"Power does not arrive like thunder. It settles in your breath, your skin, your shadow... long before you notice."
Evening Routine
The sun dipped behind the hills, casting Arivaan City in amber gold.
Students poured out of the school gates like petals scattered by wind — exams approaching, summer whispers in the air.
Vikran, Rudren, and Ameira walked side by side. Their strides were familiar now. A quiet trio. Bound not yet by power, but by rhythm.
Ameira tapped her pen against her notebook. "Only two more weeks…"
"Until we're free," Rudren muttered, yawning. "And broke."
Vikran smiled. "Don't say that near the canteen aunty. She's already told me to 'feed you boys more.'"
Unseen Sparks
That night, Vikran watered the plants beside his house. His mother had already gone inside. The goats bleated softly from their shelter.
He stood under the sky for a long while.
The air was unusually warm — though the wind was blowing gently. He looked down at the soil. It wasn't the plants. It wasn't the weather.
It was… him.
For the first time, the wind bent slightly around his body, like it moved by instinct.
He whispered, "Did you just move... for me?"
The breeze answered — in silence.
Rudren's Friction
In his room, Rudren folded clothes for his younger brother. He wiped the sweat off his forehead and glanced at his fingers.
They shimmered briefly. A static pulse. Like a heartbeat in his palm.
He opened and closed his hand. "Again?"
He touched the metal window frame. A visible spark jumped. The bulb above him flickered and popped.
He stood still. Breath slow.
Then he grabbed a bucket, muttering, "Need to cool my head."
But even the water refused to stay cold anymore.
Ameira's Ripples
Ameira lay in her bed, sketchbook open beside her.
She wasn't drawing. She was watching the tiny cup of water on her bedside table.
It had begun to ripple — once every few seconds.
She'd checked the fan. The wind. Her own breath.
But nothing disturbed it.
Except her thoughts.
Every time she thought about Vikran, the water trembled more.
She closed her eyes. "What's happening to us?"
The water stilled.
For a moment… a small spiral of light danced above it — like a dragonfly made of wind.
The Observation
High above, the White and Black Dragon souls hovered once again, now lower — near the cloud line.
They circled slowly, observing not just their chosen Soulbounds — but their aura trails.
They were growing.
Rippling. Blending.
The bonds between Vikran, Ameira, and Rudren had deepened. Their emotional proximity was building something greater than simple friendship.
But still — no Awakening.
They do not feel us.They do not hear us.
But for the first time… the souls felt each other again.
A faint resonance passed between the two dragons.
The White Dragon's voice was soft. "They are almost ready."
The Black Dragon hissed. "They are still weak. But their emotions... they echo."
Vikran's Rest
Back on Earth, Vikran lay down beside the youngest goat in their shed — a calf curled beside his legs.
He spoke softly, "I wonder why we three became friends. You know... sometimes I feel like we're meant to be more. Or... break apart."
He didn't cry. But his chest ached.
Above, unseen, a tiny glint of gold shimmered in the sky.
Closing Scene
Three homes.
Three souls.
Three whispers.
And for the first time… the Soulbound did not just feel strange.
They felt watched. Not in fear.
But in waiting.
And something inside each of them answered the call... without knowing what it meant.
To be continued