High atop the mountain—
A raging vortex roared.
Water spiraled violently into the sky, forming a towering pillar of destruction. The wind howled as currents twisted and crashed within the storm.
Below—
Kaali and Booma stood frozen.
"What… is that?" Kaali whispered.
Booma's eyes trembled.
"…That's my vortex."
Kaali turned sharply.
"Then stop it!"
Booma shook his head slowly.
"…I can't."
A chill passed through the air.
"He took control."
Kaali's expression stiffened.
"…What?"
Booma clenched his fists.
"Bheem used his water attribute… and seized control of the vortex."
The realization hit like thunder.
"…So that means—"
Booma swallowed.
"I have no control over it anymore."
Inside the vortex—
Bheem stood calmly.
Water surged around him like a living entity, yet none of it touched him.
He was at its center.
Its core.
Its master.
His eyes glowed faintly.
Every drop.
Every current.
Every violent surge—
Moved under his command.
Then—
He raised his hand.
The vortex shifted direction.
"…No way," Kaali muttered.
"Booma—do something!"
"…I told you," Booma said quietly. "It's not mine anymore."
The vortex descended.
ROOOOOOOAR!!!
It swallowed them whole.
Water engulfed their bodies—
Spinning them violently—
Dragging them into its crushing current.
"AAAAHHH!!!"
They spun uncontrollably.
The world blurred.
Up became down.
Down became nothing.
Then—
Bheem closed his hand.
The vortex collapsed.
BOOOOM!!!
Water exploded outward—
And then—
Silence.
Kaali and Booma lay on the ground.
Drenched.
Dizzy.
Their heads spinning.
"My… head…" Kaali groaned.
"The earth… is spinning…" Booma mumbled.
Nearby—
Kamali burst into laughter.
"You idiots," she said, holding her stomach. "What made you think you could defeat Bheem?"
Daabur crossed his arms.
"Don't tease them too much."
Bheem approached calmly.
"They did well," he said.
Kaali sat up slowly.
"I still can't feel my legs…"
Booma squinted at the sky.
"It looks like the whole earth is rotating?"
Kamali rolled her eyes.
"The earth always rotates."
"That's not what I meant!" Booma snapped.
Laughter filled the mountain.
For a moment—
They were just children.
"Everyone!"
A cheerful voice echoed.
They turned.
Chutki approached, holding a basket.
"I made food!"
Kamali's eyes lit up.
"Chutki!"
She rushed forward and hugged her tightly.
"You're so cute!"
"Ka—Kamali didi… I can't breathe…" Chutki said.
"Oh—sorry!" Kamali quickly let go.
Everyone gathered.
"So, what's the menu?" Kaali asked eagerly.
Chutki smiled proudly.
"I made sandwiches!"
Booma's eyes sparkled.
"Sandwitch. Oh yeah!"
They all start eating.
"These are amazing!" Booma said after the first bite. "It feels like I'm eating heaven!"
Kamali sighed.
"How childish can you be?"
"I'm expressing my feelings!" Booma protested.
"Oh really?" Kamali smirked. "Only for sandwiches?"
Booma crossed his arms dramatically.
"No. I have feelings for burgers, pizza, fries, dosa, idli, aloo paratha—"
"Okay, enough!" Kamali interrupted.
Everyone burst into laughter again.
For a brief moment—
The world felt kind.
Safe.
Warm.
Later—
They lay on the grass.
The sky stretched endlessly above them.
"…It's beautiful," Chutki whispered.
Bheem nodded.
"…Yeah."
A bird soared across the sky.
Chutki's eyes sparkled.
"Bhaiya… can I fly like that someday?"
Bheem paused.
Before he could answer—
Booma sat up.
"Of course you can!"
Chutki gasped.
"Really?!"
Booma grinned proudly.
"I'm learning to control wind. Soon, I'll fly too."
He puffed his chest.
"And when I master it—I'll take you with me."
Chutki's face lit up.
"I can fly…!"
She laughed happily.
Bheem watched silently.
Then—
"…Thank you, Booma." Bheem said.
Booma smiled.
"We're family."
He looked at Chutki.
"She's our little sister too."
Bheem nodded.
"…Yeah."
The wind passed gently.
The sky glowed softly.
And slowly—
Bheem closed his eyes.
Sleep took him.
A few hours later, a voice shook him.
"Bheem—wake up!"
His eyes opened.
Kamali stood over him—
Panicked.
"What happened?" he asked.
Her hand trembled as she pointed.
"Look…"
Bheem turned.
And froze.
The house—
Was burning.
Flames devoured everything.
Smoke filled the sky.
"…No…"
His voice broke.
"This… can't be…"
"How did this happen?!" he shouted.
Kamali shook her head.
"I don't know—we just woke up and—"
"We have to go!" Daabur said.
Bheem stepped forward—
Then stopped.
His heart skipped.
"…Chutki?"
Silence.
His eyes widened.
"Where is she?!"
They looked around.
Then—
Kamali's face went pale.
"…She said…"
Her voice trembled.
"She went to the house… to prepare dinner…"
Time stopped.
"…Chutki."
Then—
"CHUTKIIII!!!"
Bheem ran.
Faster than ever before.
Others also ran towards the house.
Bheem leapt onto a tree—
Then another—
And another—
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
Branch to branch—
He flew through the forest.
"Hold on…"
His breath shook.
"I'm coming!"
He landed in front of the burning house.
Flames roared.
Heat blasted against his face.
"Chutki!!"
For a moment—
Nothing.
Then—
A faint voice.
"…Bhaiya… help me…"
His heart shattered.
"I'm here!"
Without hesitation—
He rushed inside.
Fire surrounded him.
Smoke choked the air.
Bheem raised his hand—
Water surged from his Prāṇa.
It carved a path through the flames.
SHHHHHHH!!!
Steam exploded around him.
"Chutki!!" Bheem shouted.
"I'm here! In the kitchen!" Chutki replied.
He ran.
Dodging falling debris—
Breaking through fire—
Until—
He saw her.
"Chutki!"
Her face lit up.
"Bhaiya!"
He stepped forward—
Then—
A shadow moved behind him.
"Bhaiya—MOVE!!"
Too late.
THAK!!!
A heavy rod hit his head.
Pain exploded.
He fell down.
Darkness swallowed him.
He got unconscious.
A few moments later, Bheem's eyes opened.
Everything burned.
His head throbbed.
Blood trickled down his face.
"…Chutki…"
He stood unsteadily.
"Chutki!!" He shout
No answer.
Fear consumed him.
He stumbled forward—
Searching.
"Where are you?!"
The flames roared louder.
He entered a room—
And froze.
His world stopped.
"…No…"
On the ground—
Two bodies.
Still.
Unmoving.
His Master.
And—
"…Chutki…"
His legs gave out.
He crawled toward her.
"Chutki…"
His hands trembled.
He lifted her.
Her body was cold.
A hole pierced through her chest.
Blood soaked her clothes.
"…No…"
His voice broke.
"…No…"
Tears fell.
"CHUTKIIII!!!"
His scream echoed through the burning house.
He held her tightly.
"…Wake up…"
His voice shattered.
"…Please wake up…"
Nothing.
Silence.
Only fire.
Only loss.
"Why…?"
His entire body shook.
"Why does everything get taken from me…?"
His scream grew louder.
Pain consumed him.
Then—
Footsteps.
Behind him.
A man stood there.
A sword in hand.
Cold eyes.
Without a word—
He raised it.
Then—
SHIIING!!!
The blade plunged forward.
Blood splattered across the wall.
Bheem's eyes widened.
Time froze.
Pain vanished.
Everything—
Went silent.
Present Time
The forest trembled.
Lioran, Sharin, and Aishwarya stood frozen.
They couldn't speak.
Couldn't breathe.
Bheem stood still.
His head lowered.
"…That night…"
His voice was hollow.
"…everything ended."
Darkness began to rise around him.
Dukhchar's presence grew stronger.
"…And something else…"
His eyes slowly lifted.
They were no longer human.
"…was born."
The air grew heavier.
Colder.
More dangerous.
Lioran clenched his fists.
"…Bheem…"
But Bheem didn't respond.
The boy who once laughed under the sky—
Was gone.
Only darkness remained.
TO BE CONTINUED…