By the time the sun rose, Dhruv and Meena were far from Tulapur.
They had taken the river path, cutting through dusty farms and half-drowned roads. Birds scattered as they walked, and old power lines swung overhead like dead vines. The Axe of Jamadagni was wrapped in linen and strapped to Dhruv's back. Even hidden, it pulsed faintly, as if sniffing out conflict.
Memory Fragment Available: Vision of the Fire Tower — Access Now?
[Yes] [Later]
He tapped 'Yes' in his mind.
The world slowed.
A new vision bloomed across his thoughts. He stood at the foot of a colossal tower wrapped in smoke and chains. Fire swirled not at its top, but from within its walls, like the tower itself was breathing flame. The sky around it was choked with ash. Figures circled it, both human and winged, chanting. And at the heart of it all stood a man cloaked in embers, holding a staff with seven burning points.
Then, something unseen turned to look at him.
The vision ended.
Destination Confirmed: Tower of Agni, Ruins of Jodhpur.
Relic Signature: Sage Bharadwaja. Affinity: Elemental-Karmic Fusion.
"That looked intense," Meena said. "You were glowing. Like... fire-glowing."
"We're heading into something big," Dhruv replied. "Bharadwaja's relic is... not going to be subtle."
.
They stopped at a roadside dhaba in ruins. A half-scorched sign read 'Radhe Krishna Refreshments.' The building still stood, and inside, surprisingly, someone had made it livable; an old woman was boiling tea on a fire stove.
She looked up without surprise. "You've got relic eyes, boy. Sit. You look starved."
Dhruv blinked. "You're not afraid?"
She shrugged. "Fear is a waste at my age. Besides, I've seen more than most gods."
They sat.
She served them steaming chai and gave them stale rotis with peanut chutney. As they ate, she spoke.
"The Tower's been pulsing for weeks now. Travellers claim it sings at night. Some say it weeps. Either way, things are moving."
Dhruv leaned forward. "Do you know who's guarding it?"
"Something old," she said. "Not divine. Not demonic. But bound. By mistake or by design."
He didn't press further. She'd already said more than most.
As they left, she handed him a small iron charm shaped like a lotus.
"For when the sky burns," she said. "Not if. When."
.
That night, they made camp in an abandoned school. Graffiti covered the walls. A broken chalkboard read: "Padho, likho, desh badlo."
Meena stared at it. "They taught us to change the country, then gave us nothing to do it with."
Dhruv said nothing.
Later, by firelight, Meena asked, "Why did you accept the system?"
"I didn't. It chose me."
"But you're choosing to keep going. That counts."
He thought for a long time.
"Because I want to know why this country fell. Why did it burned? And whether what we call 'divine' had anything to do with it."
She nodded. "Then I'll walk with you. Until the answers stop."
Karma Thread Strengthened: Companion Bond Level 2
New Trait Unlocked: Seer's Insight – Temporary Future Glimpse (Passive Trigger)
The next morning, they were ambushed.
A gang of five relic-hunters emerged from the trees, painted faces, mechanical spears, and a cart trailing behind with a caged spirit in it. The spirit wailed softly, trapped in swirling glyphs.
The leader stepped forward. He wore an Urumi coiled at his side and a grin that showed too many gold teeth.
"Heard there was a new relic-wielder headed west. Didn't think it'd be a dropout with a farm girl."
Dhruv stood still. "Move along. We're not looking for trouble."
"See, that's the thing. Trouble's looking for you."
The hunters circled them.
Meena stepped forward. "You're hurting that spirit. Let it go."
"This thing? It's currency," the man laughed. "Sold one like it in Lucknow for a dozen heat cores."
Dhruv's grip on the axe tightened.
Warning: Violent resolution will tilt Karma toward aggressive path. Alternatives recommended.
Optional Action: Disrupt Glyph Matrix using Seer Insight + Karmic Cleave.
"Meena," Dhruv said. "Can you see the glyph nodes?"
She nodded, eyes glowing faintly. "Back left. Third ring. Weakest link."
He moved.
A single arc of the axe sliced through the air.
The glyph cage shattered. The spirit screamed, then flew upward, circling above. Then, with a shriek, it dove at the hunters.
Pandemonium.
The hunters fled, screaming as the spirit burst in a flash of purifying light. When the smoke cleared, all that remained were weapons and a note burned into the earth:
"The Sealed See All. You have been marked."
Event: Spirit Freed. Karma +10. Path maintained: Neutral Good.
As they resumed their journey, Meena was quiet.
"What is it?" Dhruv asked.
"I saw something when the glyph broke," she said. "A man in a throne of mirrors. Watching. Waiting. He's not a god. He's not even alive. But he knows your name."
Dhruv frowned.
The system pulsed softly:
Memory Thread Detected. Connection: Rishi Vishwamitra. Location Unknown.
He exhaled. The road ahead was growing darker.
But the light inside him burned brighter with every step.