Maan could still feel it—the lingering tremor of escaping death by a fraction.
He had faced danger before. Alone. Fearlessly.
But this time… something had changed.
Maybe, for the first time—
he had felt fear.
Siya noticed.
She stepped closer, her voice calm yet firm.
"Are you alright, Maan? It's over… the danger has passed. Just breathe."
Maan nodded slowly, still gathering himself.
I broke the silence.
"So… do we keep moving?"
Siya didn't hesitate.
"Yes. But not like this. We teleport from here. There will be more of them ahead… and we don't have another option."
I gave a quiet nod.
"Where to?" Andy asked.
Siya's eyes sharpened.
"Prayagraj."
Andy frowned slightly.
"But… we can go directly to Varanasi, right?"
Siya shook her head.
"No. Kashi isn't just a place anymore… it's hidden. Protected. We don't go to it—
we find it. And Prayagraj is the closest point where its path can be traced."
"Let's move."
The world shifted.
For a moment, there was nothing—no ground, no sky… just a void.
And then—
Maan opened his eyes.
Silence.
A vast, lifeless ruin stretched before them. Broken structures… collapsed pillars… and endless sand covering what once must have been sacred ground.
There was no sound of water.
No life.
Just emptiness.
Maan looked around, confused.
"This… is Prayagraj?"
Siya's face carried a quiet sadness.
"Yes… this is the same place. The land where sins were washed away… where the holiest confluence once existed."
Her voice lowered.
"This… is where three sacred rivers met—Ganga River, Yamuna River… and the unseen river of knowledge, Saraswati River."
Maan's eyes widened.
"Is there… a story behind this place too?"
Siya gave a faint nod.
"Yes. One of the most powerful."
She stepped forward, her voice turning almost… timeless.
"When the gods and demons churned the cosmic ocean—
the great event known as Samudra Manthan—
the nectar of immortality emerged."
"To protect it from the demons, Lord Vishnu's divine mount carried the pot of nectar across the skies. But during the struggle… drops of that nectar fell upon Earth."
"Four places were blessed—Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik."
"Here… where a drop fell… this land became Sangam—the sacred confluence."
She paused.
"It is said that bathing here granted liberation… freedom from sins… even a path to immortality."
Maan listened, completely absorbed.
"But that's not all," Siya continued.
"After creating the universe, Lord Brahma chose this very place to perform his greatest ritual—the Ashwamedha Yagya. Because of that 'Prakrisht Yagya'—the most supreme sacrifice—this land was named Prayag."
She looked toward the barren horizon.
"The most mysterious part… is Saraswati."
"It was never seen… yet always believed."
"A river beneath the surface. Hidden. Like knowledge itself—unseen, but always present."
"Close your eyes, Maan."
He obeyed.
Siya placed her hand gently on his forehead.
And the world… changed.
The silence shattered into sound.
Temple bells echoed.
Flames of massive sacred fires rose into the sky.
The rivers—alive, radiant, flowing with divine energy—merged into a glowing confluence beyond imagination.
It wasn't just a place…
It was eternity.
Maan felt it.
The peace. The power. The presence.
Then—
It vanished.
He opened his eyes.
The ruins returned.
Dry. Lifeless. Forgotten.
A deep sadness filled his chest.
Siya spoke softly.
"This… is what it was."
"And this…" she gestured around, "…is what it became."
"Humans did this."
"The same rivers they called 'Mother'… they poisoned. Neglected. Destroyed."
"And when they stopped caring…
the Mother left."
Maan clenched his fists.
"But… we're trying to rebuild the world, right? To fix all this?"
Siya looked at him—calm, yet unshakable.
"Yes. A new world will rise."
"But not for those who destroyed this one."
Her voice turned colder.
"A new era is coming."
"The end of this age—Kali Yuga—is near."
"And the darkness hiding within this world…"
She paused, her eyes reflecting something far deeper than fear.
"…will be ended."
Maan swallowed.
"By who…?"
Siya's gaze lifted toward the empty sky.
"When the time comes…"
"Even gods don't wait."
"They descend."