Chapter 1: The Dream of a Forgotten Warrior
The sky above the city was dark, filled with heavy clouds that looked like smoke after a long battle.
Somewhere in that city lived a boy named Arpit, sixteen years old, with eyes that carried more fire than most adults.
He was not from a rich family, not from a powerful clan — just an ordinary boy who walked to school with a bag full of books and a heart full of dreams.
But there was something strange about Arpit.
Every night, he dreamed of war.
Swords clashed.
Trumpets of ancient kings roared.
He saw men covered in golden armor, their eyes shining like fire.
And in the middle of them all stood one man — a warrior with bright skin, a bow that glowed like the sun, and a calm face even when surrounded by death.
That man's name echoed in Arpit's heart every time he woke up —
"Karan."
---
Arpit sat up from his bed, breathing hard. Sweat rolled down his face. His chest rose and fell like a soldier after running miles in the battlefield.
He looked around his small room — the cracked wall, the books, the one old photo of his parents — everything was normal.
But inside him, nothing felt normal anymore.
He whispered to himself,
> "Why do I see him every night…? Who am I… really?"
He stood up, washed his face, and looked in the mirror. His reflection stared back — tired eyes, thin body, but a spark that refused to die.
That spark whispered again,
> "You were not born weak, Arpit. You were born to rise."
---
At school, his friends laughed and played. But Arpit sat quietly, lost in thoughts.
His teacher shouted, "Arpit! Focus on the board!"
He nodded, but his mind was already fighting battles in another world.
During lunch, his friend Riya sat beside him. She was bright, cheerful, and always tried to bring Arpit back from his silent world.
"Hey warrior," she said jokingly. "You're in your battlefield again?"
Arpit smiled a little.
"You won't understand," he said softly.
Riya looked at him curiously. "Then make me understand."
He looked into her eyes. For a second, everything else disappeared — the noise, the classroom, the world.
But then he looked away.
"I will. One day," he said. "When I know who I really am."
---
That night, Arpit didn't sleep early.
He sat on his roof, staring at the stars.
He whispered,
> "Karan… Magnath… who are you to me?"
The wind blew strongly, almost answering him.
He closed his eyes.
Suddenly, the air around him changed.
He saw a flash of golden light.
A voice deep and calm echoed in his ears —
> "You carry the spirit of the warrior who never bowed down. You are his seed in Kaliyuga."
Arpit's heart raced. He looked around, but no one was there.
> "Who are you!?" he shouted.
> "A guide," the voice replied. "A time will come when you will face the same test as Karan — the test of dharma and desire, love and loyalty."
The light disappeared.
Arpit sat in silence. His heart beat like a drum of war. He didn't know if it was a dream or real.
But something had awakened inside him — something ancient, something divine.
---
Days passed, but that night never left his mind.
He started reading about Karan — his courage, his pain, his loyalty, and his love for the truth.
He also discovered stories about a warrior named Magnath, known in forgotten texts as "The Protector of the Lost Souls."
Arpit began training — running early in the morning, doing push-ups, meditating, and practicing focus.
His classmates thought he was going mad.
But Riya noticed the change.
One evening, she followed him to the park where he was training.
He was standing under a tree, eyes closed, punching the air with rhythm.
"Arpit," she said softly.
He turned around, breathing hard.
"Riya? What are you doing here?"
"I should ask you that. You're training like you're preparing for war."
He smiled faintly.
"Maybe I am."
She looked into his eyes — they were sharp, burning, alive.
"Why do you want to become like Karan so much?" she asked.
Arpit looked at the sky.
"Because he fought even when destiny was against him. He never complained, even when the world was unfair. I want that strength… that silence."
Riya smiled. "Then I'll fight beside you, Arpit."
For the first time, he didn't feel alone.
---
But peace never lasts long in the life of a warrior.
One day, while walking home, Arpit saw a man fainting on the road.
He rushed to help, but as he touched the man's arm — a strange light flashed again.
He saw visions — cities burning, warriors screaming, gods watching silently from the sky.
And then, a shadowy figure with glowing red eyes whispered,
> "You can't run from your destiny, child of Karan."
Arpit stepped back, shocked.
"Who are you!?" he shouted again.
But the man on the road had disappeared.
Only a symbol remained — a mark on the ground, glowing faintly like fire.
---
That night, Arpit couldn't sleep again.
He called Riya and told her everything.
At first, she laughed, thinking he was joking.
But when she saw his trembling hands, she went silent.
"Arpit," she said softly, "maybe you're not crazy. Maybe this is your calling."
He looked at her through the phone screen and whispered,
> "If it is… will you stand with me?"
Riya smiled.
> "Always."
---
At that moment, thunder rolled in the sky.
Arpit stood on his balcony, rain pouring on his face, and said:
> "If I must walk the path of a warrior again, then let the gods watch. I will not kneel. I will rise."
Far away, in the unseen realms of heaven, the old gods looked down.
One of them smiled and said,
> "Kaliyuga's flame has been lit again."
And thus began the story of Arpit, the boy who carried the soul of a forgotten warrior — the boy who would one day challenge fate itself.