Vrindavan was never quiet—not truly.
There were always flute songs, cowbells, temple bells, laughter, and the hum of life. But today, a strange stillness gripped the village. Even the birds chirped with restraint, as if they sensed something different.
Aryan stood near the edge of the forest, just past the Yamuna. His System Interface glowed faintly.
> Quest Activated:
"Find the First Flame"
Clue: She walks with fire in her eyes, yet does not burn. She remembers what others have forgotten.
---
A Spark in the Dust
He didn't know what he was looking for until he saw her.
A girl—his age, maybe a year older—standing alone in a clearing, surrounded by broken pottery and scattered marigolds. She wore a red scarf, the ends fluttering like embers in the wind. Her eyes were sharp. Focused.
And furious.
Three boys had cornered her, trying to steal her basket.
"You think I'm weak?" she spat, gripping a stick. "Try me."
Aryan stepped forward without thinking.
"Hey!" he called. "Leave her alone."
The boys turned. They knew Aryan—not a fighter, but not someone you wanted to test. Especially since he'd once somehow survived a cobra bite (thanks to his system's hidden passive: "Nag Immunity").
They ran.
The girl turned, her chest heaving, hair wild.
"I didn't need help," she said flatly.
"I know," Aryan replied. "But you've got enough fire to burn the whole village. Thought I'd help save the trees."
She stared at him for a moment—then laughed. Just once. Quick and sharp, like a spark leaping from a flame.
> System Ping:
New Affinity Detected: Unknown Soul – Bond Level: 1 (Flickering Interest)
Name: Devika
Potential: Flame-Bearer | Destiny: Entwined with War and Love
---
Back at the Riverbank
They walked together in silence for a while.
Devika finally broke it. "You're different. You speak like... someone who's lived longer than six years."
Aryan smiled. "And you fight like someone who's lost before and promised never to again."
She froze.
He'd struck something deep. Her hand clenched. "I remember... things. In dreams. A battlefield. A man I couldn't reach. My own scream…"
> System Alert:
Fragmented Past Detected
Soul Match Identified: Devika = Reincarnation of Princess Amba (Kanyashakti of Vengeance)
Path Options: Redemption | Bond | Power Amplification
Aryan's heart beat faster.
Amba.
The princess whose life was twisted by Bhishma's vow. Whose soul burned for justice. And here she was—reborn, unaware, carrying fragments of rage in a child's heart.
---
Divine Intervention
That night, as Aryan lay on the roof beneath the stars, Parvati ji's voice flowed into his dreams.
> "She is one of your flames, Aryan. A soul scorched by betrayal, reborn not to destroy—but to heal."
> "But flames, if untamed, can consume the world."
> "Guide her. Love her, not for her fire, but for the warmth within."
> "And remember… each flame you gather lights the path ahead."
---
Quest Update: First Flame Found
> Devika's Affinity Level: 2 (Trust Kindling)
New Skill Unlocked: "Flame Resonance" – In the presence of Devika, you gain +10% combat awareness and resistance to fear.
Path to Redemption (Amba Arc): Initiated
---
Aryan woke the next morning with a new sense of purpose.
He wasn't just collecting divine power.
He was gathering souls—each broken, burning, or burdened—and helping them rise again.
And Devika was only the first.
---
To be continued in Chapter 5: "Whispers of Parvati"