Saga Of The Timeless (A Mahabharata Story)

80. Chaos and Darkness

The grand throne room was thick with darkness, each breath labored under the suffocating power that blanketed the air. The royal family, once proud and untouchable, sat bound and helpless, their bodies restrained by an unseen force that left them as still as statues. Anger, frustration, and fear twisted their faces, but none could move, bound under Tvarita's merciless control.

Tvarita sat upon the throne, her form wreathed in shadows, eyes closed as dark energy pulsated around her. She had held them like this for hours, her silence more menacing than any threat. But then, her eyes snapped open, glowing with a fierce annoyance. Her gaze swept across the room, filled with barely restrained contempt.

She leaned forward, lips curling into a chilling smile. "Oh, shut up," she murmured, her voice a low growl that silenced every cry and pleading in the hall. The threat in her tone hung heavy in the air. "If you do not stop," she warned, voice sharp as a blade, "I might just have to kill someone."

Mahamantri Vidur, his face pale yet resolute, stepped forward as best he could within his restraints. "Tvarita, putri... let the women and children go. They are innocent in this."

"Why are you doing this?" Sahadev 's voice was pleading, his eyes searching hers for a trace of the friend he thought he knew. "What has anyone done to deserve this from you, Tvarita? We cared for you—as a friend, as a sister."

Tvarita met his gaze, her face an unreadable mask, a chilling calm in her eyes that seemed untouched by the chaos around them. She looked at him, her expression devoid of any warmth or remorse. The air was thick with silence, broken only by the distant groans, cries, and the wailing of those in despair.

Nakul, voice shaking yet defiant, took a step forward, his words laced with hurt and anger. "You... you're a demon."

For a moment, her lips curved slightly, a ghost of a smile that was anything but friendly. "A demon, am I?" she echoed, her voice icy and unsettlingly calm. "Or perhaps I'm just the mirror you've all refused to look into."

Her words lingered in the air, heavy with accusation, and the silence that followed felt as if it could crack stone.

In an instant, she appeared before him, her hand a flash as it struck him across the face. He staggered back, blood pooling at his lip as the room gasped. She smiled, amused. "All this crying, begging... it's giving me a headache," she hissed, glancing around.

Arjun, face tight with rage and disbelief, forced himself to speak. "What do you want?" he demanded, his voice barely steady.

She appeared before him, her head tilted as she took in his fierce gaze with unsettling calm. A dark smile crept onto her lips, and with slow, deliberate movements, she traced a single sharp nail down his cheek, just enough for the tip to pierce his skin. A faint line of blood appeared, beading against his face.

"What I want..." Her voice was like ice, cutting through the air as her eyes bored into his. "...is something—or perhaps, someone—very dear to you."

Her smile widened as she watched him struggle, his defiance flickering like a flame. She leaned in closer, her tone dropping to a whisper. "But that, unfortunately,... Well Nothing."

Gandhari's voice, frail but pleading, cut through the silence. "Putri, Tvarita... whatever your grievances, we can talk. What is the meaning of all this? "

Tvarita's face twisted in annoyance as the wailing of children reached her ears. "Ugh! Stop those children from crying! They're shattering my thoughts," she growled, the room growing darker as her wrath intensified.

Bheem, straining against his bonds, roared, "Fight us with honor, Tvarita! Remove these bindings and face us."

Tvarita's laughter echoed through the chamber, chilling every soul trapped within its haunting resonance. She took a step forward, her gaze sharp and piercing, casting shadows over the faces of the men who writhed in her invisible grasp, their breaths growing labored, their strength sapped by a force they could not defy.