The biology classroom was warm. Too warm. The kind of warm that made your eyelids heavy and your mind wander.
And mine was wandering.
Trayaksh.
What was his power? I'd seen him bench press huge weights, but that could just be training. I'd seen him run like the wind, but that could be fitness. I'd never actually seen him use a power.
Why did he start a new group? Udyama wasn't even a year old. Most students joined established groups—Parakastha, Shakti, even Rajasa. Why build something from nothing?
Why did he own a gym? An S+ rank YODHA, running a private gym in the city. That took time. Money. Effort. Why?
And the tattoo. The Shiv ji tattoo on his forearm. Hidden under his hoodie at Gurukul, but visible at the gym. And the tripundra on his forehead—always there, always visible.
Shiva. Why Shiva?
I thought about my dream. Lord Ram. Fire. Blessings.
Is Trayaksh connected to Shiva the way I'm connected to Ram?
Is that even possible?
BONK.
Something hit my forehead.
I jerked awake—had I been sleeping?—and saw a piece of chalk bouncing off my desk.
The biology teacher was staring at me. Arms crossed. Eyebrow raised.
"Raghav." Her voice could cut glass. "Since my lecture is so fascinating that you've decided to stare at the wall instead of listening, perhaps you'd like to share what's so interesting?"
The class snickered.
I swallowed. "Sorry, ma'am. I was just... thinking."
"Think louder next time so we can all enjoy it." She turned back to the board. "Sit properly. Eyes forward."
I sat up. Nodded. Rubbed the red mark on my forehead.
Ruchi smirked at me. Mukund just shook his head.
Guru Sarvavidya picked up her chalk and faced the board.
"Today, we're going to review something you should already know—but clearly, some of us need reminders." She glanced at me. "The Tier System."
She began writing.
TIER 1: DIVYA-YODHA (Divine Warriors)
"The highest level a YODHA can achieve. Tier 1 means you have inherited pure elemental power—Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, or Space."
She turned to face us.
"A Tier 1 can use their element for attack, defense, healing themselves, healing others, and support. However—" she held up a finger, "—they can only master ONE of these categories fully. The rest remain at basic level."
A student raised a hand. "So a Fire Tier 1 could have legendary attack power, but only basic healing?"
"Exactly. They must choose where to focus. No one can master everything."
TIER 2: VISHISTA-YODHA (Exceptional Warriors)
"Tier 2 YODHAs have powers that apply to themselves—enhanced strength, speed, senses, things like that. But they can't extend their power to others for defense and healing."
She wrote examples on the board.
"Example: A speed-enhanced Tier 2 can move like wind, and can create a speed-shield around allies. But they cannot attack with their power directly. Their offense comes from their body, not their element."
TIER 3: PRAVINYA-YODHA (Skilled Warriors)
"Tier 3 is limited to ONE domain—attack OR defense OR support. But they can provide that power to others."
She pointed at the board.
"An attack-only Tier 3 can launch energy blasts for themselves AND enhance an ally's weapons. But they cannot create shields or heal. They are specialists—deadly in their area, useless outside it."
TIER 4: SAHAYAKA-YODHA (Supporting Warriors)
"Pure support. No attack capabilities. No defense for themselves. But on a battlefield, they are invaluable."
She listed examples: "Healing. Boosting allies. Sensing danger. Communication. Light creation. These YODHAs rarely fight directly, but no team can succeed without them."
TIER NONE: MANUSHYA (Humans)
"Ordinary humans. No awakened Prana. No powers." Her voice softened. "Most of the population. Farmers, merchants, artists, teachers. The people we YODHAs are sworn to protect."
She looked at us.
"Never look down on Tier Nones. Without them, there would be no one to protect. No one to fight for. No one to come home to."
TIER SPECIAL: VIKRITA-YODHA (Transformed Warriors)
"And finally, Tier Special." Her voice changed. Became careful. "This includes beings who don't fit the natural YODHA inheritance system."
She counted on her fingers:
"Asuras—demonic beings with powers completely different from Prana-based YODHAs."
"Cyborgs—humans enhanced with technology. Rare. Secretive."
"Cursed Ones—humans who gained power through dark means."
"Divine Touched—extremely rare humans directly blessed by gods, like the first YODHAs."
She paused.
"Tier Special are not necessarily evil. But society often fears them. Remember that."
The chalk snapped. She picked up another piece.
"Now. The main topic today." She wrote in large letters:
ASURAS: THREE POWERS, THREE APPEARANCES
"The three original Asura brothers received three powers from Lord Shiva. Each power comes with distinct physical traits. Memorize them. Your life may depend on it."
POWER 1: SUMMONING
"The first brother could summon demons from other realms."
She drew a figure on the board—a humanoid shape with one notable feature.
Appearance: "Bulky, reddish forearms and hands. Long nails. The red hand—or both hands—is the summoning instrument. Without it, they cannot call demons."
She tapped the drawing.
"If you see an Asura with reddish hands, they can bring reinforcements. Kill the hand, stop the summons."
POWER 2: POWER COPYING
"The second brother could copy any power he witnessed."
Another drawing—this one with multiple eyes.
Appearance: "Multiple dark black eyes. Could be one, two, three, or four—never exceeding four. Each black eye can store one copied skill."
She turned to face us.
"Here's what the texts don't tell you. If an Asura with this power somehow gains a fifth black eye..." She paused. "They could copy ALL five elemental powers. Every single one. And become something close to a god."
Silence.
"Has it ever happened?" a student whispered.
"No. And we pray it never does."
POWER 3: BLOOD MANIPULATION
"The third brother could control blood—their own and others'."
Another drawing. This one with animal features.
Appearance: "Unique animal-like characteristics. Horns. Fangs. Tails. Scales. Fur. Each one is different, but all have animal traits."
She wrote examples:
"Can heal themselves instantly using blood."
"Can control an enemy's movements by touching their blood."
"Can turn their own blood into weapons."
She looked at us.
"These are the hardest to fight. They don't tire. They don't stop. They just keep coming."
She put down the chalk.
"Three powers. Three appearances. Remember them."
She pointed at the board.
Summoning – Reddish hands, long nails
Power Copying – Multiple black eyes (1-4)
Blood Manipulation – Animal features
"Test on Friday."
The class groaned.
The bell rang.
We shuffled out, heads full of tiers and Asuras and reddish hands and multiple eyes.
Mukund walked beside me. "So if we see someone with four black eyes..."
"Run," Ruchi finished.
"Yeah."
I thought about my dream. Lord Ram. Fire. The blessing.
If Asuras are real, and they're still out there...
Why did Lord Ram appear to me?
What does he want?
I didn't have answers.
But something told me I'd find out soon enough.
After biology class, we dragged ourselves to the combat training hall.
My head was still spinning with tiers and Asuras and reddish hands and multiple black eyes. The information felt heavy, pressing down on me like extra weight.
But the moment I stepped into the hall, everything changed.
Guru Dhyan sat in the center, as always. Cross-legged. Eyes closed. Breathing slow.
And his Prana—that massive, overwhelming Prana—filled the room like always. But today it felt different. Calmer. Like the ocean had stopped waving and was just... waiting.
We sat down without being told. Everyone did. No one spoke in Guru Dhyan's presence.
He opened his eyes.
"Today," he said softly, "we begin something new."
He rose—smoothly, gracefully, like water flowing uphill. No effort. No strain. Just movement.
"Musti Yuddha."
He walked among us, his bare feet silent on the floor.
"Fist fighting. Unarmed combat. No powers. No weapons. Just your body."
He stopped next to Akshat, who sat in the front row, eyes forward, completely focused.
"Some of you will rely on your powers your whole lives. That's fine. That's why you're here." His voice was gentle, not scolding. "But powers can fail. Prana can run out. Enemies can counter your element."
He looked at each of us.
"When that happens, your body must not fail you."
He had us stand. Spread out. Face him.
"The first lesson of Musti Yuddha is not a punch. It is not a kick. It is not a block."
He raised one hand, palm open.
"It is your stance."
He showed us.
Feet shoulder-width apart. Knees slightly bent. Weight balanced. Hands up—not too high, not too low.
"From here," he said, "you can move in any direction. Attack. Defend. Retreat. Advance. All possibilities begin with the stance."
We tried to copy him.
I bent my knees. Raised my hands. Tried to feel balanced.
I wobbled.
Guru Dhyan walked past me, touched my shoulder, adjusted my position slightly. "Better." He moved on.
Next, the basic punch.
"Not from the shoulder." He demonstrated. "From the feet. The legs drive. The hips turn. The shoulder follows. The arm is just the delivery system."
He punched the air.
Whoosh.
It sounded like wind. Like power. Like something I couldn't imagine doing.
"The power comes from your whole body. Not just your arm."
We tried.
My punch was slow. Weak. Wrong.
Guru Dhyan didn't get angry. He just corrected. Encouraged. Moved on.
Then the basic block.
"Deflection, not absorption." He showed how to turn a punch aside instead of meeting it head-on. "Use their momentum against them. Make them miss. Make them overextend. Make them pay."
We practiced with partners. Mukund and me. He punched—slowly, carefully—and I tried to block.
I failed. A lot.
But sometimes—sometimes—I got it right. His fist slid past my arm instead of hitting me. Just a little. Just enough to feel like progress.
Guru Dhyan watched. Nodded occasionally.
"Good. Again."
After an hour, we were exhausted. Sweating. Arms heavy.
He called us to sit.
"Musti Yuddha is not about strength," he said. "It is about patience. About reading your opponent. About waiting for the right moment."
He touched the pattern on his forehead—the chakra symbol that marked him as a Space element user.
"In my youth, I was not the strongest. Not the fastest. Not the most talented." A small smile. "But I was patient. I watched. I waited. And when the time came, I struck once."
He looked at us.
"That one strike ended a war."
Silence.
"Patience," he said softly, "is stronger than any element. Remember that."
He closed his eyes.
"Class dismissed."
We walked out slowly.
My arms ached. My legs ached. Everything ached.
But something in me felt... different.
Patience, I thought. Watching. Waiting. Striking once.
Maybe that's what I need.
Not rushing. Not burning dummies.
Just... getting better. One day at a time.
Mukund bumped my shoulder. "You okay?"
"Yeah." I nodded. "I think so."
Ruchi smiled. "You did better than I expected."
"Thanks. I think."
We walked toward the next class, tired but... hopeful.
For the first time all day, hopeful.