Against The Eternity Chapter 47: [46] Chapter - 22: The Awakening Within

Read chapter 47 of Against The Eternity by Phoenixfly_steller on NovelPedia.

[46] Chapter - 22: The Awakening Within Aashi ran through the corridor with her breath caught in her chest, her steps quick and unsteady as Ishant’s panicked voice echoed earlier, telling her their son had collapsed. The moment she pushed open the door, her gaze fell on Anshvi sitting by Eklavya’s side, holding his limp hand tightly. For the briefest heartbeat, a fond smirk touched Aashi’s lips, the kind that came naturally whenever she saw the girl who had unknowingly become dear to her over the years. But that expression shattered almost instantly when her eyes locked onto Eklavya’s unconscious body. His face was ghastly pale, his chest rising with shallow, weakening breaths, and the huge but unstable ki rippling under his skin, made her heart drop into a pit of dread. She hurried to the bedside, her voice trembling as she knelt beside him. “Why is he like this? And his breath… Why is it so weak?” Her words broke apart, trembling with fear and disbelief as she touched his cheek with shaking fingers. Anshvi tried to form an answer, but the moment she looked at Aashi’s tear-brimmed eyes, something inside her crumbled. Instead of speaking, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms tightly around Aashi, burying her face in her shoulder. Aashi stiffened in surprise—this girl rarely initiated closeness, always polite, laughing whenever she talked to her and composed—but now she clung desperately, like a terrified child seeking the only comfort she trusted. Aashi slowly raised her hands and embraced her, patting her back gently as though soothing a daughter. “It’s alright,” she whispered, though she didn’t fully believe her own words. “He will be fine.” The atmosphere in the room was heavy with fear and uncertainty, and even as she held Anshvi, Aashi’s eyes kept drifting back to her son. His ki pulsed beneath his skin, unstable and growing stronger in sharp, erratic bursts. It was unnatural—his life force weakening while his ki rose uncontrollably. The scene unsettled Aashi deeply, stirring memories as she saw Anshvi like this. … It had been four years since the day she first met Anshvi, a day painted in chaos and blood. The Nile Mountain Range had been volatile then, its beast population swelling so suddenly that multiple clans joined forces to cull the threat. The Rudra Clan had been among them, led by Ishant. Eklavya had insisted on joining the hunt despite being only twelve, standing proudly at his father’s side with the naive eagerness of a boy who wanted to prove himself. Ishant brought him along to show him the ways of the wild, how cultivators confronted danger and how life in their world demanded strength. Eklavya was still in the Sacral Chakra Opening Stage back then but he carried his sword tightly, eyes wide with curiosity and anxiety. The group moved cautiously through the dense forest, every step deliberate, every sense sharpened, but even their heightened vigilance could not prevent the inevitable. A deep rumble spread through the woods, shaking leaves loose from the branches. The air thickened with killing intent. Beasts emerged from every direction, creating a crescent wall of fur, fangs, and bloodlust. Three-tier beasts formed the bulk of the horde with glistening claws and snarling jaws, and behind them stood a massive fourth-tier monster with dark crimson scales that reflected the dim sunlight. For a moment, the entire forest seemed to hold its breath. Ishant’s voice barked commands instantly, and the warriors of the clan formed a defensive formation around their young master. The clash began with a deafening roar. Steel met claws, ki met muscle, and the ground shook as men and beasts fought in a frenzy of survival. Even the seasoned warriors were pushed to their limits by the relentless waves, their formation tightening little by little. Ishant fought fiercely, one arm always angled protectively toward Eklavya, who stood trembling in the center, gripping his sword with whitening knuckles. But the fourth-tier beas