In the land of Angdesh, history lived not in textbooks, but in scars and sacred ground.
It was a continent unlike any other—where ancient kingdoms with their majestic temples, royal flags, and martial orders thrived beside bustling metro cities, digital billboards, and 4G smartphones. In Angdesh, the soul of the past beat strong in the heart of the present.
At the center of everything flowed Aura—a natural energy within all living beings. From monks and warriors to street sweepers and shopkeepers, Aura was used to train the body, sharpen the mind, and—when necessary—win wars.
But peace was never a permanent guest.
Long ago, in the year 1975, the king of Mandpur turned his back on diplomacy and launched a ruthless campaign to conquer the other five kingdoms—Pavenpur, Agnipur, Neernagar, Bhumipur, and Vanpardesh.
Angdesh nearly fell.
Only the sacrifice of two legendary warriors—a man bathed in light and his brother cloaked in darkness—ended the madness. The kingdom of Mandpur was destroyed. Its name, erased from maps. And from its ashes rose a new treaty, binding the five remaining kingdoms to peace.
Each state was allowed a limited number of knights. No more armies. No more war.
For now.
---
Present Day – Year 2025
In a modest classroom of Pavenpur High School, the only thing more common than gossip was the occasional Aura spark crackling through the air.
Karn, age sixteen, sat slouched at his desk, fully absorbed in his phone game. His schoolbag lay forgotten beneath his chair. His uncombed black hair drooped over his eyes, and his posture resembled someone who had lost a fight with gravity itself.
"Hey, idiot," whispered a voice next to him. "Today's Aura control test. You forgot again, didn't you?"
Karn blinked. "Wait, what?"
Before an answer came, the door slammed open.
Leela Mehta, the homeroom teacher—sharp voice, sharper eyes—marched in like a general. Her Aura flickered around her like subtle smoke.
"Phones away," she barked. "Now."
Groans echoed across the room as everyone obeyed.
Leela dropped a single candle onto her desk.
"The test is simple," she said. "You'll each use Wind Aura to extinguish this flame. Gently. With control."
The test began.
Some students passed easily, their Aura forming smooth, controlled currents that snuffed out the candle like a soft breeze. Others lost control—blowing out the flame too forcefully, burning the desk, or in one case, blasting a chart off the wall.
Then came Karn's turn.
He stood up, rolled his shoulders, and cracked his neck.
"Watch and learn," he muttered with a smirk.
As he raised his hand and summoned his Aura, the air in the room thickened.
And then it exploded.
A massive gust of wind erupted from Karn, blasting through the classroom like a miniature cyclone. The candle flew off the table. Papers scattered. Chairs flipped. And worst of all—Leela Ma'am's skirt flipped straight up.
For one silent second, nobody breathed.
Then the class erupted into uncontrollable laughter.
Karn blinked. "Uhh… did I overdo it?"
Leela's face turned crimson. "KARN! FAILED! Bring your parents tomorrow!"
"W-What!? But I—!"
"No excuses. Sit down."
---
After School
Karn walked home with a slouch, dragging his feet across the cracked pavement of Pavenpur's old town sector. The sun was beginning to dip, casting golden rays over chipped temple stones and small corner stores.
His mind swirled with frustration.
Why can't I control it? Everyone else can.
Maybe I'm cursed… or broken.
A voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Help… me…"
He turned. Down a narrow alleyway, three older boys surrounded a girl, their expressions twisted with cruelty.
Without thinking, Karn ran toward them.
"Hey! Leave her alone!"
The boys turned, amused.
"Who's this? A puppy trying to bark?"
Karn charged forward and threw a punch—fast, but wild. It missed. A second later, a boot to the chest sent him flying backward. The bullies weren't just strong—they were trained. Their Auras flickered smoothly across their limbs.
One of them stepped forward, charging a dark, crackling blast in his palm.
"Say goodbye, loser."
But the blow never landed.
A hand caught the attacker's wrist mid-swing.
A new boy had appeared.
He was tall, sharp-eyed, with a lean frame. His Aura shimmered in the air like blades of light.
"Try someone your own size," he said.
With surgical precision, he disarmed one thug and floored another. But three-on-one was too much—even for him.
Karn, barely conscious, watched the scene blur. His chest ached. His head throbbed. His vision swam.
And then he saw her—his mother—bloodied, fading. That final night.
Her voice echoed in his head.
> "Run, Karn… run..."
But he hadn't run. Not this time.
He clenched his fists. The air around him began to change.
His Aura flared—not like wind, but like a storm. His eyes turned completely white.
He wasn't thinking anymore.
This was instinct. No, this was something deeper.
Rage Mode.
A rare phenomenon in Angdesh. Triggered not by training, but emotion—raw, unfiltered pain or rage. An uncontrollable surge of Aura that went beyond the body's natural limit.
Karn's body moved on its own, dodging strikes, throwing punches, sending Aura blasts flying.
Together, he and the mysterious boy fought the attackers off.
And then, the storm passed.
Karn collapsed.
---
Evening
When he opened his eyes, he was lying on a bench.
A soft voice laughed. "Nope. Not your mom."
Karn blinked. A girl with tied hair and a mischievous smile leaned over him.
"I'm Maya," she said.
Next to her stood the boy who had saved him earlier. His stance was calm, arms folded.
"I'm Arjun," he said. "You've got guts, Karn."
"Huh? How do you know my name?"
"I found your ID. Also, I called your dad. He should be here soon."
A horn honked in the distance. Moments later, a familiar man rushed toward them.
Siddharth, Karn's father, wrapped him in a bear hug.
"You're okay," he whispered. "Thank the gods."
---
Later That Night
Back at their small grocery store, Karn helped his father stack supplies. His body still ached, but his mind wouldn't stop replaying the fight.
"Can you grab some boxes from the storeroom?" Siddharth asked.
"Yeah, sure."
In the dim storeroom, Karn reached for the top shelf—and a bundle wrapped in cloth tumbled down.
Inside it was a sword.
Old, yet shining with faint energy. It seemed… familiar. Like it had been waiting.
Karn brought it out. "Dad… what is this?"
Siddharth stared at it for a long moment.
"Someone gave it to me. Years ago. A traveler I never saw again."
"Can I keep it?"
Siddharth smiled faintly. "When you pass the Senik Exam, you can call it your own."
Karn looked into the blade—into his own reflection.
He felt something stir inside him.
"I'll pass," he said quietly. "I swear."
Outside, unnoticed by both, the sword shimmered—almost as if it recognized him.
---
To be continued...