LEGACY OF THE FALLEN

LEGACY OF THE FALLEN

Chapter 19

"Captain, we know you're trying to make him stronger, but this is way too much!" Ayesha shouted at Arihant as she and Tushar rushed toward Aksh to check on him.

"What kind of attack did you even use to shake the entire forest?" Aman added, adjusting his glasses with his usual signature gesture. "You do remember it's against the rules for captains to use their full power on campus unless it's an emergency, right?"

"I even woke up from my beautiful nap because of that huge boom," Rudra chimed in with a yawn. "For a second, I thought Jasmine had snapped again."

"It... it wasn't the Captain who caused that blast!" Avni shouted, still trembling.

"It... it was him. He... he's a monster. That look in his eyes right before he attacked..." Her voice quivered as she spoke, sweat pouring down her face.

"It wasn't human."

Everyone's eyes widened in disbelief.

"No way... how could it be? We can't even sense any Tejas in him, so how could he cause such a blast?" Shreya said, completely shocked.

"It's true, though," Arihant replied, stepping forward toward Aksh.

"Jasmine, come here and heal him—quickly."

His face carried a faint smile, as if he were completely amused by everything that had just happened.

"Everyone else, return to your training," Arihant ordered calmly.

Rudra yawned loudly and strolled off, hands behind his head, not a care in the world.

Shreya followed right after, silently, her eyes lingering for just a moment longer.

Aman walked in the opposite direction, every step precise and full of grace—completely unlike Rudra's lazy shuffle.

Ayesha and Tushar exchanged one last worried glance at Aksh before slowly standing up. They walked away taking Avni with them.

Aksh slowly opened his eyes, the dim light of the room blurring into focus. He was lying on the bed in his room—completely healed, yet still dressed in his tattered, battle-worn clothes. Arihant was sitting beside him.

Aksh blinked a few times, then murmured, "Why does it feel... nostalgic?"

"Do you remember what happened before you fainted?" Arihant asked, his gaze steady.

"I was tied to the tree and got beaten... and after that, I..." Aksh lowered his eyes, falling silent.

"So you do remember what happened," Arihant said, arms folded and legs crossed. His voice was calm, but firm. "Do you realize that if I had been even a second late... Avni would've died?"

Aksh didn't say anything and kept his head lowered.

After a brief pause, Arihant asked "You weren't in control of your body, were you?".

Aksh's eyes widened. He looked up at him in surprise.

"Tell me the truth, Aksh," Arihant said, his expression turning serious.

"I… I only remember vividly that I attacked her," Aksh muttered in a steady voice and straight face. "I… I only wanted to defend myself but i couldn't control my power and…"

"This isn't the first time it's happened to you," Arihant said firmly. "You're smart, so I know you've already started to notice it."

Aksh froze. His lips parted slightly, but no words came out. Deep inside, he knew Arihant was right.

The first time his powers had awakened, it was during that explosion of long-suppressed rage. Then again, when he lashed out at Rajit, his mind had already been pushed to its absolute breaking point. And now… now it had happened again—this time, his body on the verge of collapse, teetering at the edge of its limits.

"Every time your body or mind is pushed to the extreme," Arihant continued, "your powers activate—automatically. Like some kind of built-in defense system designed to keep you alive. That's the theory I've come up with after observing all these events."

"Is there any way to control my power?" Aksh asked calmly, his voice steady despite the storm inside him.

Arihant grinned. "Of course there is. Your mind is already stronger than most, thanks to all the trauma you've endured. That might just be a blessing in disguise—it means you're not going to snap or lose control easily."

He stood up, stretching a little.

"As for your body... you just need to become stronger. Tougher. More conditioned. Once your body become stronger, you'll be able to handle it."

Arihant turned to leave. "Now rest for a while. We'll continue training tomorrow."

Aksh hesitated, then asked quietly, "Is she alright?"

Arihant paused at the doorway.

"You mean Avni?" he said, turning back with a small, reassuring smile. "Don't worry—she's a strong girl. Just give her a chocolate and she'll be your best friend again."

And with that, he stepped out, leaving Aksh alone in the silence.

"Why… why?" Aksh muttered under his breath.

"Why did you choose me to be your legacy? I never asked for it. I never wanted it. And now, because of you, I've become a ticking time bomb—someone who could explode at any moment and hurt the people I care about…"

His fists clenched, his voice rising.

"It's all because of you! You're even controlling my body now!"

His shout echoed through the empty room.

"It wasn't me who controlled your body and made that attack."

The deep voice rang out in his mind like a thunderclap.

Aksh's eyes narrowed. "So you finally decided to talk now," he spat. "And don't give me that bullshit. Don't you dare say it wasn't you!"

"I only gave you my power. It is you who decides how to use it. I can't control your thoughts. I can't control your body."

"Stop making excuses… just because you're weak."

"So you're telling me… it was me who did all of that?" Aksh spoke in a softer voice this time, his eyes blank.

"It was you… but it wasn't you," the voice echoed in his mind.

Aksh snapped, frustration boiling over. "What the hell does that even mean!?"

"It is exactly as I said," the voice replied calmly. "It was you—because you were in control of your body. And it wasn't you—because you didn't act with conscious intent. It was your subconscious mind. Years of trauma have shaped it into a survival mechanism… a self-defense system born from your desperate will to live. But in truth, it's less of a defense and more of a suicide switch—because when you snap, you don't just try to protect yourself… you try to annihilate everything that made you lose control."

"Even if I hadn't chosen you, Aksh, you still would have snapped. You still would've lashed out. The only difference is—you would've died. My power didn't create this. It's simply shielding you from your own self-destruction."

Aksh sat there, silent for a moment. His anger faded into thought. Then, in a low voice, he asked:

"So… how do I control it?"

The voice responded, deep and unwavering:

"That's for you to figure out….

It's your power, after all."