After packing up all his belongings, Aryan stepped out of his room and walked toward the inn's courtyard, where the others were already waiting for him.
Tarun tapped his foot impatiently, arms crossed. "Where is he? I told him to meet us in half an hour," he grumbled. "That idiot never listens properly."
Abhishek chuckled. "Maybe he's stuck in the bathroom? He didn't even show up for breakfast. Ate too much last night, I guess." He smirked proudly. "Though, not more than me."
Ayush, concerned, said, "Wait, I'll go check on him." Just as he was about to head back inside, Aryan came walking out, adjusting his bag casually.
"There he is! The latecomer!" Abhishek teased, grinning. "What happened? Stuck in the toilet? Couldn't digest last night's feast?"
"Shut up, buffalo," Aryan shot back, sticking his tongue out mockingly. "I can eat way more than you."
Seeing Aryan's usual playfulness, Tarun let out a breath of relief. At least he's not brooding over anything serious, he thought.
Prateek spoke up, clapping his hands. "Guys, enough! Aryan must have his reasons. We're already late! We need to reach the branch academy!"
Realizing the urgency, everyone quickly grabbed their pods and took off toward the branch academy without further delay.
When they arrived, a large crowd had already gathered. About two hundred selected students were assembled, standing in neat rows. Aryan and his group were the last to arrive.
Standing near Shivam were Ramesh and Kartik, both sneering. As they spotted Aryan's group, Ramesh smirked. "Here come the latecomers. Commoners, as expected."
Shivam added coldly, "These lowlifes will only bring shame to the Ashvattha Academy."
Before Aryan could respond, Abhishek, ever the loudmouth, pointed at Aryan and said, "Oh, I remember! This 'commoner' here crushed your royal pride yesterday."
Aryan stepped forward with a faint smirk. "Hmm, yes… someone's arrogance was shattered into pieces, wasn't it? Was it you?"
Shivam's face turned red with anger. He clenched his fists so hard his knuckles cracked. He was about to lunge at Aryan when suddenly—
"Enough!" Master Kishor's voice echoed as he stepped onto a podium nearby, drawing everyone's attention. His presence alone was enough to stop Shivam in his tracks.
Shivam gritted his teeth, whispering under his breath, "Just wait. I'll crush you inside the academy."
Aryan, calm as ever, didn't even bother responding. He just looked ahead, ignoring Shivam completely.
You'll have plenty of chances to embarrass yourself later, Aryan thought, amused.
Meanwhile, Shivam seethed in silent fury. You filthy commoner... I'll make you beg for forgiveness.
Master Kishor amplified his voice through a crystal orb. "Congratulations once again! Today, we will leave for the Ashvattha Vidya Mandala Academy through the portal!"
Excitement and nervous energy spread through the crowd. Everyone began moving toward the massive portal platform.
Before stepping onto the portal, Tarun gathered Aryan and the others. He placed a hand on Aryan's shoulder.
"Remember," Tarun said softly. "Don't lose focus. Train hard. Stay true to yourself. And never do injustice to others."
Through a sudden flicker of telepathy, Tarun whispered only to Aryan: "Find your answers on your own."
Aryan nodded seriously.
Then, with a flash of light, they were teleported.
They appeared on a new platform outside the grand Ashvattha Vidya Mandala Academy.
The sight that greeted them left everyone speechless.
The academy wasn't just a school — it was a city of its own, sprawling across the landscape. At its heart stood the colossal Ashvattha Tree, its trunk as wide as a fortress, its branches stretching toward the clouds. On those vast branches, temples of ancient architecture fused with modern technology gleamed under the sun. The branches themselves were like islands in the sky.
Buildings surrounded the tree, forming a labyrinth of halls, arenas, libraries, and living quarters. Defensive walls rose high around the academy, guarded tightly. It felt less like a school and more like an empire built around the sacred tree.
Even from a distance, the air was thick with pure spiritual energy. It was breathtaking.
Master Kishor smiled proudly. "Welcome… to the Great Ashvattha Vidya Mandala Academy!"
The students stood in stunned silence, marveling at the grandeur.
Just then
A small, cotton-like ball of light floated out of Aryan's chest, surprising him.
"It's changed a lot over a century," the wisp said in an ancient, slightly amused voice. "But the spiritual energy here… still feels the same."
Aryan almost jumped. "Ahhh! You scared me, Master!" he yelped a little too loudly, staring at the cotton ball floating near him.
Hearing the sudden shout, Master Kishor looked over. "What happened, Aryan? How did I scare you?"
Aryan panicked. "Ah—uh—n-nothing, Master! I was just thinking about something else!" he said quickly, scratching his head.
Abhishek laughed, throwing an arm over Aryan's shoulders. "Don't mind him, Master. This idiot's always daydreaming!"
Everyone chuckled and moved along, leaving Aryan behind looking embarrassed.
The floating wisp chuckled. "Oh, right. I forgot to tell you. You can talk to me through telepathy from now on."
Aryan's eye twitched. "Master! You should've told me earlier! Now everyone thinks I'm weird!"
The wisp only replied smugly, "That's not my problem."
Before Aryan could protest further, the cotton ball quickly zipped back into his chest.
"Wait—Master—! Ugh..." Aryan sighed heavily. In his mind, he muttered, That old man is definitely missing a few screws...
"I can hear you, you idiot," came the amused voice inside his mind.
"Sorry, Master…" Aryan replied quickly in his thoughts.
Shaking his head in defeat, Aryan hurried to catch up with the others.
As they neared the massive entrance of the academy, Aryan suddenly felt something tighten in his chest. A strange, uneasy sensation stirred within him. He stopped walking, his eyes drawn to the Ashvattha Tree towering in the distance. The ancient tree seemed to pulse with an invisible rhythm, as if calling to something deep inside him, something familiar—something he couldn't quite place.
For a moment, Aryan stood there, staring at the tree, his heart beating faster. His mind raced with questions, his emotions swirling in a storm of confusion. What was it about this tree? Why did it feel as if it had been waiting for him?
Deep inside the Ashvattha Tree, in a hidden, untouched space, a pair of glowing eyes opened slowly. The eyes were ancient, filled with timeless wisdom. With a faint, almost inaudible whisper, a voice resonated through the very roots of the tree: He is finally here.
Just then, Prateek, noticing Aryan standing motionless, came up to him, concern written all over his face. "Hey, are you alright? You're acting weird today."
Aryan snapped out of his trance, forcing a smile as he turned toward Prateek. "It's nothing. Probably just an upset stomach," he said, trying to brush off the unsettling feeling that still lingered in his chest.
Prateek gave him a skeptical look but didn't press further. "If you say so…" he muttered, before continuing, "Come on, let's go. We don't want to miss the welcome ceremony."
Aryan nodded, following Prateek toward the main academy building. But in his mind, the voice from the Ashvattha Tree echoed faintly, leaving him with more questions than answers.