Was is it a nightmare?

I blinked, trying to clear the fog in my head. My body ached, as if I had been lost in a nightmare I couldn't escape. Slowly, my eyes focused on her standing below me, concern etched on her face.

I was sweating, my skin cold as a chill ran through me. The feeling from the dream — or was it a memory? — still lingered, as if the horrors I had seen were real. The terror, the darkness, the cold grip of death all seemed too vivid to ignore. Even as Reva called out to me, I felt the weight of it all press down on me. Before I could even reply, my head spun, and I lost my balance. My body gave way, and I fell from the branch, crashing to the ground below.

---

Reva had always known where to find Vedha when he disappeared from the village. His usual retreat was near the sea breeze, atop the tallest tree by the shore, where he spent hours lost in his thoughts or simply escaping the world below.

But today was different. As she raced through the dense jungle, her hurried steps crushing dry leaves and snapping twigs, it was clear something serious had happened. The village chief herself had asked her to summon Vedha, her voice heavy with urgency. She didn't waste time asking why — there was no time.

The jungle seemed darker than usual, its shadows stretching ominously in the fading light. Reva's heart raced, her breath coming in quick bursts as she ran, pushing aside low-hanging branches and avoiding roots that jutted out like traps. Sweat clung to her brow, but she didn't stop.

Finally, the thick forest canopy gave way to the open shore, where the salty breeze hit her like a cool wave. There it was — the tall tree Vedha had claimed as his own, standing proud against the horizon.

"Vedha," she whispered, her voice lost in the sound of crashing waves. She stopped, leaning against the tree trunk for support, panting heavily. Her chest heaved as she tried to steady her breath, her eyes fixed on the highest branches.

And then, it happened.

She saw him fall.

It was almost surreal, as if time had slowed down just for her to witness the moment. Vedha's body twisted awkwardly in the air, arms flailing, before he crashed into the ground with a sickening thud.

"Vedha!" she shouted, her voice breaking. The sight sent a chill down her spine. For a moment, she stood frozen, fear rooting her in place. But only for a moment.

Without thinking, Reva bolted toward him, her sandals kicking up sand as she ran.

"Vedha!" Reva's voice was frantic as she rushed to my side. I could hear the concern in her voice, but it felt distant, as though I was still trapped in that nightmare.

"Why are you shouting? I can hear you loud and clear," I said, my voice sharper than I intended. I wasn't trying to be rude, but I hated seeing her worry.

"Shouting?" Reva raised an eyebrow, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "I just called you once while you were falling from that tree dramatically." She folded her arms, her expression a mix of anger and concern. "How can you be so clumsy? You could have broken a few bones if not for that stupid luck of yours!"

I smirked, despite the dull ache spreading through my back.

"How can you be so sure I'm not harmed? You didn't even ask me."

Her eyes narrowed, and I could tell she was torn between yelling at me and checking if I was actually okay. That's just how Reva was — my childhood friend, my partner-in-mischief, and the one person who never treated me like I was fragile or needed protecting.

She wasn't like the other girls in our village, who were delicate and hesitant, always sticking to the rules. Reva was bold, unshakable. She did things most men in the village wouldn't dare to do. Climbing trees, swimming across rivers, wrestling with boys twice her size — she made it all look effortless.

Reva was tall, fit, and graceful, a walking storm of beauty and strength. The way she carried herself, with equal parts confidence and charm, made her stand out like a firefly in the dark. She was a ten out of ten in everything she did, and she knew it too.

But right now, she wasn't impressed. Her frown deepened as she leaned down, inspecting me like a mother scolding a reckless child.

"Well?" she demanded. "Are you hurt, or is your sarcasm your only injury?"

I couldn't help but grin. Teasing her was my favorite pastime, and she always made it too easy.

---

Reva knelt beside Vedha, her anger momentarily fading as she checked him for injuries. Once she was satisfied that he was, miraculously, unscathed, she straightened up, brushing her hands on her tunic. Her expression softened, but only slightly.

"I wouldn't be here if it weren't important, Vedha," she said, her voice steady but carrying an undertone of urgency. "The village chief sent me to find you."

The weight of her words hung in the air for a moment. Reva wasn't one to exaggerate, and the fact that the chief himself had asked for Vedha spoke volumes.

She paused, her gaze shifting toward the horizon as if searching for the right way to explain. She hadn't been given many details herself, only that she needed to bring Vedha back immediately. The chief's tone had been grave, his face lined with worry.

Earlier that morning, Reva had been helping her mother with the morning chores when a messenger arrived at her doorstep, summoning her to the chief's hut. She had gone without hesitation, brushing the flour from her hands as she walked briskly across the village square.

"The chief said he needs to speak to Vedha," Reva continued, now looking directly at him. "Something about... unusual happenings near the old shrine." Her brows furrowed, her concern evident. "He wouldn't tell me more, just that I had to bring you back. Immediately."

Reva wasn't one to question authority, but the vagueness of the message unsettled her. The old shrine was a place the villagers rarely spoke of, let alone visited. It was surrounded by rumors of spirits and curses — stories told to scare children into obedience.

Her urgency to find Vedha wasn't just out of duty; it was fueled by the unease that had been growing in her chest since the chief's words.

"I thought you'd be at your usual spot," she added, her voice lighter now, as if trying to shake off the tension. "By the sea breeze, daydreaming your hours away."

But as she'd approached, she had seen him fall — an event so sudden and startling that it had momentarily erased the chief's orders from her mind.

Now, standing there in the fading light, with Vedha still lounging on the ground and grinning like an idiot, Reva felt her irritation return.

"Come on," she snapped, tugging his arm. "We don't have time to waste. Get up! The village chief has summoned you!"

---

As soon as Reva mentioned that the village chief had summoned me, my mood shifted dramatically. For days, my grandmother had been speaking about an upcoming tournament — a selection of strong soldiers to be dispatched to the border of the Pandwa region by the decree of the King of Devbhoomi. The thought of such an opportunity had been both thrilling and daunting, lingering in my mind as a distant possibility.

The mention of an emergency by the village chief made my heart race. Could it be related to the tournament? Without a second thought, I turned to Reva, determination etched on my face.

"Keep up with me!" I urged, breaking into a run toward the village, the urgency of the situation propelling me forward.

The path through the jungle seemed shorter than usual, my mind racing faster than my feet. The possibility of being chosen, of representing our village and protecting our land, ignited a fire within me.

Reva stood frozen for a moment, watching Vedha sprint ahead with an energy she had rarely seen in him. Her initial reaction was one of shock. This was Vedha — her carefree childhood friend who loved to wander aimlessly, climbing trees, and losing himself in daydreams. He had always avoided the responsibilities and disturbances of village life like a plague.

But now, there was something different about him. The way he bolted toward the village, his eyes lit with a strange fire, left her momentarily speechless. What could have made him so excited?

She shook her head, snapping out of her thoughts, and began running to catch up. Her feet pounded against the uneven ground as she followed the path back toward the village. The dense jungle seemed to blur around her as she tried to keep pace, her mind racing even faster than her legs.

Was it the mention of the chief? she wondered. Or something else entirely?

Reva couldn't shake the feeling that this sudden urgency had something to do with the rumors that had been swirling around the village for weeks. Whispers of a tournament, of warriors being selected to serve at the borders of the Pandwa region, had reached her ears more than once. It was all anyone could talk about lately — aside from their usual chores and gossip.

Her thoughts lingered on Vedha as she pushed through low-hanging branches. The boy she had known all her life, who teased her relentlessly and acted like nothing ever truly mattered, now seemed completely transformed.

"Don't tell me you're actually looking forward to the tournament," she muttered under her breath, half-amused and half-annoyed.

But deep down, she felt a strange sense of pride. If Vedha was truly excited about something for once, maybe this was his moment — a chance for him to step out of his shadow and show everyone what he was capable of.

Still, as much as she admired his newfound determination, a small part of her couldn't help but worry. This was the King's decree, after all, and tournaments like these were dangerous, with stakes higher than most people cared to admit.

Reva quickened her pace, determined not to let him out of her sight. Whatever awaited them at the village, she wanted to be there to face it alongside him.