The day had finally arrived.
It was the kind of morning that felt suspended in time—quiet, but charged with tension. Across the Dharma Kingdom, thousands of youths would awaken to a single thought: Today, everything changes.
For Om, that change had already begun.
His test venue was located separately from Rudra's, and the regulations required all examinees to arrive at least an hour early. Om, always the cautious type, was on the road even before sunrise.
Riding with him on the back of the motorbike was Mark, silent but reassuring. The wind rushed past as the city stirred to life, but Om's thoughts were far from the traffic and the noise. His mind was calm. Focused. Unshaken.
They arrived at the testing center ninety minutes early.
Mark parked the bike near the edge of the campus and joined Om near the towering gate that led into the examination compound. The building was austere—military in design—but modern and polished, with tall iron walls bearing the emblem of the Dharma Government.
"Don't stress too much," Mark said, patting Om's back lightly. "I'll be waiting here. Come back to this spot after you're done."
Om nodded. His expression was stoic, far more composed than most around him. While dozens of other examinees waited near the gates, chewing their nails and shifting anxiously from foot to foot, Om stood still. Calm. Centered. A storm in a bottle.
He joined the growing line of candidates waiting to be checked in.
Then, without warning, a black luxury car rolled up to the gates—a direct violation of the no-vehicle zone. But this was no ordinary car.
Etched in gold on its side was the unmistakable axe insignia of the Bhargava Clan, along with the Rakshakas crest. A collective hush fell over the crowd as the vehicle glided to a stop at the exam building entrance.
From the front passenger side, a sharply dressed butler stepped out and opened both rear doors in a single elegant motion. A boy and a girl exited the car.
The boy was clad in a flawless black suit, with matching sunglasses hiding his eyes. His posture radiated nobility and self-assurance. Beside him, the girl wore a white and gold designer dress with embroidery finer than most people's yearly income. They walked inside the building without pause, bypassing the line entirely.
A murmured question came from one of the examinees, "Why are members of the Rakshakas family doing their elemental test here? Don't they have their own facilities?"
A boy standing ahead of Om replied, "The Dharma King has forbidden private elemental testing. It must be conducted under government supervision, no exceptions."
Om turned to the boy behind him, who had been quietly observing.
"You know them?" Om asked.
The boy smiled. "Yeah. My family works for them. The boy's name is Aren, and the girl is Aria. Based on family lineage, Aren should have Fire affinity, and Aria is expected to wield Metal. Elementals are mostly hereditary in powerful families."
Om extended his hand. "Om."
"Arun," the boy replied, shaking it.
"They're from a branch family of the Bhargava Clan—the Ayudha Clan," Arun added. "They specialize in forging elemental weapons. Their clan head is rumored to be at Saint level."
Om's eyes narrowed. So much power gathered in one place… and today, he would step into that world.
Just then, the sound of an approaching military jeep caught their attention.
It rolled to a stop just beyond the gates, and a woman stepped out—dressed in a crisp military uniform with polished boots and insignias on her shoulder.
Shreya.
She marched toward the building but paused when she spotted Om in the line. A smile tugged at her lips.
"Hey, Om," she called.
Om turned, surprised. "Shreya? I thought your leave didn't get approved."
"It didn't," she replied with a smirk. "But I applied for temporary assignment here as a desk officer. They accepted. Guess the universe wanted me to be here today."
He smiled back. "Then let's go."
Shreya nodded and walked ahead, vanishing into the interior where exam arrangements were underway.
Arun nudged Om. "Having family in the military definitely helps."
Om gave a half-smile, but said nothing. The two continued through the check-in process without further words.
Inside, the examination hall was massive and militaristic—functional yet regal. Steel rafters lined the ceiling, while banners of the Dharma Government and military divisions hung like silent guardians above. Rows of examinees were already forming in the central atrium. There were 200 students in total—a standard number for this regional test.
Families and guests were led to a separate viewing hall, where they could watch the proceedings through transparent soundproof glass.
Arun looked around. "The Rakshakas aren't here."
"They're probably in a special chamber," Om replied. "They'll only come out for the testing ceremony itself."
A few minutes later, the military officers finished positioning students in rows. Every child stood with their hands behind their back, facing the central stage.
Then—silence.
A door at the back of the stage opened, and a man in his early fifties stepped forward. His presence was like a sudden drop in pressure. Though not particularly large or muscular, he exuded power—and authority.
He held a thick file in one hand and walked with the kind of arrogance that came naturally to someone who had earned it.
The closer he got, the heavier the atmosphere grew.
Dozens of students staggered, some even dropping to their knees. The weight of his aura pressed against their bodies, making it hard to breathe.
Arun gritted his teeth, barely managing to stay on his feet.
Om, however, remained perfectly still—unaffected.
His gaze locked onto the man, calm and unflinching.
The man's eyes scanned the room. When they landed on Om, he paused, his brows lifting slightly in intrigue. A faint smile crept onto his face.
The aura lifted, and students gasped for breath as the pressure vanished.
The man stepped up to the podium and spoke into the microphone.
"Welcome, candidates," he said, his voice deep and commanding. "I am Avath, the chief examiner for this test location."
A new chapter was about to begin—not just for Om, but for everyone present.
And somewhere in the shadows… powerful eyes watched, waiting for the pieces to fall into place.