Mischievous Narada
____
Thump.
At the entrance stood a middle-aged man in an unmistakably peculiar outfit—an orange Hawaiian shirt paired with orange shorts, dark sunglasses resting on his face, and a vintage sitar slung across his back. His hair was tied neatly into a bun.
Narad.
He was one of the four for whom the world's leaders themselves had come forward to welcome onto the planet.
A strange, overwhelming energy radiated from him, filling the hall and leaving every leader present momentarily at a loss for words.
Noticing their stunned expressions, Narad burst into hearty laughter.
"Hahaha! You should see your faces—it looks like you've just seen a monster."
His laughter carried an oddly calming effect, easing the tension in the room.
Shaken out of their awkward silence, the leaders hurried to change the subject.
"What are you doing here, Lord Narad?" Amitabh asked.
Narad placed a hand over his chest, feigning hurt. "Am I not welcome here, Amitabh? And how many times must I remind you—stop calling me 'Lord.' I am merely a wandering sage. You may call me Narad Muni."
"No, no, it's not like that—Lord… Narad Muni," Luna corrected herself quickly. "We just assumed you might be with Lady Mandakini."
Narad waved the thought away dismissively. "Mandakini is a sensible girl. She knows exactly what she's doing. Unlike that muscle-headed brat Philaeus," he added with a sigh. "Sometimes I truly pity Alexios, having to keep an eye on him."
He continued casually, "Besides, she dislikes it when someone intrudes on her personal space—or stalks her."
"So, Narad Muni," Peter interjected carefully, "what brings you here?"
Narad paused, then chuckled. "Ah, you almost made me forget. You all talk far too much."
"Bu—" Peter began, but Narad raised a finger, cutting him off.
"Well, since Mandakini and Philaeus are occupied with their training, I decided to pay a visit to some old acquaintances of mine. Seeing that you're all gathered here, I thought it courteous to inform you first."
"But if something were to happen to Lady Mandakini in your absence," Peter started anxiously, "what would we say to Lord M—"
Narad interrupted him once again, his tone calm but firm. "I've already instructed Alexios to keep an eye on Mandakini from time to time. You needn't concern yourselves."
With that, he turned toward the exit and began walking away.
Every leader in the hall watched silently as he departed.
Thump.
As the doors closed behind him, a collective breath escaped the room—as though everyone had been holding it the entire time.
"His presence is… overwhelming," Samia said at last, breaking the silence.
"And he's merely the caretaker assigned to watch over their princess," Hong added, his voice heavy.
"I believe this encounter should remind us all to take the right steps—at the right time," Amitabh said gravely.
No one responded. Each remained lost in their own thoughts.
"Let us conclude this meeting here," Amitabh finally declared.
His holographic figure began to fade. One by one, the remaining figures lingered for a few seconds before disappearing as well, leaving the vast hall completely empty.
. . . .
Vedman's residence, Varanasi.
Inside his room, Hira lies on the bed, lost in thought.
Vrrrrr Vrrrrr
Suddenly, his bracelet vibrated softly.
"Who can call me at this time?"
As he checks, the screen lit up with the name he hadn't seen in half a year.
Amit Yadav.
Seeing his best friend's name, he quickly received the call.
"Hello, Amit?" Hira asked uncertainly.
"Haven't my number been saved in your contacts, Vedman?"
A young man's voice came from the other side, a little rough as if the speaker hadn't spoken for a long time, but Hira acknowledged the voice.
"Good to have you back buddy."
They talked for a long time. About the hospital, about the strange emptiness Amit felt after waking from the Pariama stage, about the months that had slipped through his fingers like sand.
At last, they talked about meeting the day after tomorrow at Amit's place.
When the call ended, the room felt oddly hollow.
Hira stood up and walked towards the window of his room, resting his palm against the glass.
Outside, the city looked awake; people could be seen moving on the streets with cautious confidence. The lockdown was over, and normal life was returning.
Yet nothing felt normal.
Vrrr
As he was lost in thought, his bracelet vibrated again. this time, it was a message.
Shweta – 'Can we meet tomorrow? I need to talk about something.'
Hira read it twice. 'Is she asking for a date?'
Her writing felt deliberate, though he knew it probably wasn't.
He replied almost immediately – 'Come for breakfast. We'll talk then, and Dadi is also asking why you didn't come today.'
Rereading his response, Hira curses himself for inviting her home and not to some café.
The response came a moment later.
Shweta – 'Okay, let's meet at breakfast.'
Hira lowered his hand, the faintest smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
'It's okay, my Dadi's handmade food is not less than any five-star hotel food. But what does she want to talk to me?'
As he was guessing what Shweta wanted to talk about, Shanti's voice came from downstairs.
"Hira dinner is ready."
"Coming Dadi."
. . . .
Later that night, as Hira lay awake staring at the ceiling, fragments of the day replayed in his mind. The Prime Minister's speech, Amit's call, and Shweta's message.
Though Amit's call and Shweta's message seemed normal, something about the P.M.'s speech is unsettling him.
The way he mentioned human evolution, it's like he was hinting at something – something far more complex than what everyone might be thinking.
And if he thinks out of the box, about this evolution thing, then only one figure emerges inside his head, the Giant, who saved him on the mountains.
And there was also Jarvy's broken message, - The disturbance… 3rd August… not natural… unknown in the… space…
"My gut feeling is telling me that Jarvy's message has some connection with what is happening on the Earth."
With this thought, he drifts into a sleep.
A.N. - Cala-citta means a restless or moving mind and heart. Narad is the name.