Scene Shift: Harsha's Dream
The cloth covering Harsha's face is pulled away.
A blinding light flashes before his eyes—and then, only darkness.
As his vision adjusts, Harsha slowly opens his eyes. In front of him, two blurred figures kneel on the ground, begging for mercy. Confused, Harsha tries to get a better look.
Suddenly, a deep voice commands from behind him,
"Stop right there."
Harsha freezes and turns around.
"Who are you? Where am I?"
The man steps forward, his presence dark and powerful.
"I am Death," he says. "And you've entered my realm. These two people kneeling before you... are none other than your brother Avi and your father."
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Scene Cut – Reality
Mr. Jais shouts urgently,
"Hrithik! End Harsha's dream now!"
Hrithik: "But Mr. Jais, if we pull him out now, he will fail the Elementals' trial. He won't receive his powers."
Mr. Jais: yelling "Do as I say!"
Hrithik: "But sir, his life could be in danger!"
Mr. Jais: "I said end it! Or the future of the Elementals will be destroyed!"
Hrithik: "Sir, I… I can't do it."
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Back in the Dream
Death speaks again.
"In your hand is a sword. To leave this place, you must kill one and save the other."
Harsha looks down—there it is, a sword in his grip.
Harsha: "I… I won't do it!"
Death: "Then I will. But I won't kill one—I'll kill both."
As Death steps forward, Harsha reacts instinctively, shouts in rage, and drives the sword into Death's chest. But Death merely smiles.
Suddenly, Avi cries out in pain and collapses. The sword meant for Death now protrudes from Avi's chest.
Death: laughing "You see? I cannot be harmed. Every injury I suffer, your brother suffers instead. The choice is still yours."
Harsha falls to his knees, trembling, unable to comprehend what just happened. Tears well in his eyes as he turns toward Avi, watching his brother writhe in pain.
He stands up and walks toward his father—his hands tremble as he raises the sword once again...
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Reality – Urgent Conflict
Mr. Jais explodes with fury. He transforms into his Raudra Avatar, twin swords forming in his hands.
Mr. Jais towered over the boy, his voice thunderous with fury.
Mr. Jais: "End the dream, Hritik, or I will end you!"
Hritik's eyes widened in terror, his voice trembling.
Hritik: "You can't! If I die... the other children trapped in dreamspace will die with me!"
Mr. Jais snarled, his rage boiling over.
Mr. Jais: "I don't care!"
Just then, a gust of silent wind swept through the chamber as the gate creaked open — and Joel stepped in, calm as ever, his eyes glowing faintly with unreadable intent.
Without a word, he raised his hand — a single gesture that stopped Mr. Jais in his tracks.
Approaching Hritik, Joel placed both hands gently on either side of his head. The air thickened. Sparks of dreamlight began to twist around them.
Inside Harsha's dream, reality shifted.
Where once stood two shadowy figures — the ones Death had commanded Harsha to destroy — one of them subtly changed. Its form remained vague, but the aura, the essence... it was no longer the same.
The shadow had been replaced — swapped with something else.
Harsha didn't notice. But the dream had changed.
Still holding Hritik's head, Joel whispered into his mind — a command cloaked in silk and steel:
Joel: "Now… end the dream, Hritik."
Hritik resisted for a breath, his hands trembling.
But Joel's manipulation had already woven deep.
Against his will, Hritik raised his hand… and ended the sequence.
In an instant, the dream shattered like glass — and Harsha's body was hurled out of the dreamspace, collapsing into the snow-covered ground outside, unconscious and unaware of what had truly happened.
Mr. Jais, reverting to his normal form, grabs Hrithik by the collar.
Mr. Jais: "Do you even realize the magnitude of your mistake? I should curse you right here and now. If you weren't chosen, you would've died today."
Joel intervenes again.
Joel: "Uncle… I think it's time for you to leave. It's almost 2 o'clock. The children's selection will end soon."
Mr. Jais retracts his swords and walks away.
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Selection Ceremony
The trials continue. Some children pass, earning entry into the new world—ELEMENTALS. Others fail and are returned to their former lives.
At exactly 2:00 PM, the selection ends.
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Aftermath
Joel sits alone, thinking of Harsha. Tears stream down his face as he looks at the band on his hand—it vanishes into thin air.
He walks up to the terrace where Mr. Jais is sitting. Joel sits beside him and gently holds his hand.
Mr. Jais looks at Joel, eyes full of sorrow.
Mr. Jais: "Forgive me. I was keeping my promise, but I forgot the one I made to you."
Joel: weeping "You're hurt more than anyone. You lost your son… but I grieve because we stole Avi's reason of life."
Just then, Hrithik enters.
Hrithik: "Joel… you know what this means now..."
Joel interrupts.
"Yes... it means I will Go to nothingness..." Because I broke the rule and manipulated the exam.
"Maybe it's better that way. How could I face Avi again and tell him the truth?"
Joel slowly disintegrates—turning to ash and drifting away.
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Hrithik stands quietly, then walks away.
Hrithik: "You didn't do the right thing, Mr. Jais. Today, you endangered not just your son, but many innocent lives. Remember this day well... because in the court of truth, no defense will be enough. May the gods go easy on you—because even their punishment might be too merciful."
Hrithik slams the door shut behind him.
Mr. Jais lies down in silence, thinking of Harsha.
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Next chapter:-6 Echos of reality