Chapter 1 – The Locket and the Forbidden Forest
The dense jungle of the Bharadwaj Tribe Academy training grounds was alive with the sounds of chirping birds and rustling leaves. Three young disciples moved through the undergrowth — one girl and two boys — on an assignment to collect rare herbs with fully matured roots.
At the front was Vijay, the confident son of the Bharadwaj Tribe's chief. Beside him walked Ashwini, the spirited granddaughter of the Guruwar himself. And trailing slightly behind, distracted as always, was Ansh.
They were just making their way toward the herb site when a sudden movement from above caught Ansh's eye. A monkey dropped from the canopy, snatched the pendant hanging from his neck, and bolted.
"My locket! Stop, you thief!" Ansh shouted, sprinting after it.
"Hey, Ansh, wait! Don't run off!" Vijay yelled.
"Ansh! Stop!" Ashwini echoed.
But Ansh didn't listen. The only thing in his mind was the silver pendant now swinging mockingly in the monkey's grasp. He tore through the bushes, dodging tree roots and vines, eyes locked on his target.
The monkey leapt across a narrow ledge. Ansh followed without thinking—
The ground vanished beneath his feet.
Wind roared past his ears. A jolt of pain. Darkness.
When his eyes opened again, he was staring at the familiar wooden ceiling of his dormitory.
"What… Was that a dream?" he muttered, sitting up groggily.
Knock knock.
A voice from outside: "The Principal wants to see you in his office."
Ansh's shoulders slumped instantly. If the Principal was summoning him, that meant… it hadn't been a dream. He'd lost his locket and failed to complete the assignment. For a fleeting moment, he considered hiding somewhere, but the thought was pointless. The messenger had already seen him.
Dragging himself out of bed, he made his way to the Principal's office.
He knocked.
"Come in," came the deep voice.
Inside, a man in his mid-thirties sat behind the desk, eyes sharp but not unkind.
"Good morning, sir—no, good evening, sir," Ansh fumbled.
The Principal gestured to a chair. "Sit."
Ansh sat, bracing for punishment. But instead, the Principal said, "Your assignment has been marked complete. Your team received an A+."
Ansh blinked. So Vijay and Meera must have finished it without me…
"Yes, sir," he said quickly. "It took some effort, but we did it."
The Principal smiled faintly. "Oh, I know exactly how much effort you put in."
Heat rose to Ansh's cheeks. So the man knew.
"I heard what happened," the Principal continued, "but the more important matter is that you crossed into the Forest of Spirits. That area is strictly off-limits."
Ansh froze. He hadn't even realized where he was running — his focus had been entirely on the monkey.
"Sir, I swear it wasn't on purpose! That vicious monkey stole my locket. If not for that, I'd never have gone in there!"
The Principal's grin sharpened. "Intentions aside, you still did it. Actions have consequences. For entering the Forest of Spirits, your punishment is… to clear all grass from academics herb garden."
Ansh's head dropped. "Yes, sir…"
"Oh, and one more thing," the Principal added smoothly. "You must finish it today. No help from anyone. No plants damaged. Only tools provided by the herb garden caretaker. Break the rules, and you'll take a week-long special class under Professor Vaidya."
Ansh's heart sank. That class was infamous. His expression must have shown his despair, because the Principal chuckled.
As Ansh turned to leave, the Principal opened a drawer and held something up.
"My locket!" Ansh gasped, rushing forward. "How did you— Wait… are you the master of that treacherous—? No, never mind."
The Principal's eyes narrowed. "Your friends found it and gave it to me."
Ansh grabbed it, muttering a hasty "Thanks!" before bolting out of the room.
The Principal watched him go, then glanced at the pendant in his hand one last time before it disappeared around Ansh's neck. A faint glow pulsed from within the metal — brighter than before.