Arav grew up in Frost's Edge, a small village buried under snow for most of the year. It wasn't fancy—just a quiet, simple place where everyone worked hard to get through each winter. For Arav, though, it was everything.From as far back as he could remember, he'd been following his dad, Rajesh, through the fields and forests, learning how to work the land. The soil was stubborn, the kind you had to wrestle to get anything to grow. By the time he was ten, Arav was already splitting firewood and fixing tools like a pro. It wasn't easy, but it was their life, and he was proud to be a part of it.Home was where he felt happiest, though. His mom, Meera, had this way of making their little house feel warm, even when the wind howled outside. Her laughter could fill up the room, and her stories—oh, her stories—were magic. She'd sit by the fire, weaving tales about gods and heroes while the snow piled up outside."Ma, why don't the gods help us anymore?" Arav had asked her once, his young voice breaking the crackle of the fire."They never left, beta," she said, stirring a pot on the hearth. "They're always watching. When the time is right, they'll come back to help us. Until then, we have to find our own way."He didn't fully get it at the time, but her words stayed with him, buried deep.When Arav was four, everything changed. That's when his sister, Asha, was born. She was small and loud and immediately became the center of their world.Where Arav was calm and steady, Asha was a storm—always running, laughing, getting into trouble. And Arav? He adored her. She was his partner in everything. He taught her how to climb the scraggly trees around the village, skip stones across the icy ponds, and find the best hiding spots in the woods. Even when she drove him nuts—like the time she "decorated" one of his carvings with berry juice—he couldn't stay mad for long."Bhaiya, come play with me!" she'd say, tugging at his hand, her grin impossible to resist.And every time, no matter how tired he was, he'd go.Life in Frost's Edge was simple. Winters were brutal, summers were short, and everything revolved around getting ready for the cold. You stocked up food, chopped wood, patched roofs—whatever it took to survive.Arav fit right into it. He'd go hunting with his dad, trudge through the snow to gather firewood, and even wrestle with their stubborn goat to get milk. But his favorite part of the day was always the evenings, sitting by the fire with his family. His mom would tell stories, his dad would carve little wooden toys for Asha, and for a while, everything felt perfect.It wasn't exciting, but it was home. And Arav loved it.On his sixteenth birthday, Asha gave him a gift—a tiny clay figure she'd made. It was rough and uneven, but he knew right away what it was supposed to be: him, holding a wooden staff like the one he used with their goats."It's you, Bhaiya!" she said, beaming. "You're going to be a great hero one day, like in Ma's stories."He laughed, ruffling her hair. "Asha, I'm just your boring big brother. No hero here."But she shook her head, her eyes full of determination. "You'll see. One day, everyone will know your name."Her words made him smile, but they also made him uneasy. He didn't want to be a hero. He didn't want the world to know his name. All he wanted was to stay here, in Frost's Edge, with the people he loved.But the world had other plans.It started small—colder winds, heavier snow, and whispers of strange things happening in the mountains. Travelers disappearing. Odd lights flickering in the sky.Rajesh didn't believe any of it. "Just old wives' tales," he said. But Meera grew quieter, lighting incense at their shrine more often. Arav noticed her muttering prayers under her breath, her face tight with worry."Ma, is something wrong?" he asked her one night.She hesitated, then gave him a soft smile. "Just stay close, beta. And keep an eye on Asha."Her words sent a chill down his spine, though he didn't understand why.For now, life carried on. Arav kept helping in the fields, laughing with Asha, and listening to his mother's stories by the fire. But something felt… different. The air seemed heavier, like the village itself was holding its breath.Arav didn't know it, but his little world was on the brink of change. The life he loved—the quiet, steady one he'd always known—was about to be swept away.For now, though, he was just a boy. A boy with a loving family, a mischievous little sister, and a simple life he cherished with every part of his heart.And he had no idea how much he was about to lose.It was supposed to be just another evening. Arav had spent the day chopping wood, doing what he always did, and now, as the sun dipped behind the mountains, he made his way home. The path was familiar—the crunch of snow beneath his boots, the cold air biting at his skin, the quiet of the village. The sound of his sister's laughter echoed in his mind as he imagined her teasing him about being slow. Maybe he'd even join Ma and Baba by the fire tonight.But something felt wrong.A thick smoke suddenly cut through the air, sour and sharp, stinging his nostrils. He stopped. His heart skipped. The smell—something burning—was overpowering."Ma…"He turned, his feet already carrying him faster than he should've been able to move.The sight that greeted him stopped his heart.Smoke choked the sky, the streets littered with the remnants of what was once a home—now reduced to ashes and shattered wood. Buildings were half-collapsed, their foundations cracked. The air was thick, heavy with the stench of death and fire. The world was silent, save for the crackling of flames and the distant echo of a horror that had already passed.Arav's breath caught in his throat. He ran, each step heavier than the last. His mind was fogged with panic. No. Not here. Not like this.He passed by countless bodies of the fellow villagers their bodies were burnt charred black , some had their bodies torn apart with their inside body parts now lying outside it was a beyond brutal sight.He rounded the corner and froze.His house. His home. It was gone. There was nothing left but a pile of charred stone and broken wood. His legs moved before his brain could catch up. He stumbled toward the wreckage, heart hammering in his chest."Baba! Ma!"His voice came out like a strangled cry, but the ruins gave no response.Arav's fingers scraped at the debris, tearing it away in desperation, his breath quickening. Finally, he saw them—his father, his mother. They were sprawled out, motionless, their bodies crumpled in the wreckage. His dad body had no hands or legs while his mother body was completely burnt"No. No, no, no!" Arav fell to his knees beside them, his hands trembling as he reached for them, but they were cold. Their faces were frozen in shock, their bodies too still.His hands shook uncontrollably as he tried to wake them. "Baba, please… Ma, please…"There was no answer.Tears blurred his vision. His breath was ragged, the cold air mixing with the heat of his anger.But then—"Asha…"He whipped around, hearing that fragile whisper through the pain."Asha!"He scrambled toward the wreckage of what used to be his family's home. The ground felt uneven, his feet stumbling as he reached for the small form half-buried under debris. Her small face was barely visible, streaked with soot, blood, and terror."Asha, no, please…" He tugged at the debris, his hands frantic. The world seemed to slow as he pulled her out of the rubble, cradling her against his chest. Her breaths were shallow, weak, but she was alive. Her eyes flickered open, locking onto his."Bhaiya…" she whispered, her voice barely audible, but still alive."I'm here," Arav's voice cracked. He pulled her closer, his hands shaking. "Stay with me, Asha. Stay with me."Her tiny hand reached up to touch his cheek, her face pale, lips trembling. "Bhaiya… Ma… Baba…""No, don't talk," he said, his voice breaking. "Don't say it. You're gonna be okay. We'll fix this. I'm not going to lose you too."But then her hand went limp."Asha?" Arav's voice broke as he shook her, but there was nothing. Her small body was lifeless in his arms."No! Asha, please!" He screamed, the sound raw and broken. His grip on her tightened, his entire body shaking. The world around him became a blur as the grief washed over him.The ground beneath him seemed to tremble, a heat spreading across the air. Arav's sobs were the only sound, but something else was coming.Then he heard it. A deep, bone-rattling growl.He lifted his head, still cradling Asha's body. Something was wrong. The air felt different, thick with dread.And then—through the smoke, through the wreckage—it stepped forward.The Ashura.It was a monster—no, a force of nature.Arav's blood ran cold as the creature's towering figure emerged from the smoke. Its skin was a dark, twisted shade, glowing with fiery patterns that flickered like molten lava. The air around it shimmered, distorted by the heat it radiated. Its face was sharp, almost alien—angled features twisted into a cruel grin, its eyes burning with an intensity that pierced through Arav's chest, as if it could see into the deepest parts of his soul.The creature's armor was black as obsidian, and it shimmered with crimson lines, like the very scales of hell. The ground beneath its feet sizzled and burned as it moved, the stench of sulfur hanging in the air.Arav's breath hitched, his heart hammering in his chest. He knew in that instant that this creature had brought nothing but destruction.Arav could barely move. He felt small. Helpless.The creature laughed, the sound like fire crackling in a furnace. "Your village was nothing. Weak. You think you could fight back against me?"Arav's throat tightened. "Why… why did you do this?" he forced out, his voice shaking. "We never hurt anyone. Why did you destroy us?"The Ashura's grin widened, cruel and wicked. "Why?" it sneered. "Because I can. Because you're nothing but ants to me. I've destroyed countless villages like yours. This one is no different."Arav's chest felt tight, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. The anger swelled inside him, overwhelming the grief, the helplessness."You're pathetic," the Ashura spat, stepping closer, its hot breath against his face. "You couldn't save your family. You couldn't save them."Arav's world tilted, the ground beneath him beginning to tremble. The words echoed in his ears. Couldn't save them. Couldn't save anyone. His hands shook violently, but then—he felt something.A spark. A pulse.Something deep inside him ignited. His rage, his pain—it all coiled into something burning, something beyond him.Arav didn't think. His body just moved. Fists swinging, fueled by pure, red-hot rage. His knuckles cracked as they smashed into the Ashura's chest, the sound of bone on bone sharp in the air. The first punch landed. Nothing. The second, third, fifth? Nothing. His eyes were wide, burning with madness, and still, the creature laughed. It stood there, towering over him, claws dripping fire, mocking him.The Ashura swung its flaming claws, and before Arav could react, one slashed through his side. The pain was immediate, but it didn't matter. His body hit the ground, blood leaking from the wound, but he didn't feel it. He didn't feel anything. Not anymore.He rose. Without thinking, without planning, he was on his feet again. The rage consumed him, his fists flying once more. This time, harder. Faster. His strikes were wild, reckless. The Ashura grinned, confident, and blocked the first few punches. But Arav didn't stop. He didn't care. His fists kept coming, each blow heavier than the last, smashing into the creature's face, the sound of cracking bone, tearing flesh ringing in the air.The Ashura's laughter died down, the grin slipping as the boy's punches kept coming. The thing started to back off, its eyes narrowing in disbelief. It was afraid. For the first time, it was afraid. But Arav wasn't stopping. His hands were coated in blood, his body moving on its own, fueled by nothing but hatred.Then, something changed. Arav's eyes burned, a black fire that spread out from him. His body pulsed with power, and the air itself seemed to tremble. The Ashura froze for a moment, its eyes flickering with panic. It swung its claws, trying to strike, but as they neared Arav, they were obliterated. Disintegrated. Gone, like they'd never existed.Arav didn't flinch. He didn't pause. The aura around him turned violent, swirling like a hurricane of destruction. The Ashura's armor shattered like glass, the fire around it snuffed out, its body exposed and weak.The thing tried to move. But it couldn't. Arav reached out, grabbed its broken form, and yanked it toward him. His fist slammed into its face again, and again, and again, harder and harder, until its skull caved in with a sickening crunch. Bone shattered like dry wood. Blood and pieces of its face exploded outward, splattering Arav's skin, soaking his fists. The sound of bone snapping was all he could hear, the heavy wet thud of each punch louder than the last.The creature's head snapped back with every hit. It couldn't stop it. It couldn't even defend itself anymore. Arav's strikes were relentless, merciless, faster and stronger. Flesh split open under the assault. Blood sprayed with each impact. The Ashura's mocking grin had turned to a twisted grimace of agony, but Arav kept going. Punch after punch.His hand grabbed the creature's throat, yanking it toward him. His teeth sank into its neck, tearing through flesh like paper. He ripped and pulled, tearing its skin away with his hands, his teeth, sinking into it like an animal. The Ashura's heart pounded in his grip, but he didn't care. He tore into the chest with savage force, his hands digging into the burnt, bloody meat of the creature's torso. The smell of burning flesh filled the air, thick and foul, but Arav didn't stop.The ribs cracked, splintered under his brutal strength. He pulled the heart from its chest, tearing it free with a final, brutal motion. The Ashura's body jerked, spasmed, then went limp in his hands. It crumbled to ash. Everything that had been left of the creature was reduced to dust in the blink of an eye.Arav stood there, panting, his body heaving, covered in blood, flesh, and ash. His chest burned. His hands were slick with gore. The creature was gone, obliterated, but the weight of what he had done was just starting to hit him.He stood in the silence, breathing hard, eyes filled with lust for destruction and nothingelseIt was still there. It hadn't gone anywhere. And for a moment, he didn't know if he was the one controlling it—or if it was controlling him. He moved to his sister and fainted near her lifeless body.