A heavy silence descended upon the room after Lyra bestowed the God's Sword upon the bully. The air crackled with unspoken questions and a
palpable sense of unease. Finally, one of the quieter students spoke, his voice barely a whisper. "There were… there were twenty-eight of us,
weren't there? Now… now there are only twenty-fve."
A wave of realization washed over the group. They frantically looked around, counting heads. The missing students were indeed gone, vanished
without a trace. Panic began to bubble to the surface. Where had they gone? What had happened to them?
Lyra, her expression serene despite the growing anxiety, raised her hand, silencing the murmurs. "Indeed," she confrmed. "Some have already
embarked on their destined paths. Their journeys have begun elsewhere, though their fates are intertwined with yours."
She paused, her gaze sweeping across the room. "Now, I must depart. The trials ahead will be challenging, and you will need guidance. The
saint of the temple, a wise and powerful being, will aid you in your training. He will prepare you for the challenges you will face."
Lyra's gaze settled on Shubham, the boy who had been the target of the bullies' cruelty. Her eyes softened with compassion. "Shubham," she
said gently, "your path is… unique. You will be trained by one of the world's third greatest sword masters, the legendary Susa. She will hone your
skills and help you unlock the potential that lies dormant within you."
Shubham, still reeling from the events of the day, could only stare at her, his mind struggling to comprehend what she was saying. Trained by
one of the world's greatest sword masters? He, the constant victim, the one who had always been weak and defenseless? It seemed
impossible.
Lyra smiled reassuringly. "Do not doubt yourself, Shubham. You have a strength within you that you have yet to discover. Susa will help you find it"
With those words, Lyra began to fade, her form dissolving into motes of light. The room, still shimmering with residual magic, seemed to dim
slightly as her presence receded. "Remember," her voice echoed, growing fainter, "you are heroes. Embrace your destiny. Aethel needs you."
And then, she was gone. The students were left standing in the strangely altered classroom, the weight of Lyra's words pressing down on them.
Twenty-fve heroes, chosen for a purpose they didn't yet understand, in a world of magic they were only beginning to explore. And Shubham, the
bullied boy, was to be trained by the legendary Susa. The future, uncertain and daunting, stretched before them.
And now shubham training begins