after the temporary peace settles in Jedna, Shubhu and Satya arrive at the village. The battlefield, however, tells a grim story—bodies of monsters and guild members lie scattered across the ground, and in the midst of it all stand Ansh, Kavi, and Tara, covered in blood.
Shubhu rushes towards them, his voice filled with concern. "Are you three okay?"
They all glance at each other, clearly wanting to say something, but then they spot Satya approaching. A strange tension fills the air, and they fall silent.
Satya, noticing the change in their auras, furrows his brow and asks, "Have the three of you become gods? I can sense something—your auras are stronger, more divine."
Ansh, Kavi, and Tara exchange quick glances before responding in unison, "Now is not the time to talk about this. We have to focus on helping the wounded."
Without further discussion, they shift their attention to the injured survivors of the battle, tending to those in need. The aftermath of the fight is devastating—many guild members have perished, and even more lie critically wounded.
After what feels like hours, with the immediate danger passed and the wounded attended to, the group gathers around a round table inside a quiet room. The weight of everything that had transpired hangs heavily in the air.
Ansh is the first to break the silence. "Shiva, who are you really? And why do these spirits worship you like a god?"
The question pierces the silence, and all eyes turn toward Shubhu. His expression hardens as he realizes the time for evasions is over, but still, he hesitates.
"I can't tell you," Shubhu says finally, his voice heavy with the weight of the truth he carries. "If I were to tell you who I really am, it would change everything. You wouldn't be able to see the world the same way, and the burden of that knowledge might crush you."
The others look at each other, confused but respectful of his decision. Shubhu's secrecy only deepens the mystery surrounding him, and they realize that there are forces at play far beyond their understanding.
For now, they remain silent, knowing that whatever secrets Shubhu holds, they will reveal themselves in time.
After a tense silence, Ansh finally speaks up. "Do you not consider us your friends? If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have been able to save so many people. In fact, we wouldn't even be here right now."
Shubhu looks at him, the weight of Ansh's words hanging in the air. After a pause, he says, "Alright, I'll tell you. The truth is, I don't really know who I am. But when I first came here, I found myself trapped in a strange dimension for a long time. I wandered endlessly until I met these beings. They made me their god."
Shubhu tells them half-truths, sharing fragments of his journey, but stops short of revealing everything. Ansh senses that Shubhu is holding something back. "It's fine if you don't want to tell us everything," Ansh replies, "but remember, we are your friends. If you ever need us, we're here for you."
A heavy silence fills the room until Tara breaks it. "By the way, thank you for giving us these incredible spirits. One more thing—how many spirits do you have?"
Everyone looks at Shubhu curiously. Shubhu shrugs. "I honestly don't know."
Kavi then asks, "Where do they stay? Can you show us?"
Before Shubhu can answer, the spirit of knowledge, Saras, appears and tells him, "You can show them. But since the spirits made you their king, even you don't know exactly where they reside."
Saras continues, "We live within your consciousness, and if you want to bring your friends there, you'll have to take their hands and guide them into your mind."
Following Saras's guidance, Shubhu reaches out to his friends, and together they enter a vast, golden realm—Shubhu's consciousness. The space is brimming with divine power, radiating an overwhelming sense of strength and energy. Ansh, in awe, comments, "Being here, I feel more powerful than ever."
As they explore, countless spirits begin to appear around them, welcoming Shubhu and his companions. They lead them to a grand palace, where the leaders of the spirits await their arrival.
The leaders represent various elements and powers, divided into distinct groups:
Saras, the Spirit of Knowledge, stood beside Shubhu. "These are the spirit leaders," she began, her voice soft yet commanding, "and they wish to introduce themselves to you."
One by one, the spirits stepped forward.
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Kali, her form cloaked in darkness with flickers of destructive power, spoke first. "I am Kali, Spirit of Destruction and Darkness. From me comes the force that tears down the old to make way for the new. Where I tread, chaos reigns, but from that chaos, life is reborn."
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Rudra followed, his form vast and imposing, eyes burning with untamed energy. "I am Rudra, Spirit of Power and Destruction. My strength is the storm that shatters mountains, the fury that no man or god can withstand."
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Vishal, a towering figure, emanated an aura of mystery, his eyes reflecting the vastness of the unknown. "I am Vishal, the Spirit of the Unknown, of Immensity. I stand on the edge of what can be understood, the vastness between light and darkness."
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Kshitij, representing the horizon, stepped forward, his appearance a balance between light and shadow. "I am Kshitij, the meeting of light and darkness, the boundary of what is seen and unseen. I watch the worlds meet and diverge."
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Chandra, glowing softly, smiled serenely. "I am Chandra, the Spirit of the Moon. I am the calm in the darkness, the gentle light that guides through the night."
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Tanveer, with an aura both radiant and mysterious, gave a subtle nod. "I am Tanveer, the Radiant One. My light pierces the darkness, revealing what hides in the shadows."
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From the opposite end, the spirits of Light began their introductions, led by Prakash. "I am Prakash, the Spirit of Light, the essence that drives away the dark and gives life to all."
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Divya, graceful and ethereal, followed. "I am Divya, the Divine Light, a beacon of hope in the heavens, guiding those who have lost their way."
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Aarav, calm and serene, gave a respectful bow. "I am Aarav, the Spirit of Peace. My light brings calm, a reminder of the stillness that follows even the fiercest storm."
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One after another, spirits representing Knowledge, Strength, Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, Ice, Nature, and Thunder came forth. Each spirit introduced itself with a name and a declaration of their essence, their energy filling the space with a palpable presence.
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As Indra, the Spirit of Thunder, finished his introduction, Saras turned back to Shubhu and his companions. "These spirit leaders possessed immense power and unwavering loyalty toward Shubhu. Saras, standing by his side, assured him, "We are always with you."
Watching this incredible scene, Kavi, Ansh, and Tara were left speechless, awed by Shubhu's strength. Unable to comprehend the full depth of his power, Kavi asks Saras, "How many spirits are there?"
Saras smiles and replies, "As many as you can imagine."
Just as Saras speaks, Shubhu is hit by a sudden flash of memory—something important that had been hidden in the recesses of his mind, waiting to resurface