The wind howled like a living thing outside the orphanage walls, but Dev felt none of it. He sat by the small window, staring at the endless white world beyond. Snowfall was constant in the Himalayan region—yet the land surrounding the orphanage, for almost ten kilometers, remained strangely untouched. No snow. No frost. Only a cold, dry earth.
No one talked about it. No one questioned it.
But Dev always felt… a pull.
Like the land was whispering something he had forgotten long ago.
He pressed a hand to his chest. A familiar emptiness answered him.
Twelve years of memory—gone.
All he remembered was waking up at age twelve, lying in the orphanage bed, unable to recall his name, his family, or even his own voice. The caretaker had asked, "Do you remember anything?"
He had only managed two words: "I… Dev."
And so the name stayed.
A Visit That Changed Everything
That evening, the orphanage hall echoed with murmurs. The headmaster of the legendary Himalaya Academy had arrived—a tall, serene man with silver-threaded hair and eyes that saw through people.
Everyone whispered in awe.
The academy wasn't normal.
It trained warriors, mystics, leaders—people who awakened their spiritual power.
Only those with potential were allowed inside.
The headmaster walked directly to Dev.
"You," he said softly, "come with me."
Dev froze. "Why? I don't have anything. I don't even know who I am."
The headmaster's gaze held an ancient calm.
"That's exactly why you must come. The unknown inside you… is calling."
He placed his palm gently above Dev's heart.
A faint glow appeared—barely visible—like a small spark struggling for breath.
The headmaster inhaled sharply.
"Your spiritual energy… faint. Very faint."
He paused.
"But it is pure."
Dev didn't understand, but a sudden warmth spread inside him, like something long asleep had turned over.
"Dev," the headmaster said, "your journey begins at the Academy. There, your truth waits for you."
The Ascent to the Academy
The next morning, Dev boarded the academy carriage along with a handful of chosen children. Among them was Vansh Rajput, bold, loud, and annoyingly friendly.
"Bro, why do you look like you're attending your own funeral?"
Dev blinked. "I… don't know. I guess I'm nervous."
"Relax! I heard Himalaya Academy has three ancient breathing styles—named after the Tri-Deva. Imagine learning those!"
Dev smiled faintly. Vansh talked too much, but his presence was warm. Comforting.
As the carriage climbed higher, the world grew harsher—winds sharper, skies grayer—yet Dev felt something strange.
The higher they went, the lighter his body felt.
Like he belonged here.
The Snowless Land Appears
After hours of ascent, the carriage entered a region so strange the students gasped. The mountains were buried in blizzards, yet the area around the academy—exactly ten kilometers—had not a trace of snow.
A perfect circle of untouched ground.
"Is… is that natural?" Dev whispered.
"No," the headmaster replied from the front. "It is a barrier. One that no mortal created."
Dev shivered—not from the cold, but from recognition.
Somewhere deep, deep inside, something stirred.
A memory? A feeling?
He couldn't tell.
But the land felt alive.
Like it knew him.
Arrival at Himalaya Academy
Massive stone walls rose before them, etched with symbols Dev did not understand but felt drawn to. The academy gates opened slowly, releasing a faint hum—like chanting from another realm.
Inside stood hundreds of students. Some nervous. Some proud. Some glowing with already awakened power.
Dev felt out of place immediately.
But the headmaster spoke loudly, "New students will undergo the First Spiritual Evaluation now."
Dev swallowed. His hands shook.
He didn't expect much. His energy was faint—barely a flicker.
Still, he stepped forward.
The First Test
One by one, students placed their hands on a crystalline pillar. Light flared—blue, red, gold—each color revealing a different nature.
When Dev's turn came, he hesitated.
"Don't faint," Vansh whispered. "Or I'll laugh."
Dev exhaled and placed his palm on the pillar.
For a moment… nothing.
Then—
A tiny, almost invisible shimmer emerged.
So faint the crowd barely noticed it.
But its tone—its vibration—was different.
Quiet.
Pure.
Ancient.
The examiner frowned. "Odd… I can barely detect it."
Some students laughed.
"Zero talent."
"Why is he here?"
Dev lowered his eyes.
But the headmaster, watching from afar, tightened his grip on his staff.
"This boy…" he murmured, "this purity… I have seen it only once in my lifetime."
Dev stepped away, unsure if he passed, but knowing that something inside him had awakened—even if it was just a whisper.
And somewhere far beyond the mountains, as if sensing his test…
A distant, ancient force opened its eyes