The SUV rolled north through greening fields of wheat and mustard. Arjun watched through the windshield—rows of crops shimmering as roadside villages resurfaced from ruin. The fragile pulse of normal life stirred hope.
Beside him, Suraj shared whispered logistics: "Food stockpiles in Ayodhya are at 85% capacity since your arrival. Medical tents set up."
Tapan hovered a drone overhead, scanning for any Ravager presence. From the hatch, Ravi kept watch with Sudarsh-Eye, anticipating threats. Meher loaded the turret, fingers restless, ready.
Varun, headphones tucked in, adjusted explosive circuits for upcoming safety sweeps. Dhani closed her eyes, feeling the elemental flow in the air as farmland gave way to village outcroppings.
Arjun pocketed the talisman they found at Ayodhya's staging node—his literal anchor for the reunion ahead.
They pulled up a dusty courtyard marked by cracked powder-blue walls. A rickety mango tree still bloomed beside the threshold.
Arjun felt his heartbeat slow.
He opened the wooden door softly.
Inside, his mother stood—staid, tired eyes locking with his. Her sari was torn, dust-laced, but her stance unbroken.
She gasped—then wrapped him in trembling arms. Moments later, a small figure stepped forward: his younger sister, Priya—no more than fourteen. But when she stepped into the light, something extraordinary happened:
The air grew still.
Pillars of sunlight refracted on her sari like living prisms.
The Talisman in Arjun's pocket glowed softly in response.
Priya's eyes—bright with unshed tears—were not just joyful. They were different.
Suraj, quietly present, said: "I ran supply lines through this village—your father passed through two days ago. Said he'd find you here."
Arjun stepped back, releasing his mother's arms. She nodded—eyes wet but proud.
Priya reached forward, touching her brother's hand—and something sparked.
Without warning:
A whisper of wind circled her in slow dance.
The mango tree leaves trembled, petals drifting upward.
Arjun felt a pulse—not his own. Her pulse echoed in his chest.
She looked at him and smiled—a quiet power in that moment.
Dinner was rice and lentils by a flickering kerosene lamp. The rest of the team circled, respectful, observing.
Priya's hand brushed the talisman again.
Dhani murmured in revelation: "She's awakened… some elemental resonance. Like the grove trials—but natural."
Arjun swallowed hard. His sister—gifted with something beyond ordinary.
The SUV remained loaded—ready.
After midnight, Arjun stepped outside with Priya.
He knelt beside her. "Who are you, Priya?"
She closed her eyes, fingertips brushing her chest. The breeze danced through dust.
"I… see connections. Life around me reacts."Her voice barely a whisper. "I can help. I don't know how—but I feel it."
Arjun placed a hand on her shoulder, glancing back to his team standing guard under lamp-light.
His voice first soft, then firm.
"You're safe now. But tomorrow, we cross into Ayodhya. We rebuild a sanctuary… a city. And we do it together."
He looked down at Priya's glowing talisman in his pocket.
"We'll teach you. But if this power is real—you have to decide what it means."
Sunrise found the Rathore family reunited at the mango tree outside the home.
Priya closed her eyes once more. The breeze rose, winding into a gentle spiral around them. She opened her eyes—steady—and reached for her brother.
Arjun met her gaze—hope, fear, and purpose alike reflected.
Behind them, the team prepared the SUV to depart.
He whispered to Priya:
"Everyone else can stay. But you... stay close. I'll lead the way."
She nodded, her place in the journey now defined: the extraordinary among them.
The SUV's engine purred to life.
Arjun closed the door, glancing back at where "home" stood newly beautiful in the rising sun.
"Onward," he said.And the engine growled, carrying them northward—not just into Ayodhya, but deeper into their destinies.