**Setting: Several years earlier, a spiritual gurukul in a vast forest**
Nestled in a sprawling forest was a spiritual gurukul, with huts made of bamboo and grass.
Small ponds dotted the landscape, adorned with blooming lotuses. An arena for wrestling stood
on one side, while a field for swordsmanship lay on the other. A garden of flowers flourished
nearby, and a vast area was dedicated to yoga instruction. The air resonated with the chants of
Vedic mantras.
In a special hut built over a pond sat Acharya Vishrayan, the gurukul's most revered teacher.
Though around sixty years old, his eyes burned with wisdom and intensity.As clouds thundered and a light drizzle fell, Agni practiced his swordsmanship in the gurukul's
arena. Lightning cracked across the sky, and fierce winds blew. His focus was unwavering, each
strike of his sword capable of felling an enemy.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed. Neer, in his playful mischief, was chasing a hare. His
foot slipped, and he collided with Agni, causing both to tumble to the ground. As raindrops fell,
they locked eyes, and time seemed to freeze. Vague, hazy images flashed before them. They
stared at each other for a moment.
Then, Neer's fellow students rushed over, asking, "Are you okay, Neer?"
Agni, pushing Neer away, said, "Agni... Who are you? You weren't watching. We were practicing
swordsmanship here. You've disrupted us. Leave at once, or else…"
Neer, in his jovial tone, replied, "Oh, did I hurt you, warrior prince? I didn't know you were
practicing swordsmanship. I thought some arrogant fool was showing off. By the way, uncle, my
hare ran toward you, and I crashed into you. So, what's your name, sir? Care to tell?"
Agni, suppressing his anger, said, "My name is Agniveer. You've interrupted my practice. Leave
now, or else…"
Neer, teasingly, said, "Hold on! Calm your anger, Prince Agni. You burn as fiercely as your name
suggests. Just watch out for my hare. Come, my dear hare, let's go before someone's temper
burns you to ashes."
Laughing, Neer walked away, but Agni kept watching him. After a few steps, Neer turned back
and smiled at Agni. Agni's face remained expressionless, but his eyes seemed to search for
answers to an unspoken question.
As Neer walked away, his laughter fading into the drizzle, Agni stood frozen. The rain cooled his skin, but a strange, unquenchable fire simmered in his chest. He could still feel the ghost of the collision, and the hazy, fleeting images that had flashed before his eyes when they touched—a glimpse of a stormy night, a sword, and a profound, heartbreaking sorrow.
From the doorway of his hut, Acharya Vishrayan watched the encounter, his wise eyes clouded with dread. He had seen that look pass between two souls before, in a different time, a different life.
"The threads of fate have crossed once more," he whispered to the stormy sky, a profound sorrow in his voice. "But this time, will their bond be a shelter... or a blade?"