The moon was high and full, casting a pale sheen across the forest floor like silver paint spilled from the heavens. In the Temple of Embers, the fire burned all night—not for warmth, but for war.
Aravan knelt in quiet reverence, freshly armored, his young face painted with the sacred mark of the Hidden Ones. His wounds from the ambush had healed faster than expected, but it wasn't just the herbs. It was purpose. He was no longer a hunter. He was a soldier of the flame.
Bahubali emerged from his tent at dawn, his armor gleaming, his eyes sharpened like a drawn blade. The warriors around him stood in silence as he stepped up onto a stone platform carved with the forgotten symbols of their ancestors.
His voice rang out like a war horn:
"Tonight, we move. No more whispers. No more hiding. We march not just for revenge—but for justice. For Devasena. For every village burned. For every child silenced by Bhallaladeva's cruelty."
Cheers erupted, low and powerful like a storm gathering breath. Aravan's fist tightened around his spear.
Bahubali raised his hand. "But we do not strike the palace first. No… we take the silence."
The crowd quieted.
"There is a fortress near the southern gorge—the Tower of Silence. That is where Bhallaladeva stores his weapons, trains his spies, and tortures those who resist. It is the nerve of his tyranny. We strike it down, and we send a message."
He paused.
"The Lion has returned."
Meanwhile – In the Tower of Silence
Built from black stone and buried in mist, the Tower loomed like a demon's fang. Guards in silver-black armor patrolled its gates, unaware that death was already on its way.
Inside, prisoners hung from chains—freedom fighters, monks, women accused of harboring resistance. Some had not seen the sun in weeks. The air reeked of blood and damp rot. Screams echoed faintly through its dungeons.
A single man among the prisoners stirred—an old scribe with wild hair and faded tattoos across his arms. His name was Tanthav, once the keeper of the royal archives before Bhallaladeva's purge. He had secrets. Dangerous ones.
As a rat scurried near his foot, he grinned. "Let it come," he whispered. "Let the flame rise."
At the Palace – Devasena's Resolve
Chained in a cold stone cell beneath the palace, Devasena stared up at the ceiling, her hands bruised but her spirit intact. Every day, Bhallaladeva tried to break her. Every day, he failed.
She had heard rumors—guard chatter, servant whispers.
That Bahubali had risen.
That he had gathered warriors.
That he was coming.
She smiled to herself. "You'll regret not killing him when you had the chance," she muttered. "You'll regret ever touching our son."
From the shadows, an old woman crept into her cell—Rani, the wet nurse. She carried a single flame-lit lantern and a piece of cloth wrapped around a tiny carving.
Devasena's breath caught.
She reached for the cloth and unwrapped it.
It was a small lion carved in wood—her son's favorite toy, the one she thought lost in the escape.
Tears gathered in her eyes.
"He lives," Rani whispered. "Your boy lives. Hidden well. And Bahubali… he is stronger than ever."
Nightfall – The Siege Begins
The Tower of Silence stood unaware.
But the forest had gone quiet.
Too quiet.
Then—boom!
A fireball burst from the treeline, slamming into the tower gates. The explosion lit the sky.
Arrows followed like rain. Warriors poured in from every direction—Hidden Ones, forest rebels, and loyal soldiers wearing Bahubali's sigil.
At the front of it all was Bahubali himself.
A blur of fury, he led the charge, deflecting blades, cutting down guards with masterful ease. Aravan was close behind, fighting like a man possessed.
Screams filled the air. The Tower was caught off guard.
Within minutes, its gates were breached.
Inside the dungeon, Tanthav looked up as the door burst open. Light poured in, blinding and beautiful. A young rebel cut his chains.
"Come," she said. "The lion calls."
Aftermath – A Message in Blood
By dawn, the Tower of Silence was no more. Fires burned through its courtyard, but they were cleansing flames.
Bahubali stood before the captives, now freed. Tanthav walked beside him, old eyes gleaming.
"My king," he said, "there are scrolls I hid before the purge. Proof of Bhallaladeva's crimes. His bloodline is cursed. And your son… his destiny is written."
Bahubali nodded, then turned to the last surviving commander of the Tower, now bound and on his knees.
"Tell your king," Bahubali growled, "his silence is broken. His towers will fall. His sins will not be forgotten."
The man was released with one message: a lion's tooth soaked in red ink, pressed into his palm.
Final Scene: Bhallaladeva's Wrath
The message reached the palace by noon.
Bhallaladeva crushed the lion's tooth in his palm.
"Mobilize every soldier. Seal the southern borders. I want Bahubali's head on a spike!"
But even as he spoke, his hands trembled.
For the first time in years, the tyrant felt something cold and unfamiliar.
Fear.