It was yet another beautiful day. Pralay had just woken up and completed his household chores. After making breakfast, he decided to call his grandpa, who had been working all night in his study room. As Pralay approached the door to knock, he heard his grandpa crying to himself.
Grandpa: "Tomorrow is the promised day… He will arrive anytime… I must prepare…"
Concerned, Pralay opened the door slightly and knocked gently.
Pralay: knocks on the study room door "Grandpa, breakfast is ready. Are you coming out?"
Grandpa: muttering to himself, unaware of Pralay's presence "Tomorrow is the promised day… He will arrive anytime… I must prepare…"
Pralay: enters the room, concerned "Grandpa, are you okay?"
Grandpa: startled, quickly grabs the golden ring with the red stone "Pralay, I need to leave now. I'll be back late. Make sure you return from the farm early today."
Pralay: confused and worried "But Grandpa, what's going on? Why are you in such a hurry?"
Grandpa: with a serious expression "There's no time to explain. Just do as I say. I'll tell you everything when I return."
Pralay: nods reluctantly "Alright, Grandpa. Be careful."
Grandpa: hurries out of the house "I will. Take care, Pralay."
With that, his grandpa hurried out of the house, leaving Pralay standing there, confused and worried. Still puzzled by his grandpa's sudden departure, Pralay headed towards the farm. On the way, he heard a cheerful voice behind him.
Girl: "Happy Birthday, Pralay!"
Pralay turned around to see Valli with a beautiful smile.
Pralay: smiling back "So, you did remember my birthday."
Valli: "Of course! I'm your best friend. Who would remember if I don't?"
Pralay: teasingly "Who said that you are my best friend?"
Valli: angrily "Yeah, I should say your only friend instead of your best friend, shouldn't I?"
Pralay ignored her and continued walking towards the farm. Valli, still annoyed, ran after him.
Valli: "Don't ignore me!"
Pralay remained silent.
Valli: sighs "So, what age are you now?"
Pralay: "21."
Suddenly, they heard a lot of voices crying out. They ran towards the noise and saw a large fire engulfing one of the roadside shops.
Pralay: shocked "What happened here?"
They asked around and learned from a bystander.
Bystander: "Some men in black hooded dresses came searching for something. When they didn't find it, they burned down the whole shop with the owner and his son inside. Then they vanished. The police are after them now."
As the flames crackled and the smoke billowed into the sky, Valli grabbed Pralay's arm.
Valli: "Let's move, Pralay. The firefighters will handle it," she urged, her voice steady despite the chaos around them.
Pralay nodded, his eyes lingering on the burning building for a moment longer before turning away. They began to make their way towards the farm, the familiar path offering a small comfort amidst the turmoil.
To lighten the mood, Valli glanced at Pralay and asked with a playful smile, "So, where's your grandpa? Is he not coming to the farm today?"
Pralay's tense expression softened slightly. "Grandpa? He left in a hurry this morning, acting very unusual. I think he might be at the market, haggling over the price of tomatoes. You know how he is," he replied, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips.
Valli chuckled. "Ah, the legendary haggler. I bet he's giving those vendors a run for their money."
Pralay laughed, the sound a welcome relief from the tension. "Yeah, that's Grandpa for you. Always the negotiator."
As they continued their journey, the farm came into view, a serene contrast to the chaos they had left behind. The rows of familiar crops, swaying in the breeze, offered a peaceful sight that helped them both breathe a little easier.
But something felt… off.
From the corner of his eye, Pralay caught a flicker—like a shadow shifting between trees. He turned around sharply, scanning the edge of the woods.
Nothing.
He shook his head. Just his imagination, probably. Still, the feeling of being watched lingered like a whisper at the back of his mind.
Shrugging it off, he focused on the work ahead. The two of them spent the afternoon tending to the field in near silence, interrupted only by the occasional rustle of leaves or the chirp of a lone bird. The sun rose high, then began its slow descent, painting the sky in golden strokes.
When they finally finished, Pralay and Valli gathered their tools and began walking home. The evening breeze was cool and crisp, brushing gently against their skin. It should've been peaceful. It almost was.
Until—
"BOO!"
Pralay yelped and stumbled backward as Valli jumped out from behind a tree, grinning like a maniac.
Pralay: clutched his chest. "What the hell was that?! Are you crazy?"
Valli: giggled, clearly pleased with herself "You were tense the whole day, so I thought I'd lighten your mood."
Pralay: angrily "That's not funny, Valli," he muttered, still trying to catch his breath. "You almost gave me a heart attack."
Valli: with a mischievous grin "Oh, come on, Pralay. You needed a little excitement. Besides, it's your birthday. Lighten up!"
Pralay: sighing "Alright, alright. But don't do that again."
Valli: smiling "Promise. Now, let's get home."
As they continued walking, Valli silently added to herself, "You never once looked at me today." She felt a pang of sadness, but quickly brushed it aside, determined to keep the mood light for Pralay's sake.
The sky above Lucknow turned an unnatural hue—murky grey bleeding into copper—as Pralay and Valli walked the winding path back home. A strange silence engulfed the forest around them. No birds. No rustling leaves.
Then, from behind the trees, three figures stepped into view.
Dressed in black, their eyes glowed with a disturbing stillness.
The first two were towering brutes, rippling with muscle, their bodies unnaturally solid, like carved stone.
The third was thinner, cruel-eyed, and wore a dark yellow stone pendant that pulsed like a slow heartbeat.
Pendant-wearer: "We don't want to kill you. Just hand over the Kalki Stone."
Pralay: "What stone? We don't know what you're talking about!"
The first brute was already in motion. Before Pralay could react, a fist slammed into his stomach, knocking the air out of his lungs. Valli screamed as the second grabbed her by the throat and dragged her to the dirt.
Pendant-wearer: "Search them."
The two henchmen tore through their clothes and bags—nothing. Furious, they began to beat them, demanding answers. Valli cried out as she was kicked in the ribs. Pralay tried to shield her but was stomped into the soil.
Pralay: "We don't know anything about a stone... Please..."
Pendant-wearer: "The ring. His grandfather has it. The Kalki Stone must be close."
A sharp thud echoed.
Then another.
A figure landed in the clearing.
Grandfather.
No glowing aura. No magic tricks. Just his body—aged, scarred, and burning with purpose.
The first brute charged.
A blur. One punch.
Hole through chest.
The body collapsed instantly.
The second brute turned—too late.
Grandfather was already behind him. He slammed his head into the earth.
Crushed skull.
Only the third remained. He stepped forward and unclasped his cloak, revealing the dark yellow pendant pulsing faster.
Pendant-wearer: "So... the legend lives. Let's see if you're still worthy."
What followed was chaos. Fists collided. Trees splintered. Shockwaves cracked the ground. Grandfather met every strike with inhuman power. The pendant lit up, firing bolts of light and distortion fields. Still, Grandfather endured.
Then the enemy feinted.
And struck Pralay, hurling a shard of yellow light into his shoulder.
Grandfather: "Pralay!"
He turned.
Mistake.
A brutal kick slammed into his ribs. Bones cracked. Blood sprayed. He fell to one knee.
Valli, trembling, grabbed a nearby shovel and rushed the enemy.
Valli: "You monster!"
The pendant flared.
A shockwave hurled her across the clearing.
She slammed into a tree with a sickening crack.
Pralay: "No! Valli!"
He scrambled to her side, sliding across the dirt. Her body trembled, barely responsive. Blood trickled from the corner of her lips, pooling at her side.
Pralay: panicking "Stay with me! You're going to be okay. I'll take you home. I'll—"
Valli: smiling faintly, voice trembling "Don't... don't lie to me now..."
Pralay: "No! I'm not! You'll be fine. I'll carry you if I have to. I—"
Valli: shaking her head slowly "I can't feel my legs... or my arms..." a pause "But I can feel your hand. That's enough."
Pralay: tears welling "Why did you jump in?! Why didn't you let me—"
Valli: softly "Because you're the one... who still has a future."
She choked on her words, her breath shallower now.
"And you never looked at me the way I looked at you. But I still... I still wanted to see you safe. That was enough for me."
Pralay: "Valli, don't say goodbye. Don't do this. Please..."
Her smile barely remained. Her eyes flickered—once, then again. Her fingers twitched, then fell still in his grip.
Pralay: "Valli?! Valli!"
He shook her gently. Then more firmly.
"Wake up! Wake up, please!"
But there was no answer. Only stillness.
Grandfather: hoarse, breath ragged "Pralay... We don't have time."
Pralay: "You could've saved her!"
Grandfather: grits his teeth "And if I had turned my back on him to save her, you'd both be dead. Sometimes... sometimes we must lose everything to protect what matters most."
Pralay: sobbing "She was everything!"
Grandfather: "Then honor her by living."
He limped forward, blood soaking his side, and pulled out the ring—the red Kalki Stone pulsing.
Grandfather: "This is why they came. For this. And it cannot fall into their hands."
He slammed his fist into the ground. Ancient glyphs sparked around him. A portal of red-gold light spun open.
Grandfather: "You must go. You must find the one who can guide you."
Pralay: "No. I'm not leaving you. I'm not leaving her. I won't run—"
Grandfather: voice rising, shaking with intensity "You must!"
He stepped forward, gripping Pralay's shoulders, forcing him to look into his eyes.
Grandfather: "You will search for Ahaman. He resides at the Nalanda. He will tell you what the Kalki Stone truly is."
Pralay: still shaking his head "But I can't—"
Grandfather: "You can. Because you must. The path before you was chosen long before today. This stone is not just power—it is memory, prophecy, and fire. You are its bearer now."
Pralay looked down at Valli one last time, closing her eyes gently.
Pralay: "I'll find him. And I'll come back. For both of you."
Grandfather: soft smile through bloodied lips "That's all I needed to hear."
He placed the ring into Pralay's hand and shoved him into the portal.
Grandfather: "Protect the stone. Trust no one. Stay well my Grandson."
Pralay vanished.
The portal snapped shut.
His final image: Grandfather, bloodied but burning with fury, charging at the pendant-wearer.
The enemy surged to meet him—
Both fists drawn back.
Collision.
Blackness.
[End of Chapter]