Chapter Title: The Fire Within
The facility was like something out of a dream—or a sci-fi nightmare.
Nestled deep in the Aravalli Hills, the massive stone gate creaked open as armored personnel carriers rolled in. The air was crisp, the wind sharp. From the outside, it looked like a regular military base, but as the convoy entered, the new recruits gasped.
Metal domes shimmered under the sun. Energy fields buzzed along tall glass towers. Training yards spanned into the horizon, filled with automated drones, mechanical beasts, and massive stone arenas.
Shrey leaned out the window of the jeep, his eyes wide. "This... this looks like a freaking video game."
Maya sat next to him, equally stunned. "This is where we'll train?"
"Yes," said Captain Jacks from the front seat, his eyes not leaving the road. "Welcome to Aravalli Core Facility. The last hope of humanity."
As they stepped out of the vehicle, the wind whipped their hair back. A group of other teens—already in uniform—were stretching by a far tree. One of them turned.
"That's Zaid," whispered Arjun. "He's the one with the eye."
Shrey followed his gaze. Zaid's eye—one of them jet black, the other normal—blinked slowly as he stared. He nodded once, then went back to stretching.
Two others joined him.
"Kabir," Maya whispered. "And Isha. Those are the top-tier recruits from the Delhi batch."
They looked sharp, confident. Kabir cracked his knuckles while glaring. Isha didn't seem to notice them.
Captain Jacks stepped forward. "This will be your home for the next year. This facility contains everything you need to survive. But make no mistake: survival is not guaranteed."
The recruits stood silently.
"Every one of you was chosen. You weren't the strongest—not yet—but you had the spark. You will now be forged into warriors."
Suddenly, a woman with short purple hair dropped down from a ledge above. She landed without a sound.
Kim.
She grinned. "And I'll be your nightmare."
She clapped her hands, and a pulse of blue energy exploded in all directions, lifting dust and gravel. Everyone flinched.
"Training begins now."
—
The next morning, at exactly 5:00 AM, alarms blared through the dormitory.
Arjun fell out of his bunk with a yelp. Mayra threw a shoe at the ceiling. Yash was already up, brushing his teeth with grim precision.
The doors burst open.
Kim strolled in, humming a cheerful song.
"Rise and shine, cupcakes!" she shouted. "Time to suffer!"
Groans filled the hallway.
Chibi Moment: Arjun wears his pants backward in his panic. Mayra points and laughs. He flips her off without realizing his underwear is showing.
They all stumbled out into the courtyard, where Captain Jacks and the other mentors waited.
Dr. Jain stood with his usual lab coat and a datapad. Mr. Okashun carried nothing but wore thick round glasses. Adi was already stretching, fire pulsing faintly from his hands.
Captain Jacks raised his voice. "Today, we begin by understanding K-Energy. What flows in you is more than magic—it's science. It responds to emotion, to willpower. If you lose focus, it'll destroy you."
Dr. Jain stepped up. "Sit. Palms out. Eyes closed."
Everyone did so.
"Breathe," he said. "Now... think of something that matters to you. Channel that emotion. Push it outward."
The air buzzed faintly.
Maya's fingertips began to glow softly. Mayra's hand sparked briefly, then fizzled.
Shrey felt warmth in his chest. It wasn't like heat from fire—it was something deeper, like the warmth of home, of memories.
He exhaled slowly.
A spark. His palm glowed. Red and gold.
Chibi Moment: Shrey gets too excited and accidentally flings a weak energy blast at Arjun, who screams and dives into a bush.
Zaid opened one eye. His energy was black. Like liquid obsidian.
Kim clapped. "You passed Step Zero. Congrats. Now run 10 kilometers."
Everyone blinked.
"What?" Mayra asked.
"Now!" Kim shouted, forming barriers mid-path. "Oh, and dodge these."
The team began running. The path was steep, carved around the outer mountain edge.
Every few seconds, Kim would teleport ahead and throw up barriers that either exploded gently or shocked whoever touched them.
Maya nearly fell. Shrey caught her. Yash and Kabir ran ahead, neck and neck.
The sun was rising now. Their lungs burned.
Chibi Moment: Kim starts playing "Baby Shark" through loudspeakers. Arjun screams, "THIS IS TORTURE!"
After the run, they collapsed on the ground.
"I hate this," Mayra said, arms sprawled.
"You'll thank me later," Kim chimed, sitting on a tree branch upside down.
Then came sparring.
They paired up. Shrey and Zaid. Maya and Mayra. Arjun and Isha.
Kabir and Yash.
From the moment they faced each other, tension crackled.
Kabir grinned. "Heard you talk big, frost boy."
Yash narrowed his eyes. "I don't talk. I act."
The fight began.
Kabir rushed in first—his energy flaring violently. Crimson. Like raw fire.
Yash dodged, using fluid footwork. His energy shimmered ice blue. Calm. Sharp.
They clashed. Sparks flew. The others stepped back.
Shrey watched in awe.
Kabir swung wide, and Yash parried, sending a shockwave through the sand.
Adi stood next to Captain Jacks, arms folded. "This won't end well."
Jacks didn't reply.
Kabir slammed his foot down, creating a burst of red energy that knocked Yash back. But Yash recovered mid-air, sliding and skidding.
Then he rushed forward, channeling a blade of frost energy.
Kabir didn't dodge.
They collided.
And the arena exploded.
TO BE CONTINUED...