The Whisper of the Bracelet — A New Path Begins

Rudra walked through the damaged valley with Valmiki resting on his back. The air was cold. The clouds above were dark and heavy, as if the sky itself was worried about what had happened.

Every step felt long and slow.

Rudra’s legs were shaking from exhaustion, but he did not stop.

He whispered softly,
“Hold on, Valmiki… I’m taking you home.”

The bracelet on Rudra’s wrist glowed faintly, giving him a little warmth and strength. It was not the old power. This was something new. Something deeper.

Something alive.

Rudra looked at it while walking.

“Who are you…? Why did you help me?”

The bracelet pulsed softly, as if hearing him.
A gentle voice echoed in his mind again.

“I am here to guide you… when the path is unclear.”

The voice was calm and comforting, but mysterious.

Rudra frowned.
“What does that even mean? Why me?”

No reply came this time. The bracelet fell silent again.

Rudra sighed.
“Great. Now even my bracelet talks more than Valmiki.”

He smiled weakly at his own joke, trying to keep himself awake.

After a long walk, Rudra finally reached the small hut where Valmiki used to meditate. The door was half-broken, the walls cracked from the aftershocks of the battle.

Rudra carefully placed Valmiki on a bed made of old blankets.

Valmiki did not wake up.

His breathing was slow, but steady.

Rudra sat down beside him.

“You know… I always thought you were the strongest person in the world. Seeing you like this… it doesn’t feel real.”

He held Valmiki’s hand.

“You better wake up soon. I can’t fight all these demons alone.”

Rudra’s voice trembled.

He wasn’t crying this time, but the pain was still in his eyes.

Rudra looked around the broken hut.

The old books were scattered.
The herbs were crushed.
The magical symbols drawn on the floor were wiped out.

Everything looked hopeless.

Rudra leaned back against the wall and sighed.

“What am I supposed to do now?”

His bracelet suddenly blinked.

A faint image appeared in front of him, like a projection made of light.

It showed a map—an old, ancient one—with glowing points.

Rudra blinked.

“Is that… showing me something?”

The bracelet spoke again.

“There are four guardians left in this world…
Only they can help you restore balance.”

Rudra looked confused.

“Guardians? You mean like Valmiki?”

“Yes… but each one has different powers.
And each one is in danger.”

Rudra rubbed his face.

“Of course they are in danger. Why wouldn’t they be? Everything is a mess now.”

He looked at the glowing map again.

The four points were far apart.
Mountains. Forests. Desert. Ocean.

A very long journey.

Rudra sighed again.

“I can’t leave Valmiki like this.”

The bracelet pulsed.

“You must protect him by becoming stronger.
Aghori is not finished. Something worse is coming.”

Rudra stood up quickly.

“Something worse? What do you mean?”

The bracelet did not answer.

It dimmed.

Silent again.

Rudra became frustrated.

“Why do you talk only half!? Just tell me everything!”

No reply.

Rudra groaned and sat back down.

“Great. My bracelet is mysterious. My mentor is unconscious. Demons are everywhere. And I’m the only one awake.”

He covered his face with his hands.

“But I can’t give up.”

While Rudra rested beside Valmiki, he heard something outside.

A branch crackled.
Leaves moved.

Rudra quickly stood up, ready to fight.

“Who’s there?!”

The door slowly creaked open.

A small figure stepped inside.

A child?

No.

A young boy, around 10 or 11 years old, with messy hair and bright eyes. His clothes were torn. His face was covered in dirt.

He looked scared, hungry, and tired.

Rudra frowned.

“Hey… who are you? What are you doing here?”

The boy did not answer. He just stared at Rudra and then at Valmiki.

Rudra softened his voice.

“Are you lost? Hurt? Do you need help?”

The boy slowly nodded.

Rudra stepped forward and knelt beside him.

“It’s alright. You’re safe here.”

But as soon as Rudra touched the boy’s shoulder—

The boy’s eyes turned pitch black.

A dark, twisted smile spread across his face.

His voice changed—cold and deep.

“You should not trust strangers so easily… Rudra.”

Rudra jumped back, shocked.

“You… you’re not a child.”

The boy’s body shifted like melting shadow.

He transformed into a small demon—his skin grey, his fingers long and sharp, eyes glowing dark yellow.

Rudra clenched his fists.

“You’re one of Aghori’s servants.”

The demon child laughed.

“Oh yes. My master may be wounded, but his plans live on. And you… are the biggest obstacle.”

Rudra stepped protectively in front of Valmiki.

“You’re not getting near him.”

The demon grinned wider.

“I don’t need to. I just need to kill you.”

The demon leaped forward, claws raised.

Rudra barely dodged.

He stumbled, still weak.

The demon slashed the air, missing Rudra by inches.

“You’re slower than before,” the demon mocked.
“No power. No transformations. No speed. You’re just a weak boy again.”

Rudra bit his lip.

It was true.

Without the bracelet’s energy, he had no special strength.

But he had something else.

He had will.

He grabbed a broken wooden stick lying on the ground.

“Come on then. Try me.”

The demon laughed.

“You think wood can stop me?”

Rudra smirked.

“No. But I can.”

He jumped forward and struck the demon on the head.

THWACK!

The demon stumbled back.

Rudra hit again.

And again.

And again.

The demon shrieked and fell over.

Rudra breathed heavily.

“See? You guys talk too much.”

But the demon stood again, angrier.

“You will die for that!”

It charged again.

Rudra braced himself.

But at that moment—

The bracelet flashed.

A wave of light shot out, hitting the demon.

The creature screamed and vanished instantly, leaving only smoke.

Rudra stared at the bracelet.

“You helped again… why?”

The bracelet whispered,

“You cannot die yet.
Your path is only beginning.”

Rudra slowly lowered his arm.

He felt both relieved and confused.

As Rudra turned back to Valmiki, he saw something surprising.

Valmiki’s body glowed faintly—golden light rising from his skin.

Then he murmured something in his sleep.

Rudra leaned closer.

Valmiki whispered,

“Rudra… the world… needs you…”

Rudra felt a lump in his throat.

“I know. But I need you too.”

Valmiki whispered again.

“Find the guardians… before Aghori returns…”

Then his glow faded.

He returned to deep sleep.

Rudra took a deep breath.

“Find the guardians, huh?”

He looked at the map floating above the bracelet.

“I don’t know where you are… but I’ll find you.”

He picked up his bag.
Tied his belt.
Looked at the unconscious Valmiki.

“I’ll come back for you. I promise.”

He stepped out of the hut.

The wind blew softly against his face.

The sky slowly cleared.

The journey would be dangerous.

Long.

Hard.

But Rudra was ready.

He looked down at the glowing bracelet.

“Let’s go.”

The bracelet pulsed once.

As if saying:

“Yes.”

And Rudra walked into the unknown—

A new destiny waiting ahead.