The consequence
Rav's blood had unknowingly pulled a blind man out of his colourless, lifeless existence and hurled him toward a destiny he had long forgotten.
The Sage understood the consequence. He knew that the boy's blood would attract things far greater and far darker than a wandering blind man. Yet, he believed this truth that even danger must fear the essence of the Sage, for his power had flowed through the waterfall long before the war of the gods and the fallen one.
Still, he decided to prepare himself for whatever was coming next. He knew that whoever dared to provoke him must be ready to die or believe they were stronger than him.
He arranged a meeting with his inner followers and disciples in the inner common meditation room.
"I assume you were all aware of what transpired in the forest. We also had an unexpected guest who reached here travelling from downstream."
Sage takes a breath.
"I don't know what dangers we are gonna meet. I will always stand with you guys. We need to stand together and help all the villagers. And make sure not a single life is lost from the village due to this war."
Sage looks at his shadow disciples,
"It's our responsibility to put our lives before the villagers".
All shadows nod.
__________
The Divine Waterfall
From the Sage's tears, spirits awakened, self-aware from the first breath, and they named themselves Mahar Asrus.
Mahar Asrus: the Great Sage Tears.
Every dawn, they gathered behind him, waiting with reverence for his Sun Prayer. The Sage never acknowledged them beyond a passing glance, but the forest did.
The waterfall grew more divine with each sunrise. It became so sacred that any ordinary human who wandered too close would turn into spirit dust in a heartbeat. There was only one exception, the blind man.
As always, the Sage walked to the sacred waterfall for his daily ritual bathing, meditation, and cultivation.
And raised his hands and began chanting the Surya Mantra:
"Oooohm, Hraaaam, Hreeeeem, Hruuuum Suryayah Namah"
"Brahmaswarupamudaye madhyahnatu maheshwaram
Sayam dhyayestadha vishnum trimurtim cha divakaram
Pratarbajami savitara mananta shaktim
Pāpoughasatru bhayaroga hāraṁ paraṁ cha
Tham sarvalōka kalānāṭmaka kālamūrtiṁ
Saṁsāra bandhana vimōchana māḍi devam"
As the mantra echoed through the valley, the waterfall burst into a blaze of golden light. Animals, breeze, stone, and spirit all turned east to greet the rising sun. If anyone touched the Sage during this prayer, they would feel the burn of the sun itself.
For months, this happened:
The forest resonated with the Sage's prayer.
The Asrus bowed with trembling devotion.
The Sage meditated.
And when the first sun-ray touched his eyes, he walked home in silence. same time, Asrus stands in a line and bows to the Sage.
__________
The Conversation of Fate
One morning, after meditation, the Sage rose and faced the Asrus. They bowed low, like aurora kneeling before their light.
"Since when are you self-aware?" he asked.
"From birth, My Lord," whispered their leader.
"Is it ?"
"Yes, My Lord. Our lives just born from you. We would like to continue our lives serving you."
"You owe me nothing," the Sage said. "Live as you wish."
"We still wish to serve you, My Lord."
"I need no followers," he replied.
Silence. Their devotion, thicker than mist, filled the air.
"If you truly wish to serve me," the Sage said at last,
"Then guard my son. Protect Rav with your existence."
"As you command, My Lord. For as long as we exist."
"You are not strong enough for the threats that follow him," he warned.
"Let me help you to raise as high spirits. But in return, you belong to me, and to my lineage."
"Anything for you."
The Sage released a wave of spirit power. The Asrus forms brightened, gaining shape, weight, and presence. They ascended from shapeless spirits to Greater Spirits.
Then the Sage created four elemental cores:
a stone sphere, a water globe, a compressed wind sphere, and a fire orb.
"Choose one," he said. "Your power shall define your form."
He turned to the leader.
"You, in front, choose. Fighter spirit or Life spirit?"
"My Lord, give me a moment."
The others consumed their chosen spheres, their bodies flashing with elemental brilliance.
The Sage then asked, "What is your name?"
"I have none, My Lord."
"Then I give you one," the Sage declared. "Testa."
A burst of golden radiance shook the clearing. Testa stumbled, unaware that a name given by a Sage was a blessing that cut through fate itself.
He became a Named High Spirit, equal to a lower Epic Spirit.
"Your decision?" the Sage asked.
"I wish to fight for you."
"Then take this, the fire core laced with the breath of wind."
Testa consumed it and rose again, and now an Outer Epic Spirit.
All five bowed deeply.
"The contract is sealed," the Sage said.
"You may enter the village barrier but never the MahaviharaMonastery. Your only duty is to protect Rav. Remain unseen."
__________
The Boy and His Unseen Shadows
The spirits felt something strange as they followed Rav. The boy carried an innocence that pulled them like gravity, and a destiny that terrified them. Protecting him felt less like a mission and more like purpose.
Rav, however, always felt watched. At first, it was just a tingling at his neck. Then the feeling grew sharper, like whispers just behind his footsteps. One afternoon he stopped, and said aloud:
"Who's there? You are following me."
Bound by the contract, the spirits slowly appeared, shimmering, translucent, their eyes glowing with quiet loyalty. Rav gasped.
"We are your guardians,"Testa said.
"Assigned by the Sage. We will walk with you until the end of our existence."
Rav didn't speak for a long time after that. But understood his father's intention, and something in him felt less alone.
__________
The Black Figure
Far to the south, a tall figure clothed in shadow walked upstream. Their steps were slow, precise, and deliberate.
Their voice echoed like a forgotten prophecy,
"There once was a human who achieved inhuman power,
asked How will you save the world now?
World doesn't need saving, it's beyond saving
At this time, it needs to be corrected
How can you know that?
You don't need to know everything, you just need to start
Dreams will destroy the doubts
War on inequality- doesn't need a win, it needs a start."
And the river trembled as it passed them.