Arjun Mehra stood frozen before the Flame of Agni, its once-vibrant orb now flickering like a dying Diwali lamp, choked by dark tendrils from the intruder's black crystal. The temple's stone walls pulsed erratically, their Vedic runes dimming as if mourning the fading prana. Priya's shout—"Arjun, the Flame! Save it, or we're done!"—echoed in his ears, her blood-streaked armor glinting in the brazier's faltering light. Outside, the Festival of a Thousand Flames descended into chaos, rakshasa hisses mingling with the screams of fleeing nagas and humans. The Vedic System blared in Arjun's vision: Warning: Flame of Agni Compromised. Quest Failure Imminent. His hands shook, the lotus-carved dagger heavy, its blade useless against a magical crystal. I'm no hero, he thought, memories of his Delhi life—failed exams, his sister's rakhi—clashing with the madness of Bharatvarsha. But I can't let this place burn.
Priya shoved past him, her trishul raised as she scanned the temple's shadows for the vanished intruder. "Focus, city boy!" she snapped, her braid swinging like a pendulum. "The Flame's prana is tied to Bharatvarsha. If it dies, the devas lose their power, and the asuras win." Her voice, usually sharp as a katar, cracked with urgency, her eyes flicking to the statue of Agni, its ruby gaze seeming to judge them both.
Arjun's throat was dry as a Delhi summer. "How am I supposed to fix a god's fire? I barely passed chemistry!" The system pinged: New Objective: Restore the Flame. Requirement: Purify the Crystal's Taint. He stared at the black crystal, its tendrils pulsing like veins, sapping the Flame's golden glow. "Purify? With what, my sparkling personality?"
Priya's lips twitched, but her focus stayed on the brazier. "The soma boosted your prana. Use it. Channel Vayu's Breath to clear the taint." She knelt, tracing a rune on the floor that flared briefly, like a sparkler at a wedding. "I'll hold the temple. Rakshasas are still outside."
Arjun's stomach churned. Hold the temple? She's fighting demons while I play spiritual janitor? He clutched the amulet around his neck, its Om symbol warm, and recalled the soma's rush—like chai and starlight mixed. The system's Prana Gauge read 50%, and Vayu's Breath, his new mantra, felt like a half-remembered song. He closed his eyes, picturing the kite-flying contests on his Delhi rooftop, the wind tugging at his fingers. "Om Vayu Venti," he whispered, his voice shaky. A gust swirled around him, rattling the temple's camphor lamps, but the crystal's tendrils only tightened, the Flame dimming further.
"Focus!" Priya barked, her trishul clashing with a rakshasa that had slipped through the entrance. Its claws grazed her arm, drawing a hiss of pain, but she drove it back with a burst of blue prana. "Feel the prana, not your doubts!"
Arjun's jaw tightened. Easy for her to say. He thought of his mother's puja rituals, her quiet chants before their home altar, the way she'd light a lamp with steady hands. Breathe, Arjun. Like her. He inhaled deeply, the temple's sandalwood scent grounding him, and chanted louder: "Om Vayu Venti!" A stronger gust erupted, sweeping over the brazier. The tendrils recoiled, and the Flame flared briefly, its golden light pushing back the darkness. The system pinged: Purification Progress: 20%. Karma Points: +40.
"Yes!" Arjun pumped a fist, feeling briefly like a kid who'd aced a school quiz. But the crystal pulsed, its tendrils lashing out, wrapping his wrist. Pain seared through him, like touching a hot tawa, and a vision flashed: a warrior in ancient armor, wielding a bow that glowed with prana, standing on a battlefield strewn with asura corpses. The warrior's face was his own, older, fiercer, his eyes burning with purpose. A voice whispered, "You failed us once, Arjuna. Will you fail again?"
Arjun gasped, yanking his hand free, the vision fading. His heart pounded like a tabla at a qawwali concert. Arjuna? Like, Mahabharata Arjuna? The system flickered, its text glitching: Past Life Fragment Unlocked. Data Incomplete. He stumbled back, the dagger clattering to the floor. "What the hell was that?"
Priya spun toward him, her trishul dripping black ichor from the rakshasa she'd slain. "What happened?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing at his pale face. "Did you purify the Flame?"
"I… saw something," Arjun stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. "A warrior. Me, but not me. Called me Arjuna." He swallowed, the name heavy, like the weight of his father's expectations back in Delhi. "Am I… reincarnated from that Arjuna?"
Priya's expression softened, a flicker of something—pity, maybe?—crossing her face. "The sage didn't tell you?" she said, stepping closer. "The Vedic System chooses souls with old ties to Bharatvarsha. You're not just a city boy. You're… more." She hesitated, as if weighing her words, then added, "But past lives don't fight battles. You do."
Before Arjun could process this, the temple shook, dust falling from the carved ceiling. The asura prince's laughter echoed from the floating island outside, now closer, its edges glowing with crimson runes. "The Flame weakens!" his voice boomed, smooth and venomous. "Surrender it, or this festival becomes a pyre!"
Priya cursed, gripping her trishul. "We're out of time. Arjun, finish the purification. I'll hold the entrance." She sprinted toward the temple doors, where more rakshasas gathered, their hisses like a monsoon storm.
Arjun's hands trembled, the vision of the warrior—himself—lingering like a half-forgotten dream. I'm no epic hero. I'm just a guy who likes golgappas. But Priya's bloodied armor, the dimming Flame, and the system's warning pushed him forward. He knelt before the brazier, the amulet pulsing against his chest. Think of Ma's puja. Think of Dipti's rakhi. Do this for them. He chanted, "Om Vayu Venti," pouring every ounce of focus into the words, imagining the wind that carried kites over Delhi's rooftops. A gale roared through the temple, shattering the crystal's tendrils. The Flame blazed, its golden light flooding the chamber, the runes on the walls flaring like a Diwali celebration.
The system chimed: Purification Complete. Flame of Agni Restored. Karma Points: +100. Prana Gauge: 70%. New Mantra Unlocked: Agni's Ember. Arjun staggered, the soma's warmth fading, leaving him dizzy but alive. The statue of Agni seemed to nod, its ruby eyes glinting.
Priya stumbled back into the temple, her armor scorched, a fresh cut on her cheek. "You did it," she said, her voice hoarse but relieved. She glanced at the Flame, then at Arjun, a grudging respect in her eyes. "Maybe you're not just a city boy."
Arjun managed a shaky grin. "Told you I'm a quick learner." But the asura prince's laughter cut through his bravado, louder now, the floating island descending toward the temple. The system flashed: New Quest: Repel the Asura Prince's Assault. Warning: Hostile Forces Advancing.
Priya gripped her trishul, her face grim. "The Flame's safe, but he's coming for it himself. We need to move." She paused, her eyes meeting Arjun's. "You're tied to this, Arjun. That vision—it's no coincidence. Are you ready to fight, or will you run back to your golgappas?"
Arjun's chest tightened, the warrior's face—his face—flashing again. Failed us once. He picked up the dagger, its lotus hilt warm, and nodded. "Let's not let this Diwali party end in ashes."
Outside, the festival's lamps flickered as the asura prince's island loomed, crimson runes pulsing like a heartbeat. The system pinged: Karma Points: +20. Prepare for Battle. Arjun followed Priya into the night, the Flame's warmth at his back, wondering if he was more than a Delhi dreamer after all.