Mahabharat: Shiva's Last Variable

(A/N):

Drop a meme here that you find funny. Or reflects your mood.

Guys I hope you put more comments and power stones... Which will encourage me...

-------------------------------------------------

Narada turned his attention toward Kandarpaasura, who was still standing beneath the swirling darkness, his enormous wings folded behind him.

"There is one matter we need to settle before the trials begin, Release Surya Lok from your darkness."

Kandarpaasura immediately shook his head.

"No."

The answer came without even a moment of hesitation.

Narada sighed.

"Kandarpaasura..."

"I said no."

The Asura’s voice carried across the hall.

"The darkness will remain exactly where it is until I lose."

He glanced toward Surya Dev, whose divine radiance was still being suppressed.

"Don’t even think about asking me again. I have already given you the condition."

Narada looked toward the other gods, then back at him.

"You realize that keeping the darkness active is putting the entire realm under unnecessary strain."

Kandarpaasura smiled.

"That is the point."

Before Narada could continue, Lord Shiva stepped forward.

The hall immediately became quiet.

Shiva looked at both Devara and Kandarpaasura.

"If the two of you have agreed to settle this through a contest, then the conditions should be clear from the beginning."

Kandarpaasura folded his arms.

"I’m listening."

Shiva continued.

"The contest will consist of three stages. Each will test something different, and neither of you will be permitted to interfere with the other outside the rules of the trial."

Devara nodded.

Kandarpaasura gave a small shrug.

"Very well."

Shiva raised one hand.

"The first stage will test your ability to endure what lies within the River of Sin."

At the mention of the river, several of the gods became noticeably more serious.

Devara frowned.

"What is the River of Sin?"

Shiva explained calmly.

"It is not filled with ordinary water. The river is made from the wandering souls of beings who spent their lives committing terrible sins. Their regrets, hatred, fear and despair have become part of the river itself."

Kandarpaasura’s expression remained confident.

Shiva continued.

"The voices of those souls will surround anyone who enters. They will whisper, scream and call out from every direction. Their cries are capable of disturbing the mind and driving even a strong-willed person toward madness."

Devara listened carefully.

"The objective?"

"Reach the opposite bank."

Shiva looked at both of them.

"You may use your abilities to cross, but you must reach the other side without losing control of your mind."

Kandarpaasura smiled.

"That doesn’t sound difficult."

Shiva didn’t react to the confidence.

"The second stage will be different."

He continued.

"You will be required to catch a particular creature."

A faint golden image appeared in the air.

A magnificent golden horse.

Its mane shimmered like sunlight, and even in the illusion its legs appeared to move with incredible speed.

"This horse runs faster than any ordinary creature. Neither of you will be allowed to use a mount to pursue it."

Kandarpaasura looked at the image.

"So we simply catch it."

Shiva nodded his head.

"But there is a condition."

Devara raised an eyebrow.

"The horse cannot be harmed."

Kandarpaasura gave a slight smile.

"Fine."

Shiva then raised his third finger.

"The final stage will test both of you directly."

The golden image disappeared.

A new creature appeared.

A massive Yali.

Its body was powerful and muscular, combining the features of several fierce creatures, with enormous claws, sharp teeth and a long, heavily built frame. Even the illusion of it was intimidating.

"For the third stage, both of you must face a Yali."

Devara looked at the creature.

"Defeat it?"

"Survive it."

Shiva’s answer was simple.

"The Yali will not stop until one of you manages to overcome it. How you accomplish that is your decision."

Kandarpaasura smiled.

"Now that sounds more interesting."

Shiva looked between them.

"Three stages. Three different challenges."

His eyes settled on Kandarpaasura.

"And no killing the other participant during the trials."

Kandarpaasura nodded.

"I agreed to the contest. I will follow the rules."

Shiva then looked toward Devara.

"Do you accept?"

Devara glanced toward Yami.

She was watching him quietly.

He then looked back at Shiva.

"I accept."

Narada smiled.

"Then it is settled."

He turned toward Kandarpaasura.

"And remember, the darkness remains until the contest is concluded."

Kandarpaasura’s smile widened.

"Exactly."

He looked toward Devara.

"If I win, I get what I came here for."

Devara calmly replied,

"And if you lose, you release Surya Lok."

Kandarpaasura nodded.

"Agreed."

The three trials had been decided.

A river filled with the souls of the wicked.

A golden horse that could outrun almost anything.

And finally, a Yali waiting to test their strength.

The contest was no longer about proving who could destroy the other.

It was about proving who could overcome what the Trimurtis had placed before them.

And somewhere beyond the ceremonial grounds, the darkness of Kandarpaasura continued to cover Surya Lok, waiting for the outcome.

Meanwhile, the consequences of Kandarpaasura’s darkness were no longer confined to Surya Lok.

Across the various realms of the universe, the sudden disappearance of Surya Dev’s light was beginning to disturb the natural order that countless worlds had depended upon for ages.

In some realms, the change was noticed almost immediately.

The skies that had always been illuminated by the warmth of the Sun suddenly became unnaturally dark, leaving entire kingdoms staring upward in confusion.

Farmers abandoned their fields, animals became restless and birds returned to their nests as though night had suddenly fallen in the middle of the day.

But the darkness brought far more than confusion.

It gave strength to things that had always hidden from the light.

Deep beneath ancient forests, creatures that had remained dormant for centuries slowly opened their eyes.

In forgotten caves, enormous beings began crawling out from the darkness, their bodies growing stronger with every passing moment.

Spirits that had once been unable to leave the places where they had died began wandering freely through villages and settlements, frightening the people who had no idea what was happening.

In one realm, an ancient tribe of night-dwelling creatures emerged from beneath the mountains after generations of silence.

Their strength had once been limited by the presence of sunlight, but now they moved freely across the land, attacking settlements and driving entire communities into hiding.

Elsewhere, beings that fed upon fear sensed the sudden change and began spreading through populated regions.

Wherever they went, panic followed. People began turning against one another, old grudges resurfaced and violence broke out in places that had previously remained peaceful.

The darkness was doing more than covering the worlds.

It was amplifying the darker instincts already present within them.

Even some of the animals were changing.

Predators that normally hunted only when necessary became unusually aggressive.

Nocturnal creatures grew larger and more powerful, while some ancient beasts that had rarely been seen began appearing in the open.

The balance between light and darkness was being disturbed.

And it wasn’t happening in just one realm.

It was happening across countless worlds.

In one celestial kingdom, the priests gathered around their sacred fire and desperately tried to keep it burning.

In another, rulers ordered their soldiers to patrol the streets throughout the night, only to discover that the darkness itself seemed to hide things from them.

In yet another realm, an ancient temple that had remained sealed for thousands of years suddenly began shaking.

Something inside had awakened.

The sages and divine beings who understood what was happening were becoming increasingly alarmed.

They knew this wasn’t a natural eclipse.

It wasn’t an ordinary absence of sunlight.

Something had interfered with Surya Dev’s radiance itself.

And as long as that interference continued, the darkness would keep spreading.

Every moment Kandarpaasura remained in control of Surya Lok, another realm was being pushed further toward chaos.

Meanwhile, inside Surya Lok, the Asura sat waiting for the outcome of the three trials, completely aware that his darkness was affecting the universe beyond the realm.

And he didn’t seem concerned.

For him, every moment of darkness was another reminder to the gods of what would happen if they tried to force him into submission.

The universe, however, was beginning to pay the price for that arrogance.

The balance was slowly breaking.

And if Surya Dev’s light did not return soon, the darkness would eventually become strong enough that even the gods might struggle to push it back.

Patala Lok...

Meanwhile, deep within Patala Lok, Shukracharya suddenly opened his eyes.

Something was wrong.

The darkness that had spread across the realms had reached even the depths of Patala, and although the realm was already accustomed to living without the warmth of the Sun, Shukracharya could still sense the disturbance in the cosmic balance.

He turned his attention upward, trying to perceive what had happened to Surya Dev’s light.

His expression immediately became serious.

"This isn’t an eclipse."

He had studied the movements of the celestial bodies for countless ages.

He knew when an eclipse was supposed to occur, and this was nowhere near the appointed time.

What had happened was something entirely different.

Someone had interfered with Surya Dev’s radiance.

Shukracharya remained silent for a moment, concentrating on the strange darkness that was spreading through the realms. Then he felt something familiar within it.

A particular presence.

A power he had encountered long ago.

His eyes narrowed.

"That energy..."

Slowly, memories began returning to him.

There had once been a disciple under his guidance, a student who had shown extraordinary potential but whose desires had eventually taken him down a dangerous path.

That disciple had disappeared from the known realms long ago, vanishing so completely that even Shukracharya had eventually stopped receiving any information about him.

He had assumed the man was either dead or had retreated somewhere beyond the reach of ordinary beings.

Now, however, Shukracharya could feel his influence again.

And it was unmistakable.

His former disciple was involved in this.

Shukracharya’s face darkened.

"Kandarpaasura..."

He finally understood.

The darkness covering the realms wasn’t some natural phenomenon.

It was his old disciple making his move.

Shukracharya slowly stood from his seat, his mind racing through everything he remembered about Kandarpaasura and the boon he had once granted him.

"What have you done?"

For the first time in a long while, the Guru of the Asuras looked genuinely concerned.

He knew the conditions of the boon better than anyone.

And if Kandarpaasura had finally decided to use the power he had spent years cultivating, the consequences could be far greater than whatever conflict was currently taking place in Surya Lok.

Shukracharya looked toward the darkness surrounding Patala Lok.

"Foolish disciple..."

He sighed.

"I warned you to control your desires."

But somewhere far above, Kandarpaasura was already putting those very desires into motion.

And Shukracharya feared that his former disciple had finally reached the point where even the boon he had given him might become a curse upon the entire universe.

*******************************

(Author note:)

I hope you guys give me your opinion and idea’s.

-->

Don’t forget to review guys...

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!