Chapter 8 – The Dawn of Devotion and the First Bow
The years flowed gently like the river that had once carried him.
By the time Karna could walk and speak, he was already unlike any child in Anga. While others slept, he rose before dawn, his heart stirring with a strange calling that even he could not explain.
Each morning, as the first light touched the horizon, Karna would step outside quietly, barefoot upon the dew-soaked earth. The air was cool, filled with the soft hum of awakening nature. He would face the east — toward the rising sun — and fold his hands in reverence.
"Om Suryaya Namah," he whispered softly, his small voice carrying purity beyond his years.
Then he would go to the riverbank where Ganga herself flowed, her waters glistening like liquid gold under the dawn sky. Without hesitation, he stepped into the cold stream, letting the sacred current wash over him.
[System Log: Divine Aura Detected — Ganga's Flow Resonance Active.]
Purification Complete.
Karmic Impurities: None.
Physical Attributes Enhanced +1%.
As the holy water cascaded over him, Karna felt calm—his heartbeat syncing with the murmur of the river. His golden armor shimmered faintly beneath his simple cloth, as if honoring the ritual.
After bathing, he gathered a few smooth stones and crafted a small Shivling from wet sand upon the riverbank. His tiny hands shaped it with care and reverence, as though guided by unseen memory. Once done, he placed a single flower atop it and began chanting.
"Om Namah Shivaya… Om Namah Shivaya…"
The chant echoed softly through the morning mist. Birds stilled. Even the river seemed to slow, listening. His voice was young, yet unwavering — the sound of pure devotion.
Unknown to him, the Destiny System resonated quietly with every chant.
[System Notification: Host performing Divine Penances.]
Detected: Ritual Alignment – Surya & Shiva Harmony (Unique).
Reward: +15 Destiny Points.
Passive Skill Unlocked – "Meditative Focus (Lv 1)"
Description: Enhances spiritual control and emotional clarity. Reduces mental fatigue by 50%.
Karna's aura brightened subtly as golden and silver energies intertwined around him — solar radiance and moonlit stillness merging into balance.
From afar, Adhiratha often watched his son in silence.
"What kind of boy prays before sunrise and trains his mind before play?" he would whisper, half in pride, half in wonder.
Radha smiled beside him, her eyes filled with maternal warmth. "He carries something divine, but he's still our little Karna. Let him follow his heart."
After his morning rituals, Karna would sit near his father's chariot, studying its structure with fascination. One day, he asked earnestly,
"Father, how do you control the horses so perfectly? Even when they run wild?"
Adhiratha chuckled, handing him a small stick. "Balance, my son. The reins are not for control alone—they're for connection. You must feel the heart of the horse, not force it."
Those words sank deep into Karna's heart.
Later that evening, he found a slender branch near the fields. Tying a thin vine across its ends, he shaped it into a makeshift bow. The first time he drew it, the vine snapped. He simply smiled and tried again. And again.
Days turned into weeks — he never stopped.
Radha would often bring him food to the field, only to find him standing in the same place, sweating, his small hands red and trembling, eyes still fixed on the target he had drawn on a tree.
"Enough for today, Karna," she'd plead softly. "You'll hurt yourself."
He would bow respectfully. "Just one more, Mother. I have to make this arrow fly straight."
One morning, after countless failures, his arrow finally whistled through the air — striking the mark dead center. A faint golden spark flared at the point of impact.
[System Log: Basic Archery – Level 1 Acquired.]
Skill Efficiency: 42%
Accuracy Bonus: +5%
Destiny Points +10 DP.
Karna's lips curved into a smile. "So this is what perseverance feels like."
That night, as Radha placed him to sleep, she asked, "Why do you train so hard, my son? You're still so young."
Karna gazed up at her, his golden eyes soft yet filled with an uncanny maturity. "Because, Mother, I want to be strong enough to protect those I love. Even the sun must rise early to light the world."
She stroked his hair gently. "Then may your light never fade."
As he drifted to sleep, the Destiny System glowed faintly before his mind's eye.
[STATUS WINDOW UPDATED]
[Name:] Karna
[Title:] Suryaputra (Active), Child of Destiny
[Current Rank:] Child Stage – Divine Vessel
[Destiny Points:] 105 DP
[Skills:]
– Meditative Focus (Lv 1)
– Basic Archery (Lv 1)
– Observation (Lv 1)
[Special Skills:]
– Sun God's Blessing (Lv 2)
– Fate Breaker (Dormant)
– Celestial Insight (Lv 1)
[Boons:] Heaven-Defying Superior Luck, Sovereign Constitution
[Inventory:] Wooden Practice Bow, Stone Arrows, Kavach & Kundal (Bound)
Outside, the moonlight shone upon the small house. The fields shimmered faintly, and the wind whispered through the leaves — carrying the blessing of both Surya and Shiva.
Far above, in the unseen realms, faint voices of divine beings murmured:
"The child who bears the sun's blood now chants the name of Shiva… What destiny is he weaving?"
And so began Karna's journey — not of pride or vengeance, but of devotion, discipline, and the dream of a perfect arrow.