Vishnu sat down quietly, his posture calm, but the intensity in his blue eyes betrayed the storm inside. His voice was steady, though slightly pained.
"What we plan... is not to send Dragonlord's body to Earth—but only his soul."
Brahma leaned forward, silver eyes narrowing. "Hmm... That might work. But during the battle... why didn't you take his soul then? We could have won."
Vishnu's expression faltered. For a brief moment, his confidence cracked, panic flickering across his handsome face.
"Do you think I didn't try?" His voice rose, uncharacteristically emotional. "Do you think it's easy to take the soul of a being like him? I tried—again and again. I failed."
Brahma tilted his head, studying Vishnu closely. Behind the frustration, he saw something deeper—guilt.
"You didn't use your full strength."
Vishnu looked away. Silence fell. From the side, Orven watched with a grim expression, his eyes briefly flicking toward Brahma. (Neither did you.) he thought, but said nothing.
Brahma broke the silence again. "So now you plan to take his soul after his death... and send it to Earth, to be reborn?"
"And if it fails?" he added, his voice sharp.
Before Vishnu could answer, a low, sardonic laugh echoed from the shadows near the chamber door.
"I'm surprised you didn't invite me to this little divine gathering."
They turned. A figure stepped from the darkness, draped in emerald-green and black, eyes gleaming with mischief and intellect.
Loki.
"Loki..." Brahma muttered, frowning. "You shouldn't be here."
"I go where I please," Loki replied smoothly, sauntering forward. "Especially when your plans involve rebirth, forbidden universes, and meddling with souls. It's simply... delicious."
Vishnu scowled. "This isn't a game, Loki."
"Oh, but isn't it?" Loki grinned. "You gods are so dramatic. You speak of destiny, of sacrifice, of death... but none of you actually want him dead. How touching."
Brahma stood slowly, his expression stern. "You mock us, but you understand the danger."
Loki bowed mockingly. "Of course I do. That's why I'm here. You're playing with fate—and I adore fate."
Vishnu narrowed his eyes. "What do you want?"
"To help, naturally," Loki said, stepping into the circle of light. "A soul without a vessel? A being reborn in a world without magic? Fascinating. Count me in."
"We don't trust you," Orven said bluntly.
Loki smirked. "And yet you listen."
The room fell silent as Loki's words hung in the air, a reminder of the unpredictable forces at play. The gods exchanged wary glances, their thoughts torn between the immediate future and the dangerous gamble they were considering. The path they were choosing was fraught with uncertainty, and each of them knew the weight of what it could mean.
Back on Earth, the divine plans unfolding far beyond human sight, life carried on in its usual rhythm.
Tanvi slipped into her classroom, choosing a seat in the middle row as the bell rang. She dropped her bag with a soft thud and slumped into the chair, her mind only half present. The morning had already been strange enough.
"Late again?" Priya whispered, glancing sideways as she adjusted her dupatta.
"Traffic," Tanvi muttered, brushing her hair behind her ear. "And... something weird happened. I'll tell you later."
Moments later, the classroom door creaked open.
A boy stepped in, slightly breathless, his hair tousled from the wind. He stood at the entrance, offering a sheepish smile.
"Sorry, ma'am. I missed the bus," he said.
The teacher paused, raising an eyebrow. "Missed the bus? What happened today? You're not usually this late."
He shrugged with a casual grin. "Just bad luck, I guess."
The teacher sighed, then motioned him in. "Fine, take your seat."
He nodded and walked to the back corner of the classroom, settling quietly at his desk.
Tanvi turned slightly, her eyes following him. Something stirred in her chest—not recognition exactly, but a strange sense of familiarity. She had never noticed him before. And yet... she was sure she saw him this morning, standing frozen at the college gate before she nearly crashed into him.
He was there before me. So why is he saying he just arrived?
She glanced to the side and leaned toward Priya. "Hey, do you know who that guy is?" she whispered, nodding subtly toward the corner.
Priya followed her gaze, then shook her head. "Him? No idea. I don't think I've even heard his name."
"Strange," Tanvi murmured, her brow furrowed.
Tanvi looked back at the boy, who now sat calmly, eyes on the teacher, blending into the background like a shadow. It had been a full month since college began, yet today was the first time she had ever really seen him.
Tanvi forced herself to focus on the board, but her eyes kept drifting to the boy in the corner.
He wasn't taking notes. Just sitting there. Still. Silent.
Not sleeping. Not distracted. Just... lost. Like someone carrying a weight no one could see.
Something about it unsettled her.
She didn't know his name. No one did. Or if they did, no one cared to say it.
And yet, even in his silence, even in that stillness, he felt like someone important. Not because he stood out — but because he didn't.
Because he was trying too hard to disappear.
Outside the window, clouds gathered. A faint rumble of thunder echoed in the distance.
In the divine realm, the gods were weaving a plan — a dangerous one.
But here — in this quiet classroom, under flickering tube lights and scratched desks — a boy sat alone, unaware that the fate of worlds was quietly folding around his ordinary life.
And soon, nothing would be ordinary again.
End of Chapter 6