Shadow & Storm

A Marriage Proposal

The next morning, Ananya woke up before her alarm.

For a few seconds, she stared at the ceiling.

Then the events of the previous night came rushing back.

StormKnight: Can we get married?

Ananya immediately pulled the blanket over her face.

"It's just a game."

She repeated the words to herself.

"It's only a virtual quest."

After a few seconds, she lowered the blanket.

"But why did he have to ask it like that?"

She shook her head and quickly got out of bed.

There was no time to think about StormKnight.

The university finals were approaching.

And Team Seven had to be ready.

By the time Ananya reached the IN Tech University campus, the atmosphere had completely changed.

The finals were only a few days away.

Posters had been placed across the campus.

Students were discussing the tournament everywhere.

Some were even wearing Team Seven badges.

Riya ran toward Ananya as soon as she saw her.

"Finally!"

Ananya looked at her.

"What happened?"

"You forgot?"

"Forgot what?"

Riya stared at her in disbelief.

"Your laptop!"

Ananya's expression immediately changed.

"Oh..."

"Did you get it repaired?"

"Not yet."

"Then how are you going to play?"

"I'll manage."

Riya folded her arms.

"You always say that before creating another problem."

Ananya sighed.

"I'll get it repaired soon."

Riya looked unconvinced.

But before she could say anything else, Arjun approached them.

"Good morning."

Riya smiled.

"Good morning, President."

Arjun looked at Ananya.

"You look tired."

"I couldn't sleep properly."

"Because of the finals?"

Ananya hesitated for half a second.

"Yes."

Arjun almost smiled.

He knew the real reason.

But he said nothing.

Inside the practice room, Team Seven was already waiting.

A large screen displayed footage of their opponents.

TEAM NINE

Rohit paused the video.

"They don't have one fixed strategy."

Sneha nodded.

"Sometimes they attack immediately."

"Sometimes they wait until the last few minutes."

Ananya studied the footage carefully.

"They're not unpredictable."

Everyone looked at her.

"They're observing their opponent."

She pointed toward the screen.

"They don't decide their strategy before the match."

"They decide it after they understand the other team."

Arjun nodded.

"Which means they will study us too."

"Exactly."

Ananya looked at the rest of the team.

"So we shouldn't give them one strategy to study."

Rohit frowned.

"Then what do we do?"

"We change."

"During the match?"

"Every time they think they've understood us."

Arjun smiled.

"That could work."

For the next several hours, Team Seven practiced different strategies.

They attacked.

They retreated.

They changed formations.

They deliberately made mistakes to see how Team Nine might respond.

Ananya remained focused throughout the practice.

But in the middle of a strategy discussion...

Her phone vibrated.

She glanced down.

STORMKNIGHT HAS SENT YOU A MESSAGE

She opened it.

StormKnight: Tonight. Eight o'clock.

Ananya frowned.

ShadowFlame: What happens tonight?

The reply came quickly.

StormKnight: Our wedding preparation.

Ananya's eyes widened.

She immediately looked around the room.

No one was paying attention to her.

She quickly typed:

ShadowFlame: Stop calling it that!

StormKnight: Why? That's what the quest is.

ShadowFlame: It's a tournament quest.

StormKnight: A tournament wedding quest.

Ananya stared at the screen.

"Unbelievable."

ShadowFlame: You're impossible.

Arjun looked at her from across the room.

She was trying very hard not to smile at her phone.

He lowered his gaze to hide his own smile.

That evening, Ananya returned to the hostel.

At exactly eight o'clock, she logged into the game.

SHADOWFLAME – ONLINE

A few moments later...

STORMKNIGHT – ONLINE

A new notification appeared.

DUO MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP

QUEST ONE: FIND YOUR PARTNER

Ananya frowned.

"Find my partner?"

StormKnight: Ready?

ShadowFlame: I suppose.

StormKnight: You don't sound excited.

ShadowFlame: I'm not.

StormKnight: You sound very excited.

ShadowFlame: Stop talking and start the quest.

Arjun laughed quietly.

The game loaded.

A massive fantasy kingdom appeared on the screen.

ShadowFlame and StormKnight were placed at opposite ends of the map.

Their objective was simple:

FIND EACH OTHER BEFORE THE TIME LIMIT ENDS

But the map was filled with dangers.

Hidden enemies.

Deadly traps.

False paths.

Changing terrain.

Ananya immediately opened the map.

ShadowFlame: Where are you?

StormKnight: Northwestern forest.

ShadowFlame: I'm in the eastern ruins.

StormKnight: We're far apart.

ShadowFlame: I noticed.

StormKnight: I was just stating a fact.

ShadowFlame: You could have stated it more usefully.

Arjun smiled.

She was exactly the same as always.

Ananya moved through the ruins.

Suddenly—

AMBUSH!

Three enemies appeared.

She immediately drew her weapon.

ShadowFlame: I have three enemies.

StormKnight: Can you handle them?

Ananya narrowed her eyes.

ShadowFlame: Are you doubting me?

StormKnight: No.

ShadowFlame: Good.

StormKnight: I was only asking.

ShadowFlame: Too late.

She attacked.

The first enemy fell.

The second attempted to attack from behind.

Ananya turned instantly.

The third enemy activated a stun attack.

Before it could reach her—

A blue attack struck it from behind.

ENEMY DEFEATED

Ananya stopped.

ShadowFlame: Storm?

StormKnight: Took me long enough.

ShadowFlame: I didn't need help.

StormKnight: I know.

Ananya stared at that message.

For some reason...

That answer made her smile.

They continued through the kingdom.

They crossed broken bridges.

Solved puzzles.

Defeated enemies.

And slowly, they moved closer to the castle.

The quest required perfect teamwork.

But ShadowFlame and StormKnight had been playing together for so long that coordination came naturally to them.

They barely needed words.

One moved.

The other understood.

One attacked.

The other protected.

One stopped.

The other waited.

They reached the castle with only a few minutes remaining.

FINAL QUEST: ENTER THE CASTLE TOGETHER

Ananya reached the castle gate.

StormKnight was still on the other side of the battlefield.

ShadowFlame: Where are you?

StormKnight: Coming.

ShadowFlame: You have three minutes.

StormKnight: I know.

ShadowFlame: Two minutes.

StormKnight: I know.

ShadowFlame: One minute.

StormKnight: Do you enjoy giving me updates?

ShadowFlame: Do you enjoy being late?

Arjun laughed.

Then suddenly—

A group of enemies surrounded StormKnight.

TIME REMAINING: 45 SECONDS

StormKnight: Don't come here.

ShadowFlame: I wasn't planning to.

StormKnight: Good.

ShadowFlame: But now I am.

She turned around and ran toward him.

StormKnight: Shadow!

ShadowFlame: Stop talking and fight.

Together, they defeated the enemies.

Then they ran toward the castle.

10...

9...

8...

The castle gates began to close.

7...

6...

They ran faster.

5...

4...

Their characters reached the gate.

3...

2...

They crossed the entrance together.

1...

The gates closed behind them.

QUEST COMPLETED

PARTNERSHIP LEVEL INCREASED

QUEST TWO UNLOCKED

THE VIRTUAL WEDDING

Ananya stared at the screen.

"What?"

Arjun immediately sent a message.

StormKnight: Looks like we're getting married.

ShadowFlame: Don't start.

StormKnight: The game started.

ShadowFlame: It's just a quest.

StormKnight: A very important quest.

Ananya sighed.

ShadowFlame: When is it?

Arjun checked the event schedule.

His expression changed.

The virtual wedding quest was scheduled for the same day as an important tournament he had to attend.

A tournament in another city.

He stared at the date.

Then he typed:

StormKnight: We have a problem.

Ananya immediately replied:

ShadowFlame: What?

StormKnight: The wedding quest is scheduled on the same day as an important tournament I have to attend.

Ananya frowned.

ShadowFlame: What kind of tournament?

Arjun paused.

He couldn't tell her the truth.

He couldn't say:

The university final.

Because she would immediately ask which university.

Instead, he replied:

StormKnight: A major competition connected to my work.

Ananya thought for a moment.

ShadowFlame: Oh.

StormKnight: It's going to be a busy day.

ShadowFlame: Actually... I also have something important that day.

Arjun stared at the message.

He already knew.

But he pretended to be surprised.

StormKnight: Really?

ShadowFlame: Yes.

StormKnight: What is it?

Ananya smiled.

ShadowFlame: My university final.

Arjun's fingers stopped above the keyboard.

For a moment, he simply stared at the screen.

The girl he was speaking to online...

Was telling him about the exact final he would attend with her in real life.

And she still had no idea who he was.

He quickly typed:

StormKnight: That's a big deal.

ShadowFlame: Yes. My team worked hard to reach the finals.

StormKnight: Then we both have an important day.

ShadowFlame: Apparently.

StormKnight: We'll have to manage both.

Ananya paused.

ShadowFlame: Do you think we can?

Arjun smiled.

StormKnight: We've managed impossible things before.

Ananya looked at the message.

She smiled.

ShadowFlame: Then let's do it.

StormKnight: Win your final.

ShadowFlame: And you win your tournament.

StormKnight: And after that...

ShadowFlame: What?

StormKnight: We get married.

Ananya stared at the screen.

Her face immediately turned red.

ShadowFlame: It's a virtual wedding.

StormKnight: Still a wedding.

ShadowFlame: Goodnight, Storm.

StormKnight: Goodnight, Shadow.

Ananya logged off.

Arjun remained in front of the screen.

The smile slowly disappeared from his face.

In a few days...

He would stand beside Ananya in the university final.

And later that same day...

He would return home and marry her virtually as StormKnight.

Ananya believed those were two completely different worlds.

She believed:

Ananya knew Arjun.

And ShadowFlame knew StormKnight.

She had no idea that the two worlds had already collided.

Arjun leaned back in his chair.

A dangerous thought crossed his mind.

"How long can I keep this secret from her?"

He didn't know.

But for now...

He had one advantage.

Ananya still had no idea.

The next morning, Ananya walked into the university practice room.

Arjun was already there.

Their eyes met.

"Good morning," he said.

"Good morning."

Neither of them mentioned the previous night's conversation.

Ananya had no idea that the man standing in front of her was the same person she had promised to marry inside the game.

And Arjun...

Had to stand beside the girl he secretly knew as ShadowFlame.

While pretending to be nothing more than her teammate.