Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Indra's Wrath
Indra stood sideways, his colossal elemental form stretching as vast as the sky. Blue lightning coiled around him like serpents, crackling with divine energy. His Sahsrakavacha gleamed brilliantly, radiating a light that seemed to illuminate the sky. At this moment, he appeared as a furious giant who shall crush all who opposed him.
His eyes, blazing like twin suns, burned with an intensity that could pierce through any shadow. His presence was as immovable as a mountain, exuding an aura of overwhelming dominance.
In his immense hand, he held the divine bow, its bowstring shimmering like a rainbow across the skies. With a steady motion, Indra drew back the string, the tension crackling with raw energy.
Whoosh!
A thunderbolt of light burst forth, slicing through the air with terrifying speed.
The blue lightning streaked past the edge of Makara, narrowly missing the divine beast. The sheer force of the bolt caused Varuna and Makara to freeze in terror. Both trembled, momentarily stunned by the devastating power that had just been unleashed.
The pursuing Asura general halted in his tracks, his expression shifting from rage to alarm. His grip tightened on the scimitar in his hand—a weapon forged by the legendary Asura craftsman Maya, imbued with waves of divine power. With a defiant roar, he swung the scimitar downward.
The blade gleamed, radiating a galaxy-like cascade of light as its power surged forward in a torrent of destruction.
Boom!
Indra's arrow struck with perfect precision. The thunderbolt tore through the void, meeting the scimitar mid-swing. The weapon shattered into countless shards, each fragment glowing with remnants of divine energy.
The fragments shot backward, embedding themselves in the Asura general's chest with explosive force.
A blinding thunderstorm erupted from the impact. Lightning surged outward like a swarm of furious serpents, writhing and striking with relentless fury. The electric Naga coiled around the Asura's form, biting deep into his flesh.
In an instant, his chest was ripped apart. Flesh and blood erupted violently, scattering in all directions. A gaping, smoldering wound now marred his once-imposing figure.
"Ahhhhhhh!"
The Asura let out an earth-shaking scream as his body twisted in agony. In his desperation, he revealed his true form—a massive, grotesque giant with three heads, ten arms, and a serpentine tail. Yet even in this monstrous shape, a gaping hole remained in his chest, leaking divine ichor.
With a swift motion, the Asura turned and fled, his serpentine tail undulating wildly as he retreated into the distance.
Indra tilted his head slightly, a mix of amusement and disdain flickering across his expression.
"It didn't die in one shot?" he mused aloud, his voice laced with both awe and irritation. "This Asura is quite capable."
Yet his sharp gaze never wavered. Indra raised the divine bow again, drawing another arrow with ease.
Boom!
This time, the thunderbolt struck its mark with absolute finality.
All three heads of the Asura exploded simultaneously, bursting into countless fragments. The sky was filled with a cascade of blazing light as the remnants of his form were obliterated.
The battlefield fell silent, the Asura's monstrous figure reduced to nothing but ashes scattered by the winds.
Varuna quivered slightly, his face shifting from alarm to astonishment. He quickly clamped his legs together, urging his mount, Makara, forward. The divine beast, swift as lightning, charged toward Indra.
"Indra! My good brother, the commander of the Devas, I'm glad you're here!" Varuna called, his voice laced with a hint of fear as his gaze darted around, searching for any sign of danger.
Indra, standing with an air of supreme calmness, observed the space behind Varuna and asked, his voice steady yet tinged with suspicion, "Where is Surya? Didn't he retreat?"
Indra's eyes had witnessed Surya retreating from the battlefield with his gaze, and now, it troubled him to see his absence.
"He should have gone to the Kshira Sagara to find Lord Vishnu," Varuna answered quickly, his expression grim. "Vayu and Agni have both fallen into the hands of the Asura."
As he spoke, Varuna's face darkened, a sudden realization flashing in his eyes. "Many Asuras have already reached Svarga, what should we do?"
Indra frowned deeply. He grasped his divine bow with practiced ease and extended his senses, scanning the entire realm of Svarga.
The divine light of Svarga illuminated everything, its vastness stretching far and wide, reflecting in Indra's focused eyes. The clouds shifted lazily overhead, the essence of all things visible. But something was amiss. Not only were Asuras here, but a surge of "foreign objects"—likely enemies—had begun appearing, converging upon their position.
He exhaled slowly, assessing the dire situation. "You move Amravati City to Brahma Loka, and I will handle the rest."
Indra took a step forward, his eyes narrowed in determination. With his back to Varuna, his presence was all-consuming. His power radiated as he prepared for the battle ahead.
Varuna looked around, bewildered. In the vast expanse of Svarga, only the massive Amravati City remained—every other city and palace had vanished.
"Brahma Loka?!"
The realization struck him like a thunderbolt. Indra had already thought of an escape route.
Varuna's eyes brightened, his anxiety easing into understanding. "I understand now!"
Nodding rapidly, he called to his mount, Makara, and urged it toward Amravati City, moving swiftly to carry out his part of the plan.
Meanwhile, Indra stood still, his eyes gazing into the horizon. With a calm, measured motion, he raised his divine bow and pointed it toward the heavens.
In that instant, he drew the bowstring back, and the full moon-shaped string crackled with blue lightning. The electric energy coiled around it, transforming into dozens of lightning arrows.
Whoosh!
With a thunderous release, the arrows shot into the sky, their streaks of blue light like bolts from the gods themselves.
The Svarga shuddered, as the Asuras, already swarming in, rushed forward with unrelenting fury. Their numbers surged like a tidal wave, and leading the charge were the fearsome Asura generals, Nishumbha and Shumbha.
The battle was about to begin.
Nishumbha had wild black hair, his form was encased in dark armor that seemed to pulse with primal energy. His body was massive and sturdy, exuding a raw, ancient power like a beast unleashed from the depths of time.
Shumbha, on the other hand, had piercing blue eyes that glinted coldly, his lean frame deceptively powerful. In his hand, he gripped a crescent-shaped sword, its sharp edge gleaming ominously in the light.
"Is this Svarga?" Nishumbha muttered, his voice rough as he gazed around in awe.
"It's vast... far more spacious than I imagined," he added, scanning the endless expanse. His eyes widened as he took in the sight of the empty, rolling sea of clouds.
"Why is there nothing but clouds?" Nishumbha's voice was laced with confusion.
"No!" Shumbha suddenly interrupted, his sharp eyes narrowing. "Over there, a city!" His cold tone carried the weight of realization. "They've all run away, but there's still one city left. We'll go there!"
Nishumbha's lips twisted into a grin as he laughed heartily. "The Devas are nothing but cowards. It's good they've fled. This place is ours now!" His voice boomed, filling the space with mocking amusement.
The entire Asura legions joined in, their laughter echoing ominously through the clouds, adding to the growing darkness.
Boom!
Suddenly, the sky above the horizon exploded with a brilliant blue light. A pillar of radiant energy shot into the heavens, casting everything in Svarga into chaos. The serene white clouds instantly darkened, turning into ominous black masses, swallowing the light and plunging the realm into shadow.
Varuna, standing beside Amravati City, turned his gaze upward. His eyes filled with awe as he clasped his hands together, bowing deeply.
"Everything else is up to you Indra!" he chanted reverently.
As the black clouds rolled in, they devoured the light, slowly erasing the Asuras' shadows as they fell into the consuming darkness. The sea of clouds trembled violently, and in the distance, the air crackled with energy.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Thunder rumbled through Svarga, shaking the very foundations of the realm. Lightning tore through the void, and endless bolts of thunder cascaded from the sky like torrents of rain. The air was thick with the sizzling heat of divine power.
Each bolt of lightning struck down, exploding upon impact, tearing into the Asuras with terrifying force. Thunderous Nagas—serpentine beings made of pure lightning—danced in the air, their bodies flashing like streaks of light, amplifying the chaos. The Asuras screamed in pain, their bodies consumed by the relentless bolts of thunder.
Screams echoed through the clouds, the sounds of Asuras scrambling to escape the storm of destruction.
"Scatter, you fools! Get out of here before we're all dead!"
"No! Don't leave me here! Someone, help me!"
"Please, I throw down my weapon! Have mercy!"
The Asura legions fell into disarray as they were blasted apart by the divine fury raining down from the heavens, their pleas drowned out by the thunder that echoed through the very heart of Svarga.
Accompanied by screams of agony and terror, more than half of the Asura legions were obliterated in an instant. The remaining ones, paralyzed with fear and unable to flee, were left helpless in the wake of the storm.
"Ah!!!"
In an instant of carelessness, Shumba's thigh was struck by a massive bolt of thunder. The flesh blackened and began to smoke, the smell of burnt meat filling the air. The destructive power of the lightning coursed through his body, searing him from the inside out.
Uh-huh!
With quick reflexes, Shumbha swung his scimitar, severing the blackened flesh from his mount. His heart raced as he realized the intensity of the assault.
"It's the King of Svarga!" Shumbha exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief.
He had not expected Indra, the King of Svarga, to remain in Svarga while the Asuras ransacked it.
"I will block these arrows!" Nishumbha's eyes glowed with renewed vigor. "I have the blessing of invulnerability! Let's kill him together!"
A deep, rumbling roar escaped Nishumbha's throat as he struck his chest with both fists. His body expanded in size, turning into a massive beast that blotted out the sky and sun. Lightning arrows rained down upon him, but they seemed to have no effect, dissipating harmlessly against his indomitable form.
Shumbha, seeing this, quickly darted behind Nishumbha for cover, following closely as they charged forward.
In the distance, Indra stood, eyes narrowing as he observed the charging Nishumbha. He tilted his head slightly, a faint flicker of interest in his eyes.
"Is that so?" Indra's voice was cold and deliberate as his gaze lingered on the approaching beast. Blessing? A dangerous thought crossed his mind.
A flicker of light sparked in Indra's eyes. Without hesitation, he pulled his divine bow once more, releasing a volley of arrows. Rolling black clouds descended again, heavier and darker than before. Thunder and lightning crackled through the air, and arrows of pure divine energy sped toward the massive beast.
The lightning rained down upon Nishumbha's form, but it was as if the arrows were mere droplets in a storm. The power of Nishumbha'sinvulnerabilityy shielded him, and the bolts dissipated without even leaving a mark.
"No Astra and Shastra, Dev, Asur, or men can kill me!" Nishumbha roared triumphantly, his voice booming across the battlefield. "You can't defeat me, Indra!"
His voice echoed through the clouds, filled with maddening confidence as he prepared for the next move in this divine confrontation.
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