Arjun sat near the mountain peak, the cold breeze brushing against his face while the whole forest remained dark. The moonlight lit up his face, and his eyes looked determined.
I think it's finally time to leave the gurukul… and get that thing.
He glanced at Subha sitting beside him and asked hesitantly,
"Are you sure you want to come with me?"
Subha frowned.
"How many times are you going to repeat the same question? And when will you tell me the destination?"
Arjun stood up.
"Thank you… Let's go. We should speak to the Acharya. It's getting late."
I ignored her question on purpose and headed toward the Acharya's room.
After a while, we stood outside his door, unsure whether to knock.
We looked at each other.
Before we could say anything, a calm voice came from inside:
"When are you going to enter?"
We stepped inside and found the Acharya staring out the window, his expression tense.
He asked without turning,
"So, why are you here at this hour?"
I replied,
"I plan to leave the gurukul. Subha insists on coming along, and her help will be valuable, so I can't refuse."
I hesitated before adding,
"And… I think you know where we're going, and why."
Subha shot me a surprised glance.
The Acharya finally turned toward us.
"So you've planned everything already," he said calmly. "How can I stop you now?"
His voice deepened.
"You understand this journey won't be easy. The distance is long. And there may be danger—perhaps even life and death. And getting that mantra from there won't be an easy task."
I nodded silently.
He continued,
"As an Acharya, I shouldn't ask this. But as Subha's Guru, I must. As my gurudakshina{a tradition where a student offers gratitude to the Guru for the knowledge received}I want you to protect Subha—even if it means sacrificing your life."
Subha's eyes widened. She opened her mouth to protest, but after seeing the serious look in the Acharya's eyes, she stayed silent.
I would have protected her anyway… even without this request.
So I nodded.
"I will."
I touched his feet respectfully and stepped aside to give them their moment. I was just one of the many students he had taught, but Subha was his direct disciple—she received special teachings and inherited many of the mantras he created. Their bond was deeper, unlike mine. That's the difference between having a Guru and an Acharya.
I returned to my room. Looking at my bed, a thought crossed my mind:
This might be the last peaceful sleep I get.
I walked toward the window. The cold air swept in, carrying memories of the nine years I had spent here.
Before this place… everything in my memory was fog. My past felt sealed behind a thick wall.
I didn't know how long I stood there thinking until I heard footsteps.
Subha entered silently. Her eyes were red—she had cried. I noticed, but said nothing.
With too many thoughts weighing on me, I went to sleep.
Morning came. I woke later than usual. I stood by the window again, knowing this would be the last time I saw this view of the large mountain—the cows in the backyard and the trees from where I used to get fruits.
When I stepped outside, I found Subha teaching the juniors.
It was common for seniors to guide the younger students. Since we were the senior-most, she handled most classes—even the ones I was supposed to teach.
At first, I felt embarrassed, but eventually it became part of her routine.
Today, I decided to listen to her class, as it was going to be her last one.
She was explaining Astras.
"Astras can be classified in many ways depending on their power and purpose," she said.
The students paid full attention.
"They can be used for healing, combat, or many other tasks.Some Astras are activated through mantras, and others exist in physical form."
The students nodded.
She continued,
"And as you know, most people in our land cannot use their shakti to perform mantras.A long time ago, there was a war between us and many foreign forces.A powerful person used a devastating Astra to disrupt our shakti foundation and weaken our country.That Astra was stolen from the Raj Mahal vault by a traitor and used against our own land."
A student raised his hand.
"Why did they do that?"
"So we would no longer be able to fight them and would submit our land to them. But even after that, the people of our country fought back and managed to save our land," she explained.
Another student asked, "What is shakti?"
He seemed new.
Subha explained patiently,
"Shakti is the energy inside us that allows us to perform mantras."
She added,
"Only Vaidyas and a few others can use their shakti fully. The rest of the people are restricted because of that Astra. They can't utilize their shakti completely."
She finished the class and walked toward me.
"Shall we leave?" she asked.
"Yes."
I went to my room and changed out of the gurukul dress.
After saying goodbye to everyone, we left.
While walking down the mountain, the cold air blew against us. My heart felt heavy as the gurukul faded behind us.
Subha asked,
"So… where are we going?"
"The Raj Mahal vault."
"Why there? Isn't it already destroyed?"
"Destroyed? I don't think so. Nevertheless… I need a mantra. A very important one."
"A mantra, you say? Is it for the day you've been waiting for all these years?"
"You can say that."
"It's going to be a long journey."
"I know."
"There will be many stops… and many dangerous places. And most importantly, we'll have to cross that."
"Yes."
I looked at her and spoke softly,
"I'm glad you're coming with me."
"There's no need for that," she replied quietly.