YUME NO SEKAI

YUME NO SEKAI

BEHIND DREAMS LIE MANY SECRETS, EACH JOURNEY REVEALS A NEW FACET

BY

ANKUR DHIMAN

Chapter 1: Between Dreams and

Reality

Brief Summary of the Story:

Hello friends, today I bring you a story titled "Yume no Sekai." The main character of this story is Aarav, a 20-year-old boy who lives in a small village. Aarav often feels distant from the people around him.

Aarav was not happy with his life because the people around him only talked for their own benefit. Whenever someone needed help, they would say, "Aarav, help me." Aarav never refused to help anyone, but slowly, he grew tired of such relationships. He thought to himself, "Do all people only think about themselves? Does no one care about my feelings?"

One day, as these thoughts filled his mind, he fell asleep. His soul entered a strange and different world, but Aarav had no idea about it. When his eyes opened, he found himself at home, but something felt strange. The house was dark, and he thought, "I'll ask mom what is going on.As soon as Aarav called out to his mom, he received no reply. He called again, but still, there was no sound. Aarav's heart began to race, and he became more anxious. When he stepped outside the house, the sight before him stunned him— the entire world was engulfed in darkness.

Then, he remembered that a friend of his lived near his house, across the road a bit farther. Aarav thought to himself, "I should go to my friend's house, maybe he can help." As soon as he stepped outside, he noticed it was already 6 PM. He began heading towards his friend's house. When he reached the street, he saw that the lush green forest that had once stood by the road was now completely destroyed.

Seeing all of this, Aarav became even more panicked, but he kept moving forward. Just then, he heard a strange noise from behind. When he turned around, he saw many people coming towards him. They shouted loudly, "Catch them! Grab anyone you see!" Aarav quickened his pace, growing even more terrified.

Just then, Aarav noticed a boy from the forest pointing at him. Without thinking, Aarav walked toward the boy, and the boy led him to a safe place, a house. But the house was very broken and dilapidated. Aarav then asked the boy, "Who are you, and what's going on here?"

The boy smiled and replied, "My name is Rohan."

Aarav thanked him and said, "Thank you so much, Rohan, you've saved my life."

Aarav then asked, "What is this place, and why are people running around trying to catch each other?"

Rohan answered calmly, "This place is called the Kuragari Shadow Empire."

Aarav said in surprise, "Kuragari Shadow Empire? I've never heard of such a name."

Rohan explained, "Kuragari Shadow Empire means a dark world, one that hides its own fear and mystery."

Aarav, troubled, asked, "A dark world? What do you mean? I don't understand anything. Can you explain everything properly to me, Rohan?"

Looking at him, Rohan said, "Aarav, you've come to a place that's completely filled with darkness. The people you see here, they are all souls. And you, me, we are all souls too."

Rohan explained to Aarav, "The people you saw draw their strength from darkness, while my strength comes from light. That's why I stay hidden from those souls."

Aarav, troubled, asked, "Rohan, am I dead?"

Rohan quickly replied, "No, you're not dead."

Aarav, slightly confused, said, "Then, if I'm not dead yet, how has my soul separated from my body, and how did my soul come to this world?"

Rohan thought for a moment and said, "Aarav, the one who rules this world is a devil. He consumes the souls of all humans. If a person dies before their time, their soul neither goes to hell nor heaven; it directly enters the devil."

Aarav asked, "But how will we know when we are going to die? No one can know that."

Rohan paused before replying, "You're absolutely right, Aarav. But the army of that devil knows everything. They extract a person's soul from their body before their death."

Aarav tried to understand more and asked, "So why does he consume those souls?"

Rohan replied quietly, "If he doesn't, his strength will gradually weaken, and the Kuragari Shadow Empire he has created will be completely destroyed. That's why he survives by consuming human souls."

Aarav, troubled, asked, "So is there no way to stop him?"

Rohan thought for a moment and said, "It would only be possible if a soul came that could completely erase darkness. Such a soul is very rare, but if it comes, everything could change."

Aarav asked, "But you have the power of light. Can't you face that devil?"

Rohan, his voice softening, said, "I can't even think about facing him. You won't understand, Aarav, my power is nothing in front of that devil. I just keep running all night to avoid his army."

Aarav's face grew even more filled with worry. "If you can't face him, then how will I return home?"

Rohan remained silent for a moment before quietly saying, "I don't know how you'll return from here. I've never known of a way to leave Kuragari."

Aarav, panicking, asked, "But the devil you're talking about, what's his name?"

Rohan said, his voice trembling, "It's very dangerous to say his name. You don't understand, Aarav. If I say his name, his army will find us immediately. I don't want them to focus on us."

Aarav, determined, said, "I don't care. You have to tell me his name."

Rohan, with anger and unease, said, "Because of your stubbornness, we'll both be in danger!" He closed his eyes for a long time, as if making a crucial decision. Then, he quietly said, "His name is... Somrak. He is the king of this Kuragari Shadow Empire."

As soon as Rohan spoke his name, the air grew heavy. An eerie coldness filled the space, and a strange humming sound echoed in their ears. A ghostly, terrifying voice came from behind, "Catch... catch... the souls of humans!"

Aarav, his face showing fear, asked, "Where is this voice coming from?"

Rohan quickly responded, "I told you, saying Somrak's name is dangerous! Now listen to me, and follow me quickly. If we stop, we're both finished!"

Aarav, terrified, began running behind Rohan. As they entered the cave, he noticed a terrifying shadow following them, as if someone were waiting for them. There was an eerie presence in the air that made him feel even more uneasy.

They quietly slipped into the cave, but inside, the air was still filled with a strange humming sound. Aarav quietly asked, "Rohan... where does this cave path lead?"

Rohan, trying to stay composed, said, "Just keep following me, and trust yourself." Just then, they heard footsteps behind them—Somrak's army, one by one, starting to enter the cave. Slowly, the sound of their footsteps shattered the silence of the cave, and Aarav's heart raced faster.

Aarav's anxiety grew with each passing moment. His fear deepened with every step they took. Then, tripping over a stone, he fell. As he hit the ground, Somrak's army started moving closer to him. His breath quickened, and in panic, he shut his eyes. But he couldn't stay like that because just then.

Rohan, in a panic, shouted, "Aarav, get up! Hurry!" But Aarav's body was exhausted, and his mind trembled with fear. He couldn't get up easily, as if all his strength had drained away. Rohan tried everything to awaken his inner power, but nothing seemed to work. Just then, something strange happened.

As Aarav struggled to get up, Somrak's army had almost reached them, and their dark hands were reaching out to grab Aarav. Rohan's power had weakened so much that he couldn't face Somrak's army anymore. He had no other strategy to save Aarav.

A sense of fear and despair filled Rohan's mind: "I've given all my strength to save Aarav, but now we have nothing left. If we can't do anything now, it will be our defeat."

Just then, a powerful light-filled energy awakened inside Aarav. The energy was so intense that the entire cave lit up, like the light of a new world. Somrak's army was stunned by the brilliance and slowly disappeared, one by one.

Aarav used his newfound power, but his right palm completely tore open. Rohan was shocked to see this, as Aarav had awakened so much power inside him, something completely new. Due to the force of the energy, Aarav lost consciousness and collapsed to the ground.

Seeing Aarav unconscious, Rohan lifted him onto his shoulder and carried him out of the cave. Once outside, he took Aarav to a hidden place, a sanctuary where all the souls took refuge to escape Somrak's army. As soon as Rohan arrived, everyone looked at him in shock. One soul nervously asked, "Rohan, why did you bring him here? You know how dangerous it is to bring anyone here!"

Rohan replied, his voice tinged with both anger and anxiety, "We'll talk about this later. I need to take him to Guruji. His condition is critical, and if I didn't bring him here, his life would be in danger."

Rohan carried Aarav into an ancient temple. At the center of the temple stood a large statue of Mahadev, and as the souls saw it, they bowed their heads in reverence. Guruji was sitting in front of the statue, meditating, his eyes exuding deep tranquility.

Rohan went up to him, his face full of worry, and said, "Guruji, please help this boy. He is unconscious, and his hand is badly injured. If he doesn't receive help soon, he won't survive among us."

Guruji opened his eyes, and after casting a deep, thoughtful look at Aarav, he calmly said, "Lay this boy at the feet of Mahadev."

Without delay, Rohan carefully laid Aarav at the feet of Lord Shiva's statue. Guruji looked closely at Aarav's hand and asked, "How did this happen, Rohan? How did he get such a deep wound on his hand?"

Rohan replied with a hint of nervousness, "Guruji, I apologize. I unknowingly mentioned Somrak's name. Because of that, Somrak's army started chasing us. We couldn't do anything to escape them. But then, a miracle happened."

Guruji furrowed his brows in deep thought as he listened carefully to Rohan. Rohan continued, "Suddenly, a powerful light emerged from Aarav's hand, so strong that it wiped out Somrak's entire army, as if they had never existed."

Guruji's eyes reflected deep contemplation as he spoke, "Mentioning Somrak's name goes against the rules here. You know how dangerous the consequences can be. Yet, who is this boy?"

Rohan hesitated slightly before responding, "Guruji, his name is Aarav. I believe he could be a new ray of hope for us. Guruji, what can you say about the power within this boy?"

Guruji closed his eyes, deep in thought. After a moment, he spoke softly, "I believe that Aarav has been sent to us by Lord Mahadev himself. It is his inner power that Shiva has bestowed upon him. Now, everything depends on how this boy chooses to use his power."

Then, Guruji healed Aarav's hand. After a while, Aarav slowly regained consciousness. His eyes were glowing in the dim light. He looked around and saw Rohan sitting beside him. "Where am I?" Aarav said softly. "What is this place?"

Rohan held his hand and replied, "You're safe now, Aarav. I brought you to the temple at my home, and Guruji treated your injury."

Aarav relaxed a little, but many questions still lingered in his mind. "What happened to the army in the cave?" Aarav asked. "And how did that light suddenly come from my hand?"

At that moment, Guruji stepped forward and said, "You have a supernatural power within you, Aarav. The energy that came from your hand created the symbol of Om on your palm, and that has awakened a new power within you."

Aarav looked at his hand in astonishment and said, "How is this possible?" But why is all of this happening to me?" Aarav asked. Guruji paused for a moment before replying, "I believe this is the will of Mahadev. Your arrival here and everything happening may have a greater purpose."

Rohan placed his hand on Aarav's shoulder and said, "It will take time for you to understand, Aarav. But I am sure you will learn to use your power correctly." Aarav felt a new resolve within him. There was something inside him that had never been there before.

Guruji continued, "Aarav, the Om symbol on your hand awakens a new strength within you. And the power of 'light' that you possess is something all souls here have. The only difference is that no one else bears the Om symbol—except for you."

Aarav then looked at his hand and said, "But I don't think I can face that demon. To me, this just feels like an accident."

Guruji smiled and replied, "You now have this power, but how to use it, that is something you must learn. Only then will you be able to defeat that demon."

Aarav's attention turned to the peaceful atmosphere inside the temple. He gazed at the statue of Lord Shiva and thought, "Maybe I must do something, something that will allow me to return home as quickly as possible. But I feel that everything can only be set right once that demon is destroyed. Perhaps only then will I be able to go back home."

While Aarav was deep in thought, he asked Guruji, "Guruji, how can I return home?" Guruji replied, "You can only return home once you defeat that demon."

Aarav thought to himself, "I had a feeling Guruji would answer like this."

Aarav then asked, "Guruji, what is your name?" Guruji replied, "My name is Yogvindra."

Aarav didn't ask anything further and lay down to rest. After a while, Guruji said, "Aarav, listen, I am going to tell you something important, so pay attention."

Aarav sat up and began listening carefully to Guruji.

Guruji said, "Aarav, if you want to defeat Somrak, the first thing you need to learn is how to use your powers effectively."

Aarav, a bit surprised, replied, "But Guruji, I don't know anything about my powers."

Guruji smiled and said, "Don't worry, Aarav. I will teach you a mantra that will help you please Lord Shiva and find answers to your questions. But remember, you must chant this mantra with sincerity."

Aarav responded with a heartfelt tone, "Yes, Guruji. I will wholeheartedly chant Lord Shiva's mantra. Please tell me, what is the mantra?"

With wisdom, Guruji said, "The mantra is chanted like this:

'Om Hreem Namah Shivaya Rudraya Kalagnirudraya Swaha.'

And remember, when you chant this mantra, it holds a secret. Chanting it 108 times purifies your mind and soul. This is an ancient tradition that will guide you."

After thinking for a moment, Aarav asked, "Guruji, why exactly 108 times? Is there something special about this number?"

Guruji said to Aarav, "You must understand the true value of your power." Just then, all the spirits gathered in the temple and asked Guruji, "Guruji, has Aarav's injury healed?" Guruji replied, "Yes, it is healed." One of the spirits then asked, "But what is this mark on his hand?" Guruji said, "This is a sign from Lord Shiva. It is a special blessing for Aarav." Hearing this, hope sparked in everyone's hearts.

At that moment, Rohan addressed everyone, "For now, all of you must leave. Any questions can be asked later." The spirits left the temple, but a young boy stayed behind. He approached Rohan and asked, "Brother, what's the name of the person everyone came to see?" Aarav replied, "My name is Aarav. What's your name, little one?" The boy said, "My name is Raju." Aarav asked, "How did you come here, Raju?"

Raju thought for a moment and said, "I don't remember." Just then, Rohan leaned closer to Aarav and whispered, "This boy was being taken by Somrak's army, but Guruji saved him. He was so scared that he doesn't remember anything." Aarav was startled to hear this. Then Raju said, "Rohan Bhaiya, you promised to take me out for a walk." Aarav explained, "It's too dangerous for you to go outside right now." But Guruji intervened and said, "Rohan, take Aarav and Raju out, but don't go too far."

Rohan, Aarav, and Raju walked out of the temple, talking along the way. Raju asked, "Bhaiya, where are we going?"

Rohan replied, "There's a hill nearby; we're heading there."

Hearing this, Raju lit up with excitement and said, "Today, I'll see the hills here for the first time!"

After a while, they reached the hill. Looking at the scene before him, Aarav was stunned and exclaimed, "This river is completely filled with lava!"

Rohan sighed and said, "There's nothing we can do about it now."

They climbed to the top of the hill, and from there, they could hear sounds coming from Somrak's palace. The sound was of children screaming, as if they were being tortured.

Aarav, frightened, turned to Rohan and asked, "Whose palace is that? What are these sounds?"

Rohan answered gravely, "Those are the cries of the souls who have fallen victim to Somrak."

Just then, the Om symbol on Aarav's hand began to emit a bright light, as if responding to the suffering souls.

Rohan, alarmed, said, "Aarav, control your power, or Somrak's army will find us!"

Suddenly, thick black smoke enveloped them. The three started running back toward the temple, but an arrow landed right in front of them, stopping them in their tracks.

Rohan quickly shouted, "Get down! The next arrow could hit us!"

At that moment, a terrifying demon appeared before them, blocking their path.

The demon spoke in a deep, menacing voice, "So you're the one who destroyed my army! You pathetic human!" Aarav tried to get a clear look at the demon, but the darkness made it hard to see. Suddenly, the demon stepped forward, and Aarav gathered his courage to ask, "Are you Somrak?"

Hearing this, the demon grabbed Aarav by the neck and roared, "How dare you, lowly human, speak my king's name?" The demon tightened his grip on Aarav's throat.

Just then, Rohan swung his sword, cutting off the demon's hand. The demon was startled and exclaimed, "You can actually harm me?"

Rohan, enraged, shouted, "If you dare hurt any of my companions, I'll destroy you!" Aarav quickly told Raju, "Go hide behind that rock."

The demon, now staring at his severed hand dripping with black blood, began laughing maniacally. "Did you really think this would stop me?" he said. Then, he reattached his severed hand.

Both Rohan and Aarav were shocked to see this. Rohan asked, "What kind of demon are you? What is your name?"

The demon smirked and replied, "My name is Valtor. I am the loyal warrior of my king, and I am the most powerful of all."

Suddenly, a sword emerged from the light, glowing with pure radiance. Seeing this, Valtor shouted, "So, there's a warrior hidden inside you as well. Let's see if you can defeat me!"

Valtor raised his sword and struck at Aarav, saying, "A human like you can't stop me. Your end is certain!"

Aarav raised his sword and, showing courage, said, "I don't know if I'll defeat you, but I will not give up!"Valtor, even angrier, lunged at Aarav. His sword was just about to reach Aarav's shoulder when Aarav blocked the strike with his own sword and countered. Aarav's sword pierced Valtor's chest, and Valtor's body began to slowly disintegrate.

As Valtor's body crumbled, his voice echoed, "What did you think you achieved by killing me? I will return, and next time, your end is certain. Hahaha!"

Hearing this, both Aarav and Rohan were stunned. Rohan approached the soldier, whose face now looked like that of an ordinary human. Rohan then said, "This wasn't the real Valtor. It was just a soldier possessed by Valtor."

On the way, Aarav, feeling frustrated, asked, "If this wasn't the real Valtor, how powerful must the real Valtor be?"

Rohan replied in a deep voice, "I think we need to prepare more now. You need to understand and learn how to use the power you have."

Upon reaching the village, the three of them went straight to Guruji and told him everything. Guruji told Aarav, "Aarav, you possess a unique power within you. You must learn to use it properly. Meditate on Lord Shiva and calm your mind. This will make your power stronger."

Meanwhile, in Somrak's palace, Valtor's on his throne, thinking about Aarav. He said, "Who is this boy? Where did he get such power? I think I mus