It had been nearly three months since the death of Grandmaster Dhumketu.
For three long months, the entire world had searched relentlessly for Om.
Governments, intelligence agencies, military organizations, and secret groups had all poured countless resources into finding him. Yet ever since that day on the battlefield—when Om, Shivay, and Adi vanished into the smoke—there had been no trace of them.
It was as if they had disappeared from existence itself.
No one knew where Om and his family had gone.
Had the earth swallowed them?
Had the sky taken them away?
Even the Indian government, despite using every resource available through its intelligence networks, had failed to uncover anything significant. Other nations fared no better.
Every possible lead had been investigated.
Every possible location had been searched.
Nothing.
But perhaps the strangest mystery wasn't Om.
At least the government had some information about him.
The real mystery was the two boys who had appeared beside him on the battlefield.
Shivay and Adi.
No records.
No identities.
No documents.
No names in any database.
No birth certificates.
No official existence.
It was as if they had never been born.
While the world desperately searched for Om...
Om's family was living peacefully in Badallok.
As the family of Dhumketu, they had been welcomed as honored royal guests.
Every comfort was provided to them.
Every need was taken care of.
Queen Nirjadevi had personally requested that they remain in Badallok for as long as necessary.
According to her, returning to Earth was still far too dangerous.
The world had become a battlefield.
Badallok was the safest place for them.
But while the rest of his family slowly adjusted...
Om was falling apart.
Day by day.
Piece by piece.
The more time he spent in Badallok, the deeper he sank into himself.
His grandfather's death refused to leave him.
Every corner of Badallok reminded him of Dhumketu.
Every path.
Every garden.
Every training ground.
Every memory.
Again and again, the same horrifying scene replayed inside his head.
Dhumketu dying in front of him.
Struggling for his final breath.
Calling his name.
And Om...
Unable to save him.
That single memory had become a prison.
A prison from which he couldn't escape.
He blamed himself every day.
Every hour.
Every minute.
His grandfather had died right before his eyes.
And he had been powerless to stop it.
That thought slowly destroyed him from the inside.
He withdrew from everyone.
From his family.
From his friends.
From the world.
He spent most of his days alone in forgotten corners of Badallok, drowning in guilt.
Eventually, he even stopped his spiritual training.
The training Dhumketu had spent years preparing him for.
It all ended.
Once again, Om had become the lonely child he used to be.
Alone.
Silent.
Broken.
On this particular day, Om sat beneath a massive tree deep within one of Badallok's dense forests.
The place was quiet.
Peaceful.
Almost forgotten.
Dead leaves covered the ground.
A gentle wind moved through the trees.
Lost in his thoughts, Om stared blankly at the earth.
His mind was far away.
So far away that he didn't even notice the sound of footsteps approaching.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Someone was walking through the fallen leaves.
Then several people.
Yet Om remained completely unaware.
Minutes passed.
Eventually, Adi, Shivay, Kakbhushundi, Queen Nirjadevi, and Om's younger uncle Vijay arrived.
They stood only a few feet away from him.
Still, Om didn't notice.
Only when they stopped directly in front of him did he finally realize someone was there.
Even then, it took him several moments to properly focus on their faces.
As if he had just woken from a dream.
Everyone present was shocked.
But Vijay and Nirjadevi were the most concerned.
Because the Om standing before them barely resembled the boy they once knew.
Over the past three months, he had changed completely.
He barely spoke.
He ignored almost everyone.
Nobody knew when he slept.
Nobody knew when he ate.
Nobody even knew where he disappeared to every morning.
Though Nirjadevi secretly assigned two guards to watch over him at all times, even they struggled to keep track of him.
Because he had stopped using his powers entirely, the natural aura that once surrounded him had faded away.
He hardly ate.
His body had become thinner.
His hair had grown long and messy.
A rough beard covered his face.
Dark circles rested beneath tired eyes.
The spark that once made him stand out was gone.
At first glance, almost nobody would recognize him anymore.
Finally realizing who stood before him, Om immediately got to his feet.
He bowed respectfully.
"I apologize."
"I didn't realize you were standing here."
"Forgive me."
He folded his hands respectfully.
"My respects, Your Majesty."
"My respects, Master Kakbhushundi."
"My respects, Uncle."
The words were polite.
But his voice sounded hollow.
Empty.
Vijay's heart sank.
"Om, my boy..."
He looked at him carefully.
"What have you done to yourself?"
For a brief moment, Om remained silent.
Then he answered in a flat voice.
"Uncle..."
"If you've all come here to motivate me..."
"Or encourage me..."
"Or give me advice..."
"Then let me tell you right now that there's no need."
His eyes lowered slightly.
"Please."
"Just leave me alone."
Without waiting for a response, Om turned and began walking away.
Slowly.
Without emotion.
Watching him leave, Shivay glanced toward Nirjadevi.
"Aren't you going to stop him?"
"I thought we came here to help him."
Nirjadevi's expression darkened.
She watched Om's retreating figure with helpless eyes.
"The truth is..."
She sighed.
"I don't even know how to help him anymore."
Her voice carried months of frustration.
"For three months we've been trying."
"We've talked to him."
"We've stayed by his side."
"We've done everything we could."
"But every time we try..."
"He simply walks away."
As if nothing they said mattered.
Her eyes lowered sadly.
"When he returned to Badallok with you two..."
"I thought he would train harder."
"I thought he would grow stronger."
"Instead..."
Her voice cracked slightly.
"He's punishing himself."
"Every day."
"He keeps blaming himself for Grandmaster Dhumketu's death."
"And no matter what we say..."
"He refuses to let go."
Silence followed.
Then Adi suddenly spoke.
In typical Adi fashion.
"What exactly are you all trying to explain to him anyway?"
Everyone looked at him.
Adi shrugged.
"This isn't a situation that needs explaining."
"It needs fixing."
He pointed toward Om.
"Look at him."
"The guy got hit by tragedy, and now he's trying to become the next Devdas."
He shook his head dramatically.
"I think it's time somebody reminded him."
A grin appeared.
"Brother, you're a lion."
"Start roaring already."
"Who knows?"
"Maybe that'll work."
Nobody laughed.
Not this time.
Because even Adi knew the joke wasn't enough.
Om had already walked some distance away.
Then—
A furious voice suddenly echoed through the forest.
A voice powerful enough to freeze him in place.
"You think we're happy that Dhumketu is gone?"
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Om stopped.
His body became rigid.
Behind him, Kakbhushundi stepped forward.
His eyes burned with anger.
And for the first time in months...
There was no sympathy in his voice.
Only harsh truth.
"Shame on the Dhumketu who believed his grandson would change history."
The words struck like a blade.
Everyone froze.
Even Adi.
Even Shivay.
Nirjadevi looked shocked.
Vijay stared at Kakbhushundi in disbelief.
But Kakbhushundi didn't stop.
His voice grew colder.
"Perhaps he was wrong."
"Perhaps the man who believed you were destined for greatness was nothing more than a fool."
Om's fists clenched.
Slowly.
Tightly.
The air around him grew heavier.
Then he turned.
His eyes burning with fury.
Locked directly onto Kakbhushundi.
And for the first time in three months...
There was finally emotion on Om's face.