Chapter 5: The Betrayal in the Dungeon

Shubhu jolted awake, his body tense and covered in sweat. The nightmare had returned—the vivid memory of his experiment that had almost destroyed two worlds. He sat there, legs folded, staring at his hands. How had everything gone so wrong? The merging of Earth and Satal, the devastation, and now the journey through the dungeons to survive. He knew he couldn't dwell on the past too long. Today was another day to move forward.

With new companions by his side—Ansh, heir of the God of Ponds; Kavi, heir of the God of Knives; and Siya, heir of the Goddess of Fire—Shubhu prepared to enter the dungeon's boss room. They had fought through waves of monsters together, and their teamwork had carried them this far. Along with them was Karan, a mid-tier god heir, who had led the group. He was someone they all trusted—until now.

As they stood before the massive doors of the boss chamber, Karan handed out small vials to each of them. "Drink these," he said smoothly. "You'll need your strength for the final battle."

Without thinking, Ansh, Kavi, and Siya drank the potions, trusting Karan's guidance. Shubhu, though, felt a strange unease. Something didn't sit right with him, but he hesitated only for a moment before drinking his own potion.

Within seconds, his companions began to sway and, one by one, collapsed to the floor.

Shubhu, however, remained standing.

Karan's smile grew wider, more sinister, as he noticed. "Interesting," he said, taking a step toward Shubhu. "It seems the potion had no effect on you."

"What… what did you do?" Shubhu demanded, his heart pounding. His gaze darted toward his unconscious friends.

"These potions sever the connection to the gods," Karan replied, his voice cold and confident. "Once that bond is broken, their bodies will begin to transform into monsters. Their bloodstones will be harvested to feed the dark gods."

Shubhu's breath hitched. His friends were in danger, and he had to do something—fast. But how?

Karan took another step closer. "But why didn't the potion work on you? Perhaps you're more than you appear to be. Could it be that you're a pawn of the evil gods yourself?"

Shubhu's mind raced. He couldn't let Karan see his panic. He had to buy time, to somehow save Ansh, Kavi, and Siya. Then, an idea flickered in his mind—the spirits. No one, not even Karan or the evil gods, knew about the spirits that had followed Shubhu since the merging of the worlds. These spirits were born from the merging of Earth and Satal, and they were invisible unless Shubhu allowed them to be seen.

Karan continued talking, mocking Shubhu. "What are you, Shiva? You're not affected like the others. Perhaps you have secrets, too."

Shubhu decided to keep Karan talking, using this moment to act. "Karan," Shubhu said calmly, trying to mask his fear, "why are you doing this? We trusted you. You were supposed to help us."

Karan smirked, clearly enjoying the conversation. "Trust? Trust is for fools. Power is all that matters here. These gods you serve are nothing compared to the ones who will rise. Your friends are just the beginning."

As Karan spoke, Shubhu secretly summoned the spirits, directing them toward his unconscious companions. They moved silently and unseen, hovering over Ansh, Kavi, and Siya. Slowly, the spirits began to work, shielding them from the potion's monstrous effects. Shubhu knew he couldn't afford any mistakes—if Karan even suspected something, it would all be over.

Shubhu kept Karan distracted, pushing him further into the conversation. "Power is fleeting. You're just a pawn to the evil gods yourself, aren't you?" Shubhu said, baiting Karan.

Karan's eyes flashed with anger, but he quickly masked it with a cold smile. "You talk as if you understand the nature of gods, but you know nothing, Shiva. Soon, you'll see."

Shubhu continued stalling while the spirits worked tirelessly. He could sense that Ansh, Kavi, and Siya were starting to regain consciousness, their connection to their gods being slowly restored by the spirits. But Karan wasn't done yet.

"I was wrong about you," Karan said, pacing. "You're not a mere heir. There's something more to you, isn't there? Are you a god yourself? No… you can't be. The gods fell into slumber after the disaster. Unless… you're something else entirely."

Shubhu clenched his fists. He had to act soon, but he needed his friends to wake up fully. The spirits were almost done restoring their connection, but he had to push Karan just a little longer.

"Maybe you're just afraid," Shubhu said, his voice steady. "Afraid that you're not as powerful as you think."

Karan's face twisted with rage. "I'll show you fear."

At that moment, Ansh stirred, followed by Kavi and Siya. Their eyes fluttered open, and they slowly sat up, confusion giving way to realization.

Karan's eyes narrowed as he noticed them waking. "No… this can't be!" He raised his hand, summoning a dark, swirling energy. "I'll end this now!"

But before Karan could attack, Ansh's eyes flashed with renewed power. He summoned water from the air, wrapping it around Karan's legs like chains. Kavi, now fully awake, conjured a flurry of knives, sending them flying into Karan's torso. Siya's hands ignited with flames, and she unleashed a torrent of fire toward Karan's body, engulfing him in a blazing inferno.

For a moment, it seemed like they had won. Karan's body fell to the ground, motionless, consumed by the flames.

But then, from within the fire, a dark laugh echoed through the dungeon.

"You really thought that would be enough?" Karan's voice was low, dangerous. He stood up, his body charred but regenerating quickly. "You low-tier heirs think you can defeat me? I'll show you true power."

Karan raised his hands, summoning a wave of dark energy that blasted toward the group. Shubhu and his friends braced themselves as the force hit them, knocking them off their feet.

Karan marched forward, his eyes glowing with fury. "Now, Shiva, it's your turn. You can't hide your true self any longer."

Shubhu, panting and bruised, struggled to his feet. His spirits buzzed around him, feeding him strength, but it wasn't enough to defeat Karan. He needed more time, more power—but then something deep within him stirred.

Shubhu's vision blurred as his eyes began to glow with an ethereal light. Time itself slowed around him, Karan's movements becoming sluggish and disjointed. It's happening again, Shubhu thought, his mind struggling to control the sudden surge of power.

Karan froze in place, his expression turning from anger to shock. "What… what is this?"

Shubhu, feeling the weight of his hidden abilities, concentrated on the time around Karan. Slowly, Karan's body began to age, his once youthful skin wrinkling, his strength fading as the years took their toll.

But just as Shubhu was about to deal the final blow, he felt a sharp pain in his head. Blood trickled from his nose, and his vision dimmed. The strain of using his time powers was too much.

Karan, panting and weakened, staggered back to his feet. "You… you almost had me," he hissed, his voice trembling with fury. "But now, I'll make you pay."

Before Karan could strike, Ansh, Kavi, and Siya, now fully recovered, launched a combined attack. Ansh's water constricted around Karan's arms, Kavi's knives buried deep into his chest, and Siya's flames roared as they consumed him.

But instead of fighting back, Karan looked at Shubhu one last time and smirked. "This isn't over, Shiva. We will meet again."

With that, Karan vanished into the shadows, leaving behind only the echoes of his laughter.

Shubhu collapsed to the ground, exhausted but alive. Ansh rushed over to him, offering a healing potion. "Shiva, you saved us. Without you, we wouldn't have survived."

The group made their way back to the guild, their hearts heavy but grateful to be alive. Once they arrived, they recounted everything to Rekha, the guild assistant, who apologized for Karan's betrayal and offered compensation in the form of rare guild passes, valid for a month.

As Shubhu returned to his room, he couldn't shake the feeling that Karan knew more about him than anyone should. Who was he really? And why had Karan called him "Shiva"?

The answers would come, but for now, Shubhu knew one thing for certain—this fight was only the beginning.