A quiet wooden house stood deep within the mountains.
Snow-dusted winds whispered across the valley outside, brushing against the walls like distant echoes. Inside, everything was still.
Too still.
On a simple bed, a young boy lay unconscious.
Then—
His eyes snapped open.
"—!"
He gasped, sitting upright abruptly.
His breathing was heavy, uneven. His gaze darted around the unfamiliar room—wooden walls, a small window, faint light filtering through.
"…Where am I?"
Panic surged.
Then—
A thought struck him like lightning.
"Chutki!"
He jumped off the bed.
"Chutki! Where are you?!"
His voice echoed through the room.
From behind him—
A faint shadow moved.
Small.
Distorted.
It crept along the wall before taking shape.
A skeletal silhouette.
"You're awake, Bheem."
The boy turned sharply.
"Dukhchar!"
The Narvan's hollow form flickered softly in the dim light.
"Where are we?" Bheem asked, his voice urgent.
Dukhchar tilted his head.
"You forget," he said calmly. "When you sleep… I sleep as well."
Bheem paused.
"…Right."
A quiet memory echoed within him—
("From the day I was born… he was always there. Dukhchar… my only constant. The only one who never left.")
His chest tightened.
Without another word, he rushed out of the room.
The corridor stretched long and narrow.
Wood creaked beneath his feet as he ran.
"Chutki!"
His voice cracked.
"Chutki!!"
Then—
He heard it.
Laughter.
Soft.
Bright.
Children's laughter.
Bheem froze.
Then ran faster.
He pushed the door open—
And stepped outside.
The world beyond was breathtaking.
Towering mountains stretched into the sky.
Snow glistened under sunlight.
A vast valley opened before him—
Peaceful.
Beautiful.
Alive.
And there—
Near the house—
Children were playing.
Running.
Laughing.
And among them—
"…Chutki!"
His voice broke.
His little sister turned.
For a moment, her eyes widened—
Then she ran.
"Bhaiya!!"
She collided into him, wrapping her arms tightly around him.
He held her just as tightly.
"…You're safe…"
His voice trembled slightly.
"I was so worried…"
She looked up at him, smiling brightly.
"You were sleeping all day," she said. "I got scared."
Bheem exhaled deeply.
"…Sorry."
A warmth spread through his chest.
For the first time in days—
He felt relief.
Other children gathered around them.
"You finally woke up!" a girl said cheerfully.
"Your sister didn't leave your side," another added.
Bheem looked at them.
Then smiled faintly.
"…Thank you. For taking care of her."
He stood straight.
"My name is Bheem Mangal."
The girl stepped forward confidently.
"I'm Kamali Vandana."
Another boy raised his hand.
"Booma Dukkaj."
A tall, energetic boy grinned.
"Kaali Champraas."
"And I'm Daabur Pandey," another added.
Bheem blinked.
So many children.
All around his age.
"…Where are we?" he asked slowly.
Kaali answered first.
"We're in Spiti Valley."
"…Spiti?"
Bheem frowned.
Before he could ask further—
A voice came from behind.
"Spiti Valley lies in Himachal Pradesh."
Bheem turned.
The man.
The same man who saved him.
"…You."
Bheem's expression shifted.
Then—
Shock hit him.
"…Wait."
His eyes widened.
"Himachal Pradesh?!"
His voice rose.
"I was in Jaipur—how did we get here in one day?!"
Before the man could answer—
"Bhaiya! I know!"
Chutki raised her hand excitedly.
"That man did something!"
She mimicked with her hands.
"He tore the air open—and when we walked inside, we came here!"
Bheem stared at her.
"…Tore the air?"
His mind struggled to process it.
The man simply smiled.
But said nothing.
Later that day—
Bheem sat alone on a rock.
The valley stretched endlessly before him.
The cold wind brushed past his face.
In the distance—
Chutki laughed as she played with the other children.
Free.
Happy.
Alive.
Bheem watched her quietly.
A small smile formed.
"She's smiling again…"
But then—
A shadow crossed his thoughts.
His father.
His mother.
The warmth of home.
Gone.
His eyes lowered.
Tears formed silently.
"…Why…"
His voice was barely a whisper.
"…Why did everything have to disappear…?"
Footsteps approached.
The man sat beside him.
"I know," he said softly.
Bheem didn't respond.
"I know it's not easy… taking care of her alone."
Bheem's fingers tightened slightly.
"…After our mother left…"
He swallowed.
"…I never saw her smile like that again."
His voice trembled.
The man looked ahead.
"You've both endured more than most."
A pause.
Then—
"But that ends now."
Bheem turned slightly.
"…What do you mean?"
The man gestured toward the children.
"Look at them."
Bheem followed his gaze.
"They are just like you," the man continued. "Children who lost everything."
Silence.
"But they all share one thing."
Bheem frowned.
"…What?"
The man looked toward the vast sky.
His voice deepened.
"Talent."
Bheem's eyes narrowed.
"…Talent?"
"A power," the man said. "One that can reshape the world itself."
Bheem's heartbeat quickened.
"…What kind of power?"
The man's gaze sharpened.
"…Prāṇa."
The word echoed.
Something within Bheem stirred.
Unseen.
Unknown.
But alive.
Present Time
The forest returned.
Dark.
Heavy.
Silent.
Bheem stood beneath the open sky.
"…After that day…"
His voice was calm.
"…our Master trained us."
His eyes reflected distant memories.
"He taught us everything."
"Prāṇa."
"Its flow."
"Its attributes."
"Its true potential."
He looked at Lioran.
"We learned about Prāṇa abilities… and how they could shape reality itself."
A faint smile appeared.
"…Those were the happiest days of my life."
For a brief moment—
The darkness around him felt lighter.
But then—
It vanished.
His gaze dropped.
"…Until that day."
The air grew colder.
Fifteen Years Ago
High in the mountains—
The children trained.
Stronger now.
Sharper.
Warriors in the making.
"Catch him!"
Kaali laughed as he hurled glowing, sticky spheres.
THWIP! THWIP!
Bheem dodged effortlessly.
Booma raised his arms—
Wind roared.
A tornado formed around Bheem.
WHOOSH!!!
He was trapped inside.
Kaali grinned.
"Now you're done!"
He threw more spheres into the storm.
THWACK! THWACK!
"They'll stick you in place!"
Inside the tornado—
Bheem stood still.
Calm.
Unshaken.
"…I don't need to escape."
His voice echoed.
His hand rose slowly.
Water gathered.
Flowing.
Spiraling.
"…Whirlpool."
In an instant—
The tornado filled with water.
ROOOOAR!!!
The storm became a raging vortex of water.
Kaali's grin vanished.
"…What?!"
Booma's eyes widened.
"He turned it into water?!"
Kaali stepped back. "But that means, he's trapped inside it! "
The vortex roared louder.
Violent.
Unpredictable.
TO BE CONTINUED…