Aamir stood inside the echoing temple chamber, rubbing his back and glaring slightly at the man who had so easily turned him into a mop an hour ago.
"So…" he finally said, exhaling slowly. "How exactly am I supposed to get out of this place?"
Vaibhav leaned lazily against one of the cracked stone pillars. The soft rays of golden light from the broken ceiling bathed his shirtless figure, casting strange shadows across the floor. He glanced at Aamir and pushed off the pillar.
"There is an exit," Vaibhav said calmly. "But it's being guarded."
"By who?" Aamir asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Not a who. A what. A beast." Vaibhav started walking toward the wide-open temple archway. "One that's far stronger than anything you've fought so far."
"And let me guess…" Aamir muttered. "I have to defeat it if I want to leave."
Vaibhav smirked without looking back. "Bingo. But don't worry. You're not ready yet. That's why we're going to change that."
