Chapter 32:
The Message written in ash
Tatva- The Awakening of Elements
1. The Silence After the Storm
Kedar sat alone near the old banyan behind Parshu Ashram.
The evening sun painted the courtyard in long orange shadows, and children training in the distance chattered softly. Everything was normal… except him.
His fire-prana core still felt unstable.
Every time he closed his eyes, flashes of Karkotak, the collapsing palace, and the Prince’s fading soul surged back. His chest tightened.
Kedar: “I can fight monsters, but… why does fighting myself feel harder?”
He tried sinking into meditation, but the roaring of flames filled his ears — phantom echoes of his last battle.
---
2. Parshu Notices
Guru Parshu watched from afar. His scar-glinted eyes were calm, but troubled.
Parshu (to himself):“His spirit still trembles. The boy needs time… but fate isn’t waiting.”
Before he could approach, a disciple sprinted through the gate, panic on his face.
“Gurudev! Urgent message from Shakti and Aryan!”
Kedar’s eyes snapped open.
---
3. The Burnt Scroll
The disciple handed Parshu a half-burnt scroll wrapped in black ash.
Parshu’s expression hardened. He unrolled it slowly.
The scroll contained:
A torn map
Marks of prana-burn, not natural fire
A single line scribbled in emergency rune-script:
> “We found the source. Not birds. Something else.It took us.”
Kedar’s breath froze.
Parshu:“Where were they last seen?”
Disciple:“A region west of the dunes… the locals call it Ashen Vale. They sent that message moments before… the sky turned black.”
---
4. The Sky Remembers
Dark clouds had indeed formed in that direction.
But they weren’t normal clouds.
They twisted, curved… almost like wings.
Kedar shivered.
Fire prana… no. Something sharper. Something ancient.
Parshu glanced at him — now serious, voice low.
Parshu:“Kedar… you must go.”
Kedar:“But Gurudev, my prana is still—”
Parshu:“You are hurt. Yes. Your heart is unsettled. Yes. But you are also the only one with the instinct to face whatever this is.”
Kedar swallowed.
Parshu stepped closer and placed a hand on his shoulder.
Parshu:“Listen. Something has taken your friends. Something strong enough to burn prana itself.And before I send you, you must know one thing.”
Kedar looked up.
Parshu’s voice dropped to a whisper:
> “The path you walk will cross the trail of someone… who once defeated the undefeated.”
Kedar:“…Someone defeated the undefeated… who?”
Parshu didn’t answer.
He simply looked toward the west — toward the dark wings swirling in the sky.
---
5. The First Sign
Kedar left the ashram at sunrise.
The desert stretched like a golden ocean. Wind whistled over sand dunes. As he trekked deeper, a strange unease grew inside him.
Hours passed.
Suddenly, a burnt feather dropped from the sky — glowing faintly with fire prana.
Kedar caught it.
It was warm… but the warmth felt wrong. Not like his fire. More brutal, more savage.
Kedar:“Shakti… Aryan… I hope you’re safe.”
But the next moment, he froze.
Footsteps — no, wingbeats — echoed behind him.
When he spun around, he saw an enormous shadow blazing across the dunes. The sand rose in spirals, burning red.
Kedar took a step back.
“…That’s no prana-born bird.”
The shadow vanished.
Silence.
Then—
A whisper rode the wind:
> “Finally… a challenge…”
Kedar tightened his fists.
---
6. The Cliffhanger
When he reached the Ashen Vale at dusk, he found:
sand melted into glass
huge claw prints burned into stone
and Shakti’s broken communicator lying half-buried.
Kedar knelt, heart pounding.
Kedar:“Who did this…?”
But before he could examine further—
A massive gust tore through the valley. Sand exploded like a bomb.
Kedar covered his eyes.
And then, as the dust settled…
A tall, humanoid silhouette with wings of burning wind stood atop the cliff.Watching him.Judging him.Studying him.
Kedar felt his knees weaken.
Not from fear.
But from the pressure — a warrior’s aura far more immense than Karkotak’s.
The figure spoke, voice deep and echoing:
> “You… are not ready.Grow stronger, little flame.”
Then it vanished into a storm of feathers.
Kedar exhaled sharply — trembling.
He had never felt such overwhelming force.
To be continued......
Kedar sat alone near the old banyan behind Parshu Ashram.
The evening sun painted the courtyard in long orange shadows, and children training in the distance chattered softly. Everything was normal… except him.
His fire-prana core still felt unstable.
Every time he closed his eyes, flashes of Karkotak, the collapsing palace, and the Prince’s fading soul surged back. His chest tightened.
Kedar: “I can fight monsters, but… why does fighting myself feel harder?”
He tried sinking into meditation, but the roaring of flames filled his ears — phantom echoes of his last battle.
---
2. Parshu Notices
Guru Parshu watched from afar. His scar-glinted eyes were calm, but troubled.
Parshu (to himself):“His spirit still trembles. The boy needs time… but fate isn’t waiting.”
Before he could approach, a disciple sprinted through the gate, panic on his face.
“Gurudev! Urgent message from Shakti and Aryan!”
Kedar’s eyes snapped open.
---
3. The Burnt Scroll
The disciple handed Parshu a half-burnt scroll wrapped in black ash.
Parshu’s expression hardened. He unrolled it slowly.
The scroll contained:
A torn map
Marks of prana-burn, not natural fire
A single line scribbled in emergency rune-script:
> “We found the source. Not birds. Something else.It took us.”
Kedar’s breath froze.
Parshu:“Where were they last seen?”
Disciple:“A region west of the dunes… the locals call it Ashen Vale. They sent that message moments before… the sky turned black.”
---
4. The Sky Remembers
Dark clouds had indeed formed in that direction.
But they weren’t normal clouds.
They twisted, curved… almost like wings.
Kedar shivered.
Fire prana… no. Something sharper. Something ancient.
Parshu glanced at him — now serious, voice low.
Parshu:“Kedar… you must go.”
Kedar:“But Gurudev, my prana is still—”
Parshu:“You are hurt. Yes. Your heart is unsettled. Yes. But you are also the only one with the instinct to face whatever this is.”
Kedar swallowed.
Parshu stepped closer and placed a hand on his shoulder.
Parshu:“Listen. Something has taken your friends. Something strong enough to burn prana itself.And before I send you, you must know one thing.”
Kedar looked up.
Parshu’s voice dropped to a whisper:
> “The path you walk will cross the trail of someone… who once defeated the undefeated.”
Kedar:“…Someone defeated the undefeated… who?”
Parshu didn’t answer.
He simply looked toward the west — toward the dark wings swirling in the sky.
---
5. The First Sign
Kedar left the ashram at sunrise.
The desert stretched like a golden ocean. Wind whistled over sand dunes. As he trekked deeper, a strange unease grew inside him.
Hours passed.
Suddenly, a burnt feather dropped from the sky — glowing faintly with fire prana.
Kedar caught it.
It was warm… but the warmth felt wrong. Not like his fire. More brutal, more savage.
Kedar:“Shakti… Aryan… I hope you’re safe.”
But the next moment, he froze.
Footsteps — no, wingbeats — echoed behind him.
When he spun around, he saw an enormous shadow blazing across the dunes. The sand rose in spirals, burning red.
Kedar took a step back.
“…That’s no prana-born bird.”
The shadow vanished.
Silence.
Then—
A whisper rode the wind:
> “Finally… a challenge…”
Kedar tightened his fists.
---
6. The Cliffhanger
When he reached the Ashen Vale at dusk, he found:
sand melted into glass
huge claw prints burned into stone
and Shakti’s broken communicator lying half-buried.
Kedar knelt, heart pounding.
Kedar:“Who did this…?”
But before he could examine further—
A massive gust tore through the valley. Sand exploded like a bomb.
Kedar covered his eyes.
And then, as the dust settled…
A tall, humanoid silhouette with wings of burning wind stood atop the cliff.Watching him.Judging him.Studying him.
Kedar felt his knees weaken.
Not from fear.
But from the pressure — a warrior’s aura far more immense than Karkotak’s.
The figure spoke, voice deep and echoing:
> “You… are not ready.Grow stronger, little flame.”
Then it vanished into a storm of feathers.
Kedar exhaled sharply — trembling.
He had never felt such overwhelming force.
To be continued......
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