It was evening time. Most of the important members of the clan such as the vice leader, the elders, and Rudra with his sisters. All of them were at the city gates waiting for the arrival of their leader. Just after a few minutes, a horse emerged on the horizon.
Riding that horse was an old man who wore a Kavach¹. The whole Set of Kavach was shimmering with its silver color. There were also a few patterns on that kavach.
"Kavya look, Grandpa has arrived", Anya said as she pointed towards the figure.
After a few minutes that figure finally approached them. The horse had long golden hairs on its neck making it seem special, soon the horse approached them. But then Anya asked her sister,
"Mayra, why is that horse so different.", Anya asked with innocence reflecting through her eyes.
"That is a level 2 creature horse, six years ago Grandpa found it in a shop while he was in some other city and brought it while coming back.", Mayra explained
"Greetings master Vihaan, I have seen you after a long time", Vijay goes ahead touching Vihaan's feet as a symbol of respect. That old man was Vihaan, the leader of the skambha clan. Vihaan nodded his head as he patted Vijay on his back.
"What to do, I always couldn't stop myself from exploring", Vihaan said with a smile on his face.
He then looked towards Rudra, "Rudra, how are you doing these days", Vihaan walked towards Rudra with excitement in his eyes. But Listening to this sad expression spread over Rudra's face.
Vihaan approached Rudra and hugged him, "Don't worry, I will find a way for you!"
Vihaan then patted Rudra's shoulder and then approached his granddaughters. Soon, together they all reached the clan mansion with their grandpa. The whole mansion was glowing in the light of lanterns and decorations. Everyone was present in the main hall of the mansion.
At the end of the hall was a special throne a little higher than all the other members' seats, whereas beside the throne were a few more seats at the same level which were for the elders and the vice leader.
Then there were seats for normal clan members spread on both the sides of hall except for the middle path. Vihaan sat on that main chair, whereas Vijay, the vice leader, sat right beside Vihaan. As soon as the clan members saw their leader they greeted him. Then they again got busy talking to each other. Only a few members maintained discipline.
Vihaan was sitting calmly while his eyes were closed. Soon the three elders of the clan arrived too. Mahaj, Sohaj, and Johal, who came from Vihaan's generation, these four people could be considered best friends.
"Let the assembly of our clan begin", Vihaan opened his eyes and announced in a heavy voice.
Vihaan nodded his head as he spoke, "In one year from now the blossom tournament is going to be held in the state, the team to emerge as the winner will get a chance to fight in the royal championship of the Vajra empire."
"As the clan team which wins will be entitled as the champion team, hence they will be provided with many resources to cultivate, and a royal troop will be allocated to their clan, increasing the clan's influence and power, as the clan itself has a support from the empire.", elder Mahaaj explains.
"the royal championship will be conducted a few months right after the blossom tournament, therefore we will prepare a special team from now that will fight from our clan, and enlighten our clan's pride.", Elder Sohaj explains.
"The range of age within which people can take part in the tournament is from 16 to 20.", Elder Johal explained.
Nodding his head Vihaan again says, "Because I wasn't present in this clan, I wasn't able to observe much, so I want them to prepare the team with the best members according to them for this championship."
"As you say leader we take this responsibility and will give our best to fulfill it so that our clan team gives its best."
"Also I would like to remind everyone that the clan competition is about to be held within a month, it is compulsory for you all to take part in it, to showcase your potential.", Johal says.
Clan competition is a special competition held every year for people between the ages of 16 to 18, and if one is able to gain particular points of score, then based on that their ranking within the clan will be decided which will determine their contribution to the clan tasks and works.
Vihaan claps his hands two times as a special sign and says, "The assembly has been dismissed all the clan members can go out and enjoy if they want on the account of my arrival."
Vihaan stood up and left the hall with the elders. Rudra also hiding from everyone got out of the hall. Rudra then exited the mansion with all the members who were going out to enjoy. Soon Rudra enters an alleyway and wears his black mask. Then he comes out and heads towards the nearby hills.
After walking for a few minutes, Rudra arrived at the spot of the broken tree, he just went near the trunk and found a seat for himself on a bench, he sat and waited there. Soon a few minutes later a boy of Rudra's age came and sat on the same bench.
Rudra noticed him and looked at him secretly. Rudra recognized that boy with one look.
That boy noticed Rudra and asked, "What do you want?"
"Didn't you recognize me?"
That shopkeeper boy didn't reply. Rudra sighed and took off his mask.
"Oh, great to see you weren't scared from this mission, follow me.", as that boy recognized Rudra he dragged Rudra with him. Rudra followed that boy to another dark place in the hills overshadowed by the trees.
In the dark of the trees stood a dark shadow holding the lantern, but as soon as Rudra got closer he got clear that it was a female with a lantern, who was wearing a black cloak and a silver Armor.
"Miss black cloak?", Rudra said.
As Rudra had already taken off his mask that woman recognized him too.
"We meet again.", That woman stared into Rudra's eyes.
"What? You guys know each other?", the shopkeeper boy asked.
"Yeah we had a trade with each other", Miss black cloak explained.
"Alright it is better, now listen, one day later, the caravan is supposed to pass the trail in these hills, therefore Rudra needs to be prepared and arrive here at midnight. Miss black cloak is also a member of the organization sending that caravan, it's her responsibility to guard the caravan until within the range of this city, therefore you will meet her with the caravan, and she will help you.
Except for her, there will be one more practitioner-level guard and others will be on the ninth stage of the beginning level.
She will distract the practitioner-level guards and the other guards, meanwhile, you will have to take advantage of the situation and steal a special weapon from that Caravan, and both of you have to escape out of there, this is the task, understood.", that boy explained the plan to them.
Both of them agreed with the plan.
"Okay now go and prepare yourselves accordingly!", the boy said as he quickly walked away, Rudra looked around to see that Woman was also gone, therefore he also walked out of the hill towards the mansion.
The next morning…
Rudra had decided to inform his grandpa about him traveling through the nearby hills for just a few days for his training. Rudra went to his grandpa's room but when the guards told him he was busy in a meeting with elders, he ran towards the meeting room.
Rudra stood near the meeting room and kept waiting until the discussion was over. Inside the meeting room, the atmosphere was very tense.
Breaking the silence Vijay continued, "Masaan clan seems too aggressive, it's seems only in a few days they will launch a full-scale attack on our nearby town branches."
"Send the guards in the towns suspected for attack, and tell them to return in one week if nothing happens, and also spread our spies in the state and if anything weird happens inform us immediately.", Vihaan instructed the next steps.
"It's a very serious matter, we can't lose our territory, we need to be careful", Vihaan warned them and ended the meeting.
Rudra saw all three elders and Vijay come out of the meeting room.
He entered the room to see his grandpa busy in some thoughts, rudra had also heard everything and knew how the situation was.
"Grandpa?", Rudra called out to Vihaan.
Within a second Vihaan was brought out of his thoughts, "Huh? Yes, Rudra what happened!"
"Grandpa, I just want to go on a venture in the nearby hills, for my training, from what I feel, if I train more I can be able to break through my first chakra barrier.", Rudra explained his plans to Vihaan.
Listening to this Vihaan's happiness had no limits.
"Hahaha, of course, it is your passion, I won't stop you, train as you want and show the world what your true potential is, but be careful.", Vihaan laughed out carelessly and hugged Rudra very tightly.
Vihaan then took out a dagger and handed it over to Rudra, "Rudra this is our family dagger, although only at rank 1, it is very special, don't ever lose it."
As Rudra grabbed that dagger, he noticed that the dagger was broken from the tip, according to its look, if it wasn't broken it would be a powerful double-edged sword. Rudra accepted that dagger given by his grandpa and hung it on his belt. Then Rudra went back to his room and began meditating.
But while meditating Rudra again felt the same that his kundalini had begun to rise, but right after a few moments, it seemed as if it was again stopped in its tracks as that sensation disappeared. His kundalini again wasn't able to break through his chakra barrier.
After meditating and circulating his kundalini for a few hours, Rudra got up and looked out of the window, only to see that it was nighttime. Rudra prepared himself for the robbery.
But then he suddenly remembered something, he ran to the cupboard and after finding it for a few moments, he took out a bottle filled with a potion, it was the same potion given to him by Mayra a few days ago, which would help his body energy to directly jump on the ninth stage.
Rudra wore his mask and jumped out of his window. After a few minutes of walking, he arrived at the broken tree spot. There he met the shopkeeper boy who took him deep into the forest of those hills. After walking for an hour they came to a muddy road, it was a trail.
"This is the trail they are going to pass, you hide in the trees and when the right moment comes execute the plan accordingly.", the shopkeeper boy said and ran away in the darkness.
Rudra sat on the branch of the tree and waited, and after a few hours he heard the sound of a horse, he shifted his gaze to spot a caravan. The main supply cart was being pulled by a horse, while the horse's bridle was in a man's hand wearing a black mask. The others were walking while surrounding that cart, giving it full protection. Rudra then noticed Miss black cloak.
'I guess the time has arrived.'