Kaliyuga was not ruled by demons.
It was ruled by silence.
Arya learned this truth early in life. An orphan with no lineage and no protection, he grew up watching injustice flourish while those who stood against it were crushed without mercy.
Truth was inconvenient.
Justice was dangerous.
Yet Arya never learned how to look away.
When a corrupt businessman burned down slums for profit, Arya gathered evidence.
When a powerful man threatened a witness into silence, Arya stood in his way.
When the world chose safety, Arya chose resistance.
The price was inevitable.
The night he died, rain flooded the streets, washing away blood as if trying to erase the crime.
Arya stood in a narrow alley, shielding a trembling man who had dared to testify.
"You think you're some hero?" a voice mocked.
A metal rod crashed into his back.
Pain exploded. Bones cracked. His legs gave out.
As he collapsed into the cold water pooling on the ground, Arya smiled faintly.
"At least… I didn't run."
Darkness swallowed him whole.
Death was not empty.
Ash drifted through a boundless void, silent and ancient.
A trident struck the ground.
Boom.
Reality trembled.
Before Arya stood Lord Shiva, His presence vast, calm, and overwhelming. Beside Him stood Goddess Parvati, her gaze warm and filled with a compassion Arya had never known.
Arya fell to his knees instinctively.
"Mahadev…"
Shiva's voice echoed across existence.
"You lived without parents in Kaliyuga."
Parvati stepped forward.
"But you were never unseen."
Arya looked up slowly, confusion tightening his chest.
Shiva continued, "We watched you grow. We watched you suffer. We watched you fight even when you stood alone."
Parvati smiled gently. "And your choices moved us."
Arya's voice trembled. "Then… were you…?"
"In ways beyond flesh," she said softly. "Yes."
For the first time, the orphan felt what it meant to belong.
The void shifted.
A battlefield unfolded—chariots roaring, conches blaring, warriors clashing beneath a blood-red sky.
"Dvapara Yuga," Shiva said. "The age of the Mahabharata."
Arya felt his soul resonate.
Parvati spoke quietly, "Your niyati is justice. Such a soul does not belong in an age that mocks truth."
Shiva's gaze sharpened. "In this age, dharma goes to war."
Arya clenched his fists.
"Then send me there."
A neutral voice echoed.
[Cosmic Dharma System Detected]
Candidate: Arya
Justice Alignment: Absolute
A translucent screen appeared.
[System Query]
Do you accept reincarnation in Dvapara Yuga with full memory retention?
Yes / No
"Yes."
[Confirmation Accepted]
Shiva raised His trident.
"You shall be reborn as the Crown Prince of Mahismati, a kingdom whose strength will rival Kuru Rajya."
Parvati added, "But power without balance destroys itself."
The system responded.
[System Rules Initialized]
• Rewards depend on choice and resolve
• No reward for passive righteousness
• No immunity from unjust actions
• Dharma will be evaluated, not enforced
[Initial Path Selection Available]
Choose Your Path of Justice:
Unbending Truth
Strategic Dharma
Compassionate Authority
Arya inhaled deeply.
"Strategic Dharma."
[Path Locked: Strategic Dharma]
[Dual Divine Boon Detected]
Shiva stepped forward.
[Blessing of Mahadev Granted]
Unshaken Will (Passive)
Your mind will not break under fear, pain, intimidation, or divine pressure.
You may retreat, but you will never kneel.
A deep calm settled into Arya's soul—immovable and absolute.
Parvati placed her hand over his heart.
[Blessing of Mahadevi Granted]
Dharma Sense (Awakening – Locked)
You will instinctively perceive the moral weight of major decisions.
This ability evolves based on your choices.
[Rare Condition Met: Favored by Both Deities]
Future system interactions will receive slight priority.
Shiva spoke one final time.
"In Mahabharata, even gods manipulate dharma."
Parvati smiled gently.
"This system will not guide you."
"It will only remember who you choose to become."
Light engulfed Arya.
[Reincarnation Initiated]
[Next Interaction: Birth Event]
Royal chants echoed.
A newborn's cry rang through the grand halls of Mahismati.
And for the first time—
Destiny hesitated.