– The Forest's Fury and an Echo of Power
The next morning came without peace.
The golden city of Suryapuri was still draped in silence. Even the birds hesitated to sing. Word had already spread—something unnatural had happened last night. Some said the stars had shifted. Others swore they saw the palace lights flare like a heartbeat.
But inside the royal chambers, Prince Aaditya stood quietly by the balcony, his hands clenched behind his back. His reflection in the glass looked composed, but his mind churned like fire.
Every image from the night before refused to fade—the veena's pulse, the whisper of the stars, the look in Devansh's eyes when the heavens trembled.
He heard a knock. "Enter," he said softly.
Devansh stepped in, his robes a shade paler than usual, his face calm but tired. The veena rested across his back, its faint crack now marked with glowing veins of light that moved slowly beneath the wood, like blood in a living body.
"You didn't rest either," Aaditya said, turning toward him.
Devansh shook his head. "How could I? The veena hasn't stopped humming since last night. It feels as if it's breathing."
Aaditya walked closer, studying the faint glow. "Does it hurt?"
"No," Devansh said, almost whispering. "But it listens. I can feel it waiting."
Before Aaditya could reply, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the corridor. A guard appeared at the doorway, breathless.
"My prince! The northern forest—something's happening. Trees are burning and freezing at once. The people say the gods are angry."
Aaditya's jaw tightened. "Ready my horse. Devansh, come with me."
---
The Northern Forest
By the time they reached the outskirts, the sun was swallowed by black clouds. The forest—usually lush and peaceful—now looked torn apart. Trees smoldered with fire that gave no heat, and others were encased in ice that didn't melt. The air hissed with an unnatural rhythm, like a broken song trying to fix itself.
Aaditya dismounted first. "What could cause this?"
Devansh stepped forward, feeling the strange vibration beneath his feet. "This isn't nature. It's energy—divine energy fighting itself. Fire and water."
Aaditya turned sharply. "Our elements."
Devansh nodded, grim. "Two forces meant to balance each other… now colliding."
He unslung his veena, fingers brushing the strings. The instrument responded instantly, glowing brighter, almost eager. The ground trembled.
Aaditya's eyes widened. "It's reacting again."
"Not just reacting," Devansh murmured. "Calling."
The air twisted. A blinding flash erupted before them—fire swirling upward, water bursting from the ground, merging into a storm of red and blue light. From within that storm, a shape began to form—an ethereal beast, half flame, half mist, its roar shaking the trees.
Aaditya drew his sword, flames flaring from its blade. "Back away!"
But Devansh raised his hand. "No! It's not attacking—it's hurting. Look!"
The creature's roar turned into a cry of pain, its form flickering as if torn between worlds. The veena pulsed harder, its strings vibrating on their own.
Aaditya could feel his own body reacting—the heat in his veins rising like molten fire. Sparks danced around his armor.
"Aaditya!" Devansh called out. "Control it! Don't let it consume you!"
"I can't—!" Aaditya gritted his teeth, gripping the sword as flames spiraled from his hands. "It's like something's burning inside me!"
Devansh's fingers slammed against the veena. A sharp chord rang out—pure, clear, cutting through the chaos.
The flames around Aaditya dimmed, bending toward the melody. Devansh played again, each note wrapping around the fire like a gentle hand soothing rage. The beast howled once more, its body trembling between existence and dust.
Then Devansh's voice rang out—not in words, but in music. A divine tone.
The veena sang, its cracked frame glowing like molten gold. Aaditya's sword blazed white, the flames no longer wild but rhythmic, synchronized with the melody. Fire and sound moved together—creation and control.
And then—silence.
The storm collapsed inward, the beast dissolving into countless sparks that floated upward like fireflies.
Aaditya stood frozen, chest heaving. The last echoes of power faded from his blade. He turned to Devansh, whose hands trembled over the veena.
"Are you… alright?" Aaditya asked.
Devansh nodded weakly. "The forest isn't cursed anymore. But that was no natural spirit—it was a remnant. A fragment of celestial energy."
"A remnant of what?"
Devansh hesitated, then said quietly, "Of us."
Aaditya blinked. "What do you mean?"
"When the heavens fell," Devansh said slowly, "everything bound to that final melody scattered. Fragments of that divine sound must have fallen to the mortal realm—slumbering until now. The curse is awakening piece by piece."
Aaditya sheathed his sword, his expression unreadable. "Then we need to find them before they find us."
---
They turned back toward their horses, but before they could mount, the ground trembled again—this time deeper, slower.
Devansh froze. The veena in his hand vibrated violently. The glowing veins spread across its body, and a faint echo filled the air: a haunting whisper.
> "When the fifth note rises, the heavens will open."
The whisper faded, but the forest around them remained eerily still.
Aaditya looked at him, brow furrowed. "What did it mean?"
Devansh stared at the veena's strings, fear flickering behind his calm eyes. "It means this is only the beginning."
He tightened his grip on the instrument, his voice trembling. "The veena's pulse isn't just memory anymore—it's awakening the heavens themselves."
Aaditya placed a hand on his shoulder. "Then let them awaken. Whatever comes, we'll face it together."
Devansh met his gaze, the faintest hint of warmth breaking through the worry. "You always say that," he whispered. "Even when you don't understand what it means."
"Maybe I don't need to," Aaditya said quietly. "Maybe I just need to be there when the song begins again."
The wind blew through the burned forest, carrying the scent of ash and rain. Above them, the clouds parted, revealing a single faint streak of light—one star, pulsing faintly, as if listening.
The same pulse echoed through the veena.
And far away, beyond mortal sight, something in the heavens stirred.
---
End of Chapter 5: The Forest's Fury and an Echo of Power
> When fire meets melody, the curse remembers its rhythm.
The forest burns, the stars whisper again—and destiny plays its next note.