The Brahmarakshas in the Forest
Agni's wounds had begun to knit together, the bleeding finally stemmed by the forest herbs. Together, they ventured deeper into the woods, the air growing colder and the light dimmer with every step. It was a place of unnatural silence, until a piercing animal scream shattered the stillness, though no creature was in sight. Then came the footsteps—heavy, earth-shaking thuds that vibrated through the soles of their feet.
Emerging from the gloom was a sight that froze the blood in their veins: a towering Brahmarakshas, nine feet tall, with horns like spears, eyes burning like embers, and wolf-like claws. The sacred thread across its chest was a grotesque mockery of its fallen divinity.
Neer's voice trembled. "What... what kind of demon is this, Agni! How do we fight it? It could end us with a single blow!"
"We have no other path, Neer. We must face it," Agni replied, his tone grim. "Let us try to evade its sight."
"Alright, but I'll go first. You're injured; stay behind me," Neer insisted.
Agni gave a terse nod.
They moved like shadows, slipping through the trees, managing to cross half the forest unseen. But the scent of blood from Agni's wounds betrayed them. The demon's head snapped in their direction, its nostrils flaring. With a roar, it gave chase.
They ran, but the Brahmarakshas was swift. It caught Neer, lifting him in its massive claws, bringing him towards its gaping maw. In a flash, Agni summoned his fire, scorching the demon's arm. It roared in pain and dropped Neer, but the fire seemed to have no lasting effect, merely angering it further.
"Neer! Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?" Agni called out, a rare edge of panic in his voice.
Neer gasped, catching his breath. "I... I'm fine. Thank you, Agni... for saving me."
Suddenly, the strain and his injury overwhelmed Agni. He stumbled and fell to one knee, his strength waning.
"Get up, Agni! You're getting weaker... come on, let's run! Hold my hand!" Neer urged, pulling him up.
They tried to flee again, but the enraged demon was upon them. This time, Neer met its charge, his sword slicing through the air and severing one of its clawed hands.
"You go, Agni! I'll hold it off!" Neer yelled.
"No, Neer! I can't leave you alone!" Agni protested, his voice strained.
"You're wounded; you can't fight it!"
Before they could argue further, the severed hand writhed on the ground and flew back, reattaching itself to the demon's arm. It grabbed Neer and hurled him against a tree. As Agni moved to defend him, the demon struck a brutal blow, and Agni fell, unconscious.
Seeing the demon advance on his helpless friend, something in Neer snapped. A surge of power, raw and untamed, erupted from within him. His blue eyes glowed with an unearthly light.
"No! Demon... fight me! Don't you dare touch Agni!" he roared.
His body lifted into the air, encased in a brilliant aura. A shield of shimmering, bright blue water formed around Agni's fallen form. As droplets fell on Agni's face, his eyes fluttered open. Neer's sword had transformed into a blade of pure, sharp water. With a cry of fury, he attacked, moving with impossible speed, cutting the Brahmarakshas into a thousand pieces.
He rushed to Agni's side. "Agni, you're okay, right?"
Agni looked at him, stunned. "Yes... and I don't know how, but all my wounds are healed... as if they were never there."
A faint, exhausted smile touched Neer's lips. "Perhaps it was the effect of that water-shield…"
Suddenly, Agni pulled him down. "What happened?" Neer asked, alarmed.
Agni's eyes were wide with horror. "Look there!"
The pieces of the demon were writhing, pulling themselves back together. Re-formed and more enraged than ever, it attacked. They fought, cutting it down again and again, but each time it regenerated. Agni tried to burn it with his fire, but the flames were absorbed harmlessly into the demon's body, only to be thrown back at him.
Then, the Brahmarakshas began to chant, its voice a low, hypnotic rumble. Neer's eyes glazed over. He turned, his movements jerky, and raised his sword against Agni.
"Neer! Stop!" Agni pleaded, defending himself without striking back. But under the demon's thrall, Neer was relentless, and his blade finally found its mark, slicing Agni's arm.
The sight of Agni's blood broke the demon's concentration, and Neer was freed from the spell. Horror dawned on his face as he remembered what he had done.
"Forgive me, Agni... I injured you..." he cried, rushing to his friend's side.
But the demon was not finished. It seized Agni, intent on devouring him. With a final burst of strength, Agni cut its grip and broke free, collapsing to the ground.
Neer hugged him tightly, sobbing. Agni, in a final act of protection, used the last of his strength to push Neer aside and stand in front of him—just as the demon's sword plunged into his stomach.
"AGNIIIIIIIIIIIII!!" Neer's scream tore through the forest.
He caught Agni as he fell. "Gurudev, what kind of test is this? How do I save Agni? What hell have you sent us to..." he wept, cradling his friend.
He looked up at the sky, his voice a desperate prayer. "O Water God! I invoke your element… Protect Agni, heal his wounds. Take my life if you must... but give him life!"
A divine, aqueous shield enveloped Agni, stabilizing his fading life force. Then, Neer's grief turned into a cold, focused rage. Two swords materialized in his hands—one of searing water, the other of blazing fire. He became a whirlwind of destruction, hacking the demon apart. With a final, powerful surge, his water-sword created a binding energy that prevented the pieces from rejoining.
Exhausted, every ounce of his power spent, Neer released one last, gentle stream of healing water over Agni before his own eyes closed and he fell, unconscious.
Agni stirred, his own body miraculously whole. He crawled to Neer's side, his stoic composure shattered. Tears, unfamiliar and hot, streamed down his face.
"Get up, Neer…" he whispered, his voice trembling. "I never even knew how to cry, but today even my tears are abandoning me. Fine… From now on, I will become like you too. I will fight with you, tease you, but first… first get up! Neer… Forgive me. I couldn't protect you… Get up, Neer, scold me, get angry with me… but don't stay silent like this. What happened to you? Get up, Neer… If you don't get up… then I will also give up my life!"
A divine light descended from the heavens, bathing them in a soft, warm glow. A celestial voice, calm and authoritative, filled the clearing.
"Son Agni… Compose yourself. Neer is alive. He used all his power to save you, a burden his body could not bear. But he will recover… it will take some time. And your task is not yet finished. This is no ordinary demon… it is a Brahmarakshas. It can only be liberated by the sacred chant of the Narayana Kavach."
"Gurudev… You?" Agni gasped, looking around.
"This Brahmarakshas was once a great sage… He taught the Vedas and music to the gods. But when his heart filled with arrogance, he insulted a Gandharva deity. That Gandharva cursed him– that your knowledge will consume you, and you will become… a Brahmarakshas. Now liberate this demon. Chant the Narayana Kavach, and create a protective shield with your fire."
Understanding dawned on Agni. He closed his eyes, finding his center. He invoked his fire element, not for destruction, but for protection. A circle of radiant, divine fire formed around them, enveloping Neer's still form. Then, Agni began to chant the Narayana Kavach, his voice filled with devotion and the pain of his recent ordeal. The very sky seemed to resonate with the sacred syllables.
The demon, now writhing on the ground, screamed as light poured into it. "After so many years… I am… being liberated… O Narayan… O Vishnu…!" it cried out in a trembling voice.
With a final, silent explosion of pure light, the demon's form dissolved into ashes, settling into the earth. A profound peace settled over the forest.
Breathing heavily, Agni looked at Neer. He was still unconscious, but his chest rose and fell steadily. Gently, Agni lifted him onto his shoulders.
"Let's go, Neer… I'm taking you home now."
He found an empty hut in a nearby village and laid Neer on a simple cot. For a long time, he just watched his friend, a tumult of pain, gratitude, and love warring in his heart. Finally, he whispered, his voice thick with emotion,
"I know… You would even give your life to protect someone. But why for me, Neer? Why did you expend all your life's energy on me? This is not bravery… this is foolishness! If something had happened to you… I would never have forgiven myself. I won't even talk to you now…"
On the bed, Neer lay perfectly still. But on his pale lips, a faint, knowing smile had appeared, as if his soul had heard every word.