"What?" Lioran's voice cracked through the silence. "She is… your granddaughter?"
"Yeah," Shourya replied, his tone calm yet firm, like someone who had long awaited this moment.
The girl who stood near the doorway narrowed her sharp eyes, folding her arms. Her presence was bold, her posture strong, and her voice—when it finally came—carried both irritation and curiosity.
"What's going on, Gramps?" she asked, glancing at the unfamiliar faces in the room. "Who are these people?"
"They…" Shourya paused, letting his gaze sweep over Lioran and the others before returning to her. "…they are my new students."
Her eyebrows shot up. "New students? But I thought you quit teaching."
"Yeah, I did." Shourya gave a small chuckle, but his eyes softened. "I quit because I got old. But when I saw my dream finally beginning to come true, tell me, Aishwarya—how could I retire?"
"Dream?" Aishwarya's eyes hardened as the puzzle pieces clicked. Her voice dropped to a whisper, sharp and accusing. "Don't tell me… you found him?"
A slow, almost triumphant smile spread across Shourya's face. "Yes. You got it right. I finally found Vaelion's heir. And he's standing right in front of you."
The weight of his words pressed down on the room. Everyone seemed to hold their breath.
Aishwarya turned her gaze toward Lioran, her piercing eyes scanning him like a hawk sizing up prey. For the first time, Lioran felt exposed—not physically, but deep in his very soul.
"He is our hope," Shourya declared, his voice echoing with conviction. "Our hope to protect humanity."
The silence stretched. Lioran swallowed, trying to ignore the knot forming in his throat. He raised a hand awkwardly, forcing a polite smile.
"Uh… hello," he said. "I'm Lioran. Nice to meet you."
But Aishwarya did not smile back. Instead, she gave him a look so sharp it cut through his forced politeness like a blade.
Lioran flinched under her glare, his confidence crumbling.
"You again," she muttered, her voice dripping with disdain.
"Again?" Lioran echoed nervously.
"Gramps," Aishwarya snapped, turning her back to him, "how many times have we told you? Forget about this useless dream of yours!"
Shourya's expression faltered. "But, Aishwarya—"
"No!" she cut him off, her voice trembling with frustration. "Because of this stupid dream, you wasted more than half your life! You've sacrificed time, relationships, everything, chasing after some fantasy. And for what?"
Her words struck like arrows. Shourya lowered his head, his heart heavy.
"Nothing! We're all tired, Gramps. Tired of your stubbornness. Tired of watching you cling to something that doesn't exist." She said.
"Shut up," Lioran said suddenly, his voice firm, like a spark bursting into flame.
The room froze.
Aishwarya turned her head slowly, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "…What did you just say?"
Lioran clenched his fists. His body trembled, but not from fear—from something else. "How dare you talk like that to your grandfather," he said. "I don't know everything about him. I don't know the full story of his dream, or why he's doing this for me. But I do know this: I'm grateful to him. Because of him, I have the power to save the people I care about. Because of him, I can stand here with purpose. And because of him, I can fulfill my promise."
He took a step forward, his eyes locked on hers. "So no matter who you are—even if you're his granddaughter—you have no right to insult him like that."
For a moment, silence swallowed the ashram.
Then—SLAM!
Aishwarya dropped her bag on the ground, her eyes blazing. "You dumbass."
Before Lioran could react, she lunged at him with speed that blurred.
"Wha—!" Lioran barely raised his arms to block. CRACKLE! Sparks of crimson light burst between them as her fist connected with his guard. His body rattled from the impact.
His eyes widened. That aura…!
"Prāṇa Punch!" she shouted. Her knuckles gleamed with a searing red aura, raw energy radiating from the strike.
"What?" Sharin surprised.
Lioran staggered back, the force threatening to shatter his balance. But instinct kicked in. "Prāṇa Swift!"
WHOOSH! A glowing circle of light flared beneath his feet, propelling him backward just as her punch slammed into the ground.
BOOOOM!
The earth cracked, debris scattering across the floor like shrapnel. Dust rose in a choking cloud.
Lioran's heart pounded. "What the hell was that?!"
"Oh?" Aishwarya smirked, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "So you've got some tricks after all."
"You can also use Prāṇa," Lioran said, his voice caught between awe and disbelief.
"'Also?'" she scoffed. "Of course. But unlike you, I'm much stronger."
TAP! TAP! TAP! Her feet slammed against the floor as she dashed forward again, faster this time, her fists and legs striking in a relentless storm.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Lioran dodged left, ducked right, barely evading her furious blows. Each strike carried weight, enough to fracture stone, enough to break bone. The air whistled with every punch and kick.
"She is dominating Lioran in close combat but how?" Sharin said.
"She's too fast! Lioran thought, sweat beading on his forehead. I can't even get a chance to counter!" Lioran was facing difficulty.
"—GHAAH!"
Her fist finally connected with his stomach. THUD!
Air exploded from Lioran's lungs. Pain shot through his core, and his vision blurred for an instant.
"Ugh…" he gasped, his body folding.
Without hesitation, Aishwarya grabbed his collar and SLAM! hurled him onto the ground. The impact shook his bones, the breath ripped from his chest.
"How is it possible?" Sharin shocked.
She raised her fist high, her aura flaring red-hot.
"Stop!"
GRAB! Shourya's hand caught her wrist just before the strike could descend. His voice thundered through the air. "Enough! What are you doing?! He's not trained enough to fight you in close combat!"
Aishwarya's eyes flickered with irritation, but she obeyed, jerking her hand free and stepping back.
Lioran lay stunned on the floor, clutching his ribs. He had never imagined Shourya's granddaughter would be this powerful.
"So this is the so-called heir of Vaelion?" Aishwarya scoffed, her laughter cold. "What a joke. He can't even touch me, and you expect him to save humanity? Ridiculous."
Lioran's blood boiled. He struggled to sit up, his pride burning hotter than his pain.
But before he could speak, Shourya stepped forward. "You underestimate him, Aishwarya. It's true—he's still inexperienced. Only one month has passed since his Prāṇa Core awakened. But in that short time, he has learned Prāṇa Cloak, Prāṇa Fist, and even Prāṇa Swift. Do you understand how extraordinary that is? Most warriors take years to grasp just one of those techniques."
Her jaw tightened, her irritation visible.
"If that's true…" she said slowly, her voice low and dangerous, "then I challenge him to Dwandh."
The room erupted.
"What?!" Mukhi shouted.
"Dwandh?" Sharin blinked. "What's that?"
Shourya's face paled. His voice dropped to a grave whisper. "It is a sacred duel. A one-on-one fight between two Prāṇa warriors. A test of skill, spirit, and strength." He turned sharply toward Aishwarya. "Are you out of your mind? Lioran is nowhere near ready for that!"
"So what?" Aishwarya sneered. "Is your student afraid? I thought he was supposed to be extraordinary. Shouldn't it be easy for him to defeat me?"
Her taunts cut deep.
Lioran stepped forward, fists trembling but not from fear. His eyes, lit with determination, met hers without flinching.
"I'm not scared," he said firmly. "I accept your challenge. I'm ready for this Dwandh."
"Lioran!" Shourya snapped, panic lacing his tone.
"Don't stop me, Master," Lioran said, his voice strong, unwavering. "I'll teach her a lesson."
For a long moment, silence hung heavy. Then Aishwarya smirked, tilting her head with confidence.
"Fine. Our Dwandh will take place next week. Sunday."
"Alright." Lioran nodded, his resolve set in stone.
She turned on her heel, picking up her bag from the ground. Without another word, she went inside the ashram, her presence leaving behind a storm of tension.
The door shut with a resounding THUD.
The others exhaled, the weight of what had just been decided sinking in.
A sacred duel. A week away. Lioran versus Shourya's granddaughter.
The clash was inevitable.
And it would shake the very foundations of the ashram.
TO BE CONTINUED…