The morning sun spilled golden light across the quiet streets of Dharavanar, painting the semi-urban sprawl in a hazy warmth. For most people, this was just another day—school bells, chatter, and the aroma of roadside breakfast stalls blending into the rhythm of life. But for Ariv, nothing felt the same anymore. Every sound seemed sharper, every shadow longer. The truths his mother revealed last night still burned in his mind like molten iron, reshaping everything he thought he knew.
Seven Veils. Kalarak. His father. The locket.
The universe wasn't just wide; it was infinite, threaded with secrets older than stars.
As he walked toward school, his fingers brushed against the cool metal of the locket resting against his chest. A storm of thoughts churned inside him. Why didn't she tell me sooner? Why me? Why this bloodline? But the loudest thought, the one that clung to him like a shadow, was simple yet suffocating:
Where is my father now?
The school gates loomed ahead, familiar yet distant. Students streamed inside, laughter and footsteps echoing against the concrete walls. For them, life was exams and gossip. For Ariv, it had become a silent war hidden behind ordinary days.
He spotted Vaishnavi and Neel near the old peepal tree inside the campus, where they usually gathered during breaks. Vaishnavi waved when she saw him, her face lighting up, though there was a subtle tightness in her smile. Neel leaned against the tree, his hands shoved in his pockets, his eyes reflecting something unreadable.
And then, as Ariv approached, a familiar voice cut through the noise behind him.
"Ariv! Wait up!"
He turned to see Rohit jogging toward them, his usual grin plastered across his face, though it seemed a little forced today. His hair was messy like he'd rushed out of the house.
Vaishnavi crossed her arms the moment Rohit joined them.
"Where were you yesterday?" she demanded, her voice carrying a trace of concern beneath the playful tone.
Rohit scratched his head awkwardly. "Uh… just… got busy at home."
Vaishnavi narrowed her eyes, not convinced, but she let it slide—for now. They all sank into their usual spots on the low stone boundary near the tree as the school bell rang in the distance, signaling the start of class. Students around them buzzed with chatter, but in their little circle, silence hung heavier than words.
Finally, it was Neel who broke it, his voice calm but piercing as he turned his gaze on Ariv.
"So," he said, his tone layered with something deeper than casual curiosity. "Did you find your answer… about yesterday?"
Ariv met his eyes, holding the stare for a moment. He didn't speak. He didn't need to. The weight in his silence was louder than words. Neel's lips curved into a faint, humorless smile.
"You know," Neel continued, his voice low enough that only they could hear, "you've only seen the surface of the well. What lies inside… you don't know yet."
The phrase struck Ariv like a riddle. He frowned, leaning slightly forward.
"What do you mean?"
Neel's eyes darkened, and for a moment, Ariv saw something fierce flicker behind them—a glint of knowledge, of truths hidden away like weapons waiting to be drawn. Neel glanced at Vaishnavi and Rohit, then back at Ariv, as if measuring whether they were ready for what he was about to say.
And then, he began.
"You think you understand the Veils because you know their names. But knowing a name and knowing the truth… are different things."
Ariv clenched his jaw, his voice steady. "Then tell me the truth."
Neel nodded slowly. "The Veil System isn't just a defense. It's the backbone of existence. Seven Veils—each a fragment of the Creator's breath, each with power to bend reality. They are ranked by strength, each carrying dominion over aspects of creation. And above them all stands one essence—the one that doesn't just hold power, but is power itself: Galaxy Zenith."
Ariv's chest tightened as the name rippled through him like an echo of his own heartbeat. Neel's gaze hardened as he continued.
"The Veil Ranks are like this: at the base, you have the Obscure Veils—the ones who control perception and shadows. Above them, the Lunar Veils—masters of tides and cycles. Then the Stellar Veils—bearers of light and motion. Next, the Cosmic Veils—those who weave the paths of fate. Then the Celestial Veils, and the Ascendant Veils, whose power rivals the gods themselves. And finally…" He paused, his eyes boring into Ariv like a blade. "…the Zenith Veil. The essence of infinity. The ultimate source. No one alive should possess it. No mortal, no immortal—nothing. And yet…"
His words trailed, heavy with unspoken meaning. Ariv's throat went dry, his mind spinning.
"You're saying… I have that."
Neel's silence was answer enough.
But then he added, almost reluctantly, "I don't know how you have it, Ariv. All I know is that Galaxy Zenith is not just the strongest Veil. It is the heart of creation. If the Seven Veils fall, Zenith can rebuild them—or destroy them. That's why its existence was a myth. Until now."
Ariv's pulse thundered in his ears. He gripped the stone ledge they sat on, his knuckles whitening.
"And the Kalarak?"
"They're ranked too," Neel replied grimly. "From the lowest gatherers to the High Shadows—creatures that can swallow entire realms. And if they sense the Zenith… they'll never stop hunting."
Ariv's voice dropped to a near whisper. "You know all this… but how?"
Neel hesitated, his jaw tightening. For the first time, he looked uncertain. Ariv's stare hardened.
"As far as I know, my mother is connected to this… Veil system. But what about you, Neel? How do you know?"
Vaishnavi and Rohit turned sharply toward Neel, the question hanging between them like a blade. Neel's fingers curled into fists, his nails biting into his palms. Finally, he exhaled, his voice low and edged with something that sounded like pain.
"Because my family… has been tied to the Veils for generations. Not as warriors. Not as gods. As Keepers—those who carry the truths no one else dares to speak. My parents told me the stories, but they weren't stories—they were warnings. And now…" He lifted his eyes, a shadow crossing them. "Now, those warnings are standing in front of me."
A heavy silence fell. Ariv stared at Neel, feeling the weight of his words like chains tightening around his chest. Vaishnavi looked between them, confusion swirling in her eyes, while Rohit's expression hardened with unease.
Before Ariv could respond, the bell rang, a shrill sound cutting through the tension. Students began to move around them, their laughter jarring against the storm that raged silently in this small circle. But Ariv didn't move. Neither did Neel. Their eyes locked, an unspoken war passing between them.
Finally, Neel leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper sharp as a blade drawn in the dark.
"This isn't just about you anymore, Ariv. It never was. And if you think you've seen danger…" He paused, his words coiling like smoke. "…you haven't even glimpsed the abyss yet."
Then, as he stood up and began to walk away, he turned back, his lips curling into the faintest shadow of a smile. His next words froze Ariv where he sat.
"You have Galaxy Zenith, Ariv. But do you know what I have?"
Ariv blinked, confusion and unease clashing in his mind. Neel's voice was calm, almost too calm, when he delivered the final blow.
"Lunar Zenith. A different Veil. A different destiny."
With that, Neel walked off, leaving the words echoing like thunder in Ariv's mind.