Kill The Beast

The Devil's Gambit

The physical wound on Aayan's body was insignificant compared to the mental torture he endured. No amount of time passing could erase the memories of his mother's death and his father's cruel actions, which haunted him relentlessly. Aayan longed for the peace of sleep where he could dream of his mother's comforting touch, but as a vampire, this relief remained out of reach. His anguish and sorrow consumed him, trapping him in a never-ending cycle of mental torment.

His last glimmer of hope was pinned on one person, the only one he thought could save him from his agony and misery. Yet, a cruel twist of fate snatched her away from him, leaving Aayan broken by Akanksha's death. With her departure, everything lost its meaning. Life seemed meaningless now; it felt like its very essence had disappeared. Even though he had been told about his mother's tremendous sacrifice for him to live, it now felt like an unbearable burden. Aayan longed to escape it all, but his pain came from the harsh realization that no one in this world held the power to end his existence.

Lying on Bora's bed, Aayan relished the soothing sound of raindrops against the windowpane. He could feel Katrina's hands in his, but he resisted opening his eyes. A heavy weight of unease weighed upon his soul, causing him to withdraw from the world around him. Bora and Katrina noticed his seemingly peaceful demeanor masking an underlying sadness. Despite Bora's attempt to break the silence, Aayan stayed lost in his thoughts, unresponsive. Bora then chose to leave him to his solitude, trusting that time would eventually bring him back to a place of peace.

One evening, Bora got caught up in the temptation of alcohol with his friend Kalu, causing him to arrive home much later than expected. Deciding to stay the night at Kalu's place, he left Katrina and Aayan alone in his home. While seated by the fireplace, Katrina couldn't help but stare at the shining silver dagger that Bora had given her as a gift. As she sat there, mesmerized by the dancing flames and flashes of lightning outside, she allowed her thoughts to take a dark turn as she imagined seeking revenge on Aayan with the sharp edges of the dagger that very night.

Katrina grasped the silver dagger tightly in her hand, lost in thought as she studied its shimmering surface. The sound of thunder grew louder outside, and rain pounded against the ground in a wild rhythm. Aayan, consumed by his relentless pursuit for solace in his dreams, was oblivious to the brewing storm. Katrina's attention shifted from the dagger to Aayan, observing his distracted state. She moved closer to him with deliberate steps and climbed onto the bed beside him without making a sound.

Katrina held the silver dagger steady, its sharp tip hovering above Aayan's forehead. With a deliberate slowness, she trailed it down towards his chest, where she could feel his heart beat. The weight of her revenge hung heavy in the air, ready to be unleashed with one swift strike. But as she prepared to act, doubt crept in and made her pause. Suddenly, Aayan's voice cut through the tense silence, breaking through her turmoil.

"No matter what, do not hesitate. End it swiftly. No one will catch you. You can escape from this place. No matter what happens, do not stop. I have caused the deaths of numerous individuals, and I will continue to take more lives. But you have the power to save them all. So do not stop."

As Katrina's hands trembled with uncertainty, the silver dagger slipped from her grasp, landing upon Aayan's chest. Illuminated by a sudden flash of lightning, Aayan's visage betrayed a profound sense of dejection, defeat etched upon his features. The subsequent clap of thunder enveloped the room in an eerie stillness, punctuating the gravity of the moment.

"It is not so easy for me to kill someone," Katrina confessed, her voice tinged with resignation. "I thought I could do it, but it is impossible for me."

"You came so far to kill me, yet your determination faltered so swiftly," Aayan remarked, his voice tinged with a mix of disbelief and resignation. "How will you return to Paris and face Sophie, knowing you had the opportunity, the knife within your grasp, and succumbed to panic? This moment will haunt you in the days to come."

The mention of Sophie's name ignited a fiery rage within Katrina, her anger boiling over as she delivered a resounding slap across Aayan's cheek.

"I did not come here to kill you," she asserted, her voice trembling with pent-up emotion. "I came to save you. To seek justice for my friend's death, the fury within me has never subsided. But upon learning of your past, a glimmer of sympathy stirred within me. You see, it was Lucifer who sent me on this journey, so far from home."

Aayan's surprise flickered in his gaze as he regarded Katrina, his curiosity piqued by her unexpected revelation.

"How do you know Lucifer?" he inquired, his tone tinged with a mixture of intrigue and suspicion.

Aayan listened intently, his expression shifting from surprise to concern as Katrina unveiled her encounter with Lucifer.

"He came to me after you left Paris," Katrina explained, her voice laden with urgency. "Initially, I believed he sympathized with me, offering his companionship and aid. But soon I realized his true intentions. They are perilous, Aayan. Lucifer harbors ambitions to conquer the entire world."

Her words hung heavy in the air, a chilling revelation of Lucifer's sinister designs. A sense of dread crept over Aayan as Katrina continued.

"He has sent me to deliver a message to you," she continued, her tone grave. "Your half-sister is in his clutches. If you wish to save her, you must act swiftly. Otherwise, he threatens to mutilate her into a thousand pieces."

Aayan's fury ignited like a tempest within him, the thunderous roar outside mirroring the tumult raging within his soul. Rising abruptly from the bed, he seized Katrina's shoulders with an iron grip, his eyes ablaze with determination.

"Where will I find this Lucifer?" he demanded, his voice cutting through the charged atmosphere with an intensity that brooked no opposition.

Katrina's heart trembled with fear as she beheld Aayan's transformed visage, his countenance twisted with anger. The sudden shift in his demeanor sent shivers down her spine, instilling an unfamiliar dread within her.

"He is waiting for you at the border of Misrr and Mystania," she stammered, her voice quivering with trepidation.

As Aayan strode purposefully towards the door, Katrina's trembling voice pierced through the tension-filled air.

"Aayan, wait," she called out, her words tinged with urgency and apprehension.

Aayan halted in his tracks, his gaze meeting Katrina's worried expression. Her words resonated with truth, cutting through the haze of anger that clouded his judgment.

"This is what he wants," Katrina cautioned, her voice laced with concern. "You are walking right into his trap."

"I will burn all his traps and destroy him once and for all," Aayan proclaimed, his determination evident as he stormed out of the house in pursuit of Lucifer. Katrina remained behind, a heavy sense of dejection weighing upon her shoulders. She couldn't shake the feeling of concern for Aayan, knowing that he was marching towards danger without fully understanding the consequences of his actions. Despite her desire to intervene, she felt powerless, resigned to watch events unfold beyond her control. With a heavy heart, Katrina could only hope for Aayan's safety as he embarked on his perilous quest.