Chapter 5: The Ashes of Yesterday

The city of Kurukshetra glowed beneath the soft light of dawn. For the first time since Aarav had arrived in this future-past, the air felt still, peaceful, as if the world itself had paused to breathe.

Aarav stood at the edge of a rooftop, gazing at the sunrise. The Core was gone—destroyed in that final burst of blinding energy. And with it, the Dominion's hold over this timeline seemed to have fractured.

Below him, the streets bustled with life. People moved freely. The strange, oppressive silence he'd felt when he first arrived was gone. Laughter echoed from street vendors. Children chased each other through narrow alleys. The city was alive again.

But Aarav felt no triumph.

He stared down at his hands—still trembling, still stained with ash and soot from the Core's explosion. His mother's final words echoed in his mind: "Change everything."

Had he?

Or had he only peeled back the first layer of a much deeper mystery?

The older version of himself—the man with the scar and the eyes full of hidden pain—stood beside him now. Silent. Watching the city as Aarav did.

Neither spoke at first. The wind carried the scents of smoke, metal, and distant rain.

Finally, Aarav broke the silence.

"I thought it was over," he said softly. "I thought destroying the Core would fix everything."

The older Aarav gave a small, sad smile.

"It fixed one piece," he said. His voice was deeper, rougher, as if shaped by years of battles and losses Aarav had yet to face. "But the puzzle's far from complete."

Aarav turned, searching the older man's face for answers.

"Who are you, really?"

The man chuckled—a sound without joy.

"I'm you," he said. "A version of you who's been through more than you can imagine. And I've come back because I couldn't let you make the same mistakes I did."

Aarav's heart pounded.

"What mistakes?"

The older man's gaze hardened.

"Trusting the wrong people. Moving too fast. Believing that one act—no matter how heroic—can change a future this broken."

He pointed to the skyline, where the first rays of sun glinted off silver towers.

"This city isn't free. Not really. The Dominion's shadow is still here. You just can't see it yet."

They descended from the rooftop, moving through the city as it awakened. The older Aarav led the way, weaving through the crowds with practiced ease.

He guided Aarav to a quiet part of the city—a place where the old world still clung to life. Crumbling buildings. Overgrown parks. Faded posters peeling from brick walls.

Here, time seemed to slow.

They entered a small café, its sign hanging crookedly. Inside, the smell of strong tea and burnt toast filled the air. A handful of patrons sat at chipped tables, their eyes weary but kind.

The older Aarav gestured to a booth in the back. They sat.

"I know you have questions," he said. "Ask them."

Aarav didn't hesitate.

"Why did you say 'Not yet' back there? What did you mean?"

The older man leaned forward, lowering his voice.

"Because the Core you destroyed was just one node in the Dominion's network. They built dozens, hidden across time and space. Each one anchors their control. Each one keeps their timeline intact."

Aarav felt the weight of his words settle on him.

"So… I didn't change anything?"

"You changed something," his future self said. "That's why I'm here. The timeline's shifting now. We have a chance. But we have to act fast, before they repair the damage."

Aarav frowned.

"But why me? Why am I so important?"

The older man's eyes softened.

"Because you're the anomaly. The one person who wasn't supposed to survive the Dominion's rise. You were meant to die as a child. But you didn't. And every version of you across the timelines carries that spark—the ability to disrupt their plans. You're the thread they can't cut."

Aarav's mind reeled.

"And my mother? She helped them to save me… but she died anyway."

His future self looked pained.

"She made the hardest choice a parent can make. And because of that, you have the chance to make things right."

They talked for hours, the tea growing cold between them.

The older Aarav explained what he'd learned in his years of resistance: how the Dominion had seeded their technology across centuries; how their agents moved through time, ensuring key events played out in their favor; how entire wars, disasters, and revolutions had been manipulated to strengthen their grip.

And most chilling of all: how they'd begun experimenting with erasing people from history altogether—removing the very idea of their existence.

"You've seen the agents," the older man said. "The ones with the dark glasses? They're not just guards. They're cleaners. When they catch you, you don't just die. You're wiped. Forgotten. As if you were never born."

Aarav shivered.

"Then what do we do?"

His future self slid a small device across the table—a silver disc no larger than a coin.

"This is a time marker. The first of many you'll need. It'll guide you to the next node—the next Core. But be careful. The closer you get, the harder they'll come for you."

Aarav picked it up, feeling its weight.

"Where's the next one?"

The older man smiled grimly.

"Not where. When."

Later that night, they stood in a hidden chamber beneath the city—a place where old tech hummed quietly, forgotten by most.

Aarav stared at the machine before him. A crude time platform, patched together from stolen parts and salvaged pieces. Nowhere near as sleek as the Dominion's devices. But it would do.

His older self programmed the coordinates.

"You'll go to 1947," he said. "Delhi. Just before Partition. The Dominion planted their node in the chaos. Find it. Destroy it. But be warned—the past isn't as fixed as you think. One wrong move, and the world you know will never exist."

Aarav nodded, heart racing.

"Will I see you again?"

The older man hesitated.

"I hope so," he said. "But if not… remember this: Trust no one completely. Not even yourself. Sometimes the worst enemy wears your face."

The platform powered up. Light swirled around Aarav. The city, the chamber, the older man—all began to blur.

And as the machine tore through time, Aarav felt both fear and hope battling within him.

The battle wasn't over. It had only just begun.