Chapter 3: The Mark of the Ancients

Chapter 3: The Mark of the Ancients

Saya ki cheekh hawaa mein goonj uthi, aur woh dheere-dheere hawa mein ghulne laga. Raunak ne dekha ki uske haath mein jo talwar thi, woh ab ek ajeeb si roshni se chamak rahi thi.

Uske haath par ek naya nishan ubharne laga—ek purana chihn, jo jaise kisi purani kahani ka hissa ho.

"Yeh kya hai?" Raunak ne apne haath ko dekha, lekin jaise hi usne us nishan ko chhua, ek tez dard uske shareer mein phail gaya. Uske dimaag mein tasveerein chamak uthi—ek bhoole-bisre samrajya ki, ek yodha ki jo akela ek pura jung jeet chuka tha.

"Tu... tu aakhri vaaris hai," ek kamzor awaaz ne kaha.

Raunak ne dekha ki saya ka dhundhla roop ab bhi hawa mein tair raha tha. Uske chehre par shanti thi.

"Agar tu iss jagah se bahar nikalna chahta hai, toh tujhe apni taqat ko samajhna hoga. Tera safar abhi shuru hua hai, Raunak. Tere andar ek virasat hai jo tujh tak pahunchni baaki hai."

Ek tej hawa ka jhonka aaya, aur saya pura bikhar gaya. Uska aakhri shabd Raunak ke dimaag mein goonj raha tha—Virasat.

Raunak ne gehri saans li. Uske andar ek ajeeb si shakti mehsoos ho rahi thi. Lekin iska matlab kya tha? Yeh nishan kyun aya tha?

Yeh samajhne ke liye, usse yeh jagah chhodkar aage badhna hoga.

Aur uske saamne ek naya raasta khul chuka tha.