Varanasi...
Sakthi Private Hospital...
The scent of antiseptic hung in the air, and the steady beep-beep of a heart monitor echoed softly through the dimly lit room.
Beep~ Beep~
Anish Reddy lay in the hospital bed, pale but conscious, his body still recovering.
A series of tubes was attached to his arms, delivering nutrients and medication.
The room was quiet, save for the subtle hum of machines and the sharp voice of his wife cutting through the silence.
"What were you thinking, Anish?! You're an archaeologist, not a gangster!"
She snapped, tears mixing with frustration in her eyes.
"Why would anyone try to kill you?"
By her side sat their two sons—
Rohit, the elder, is studying engineering, and Tarun, pursuing medicine.
Both looked deeply worried, yet confused, watching their father with the kind of unease that comes when the world suddenly stops making sense.
"____"
Anish opened his mouth, then closed it again.
What could he even say?
That he wasn't just an archaeologist.
That their family line carried the Nandi Astra, one of the sacred relics linked to ancient power.
That enemies of the Brahmansh Order had found him… and he hadn't been ready.
He remained silent.
"____"
His wife continued, not knowing how close to the truth she was.
"You've always been digging up old stones and temples. That's all you've done! How could that possibly make someone want to assassinate you?!"
Anish gave her a tired smile, hiding his pain—
Physical and emotional.
But in his heart, a greater worry loomed.
Only one of his sons would be able to inherit the Nandi Astra.
The family's ancient pact dictated it—
One heir, chosen by the will of the Astra itself.
And whoever wasn't chosen... would either need to live in the shadow of their sibling—
Or walk a much more dangerous path:
To seek and earn an Astra of their own.
A path full of trials, risks, and sacrifices.
Anish had seen too much.
He knew how many had died trying to claim such power.
He glanced at his sons—
So young, still full of dreams.
Tarun looked away, visibly shaken.
Rohit met his father's gaze, questions in his eyes.
"Dad,"
Rohit finally said, his voice low.
"What's really going on?"
Anish looked toward the window, the night wind brushing the curtain.
"Some truths,"
He said softly,
"You are not meant to be told while lying on a hospital bed."
Outside, through the window, he saw birds flying peacefully.
It had been three long days since Anish Reddy had awakened from his coma.
The first day had been filled with doctors, questions, and silent relief.
But the following two days… were a storm.
His wife hadn't stopped scolding him once.
Now, she stood by his bedside, arms crossed, her glare sharp enough to pierce armour.
"Do you want to die early, Anish? What kind of mess have you gotten yourself into?!"
His two sons sat on the nearby couch, trying to pretend they were focused on their phones, while awkwardly enduring their mother's barrage.
Anish, for his part, simply sighed and stared at the ceiling.
Sigh~
"____"
Helplessness clouded his expression.
Just then, a knock echoed from the door.
Knock~ Knock~
Everyone paused.
The door creaked open, and a nurse stepped in, giving a courteous nod.
Nod~
Behind her came Guru Arvind, calm and dignified as ever, followed by Rudra, casually wearing a hoodie and earphones, bobbing slightly to whatever beat played in his ears.
As soon as she saw them, Anish's wife's face lit up with a mix of recognition and mild exasperation.
"Uncle!"
She exclaimed, walking up to Guru Arvind.
"Please talk some sense into him! I swear he's hiding something—something illegal! Why else would those criminals try to kill him?"
She turned toward Anish, her arms gesturing wildly.
"He keeps saying he's an archaeologist—but no archaeologist gets ambushed like that! Unless he's smuggling artefacts or… or treasure hunting for the mafia!"
"____"
Pufft~
Rudra nearly choked on a laugh but quickly covered his mouth, pretending to scratch his nose.
Guru Arvind let out a warm chuckle, raising a hand to calm her.
Chuckle~
"Now, now,"
He said with a smile.
"You've always been sharp, dear, but I assure you—Anish isn't doing anything illegal."
He walked over to the bedside and placed a reassuring hand on Anish's shoulder.
"He's just… involved in something much older, and far more important, than even buried treasure."
Anish's wife blinked, confused by the cryptic response, but chose to trust the elder she respected so deeply.
In her eyes, Guru Arvind wasn't just a relative—
He was Anish's uncle, a man Anish always listened to with reverence.
She gave him a suspicious look.
"Then you explain to him how to stay alive at least."
Guru Arvind simply smiled, then looked at Rudra.
"We'll need some privacy."
Rudra walked to the window and pulled the curtains, while Arvind turned to Anish's sons.
"You boys mind getting a coffee with your mother? We'll take care of your father's nonsense for now."
They exchanged glances and nodded, ushering their mother out with them, though she grumbled under her breath the whole way.
Nod~
"____"
"____"
"____"
As the door shut, the room fell silent.
Guru Arvind's smile faded.
His eyes turned serious.
"Anish,"
He said softly.
Guru Arvind's tone turned serious.
"Anish… now that you're awake, I need to know—can you give me anything? Leads, names, anything you remember about those who attacked you?"
Anish took a slow breath, nodding faintly as he sat up straighter against his pillows.
"There were three of them… Zor, Raftar, and Naman,"
He began, voice low but firm.
"Zor is a brute—tough skin, monstrous strength. Raftar's all speed and agility, hard to keep up with. But the real danger… is Naman."
He looked at Guru Arvind in the eye.
"Naman doesn't just have an Astra. He has three. And none of them are stable. They've been forcefully embedded into him, corrupted by reckless overuse. He's a walking weapon—and a ticking time bomb."
Rudra's brows furrowed, his mind already working through what that kind of opponent could mean.
Frown~
"____"
Guru Arvind's expression darkened.
"That explains the intensity of the attack. They weren't just trying to kill you. They were sent to retrieve the broken piece, right?"
Anish gave a grim smile.
"And they failed."
Guru Arvind exchanged a glance with Rudra before placing a gentle hand on Anish's shoulder.
"There's something else you should know. The Brahmastra has chosen itself. The one destined to wield the Brahmastra itself."
Anish's eyes widened slightly.
"You don't mean…?"
Guru Arvind turned, gesturing toward Rudra.
"Meet Rudra, bearer of the Brahmastra."
For a beat, the room was still.
Then Anish blinked… and broke into hearty laughter.
"____"
HAHAHA~
"By the gods! I wish I could see the faces of those bastards when they find out the boy they didn't even glance at is the chosen one!"
He wheezed a little, then calmed himself, smiling warmly at Rudra.
"You have no idea how many wars have been fought over one shard of that Astra. And now, you hold its power."
Rudra gave a sheepish smile, scratching the back of his neck.
"Still getting used to it."
Anish nodded.
Nod~
"You're young—but you're chosen. That means something. Just remember, Rudra… power doesn't make you right. Use it wisely. Use it well."
Guru Arvind smiled in approval.
"One part remains to complete the Brahmastra."
He added,
"But we'll get there. For now, rest, Anish. You've earned it."
Opposite Shakti Private Hospital, the lodge stood nestled between rows of buildings.
The Fourth floor, though dimly lit, was alive with silent energy.
Inside the Room 59, the curtains were drawn only slightly—
Just enough to allow a clear view of the hospital across the street.
A set of high-powered binoculars rested against the eyes of a lean, sharp-eyed man.
"He's awake,"
Said Raftar, lowering the binoculars.
His voice was smooth, calculated, like a serpent sizing up prey.
"Anish Shetty's sitting up now. And… he's got company."
Behind him, Zor, a bulky, scarred man with arms like tree trunks, grunted from his chair, cracking his knuckles one by one.
"Family?"
Raftar shook his head, adjusting the focus again.
"No. These two just arrived. One's an old man, but something about him… regal. Like he's used to people standing when he walks into a room. The other one—"
Raftar paused, zooming in on Rudra's face.
"—young. Can't be more than twenty."
Naman, standing by the table with arms crossed and eyes cold, said nothing at first.
His presence was magnetic and unnerving, as if the air in the room was thinner around him.
His right hand lightly brushed over the—
Three unstable Astra symbols glowed faintly.
"Describe them."
Naman said at last, his tone clipped.
Raftar complied, giving physical details.
Naman pulled out a worn notebook—
full of scribbled images and field sketches—
And began comparing them to known figures.
"Not on any of the lists,"
Naman muttered.
"Which means there is a high chance they are either low profile… or so high profile their movements aren't public."
Zor finally stood up, stepping beside Raftar and taking the binoculars.
He stared long at Guru Arvind, then at Rudra.
"____"
"The young one… he looked right at this building. Briefly."
Raftar raised a brow.
"Coincidence."
Zor growled.
Growl~
"There's no coincidence when Brahmastra is involved."
At that word—
Brahmastra—even Naman paused.
"____"
The three of them had been stationed in Varanasi for days now, waiting for Anish Shetty to awaken.
Hoping the archaeologist would slip up, name names, or draw out allies tied to the fragments of the broken Brahmastra.
Now, it seemed, their patience was finally paying off.
Naman closed his notebook.
"We don't move yet. We watch. If they're connected to the Brahmastra, they'll return. And when they do…"
He looked out the window, his corrupted Astra pulsing faintly beneath his coat.
"…we'll be ready."
As Naman took the binoculars from Zor and used them to spy, something unexpected happened.
The red stone pendant that hung from his neck—
Which connects him and other servants with Dev—
Began to vibrate violently, pulsing with a deep crimson glow.
"What the hell—?"
Raftar flinched back, instinctively stepping away.
"It's glowing again!"
But Naman's pupils dilated, and his body went still, as though frozen.
His arms dropped to his sides, and the binoculars slipped from his grip, clattering onto the floor.
He didn't react.
In the blink of an eye, his consciousness was no longer in that lodge room.
Spiritual Plane – The Forbidden Island Where Dev Is Sealed...
"____"
Black skies churned with clouds of fire and ash.
A desolate, rocky island, surrounded by molten seas, spread before Naman.
In the centre stood the titanic stone statue of Dev—
The sealed ex-bramansh who nearly succeeded in his ambitions.
His carved features twisted into a grimace of fury and pain.
From the centre of Dev's stone chest, a piercing beam of red energy erupted, striking directly onto the gem of Naman's necklace,
Yanking him toward the statue.
"W-Where am I?"
Naman's voice echoed, hollow and uncertain.
Suddenly, a whirlwind of memories flooded his mind.
Flashes of a past life… or someone else's.
He saw a man—
Regal, wise, cloaked in saffron and black—
With a staff of glowing crystal.
His aura was powerful and serene.
"That's the Guru from Dev's time,"
A whisper passed through Naman's thoughts, not in words, but in essence.
Then the scene shifted.
The Guru bowed out of frame, and besides that guru appeared a younger figure—
With determined eyes and fierce dignity—
Dressed in 80s style but radiating that same spiritual command.
It was Arvind.
A realisation struck Naman like thunder:
"He… is the Guru now."
Just as the words formed in his mind, the beam of red light intensified, turning almost red-hot before abruptly cutting off.
The fiery world around him began to collapse, spiralling him back into the present.
Back in the Lodge Room...
Huff~ Huff~
"____"
With a violent gasp, Naman stumbled backwards, crashing against the wall, drenched in sweat.
His eyes snapped open—
Wild, shaken.
"Naman?! What the hell just happened?"
Raftar stepped forward.
Zor caught him before he fell, gripping his shoulder.
Naman's voice was raspy, but filled with conviction.
"I've seen him… I know who that old man is now."
Raftar blinked.
"Who?"
"Guru Arvind. The current Guru who inherited lord Brahma Dev's Guru's will."
Zor's jaw tightened.
"Then… the boy?"
Naman's gaze turned toward the hospital across the street.
He spoke slowly, each word etched in gravity.
"I don't care now we know whom to target?"
A cold silence fell over the room.
Ooty...
The Highland Leaf...
A soft drizzle misted the mountain town of Ooty, with clouds swirling like lazy spirits above the hilltops.
Inside the cosy warmth of the Highland Leaf, the air smelled of fresh herbs, clean linen, and rain-kissed earth.
Amirtha, radiant and ageless, sat cross-legged on a cushion in the lounge area near the kitchen.
Her eyes, youthful but wise, softened as she looked at Shiva, who sipped from a glass of water, staring blankly at the floor.
Despite they both looked like a big sister and little brother, Shiva was still her son, the child she had raised, protected, and trained.
She had watched him grow from a curious toddler to the brooding, sharp-eyed young man sitting before her now.
"You've been quiet all morning,"
Amirtha said gently, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear while typing a report on the daily log in the computer.
"That's not like you."
Shiva didn't meet her eyes at first.
"____"
He kept sipping the water, then finally muttered:
"I don't know, Amma… I just… something feels wrong. Like something really bad is coming."
Amirtha's expression shifted—
Her usual serenity was replaced by a flicker of concern.
"____"
"A nightmare?"
"No. It's not a dream. It's just—this weight in my chest. Like the sky's holding its breath."
She reached forward and placed her hand on his, warm and steady.
"You've always been sensitive, Shiva. Maybe it's just anxiety… or maybe you're tuning into something. Either way, you're not alone."
Just as she finished speaking—
Shiva's body suddenly froze.
"____"
His eyes rolled back, and the glass of water slipped from his hand, shattering on the floor.
Amirtha jumped up in alarm.
[Trance Vision Begins]
Flames.
Statues.
A cursed island surrounded by fire.
Shiva's spirit was yanked across reality as he saw Dev's colossal form, and Naman staring at it with wide eyes.
Then he felt it—
The red beam from the statue hits Naman's pendant.
The whispers of power.
The previous Guru.
The current Guru—Arvind.
The knowledge was transferred to Naman.
The recognition.
The decision to act.
Target Arvind.
Shiva's soul slammed back into his body with a jolt.
Gasp!
Huff!.. Huff!..
"____"
He gasped loudly, clutching his chest.
Sweat drenched his brow.
His mother was already by his side, holding his shoulders tightly.
"Shiva! Talk to me!"
He looked up, panting.
"Naman… the guy attacked Anish Shetty, he knows. He knows Guru Arvind's identity now. Dev showed him. He's going to come after him."
Amirtha's eyes darkened.
"____"
Her usual gentle aura sharpened into alertness.
Without a word, she stood up, pulling her mobile from her pocket.
With expert speed, she dialled Rudra's number.
The phone rang once, twice…
RING... RING...
As soon as the line connected, her voice turned grave:
"Rudra… listen carefully. We have a problem."