Dhruv stared at the man in front of him.
Same eyes. Same scar above the right brow. Same slightly crooked nose, broken in a long-forgotten fight. But this version of him was taller, calmer. Armored in light that shimmered like polished obsidian, etched with runes that pulsed softly in the dim cave light.
"What... what is this?" Dhruv asked, voice catching.
The older Dhruv lowered the starlight blade. "You activated the system early. Too early. I wasn't supposed to appear until the third relic."
Dhruv blinked. "What do you mean, 'appear'? Are you real?"
"Not entirely. This is a karmic echo, a memory of what might be, stored in the folds of the system. You're not ready for the full truth. But some truths can't wait."
The cave shuddered faintly behind him. Faint footsteps. The gang was getting closer.
"Listen," the future Dhruv said, stepping forward. "The relics aren't just ancient artifacts. Each one holds a fragment of power and a piece of memory. Together, they rebuild something much older than you've been told."
"Rebuild what?"
"Bharat. Not the nation. The soul of it. The spirit that was shattered when gods left and men forgot."
The system chimed softly:
Karmic Awareness: Updated.
New Objective Unlocked: Find the Axe of Jamadagni.
Location: Beneath the Temple Ruins of Tulapur (Pune District).
Difficulty: Variable. Outcome determined by Karma Level.
"Jamadagni's relic," future Dhruv continued. "It's your next step. But beware, his was the relic of wrath. It feeds on rage. The wrong karma and it will consume you."
Dhruv hesitated. "Why me? Why now?"
"Because you carry unresolved karma from another life," the echo said. "This cycle has chosen you not to rise, but to redeem. Every choice from now on bends the threads of fate."
Before Dhruv could ask more, the light shimmered, and the older version faded like smoke.
The gate behind him groaned.
"He's here! I see light!"
Dhruv turned. Four men burst in, Chikna in the lead, his hand raised with a short-barreled revolver. The others had machetes, pipes, and one relic detector that beeped like mad.
"You think you can rob us and run into a god's grave, huh?" Chikna snarled.
Dhruv raised his hands. "I didn't steal anything."
"Then why's your blood glowing?" one man spat.
Dhruv glanced at his forearm, golden threads still glowed under the skin, pulsing in sync with his heartbeat.
Inner Purge is available. Use with intention.
He took a breath. Don't panic. Think.
Chikna stepped closer. "Hand it over, Patel. Whatever you found. Or we cut it out of you."
Dhruv closed his eyes and focused.
The light surged. A golden pulse exploded outward, not with heat, but with force. A wave of purification.
The gang staggered. One man dropped his weapon and fell to his knees, screaming. The relic detector shorted out. Chikna stumbled back, coughing violently as steam rose from his skin.
"What... what did you do?!"
Inner Purge: Spiritual corruption neutralized. Karma Level: Neutral Good (Pending).
Warning: First use registered in the Book of Karma.
Dhruv didn't wait for more. He ran.
Through the corridor, past the statue, deeper into the dark.
Exit route detected. Opening a subterranean shaft.
The ground ahead shifted. A stone slab rolled aside, revealing a narrow staircase spiraling into the rock.
He took it without hesitation.
Minutes passed in silence but for his breath and the whisper of the system.
Relic Integration: 3% Complete.
Memory Fragments Available: View?
[Yes] [No]
He ignored it for now. His mind was racing.
He emerged beneath the island, into a tide-washed cavern where broken boats and crates had been washed in. A tunnel ahead led toward the mainland.
The sun had begun to rise. Light painted the sea in orange and crimson.
Dhruv stood at the threshold, looking back.
High above, the Shiva statue glowed faintly from the mouth of the cave. Like a guardian, or a warning.
His hand still throbbed with energy.
The system's voice returned, softer now.
You have taken your first step. Karma watches. The Saptarishi await.
Dhruv clenched his fists. He didn't know what waited in Tulapur. He didn't know why the system chose him. But he knew one thing:
He wasn't just a dropout anymore.
He was chosen.
And he was going to find out why.