gray skin glowed with red veins that pulsed like magma beneath cracked stone. Her left eye spun slowly in black and silver spirals, hypnotic and dangerous. Her right eye was worse — a hollow pool of shifting darkness that threatened to pull anyone who looked too long into madness.
Kael forced himself to breathe slowly. Beside him, Lirael whispered without moving her lips. "Don't stare at her eyes. Stay focused."Kael forced himself to breathe slowly. Beside him, Lirael whispered without moving her lips. "Don't stare at her eyes. Stay focused."
The phantom's voice cut through the air like ice scraping metal. "You wish to claim command of this ship? Then prove you are worthy." She raised one pale finger, and crimson fog began leaking from her third eye. "First test. An ancient riddle. Answer correctly, and you pass. Fail..." Her smile was cold and cruel. "And you join my collection."The phantom's voice cut through the air like ice scraping metal. "You wish to claim command of this ship? Then prove you are worthy." She raised one pale finger, and crimson fog began leaking from her third eye. "First test. An ancient riddle. Answer correctly, and you pass. Fail..." Her smile was cold and cruel. "And you join my collection."
The fog spread quickly, filling the chamber. Kael felt his head grow heavy, his thoughts slowing like honey dripping in winter. The walls of the ship seemed to shimmer and twist. For a brief moment, he saw visions — a mighty king crumbling to dust, a golden palace collapsing into sand, rivers freezing solid, and green fields buried under ice.The fog spread quickly, filling the chamber. Kael felt his head grow heavy, his thoughts slowing like honey dripping in winter. The walls of the ship seemed to shimmer and twist. For a brief moment, he saw visions — a mighty king crumbling to dust, a golden palace collapsing into sand, rivers freezing solid, and green fields buried under ice.
Shambhrājiṇī began reciting the riddle, her voice echoing from every direction. "I have no hand to hold a crown, no tongue to sing a law. I devour kings and build their tombs, then bow to none at all. I swallow spring and birth the frost, I eat the river's roar. You mark my passage with lines on skin — I was, I am, before. What am I?"Shambhrājiṇī began reciting the riddle, her voice echoing from every direction. "I have no hand to hold a crown, no tongue to sing a law. I devour kings and build their tombs, then bow to none at all. I swallow spring and birth the frost, I eat the river's roar. You mark my passage with lines on skin — I was, I am, before. What am I?"
Kael's mind felt sluggish. He tried to think, but the visions kept pulling at him. Images of empires rising and falling played before his eyes like a movie he couldn't stop watching. His mouth opened, but no words came out.Kael's mind felt sluggish. He tried to think, but the visions kept pulling at him. Images of empires rising and falling played before his eyes like a movie he couldn't stop watching. His mouth opened, but no words came out.
Suddenly, a sharp voice cut through his thoughts. It was Seris, the Veilwalker, speaking directly into his mind. "Kael! Snap out of it! She's using illusion magic to cloud your thinking. Don't watch the images — focus only on the riddle!"Suddenly, a sharp voice cut through his thoughts. It was Seris, the Veilwalker, speaking directly into his mind. "Kael! Snap out of it! She's using illusion magic to cloud your thinking. Don't watch the images — focus only on the riddle!"
Kael shook his head hard. He tore his gaze away from Shambhrājiṇī's spinning eye and looked down at the metal floor instead. His breathing steadied. The fog was still there, pressing on his thoughts, but weaker now. He started breaking down the riddle piece by piece.Kael shook his head hard. He tore his gaze away from Shambhrājiṇī's spinning eye and looked down at the metal floor instead. His breathing steadied. The fog was still there, pressing on his thoughts, but weaker now. He started breaking down the riddle piece by piece.
"No hand to hold a crown, no tongue to sing a law," Kael muttered quietly. "It's not a person. But it controls everything.""No hand to hold a crown, no tongue to sing a law," Kael muttered quietly. "It's not a person. But it controls everything."
Lirael glanced at him. "Something that rules without being alive?"Lirael glanced at him. "Something that rules without being alive?"
Kael nodded. "I devour kings and build their tombs. It kills even the strongest rulers. Time does that." He felt his mind clearing further. "I swallow spring and birth the frost. That's seasons changing. Only time does that."Kael nodded. "I devour kings and build their tombs. It kills even the strongest rulers. Time does that." He felt his mind clearing further. "I swallow spring and birth the frost. That's seasons changing. Only time does that."
Lirael's eyes widened slightly. "Keep going."Lirael's eyes widened slightly. "Keep going."
"I eat the river's roar," Kael continued, speaking faster now. "Rivers change over centuries. They dry up, they shift paths. Time erodes everything." He looked up at Shambhrājiṇī, confidence returning to his voice. "You mark my passage with lines on skin. That's wrinkles. Age. And 'I was, I am, before' — past, present, future. It's all time.""I eat the river's roar," Kael continued, speaking faster now. "Rivers change over centuries. They dry up, they shift paths. Time erodes everything." He looked up at Shambhrājiṇī, confidence returning to his voice. "You mark my passage with lines on skin. That's wrinkles. Age. And 'I was, I am, before' — past, present, future. It's all time."
Before he could say the answer aloud, Shambhrājiṇī's voice exploded through the chamber like thunder. "Time is up! Give me your answer now!"Before he could say the answer aloud, Shambhrājiṇī's voice exploded through the chamber like thunder. "Time is up! Give me your answer now!"
Kael met her gaze without flinching. "Time."Kael met her gaze without flinching. "Time."
The word hung in the air for a long moment. Then the ship's walls pulsed with light. A deep rumbling sound vibrated through the floor, as if the ship itself was confirming his answer. The red fog pulled back, disappearing into Shambhrājiṇī's third eye.The word hung in the air for a long moment. Then the ship's walls pulsed with light. A deep rumbling sound vibrated through the floor, as if the ship itself was confirming his answer. The red fog pulled back, disappearing into Shambhrājiṇī's third eye.
Her expression shifted. The cruel smile softened into something almost like respect. "Correct," she said slowly. "Time — the devourer of kings, the builder of graves, the only sovereign that bows to no one."Her expression shifted. The cruel smile softened into something almost like respect. "Correct," she said slowly. "Time — the devourer of kings, the builder of graves, the only sovereign that bows to no one."
Lirael let out a breath she'd been holding. "That was close."Lirael let out a breath she'd been holding. "That was close."
Shambhrājiṇī's gaze shifted slightly, as if looking at something invisible near Kael. "You did not solve it alone. Someone helped you from the shadows." Her voice was knowing, almost amused. "A hidden watcher, a spirit guide. Clever."Shambhrājiṇī's gaze shifted slightly, as if looking at something invisible near Kael. "You did not solve it alone. Someone helped you from the shadows." Her voice was knowing, almost amused. "A hidden watcher, a spirit guide. Clever."
Inside Kael's mind, Seris spoke quietly. "She senses me. Be careful from here on."Inside Kael's mind, Seris spoke quietly. "She senses me. Be careful from here on."
Lirael stepped forward, her tone sharp and direct. "You asked for an answer. He gave it. What happens now?"Lirael stepped forward, her tone sharp and direct. "You asked for an answer. He gave it. What happens now?"
Shambhrājiṇī waved her hand, and a glowing red screen appeared beside her. Strange symbols and bloodline charts scrolled across it. She studied them like a scholar reading ancient texts. "Your blood is more interesting than I expected," she said, looking at Kael. "You carry the line of Jalandhar — one of the greatest Asura kings ever born."Shambhrājiṇī waved her hand, and a glowing red screen appeared beside her. Strange symbols and bloodline charts scrolled across it. She studied them like a scholar reading ancient texts. "Your blood is more interesting than I expected," she said, looking at Kael. "You carry the line of Jalandhar — one of the greatest Asura kings ever born."
Kael frowned. "Who was Jalandhar?"Kael frowned. "Who was Jalandhar?"
"An emperor of chaos," Shambhrājiṇī replied. "Born from the ocean when Shiva's wrath touched the sea. He was trained by Shukracharya, the immortal teacher of all Asuras. Jalandhar was fierce, unstoppable, a king who challenged even the gods." She paused. "And you carry a fragment of his blood.""An emperor of chaos," Shambhrājiṇī replied. "Born from the ocean when Shiva's wrath touched the sea. He was trained by Shukracharya, the immortal teacher of all Asuras. Jalandhar was fierce, unstoppable, a king who challenged even the gods." She paused. "And you carry a fragment of his blood."
Kael felt the weight of those words settle in his chest. "So I'm his descendant?"Kael felt the weight of those words settle in his chest. "So I'm his descendant?"
"Maybe," Shambhrājiṇī said. "Or maybe something stranger." She pointed to another section of the screen. "There is another possibility. In ancient times, a group of scholars gathered the blood of fallen gods, demons, Asuras, and other powerful beings. They poured it into sacred soil and grew crops from it. Humans who ate those crops absorbed the power of those bloodlines.""Maybe," Shambhrājiṇī said. "Or maybe something stranger." She pointed to another section of the screen. "There is another possibility. In ancient times, a group of scholars gathered the blood of fallen gods, demons, Asuras, and other powerful beings. They poured it into sacred soil and grew crops from it. Humans who ate those crops absorbed the power of those bloodlines."
Kael's eyes narrowed. "Blood crops?"Kael's eyes narrowed. "Blood crops?"
"Yes," Shambhrājiṇī said. "Humans were perfect vessels because they are made from the five elements. They could hold multiple bloodlines without being destroyed. But the scholars were killed before their work was finished — destroyed by a warrior who carried both Asura and Pandava blood.""Yes," Shambhrājiṇī said. "Humans were perfect vessels because they are made from the five elements. They could hold multiple bloodlines without being destroyed. But the scholars were killed before their work was finished — destroyed by a warrior who carried both Asura and Pandava blood."
Lirael crossed her arms. "And you think Kael ate those crops?"Lirael crossed her arms. "And you think Kael ate those crops?"
Shambhrājiṇī smiled darkly. "I think he carries their legacy. Whether by birth or by fate, his blood is a fusion of powers that should not exist together. And yet, here he stands."Shambhrājiṇī smiled darkly. "I think he carries their legacy. Whether by birth or by fate, his blood is a fusion of powers that should not exist together. And yet, here he stands."
Kael clenched his fists. His mind was racing. Every answer brought more questions. "What does that mean for me?"Kael clenched his fists. His mind was racing. Every answer brought more questions. "What does that mean for me?"
Shambhrājiṇī's third eye blinked once. "It means you are dangerous. It means you are valuable. And it means..." She leaned forward slightly, her voice dropping to a whisper. "You will either become something great, or something terrible."Shambhrājiṇī's third eye blinked once. "It means you are dangerous. It means you are valuable. And it means..." She leaned forward slightly, her voice dropping to a whisper. "You will either become something great, or something terrible."
The ship rumbled again. Somewhere deep in the walls, something stirred.The ship rumbled again. Somewhere deep in the walls, something stirred.
Shambhrājiṇī straightened. "The first riddle is passed. But this trial is far from over. Prove yourself further, and perhaps I will grant you command of this ship." Her smile returned, colder than before. "Fail, and I will add you to the souls woven into my gown."Shambhrājiṇī straightened. "The first riddle is passed. But this trial is far from over. Prove yourself further, and perhaps I will grant you command of this ship." Her smile returned, colder than before. "Fail, and I will add you to the souls woven into my gown."
Kael looked at Lirael, then at the turtle demon, who growled low. He turned back to Shambhrājiṇī. "Then bring the next test. I won't lose."Kael looked at Lirael, then at the turtle demon, who growled low. He turned back to Shambhrājiṇī. "Then bring the next test. I won't lose."
The phantom's laughter echoed through the chamber like broken glass.The phantom's laughter echoed through the chamber like broken glass.