To The East

Chapter1 : To the East

Agony clung to me like a shadow, never letting go. My whole life was a lie. These were the last words of Agastya. I felt the cold grasp of death, then warmth. A breath. A heartbeat. Agastya had died, but I was alive once more, in a world unfamiliar and cruel. Agastya's memories were fading, slipping away like sand through my fingers. Yet, one moment remained clear—running, fleeing from something that had bound itself to me since the beginning. Loneliness.

I heard someone crying—broken, desperate. It took me a moment to realize that the cries belonged to me. Then, through the haze of my awakening, a voice rang out, "It's a boy!" I saw a man, his eyes filled with joy as he spoke, "Oh, my son, Atreya." I was cradled in a woman's arms, her warmth unfamiliar yet comforting. So, these were my new parents.

I came to know that my parents were mere farmers and a very popular couple in the village. I was reborn in a small village named Mazang, which lay in the western corner of the kingdom of Torkha. My parents were from different places; they had fled their families to carve out a life together in this small village after being forbidden to marry. Their love had faced significant challenges, but they found acceptance here, and the community quickly grew fond of them. My parents started working as farmers. The village chief, Kaka Kiri, sheltered my parents and welcomed them like family. Nestled in a secluded corner, Mazang was surrounded by towering mountains, isolated from the rest of the world.

It's been five years since my rebirth. This world was totally different from my past life, where the power source known as Divya Sakti pulsed with life. As I navigated this unfamiliar realm, I struggled to piece together the faded memories of my previous life as Agastya—a life immersed in technology, machines, and the science of a modern world. In that life, magic was merely a concept, a fantastical idea I read about in books. The language spoken here was different from what I had known, but somehow, I understood everything.

Whenever I asked my parents about Divya Sakti, they would brush off my questions, reminding me that we were just normal farmers and urging me to focus on my studies. "You should aim to become a great trader," they would say. But I knew they were lying, as their expressions always became stiff whenever I asked. They used to leave me with Kaka while they worked, and Kaka would tell me stories about the history of this world and Divya Sakti. I also used to read the books on Kaka's shelf. I was too small to study the books by myself, so everyone addressed me as a prodigy—but I was no prodigy. I had lived a long life before.

Now, I stood at the threshold of a reality where Divya Sakti flowed like an untamed river, granting extraordinary abilities to those who could harness its energy. This mystical power, so foreign yet alluring, beckoned to me, igniting a spark of curiosity and wonder. Yet, deep within, I grappled with the haunting shadows of my past. How could I reconcile the stark differences between my two lives? In a world that thrived on magic, could I find a way to embrace this newfound identity while unraveling the mysteries of my former existence?

It was a lone night, and I sat at the dinner table with my family, laughter filling the air. Suddenly, a shadow flickered in the corner of my eye. In the blink of an eye, it struck—a swift, merciless arc that severed my father's head from his shoulders. Time froze as my mind struggled to comprehend the horror unfolding before me.

My mother, her face a mask of terror, began chanting in a language I didn't understand. She conjured a portal, a shimmering gateway to escape this nightmare, and pulled me with her. But before we could vanish, the shadow lunged, piercing her chest with a spine-like tendril. Blood sprayed, a vivid crimson against the darkness, and my heart shattered.

I was in shock, unable to process the chaos around me as my mother gasped, "Stay strong... I'll always be with you."

Soon, we emerged from the portal, and the vast ocean lay in front of us. I was trembling in fear as the reality of what had just happened crashed down on me and my family. "You have to go to Zaya," my mother whispered, her voice trembling with urgency. "Find Kanya. She'll explain everything… She'll know who you are."

I searched her eyes, desperate for reassurance, but the fear etched on her face only deepened my dread. Her breath came in ragged gasps, and I could feel my own heart racing in response. Before I could grasp the weight of her words, her strength faded like the light dimming in her eyes. She collapsed beside me, and I instinctively reached out to catch her, but it was too late. I felt a chill wash over me, a profound emptiness as I held her lifeless hand. The world around me began to blur, and I was overwhelmed by a tidal wave of confusion and grief.

When I woke, she was nowhere to be found, and the portal had closed. Before me stretched a vast ocean, and behind me loomed the towering mountains. I stood up and searched everywhere I could until my legs grew weak. Eventually, I made my way to the top of a hill on the far side of the mountain. There, I collapsed, and after a few minutes, I awoke, consumed by grief. I cried out, my voice echoing into the emptiness.

Suddenly, I felt a hand touch me from behind.

"Atreya, thank God you are alive," said Chief Kaka Kiri, his body covered in blood, barely breathing. "Your mother already told you to reach Zaya and find Kanya. Just go east and don't stop. It's a vast forest from here to Zaya. The Torkha Kingdom is fully covered with dense woods to the west, and Zaya is the first town to the east. You will encounter many monsters and different creatures along the way, so be careful. Stay safe and meet Kanya, no matter what, Atreya Devta."