16 years later...
The entire street had transformed into a sea of vibrant colours.
Pennants crisscrossed above like a canopy of celebration, casting flickering shadows as they swayed in the breeze.
The air carried the scent of fresh marigolds and the sweet aroma of festive sweets, mixing with the distant echoes of temple bells and drums.
Children ran around with sparklers, their laughter blending seamlessly with the cheers of shopkeepers selling last-minute festival items.
Every household had donned its best attire, and the orphanage was no exception—its entrance adorned with flower garlands, while its courtyard bustled with eager hands preparing for the evening pooja.
Amidst this, Amrita moved efficiently, arranging the pooja thali with precision, the golden light of the lamps casting a serene glow on her face.
She paused, glancing around, before calling out,
"Shiva, where is Rudra? I haven't seen him since morning."
Shiva, who had been busy tying flower garlands with a few younger kids, barely looked up as he replied,
"Oh, Rudra? He left early—went to the Shiva temple nearby."
At this, one of his friends, Sandeep, snickered, nudging Rajat, the other partner-in-crime.
"Speaking of temples… Ma, did Shiva ever tell you about the 'divine intervention' that happened to him in school?"
Shiva's hands froze mid-tie. His eyes widened.
"Abe chup reh! Don't—" (hey keep quiet! Don't—)
But it was too late.
Rajat had already cracked his knuckles dramatically as if preparing to tell a legendary tale.
"Picture this: Our boy Shiva, heart racing, palms sweating, rehearsing 'I love you' in front of a mirror for days—"
Sandeep chimed in,
"—all because he had finally managed to get close to his school crush! Oh, the effort! The planning! The sheer dedication!"
Amrita raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"And then?"
Shiva groaned, rubbing his forehead.
"And then… betrayal, Ma. Utter betrayal."
Rajat continued with theatrical flair,
"The big day arrived. The girl asked to meet him privately. He thought, 'Bas! This is it! Cinema-style proposal moment!'"
sigh~
Shiva with a defeated sigh dramatically pressed a hand to his heart thinking about the moment.
"I was ready, Ma. My entire love story was playing in my head like a Bollywood movie montage. Violins! Slow-motion! Everything!"
Sandeep wiped a fake tear.
"And then… tragedy struck."
Rajat smirked.
"She handed him a letter. Our Romeo was over the moon! Already imagining wedding dates. But before he could even celebrate—"
Sandeep finished with a flourish,
"—she said, 'Shiva, you're Rudra's best friend, right? Can you pass this to him?'"
Amrita burst out laughing, while Shiva just snorted and cursed while working.
"I was the postman, Ma! She made me the messenger of my own heartbreak!"
Sandeep and Rajat wiped imaginary tears.
"The worst part? He had lied to us, saying he had 'important work' when he actually went to confess. And who were the lucky eyewitnesses? Us."
Rajat elbowed Shiva whose face was dark, grinning.
"Remember how you turned and saw us watching? The way your soul left your body? Bro, even fevikwik can't fix that moment."
Shiva groaned, covering his face.
"Why do I even have friends?"
Amrita, still laughing, patted his shoulder.
"Beta, at least you got close to her in some way… even if it was just to deliver a letter."
Shiva sighed dramatically with a dejected shoulder.
"Mujhe toh ab bhi PTSD aata hai…(I still get PTSD...) 'Shiva, you're Rudra's best friend, right?' Those words haunt me."
The orphanage kids giggled, Sandeep and Rajat high-fived, and Amrita shook her head, smiling.
"Well, festival or not, some things never change."
As the bells rang louder from the temple in the distance, signaling Rudra's presence there, Shiva exhaled.
"One thing is for sure, Ma… while I was out here dealing with heartbreak, Rudra was securing all the blessings."
And with that, the festival carried on, laughter and teasing filling the air, as the past intertwined with the present, making the moment even more memorable.
The streets were alive, lined with colorful stalls selling sweets, bangles, and toys.
Children ran about, laughter echoing through the air, while the grand temple elephant, draped in vibrant silk and gold ornaments, stood majestically near the temple gates.
But mischief was brewing in the shadows.
A group of boys, eyes glinting with mischief, huddled near the elephant's feet. One of them crouched, carefully lighting a small firecracker, whispering,
"Just a little fun, nothing will happen!"
before tossing it under the elephant's massive frame.
BANG!
The explosion cracked through the air like a gunshot.
The elephant's ears flapped wildly, its eyes widened in terror, and with a deafening trumpet, it reared onto its hind legs.
The mahout, caught off guard, lost his grip as the massive beast twisted violently, breaking into a frenzied charge down the crowded street.
Panic erupted.
People screamed, scrambling to get out of its way.
Vendors abandoned their carts; colorful stalls toppled, spilling sweets and fabrics onto the ground.
Children cried as mothers pulled them to safety.
The once-joyous festival had turned into chaos within seconds.
A gust of wind swept through the road, lifting the scattered flower petals as a lone figure emerged from the direction of the temple. Rudra Eswar.
Barefoot, dressed in a simple White kurta, he emerged from the temple steps.
His sky-blue eyes glowed under the flickering festival lamps, the golden Trishul tattoo on his neck catching the firelight.
Calm, composed—unshaken.
And then, he saw her.
A little girl, barely five years old, had been separated from her mother in the chaos.
She stood frozen in the middle of the road, wide-eyed, her tiny hands gripping a broken toy.
The elephant—still wild with fear—was charging straight at her.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"Somebody grab the child!"
a woman shrieked.
But it was too late. The elephant's massive foot was already coming down—
And then—a blur of movement.
At the very last second, Rudra moved.
With inhuman speed, he lunged forward, scooping up the little girl and twisting his body.
As the elephant's foot slammed into the ground where she had stood, Rudra rolled—right under the beast's belly.
Ahhhhh~
A collective scream went up.
But Rudra didn't stop.
Holding the child tightly to his chest, he used the momentum to roll beneath the elephant's charging legs, narrowly dodging each thunderous stomp.
His agility was precise—one misstep, and he would be crushed.
The crowd watched in stunned silence, hearts in their throats.
Then, in one final push, Rudra twisted mid-roll and launched himself out from under the beast—landing effortlessly on his feet several meters away.
The girl, unharmed, blinked up at him.
Rudra smiled and ruffled her hair.
"That was a close one, huh?"
The crowd erupted into gasps, then cheers.
The festival's energy was still electric, the echoes of gasps and cheers lingering in the air.
The little girl clung to her mother, who wept tears of gratitude, holding her child as if she would never let go again.
But even as the danger had seemingly passed, one thing remained unresolved.
The elephant.
It was still restless, its massive body quivering with fear.
The mahout struggled to soothe it, tugging at its reins, but the beast let out another panicked trumpet, its giant feet scraping against the ground, ready to bolt once more.
People held their breath, unsure of what to do.
Then, Rudra took a step forward.
The cheers and noise faded into hushed whispers as all eyes turned to him.
His sky-blue eyes locked onto the elephant's dark, frightened ones.
Rudra handed the child to her mother, then, without a word, moved toward the towering animal.
Every step was measured, calm.
The crowd watched with wide eyes—this wasn't bravery anymore.
This was insanity.
Even the mahout hesitated.
"Beta, step back! It's still scared, it could—"
But Rudra ignored him.
He raised a hand and, with absolute confidence, placed it gently on the elephant's forehead.
The massive creature flinched but didn't move.
And then, Rudra spoke.
It wasn't a language anyone could recognize—soft, rhythmic, more like a whisper of the wind through the trees than human speech.
His fingers traced soothing circles along the elephant's rough skin, his voice steady, patient.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then, something shifted.
The elephant's ears twitched. The tension in its body eased.
The wild, scared look in its eyes dimmed.
It let out a deep, heavy exhale—a sigh of relief.
The beast, once untamed and raging, now lowered its massive head gently against Rudra's palm.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
The mahout looked on in disbelief.
Rudra smiled, still murmuring, his hand trailing along the elephant's trunk.
The once-panicked creature now stood peacefully, as if all the fear had been washed away.
And for the first time, the festival fell completely silent.
sigh~
From the crowd, Shiva, who had just arrived with Amrita and the others witnessed this scene and let out a relieved sigh that Rudra was fine.
Even Shiva, usually full of jokes, was at a loss for words the atmosphere is heavy.
As the stunned silence stretched, Shiva, ever the opportunist, decided enough was enough.
He clapped his hands loudly, forcing a grin.
"Alright, folks! Show's over! Rudra's not opening a circus, and the elephant's not signing autographs!"
A few chuckles rippled through the crowd, but the tension still lingered.
Shiva sighed dramatically and draped an arm around Rudra's shoulders.
"Bro, listen… Next time, just carry a flute with you. At this rate, you'll have an army of elephants following you home like some desi Pied Piper!"
Sandeep, catching on, smirked.
"Forget elephants—cows, dogs, birds, even mosquitoes will start listening to him!"
Ravi nodded way too seriously.
"You know, I always suspected Rudra was hiding a big secret. This just confirms it."
Rudra, still patting the elephant's trunk, shot them a dry look.
"I just saved a kid, and THIS is my reward?"
Shiva gasped in mock outrage and clutched his chest.
"Oh, sorry, Your Highness! Shall we arrange a grand welcome? A shower of flowers? A victory parade?"
Ravi snickered.
"Maybe even an interview? 'Breaking news! Rudra Eswar, the new Dr. Dolittle of our generation!'"
The festival-goers, now giggling and whispering among themselves, gradually moved away.
Some still sneaked glances at Rudra, but the heavy tension had lifted.
Meanwhile, Shiva leaned in and whispered,
"Be honest, Rudra. You've got some animal past life thing going on, don't you? Maybe you were an elephant in your last birth?"
Rudra groaned, shaking his head.
"If I was, I'd probably still have better luck with girls than you."
"OYE!"
Shiva shouted as Sandeep and Ravi burst into laughter.
And just like that, the festival resumed its joyful chaos—with one new legend added to its stories.
The festival's energy still buzzed in the air as Rudra, Shiva, and the others walked Amirtha back to the orphanage.
Yet, despite the joy around him, Rudra's mind was elsewhere.
Inside his head, a faint, almost mechanical voice echoed.
[HOST'S SYSTEM FUNCTIONS ARE CURRENTLY LOCKED. UNLOCKING IN: 09:00:00]
Rudra's eyes subtly widened.
'Wait… 9 hours? That means—'
[CORRECT. AT 6:00 PM TODAY, HOST WILL OFFICIALLY TURN 16, TRIGGERING SYSTEM ACTIVATION.]
Rudra let that sink in.
'So… my actual birthday is today?'
He had never really celebrated his birthday before. No one knew the exact date.
All he remembered was growing up at the orphanage even in his past life.
Turns out, fate had a twisted sense of humor.
'And once you activate, what happens?'
[ACCESS TO SYSTEM FUNCTIONALITIES WILL BE GRANTED BASED ON HOST'S PROGRESS.
MISSIONS, REWARDS, AND TRAITS WILL BE UNLOCKED IN PHASES.
DESTINATION OF NEXT WORLD: PENDING.]
Rudra exhaled sharply.
This was it.
The real beginning.
Shiva's voice suddenly yanked him out of his thoughts.
"Oye, Rudra! What's with that serious face? Thinking about the elephant again?"
Ravi nudged him playfully.
"Or is it a girl this time?"
Sandeep snorted.
"If it's a girl, then forget it—she's probably writing a love letter for Rudra as we speak."
Shiva clutched his chest dramatically.
"Don't remind me!"
Rudra shook his head, forcing a smirk.
"Nope. Just thinking about how I ended up with such annoying friends."
The three gasped in the mock offence as Amirtha chuckled.
As they approached the orphanage, a warm glow spread in Rudra's chest.
The system, the journey, the upcoming changes—it could all wait.
For now, he was home.
Afternoon arrived, bringing with it a warm breeze and the smell of freshly cooked food from every corner of the festival.
At the orphanage, Amirtha, Shiva, and Rudra stood near the entrance, waiting for the wealthy family who had promised to sponsor today's lunch.
The kids were buzzing with excitement, peeking through the windows, eagerly anticipating a feast.
Meanwhile, Shiva's friends had mysteriously vanished.
Rudra glanced around.
"Where did those two disappear to?"
Shiva crossed his arms.
"They said they were going on a holy mission."
Amirtha raised an eyebrow.
"A holy mission?"
Just then, Ravi and Sandeep came marching back triumphantly, carrying an oversized steel food carrier, struggling under its weight.
Shiva stared.
"What in the name of—?"
Ravi grinned.
"Behold! Prasadam(Free food) from the temple!"
Sandeep wiped his brow dramatically.
"A treasure beyond riches. Divine, pure, and most importantly—free!"
Amirtha sighed, already knowing where this was going.
"And just how did you get all of that?"
Ravi waved it off.
"Ma, don't worry! We didn't steal it."
Sandeep added quickly,
"We just… exaggerated our devotion a little. Told the priests we were collecting for a noble cause."
Rudra narrowed his eyes.
"What noble cause?"
Shiva deadpanned.
"Their stomachs."
Sandeep clapped Shiva's shoulder.
"Oye, don't expose us like that! We did this for the greater good!"
Ravi nodded sagely.
"The orphans shouldn't miss out on temple prasad, right? It would be unfair."
Amirtha shook her head, suppressing a smile.
"Just set it down inside. And next time, try asking properly."
As the two happily carried their 'spoils' inside, Shiva muttered to Rudra,
"I swear, these guys have no shame. One day, their 'greater good' speeches will get us all into trouble."
Rudra chuckled.
"At least they're consistent."
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(Author's POV)
(A/N):
It will motivate me if you guys give your opinions and comments to maintain a good interactive relationship between us.
Thanks for reading the chapter!
Please give a review!!! and power stone!!!
Which will motivate me more.