The banyan tree had always stood at the edge of the village like a silent guard.
Its roots were thick like twisted ropes, digging deep into the earth. Its branches stretched wide, forming a shadowy roof over the ground below. Most villagers avoided it. They said strange things happened there at night — whispers in the wind, glowing lights, and footsteps when no one was around.
Arjun didn't believe those stories.
He was fourteen, curious, and always searching for something new. While other kids rushed home after school to play games or watch TV, Arjun preferred walking alone. He liked the quiet. He liked imagining adventures.
Sometimes he wished something extraordinary would happen in his ordinary life.
That evening, the sky was painted orange and pink as the sun slowly disappeared behind the hills. Arjun walked toward the banyan tree, kicking small stones along the path. His school bag hung loosely over one shoulder.
"I wonder why everyone's so scared of a tree," he muttered.
As he stepped closer, the air felt… different.
Cooler.
Still.
Even the birds seemed quiet.
He placed his bag down and sat against one of the thick roots. The bark felt rough against his back. He closed his eyes and listened to the wind.
That's when he saw it.
A faint blue glow flickered in front of him.
Arjun opened his eyes quickly.
The glow was coming from the trunk of the banyan tree.
At first, it was small — like a firefly. But then it grew brighter, spreading across the bark in thin glowing lines. The lines connected, forming a strange symbol. It looked ancient, like something carved long ago — but this was glowing.
His heart started beating faster.
"Okay… this is new," he whispered.
He stood up slowly.
The symbol pulsed like it was alive.
For a moment, Arjun thought about running.
But curiosity was stronger than fear.
He stepped closer.
The ground beneath his feet felt warm.
He reached out his hand.
The moment his fingers touched the glowing symbol—
The world shattered.
The ground beneath him turned soft like water. The sky twisted. The air rushed past his ears.
Arjun tried to scream, but no sound came out.
He was falling.
Falling through light.
Falling through stars.
Colors swirled around him — blue, gold, silver — like he was inside a giant spinning galaxy.
"THIS IS NOT NORMAL!" he shouted.
Then everything went dark.
He landed softly.
Not hard. Not painful.
Soft.
Arjun opened his eyes slowly.
Above him was a sky unlike anything he had ever seen.
There were two suns.
One bright and golden.
The other smaller and pale blue.
Clouds drifted in strange shapes, glowing faintly at the edges.
He quickly sat up.
"This… is not my village."
The grass beneath him shimmered slightly, like tiny crystals were mixed into it. In the distance, floating islands hovered in the air, connected by glowing bridges of light.
His heart pounded.
Was he dreaming?
He pinched himself.
"Ow."
Not a dream.
Suddenly, something moved in the tall grass nearby.
Arjun froze.
The grass parted, and out stepped a small creature.
It looked like a fox — but not normal. Its fur was deep blue, almost shining. Its ears were shaped like crystals, glowing softly. Its eyes were bright silver.
The creature tilted its head.
"You're late," it said.
Arjun blinked.
"You… you just talked."
"Yes. And you just arrived," the fox replied calmly.
Arjun stood up quickly. "Where am I? What is this place? How did I—"
"Welcome to Aetheria," the fox said, sitting down. "The World Between Worlds."
Arjun stared.
"World Between… what?"
Before the fox could answer, a deep rumble shook the ground.
The sky darkened slightly, as if a shadow passed over one of the suns.
From the edge of the field, dark smoke began rising.
Arjun stepped back.
The smoke twisted and formed a shape.
Tall.
Huge.
With glowing red eyes.
It looked like a monster made of shadows.
The fox stood in front of Arjun.
"It found you quickly."
"Found me?!" Arjun's voice cracked. "What IS that thing?!"
"A Shadow Beast," the fox replied. "And it's here because of you."
"Because of me?! I just got here!"
The Shadow Beast let out a roar that shook the air. The ground cracked beneath its feet.
Arjun's legs felt weak.
"I don't want to be here," he whispered.
The beast charged.
"Raise your hand!" the fox shouted.
"What?!"
"RAISE YOUR HAND!"
Without thinking, Arjun lifted his right hand toward the creature.
The symbol from the tree suddenly appeared on his palm — glowing bright blue.
Energy burst out like lightning.
Light formed around his hand, shaping itself into a blade made of pure glowing energy.
Arjun stared at it in shock.
"I— I don't know how to use this!"
"Trust yourself!" the fox shouted.
The Shadow Beast swung a massive arm of darkness toward him.
Arjun closed his eyes and swung the glowing blade blindly.
A flash of light exploded across the field.
There was silence.
Slowly, Arjun opened his eyes.
The Shadow Beast was gone.
Only small sparks of darkness faded into the air.
His chest rose and fell rapidly.
He looked at the glowing sword in his hand.
It slowly dissolved into light and disappeared.
The symbol on his palm remained, glowing faintly.
He turned toward the fox.
"What… just happened?"
The fox's silver eyes shone.
"You have been chosen."
"Chosen for what?"
The fox stood tall.
"To become the Guardian."
A distant thunder echoed across the strange world.
Arjun looked at the floating islands. The twin suns. The endless glowing horizon.
His ordinary life was gone.
And something told him…
This was only the beginning.