The air was thick and heavy as Anagha, Chitrakala, and Agastya stepped through the archway, entering a strange, otherworldly space. At first, it felt normal, but within moments, the atmosphere became dense, like the very air was pressing down on them, making it difficult to breathe. They staggered for a moment, gasping for air, feeling the pressure intensify by the second.
Before panic could set in, a soft hand landed gently on their backs. The ancient-looking figure standing beside them gave them a reassuring pat, and instantly, the oppressive air pressure lifted. They could breathe again, the relief washing over them like a cool breeze after a stifling heatwave.
"Whew, that was something," Anagha muttered, wiping her brow. Chitrakala nodded, her eyes wide with surprise.
The ancient figure nodded solemnly and beckoned them to move forward, leading them farther into the space. They followed him into a large chamber, where they were instructed to stand in line.
All around them, the walls seemed to hum with quiet energy, and above them, a majestic crystal tree stood, its branches shimmering with an ethereal glow. The air around it smelled fantastic. A mix of fresh blossoms and the faintest scent of something sweet, almost like sugar but far richer.
Chitraketu, Dhumaketu and Sudhasagara disappeared to God knows where.
"This place is amazing," Chitrakala whispered. Her eyes still wide in awe as she reached out to touch one of the shimmering low hanging leaves.
Anagha, too, was entranced by the beauty of the tree, but her thoughts kept drifting back to her family. She wants to share these fantastic and beautiful things with them. She sighed and looked forward towards the line of twenty people. The tension in the air made her feel like whatever happened next would somehow determine everything.
"I bet we're getting some cool gear" Agastya said with a grin, glancing at Anagha and Chitrakala. "That's what happens in movies and comics!"
As they stood in line, they watched the badges being handed to others ahead of them, their eyes widening as they saw that each badge was golden and gleaming. They couldn't help but exchange excited glances. Could they get one of those, too? Were these badges a form of identification? Would they carry some kind of power, like communication? Can they talk to people on earth with those?
But as their turn finally came, Anagha felt her heart race. She stepped forward eagerly, expecting to be handed one of the golden badges everyone seems to be getting, but the attendant paused, eyes flicking between her and the badges.
When the badge was handed to her, Anagha froze. It wasn't gold. Instead, it was... something else. Something silver, gleaming under the light. Her breath hitched as she looked around, hearing a collective gasp from those in the room. She turned to Chitrakala, only to see that she, too, had been given a silver badge.
"What does this mean?" Anagha whispered and her mind racing.
Agastya, who had been handed his badge next, seemed stunned. His was made of a strange, dark metal, almost black, and it shimmered in a way that felt menacing.
And then, from somewhere above, they all heard a faint scream. The sound echoed down, chilling in its intensity, and everyone in the room paused, their eyes darting to the sky above.
The room fell into an uneasy silence.
"What was that?" Chitrakala murmured, her voice filled with confusion and concern.
Anagha and Chitrakala exchanged a glance, both trying to make sense of what had just happened. Why did they get silver badges? Why did Agastya get a dark metal one?
"Did we fail? Did we get terrible scores on that idiotic quiz?" Anagha asked in a whisper, her voice thick with anxiety.
"I don't know," Chitrakala replied, nervously twisting the edge of her badge. "But that black one" She shivered. "It's not just any badge. It looks like it's cursed or something."
"Thanks," Agastya deadpanned.
Chitra shrugged.
The three of them were quickly herded along by the attendants, leaving the others behind. The tension in the air was thick, and their minds were racing as they were led back inside the building. Suddenly they are not in the mood to do sightseeing.
They climbed a grand staircase, the sound of their footsteps echoing against the cold marble like flooring.
At the top, they entered a massive circular room. In the center stood a large table. There is huge space in between and towards the walls, chairs, sofas, and even bunk beds were placed artistically. The room is full of high windows, not of glass but covered in a translucent film that shimmered with an otherworldly glow.
"Put your bags on the beds," one of the attendants instructed. "The journey will take three days. We will be collecting people from other realms along the way."
Anagha, Chitrakala, and Agastya made their way into the room, picking out beds. Anagha and Chitrakala chose the lower bunk beds, while Agastya took the upper one. They stashed their bags and sat down, trying to process everything that had just happened.
For a moment, silence filled the room, each of them lost in their own thoughts.
"I can't believe we're actually going to another realm," Agastya muttered from above. "This is insane."
Anagha nodded, still staring at her silver badge. What did it mean? What was going to happen to them now?
She glanced out the window, her mind racing, as the weight of their journey ahead pressed down on her.
As soon as Anagha, Chitrakala, and Agasthya settled into the room, they gathered on the bottom bunk and formed a tight circle. Anagha looked at her silver badge and Agastya's black one, then carefully compared them side by side. Her brow furrowed as she turned them over in her hands.
"No matter how I see it, it feels ominous," she muttered, inspecting the dull silver in the dim light of the room. "The color, the weight... everything about it feels off. More importantly, we're going to be separated. We can't let that happen."
Chitraketu and Agastya exchanged uneasy glances. Chitra, as usual, wore a determined expression, her eyes sharp and focused, while Agastya's face betrayed the last spark of hope that still clung to him.
Anagha sighed. It was clear that her friends needed a moment together, but discussing this situation was equally pressing. They couldn't afford to be left in the dark about what was going on. She knew there was more to this than a mere badge system.
She looked up and noticed a small group forming near the enormous dining table in the center of the room. Her eyes narrowed.
"I'm gonna go over there," Anagha announced, pushing herself off the bed. Her two friends looked up at her in surprise.
"Why?" Chitraketu asked.
Anagha folded her arms. "Remember the gasp when I got the silver badge?" she asked pointedly. They both nodded. "Yeah, something went wrong. We don't know exactly what, but those people... they seem to know something we don't."
Anagha paused, looking between her friends. "I'm going to find out what that is. If silver is bad, I don't even want to think about what black means. I need to figure out how we can either move up to gold or get Agastya to at least be with us in the silver group."
They both looked at her with worry. Chitra seemed to consider this for a moment, then nodded, her lips pressing into a determined line. Agastya, though, barely seemed able to hold it together. His eyes looked strained, and his usual calm demeanor was nowhere to be found.
"I'll be back in a bit," Anagha added.
Chitra still wanted to come but Anagha shook her head, "No, you stay here with him, he is barely holding it together."
Chitra looked at Agastya and nodded.
Agastya said a tired thanks to her. She gave a smile and turned. She then started toward the group by the table, not waiting for a response. Chitra gave Agastya a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
Anagha pushed past a few others in the room and approached the group, which was mostly made up of people she hadn't seen before. The one that caught her attention was an Asian girl. She was impeccably dressed, looking like she could be a spy from a Bond movie, a sharp, tailored outfit accentuating her stature.
Anagha stepped up beside her, and without wasting any time, she bluntly addressed the gathering, her voice clear and unwavering. "Hey, guys, why did you all gasp when I got a silver badge?"
A few people looked at her curiously, but it was the Asian girl who frowned at her first. The girl spoke in a thick accent, her tone a little condescending. "Are you kidding me?" she said, clearly unimpressed. "If you give inferior alms, what do you expect?"
Anagha blinked, confused. 'Alms? What alms?'.
When did we give anything? Then she paused. "Did our parents give something? What did they give?
These guys have gold badges so what alms did these guys give? Diamonds? Precious stones?
The girl glared at her as if Anagha should already know this, but the more Anagha thought about it, the more she realized she had no idea what this girl was talking about. Alms? Were they talking about offerings of some kind?
The other people in the group started to murmur among themselves, clearly uncomfortable with the subject but not quite daring to speak up. Anagha crossed her arms, waiting for an answer, hoping someone would clarify what she had missed in all of this.
The girl eyed Anagha, still speaking with a hint of disdain. "The quality of the alms you give determines the type of badge you receive. If you give poor alms, you get a poor badge. You must have given something disappointing."
Anagha felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. But what did we give?' she thought again.
Anagha shook her head slightly and looked up from her thoughts, just in time to catch the tail end of the tall girl's story. She sat poised, confident
"My ancestors from the Heo clan," the girl said, "served in royal courts during the Three Kingdoms period. Our ancestors trace back to 2000 years. We still keep records. Scrolls, even."
Anagha blinked. Did she say scrolls?
"Ahhh," the group around the table chorused in awe. Anagha joined in with a well-timed "Ooooh," purely for survival. The social choreography here was no joke.
Once the applause of ancestry settled, Anagha turned to the man on her other side. A kind-eyed fellow with a thick Russian accent and the air of someone who enjoyed explaining things slowly, with metaphors.
"I'm Anagha," she said, trying not to look like a lost intern at a secret society mixer.
"Sergei Morozov," he replied warmly.
She smiled. "So, what did you offer? For the alms, I mean."
His face lit up like he'd been waiting for that question all week.
"Ah, yes. Ours began two hundred years ago."
Anagha blinked. "Two hundred?"
He nodded, completely sincere. "We bought a cow."
She opened her mouth. Closed it again.
"Not just a cow," he clarified. "A vision. A promise. The purest breed. Raised on dew-fed grass in the highlands. Each generation—ten of them—was fed herbs, sung to daily, and bathed under the moon. Milk, divine. Sugar? From hand-crushed canes we grow in our eastern farms. Rice? Ah, premium grain. Aged, sun-dried. And cardamom—"
"Let me guess," she cut in gently, "you wrestled it from a Himalayan temple guarded by tiger monks?"
He laughed. "Close. Kerala."
"And all this was to make?"
"Payasam. Kheer," he said, eyes gleaming.
She stared. "That's what you gave? Dessert?"
A collective, respectful nod rippled around the table.
"Classic offering," someone murmured.
"I fermented my oolong tea for a year," another said proudly.
"My family made mango juice from fruits blessed during Chaitra Navratri," a boy added.
Anagha's brain short-circuited a little.
She excused herself before anyone asked what she gave. Because honestly? She had no idea. Did her parents send anything? Did they even know this was a thing?
Back at their bunk, she burst in dramatically. "Alright. Quick summary. Everyone's apparently part of a generational MasterChef finale."
Chitra raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"
"They all gave food. Not just food — food with lore. Food with plot arcs."
Agastya looked up slowly. "You're joking."
Chitra looked thoughtful. "So, they all gave offerings? Like actual offerings?"
Anagha nodded, still baffled. "Not just offerings. Multi-generational, precision-engineered culinary diplomacy. Apparently, dessert is a universal language."
Agastya's brow furrowed. "And we didn't?"
"I don't know," Anagha said, glancing between them. "That's the problem. I don't remember any sort of rituals. No offerings, no prep, nothing. My parents just told me to go and give it my best. Not even a hint about divine desserts."
Chitra rubbed her temples. "Okay, so your silver might be from some last-minute grace. And Agastya's black...?"
"Could be that his line didn't offer anything. Or forgot. Or they didn't know they were supposed to."
Agastya looked down, quiet. "Feels a bit harsh."
Anagha nodded slowly. "It is. But right now, it looks like we're being sorted based on something we didn't even know we were part of."
They sat with that for a moment. The dorm room was filled with the muffled sounds of others — chatter, movement, occasional laughter that didn't feel like theirs yet.
Anagha finally sighed. "Whatever it is, we'll figure it out. If this whole place is running on centuries-old offerings, there has to be a way in. Or around."
Chitra nodded. "We stick together?"
"Of course," Anagha said. "Badge or no badge."
Suddenly, their badges began to hum. A soft, pulsing vibration, like a content cat. The three of them instinctively reached for them.
Glowing letters formed across the metal.
"Chitraketu…" Chitra read aloud.
"Sudhasagara," Anagha murmured, her brow furrowed.
"Dhumaketu," Agastya said, staring at his badge like it had personally insulted him.
They were still digesting this when, without warning, two men materialized right in front of them or rather, sat themselves down with practiced ease on a plush sofa that hadn't been there a second ago.
One was regal and composed, with dusky skin and sharp features that carried an ageless kind of wisdom called Chitraketu. The other, Dhumaketu, had a broad frame, a thundercloud scowl, and an expression on twin heads that suggested he hadn't enjoyed a single moment of his job since the Satya Yuga.
Chitra blinked. "Umm… hello?"
"We're your mentors in Pātāla," Chitraketu said, nodding to her and Agastya. "Assigned to assist and assess."
They both nodded, instinctively obedient.
Anagha glanced at her badge again. "So… where's Sudhasagara then? He is my mentor right?"
A faint, melodic hum answered — a tanpura-like drone that felt like the room had suddenly inhaled sandalwood.
She turned.
A man floated beside her.
Literally floated.
On a cloud.
In the middle of the room. Talk about presence.
Draped in flowing garments the color of seafoam, golden skin glowing softly, his shoulder-length hair fluttering in a breeze that did not exist. He cradled a drone instrument, his fingers resting lightly on the strings.
He was, and there was no denying it, very good looking.
Anagha blinked. Twice. "Who are you, sir?"
"I am Sudhasagara," he said with a smile that could probably melt glaciers.
She stared at him a moment longer, then tilted her head. "Why aren't you green?"
Chitra gasped beside her. "You are so beautiful! Your wife must be very lucky."
Sudhasagara chuckled, like he expected the reaction.
Anagha gave her a look.
"What? I am right" Chitra said, turning to the others. "Look at him!"
He shook his head gently. "I'm not married."
"Ahh," Chitra made an impressed little sound. "Your girlfriend then?"
Another shake.
She leaned back with a knowing grin. "Oooh…"
Anagha raised an eyebrow and turned to Agastya, who looked like he was personally betrayed. She tilted her head in mild agreement. "He is… umm… quite nice looking."
Dhumaketu, who had been watching the exchange with a deepening scowl, finally grunted. "He was supposed to mentor someone centuries ago. But every time he tried, the only 'alms' he got were stacks of love letters."
Anagha whipped her head toward Sudhasagara. "Alms?"
Sudhasagara gave a huge sigh with the heaviness of someone burdened by beauty. "Pitfalls of a divine face, child. What to do?"
Anagha gave him a deadpan look. "You've dropped 30% in attractiveness just now."
Chitraketu and Dhumaketu burst into laughter. Sudhasagara looked mildly offended.
"But what are alms, actually?" Anagha asked, turning serious. "What did our parents give?"
Sudhasagara frowned slightly. "Your parents? No, no. You gave them."
There was a pause.
Anagha's face went blank. "Come again?"
"The first item you offered us. We multiply it ten thousandfold and distribute it across the realms of Pātāla."
Anagha's stomach twisted. "You mean…?"
Chitraketu nodded. "Salt, garlic… and a large bottle of… seasoning leaves. These were the gifts you offered."
"The seasoning powder?" Agastya looked like he'd just remembered a crime.
"Yes," said Dhumaketu, now frowning. "That powder had chilies, italian herbs, and—"
"—Sage," Anagha added in horror. "And God knows what preservatives."
Chitraketu continued, "Those ingredients are… not ideal. Salt and garlic are rajasic (they create passion). The powder, however, was tamasic. It fosters stagnation and inertia due to stabilizing agents in it. Satvic food is considered best as they usually help in maintaining body harmony with mind."
The three of them stared at the mentors, completely aghast.
"But, we didn't know!"
The three mentors shrugged in practiced unison.
Chitra frowned. "So our badges — silver and black — are because of that?"
"Yes," Chitraketu said. "Gold badges come from sāttvic alms — things that promote peace and clarity. They're highly regarded. You… didn't do that."
Anagha narrowed her eyes. "Do these badges change anything?"
Dhumaketu nodded solemnly. "They determine your privileges, lodging, even access. Black badges have the fewest."
Chitra threw her hands up. "Why weren't we told? Can we redo it? I'll call my mom right now—"
"No resubmissions," Chitraketu said firmly.
Agastya stared down at his badge. "That's just great."
Anagha's mind was spinning. "But, how did they know what to give?"
Sudhasagara gave a slow nod. "Their ancestors were aware. Their families preserved the rituals."
Anagha turned to Chitra, eyes sharp. "There's got to be something we can do."
Chitra nodded. "We're not just going to let some spice bottle ruin us."
Anagha's brow furrowed in thought — then her expression changed. "Wait. But that bottle… Agastya didn't give it. None of us did."
She looked between the other two, a silent cue.
Chitra caught on first. "Right. Right!"
Agastya gasped with over-the-top drama. "My god, how could this happen?!"
Chitra rolled her eyes at him but played along. "Yes, yes."
The mentors all frowned.
Dhumaketu leaned forward. "What do you mean?"
Anagha stood, clearing her throat like someone presenting a defense in court. "I gave salt. Chitra gave peeled garlic. Agastya gave… unpeeled garlic."
There was silence.
Dhumaketu raised an eyebrow.
He then frowned. "What's your point?"
"As a mentor," Anagha said, voice smooth and annoyingly reasonable, "you're supposed to support your entrant. Right now, the only way Agastya will be supported is if his garlic is considered separately."
The silence that followed was thick with manufactured innocence. Chitra folded her arms, raising a single eyebrow. Agastya, bless him, looked like a drowned puppy.
Dhumaketu glared at all three of them. Then sighed, loud and long. "Fine. I can't change it now. But when the new entrant allocation members are called in, I'll talk to Badge Distribution about this... 'mistake.'"
Chitra clapped her hands once, delighted. "Great! Sooo... do you think there's a chance we can go gold?"
Chitraketu gave her a flat look. "Don't push your luck."
She shrugged with zero shame. " Well I tried."
Then Anagha talked about that Asian girl and gushed about how her ancestor was a princess from India 2000 years ago. Sudhasagara asked, "Isn't her beauty reduced to 30%? She is also talking about herself."
Anagha shook her head. "No, her ancestry is quite interesting."
Sudhasagara frowned at that.
Dhumaketu grunted, "Time for lunch."
Everyone gathered at the big table with their guides. The items laid out were new, colorful, crystalline, jelly-like, rock-like and also quite exotic.
The humans ate breads, meats, and grains.
The mentors, however, had far more exotic diets. Sudhasagara sat high above on his cloud, eating crystal fruits and sipping a nectar-like substance from a golden pot. Dhumaketu and Chitraketu were seated among the other mentors at the big table, eating meats and rock-like exotic foods with visible satisfaction.
Anagha picked some rice and a fish she recognized. It tasted delicious.
The Asian girl asked Anagha in a slightly demanding tone, "How did you bag a Vidhyadhara mentor? What alms did you give him?"
Anagha sighed. "Salt."
Everyone nearby paused their eating.
"Salt what?" The girl asked, already irritated.
Anagha sighed again. "Just salt."
No one spoke after that. That girl kept giving her the stink eye for the rest of lunch.
Anagha muttered to Agastya, "The internet let us down twice. The quiz and then the stupid vampire kit."
Both Agastya and Chitra nodded in agreement.
After lunch, they sat on their bunk beds while the mentors had a group meeting elsewhere.
Suddenly, the room filled with excited murmurs.
They looked up—everyone was crowded near the windows. They looked at each other and ran over.
And just like that, they saw something magical.
The world outside was glowing red and orange, with fire-yellow streaks swirling through the sky. It looked like the sunset had exploded into a painting. Floating islands drifted by. Rivers of gold and lava intertwined. Metallic trees shimmered, and strange creatures soared between cliffs.
Chitraketu came and stood beside them. "This is one of the Patala Lokas—Vitala. We are picking ten Daityas, three Danavas, and five Phanis."
Agastya blinked. "Patala Lokas? Plural?"
Anagha rolled her eyes. "Yes, plural. Don't you read stories?"
Then she turned to Chitraketu. "If we're picking from Vitala, then which Loka are we going to?"
Chitraketu smiled. "We're going to the glorious and effluent Sutala Loka (one of the underworld realms) where King Bali resides."
Everyone looked shocked.
"King Bali?" (King Bali is a figure in many puranic stories) Anagha whispered. "He's still there?"
"Yes," Chitraketu said. "In penance. But his descendants still rule Sutala."
Anagha was thrilled. "Wow…"
All the stories she loved suddenly came to life.
They were still gazing out the window. Below, more wonders appeared: glimmering caverns shaped like lotuses, mountains made of obsidian, phoenix-like birds flying in perfect spirals, and floating basket type things carrying tiny scrolls that zipped between towers.
Then, the scenery calmed, and a new group just arrived at the archway.
Everyone went outside.
The new members came inside.
They were huge, some with red skin, others green, some glowing orange. All of them looked incredibly mischievous, grinning, waving at the humans with exaggerated cheer.
The three friends looked at each other… and gave a small wave back.