Guys, this is my first novel, and since English is not my first language, there might be some mistakes. I want to apologize in advance for any errors you might encounter. Despite this, I will do my best to ensure you have no complaints. Thank you.
The Aravali mountain range, the oldest in Asia, stretches across several states in India. Nestled at its foothills are numerous cities and towns, one of which is Neemrana. This morning, the town buzzed with activity. The weather was perfectly clear, and people moved to and from, immersed in their daily tasks.
Within this town stood a school where Mrs. Geeta Shrivastava was teaching mathematics to the 12th standard class. Aged between 50 and 55, she was a genius at her craft. Every student in the classroom listened to her lecture with rapt attention—except for one boy who slept soundly, oblivious to his surroundings. He didn't care who was doing what, nor did it bother him how much scolding he might receive for his behavior.
While teaching, Mrs. Geeta Shrivastava's gaze suddenly fell upon this boy. Seeing him slumber so carelessly, her anger flared. She lashed out, "Aryan, how dare you sleep in my class like this? If you find this subject so boring, why did you even take it? I must have committed some terrible deeds in my past life to end up with a worthless student like you!"
Her furious voice jolted Aryan awake. He glanced around hastily and saw Mrs. Geeta Shrivastava standing before him. Muttering to himself, he said, "Oh fuck, I'm caught again. I don't know when I'll stop sleeping in math class." His words came out louder than intended, echoing through the room. Instantly, the entire class erupted in laughter. Every student mocked him, their eyes dripping with contempt.
Just as Mrs. Geeta Shrivastava was about to respond to Aryan's outburst, another student, Aditya, seized the moment to taunt him further. "Hey, when don't you get caught? You're always sleeping in class, and now you're whining about being nabbed again. Tell me the truth—what do you do late at night? For trash like you to sleep without reason makes no sense. You've got no elemental powers, you can't make yourself physically strong, and when it comes to studies, you're worse than even an average student. So, what exactly keeps you up so late?"
As Aditya spoke, his eyes burned with hatred for Aryan. He despised him intensely, convinced that Aryan dragged down the class's results. Aditya was certain that without a mediocre student like him, their class would boast a perfect record. He might have forgiven Aryan's behavior once, but the issue always circled back to this: Aryan lacked elemental powers and couldn't build physical strength. If he couldn't do either, what was the point of staying up late?
Aditya's words sparked another wave of laughter among the students, who shared his disdain. Hearing this, Aryan's face flushed red with rage. He glared at Aditya with murderous intent, for Aditya had struck a raw nerve. Aryan himself felt deep shame over his inability to gain elemental powers or enhance his physical strength.
It was the 22nd century now. About a hundred years ago, in 2030, an intelligent alien civilization from the Bernard Solar System had invaded Planet Earth. The assault was devastating, pushing humanity to the brink of extinction. Just when it seemed all hope was lost, something extraordinary happened that stunned the world. In humanity's darkest hour, fierce warriors emerged. They not only led the fight but played a pivotal role in defeating the Bernard Solar System's intelligent species. Most of these warriors gained elemental powers—how, they didn't know, but the abilities came to them. Those without elemental powers developed extraordinary physical strength instead.
After vanquishing the alien invaders, the warriors discovered crucial documents among their possessions. These revealed the existence of certain planets where ordinary people could become powerful. All they had to do was travel to these planets, hunt the alien beasts residing there, and consume their meat. Those with elemental powers could amplify their abilities, while those with physical strength could further fortify their bodies. Upon reaching a certain level, even those without innate powers could awaken elemental abilities within themselves.
The intelligent species from the Bernard Solar System, who resembled humans in appearance, once used these planets to grow stronger. But one day, those planets abruptly barred them from access, stranding them. Eventually, the aliens no longer needed the planets, having invented technology to enhance their power without hunting. When humans learned of these planets, they also discovered they could now visit them. There were four such planets in total, the first named Elora, followed by others. After defeating a set level of aliens on one planet, those who evolved were sent to the next. More details about this would unfold in time.
Back in the classroom, Aryan glared at Aditya. If he could, he'd have killed him on the spot, but his own conscience held him back. Alongside Aditya, the rest of the class openly ridiculed Aryan, seizing every chance to humiliate him. Mrs. Geeta Shrivastava, too, berated him harshly. It felt as though the entire class had united against him. Overwhelmed, Aryan grew increasingly distressed. He wanted to scream, to tell them he wasn't doing this on purpose, but he knew it would only worsen his plight.
After unleashing her tirade, Mrs. Geeta Shrivastava fell silent. She took a deep breath and said, "I won't let you ruin the atmosphere of my class. Get up and leave now, or something terrible might happen by my hand." Realizing he had no choice, Aryan agreed instantly. He knew explaining himself to his teacher was futile, so he decided to exit the classroom without delay.
Stepping outside, he leaned against the classroom wall. Students passed by in the gallery, each one eyeing him with disdain. They all knew his predicament well, and none—save one—felt any sympathy for him. That exception was a classmate who always sat beside him. Even today, as Aryan slept, this boy had warned him multiple times, but Aryan had ignored every word.
Soon, the bell rang, signaling the next period. Aryan sighed in relief and headed swiftly toward the washroom. Just as he neared it, a group of students blocked his path, their gazes brimming with hostility. They stood behind a boy—their leader—named Jason Roy. Jason was the sole son of Abhishek Roy, Neemrana's notorious gangster. Backed by his father's unwavering support, Jason terrorized the school, doing whatever he pleased. No one dared oppose him, for anyone who tried would face utter ruin at Abhishek's hands. Thus, Jason reigned unchallenged.
Spotting Aryan, Jason sneered, "Hey, trash, I heard Teacher Geeta kicked you out again today. I don't know why they keep a pathetic student like you in this school. Whatever, I don't care. Now, do something useful—go get me a grilled sandwich quick. I'm starving. And if you don't bring it within five minutes, you'll get a thrashing you won't forget. Move it!"
Jason's demand ignited Aryan's fury, but he was powerless against him. For one, Jason was too strong, and secondly, Aryan had to live in Neemrana. Surviving here meant bowing to Jason's will, as his father held absolute sway over the town. Swallowing his anger, Aryan trudged to the canteen. He grabbed a grilled sandwich for himself and one for Jason, then hurried back to hand it over before turning to leave.
As he walked away, Jason halted him mid-step. "Trash, waiting for you so long got my shoes dirty. What, is your father going to clean them now?" His insolence pushed Aryan to the edge. Suppressing his rage, he turned to face Jason. Enough was enough—he couldn't take more of this nonsense. With his dignity at stake, Aryan resolved to teach Jason a lesson.
Just as he lunged forward, a familiar voice called out from behind, "Jason brother, why bother this duffer over such a petty thing? Here, I'll clean your shoes." A boy stepped forward, wiped Jason's shoes without hesitation, and then dragged Aryan away. That boy was Lakshya, Aryan's only friend.
Lakshya scolded him, "You idiot, why ruin your life over that guy? Don't you realize you're here for just six months? Once your exams are done, you'll leave this town. Then you can settle every score with that scoundrel. But not now—don't do anything stupid." With that, he pulled Aryan along.
Fuming, Aryan snapped, "Dude, why'd you butt in? I was about to teach that jerk a lesson, but you stopped me!" Lakshya gave a faint smile and replied, "You fool, you should only stretch as far as your blanket allows. You're not strong enough to tangle with him yet. Stay clear of him—it's for your own good. Come on, let's get to class. Don't miss the rest of the periods."
They returned to class, and the day passed uneventfully. Afterward, they headed to their respective homes. Will Aryan's life drone on like this forever, or will an encounter alter his fate? To find out, stay tuned to this novel.