Chapter 3: The Guru's Solution and the Secret of Amar Van
. The Masters' Worry and the Guru's Search
After the violent elemental clash between Nirag and Anvay on the training grounds, Agni and Neer were in deep shock. The afternoon was fading, but the air of Tapobhumi still vibrated with the echo of their unstable collision.
"This cannot go on, Neer," Agni's voice was heavy in their private chamber, his face etched with fatigue and simmering anger. "He spends an ocean of energy to defeat two minor fiends. And when Anvay tries to correct him, he attacks? He is defying the very restraint we embody!"
Neer's eyes were pools of calm, but her voice carried a quiet sorrow. "It is not childishness, Agni. It is fear. He fears he cannot uphold our legacy, so he tries to prove himself by unleashing his power."
"And Anvay?" Agni countered. "He is too stable. He suppresses his emotions, which is dangerous for one who wields Air."
"We should not decide this alone," Neer said softly. "There is only one who can show us the right path our Gurudev."
Agni and Neer went immediately to where Guru Visharaya was often found in meditation the oldest and most serene chamber in Tapobhumi.
Inside, Guru Visharaya sat in Padmasana, his white jata flowing around him, eyes closed. His saffron robes seemed to hold a soft, divine luminescence. Sensing their presence, he opened his eyes. His gaze held a profound peace that made all troubles seem distant.
"I know why you have come, my children," the Guru said, his voice a gentle breeze. "The duel between Nirag and Anvay is no longer confined to blades."
. The Guru's Remedy: The Path to Amar Van
Agni laid out everything how Nirag's volatility and Anvay's excessive calm had both become causes for deep concern.
After listening, Guru Visharaya drew a long, deep breath. His posture was that of one who understood the very balance of creation.
Guru: "Your worries are valid. Both boys are exceptional, but their powers are complementary and therefore, capable of destroying each other. Nirag holds the fire's ferocity and the water's flow... Anvay holds the earth's stability and the air's dynamism."
He continued, his voice carrying the weight of ancient wisdom.
Guru: "Nirag's instability can only be mended by Anvay's calm, and Anvay's over-stability needs Nirag's fluidity. They need each other, but they will never see it."
The Guru raised a finger, pointing east, where the sun had begun its descent.
Guru: "To the east of Tapobhumi, where the ancient 'Amar Van' lies, there has been a strange disturbance for days now. The forest's energy has become unstable. It is not some great demon or monster, but a deep elemental imbalance."
Guru: "This is your remedy. You must send Nirag and Anvay together to mend this rift. It will be their first joint journey. The imbalance in Amar Van can only be healed if Nirag blends his volatility with Anvay's stability."
Agni and Neer exchanged a glance. It was a harsh but fitting solution—forcing their sons to forge a bond through necessity.
The Order and the Plea for Fellowship
Shortly after, Nirag and Anvay were summoned to the main hall. Agni and Neer sat in stern silence.
Agni: (His gaze boring into the boys, voice like flint) "What you did today was a breach of discipline. This peace, this austerity, was bought with the blood of your ancestors. You will not squander it."
Neer: (Calm, yet unyielding) "We have decided. You will both be sent on a crucial mission together. This is no ordinary task. It will be a trial by fire for your powers and your fellowship."
Neer repeated Guru Visharaya's directive: "There is an elemental imbalance in Amar Van. You are to restore it."
Agni: concluded, "You will support each other there, as allies, not adversaries. Do you understand? This journey must succeed."
Anvay immediately straightened, his eyes hardening with the obedience inherited from his father, Vayansh, and mother, Dharaya.
Anvay: (Looking at Nirag, his tone formal) "I am prepared, Nirag. We must work together. It is Gurudev's command."
Nirag, still tangled in a web of shame and resentment, bowed his head. The fire in him recoiled at yielding to Anvay, but defying Tauji and Father was impossible.
Nirag: (Hesitant, the words dragged out) "I... will try."
That single, reluctant word try had to be enough.
Agni and Neer shared a look a tired, yet hopeful smile passing between them.
But none present knew what mystery awaited them in Amar Van.
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And so, to preserve the peace of Tapobhumi and test the fragile threads of their fellowship, Nirag and Anvay set out toward the enigmatic Amar Van. Unaware that this step, taken on Guru Visharaya's counsel, was destined to alter their fate forever.