"You're the mightiest of all, your birth alone changed the fate of this whole world!"
The old monk said in a baritone voice, that shook the boy to core.
"M-me? I am just a normal high school student!"
"No!" Two old sharp eyes looked at him, it made him gasp in shock, chill ran down his spine as the old man said,
"You are indeed, the child of prophecy."
Avi's smile widened as he read that line. Of course! The hero, Satoshi Miyazaki, had to be a child of prophecy, someone special! Of course, you might not know, but your fate is predestined. Powerful people are born powerful, not raised.
"Puku, come downstairs, dinner is ready!"
"5 more minutes, baba!"
"I have been calling you for 30 minutes, if you don't come here now, I will make you wash the dishes!"
Avi closed the book and signed. He stood up, detached the charger of his phone and... let's open whatsapp first, no no, let's check what's happening on facebook? Nah, let's find a good video for lunch.
The kittens are soo cute! Why don't kittens have eyes? Google, why do kit-- wait, an asteroid is coming towards Earth? What's going on?
"AVYAAN RANA!"
Avi jumped as he heard his full name from his father.
"Coming, baba, I am sorry!"
He was absent-mindedly munching on his lunch when he got a message from his school friend Soyel.
He glanced at his father who took took a bite of his food and said,"Is it important?"
Avi nodded no and immediately put the phone down. He and his father had this unspoken rule, which stopped them from using their phones while eating.
When he looked at the window, sunrays seeped through the glass and entered Avi's eyes sheepishly.
These golden rays were trying to reach his eyes all day long, but he kept staring at the artificial blue light like an obsession.
When Avi was very little, his family went to a hillstation for holidays. Back then, Avi used to enjoy the fresh aroma of warm meal that his father would prepare for the train ride, and his mother would dress him up and pinch his nose, hold his hands tightly before entering the coach. The planning, the excitement for journey was far more interesting than the journey itself.
During one of those heavenly days, Avi's mother told him a secret to pass time without getting bored.
"Puku, if you ever get bored, look up at the sky. The sky never gets old."
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She was right, whenever he looked up at the sky, he would notice changes in colours, numbers and shapes of clouds and everything.
They watched a starry night together while sitting on the snowy field, drinking hot chocolate. Just little Avi and his parents.
Recently, Avi found himself slowly forgetting his mother's face, even if he was just 12 years old. But, her sweet, melodious voice would still ringing in his ears always, all the time, like a cascade.
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Soyel wrote:
"Avi, wait for me at the central park tomorrow afternoon. I have to talk to you."
Soyel was probably the only person Avi chose to talk and vice versa. He wasn't that much of an extrovert. And sometimes, when Avi was too lazy to get out and do something, he would come up with a plan and make Soyel execute it.
More of a business partner than friend.
Otherwise, they just usrd to forward a few jokes to each other on whatsapp, that's it.
Why was he so serious suddenly?
It was neither day nor night.
As the sun dipped toward the horizon around 4:30 P.M., Avi paced beside the park, awaiting Soyel's arrival. What urgent matter led them to this hasty meeting? His restless energy found outlet in kicking a small stone.
As he waited, Avi observed the evening's gentle rhythm, how exhausted children departing with their mothers, elderly neighbors sipping tea in comfortable silence.
Around 5:00 P.M., Avi's gaze drifted back to the fence, where a familiar shadow emerged. Soyel. His usually calm face now wore a serious expression. Avi caught his eye.
"Hey man, I have been waiting here for half an hour, you know!"
Avi said with a chuckle, even though he felt a bit irritated.
Soyel looked around with restless eyes and said, "I am so sorry. I got... caught in things."
He put his hands in his pockets. More like, he clutched something tightly in it.
Avi noticed it and asked, "So? What's going on with you? You look and act a bit... weird."
Soyel chuckled nervously, "Yeah you can say so. I being a dork, anyway... ahem..."
He locked his eyes with Avi and asked, "Avi, um.. once you told me that, you would love to visit a... place similar to your father's story, right?"
Avi nodded.
"Well, I got an invitation from a seminar... it's nothing just, my mother wants me to attend for... educational purposes. I don't want to go. Can you please cover for me? For one day, be Soyel, not Avyaan?"
What the actual--
"Whoa whoa, that's a lot of information to take in just 5 minutes, I..."
Avi chuckled and place a hand in his own hair.
Soyel got a paper out of his pocket and said, "Yes yes, take your time. It's a big deal."
Avi gulped as he saw the logo of UN on that invitation letter written to Mr. Soyel Parekh.
"Are you... absolutely sure about it?"
Soyel raised the card and said, "Yes. It will change nothing for me, but... it might change everything for you. Take it. Attending it or not is your choice."
With shaky hands, Avi unfolded the paper and one name caught his eyes,
'Ro'Shana Virdesna affiliated Virehar Academy.'
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"Hell would freeze over before Ro'Shanas make amends with Támeshane clans."
The man said, his white outfit contrasting with the dark curly hair that touched the neck of it.
Suvéhan was ready with a rebuttal.
"Ikari clan, is what, honorable Ro'Shana sáirs trust. That's also because you're the clan head."
A hearty laughter filled the room.
"Well, we do try to maintain peace with you. Do not make the mistake of believing that I have a weakness about... you know who."
"I understand. A Támeshane clan head whose hands are crimson with the blood of all of the family members... should not have weaknesses."
A slight chuckle came from the dark haired man.
"You believe so? I am flattered."
Standing up, he went nearby the large window. A gust of wind ruffled his hair.
"Some arrogant and illiterate fools divide us. The truth is, we create the perfect balance. Ro'Shana and Támeshane, both helped each other against evil forces in the past, and will continue to do so, in future. Atleast Ikari clan. I assure you of that."
"Thank you, Ikari-sama. But I did not come here for this."
That caught the man off-guard.
"Then what are you trying to ask me?"
Suvéhan looked up with pleasant smile and stern eyes.
He said, "One day, if I get a capable Suyethi, I want him to learn about Támeshane as well as Ro'Shana."
"Why would I reveal Támeshane knowledge to a Ro'Shana?"
The man's smile did not falter for a second.
Suvéhan said, "You will not be revealing anything to a Ro'Shana. He or she will be a Virehar. A Suyethi. Also, consider it a fair deal. One Támeshane Suyethi to me, one Ro'Shana Suyethi is to you."
The clan head laughed. It was so loud that a few birds ran away from the huge garden nearby.
"Clever. Very clever. We will see. What if you do not get one?"
Suvéhan smiled, "As the nature wishes. I hope I will get a Suyethi like that one day. Proper metal to make sword."
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For one day, just for one day, Avyaan Rana will be Soyel Parekh. It's just for one day.
Is it?