Chapter 8: The Infinity Within
The temple courtyard was silent except for the rustling of leaves.
Eshan stood in the center, bruised and aching from the previous day's "lesson." His breathing was steady now, but his mind still swirled with unanswered questions.
The Guru appeared behind him like a shadow. "You're awake earlier than I expected," he said.
Eshan turned. "After what you did to me yesterday? Who could sleep?"
The Guru's lips curled slightly. "Good. Pain sharpens the will."
Eshan glared. "You know… most people explain things before they start beating someone up."
The Guru ignored the complaint and stepped closer. "Today, you begin your real training."
Eshan's pulse quickened. Finally… answers.
I. The Shakti Within
"Close your eyes," the Guru instructed.
Eshan hesitated but obeyed.
"Now breathe. Not shallow, weak breaths. Breathe like you are drinking the sky itself."
Eshan inhaled deeply, the cool air filling his lungs.
"Good," the Guru said. "Now… listen."
"To what?"
"To yourself. To the Shakti within."
Eshan frowned. "You keep saying that word. Shakti. What exactly is it?"
The Guru circled him slowly. "Shakti is life. Energy. The echo of divinity itself. Every being carries a spark of it, but only a chosen few can awaken it fully."
"My blessing," Eshan whispered.
"Yes. But yours…" The Guru paused, his eyes narrowing. "…is not ordinary."
Eshan's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"Most blessings flow like rivers — clean, singular, directed. Yours…" He placed a hand on Eshan's chest. "…is an ocean. Deep, infinite, and dangerous."
Eshan shivered. "Infinite?"
The Guru removed his hand. "That is why you will suffer more than anyone before you. To master it, you must face yourself. All of yourself."
Eshan opened his eyes. "What does that even—"
"Silence," the Guru snapped. "You talk too much."
Eshan muttered under his breath, "You hit too much."
The Guru's sharp glance silenced him immediately.
II. Mantras and Mudras
The Guru moved to the stone altar at the edge of the courtyard, placing a hand on its carved surface. The glyphs glowed faintly.
"Words are power," he said. "Mantras are the divine tongue — syllables that bend reality when spoken with intent."
He turned back to Eshan. "You will learn the simplest one first. It will protect you if you focus."
"What is it?"
The Guru raised his hand, two fingers forming a precise mudra. "ॐ नमः शिवाय."
The words hummed in the air, vibrating through the courtyard.
Eshan's eyes widened. "That's… it? Just saying it?"
The Guru smirked. "If it were that simple, you would already be unkillable. Mantras require more than your voice. They require your soul."
He gestured for Eshan to mimic him.
Eshan copied the mudra clumsily.
"Now," the Guru said, "speak it."
Eshan took a deep breath. "ॐ… नमः… शिवाय…"
Nothing happened.
The Guru sighed. "Pathetic."
Eshan clenched his fists. "Hey—!"
"Again."
Eshan gritted his teeth, repeated it.
"Again."
He spoke it until his throat burned.
And then—
BZZZT.
A faint warmth spread through his fingertips.
The Guru's lips curled faintly. "There. You felt it."
Eshan blinked. "That was… me?"
"No," the Guru said. "That was the world listening to you. Do it enough times, and it will obey."
III. The Mark of Om
As they rested, Eshan finally asked what had been gnawing at him.
"That mark on Omkar's arm… what is it? I saw it when he fought that man."
The Guru's expression darkened.
"The Mark of Om," he said quietly. "It is not just a symbol. It is infinity. Nothingness. Everything."
Eshan frowned. "That makes no sense."
"Of course it doesn't," the Guru said. "Mortals cannot comprehend infinity. Omkar carries the closest thing to it that a man can hold."
Eshan's chest tightened. "Is… is he really that strong?"
The Guru's gaze grew distant. "In the Ancient War, Omkar walked through battlefields where even gods feared to tread. He does not carry a blessing. He is the blessing."
Eshan shivered.
"Remember this," the Guru said. "The mark is not power. It is a burden. One day, you will understand why."
IV. Foreshadowing
As the sun set, Eshan sat cross-legged, repeating the mantra until the sound became part of him.
The Guru watched silently, arms folded.
He doesn't know yet, the old man thought. What he carries. What it means for the cycle itself.
Omkar's words echoed in his mind: "If his power awakens fully, he won't just be a warrior. He'll be a reset."
The Guru exhaled slowly. The boy doesn't just carry gods. He carries the end of this Yuga.
V. Elsewhere…
Omkar leaned against an old banyan tree, staring at the night sky.
The Mark of Om on his arm pulsed faintly.
"Rajesh," he murmured. "The boy's starting to awaken."
His grin faded.
"And when he does… even I won't be able to protect him."