Garuda in Brahmastra

The new day arrived, ushered in by the golden light of the rising sun piercing through the thick canopy above.

The jungle, though still filled with the ever-present sounds of chirping insects and rustling leaves, felt different—almost calm, as if the very trees were catching their breath after the battles of the previous day.

They had finally managed to get some proper rest, a rare luxury in this relentless environment. Their bodies, once weighed down by exhaustion and the lingering strain of battle, felt lighter and minds sharper.

Though the night had not been without danger, the team members who stood guard had done their job well, intercepting any creatures that dared to approach.

The sounds of brief skirmishes had echoed in the distance, but they never reached our camp.

 For once, they had been free from the constant burden of sweat and exhaustion, allowing us to truly recharge—both physically and mentally

Anuj woke up, His sharp eyes snapping open as the morning breeze rustled the leaves overhead. Stretching his hands slightly, he sat up and scanned the camp.

The fire from the night had died down, leaving only a faint wisp of smoke curling into the humid air. Dev and Indra were still sprawled out.

Amrita sat cross-legged nearby, running her fingers absentmindedly over the handle of her water whip.

Pooja, was snoring lightly with her shield Astra resting lightly against her.

"How was the night?" he asked quietly, careful not to disturb anyone.

"Eventful," Dev replied calmly. "A few beasts tried to sneak in, but nothing we couldn't handle. Indra and I took care of a pack of those glowing-eyed deer before they could get too close. At one point, Indra got up and nearly fried a tree when something startled him. "

Anuj smirked. "Sounds like him."

As if on cue, Indra groaned from his sleeping spot, stretching out with an exaggerated yawn.

"You all talk too much," he muttered groggily. "I was dreaming about a feast. A huge feast. And now I wake up to the jungle's breakfast menu of leaves and bugs."

Amrita scoffed. "Keep complaining, and I'll serve you a fresh helping of swamp frog for breakfast."

Indra sat up immediately, looking horrified. "You wouldn't."

Amrita raised an eyebrow. "Try me."

Indra ignoring Amrita stretched his arms as they walked, a cocky grin plastered on his face. "You know, I think the jungle's finally scared of us. They must've spread the word—'watch out for the guy with the lightning sword!'"

Amrita rolled her eyes, her water whip coiled tightly around her wrist. "The jungle's scared of you? Please. If it didn't kill you for all those awful jokes, nothing will."

Even Dev chuckled, gripping his trident that faintly glowed with embers. "Amrita's right, Indra. Your biggest contribution so far has been annoying the wildlife into submission."

Pooja finally stirred, rubbing his temples as he sat up. "Alright, alright, let's not start torturing each other before the jungle does it for us. We need to move soon. The more time we waste, the more likely we'll run into something we don't want to fight."

The way ahead was dark and humid, with stout trees that cast their roots broadly into the snake-like maze of the stained land. The jungle apparently thickened the longer they ventured in, every foot drawing them closer to unseen horrific threats.

They haven't gone too far, when the first enemy attack hit them. Except this time, it was not serpents. Something equally deadly.

Unbelievable guttural growls sent tremors through the undergrowth. Hooves came pounding against the wet earth.Then there came a pack of these creatures looking like armored wild boars, tramping through the most impenetrable foliage, their barbed tusks gleaming smoothly like rocks through slits of sunlight beyond.

They were heavily muscled animals, the mud-caked fur on their bodies swaying in broad strokes as they sped fatally fast, sending shockwaves against the ground with each crash of their hoofs as if the very jungle beneath trembled at their presence.

"Damn, they're fast!" Anuj barely had time to react as the lead boar charged straight for him, its stone-carved tusks gleaming like twin blades.

"Incoming!" he shouted, pushing off the ground and flipping backward into the air just in time to avoid getting skewered. He flared his wings, flying away from the Battlefield hovering above to assess the situation.

Pooja reacted instantly, stepping forward with her shield Astra raised. The charging boar slammed into her barrier with a deafening clang, the impact so forceful that her boots dug into the ground, leaving deep trails in the soil.

 The beast snarled, pressing harder, its tusks grinding against the shield, but Pooja gritted her teeth and held firm.

"They're strong!" she grunted, muscles straining as she forced the boar back. "Watch the tusks!"

Before the creature could regroup, Dev stepped forward, spinning his trident in a wide arc, flames igniting around its prongs.

"Time to roast some bacon!" he yelled. With a powerful thrust, he sent a wave of fire cascading toward the pack, the blaze roaring as it devoured the air.

The attack forced most of the boars back, but one, faster and more aggressive than the others, leaped through the fire, its thick hide absorbing most of the damage. It soared toward Dev, tusks aiming straight for his chest.

"Not today!" Indra's voice rang out, his bone sword crackling with electricity. With a flash of movement, he intercepted the beast midair, his blade carving through its side.

The moment the sword made contact, a violent arc of lightning coursed through the boar's body, sending it into violent convulsions before it crashed lifelessly onto the ground.

"Nice save!" Dev called, exhaling sharply as he took a step back.

"No worries. You're too pretty to get impaled," Indra smirked, twirling his sword.

"Shut up and fight," Amrita snapped, already lashing out with her whip. The water coiled around the neck of another boar, tightening like a serpent.

With a sharp flick of her wrist, she yanked the creature sideways, its massive frame slamming into a tree trunk with bone-crunching force. It let out a strangled grunt before collapsing.

The other boars, sensing that they were losing, snorted in frustration. But before they could retreat, Pooja took the initiative.

With a swift movement, she bashed her shield into the ground, sending a shockwave of golden energy rippling outward. The blast sent the remaining creatures stumbling back, dazed.

Anuj, still hovering above, wasted no time. Drawing his bow, he loosed three arrows in rapid succession.

Each arrow found its mark, embedding into the skulls of the disoriented creatures. One by one, the boars collapsed.

The jungle fell silent once more.

"That was… intense," Amrita panted, wiping sweat from her brow.

Indra sheathed his sword with a dramatic sigh. "Easy. If they were all like that, we'd be home by dinner."

The jungle, however, had other plans. As they ventured further, the attacks became relentless.

The next assault came from a swamp, where a massive frog-like beast lay waiting beneath the murky waters. It launched itself at them, its skin covered in poisonous barbs that dripped with a sickly green liquid.

It inhaled sharply, its throat expanding before releasing a deadly volley of spikes toward them.

"Shit—spread out!" Anuj commanded.

Pooja barely raised her shield in time, the barbs pinging off the glowing surface with sharp metallic clinks. One stray barb sliced past her shoulder, leaving a thin line of burning pain.

Amrita was already moving. She whipped her water whip forward, sending a burst of high-pressure water to douse the poison, neutralizing it before it could spread further. "Careful! It's laced with venom!" she called.

Dev retaliated, hurling his trident like a spear. The weapon shot through the air and pierced through the frog's inflated throat, cutting off its next attack. With a choked gurgle, the creature collapsed back into the swamp, unmoving.

But they barely had time to breathe.

A herd of deer-like creatures with glowing antlers emerged next, their bodies flickering with an unnatural light. Without warning, their antlers flared like miniature suns, emitting a blinding flash.

Indra cursed, throwing his arm over his eyes. "Damn it—I can't see!"

"Me neither!" Dev growled, stumbling.

Anuj was already in air. The keenness of his eyes pierced the dazzle to see the deer running through the field.

"Follow my voice!" he shouted, calling out directions to his teammates.

Amrita reacted first, striking blindly with her whip, guided by Anuj's shouts. The whip snagged one of the creatures' legs, pulling it down.

Indra followed suit, slashing at another deer as its light dimmed just enough for him to see.

With each encounter, they grew sharper, faster, more efficient.

What once required coordinated efforts now took only two members to handle. At times, a single warrior alone could bring down an enemy that had once overwhelmed them all.

They learned to conserve their aura pools. Indra's blade no longer just crackled—it sliced with precision, cutting through scales and armor effortlessly.

Amrita no longer wasted entire waves of water; she instead hardened her whip, turning it into a precise weapon.

Even Pooja, who had once only focused on defense, evolved. Her shield's glow was stronger, more refined, and its kinetic force now sent enemies reeling backward rather than just absorbing blows.

By midday, their path through the jungle was marked by fallen beasts and the scent of scorched earth.

Anuj looked at his team, a rare smile playing on his lips. They had adapted. They had survived. But more than that, they had become hunters rather than prey.

"Not bad," Dev remarked after single-handedly impaling a massive bird with razor-sharp feathers using his trident. "I think we're finally getting the hang of this."

Anuj landed beside him, wings folding neatly behind his back. His golden eyes gleamed with understanding.

"Don't get cocky," he warned and glanced toward the distance, where an eerie stillness hung in the air. "And if this is what's out here…" His voice trailed off, his expression darkening.

One by one, they took the creatures down.

By the time they reached their destination, the sun was dipping low in the sky, casting long shadows across the jungle floor. There, in a small clearing, stood the herb they had been searching for.

It was unlike anything they had ever seen. Its leaves shimmered like emeralds, and its golden flowers seemed to pulse with light. The air around it felt charged, as though the herb itself radiated energy.

"There it is," Anuj said, his voice low. "But look at the tree above it."

The herb was nestled at the base of a massive tree that towered over the clearing. Its bark was gnarled and blackened, and its roots twisted around the herb protectively. There was an unnatural stillness to the tree, as if it was watching them.

"I don't like this," Amrita muttered, her whip coiled tightly in her hand ready for any attack.

Indra, ever the bold one, stepped forward. "It's a tree. What's it going to do? Throw leaves at us?"

As if in response, one of the tree's branches lashed out like a whip, narrowly missing Indra's head.

"Okay, I take it back!" Indra yelped, stumbling back.

Then the tree itself began to move, its massive roots tearing free from the ground as it rose to its full height. Its branches twisted and writhed, each one becoming a deadly whip, while its leaves sharpened into blade-like projectiles. The tree wasn't just alive—it was a sentinel, and it wasn't going to let them get the herb.

And now they just have one thought in their mind " We are done…."