The sun climbed higher as the village woke. Ayaan stretched, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Aditya crouched over a pile of dry twigs, frantically trying to start a fire. Each failed attempt sent up a cloud of smoke that made him cough louder than the last. Anshuman paced near the village well, glancing anxiously toward the dense woods beyond. Anant inspected a carrot with suspicion, turning it this way and that, wondering if "fresh-ish" was a thing.
Suddenly, a rustling noise came from the bushes. Everyone stiffened. From the undergrowth emerged a small, wiry old man with a crooked smile and eyes that twinkled with mischief. He twirled a crooked staff as he approached.
"Looking for supplies? Or maybe just a good laugh?" he asked.
Ayaan exchanged a wary glance with the others.
"I'm Grinwick, the village prankster," the man said with a bow. "If you want anything from this village, you have to pass the Village of Oddities' test."
Aditya groaned, "More tests? Seriously?"
Grinwick chuckled. "Don't worry, mostly harmless... mostly."
Ayaan stepped forward. "Fine. What's the test?"
Grinwick's grin widened. "Simple. You'll face three challenges. Fail one, and no supplies. Pass all three, and I'll give you what you need — plus a little something special."
Anshuman frowned. "And if we refuse?"
"Then you'll find yourselves on your own, with no food, no tools, and no friendly faces," Grinwick said, voice dropping slightly.
The team looked at each other. Food and supplies sounded good. They nodded in agreement.
Grinwick led them to a clearing where a strange contraption stood: a huge wooden box with a lock made of twisting vines.
"Challenge one," Grinwick announced. "Open this box using only your wits. No brute force."
Ayaan stepped forward, examining the vines. "Looks like a puzzle."
Aditya scratched his head. "Great. Because we all love puzzles after fighting monsters."
Anant smiled nervously. "Alright, team. Let's figure this out."
As they worked together, strange noises came from the surrounding trees, and a sudden breeze made the leaves whisper secrets only the clever could hear.
Anshuman jumped when a squirrel suddenly darted past, knocking over a bucket of water onto his foot.
"Hey! Watch the wildlife, will ya?" he snapped, hopping on one foot.
Grinwick laughed. "Don't mind the locals—they like to spice things up around here."
Ayaan rolled his eyes and focused back on the vines. "Okay team, these vines seem to respond to touch patterns. Maybe we need to press them in a certain order."
Aditya poked one vine and it snapped back like a rubber band, flicking him in the forehead.
"Ow! I'm not a plant, you know!" he complained, rubbing his head.
Anant laughed. "Maybe the vines have a sense of humor too."
As they tested different combinations, the box suddenly shook, and a soft click echoed through the clearing.
"Looks like we got it!" Ayaan exclaimed.
Grinwick clapped. "Well done! First challenge passed. Ready for the next one?"
Aditya groaned. "Bring it on. Just don't expect me to hug any more plants."
Grinwick's eyes twinkled. "Next challenge is... the Riddle of Ridiculousness. Solve it or prepare for embarrassing village chores!"
Anshuman smirked. "Embarrassing chores? Like washing the village goat?"
Grinwick winked. "Exactly like that."
Ayaan stepped up. "Alright, give us the riddle."
Grinwick cleared his throat and grinned:
I speak without a mouth and hear without ears.
I have nobody, but I come alive with the wind.
What am I?
Aditya immediately blurted, "A ghost?"
Grinwick chuckled. "Close, but no. Keep trying."
Anant whispered, "An echo?"
"Bingo!" Grinwick laughed. "You're sharper than you look."
Suddenly, the ground trembled. The bushes shook violently. From the shadows emerged a monstrous creature — half bear, half vine — with glowing eyes and a roar that made the village dogs yelp and hide.
Grinwick stepped back, grinning wildly. "Last challenge — beat the Vine-Bear! Show me what you've got, or no supplies for you."
Aditya gulped, "Great. Just when I thought we were done with tests."
Ayaan clenched his fists. "No backing down now. Team, let's do this!"
The Vine-Bear charged, swinging a massive vine like a club. Anshuman dodged nimbly, while Anant circled, looking for a weak spot.
Aditya tried to swing a stick but got tangled in some vines instead. "A little help here!"
Ayaan shouted, "Use the environment! That vine looks brittle!"
With a coordinated effort, the team managed to slice and break the vines binding the beast. The creature howled in frustration and finally collapsed.
Grinwick laughed heartily. "You passed! Supplies and a special gift for each of you!"
The team, still catching their breath from the Vine-Bear fight, approached Grinwick eagerly. "So… where's the food?" Ayaan asked.
Grinwick's grin twisted into something darker. "You want supplies? First, face me—true form."
Suddenly, his body convulsed violently. Limbs stretched, skin turned to cracked bark, and glowing veins pulsed like molten lava. His eyes blazed with raw fury. The old man was gone, replaced by a towering colossus of twisted wood and burning energy.
"Behold—the Guardian of Oddities!" the monster roared, stomping the ground with seismic force.
Aditya's hands trembled. "That's… way bigger than I expected."
Ayaan clenched his fists, feeling power surge inside him. He focused, his muscles tensing as his strength rose beyond before. "Let's finish this."
The monster smashed a colossal fist down toward Ayaan. He barely dodged, feeling the shockwave tear through the earth beneath him.
Anshuman's speed kicked in. He zipped around the beast, slashing at its thick bark armor, but each cut barely made a scratch.
"Guys," Anshuman yelled, "we need to hit the core—its glowing chest!"
Anant nodded, eyes sharp. "I'll flank and try to strike it. Cover me."
Aditya summoned his raw melee power, swinging a massive branch with all his might—but the branch shattered on impact.
"Stronger than anything we've faced," he grunted, wiping blood from a cut.
The monster roared, sweeping Anshuman off his feet with a vine whip. Anshuman crashed hard but rolled back up, faster this time. He tightened his grip on his dagger and prepared for round two.
Ayaan's aura flared. He charged, dodging the crushing vines, landing heavy blows that shook the monster's limbs. His strength had increased—each punch sent splinters flying.
Aditya, breathing hard, focused. He felt his power swell and swung again, this time cleaving deeper through the bark.
Anant dashed through shadows, barely visible, aiming a precise strike at the core.
The monster howled, thrashing violently, but Anant's blade pierced the glowing heart.
Pain flashed across the beast's face. It tried to crush Anant with a massive hand, but Ayaan leapt in, taking the blow with his shoulder.
"Keep attacking!" Ayaan shouted, blood dripping from his lip.
Anshuman recovered and joined in, slashing vines that tried to ensnare teammates.
Together, their powers amplified in sync — strength, speed, precision, and will.
Finally, with a roar, the monster staggered and cracked. The core exploded in a burst of light.
The giant collapsed, shaking the ground like an earthquake.
Silence.
Ayaan's heart pounded. They had pushed their limits — grown stronger — and survived.
Grinwick's voice echoed weakly as he reverted to his old form. "You have earned your supplies... and respect."
Aditya wiped sweat and grinned. "Next time, can the final boss be a little less… giant?"
The old man, back in his normal form, handed them a bundle of supplies—fresh food, healing herbs, and sturdy tools. The team breathed a sigh of relief, their muscles aching but spirits lifted.
As they turned to leave, Grinwick's eyes gleamed mysteriously. "Remember this—what you faced was only 0.000001% of the jungle's true power. There are monsters here far stronger than even me."
The group exchanged uneasy glances, feeling the weight of the warning.
Ayaan pulled out the map they had been carrying, but when they unfolded it, only Anant's eyes seemed to make out glowing symbols and paths.
"Why can only you see it?" Aditya asked, squinting.
Anant shrugged, puzzled.
Ayaan smiled knowingly. "Grinwick said he'd give us one more special gift... Looks like this map's it."
Anant's eyes widened as the mysterious symbols shimmered brighter for him alone. The real journey was just beginning.
The team stepped into the dense jungle, sunlight filtering through thick leaves. Laughter and chatter filled the air as they relaxed a bit, enjoying the rare moment of peace.
Suddenly, they came upon a rickety wooden bridge stretched over a deep ravine—only it was broken in the middle, with planks missing and ropes frayed.
Aditya frowned. "Great, now what? We can't just jump across that."
Anshuman tested the edge carefully. "Too risky to cross like this."
Anant looked thoughtful. "Is there any other way around?"
Ayaan scratched his chin, eyes scanning the surroundings. Then a smile crept onto his face. "I've got an idea."
He reached into his pack and pulled out a length of sturdy rope from their supplies. "We can use this rope, plus some fallen branches and vines nearby, to make a makeshift pulley system. That way, we can swing or pull ourselves across safely."
Aditya raised an eyebrow. "Sounds fancy. But can you actually do it?"
Ayaan grinned. "Well, we'll find out."
The team set to work, combining their skills—Anshuman's agility helped gather materials quickly, Anant's sharp eyes spotted the strongest vines, and Aditya lent his brute strength to lash everything together.
Within minutes, they had crafted a rope bridge strong enough to cross the gap.
One by one, they carefully made it across, cheering when the last member safely reached the other side.
"Teamwork for the win," Anant said, grinning.
Ayaan nodded. "And a little creativity doesn't hurt either."
As they stepped across the makeshift bridge, Anshuman suddenly stopped and frowned. "Wait… guys, where's the supplies?"
Aditya's eyes went wide. "The supplies! We left them back near the edge of the jungle!"
Anant groaned. "No way we can carry all that on foot. It's miles from here."
Ayaan rubbed his chin, thinking hard. "We can't just leave them, and walking all that way again would take forever—and waste our energy."
Aditya sighed dramatically. "Great. So what, we have to run back, drag everything, and then start over?"
Anshuman looked at the group. "There has to be a better way."
Ayaan's eyes lit up. "Wait, remember what Grinwick said? That special gift he gave us?"
Everyone looked at Anant's map glowing faintly in his hands.
"Maybe the map can help us figure out a shortcut or something."
Anant nodded. "Let me see…"
The map shimmered, revealing hidden paths and markings none of them had noticed before.
Ayaan smiled. "Looks like the real journey is about to get interesting."
They rushed back through the jungle path, dodging branches and vines, their clothes slightly torn and faces sweaty. After what felt like forever, they finally spotted their car parked under the shade of a giant tree.
Aditya dropped to his knees. "I've never been so happy to see a car in my life."
They opened the trunk—and there it was. All the supplies, untouched and neatly packed.
"Food, water, rope, weapons… even Anshuman's weird energy bars," Ayaan grinned.
Anshuman held one up proudly. "Don't judge until you try the peanut-chili flavor."
They all hopped into the car, taking a moment to catch their breath. Anant looked down at the glowing map in his lap. It flickered, then showed a thin glowing line—barely visible—cutting through dense forest.
Anant pointed. "We have to go from that little path. It's not a road, but if we follow it, it leads to a hidden village. Probably the next trial."
Aditya leaned over. "That skinny little trail? Are you sure it's not a snake path?"
Anant raised an eyebrow. "Unless the snake builds huts and cooks rice, yes, I'm sure."
Ayaan started the engine. "Let's go find that village. But if I see even one monster pretending to be a bush, I'm turning this car around."
The car rolled slowly toward the hidden trail, trees closing in around them as the jungle seemed to welcome them back—this time, deeper than ever before.
As the car rolled slowly through the narrow jungle trail, the trees suddenly opened up into a small grassy clearing. Birds chirped above, and sunlight spilled down like a spotlight on something… unusual.
There, standing beside a tree with a small bag over her shoulder, was a girl around their age. She had short black hair, forest-green eyes, and was dressed like she had survived the jungle herself—calm, confident, and just… standing there like it was completely normal.
Aditya blinked. "Uhh… is that a girl? In the middle of this jungle?"
Anshuman whispered, "Maybe she's a jungle spirit or something."
Anant nudged him. "She's holding snacks, dude. I don't think jungle spirits carry chips."
The girl looked up, unfazed. "Took you long enough. You guys lost?"
Everyone blinked again, stunned. Even the birds went quiet for a second.
Aditya smoothed his hair. "I mean, technically, we're adventurers, not lost. But uh… hi. I'm Aditya."
Anshuman stepped forward confidently. "I'm Anshuman. Speed specialist, jungle survivor, and part-time snack critic."
Anant gave a polite nod. "Anant. And you are?"
She raised an eyebrow. "My name's Rhea. I'm heading to the hidden village too. You guys look like you could use help."
The three boys tried to act cool, nodding and smiling.
Ayaan, however, just leaned against the car door, arms crossed, completely uninterested. He didn't even glance her way.
Rhea looked at him. "And you?"
Ayaan shrugged, not even looking up. "I'm Ayaan."
Silence.
No smile. No "Nice to meet you." Not even a head nod.
The others stared at him like he'd just insulted a queen.
Aditya leaned in and whispered, "Bro... she's literally the first person we've met in the jungle that didn't try to eat us."
Ayaan replied without emotion, "So?"
Anshuman snorted. "Classic Ayaan. The only guy I know who treats monsters and girls the same way — no attention given."
Rhea smirked. "I like him. He's weird."
Aditya muttered, "Yeah, dangerously weird."
They all laughed—except Ayaan, who was already checking the map again.
Rhea slung her bag over her shoulder. "So… are we going or what?"
And just like that, the jungle journey got a whole lot more interesting.
The four boys were squeezed into the car again, rumbling down the tiny jungle path, trying to follow the map Anant saw earlier. And sitting calmly between Ayaan and Anshuman was… Rhea, the cute girl they'd just met.
The energy in the car had completely changed.
Aditya had somehow pulled out a broken comb and was fixing his hair every 30 seconds.
Anshuman was flexing his biceps against the window reflection.
Anant was giving a TED Talk from the front seat about why being "intellectually attractive" was the future.
Meanwhile, Ayaan?
He was just staring outside, arms crossed, totally unbothered, thinking, "What's for lunch?"
Rhea kept glancing at him with a small smile, while the other three were turning into comedy show contestants trying to win her attention.
Finally, Aditya turned around from the front seat dramatically and asked, "Rhea, who do you think is the most handsome here?"
Anshuman added quickly, "Yeah, based on face. Not brain. Or biceps. Or speed. Or voice. Or future potential."
Rhea raised an eyebrow. "Why are you all so desperate?"
The car went dead silent.
Anant cleared his throat. "We're not desperate. It's just… research."
She smirked and said, "If you must know… it's Ayaan."
Ayaan didn't even look back. "Huh? What?"
"I said you're the most handsome," Rhea repeated.
Aditya, Anshuman, and Anant all screamed internally.
Ayaan shrugged. "Cool."
Aditya facepalmed. "BRO, AT LEAST SMILE!"
Anshuman whispered, "This is not fair. I've been doing crunches since morning!"
Anant muttered, "I even used sunscreen today."
Then suddenly—BOOM—the car jerked.
Everyone bounced up from their seats. "WHAT WAS THAT?!"
They peeked outside — a giant fallen tree was blocking the road.
Rhea laughed. "Guess we're walking now."
Ayaan opened the door casually, stepped out, and stretched. "Let's go."
The rest followed, dragging their broken hearts and backpacks behind them.
Aditya whispered, "I hope the next monster is ugly, so at least we win something."
Anshuman sighed. "Even the jungle prefers Ayaan."
They all groaned and marched deeper into the jungle, their Jungle Love Story over before it started.
Everyone froze.
Rhea smiled and asked again, "Where's Ayaan?"
Aditya blinked. "Wait… you mean that Ayaan?"
"He's right there," Anshuman pointed.
Ayaan was quietly walking ahead, hands in pockets, looking at the map.
Rhea walked past them straight to Ayaan.
"You don't talk much, do you?"
Ayaan said, "Talking wastes energy. We need to find that village."
Everyone's mouths dropped.
Rhea giggled. "You're interesting."
Aditya whispered, "What's going on?"
Anant said, "We were all trying to impress her."
Anshuman said, "And she's only looking at Ayaan?"
They asked, "Rhea, who's the most handsome among us?"
Rhea smiled and pointed at Ayaan. "Him. He's not even trying."
Ayaan kept walking. "We've already wasted five minutes. Let's go."
They followed quietly.
Rhea looked at Ayaan and asked, "Why are you not talking to me?"
Everyone turned their heads at once.
Aditya said, "Wait… we were talking to her this whole time!"
Anant added, "She didn't ask us that!"
Anshuman said, "She ignored my entire Pokémon story!"
Ayaan looked at her and said, "I don't talk much unless it's important."
Rhea smiled. "Hmm. Mysterious."
They all stopped near a big tree to take some rest. The weather was calm, birds were chirping, and the jungle air smelled fresh.
Aditya opened his bottle and said, "Let's chill for a bit. So… everyone say their favorite things!"
Anshuman said, "Mine is pizza and fast bikes."
Aditya said, "I love big hammers and fighting games."
Anant said, "I like camping, forests, and cool gadgets."
Rhea smiled. "I love stars and quiet boys."
Everyone slowly turned to Ayaan again.
Ayaan, still looking at the map, said, "I like solving things. And paneer."
They all stared at him.
Anshuman whispered, "Bro just gave the most serious answer to a fun question."
Aditya laughed. "That's so Ayaan."
Rhea looked at Ayaan and asked, "Why don't you talk to me? Or to any girl, for that matter?"
Aditya chuckled and said, "That's just how Ayaan is."
Anshuman nodded. "Yeah, he's the kind of guy who wouldn't say a word even if a hundred girls wanted to talk to him."
Anant added, "He can survive surrounded by a hundred girls and still not say a single thing."
Everyone laughed, while Ayaan stayed quiet, looking at the map.
As they trekked deeper into the dense jungle, the uneven ground made every step a challenge. Suddenly, Rhea tripped over a hidden root and tumbled to the ground with a sharp cry.
"I can't walk," she said, wincing and clutching her ankle.
The others rushed over immediately, their faces filled with worry.
Aditya crouched beside her. "Are you hurt badly?"
Anshuman scanned her ankle carefully. "It looks swollen. Maybe a sprain."
Anant pulled out some clean cloth from his bag. "We need to make a quick splint so she can move without making it worse."
Rhea looked toward Ayaan with hopeful eyes. "Ayaan, can you help me, please?"
Ayaan didn't hesitate. He carefully helped her sit up and supported her weight as the others prepared the splint.
Aditya whispered, "Wow, she actually asked you for help."
Anshuman smirked, "Guess even the quietest guy gets noticed sometimes."
Ayaan wrapped the cloth around her ankle firmly but gently. "You'll have to lean on me to get through this part."
Rhea smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Ayaan. I knew I could count on you."
The group readied themselves, now more united than ever as they prepared to move forward together.
Rhea looked up at Ayaan and softly said, "Can you carry me on your back?"
Everyone froze. The silence stretched so long, even the jungle noises seemed to pause.
Aditya's eyes went wide. "Wait… what?"
Anshuman gulped. "Bro, carry her? On your back? Like a princess?"
Anant just stared, speechless.
Ayaan blinked slowly, then nodded without hesitation. "If that's what it takes to keep moving."
The others exchanged shocked glances, their minds racing with thoughts they didn't say out loud.
Aditya muttered, "I'm both impressed and traumatized."
Anshuman whispered, "He's probably the only guy who can do that without freaking out."
Ayaan bent down carefully, and Rhea climbed onto his back.
With steady steps, he started moving forward, carrying her through the thick jungle as the others followed behind in stunned silence.
As Ayaan carried Rhea on his back, the others couldn't help but laugh at their shocked reactions earlier.
Aditya chuckled, "I never thought I'd see the day Ayaan turns into a jungle taxi."
Anshuman teased, "Yeah, maybe next he'll start charging fares!"
Even Anant cracked a smile.
Ayaan smirked and said, "Well, if I had a rupee for every surprised face back there, I'd be rich enough to buy a better map."
Rhea laughed softly, the first genuine smile they'd seen from her.
She looked up at Ayaan and said, "That was a good one."
Ayaan shrugged, feeling a rare warmth inside.
The jungle seemed a little less daunting with that smile lighting up the path ahead.
Suddenly, Ayaan's senses sharpened. He stiffened, eyes narrowing as he whispered, "Something powerful is coming—fast."
Before anyone could react, a monstrous roar echoed through the trees. Out of the shadows burst a massive beast, muscles rippling, claws gleaming, moving with terrifying speed.
Ayaan immediately stepped in front of Rhea, shielding her with his body.
"Don't move," he warned the others. "Stay close."
The team quickly formed a circle, weapons ready, but the monster was faster than they expected. It darted and struck with lightning speed, making them scramble to keep up.
Ayaan moved like a shadow, blocking every attack aimed at Rhea. His focus was absolute, every move designed to protect her.
Rhea felt safe, her fear melting away. She whispered, "With you here, I don't have to worry."
The fight raged on, the monster's fury matched only by their determination to survive together.
The monster lunged again, but this time the team moved as one. Aditya charged with a powerful swing, Anshuman darted around, striking with lightning speed, Anant aimed precise blows, and Ayaan guarded Rhea fiercely.
With a silent signal, they combined their strengths—Aditya's brute force, Anshuman's speed, Anant's precision, Ayaan's defense—and landed a devastating final blow that sent the beast flying into the trees with a thunderous crash.
Breathing heavily, they all tapped their chests where their special marks glowed softly.
Numbers and symbols flickered, and their stats visibly improved—strength, speed, intelligence, health—all rising.
Curious, Rhea tapped her chest too. Her stats appeared in shimmering light, showing her own hidden powers growing stronger.
She smiled. "Looks like this journey is changing all of us."
Rhea looked at the glowing numbers hovering before her and said,
"Strength: 7,
Speed: 8,
Intelligence: 9,
Health: 7,
Special Skill: Master tracker and jungle survival expert."
Aditya went next, reading aloud,
"Strength: 9,
Speed: 7,
Intelligence: 6,
Health: 8,
Special Skill: Devastating melee attacks."
Anshuman smiled and said,
"Strength: 7,
Speed: 9,
Intelligence: 8,
Health: 6,
Special Skill: Lightning-fast reflexes."
Anant nodded and shared,
"Strength: 7,
Speed: 8,
Intelligence: 6,
Health: 8,
Special Skill: Expert tracker and scout."
Finally, Ayaan quietly recited,
"Strength: 9,
Speed: 9,
Intelligence: 9,
Health: 8,
Special Skill: Master strategist and fighter."
Rhea's eyes widened as she looked at each of their stats, clearly impressed. When she saw Ayaan's numbers—especially his perfect balance of strength, speed, and intelligence—she couldn't help but smile.
"Wow," she said softly, "you're incredible, Ayaan."
The others noticed her admiration and exchanged proud glances, but Ayaan just shrugged, quietly focused on the path ahead.
As they walked ahead, leaves crunching beneath their feet and sunlight sneaking through the trees, the thick jungle suddenly opened up. They all stopped.
"What the..." Aditya squinted.
In front of them was no more jungle—just endless golden sand. A scorching desert stretched as far as their eyes could see.
"Okay... plot twist," Anshuman said, pulling out the map. "This wasn't here before."
Anant tapped the map again, and it shimmered slightly. "Guys… the map has changed."
They all leaned in. The lush green path that once led forward now ended in swirling yellow lines. New symbols had appeared — pyramids, whirlpools, a giant skull wearing sunglasses (?!), and one label that sent chills down their spine:
"Trial 3: The Sands of Madness"
"That sounds… friendly," Aditya said sarcastically.
Rhea wiped sweat from her forehead. "This place is already 50 degrees. I'm going to become popcorn."
Ayaan pointed at the new path. "Looks like we don't have a choice."
Anshuman groaned. "Just when I got used to jungle spiders and weird birds that scream 'BROOOO' at night…"
They walked slowly toward the desert edge, the jungle behind them already feeling like a lost memory.
Aditya muttered, "Why does every chapter of our life feel like a new level in a game no one signed up for?"
A small stone statue stood right at the edge, with a sign:
"Only the worthy can cross the Desert of Madness. All others… will get roasted. Literally."
They looked at each other.
Anant grinned nervously. "Well… who's ready to get toasted?"
Rhea pointed excitedly, "Guys! Look! There's a buggy over there!"
Everyone turned to see an old, dusty desert buggy parked under a rock shade. It had huge wheels, solar panels on top, and a big horn shaped like a camel.
Aditya ran towards it. "Finally! No more walking like camel caravans!"
Anshuman opened the door and stared inside. "Umm… bad news. This thing only has seats for three people."
Rhea blinked. "How will all of us fit?"
They all stared at the buggy, then at each other, then back at the buggy.
Aditya crossed his arms. "Okay, I call shotgun."
Anant smirked. "You call nothing. You're sitting on the roof, bro."
Anshuman climbed into the driver's seat. "It's solar-powered, so I can drive. But we'll have to get creative."
Rhea looked at Ayaan. "You're strong, right? Can you hold on to the side?"
Ayaan nodded calmly, already checking the buggy's structure for balance points.
Aditya laughed. "Bro will hang outside like a Bollywood stuntman."
Rhea giggled, "At least he'll look cool doing it."
Finally, they figured it out:
Anshuman drove. Rhea sat beside him. Anant squeezed in the back seat. Aditya climbed on the roof like a wild raccoon. Ayaan held on from the side bar like a boss, silent as ever.
As the buggy roared to life and kicked up a huge cloud of sand, they sped into the Desert of Madness, shouting and laughing—except Ayaan, who just narrowed his eyes at the horizon.
Next challenge: Survive the heat. Avoid sand traps. And definitely try not to wake up whatever's buried under the dunes…
Anshuman grinned like a maniac as he slammed the buggy's start button. The engine roared, sand flew up behind them, and before anyone could say "slow down," the buggy shot forward like a rocket.
"WOOHOOO!" Anshuman yelled, turning the wheel like he was in a racing game. The buggy hit a bump and flew into the air.
"AAHHHH!" Rhea screamed, holding onto the dashboard for dear life. "ANSHUMAN, YOU'RE NOT DRIVING A SPACESHIP!"
They landed with a crash, bounced again, and skidded sideways.
Rhea turned to Ayaan, panic in her eyes. "Ayaan! Save me, please!!"
Ayaan, still hanging on from the side like a silent action hero, calmly said, "Enough."
He let go, jumped off mid-speed, landed in the sand, and stood in front of the speeding buggy. The others gasped.
"BROOO HE'S GONNA GET FLATTENED!" Aditya screamed from the roof.
But right before the buggy hit him, Ayaan raised his hand.
BAM.
He caught the buggy's front with one hand, skidding backward, feet digging into the sand until the buggy finally screeched to a full stop.
Everyone was silent.
Even the buggy looked scared.
Ayaan looked at Anshuman and said firmly, "Get out. Now the best will drive."
Anshuman blinked, still holding the steering wheel. "Y-yeah… okay…"
Rhea was blushing so hard she looked like a tomato in the desert sun.
Aditya whistled from the roof. "Well… we officially found our Fast & Furious main hero."
Ayaan got in the driver's seat, adjusted the mirror like a pro, and said one word:
"Hold tight."
And just like that, they zoomed into the dunes again—but this time, smooth, fast, and in total control.
And Rhea? She was smiling the entire time.
As the sun blazed above them and the endless desert stretched far in every direction, Ayaan narrowed his eyes, scanning the horizon. The buggy hummed quietly under his control as golden sand whipped past them.
"We can't keep driving like this," Ayaan finally said, his voice calm but serious. "If we want to survive out here, we need to find a camp. And fast."
Everyone grew quiet.
"We have some supplies," he added, "but without shelter, we won't last the night. The desert isn't just hot. It's deadly when the sun goes down."
Rhea nodded, wiping sweat from her forehead. "He's right. We need shade. Water. Rest."
Anant pulled out the map again and looked confused. "The terrain has changed. This wasn't on the map before."
Aditya frowned. "Great. A map that lies. What's next? A compass that tells jokes?"
Anshuman leaned over Ayaan's shoulder. "So… where do we go, desert genius?"
Ayaan didn't flinch. "We look for smoke. Tents. Movement. Anything that says someone has been here before."
He turned slightly to the group in the back. "Eyes open. Tell me the moment you see anything."
And so, they pressed on—through the waves of heat, across the shifting sands, in search of a place to survive before the desert decided to test them harder.
As the buggy zoomed across the sand dunes, Ayaan suddenly made a sharp drift, turning the vehicle sideways with perfect control. Sand blasted in every direction.
"BROOOO!!" Anshuman shouted. "That was insane!"
Rhea held onto the seat tightly, her eyes wide. "How did you even do that?!"
But Ayaan was calm. He pointed ahead. "There. Something's buried."
They all jumped off the buggy and ran toward the half-buried object in the sand. It was a large rugged bag—weathered, dusty, and strapped shut. Ayaan opened it.
"Supplies," he said, pulling out water bottles, some food packs, fuel for the buggy… and two foldable tents.
"LET'S GOOO!" Aditya shouted, jumping up. "We can survive now!"
But then… the chaos began.
"Okay okay okay, who's sleeping where?" Anant asked, immediately grabbing one tent.
"Obviously I'll take one," Aditya said smugly.
"No way," Anshuman stepped in. "I'm not sleeping outside with the scorpions and snakes."
"I'll sleep wherever Ayaan sleeps," Rhea said softly.
Everyone paused. Looked at her. Then looked at Ayaan.
"WHAT?!" they all shouted in unison.
Rhea crossed her arms. "I'm just saying. He found the tents. He should decide."
Anshuman groaned. "Nooo, that's not how democracy works!"
Aditya jumped between them. "We'll do fair competition. Wrestling match! Winner chooses!"
"Bro we'll break our backs in this heat," Anant said.
"I have an idea," Ayaan finally said. Everyone froze.
"…Rock paper scissors," he said.
And just like that, the most intense desert battle began—not with swords, but with rock, paper, and scissors. All while Rhea secretly hoped she would get to stay near the boy who made her feel safest.
Ayaan stood tall, brushing dust off his shirt, a slight smirk on his face.
"I won all the matches," he said proudly. "So, here's the deal. They're big tents. One tent will have three people, and the other will have two. Now…" he looked at everyone, "you all decide who's sleeping with whom."
The desert wind blew gently. Everyone looked at each other.
Anshuman raised his hand first. "Okay, listen. I snore. Like really loud. So maybe I should sleep alone—"
"No," Aditya interrupted. "We're not giving you a private tent because you snore like a tractor."
"I say the three boys share one tent, and Rhea and I—" Anant began.
"NO!" Aditya and Anshuman shouted together.
Rhea just stood there silently, looking at Ayaan. "I don't mind sharing with anyone… but only if Ayaan is there."
Everyone's heads turned again.
Ayaan blinked. "…huh?"
Aditya burst out laughing. "Bro, she's not even trying to hide it anymore."
"Okay okay okay," Ayaan said, putting his hands up. "Let's make this simple. I'll sleep in the two-person tent. Who's joining me?"
Rhea stepped forward instantly. "Me."
Everyone else: 😶
"Welp," Anant muttered. "Guess we're the three desert bros now."
So, it was settled.
Tent 1: Ayaan and Rhea.
Tent 2: Aditya, Anshuman, and Anant.
As they set up the tents under the starry desert sky, the group laughed, teased, and prepared for the long night ahead… while Rhea smiled to herself, thinking: This adventure just keeps getting better.
They all slept and were waiting for tomorrow.