Warning: This chapter contains themes of abuse and violence that some readers may find distressing. Reader discretion is advised.
Legacy of the Fallen
Chapter 8
Reena stood frozen, her eyes widening at Arihant's sudden and brutal revelation. "D-Do… do you have any proof?" she stammered.
Arihant let out a short chuckle before replying, "It was quite obvious. The wounds you have aren't from saving someone from a fire—they're from violence and torture. And when we investigated your house, we found clear signs of a struggle. The floor was broken, like something massive had struck it.
"But the biggest clue?" He leaned back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other and folding his arms. "Rajit's body. His pelvis was completely shattered, and his skull was cracked open."
He tilted his head, smirking. "So, here's my hypothesis about what really happened that night. Rajit violated you… and Aksh found out. He snapped. That rage awakened his Tejas. He struck Rajit with enough force to crush his lower body and then finished him off by smashing his skull. And to erase the evidence, you burned down the house.
"So… tell me, Reena. What do you think of my deduction?"
Reena started sobbing heavily. "It wasn't Aksh… he didn't kill him. I… I was the one who killed Rajit."
Arihant's expression darkened, his previous amusement gone. "Look, denying it won't help you."
"I'm telling you the truth!" Reena shouted. "I killed Rajit!"
She wiped her tears away, her voice trembling as guilt clouded her face. "I'll tell you everything… just promise me one thing—don't do anything to my son. But let me be clear about one thing, I will never let him fight the war of you higher-ups. Th… There is something inside of him that is slowly eating away his humanity."
Reena started trembling, holding her head, her expression darkening. "The terror and murderous intent I felt from him that day wasn't something a 12-year-old kid should possess. I… I… I'm afraid if he goes to war with you, he will completely lose his humanity."
3 days ago
The day Dhruva came to check on Aksh, Rajit was also there—hidden behind the house. He heard everything. And when he learned that Aksh's core was broken, all his fear vanished.
That night, after Aksh left for work, Rajit returned. Without a word, he struck Reena on the head with a rod.
When she regained consciousness, she was tied to a chair. Blood trickled down her face from the wound.
Rajit stood before her, his usual monstrous grin stretching across his face.
"You whore… now who's going to protect you?" he sneered. "I know everything. Aksh's core is shattered. He can't do shit. I don't need to be afraid of him anymore."
He let out a low, menacing laugh. "Hahaha… I've been holding back for six months. But now? It's time you got what you deserve."
He reached for a heated iron rod from the cooking fire. His eyes gleamed with twisted delight.
Screams echoed through the night.
When Aksh and Tejasvi returned home and opened the door, the sight before him could break any human
His mother lay on the floor, her entire body covered in burns and bruises, the evidence of prolonged torment.
Aksh immediately hit the back of Tejasvi knocking her unconscious so that she won't have to witness what was about to come.
Rajit stood over her, a rod in his hand, grinning. "Hahahah! Little shit, you finally returned! I was waiting for you. What are you gonna do now, huh? You're powerless!"
Aksh walked past him without a word. Each step carried a weight beyond human comprehension—an authority no emperor or god could possess.
He reached Reena, untied her from the ropes, and carefully leaned her against the wall.
"So… you finally decided to die," he murmured.
Rajit felt a chill crawl down his spine.
"D-Do… do you think I'm afraid of you? I already know your core is broken! You… you can't do shit to me! Hahahaha!".
"Shut up", Aksh spoke with absolute authority, his face expressionless.
"Ho... how dare you try to threaten me!!" Rajit charged with the rod and swung it to hit Aksh.
But there was no one in front of him. He had struck only empty air.
As he slowly turned, Aksh was standing behind him, his eyes glowing crimson red, his hair beginning to flow upward. The look in Aksh's eyes was as if he were gazing at an insignificant insect. His presence was so immense at that moment that Rajit felt as though he were standing before a demon.
A red aura started accumulating around Aksh's body, and an overwhelming pressure began to form. The land started shaking, and the floor beneath Aksh shattered into dust.
Rajit tried to retreat, but before he could move, Aksh appeared right in front of him in a split second and delivered a crushing kick to his pelvis. Rajit screamed in pain, writhing on the floor.
This wasn't the first time Rajit had felt true terror.
Twelve years ago, he was part of the rear military team. He was not an ordinary human—he had achieved Three Stars in Tejas. But even back then, he was a depraved man, preying on any woman who caught his eye.
Reena was a nurse in the army at that time She was so beautiful that any man will fall in love with her at first sight. She has a mole on her upper lips, her eyes wer big, deep and luminous , and in that depth there was a warm and gentle look. Her brown hair, was gathered into an elegant tie, yet even the restraint could not diminish its beauty. Her skin was as smooth as a polished marble that bore a natural radiance and a warm smile on her face was like a cherry on top.
One day, during the war, Rajit was injured and visited the doctor's tent for treatment. There, he met Reena, and the moment he laid eyes on her, he was bewitched by her elegant beauty—a vision that left him utterly entranced. He spent a few days in the tent, but his perverse nature would not allow him to restrain himself. In his twisted desire, he crushed the beautiful and innocent flower.
But this time, he couldn't escape punishment.
Arihant caught him in the act.
Arihant arrested Rajit on the spot and presented him before the commander.
But the most disheartening thing was the commander's reaction. He scoffed, "Soldiers need pleasure in times of war. What more is there to it?"
Arihant's eyes burned with fury. "But he destroyed the life of an innocent! We can't let him go like this, or he'll do it again!"
The commander's expression darkened, annoyance creeping into his voice. "Don't forget, Arihant, that I am your superior here. My word is law. If you dare raise your voice in my presence again, I will deal with you according to military law."
Arihant clenched his fists. Taking a deep breath, he spoke again, with calmer tone and restrained anger. "So, you're just going to let him go?"
The commander let out an exasperated sigh. "Alright, alright, I'll punish him. If you hadn't contributed so much to the military, I would've already gotten rid of you, Arihant."
Then, raising his voice, the commander declared, "I, the commander of the 12th Battalion, hereby decree that as punishment for indulging in pleasure without the consent of the other party, Rajit shall be married to the victim. Now return to your posts. Everyone dismissed!"
Rajit turned back, a provocative smile curling on his lips as he passed by Arihant.
But before he could take another step, Arihant's voice thundered through the tent, infused with traces of Tejas—an authority so absolute that every piece of furniture trembled.
"According to Section 4 of the Sexual Harassment Act, if a woman is harassed in the workplace, and the guilty party is a normal human, he shall be executed on the spot. If the guilty possesses Tejas, his core shall be destroyed, and he shall be expelled from the city, never to return again!"
In that very instant, before anyone could react, Arihant lunged forward. With one hand, he seized Rajit by the throat, lifting him effortlessly. With his other hand, he struck Rajit's lower abdomen—shattering his core.
Rajit's scream tore through the camp as his Tejas went out from his body, vanishing like a dying flame.
The commander stood frozen, his jaw tightened as he thought to himself.
"Even I, a Seven-Star warrior, can't use my Tejas to command such absolute authority… and yet, Arihant did it effortlessly."
His fists clenched, veins bulging from his arms.
"If that wasn't enough… he shattered the core of a Three-Star like it was nothing. That level of control, that sheer power…"
A sharp chill ran down his spine.
"Damn you, Arihant. You've already surpassed me, haven't you? I can't even fathom the depths of your strength anymore.Could it be… you've already reached Eight Stars? Or even higher…?"
The commander quickly pulled himself together, his face twisting with fury. "How dare you, Arihant?! Defying my orders, disregarding my authority—"
"You don't need to say another word," Arihant cut him off, his voice laced with disdain. "I'm done with this military. So go fuck yourself, you idiot."
Arihant turn and cast a disgusted look at Rajit. "Listen, you bastard. The commander has already given his order—you have no choice but to marry her." His voice dripped with contempt. "But if you ever dare to destroy another innocent life..." He scoffed. "Not that you're even capable of that anymore."
His eyes started glowing, and a white aura flared to life around him, crackling with restrained power. "If you so much as try… I will find you." His voice dropped to an eerie calm. "And I will tear you apart in ways that will make death seem like mercy."
"This was the first time Rajit had ever felt true terror. And now... he was drowning in that same terror again—this time, from his own son."
Tears rolled down Rajit's face, his expression twisting in agony. "H-How… how is this possible?" he gasped, his voice shaking. "How can you have the same pressure as that bastard?!"
Aksh took slow, deliberate steps toward him.
Rajit's terror grew with every step. He fell to his knees, his body trembling. "You can't do this to me, Aksh! I-I'm your father!" he pleaded, his voice breaking.
Aksh raised his hand, his crimson eyes burning with fury. "You are no father of mine. No husband to my mother." His voice was eerily calm, absolute. "You are just a pathetic bastard who doesn't deserve to live."
Before Aksh could strike, a deafening crack echoed through the room.
Reena had swung the rod with all her strength, smashing it across Rajit's face. He barely had time to scream before another blow came—then another.
The house rang with the sickening sound of metal meeting flesh. Again. And again.
For a full minute, Reena did not stop. She poured every ounce of her pain, her rage, her years of suffering into each strike.
When she finally stopped, her hands trembled. The rod, slick with blood, slipped from her grasp and clattered to the floor.
She turned to Aksh, her body shaking, tears streaming down her face. She threw herself into his arms, holding him tight.
"You don't have to stain your hands red for this bastard," she sobbed.
With ragged breaths, Reena walk toward the kitchen. Her body trembled, but her resolve did not waver.
She grabbed the oil lamp and smashed it onto the wooden floor. Flames roared, devouring the house that had been nothing but a prison of pain.
But before she could take another step, her vision blurred. The weight of her injuries, the exhaustion, the torment—everything crashed down on her.
She swayed. Her knees buckled.
And as the inferno raged behind her, Reena collapsed into unconsciousness.