The jungle had always held a strange pull on us—an invisible thread that tugged at our hearts, dragging us deeper into its shadows. The two of us, reckless and young, believed in only one rule: whatever powerful beast appeared before us, we would kill it, gain its strength, and rise higher than before. Our lives had turned into a ruthless game of points, each kill adding to our growing sense of superiority.
At first, we hunted the smaller animals. Rabbits, foxes, wild boars—creatures that offered little resistance but still gave us enough points to keep moving forward. Every time their blood touched the earth, it felt as though the jungle whispered our names. We thought ourselves invincible, warriors chosen by fate. The more we hunted, the more our hunger for power grew.
The forest around us was unlike any other. Ancient roots twisted out of the ground like skeletal hands, vines hung heavy from above, and the air was so thick with mist that sometimes even the sun struggled to break through. Yet we pressed on, hearts filled with ambition. Somewhere in that wilderness, a legend waited for us.
After hours of wandering, we stumbled upon an enormous banyan tree. Its roots spread wide like the veins of the earth itself, and its branches stretched endlessly toward the heavens. The air around it felt charged, alive, as though centuries of forgotten magic had seeped into its bark.
"This is the place," I whispered. "The old stories said a tree like this holds power."
We looked at each other, knowing that our journey could not continue together. If we were to grow stronger, we would need to face our trials alone. With a silent nod, we parted ways beneath the shadow of the banyan. Shivam went east, and I turned west, both of us eager to prove ourselves.
I had not walked far when something caught my eye. Amid the trees, where a shaft of sunlight broke through the canopy, stood a white deer. Its coat shimmered like polished silver, glowing so brightly that it seemed unreal. My breath caught in my throat. Never before had I seen a creature so majestic, so untouchable.
Excitement surged through me. This is it, I thought. This is the prize I have been waiting for. With this kill, I will gain more points than ever before. My strength will multiply, and Shivam will never be able to surpass me.
But the old words of a wise man returned to me in that moment: Do not celebrate before the task is done. And if you feel joy, do not let it drown you. I had laughed at such advice before. Yet as I took my first step toward the deer, my happiness swelled too soon—and in an instant, the creature vanished.
My joy collapsed into disappointment. The clearing was empty, the glowing figure gone as though it had never existed. Rage bubbled inside me, and shame followed quickly after. Fool… you let your emotions blind you.
Then, just beyond the trees, a flicker of white caught my eye again. The deer had reappeared, calm and radiant, watching me as though it had been waiting for me all along. This time, I did not rush. My heartbeat slowed, my grip tightened, and I approached with silent determination.
With a swift movement, I launched my attack. But the deer was no ordinary creature. In one graceful motion, it blocked me, its strength far beyond any beast I had fought before. With blinding speed, it countered, and I felt the sting of its strike. The ground trembled beneath us as the battle began.
Desperation pushed me to glance around, and there I saw it—a wooden spear, half-buried in the soil. I seized it, lifted it high, and with all my strength hurled it into the beast. The spear struck true. The deer stumbled, its brilliance dimming, and then collapsed upon the earth.
Silence fell over the jungle. My chest heaved, and my hands shook as I stood over the fallen creature. But then, something extraordinary happened. As its life faded, a wave of energy surged into me. My veins burned with fire, my legs trembled with newfound strength, and suddenly I understood: I had inherited its gift.
It was the gift of speed—raw, limitless speed. I could feel it coursing through my body, whispering promises of journeys across endless lands, of reaching any place in the blink of an eye. It was more than I had dreamed of.
For a long moment, I basked in the victory. The hunger inside me was satisfied, but only for now. I turned back toward the banyan tree, eager to reunite with Shivam, to show him the power I had claimed. But when I returned to the place where we had parted, he was nowhere to be found.
I waited. Hours passed. The jungle grew darker, its shadows lengthening like claws. The silence pressed heavy on my chest. I sat beneath the banyan's roots, the cool earth grounding me as unease crept in.
Still, Shivam did not come.
Finally, I rose. I could not wait forever. With steady steps, I followed the direction he had taken earlier. The deeper I went, the wilder the forest became. Strange cries echoed through the trees. The air smelled of damp soil and unseen dangers. My new speed carried me quickly across rivers and through thorny undergrowth, yet Shivam remained absent.
The night began to close around me, and exhaustion settled into my bones. But then, at last, I saw him. There, in the heart of the jungle, beneath the shelter of another ancient tree, Shivam lay stretched out on the ground. His chest rose and fell in deep, even breaths. He was sleeping, untouched by the chaos of the hunt, as though the dangers of the jungle meant nothing to him.
And I stood there, silent, watching him, unsure of what awaited us next. Then I saw a small pot nearby, it had some water in it, n I brought a leaf and threw it on him but just like water it went near him and ran away and rose up,
I was amazed to see this, how did
this happen ,
______