The sun was setting over the bloodied plains of Kurukshetra, casting an orange glow over the destruction. Arjuna, the greatest archer to ever walk the earth, stood amidst the ruins of war. The cries of the fallen echoed in the air, but for Arjuna, there was only silence—a heavy, suffocating silence that came after the end of all things. His brothers had won, but at what cost?
Arjuna gazed at the lifeless bodies of his family, his friends, his teachers—his entire world. The once-proud warrior of the Pandavas felt his soul unraveling. He had fought for righteousness, for dharma, but the war had left him hollow. Victory, it seemed, was only another form of defeat.
He knelt beside the body of his beloved teacher, Drona, his hands trembling as he touched the cold, lifeless face. Memories flooded his mind—lessons of archery, wisdom, and life. How could this be the price of dharma? he thought, his chest tightening with grief. The weight of his actions pressed down on him, threatening to crush him. He had done what was right, but the cost was unbearable.
In the midst of this sorrow, a strange sensation swept over him. His mind was filled with an unnatural pressure, and his vision blurred. Something… or someone was calling to him. The world around him trembled as if responding to a cosmic force.
Suddenly, an overwhelming vortex of light and darkness pulled him off his feet. Before he could draw his bow or even speak, his world dissolved into a blinding maelstrom. The sounds of war, the cries of the dying, everything was swallowed by the infinite void.
When the light faded, Arjuna found himself standing in a place that could only be described as strange—unfamiliar and utterly unlike the world he knew.
The air was thick with the acrid smell of smoke and metal, a far cry from the earthy scent of the battlefield. The cacophony of honking horns and shouting voices assaulted his ears, each sound sharper and more discordant than the last. Even the ground beneath his feet felt alien—hard and unyielding, unlike the soft soil of Kurukshetra. Arjuna's senses reeled, struggling to make sense of this strange, chaotic world.
He looked around, his heart pounding in his chest. Towering structures of glass and steel loomed above him, their surfaces reflecting the harsh glare of artificial lights. People hurried past, their faces obscured by strange devices they held to their ears. The world moved at a frenetic pace, as if driven by an unseen force.
A young man in a hurried suit bumped into him. "Hey! Watch where you're going!" the man shouted, before continuing his way. Arjuna stood still, unfazed by the insult. He could hardly comprehend the situation.
A voice pierced the chaos. "Are you lost?"
Turning, Arjuna saw a woman—a historian, perhaps—looking at him with both concern and curiosity. She appeared modern, dressed in clothes far different from the simple garments of his time, yet something about her eyes reflected understanding.
Arjuna looked around, his confusion evident. "Where am I?" His voice carried a mix of bewilderment and authority, as if demanding an answer.
Dr. Aditi paused for a moment, assessing the situation. She couldn't quite place it. This man's attire, his posture—it all seemed so... out of place. But she brushed it off. Maybe he was some sort of performer, trying to get attention. "You're in New Delhi," she said casually, still unsure about his unusual presence. "This is the capital of India."
Arjuna's eyes narrowed, but it wasn't the kind of confusion someone might show when simply hearing a place they didn't recognize. There was something deeper, something unsettling about the way he processed her words.
"The capital?" he repeated, as though testing the word in his mouth. "And what... is this time?"
Dr. Aditi raised an eyebrow. "Time? What do you mean by that?"
"You said... New Delhi," he continued, his tone growing more insistent. "But this... this place does not feel like the world I know. These... structures, they are not of my world. I do not hear the sounds of battle, or the cry of the war drums. This is not where I belong."
Aditi frowned, thinking he was merely acting. "Look, I don't know what kind of show you're putting on, but—"
But then she caught something in his eyes. They were not playful. They weren't the eyes of someone acting. There was something different—something raw, ancient, and far too serious. He wasn't just playing a role. He was... confused.
Suddenly, it clicked. This man wasn't putting on a show—he was lost. Not just geographically, but mentally. "Wait," she said, her voice dropping a little. "Are you serious? You're telling me you don't know where you are?"
Arjuna turned to her, and for the first time, there was an intensity in his gaze that sent a shiver down Aditi's spine. "I know not where I stand. I do not recognize these people, these vehicles... these things around me. I was fighting... and then... the world changed." He looked around, disoriented, his hand gripping his waist as if searching for something that wasn't there.
Dr. Aditi paused, her suspicion turning into concern. This wasn't an act. There was something wrong—something beyond just a man out of his element. "Okay, this... this is weird. You need help. Come with me."
As she guided him through the streets, trying to explain things like smartphones, vehicles, and electricity, Arjuna's confusion only deepened. "These... 'smartphones'... are they weapons?" he asked, gazing at the small devices in people's hands.
Aditi chuckled nervously. "No, they're not weapons. They're tools for communication."
"Then where are the weapons of war? Where are the great warriors?" he asked, almost pleading. "Where is the strength of kings, the battle cries of soldiers?"
Aditi sighed, unsure how to answer. "Arjuna, not everyone fights with a sword or a bow anymore. This world fights with ideas, technology, and politics. Things have... changed."
He looked around, and felt familiar evil energy in this world. "I feel something here... something wrong. This world may not fight with swords, but I sense a battle. One that is coming."
Aditi's expression faltered for a moment. He spoke with such conviction—such certainty—that it made her feel uncomfortable. "There's always something wrong in the world. Something dangerous. But you're right. It's not like it used to be. There are things happening, things I can't explain."
Arjuna's eyes narrowed, his voice growing darker. "It is not the world that is wrong. It is the forces within it. I have fought against such evil before, in my own time. I know it when I feel it."
Aditi blinked. She hadn't expected such words, especially not from someone who seemed so out of place. She was about to speak when the unmistakable sound of commotion caught her attention.
A group of thugs were accosting an elderly man on the street, trying to snatch his belongings. Before Aditi could react, Arjuna moved in a blur. With a swift motion, he disarmed one of them, throwing him to the ground with a single strike.
The remaining thugs froze, eyes wide in shock. Arjuna stood tall, unshaken, his gaze unwavering as he stared down the group. The thugs quickly retreated, frightened.
Aditi watched, stunned. "I've never seen anyone move like that."
Arjuna glanced at her, his voice calm. "I am Arjuna, warrior of the Pandavas. This is how a true warrior fights. And this world... needs such warriors."
As Arjuna spent the day with Dr. Aditi, the weight of his situation became clearer. He could not remain on the streets any longer, not with the strange looks he was receiving and the dangers of the city lurking at every corner.
Dr. Aditi offered him a place to stay, but Arjuna hesitated. "I will find my own path tonight," he said, unsure of where to turn.
"You're not used to this city, are you?" Aditi's voice was soft, tinged with concern.
"I am not used to any of this," Arjuna admitted.
Dr. Aditi looked at him, concern creeping into her voice. "Look, this is too much for you to process all at once. You need to come with me. I can help you understand what's going on."
Arjuna shook his head firmly, his expression tense. "I cannot go with you. I am not lost in the way you think. This place is foreign to me, but I will find my own path."
Aditi was taken aback by his resistance. "What are you talking about? You can't just wander around without knowing where you are or what's going on! You need someone to explain this to you, or—"
"I need no guidance," Arjuna interrupted, his voice low but resolute. "I have fought wars, faced countless trials. I do not fear this strange world. I will discover its truths for myself."
Aditi's patience began to wear thin, but she could see the determination in his eyes. "You're not understanding. It's not just about what you're seeing. You have no idea what's really happening here. The dangers are real. Please, just come with me. It'll be safer."
Arjuna's gaze softened slightly, but his resolve remained unwavering. "Safer? I know danger. I have seen destruction that could tear worlds apart. I do not need to be protected. I will stand on my own."
Aditi, sensing the depth of his pride and determination, sighed in frustration. "You're making this harder than it needs to be. Fine, but you're coming with me, whether you like it or not. There are things about this world you won't understand without help."
Arjuna's eyes flashed with a mix of defiance and contemplation. After a tense moment, he finally spoke, his voice more measured. "I will go with you... not because I need protection, but because I must see what this world holds. And perhaps, in your company, I will find what I seek."
Aditi paused, a mix of relief and uncertainty flooding her. She wasn't sure what to make of his words, but at least he was willing to follow. "Good. Let's go, then."
The next day, Dr. Aditi and Arjuna discussed the dark forces gathering around the world. Dark forces were at play—greedy corporations, political unrest, and strange, unnatural occurrences. It all felt wrong, like the world was teetering on the edge of something catastrophic.
Dr. Aditi was researching ancient texts that spoke of forgotten gods and demons. She had a theory: that the forces of darkness, long sealed away, were starting to reawaken. Arjuna had fought against such beings in the past—the Asuras, the demons who threatened the balance of the world. He realized that this new world might not be so different from his own. The battle between good and evil would always persist.
Suddenly, a loud shout pierced the air. A young woman, dressed in simple clothes, was struggling as a man yanked her handbag from her shoulder, trying to drag her into an alley. The woman's cries for help were lost amidst the noise of the city, but Arjuna's sharp eyes had already locked onto the scene.
Without thinking, he sprang into action. His body moved with the precision and fluidity of a seasoned warrior, his legs carrying him faster than any human should have been able to run. As he approached the thug, he quickly closed the gap and with a single, well-placed strike, sent the man sprawling across the ground.
The woman, stunned by the sudden turn of events, froze for a moment. Arjuna stood over the thug, his chest heaving from the exertion, but his eyes were calm—almost as if this were no different than a battle fought on the field of Kurukshetra.
The thug groaned, clutching his side, but before he could rise, Arjuna turned to the woman. His voice was low and commanding, though filled with an unmistakable compassion. "You are safe now."
The woman, still in shock, blinked up at him. "Who... what...?"
Arjuna stood tall, his presence commanding attention even in a world so foreign to him. "You were in danger. But the battle is over."
Dr. Aditi had been standing behind him, her jaw slightly dropped at the ease with which Arjuna had dispatched the thug. This wasn't the first time she'd seen his skills, but each time it left her speechless. "You really are something else," she muttered under her breath, though her eyes were filled with a mixture of awe and concern.
As the thug groaned again, trying to lift himself, Arjuna's gaze hardened. "The battle is not over," he said with quiet certainty. "Evil exists in all worlds, in all times. It never fades, only takes on new forms. And I will face it."
That night, as Arjuna meditated, a strange vision came to him. A figure cloaked in light appeared before him—Krishna, or rather, an aspect of him. The divine voice echoed in his mind.
"The world you see now is on the brink of destruction, Arjuna. It is no different from the Kurukshetra war. You must stand as the protector once again."
The vision faded as quickly as it came, but the weight of the message lingered. Arjuna's purpose was clear: this world needed him, and he would not fail, just as he had not failed in the past.
As the vision faded, Arjuna opened his eyes, his resolve hardening. The battle was far from over—it had only just begun. But as he rose to his feet, a faint sound caught his ear—a whisper, so soft it might have been the wind. Yet the words were unmistakable: "They are coming."
---