The night was quiet—**too quiet.**
Arhaan sat alone in his tent, staring at the map of the battlefield. His mind was a battlefield of its own, torn between duty and doubt. Manav's mind games had already begun poisoning Vinay's forces. He could feel it. Some commanders whispered of betrayal. Others hesitated before giving orders.
The unity of Vinay's army was **cracking.**
And then—**the call came.**
A strange device on his desk suddenly buzzed, its glow casting eerie shadows against the fabric walls of his tent. He hesitated before answering.
A distorted voice spoke.
"Commander Arhaan."
He felt a chill crawl down his spine. "Who is this?"
The voice ignored his question.
"You have a choice tonight."
Arhaan's grip tightened. "What do you mean?"
The voice spoke **slowly, deliberately.**
"Tonight, five of your men will betray you."
Silence.
Arhaan's heartbeat quickened.
"That's a lie," he said, but there was hesitation in his voice.
The voice chuckled softly.
"You already suspect it, don't you?"
Arhaan clenched his jaw. He **did** have doubts. Lately, some of his men had been acting strangely. Avoiding eye contact. Speaking in hushed voices.
But that didn't mean **betrayal.**
The voice continued.
"You have two choices: Kill them before they kill you… or hesitate and die."
The call cut off.
Leaving Arhaan **alone with his thoughts.**
He tried to ignore it.
Tried to push away the thoughts.
But when he stepped outside his tent, he **felt it.**
Eyes watching him. Shadows moving in the distance.
Paranoia set in. **Was it true? Were they really planning something?**
And then—**he saw them.**
Five of his own soldiers gathered in the dark. Whispering. Their hands resting on their weapons.
His heartbeat pounded in his ears.
The words of the caller echoed in his mind.
*"Kill them before they kill you."*
Arhaan's breath was shaky.
Then—**one of them turned.**
And the moment their eyes met—
**The soldier lunged.**
Steel flashed.
Instinct took over.
**Arhaan struck first.**
A single, clean slice—**blood splattered onto the dirt.**
The first soldier fell, gasping for breath.
The others reacted instantly.
"Arhaan?!" one of them shouted, drawing his blade.
Arhaan didn't hesitate. **He couldn't.**
Because if he stopped, if he waited even a second—**he would die.**
His blade danced through the air.
One by one, his men **fell.**
And when the last body hit the ground, **silence returned.**
The world stopped.
**Arhaan stood there, drenched in the blood of his own allies.**
He gasped for air, staring down at the corpses.
His own men. His comrades.
His… friends.
And then, from the shadows—**a figure watched.**
Rudra stood nearby, hidden in the darkness.
He had seen **everything.**
Every swing of Arhaan's sword. Every drop of blood spilled.
But he **said nothing.**
Because he understood.
This was Manav's doing.
This was the result of **a perfectly executed psychological attack.**
And Rudra knew—**if he spoke now, it would break Arhaan completely.**
So, he remained in the shadows, **watching.**
Arhaan dropped his weapon, his body trembling. His breathing was uneven, his chest rising and falling in quick, panicked bursts.
And then—he let out a **shaky, broken whisper.**
"What have I done…?"
By sunrise, **the news had spread.**
Whispers filled Vinay's camp.
"Did you hear? Arhaan killed his own men…"
"They say they were spies, but… was there proof?"
Doubt spread like wildfire.
Vinay's forces were already **unstable** from Manav's manipulations.
And this?
This was the **breaking point.**
Some soldiers **left.**
Quietly slipping away in the night, unwilling to fight in an army that was falling apart.
Manav's plan was working.
Far away, in the Goodie Hunters' camp, Manav sat in his tent, scanning reports.
A soldier entered, bowing. "Sir, it worked. Vinay's forces are fracturing."
Manav didn't react.
He simply nodded.
"This is only the beginning."
His voice was devoid of emotion.
He turned to Karael.
"Prepare the next phase."
Karael smirked.
Vinay's army wasn't being defeated by war.
**It was being destroyed from the inside.**