Episode 3: "The Awakening Begins"
The moon hung high in the sky, casting an ethereal glow on the forest clearing. Veer stood frozen, his heart racing as the mysterious figure, cloaked in shadow, stared back at him. The world seemed to hold its breath.
"Who are you?" Veer asked again, his voice barely a whisper. The words felt heavier than they should have, as if the forest itself was listening.
The figure remained silent, his eyes glowing faintly in the darkness, almost as if they were made of the same light that pulsed within the clearing. The air felt thick, charged with an energy Veer couldn't understand. It was the same sensation he had felt earlier, sitting by the river with Guruji, as if something deep within him was stirring, awakening—something that had always been there, buried beneath the surface.
Veer... the voice whispered again, louder this time, but it didn't come from the figure—it came from within him.
He took a step forward, his legs trembling, but something compelled him to move closer. The air around him seemed to vibrate with energy, each breath he took feeling like it was charged with electricity.
Suddenly, the figure spoke, his voice like the rustling of leaves in a distant storm. "You've come to find what you've been searching for, haven't you?"
Veer swallowed hard, his throat dry. "I... I don't know what I'm searching for. I just hear a voice. I... I need to understand."
The figure's eyes softened, a faint sadness flickering in them. "You've already felt it, haven't you? The power that stirs within you, the call of something ancient and untold. You cannot escape it, Veer. It is your destiny."
Veer took a shaky breath. "But I don't want it. I don't want to be different. I just want to live like everyone else."
The figure took a step closer, the air around him distorting like heat rising from a fire. "But you are not like everyone else. You were born for a purpose greater than you can understand. You are of a bloodline forgotten by most, and yet, it is awakening in you."
Veer clenched his fists, frustration bubbling up inside him. "I don't want to be a weapon. I don't want to fight. I just want to live in peace."
The figure was silent for a moment, his gaze unwavering. Then, slowly, he spoke again, his voice calm but filled with a deep resonance. "You do not have a choice in this matter. The world has chosen you. The bloodline that runs through your veins is the key to a power long lost, a power that can change everything."
Veer shook his head, stepping back. "No... I don't want this. I'm not ready."
The figure's eyes glowed brighter, a flicker of what could have been regret passing through them. "You may never feel ready. But readiness is not a matter of choice. It is a matter of fate."
He stepped forward once more, his voice now carrying an almost gentle tone. "But fear not, child. The awakening will not happen all at once. You will be guided, and when the time comes, you will understand."
With a final, lingering look, the figure turned and began to walk away, his form dissolving into the shadows of the forest.
Veer stood there for a moment, his heart pounding in his chest. His mind was racing, but he couldn't process everything at once. Had he imagined all of this? Was it just a dream? Or had something real happened—something that would change his life forever?
He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. The voice, the figure—it was all too much.
He had to get back to the village.
---
The next morning, the village woke as usual. The sun rose slowly over the horizon, casting a golden glow on the earth. The peaceful rhythm of the village continued, but Veer couldn't shake the feeling that everything was about to change.
He sat in the same spot by the river where he'd meditated for years, staring at the water as it flowed past. The memories of last night were fresh in his mind, and he couldn't help but wonder what had really happened.
Guruji found him there, as expected. But today, there was a different air about the old man. Something in his eyes was watching Veer closely, a silent understanding passing between them.
"You've been up since dawn," Guruji said, his voice soft, almost contemplative. "You seem troubled."
Veer looked up, meeting his teacher's gaze. "Last night... something happened. I don't understand it."
Guruji nodded, as if he had been expecting this. "It is time. The world calls to you, Veer. The bloodline inside you stirs. But remember this: what you face is not just a power—it is a choice. What you become depends on the path you choose."
Veer's brow furrowed in confusion. "But I don't want to choose. I just want to live. I don't want to fight."
Guruji sat down beside him, his expression gentle. "No one truly chooses the path of awakening, Veer. The world, fate, and the bloodline inside you choose it for you. But what you do with it—how you wield it—that is where your power lies. Remember, you are not alone in this journey. Others walk it too, and some will try to guide you, while others will seek to control you."
Veer looked out across the river, the weight of Guruji's words sinking in. "I don't want to hurt anyone. I don't want to be a weapon."
Guruji placed a hand on his shoulder. "You are no weapon, Veer. You are the key to something much larger than yourself. And one day, when you are ready, you will understand that your purpose is not to fight, but to bring balance."
---
As Veer sat by the river, his thoughts were interrupted by a sudden, sharp sound—a cry, distant and pained. It echoed across the valley, and for the first time, Veer felt a cold shiver run down his spine.
The cry came again, louder this time, carrying the unmistakable weight of desperation.
Veer stood up, his instincts kicking in. Without thinking, he followed the sound, his heart racing. The world around him seemed to blur, his focus entirely on the source of that cry.
It wasn't far—the edge of the forest was just ahead. But as he reached the trees, he froze.
There, in the clearing, stood a woman—her back to him, her hair tangled with branches, her hands bound by dark, twisting ropes.
And then, standing in front of her, was the figure from the forest—the one who had spoken to him.
He turned slowly, his glowing eyes meeting Veer's.
"Veer," the figure said softly. "It is time."
---
End of Episode 3