Chapter 1:
The Boy who Fears Fighting
Tatva- The Awakening of Elements
Chapter 1 – The Boy Who Fears Fighting
“Ughhh…”Kedar groaned, his hand slamming onto the alarm clock. His eyes snapped open, his heart pounding as if he’d been fighting for his life. Sweat drenched his forehead.
“KEDAR! You stayed up again, didn’t you?!”His mother’s voice pierced through the door like a thunderbolt.“You’re going to miss school!”
Kedar jumped from bed, still half-asleep, fumbling into his uniform. “Coming, Maa! Just five minutes!”
His small room was cluttered — posters of ancient warriors, a half-open book titled ‘Legends of Pranas’, and a wooden practice staff leaned against the wall.
He grabbed his bag and ran out, his mother sighing behind him.“You dream too much, beta. Learn to sleep like normal children!”
---
The Kind Boy Who Can’t Fight
At school, Kedar was that boy — kind-hearted, always helping others, and always getting into trouble because of it.
When bullies pushed smaller students, he stepped in.When someone lost their lunch, he shared his own.And when fights broke out… he got beaten up.
“Kedar, you’ll get yourself killed one day,” his friend Saanvi muttered as she patched his bruised arm with a band-aid.Kedar smiled, despite the swelling on his cheek. “As long as they stop picking on others, it’s fine.”
He had courage — just not the strength to match it.
---
The Mountain that Took a Father
Everything changed the day his father went missing.It was said he vanished on Agni Parvat, a mist-covered mountain where the air itself shimmered with heat and mystery.
The search team found nothing. Not even a trace.
From that day, Kedar’s laughter faded. The once fearless boy now flinched at shadows, his dreams haunted by horned silhouettes and burning skies.
---
The First Spark
Months passed. Kedar began training in Kalaripayattu, India’s ancient martial art, under a master named Guru Vishrant — a calm man with eyes that felt centuries old.
“Fighting isn’t about strength,” Guru said. “It’s about balance. Strength is born when the body obeys the heart.”
Kedar trained harder each day, his body bruised, his spirit tempered. Slowly, his fear began to fade — replaced by determination.
Until that evening.
---
The Kidnapping
It was late.Kedar was walking home under the orange glow of the sunset when he heard a scream.
A young girl — maybe twelve — was being dragged into a van by two men.Without thinking, Kedar ran forward.“Leave her alone!”
The men turned. One sneered.“Run home, boy. You don’t know what you’re getting into.”
But Kedar didn’t stop.He swung wildly — one punch, two — but they were adults. Bigger. Stronger.He was thrown into the wall, blood dripping from his nose.
> I can’t… I can’t lose again. I couldn’t save Papa… I can’t fail again!
As the men dragged the girl, a warmth spread through Kedar’s chest — unbearable, molten. His body began to steam.
The air shimmered.His eyes turned red.
He stood. Slowly. Silently.
The kidnappers froze as Kedar’s hand clenched around a metal pole.He punched.
CRACK!
The pole split in half.The men flew backward, crashing into the van’s side, unconscious before they hit the ground.
Kedar stood there, steam rising from his body, red eyes glowing in the dusk — not human, not monster, something in between.Then his knees buckled. Darkness swallowed him.
---
The Awakening
When he woke, he was in a hospital.His mother was crying. His Kalaripayattu master stood beside her.
The police commissioner himself had come to visit — along with the young girl he had saved.She bowed tearfully. “Thank you for saving me.”
The commissioner smiled faintly. “You’re brave, son. Those men were part of a dangerous group. You saved more lives than you know.”
But Guru Vishrant’s expression was grim.He knew what this meant.He had seen this kind of power before — long ago.
---
The Mountain Stirs
That night, as rain poured down, Guru Vishrant stood before Agni Parvat.The mountain’s mist swirled unnaturally.
From within the fog, a voice echoed — deep, ancient, and terrifyingly calm.
> “So… he has awakened.”
Guru’s hand tightened around his staff.“Then it is time, old friend. The wheel turns again.”
Lightning cracked behind him, illuminating a pair of glowing red eyes hidden deep within the mountain’s mist.
To be continued......
“Ughhh…”Kedar groaned, his hand slamming onto the alarm clock. His eyes snapped open, his heart pounding as if he’d been fighting for his life. Sweat drenched his forehead.
“KEDAR! You stayed up again, didn’t you?!”His mother’s voice pierced through the door like a thunderbolt.“You’re going to miss school!”
Kedar jumped from bed, still half-asleep, fumbling into his uniform. “Coming, Maa! Just five minutes!”
His small room was cluttered — posters of ancient warriors, a half-open book titled ‘Legends of Pranas’, and a wooden practice staff leaned against the wall.
He grabbed his bag and ran out, his mother sighing behind him.“You dream too much, beta. Learn to sleep like normal children!”
---
The Kind Boy Who Can’t Fight
At school, Kedar was that boy — kind-hearted, always helping others, and always getting into trouble because of it.
When bullies pushed smaller students, he stepped in.When someone lost their lunch, he shared his own.And when fights broke out… he got beaten up.
“Kedar, you’ll get yourself killed one day,” his friend Saanvi muttered as she patched his bruised arm with a band-aid.Kedar smiled, despite the swelling on his cheek. “As long as they stop picking on others, it’s fine.”
He had courage — just not the strength to match it.
---
The Mountain that Took a Father
Everything changed the day his father went missing.It was said he vanished on Agni Parvat, a mist-covered mountain where the air itself shimmered with heat and mystery.
The search team found nothing. Not even a trace.
From that day, Kedar’s laughter faded. The once fearless boy now flinched at shadows, his dreams haunted by horned silhouettes and burning skies.
---
The First Spark
Months passed. Kedar began training in Kalaripayattu, India’s ancient martial art, under a master named Guru Vishrant — a calm man with eyes that felt centuries old.
“Fighting isn’t about strength,” Guru said. “It’s about balance. Strength is born when the body obeys the heart.”
Kedar trained harder each day, his body bruised, his spirit tempered. Slowly, his fear began to fade — replaced by determination.
Until that evening.
---
The Kidnapping
It was late.Kedar was walking home under the orange glow of the sunset when he heard a scream.
A young girl — maybe twelve — was being dragged into a van by two men.Without thinking, Kedar ran forward.“Leave her alone!”
The men turned. One sneered.“Run home, boy. You don’t know what you’re getting into.”
But Kedar didn’t stop.He swung wildly — one punch, two — but they were adults. Bigger. Stronger.He was thrown into the wall, blood dripping from his nose.
> I can’t… I can’t lose again. I couldn’t save Papa… I can’t fail again!
As the men dragged the girl, a warmth spread through Kedar’s chest — unbearable, molten. His body began to steam.
The air shimmered.His eyes turned red.
He stood. Slowly. Silently.
The kidnappers froze as Kedar’s hand clenched around a metal pole.He punched.
CRACK!
The pole split in half.The men flew backward, crashing into the van’s side, unconscious before they hit the ground.
Kedar stood there, steam rising from his body, red eyes glowing in the dusk — not human, not monster, something in between.Then his knees buckled. Darkness swallowed him.
---
The Awakening
When he woke, he was in a hospital.His mother was crying. His Kalaripayattu master stood beside her.
The police commissioner himself had come to visit — along with the young girl he had saved.She bowed tearfully. “Thank you for saving me.”
The commissioner smiled faintly. “You’re brave, son. Those men were part of a dangerous group. You saved more lives than you know.”
But Guru Vishrant’s expression was grim.He knew what this meant.He had seen this kind of power before — long ago.
---
The Mountain Stirs
That night, as rain poured down, Guru Vishrant stood before Agni Parvat.The mountain’s mist swirled unnaturally.
From within the fog, a voice echoed — deep, ancient, and terrifyingly calm.
> “So… he has awakened.”
Guru’s hand tightened around his staff.“Then it is time, old friend. The wheel turns again.”
Lightning cracked behind him, illuminating a pair of glowing red eyes hidden deep within the mountain’s mist.
To be continued......
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