The dining hall of the Gurukul was vast, lined with long wooden tables, the aroma of spiced lentils and roasted vegetables drifting through the air. A soft golden light bathed the space from the enchanted lanterns floating above, casting a warm glow over the students as they entered in groups.
As they stepped inside, a collective gasp rippled through the room.
"What… is this place?" Pallavi whispered, her eyes wide.
"It looked so tiny from the outside," Ronak said, spinning in place. "How is it this big?"
"Is this… some kind of illusion?" Komal asked, scanning the high vaulted ceilings that seemed to stretch into the stars themselves.
Even the usually stoic Gunnu paused at the threshold, his eyes flicking upward at the floating lanterns that shimmered with constellations.
From the far end of the room, Master Rishab entered, his presence immediately drawing the students' attention.
"This," he said, voice calm and filled with quiet pride, "is a manifestation of space manipulation—a rare application of the cosmic laws that govern the very structure of existence."
He walked slowly between the tables, every step deliberate, his gaze sweeping across the stunned students.
"By bending the spatial dimensions, we've expanded the room far beyond its physical exterior. It is not an illusion—it is real, and yet beyond your current understanding."
He stopped near the center of the room, turning to face them.
"The cosmic laws are the most difficult truths to grasp. Supreme Beings weave them into reality effortlessly, but for others… even touching these laws requires extreme willpower, precision, and strength. The human body—your body—was not made to withstand the weight of cosmic energy."
A heavy silence fell over the room.
"It is not that ordinary people cannot use cosmic laws," he continued, "but that it takes an unnatural level of discipline to do so without being destroyed by them."
At that moment, Kavya stepped forward slightly, her voice soft yet resonant—like a plucked string on her veena. "Master Rishab," she said, curiosity gleaming in her eyes, "if only Supreme Beings can use cosmic energy with ease… then who made this possible? Was it created by one of them?"
The students turned toward her, all wondering the same.
Master Rishab looked at her for a long moment, then gave a faint, almost nostalgic smile.
"It was inspired by one," he replied. "A Supreme Being did not create this hall directly, but it was built using knowledge passed down from them. The techniques were developed here in the Gurukul… under guidance few are privileged to receive."
His eyes flicked briefly—almost imperceptibly—toward the ceiling, as though remembering someone lost in legend.
"Who exactly that was," he added quietly, "is not a story you are ready to hear. Perhaps… one day."
A hush settled over the students. For a moment, it felt like the very walls held their breath, keeping ancient secrets hidden in the shimmering space.
Then Master Rishab straightened his posture once more. "Now eat. The real tests begin tomorrow. You'll need strength—not just in body, but in mind and spirit."
The students had begun settling into the long wooden benches, plates clinking as steaming food was served by enchanted utensils floating gracefully through the air. Group 7—Subh, Kavya, and Gunnu—found a spot toward the far end of the hall.
Gunnu dug in without a word, focused entirely on his plate. Subh, on the other hand, leaned back, a half-smirk tugging at his lips as he glanced at Kavya, who had just started eating with quiet grace.
"So," Subh said, breaking the silence, "what do you think about all this? You really believe what Master Rishab said—that some old student or teacher figured out how to manipulate cosmic laws?"
Kavya didn't even glance up. "Why not?" she said simply. "The Supreme Beings… they don't involve themselves in worldly matters. They stay far from Earth, removed from all this. I doubt they came here to build a dining hall."
Subh chuckled, resting his elbow on the table. "Yeah, but think about it. This kind of thing isn't normal. It feels too perfect—too refined. Maybe one of them did come here. Secretly, even. Who knows what the Supremes really care about?"
Kavya shook her head, her light-blue hair swaying gently. "Or maybe," she said, "someone in the Gurukul—someone brilliant—managed to grasp a fraction of a Supreme Being's lingering energy. A forgotten artifact, or a piece of divine knowledge... maybe they studied it, understood it just enough to create something like this."
Subh tilted his head, clearly intrigued. "Hmm. You might be onto something there. That sounds way more possible than one of the big guys dropping in for dinner."
Kavya gave a faint smile but kept her gaze on her plate.
Across the table, Gunnu remained silent, chewing methodically. He didn't speak, didn't glance at either of them, just listened—his usual intense stare fixed on his food.
A few more moments passed before Gunnu placed his spoon down with a soft clink.
"I'm done," he said curtly, standing up. "I'm going to my room. I don't want to waste time sitting here with you two fools."
Subh raised an eyebrow, his smile not faltering. "What's the hurry? It's barely 8. You can chill for a bit."
Gunnu slung his satchel over his shoulder. "I need to practice some of my moves. I don't waste time on pointless talk."
Subh stretched, still sitting comfortably. "Ah, so you're polishing your techniques, huh? Alright then, mighty warrior. Don't let us slow you down."
Gunnu said nothing more and walked off, boots echoing faintly across the enchanted floor.
Kavya didn't respond. She simply continued eating in silence.
Subh stared down at his own plate for a moment, then picked up a piece of roasted paneer and bit into it slowly.
"How should I get powerful…" he thought, chewing absently. "Power like that… the kind that can warp space, alter the world… I need it. I need more."
As the dining hall began to empty, Subh pushed his plate aside and stood up.
"Good night, Kavya," he said with a lazy grin, slinging his bag over his shoulder.
Kavya glanced up briefly, her expression unreadable. "Good night."
Subh waved casually and made his way out of the glowing hall, heading down a quiet corridor that eventually opened into the residential quarters. His room, like the rest of the Gurukul, was simple but imbued with a strange, calming energy. He closed the door behind him and flopped onto the mat laid out for resting.
But he didn't feel like sleeping.
His mind buzzed restlessly.
"How do I become stronger...? Not just strong—I want to shake the heavens. I want the Supreme Beings to know my name.""I don't want to be another disciple who walks the path carved by others... I want to carve my own."
"And want to find about my grandmother's death"
And then…
Everything stilled.
No wind.
No shift in air.
No flash of energy.
Just a quiet stillness—and then presence.
Sarva, his enigmatic guru, was suddenly there—standing right in front of him, as though he'd always been there.
Subh's breath caught. "G-Guruji?! How did you—"
Sarva raised a hand, and silence returned.
"You think too much," he said, voice smooth, unshakable. "You seek strength? Then listen carefully, Subh."
Sarva stepped closer, his very presence bending the space around him, subtle but undeniable. His eyes gleamed with cosmic light.
"Stop overthinking, Subh. I am here because I need to tell you something. You are not meant to follow the same path as others.
"Subh blinked, heart pounding.
"You must master the five primal forces of nature: Prithvi (Earth), Apas (Water), Tejas (Fire), Vayu (Air), and Akash (Aether). These are not simply elements—they are the skeleton of existence itself."
"You already carry one within you… The Eternal Flame."
Subh felt the fire stir within his chest at its name.
"But do not be proud yet," Sarva continued. "The Eternal Flame is not a toy. It's alive—born of compassion and wrath, truth and desire. It listens to your soul, not your commands. Until you control it… it controls you."
Aether?" Subh asked, confused.
Sarva nodded once. "Akash is the space between thoughts, the breath between stars. It is formless yet all-forming. Hardest to touch. Rarest to wield. And if you ever wish to rise above mortals—you must reach it."
Subh's fists clenched unconsciously, the echo of the flame deep within his chest pulsing in response.
Sarva's gaze softened slight
With that, he was gone.
Again, no sound. No trace. No fluctuation of energy.
Just... silence.
Subh stood up slowly, determination rising like a tide. He slipped out of his room, the moonlight guiding his steps as he made his way to the practice grounds behind the Gurukul.
"Control it," he murmured. "Let it feel me…"
He dropped to his knees and pressed his palm to the earth. The ground grew warm beneath him.
A soft flicker of fire licked his fingers—then another. The Eternal Flame responded.
But instead of raging forward, Subh forced it to rise… slowly.
He shaped it into patterns—circles, lines, sigils. He danced with it, not dominated it.
He pushed further—made it spin, split, reform. He tried to heal with it, lighting small leaves and attempting to preserve their form rather than burn them. Most crumbled. Some didn't.
When the flames grew wild, he sat still and let them burn around him. Not resisting. Not commanding. Coexisting.
Hours passed.
The stars shifted.
He collapsed to his knees, panting, soaked in sweat.
"I'm not done," he whispered.
Just as he stood again, something caught his eye.
Up on the cliffs near the edge of the Gurukul grounds—Gunnu.
Silent, alone, his lean form outlined by moonlight. His staff sliced through the air, each move precise. Controlled. Relentless. His aura flared briefly—just a flicker, but pure.
Subh watched quietly.
"Even he… doesn't waste a moment."
He smiled faintly.
Not mocking.
Respect.
Then turned and made his way back.
Tomorrow, he would rise again.
And the Eternal Flame—his flame—would rise with him.