The First Guardian — The Mountain of Echoes

Rudra walked away from the small hut, leaving Valmiki resting inside. The forest was still and silent around him. There were no birds, no insects, no wind. Everything felt frozen after the battle.

But deep inside his heart…

Rudra felt something new.

A purpose.

A direction.

A responsibility he could not run away from.

The bracelet on his wrist glowed softly, showing him a floating map again. One of the glowing points pulsed brighter than the others.

Rudra stared at it.

“That must be the first guardian.”

The bracelet responded with a soft pulse.

Rudra sighed.

“Alright… show me where to go.”

The map zoomed in, revealing a huge mountain covered with snow and sharp cliffs.

Under it, words formed:

“Mount Echo — Home of the First Guardian.”

Rudra frowned.

“That looks far… and cold.”

But he knew he didn’t have a choice.

His journey had already begun.

Rudra walked for hours through the burnt forest. Slowly, the dark land turned into green again. The trees were tall and peaceful. Birds started flying overhead. The sunlight felt warm again.

It felt like the world was slowly healing.

But Rudra couldn’t relax.

Every now and then, he looked back.

He knew more demons could come after him.

His bracelet pulsed lightly, sensing his fear.

“Do not worry…
You are not alone,” the voice whispered.

Rudra replied quietly,
“Then why do I feel alone?”

No answer came.

The bracelet dimmed again.

Rudra groaned.
“Why do you talk like some old monk? At least be clear!”

Still nothing.

Rudra kicked a small stone in frustration.

“Great. My magical bracelet acts like a puzzle.”

Even though he complained, he kept walking.

His determination was stronger than his fear.

And he remembered Valmiki’s last words:

“Find the guardians… before Aghori returns…”

Rudra clenched his fists.

“I won’t fail.”

After walking the whole day, the sky turned orange, then red, then dark. Rudra stopped beside a river. The water was clean and cold.

He crouched down, splashed water on his face, and drank a few handfuls.

Then he looked into the water.

His reflection stared back at him:

• tired eyes
• bruises on his face
• messy hair
• a cracked shirt
• and the glowing bracelet

He whispered,
“I don’t look like a hero at all.”

The bracelet pulsed once.

Rudra looked at it.

“Are you trying to say something?”

But the bracelet stayed silent.

Rudra sighed and gathered some dry sticks for a small fire. He roasted a few berries he collected earlier. They didn’t taste good, but they kept him alive.

After eating, he lay on the grass and stared at the stars.

For the first time in days, he had a moment to think.

And his thoughts went straight to Valmiki.

He whispered softly,
“Please… wake up soon. I miss talking to you.”

The night breeze brushed his face gently.

It almost felt like Valmiki was patting his head again.

Eventually, Rudra fell asleep.

Rudra found himself floating in an empty white space.

No ground.
No sky.
No sound.

Just endless white light.

He blinked in confusion.

“Where… am I?”

A gentle glow appeared in front of him.

It shaped into a person.

Not Valmiki.

Not Aghori.

Not a human.

It looked like a being made of pure light.

Rudra stepped back.

“Wh-who are you?”

The being spoke with a soft voice:

“You are stepping into a path filled with danger…
And your heart is filled with fear.”

Rudra clenched his teeth.

“I’m not afraid.”

The being shook its head.

“You are terrified… and that is not a weakness.
Fear means you care.”

Rudra stayed silent.

The being continued,

“Your bracelet is not just a weapon.
It is a connection.
A bond between you and the guardians.”

Rudra frowned.

“You mean the four guardians?”

“Yes. They each hold a part of the ancient light.
The same light that flows in your bracelet.”

Rudra took a step forward.

“Why do I need their help?”

The being’s voice became serious.

“Because Aghori failed his ritual…
But the darkness he awakened has NOT gone back to sleep.”

Rudra felt a chill.

“What… darkness?”

The being raised its hand.

A shape appeared behind it—a massive shadow, monstrous and moving.

Rudra’s eyes widened.

“What IS that?!”

The being said softly:

“The true enemy.
Aghori was only the beginning.”

Rudra stepped back.

His heart raced.

“I’m not strong enough to face something like that…”

The being replied,

“That is why you must find the guardians.”

Before Rudra could ask more, the being faded.

And the dream vanished.

Rudra woke up with a jerk.

His heart was pounding.

His hands were shaking.

The dream felt too real.

He touched his bracelet.

“What was that shadow…?”

The bracelet gave a tiny pulse, as if it acknowledged the dream.

Rudra stood up and said firmly:

“I need answers. And the first guardian must have them.”

He picked up his bag and started walking again.

The mountain was still far, but now he knew where to go.

By afternoon, Rudra reached a new landscape.

The forest ended.

Ahead of him rose a huge mountain.

Tall.
Cold.
Covered in thick snow.

Clouds wrapped around its peak like a white scarf.

Rudra’s jaw dropped.

“That… is huge.”

The bracelet projected glowing letters:

“Mount Echo — Trial of Courage.”

Rudra swallowed hard.

“Trial? No one told me about a trial.”

The bracelet flickered, almost teasing him.

Rudra groaned.

“Of course. Of course there’s a trial. Nothing can ever be simple.”

He placed a foot on the snowy path.

Cold wind slapped him immediately.

“Whew! That’s freezing!”

But he kept walking.

The snow rose deeper.

The wind became stronger.

The path got steeper.

Rudra’s body started shaking from cold.

He rubbed his arms, trying to stay warm.

“This… is much harder than I thought…”

Still, he pushed forward.

Step by step.

Breath by breath.

Halfway up the mountain, Rudra heard something unusual.

Whispers.

Echoes bouncing off the ice walls.

He thought it was the wind at first.

But then he heard it clearly:

“Go back…”
“You are too weak…”
“You cannot save anyone…”
“Valmiki will never wake up…”

Rudra stopped.

His heart pounded.

“What… what is this?”

The whispers grew louder.

They sounded like many voices—children, old men, women, demons, even his own voice.

“You failed…”
“You ran away…”
“You will die here…”

Rudra covered his ears.

“Stop it! Stop talking!”

But the whispers pierced his mind like needles.

Tears formed in his eyes.

He shouted,

“I KNOW I’m weak! I KNOW I’m scared! But I won’t stop!”

The mountain fell silent.

Completely silent.

And then—

Something appeared in front of him.

A tall figure.

Made of snow and ice.

With glowing blue eyes.

The Echo Spirit.

It spoke softly,

“You resisted fear.
You resisted doubt.
You passed the first test.”

Rudra wiped his tears.

“Test? You scared me to death!”

The spirit smiled gently.

“That is fear’s job.
But you walked through it.”

Rudra breathed out shakily.

“So… where is the guardian?”

The spirit stepped aside.

It pointed toward a cave glowing with warm golden light.

“The guardian waits for you inside.
Go with courage, Rudra.”

Rudra nodded.

He took a deep breath…

And walked toward the cave.

His journey was far from over.

And inside that cave—

The First Guardian waited.