🔥 Vanyadesh: Festival of the Rising Sun
The kingdom was ablaze with celebration. Banners soared. Drums echoed through the sandstone streets. It was the annual Agni Tarpan, the festival where the royal family of Vanyadesh offered flame to the gods.
Devsena stood in the temple courtyard, dressed in deep red silk, her gold bangles heavy with tradition — but her mind? Chaotic.
She hated these rituals.
Too many rules. Too many fake smiles. Too many stares that whispered,
"She is not truly Samridhi's daughter."
As the priest lit the ceremonial torch and handed it to Devsena, a sudden heat surged through her veins.
Her fingers burned.
The torch flared — and then exploded in her hand.
The crowd screamed. Fire spiraled out, licking the edge of the prayer banners, searing the stone floor. Guards rushed forward, but Queen Samridhi raised her hand.
"Stay back."
Devsena dropped to her knees, shaking, her palm glowing — the fire mark pulsing like it had a heartbeat.
"What… is happening to me?"
And far away, in a kingdom of sea and mist…
someone else felt it too.
🌊 Samudra Desh: The Unknown Ship
Waves were calm again. The coast was quiet — until the royal guards rushed into Queen Meera's court.
"Your Majesty — we found wreckage. A ship torn by last night's tides. Only one survivor."
Avantika, now seventeen and graceful as flowing water, stood beside her mother, silent.
But when they brought the boy in — soaked, unconscious, chest rising shallowly — Avantika froze.
Something about him stirred the tides inside her.
His fingers were calloused, his tunic torn, but his presence… was familiar.
Like the ocean had brought him to her for a reason.
She knelt beside him, touched his forehead — and the moment her palm met his skin, a swirl of water lifted from the bowl beside her and spiraled around her fingers.
Queen Meera gasped.
"Avantika…?"
The boy's lips moved.
He whispered, even in his sleep,
"Tatva…"
💫 That Night…
Devsena stared at her marked palm, lit by moonlight, as the flame inside her flickered uncontrollably.
Avantika sat beside the unknown boy's bed, listening to the sea outside her window… not knowing he would change her life.
One sister burned to understand herself.
One sister flowed toward a stranger she didn't yet know.
And far beneath the world, where Tatva energy slept in chains…
something ancient had started to wake.