The morning sun broke through the mist, spilling golden light across the jungle canopy. Dew clung to the leaves like tiny stars, and the temple ruins glowed as if remembering a time when prayers echoed through its stones.
Veer sat cross-legged on the cold floor.
The sage—who had not yet shared his name—stood before him, holding a bowl of water and a wooden staff.
"Before you speak words that command," he said, "you must learn the power of the words you don't speak."
Veer frowned. "I don't understand."
"Good. That means you're ready."
The sage poured water into the stone basin at the center of the altar. The ripples danced as the sun touched its surface.
"Words," he said, "are like this water. When used with control, they reflect truth. But if you shout, if you rush…" He struck the side of the bowl lightly with the staff. Waves disrupted the surface, breaking the sunlight into chaos.
"…they drown meaning."
Veer watched closely. He understood now. The strange power inside him wasn't just about shouting commands—it was about precision. Emotion. Clarity.
"Today," the sage continued, "you will learn your first mantra—not for battle, but for balance."
He handed Veer a leaf with a single word written on it in Sanskrit:
"Maun" — Silence.
"Speak it," the sage instructed. "Not with your tongue, but with your breath. Feel it in your bones."
Veer closed his eyes.
He took a deep breath, and in his mind, he whispered: Maun.
Suddenly, everything around him slowed.
The birdsong grew distant. The rustle of leaves faded. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.
Then—something shifted.
A memory rose—not his own, but someone else's. A battlefield. A king yelling commands. Arrows flying. And a young boy with tearful eyes clutching a dying horse.
It vanished in an instant.
Veer opened his eyes, heart racing.
The sage was watching him with calm interest.
"You glimpsed it, didn't you?"
Veer nodded. "A memory. But not mine."
The sage knelt beside him. "That is the second truth of Wordcraft. Words are not only yours—they are echoes of those who came before. You speak them, and they speak through you."
> [System Notification:]
[Mantra: Maun (Passive) – Silence of Self, opens echoes of the past]
[New Ability Unlocked: Echo Glimpse]
[Usage: 1/day | Duration: 3 seconds]
[Spiritual Drain: Medium]
Veer looked at his hands again—this time not with fear, but wonder.
"You will learn more," the sage said. "But slowly. Power that rises too fast… collapses."
Veer nodded.
Then, for the first time since the disaster, he smiled—not because he was safe, or happy, but because he could finally feel the path beneath his feet.
He may not have had a kingdom.
He may not have had a sword.
But he now had something far greater:
Understanding.
And from understanding… came power.