Chapter 15 : Three Trials and a Kiss.
512 Words
The cave was still shaking after the fight. Aarav and Meera stood side by side, catching their breath. Aarav still held the glowing manuscript in his hand. It felt alive, like it was breathing with him.
“Woh kya tha abhi? (What was that just now?)” Meera asked, brushing dust off her face.
“Kuch aisa jisme main ya toh hero ban gaya… ya kisi villain ka target. (Something where I either became a hero… or some villain’s target),” Aarav replied.
As they walked ahead, glowing symbols lit up under their feet. The path led them to a large round room with a dome. It looked like the night sky—but strange, like the stars were watching them.
In the center floated a glowing orb.
Suddenly, they both heard a voice in their heads:
“यात्रा आरम्भः… असत्यं त्यज। (The journey begins… let go of lies.)”
Meera frowned. “Yeh orb thoda creepy hai. (This orb is kinda creepy.)”
Aarav moved closer. As he did, the orb glowed brighter. Suddenly, he was standing in his old home. He saw his parents, laughter, comfort. And then—he saw Meera, smiling at him.
It felt real. Too real.
Then a whisper:
“Do you want to give up the power and live this life?”
Just as he reached out, he heard Meera’s voice.
“Aarav! Don’t lose yourself!”
The vision shattered. He stepped back, breathing hard.
“It showed me what I want most,” he said.
Meera looked at him and said gently, “Maybe you’ll have it sooner than you think.”
They were quiet for a moment.
“You really confuse me sometimes,” Aarav muttered.
“Good,” she said, smirking. “Try to keep up.”
Then the orb opened a glowing portal.
“You passed the first trial,” said the monk’s voice from far away. “There are two more.”
“Of course,” Aarav sighed. “Because one trial isn’t enough.”
“Drama, danger, near-death,” Meera smiled. “We should sell tickets.”
They held hands and stepped into the portal.
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The next room was filled with floating mirrors. But they didn’t show how they looked—they showed what they feared.
Aarav saw himself failing. Meera saw herself all alone.
Whispers filled the air:
“Your fears are true.”
“Bas! (Enough!)” Aarav shouted. “These are our fears, not our fate!”
The manuscript in his hand lit up and broke all the mirrors. The room went quiet.
Aarav turned to Meera. “If we’re going to survive this… we do it together.”
She stepped close. “And if we don’t?”
“Then I want my last memory to be of you.”
Meera looked at him—and kissed him. Just once. Soft and real.
“Okay,” she whispered. “Let’s finish this.”
Hand in hand, they stepped toward the final trial.
Because now, it wasn’t just about the manuscript.
It was about each other.
- Writer
