The first rays of dawn spilled across the sky, casting a soft golden hue over the quiet lodge. Everyone had already gathered in the lounge, preparing for their journey ahead everyone except Aryan.
Abhishek, true to his nature, was devouring his breakfast like a beast on the loose. His plate was piled high with a mountain of food, and several more plates sat nearby, already half-empty.
Ayush watched him with an expression of pure horror. "Oi, brainless bull! Slow down, will you? You'll choke to death, moron," Ayush scolded, half-laughing, half-genuinely concerned.
Abhishek barely glanced up, his mouth stuffed like a chipmunk. "Mind your own breakfast, dumb Ayush! We're leaving today. I gotta eat everything before it's too late! Now don't disturb me!" he mumbled through a mouthful of food.
Prateek, sitting beside them, burst out laughing. Their bickering had become a daily entertainment — one that made the early morning feel much more lively.
But as he chuckled, a thought popped into Prateek's head. "Wait a second… where's Aryan?"
Ayush's spoon froze mid-air. "Yeah… I totally forgot about him. Where is he?"
Abhishek, busy stuffing more food into his plate, shrugged. "That lazy guy's probably still snoring. He's gonna miss this feast," he said with a smug grin.
Tarun, sitting a little distance away from the noisy trio, let out a sigh. "He must be tired. We took a walk last night," Tarun offered, trying to keep it vague.
Of course, he couldn't exactly say "Oh, he's probably talking to a floating ancient soul this morning."
Ayush pouted. "That's not fair, uncle! He's missing all the fun!"
Tarun smiled weakly, choosing silence over lies.
Once breakfast was done, Tarun clapped his hands. "Alright, kids. Pack your stuff. We're leaving in about half an hour."
Everyone nodded and scattered to get ready. Tarun, however, walked toward Aryan's room, a sliver of worry in his heart. He knocked — once, twice — but there was no answer.
Frowning, he knocked harder.
Finally, after a few seconds, slow footsteps dragged toward the door. The latch clicked, and Aryan, still half-asleep and looking like a zombie, cracked it open.
"Get ready," Tarun said gently. "We're leaving soon."
Aryan nodded vaguely and shut the door again.
Instead of moving, he dropped face-first onto the bed and stared blankly at the ceiling.
Was all that last night just a dream? That weird book, that energy... that presence?Or… was it real?
Suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind.
"Everything that happened is real."
Aryan shot upright like someone had zapped his spine. "WHAT?! Am I... hearing voices now?"
The voice let out a chuckle. "You idiot, you're not imagining things. I'm actually speaking to you."
Aryan's eyes scanned the room wildly. "WHO SAID THAT?! SHOW YOURSELF, GHOST!"
The voice sighed dramatically, like a fed-up teacher dealing with a particularly dense student.
"Calm down, drama queen. I'm the wisp of soul bound to the cultivation book you absorbed yesterday. I now live inside you. Not haunting. Just… renting space."
As if to prove the point, something strange floated out of Aryan's chest — a small, fluffy ball that looked like a flying cotton puff with two glowing eyes.
Aryan screamed like a kid seeing his first ghost. He stumbled backward and crashed onto the floor.
"W-WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU?! FLUFFY DEMON?! STAY BACK!!"
The cotton ball floated above him and rolled its nonexistent eyes.
"Really? Fluffy demon? I already told you, I'm a soul wisp. The one from the book. Not a ghost. Not a demon. Not here to eat your soul. Just… living rent-free in your body. Like a spiritual roommate."
Aryan sat up slowly, rubbing his head. His breathing was shaky, but he was calming down — sort of.
After a pause, he asked, "Wait… are you… my father?"
The floating puff wobbled and let out what sounded like a snort.
"Pfft! No, no, no. Your father was my disciple."
Aryan's mouth fell open. "Wait, what? So you knew him?! Where is he?! Is he alive?!" His voice cracked.
The wisp's voice softened a little.
"I know where he is. But listen to me, kid you are the chosen one. The child of prophecy. Your path isn't something I can draw for you like a treasure map. I can only guide you. The battles, the truths… you'll have to face them yourself."
Aryan clenched his fists, frustration bubbling up.
"Why? Why does everyone talk in riddles?! Why can't you just tell me everything?! Just once, someone be direct!"
The cotton puff sighed deeply.
"Because if I dumped all the secrets on you right now, your tiny brain would explode. And I don't feel like babysitting brain goo. You need to grow, live, and earn the strength to carry the truth."
Aryan flopped onto the floor like a defeated potato. "...Fine. Then what now?"
The wisp floated in a little circle, looking pleased. "Just go with the flow, kid. The universe will unfold when it's ready. No spoilers."
Aryan gave him a side glance. "Alright… at least tell me your name. What do I even call you? Mr. Fluff?"
The cotton ball spun dramatically. "Your father called me 'Master.' You may continue that noble tradition."
Aryan stared at him like he'd lost it. "Master? Seriously? I don't even know you! You might be some shady ghost pretending to have known my dad. For all I know, you could be waiting for the right moment to possess me and steal my body!"
The wisp floated backwards in mock shock.
"ARE YOU NUTS?! Have you seen yourself? I clearly haven't possessed your body, you idiot!""I'm literally just a soul wisp. No arms, no legs, no creepy exorcist possession stuff! Just vibes."
Aryan blinked… then snorted. He rubbed the back of his head. "Okay, fine. 'Master' it is. Still feels weird though."
He paused, thinking of something important.
"Wait… can other people see you?"
The cotton ball shook side to side.
"Nope. Only you can see and hear me. To everyone else, you'd look like you're talking to air. So maybe keep the shouting to a minimum unless you want people to think you've gone crazy."
Aryan let out a relieved sigh. "Thank the gods. I'd rather not get thrown in a madhouse for arguing with a floating puffball."
The wisp chuckled. "Before I go back to napping inside you, here's one more thing you've inherited the Sixfold Convergence cultivation method. It's rare, powerful, and extremely useful. Make good use of it. With it, you can grow faster than anyone else."
Aryan's eyes lit up a bit.
"Sixfold Convergence… huh." He placed a hand on his chest, feeling something stir. Something that felt… right.
The wisp's voice echoed one last time.
"Alright, I've done my good deed for the day. Don't call me unless it's important!"
Before Aryan could reply, the cotton puff flickered and flowed back into his chest like mist.
Aryan blinked, then called out hesitantly, "Master? You still there?"
No answer.
He sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. "Man… what a weird morning."
Finally pushing himself up, he strapped the black sword to his back and started packing.
Outside the window, the day was just beginning , but Aryan's true journey had already begun.