Chapter 1 – The Soul That Burned Again
The sky over Mumbai was unusually cruel that summer afternoon. It wasn't just hot—it was merciless. The kind of heat that made people curse the heavens and rush indoors. But one young man stood still on the rooftop of his apartment building, defying the sun.
His name was Karna Mehra.
Only twenty years old, yet already burdened by the weight of dreams that never saw light. His eyes—deep, tired, but sharp—gazed up at the glaring orb above. His skin was darker than most, browned by years under harsh sunlight. His build was lean, shaped more by effort than genetics. He didn't smile much, and when he did, it was often tinged with a quiet sadness.
But Karna was not weak. Not in spirit.
He was a fanatic—not of celebrities or sports, but of something far older. Something eternal.
The Mahabharata.
Not for the gods or the great battles. No. His heart belonged to one figure alone—Karna, the tragic hero born from the Sun, doomed from the start yet never surrendering his pride or virtue. In his room, under a faded poster of the Sun God Surya, Karna Mehra had grown up reading every verse, watching every adaptation, and debating every detail of that story.
> "Karna was never the villain," he often muttered.
"He was just born on the wrong side of fate."
He understood that pain—of being unwanted, overlooked, born into limitations. In many ways, he saw himself in Karna.
That day, as the air shimmered with heat and Mumbai groaned under its weight, something stirred in his chest. Not just discomfort. Not heatstroke.
A pull.
He stood on the edge of the terrace, arms slightly raised, as though challenging the very sun.
"Why wasn't he given another chance?" he asked aloud, his voice quiet, cracking. "If someone like him couldn't break fate… what chance do people like me have?"
His voice was swallowed by the wind. But something—someone—was listening.
Suddenly, the sun's rays seemed to pulse. The light intensified. Time… slowed.
Then everything went white.
---
The Realm Between Worlds
He wasn't standing anymore. He wasn't falling either. He simply floated—in a vast, golden space where time, pain, and gravity did not exist. Clouds shimmered below like velvet, and the air hummed with energy ancient and divine.
From that golden mist emerged seven figures, so radiant that even gods in stories would look pale beside them.
Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva.
Saraswati, Lakshmi, Parvati.
And at the center—Surya, the Sun God.
Each being radiated their own kind of power. Brahma's presence made thought clearer. Vishnu's calmed his heart. Shiva's brought stillness. The goddesses, regal and serene, looked at him not with condescension—but curiosity.
And then there was Surya.
Tall, golden-skinned, with eyes like blazing suns. The aura around him was unbearable, yet gentle when directed at the boy.
"You have died, Karna Mehra," the Sun God said, his voice warm, yet firm.
Karna floated in stunned silence. "So… this is it? Is this heaven?"
Parvati spoke kindly, "Not quite. This is the place between—where destinies are reshaped."
Vishnu stepped forward, "And your soul is not ordinary. You are a spark from something older. Something divine."
Karna blinked. "I don't understand."
Shiva's third eye glowed faintly. "You will. You have been chosen for a second life. A rebirth—not just in body, but in legacy."
"You mean reincarnation?" he whispered.
Surya nodded. "You will be reborn in a version of the Mahabharata. But not the same as you know it. A world where gods still walk, but fate is… uncertain."
Karna's heart raced. "As who?"
The goddesses shared a glance.
"You will be born as Karna," Lakshmi said.
"The warrior?" he gasped. "The real one?"
"You are him," Brahma said, his tone final. "Or rather, a fragment of the original soul, restored. Cloaked from fate. Hidden even from time."
Karna shook his head. "Why me?"
Surya smiled gently. "Because the world needs a Karna who gets to write his own story."
---
Three Divine Wishes
"You may ask for three things," Vishnu said. "Choose wisely."
Karna didn't even hesitate.
"First… I want to learn anything. Any skill, any power, any law of the world."
> Brahma raised his hand.
Heaven-Defying Comprehension System – Granted.
"Second… I want no curse to ever affect me. Not in body, soul, or spirit."
> Shiva's voice echoed.
All Curses Nullified – From birth till end.
"Third," he added slowly, "I want to be able to see and break curses on others too… especially divine ones."
> Surya's light flared gently.
Curse Perception and Disruption – Gifted.
---
System Initialization
> Binding Soul…
Heaven-Defying Comprehension System Activated
Primary Element Affinity: VOID
Creation Seed Unlocked – 1 Use/Year
---
System Gifts:
Divine Body – Surya-Tanava Sharira
Immune to disease, poison, aging, fatigue
Curse-resistant; can survive god-level damage
Radiates divine pressure in battle
Void Affinity
Can erase, absorb, or nullify other elements
Naturally counters illusions, spirit attacks, and curses
Creation Seed
Once a year, Karna can create one technique or item
Techniques can be taught through dreams, scrolls, or relics
He can sense who can inherit each technique
Can recreate bloodline-exclusive arts for non-bloodline users
---
Family Record
Name: Karna
Race: Demi-Divine (Celestial-Mortal Hybrid)
Soul State: Unknown to self
Fate Visibility: Null – Hidden from karma, time, and prophecy
Celestial Family
Father: Surya
Mothers:
Saranyu
Chhaya
Future Mortal Family (to be born into):
Mother: Kunti
Adoptive Father: Adhiratha
Adoptive Mother: Radha
--
As Karna's soul began to descend, bathed in golden fire and the light of destiny, Surya whispered one final truth:
> "Your soul remembers… but you do not.
One day, when the world needs your flame the most… you will rise."
And with that, he vanished into the stream of time.