(A/N):
Drop a meme here that you find funny. Or reflects your mood.
Sry for the late update and one chapter short. I would try to update from next week regularly.
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Rudra stood still, gaze fixed he was very serious.
"…who attacked you?"
No hesitation in his tone. No softness.
Only clarity of how anger he was.
Guru Arvind looked directly at him.
"...."
And for the first time—There was something deeper in his eyes.
Not fear. Memory of the young man who had returned to cause the trouble.
"…Mahabir Lama."
The Name Drops The name echoed in the room.
Junoo's playful expression didn't vanish but asked in confusion.
"…that doesn't sound like a random thug."
Amirtha's brows furrowed he felt like she heard this some where.
-Frown!
"…who is he?"
Guru Arvind's voice turned slow. Measured.
"He was not always like this. Powerful but he seems to be getting his hands on other Vedhas..."
A pause.
"He trained under Angama Bali."
Mohan's eyes widened slightly hearing the name.
"…the Angama Bali?"
Guru Arvind nodded his head seriously.
-Nod
"The same. A master who trained some of the finest Astra users. He ran a Gurukul of discipline …of balance."
Junoo folded her arms.
"…and let me guess. He went rogue."
Guru Arvind's gaze hardened.
"…worse. He was adopted. Raised. Taught. Trusted. …and then he betrayed everything."
The room fell silent.
"...."
"...."
"...."
"He turned against his own Gurukul. Attempted to slaughter everyone within it."
Amirtha inhaled softly.
-Sigh!
"…why?"
Guru Arvind shook his head slightly.
"Power. Obsession. Something broke inside him. But that was not the worst part."
Guru Arvind's voice lowered.
"He placed a curse. A death curse. On everyone present in the gurukul."
Junoo clicked her tongue.
-Tch!
"…of course he did."
Then—Guru Arvind's tone softened.
"…and someone stood against him."
A pause.
"Ambika Prajapati."
Amirtha's eyes lowered finally realized hearing her friend's name.
"…she stopped him?"
Guru Arvind nodded slowly.
-Nod
"She broke the curse. But…"
His voice grew quiet.
"…at the cost of her life."
The room went still again.
The weight of the past settling into the present.
Guru Arvind looked at Rudra.
"…Mahabir Lama left on that day. …and now …he has returned."
But Rudra—Had already gone somewhere else.
"...."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
'Mahabir Lama… Angama Bali… Curse… Ambika Prajapati…'
The pieces aligned in his mind instantly.
'Mirai. So this is that movie…'
He exhaled slowly.
-Sigh!
'Then this isn't just an attack… This is escalation. To his plan was mass killing.'
Junoo noticed the shift.
"…you know something."
Rudra didn't deny it.
"…I know enough."
Amirtha looked at him.
"…how bad is it?"
Rudra's answer came without hesitation.
"…very."
He turned back to Guru Arvind.
"…if it's Mahabir Lama is what guru Arvind said is true …then this isn't just about you."
A pause.
"…he's going after all nine. And his intention were not "
Guru Arvind nodded his head.
-Nod
"…yes."
Outside—The wind picked up. Leaves rustled violently.
Inside—No one spoke for a moment.
"...."
"...."
"...."
Because now—They weren't dealing with a mystery.
They were dealing with a known disaster who wants to do a mass killing.
One that had already destroyed a Gurukul once.
And this time—It was coming back for more. Rudra Steps Forward
His voice turned firm.
"Then we move first."
Junoo smirked slightly.
-Smirk!
"…now this is getting interesting."
Amirtha nodded with a serious expression.
-Nod
"We won't let another Ambika fall."
Hyderabad...
The city of Hyderabad pulsed with life.
Traffic roared like a restless river.
Street vendors called out over the hum of engines.
Neon lights flickered to life as evening settled in.
But amidst all that chaos—One person moved with purpose.
Vibya stood at the edge of a crowded street, her eyes scanning faces that blurred into one another.
Dust clung to her clothes.
Fatigue lingered in her steps.
But she didn't stop. She couldn't.
"…Vedha…"
The name lingered on her lips like a prayer.
Or a warning.
She had followed fragments.
Broken leads. Old sightings.
From one state to another.
Villages. Cities. Shrines.
Forgotten paths.
Everywhere he had once walked—She went.
But every time—She was just a little too late.
The Man She Seeks
Vedha.
Not just a person. Not just an Astra user.
But—A key.
To something far greater. Her fists tightened.
"…you can't just disappear."
The Weight of It
She leaned briefly against a wall, catching her breath.
People passed by without noticing.
To them—She was just another traveler.
But inside—She carried urgency.
Because she knew—What was coming.
The Enemy Adharma.[1]
A force. A movement. Something rising in the shadows.
And Vedha—Was one of the few who could stand against it.
Maybe the only one.
A shopkeeper shook his head.
"No one by that name here."
She nodded her head.
-Nod
"…thank you."
Another dead end. Another empty lead.
But The Determination was still buring.
She stepped back into the crowd. Eyes sharper now. Resolve harder.
"I'll find you …no matter where you've gone."
Meanwhile...
Gurukul...
Inside the Gurukul chamber, silence lingered after Guru Arvind's revelation.
Then Rudra spoke.
"We don't chase shadows first."
Junoo tilted her head.
"…meaning?"
Rudra's gaze was steady.
"We go to the source."
Amirtha nodded immediately.
-Nod!
"…Angama Bali."
Rudra continued calmly.
"Mahabir Lama didn't just appear like this. He must have a pattern. He was trained. Shaped. Broken somewhere along the way."
He looked at Guru Arvind.
"…if anyone knows how he thinks— …it's his master."
Guru Arvind nodded slowly.
-Nod
"That is true."
Junoo smirked slightly.
-Smirk!
"So first we visit the teacher …then hunt the student."
Rudra corrected her.
"Not hunt."
A pause.
"…stop."
Amirtha gave him a brief glance.
"...."
"…you're already planning ahead right..."
Rudra didn't deny it.
"…he's not acting randomly. He has a goal. And we're already behind."
Destination Set
Mohan stepped forward.
"I can arrange transport."
Anish added calmly—
"Angama Bali's Gurukul isn't easy to reach."
Junoo cracked her knuckles lightly.
"…good. Would've been boring otherwise."
From the bed, Guru Arvind spoke again.
"…be careful."
All eyes turned to him.
"Angama Bali …is not an ordinary man. He carries the burden of what Mahabir became."
A pause.
"…and that changes people."
Rudra gave a slight nod.
-Nod
"…so do wars."
Outside—The sky had begun to darken.
The Gurukul grounds were quiet again.
"...."
"...."
"...."
But the calm felt temporary.
Like the silence before a storm breaks.
Junoo stretched her arms.
"Alright. Let's go meet the legend."
Amirtha stood beside Rudra.
"…and find the truth."
The Path Forward
Rudra stepped ahead. Eyes forward.
Mind already moving three steps ahead.
"First—Angama Bali. Then…"
His voice lowered slightly.
"…Mahabir Lama."
The wind rustled through the trees.
Meanwhile...
Hyderabad...
The trail ended in dust, noise, and a knot of people.
At the edge of a crowded lane, Vibya slowed.
Something felt… different.
All this time she had followed whispers across states.
Fragments of memory.
Half-truths stitched together from strangers she read from their mind.
This time—The trail had weight.
As she had finally found the residence of Vedha and where he could be.
When she arrived at the location where she found many peoples were gathered and were recording with their mobiles.
She saw a police van and cars standing before her.
Just when she was about to take a step forward.
A small hand tugged at her sleeve.
"...."
She looked down to see who it was.
A kid who seems to be dressed in old clothes. Barefoot with out a slippers. But as a sharp eyes.
"Where are you going?"
Vibya didn't hesitate hearing his question then decided to answer.
"...."
"…I'm looking for someone. Vedha.... Vedha Prajapati."
The kid blinked hearing the very name who seems to be getting arrested by the police for the earlier commotion.
-Blink!
Then—Chuckled letting out a laughter.
-Chuckle!
"You're late. Sister..."
Her eyes narrowed slightly hearing the kid thinking might be Vedha left this place too.
"What do you mean?"
The kid pointed toward the commotion ahead.
"Police came. Whole gang got picked up. Your Vedha too see he was being dragged out..."
A pause.
"But before that—"
The kid's grin widened as he began to explain why the police seems to be arresting Vedha and his gang.
-Grin!
"He had a fight. With a bald guy."
"Loan shark type. Whose valuable thing as been stolen by Vedha. Said Vedha owed him money already now trying to take his things."
"Big mistake."
The kid laughed catching his stomach.
-Haha!!!
"He got wrecked. The bald guy."
"Where?"
Vibya hearing all this raised an eye brow it was total opposite of what she had heard of him all aroound in other places and asked curiously.
"Scrap shed. That one."
The kid stepped back pointing at the shed before her.
"Everyone saw it. Was a crazy fight."
Vibya's eyes softened for a moment.
"...."
Not outwardly—But inwardly. Her Astra stirred as she used it.
Manas Darshan Astra.[2]
A power that allowed her to glimpse thoughts—Fragments. Emotions. Or even manipulate it so someone could remember things which were buried in their memories.
Echoes left behind in minds she brushed against.
All this time—She had been collecting those fragments.
From shopkeepers to whom he worked for. Travelers who traveled with him. Witnesses who had chatted with him.
Piecing together Vedha's path like a puzzle only she could see.
And now—Standing here—Feeling the lingering impressions in the crowd—Fear. Shock. Awe.
Something clicked as the with the all the images of Vedha thorough out the years she had got placed together as her eyes fell on the guy who were getting dragged by the police into the police car.
Her heartbeat slowed. Focused.
"...."
'This isn't just another lead. This is him.'
She stepped forward to try to talk to him.
Past the kid. Past the murmuring crowd.
Toward the scrap shed.
Each step heavier. Each step certain.
For the first time in her entire search—She didn't question it.
Didn't doubt it. Didn't second-guess.
Her Astra wasn't just showing her fragments anymore—It was aligning them.
Guiding her. Confirming it. The one she has been searching is before her eyes.
But before she could snap out of her thought the police car and van left.
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(Author's POV)
(A/N):
Guys My New Fic name is:
-->Mahabharat: Shiva's Last Variable
Check it out... I hope you will like it
Whats your thought's guys.
Thanks for reading the chapter!
Please give a review!!! And power stone too!!!
Guys it will motivate me more?
[1] Injustice
[2] The Astra of Mind Reflection.