The cultural fest had ended, but its warmth stayed with Yeshwanth. On the terrace that night, he had finally laughed again with his friends, forgetting his worries for a little while. He didn't know that soon his life would take a turn that no one could have imagined.
The very next week, the college announced a tour to the hill station. Students exploded with excitement. For many of them, it was the first big trip after joining college, and the bus was filled with chatter, songs, and laughter the moment it left the campus.
"Finally! No exams, no lectures, no assignments!" Arjun shouted, leaning halfway out of the bus window.
Keerthi smacked his arm. "As if you ever listen in lectures or touch assignments in the first place."
Everyone laughed.
Yeshwanth sat near the window, resting his chin against the cool glass. The wind brushed past his face, and the rolling green hills in the distance gave him a strange calmness. He smiled faintly when the others teased him, but deep inside, the thoughts of home never truly left—his father's aging face, his mother's weak knees, his brother's doubtful words.
The bus screeched to a halt at the mountain lodge just as the sun dipped low. The entire sky blazed orange and crimson, making the hills glow like fire. Students jumped out, cheering loudly, taking selfies, and chasing each other around.
Arjun threw his arm around Yeshwanth's shoulder. "Bro, this is our kingdom tonight! Don't you dare act like some old grandpa sulking in the corner."
Yeshwanth chuckled softly. "I'll try not to."
Bags were dropped in rooms, shoes were kicked off, and before anyone could even rest, the group rushed back outside to explore. The air was sharp and fresh, carrying the fragrance of pine trees. The hill paths stretched endlessly, and the fading light painted everything in gold.
As always, Arjun couldn't resist teasing. Whenever Meera walked even slightly close to Yeshwanth, he whistled dramatically.
"Oho, Romeo alert! Don't let Juliet slip away."
"Shut up, Arjun," Yeshwanth muttered, turning away. But his ears turned pink, and everyone laughed.
Night fell quickly in the mountains. By the time the stars peeked out, the students had gathered near a huge campfire arranged by the lodge staff. Flames crackled, sparks floated into the sky, and laughter filled the clearing.
Music blared from speakers, and groups broke into dances. Some roasted snacks on sticks, others played silly games. Arjun tried dancing so badly that everyone doubled over in laughter. Keerthi was clapping along, Tara pulled Yeshwanth closer, and even Meera cracked a smile.
But Yeshwanth's smile didn't last long.
While his friends shouted, sang, and danced, his mind drifted again. He thought about his father—how tired he looked each evening. He thought about his mother's slow steps, her hands pressed to her aching knees. He thought about his brother, whose words of doubt still echoed inside him.
Am I really enough? he wondered. What if I can't do anything for them? What if… I fail?
The heaviness in his chest grew unbearable. Quietly, he slipped away from the fire, walking toward the darker edges of the hill.
The music faded behind him. The air grew colder. The stars above glittered brighter in the silence.
Meanwhile, in another world…
Far beyond the mortal realm, the Celestial god of realms shimmered in endless light. There, in a grand palace of silver and clouds, stood Nila—the daughter of the God of Realms.
Her flowing silver robes rippled like water, her hair glowed faintly under the starlight, and her eyes sparkled with mischief and curiosity.
"Father, Mother," she said softly, bowing before them. "I want to visit Earth."
Her father, tall and imposing, frowned. "Earth? Why, Nila? That realm is unstable. Humans are full of greed and suffering. What draws you there?"
Nila's voice was calm, but her eyes gleamed. "Curiosity. I want to see their struggles, their joys, the way they live. How can I understand the beauty of the realms if I never see the one that suffers the most?"
Her mother's face softened. "But Earth is dangerous for someone like you. If anyone discovers your true self—"
"I'll be careful," Nila interrupted with a gentle smile. "I just want to look, nothing more."
Her father sighed deeply. "You've always had a reckless heart. Very well. But remember—you cannot interfere with their destiny. Do not forget that."
Nila bowed gracefully. "I understand."
But as soon as she stepped away, her lips curled into a playful smile. She wasn't planning to only observe. She wanted to experience Earth.
A moment later, a portal of light shimmered open before her. Without hesitation, Nila stepped through—descending from the heavens into the mortal world.
Back at the hill station…
Yeshwanth had wandered far from the campfire, reaching a quiet cliffside. Below him stretched a vast valley of shadows, endless and deep. Above, the stars twinkled like scattered diamonds.
The cool night wind brushed against his face. For the first time in days, he felt strangely calm.
Then—a faint sound behind him.
He turned, expecting maybe Arjun or Keerthi. But instead, a girl stood a few meters away.
She didn't look like a tourist. She didn't look like a student either. Her long silver dress shimmered faintly under the moonlight, and her eyes reflected the stars themselves.
She looked… otherworldly.
It was Nila.
But Yeshwanth, of course, had no idea who she was.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence was broken only by the whisper of wind.
Then Nila stepped closer to the edge of the cliff, her silver dress trailing softly. Too close.
The ground beneath her foot crumbled suddenly.
"Careful!" Yeshwanth shouted, instinctively running forward.
Nila turned, startled—but too late. The stones broke away, and her body tilted backward into the abyss.
Without a second thought, Yeshwanth lunged. His hand caught her wrist just in time, but the force was too strong. The soil under his own feet cracked and gave way.
Both of them slipped.
The world spun into rushing air and darkness.
Nila's silver glow flickered faintly, but Yeshwanth's grip loosened in the chaos. He tumbled helplessly, the wind screaming past his ears, his heart pounding in terror.
And then—nothing but the endless abyss.
Back at the campfire…
Arjun was in the middle of a ridiculous dance move when Keerthi noticed something.
"Wait… where's Yeshwanth?" she asked suddenly.
Priya shrugged. "Probably sitting somewhere alone again. You know him."
But when ten minutes passed and he didn't return, unease crept in.
"Relax, he's fine," Arjun said at first, but Keerthi's frown deepened.
Finally, they split up to look for him.
It was Meera who spotted something first—a patch of disturbed soil near the cliff, where footprints ended suddenly. Her heart skipped a beat.
"Arjun! Keerthi! Over here!" she shouted.
Within moments, panic spread.
"Sir! Sir!" Arjun ran to the faculty in charge, his voice shaking. "Yeshwanth's missing—he… he might've fallen off the cliff!"
The teacher's face turned pale. Whistles were blown, flashlights flickered on, and chaos erupted. Students scrambled, calling Yeshwanth's name into the night.
The campfire that had been filled with laughter now echoed with fear.
But far below the cliff, beyond the reach of human eyes, Yeshwanth's destiny had already begun to entwine with Nila's.
Two worlds had met. And nothing would ever be the same again.