Next Morning before the sunrise.....
The forest was still cloaked in darkness, the first light of dawn yet to pierce the thick canopy overhead. Nakul lay curled beneath a makeshift bed of leaves, the chill of the night still clinging to his bones. His sleep had been fitful, filled with fragmented dreams of what he had lost and the terrifying reality he now faced.
But it wasn't the cold that woke him.
"Bzzzzz!... Bzzzzz!"
Nakul groaned, the incessant buzzing of his smartphone dragging him from the grip of a restless sleep. He blinked, disoriented, his body stiff from the unforgiving ground. Rubbing his eyes, he fumbled for the phone, his mind still half in the dream world.
"What…" he muttered, stretching his sore limbs. He wasn't used to this—sleeping outdoors, without the comfort of his luxurious bed. The events of the previous day came rushing back as he sat up, the memory of his laboratory disintegrating before his eyes still vivid in his mind.
He glanced at the phone screen. A new message from Ozwel had appeared.
"I know you have many questions, but they can wait. I will tell you everything, but right now, you need to survive this. A mere human does not stand a chance against such cosmic forces."
Nakul stared at the message, the weight of Ozwel's words settling heavily on his shoulders. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know that, okay? I saw what happened yesterday evening." The memory of his laboratory vanishing still haunted him.
Another message appeared almost immediately.
"You at least stand a chance against the AS Squad if you have the Staff of Tranquel."
Nakul's brow furrowed in confusion. "Staff of what?"
"It is a long stick able to manipulate the space-time continuum, matter, antimatter, even dark matter and dark energy itself."
Nakul couldn't help but chuckle, the absurdity of the situation catching up with him. "Sounds like something out of a fantasy novel," he said, his voice tinged with disbelief. Yet, there was a part of him—perhaps the part that had always been drawn to the unknown, that had driven him to experiment with forces beyond human understanding—that found Ozwel's words fascinating.
"How are we supposed to get a hold of that?" he asked, his curiosity piqued despite himself.
"I have it," Ozwel replied. "I will create a dimensional rift that will be able to transfer the staff just beside you."
Nakul's eyes widened. The idea of a dimensional rift, of something as powerful as the Staff of Tranquel, sounded beyond anything he had ever imagined. But then again, everything that had happened so far was beyond imagination.
Before Nakul could respond, another message appeared.
"I can't use the staff myself," Ozwel explained. "I do not exist in a physical form anymore. My consciousness, my very essence, is bound within the fourth-dimensional tesseract. I am everywhere and nowhere, within time and outside of it. But I am no longer bound by the physical laws that govern your world."
Nakul processed this, trying to grasp the implications of what Ozwel was saying. "So, you're like... an omnipresent being now?"
"In a sense, yes," Ozwel replied. "But that also means I cannot interact with physical objects the way you can. I can influence time, I can communicate with you across different moments, but I cannot hold, touch, or wield anything in the physical realm."
Nakul felt a pang of sorrow for Ozwel. As incredible as his abilities now were, it was clear that there was a price for such power. He had transcended humanity but had lost something vital in the process his connection to the physical world, to the simple pleasures of being alive.
"That's why you're so important, Nakul," Ozwel continued. "You are still anchored in the physical world, and with the Staff of Tranquel, you can do what I cannot. Together, we can stand a chance against the forces that are hunting you."
Nakul swallowed hard, the weight of responsibility pressing down on him. He had always been the scientist, the one seeking answers, pushing boundaries. But now, he was being thrust into a role he had never anticipated, a defender against cosmic forces, armed with a weapon that defied the very laws of nature.
"I'm ready, Ozwel," Nakul texted back, determination hardening his resolve. "Tell me what I need to do."
"First, find a clear spot," Ozwel instructed. "I need space to open the rift. It will be brief, and the energy it releases might attract attention, so we have to act fast."
Nakul nodded, even though Ozwel couldn't see him. He stood and scanned the area, searching for a suitable location. The forest was dense, but a few meters away, he spotted a small clearing, the morning light just beginning to filter through the trees.
"This should work," Nakul said to himself as he made his way over.
"Good," Ozwel responded. "Now, stand back. I'm opening the rift."
Nakul felt a surge of anticipation, his heart pounding in his chest. He had no idea what to expect, but there was no turning back now. He stepped to the edge of the clearing, his eyes fixed on the spot where Ozwel had indicated.
For a moment, nothing happened. The forest was still, the air heavy with expectation. Then, without warning, the space in front of Nakul began to warp, the very fabric of reality twisting and contorting as if being pulled apart. A tear appeared in the air, a glowing rift that hummed with a strange, otherworldly energy.
Nakul watched in awe as the rift widened, its edges crackling with light. From within the tear, a shape began to emerge a long, slender object that seemed to pulse with its own energy.
"The Staff of Tranquel…" Nakul whispered, unable to tear his eyes away.
The staff floated gently through the rift, as if carried by invisible hands. It was made of a material Nakul couldn't identify, dark and shimmering, with intricate patterns carved along its length. The energy radiating from it was palpable, filling the clearing with a sense of power and possibility.
Nakul reached out, his hand trembling as he grasped the staff. The moment his fingers touched it, he felt a surge of energy flow through him, as if the staff was alive, responding to his touch. It was warm, almost comforting, yet there was an underlying force that made him aware of the immense power he now held.
"You have it, Nakul," Ozwel's voice came through the phone, filled with a mix of relief and urgency. "With this staff, you can manipulate the fabric of reality itself. But be careful ,its power is not to be used lightly, and remember if you encounter a Syndicate ,Run! They can use staffs power limitlessly while you have limitations"
Nakul nodded, This staff was beyond anything he had ever dreamed of a tool that could bend the very laws of the universe. But with such power came responsibility, and the weight of that responsibility settled heavily on his shoulders.
"We need to move quickly," Ozwel continued. "The rift's energy will have alerted the AS Squad, and they'll be here soon. You have to use the staff to escape."
Nakul tightened his grip on the staff, feeling its energy pulse in response. "I understand," he said, his voice steady. "I'll do whatever it takes."
With the Staff of Tranquel in hand, Nakul felt a newfound sense of purpose. The forest around him seemed less daunting, the fear that had gripped him loosening its hold. He wasn't just a scientist anymore ,he was something more, something powerful. And with Ozwel by his side, even in spirit, he knew they could face whatever challenges lay ahead. He then, raises the staff up in the and he finds himself in among the clouds.
"Am I flying? It's like Air's fluid properties have turned from Gas to Liquid density around me allowing me to float. And as I push myself forward the Air is flowing along with me!"