The next morning, when he opened his eyes, he found himself still lying in her lap. Meera hadn't moved an inch.
For a while, Arjun just watched her peaceful face the calm, maternal glow that made the entire world fade away.
At that moment, he felt like the luckiest person alive.
A mother's love, he thought, is the only thing that never changes. Pure… untamed… divine.
"Wake up, my son," Meera said softly. "It's morning already."
"Ahh… my head," Arjun groaned, pressing his temples."Ahh… my head," Arjun groaned, pressing his temples.
"There will be some pain," said a calm voice but it wasn't his mother's."There will be some pain," said a calm voice but it wasn't his mother's.
Arjun blinked. The world around him had changed. The gentle rhythm of Meera's voice was gone. He sat up abruptly, confusion clouding his mind.Arjun blinked. The world around him had changed. The gentle rhythm of Meera's voice was gone. He sat up abruptly, confusion clouding his mind.
"Who are you? Where am I? Why does my head hurt so much?""Who are you? Where am I? Why does my head hurt so much?"
The woman standing before him smiled kindly. She was draped in simple saffron robes, her expression serene.The woman standing before him smiled kindly. She was draped in simple saffron robes, her expression serene.
"All your questions will be answered soon, child. But first, drink this.""All your questions will be answered soon, child. But first, drink this."
She held out a clay bowl filled with dark liquid.She held out a clay bowl filled with dark liquid.
"What is this?""What is this?"
"Herbal tonic. It will ease your pain.""Herbal tonic. It will ease your pain."
"I'm not drinking anything until you tell me where I am.""I'm not drinking anything until you tell me where I am."
"You're stubborn," she said with a soft laugh. "You're standing at the edge of Gurukul. I'm Dhanya, the caretaker here.""You're stubborn," she said with a soft laugh. "You're standing at the edge of Gurukul. I'm Dhanya, the caretaker here."
"Gurukul?" Arjun frowned. "But… I was on a train. There was a… that thing— that demon! Tam Pishach! What was that?""Gurukul?" Arjun frowned. "But… I was on a train. There was a… that thing— that demon! Tam Pishach! What was that?"
Dhanya's eyes sharpened. "Did the Tam Pishach bring you here?"Dhanya's eyes sharpened. "Did the Tam Pishach bring you here?"
"Yes. He was terrifying— his eyes were blood-red—" Arjun winced, holding his head."Yes. He was terrifying— his eyes were blood-red—" Arjun winced, holding his head.
"Drink the tonic first," Dhanya insisted. "Trust me.""Drink the tonic first," Dhanya insisted. "Trust me."
Reluctantly, he gulped it down. "Ugh! That's horrible!" Then he blinked in surprise. "Wait… my headache's gone. This stuff works faster than medicine!"Reluctantly, he gulped it down. "Ugh! That's horrible!" Then he blinked in surprise. "Wait… my headache's gone. This stuff works faster than medicine!"
Dhanya smiled faintly. "Now tell me— did the Tam Pishach bring you here?"Dhanya smiled faintly. "Now tell me— did the Tam Pishach bring you here?"
"I… I don't know. I remember climbing into the train carriage. He was standing near the door, smiling at me. Then—""I… I don't know. I remember climbing into the train carriage. He was standing near the door, smiling at me. Then—"
"Then what happened?""Then what happened?"
"My friend— Viju— he pushed me out. I fell onto the tracks. When I woke up… I was here.""My friend— Viju— he pushed me out. I fell onto the tracks. When I woke up… I was here."
Dhanya's expression darkened. "Strange. The Tam Pishach has never been sent to bring a student before. They are selfish creatures, always driven by their own hunger. Perhaps your friend was under its control."Dhanya's expression darkened. "Strange. The Tam Pishach has never been sent to bring a student before. They are selfish creatures, always driven by their own hunger. Perhaps your friend was under its control."
Arjun's voice trembled. "He… he called himself Nayati. Said he was the king of the Tam Pishachs."Arjun's voice trembled. "He… he called himself Nayati. Said he was the king of the Tam Pishachs."
Dhanya froze. Her eyes widened in horror. "Nayati? The King of Shadows himself? Impossible! He would never step into the mortal world for anyone!"Dhanya froze. Her eyes widened in horror. "Nayati? The King of Shadows himself? Impossible! He would never step into the mortal world for anyone!"
"But he did. He told me he was sent to guide me.""But he did. He told me he was sent to guide me."
"Sent… by whom?""Sent… by whom?"
"By someone he called the Pradhan.""By someone he called the Pradhan."
Dhanya gasped. "The Pradhan Guru? But why you? You're just a human boy."Dhanya gasped. "The Pradhan Guru? But why you? You're just a human boy."
"Exactly! I'm not a warrior, or a monk, or whatever you people are. I just want to go home.""Exactly! I'm not a warrior, or a monk, or whatever you people are. I just want to go home."
"Calm yourself, child," Dhanya said softly. "You're far from Earth now— in the heart of the universe, where all wisdom flows. Every great mind, every warrior comes here to be trained. You were chosen for a reason, even if you don't yet understand it.""Calm yourself, child," Dhanya said softly. "You're far from Earth now— in the heart of the universe, where all wisdom flows. Every great mind, every warrior comes here to be trained. You were chosen for a reason, even if you don't yet understand it."
"But I didn't want to come here! I just want to go back. My family must be worried— Maa, and… Anaya…" His voice cracked a little."But I didn't want to come here! I just want to go back. My family must be worried— Maa, and… Anaya…" His voice cracked a little.
Dhanya's tone gentled. "I don't know why the Pradhan summoned you, but never before has anyone been brought here against their will. Perhaps… that is why the Tam Pishach was sent."Dhanya's tone gentled. "I don't know why the Pradhan summoned you, but never before has anyone been brought here against their will. Perhaps… that is why the Tam Pishach was sent."
Arjun looked up. "Who is this Pradhan Guru?"Arjun looked up. "Who is this Pradhan Guru?"
"He is the supreme master of this Gurukul. Every planet, every being here follows his word.""He is the supreme master of this Gurukul. Every planet, every being here follows his word."
"Then take me to him. I'll tell him I don't belong here.""Then take me to him. I'll tell him I don't belong here."
"You will meet him, but not yet. Every disciple must first face trials to prove their strength. Only after that can you stand before him.""You will meet him, but not yet. Every disciple must first face trials to prove their strength. Only after that can you stand before him."
"Trials? What kind of trials?""Trials? What kind of trials?"
"That, even I cannot tell you. Each student's path is different.""That, even I cannot tell you. Each student's path is differentThat, even I cannot tell you. Each student's path is different.""That, even I cannot tell you. Each student's path is different."
Arjun sighed, rubbing his temples. "Fine. If I have to pass some test to go home, I'll do it. But why are you helping me?"Arjun sighed, rubbing his temples. "Fine. If I have to pass some test to go home, I'll do it. But why are you helping me?"
Dhanya smiled—a faint, motherly curve. "You're right. Healing you is my only duty. But when I saw you lying unconscious, something stirred inside me. It felt as if… my motherhood found peace in your presence."Dhanya smiled—a faint, motherly curve. "You're right. Healing you is my only duty. But when I saw you lying unconscious, something stirred inside me. It felt as if… my motherhood found peace in your presence."
She paused. "You may not believe me, child, but I have treated countless students here. None ever made me feel this way."She paused. "You may not believe me, child, but I have treated countless students here. None ever made me feel this way."
She hesitated, then asked quietly, "Would you… call me Maa while you're here?"She hesitated, then asked quietly, "Would you… call me Maa while you're here?"
Arjun stared at her for a moment, silent. Then he smiled faintly.Arjun stared at her for a moment, silent. Then he smiled faintly.
"Alright… Maa.""Alright… Maa."
Dhanya's eyes glistened. "That's better."Dhanya's eyes glistened. "That's better."
"Maa!"
Meera stirred awake in her chair. "You're up already, Arjun?"
He blinked. "You didn't sleep all night? You should've gone to bed when I did."
"How could I, beta? I wouldn't have missed the sight of you sleeping for anything," she said, cupping his face in her hands.
He kissed her palms. "I'll freshen up. You make tea, okay?"
She smiled. "Always the same. Go on."
After locking his door, Arjun opened his cupboard, pulled out a notebook, and stared at it for a moment. Then he sighed, closed it again, and got ready for the day.
Downstairs, everyone was already at the dining table.
"Good morning!" Anaya chirped, flashing him a bright smile.
"Good morning," he replied, meeting her eyes briefly before turning to his father.
Harish Rathod sipped his tea and looked up. "So, Arjun. Have you thought about what you'll do next? No rush, but it's time to start blending back into the world again. You could continue your studies, perhaps?"
Meera and Anaya exchanged a glance.
Arjun nodded slowly. "Yes, Papa. I'd like to pursue post-graduation in commerce if possible."
Meera frowned. "Commerce? But you didn't finish school after tenth grade, beta."
Anaya jumped in quickly. "He means PG in commerce, MaaSt. Xavier's is the best for that!"
Harish smiled. "That's a fine choice. We'll sort out your admission. Leave the paperwork to me."
"Thank you, Papa."
When breakfast ended, Meera gathered the dishes while Harish stood up. "So, when does college start?"
"Soon," Anaya said eagerly. "But first, we have to go shopping. He doesn't even have proper clothes yet."
Harish chuckled. "Alright, alright. You two can have your fun today. I'll head to the office. Tomorrow, college begins."
"Bye, Papa!" they said together.
Once he was gone, Anaya leaned close and whispered, "Please, let's ditch Vishwas today. If he tags along, we won't enjoy anything."
Arjun smiled and nodded. When Vishwas appeared in the hall, Arjun greeted him politely.
"Arjun sir, I'm afraid I can't accompany you today," Vishwas said. "The boss gave me some urgent work. You don't mind, do you?"
"Not at all. We're just going out for a bit."
"Then shall I send a guard with you?"
"No need," Arjun replied. "I'll be fine."
Vishwas smiled. "Very well, sir. Enjoy your day off."
As soon as he left, Anaya whispered, "Yes! Finally!"
Arjun laughed softly, shaking his head as they stepped into the car.
"Do you even know how to drive?" she teased.
He smirked. "There's a lot you don't know about me yet, dear sister."
As the car rolled out through the gate, Anaya leaned toward him. "So, where are we going?"
"To meet someone."
"Who?"
"The Three Sisters."
Anaya gasped dramatically. "You mean… The Weird Sisters?"
Arjun smiled faintly, eyes on the road.
"Yes. The Weird Sisters."