The sun was just rising, painting the sleepy town in soft golden light. Ishita Joshi walked briskly down a narrow lane with a school bag bouncing on her shoulders. Her heart beat fast—not only from the quick pace, but from a strange mix of nervousness and excitement.
My name is Ishita Joshi. I'm sixteen years old. I only scored average marks in tenth grade… yet, I still chose science. I don't know what the future holds for me… but today is the first day of my eleventh standard. My new beginning… starts here.
She stopped at the street corner, staring up at the massive college building across the road. The sound of students chatting, cars passing, and birds calling filled the air. She clenched her fists lightly.
If I can just cross this road… my journey begins.
But before she could take another step, a truck suddenly roared into view, rushing straight toward her.
Her body froze. The sound of screeching tires and the monstrous size of the truck made her chest tighten in fear.
Is this… where my life ends?
Her vision blurred. In that frozen instant, a strange light burst from deep within her. Faint lines of glowing aura spread across her skin like cracks of light breaking through darkness.
What… what's happening to me?!
And then—BOOM!
The world exploded in shockwaves. The ground cracked beneath her shoes, windows rattled in nearby buildings, and a flock of birds scattered violently into the sky.
Suddenly, her surroundings twisted.
The road disappeared. The truck was gone. Instead, Ishita found herself standing in a strange, broken realm. The ground beneath her feet was fractured like dry desert earth, while swirling black clouds devoured the sky above.
Her lips trembled.
"Where… am I? Did I die? Is this a dream?"
No answer came. Only silence. The suffocating stillness pressed down on her chest.
And then, just as suddenly, she collapsed backward—falling onto the familiar asphalt road again. The truck was gone, the street was quiet, and everything seemed… normal.
Panting heavily, Ishita clutched her chest.
Just now… what was that? Was I dreaming…?
The college bell rang sharply, pulling her back to reality.
TRRNNNNG!
"Oh no! I'll be late!" She dashed forward.
The classroom buzzed with energy as new students filled the seats. Ishita hesitated at the door.
"Miss, may I come in? Sorry… I'm late."
The teacher gave her a gentle smile. "Come in. It's your first day, after all."
She quickly sat down, her cheeks still warm from embarrassment.
The teacher began with a smile, "Good afternoon, students. Welcome to our college. We'll start with introductions. Please, one by one."
Names filled the room—Anjali Mehta, Aryan Sharma, bright and cheerful voices.
Finally, it was her turn. Ishita stood nervously, her knees weak.
"M-My name is Ishita Joshi. I like studying… and drawing. Nice to meet you all."
The class smiled warmly. A small wave of relief washed over her.
But then, from the last bench, a boy stood up. His hair was dark, his eyes calm, his presence detached.
"My name is Rehan Kumar. That's all."
His curt words silenced the class. Even the teacher blinked in mild surprise. Rehan sat down without another word.
When Ishita dared glance back, she found him already staring at her. His gaze was unreadable, yet piercing. Her heartbeat quickened.
Why is he staring at me like that? First the truck, and now this… today is seriously strange.
---
The day passed quickly. Teachers introduced themselves one after another—Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics. Nothing out of the ordinary.
Until the evening.
As students left in groups, Ishita walked alone toward the station. The golden sky dimmed, and the world around her grew unusually quiet.
And then, a deep, echoing voice thundered inside her mind.
"DIMENSION EXPANSION…"
Her surroundings shattered.
One moment she was on the road—the next, she stood in a twisted, dark dimension. Shadows writhed like living creatures, and the air carried the scent of rot.
A figure emerged. A grotesque demon with claws as long as swords and glowing crimson eyes.
"Finally, I found you!" The creature's voice was filled with hunger. "You hold the perfect aura power. If I deliver you to my Lord, my rank will rise!"
Ishita staggered back, trembling. "W-Who are you?! How did I get here?!"
"Don't pretend, girl! Tell me the truth, or I'll kill you right here!"
It lunged forward—only to be stopped.
A sharp blast struck the demon from the side, knocking it back with a snarl.
From the shadows, a figure stepped forward. Black hair. Calm eyes. A cold, steady presence.
Rehan Kumar.
The demon hissed. "You… another aura wielder?!"
"Maybe," Rehan replied flatly. "All you need to know is this—she stays behind me. If you want to fight, fight me."
The demon laughed cruelly. "Then I'll fight at full power!"
Energy flared. The air shook. The demon hurled a massive blast that shook the dimension itself.
Rehan didn't even flinch. He extended one hand, a thin glowing barrier wrapping around Ishita like a shield.
"0.1% power will be enough," he murmured.
A small sphere of light flicked from his finger. It hit the demon's chest.
In an instant—the monster dissolved into ash, its scream echoing briefly before silence reclaimed the void.
Ishita stood frozen, her mouth open in shock. Rehan didn't even look at her. His eyes lingered only on the fading ashes.
"You'll need to learn about your powers soon," he said quietly.
The world warped again. The road returned. The station lights flickered faintly in the distance. Ishita trembled, clutching her arms.
But somewhere far away, deep within the jungles of the Amazon…
A ruined temple stood hidden. Gigantic statues of demons lined its walls, their stone eyes glowing faint blue.
And in the center of the hall, a colossal demon body stirred for the first time in centuries.
A voice, deep and ancient, rumbled through the silence:
"Finally… I have awakened."