As soon as Rajendra, Anvi, and Amirtha stepped out of the shop, a low, eerie hum filled the air.
The golden fissures in the floor pulsed one final time—
Then, in an instant—
BOOM!
The entire shop disintegrated into golden dust.
The wooden beams shattered walls, and even the unconscious leader— all turned to nothingness.
The swirling remnants of divine energy hovered in the air for a brief moment before settling, leaving behind a single imprint on the ground.
A symbol.
The mark of the Brahmāstra.
Amirtha's heart pounded in her chest.
Her hands trembled slightly as her eyes locked onto the imprint burned into the earth.
"This…"
she whispered, barely able to believe what she was seeing.
Rudra, standing beside her, slowly exhaled.
He clenched his fists, feeling the last remnants of golden energy settle within his body.
Amirtha rushed to Rudra, her eyes scanning him for any signs of injury.
Placing her hands on his shoulders, she asked with genuine concern,
"Are you hurt? Do you feel anything strange?"
Rudra, still feeling the lingering presence of the Brahmāstra within him, took a deep breath before shaking his head.
"I'm fine,"
he reassured her, though he himself was still processing everything.
But Amirtha wasn't convinced.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she touched his wrist, where the broken Brahmāstra tattoo had appeared before fading.
Her heart raced as a realization struck her.
The broken piece of the Brahmāstra had chosen Rudra.
This had never happened before.
Even Dev, who had come closest to wielding its power, had never been chosen.
Instead, he had tried to take it by force—and suffered a severe backlash as a result.
'But Rudra… it accepted him.'
Amirtha's grip on his wrist tightened slightly, her mind filled with unanswered questions.
Meanwhile, Rajendra exhaled a tired sigh as he observed the destruction left in the wake of the battle.
Sigh~
"____"
His gaze shifted to Amirtha, who was still focused on Rudra.
While on their way here, he had taken precautions.
The moment Amirtha sensed the Jelāstra's aura nearby, and informed him about it Rajandra had contacted his men and ordered an evacuation of the area.
As the man responsible for overseeing Mumbai, he couldn't afford to let innocent civilians get caught up in battles of this scale.
Now, as he took in the sight of the ruined shop and the symbol of Brahmāstra burned into the earth,
he let out a defeated sigh.
Sigh~
'Thank the gods I had them evacuate the place… Otherwise, this could have been a disaster.'
As soon as they assessed the situation, they wasted no time. Rajendra, Amirtha, Anvi, and Rudra immediately evacuated the area, leaving behind the ruined shop.
The imprint of Brahmāstra on the ground glowed faintly before fading into the dust.
Junoo, still shaken by everything that had happened, followed them in silence.
Her earlier arrogance had vanished, replaced by a tense uncertainty as she processed what she had just witnessed.
Once they reached the orphanage and closed the door to the main hall along with the window so no one could listen to the conversation away from the destruction, Amirtha turned to Rudra, her expression serious.
"Now, tell me what happened. Who were they? And why were they after you?"
Rudra exhaled, his mind still racing from the encounter.
"They were a group of six hooded men. They first tried to take Junoo with them, claiming she was 'the chosen one' meant to serve their lord, Brahmadev."
"____"
"____"
The moment Rudra uttered the name "Brahmadev," Amirtha and Rajandra froze.
A deep silence followed, their expressions shifting from confusion to something far more troubled.
Rajandra's usually composed face darkened, his jaw tightening as he exchanged a look with Amirtha.
Amirtha, her breath unsteady, whispered,
"Brahmadev…?"
The name stirred memories—
memories buried deep, yet never truly forgotten.
Flashback...
A younger Dev would boast to them endlessly before he had turned dark before his lust for power had consumed him.
"I will be the one chosen by the Brahmāstra!"
he had declared with unshakable confidence, his eyes alight with the fire of ambition.
"And when that happens, the world will know me as Brahmadev!"
At the time, it had been nothing more than arrogant words, the musings of a warrior too sure of his own destiny.
Flashback ends...
But now, hearing the name spoken with weight, with meaning—
something felt eerily wrong.
Rajendra clenched his fists.
"It can't be a coincidence."
Amirtha exhaled sharply, the pieces slowly falling into place.
'If these people are calling someone Brahmadev… If they are gathering Astras… Then...'
She didn't finish her thought.
She didn't need to.
The implication was clear.
Dev had once believed he was destined for the Brahmāstra.
But the Brahmāstra had never chosen him.
Instead, it had rejected him, and in his desperation, he had tried to take it by force.
That decision had cost him everything, marking the start of his downfall.
Now, all these years later, a group was moving under the name he once coveted.
If Dev was truly behind this, then his ambition had not died—
it had simply evolved.
Amirtha's eyes darkened with realization.
"It's him…"
she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
Rajendra turned to her sharply.
"Amirtha?"
She clenched her fists, her expression grim.
"There's no doubt about it. One of those men… he was using my Jelāstra. The very Astra I abandoned—at the same place where Dev was sealed."
She nodded, her grip tightening on the edge of her cloak.
"I left Jelāstra behind because I couldn't bear to wield it after that day. That Astra should have remained there, untouched. But now…"
She exhaled sharply, unease washing over her.
"If it's in their hands, then someone has been to that place. And if they've dared to disturb Dev's resting ground…"
Rajandra's face darkened, the implications chilling him to his core.
"Then they might be trying to break his curse."
Rudra glanced at the Jelāstra in his hands, its blue divine energy pulsing gently.
He hesitated for a moment before stepping forward and extending it to Amirtha.
"This belongs to you,"
he said firmly.
Amirtha reached out, her fingers brushing against the familiar Astra.
The moment she grasped it, a surge of memories and power coursed through her, reminding her of the countless battles she had fought with it.
But now, she held it not just as a warrior—
but as a guardian.
Determination burned in her eyes as she secured the Astra at her side.
Turning to Junoo, she spoke in a commanding tone.
"You're staying here at the orphanage until I say otherwise. No arguments."
Junoo blinked in surprise but nodded there was no one waiting for her at home any way her father had died left behind a huge debt on her head and her mother was fighting cancer at the hospital.
He wasn't one to question Amirtha's orders, especially when she was this serious.
Then, her gaze swept over Rudra, Shiva, Sandeep, and Ravi who arrived while she was talking with Junoo, Rudra filled them in on what had happened,
her expression unwavering Amirtha turned to others.
"That goes for all of you as well. None of you are to leave the orphanage grounds without my permission. Do you understand?"
Shiva opened his mouth to protest but quickly shut it at the sharp look she gave him.
Sandeep and Ravi exchanged glances but didn't object either.
Rudra, sensing the weight behind her words, simply nodded.
Meanwhile, Rajendra and Anvi prepared to leave.
"We'll handle things on our end,"
Rajendra assured her.
"The Brahmāsh Council and Gurudev need to hear about this. And we have to discuss the new admissions into Gurukul."
Amirtha nodded, trusting them to take care of the matter.
As Rajendra and Anvi departed, Tejas and Meena arrived at the orphanage, looking concerned.
"You'll both be staying here for now,"
Amirtha informed them.
"It's for your safety."
Meena frowned but didn't argue, while Tejas crossed his arms.
"This has to do with what happened to Rudra, doesn't it?"
Amirtha's silence was answer enough.
Next day...
Brahmāsh Council...
The hall was vast, with towering pillars carved with ancient inscriptions, and the scent of burning incense filled the air.
The council members sat in a semicircle, their expressions varying from stern curiosity to outright concern.
At the centre, seated on an elevated platform, was Gurudev Arvind, the revered leader of the Gurukul.
Even though he became the Guru of the Gurukul after great effort he was young compared to other Gurus of different Gurukul.
His calm yet piercing gaze was fixed on Rajendra, who stood before them, recounting the events of the previous night.
Rajendra was also one of his friends before he became Guru Arvind instead when he was just Arvind.
Rajendra stands before the Brahmāstra Council, his expression firm but cautious.
The grand chamber, filled with the most powerful wielders of Astras, is tense as they await his words.
Taking a deep breath, he delivers the shocking news.
"Amirtha is alive."
The moment the words leave his lips, the council erupts.
Some members stand abruptly, their voices filled with disbelief and anger.
"You mean to tell us that all these years, you have hidden this from us?"
one elder questions, his voice laced with betrayal.
"We mourned her, Rajendra! We believed she sacrificed herself that night!"
another exclaims.
The weight of their disappointment fills the room, but Rajendra remains composed.
He had expected this reaction.
Just as the tension reaches its peak, a calm yet commanding voice cuts through the noise.
"Enough,"
Guru Arvind speaks, his presence immediately restoring order.
His piercing gaze sweeps across the council before settling on Rajendra.
"There must be a reason why this was kept from us. Let him explain."
Nod~
With a respectful nod to Guru Arvind, Rajendra takes the chance to shift the discussion.
He recounts everything—
the attack in Mumbai, the hooded men who called themselves followers of Brahmadev, the use of Jalāstra, and the broken piece of Brahmāstra choosing Rudra.
As he speaks, the room falls into silence, the weight of his words sinking in.
The expressions of the council members shift from anger to concern, and the realization dawns upon them—
this was bigger than just Amirtha's survival.
One of the senior council members, Acharya Vedan, stroked his long beard thoughtfully.
"You're suggesting that Dev's influence still lingers? That someone has uncovered his resting place?"
Rajandra's fists clenched at his sides.
"It's more than that. They claimed allegiance to someone named Brahmadev."
The room tensed.
Gurudev, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.
His deep, measured voice cut through the murmurs like a blade.
"Brahmadev."
He repeated the name slowly as if tasting its weight.
"There was once only one man who wanted to be addressed by that title."
Rajandra and Anvi exchanged glances before Rajandra confirmed their unspoken thought.
"____"
"____"
"Dev."
Silence.
For a long moment, no one spoke.
The council members absorbed the revelation, each of them recalling the fallen warrior—
once their peer, once their greatest hope—
who had succumbed to his own thirst for power?
Finally, Gurudev exhaled, his aged yet powerful presence filling the chamber.
Sigh~
"We must not be hasty in our conclusions, but this cannot be ignored. If Dev's followers have resurfaced… if they seek the Brahmāstra…"
his eyes darkened,
"then we are on the edge of a war we cannot afford to lose."
He then turned his gaze back to Rajendra.
"And Rudra?"
Rajendra hesitated for a moment before answering.
"He… he has been chosen by the Brahmāstra."
This time, the reaction was immediate.
Gasp~
Gasps echoed around the chamber.
Some council members even stood from their seats, disbelief etched onto their faces.
"Impossible!"
one of them declared.
"No mortal has ever been chosen by the Brahmāstra—not even Dev, for all his strength!"
Gurudev raised a hand, and the chamber fell silent once more.
His eyes held Rajandra's.
"Are you certain?"
Rajendra gave a firm nod.
"We all witnessed it. The broken piece of the Brahmāstra left Amirtha's hands and merged with Rudra. It accepted him."
The council chamber seemed to hum with unseen energy.
Some elders exchanged worried looks, while others stared at Gurudev, waiting for his decision.
Finally, Gurudev closed his eyes for a brief moment, as if seeking guidance from forces beyond their understanding.
Then, he opened them.
"Then we must prepare."
His voice, though calm, carried the weight of inevitability.
"If the Brahmāstra has chosen a successor… then fate has already set things into motion."
The council chamber remained silent as Rajendra finished recounting the events surrounding Rudra.
The weight of the situation, combined with Guru Arvind's presence, led the council to hesitate.
However, after a brief deliberation, they readily agreed to allow Rudra to study at Gurukul.
"If the Brahmāstra has chosen him, we cannot deny him the path to understanding it,"
one of the elders finally said, nodding in agreement.
"We will keep a close eye on him."
Relieved that this matter had been settled, Rajendra took a deep breath, knowing the next topic was even more sensitive.
He hesitated for a moment before finally revealing the truth about Shiva.
"There is… one more matter,"
he began, carefully choosing his words.
The council turned their attention to him once more, their expressions wary.
"Shiva…"
Rajendra exhaled deeply.
"Shiva is Dev's son."
The chamber fell into stunned silence.
"____"
"____"
"____"
Gasp~
A few gasps echoed, while others tensed in shock.
Guru Arvind's eyes narrowed slightly, but he remained calm.
One of the council members finally spoke, disbelief evident in their voice.
"Dev's son? Impossible!"
Rajendra clenched his fists and explained,
"Shiva is different."
Rajendra countered.
His eyes swept across the room as he spoke.
"When Dev's soul was torn apart, it did not vanish into nothingness. Instead, it divided into two—one part remained as Dev, cursed and trapped, while the other… was reborn into a new life."
Several council members looked shaken.
"Shiva is not merely Dev's child—he is the other half of what Dev once was. A life that was born free from his past sins, untouched by the darkness that consumed him."
A council member clenched their fists.
"Even if that is true, how can we be certain this boy will not become like Dev? How can we trust that he will not inherit his ambition, his hunger for power?"
Rajendra did not hesitate.
"Because I have watched over him since the day he was born. I have seen his kindness, his loyalty, his innocence. He does not know of his past, and I intend to keep it that way."
He looked around the room, his voice unwavering.
"I swear upon my honor—Shiva is nothing like Dev."
The weight of his words settled over the council.
Some still looked unconvinced, but Guru Arvind finally spoke.
"Rajendra has always been a man of unwavering judgment,"
he said.
"If he vouches for the boy, then we must not act in fear. However…"
His gaze sharpened.
"The past has a way of catching up to us. We must remain vigilant. If Shiva was truly born from Dev's torn soul, then his existence is not a coincidence."
A heavy silence followed, but no one objected further.
The council reluctantly accepted Shiva's presence—
but they would be watching.
Rajendra exhaled slowly, knowing he had secured Shiva's place at Gurukul—
but this was only the beginning.
**********************************************************************************************************************************************************
(Author's POV)
(A/N):
Thanks for reading the chapter!
Please give a review!!! And power stone!!!
Which will motivate me more.