Chapter 1: Another Dream
"So, this is how the story ends."
"Yeah, it's kind of weird, right?"
"Agreed. You know, as he gets the permission from... he leaves his post and goes to
"Well, it is because of the difference in what he thinks is different from what you and I think. And also, the distance is too far."
In Bharata-varsa, Brahmävarta, Sector 4.
A boy stood in a blank, endless white space. In front of him was a man.
"Dad," the boy asked softly, whispering, his voice a mix of innocence and fear, "what if we live in a dream? And one day... you wake up to something new, and everything we knew just ends?"
The man chuckled, his voice warm and steady. "Listen, Shaurya-"
But before he could finish, the words began to fade. The scene shifted, the man drifting away into mist, his silhouette vanishing along with his voice.
Shaurya's eyes snapped open. His head ached.
"Another dream..." he muttered.
On the floor beside him, his wristwatch blinked: High blood pressure detected. Advise: Calm yourself. Take a deep breath.
A cleaning robot hummed quietly in the corner, sweeping dust. Shaurya yawned and stretched, still lying on the futon. Midday naps were supposed to be refreshing, but these dreams left a strange aftertaste.
Dragging himself up, he sat in front of his computer. "Midday naps are essential," he grumbled, "but dreams like that are unnerving."
Stacks of psychology books, business manuals, and History of Science volumes were scattered around the small apartment. On the screen, an article about human behaviour flickered-today's topic: Cognitive Dissonance and Its Role in Daily Life. Shaurya leaned closer, scrolling through the paragraphs.
Just as he started losing himself in the text, a shrill voice tore through the silence
Shaurya! Stop messing with those Als! I know you're up to something!"
It was Mrs. Gupta, his landlady. Over sixty, with a face that never knew silence, and a faith in God that bordered on obsession. Unfortunately, her devotion came with a venomous tongue.
"You made my water pipes burst last month! You interfered with the building's Al, and because of that the pipes opened up before cleaning day! The water gushed out everywhere, do you know what a mess you made?" she shouted from downstairs. The neighbours listening from balconies and behind curtains were all bored at this point. She did this every week.
Many thought she kept an eye on him to prevent more accidents. But some knew the real reason-if he ever tried to move out, most neighbours wouldn't rent to him after her constant badmouthing.
Shaurya sighed, rubbing his temples. He stepped onto his balcony and called down, "Alright, Mrs. Gupta. I hear you. You shouldn't shout like that-it might dry your throat."
She sniffed, unimpressed, and retreated indoors. Moments later, the sound of a guru's preaching filtered through her speakers.
Shaurya leaned against the railing. Year 3141, and nothing really changes. Even in an age of science and tech, there are always people like her.
Old apartments were notorious for their owners-landlords who cut corners, installed hidden cameras, or worse. That was why Shaurya had built his own Al system with encrypted locks and safety protocols. Unfortunately, last month he had accidentally connected it to the building's Al, changing some commands. That mistake led to Mrs. Gupta's endless anger and hours of scolding
Coming back to the present, he returned to his desk. The books lay open like silent companions, titles whispering lessons in psychology, history, and human behaviour.
This was his world: learning, analysing, surviving. By profession, he was a doctor/scientist-a researcher in a government facility where children were injected with micro-symbiotic serums. Tiny nanotech organisms designed to enhance human potential.
For most, the serum offered small advantages-faster recovery, a bit more endurance, denser bones, or a sharper mind. But in rare cases, the results were extraordinary.
At the age of thirteen, every human received the injection, along with a sync tracker that measured compatibility with the nanotech.
The average sync rate hovered between 30% and 45%. People within that range gained only minor effects.
Above 45%? Genetically upgraded humans-one in ten thousand. And those with sync rates above 75%? They appeared once in a hundred million lives.
And with this, a new hierarchy had formed. Sync rate defined strength, opportunity, and status.
Four centuries had passed since eighteen pioneers had revolutionized humanity. They united the world, making everyone focus on science and human development. Caste, colour, religion, and other divisions still existed, but their roles in society had greatly diminished.
Humans discovered new elements on Mars and ignited an era of prosperity. Now, scientists could travel to Mars in just five months, living in sprawling domes built for research and the wealthy. Civilization thrived.
But for Shaurya, life was not prosperity.
His landlady continued to poison his days with manipulation-sweet-voiced curses, guilt trips, and barbed words aimed at wounds that never healed,
Shaurya was an orphan. His parents, brilliant scientists, had died in a lab accident that claimed twenty-five other lives. The Union had raised him with money and support, but money couldn't replace family.
Now, as the city pulsed with progress outside his window, Shaurya stared at the glowing screen. The words on cognitive dissonance blurred as his mind drifted back to the dream.
The only warmth in his life had come twelve years ago, when a kind woman discovered his loneliness. She was his aunt, a teacher-gentle, good-natured, nothing like Mrs. Gupta. Her son, Suyash, had quickly become Shaurya's only friend.
Since then, they had been inseparable, though complete opposites. Shaurya was reserved, preferring books and silence. Suyash was outgoing, full of restless energy. Together, they were like bread and butter: good alone, better together.
Now at the age of twenty, Shaurya had become a doctor, while Suyash trained at a martial arts school. His sync rate was astonishing 76%. Numbers like that always made headlines.
But Shaurya remained at 0%. At first, the news had caused a stir-a child with zero sync rate!-but people soon forgot.
The serum had strange side effects, too. For most, it caused vivid dreams for a week or two, sometimes a month. Scientists claimed it was only a neurological response, with no real harm.
But Suyash's dreams had lasted a year and a half, astonishing everyone. Through that time, his sync rate climbed higher and higher.
He grew strong both physically and mentally. But the serum did not affect everyone equally-some grew mentally sharp, others physically powerful.
For Shaurya, this was a hidden blessing. Surrounded by companions strong in body, he alone excelled in mind. A born genius, smarter than 80-90% of his generation, he earned good money as a researcher.
And yet, he still lived in a rented apartment. There was a reason for that.
As Shaurya walked home from work, he remembered their conversations, their laughter, the way Suyash dragged him back to life whenever he drifted too far into thought. For all their differences, they were brothers in everything but blood.
He smiled unconsciously as he walked through an alley, his expression making some girls blush.
With whispers behind his back, he knew he was a little handsome. But it never mattered to him.
"What's the point of beauty? In the future, I'll grow old, and these whispers will change. Their opinions mean nothing."
With those thoughts, his smile faded, and he walked on.
To be continued....