High above the suffocating hospital rooms and the blood-stained training grounds, Pawan sat perched on the jagged edge of a mountain peak. Below him, the city sprawled like a vibrant, living canvas—a civilization swallowed by emerald greens and towering trees, cut by a pristine, winding river that caught the golden fire of the setting sun.
He leaned back, resting his palms against the rough, cold stone, and breathed in deeply. The sweet, earthy scent of pine needles and damp soil filled his lungs, while the crisp mountain breeze left a refreshing, almost sweet taste on his tongue.
Flocks of birds darted across the painted sky, their evening melodies echoing through the valley. Spotting a passing flock, Pawan smiled warmly and called out in a soft, melodic hum. "Hey! Look down here! I'm back, and I'm completely healed!"
To anyone else, it would look like a crazy boy shouting at the wind. But miraculously, the birds halted mid-air. They turned their tiny heads, chirped in unison, and fluttered down toward him. A dozen sparrows landed gently on his shoulders, his head, and his outstretched finger.
*Oh! You recovered so quickly!* a tiny, distinct voice echoed in Pawan's mind. *I honestly thought you were going to spend your entire life locked up in that hospital!*
Pawan chuckled softly. "What are you trying to say? My friends would never let that happen."
Suddenly, a nearby bush rustled. A sleek black cat crept onto the rock, her claws extended as she stared at the flock. *Ah! I finally get to eat fresh bird for dinner today!* she hissed eagerly.
The sparrows panicked, scattering into the air in a frantic flurry of wings. Before the feline could strike, Pawan swiftly scooped her into his arms. "Ayesha! No! Those are my friends! How can you even think about eating them?"
Ayesha froze, her green eyes widening in absolute shock. *Wait... you can understand them too, Pawan?!*
Pawan smiled proudly, gently stroking her soft black fur. "Yes, Ayesha. I can talk to and understand every living creature in this world."
Ayesha groaned, dramatically dropping her chin onto his lap. *Well, if you befriend our food, I'm going to die of starvation. No wonder you're a strict vegetarian.* Completely unfazed by the terrifying drop just inches away, she curled up comfortably beside him.
Pawan shifted, kicking his legs playfully over the edge. He looked up at the vast, darkening sky, feeling finally at peace.
But Ayesha wasn't finished. *Pawan, why are you so incredibly happy today?* she asked nonchalantly. *Did you finally figure out how to actually use your Prana?*
Pawan froze, the color instantly draining from his face.
He shot up, pointing a trembling finger at the cat. "What is your problem, Ayesha?!" he yelled, his voice cracking comically. "Can't you just see me happy for one second? Why do you always have to ruin my mood?!"
He stomped his foot. "Just you wait! One day, I will master my Prana, and I'll use it to make you my personal servant! You don't know what I'm capable of when I finally unlock my 'Manipulate Prana'!"
Ayesha simply turned her head, licking her paw dismissively. *Yeah, yeah. Big, empty words again.* With a flick of her tail, she padded away.
"Hey! Are you mocking me?!" Pawan whined. "Ayesha, come back! I need to tell you how awesome my powers will be—"
"Are you talking to the animals again, Pawan?"
A sharp, authoritative voice snapped him to attention. Pawan turned to see his older sister standing a few feet away, her arms crossed firmly over her chest.
She sighed, stepping closer. "You know people will think you've lost your mind if they see you doing this. With this attitude, you will never be able to take our father's place on the throne."
Pawan pouted, placing his hands on his hips. "I don't even like that throne anyway! I just want to spend my life exactly like this, surrounded by nature. Besides, that throne rightfully belongs to our eldest brother. I could never, ever defeat him."
His older sister's strict expression softened. "You know very well, Pawan... to become the King of our land, raw physical power is not what matters." She looked out over the peaceful city. "This country needs a ruler with a compassionate heart. Someone without prejudice, who respects every form of life. A quality... which you possess far more than our eldest brother."
Having delivered such a profound, emotional truth, she turned around, expecting to see a matured, thoughtful expression on her little brother's face.
Instead, Pawan was crawling on his hands and knees in the dirt, completely ignoring her, desperately trying to catch a fluffy little white rabbit. He hadn't heard a single word she had said.
A terrifying, suffocating pressure suddenly filled the air. A dark, murderous aura seemed to bleed off his sister's skin, her face turning crimson with absolute fury.
*"PAWAAAN!!!"* she roared.
Pawan froze. He slowly turned his head, his eyes bulging out of their sockets in sheer terror. His sister was stomping toward him like an executioner. "Why do you never listen when I am talking to you?!"
Before Pawan could even beg for mercy, her fist came down like a hammer squarely onto the top of his head. *BAM!*
A stinging, agonizing pain shot through his brain as a massive red bump instantly formed on his skull. "I'm... I'm so sorry, big sister..." Pawan mumbled dizzily, his eyes rolling back as he slumped into the dirt, completely unconscious.
Sighing in sheer frustration, his sister grabbed him by the back of his collar and began dragging his limp body down the rough mountain trail.
Miles away, the lighthearted peace of the mountains did not exist.
Inside a massive, dimly lit chamber, the atmosphere was suffocating. The air was incredibly thick, clouded with the lingering, dense smoke of countless destroyed Prana Clones. The sharp, metallic scent of ozone and raw, unadulterated sweat dominated the room.
Through the hazy smoke sat the broad, imposing back of a young man. Bare-chested and clad only in dark, loose combat trousers, his body was structured like a weapon. Every muscle, every sinew was chiseled to absolute perfection, shifting with lethal, coiled power beneath a cascade of wild, untamed black hair.
He sat in the dead center of the room, casually resting atop a literal mountain of broken, severed, and destroyed mechanical clones.
With slow, methodical movements, he unrolled the blood-soaked fighting bandages from his knuckles. Thick beads of hot sweat rolled down his sharp jawline, dripping onto the cold stone floor beneath him.
Suddenly, a soft, hesitant voice broke the heavy silence.
Standing at the grand doorway was a beautiful young woman in elegant royal maid attire. Even from a distance, she trembled, visibly intimidated by the crushing, monstrous aura radiating from the man in the center of the room.
Keeping her hands respectfully pressed together, she bowed her upper body in deep submission. Her voice shook as she announced:
Eldest Prince... Acharya ji has summoned you."*
(Author's note : Welcome to all the new readers from New Releases! If you like the dark world of Kaal-Chakra, don't forget to save it in your library and drop your Power Stones! Thank you for reading! )