Six of us. Brothers—not by blood, but by bond. Technically cousins, but that never really mattered.
Let me introduce us.
Shon, the eldest. Average height, around 5 feet 8 inches. He has a calm aura and a natural leadership vibe. His hair is styled in a middle-parted curtain cut, and today he's wearing a violet hoodie with faded dark subtle dot patterns, paired with light blue pants.
Then comes Ayush—calm, reasonable, always a step ahead. He's slightly taller at about 5 feet 10 inches, with his medium-length dark brown hair that is slightly tousled yet neatly layered. Dressed in a deep maroon long-sleeve shirt. His dark blue jeans are casual but sharp, and his white sneakers bring a clean finish to the outfit.
Jatin is the tallest of us all—probably around 6 feet. A bit laid-back but dependable when it matters. His hair is styled in an up-fringe too, and he wears a white shirt tucked into black pants, paired with a black analog wristwatch. Clean, crisp, classy.
Rudransh is the firecracker—bold, aggressive, and practical. He's about 5 feet 10 inches as well. His hair is parted on the right side with uneven fringe. Today, he's dressed in a full black outfit: a sleek, full-sleeved black jacket with chain pockets and shiny metal buttons over a black T-shirt. His fitted black jeans and matching black boots give him a dangerous edge, while thin-rimmed glasses add a deceptive touch of intellect. He looked like a bouncer from a K-drama.
Rizu, the youngest and Shon's brother, stands at around 5 feet 5 inches. A bit mischievous, always asking questions. He has short, fluffy brown hair with choppy bangs and a soft right-side part, adding to his curious and youthful look. He's in a forest green hoodie, paired with light brown shorts.
And me?
Ritvik. Somewhere in the middle—not in height, not in age, not in personality. I'm about 5 feet 7 inches. Quiet. Calculated. My hair has long side fringes that fall down near my eyebrows, covering much of my forehead with a cool, effortless vibe. Today, I'm wearing a trendy blue bomber jacket over a blue and white T-shirt with bold red diagonal stripe—striking and modern. I pair it with slim black pants and black casual sneakers, adding to my street-smart appearance.
We were on a vacation in Germany, walking through Munich's famous food market. Rudransh had recommended it.
"It's a must-visit," he'd said. "Best dishes for both vegetarians and meat lovers."
So we went.
The restaurant was called Schönes München—the name written in elegant typeface above the door, glowing softly. The place looked cozy, its entrance glowing with warm neon lights, casting soft pink and orange glimmers on the stone pavement below.
The dinner?
Honestly, not bad.
It was evening by the time we stepped out.
"Wow, that was really tasty," Jatin said, stretching.
"I told you this place is top-tier," Rudransh smirked, arms crossed.
"The chicken dishes were unbeatable," Rizu added, licking his fingers.
I stayed quiet. As usual. No one asked for my input anyway.
We were still chatting when we stepped outside the restaurant. The neon lights made the street feel alive, but... something felt off.
The road in front of us was unusually empty. No traffic. No pedestrians. Just silence.
A heavy, strange silence.
But none of us paid attention. We were too focused on our conversation.
I, however, felt something else. A gnawing in my gut. A sudden weight in my chest.
I clutched my stomach.
Then—pain.
Sharp. Sudden.
Blood trickled from my mouth.
"Ritvik?!" Jatin shouted, stepping closer.
"What the hell happened?" Ayush panicked.
"Did he eat something weird?" Rudransh asked, scanning the surroundings.
"Maybe a bone got lodged inside him?" he added, crouching near me.
Ayush grabbed his phone. "I'm calling emergency! Someone find a car or taxi—fast!"
I could barely hear them. My vision blurred.
What is happening to me?
I just wanted to go home...
The pain… it's getting worse…
Then I saw it.
A truck. Out of nowhere. Speeding toward us.
Ayush, still holding the phone, turned around.
"NOOO!"
Everything slowed down.
Am I really going to die like this? Right after dinner?
What a stupid way to go.
And worse—if my brothers get hurt too…
I don't deserve mercy. I deserve hell.
The world faded.
Everything went black.
I woke up to voices.
"Where… are we?" Rudransh said, glancing around.
Ayush looked around, just as confused. "What just happened?"
We were standing in a massive white hall. Its walls were adorned with massive ancient paintings, but the figures in them were... wrong. Not human. Not animal. Something in between.
Demi-humans.
Paintings of creatures with human bodies and animal heads. One had a serpent—its eyes seemed to stare straight at me.
I took a step back instinctively.
I hate snakes. Ophidiophobia. Even in art, they creep me out.
"There's a gate," Jatin pointed.
We walked toward it, opened it—and stepped into a new world.
It was a colossal battleground, circled by stadium-like seating filled with spectators. But they weren't normal people.
Some looked human. Some had tails. Others had horns, wings, animal heads, glowing eyes. Some looked monstrous.
"What... is this?" Rizu whispered.
"Is this a dream?" Jatin asked. "Are we even alive?"
A booming voice crackled from overhead. "There's some misunderstanding. We asked for one fighter, not a group of weak humans. They don't even look like they know how to fight or use magic. And what the hell are they wearing?"
Then a gate on the opposite end of the arena opened.
A massive beast-man walked out. Towering. Muscular. With a buffalo head and wrestler-like physique.
He cracked his neck and grinned. "Guess today's easy. Some kids? I was worried for nothing."
Rudransh's eyes widened. "What the hell even is that?!"
The beast lowered his horns and charged.
The voice overhead yelled, "STOP! They're not your opponent!"
But the beast didn't care.
We scattered—instinct kicking in.
Jatin tripped.
The beast leapt.
Dust exploded.
"NOOO!" we all screamed.
As the dust cleared, our jaws dropped.
Jatin… had transformed.
Massive. His muscles were like stone. His skin, pale and glowing faintly white. His clothes shredded from the sudden size increase.
He looked like a divine warrior from some fantasy manga.
And then—he punched the beast.
One blow. The monster flew.
Jatin leapt. Slammed the beast into the ground. Fist after fist. Blood sprayed.
"He's not human!" someone in the crowd screamed.
"Magic? Illusion?" others shouted.
But Jatin wasn't stopping.
And he wasn't himself.
He turned. Looked straight at us.
Ayush stepped forward nervously. "That was awesome, bro—how did you—?"
Jatin charged.
"RUN!" Rudransh shouted. "He's lost it!"
Ayush flinched, raising his arms.
Suddenly, two huge rocks shot from the ground in front of him like a gate.
Jatin smashed through them.
"What the—did I just do that?" Ayush blinked.
"You can control earth," Rudransh said, stunned.
Ayush clenched his fists. The ground moved.
He hurled rocks at Jatin.
Jatin shattered them.
Then he charged again.
Ayush panicked. "WHAT DO I DO?!"
"FOCUS ON HIS FEET!" I yelled. "BREAK THE GROUND!"
He slammed his palm down. The ground cracked—Jatin fell into a pit.
"You idiot!" Rudransh barked at me. "He could've died!"
I stayed silent. Why does he always talk to me like that?
Jatin burst out of the pit—straight onto Rudransh.
Slammed him down.
Then something strange happened.
Rudransh's eyes flickered red. He pushed Jatin away with one hand.
Jatin soared through the air—heading toward me.
Again?! I'm gonna die again?! My life seriously sucks!
But something changed.
The world... slowed down.
I moved.
Fast.
I grabbed Ayush. Then Rizu. Then Shon. Then Rudransh.
Pulled them all away.
Jatin crashed into the ground where we'd stood—creating a crater.
Ayush blinked. "Wait… how'd we get here?"
"I think... I moved you," I said. "Time slowed down around me. Or I sped up."
The crowd exploded into cheers.
"They beat a beast-human!"
"They're not normal humans!"
Ayush turned to me. "Can you do that again? Move us elsewhere?"
I nodded.
One by one, I zipped them away—to a nearby market square.
Rudransh carried Jatin's unconscious body. "Why bring us here, idiot? He's naked! This is a public place!"
People stared.
I disappeared—came back. Jatin now wore local clothes.
"Where'd you get them?" Rudransh asked.
"You don't wanna know."
Ayush laughed. "So we all have powers?"
"Not all," Rudransh muttered. "Shon and Rizu don't."
"Maybe they'll awaken when they're in danger," I offered.
"Yeah," Rizu said. "I think so too."
Wait—did he just read my thoughts?
"Who are you calling idiot?" Rizu frowned.
Rudransh blinked. "Wait… I didn't say that out loud."
His eyes widened. "I was thinking that in my mind—how did you know?"
Rizu grinned. "Looks like I can read minds."
Shon shrugged. "Maybe my power just hasn't shown up yet."
Then someone appeared in front of us.
A girl—around our age, with a calm and friendly presence. She had light blonde hair tied into a loose side ponytail, and her pointed ears immediately hinted at something… not quite human.
She wore a soft, sleeveless peach dress with subtle dot patterns and a gently cinched waist, paired with simple brown flats. Her posture was relaxed, her blue eyes curious yet composed.
She smiled politely.
"Were you the ones who fought in the battleground?"
Ayush blinked. "Yeah, but… your ears...?"
"I'm an elf," she said proudly. "From the Elven race."
We stared at her, dumbfounded.
Rudransh stepped forward.
"Can you tell us how to get back to Munich?"
Her face scrunched in confusion.
"Munich? Never heard of it. You're currently in Laurasia, in the northern region of Pangea."
All of us froze.
"WHAT?!"