Garuda in Brahmastra

The morning sun sprinkled through the thick vegetation of the jungle, illuminating certain patches of the forest floor. The dampness of the soil created a rich aroma, and the calls of the unseen creatures filled the air.Every rustling leaf and twig made it clear that the jungle was action packed, and that they were not alone.

Today is the day we have started our journey for the reclamation of the herb. We were still pretty excited and communicating strategies with each other.

Anuj was in the front with his bow hanging over his shoulder while Dev and Indra walked behind him with their weapons ready. Indra's sword was electrifying while Dev's trident was cracking and covered in faint fire.

Amrita was following behind with her water whip wrapped around her wrist, while her sharp eyes scanned everywhere. Pooja was behind everyone, protecting our rear with her shield ready. The glow of her shield reflected the faint light around them.

The jungle was entirely new to them. House-like trunks of towering trees extended into the sky as their roots intertwined with the forest floor. The vines hanging off the trees had a curtain-like appearance, The underbrush was packed with ferns and moss.

The humidity in the air was unbearable, the sound of the feirce jungle remained within their ears, a blend of chirping birds, buzzing insects, and deep roars filled the atmosphere.

"This place is… intense," Indra muttered, swatting at a vine that brushed against his face. "I feel like we're being watched."

"We probably are," Amrita said, her voice low. "This isn't just some ordinary forest. The Society wouldn't send us here if it was't dangerous."

"Dangerous or not, we've got a job to do," Dev said, his tone steady. "Stay sharp."

The jungle seemed to grow denser the deeper they ventured, the towering trees closing in around them like silent sentinels.

The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and the faint tang of something wild and untamed. Anuj led the way, his bow in hand, his golden wings folded tightly against his back.

They hadn't gone far when the first attack came.

In the distance, there was a low growl that reverberated through the environment. It sounded like the entire world was giving out & it was the singular source of the chaos.

The group outside stood frozen and they appeared to become more suspicious of their immediate surroundings. Almost at once, a pack of canin beasts almost resembling wolves leapt out from the vegetation.

These wolves were bigger than any beast Anuj had witnessed, their glowing eyes set within the mottled gray and black mask of ferocity. Their gaping jaws bared teeth covered in drool, viciously taking turns to circle the entire group.

Pooja stepped forward with her sword raised, shield in place and shouted, "Stay Close!" With her shield erect, the creatures attempted to claw Pooja and their claws ripped through air but she avoided their strikes.

The glowing barrier on her shield worked as a deflector, fending their attacks with unmatched ease. A wolf snarled as it flung itself towards the shield but the fierce power of the impact sent it flying back.

Anuj released the arrow that struck one of the wolves in the shoulder itself. The creature howled in pain, but it did not go down. Instead, it turned toward Anuj with glowing eyes and lunged.

Anuj had no choice; he leaped into the air, riding the thrusts of wings that carried him just out of reach as the wolf snapped at empty air.

Dev stepped forward with his trident ablaze with fire. He thrust his weapon with might forward, sending a wave of flame far toward the pack. The wolves howled as they were engulfed by the fire, their fur singeing and smouldering.

One of the wolves lunged at Dev, but without a missed moment, Indra was there, his sword radiating nothing but pure lightning. Indra swung the sword wide, sending arcs of electricity through the air into the leaping wolf.

The wolf went into convulsions as the bolt coursed through the animal's body and crashed lifeless into the ground.

Amrita flowed like water, her whip whistling a deadly tune. She scattered the wolves, water coming down with the force of a tidal wave. One of the creatures was sent flying back, its body colliding with the tree with a sickening crack.

Another wolf tried to flank her, but Pooja stood in the way, her shield crashing into the creature with the force of avenging wrath. The wolf was knocked away.

The battle was over almost as quickly as it had begun. The remaining wolves, their pack diminished, turned and fled into the jungle, their howls fading into the distance.

"That was amusing," said Indra as he wiped his sword on the grass. "Any of you feeling like we are being tested?"

"Ya think?" Amrita commented with a flick of her wrist, coiling her whip back again. "I've heard of a jungle being dangerous;"

Pooja unbuckled her shield, the glow fading as she relaxed. "We did Good. Let us move on."

These were just bigger common wolves, actually. They killed a few to scare the rest off; hence, it was an easy fight and did not deplete much of their aura or energy. And the energy they had lost had already been replenishing due to their improved physical states.

As they progressed deeper into the jungle, they faced many similar threats, but they were easily resolved. But luck doesn't last long; as they were going to make a camp for spending the night, a very powerful monster attacked us. As they dodged, they finally got a view of it.

Ah, there it was - a giant serpent almost 10 meters long with breadth that can easily eat 5 humans together. Its scales gleamed as polished black stone in the sunlight. The beast hung from a giant tree, its girth being comparable to that of a barrel, each one of its eyes shone with cool, appraising light.

Now it was hissing death at them, flinging its forked tongue in and out to sample the wafting scents from its prey. The hardness of the scales was striking to behold, almost capable of laughing at the attempt to penetrate them.

"Great," Indra muttered, gripping his bone sword tightly. "A snake. Because we didn't have enough to deal with already."

The serpent uncoiled itself with terrifying speed, its massive body slithering down the tree and lunging at the group. Anuj leaped into the air, my golden wings carrying me just out of reach as the serpent's jaws snapped shut inches below him.

The creature hissed in frustration, its glowing eyes locking onto me as I landed on a branch.

Dev stepped forward, his trident blazing with fire. He thrust the weapon forward, sending a wave of flames toward the serpent. The flames engulfed the creature, but its scales absorbed the heat, leaving it unharmed.

The serpent hissed, its massive body twisting as it lunged at Dev. He dodged to the side, the creature's jaws snapping shut just inches from his shoulder.

Indra was there in an instant, his sword crackling with lightning. He swung the blade in a wide arc, the electricity arcing through the air and striking the serpent's side. The creature convulsed as the lightning coursed through its body, but its scales protected it from any real damage. It turned its glowing eyes on Indra and lunged again, forcing him to leap back.

"Its body's impervious to any of our attack!" Anuj shouted, my voice strained as I felt the drain on my aura pool as he used his eye ability again. He only had seconds of flight left before he'd need to recharge. "The mouth—it's the only weak spot! I'll lure it to open up. Be ready!"

Pooja stepped forward, her Shield Astra glowing brightly as she braced for impact. The serpent slammed into the shield projection with a force that sent shockwaves through the ground, but Pooja held firm, her feet digging into the soft earth. The creature hissed in frustration, its massive body coiling around the shield as it tried to crush her.

Amrita moved like water, her whip snapping through the air with deadly precision. She lashed at the serpent, the water striking with the force of a tidal wave. The creature's body was thrown back, its coils loosening as it struggled to regain its balance.

Anuj swooped down from above, his wings beating furiously as he darted in front of the serpent's face. He fired an arrow that struck the creature's nose, the projectile bouncing harmlessly off its scales but drawing its attention. The serpent hissed, its jaws opening wide as it lunged at Anuj.

He banked sharply, his wings straining as he barely avoided the snapping jaws. His aura was draining fast—he could feel it slipping away with every second of flight.

"Now!" I shouted, my voice tight with effort. "Its mouth is open!"

Dev and Indra didn't hesitate. Dev's trident blazed with fire as he thrust it forward, aiming straight for the serpent's gaping maw. At the same time, Indra's sword crackled with lightning as he swung it in a wide arc, the electricity arcing toward the creature's open mouth.

The attacks struck simultaneously, fire and lightning exploding inside the serpent's mouth. The creature let out a deafening hiss, its body convulsing as the combined forces tore through its vulnerable insides.

Amrita moved in, her water whip snapping through the air. She lashed at the serpent's head, the water whip wrapping around its jaws and forcing them open wider. "Hold it!" she shouted, her voice strained as she struggled to keep the creature's mouth open.

Pooja stepped forward, her shield glowing brightly as she slammed it into the serpent's body, pinning it in place. The creature thrashed wildly, its massive coils lashing out, but Pooja held firm, her feet digging into the soft earth.

Anuj's wings faltered as his aura pool ran dry. He dropped to the ground, landing hard but quickly scrambling to his feet. He nocked another arrow, his hands steady despite the exhaustion creeping in. He fired, the arrow striking the serpent's tongue and eliciting another pained hiss.

The serpent's thrashing grew weaker as the fire and lightning continued to ravage its insides. Finally, with one last, shuddering breath, it collapsed to the ground, its massive body lying still.

The group stood in silence for a moment, their breathing heavy as they stared at the massive creature. "That," Indra said, wiping sweat from his brow, "was not fun."

"Very true," Amrita responded as she clasped the whip tightly and relaxed her arm back.

As Pooja's post shield started to fade, she added, "We surely are improving at this."

Dev confirmed enthusiastically and added, "Let's make our camp before night." While doing so, he reached for his trident, which was still glowing faintly.

Anuj, who had been standing next to the tree, finally lifted his arms, opened his mouth to speak, "Just a moment. I'm completely out of energy. I…" as his chest rose and fell rhythmically. "…need to restore strength."

The jungle began to darken as the sun sank below the horizon, casting long, eerie shadows through the dense vegetation. The group, weary from their battles, decided to stop and prepare for the night.

They needed rest, and their energy reserves required replenishment. The air was still heavy with humidity, and the damp soil underfoot clung to their boots as they moved about.

Dev took charge, his voice steady but laced with urgency. "We need to set up a rotation for guarding the camp. The jungle doesn't sleep, and neither can we—not entirely."

Anuj nodded, though his wings drooped slightly from exhaustion. "I'll take the first watch," he said, his tone resolute despite his drained aura. "You all get some rest. I'll wake someone after a couple of hours."

Since I have sharp eye ability, it was the best thing to do in such situation.

"No," Pooja interjected firmly, stepping forward with her shield resting against her side. "You've burned through too much energy today, Anuj. You're practically running on fumes. I'll take the first watch. My shield can protect me if anything sneaks up."

Amrita, wrapping her water whip securely around her wrist, added, "We'll rotate in pairs. That way, no one is left alone. I'll stay up with Pooja for the first shift." Her sharp eyes scanned the darkening jungle, already watching for movement.

"Fine," Anuj relented, sitting down near a tree. "But wake me after your turn. Don't take unnecessary risks."

The group began to settle in. Indra dropped his bone sword to the ground with a thud and sat cross-legged, leaning back against a moss-covered tree trunk."Someone needs to handle the fire. A small one. We don't want to draw too much attention,"

"I've got it," Dev volunteered, his trident still faintly glowing. With a swift motion, he used its fiery power to ignite a modest pile of dry leaves and twigs

Once the fire was stable, the group worked together to create a temporary camp. Using thick vines and large jungle leaves, they fashioned makeshift coverings to shield them from any rain or dew that might come during the night.