The glow around Guru Dhoomketu slowly faded.
But the impact it had left behind—
Did not.
Every being in that hall stood stunned.
They had always known that Guru Dhoomketu was powerful… even as a human.
But this?
This was beyond anything they had imagined.
Dhoomketu steadied himself, then spoke again—his voice calm, yet firm.
"I apologize to everyone present here."
A pause.
"But yes… it is true."
"I want the identity of that child… to remain a secret."
The hall went still again.
"And yes," he continued without hesitation, "it is also true that I do not trust everyone sitting here."
A ripple of discomfort spread.
"But this is not about me."
His voice deepened.
"This is about protecting the world."
A moment of silence.
"Tell me…"
His gaze moved across the Hall.
"If someone close to you—someone you love—was in danger…"
"…would you not hide them?"
"…would you not protect them at any cost?"
No one answered.
Because they all knew the answer.
"Yes… you would."
He stepped forward slightly.
"Then what about that child?"
"The one who is destined to protect the entire world?"
"Is it not our duty… to protect him first?"
His words sank deep.
And just like that—
The accusations against him began to crumble.
Faces lowered.
Regret replaced anger.
Shame… replaced pride.
Then—
The Dragon Emperor stood up.
His voice echoed with authority.
"Queen Neerja… Gurudev is absolutely right."
A pause.
"For the safety of that child… his identity must remain hidden."
One by one—
Others stood up.
Nagraj Kaling… who already knew more than he had revealed.
Ambu.
And many other leaders.
They all supported Dhoomketu.
Only one remained uneasy.
The Queen of the Lizard Tribe.
Her face didn't show agreement—
But in the end…
Even she gave in.
Reluctantly.
Seeing the decision of the council, Neerja Devi rose and declared—
"Very well."
Her voice firm.
"Until it becomes absolutely necessary…"
"…the identity and all details of the prophecy child will remain a secret."
The decision was made.
And instantly—
The hall broke into discussions again.
Whispers.
Speculations.
Tension.
But on the other side—
Something else had begun.
The moment Guru Dhoomketu sat down—
A silent connection formed between him and the Queen.
Telepathy.
A conversation without words.
"Welcome, Gurudev," Neerja Devi's voice echoed in his mind.
"But I don't understand… why did you suddenly intervene like that?"
Telepathy—
An ancient art.
A forgotten science.
A way to communicate through thought alone.
No lips moved.
No sound escaped.
No one around could hear a single word.
In ancient times, sages and scholars had mastered it. Even the gods were said to communicate this way with their devotees.
But in the race of modern life…
Such knowledge had been lost.
Buried.
Forgotten.
Dhoomketu replied calmly—
"Neerja Devi… I had no intention of creating conflict."
A pause.
"But when I was standing outside your palace…"
"…I felt something."
His tone turned serious.
"A dark presence… flowing through the air."
"And that is what brought me here… and forced me to speak."
Neerja Devi's expression didn't change.
But inside—
Her thoughts sharpened.
"You mean…"
"…there's a spy among us?"
Dhoomketu answered with a simple—
"Yes."
Meanwhile—
The सभा was ready to move forward again.
The Mermaid Queen stood up once more.
Her voice steady, but filled with concern.
"Your Majesty…"
"Now that we know the prophecy has begun…"
"That the child has been born…"
"That the demons are already moving…"
"And that they even know about the Blood Preservation Ritual…"
She paused.
"Guide us."
"What should we do now?"
"What is our role in all of this?"
Her question echoed in every heart.
Because that was the truth—
They were powerful.
But directionless.
Neerja Devi stood up.
Her expression turned serious once again.
"Our role…"
She paused.
"…has already been decided for centuries."
A breath.
"And according to the prophecy…"
"…there is only one path for us."
A single word left her lips—
"War."
Silence.
Heavy.
Unavoidable.
Some looked at each other.
Some looked down.
Some… clenched their fists.
Neerja Devi continued—
"You are all powerful beings."
"You command Your Unique yet powerful armies."
"And we will need every bit of that strength in the coming battle."
A pause.
"But I do not want you to join this war out of obligation to this council."
Her voice grew sharper.
"If you fight…"
"…then fight knowing that this is a battle of survival."
"Of life and death."
She looked at each one of them.
"So I want you to decide—right now."
"Whether you are willing to be a part of this war… or not."
A chilling silence followed.
"Anyone who does not wish to fight…"
"…may leave."
The words struck deep.
This wasn't just a call.
It was a test.
A choice.
A line drawn.
Every leader stood lost in thought.
Weighing fear against duty.
Life against honor.
Survival against sacrifice.
And then—
Something unexpected happened.
From among them—
Ambu.
The Queen's most trusted minister.
Stood up.
And began walking forward.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
As all eyes turned toward him… wondering—
What was he about to say?