Sanya's heart raced as she stepped through the portal after Ankit. Spatial displacement felt like a gentle whoosh, and then—
Cool, crisp air kissed her skin.
She looked down and gasped.
Beneath her bare feet stretched an endless mirror-like underground lake, its surface perfectly reflecting the vast cavern ceiling—a breathtaking expanse of deep black rock painted with soft sky-blue bioluminescent glows from countless embedded crystals and stones that shimmered like embedded stars.
The water was impossibly clear—every pebble, every swaying frond visible hundreds of meters below. Massive luminescent lotus blooms drifted lazily across the surface, each petal the size of a house, their soft glow illuminating the cavern depths.
This hidden subterranean paradise, felt eternally serene—far removed from the surface world, yet brimming with quiet, otherworldly life.
"So beautiful…" Neelam whispered, hand over her heart.
"This gift is just… better," Kamal said at the same instant, voice thick with awe.
Ankit smiled. "Sanya, this is yours."
They were hovering fifty meters above the lake's center, weightless and secure. Ankit had wrapped them all in an invisible spatial barrier—breathable, pressure-resistant, and completely protective.
"Today we picnic here," he announced. "You can explore anywhere, even the deepest parts. The shield lets you breathe underwater. Enjoy."
Before he finished speaking, Sanya had already tucked her knees and dove like an arrow.
Splash-less entry—she pierced the surface without a ripple.
Kamal and Neelam laughed and followed, their bodies slicing gracefully into the depths.
The underwater world was even more wondrous.
Schools of crystalline fish darted past, some no larger than fingernails, others grown whale-sized from long exposure to ambient essence flow. Their scales shimmered with soft inner light. Towering kelp forests swayed like ancient redwoods, some stalks thicker than tree trunks. Carnivorous plants with blooming, toothed mouths lazily hunted smaller fish, but the moment the family approached, the plants instinctively recoiled from the invisible shield.
Sanya spun, twisted, and raced through underwater canyons. She touched glowing coral that pulsed like heartbeats, chased a school of silver-blue fish that formed perfect spirals around her, and even playfully tugged at a hundred-meter lotus root before darting away laughing.
Hours passed in pure joy. They explored hidden grottos where light refracted into rainbows.
After sometime, Ankit gently lifted them all back into the sky. A wide spatial platform materialized beneath them—nothing underfoot, a low table already set with floating plates of warm food, fresh fruits, and chilled juices drawn from the fortress stores.
They ate while drifting slowly above the lake, legs dangling in the air.
Sanya, cheeks flushed, hair still damp, looked at her brother with shining eyes.
"Brother, that was so thrilling and fun. Best gift ever. Thank you!"
Ankit ruffled her hair. "Glad you liked it. Next birthday, I'll take you somewhere even more special. And in the future—space itself. Real stars, planets, zero gravity. Promise."
Her eyes went wide.
"And," he continued casually, "you can come here anytime you want. The drinking water in the fortress already comes from this lake—it's filtered and purified, but the source is right here. Your personal paradise is always open."
Sanya squealed and lunged at him in a fierce hug, nearly knocking the floating juice glass out of his hand.
Kamal and Neelam watched the siblings, warmth and pride glowing in their expressions. Their son had not only become strong—he had become thoughtful, generous with wonders beyond imagination.
As the sun began its slow, Ankit opened another portal.
The family stepped back into the familiar garden of Dark Haven Fortress, still bubbling with laughter from the day's wonders, cheeks flushed from the cool underground air, carrying memories no amount of gold could buy.
Sanya was already chattering about her next visit to the hidden lake paradise, while Kamal and Neelam exchanged quiet, contented smiles.
But as they entered the main hall, their joy tempered instantly.
The heart clone sat on the wide couch, eyes fixed on the large television screen mounted on the wall.
Breaking news banners scrolled urgently across channels: "Skirmishes Escalate Along Multiple Borders – India Faces Multi-Front Pressure"
The anchors spoke in tense tones.
Reports showed naval fleets from hostile alliances probing Indian coastal defenses in the south, landing parties repelled in fierce exchanges.