THE SHADOW BECOMES LIGHT

The days had begun to blend together. Sweat, bruises, and relentless discipline had become the only constants in the lives of Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta. Since the moment Karn had introduced them to the world of martial arts—Krav Maga, Judo, Boxing, Karate, and Taekwondo—something had changed inside each of them. The pain stopped being something to fear. The exhaustion turned into motivation. And slowly, steadily, they began to improve—far faster than even Arjun had anticipated.

Alpha no longer hesitated before throwing a strike. Beta’s footwork had become so precise, even Arjun had to push himself to keep up. Gamma’s instincts were razor-sharp. And Delta—he had found a rhythm in his movement that made him seem untouchable.Their bodies hardened. Their minds sharpened. Their resolve became steel.It didn’t take long before Arjun, who had once easily dominated the four of them during training spars, found himself struggling—first to contain them together, and then, shockingly, against each of them individually.He tried to hide it at first, brushing it off with jokes.“Man, I must be getting old,” he’d chuckle after getting thrown by Beta.“Did someone sneak sugar into your diets? What the hell are you guys on?” he’d mutter while catching his breath.But the truth was evident to both him and Karn.They had surpassed him.Karn didn’t say anything. He simply observed, as always—silent, sharp, and unreadable. But Arjun noticed the way his gaze lingered a little longer on the boys after each session, the way his arms stayed folded even when he could’ve interfered.He was waiting.And then, after nearly two months of continuous evolution, something happened.Karn halted the training abruptly one late afternoon.They had been mid-way through an intense sparring sequence, with Gamma and Delta switching off against Arjun, sweat dripping, eyes locked, when Karn raised his hand sharply.“Stop.”Everyone froze.Arjun blinked, surprised. “What happened, Karn?”Karn didn’t answer immediately. His gaze moved to Arjun and then shifted toward the four boys. There was something unreadable in his expression—some hidden weight, some silent decision.“You’ve done enough,” Karn said quietly. “Your part of their training is over. You can rest now.”Arjun looked confused for a moment. “Wait… are you serious?”Karn gave him a small nod, then stepped forward toward the four boys. His boots hit the mat with a soft thud, each step echoing in the otherwise silent training hall. The boys, still catching their breath, instinctively straightened.Something was wrong.Alpha’s heartbeat picked up.Beta glanced nervously at Delta.Gamma clenched his jaw.Delta’s mind spiraled.Did we do something wrong? Did we disappoint him?Is he going to punish us?Karn stopped a few feet in front of them, arms folded behind his back. His face was unreadable, but there was no coldness in his stare anymore.“Come closer,” he said.The four of them hesitated—just for a heartbeat. Then, slowly, they took a step forward.They had spent weeks under Karn’s brutal training. He had humiliated them, pushed them beyond exhaustion, broken them down and rebuilt them again and again. But right now... his voice sounded different.There was no steel in it.There was warmth.The boys noticed it instantly.Alpha frowned slightly. Why does his tone sound… soft?Beta's breath hitched. What’s going on?Karn looked at them one by one, meeting each of their gazes in turn.Then, without a word, he raised his hand and gently placed it on Alpha’s head. He patted him softly.Then Beta.Then Gamma.Then Delta.The four stood stunned, unsure of what to make of this.“You’ve impressed me,” Karn said finally, his voice quieter now, more human. “You’ve done a great job. I’m proud of you.”The words hit them like thunder.They hadn’t expected it. Not after everything. Not from him.Tears welled up in Delta’s eyes without permission. He wasn’t crying—but his body was. He wiped at his face in shock, as if surprised at his own reaction.Alpha’s lips trembled. His fists clenched.Gamma turned his face away, trying to keep control.Beta took a shaky breath, his eyes burning.None of them had cried out of weakness before. But this… this was something else.Karn noticed. He said nothing.Instead, he just stood there—calm, steady.And then, without even thinking, all four of them dropped to their knees in front of him in perfect unison.Their heads bowed.“Thank you,” they said together, voices raw, but steady. “We will always be loyal to you. No matter what happens. Until our last breath.”Karn blinked slowly. His lips twitched, forming a rare, warm smile.It was small.But it was real.And for the four of them—it felt like the sun itself had broken through the storm clouds.They had thought they understood Karn.They thought he was cruel. Cold. A man who loved to see others suffer under his thumb.But now... now they realized it had all been for them.The sleepless nights. The harsh words. The beatdowns. The silence.He had been shaping them. Protecting them. Preparing them.And this… this was his way of saying that they were ready.“You’ve grown stronger,” Karn said, voice returning to its usual calm but now layered with something deeper. “More than I expected. But your path isn’t over yet.”The four looked up at him, faces tear-streaked but eyes burning with new fire.Karn stepped back slightly, crossing his arms. “You get two days. Rest. Heal. But don’t forget your basics. Keep your form sharp.”They nodded, silently.“After that,” Karn continued, “your third phase begins.”Alpha’s eyes widened. “Third phase?”Karn nodded. “This time… you’ll face me.”The room went still.“I’ll give you one hour every day,” Karn explained, voice like a blade again. “You can come at me alone. Or together. I don’t care.”His eyes locked with theirs.“If you can force me to fall to the ground—by any means—you win. That will mark the end of this phase.”Gamma’s throat went dry. “And… we only get one hour a day?”“For twenty days,” Karn confirmed. “No more. No less.”Beta asked, “And we’re allowed to choose how we fight? Strategically?”“I said I don’t give a fuck how you do it,” Karn replied bluntly. “Use teamwork. Use tricks. Come at me solo or all at once. Doesn’t matter. What matters is results.”Delta swallowed hard. “And if none of us can do it in twenty days?”Karn tilted his head. “Then you fail.”Silence.The weight of that word—fail—hung in the air like a death sentence.But instead of fear, something else ignited in their hearts.Challenge.Determination.Alpha stepped forward. “We won’t fail.”Beta nodded. “We’ve come too far.”Gamma added, “We’ll find a way.”Delta looked Karn straight in the eye. “Even if it kills us.”Karn watched them for a moment.Then, softly, he said, “Good.”And with that, he turned away, walking off into the hallway that led to his private quarters.Arjun, who had been silent all this time, finally approached. He looked at the boys, then back at Karn’s retreating figure.“Did that man just smile?” he muttered under his breath. “Am I dreaming?”Alpha grinned. “Nope. You saw it too.”Gamma laughed quietly. “I think… he actually meant it.”Beta exhaled slowly. “He’s proud of us.”Delta wiped his eyes one more time. “Then we better make damn sure we don’t let him down.”They stood in silence for a moment, staring at the now-empty hallway.And then, without a word, they turned toward each other.Something unspoken passed between them.They had been brothers in pain.Now, they were brothers in pride.And in two days—they would face the one man who had made them what they were.And maybe, just maybe... they would make him fall.