chapter 2: " An introduction to who she was ".

It was almost night and all students were about to head back to shaktidhara they asked her that where she belongs to , they can help her to go back to home

She said,"I....I actually ran away from home "

RAN AWAY?....BUT WHY?

She started telling them everything they all sat down beside her willing to help her ,

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Flashback

"Sanyukta, don't run that fast! You'll fall!" her father called out as the sun began to sink behind the mountains. His voice carried both concern and amusement as he approached her.

Just then, her mother's voice rang out, calling both of them back home. It was time to return. Sanyukta grabbed a stick and playfully chased the goat, which had been peacefully grazing until it was startled by her antics.

Later, the family sat down for dinner. Her father and Sanyukta couldn't stop laughing, sharing stories and jokes, while her mother smiled fondly at them. "Now, don't talk while eating," she chided gently, before turning to her husband with a mock-serious tone. "She's a kid, but that doesn't mean you should act like one too."

Their home was a humble, small room made of stones and wood, its walls coated in red soil that glowed warmly in the light of the setting sun. Outside the hut, the sky was painted in shades of deep red.

Sanyukta sat beside her father on the veranda, her small frame nestled close to his. He wore a simple white cloth tied around his waist, with another draped over his shoulder, while her mother, dressed in a dhoti, had her hair neatly tied in a bun. The peaceful scene was filled with the quiet comfort of family, laughter, and love—a fleeting moment of happiness etched forever in her memory. But things started to change a little by little when one eve

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It was a quiet evening in the village, the sky turning a deep orange as the sun dipped below the horizon. Sanyukta was helping her mother fetch water from the well near the edge of the forest. She carried the smaller pot, stumbling slightly under its weight but determined to prove she was strong enough.

Suddenly, a loud cry came from the forest—a little girl from the village had wandered too far and was now surrounded by a pack of wild dogs. The villagers hesitated, unsure how to intervene without putting themselves at risk.

Before anyone could stop her, Sanyukta dropped her pot and bolted toward the forest. Her mother shouted after her, but it was as if she couldn't hear. Her father arrived just in time to see her vanish into the trees, his heart pounding with fear.

Inside the forest, Sanyukta's mind was blank, driven only by the need to save the little girl. As the dogs closed in, she stood between them and the child, her small body trembling but resolute.

"Go away!" she yelled, her voice echoing unnaturally.

And then it happened.

The air around her seemed to ripple. A sudden wave of heat radiated outward, and the dry leaves on the ground caught fire in a perfect circle around her. The flames rose high, crackling like a protective barrier. The dogs yelped and scattered, tails between their legs.

The villagers arrived just in time to witness the scene: Sanyukta standing unharmed in the center of the fiery circle, the little girl clutching her arm, and the flames shrinking as if obeying her will.

Her parents stared in shock. Her mother whispered, "What is this? How...?"

Her father stepped forward hesitantly, his voice shaking. "Sanyukta... what have you done?"

Sanyukta looked at them, confused and frightened. "I... I don't know. I just wanted to protect her."

Her mother grabbed her shoulders, searching her face. "This is not normal, Sanyukta. What you did... it's not something a child should be able to do."

The villagers murmured among themselves, their gazes a mix of awe and fear. Sanyukta's father quickly led her and her mother away, his mind racing with questions he couldn't answer.

Back at home, the silence was heavy. Her mother sat by the fire, deep in thought, while her father paced the small room. Sanyukta sat quietly in the corner, hugging her knees, wondering if she had done something wrong.

Her mother finally spoke. "She's not like other children," she said softly. "We need to protect her... but from what, I don't know."

Sanyukta grew up in a small, secluded village nestled in the lap of the mountains. Her family lived a simple life in a modest hut made of stone and wood, its walls painted with red soil that glowed warmly under the sunlight. Her father, a butcher by trade, was a kind and jovial man who loved teaching her little things about the world, like how to carve sticks into toys or mimic bird calls. Her mother, on the other hand, was practical and loving, often teasing her father for spoiling Sanyukta too much.

As an only child, Sanyukta spent most of her time outdoors, chasing goats, climbing trees, and running barefoot through the fields. She was a wild spirit, always curious and unafraid of challenges. Her laugh was contagious, and her bright eyes sparkled with an energy that made her seem older than her years.

From a young age, Sanyukta displayed a natural connection to fire. At first, it was subtle—like the way she could light a lamp with ease when others struggled, or how the cooking fire seemed to flare up when she was near. Her parents dismissed these moments as coincidences, chalking them up to her lively nature.

But as she grew older, the signs became harder to ignore. One winter night, while her father was away, a sudden storm threatened to blow out the family's fire. Her mother tried to protect it, but it flickered dangerously. Sanyukta reached out instinctively, and the flames steadied, glowing brighter than before. Her mother froze, staring at her with a mixture of awe and fear.

"Don't tell anyone about this," her mother had whispered, her voice trembling. "People won't understand."

Despite her mother's warning, Sanyukta couldn't help but feel different. While other children talked about gods and heroes, she wondered if she was meant for something more. Her father noticed her quiet moments and would reassure her with a smile. "You're special, Sanyukta. The world will see it one day."

Life continued peacefully for a while. Sanyukta learned to help her mother with chores, practiced archery with her father, and played with the village children. But there was always an undercurrent of tension in her home—a quiet fear that her secret would one day come to light.

As she reached the age of twelve, Sanyukta began to feel the weight of her powers. She couldn't control them, and they often manifested at the worst times—a burst of heat during a festival, a spark in the middle of a rainy night. The villagers started to whisper, and her parents became increasingly protective, urging her to stay close to home.

Sanyukta loved her village, her family, and her simple life. But deep down, she knew it couldn't last. She wasn't like the others, and sooner or later, the world would force her to confront who—or what—she truly was. When she was sixteen something happened which changed her life forever

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It was a night unlike any other in the village—dark clouds hung low, and the air was heavy with an eerie stillness. Sanyukta's father had gone to the neighboring village, leaving her and her mother at home. The villagers had gathered in the central square for an important ritual to appease the gods for rain, as their crops were dying in the relentless heat.

Sanyukta's mother had warned her to stay indoors, but curiosity got the better of her. Quietly, she slipped out and joined the crowd, watching the village priest perform the ritual. As he chanted, the flames of the sacred fire flickered unnaturally, and the sky grew darker.

Suddenly, the priest stopped. His gaze turned to Sanyukta, standing in the crowd. "The gods are angry," he declared, pointing at her. "There is an unnatural force among us. A child who does not belong."

The villagers murmured in confusion, their eyes shifting to Sanyukta.

"I did nothing!" she protested, her voice trembling.

But the priest continued, his voice rising. "This child is cursed. Her presence has disrupted the ritual. She is the reason for our misfortunes!"

At that moment, the fire in the sacred pit erupted, sending sparks into the air. The crowd screamed and backed away, but Sanyukta stood frozen. Her heart pounded as she felt a strange heat radiating from her hands. Without warning, the flames in the pit leaped toward her, swirling around her like a living entity.

The villagers gasped in terror. "She's a witch!" one shouted. "She'll bring ruin to us all!"

Her mother rushed forward, shielding Sanyukta with her body. "She's just a child!" she cried.

But the crowd was relentless, fear turning to anger. "She must leave the village!" someone yelled. "Before she destroys us!"

Sanyukta's father returned just as the villagers began to advance. Seeing the chaos, he grabbed her arm and pulled her away, his face pale with fear. "Run, Sanyukta," he whispered.

Tears streaming down her face, Sanyukta looked at her parents, who were now surrounded by the angry crowd. "Come with me!" she begged.

Her mother shook her head, her voice breaking. "We can't. If we go, they'll destroy everything. But you must live, Sanyukta. You must find out why this is happening to you."

Her father pushed a small bow into her hands—the one he had carved for her long ago. "Keep this with you," he said, his voice trembling. "It will remind you of home."

With no time to argue, Sanyukta ran. Behind her, she could hear the shouts of the villagers and her mother's cries. She didn't stop until the sounds faded and the forest swallowed her.

For days, she wandered, weak and frightened, the weight of her powers and the loss of her family pressing heavily on her.

*Flashback ends*

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The group of Shaktidhara students huddled around the campfire that night, their faces flickering in the orange glow. Sanyukta sat quietly on a log. The leader, whose name she had learned was Veer, paced back and forth, deep in thought.

"This isn't going to be easy," he said, glancing at her. "Shaktidhara doesn't admit girls. The elders are strict, and if they find out..." He trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck.

The youngest student, crossed his arms defiantly. "We can't just leave her here. You saw what she's been through. She's starving, injured, and all alone!"

"She's right," another boy, a quiet archer named Arjun, chimed in. "But taking her back as she is will get us all in trouble."

There was a long silence before Veer spoke again. "We'll have to disguise her."

"Disguise me?" Sanyukta asked,