All creatures are born mortals. With Everyday Effort, they can change themselves, ascending to become a Sage. A Sage has keen senses and excellent instincts. However, a Sage eventually reaches a barrier, known as 'Delay', which hinders it's progresses.
Only those who persist against time, making efforts without expecting for results, can ascend into a Saint. Those who have ascended into a Saint have a tenacious will, and incredible power. More importantly, these people have their fates changed, and have an opportunity for some fortuitous encounters.
However, even a Saint eventually reaches a natural barrier, known as 'Calamity'. It is a natural occurrence, and only those who find their way out, bringing hope into a hopeless situation, ascend to become a Hero !
The Hero is considered as an apex existence, and not many have the ability to shoulder this title. Heroes are the hope of their race, and have unimaginable power. The most important power being the ability to sense Karma, using which they are able to correct their errors and secure fortune for themselves.
Unfortunately, even Heroes encounter a limit over their strength, against which they are completely helpless. It is only through by grasping the Truth of the World can they break out of their shell, and become a mythical existence- a Legend !
*****
Shagwarts School of Magic and Wizardry, Fairy Continent.
Param caressed his face in frustration as he sat on a high chair with the teachers of the school. There were even four familiar flags hanging above the dining room, with symbols of Lion, Raven, Snake and Badger. Below each of these flags was a long dining table, in which sat magus students of the particular house.
Today was a special day, as there were new students who would be given a house.
"This year we have some promising students." A large Giant named Shagrid softly explained Claire and the couple, Param and Madhu. Unlike Param, Madhu was not familiar with a particular fantasy series and was excited when she glanced around.
"Look at that !"
Madhu happily nudged Param and pointed at the candles floating in the air above forming a ceiling. The candles melted, and the hot wax kept falling over the students, inciting curses from them.
Param could not help but say : "Truth is really stranger than fiction !".
All teachers arrived, except for the headmaster. The new students arrived and stood in a large group, and finally the headmaster finally arrived. As Param expected, the headmaster wore a loose robe with long sleeves. He had a ridiculously long white beard and had D shaped glasses over his nose.
The elegantly sat over his seat and opened his mouth, producing hoarse sound.
"My apologies. I had some difficulty finding my way through some doors."
Other teachers simply nodded their heads, they had already expected this to happen.
Claire whispered to the couple, introducing the headmaster.
"He is Albus Fumbledoor, a powerful Mage of the continent."
Three black lines appeared on Param's forehead on hearing that. He felt uneasy when he thought of what has yet to come.
The headmaster felt it was time for his speech and held a spoon and tapped on a crystalline glass twice. The signal traveled through the entire dining hall, but was unfortunately lost among the endless chatter of the students.
The headmaster's face flushed and he again tapped twice, this time with a little force. Again the sound was lost among the noise made by the enthusiastic youths. The teachers struggled to keep a straight face, and the headmaster's face twitched.
He eventually gave up and held his wand and waved it in the air. There was a burst of lightning, and the loud thunder successfully attracted everyone's attention.
Param watched this and mumbled again : "Truth is really stranger than fiction."
Albus Fumbledoor cleared his throat as he stood up.
"Welcome to Shagwarts School of Magic and Wizardry ! Now that you are here for your first year, you shall be assigned a house, which shall be like a family to you..."
He spoke, and Param's face crunched up as he found the plot familiar. Specially the ugly man standing near the door holding an equally ugly cat.
The headmaster signaled, and a teacher walked in front near a stool holding a puppet. The teacher explained to the newly admitted students.
"When I call your name, that student shall sit on this stool. This puppet shall decide which house you shall enter."
Claire whispered and explained. "It is said that the puppet has an ancient Magus soul trapped inside."
Param raised his brows happily. This wasn't following the script !
The teacher opened the scroll and started calling out the students. The puppet was extremely human like and insulted almost every student, before assigning them a house.
Param nodded and drank some tea as he thought.
'Indeed, this is how it should be ! Although there were some resemblance, this is, after all, a different world !'
Of course, his happiness lasted for a short while until he heard the teacher calling out a name.
"Neville Longbottomhair !"
He almost chocked over his tea, making Madhu worried.
Neville came forward and timidly sat on the stool. The puppet circled around him and finally spoke.
"Timid and fat...go to the Lion house."
The puppet said and waved his hand, shooing the student away. As Neville went towards the Lion house's dining table, the teacher called out other names.
"Ronald Beverley !"
"Hermoine Stranger !"
"Draco Failboy !"
Param felt his mind collapse with each familiar name, and even familiar faces. Except for their pointy ears, their appearance wasn't much different from what he had in mind.
Finally the teacher spoke a name which make the students gasp.
"Harry Carpenter !"
"Are you okay ?"
Madhu asked Param, who was making terrible faces all this while.
"I'm...fine."
He reassured her as he watched a familiar figure. The student named Harry wore round glasses, and had a lightning mark on his forehead. His face was a little dirty as he sat on the small stool. The puppet approached him and circled around.
"Hmmm... A useless person with excellent ability to hog other people's credit ! You will live like a king, and other people will needlessly toil for you...You shall belong to the Lion house !"
The other students cheered like mob characters while Param clutched his chest, feeling an acute pain.
*****
The Grasslands, Human Continent.
The Citadel was the only city in the Grasslands, and all the major clans had their residences here. Outside the city, hundreds of tents stood filled with young and strong men. There were many large training grounds in between them, where the soldiers were trained.
"What kind of training is this ?"
The men grumbled as they stood still in the sun. The people of the grasslands were unfamiliar with the military practices in the Dynasty, and could not understand why they had to stand for three hours in the sun without doing anything. The training became more ridiculous by the day, as they had to run more than ten laps in the morning, and had to do sit ups, push ups, and many other exercises.
Although they were dissatisfied, they didn't dare to speak out. Their leader was just a teen kid, but he was extremely decisive and ruthless. There was no one in the militia who didn't know the name- Chandragupta !
It was afternoon when some carriages arrived, bearing the insignia of one of the major clans, the Bakwas Clan. The door opened and a fat man with small eyes and round nose walked out. The man had thick fingers and his neck had disappeared, making him look like a frog. He arrogantly walked into the tent of the militia's leader and saw a young teenager studying a map inside along with another middle aged person. It was the map of the Grasslands.
"Why are you here, Maurya kid ? Shouldn't you be in your 'great' dynasty ?"
The young man chuckled as he heard the fat man's comment and picked up a whip.
"Indeed, but I heard that many years ago, there were some deserters who betrayed the Great Maurya Dynasty and fled to create their own clans in the Grasslands."
The fat man's face contorted and he snorted loudly.
"Bullsh*t !"
He saw a nearby chair and began to sit in it.
Chandragupta looked at him ferociously and whipped towards his direction. The whip traveled faster than the speed of sound and tangled itself on one of the chair's leg. He pulled with force, and the chair moved, appearing behind him.
As the young teenager sat he spoke arrogantly while looking at the fat man.
"Only two people have the ability to sit on the Throne. One is the Indra of the Celestial Realm above, and the other is this Maurya of the Mortal Realm below !"
The fat man quivered, and he realized that this young man was indeed a Maurya. Be it the style, strength or momentum, everything was just unbeatable.
The middle aged man laughed as he watched this scene and patted the fat man's back.
"It is wise to submit. You are not a match for the imperial prince."
The fat man gulped and nodded. He was an experienced person and knew how to reap benefits with minimum efforts.