《Garuda in Brahmastra》 Chapter 1: The Awakening Anuj had always been an average guy¡ªa white-collar worker living a straightforward life in 2024. Like many others, he had his share of dreams and frustration. Nothing about him was particularly remarkable. He spent his days in front of a computer, crunching numbers and fantasizing about winning the lottery or stumbling upon a million-dollar idea. His real escape was in movies and games, where he could immerse himself in these worlds far more exciting than his own. One movie, in particular, had left a lasting impression on him¡ªBrahmastra. The tale of mystical powers, ancient secrets, and the clash of titans had captivated him, though it was just fiction. When Anuj woke up one morning to find himself reborn in the 1960s, everything changed. He had no idea how it had happened, but there he was, a child once more, living in a different time. The world seemed oddly familiar. At first, Anuj had been convinced it was all a bad dream. As the days turned into weeks and weeks into months, Anuj resigned himself to his new life. His memories of the future were still intact, and with them, a sense of urgency. He wanted to be rich and powerful, not like his previous life, just to be a cog in the machine. For years, he lived as any other boy in his small town. He went to school, played with friends, and tried to figure out how he could leverage his knowledge of the future. He fantasized about becoming rich, using his foresight to make smart investments, or inventing something ahead of its time. But without the technology and resources of the future, all his ideas seemed impractical. So, he kept his head down, waiting for the right moment to act and to become rich. Anuj¡¯s life was, until the age of ten, unremarkable. Born to Dhananjay and Priya, respected persons in their own right, he lived a life filled with discipline and knowledge. Yet, he was untouched by the true nature of his heritage. His father, Dhananjay, was a master of the Dhanush Astra, a bow with unerring accuracy. His mother, Priya, wielded the Naga Astra, giving her the agility and venomous precision of a mythical serpent. They had raised Anuj with care, instilling in him the values of courage, honor, and respect for the heritage and culture of their society. The day started like any other. Anuj woke up, went through his morning routine, and headed outside to play. As he wandered through the fields, a strange sensation washed over him. It was subtle, just a slight tingling in his chest, like a flicker of warmth that seemed to grow stronger with each passing moment. Confused, Anuj tried to shake it off, but the feeling persisted. By the time he returned home, the sensation had become too much to ignore. Without a word, he approached his father, Dhananjay, who was sitting in the courtyard. ¡°Papa, I¡­ I feel weird,¡± Anuj said, unsure of how to describe what was happening. Dhananjay looked up, concern flashing in his eyes. ¡°What do you mean, Anuj? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Anuj hesitated, then tried to explain the strange warmth he felt in his chest. It seemed to pulse with a life of its own. His father listened intently, his expression growing more serious with every word. ¡°Come with me,¡± Dhananjay said, his voice calm but firm. He led Anuj to a quiet room inside their home and closed the door behind them. ¡°What you¡¯re feeling, Anuj, is the awakening of your astra,¡± Dhananjay said, his tone grave. ¡°It¡¯s something I hoped would happen, though I didn¡¯t expect it so soon.¡± Anuj blinked in surprise. ¡°My astra? You mean like in the serials¡­?¡± He still couldn¡¯t believe his ears¡ªhe was going to be a mythical warrior like Arjun, Karna. So cool. His eyes blinked in wonder. Dhananjay frowned, not understanding the reference. ¡°This is no story, Anuj. The astras are real, and they are powerful beyond measure. They are not toys or simple tools¡ªthey are ancient, mystical ornaments that bestow extraordinary abilities upon their bearers.¡± Anuj: "Papa, what exactly is an astra? You keep talking about them, but I¡¯m still confused. Are they weapons or something else?" Dhananjay: (smiling slightly) "Anuj, an astra is much more than just a weapon. It¡¯s an ancient, mystical force, deeply tied to the essence of the universe itself. Imagine an object or energy that can connect with a warrior''s soul, granting them extraordinary abilities.¡± Anuj: "So, they¡¯re like superpowers?" Dhananjay: "In a way, yes. But unlike the powers you might see in stories, astras are rooted in ancient wisdom and mythology. They draw from the natural elements, mythological creatures, legendary weapons, or even powers beyond our understanding.¡± Anuj felt a chill run down his spine. He had always assumed that astra was just a work of fiction. Now he realized he was living in that very world. This wasn¡¯t just some strange coincidence¡ªhe was in the real world living and eating. Seeing confusion in his son¡¯s eyes, Dhananjay began to explain. ¡°There are different types of astras, each with its own powers and characteristics. The one that has awakened within you will reveal itself in time. You must understand that this is only the beginning.¡± This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°The path of a warrior is not an easy one,¡± Dhananjay continued, ¡°and the power of the astra comes with great responsibility.¡± Seeing the confusion and fear in Anuj¡¯s eyes, Dhananjay softened his tone. ¡°Let me explain a bit more about these astras. They are divided into four main types, each with unique powers and abilities.¡± Anuj nodded, listening carefully. ¡°The first type is the Elemental Type Astra,¡± Dhananjay continued. ¡°These astras are tied to the elements¡ªfire, water, earth, air, and so on. A warrior chosen by an elemental astra can control these forces, shaping them to their will.¡± ¡°At first, they might only be able to manipulate the element in small ways,¡± Dhananjay said, ¡°but as they grow more powerful, they can summon and command these elements with devastating effect. Imagine being able to create a firestorm with a single gesture or summon a flood to sweep away entire cities.¡± ¡°The second type,¡± Dhananjay began, ¡°is the Animal Type Astra. These astras are connected to mythological animals¡ªbeasts of legend with extraordinary powers. When an animal astra chooses its bearer, it grants abilities that reflect the nature of that mythological animal.¡± Anuj¡¯s mind raced as he tried to absorb all this information. He remembered the characters from the movie, the way they wielded their astras with such power and grace. But this wasn¡¯t a movie¡ªthis was his life now. ¡°The third type is the Weapon Type Astra,¡± Dhananjay said. ¡°These astras manifest as legendary weapons¡ªbows, swords, spears, and more. A weapon astra grants its bearer unparalleled skill in combat, allowing them to wield their weapon with deadly precision.¡± ¡°They consist of skills that make them more deadly than ordinary astras,¡± he added. ¡°The Dhanush Astra, for example, manifests as a bow that never misses its mark. In the hands of a skilled warrior, it can strike down enemies from great distances with unerring accuracy.¡± ¡°And finally,¡± Dhananjay concluded, ¡°there is the Abnormal Type Astra. These are the most unpredictable of all. They don¡¯t fit neatly into any category and can grant abilities that defy explanation¡ªmind control, shape-shifting, even the power to manipulate time and space.¡± Anything is possible but they are not awakened generally and if awakened their full potential can¡¯t be bought out ¡°These astras are rare, and their true potential is often unknown until they are fully awakened,¡± Dhananjay said. He went on to describe the three tiers of astra mastery. ¡°The first tier is where every warrior begins. Here, you learn to harness the basic powers of your astra.¡± ¡°It is only at the end of this stage that you can manifest the spirit of your astra, as the great warriors of old did,¡± he explained. Anuj listened intently, his mind racing with the possibilities. He could hardly believe that he might soon be able to command such incredible powers. ¡°But he also understood the gravity of the situation,¡± Dhananjay continued. ¡°This was not a game or a mere story¡ªit was real, and it would change his life forever.¡± ¡°The second tier,¡± Dhananjay said, ¡°is where the bond between you and your astra deepens. You gain control over its powers, unlock latent abilities, and gain some resistance to the Brahmastra, the ultimate weapon.¡± ¡°But remember, Anuj,¡± he added, ¡°with this power comes great responsibility.¡± Finally, Dhananjay spoke of the third tier, the stuff of legends. ¡°In the third tier, you and your astra become one. It is always with you. You and the astra are one.¡± Now he was finally able to connect the dots. He was in the story of the movie Brahmastra but much before the start of the story. He remembered the story of Brahmastra all too well, including the fate of those who crossed paths with Dev, the antagonist destined to rise to power. The thought of his parents meeting such a fate haunted him, but he was just a child¡ªwhat could he possibly do? Anuj felt a heavy weight settle on his shoulders. He had spent so much time dreaming about getting rich, using his knowledge of the future to his advantage. But now he was faced with a reality far more daunting than he had ever imagined. The power of the astras was real, and it was now his responsibility. But there was one more thing Anuj needed to know¡ªsomething that had been gnawing at the back of his mind ever since his father started talking about astras. ¡°What about the Brahmastra, Papa?¡± Anuj asked quietly. ¡°Is it real too?¡± Dhananjay¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Yes, Anuj, the Brahmastra is real. It is the most powerful of all the astras¡ªthe ultimate weapon. It has the power to destroy the entire world, to reduce everything to ashes with a single wave of its power.¡± ¡°But it is also the most dangerous,¡± he continued, ¡°for its power is nearly impossible to control. Only those who have mastered their astra to the third tier can even hope to wield it, and even then, the risk is great. The Brahmastra must only be used in the most critical of circumstances.¡± ¡°For its misuse could bring about the end of all things,¡± Dhananjay warned. Anuj swallowed hard, the enormity of what his father was saying sinking in. He remembered the story from the movie, the way the Brahmastra had been used in the final battle, nearly bringing the world to ruin. But this wasn¡¯t just a story anymore¡ªthis was his reality. Dhananjay placed a reassuring hand on his son¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I know this is a lot to take in, Anuj, but you must understand that you have been awakened. The power of the astra is not something to be taken lightly.¡± ¡°But it can also be a force for good,¡± he added. ¡°You have the potential to do great things, to protect those you love, and to make a difference in the world. But you must be careful, for the path ahead is fraught with danger.¡± Anuj nodded slowly, still trying to process everything his father had told him. He had always been a laid-back kind of guy, content to go with the flow and take life as it came. But now, it seemed that life had other plans for him¡ªplans that involved powers and responsibilities far beyond what he had ever imagined. Despite his fear and uncertainty, Anuj couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that this was going to be a tough road and that he was meant to play a role in the events to come. He didn¡¯t know how or why, but he knew that he couldn¡¯t turn away from it now. And he would not, for who would turn away from the power that is in the myths? He doesn¡¯t want Brahmastra, but some other Astras will work; he doesn¡¯t want to be protaginist, as it corrupts people. There is a saying that a villain is just a former hero that wants revenge from society. And he doesn¡¯t want to be in such a tragic tale. He just wants to protect everyone he desires, resist Dev until he is sealed, and then live the life of a man without care of anything in the world. He yearns for such power as every boy does, and he wants it. Also, his parents would certainly fight Dev in the future, and he, being their son, couldn¡¯t stop them. He had to be strong, strong enough to protect himself and his parents. He needed the power to do so¡ªthe power of astras. Chapter 2: The Chosen Path The morning sun cast a golden hue over the fields as Anuj and his father, Dhananjay, made their way to the Brahmastra Society. It was a place Anuj which his father has described an ancient and secretive order that trained warriors to harness the power of Astras. Today, he would begin to understand the true nature of the power that had awakened inside him. The Brahmastra Society was nestled deep within a forest, hidden away from the prying eyes of the outside world. Massive stone pillars marked the entrance, each carved with intricate designs depicting legendary battles and warriors wielding powerful Astras. As they approached, the air seemed to thrum with energy, as if the very ground beneath their feet was alive with ancient power. Dhananjay placed a reassuring hand on Anuj¡¯s shoulder. ¡°This is the place, my son,¡± he said, his voice filled with pride and a hint of sadness. ¡°The Brahmastra Society will help to teach you to harness your Astra, and prepare you for the future ahead.¡± Anuj nodded, though his heart raced with uncertainty. The stories of great warriors and their Astras had always fascinated him, but now he was about to step into that world himself. What if he wasn¡¯t ready? What if he failed? As they entered the society¡¯s grounds, Anuj was struck by the sheer scale of the place. Courtyards stretched out in all directions, filled with warriors of all ages practicing their skills. Some wielded blazing swords, others commanded the elements. A few moved with the agility of mythical beasts. The air was thick with the scent of incense and the sound of chanting, creating an atmosphere both sacred and formidable. Dhananjay led Anuj to a grand hall where an elder awaited them. The elder, a man with a white beard and eyes that seemed gentle yet fierce, greeted them with a nod. His presence was commanding, exuding a calm authority that made it clear he was a figure of great importance within the society. ¡°Welcome, Anuj,¡± the elder said, his voice deep and resonant. ¡°I am Guru Vishran, one of the guardians of this society. Your father has spoken for you." Anuj bowed respectfully, still feeling a bit overwhelmed by the magnitude of the situation. ¡°Thank you, Guru Vishran,¡± he replied, his voice trembling due to his nerves. Guru Vishran gestured for them to follow him. ¡°Come, there is much for you to see and learn. Today, you will be introduced to the Astras. Each one is unique, and each warrior must find the Astra that resonates with their soul.¡± They walked through the halls of the society, passing by various chambers where warriors were engaged in intense training. In one room, Anuj saw a man surrounded by electricity, controlling them with just a flick of his wrist. In another, a woman summoned gusts of wind with a mere gesture. Her body moved in perfect harmony with the elements. ¡°These are the warriors who have already bonded with their Astras,¡± Guru Vishran explained. ¡°Some have control over the elements, others possess the strength of mythological animals, and many wield weapons of unparalleled power.¡± Anuj watched in awe as they passed a group of warriors practicing with their Astras. The sheer variety of abilities was staggering¡ªeach warrior seemed to command a force of nature, a mythical beast, or a legendary weapon with ease and precision. It was clear that these were not mere fighters, but individuals who had mastered the their Astras. Finally, they arrived at a large chamber where several Astras were displayed. The room was filled with a strange, humming energy, as if each Astra was alive. It was waiting for the right warrior to come along. Anuj¡¯s heart pounded in his chest as he took in the sight. ¡°Here is where your journey truly begins,¡± Guru Vishran said. ¡°Today, you will find your Astra¡ªthe one that has been waiting for you.¡± Anuj stepped forward, his eyes scanning the array of Astras before him. Each one seemed to call out in its own way, a silent beckoning that tugged at the edges of his consciousness. There was Vayuastra, the Astra of the wind, its form barely visible as it shimmered with an ethereal light. Nearby, Mohanastra exuded a strange, hypnotic aura, while Naagastra coiled with an almost palpable sense of power. Anuj approached each Astra, feeling their energies, trying to connect with them. But as he did, each one seemed to turn away, as if rejecting him. Doubt began to creep into his mind¡ªwhat if no Astra chose him? What if he was destined to be ordinary, despite the awakening he had felt? Suddenly he noticed a faint glimmer in the corner of the room. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. It was a small, unassuming Astra¡ªGarudastra. Unlike the others, it did not exude overwhelming power or a dazzling display of energy. Instead, it was quiet, almost humble in its presence. Garudastra took the form of a necklace, its design elegant yet simple. The chain was made of a fine, silvery metal that shimmered softly in the dim light, delicate yet strong. At the center of the necklace hung a small pendant shaped like a stylized eagle¡ªits wings spread wide as if in flight, its head noble and fierce. The pendant was crafted from a dark, polished stone that seemed almost alive with an inner light. Its surface was etched with intricate patterns that depicted the feathers of the Garuda, each line flowing seamlessly into the next. The eyes of the eagle were tiny gemstones, a deep amber that glowed faintly, giving the impression of a watchful guardian. The moment Anuj¡¯s fingers brushed against the necklace, a warmth spread through his hand and up his arm, as if the pendant recognized him. The chain felt cool against his skin, but the pendant pulsed with a gentle heat, like a heart beating in time with his own. This was Garudastra¡ªa symbol of the mighty Garuda, the legendary bird of Hindu mythology known for its speed, strength, and unmatched vision. Though it lacked the imposing presence of the other Astras in the room, there was a quiet power in its simplicity, a sense of purpose that resonated with Anuj. As he lifted the necklace, the chain gleamed in the light, and the pendant seemed to glow a little brighter. It was as if it was acknowledging its new bearer. He carefully placed it around his neck, feeling the pendant settle against his chest. The warmth that had started in his hand now radiated from the pendant, spreading throughout his body in a comforting wave. Garudastra might not have been the grand, overwhelming force Anuj had hoped for, but as it rested against his heart, he felt a connection to it¡ªa bond that he knew would only grow stronger with time. The Astra had chosen him, and now it was his to wield. The necklace was not just a piece of jewelry; it was a constant reminder of the power he now carried within him. With this pendant, he was bound to the essence of Garuda, the eagle that soared through the heavens with unmatched grace and power. It was a modest Astra, to be sure, but as Anuj stood there, feeling the reassuring weight of Garudastra against his chest, he realized that its true strength was yet to be revealed. But as the light faded, so too did Anuj¡¯s excitement. He had hoped for something more¡ªsomething grand and powerful like the Astras he had seen in the hands of the other warriors. Garudastra, with its abilities of flight and keen sight, seemed underwhelming in comparison. How could this Astra, so unremarkable, stand against the likes of Vayuastra or Nagasastra? Disappointment washed over him, but he quickly reminded himself to stay humble. He knew better than to be cocky or to wish for power he wasn¡¯t ready to wield. Still, it was hard not to feel let down. Guru Vishran approached him, sensing his inner turmoil. ¡°Garudastra has chosen you, Anuj. Do not underestimate its power,¡± the elder said gently. ¡°While it may not seem as formidable as others, remember that an Astra¡¯s true strength lies not in its initial appearance, but in the bond you forge with it.¡± Anuj nodded, trying to accept the Astra that had chosen him. His father, noticing his son¡¯s disappointment, placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ve been chosen by Garudastra, Anuj,¡± Dhananjay said. ¡°It may not be what you expected, but sometimes the greatest power lies in the most unexpected places.¡± Anuj forced a smile, though his heart still ached with unfulfilled expectations. He had imagined himself wielding an Astra of immense power, something that would make him a force to be reckoned with. Instead, he had been chosen by an Astra known for little more than flight and sharp vision. But there was no turning back now. He was bound to Garudastra, and whatever the future held, he would have to make the best of it. Guru Vishran spoke again, his tone shifting to one of instruction. ¡°Now that you have bonded with your Astra, you will remain here at the Brahman Society for training. You must learn to understand and harness the power of Garudastra, as well as the skills needed to survive in the world of warriors.¡± Anuj¡¯s heart sank a little at the thought of being separated from his family. The path he had chosen was not an easy one. He turned to his father, the reality of the situation sinking in. ¡°I¡¯ll be staying here for a while, won¡¯t I?¡±he asked. Dhananjay nodded, his expression somber. ¡°Yes, my son. You¡¯ll be here for some years. This is where you¡¯ll learn to control your Astra and become the warrior you were meant to be.¡± Anuj swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the moment. He had always been content to let life happen to him, to take things as they came. But now, he was being thrust into a world of responsibility and power, one that demanded more of him than he had ever thought possible. ¡°It¡¯s time to say goodbye, for now,¡± Dhananjay said, his voice thick with emotion. ¡°But remember, you are never alone. Your mother and I are always with you, and so is Garudastra. Trust in yourself, Anuj.¡± Anuj embraced his father, feeling a lump rise in his throat. ¡°I¡¯ll make you proud, Papa,¡± he whispered, fighting back tears. ¡°I know you will,¡± Dhananjay replied, his voice steady. ¡°You have the heart of a warrior, Anuj. Never forget that.¡± With a final nod, Dhananjay turned and left, leaving Anuj standing alone in the vast halls of the Brahman Society. The road ahead was uncertain, and the Astra that had chosen him was not the one he had hoped for. But deep down, he knew that this was his path, and he would walk it with courage, no matter where it led. As he watched his father disappear into the distance, Anuj took a deep breath and turned to face his new life. The training would be hard, the challenges great, but he was ready to embrace his destiny. Garudastra had chosen him, and whatever lay ahead, he would meet it head-on, determined to prove that even the most unassuming Astra could hold the key to greatness. Chapter 3: The Tour of Brahmastra Society Now, he was to explore the Brahman Society, a place that would be his home for years to come. Guru Vishran had promised to give him a full tour, and Anuj was eager to learn more about the mysterious order that had already begun to reshape his life As he waited in the courtyard, Anuj noticed how quiet the place was at this hour. The Society seemed to hold its breath, as if the very ground beneath him was alive with the whispers of countless warriors who had walked these paths before. Soon, Guru Vishran appeared, his long robes flowing gracefully as he approached. " Anuj," the Guru greeted him with a nod, his voice calm and steady. " I will show you the true expanse of the Brahmastra Society. There is much for you to see and understand." Anuj bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Guru Vishran." Guru Vishran began to walk, leading Anuj down a stone-paved path that wound through the heart of the Society. "The Brahman Society is more than just a place for training warriors. It is a sanctuary, and a stronghold for those chosen by the Astras." As they walked, the path gradually began to ascend a hill, giving Anuj a better view of the sprawling grounds. The Society was vast, with its boundaries stretching far beyond what he had initially imagined. Nestled among the hills and valleys were various structures and areas, each dedicated to a specific purpose. "To your right," Guru Vishran said, gesturing to a large, calm body of water, "is Lake Varuna, where those chosen by the Varunastra practice. Here, one can learn to command the element of water in all its forms." Anuj observed the lake, its surface smooth and still, reflecting the sky like a mirror. He could see a few students by the shore, their arms raised as they practiced manipulating the water, creating waves and whirlpools with precise movements. The sight filled him with awe; the power of the Astras was truly extraordinary. They continued walking, the path now leading them towards a distant peak. "And there," Guru Vishran pointed to the peak, where smoke and flickering lights could be seen, "is the volcanic area, where those chosen by Agniastra train. The heat of the volcano is perfect for honing their control over fire. It is said that the flames there burn hotter than anywhere else on Earth." Anuj could feel the warmth even from where he stood. The volcano was an imposing sight, its lava flows not visible yet felt. He imagined Dev training there, surrounded by fire, mastering the Agniastra''s power. It was a dangerous place, but one that perfectly suited the fiery nature of the Astra. The Guru led him further along the path, which now opened up into a wide, open field. "This is the flight area, where you will train with Garudastra," Guru Vishran said. "Here, the skies are your training ground. You will learn to master the wind, to fly as the Garuda does, and to see the world from above." Anuj looked up at the sky, clear and expansive, and felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. The idea of flying thrilled him, He knew that mastering Garudastra would require patience and dedication. As they walked on, the path brought them to a large, flat area lined with targets and straw dummies. "This is the archery range," Guru Vishran explained. "Here, those chosen by Dhanush Astra practice. The bow is an elegant weapon You will see many students here, honing their skills, aiming for the perfect shot." Anuj watched as several students loosed arrows, each one finding its mark with impressive accuracy. The archery range was a place of quiet concentration, the only sounds being the twang of bowstrings and the thud of arrows hitting their targets. He admired the focus of the archers, bow required more than just physical strength¡ªit demanded inner calm and discipline. The tour continued as they walked past various training areas. On a particular area guru Vishran stopped. As he viewed the area, Anuj noticed weapon racks filled with swords, spears, and shields, as well as sections of the grounds dedicated to different styles of combat. "Here, we train not just with our Astras but also with traditional weapons," Guru Vishran said. "A warrior must be versatile, able to adapt to any situation." Next they approached a large, circular arena, its stone walls towering over the surrounding area. "This is the main fighting arena," Guru Vishran said, pausing to let Anuj take in the sight. "Here, competitions are held, and students test their skills against one another. It is a place where you will learn the value of fighting skills and quick thinking." A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Anuj could imagine the battles fought here, the cheers of the crowd, and the victory. The arena was a proving ground, a place where warriors earned their skills and fight to learn from each other and learned the hard lessons of failure. As they walked away from the arena, Guru Vishran led Anuj towards a large, modern building that seemed somewhat out of place amid the architecture. "This is the training center," the Guru explained. "While we respect the old ways, we also use modern equipments for tranning. Inside, you''ll find equipment to enhance your physical abilities." Anuj peered through the windows and saw various machines and weights, as well as students engaging in different exercises. The training center was bustling with activity, a testament to the Society''s dedication to holistic warrior training. Next, they arrived at a complex of smaller buildings, each one meticulously maintained. "These are the quarters where students, teachers, and other members of the Society live," Guru Vishran said. "This area also includes schools, playground dinning area and everything you would need for your stay here. You will live with other students here." Guru Vishran further added. Anuj was pleased to hear this. The idea of having a personal space, as well as the opportunity to interact with others outside of training, was comforting. He knew that these quarters would become a second home, a place where he could recharge and prepare for the challenges ahead. Guru Vishran then led him to a stately building at the center of the Society. "This is the library," he said, pride in his voice. "It holds the Society''s heritage and the knowledge of various Astras and their histories. Here, you can learn about the warriors who came before you, the battles they fought, and the legacies they left behind." Anuj marveled at the library''s vastness. Shelves upon shelves of ancient texts, scrolls, and manuscripts filled the space, the air thick with the scent of paper and ink. The library was a treasure trove of wisdom, offering insight into the world of Astras. Anuj felt a deep respect for the the books contained within these walls and knew that he would spend time here, absorbing all the knowledge he could. As they walked through the library, Guru Vishran continued to explain the structure and hierarchy of the Society. "The Brahmastra Society total population doesen''t exceed 10 000 and is governed by strength," he said. "Those who awaken their Astras and reach the first tier are considered soldiers, They are mainly 10% of total population and often living outside the Society and called upon when needed. They are the backbone of our defence, though they live their lives much like ordinary people." Anuj listened intently, understanding that the path of a Astra wielder was not always comforting. They need to always be present for it and be ready for any danger ahead. "The second tier," Guru Vishran continued, "is reserved for those who have progressed further, gaining deeper control over their Astras. They are genrally 1% of total astra awakeners. These warriors are often chosen as Gurus, responsible for training the next generation. Their connection to their Astra is strong, and they dedicate their lives to the Society, rarely leaving its grounds." Anuj could sense the weight of responsibility that came with being a second-tier warrior. To be a Guru was to be a guide, a mentor, someone who shaped the future of the Society. It was a role that required not just strength but also wisdom and patience. "And then there are the third-tier warriors," Guru Vishran said, his voice lowering slightly as if discussing something sacred. "They are the Masters of the Society, the ones who have fully integrated with their Astras. Their power is immense, and their word is law. It is rare for a third-tier warrior to be born¡ªperhaps once in a century. When they do appear, they are revered, for they carry the burden of protecting the Brahmastra itself." Anuj felt a shiver run down his spine. The idea of becoming a third-tier warrior seemed almost unfathomable, a goal so distant that it was hard to imagine reaching it. Yet, the presence of such weilders ensured the Society''s survival, and they were held in such high esteem. As they exited the library, Guru Vishran led Anuj to a small, quiet area on the edge of the Society''s grounds. Here, the landscape was peaceful, with gentle hills and trees providing shade. A few students were meditating, their faces serene as they sat cross-legged in the grass. "This is where you will train your mind," Guru Vishran said. "Meditation is as important as physical training. It sharpens your focus, calms your thoughts, and deepens your connection to your Astra. A warrior must be balanced in body and mind." Anuj nodded, understanding the importance of this aspect of his training. The peace and quiet of the meditation area contrasted with the intensity of the other training grounds. The tour was nearly over, and as they made their way back to the central area, Guru Vishran paused, turning to face Anuj. "You have seen much today, but there is still more to learn. The Brahman Society is a living entity, constantly evolving as new warriors and Astras emerge. Your journey here will be long and challenging, but it will shape you into the person you are meant to be." Anuj bowed deeply, grateful for the knowledge and wisdom Guru Vishran had shared with him. "Thank you, Guru. I will do my best to learn and grow." Guru Vishran placed a hand on Anuj''s shoulder, a gesture of support. "Remember, Anuj, strength is not just about power. It is about understanding your limits, knowing when to push forward, and when to step back. You and your Astra are one always remember that." With those final words, Guru Vishran led Anuj to his quarters. The small room was simple but comfortable, with a bed, a desk, and a window that looked out over the hills. It would be his home for the foreseeable future, a place where he could rest and reflect on all that he would learn. Chapter 4: Bonds of Friend The first morning in the Brahman Society was a whirlwind of new sights, sounds, and experiences for Anuj. The sprawling grounds were a hub of activity, filled with warriors honing their skills and young initiates like him, all eager to prove their worth. Yet, amid all this, he felt a twinge of loneliness¡ªuntil he met his soon going to be friend of life Indra. Indra was easy to spot, even in a crowd. He had an infectious energy, a mischievous glint in his eyes, which looks good on his 11-year-old face. And a smile that seemed permanently etched on his face. Anuj noticed him right away, practicing with a weapon unlike any he had seen before¡ªa sword that crackled with blue lightning. The Vajraastra was a weapon type astra unlike any other¡ªa sword crafted from the bark of ancient, mythical trees and imbued with the lightning itself. The blade, almost two feet long, had a pale, almost ivory hue, giving it a ghostly appearance in the daylight. Its surface was etched with intricate patterns, resembling veins that pulsed faintly with electric energy. When held by indra, the sword crackled with blue arcs of electricity dancing along the blade''s edge as if alive. "Hey! New kid!" Indra called out, noticing Anuj watching him. He twirled the sword effortlessly, the lightning dancing along its blade. "Like what you see? This is Vajraastra¡ªpretty cool, huh?" Anuj nodded, intrigued. "Yeah, it looks amazing. I''m fascinated and name is Anuj, by the way." "Indra," he replied, sheathing the sword with a flourish. "Nice to meet you, Anuj. So, what''s your Astra?" Anuj hesitated, still a bit self-conscious about his relatively modest Astra. "Garudastra," he finally said. "It''s a... necklace." Indra''s grin widened. "A necklace? That''s awesome! Bet you can fly, right? That''s like every kid''s dream! Don''t worry about the power isn''t always about how flashy something looks." Anuj smiled, "Yeah, I guess you''re right." Indra clapped him on the back. "Of course, I''m right! Now, how about we explore this place? There''s a lot to see, and you''re going to need a friend to show you around." The two boys spent the day together, exploring the grounds of the Brahman Society. Indra''s playful nature was a perfect counterbalance to Anuj''s more cautious demeanor. They laughed, joked, and swapped stories about their lives before the Society. By the end of the day, Anuj felt like he had known Indra for years. He often marveled at how quickly Indra adapted to the Vajraastra, seamlessly merging lightning with swordplay. Watching Indra wield the Astra with such skill made Anuj wonder if he could ever reach that level with Garudastra. The next morning, they were heading to the training grounds when they encountered a group of older initiates¡ªRaghav, Veer, and Karan. The trio was known for their arrogance, often picking on the younger or weaker students. As soon as they spotted Anuj and Indra, they moved in. "Well, well, what do we have here?" Raghav sneered, crossing his arms. He was the leader of the group, tall and broad-shouldered, with a perpetual scowl on his face. "Two little birds who''ve lost their way?" Indra, never one to back down, stepped forward. "What''s it to you, Raghav? We''re just heading to training." Veer, the lanky one with a cruel smirk, snorted. "Training? With that shiny little necklace of yours? Looks like a trinket for a girl!" Anuj''s cheeks flushed with embarrassment, but he tried to keep his composure. "Leave us alone. We didn''t do anything to you." Karan, the quietest of the three but perhaps the most dangerous, stepped closer, his eyes narrowing. "Maybe you didn''t, but we don''t like newbies acting all tough. You need to learn your place." Before either of them could react, Veer grabbed Indra''s arm and twisted it behind his back. Indra winced but didn''t cry out. Anuj felt a surge of anger¡ªthis wasn''t fair. They hadn''t even been at the Society for more than a day, and already they were being targeted. "Let him go!" Anuj demanded, his voice shaking more from fear than confidence. Raghav laughed, clearly enjoying the situation. "Or what? What are you going to do, little bird?" But before the situation could escalate further, a voice cut through the tension, sharp and commanding. "Enough!" Everyone turned to see a girl about their age standing with her hands on her hips, her expression one of fierce determination. She had long, dark hair tied back, and her eyes flashed with anger. Everyonr other than Anuj recognized her ¡ªShe is Amrita. "Let them go, Raghav," Amrita said, stepping forward. "Or you''ll have to answer to me." Raghav''s confident demeanor faltered. "And why should we be scared of you, Amrita?" Amrita didn''t hesitate. She raised her hand, and suddenly, water began to swirl around her fingers, forming vortex. "Because I''m not in the mood to deal with your nonsense today," she replied calmly. "And we all know you can''t swim." Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.She has already been here for few months and had basic control of her powers Raghav scowled but backed off, signaling Veer to release Indra. "Fine," he muttered. "But this isn''t over." The three bullies retreated, casting dark looks over their shoulders as they went. Amrita watched them go, then turned to Anuj and Indra with a smile. "You guys okay?" Indra rubbed his arm where Veer had twisted it. "Yeah, thanks to you. That was awesome, by the way. What was that¡ªVarunastra?" Amrita nodded, a hint of pride in her smile. "Yep. Water Astra. Pretty handy, huh?" Varunastra was elegant and subtle, taking the form of an intricately designed armband that wrapped around Amrita''s upper arm. The armband was made of a metal that looked like liquid silver, constantly shifting and rippling as if it were alive. The band itself was engraved with wave-like patterns, giving it the appearance of water frozen in motion. At its center was a large, oval-shaped blue gem that shimmered with the deep hues of the ocean. Anuj was still processing what had just happened. "Thank you," he said sincerely. "I''m Anuj, by the way. This is Indra." "Nice to meet you both," Amrita replied. "And don''t worry about those jerks. They like to act tough, but they''re all bark and no bite." Indra grinned, already liking Amrita''s feisty attitude. "You should hang out with us more often. We could use someone with your skills around." Amrita laughed. "Maybe I will. But if you''re going to be friends with me. Let''s go I will take you to my other friend Dev." At the mention of Dev, Anuj''s heart skipped a beat. He knew who Dev was¡ªhe was supposed to be the future antagonist, the one who would rise to power and wreak havoc. "I''ve heard of Dev," Anuj said carefully. "Isn''t he the one who got Agniastra?" Amrita nodded, her expression softening. "Yeah, Dev and I have known each other since we were kids. He''s... different, but he''s a good person. Just a bit serious, that''s all." Anuj wasn''t sure how to feel about meeting Dev. The idea of befriending someone who was destined to become an enemy felt strange, almost wrong. But at the same time, Dev was still just a kid like them. Maybe things wouldn''t turn out the way he feared. "Come on, I''ll introduce you," Amrita said, leading them to another part of the training grounds. As they approached, Anuj spotted a boy sitting alone, focused intently on a small flame dancing on trident. He was of medium height, with dark hair and a sharp, thoughtful expression. Even from a distance, Anuj could feel the heat radiating from the flame¡ªthis had to be Dev. "Hey, Dev!" Amrita called out, waving. Dev looked up, extinguishing the flame with a quick flick of his Trident. His eyes were intense but softened when he saw Amrita. "What is it, Amrita?" "I want you to meet someone," Amrita said, motioning for Anuj and Indra to come closer. "This is Anuj and Indra. They''re new, just got their Astras." Dev nodded politely, though his expression remained serious. "Nice to meet you," he said simply. Indra, ever the joker, tried to break the ice. "So, you''re the guy with the Agniastra, huh? Heard you lit up the whole Ashram when you got it!" Dev''s lips twitched, almost forming a smile. "So they say," he replied, his tone neutral. Amrita laughed, nudging Dev playfully. "Don''t be so modest! It was amazing. The entire Ashram was glowing¡ªit was like the sun had risen right there in the middle of the night." Dev looked away, slightly embarrassed. "It was just the Astra''s power, not mine." Anuj, who had been quiet until now, decided to speak up. "It''s still impressive, Dev. I mean, Agniastra is one of the most powerful Astras out there. You should be proud." Agniastra was as imposing as it was awe-inspiring¡ªa trident forged from a dark, nearly black metal that seemed to absorb the light around it. The three prongs of the trident were razor-sharp, tapering to points that could pierce through steel. Each prong emitted a faint, fiery glow, growing brighter when the weapon was wielded with intent. The most striking feature of the Agniastra was the large, blood-red gem embedded in the center where the prongs met. Dev glanced at Anuj, his eyes searching for something. "Thanks," he said after a moment. "But it''s not about pride. It''s about control." There was something in Dev''s voice¡ªan underlying tension that Anuj couldn''t quite place. "Well, we''re all going to need control," Indra said, trying to lighten the mood. "Especially if we''re going to survive this place. So, what do you guys say? Friends?" Amrita grinned, holding out her hand. "Friends." Dev hesitated, then reached out and shook Indra''s hand, followed by Anuj''s. "Friends," he agreed, though his voice held a note of caution. As the days passed, the four of them grew closer. Indra''s playful nature brought out the lighter side of Dev, and Amrita''s adventurous spirit kept things lively. Anuj found himself enjoying their company more than he had expected. Despite his initial reservations, he began to see Dev not as a future enemy, but as a friend¡ªsomeone who, like him, was just trying to find his way in this strange, new world. Yet, there was always a part of Anuj that remained wary, a small voice in the back of his mind that reminded him of the stories he knew. Dev might be kind and serious now, but what could push him down the path of darkness? It was a question that lingered, even as they laughed and trained together. During their downtime, the group often gathered near the old banyan tree on the edge of the training grounds. The tree''s thick, gnarled roots created a natural seating area, and it became their unofficial meeting spot. It was here that they shared stories, dreams, and fears, each of them revealing more about their past and their hopes for the future. One evening, after a particularly grueling day of training, the four friends sat by a small stream that ran through the edge of the Society''s grounds. The water was cool and clear, reflecting the last rays of the setting sun. Indra skipped a stone across the surface, watching it bounce before sinking. "You know, I never imagined I''d end up here, wielding a weapon that shoots lightning. Life''s full of surprises na." Amrita splashed her hand in the water, creating ripples. "Tell me about it. I always thought I''d end up back home, living a quiet life. But here we are, chosen by Astras, training." One afternoon, as they sat beneath the banyan tree, Amrita playfully teased Dev about his seriousness. "You know, Dev, if you smiled more, people might actually think you''re human," she said with a wink. Dev gave her a half-smile, shaking his head. "And if you caused less trouble, Amrita, we might actually get some peace around here," he retorted, earning a laugh from the group. Dev then remained silent, staring at the water. Anuj watched him, wondering what was going through his mind. Finally, Dev spoke, his voice low. "Do you ever think about what all this means? About what we''re supposed to do with this power?" Amrita shrugged, lying back on the grass. "Not really. I mean, yeah, we have powers, but we''re also just kids. We''ll figure it out as we go." Indra nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Dev, don''t overthink it. We''ve got time to grow into our powers. For now, let''s just focus on not getting our butts kicked in training." Anuj smiled, but inside, he was more conflicted. Dev''s question echoed his own doubts. What did it mean to be chosen by an Astra? What responsibilities did they have? And what would happen if they couldn''t live up to them? As the stars began to appear in the night sky, Anuj felt a deep sense of camaraderie with his new friends. They were in this together, and whatever challenges lay ahead, they would face them side by side. Chapter 5: The First Lesson A month had passed since Anuj, Indra, Amrita, and Dev had solidified their friendship. They had spent their days training, improving and sharing moments of laughter. The bond they had formed was strong, and it gave them a sense of belonging in the vast mysterious world of the Brahman Society. On this particular morning, the four of them gathered in the courtyard. Today was different¡ªtoday, they would be attending a special lecture together, something that didn''t happen often outside of their martial arts training. The air was filled with a sense of anticipation as they thought about what the lesson might be. "I heard it''s going to be about the origin of the Astras," Indra said, his eyes sparkling. "I wonder if they''ll finally tell us how the Brahmastra came into being." Amrita nodded, her usual playful demeanor tempered by genuine interest. "I''ve been dying to know more about it. We''ve heard stories and legends, but I want to hear the real history from the Gurus." Dev, who was often more reserved, couldn''t hide his curiosity either. "It''s rare for them to gather all the newly awakened students together like this. It must be something important." Anuj, though equally curious, was nervousness. They entered the large, circular classroom, its walls painted with ancient murals depicting battles between legendary warriors wielding Astras. The room was filled with students, all of them newly awakened like Anuj and his friends, their faces reflecting the same mix of excitement and apprehension. At the center of the room stood Guru Vishran, his presence commanding respect and attention. He waited patiently as the students settled into their seats, the low hum of conversation gradually fading into silence. Once the room was quiet, he began to speak, his voice resonating with authority. "Welcome, students, to your first lecture on the origins and nature of the Astras," Guru Vishran began, his gaze sweeping across the room. "Today, you will learn not only about the powers you now possess but also the history that brings you to these ancient forces. We will start with the creation of the Astras themselves." The room was silent, every student hanging on his words. Guru Vishran continued, his tone both reverent and solemn. "In the beginning of kaliyug, the world was a place of chaos, where due to reduction of the aura of gods, the darkness threatened to consume the whole world. The gods, in their wisdom, decided to create powerful artifacts to bring balance to the world to avoid falling it in the hands of the these dark forces¡ªthese artifacts became the Astras." He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "Each Astra was imbued with a portion of divine energy, representing the forces of nature, the strength of mythical creatures, and the might of legendary weapons. The Astras were not merely tools of war; they were embodiments of the universe''s fundamental powers, entrusted to mortals to protect themselves to the power of darkness." Anuj felt a shiver run down his spine as Guru Vishran spoke. The idea that the very Astra he wielded was a fragment of divine power and the extent at what this darkness might be that it needs astras to make the world safe made him very scared. "The first of these Astras," Guru Vishran continued, "was the Brahmastra, the king of astras, with the ability to dominate all astras, created by the god Brahma himself. It was said to be the ultimate weapon, capable of destroying anything in its path, including the world itself if not wielded with the utmost care and wisdom. The Brahmastra was not just a weapon but a force of creation and destruction, a balance between life and death." Amrita leaned forward, her eyes wide with fascination. "So, the Brahmastra is more than just a weapon" she whispered to herself, as if trying to grasp the enormity of what she was learning. "Indeed," Guru Vishran affirmed, catching her words. "The Brahmastra is the pinnacle of all Astras, and only those who have attained the third tier of mastery can even hope to control it. It is said that the Brahmastra can only be wielded by one whose heart has intentions clear, for even the slightest miscalculation could bring about unimaginable catastrophe." Indra exchanged a glance with Anuj, his usual grin replaced by a more serious expression. "I can''t even imagine holding something like that," he whispered. Guru Vishran continued, "But before any of you can even consider such power, you must understand the basics. The first tier of Astra mastery is where every warrior begins. It is here that you will start to build your connection with your Astra, learning to harness its most basic powers." The Guru walked to a large diagram on the wall, depicting the three tiers of Astra mastery. "In the first tier, you will be able to access only the simplest abilities of your Astra. For those with Animal-type Astras, this may mean enhanced agility, strength, or senses¡ªabilities that mirror those of the mythological creatures your Astra represents." Anuj thought of his own Garudastra, its ability to grant him flight and keen sight. He had already begun to feel the connection growing stronger, but he knew he was only scratching the surface of what it could do. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "Those of you with Elemental-type Astras," Guru Vishran continued, "will find that at this stage, you cannot yet summon your elements at will. Instead, you must be near a natural source¡ªwhether it be fire, water, earth, or air¡ªto manipulate it. As you progress, this will change, but for now, your control is limited." Dev nodded slightly, his thoughts no doubt focused on the Agniastra. Anuj wondered how Dev had managed so far, knowing he could only manipulate fire if he was close to it. The challenge must have been immense, but Dev''s serious nature made him well-suited to overcome such obstacles. "And for those of you with Weapon-type Astras," Guru Vishran said, his gaze moving to Indra, "you will find that your Astra manifests as a weapon with one additional ability, such as unerring accuracy or impenetrable defense. In the first tier, you will learn to wield this weapon and understand its unique properties." Indra puffed out his chest a bit, clearly proud of his Vajraastra and its lightning-infused power. He nudged Anuj with a grin. "Looks like I''ll be the king of the battlefield with this bad boy," he joked, though his excitement was genuine. Guru Vishran''s expression turned more serious. "However, I must remind you all that while the first tier is the foundation, it is also a barrier that many do not overcome. 90% percent of warriors remain in this tier for their entire lives, unable to advance further. It is not because they lack strength, but because they have not truly understood the essence of their Astra." The room was silent, the weight of his words settling over the students like a heavy blanket. Anuj felt a knot form in his stomach. The path ahead was clearly going to be more difficult than he had imagined. "The key to advancing beyond the first tier," Guru Vishran said, "is a deep understanding and connection with your Astra. This is not something that can be rushed or forced. It requires patience, reflection, and most importantly, time. You must learn to listen to your Astra, to feel its presence as an extension of yourself." Amrita raised her hand, her curiosity evident. "Guru, what about the representations of the spirit? How do they manifest?" Guru Vishran smiled, pleased with her question. "Excellent, Amrita. At the end of the first tier, if you have formed a strong enough bond with your Astra, you will be able to manifest a representation of its spirit. For Animal-type Astras, this might be a spectral form of the mythological creature¡ªsuch as a ghostly Nandi or Hanuman¡ªfighting alongside you." The image of a spectral Garuda soaring above him flashed in Anuj''s mind, filling him with a mix of awe and anticipation. He remembered vividly the scenes where different Astras were unleashed from the movies, each one leaving a lasting impression on him. He recalled how the mighty Nandi had been summoned, its immense strength allowing the warrior to lift that big truck and crush enemies with sheer force. Then there was Vanar Astra. Anuj remembered the scene where the scientist, agile and quick as a monkey, leaped through the buildings, dodging bullets with ease and landing blows with pinpoint accuracy. "For Elemental-type Astras," Guru Vishran continued, "the manifestation may appear as a giant representation of the element¡ªan enormous wave, a towering flame, or a massive storm. These manifestations are not just for show; they amplify your Astra''s abilities, making them far more powerful." Anuj could see the excitement in Dev''s eyes, imagining the potential of Agniastra once he reached that stage. Also he has seen the scene of future so he has the idea of how massive it power could be. His thoughts then turned to Agni Astra. Anuj remembered the scene where flames erupted all around the island, consuming everything in their path. And then there was Varun astra the high and mighty waves of the sea capable of flooding the entire cities following Amriti like dogs follow their master it was both terrifying and exciting. "And for Weapon-type Astras," Guru Vishran concluded, "the manifestation often takes the form of an enlarged or multiplied version of the weapon, capable of striking with greater force or defending with greater resilience. The abilities of the weapon Astra are also projected, allowing you to control the battlefield with precision." Indra was practically vibrating with energy at the thought. "Imagine wielding a lightning sword the size of a building," he whispered to Anuj. "I''d be unstoppable!" Kavach Astra was another Astra that left a strong impression on Anuj. He recalled the shimmering, impenetrable red armor that enveloped the sorcess deflecting the fall from a height of 100 feets as well as blocking bullets like twigs. As the scenes from the movies played out in his mind, Anuj felt a mix of excitement. He knew that the path ahead was difficult, but the thought of one day harnessing the full power of Garudastra¡ªperhaps even summoning the majestic Garuda itself¡ªfilled him with power. Anuj chuckled, though he couldn''t deny he was just as excited. The possibilities seemed endless, but he knew it was still the beginning of a long journey. The first tier was only the start, and they had much to learn before they could reach the heights Guru Vishran was describing. The lecture continued, with Guru Vishran explaining the nuances of the first tier and the challenges that lay ahead. He spoke of the discipline required, the mental and physical endurance necessary to withstand the rigorous training, and everything required to become the top in the 1st tier. They were very important information that will make us reduce our journey of training. It will also make us ready to expect what is needed and what do we want. "You must remember," he said, "that power is a double-edged sword. It can elevate you to greatness, but it can also lead to your downfall if not handled with care." As the lecture drew to a close, Guru Vishran''s final words resonated deeply with Anuj and his friends. "In the end, your journey with your Astra is not just about mastering its powers. It is about mastering yourself¡ªunderstanding your strengths and weaknesses. As everyone is diffrent and the journey of cultivation is yours alone to take, I have just given you advice but you must not hesitate to ignore them if needed." The students were dismissed, and Anuj, Indra, Amrita, and Dev found themselves outside the classroom, the excitement of the lesson still buzzing through their minds. They walked together towards the courtyard, each lost in their thoughts. "That was¡­ intense," Amrita said, breaking the silence. "I mean, we''ve been training hard, but hearing all that¡­ it makes everything feel so much more real." Dev nodded, his expression thoughtful. "It''s a reminder of how far we have to go. But it also shows us what we can be capable of." Indra, always the optimist, grinned. "I say we''re up to the challenge. Sure, it won''t be easy, but nothing worth having, ever is, right?" Anuj smiled, feeling a renewed sense of vigour. "We''ll get there, guys. We''ve already been selected by our astras and we will succeed " They walked on, their mind clear and ideas generating inside their little head. The path ahead was uncertain, but with their characters and talent, they knew they could face whatever challenges came their way. The future was theirs to shape, and they were ready to take the next step. Chapter 6: A Trial of Strength After the discussion with guru Vishran. He lead us to the martial arena. After reaching here he said- "Astras are powerful, powerful beyond the extent you all can imagine, they are gifts from the gods to us and they can do many things like this". After he said that he extends a hand and suddenly a bright light appeared from nowhere and vaporised the nearby tree. Destroying it from the face of reality and just some shards of glasses and molted rocks remained there. "This is the power of Sun Astra." He said and then points to his earrings. The Sun Astra, a weapon of divine brilliance, was manifested in a pair of radiant earrings that adorned the Guru''s ears. Each earring gleamed like molten gold, etched with delicate sunburst patterns that seemed to pulse with the rhythm of the universe itself. At their center sat two fiery gemstones¡ªsmall, but intense¡ªlike miniature suns. It was really mesmerizing and terrifying The entire group of newly awakened students¡ª64 in total¡ªstood dumbstruck. All they could see was a blinding column of light; the intensity of it made it impossible to discern anything else. In an instant, the tree before them evaporated, reduced to nothing by the sheer brilliance. "Children, remember this spectacle," Guru Vishran said, his voice calm yet commanding. "Let this be a reminder of the power you must strive to achieve in the future. Just train and maybe you can do much more." His posture remained relaxed, as if he had merely shooed away a fly. After that he instructs us to fight in the arena with our astras, though majority of us haven''t awakened it but still I think it is dangerous for 10 year olds fighting with weapons that can potentially kill you. "But I don''t think anyone will call the child protection agency. Hahaaa being with Indra made me have his character too. " I thought chuckling to myself. Now back to the scene "Cool! It''s a real fight," Indra said, grinning. "They''re finally letting us use our Astras, but¡­ well, we''re still not great at them, so it''s mostly hand-to-hand." Amrita added, her excitement bubbling up, "It''ll be dangerous, but I guess it still can''t be helped" The excitement and nerves rippled through the group as the 64 students, all between the ages of 10 and 13, gathered in the vast, circular martial arena. Guru Suryakant, their martial instructor, stood tall in the center along with guru Vishran, his commanding voice issuing orders. "Today, you will test your strength and skills. You are permitted to use your Astras if you can, but remember, it''s just a practice and don''t inflict serious wounds on your opponent." The rules were simple: a one-on-one tournament until a winner was declared. It was clear that most of them, having little to no formal training, would resort to flailing punches, clumsy kicks, and brute force. Still, everyone was eager to prove themselves with the tranning we had in one month, even if their Astras remained dormant for now. As the matchups were drawn, Anuj found himself facing off against Ravi, a stocky boy with broad shoulders and a fierce grin. Ravi was older, larger, and clearly eager to dominate. He was having leopard astra on his leg. He tried to run calling upon his astra but to no avail but still he came dangerously close to Anuj. Anuj, who had yet to tap into Garudastra''s powers, knew this would be difficult. Anuj tried to dodge, but Ravi''s size was overwhelming. A solid punch to Anuj''s side knocked the wind out of him, and before he could recover, Ravi slammed him with a heavy shoulder, sending Anuj sprawling. The match was over quickly, and Anuj was quickly eliminated, without knowing what to do. "I guess just knowing about the future doesn''t automatically give me powers," Anuj mumbled, his frustration simmering beneath the surface. "But seriously, how the heck did the protagonist become powerful so fast? I''ve been working hard for a month, and I still can''t beat that hairless kid despite having 25+ years of experience from my previous life." He clenched his fists, still smarting from the sting of his earlier defeat. "What on earth did they take to get that strong, that quickly? It makes no sense," he muttered, still dissatisfied As he was thinking about all, his his friends trio laughed at him making him even more dissatisfied. Now as the tournament continues, he and his friends watching from the sidelines, Anuj''s disappointment turned to curiosity as the other matches began. In the next match, Dev faced off against a boy named Raghav, tall and lanky with quick reflexes and using a whip like astra. As the fight started, Dev remained calm, raising his hand in an attempt to summon his Agniastra. A tiny flicker of flame appeared in his palm, barely visible, but it gave him an advantage. Raghav, startled by the sight of the flame, faltered for a moment, giving Dev just enough time to land a well-aimed strike from his trident. Followed by a quick kick to Raghav''s knee, sending him crashing to the ground. Dev had won his first match, though the flame was weak and quickly disappeared. Both gurus praised him for his awakening of his astra as it is still too early for the children to awaken this fast. Next was Amrita''s match against a girl named Sita. In her hand, Sita wielded a fan-like Astra, its edges gleaming faintly. Anuj immediately recognized it¡ªWind astra. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. It was one of the most versatile Astras in the elemental system, granting its wielder various abilities such as increased speed, precise wind manipulation, and enhanced agility. Amrita stood with her fists clenched, focusing hard. Sita was quick, darting forward to try and tried to knock Amrita off balance, without even attempting to awken her astra. But Amrita raised her arm, and a small pool of water formed in the air between them. It wasn''t much, but it was not enough to distract Sita. As she ran forward she moved past the water pool thrown by Amrita but she slipped on the slick patch of ground where the pool had fallen. Still somewhat confused from previous events. Amrita Seized the opportunity, She kicked Sita''s legs out from under her, winning the match just by fluke with the use of her water astra''s power. Both Gurus, Suryakant and Vishran, were momentarily dumbfounded as they witnessed another Astra awakening. Dev''s ability to summon even a flicker of Fire astra at such a young age was impressive, but still within the realm of expectation, given his raw talent. However, when Amrita conjured pool of water with Water astra, their surprise deepened¡ªit was rare for two students to awaken their Astras so quickly. But the fights continued without giving them time to think, one after another. Larger students like Arjun, a hulking boy with a Weapon-type Astra, used their sheer size and strength to overpower their opponents. Arjun''s opponent, Naveen, was no match for the boy''s brute force. Arjun swung his fists like hammers, knocking Naveen to the ground with a crushing blow to the chest, winning in a matter of seconds. Meanwhile, Indra was up against Raj, another Weapon-type Astra user. Raj had a bow, though he couldn''t fully manifest it yet. Indra, who held an advantage with sword in his hands, managed to evade Raj''s wild swings with his bow. With his quick reflexes, Indra sidestepped a punch and countered with a solid knock to Raj''s ribs, using his sword knocking him off balance. A swift kick followed, sending Raj sprawling onto the ground. Indra had secured his victory with skill and speed. Other students, like Pooja and Ashwin, struggled in their matches. Pooja, wielding a weak connection to the Earth with her Elemental-type Astra, tried to summon earth. Ashwin, who had an Snake Astra, tried to use his agility to hit Pooja, but his opponent, was just standing there giving him a chance to knock her down with a few heavy blows, and after some time Pooja was down. As the second round began, the crowd buzzed with excitement. The number of students had dwindled to 32, and the fights became more intense. This time, Dev faced a tougher opponent¡ªVikram, a boy with incredible strength and a Weapon-type Astra, though he couldn''t summon it yet. Dev once again tried to summon his Agniastra, but this time only a faint ember appeared in his hand. Vikram charged at him not minding his astra as he had seen it in previous Match and moving forward, and despite Dev''s efforts to evade, Vikram''s strength was overwhelming. A crushing punch to the gut sent Dev crashing to the ground. Though Dev had made it through the first round, his Astra''s limited power hadn''t been enough to secure victory in the second. Amrita, now facing Leela, a quick and nimble opponent, found herself struggling. She had managed to summon pool of water, but Leela was fast and dodged Amrita''s water. Despite her luck and use of Water astra in the first round, Amrita''s abilities were still too weak. Leela finally managed to trip her up with a quick kick, sending her tumbling to the ground, and Amrita was eliminated in the second round. Indra, however, continued to impress. He faced off against Sanya, a girl with an Earth-element Astra. Sanya had managed to use the earth rod well in the previous matches, but Indra was faster. Using his developing instincts with Vajra astra, he dodged Sanya''s clumsy strikes, and when she attempted to use her rod again, Indra capitalized on her distraction. With a quick series of jabs and a powerful kick, he knocked her to the ground, winning the match with ease. In another corner of the arena, the larger students continued to dominate. Arjun once again used his size and strength to overpower his opponent, Rohit, a smaller boy with an Elemental-type Astra linked to fire. Rohit was nothing like dev and can''t do anything and was no match for Arjun''s brute force. Arjun charged forward, landing a heavy punch that knocked Rohit out cold. As the tournament progressed, the matches became more brutal. The weaker students were eliminated, leaving only the stronger, more experienced fighters. Indra, still holding his own, faced off against Arjun in the next round. The two boys circled each other, each sizing up the other''s strengths. Indra, knowing he couldn''t match Arjun''s power, relied on his speed. He ducked and weaved, landing quick strikes when he could, but Arjun''s relentless attacks eventually wore him down. A powerful blow to Indra''s chest sent him crashing to the ground, and Arjun claimed victory once again. The final matches were fierce, with only a handful of students left standing. One of the last battles was between Arjun and Vikram, both towering figures who had relied on their size and strength throughout the tournament. The fight was brutal, with each boy landing heavy punches and kicks. But in the end, it was Vikram''s superior endurance that gave him the edge. Arjun, though strong, began to tire, and Vikram took advantage. With a final, crushing punch, Vikram knocked Arjun out cold, emerging as the winner of the tournament. The arena fell silent for a moment as the dust settled. Guru Suryakant stepped forward, his expression calm but firm. "You have all fought well," He said, his voice carrying across the arena. "But remember, these fights are only the beginning of your training. Strength alone is not enough. You must continue to hone your skills, learn discipline, and master your Astras if you wish to become true warriors." "Amrita and dev" Guru Vishran began, his voice filled with a tone of Satisfaction and admiration, "You who have awakened their Astra in such little time... This was no ordinary achievement." Guru Suryakant nodded in agreement, adding, "For both you and Dev to summon your Astras so early in your training is beyond remarkable. It''s not just talent; it''s a deep connection to your Astra. Most students struggle for years to reach where you are today." Amrita and Dev though still exhausted, felt a surge of pride well up within them. The astonished looks from her peers only added to the moment. "Continue your path." Guru Vishran said, his voice steadying. "This is only the beginning of what these astras can offer. You''ve unlocked the first thread of its power¡ªnow you must cultivate it with discipline." Amrita and dev bowed respectfully to the Gurus. As the tournament was concluding the Garudastra remained frustratingly silent, as elusive and unresponsive as ever and he felt envy that Amrita and dev were able to use their power. But he knew that if he kept pushing himself, he would one day be able to unlock his full potential. As the students began to leave the arena, Anuj''s friends gathered around him. "Tough day, huh?" Indra said with a grin, though he was still catching his breath from his own grueling match against Arjun. "Hey don''t make fun of me" Anuj replied, forcing a smile. "I will get stronger." Anuj, still cursing his defeat, felt a mix of emotions. He had been knocked out in the first round, and watching his friends and other students perform better had only fueled his annoyance. Amrita nodded, still rubbing her sore arm. "We''re all still learning. It''s just going to take time." "Don''t say anything," Indra grumbled, his tone both frustrated and admiring. "Do you even know how cool it was when you summoned that water? I was mesmerized. I want to awaken my Astra too," he added, the envy clear in his voice. Dev, as always, with his serious teaching voice. "We need to keep training. Today showed us how far we still have to go, but it also showed us what we''re capable of." "Yes teacher " Indra and I bowed together, making Dev blush, and then all of us laughed to our heart content. And with that, they departed to their dormitories, each lost in their own thoughts, replaying the events of the day. The arena''s echoes of battle still rang in their ears¡ªthe punches, the flashes of Astras, the cheers and groans. They will need a heavy rest of they want to get over this. Chapter 7: Once again in school You know what the worst part about growing up again is? Having to go through school all over again, Anuj thought, still staring blankly at the classroom that he was. Sure, school can be fun as a teenager because you at least have the option to say no to things, but at 10 years old? Not a chance. He sighed inwardly. "I was hoping that when we came to the Brahmastra Society, we¡¯d be done with all this "school" nonsense. But here we are, sitting in a classroom, just a day after that fun and exciting tournament. Totally unfair." Anuj thought but still looked at the center of podium. Guru Vishran stood before the 64 students, his face composed. "Today," Guru Vishran began, his deep voice commanding the attention of all the students, "Your period of adaptation to the Brahmastra Society ends. From this point forward, your training will become more structured and rigorous." He paused, letting his words sink in. "You will remain here until you turn 18." Anuj¡¯s heart sank a little at that. Great the school thing was not over and now we have to live in hostel too. He tried to push away the thoughts of how long it would be before he could see the outside world properly. "Wait," Indra raised his hand, unable to stay quiet, as always. "So¡­ we¡¯re stuck here until we¡¯re adults? No leaving at all?" Guru Suryakant smiled slightly, knowing that the question would come. "Not quite. You will be allowed to leave during holidays to visit your families and friends. But aside from those breaks, yes, you will stay within the boundaries of the Brahmastra Society. This is for your own good." Amrita frowned, her brow furrowed. "Why can¡¯t we just leave and come back? I mean, we¡¯re kids can''t we visit our parents?" Guru Vishran¡¯s gaze softened, understanding the weight of his words on these young students. "The reason is simple¡ªyour Astras are still developing, and the world outside is not ready for them, nor are you ready for the world. You are dangers for the outside world, and your training here is essential to prepare yourself ." Dev, ever the serious one, nodded but raised his hand. "But what about our Astras? Can we use them outside when we visit?" "Only in life-threatening situations," Guru Suryakant answered sternly. "Your Astras are sacred and powerful, and the world outside is not meant to witness their use except under the most extreme circumstances. If you ever use your Astra outside the Society¡¯s grounds without due cause, you will be held responsible for the consequences. Do you understand?" The students exchanged uneasy glances. Anuj couldn¡¯t help but feel a knot forming in his stomach. I mean what does the kids would know about it I guess their rule is important after all to keep all of us in check and Life-threatening situations? What does that even mean? I mean it''s 1960''s there shouldn''t be any danger other than bullets and we can easily deal with this kind of situation when we are grown so not to worry. Indra whispered under his breath, "So basically, we¡¯re like caged birds until we ¡®grow up,¡¯ huh?" But he didn¡¯t raise the question again. Guru Vishran continued, "From now on, you will have a strict schedule. You will attend classes in the morning¡ªmath, science, social studies, English, Hindi, and any other subjects you wish to pursue. The education you receive here will prepare you for life outside the Society when you leave at 18." Indra face twisted and he groaned loudly. "Math? Social studies? Really? I thought we were here to become warriors, not school nerds." A few students laughed, but Guru Suryakant shot him a look that quickly silenced the chuckling. "Knowledge is just as important as physical strength, Indra. Without a sharp mind, you will fail to control your Astra. You cannot be a warrior if you do not understand the world around you." Anuj couldn¡¯t help but agree with Indra¡¯s sentiment. Maths? Why? I already know enough about those numbers from my previous life. Isn¡¯t fighting and training supposed to be the focus? But he kept his thoughts to himself, knowing it wouldn¡¯t be worth questioning the Gurus as they will tell you something again. Guru Vishran stepped forward again. "After your academic studies, you will spend the afternoons training in martial arts and weaponry. Each of you will be given a weapon of your choice. It is essential that you master one weapon to its fullest extent, whether it be a sword, a spear, or a bow. Your Astra alone will not always be enough." "Can we choose now?" Arjun, the hulking boy who had won most of the fights the day before, asked eagerly. "Yes," Guru Suryakant replied. "By the end of the week, you must select a traditional weapon that suits your fighting style. Once you¡¯ve chosen, you will spend years mastering it. You can change it if you like anything else but Do not take this decision lightly." "We will also give you the training of modern firearms like guns and grenades as well as basic knowledge about the spy work like how to walk without noise and how to make the situation to your advantage e.t.c" he further added The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Anuj listened carefully, though he wasn¡¯t sure what kind of weapon would suit him. Garudastra is supposed to make me fast, right? So maybe something light? A bow? No, that doesn¡¯t feel right¡­ wait we will also use guns what is this, a Ashram or a millitary facility? "But when we will be trained for Astras? I mean the entire reason we are here, are we not?" a girl named Leela asked, raising her hand. "Yes," Guru Vishran said. "In addition to your weapon training, each of you will work with your respective Astra teachers. For many of you, this will be the hardest part. The bond with your Astra is not something that can be forced. It must be nurtured over time." Amrita raised her hand. "And what if we can¡¯t? What if we never fully connect with our Astra?" The question hung in the air, the anxiety it brought settling over the group. Guru Vishran paused for a moment before responding truthfully. "Some of you may struggle more than others. Not everyone will advance to the higher tiers of their Astra. That is the truth. But you are all here because you have been chosen by an Astra, and that alone means you have the potential. Whether or not you realize that potential depends on your discipline and will." Amrita looked down at the ground, her fingers fidgeting. Well I will be totally be awesome if not I who would became the most powerful and remain with Dev? Dev shot her a glance, reading her mind. "Quit thinking about delusions, Amrita. You need to focus." Indra, on the other hand, leaned over and whispered to Anuj, "Yeah, but what if our Astras are just being lazy and don¡¯t want to wake up? Look at my Vajra Astra¡ªstill not awakening, even though I love it so much." He said this with a pout, rubbing his face affectionately against the hilt of his blade like it was some pet he was trying to charm into responding. Anuj forced a smile and quipped, "I think the Astra isn¡¯t awakening because it wants to stay away from you," letting out a small laugh. Indra rolled his eyes playfully, but inside, Anuj felt a pang of frustration gnawing at him. If only Garudastra would respond to me. Guru Suryakant clapped his hands, drawing their attention back. "Now, beyond martial arts and Astra training, you will also learn practical life skills. It is important that when you leave this place, you are prepared to live independently. " "You will each have to choose a skill to master¡ªwhether it be cooking, fashion designing, doctor, engineering or something else but useful. You must be able to sustain yourselves in the world beyond the Society." Indra raised an eyebrow. "So we¡¯re training to be warriors and learning to cook? Sounds like a weird combination." "It¡¯s not weird," Amrita countered. "If you can¡¯t feed yourself, you¡¯re not going to survive long as a warrior. You can¡¯t rely on your Astra for everything." Guru Vishran smiled slightly. "Amrita is right. The world beyond these walls is not forgiving. If you cannot cook, build, or heal, your Astra will do you no good. Each of you must choose a life skill that you will dedicate time to mastering." Anuj¡¯s mind wandered as the Gurus talked about life skills. Being a doctor or something like that sounds like a waste, he mused. Sure, being a warrior is cool, but money... money is practical. He considered different options, and the idea of ring fights crossed his mind. That could be the best way to make money¡ªfighting professionally. But then again, it''s too high-profile. Nothing I¡¯m thinking of seems useful...He sighed inwardly, still unsure of his path. But¡­ I don''t want to study again it is very taxing, I¡¯ve already spent so much of my life learning things in my past life. Now I¡¯m starting over again. "How do we choose?" Pooja asked, a girl who had struggled with her Earth Astra during the fights. "We will guide you," Guru Suryakant said. "Each of you will spend time learning different skills before making your choice. Once you choose, you will have dedicated lessons each week to master it." The students nodded, though some looked less thrilled but more disappointed about the prospect of studying. Dev raised his hand again. "And what about tasks? You mentioned that once we¡¯re grown enough, we¡¯ll have tasks to deal with, when we met before?" Guru Vishran exchanged a glance with Guru Suryakant before answering. "Once you¡¯ve proven yourselves capable, you will be assigned tasks or missions that require you to venture outside the Society. These will not be simple errands. They may involve protecting important assets, retrieving ancient relics, or even defeating the threats that cannot be handled by ordinary people." A murmur rippled through the group. Missions outside the Society? The idea seemed exciting, but Anuj couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of unease, I mean what if it said to murder someone, I can''t do that? Indra¡¯s eyes lit up at the thought of leaving on missions. "So we¡¯re basically going to be warriors in training and adventurers? That¡¯s kind of awesome." "Yes, Indra," Guru Suryakant said, "but do not mistake these tasks for mere adventures. They will be dangerous, and they will test your abilities in ways you cannot yet imagine. Only when you are ready will you be allowed to undertake them." The group fell silent for a moment, each student processing the immense responsibility that lay ahead. After a few moments, Guru Vishran clapped his hands again. "That is the path before you. You will train, you will learn, and you will grow. But it is up to each of you to determine how far you will go. Your time here is not endless, but it is precious. Use it wisely." As the Gurus dismissed the students, the courtyard buzzed with conversation as they broke off into smaller groups, discussing the weight of their new reality. Anuj, Indra, Amrita, and Dev walked together, each lost in their own thoughts. Anuj couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that his future was filled with obstacles and can''t wait to strangle the one who sent him here. "Well, I guess this is our life for the next few years," Indra said, shrugging. "Could be worse, right?" Amrita sighed. "Yeah, but¡­ I still don¡¯t know if I¡¯m ready for all of this." "You¡¯ll be fine," Dev said firmly. "We all will. We just need to be stronger than enemy." Eighteen years old¡­ that¡¯s years from now. So much can happen. I just hope I can figure out Garudastra before then, Anuj thought, clenching his fists slightly. As they walked toward the dormitories, the echoes of the Gurus'' words stayed with them, a reminder that their future was now tied to the fate of the Astras they wielded. Chapter 8: Training with Astras The month following the tournament had been¡­ well, not what I expected. School life in the Brahmastra Society was as I thought boring and frustrating, often leaning more toward the latter. After the excitement of martial combat and watching some of my friends awaken their Astras, I thought life would pick up. But no. It turns out that after you¡¯ve awakened (or in my case, not awakened) your Astra, you still have to sit through endless classes on math, science, social studies, and other subjects I could barely care about. I groaned to myself as I sat in yet another lecture. "Why are we doing this again?" I whispered to Indra. "Aren¡¯t we supposed to be warriors? What does this have to do with fighting?" Indra rolled his eyes dramatically, leaning over to me with a whisper. "Maybe they¡¯re trying to teach us how to math our enemies to death. If I calculate enough angles, I might just dodge a punch!" I snorted, holding back laughter. Typical Indra. He had been restless since day one of school, much like me. Neither of us could stand sitting in these classrooms when there were bigger things to worry about¡ªlike actually connecting with our Astras. "Seriously though," I mumbled, glancing at the blackboard where the teacher droned on about fractions, "I don¡¯t see how this is helping us get any closer to mastering our Astras." Indra gave me a sideways grin. "Maybe they¡¯re testing our patience. I feel like I¡¯m about to awaken the power to nap in class at this rate." I shook my head, my thoughts drifting. School was boring, sure, but the real challenge began when the academic classes ended and our Astra training began in the afternoons. That¡¯s when Guru Vishran and Guru Suryakant really pushed us to our limits. I still remember the day when my astra guru Vishnu has suggested me to raise a baby eagle from the moment it hatches. According to him only then will I understand the freedom and vision of Garudastra. That instruction caught me by surprise. A baby eagle? I¡¯d never raised anything in my life¡ªother than a few lazy plants that didn¡¯t survive for long. But yeah I really can''t forget that morning where each of the Guru''s have given us advices. Flashback few days after innaurgment---- Guru Vishran called us all together at the training grounds. And he begun by introducing us to other Guru''s and then he started main topic. "To connect with your Astras, you must understand their nature," he began. "You are not simply wielding a weapon¡ªyou are becoming part of something ancient and powerful. Each Astra has its own essence, its own spirit, and to awaken it fully, you must bond with it." Then he motioned other gurus to advice us Guru Bheesm loked at each of us, pausing on Dev and those other who awakened Fire astra. "Dev and all of you, you all carry Agniastra, the fire. Fire is both creation and destruction. From now on, you are to keep fire near you at all times. Observe it, feel its warmth, and understand its hunger." One of the other Guru Bheesm then turned to Water astras holders," you all wield Varunastra, the power of water. Water flows, it adapts, but it can also overwhelm. You must understand the dual nature of water¡ªits calmness and its fury." Amrita sighed dramatically, throwing her hands up. "Great, so I¡¯m supposed to hang out near water and talk to it now? Can¡¯t I just drink it and call it a day?" I stifled a laugh. Classic Amrita, always the joker. But I could see she was feeling just as lost as the rest of us. How do you ¡®connect¡¯ with water? Finally, our astra guru Guru Krishna eyes landed on us. I tensed up, hoping he had something easy in mind. "You all" he began, his voice as firm as ever, "you are to raise a eagle from its birth" I blinked. "A¡­ a baby eagle?" I stammered. I wasn¡¯t sure what I expected, but caring for an actual bird hadn¡¯t crossed my mind. Guru Krishna nodded, as if this was the most normal thing in the world. "Yes. From the egg to adulthood. In raising the eagle, you will learn the patience and care necessary to unlock Garudastra¡¯s full potential." And the series go on with the various Guru''s giving various advices to awaken or control their astra. The most ridiculous was one of the Earth Astra Guru as he said to roll over the mud whenever you have chance as being close to earth will help them. Haha... I can''t wait to see them in that condition. A few days later, I found myself sitting with my friends, staring at an egg in a nest. It hadn¡¯t hatched yet, but it was supposed to soon. I didn¡¯t know what to think. Would this really help me connect with my Astra? "This is ridiculous," Indra grumbled, leaning over to inspect the egg. "How is an baby eagle supposed to help you fly? I¡¯m starting to think these Gurus are just messing with us." I shrugged, feeling just as confused. "I guess it¡¯s about learning patience? I don¡¯t know. What about you? How¡¯s your sword training going?" Indra groaned, dramatically rubbing his forehead. "Don¡¯t even get me started. Guru Suryakant keeps telling me I have to ¡®understand what the sword means to me.¡¯ What does that even mean? I get it¡ªsword cuts stuff. It¡¯s sharp. End of story." Amrita chuckled. "You should ask the sword how it feels about being your Astra. Maybe it¡¯s not that into you." Indra rolled his eyes. "I don¡¯t think that¡¯s how it works, Amrita. But seriously, I¡¯ve been practicing with this thing every day, and I still feel like it¡¯s just a glorified hunk of Wood." Suddenly all our banter stopped as I watched the egg cracked open that day. It was small at first¡ªjust a tiny beak poking through. I felt a bit of anxiety, watching this fragile creature. It reminded me of my own struggle with Garudastra. Meanwhile, Dev and Amrita were having their own struggles with their Astras. Dev, ever the focused one, had started carrying a small flame with him everywhere¡ªwhether it was a torch in the training grounds or a candle at his desk during study hours. He stared at it constantly, as if the answer to his problems was hidden in the flicker of fire. "It¡¯s not easy," he admitted one evening. "Fire is dangerous. If you lose control, it consumes everything around it. Sometimes I wonder if I¡¯m supposed to control it¡­ or if it¡¯s supposed to control me." Amrita, of course, had a different approach to her training. She spent time by the lake as close to water as instructed, but her attitude was far from peaceful. "I¡¯m supposed to understand water," she told me one afternoon, her arms crossed in frustration. "But how am I supposed to understand something from here?" Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. "You could try meditating?" I suggested. She laughed, shaking her head. "Yeah, no. I tried that. Nearly fell asleep. Besides, I don¡¯t think I need to meditate to figure out that water gets stuff wet." Despite her humor, I could tell she was feeling the pressure. She had been one of the first students to awaken her Astra, but connecting with it on a deeper level was proving to be harder than she expected. Amrita always acts like she¡¯s fine, I thought. But I can tell this is frustrating for her too. Weeks passed, and while Dev and Amrita continued to work on controlling their elements, Indra and I were still struggling with the basics. "It¡¯s frustrating," Indra said one day as we walked to the training grounds. "Everyone¡¯s making progress with their Astras, and I¡¯m just¡­ stuck. This sword is supposed to be awesome, but all I do is swing it around like an idiot." I nodded, understanding exactly how he felt. "Yeah. Garudastra hasn¡¯t even shown any signs of responding to me. It¡¯s like it¡¯s just waiting for something, but I don¡¯t know what." "I guess we¡¯re both in Astra limbo," Indra said with a sigh. Meanwhile, Dev was quietly improving. He could now summon small bursts of fire, though they flickered and died out quickly. Amrita, too, was making progress¡ªshe could control small streams of water now, shaping them with her hands. One afternoon, Amrita stood by the lake, concentrating hard. She managed to create a small ball, but as soon as she let go, the water fell back to lake. "That¡¯s progress," I said, trying to encourage her. She waved me off, her usual humor returning. "Yeah, but if I¡¯m ever in a fight, I doubt my enemies will be impressed by a puddle." As the months wore on, frustration began to set in for all of us. Sure, we were training, learning to connect with our Astras, but none of us felt like we were getting anywhere fast. Dev remained calm, as always, though I could see the tension building in him. Amrita was still joking her way through the process, but there were moments when she seemed distant, lost in thought. Indra was growing more restless with each passing day. His patience, already thin, seemed to be wearing away entirely. "This whole ''understanding the sword'' thing is ridiculous," Indra muttered one afternoon as we sat under a tree, waiting for our next training session. He swung his sword lazily through the air, clearly frustrated. "I mean, how am I supposed to connect with a hunk of wood? It¡¯s not like it talks to me or anything. It¡¯s just¡­ there." I couldn¡¯t help but feel the same frustration. The eagle I was raising had grown a little, but it still hadn¡¯t unlocked anything within me. Was I supposed to feel something magical when I fed it? The process of caring for the bird was more exhausting than enlightening. I spent sleepless nights feeding and watching over it, wondering if any of it would help me understand Garudastra. "I thought I¡¯d be flying by now," I muttered, more to myself than anyone else. "Instead, I¡¯m raising a bird and struggling to figure out what that has to do with anything." Amrita, overhearing our complaints, strolled over from her spot by the lake, where she¡¯d been halfheartedly practicing her water control. She sat down next to us, her usual smile missing. "Look, we¡¯re all struggling, alright? I¡¯ve spent weeks trying to understand water, and the only thing I¡¯ve figured out is that it¡¯s wet. Meditation just makes me want to sleep, and the more I think about water¡¯s ¡®duality,¡¯ the less sense it makes." "Welcome to the club," Indra said, waving his sword again for emphasis. "None of us know what the heck we¡¯re doing. Meanwhile, Dev over there is getting all cozy with his fire." Dev was a few feet away, staring intently at a small flame he had conjured. The flame flickered in his palm, and while it looked controlled, I could see the tension in his face. It wasn¡¯t coming easily to him either. "You guys think I¡¯ve got it figured out?" Dev said without looking up. His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it. "Fire isn¡¯t like water or a sword. It¡¯s unpredictable. One mistake, and it burns everything around it. Controlling this¡­ it¡¯s a lot more dangerous than you think." Amrita snorted, "Yeah, but at least you can control fire. All I can do is make little ripples. I¡¯m not exactly threatening anyone with a puddle." We all laughed at that, even Dev, though the tension still lingered. The truth was, none of us had really connected with our Astras the way we¡¯d hoped. Sure, Dev could summon fire, and Amrita could create water, but it wasn¡¯t enough. None of us felt like we were in control. Day after day, we continued with the same routine. Mornings were spent in boring academic classes¡ªmath, science, social studies, English, Hindi. The monotony of school felt endless. Indra, ever the restless one, couldn¡¯t sit still for more than a few minutes before he started making sarcastic comments about how geometry was supposed to help him fight better. "Seriously," he whispered to me during one particularly dull lecture, "when are we going to calculate the angle of a sword swing? Why am I learning this?" "Maybe they¡¯re saving that for advanced classes," I joked, though I agreed with him. School was starting to feel like a waste of time. Afternoons were reserved for training¡ªmartial arts, weapon practice, and of course, Astra training. But despite all our efforts, none of us seemed to be making the progress we wanted. Guru Vishran and all other Gurus remained patient with us. "Patience," Guru Vishran would remind me as I struggled to connect with Garudastra. "The bond with your Astra is not something that happens overnight. You must nurture it, just as you are nurturing the eagle." The eagle had grown a little more since I first started taking care of it. It was stronger now, more active, and I had to admit, I was growing attached to the bird. But still, there was no magical connection, no sudden realization. Just me, feeding and watching over a bird that had no idea it was supposed to help me unlock a power. "Patience is all well and good," I muttered one night as I fed the eagle under the dim light of a lantern, "but I¡¯d really like to start flying sooner rather than later." As the weeks dragged on, there were small victories, but they were few and far between. Dev had learned to control his flames a little better, though he still struggled with maintaining them for long periods. Amrita could now control small streams of water with more consistency, but as she put it, "I¡¯m not exactly flooding anyone¡¯s house." Indra, despite all his complaints, had gotten better at handling his sword. His strikes were faster, more precise, but he still hadn¡¯t connected with Vajraastra the way the Gurus had hoped. "I¡¯m getting better at swinging it," he¡¯d say with a shrug, "but I still don¡¯t get what they mean by ''understanding'' the sword. It¡¯s a sword. It cuts. End of story." I was stuck somewhere in the middle. Garudastra remained as elusive as ever. I cared for the eagle, trained my body and mind, but the Astra refused to respond. Sometimes, late at night, I wondered if it ever would. One afternoon, while sitting by the lake, Amrita managed to create a small whirlpool with a flick of her wrist. It wasn¡¯t much, but it was the first time any of us had seen her control water with such ease. She grinned, clearly pleased with herself. "Finally!" she said, laughing. "Maybe I won¡¯t be stuck with puddles forever." Indra, watching from nearby, smirked. "Good job. Now you just need to figure out how to drown an opponent in a lake." Amrita rolled her eyes. "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re the first one I test it on." We all laughed, but underneath the humor, there was a sense of hope. Dev, sitting beside a small campfire, watched the flames dance. "It¡¯s getting easier," That night, as I watched the eagle stretch its wings, I realized something. I wasn¡¯t just raising this bird to fly¡ªit was teaching me how to grow, too. And I am growing, I can feel it that the Garuda astra is starting to respond to me not yet Awakened but soon I think it will. Chapter 9: The Awakening of Garudastra --- Eight months. Eight long, frustrating months of caring for a bird, feeding it, watching it grow, and trying not to lose my mind. I had been raising this eagle, hoping that the whole time, something would click. Then one day, everything changed. I was sitting outside near the training grounds, watching the eagle stretch its wings. The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the field. The bird had tried so many times to fly, only to fail miserably, its wings flapping uselessly as it tumbled back to the ground. I had seen it fall so many times, it had almost stopped bothering me. But this time was different. The eagle hopped off the ground and flapped its wings hard. The air caught beneath them, and instead of falling, the bird began to lift. Slowly, at first, but then, as if realizing it could finally do what it was born to do, it took off into the sky. I stood there, frozen for a moment, watching in disbelief. After all the months of struggle, it was finally flying. The bird rose higher and higher, wings beating gracefully against the wind. A rush of joy surged through me, and before I knew it, I was running alongside it, laughing out loud. My heart pounded in my chest, but it wasn¡¯t from running¡ªit was from something much deeper. As I ran, I remembered the story of how Garuda Dev has liberated his mother from his stepmom and thinking of this something inside me shifted. It was like a door I didn¡¯t even know existed suddenly swung open. And then, out of nowhere, the world around me seemed to blur, and I wasn¡¯t in the training grounds anymore. I wasn¡¯t running. I was¡­ somewhere else. That¡¯s when I saw him. Garuda Dev. I had heard of him in legends, but seeing him¡ªfeeling him¡ªwas something else entirely. He wasn¡¯t just a myth or a story. He was real. And he was magnificent. He towered in the sky, larger than earth itself, his golden wings spread so wide they seemed to touch the edges of the horizon. His feathers glowed with an intense, fiery light, like they had been kissed by the sun itself. But they weren¡¯t just feathers. Each one was inscribed with ancient runes¡ªrunes that pulsed with energy, as if they were alive, vibrating with the power of the universe. They shimmered and danced, moving in time with the beat of his wings, creating a rhythm that felt both chaotic and harmonious at once. Behind him, the sun blazed, but its light paled in comparison to the glow that radiated from Garuda himself. His presence was all-consuming, filling the sky with his power. Below him, the earth seemed so small, so insignificant. It was like he stood above the entire world, and everything¡ªthe land, the seas, the mountains¡ªbent to his will. The earth itself seemed to bow before him, acknowledging his might. And those wings¡­ they weren¡¯t just for flying. They were the embodiment of freedom. Each feather, each rune, whispered of ancient secrets, of the kind of liberty that no chains could ever bind. They stretched across the sky like an endless tapestry, covering everything in their path with the promise of freedom, of breaking every shackle. His body was adorned with intricate patterns, almost like armor, but made of pure light. They flowed and shifted with him, glowing with a divine energy that made me feel like I was staring into the heart of creation itself. His chest bore symbols that seemed to radiate warmth and strength, each one telling a story that was beyond my understanding but still felt so¡­ familiar. His eyes. Those eyes were unlike anything I had ever seen. Sharp, piercing, like they could see right through me. But at the same time, there was a warmth to them, a kind of ancient wisdom mixed with a kindness that made me feel¡­ seen. Really seen. Like he knew exactly who I was and what I wanted, and it wasn¡¯t just some distant, god-like figure. As I stared at him, the realization hit me hard¡ªthis was what Garudastra was. This power, this freedom, this untouchable presence. Garuda Dev wasn¡¯t just some mythological bird. He was the embodiment of everything I had been struggling to understand. Suddenly, something inside me snapped. It was like a floodgate had opened, and power rushed through me, filling me from head to toe. I looked down, and to my shock, wings¡ªwings of pure, radiant energy¡ªsprouted from my back. They weren¡¯t physical, but they felt real. They shimmered with the same golden light as Garuda¡¯s wings, covered in the same ancient runes that pulsed with life. Each feather vibrated with energy, as if they were tied to the very essence of the sky itself. It felt like I had tapped into something much greater than myself. My body thrummed with power, and I instinctively tried to flap the wings. But the energy was overwhelming. My head spun, and before I could do anything else, the world went black. And then the vision ends and there was darkness and suddenly a light appeared and then I woke up to the sound of voices. Everything was hazy at first, like I was coming out of a dream. My body ached, and my head felt like it was stuffed with cotton. Slowly, the blurry world around me came into focus. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "Did he really¡­?" "Impossible. Wings?" I blinked, trying to sit up, but my limbs felt like they were made of lead. There were people standing around me¡ªstudents, mostly¡ªbut the real surprise was the look on the Gurus¡¯ faces. Guru Krishna stood at my side, but unlike his usual calm, stoic expression, there was an undeniable look of shock on his face. His eyes were wide, and he looked like he couldn¡¯t quite believe what he had just seen. "You¡¯re awake," he said, his voice soft but filled with an emotion I couldn¡¯t quite place? "What happened?" I croaked, still feeling like I had been hit by a freight train. "I saw¡­ Garuda dev. And then¡­ wings. I had wings." Guru Krishna nodded, but his expression remained one of disbelief. "You didn¡¯t just have wings, Anuj. You awakened Garudastra, but not in the way anyone expected." He paused, glancing over his shoulder where the other Gurus were gathered, all of them exchanging stunned looks. Even Guru Vishran, normally as composed as a stone, had his brows furrowed in disbelief. Most people who awakened Garudastra started with the talent of the eagle eye¡ªthe ability to see far beyond human limits and accurately judge the situation. This is the reason that this astra was called as a low tier as just this ability is not something very useful. Wings, on the other hand, were something that came much later¡ªyears of training, discipline, and a deep connection with the Astra. But it was rare for someone to fly for a few minutes, many can only fly upto 2 minutes and then their aura reserves dwindle. The tranning is clearly not proportional to the result and this is the reason many don''t like having this astra. But me? I had skipped all that. "You awakened wings on your first try," Guru Krishna continued, still clearly wrapping his head around the idea. "That¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s unheard of. Most warriors take years to even consider manifesting wings. Yet here you are, with wings in your very first awakening. It¡¯s¡ª" "Unbelievable," Guru Suryakant muttered from the back, but his voice was tinged with confusion. I tried to process what they were saying, but my brain felt sluggish. "But¡­ I didn¡¯t even fly. I couldn¡¯t control it." "Of course you couldn¡¯t," Guru Krishna said, a small smile finally breaking through the shock on his face. "You¡¯ve only just scratched the surface of your astra¡¯s power. You¡¯ve achieved extraordinary, but your body and mind aren¡¯t ready for it yet. That¡¯s why you fainted. The aura it takes to manifest wings is far beyond what you can handle right now." He glanced at the other Gurus, who were all nodding in agreement, still amazed. "What you did is remarkable, Anuj. Truly remarkable. But it¡¯s also dangerous. You used up all your aura trying to manifest the wings. That¡¯s why your body couldn¡¯t handle it." I sat up a little straighter, my head starting to get clear. "So¡­ how do I stop that from happening again?" "You need to increase your aura reserves," Guru Krishna explained. "When you awaken an Astra, you also awaken the energy tied to it. We termed this energy as aura. The more aura you have, the more of your Astra¡¯s power you can control. Right now, your reserves are low because you have just awakened. That¡¯s why you fainted¡ªyou used up everything you had in that one moment." "How do I increase my aura reserves?" I asked, still feeling the weight of exhaustion in my bones. "Through meditation, training, and exercise," he said, his tone returning to its usual calm authority. "Aura isn¡¯t something that comes easily or quickly," Guru Krishna continued, his voice steady but filled with a quiet intensity. "You have to build it. Strengthen it. That¡¯s why meditation and physical training are so important. The more you meditate and focus on your Astra, the stronger your connection becomes. With time, you¡¯ll be able to harness more of your astra power without exhausting yourself." I rubbed my temples, trying to process everything. My head still felt like it had been hit with a sledgehammer, but one thing was becoming clear¡ªthis wasn¡¯t just about having an Astra. It was about growing with it. "You¡¯re saying I overdid it," I said, half as a statement, half as a question as a means to understand my situation. "Exactly," Guru Krishna replied. "But that¡¯s what¡¯s so remarkable. The amount of energy you displayed today¡­ that¡¯s the kind of power we expect from warriors who have been training for months, if not years. For you to display such energy in your first awakening¡ªI have not seen in my period in this Brahmastra society. You¡¯re a natural, Anuj." I looked around at the other Gurus, their faces still reflecting a mix of shock and happiness. Even Guru Vishran, who was usually calm to the point of being unreadable, seemed caught off guard. "Anuj," Guru Vishran said, stepping forward, "I¡¯ve seen many warriors over the years, but very few have shown this level of compatibility with their Astra so early on. The fact that you skipped the first ability and went straight to wings¡­ It¡¯s a sign that you are going to go very far in control of your astra." "Anuj do you have any idea about how you were able to unlock the potential of Garudastra so early on" other Guru asked I paused, thinking back to the vision of Lord Garuda. The vastness of the sky, the wings that stretched across the horizon, the way he seemed to rise above everything¡ªuntouchable, unchained. Freedom. That¡¯s what Garuda had shown me. That¡¯s what I had been feeling ever since I watched the eagle finally take flight. "I think I do," I said quietly, my voice barely more than a whisper. "It¡¯s about freedom, Garudastra¡­ it¡¯s not just about power. It¡¯s about being free. Above it all." I thought about it, feeling the truth of this words settle deep within me. I had always wanted freedom. Freedom from the limitations of the world, from expectations, from anything that tried to control me. It wasn¡¯t just about flying¡ªit was about being free. "And what about my wings?" I asked, looking down at my back, half expecting the energy wings to sprout again. "Will I be able to use them again?" "With time," Guru Krishna said. "Right now, you¡¯ve only unlocked the potential. The wings are there, but until you strengthen your energy reserves and learn how to control them, they¡¯ll remain unstable. I advised you not to use them yet and start from the basic ability of your astra." " The ability of eagle eye. As you command more of your energy the more stable your energy will become and it is also the reason you fainted¡ªyour body isn¡¯t ready to handle that much power yet. But if you continue to train, to meditate, you¡¯ll eventually be able to summon them at will." He placed a hand on my shoulder, his gaze steady. "You¡¯ve been given a rare gift, Anuj. Garudastra is not an Astra that many can unlock full potential off. The fact that you¡¯ve already shown such a deep connection with it means you¡¯re on the right path." As the Gurus finally left, and the other students and my freinds wandered off after checking my condition, still whispering about what had just happened, I sat in silence, my mind replaying everything I had experienced. The vision of Lord Garuda still lingered in my mind, vivid and overpowering. The vastness of his wings, the way he commanded the sky, the earth bowing beneath him. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. It wasn¡¯t just power¡ªit was freedom, on a scale I hadn¡¯t even imagined possible. That¡¯s what Garudastra was. That¡¯s why it had chosen me. It wasn¡¯t just about being powerful. It wasn¡¯t about mastering some mythical weapon. It was about freedom¡ªfreedom to go where I wanted, to do what I wanted, without anyone else telling me how to live my life. Garuda had shown me that. As I sat there, the weight of the realization settled over me like a warm blanket. Garudastra wasn¡¯t just some weapon I had to master. It was part of me, part of what I wanted for myself. And now, more than ever, I was determined to master it. I wasn¡¯t going to be bound by anyone¡¯s expectations. Not the Gurus. Not society. Not anyone. I would forge my own path, fly my own way. As the sky darkened and the first stars began to twinkle overhead, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, focusing on the energy that still pulsed faintly inside me. I would get stronger. I would master Garudastra. And one day, I would soar higher than anyone had ever thought possible. --- Chapter 10: Indras Struggle Indra POV It¡¯s a strange feeling¡ªbeing happy for your friends but also jealous at the same time. That¡¯s what I felt every time one of them talked about their Astras. Amrita with her water, Dev with his flames, and Anuj with those magnificent wings of his. I cheered for them, I laughed with them, but deep down, something kept gnawing at me. I was genuinely happy for them, don¡¯t get me wrong. When Anuj awakened his wings, I cheered the loudest. When Dev showed off his flames, I was the one who clapped the most. And when Amrita summoned that water, I was the one who made the biggest fuss, joking around and pretending to be drenched. After everything why couldn¡¯t I do it? Why couldn¡¯t I awaken my Astra? I had always been the lively one, cracking jokes and making fun of our training. I was good at keeping things light, making everyone laugh. But as time passed, I could feel myself slipping away from them. More and more, the conversations turned to Astras¡ªwhat they could do, what they were learning¡ªand I had nothing to add. My astra Vajraastra was still just a name, a concept. My sword remained a dull wooden stick, no lightning, no sparks, no power. At first, I tried to keep up, joking and laughing as usual, but the weight of not being able to awaken my Astra began to drag me down. The others would meet for training, and every time they did, their Astras grew stronger. Anuj was perfecting his eagle eye, Dev¡¯s fire was more controlled, and Amrita could summon larger and larger streams of water. They were improving, while I was still stuck in the same place. I started to pull back without even realizing it. When they trained, I trained alone. I spent hours in the training yard, swinging my wooden sword, praying that something would change. That one day, I¡¯d see that crackle of electricity, feel the hum of Vajraastra¡¯s power. But every day was the same¡ªnothing. Weeks passed. I started skipping out on group hangouts, telling myself that I was just tired or needed to focus on my training. In truth, I couldn¡¯t bear to be around them. Every time we hung out, the conversations would inevitably turn to Astras. Amrita would talk about how she was getting better at controlling water, Dev would quietly mention his progress with Agniastra, and Anuj¡­ well, he couldn¡¯t stop thinking about his wings. It was all about Astras¡ªAstras this, Astras that. Due to this I spent more and more time by myself, staying late in the practice grounds, swinging my sword into the empty air. I tried everything¡ªchanging my stance, my grip, my focus¡ªbut no matter what I did, the sword remained just a sword. No lightning. No power. I could feel myself slipping further away from my friends. One afternoon, after another failed training session, I sat alone in the corner of the practice yard, my sword lying forgotten at my side. My chest was tight, my throat burning with frustration. I couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer. "I¡¯m going to lose them," I whispered to myself. "They¡¯re moving ahead, and I¡¯m going to be left behind." I tried to blink away the tears, but they came anyway. For the first time, I let myself cry¡ªreally cry. I had tried so hard to stay positive, to keep the jokes going, but I was breaking. How could I stay upbeat when everything I was working for felt pointless? It wasn¡¯t just about the Astra anymore. I was scared¡ªscared that I¡¯d lose my friendship and be all alone. I don''t want that but they were moving forward, building something with their Astras, while I was stuck. And the more I pulled back, the more alone I felt. I don¡¯t know how long I sat there, but at some point, I heard footsteps. I didn¡¯t bother looking up. Whoever it was could just leave me alone. "Indra?" It was Anuj. Of course, it was. He wasn¡¯t the type to let someone mope around alone. "We¡¯ve been looking for you," he said quietly, sitting down next to me. "You¡¯ve been avoiding us." I wiped at my face quickly, hoping he wouldn¡¯t notice. "I¡¯m fine," I muttered, though my voice cracked. "You''re not ." Anuj¡¯s tone was soft. He didn¡¯t push, though. He just sat with me for a moment before speaking again. "What¡¯s going on? You¡¯ve been acting weird for weeks. We¡¯ve noticed. Amrita, Dev¡­ all of us. You¡¯re not yourself, and we¡¯re worried." "I¡¯m fine," I repeated, though the tears had started falling again. "I¡¯m just¡­ tired." Anuj wasn¡¯t buying it, though. "Indra, come on. We¡¯ve been friends for too long. You¡¯re not ¡®just tired.¡¯ Talk to me." I didn¡¯t answer for a long time, but eventually, the words started pouring out. "I can¡¯t do it, Anuj. I can¡¯t awaken my Astra. Everyone else is moving ahead, getting stronger, and I¡¯m still stuck here, swinging a wooden sword. I feel like¡­ like I¡¯m going to lose you guys. You¡¯re all training together, and I can¡¯t even relate anymore. I don¡¯t belong with you anymore." Anuj was quiet for a moment, letting my words sink in. He finally spoke. "You¡¯re not going to lose us, Indra. You¡¯re our friend. You¡¯ve always belonged with us, and you always will. Astra or without Astra." "Yeah, but I¡¯m not like you guys. I can¡¯t¡ª" "You can," Anuj interrupted. "You just need to give it time. We¡¯re not going anywhere, and neither are you. Stop trying to force it. Your Astra will come when it¡¯s ready." "I¡¯ve given it time," I said, my voice breaking. "I¡¯ve tried everything." "Maybe that¡¯s the problem," he said thoughtfully. "Maybe you¡¯re trying too hard. You¡¯re pushing yourself so much that you¡¯re burning out. Let it come to you, Indra. Don¡¯t chase it so hard. And in the meantime, we¡¯re still here. We¡¯re always here." This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. "We are always here" These words struck a nerve to me and they were like a light in my mind and now I didn''t bad anymore just happy. At that moment, Amrita and Dev appeared, concern written all over their faces. Amrita¡¯s usual playful energy was missing, replaced by a serious tone I wasn¡¯t used to hearing from her. "Indra, we¡¯ve been worried sick about you," she said, sitting on the other side of me. "You¡¯ve been avoiding us for weeks." "Yeah," I muttered, looking down. "I just¡­ didn¡¯t want to drag you guys down with me." "Drag us down?" Dev asked, raising an eyebrow. "You¡¯re part of this group, Indra. We¡¯re not leaving you behind just because you haven¡¯t awakened your Astra yet." Even the most serious Dev has accepted him as his friend. Amrita wrapped an arm around me, squeezing my shoulder. "We¡¯re a team, remember? Astras or no Astras, we¡¯re in this together." For the first time in weeks, I allowed myself to feel that connection again. It wasn¡¯t about Astras, wasn¡¯t about who had awakened and who hadn¡¯t. We were friends. That¡¯s what mattered. That¡¯s what had always mattered. "You guys really don¡¯t mind?" I asked, my voice still shaky. "Even though I¡¯m not¡­ like you?" Amrita shook her head, her smile returning. "You¡¯re exactly like us, Indra. Don¡¯t ever think otherwise." "Besides," Dev added, a rare smile tugging at the corner of his lips, "you¡¯ll awaken your Astra when it¡¯s time. You just need to stop doubting yourself." I couldn¡¯t help but smile, despite everything. For the first time in what felt like forever, the weight on my chest started to lift. I had been pushing myself so hard, thinking that if I didn¡¯t awaken my Astra soon, I¡¯d lose my friends. But they were always there. They had always been there. "Come on, group hug!" Amrita said, grinning. Before I could react, all three of them pulled me into a tight hug. It was ridiculous and suffocating, but it was exactly what I needed. We stood there for a moment, locked in that ridiculous group hug, and for the first time in a long while, I felt like everything was going to be okay. "Promise we¡¯ll always be friends?" I asked, half-joking, half-serious. "Always," Amrita replied without hesitation. "Even me," Dev added, which made us all laugh. Months has passed and After that talk, things got better. I stopped trying so hard to force my Astra to awaken and just focused on just tranning with sword. And those all made sure to include me in everything, and for the first time in months, I felt like I was back where I belonged. Then, one day, it happened. We were practicing in the training grounds, working on our weapon techniques. I had been practicing with my sword, just like always, but this time, something felt different. I gripped my wooden sword, and as I swung it, I felt a spark. Literally. The air around me crackled, and before I knew it, the wooden sword in my hand had transformed into something else entirely¡ªa gleaming bone sword. Electricity danced along the blade, arcs of lightning shooting off in every direction. Then, suddenly, I had a vision. The world around me shifted, and everything was bathed in blinding flashes of lightning. The air crackled with energy, and the ground beneath my feet seemed to tremble. Lightning bolts as wide as trees filled the sky, their arcs twisting and contorting as if they were alive. The sky was an endless expanse of electricity, a sea of infinite bolts dancing together in perfect chaos. They moved in unison, almost as if responding to a rhythm¡ªa sound I couldn¡¯t hear, but could feel deep in my chest. It was beautiful, yet terrifying. The sheer power on display made me afraid, as if one wrong move could send the whole storm crashing down on me. In the midst of this overwhelming spectacle, something stood out¡ªa sword. It stood tall and proud, right in the center of the storm, like a beacon in the chaos. The lightning seemed to swirl around it, almost bowing to its presence, as if every bolt of electricity was its servant. And I realized¡ªthey were. The lightning wasn¡¯t just part of the storm; it was a part of the sword. The sword itself was unlike anything I had ever seen. It was forged entirely from bones, but not the fragile kind that cracked and crumbled. These were bones of pure, radiant gold, shimmering with a divine light that made the lightning seem dull in comparison. The blade was crafted from a long, curved spine, each vertebra forming the jagged edge of the weapon. Between each bone, there were spike-like protrusions, sharp and deadly, spaced at regular intervals along the length of the blade. The spine gave the sword a natural, flowing curvature, but those spikes gave it a brutal, dangerous edge. The hilt of the sword was made from intricately woven ribs, fused together in a way that was both elegant and primal. The guard was formed by the bones of a forearm, the knuckles spread wide as if still grasping for control. Every bone in the sword was connected, each piece fitting together as if the sword had once been a living, breathing creature. And yet, despite its skeletal appearance, the weapon exuded power¡ªancient, raw, and untamed For a moment, I just stood there, staring in disbelief, and then I awakened. I had done it. Vajraastra had awakened. As I was processing what just happened few minutes has already passed by and the news has spread to other parts of society. But one voice released me from my stupor "INDRA!" Amrita¡¯s voice cut through the shock. She ran over, her face beaming with excitement. "You.... You did it! You actually did it!" She grabbed my arm, practically bouncing with energy. "I knew you could do it!" I stared down at the sword in my hand, still buzzing with electricity, arcs of lightning crackling along the blade. It felt so surreal, so unreal, like I was in a dream. But this was real. I had awakened my Vajraastra. After all the waiting, after all the frustration and doubt, it had finally happened. Anuj and Dev weren¡¯t far behind. Anuj was grinning from ear to ear, his wings fluttering slightly with excitement. "Told you it¡¯d come when it was ready!" Dev, as usual, was more composed, but I could see the hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "Congratulations," he said quietly, giving me a respectful nod. "We knew you had it in you." I looked at each of them, still trying to wrap my head around what had just happened. They had never given up on me, even when I had almost given up on myself. And now¡­ now I was finally on the same level as them. The sword in my hand pulsed with energy one last time before fading, the lightning disappearing in an instant. But even though the sword was gone, the connection remained. I could feel it, deep inside me¡ªthe power of Vajraastra, waiting to be called upon whenever I needed it. I felt lighter, like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. For the first time in months, I didn¡¯t feel left behind. I didn¡¯t feel like I was struggling to catch up. I was finally there. With them. My friends. "Don¡¯t get too excited," Dev said, though he couldn¡¯t hide the small smile on his face. "We¡¯ve all still got a long way to go." I couldn¡¯t help but laugh, the sound bubbling up from deep inside me. I felt alive again. "Yeah," I said, grinning. And that was the most important thing. Anuj threw his arm around my shoulder, pulling me into a side hug. "Told you, didn¡¯t I? We¡¯re a team. Always have been, always will be." Amrita jumped in, wrapping her arms around both of us, and even Dev couldn¡¯t resist joining in. We stood there, all four of us tangled in a messy group hug, laughing and celebrating like the kids we were. For a moment, everything felt perfect. I wasn¡¯t alone anymore. I wasn¡¯t struggling to catch up. I had my Astra, and I had my friends. The future felt bright. Chapter 11: Awakening and Power A year and few months It¡¯s been some time since we arrived at the Brahmastra Society, and the transformation is nothing short of remarkable. We¡¯ve gone from a group of clueless kids barely understanding what an Astra is to awakening our powers and finding our place in this world. Out of the 64 students, only 10 of us managed to awaken our Astras within the first year. I was the 6th, somewhere in the middle, with Dev and Amrita leading the group with their awakenings. Indra was the last of us to awaken, the 10th, in the first year. They say that those who awaken within the first year stand a much higher chance of reaching the second tier, and with the way things are going, that feels more like a promise than just a saying. Over the next few months, more than 20 students awakened their Astras, leaving the Gurus completely stunned. Half of our entire class had unlocked their powers in just a little over a year. That kind of progress? It never happens. The Gurus kept telling us how unusual it was, how it normally takes around two years for students to fully awaken, and even then, it¡¯s rare for so many to succeed. Our class, with half of us already awakened, had become something of a legend in the Society, a batch of students they were beginning to call extraordinar Even now, the Gurus keep praising this batch of students, saying we¡¯re one of the most talented they¡¯ve seen in decades. It¡¯s strange to think that a year ago, we were just normal kids, trying to figure out what it all meant. And now, almost all of us have tapped into this power, ready to unlock more of what our Astras can offer. One of the most important things we¡¯ve learned since awakening is the concept of the Aura Pool. Every Astra warrior has one, and it¡¯s what fuels our powers. The Aura Pool is essentially a reservoir of energy that grows as we train. The bigger the pool, the longer our abilities we can use, and the more powerful our Astras become. When I first awakened Garudastra, my aura pool was about the size of a ping-pong ball¡ªsmall but manageable. I could feel it pulsing inside me, like a tiny core of energy that I could tap into when I needed to. Every time I used my Astra, I could feel the pool shrinking, and when it ran out, I was exhausted, unable to summon any more power. But over time, as I trained, the pool grew. Now, a year later, it¡¯s nearly double the size of tennis ball. It feels incredible, like having a second heart pumping energy through my body. The more I expand it, the more power I can control. Having that extra aura is like being on a constant high. My body feels lighter, my mind sharper. It¡¯s like I have a reserve of energy that normal humans don¡¯t. When I run, I can feel the aura fueling my muscles, pushing me further, faster. It¡¯s addictive in a way. The more I expand my aura pool, the stronger I feel, and the more abilities I can use. My Garudastra responds to the extra aura, allowing me to see even farther and with more clarity than before. I can spot someone from over a kilometer away, and not just as a blurry figure¡ªI can see the details, their movements, their expressions. It¡¯s like I¡¯ve been given the eyes of a eagle. The Gurus can sense our auras too. They have this extraordinary ability to detect the size and strength of our aura pools just by looking at us. It¡¯s eerie, to be honest. They don¡¯t need any fancy tools or measurements; they can just feel it. The first time Guru Krishna measured my aura, he looked at me like I had grown a second head. ¡°It¡¯s bigger than most students your age,¡± he said, clearly impressed. It was a proud moment, but also a little intimidating. It¡¯s like they can see right through us, knowing exactly how much power we have stored inside. Dev¡¯s the antagonist aura pool started out small, barely the size of a nail. He had a tough time at first, struggling to control his flames for more than a few minutes before running out of energy. But Dev, being the determined guy he is, didn¡¯t give up. He¡¯s been training non-stop, and now his aura pool is the size of a tennis ball. His control over fire has improved drastically. He can summon flames without even thinking about it, and they burn brighter and hotter than before. You can see the pride in his eyes whenever he talks about his progress. The Gurus have been keeping a close eye on him, saying his connection to Agniastra is growing stronger by the day. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Six months in, we had to choose our primary weapons. It wasn¡¯t much of a choice for some of us¡ªour Astras dictated the type of weapon we¡¯d use. For Dev, his Agniastra was a trident, so naturally, that became his weapon. There wasn¡¯t much of a decision to make. The trident wasn¡¯t just a tool for Dev; it was the physical manifestation of his Astra¡¯s power. The three-pronged weapon is the source of his fire, and it amplifies his abilities in ways that I still don¡¯t fully understand. Watching him wield the trident is mesmerizing. It¡¯s like seeing a flame controlled by the hands of a master¡ªit never flickers out of control, but you can sense the raw power behind it. Indra had a similar situation. His Vajraastra manifested as a bone sword, crackling with lightning. It wasn¡¯t really a choice either; the sword was part of his Astra. It¡¯s almost as if the sword was waiting for him to awaken his powers. When he holds it, the air around him buzzes with energy, like static electricity before a storm. Indra jokes around most of the time, but when he holds that sword, you can see the shift. He becomes focused, serious, almost intimidating. I had more freedom in my choice. With Garudastra, I didn¡¯t have a pre-determined weapon. But after much consideration, I chose the bow. It wasn¡¯t just about distance or precision¡ªit felt right. The bow complements my Eagle Eye, allowing me to target enemies from far away, keeping me removed from the chaos of close combat also when I will fly in the future it will also help me to perdorm ranged attacks, so it was a natural choice with my abilities. When I draw the string back, it¡¯s like I can see the entire battlefield at once, and I know exactly where to strike. There¡¯s a clarity to it, a focus that makes me feel in control. And with Garudastra¡¯s sharp vision, I can see my target from over a kilometer away, which still blows my mind. Amrita chose the whip, which was a surprise to most of us. But in hindsight, it makes sense. Her Varunastra flows through the whip like water, and she moves with it like she¡¯s dancing. The whip allows her to control the flow of water with precision and grace. She spins it around her, creating whirlpools and waves in mid-air. It¡¯s perfect for her¡ªwild, unpredictable, but still controlled. When she fights, it¡¯s like watching a storm, chaotic and beautiful all at once. Every day we train, pushing ourselves harder, trying to unlock more of what our Astras can do. Dev and Amrita have made incredible progress since their initial awakening. Dev can now create fireballs the size of tennis balls, and his control over them is almost perfect. He can make them hover in the air, move them around, and even launch them with deadly precision. His trident amplifies his power, making his fire even more intense. Amrita¡¯s water abilities have also grown. She can summon water orbs out of thin air and shape them into various forms, from shields to weapons. When they duel, it¡¯s like watching a battle between fire and water, and honestly, it¡¯s kind of epic. Indra, since awakening his Vajraastra, has been able to summon his bone sword during combat. It¡¯s still a bit unstable, but every time he uses it, his connection to his Astra grows stronger. The sword crackles with electricity, and when he swings it, lightning arcs through the air, striking anything in its path. Indra¡¯s still getting used to controlling the raw power of the sword, but he¡¯s improving every day. Watching him fight is like watching a storm in human form¡ªwild, unpredictable, and dangerous. The combat training has been intense, but it¡¯s also the best part of the day. Every morning, we¡¯re out on the training grounds, sparring with each other or practicing our techniques. The fights are tough, but they¡¯re also incredibly fun. I¡¯ve been focusing on my bow skills, trying to use my Eagle Eye to anticipate my opponent¡¯s moves before they make them. It¡¯s all about precision and timing. Every time I pull back the string, I feel the connection between the bow and my Garudastra, like they¡¯re working together to help me hit my mark. Dev and Amrita are the most competitive in our group. They¡¯re always trying to outdo each other in duels. Dev with his fireballs and Amrita with her water orbs¡ªit¡¯s like watching a battle of the elements every time they clash. They¡¯ve gotten so good that it¡¯s hard to tell who¡¯s going to win. Their control over their Astras has improved dramatically, and they¡¯re always looking for ways to push themselves further. Indra and I spar often too. He¡¯s still getting used to the power of his bone sword, but when the lightning arcs through it, you can see the raw energy he¡¯s working with. It¡¯s unpredictable, and one wrong move can leave you shocked¡ªliterally. I keep my distance with my bow, but even then, it¡¯s tough to avoid his attacks. The more we fight, the more we learn about our Astras and ourselves. It¡¯s exhilarating, knowing that every day we¡¯re getting better, stronger, more in tune with our powers. What¡¯s really exciting about all of this is the feeling of growth. Every day, we¡¯re learning more about our Astras, expanding our aura pools, and discovering new abilities. It¡¯s thrilling. There¡¯s something addicting about the power, about feeling your aura grow and knowing that you can control more and more of it. The more we train, the more we realize just how limitless the potential of our Astras is. It¡¯s only been a little over a year, but we¡¯ve already accomplished so much. I can¡¯t wait to see how far we¡¯ll go from here. Chapter 12: The First Task Three years have passed since we first arrived at the Brahmastra Society, and now, at 13 years old, we¡¯re not the same kids who fumbled around, barely knowing how to harness our Astras. We¡¯ve trained hard, struggled even harder, and come out the other side with strength and power beyond anything we thought possible. Our training has made us stronger, faster, and sharper¡ªboth in mind and body. Our little group is now known throughout the Society for our talent and strength. We¡¯ve sparred with students much older than us, and we can now easily hold our own in a one-on-one fight with a normal 5th-year student. That¡¯s no small feat¡ªsome of those guys have been here for five years, mastering their Astras and weapons. But now, our progress has put us at their level, if not above it. On a new morning, Guru Vishran gathered the entire class and gave us our first real task. It sounds deceptively simple: a three-day trek into the forest to gather herbs. Each group would consist of five members, and we¡¯d be given maps, basic supplies, and equipment and we had to be given diffrent route but same destination. At first glance, it seems too easy for what we¡¯re capable of, especially after three years of intense training. ¡°Just gathering herbs?¡± Indra scoffed when we first heard about the task. ¡°This feels like something they¡¯d ask us to do when we first got here. Not after three years of training.¡± Amrita, ever the practical one, smirked. ¡°There¡¯s got to be a catch. It¡¯s never as simple as it seems. They probably want to see how we handle ourselves in the wild, or maybe they¡¯re testing our teamwork.¡± I nodded, my mind already racing through possibilities. ¡°They¡¯ve got Astras at their disposal, and they¡¯re sending us to pick herbs? Something¡¯s not right. Maybe they¡¯re testing how we use our Astras outside the environment of the Society.¡± Dev was silent, leaning on his trident, flames flickering softly at his fingertips. Finally, he spoke, ¡°Whatever it is, we¡¯ll handle it. We¡¯ve been preparing for this for three years. It¡¯s not like we can''t handle some animals.¡± There was a shared understanding between us that day¡ªthe Ashram doesn¡¯t assign tasks without a reason. This trek would be more than it appeared, and we needed to be ready for anything. A few years ago, we would have been worried or anxious. Now, we¡¯re confident, but there¡¯s still a lingering sense of danger. As we prepare for the task, I can¡¯t help but reflect on my progress with Garudastra. It¡¯s hard to believe how far I¡¯ve come since that first, awkward flight attempt. The memory of the first time I summoned my golden wings is still fresh in my mind. These wings weren¡¯t just wings¡ªthey were the symbol of my increasing power. I remember standing in front of the mirror, completely mesmerized. My wings were an exact replica of Garuda Dev¡¯s wings from my vision. Every feather glowed with a soft, ethereal light, covered in intricate runes that pulsed with energy. It was like looking at a piece of divine art. But flying with them? That was a different story. I was overconfident at first, flapping my wings like I knew what I was doing. It wasn¡¯t long before I found myself crashing into the ground. Again And again. It wasn¡¯t pretty. But even in those brief moments when I was airborne¡ªthose fleeting seconds of gliding¡ªit felt like the most freeing experience of my life. Those 10-second glides were enough to keep me coming back for more, and with each attempt, I got a little better. As every human has once dream''s of flying and the when the sensation came true, it was mind boggling. The wind rushing against your face, the earth shrinking beneath you as you soar higher, and the exhilarating freedom of controlling every movement in the air¡ªthere¡¯s nothing quite like it. It¡¯s more than just flying. It¡¯s an overwhelming sense of liberation, a feeling so intoxicating that once you¡¯ve tasted it, you¡¯re hooked. Those fleeting moments of gliding in one direction weren¡¯t enough¡ªI craved more, to twist and turn, to dive and rise at will. And after countless attempts, I finally did it. I was no longer just gliding¡ªI was flying, truly flying. After that, I spent months trying to master my wings. I glided, crashed, got up, and tried again. Slowly but surely, I began to get the hang of it. Now, I can fly for about a minute before my aura pool depletes. That¡¯s the frustrating part¡ªmy aura. Every flap of my wings pulls from that limited pool of energy, and once it¡¯s depleted, it feels like I¡¯m a puppet with its strings cut. But for those precious 60 seconds, I¡¯m soaring through the air, untethered and free, just like Garuda Dev himself. My wings are no longer an awkward addition to my body; they¡¯re a part of me. The sensation of flying is indescribable. The wind rushing past me, the weightlessness, the view from above¡ªit¡¯s like the entire world stretches out beneath me, bowing to the power of flight. It¡¯s exhilarating, addictive even. But the moment my aura drains, I plummet back to the ground, completely spent, every muscle aching from the effort of staying aloft. But, the sensation of flying, even for a minute, makes it all worth it. There¡¯s nothing like it¡ªsoaring above the ground, feeling the wind rush past you, and knowing that for those brief moments, you¡¯re free. While I¡¯ve been mastering my wings, my friends have also been honing their powers. Dev¡¯s Agniastra has grown into something truly terrifying. He can now summon multiple fire orbs, each one about the size of a grenade. And trust me, these things pack just as much punch. He can throw them around like they¡¯re toys, setting targets ablaze with pinpoint accuracy. But what makes Dev¡¯s fire truly terrifying is how he can shape it. His orbs of fire can transform into spears, shields, or even an intricate flame barrier, all depending on what he needs at the moment. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. He¡¯s practically an artist with his flames, sculpting them to his will. And if that wasn¡¯t enough, he can even summon a giant made of fire. The thing only lasts a few minutes, but it¡¯s enough to clear out an entire battlefield. Amrita has been keeping pace with Dev in terms of power. Her Varunastra allows her to summon water orbs just as easily, and she can shape them into devastating whips or even a tidal wave that crashes down on her opponents. Her movements are fluid, like the water she controls, and her ability to adapt to any situation makes her a dangerous opponent. But it¡¯s not just her water-based attacks that are impressive. Amrita¡¯s agility and speed have increased, making her incredibly hard to pin down in a fight. And like Dev, she can summon a giant made of water, a swirling mass of liquid that can crush anything in its path. She and Dev often spar, and watching their duels is like watching a clash of the elements¡ªfire against water, chaos against control. Their powers are incredible, but even more impressive is how far they¡¯ve come in such a short time. Watching them fight now is like watching two titans clash, each one pushing the other to become stronger. It¡¯s honestly awe-inspiring¡ªand a little intimidating. Indra, meanwhile, has become one of the most formidable warriors in the Society. His sword Vajraastra, is indestructible, capable of withstanding bullets, explosions, and even Dev¡¯s fire attacks. The first time we saw him do it, we were all speechless. And that¡¯s not even the most dangerous part of his weapon. His sword crackles with electricity, and he¡¯s learned to channel that lightning into devastating attacks. He can zap an opponent from a distance, or channel the lightning through his sword for close-range strikes. His attacks are precise and lethal, and with the combination of long-range and close-range abilities, he¡¯s become a force to be reckoned with. He¡¯s gotten cocky about it too, always showing off his sword¡¯s indestructibility. But I can¡¯t blame him. The guy can literally slice through steel with a blade made of bones and electricity. It¡¯s both terrifying and awesome. And despite his bravado, Indra¡¯s a lot more skilled than he lets on. His control over his Astra has grown, and it¡¯s clear that he¡¯s becoming one of the strongest in our class. It¡¯s almost funny how far we¡¯ve come since those early days. Back then, we were just trying to figure out how to control our powers without accidentally hurting ourselves. Now, we¡¯re some of the strongest students in the entire Society, and our progress hasn¡¯t gone unnoticed. Surprisingly, it¡¯s not just our combat skills that have flourished¡ªwe¡¯ve excelled academically too, something none of us really expected. Over the past three years, we¡¯ve covered the equivalent of a mid high school education. At first, the idea of balancing intense physical training with academic work seemed impossible. I remember thinking, "How are we supposed to find the time to study when we¡¯re barely keeping up with combat drills and Astra training?" But it turns out, the awakening of our Astras didn¡¯t just enhance our bodies¡ªit sharpened our minds as well. Our memory and cognitive abilities have improved so much that it feels like we¡¯re absorbing information faster than we ever could before. Concepts that would have taken us days to learn now come naturally, like our brains have been rewired to function at a higher level. It¡¯s not just about memorizing facts, either¡ªour ability to problem-solve, think critically, and understand complex ideas has grown exponentially. It¡¯s as if the Astras have unlocked some hidden potential in us, allowing us to balance the demands of both combat and academics without missing a beat. This dual focus¡ªon both the mind and body¡ªhas made our days at the Ashram incredibly busy. We go from martial training and Astra practice to classrooms filled with books and scrolls, where we study everything from the history of the Astras to advanced mathematics. It¡¯s grueling at times, but somehow, we manage to keep up. And as much as we love the thrill of battle, there¡¯s something satisfying in studying too. Now, we¡¯re at a point where we have to start thinking about the future¡ªabout what we want to specialize in once we leave the Ashram. It¡¯s a strange thought, really. After all the combat training and Astra mastery, we¡¯re being asked to choose a profession, to decide what role we want to play in the world beyond these walls. Some of us are leaning toward strategic roles, maybe as leaders or commanders in the Army. Others are drawn to more scholarly pursuits, like scientist or archaeologist or being professor or doctor. It¡¯s a lot to think about, and while we¡¯re still honing our skills as warriors, the Ashram is preparing us for the world outside¡ªwhere it¡¯s not just about how well we fight. But that¡¯s a decision for later. Right now, we¡¯re focused on the task at hand. Three days in the forest, gathering herbs. It sounds too easy for a group of kids who can summon fire giants, fly, and zap enemies with lightning. But, knowing the Ashram, there¡¯s something more going on here. There¡¯s always a deeper purpose behind these tasks. Maybe they want to see how we handle ourselves in the wild, how we work as a team, or maybe they¡¯re testing our endurance. Either way, I¡¯ve learned not to underestimate the Society plans. They will work you into most unexpected ways and you will never know untill they tell you. Now there was a dilemma of who to choose for 5th member of team. As it is mandatory for group of 5 to be formed so we can''t go without 5th member. ¡°I think we need someone with more defensive capabilities,¡± Dev said, twirling his trident absentmindedly. ¡°Indra and I can handle the offense. Anuj can provide aerial support and scouting with his wings, and Amrita is versatile enough to adapt to any situation. But we don¡¯t have anyone who can defend us if we¡¯re attacked.¡± ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re missing someone who can protect the group if things get messy,¡± Amrita added, rolling her water whip around her wrist. ¡°If we¡¯re outnumbered, we¡¯ll need a solid defense to regroup or fall back. Otherwise, we¡¯ll be too exposed.¡± I nodded, thinking it through. We¡¯d definitely need someone to hold off threats while we figure out our moves. ¡°Okay, so we need a shield, right? Someone who can literally cover our backs if we¡¯re overwhelmed.¡± Indra, who had been leaning on his lightning sword, tapped the blade thoughtfully. ¡°How about Pooja?¡± he suggested. ¡°She¡¯s got a Shield Astra, right? That could work for defense. Plus, she¡¯s good at holding the line.¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Pooja? I don¡¯t know¡­ she¡¯s not exactly a team player. I¡¯ve barely seen her talk to anyone. Are you sure she¡¯d want to join us?¡± Dev crossed his arms, thinking. ¡°She might not be the most social person, but that doesn¡¯t mean she can¡¯t work well with a team. Besides, her Astra is perfect for what we need¡ªa defense to complement our offense.¡± I glanced at Indra, who was nodding enthusiastically. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s ask her. Worst case, she says no. Best case, we¡¯ve got ourselves a defense.¡± We found Pooja training by herself at the far end of the grounds, her Shield Astra materialized in front of her. The shield was massive, its surface gleaming with intricate patterns and glowing with a faint aura. It was like an impenetrable wall, and she moved it with ease, blocking strikes from all directions as if it were weightless. ¡°Hey, Pooja,¡± Indra called out, walking over with his usual swagger. ¡°Got a minute?¡± She turned, her expression unreadable, lowering her shield. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°As you know We¡¯ve got a trek coming up,¡± Dev explained, stepping forward. ¡°We need a fifth member, someone who can defend the group while we¡¯re out there. You¡¯ve got the Shield Astra, and we could really use your help.¡± Pooja narrowed her eyes slightly. ¡°You want me to join your team?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Amrita chimed in. ¡°Look, we¡¯ve got offense covered. Dev and Indra can handle most of the attacks, Anuj can scout and provide aerial support, and I can adapt to something unexpected. But we need someone strong on defense.¡± Pooja crossed her arms, her shield disappearing into thin air as she mulled over the offer. ¡°You know I usually work alone, right? I don¡¯t really do the whole ¡®team¡¯ thing.¡± Indra smiled. ¡°See this is a group task and you can''t do it alone, we already have a good team and we just need a good defence. And we¡¯ve all seen how effective your shield is. With you in the team, we¡¯d have the perfect balance of attack, defense, and support.¡± For a moment, Pooja was silent, her gaze lingering on each of us as if weighing her options. Then, finally, she sighed. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll join your team. But don¡¯t expect me to talk much. I¡¯m here to get the job done, not to make friends.¡± Indra grinned, clearly pleased. ¡°That¡¯s all we need. Your shield will speak louder than words.¡± Pooja gave him a small, reluctant smile and nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s just get this over with.¡± Chapter 13: First task The morning sun sprinkled through the thick vegetation of the jungle, illuminating certain patches of the forest floor. The dampness of the soil created a rich aroma, and the calls of the unseen creatures filled the air. Every rustling leaf and twig made it clear that the jungle was action packed, and that they were not alone. Today is the day we have started our journey for the reclamation of the herb. We were still pretty excited and communicating strategies with each other. Anuj was in the front with his bow hanging over his shoulder while Dev and Indra walked behind him with their weapons ready. Indra¡¯s sword was electrifying while Dev¡¯s trident was cracking and covered in faint fire. Amrita was following behind with her water whip wrapped around her wrist, while her sharp eyes scanned everywhere. Pooja was behind everyone, protecting our rear with her shield ready. The glow of her shield reflected the faint light around them. The jungle was entirely new to them. House-like trunks of towering trees extended into the sky as their roots intertwined with the forest floor. The vines hanging off the trees had a curtain-like appearance, The underbrush was packed with ferns and moss. The humidity in the air was unbearable, the sound of the feirce jungle remained within their ears, a blend of chirping birds, buzzing insects, and deep roars filled the atmosphere. ¡°This place is¡­ intense,¡± Indra muttered, swatting at a vine that brushed against his face. ¡°I feel like we¡¯re being watched.¡± ¡°We probably are,¡± Amrita said, her voice low. ¡°This isn¡¯t just some ordinary forest. The Society wouldn¡¯t send us here if it was¡¯t dangerous.¡± ¡°Dangerous or not, we¡¯ve got a job to do,¡± Dev said, his tone steady. ¡°Stay sharp.¡± The jungle seemed to grow denser the deeper they ventured, the towering trees closing in around them like silent sentinels. The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and the faint tang of something wild and untamed. Anuj led the way, his bow in hand, his golden wings folded tightly against his back. They hadn¡¯t gone far when the first attack came. In the distance, there was a low growl that reverberated through the environment. It sounded like the entire world was giving out & it was the singular source of the chaos. The group outside stood frozen and they appeared to become more suspicious of their immediate surroundings. Almost at once, a pack of canin beasts almost resembling wolves leapt out from the vegetation. These wolves were bigger than any beast Anuj had witnessed, their glowing eyes set within the mottled gray and black mask of ferocity. Their gaping jaws bared teeth covered in drool, viciously taking turns to circle the entire group. Pooja stepped forward with her sword raised, shield in place and shouted, ¡°Stay Close!¡± With her shield erect, the creatures attempted to claw Pooja and their claws ripped through air but she avoided their strikes. The glowing barrier on her shield worked as a deflector, fending their attacks with unmatched ease. A wolf snarled as it flung itself towards the shield but the fierce power of the impact sent it flying back. Anuj released the arrow that struck one of the wolves in the shoulder itself. The creature howled in pain, but it did not go down. Instead, it turned toward Anuj with glowing eyes and lunged. Anuj had no choice; he leaped into the air, riding the thrusts of wings that carried him just out of reach as the wolf snapped at empty air. Dev stepped forward with his trident ablaze with fire. He thrust his weapon with might forward, sending a wave of flame far toward the pack. The wolves howled as they were engulfed by the fire, their fur singeing and smouldering. One of the wolves lunged at Dev, but without a missed moment, Indra was there, his sword radiating nothing but pure lightning. Indra swung the sword wide, sending arcs of electricity through the air into the leaping wolf. The wolf went into convulsions as the bolt coursed through the animal''s body and crashed lifeless into the ground. Amrita flowed like water, her whip whistling a deadly tune. She scattered the wolves, water coming down with the force of a tidal wave. One of the creatures was sent flying back, its body colliding with the tree with a sickening crack. Another wolf tried to flank her, but Pooja stood in the way, her shield crashing into the creature with the force of avenging wrath. The wolf was knocked away. The battle was over almost as quickly as it had begun. The remaining wolves, their pack diminished, turned and fled into the jungle, their howls fading into the distance. "That was amusing," said Indra as he wiped his sword on the grass. "Any of you feeling like we are being tested?"This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. "Ya think?" Amrita commented with a flick of her wrist, coiling her whip back again. "I''ve heard of a jungle being dangerous;" Pooja unbuckled her shield, the glow fading as she relaxed. "We did Good. Let us move on." These were just bigger common wolves, actually. They killed a few to scare the rest off; hence, it was an easy fight and did not deplete much of their aura or energy. And the energy they had lost had already been replenishing due to their improved physical states. As they progressed deeper into the jungle, they faced many similar threats, but they were easily resolved. But luck doesn''t last long; as they were going to make a camp for spending the night, a very powerful monster attacked us. As they dodged, they finally got a view of it. Ah, there it was - a giant serpent almost 10 meters long with breadth that can easily eat 5 humans together. Its scales gleamed as polished black stone in the sunlight. The beast hung from a giant tree, its girth being comparable to that of a barrel, each one of its eyes shone with cool, appraising light. Now it was hissing death at them, flinging its forked tongue in and out to sample the wafting scents from its prey. The hardness of the scales was striking to behold, almost capable of laughing at the attempt to penetrate them. ¡°Great,¡± Indra muttered, gripping his bone sword tightly. ¡°A snake. Because we didn¡¯t have enough to deal with already.¡± The serpent uncoiled itself with terrifying speed, its massive body slithering down the tree and lunging at the group. Anuj leaped into the air, my golden wings carrying me just out of reach as the serpent¡¯s jaws snapped shut inches below him. The creature hissed in frustration, its glowing eyes locking onto me as I landed on a branch. Dev stepped forward, his trident blazing with fire. He thrust the weapon forward, sending a wave of flames toward the serpent. The flames engulfed the creature, but its scales absorbed the heat, leaving it unharmed. The serpent hissed, its massive body twisting as it lunged at Dev. He dodged to the side, the creature¡¯s jaws snapping shut just inches from his shoulder. Indra was there in an instant, his sword crackling with lightning. He swung the blade in a wide arc, the electricity arcing through the air and striking the serpent¡¯s side. The creature convulsed as the lightning coursed through its body, but its scales protected it from any real damage. It turned its glowing eyes on Indra and lunged again, forcing him to leap back. ¡°Its body¡¯s impervious to any of our attack!¡± Anuj shouted, my voice strained as I felt the drain on my aura pool as he used his eye ability again. He only had seconds of flight left before he¡¯d need to recharge. ¡°The mouth¡ªit¡¯s the only weak spot! I¡¯ll lure it to open up. Be ready!¡± Pooja stepped forward, her Shield Astra glowing brightly as she braced for impact. The serpent slammed into the shield projection with a force that sent shockwaves through the ground, but Pooja held firm, her feet digging into the soft earth. The creature hissed in frustration, its massive body coiling around the shield as it tried to crush her. Amrita moved like water, her whip snapping through the air with deadly precision. She lashed at the serpent, the water striking with the force of a tidal wave. The creature¡¯s body was thrown back, its coils loosening as it struggled to regain its balance. Anuj swooped down from above, his wings beating furiously as he darted in front of the serpent¡¯s face. He fired an arrow that struck the creature¡¯s nose, the projectile bouncing harmlessly off its scales but drawing its attention. The serpent hissed, its jaws opening wide as it lunged at Anuj. He banked sharply, his wings straining as he barely avoided the snapping jaws. His aura was draining fast¡ªhe could feel it slipping away with every second of flight. ¡°Now!¡± I shouted, my voice tight with effort. ¡°Its mouth is open!¡± Dev and Indra didn¡¯t hesitate. Dev¡¯s trident blazed with fire as he thrust it forward, aiming straight for the serpent¡¯s gaping maw. At the same time, Indra¡¯s sword crackled with lightning as he swung it in a wide arc, the electricity arcing toward the creature¡¯s open mouth. The attacks struck simultaneously, fire and lightning exploding inside the serpent¡¯s mouth. The creature let out a deafening hiss, its body convulsing as the combined forces tore through its vulnerable insides. Amrita moved in, her water whip snapping through the air. She lashed at the serpent¡¯s head, the water whip wrapping around its jaws and forcing them open wider. ¡°Hold it!¡± she shouted, her voice strained as she struggled to keep the creature¡¯s mouth open. Pooja stepped forward, her shield glowing brightly as she slammed it into the serpent¡¯s body, pinning it in place. The creature thrashed wildly, its massive coils lashing out, but Pooja held firm, her feet digging into the soft earth. Anuj¡¯s wings faltered as his aura pool ran dry. He dropped to the ground, landing hard but quickly scrambling to his feet. He nocked another arrow, his hands steady despite the exhaustion creeping in. He fired, the arrow striking the serpent¡¯s tongue and eliciting another pained hiss. The serpent¡¯s thrashing grew weaker as the fire and lightning continued to ravage its insides. Finally, with one last, shuddering breath, it collapsed to the ground, its massive body lying still. The group stood in silence for a moment, their breathing heavy as they stared at the massive creature. ¡°That,¡± Indra said, wiping sweat from his brow, ¡°was not fun.¡± ¡°Very true,¡± Amrita responded as she clasped the whip tightly and relaxed her arm back. As Pooja¡¯s post shield started to fade, she added, ¡°We surely are improving at this.¡± Dev confirmed enthusiastically and added, ¡°Let¡¯s make our camp before night.¡± While doing so, he reached for his trident, which was still glowing faintly. Anuj, who had been standing next to the tree, finally lifted his arms, opened his mouth to speak, ¡°Just a moment. I¡¯m completely out of energy. I¡­¡± as his chest rose and fell rhythmically. ¡±¡­need to restore strength.¡± The jungle began to darken as the sun sank below the horizon, casting long, eerie shadows through the dense vegetation. The group, weary from their battles, decided to stop and prepare for the night. They needed rest, and their energy reserves required replenishment. The air was still heavy with humidity, and the damp soil underfoot clung to their boots as they moved about. Dev took charge, his voice steady but laced with urgency. "We need to set up a rotation for guarding the camp. The jungle doesn¡¯t sleep, and neither can we¡ªnot entirely." Anuj nodded, though his wings drooped slightly from exhaustion. "I¡¯ll take the first watch," he said, his tone resolute despite his drained aura. "You all get some rest. I¡¯ll wake someone after a couple of hours." Since I have sharp eye ability, it was the best thing to do in such situation. ¡°No,¡± Pooja interjected firmly, stepping forward with her shield resting against her side. ¡°You¡¯ve burned through too much energy today, Anuj. You¡¯re practically running on fumes. I¡¯ll take the first watch. My shield can protect me if anything sneaks up.¡± Amrita, wrapping her water whip securely around her wrist, added, ¡°We¡¯ll rotate in pairs. That way, no one is left alone. I¡¯ll stay up with Pooja for the first shift.¡± Her sharp eyes scanned the darkening jungle, already watching for movement. ¡°Fine,¡± Anuj relented, sitting down near a tree. ¡°But wake me after your turn. Don¡¯t take unnecessary risks.¡± The group began to settle in. Indra dropped his bone sword to the ground with a thud and sat cross-legged, leaning back against a moss-covered tree trunk."Someone needs to handle the fire. A small one. We don¡¯t want to draw too much attention,". ¡°I¡¯ve got it,¡± Dev volunteered, his trident still faintly glowing. With a swift motion, he used its fiery power to ignite a modest pile of dry leaves and twigs Once the fire was stable, the group worked together to create a temporary camp. Using thick vines and large jungle leaves, they fashioned makeshift coverings to shield them from any rain or dew that might come during the night. Chapter 14: Jungle Sentinel The new day arrived, ushered in by the golden light of the rising sun piercing through the thick canopy above. The jungle, though still filled with the ever-present sounds of chirping insects and rustling leaves, felt different¡ªalmost calm, as if the very trees were catching their breath after the battles of the previous day. They had finally managed to get some proper rest, a rare luxury in this relentless environment. Their bodies, once weighed down by exhaustion and the lingering strain of battle, felt lighter and minds sharper. Though the night had not been without danger, the team members who stood guard had done their job well, intercepting any creatures that dared to approach. The sounds of brief skirmishes had echoed in the distance, but they never reached our camp. For once, they had been free from the constant burden of sweat and exhaustion, allowing us to truly recharge¡ªboth physically and mentally Anuj woke up, His sharp eyes snapping open as the morning breeze rustled the leaves overhead. Stretching his hands slightly, he sat up and scanned the camp. The fire from the night had died down, leaving only a faint wisp of smoke curling into the humid air. Dev and Indra were still sprawled out. Amrita sat cross-legged nearby, running her fingers absentmindedly over the handle of her water whip. Pooja, was snoring lightly with her shield Astra resting lightly against her. "How was the night?" he asked quietly, careful not to disturb anyone. "Eventful," Dev replied calmly. "A few beasts tried to sneak in, but nothing we couldn''t handle. Indra and I took care of a pack of those glowing-eyed deer before they could get too close. At one point, Indra got up and nearly fried a tree when something startled him. ¡° Anuj smirked. "Sounds like him." As if on cue, Indra groaned from his sleeping spot, stretching out with an exaggerated yawn. "You all talk too much," he muttered groggily. "I was dreaming about a feast. A huge feast. And now I wake up to the jungle¡¯s breakfast menu of leaves and bugs." Amrita scoffed. "Keep complaining, and I¡¯ll serve you a fresh helping of swamp frog for breakfast." Indra sat up immediately, looking horrified. "You wouldn¡¯t." Amrita raised an eyebrow. "Try me." Indra ignoring Amrita stretched his arms as they walked, a cocky grin plastered on his face. "You know, I think the jungle¡¯s finally scared of us. They must¡¯ve spread the word¡ª¡®watch out for the guy with the lightning sword!¡¯" Amrita rolled her eyes, her water whip coiled tightly around her wrist. "The jungle¡¯s scared of you? Please. If it didn¡¯t kill you for all those awful jokes, nothing will." Even Dev chuckled, gripping his trident that faintly glowed with embers. "Amrita¡¯s right, Indra. Your biggest contribution so far has been annoying the wildlife into submission." Pooja finally stirred, rubbing his temples as he sat up. "Alright, alright, let¡¯s not start torturing each other before the jungle does it for us. We need to move soon. The more time we waste, the more likely we¡¯ll run into something we don¡¯t want to fight." The way ahead was dark and humid, with stout trees that cast their roots broadly into the snake-like maze of the stained land. The jungle apparently thickened the longer they ventured in, every foot drawing them closer to unseen horrific threats. They haven¡¯t gone too far, when the first enemy attack hit them. Except this time, it was not serpents. Something equally deadly. Unbelievable guttural growls sent tremors through the undergrowth. Hooves came pounding against the wet earth.Then there came a pack of these creatures looking like armored wild boars, tramping through the most impenetrable foliage, their barbed tusks gleaming smoothly like rocks through slits of sunlight beyond. They were heavily muscled animals, the mud-caked fur on their bodies swaying in broad strokes as they sped fatally fast, sending shockwaves against the ground with each crash of their hoofs as if the very jungle beneath trembled at their presence. "Damn, they¡¯re fast!" Anuj barely had time to react as the lead boar charged straight for him, its stone-carved tusks gleaming like twin blades. "Incoming!" he shouted, pushing off the ground and flipping backward into the air just in time to avoid getting skewered. He flared his wings, flying away from the Battlefield hovering above to assess the situation. Pooja reacted instantly, stepping forward with her shield Astra raised. The charging boar slammed into her barrier with a deafening clang, the impact so forceful that her boots dug into the ground, leaving deep trails in the soil. The beast snarled, pressing harder, its tusks grinding against the shield, but Pooja gritted her teeth and held firm. "They¡¯re strong!" she grunted, muscles straining as she forced the boar back. "Watch the tusks!" Before the creature could regroup, Dev stepped forward, spinning his trident in a wide arc, flames igniting around its prongs.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it "Time to roast some bacon!" he yelled. With a powerful thrust, he sent a wave of fire cascading toward the pack, the blaze roaring as it devoured the air. The attack forced most of the boars back, but one, faster and more aggressive than the others, leaped through the fire, its thick hide absorbing most of the damage. It soared toward Dev, tusks aiming straight for his chest. "Not today!" Indra¡¯s voice rang out, his bone sword crackling with electricity. With a flash of movement, he intercepted the beast midair, his blade carving through its side. The moment the sword made contact, a violent arc of lightning coursed through the boar¡¯s body, sending it into violent convulsions before it crashed lifelessly onto the ground. "Nice save!" Dev called, exhaling sharply as he took a step back. "No worries. You¡¯re too pretty to get impaled," Indra smirked, twirling his sword. "Shut up and fight," Amrita snapped, already lashing out with her whip. The water coiled around the neck of another boar, tightening like a serpent. With a sharp flick of her wrist, she yanked the creature sideways, its massive frame slamming into a tree trunk with bone-crunching force. It let out a strangled grunt before collapsing. The other boars, sensing that they were losing, snorted in frustration. But before they could retreat, Pooja took the initiative. With a swift movement, she bashed her shield into the ground, sending a shockwave of golden energy rippling outward. The blast sent the remaining creatures stumbling back, dazed. Anuj, still hovering above, wasted no time. Drawing his bow, he loosed three arrows in rapid succession. Each arrow found its mark, embedding into the skulls of the disoriented creatures. One by one, the boars collapsed. The jungle fell silent once more. "That was¡­ intense," Amrita panted, wiping sweat from her brow. Indra sheathed his sword with a dramatic sigh. "Easy. If they were all like that, we¡¯d be home by dinner." The jungle, however, had other plans. As they ventured further, the attacks became relentless. The next assault came from a swamp, where a massive frog-like beast lay waiting beneath the murky waters. It launched itself at them, its skin covered in poisonous barbs that dripped with a sickly green liquid. It inhaled sharply, its throat expanding before releasing a deadly volley of spikes toward them. "Shit¡ªspread out!" Anuj commanded. Pooja barely raised her shield in time, the barbs pinging off the glowing surface with sharp metallic clinks. One stray barb sliced past her shoulder, leaving a thin line of burning pain. Amrita was already moving. She whipped her water whip forward, sending a burst of high-pressure water to douse the poison, neutralizing it before it could spread further. "Careful! It¡¯s laced with venom!" she called. Dev retaliated, hurling his trident like a spear. The weapon shot through the air and pierced through the frog¡¯s inflated throat, cutting off its next attack. With a choked gurgle, the creature collapsed back into the swamp, unmoving. But they barely had time to breathe. A herd of deer-like creatures with glowing antlers emerged next, their bodies flickering with an unnatural light. Without warning, their antlers flared like miniature suns, emitting a blinding flash. Indra cursed, throwing his arm over his eyes. "Damn it¡ªI can¡¯t see!" "Me neither!" Dev growled, stumbling. Anuj was already in air. The keenness of his eyes pierced the dazzle to see the deer running through the field. "Follow my voice!" he shouted, calling out directions to his teammates. Amrita reacted first, striking blindly with her whip, guided by Anuj¡¯s shouts. The whip snagged one of the creatures¡¯ legs, pulling it down. Indra followed suit, slashing at another deer as its light dimmed just enough for him to see. With each encounter, they grew sharper, faster, more efficient. What once required coordinated efforts now took only two members to handle. At times, a single warrior alone could bring down an enemy that had once overwhelmed them all. They learned to conserve their aura pools. Indra¡¯s blade no longer just crackled¡ªit sliced with precision, cutting through scales and armor effortlessly. Amrita no longer wasted entire waves of water; she instead hardened her whip, turning it into a precise weapon. Even Pooja, who had once only focused on defense, evolved. Her shield¡¯s glow was stronger, more refined, and its kinetic force now sent enemies reeling backward rather than just absorbing blows. By midday, their path through the jungle was marked by fallen beasts and the scent of scorched earth. Anuj looked at his team, a rare smile playing on his lips. They had adapted. They had survived. But more than that, they had become hunters rather than prey. "Not bad," Dev remarked after single-handedly impaling a massive bird with razor-sharp feathers using his trident. "I think we¡¯re finally getting the hang of this." Anuj landed beside him, wings folding neatly behind his back. His golden eyes gleamed with understanding. "Don¡¯t get cocky," he warned and glanced toward the distance, where an eerie stillness hung in the air. "And if this is what¡¯s out here¡­" His voice trailed off, his expression darkening. One by one, they took the creatures down. By the time they reached their destination, the sun was dipping low in the sky, casting long shadows across the jungle floor. There, in a small clearing, stood the herb they had been searching for. It was unlike anything they had ever seen. Its leaves shimmered like emeralds, and its golden flowers seemed to pulse with light. The air around it felt charged, as though the herb itself radiated energy. "There it is," Anuj said, his voice low. "But look at the tree above it." The herb was nestled at the base of a massive tree that towered over the clearing. Its bark was gnarled and blackened, and its roots twisted around the herb protectively. There was an unnatural stillness to the tree, as if it was watching them. "I don¡¯t like this," Amrita muttered, her whip coiled tightly in her hand ready for any attack. Indra, ever the bold one, stepped forward. "It¡¯s a tree. What¡¯s it going to do? Throw leaves at us?" As if in response, one of the tree¡¯s branches lashed out like a whip, narrowly missing Indra¡¯s head. "Okay, I take it back!" Indra yelped, stumbling back. Then the tree itself began to move, its massive roots tearing free from the ground as it rose to its full height. Its branches twisted and writhed, each one becoming a deadly whip, while its leaves sharpened into blade-like projectiles. The tree wasn¡¯t just alive¡ªit was a sentinel, and it wasn¡¯t going to let them get the herb. And now they just have one thought in their mind ¡° We are done¡­.¡± Chapter 15 : Tree Fight The tree began its assault with a storm of razor-sharp leaves, raining them down on the group. The leaves weren¡¯t the ordinary kind that fluttered harmlessly in the wind. These were jagged, knife-like, and moved with terrifying speed, cutting through the air with a sinister hiss. "Watch out!" Anuj yelled as the wave rushed forward like a living storm. The group had almost no time to respond. They couldn''t create a big organized barrier or even plan a coordinated defense. Their survival relied on instinct. Dev moved swinging his trident in a circular motion. Fire burst from its three points creating a spinning wall of flames around him. The sharp leaves burned up when they touched the fire, but the wave''s power made him clench his jaw as he stood firm. "Not happening," he snarled resisting with all his might. Amrita, on the other hand, cracked her water whip in a rapid, circular motion, creating a shield of swirling liquid around herself. The leaves hissed and sizzled as they collided with the water barrier, falling harmlessly to the jungle floor. "Is it just me, or are these leaves angrier than they should be?" Indra, standing between Dev and Amrita, couldn¡¯t help but smirk at his luck. "I guess being in the middle has its perks!" he called out, swiping lazily at the stray leaves that managed to breach the fiery and watery defenses on either side of him. His bone sword crackled with lightning, sparking with every swing, as if taunting the jungle¡¯s assault. Pooja had a much tougher time. With no time to spare, she slammed her shield Astra into the ground, generating a glowing barrier just large enough to cover herself. The sharp leaves pinged off her shield with a metallic clang, but the sheer force of the wave made her dig her heels into the earth. "This is crazy!" she yelled. Meanwhile, Anuj had launched himself into the sky, his golden wings beating furiously as he soared above the chaos. The sharp leaves sliced through the air below him, and a few stray projectiles clipped his feathers, but he stayed aloft. His sharp eyes scanned the battlefield for the source of the attack. "Stay alert! This isn¡¯t just random" he called out from above. Out of nowhere, a heavy wooden whip shot from the jungle slicing the air with frightening speed and accuracy. The whip cracked down at the group making everyone respond. Dev just managed to duck, the whip brushing his shoulder as he twisted away. "What on earth was that?" he yelled tripping backward. Amrita twisted her body, narrowly avoiding the whip as it cracked the ground where she had stood moments before. "It¡¯s fast!" she warned, her eyes darting to locate its origin. Indra leaped to the side with an exaggerated roll, landing on one knee and grinning despite the chaos. "Alright, who pissed off the tree this time?" Pooja raised her shield just as the whip came for her, the impact sending a shockwave through her arms and forcing her to stagger back. "Whatever it is, it¡¯s strong!" Anuj, still in the air, banked sharply to avoid the whip as it lashed upward toward him. The sudden movement nearly cost him his balance, but he recovered, shouting, "Spread out! It¡¯s trying to bring us down!" The group scattered, each of them dodging the whip¡¯s relentless strikes while fending off the lingering storm of razor-sharp leaves. The jungle seemed alive, its attacks growing more coordinated with every passing second. "This is ridiculous!" Pooja shouted, slamming her shield into the ground to block another strike. Anuj shouted ¡°Dev do something, Wood burns in the presence of fire¡± "On it!" Dev stepped forward, his trident blazing. He slammed the weapon into the ground, creating a wall of fire around the tree. The leaf barrage stopped as the flames surrounded the tree, but their relief was short-lived. The tree began to move, its massive form walking through the fire. The flames were absorbed into its bark, disappearing without leaving a mark. "It can absorb elemental attacks!" Indra shouted. "Great. That¡¯s just perfect," Amrita muttered. The tree suddenly changed its tactics, snapping it¡¯s whips in erratic patterns to keep the group off balance. It lashed toward Amrita, forcing her to dive to the side, only for a flurry of sharp leaves to follow. She countered with a burst of water, scattering the leaves but leaving herself open to another attack. "Amrita, on your left!" Anuj shouted, diving from above to intercept the whip before it could strike her. His arrow flew true, grazing the whip and momentarily diverting its path. "Thanks!" Amrita called, quickly regaining her stance and cracking her water whip in a defensive arc. Dev spun his trident again, creating another wall of fire to hold back the leaves. But the whip came for him next, moving too fast for him to react. "I¡¯ve got you!" Indra yelled, his lightning-infused sword slicing through the air. The whip recoiled as electricity coursed through it, momentarily stunning the living weapon. "Nice one, Indra!" Dev said, stepping back to regroup. "You know me," Indra said with a wink. "Always shocking." The tree lunged forward, its massive branches sweeping toward them. Amrita responded with a tidal wave, forcing the tree back, while Anuj flew into the air. "I¡¯ll grab the herb while it¡¯s distracted!" Anuj shouted. Anuj darted through the air, his golden wings glinting faintly as he hovered over the clearing. His sharp eyes locked on the glowing herb nestled at the base of the tree. The air around it pulsed with a strange energy, almost daring him to come closer. Taking a deep breath, he swooped down, his flight swift and precise. The moment his boots touched the ground near the herb, the air seemed to thrum with life. His fingers extended toward the shimmering plant, but before he could grab it, the ground beneath it shuddered violently. Thick roots erupted from the soil, twisting and writhing like living serpents. In seconds, a dome of interlocking wood grew around the herb, encasing it completely. The dome pulsed, its bark gleaming as though mocking his attempt. The intricate pattern of the wood almost seemed alive, reinforcing itself with overlapping layers to ensure no gap or weak point was left unguarded. "Great," Anuj muttered under his breath, stepping back quickly. "Because this wasn¡¯t hard enough already." The tree let out a low, guttural groan, its branches writhing as if in warning. He could feel the air growing heavier, charged with hostility. Realizing the danger of staying within its immediate range, Anuj immediately sprang back into action. With a powerful beat of his wings, he launched himself skyward, his body moving in a sharp arc away from the tree¡¯s reach. The glowing dome of wood, now firmly encasing the herb, almost seemed to stare at him like a silent guardian. As he soared upward, he felt the familiar pull on his aura pool, a reminder of the time he had left to stay airborne. His wings strained against the fast flowing battle, each flap drawing from his remaining reserves. "Twenty seconds left," he thought to himself, calculating his aura limit. Instead of circling above the tree recklessly, Anuj angled his flight to land farther away, beyond the immediate range of its massive, thrashing branches. He touched down with practiced grace, his boots skidding slightly on the damp earth as he crouched low to catch his breath. His golden wings disappeared as his sharp eyes scanned the scene. The tree¡¯s branches lashed in frustration, sensing its prey had escaped for the moment. The roots around the dome tightened further, as if daring anyone else to approach. As the fight continues more and more it became apparent that it was not an easy enemy everyone started regrouping to make plans for the next attack but as they were regrouping a very sneaky branch made it¡¯s way towards Amrita. "Not so fast," Indra growled, charging forward with his bone sword. Electricity crackled and surged along the blade, its energy illuminating his path like a streak of lightning in the dark jungle. With a determined yell, he swung the weapon in a wide arc, the blade slicing cleanly through several of the tree¡¯s massive branches. Each severed limb fell to the ground with a heavy thud, the lightning leaving scorch marks across the jagged wood.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. The group froze for a brief moment, stunned by his success. Unlike their earlier elemental strikes, which the tree had absorbed with ease, Indra¡¯s physical attack infused with electricity had actually done real damage. "Did you see that?" Indra shouted, his usual grin replaced with a serious expression as he pointed his blade at the writhing branches. "This thing might shrug off fire and water, but it doesn¡¯t like a good old-fashioned blade!" From above, Anuj, who had been circling the tree for an opening, saw the same pattern. His sharp eyes locked on the tree¡¯s damaged branches, and realization hit him like a lightning bolt. The key wasn¡¯t pure elemental power¡ªit was combining their specific abilities with their physical attacks to bypass the tree¡¯s absorption abilites. "Focus on physical strikes coated with your astras power!" Anuj yelled, his voice carrying over the chaos. He banked sharply in the air to avoid a lashing whip of wood. "Elemental attacks alone won¡¯t work! Channel your power into your weapons!" Indra swung his sword again, electricity crackling like a thunderstorm as he aimed for another thick branch. The lightning-infused blade carved through the wood with ease, and the tree let out a low, guttural groan that reverberated through the jungle. The others quickly adapted to the strategy. Amrita tightened her grip on her water whip, which coiled like a living serpent in her hand. She lashed out at one of the tree¡¯s massive roots, channeling water into the whip but coating it like steel. The whip sliced into the root, severing it with a sharp snap. "This thing doesn¡¯t like blades, huh? Let¡¯s give it more to hate!" she shouted, flicking the whip to send droplets of water glinting in the dim light. Dev followed suit, gripping his trident tightly. Instead of releasing a burst of fire, he focused his flames into the metal prongs, causing them to glow white-hot. With a fierce roar, he drove the weapon into one of the tree¡¯s writhing roots. The heat and the sharp edge of the trident burned and pierced through the tough bark, forcing the root to recoil violently. "Take that, you overgrown log!" Dev shouted, yanking his trident free and stepping back to assess his work. Pooja, ever the stalwart defender, shifted her stance, her shield glowing brighter than ever. Instead of purely defending, she braced herself and slammed the edge of her shield into one of the smaller branches whipping toward her. The impact cracked the branch, and her shield¡¯s glow briefly flared as it absorbed and reflected some of the tree¡¯s retaliatory force. "It¡¯s working!" she called, her voice steady despite the chaos. "Keep pushing!" Above them, Anuj darted through the air, his bow drawn and ready. He focused his aura into the arrows, giving them a faint golden glow. Instead of aiming for the tree¡¯s bark, he targeted the base of a thick branch that was reaching for Dev. With a sharp twang, the arrow flew true, piercing through the curve where the branch met the trunk. The branch splintered and fell, narrowly missing Dev. "Nice shot!" Dev called out, giving Anuj a appreciation before spinning his trident to deflect another incoming whip. The tree let out another guttural groan, its movements growing more erratic and violent as the team¡¯s coordinated attacks began to take their toll. They have fought far too long to engage in such a protected battle and the trees branches and roots are regenerating too. The group regrouped, each member ready to unleash their strongest attacks to either win or lose! Anuj landed lightly on the ground, his wings folding tightly against his back as he took a deep breath. His sharp golden eyes swept over his exhausted teammates¡ªDev¡¯s breathing was ragged, his trident¡¯s fire flickering weakly; Amrita clutched her water whip tightly, her fingers trembling from overuse; Indra¡¯s sword still crackled with faint electricity, but his stance was unsteady, his muscles stiff from the relentless battle. Pooja stood firm, her shield Astra glowing dimly, her arms tense from deflecting countless attacks. And yet, despite the bruises, the heavy panting, and the fading glow of their auras, they all still stood. They had fought too hard, pushed too far to fall now. Before them, the towering sentinel tree loomed¡ª Ancient, malevolent, and boiling with rage. Its roots clutched the earth like tortured fingers, thick bark rising and falling as if it breathed, branches writhing like living serpents, and its glittering core pulsing with pure, relentless anger. The jungle itself seemed to shudder with every tremor of the monstrous tree, the leaves rustling in anticipation of the final clash. Anuj clenched his fists, feeling the last reserves of his aura burning within him. His body ached, his wings felt like lead, but his mind was crystal clear. This was their last chance. They had to finish this. His voice rang through the battlefield. "This is it. We hit it with everything we¡¯ve got!" He took a step forward as the wind stirred around him as if sensing the storm to come. His wings flexed slightly, the golden feathers catching the dim light of the jungle, a stark contrast to the darkness surrounding them. Dev and Amrita exchanged a quick nod, stepping forward without hesitation. Dev gripped his trident tightly, the flames licking at its prongs growing brighter and fiercer. With a deep growl, he summoned a fireball grenade along the tips of trident, the molten orb crackling with energy in his hand. Its heat radiated outward, causing the air around him to shimmer. Beside him, Amrita raised her water whip, channelling her aura with precision. The whip shifted and hardened, transforming into razor-sharp water blades that gleamed like crystalline daggers in the faint light. She twirled them in her hands, the motion fluid and graceful, but with a deadly edge. Indra stepped forward next, gripping his lightning-infused sword with both hands. The blade pulsed with raw energy, arcs of electricity crackling and dancing along its surface. He narrowed his eyes at the massive tree, his usual grin replaced with a focused intensity. "Alright, tree," he muttered under his breath, "let¡¯s see how you handle my thunderstorm." Anuj took to the air once more, circling high above the battlefield. His bow was drawn, an arrow glowing faintly with aura energy nocked and ready. "Ready?" he called down to his team. "Let¡¯s do this!" Dev roared, his fire grenade burning like a miniature sun in his hand. Without waiting for further instruction, Dev hurled his trident with all his might, the trident with its flaming orb streaking through the air toward the tree. It collided with their trunk in a burst of fire and heat, the explosion echoing through the jungle like a thunderclap. The flames roared, licking up the tree¡¯s bark and leaving charred marks in their wake. Amrita followed immediately, lunging forward with her water blades. She danced through the battlefield with agility, her movements precise and calculated. With each swing, the razor-sharp blades sliced through the tree¡¯s writhing branches, sending splinters and sap spraying into the air. Indra didn¡¯t wait for an opening. Charging forward, he let out a fierce battle cry as he raised his sword high. Lightning surged through the blade, making it glow a blinding white as he brought it down in a massive, arcing slash. The electricity struck the tree¡¯s base, sending shockwaves rippling through its roots. The combined attacks hit the tree with incredible force. They have manged to destroy a large amount of Trunk from their combined attack. Its massive form shuddered violently, its branches thrashing as it let down a shriek. For a moment, it seemed as though they might have won. But the sense of victory was short-lived, as if a switch has been pressed that shouldn¡¯t be pressed with. With a sound like thunder, the tree slammed its massive roots into the ground. The earth trembled beneath their feet, and a split second later, a tidal wave of dirt, rocks, and uprooted vegetation surged toward the group. "Brace yourselves!" Pooja shouted, stepping forward and planting her shield Astra into the ground. A glowing barrier expanded outward, forming a protective dome around the team. The earth wave crashed against the shield with immense force, the impact rattling through Pooja¡¯s arms and legs. She gritted her teeth, pouring every ounce of her aura into holding the barrier steady. Cracks began to form along the surface of the shield as the relentless wave pushed harder and harder. "I can¡¯t hold it much longer!" Pooja yelled, sweat streaming down her face as the strain threatened to overwhelm her. "Just a few more seconds!" Anuj called from above, firing arrows at the tree to distract it. But the force was too much. With a deafening shatter, Pooja¡¯s shield broke, and the wave hit the group like a freight train. The impact sent them flying. Dev was thrown backward, his trident skidding out of reach as he slammed into a nearby tree. Amrita was knocked off her feet, her water blades dissipating as her aura faltered. Indra hit the ground hard, his sword sparking as it slipped from his grasp. Pooja collapsed, her shield dim and flickering as she struggled to push herself up. From above, Anuj watched in horror as his friends lay sprawled and injured, the tree looming over them like a vengeful titan. Its branches twisted and coiled, preparing to deliver the finishing blow. "I won¡¯t let this happen!" Anuj shouted, his voice filled with desperation. He dove toward the ground, his wings straining as he poured what little aura he had left into his flight. The air rushed past him as he swooped low, grabbing Dev and Amrita first. With a powerful beat of his wings, he lifted them off the ground, gritting his teeth against the weight. "Hang on!" he yelled, his voice strained as he has pushed himself to the limit. Circling back, he dove again, this time grabbing Indra and Pooja. The effort nearly caused him to crash, his wings faltering under the immense strain. Every muscle in his body screamed in protest, his aura pool is empty and overdrawing from his body. The tree, realizing what was happening, lashed out with its branches, trying to swat Anuj out of the air. One branch came dangerously close, but Anuj twisted sharply, narrowly avoiding the attack. "Almost there," he muttered through gritted teeth, his vision blurring as exhaustion threatened to overtake him. With one final burst of strength, he carried the group out of the tree¡¯s range, landing heavily on the ground a safe distance away. He collapsed to his knees, his wings disappeared into lights behind him as he gasped for air. The tree let out an enraged roar, its branches thrashing wildly as it sensed its prey had escaped. "Is¡­ everyone okay?" Anuj panted, his voice barely above a whisper. He has overdrawn his aura reserves. Every fibre of his body is tethering on the blinks of collapse. Dev groaned, clutching his side. "Define ¡®okay.¡¯" Pooja, still catching her breath, nodded weakly. "We¡¯re alive¡­ somehow. That¡¯s what matters." Anuj glanced back at the raging tree in the distance, its massive form writhing in frustration. He clenched his fists, his exhausted body trembling. "This isn¡¯t over," And then he collapsed into a coma. Chapter 16: The Aftermath of Defeat I woke up to pain. It wasn''t the sharp kind that came from wounds or bruises. No, this pain was deeper, lodged within me like a blade twisting with every breath I took. My entire body ached, my muscles refusing to respond, but the worst was my aura core¡ªit felt as though it had been ripped apart and barely stitched back together. The moment I tried to circulate my aura, a searing, stabbing pain shot through my chest, forcing me to grit my teeth and stop. I took slow breaths, staring at the dim embers of the soon-to-be-dead campfire through my tent opening. My mind was in a trance, but memories flashed in my head¡ªthe tree. Its massive roots, its earth-shattering strength, the sheer futility of our attacks, and finally, my wings straining as I carried my injured teammates to safety. I had pushed myself too far. My body had given out. I fell into a coma. I had no idea how long I was out, but I needed to move. With sheer willpower, I forced myself to sit up, the weight of exhaustion pressing against me like a lead blanket. Every joint screamed in protest, but I ignored it, swinging my legs off the cot. My boots met the damp earth, and I inhaled sharply as another wave of dizziness hit me. Still, I refused to stay still. I stepped out of the tent, craving fresh air. That''s when I noticed the atmosphere. The camp was quiet, but not the quiet of rest. No, it was thick, suffocating, charged with something cold and bitter. My eyes adjusted to the darkness, and at first, I could hardly believe what I saw. They must have been training¡ªor at least, that''s what it seemed like. Dev stood a little distance away, hurling his trident at the trees with unbridled intensity. His trident glowed, but his throws were stiff. Amrita stood near a brook, cracking her water whip with sharp, vicious strikes. Droplets scattered violently with each impact, her usual fluidity replaced by sheer force. Pooja stood statue-like, her shield Astra raised, bracing against imaginary attacks over and over again. Her arms trembled slightly, but she never lowered her guard. Indra¡­ Indra remained silent. He stood apart from the rest, gripping his sword so tightly his knuckles turned white. Lightning sparks flickered around the blade, but he just stared at the ground, lost in thought. This wasn''t training. This was torture. Frustration, anger, and something else¡ªsomething deeper¡ªradiated off them in waves. They were geniuses, told since the day they entered the Brahman Society that nothing was impossible for them. They had never known true failure. Until now. Until that tree crushed them. They had sparred with each other, tested our strength in battles, but they had never been defeated like this before¡ªcompletely, utterly, and humiliatingly. We had thrown everything at the Sentinel Tree and barely made it alive. This wasn''t just about losing a fight. It was about pride. "Everyone." My voice cut through the silence. They all froze. Slowly, they turned to look at me. Their gazes ranged from surprise to resentment, as if they weren''t ready to let go of their anger just yet. I met each of their eyes, my voice firm. "What''s done is done. We lost. But standing here torturing ourselves over it won''t change anything." Dev exhaled sharply, looking away. Amrita''s grip on her whip tightened. Pooja lowered her shield slightly, and Indra finally looked up. I took a step forward, forcing my voice to remain steady despite the throbbing pain in my bones. "We need to stop dwelling on failure and start figuring out how to win." A long silence followed. For a moment, I thought they might just ignore me, might just bury their frustrations deeper like a wound left untreated. But then¡ªslowly, reluctantly¡ªthey let their walls crack. And everything spilled out. Dev was the first to snap. He let out a sharp, bitter laugh, tossing a rock into the fire, sending embers scattering. "Figuring out how to win?" he echoed, his voice laced with frustration. "Right, because that''s worked out so well for us so far." His eyes burned as he turned to face me, his trident gripped so tightly his knuckles turned white. "Do you have any idea how humiliating that was? I''ve never¡ªnever¡ªfelt so useless in a fight. My Astra is fire, Anuj. Fire! The thing that''s supposed to burn everything in its path! And yet, what happened? It just swallowed my flames like they were nothing. Like I wasn''t even there!" He let out a harsh exhale, his aura flickering angrily. "I trained my whole body and soul believing my Astra could destroy anything in its way. And now I find out there are things it can''t even touch?" "You''re not the only one," Amrita muttered, staring at her hands like they had betrayed her. She flexed her fingers, her water whip coiling slightly around her wrist. Her eyes narrowed as she clenched her fists, her knuckles turning pale. "No matter how precise, it didn''t matter. I''ve always been able to adapt, to counter whatever comes my way. But this time, no amount of skill made a difference." She gritted her teeth. "I''m not used to losing. I don''t like losinng" Indra, who had been silent up until now, let out a humorless chuckle. "I actually hurt the damn thing. I cut its branches, I saw it flinch¡ªand still, it didn''t matter." His jaw clenched, his voice dropping lower. "It just grew back. Like I hadn''t done a damn thing." His grip on his sword tightened, electricity crackling angrily across the blade. "You know how many times people told me my Astra was powerful? That lightning destroys everything in its path? But now? Now, I know that''s a lie." He scoffed, looking down at his blade. "I might as well have been swinging a stick" Pooja sat stiffly, her shield Astra resting beside her. She had been listening quietly, but now her fingers curled into fists, and she finally spoke¡ªlow, controlled, but trembling with frustration. "You all had a chance to fight back," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "I didn''t even get to hit it." Everyone turned to her as she lifted her gaze, her expression unreadable. "I stood there, blocking attacks, taking the brunt of everything, and I still couldn''t hold." She took a slow breath, shaking her head. "I was the first to go down. And that''s what pisses me off the most." The air was thick with frustration, the fire crackling between us like a living thing. Their anger, their disappointment¡ªit was real, and I felt every word like a blade. But as I looked at them, the weight of their emotions settling into my chest. I let out a breath, tilting my head back to look at the stars beyond the canopy. "You think I don''t feel the same?" My voice was quiet, but it cut through the air like a blade.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. They all looked at me. "I wasn''t just defeated¡ªI had to flee and in the end I blacked out. My body literally gave up on me." I exhaled slowly, my fingers twitching slightly as I tried¡ªand failed¡ªto summon even a flicker of aura. "And now, my core is exausted. I can''t even circulate my energy without pain." I met their eyes, my voice firm. "I lost, just like you. And yeah¡ªit hurts. It makes me want to punch something, scream, go back out there and keep fighting until I collapse again. But tell me¡ª" I paused, looking at each of them. "Does it change anything?" Silence. I continued, stepping forward. "We lost. We lost badly. But what''s done is done. We can sit here, sulk, and let this defeat eat away at us. Or we can get up, take everything we''ve learned, and figure out how to win." I saw the change happen¡ªslowly, reluctantly, but it was there. Dev let out a breath, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, well¡­ sitting here bitching about it isn''t gonna change anything, huh?" Amrita crossed her arms, exhaling sharply. "No, it won''t." Indra smirked faintly, though there was no real humor behind it. "I still want to cut that damn thing apart." Pooja picked up her shield, resting it on her lap. "Then let''s figure out how." I nodded. "Exactly." We all gathered around the fire, and for the first time since our defeat, we weren''t just dwelling on failure. Dev leaned forward, his fingers tapping against his knee impatiently. "Before we even think about a plan, we need a complete picture of what we''re fighting. We didn''t lose because we were weak¡ªwe lost because we didn''t understand what we were up against." "Agreed," Amrita said. "We were overconfident. We need to break this thing down piece by piece." I took a deep breath. "I''ll start. Its sensing ability isn''t unlimited. I noticed while I was flying that its awareness extends only ten meters from its body¡ªoutside of that, it doesn''t react to anything." "Good," Indra said, nodding. "Now for the worst part¡ªits regeneration." His voice was tight. "The damn thing doesn''t heal instantly, but if we don''t kill it fast enough, it''ll start recovering ¡ªbranches, roots, all of it." Dev scoffed, shaking his head. "And then there''s the fact that it absorbs Astra attacks. Fire, water, lightning¡ªit doesn''t matter. If we use pure elemental energy, it just soaks it up like a sponge." Pooja frowned. "Its physical attacks are ridiculously strong. If any of us get hit directly¡­ we won''t get back up." "And its leaf shower attack," Amrita added, rubbing her shoulder where some of the sharp leaves had grazed her. "It doesn''t do real damage, but it blocks our vision." I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "And then there''s its earth wave attack. That was the worst one. The sheer force of it nearly killed us all." As we pieced together all of its abilities, the weight of what we were up against settled over us like a storm cloud. No one spoke for a long time. Then Dev muttered, "Great. So it''s an impenetrable fortress." Silence. Then, Amrita straightened. "No fortress is impenetrable." We sat in a tight circle around the campfire, the flames flickering against the tension in our expressions. The frustration from earlier still lingered, but now, it had a purpose. Dev leaned forward, his trident resting against his knee. "Alright," he muttered, eyes flicking between us. "We know what that damn thing can do. But every fortress has a weak point. Let''s start there." "Yeah," Amrita agreed, rolling her shoulders. I nodded. "I''ll go first," I said, running a hand through my hair. "Its omniscient awareness isn''t actually omniscient. When I was in the air, I noticed that it only reacts within a ten-meter radius. The moment I got closer, it targeted me instantly. But when I stayed outside that range, it didn''t respond at all." Indra frowned, tapping his sword against the dirt. "So, what? We just have to stay beyond ten meters the whole time? That doesn''t really help if we need to get the herb." "Not entirely," I admitted. "But it means that if we want to make a coordinated attack, we need to start outside that range, then strike before it has time to react." Pooja nodded. "At least it means we won''t get attacked before we move in. We can actually set something up before it notices us." A small win. "Okay," I said. "What else?" "My turn," Dev said, exhaling through his nose. He stared into the fire for a moment, then looked back at us. "It can''t leave the herb. That''s its biggest limitation." Amrita tilted her head. "You sure? I mean, it chased us a little bit when we were retreating." "Yeah, but not far," Dev countered. "Think about it¡ªif it could move freely, it would have chased us down and killed us. But once we got out of that clearing, it stopped. It didn''t follow. Hell, it could have crushed us while I was carrying Pooja, but it didn''t." Pooja crossed her arms, eyes narrowing in thought. "So it''s leashed to the herb. That explains why it didn''t just drag the fight away from its core area." I nodded. "Exactly. It has to stay in that area, which means positioning is key. If we force it to move, even slightly, we can use that time to strike." "Another thing," Pooja spoke up, tapping her shield. "It''s slow." Indra scoffed. "Tell that to my ribs." She shot him a flat look. "No, seriously. Its attacks are fast, but its body isn''t. When it swings its branches, yeah, those things are blazing fast. But the tree itself? It moves like a glacier." Amrita frowned. "Now that you mention it, whenever it shifted toward us, it took time. It wasn''t instant." Dev snapped his fingers. "That''s true! It needed time to adjust before launching attacks. Every time I dodged a root, there was a small pause before it could reposition and strike again." "So," Indra said, resting his chin on his fist, "if we force it to move, we get a small window where it can''t attack as effectively." "Right," I agreed. "If we hit it from two directions at once, it''ll have to split its attention, making it even harder for it to counter both at the same time." "Divide and conquer," Amrita mused, a small smirk creeping onto her face. "I like it" Indra ran a hand down his sword, the faintest crackle of electricity sparking against his fingers. "The last thing we know? Physical attacks actually hurt it." Dev grunted. "Well, yeah. But they didn''t do enough." "No, but it''s the only thing that worked," Indra pointed out. "Think about it¡ªfire, water, pure lightning? Nothing. It absorbed all of it. But when I cut it¡ªwhen I mixed my Astra aura with my sword¡ªit actually left a mark." Pooja nodded. "We have to infuse our weapons with Astra instead of using pure energy blasts. That''s the only way we''re going to deal real damage." "But only if we land a hit," Amrita said. "We need precision. If we waste our strength on bad attacks, we''ll drain our aura for nothing." "Then we don''t waste it," I said firmly. "We choose our strikes carefully. Every attack needs to count." This wasn''t an unbeatable enemy. It was hard, yes. But it had weaknesses. Weaknesses we could use. Indra exhaled, rubbing his forehead. "So, to summarize¡ªthis thing is a monstrous fortress, but it''s not invincible." Dev let out a dry chuckle. "Great. So now we just have to break into an impenetrable fortress and steal the most well-guarded thing in the jungle. No big deal." With this in mind, we finally started crafting a strategy. The fire crackled softly between us, casting long shadows over the tense expressions of my team. We had spent hours dissecting the tree and making plans. Then Dev, who had been staring at the fire in deep thought, finally straightened up. His usual cocky smirk was absent, replaced by something sharper. "Alright," he said, his voice steady. "I''ve got a plan." We all turned to him. He looked at each of us before continuing, his tone firm, commanding. "This fight isn''t about brute force. We aren''t taking that thing down¡ªit''s too big, too strong, too damn resilient. We''re stealing the herb and getting out." He turned to Pooja first. "You''re the shield. The tree is hyper-aware of threats, and the second we move, it''ll react. You need to draw its attention first. Stand in front, tank its attacks, force it to focus on you while we set up the rest of the plan." Pooja sat up straighter, gripping the edge of her shield. "Alright," she said, nodding. "But I won''t last forever. If that earth wave comes again, I''ll need to brace early or I''m out of the fight." Dev nodded. "That''s where I come in." He jabbed a finger at himself. "Once it starts focusing on you, it''ll use its leaf storm to blind you and whip attacks to overwhelm you. I''ll handle that. I''ll burn the leaves mid-air before they block your vision, and I''ll intercept the whips with fire strikes. That way, you''re only dealing with its limited physical attacks." Pooja gave a small, determined smile. "Sounds manageable. But if it targets you?" "Then I move." Dev''s eyes gleamed with a fire of their own. "I''ll stay mobile, keep shifting positions so it can''t pin me down." I crossed my arms, analyzing the plan so far. "That will buy us time. But the tree still won''t be moving away from the herb. We need it to shift its position." "Exactly," Dev said, turning to me and Amrita next. "That''s where you two come in." I nodded, already seeing where this was going. "You want me to carry Amrita and drop her behind the tree." "Right," Dev confirmed. "Once she''s back there, she uses a full-force tidal wave to push the tree forward¡ªtoward Pooja and me. That way, it''s forced into a two-front battle. And away from herb" Amrita tapped her chin, considering. "I''ll need to be dropped as close as possible so I can get the best angle. Otherwise, the wave won''t push it far enough." "I can do that," I assured her. "I''ll fly at top speed and stay low to avoid detection until we''re close enough." She nodded. Which brought us to the final, most critical part of the plan. Dev looked at Indra, who had been listening intently, his sword resting across his lap. "And you," Dev said, "are our finisher." Indra''s lips curled into a small grin. "Now we''re talking." "When Amrita forces the tree forward, that''s when Anuj will swoop down with you and drop you near the herb''s wooden dome. Your sword is the only thing that cuts the wood so easily. You cut through it with your lightning blade, grab the herb, and Anuj flies you the hell out before the tree can react." Indra''s grip on his sword tightened, and he nodded. "I can slice through the wood fast¡ªbut once I start cutting, the tree''s going to notice immediately." "That''s why it needs to be as distracted as possible," Dev said. "With Pooja taking the brunt from the front, me keeping it in check, and Amrita forcing it from back, it won''t have much defense." A silence stretched between us as we each absorbed our roles. Then, Pooja broke it. "And after that?" she asked. Dev exhaled. "We run. As soon as Anuj gets Indra and the herb out, we retreat at full speed. We don''t waste time fighting¡ªit''s not about winning against the tree. It''s about winning the damn mission." Another silence. Then Indra let out a short laugh. "So we''re basically robbing the jungle''s biggest monster, and hoping it doesn''t kill us in the process?" "Pretty much," Dev said. Indra grinned. "Sounds fun." Pooja rolled her eyes. "Sounds reckless." Amrita smirked. "Sounds like our only shot." The fire crackled between us, its glow reflected in the newfound determination in everyone''s eyes. "Then it''s settled," Dev said, standing up and stretching. "We get some rest. Tomorrow, we pull off the craziest heist this jungle has ever seen." One by one, we nodded. When we finished laying it out, we all sat in silence. Then Indra smirked. "That''s either the best plan we''ve ever come up with¡­ or the dumbest." I exhaled, shaking my head. "Either way, it''s happening tomorrow. Get some sleep. We need everything we''ve got." For the first time since our defeat, we had a real plan. For the first time, we believed we could win. Tomorrow, we would win. Chapter 17: A Last Fight Today was the day. We had one shot at this. The plan was in place, the roles were set, but we decided there was a one more thing we need to master the only thing that can damage the Tree. Our Aura infused Physical attacks. Aura-infused physical attacks weren''t something we had been taught¡ªnot yet, at least. It wasn''t a standard technique drilled into our training like basic Astra manipulation or elemental control. No Guru had walked us through it, no structured lessons had prepared us for it. Instead, we had been told we wouldn''t learn it until our fifth year in the Society¡ªfar beyond where we were now. But the Sentinel Tree wasn''t going to wait until we hit our fifth year. We had to figure it out on our own. And while we had seen these techniques before, we had never truly mastered them. Whenever we sparred with senior-year students, we''d occasionally witness them using Aura-infused attacks. Their weapons would hum with power, their strikes leaving deeper impacts, their defenses harder to break. At the time, it didn''t seem like a big deal. We had our own strengths¡ªour Astras, our speed, our Aura pool. Whenever we faced an opponent who used Aura-infused strikes, we could usually bulldoze through it with raw power, overwhelming them with our abilities instead of engaging them in pure weapon combat. So we had never been forced to learn it. We had never needed it. Until now. Yesterday, when we fought the tree, we were sloppy. We had no clue how to properly blend Astra and physical force. We were just throwing our raw energy at the enemy, expecting it to work¡ªonly to realize, too late, that our attacks were being absorbed or shrugged off like nothing. It was something warriors were suppose to learn over months of experience. And we don''t have much time left Indra rolled his shoulders, his sword crackling faintly as he turned to face us. "Alright," he said. "This is the only thing that worked against the tree. If we don''t get this right, today battle will be another disaster." We gathered around the massive boulder that would serve as our practice target. Aura-infused physical attacks weren''t about throwing pure Astra energy. That would just get absorbed by the tree. Instead, the goal was to channel Astra into a weapon to enhance its natural power¡ªcombining the raw force of physical strength with the cutting edge of Astra. The problem? None of us had ever done it before. We practiced for hours trying diffrent methods but still couldn''t get it right. But someone was getting it right and finally he was able to do it. "Let me try something," Indra said, stepping forward confidently. He took a deep breath, focusing his lightning energy into his sword. The blade hummed with power, static crackling along its edge. With a single motion, he swung. A bright arc of electricity followed the slash, and when the blade struck the boulder¡ª CRACK! A deep gash split through the rock, lightning sizzling across its jagged surface. We all stared. Dev folded his arms. "Okay. That was actually impressive." Indra smirked, spinning his sword in his hand. "Told you. It''s not about forcing the Astra out¡ªit''s about flow." Amrita raised an eyebrow. "Flow?" Indra nodded. "You guys are overthinking it. Astra isn''t something separate from your weapon¡ªit''s an extension of it. You can''t just slap energy onto your attack and expect it to work. You have to let the power move with the weapon." Pooja crossed her arms. "That''s great and all, but that''s easy for you to say. Lightning flows naturally with your sword. What about the rest of us?" Indra shrugged. "Same principle. Watch." He took his sword again and deliberately failed. This time, he forced lightning through the blade without syncing it properly. The moment he swung, the energy fizzled, and instead of slicing, the sword just bounced off the rock. He looked at us. "See? No flow, no power." I exhaled. "Alright. Let''s try." The Struggle to Master It We each took turns, trying to infuse our weapons with Aura. At first, it was a disaster. Amrita swung her whip, but instead of condensing the water properly, it splashed harmlessly against the rock. She cursed under her breath, adjusting her grip. Dev focused on channelling fire through his trident, but instead of controlling the heat, the flames burst outward wildly, scorching the ground around him instead of concentrating at the tip. "Okay," Dev grumbled, shaking his hand. "That could''ve gone better." Pooja struggled the most. Her shield wasn''t designed for attacks, and when she tried to release energy, it pushed outward in random bursts instead of forming a controlled strike. Meanwhile, I wasn''t doing much better. I tried to reinforce my bow with Aura, but instead of solidifying its frame, the energy dispersed unevenly, making it feel unstable in my hands. Indra watched all of this with thinly veiled amusement. We stood in a clearing, surrounding a massive boulder that would serve as our test dummy. But still with the indra help we couldn''t do it right. Atlast the indra had to teach us one by one and then we finally got some results. For Amrita, he showed her how to focus the density of the water before swinging. Instead of letting it remain liquid, she had to picture it solidifying at the moment of impact. "Water moves like a blade," he said. "But it only cuts when you shape it." Amrita tried again, her expression determined. This time, she compressed the water properly, forming a shimmering glass-like edge.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. CRACK! Her whip carved deep into the rock, leaving a jagged scar across its surface. Her lips curled into a smile. "There we go." For Dev, Indra made him focus on compressing his flames instead of letting them spread. "Think of it like a spear," Indra instructed. "You''re not burning everything around you. You''re stabbing straight through." Dev gritted his teeth, adjusting his hold. Flames erupted along the metal, but instead of letting the fire spread outward, he compressed it, making the tips burn white-hot. Then, with a powerful thrust, he stabbed straight into the rock. BOOM! The stone split apart, a deep fissure forming from the impact. "Okay," Dev grinned, rolling his shoulders. "That''s more like it." For Pooja, the trick was control. "Your shield doesn''t attack," Indra told her. "It reflects force. So use that. Redirect the energy outward instead of absorbing it all at once." Pooja frowned but nodded. She raised her shield, focused, then bashed forward. She found that by redirecting force through her shield, she could launch kinetic blasts when she bashed forward. The energy could be used to repel incoming attacks¡ªand if timed right, could even throw enemies back. A shockwave erupted, blasting a smaller rock several meters away. Her eyes widened. "That¡­ actually worked." Finally, it was my turn. Indra studied my stance, then shook his head. "You''re hesitating," he said. "You keep trying to force the Aura into the arrow instead of letting it settle naturally." I exhaled. "Alright. One more try." I focused. I spread my wings, aura pulsing through them, and swung my bow like a staff. Instead of using it just for ranged combat, I focused my Aura into its frame, reinforcing its strength. Then, with a sharp spin, I brought the arrow down onto the rock. BOOM! The entire boulder shattered, fragments flying in all directions. "Not bad," she murmured, eyes gleaming. "Feels like swinging a liquid blade." I landed, breathing hard but satisfied. We then decided to rest for a few hours before starting the fight. The sun dipped low, casting long shadows across the jungle. It was time. The only sounds were the occasional rustle of leaves and the distant cries of jungle beasts¡ªthough even they seemed to sense the storm brewing. This was it. The battle that would determine whether our mission was a success or another crushing defeat. I flexed my fingers, feeling the lingering ache from our hours of grueling training. There was no room for error. Each of us knew our roles. Each of us knew what had to be done. We took our positions. Pooja stood in front of the tree, her shield raised, bracing for the first attack. Amrita positioned herself behind it, hidden within the dense undergrowth. Indra and I crouched atop a rock near the herb, waiting for our moment. Dev, standing behind Pooja, would launch his fire counterattacks on cue. A slow inhale. A sharp exhale. Then Dev raised his hand and gave the signal. Pooja stepped forward, crossing the invisible line¡ªthe ten-meter range where the tree''s deadly instincts would activate. Instantly, the jungle erupted with fury. The Sentinel Tree shuddered violently, its massive form quivering with rage. The leaves along its enormous canopy rustled unnaturally, moving as though guided by an unseen force. And then¡ª WHOOSH! The storm of razor-sharp leaves came like a whistling hurricane of death, each one gleaming under the dying sunlight as they streaked toward Pooja. She stood firm, her Shield Astra bursting to life in a golden shimmer. The barrier formed instantly, glowing like the sun itself as the first wave of leaves slammed against it with terrifying force, bouncing harmlessly off¡ªbut the sheer impact pushed her back a step. Then came the whip attack. A massive, bark-covered tendril lashed out with crushing speed, its aim deadly precise. CLANG! The whip collided with her shield, and this time, Pooja didn''t just absorb the attack. She angled her shield, pushing back against the force with a well-timed infusion of her own Aura. Instead of being sent skidding backward, she stood her ground, the sheer force of her counter-strike sending a shockwave through the ground. Dust exploded around her boots, but she held. "Now!" she roared. Dev sprang into action. With a fierce sweep of his trident, flames erupted from its tips, scorching through the air in a blazing inferno. The leaf storm ignited instantly, turning into embers before they could reach Pooja. The flaming barrier forced the tree''s whips to recoil, the fire licking at its branches. Just as planned, the Sentinel shifted its attention to them. The ground trembled as its massive roots tore through the earth, dragging its colossal body forward¡ªaway from the herb. This was our moment. I caught Indra''s sharp nod before leaping into the air, my wings beating hard as I soared toward the tree''s blind spot, carrying Amrita with me. The wind rushed past us, our speed blistering. As we neared the target, Amrita tensed, her hands moving in fluid, controlled motions as she summoned the full power of her Astra. She clenched her fists, summoning the power of her Astra. Water swirled around her, gathering momentum as she prepared her attack. We reached our position¡ªdirectly behind the Sentinel. "Go!" I called. Amrita launched herself forward, planting her feet firmly on the ground. She thrust her hands outward¡ªand the jungle roared. A massive tidal wave exploded from the ground, crashing into the tree''s trunk with devastating force. The sheer weight of the attack struck the Sentinel Tree''s base, shoving it one full meter away from the herb. For the first time, we saw it truly stagger. The force of the hit snapped branches, roots strained under the sudden shift, and the tree let out a deafening shriek, its massive form quaking from the impact. But then, something unexpected happened. As the tree reeled from the attack, its wooden dome thickened, shielding the herb completely¡ªas if protecting its most precious treasure. At the same time, its bark absorbed the water, its surface darkening as it drank the moisture, strengthening itself. Amrita cursed. "It''s using my attack to get stronger!" Before she could retreat, the tree retaliated. A forest of vines exploded from the ground, moving too fast to dodge¡ª Or so it thought. Amrita wasn''t done. Instead of simply dodging, she lashed her Aura-infused whip forward, the water hardened into a blade-like form. With a precise crack, she sliced through the first wave of vines, cutting them clean in half. But now was the time. The tree was fully distracted. We streaked toward the herb at blistering speed, dodging wildly flailing branches and chunks of uprooted earth. Indra gritted his teeth, his entire body crackling with electricity as he prepared his finishing move. The moment we landed, he dashed forward, wasting no time. He raised his sword, and this time¡ªhis entire body of sword pulsed with lightning. The electricity didn''t just coat his weapon¡ªit fused with it, his aura blazing through the steel like a second skin. Then, with a single, decisive slash¡ª CRACK! The wooden dome shattered, splintering apart, revealing the pulsating golden glow of the sacred herb. Indra grabbed it, shoving it into his satchel. But in that instant¡ª The tree noticed. It let out a horrific, earth-shaking screech, the air thickening with its sheer rage. Suddenly, every single one of its remaining branches whipped forward, its entire arsenal of attacks converging on us. We had seconds. "Hold on!" I yelled, grabbing Indra and launching into the sky. Vines lashed at our feet, roots exploded upward, but we were too fast. "GO!" I roared from above. Down below, Dev, Pooja, and Amrita broke away, sprinting into the jungle as the tree continued its rampage. Its branches tore through the landscape, shattering anything in their way. Leaves rained down like daggers, the ground quaking with every movement. Even as we reached our camp, it was still coming. The Sentinel Tree was chasing us. By the time we reached our camp, my body was screaming in exhaustion. My wings felt like lead, but I couldn''t stop. None of us could. The others had made it back just before us, their faces pale with exertion, their breathing ragged. Pooja was drenched in sweat, her shield arm trembling from the repeated heavy impacts she''d endured. Amrita clutched her side, a shallow cut from a stray branch visible just beneath her torn tunic. Dev''s flames had dimmed, his trident dragging slightly in his grip, his energy dangerously low. Indra barely managed to get his feet under him as I set him down. His lightning aura flickered erratically, unstable. We were all drained. But we couldn''t stay here. Not with that thing still coming. A distant, earth-rattling BOOM sent a wave of silence through us. I turned back just in time to see the Sentinel Tree still moving toward us, slowly but unstoppably, its branches flailing in unrelenting rage. It ripped apart everything in its path¡ªmassive trunks snapped like toothpicks, boulders were smashed to dust beneath its roots. It wasn''t just coming. It was destroying everything between it and us. "We have to go. NOW." Dev barked, shoving his exhaustion aside. I forced my body to move again, even as the ache in my muscles begged me to stop. The others scrambled to their feet, gathering what little supplies we had left. We couldn''t rest. We couldn''t think. We could only run. The Flight to Safety With what little energy remained in our bodies, we fled. Through the jungle. Through the night. Every second, I expected to hear the shrieking howl of the Sentinel Tree right behind us. Every time the ground rumbled, every time a branch snapped somewhere in the darkness, my heart pounded, expecting its massive limbs to reach out and pull us back into hell. But it was slow. That was the only thing keeping us alive. Its unfathomable size was its greatest strength¡ªbut also its greatest limitation. Even as it moved toward us with unrelenting fury, we were faster. Barely. For hours, we ran. We didn''t stop. Even when our bodies screamed for rest. Even when our legs threatened to give out. Because stopping meant death. Stopping meant being crushed beneath that monstrous thing. Stopping meant failure. And failure was not an option. With each passing mile, the Sentinel''s enraged shrieks grew fainter. The tremors in the earth became less violent. The forest around us thickened again, untouched, undisturbed. It wasn''t following us anymore. Or if it was¡ª It was too far behind to catch us. We had escaped. But the terror lingered. The memory of that towering behemoth, of its unyielding wrath, of its impossible power¡ª I knew this wouldn''t be the last time we encountered it. But for now¡ª For now, we were alive. And we had the herb. We had won.