Mumbai Burns
Borivali's night sky glowed crimson.
Scarlet flames still rose from the bunker, but now another light joined them—molten aura, dripping like rivers of fire as Kaalrath spread his wings across the city.
His laughter thundered through the streets, cracking glass windows.
"Two hundred years… and humanity still hides in holes like rats. Tonight, Mumbai burns."
---
The First Clash
Li Wei rose calmly from the shattered bunker, Soul aura threads unfurling around him like constellations in the sky. Each step he took carried weightless grace, but the air trembled as if mountains shifted beneath his feet.
Kaalrath lunged, claw striking downward like a falling tower.
"Soul Veil."
Li Wei lifted a hand, pale threads weaving into a translucent shield. The claw slammed into it, sparks flying. The ground cracked, cars flipped, nearby buildings quaked—but the barrier held.
Rehan shielded the bunker families, aura blazing gold as he pushed them toward safer alleys. "Move! Don't stop running!"
Ishita stood beside him, Scarlet wings folded close, her aura trembling but steady. For the first time, her fire didn't lash wildly—it coiled protectively around fleeing civilians, melting falling debris before it crushed them.
Her voice was hoarse, but steady. "Go. I won't let them touch you."
---
The Streets Ignite
Kaalrath swung his wings wide. A storm of molten embers erupted, raining down upon the streets.
Entire buildings caught fire instantly, balconies crumbling into ash. Cars exploded in flames.
"Witness despair!" he roared.
But Li Wei was already moving. Soul threads shot outward, wrapping around embers mid-air, redirecting them harmlessly into the sea. His calm voice carried even through chaos:
"Your despair ends here, demon."
Kaalrath snarled, molten cracks glowing brighter. "You speak of ends? I am the fire that outlasts centuries!"
He slammed his fists into the ground. Lava fissures ripped through the road, devouring everything in their path. Shops collapsed, streetlights bent, screams filled the night.
Li Wei leapt into the air, threads weaving a glowing platform beneath his feet. He hovered, eyes narrowing.
"Then I will show you what endures longer than fire—memory."
---
Rehan & Ishita
Down below, Rehan caught a falling child in his arms, shielding him as another fissure split the ground. Golden aura surged through his fists as he punched the collapsing road, forming a makeshift barrier of stone and light.
"Stay with me!" he shouted, guiding survivors into the safer pockets where Ishita's Scarlet aura formed protective barriers.
Ishita's teeth clenched, tears burning her eyes, but her hands didn't waver. Scarlet flames arched above families, melting debris into harmless ash before it struck them.
For every life she saved, a whisper echoed in her heart: Mom… Dad… maybe I couldn't save you. But I will save them.
---
Kaalrath Unleashed
Above, Kaalrath roared. His molten aura condensed, cracks across his skin glowing like rivers of magma.
"This city shall be my pyre!"
He clasped his claws together, aura surging violently. From his core, a massive orb of molten energy formed, swelling larger than the apartment blocks below.
Rehan's eyes widened. "If that drops—Borivali's gone."
Li Wei floated higher, Soul threads coiling tighter around him. His voice was soft, but resolute.
"Then it will not drop."
He extended his hands.
"Soul Bind."
Thousands of threads surged upward, weaving a massive net of light. It spread across the night sky, catching the molten orb as it fell. The impact sent shockwaves through the city—glass shattered for kilometers, but the net held.
Kaalrath laughed, pressing harder. "You cannot hold it forever, Soul relic!"
Li Wei's face tightened. Sweat gleamed at his brow. "I don't need forever. I need long enough to end you."
---
The Turning Point
The orb fractured, molten shards exploding across the streets. Rehan and Ishita shielded the civilians with everything they had, aura colliding with fire.
When the smoke cleared, Li Wei still stood in the sky, threads blazing, but his breathing was heavier.
Kaalrath grinned. "You tire. Good. Now burn with them!"
His body cracked further, revealing deeper magma within. He spread his wings wide, drawing the flames of the city into himself. His aura swelled, growing hotter, brighter—like a volcano ready to erupt.
Rehan whispered, teeth clenched, "He's only been using half his power…"
Ishita's eyes widened, her Scarlet aura trembling. "Then what happens when he uses it all?"
Kaalrath's laughter rolled across the city, molten eyes burning.
"Now, mortals… you face the true fire of Kaalrath, the Scorched General!"
The entire skyline glowed as his full power began to awaken.