chapter 4 : Rudra

Raj leaned on the bed and closed his eyes, imagining the luxurious life he would soon have. He smiled wickedly, thinking of all the things he could do with his newfound wealth and power. He had been lucky to find the sword of Shiva in the cave, and even luckier that it had chosen him as its wielder. The sword was a magnificent weapon, with a sharp blade that glowed with a blue light and a hilt that was adorned with jewels and symbols. It also had a mind of its own, and could communicate with Raj telepathically.

The sword had been silent for a while, watching Raj's fantasies with disdain. It wondered if it had made a mistake in choosing Raj as its master. Was he worthy of the sword of Shiva, the destroyer of evil and the protector of the world? The sword decided to break the silence and confront Raj.

"What the hell happened to you?" the sword asked in Raj's mind.

Raj opened his eyes and looked at the sword, which was lying on a table next to the bed. He tried to hide his emotions and act casual.

"Nothing happened, just happy because of your surprises," he said aloud. "Don't be angry, now it's time to give you a name. How long can I call you sword? Which name should we give you? Tell me."

The sword sensed Raj's insincerity, but decided to play along.

"I am the sword of Shiva, so give me any name related to Shiva," it said.

Raj nodded and thought for a moment.

"OK, name related to Lord Shiva, hmm," he said. "I'll tell you some names and you choose any one that you like."

The sword agreed.

Raj started listing names related to Lord Shiva.

"Ayushman, Arit, Aryan, Sham Dhu, Pasupati, Bhalanetra, Sada Shiva, Shankar, Devanatha, Jatin, Kailash, Kedar, Madhav, Rudra, Nakul, Shivag..."

The sword interrupted him.

"Stop," it said. "Rudra."

Raj smiled.

"So then I'll call you Rudra," he said.

The sword felt a surge of power as it received its name. Rudra was one of the names of Shiva, meaning the fierce one or the roarer. It suited the sword well.

"Thank you for naming me," Rudra said. "But don't forget who I am and why I exist. I am not here to fulfill your selfish desires. I am here to serve Shiva and his purpose. You are my master only because I chose you. But if you misuse me or betray me, I will not hesitate to leave you or destroy you."

Raj felt a chill run down his spine as he heard Rudra's words. He realized that he had underestimated the sword and its power. He wondered if he had made a mistake in taking it from the cave.

He tried to sound confident and respectful.

"Of course, Rudra," he said. "I understand your role and your loyalty. I will not disappoint you or Shiva. I will use you only for good and noble causes."

Rudra sensed Raj's fear and doubt. He decided to test him soon.

"I hope so," he said. "Because we have a lot of work to do."

Raj smiled.

he feeling a sense of satisfaction in finally giving the sword a name. He sat up on his bed, holding the sword in his hands and looking at it with admiration.

"Rudra," he said, testing out the name. "It suits you."

The sword glowed in response, as if pleased with the name as well.

Raj couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in himself. He had come a long way since he first stumbled upon the divine sword. He had discovered his own inner strength.

But he knew that there was still much to learn and much to do. He couldn't rest on his laurels just yet.

As he looked at Rudra, he wondered what other secrets the sword held. What other mysteries lay ahead on his journey?

But for now, he was content to simply hold the sword and bask in its glow.

He leaned back on his bed, closing his eyes and letting out a contented sigh. The journey may not be over yet, but for now, he was at peace.

And with Rudra by his side, he knew that he could face whatever challenges lay ahead.

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Raj woke up the next morning and stretched his arms. He felt refreshed and energized, ready to face the day. He looked at the table where Rudra was resting. The sword was silent, but Raj could feel its presence in his mind.

He got up and walked to the table. He picked up Rudra and held him in his hands. He felt a warm sensation in his palms, as if the sword was greeting him.

"Good morning, Rudra," he said.

"Good morning, Raj," Rudra replied. "How did you sleep?"

"Very well, thank you," Raj said. "And you?"

"I don't sleep, Raj," Rudra said. "I only rest and meditate."

"I see," Raj said. "So, what are we going to do today?"

Rudra paused for a moment, then said.

"Today, we are going to leave this place and go back to your home in Mumbai."

Raj was surprised.

"Really? Why?" he asked.

"Because that's where you belong, Raj," Rudra said. "And because that's where our next mission begins."

"Our mission? What mission?" Raj asked.

Rudra sighed.

"Raj, do you remember , Only a small part of my soul has awoken. When my remaining soul is awoke, I can regain my lost memory. But for that, you have to become stronger and improve your knowledge. You have to start a journey to achieve siddhis, the supernatural powers that can help you unlock my full potential. As of now, you cannot even use more than 10 percent of my present power." he said

Raj nodded.

"OK, Rudra," he said. "Let's go."

He packed his bags and checked out of the hotel. He hailed a taxi and told the driver to take him to the airport. He held Rudra in his hand, feeling its weight and power.

He looked out of the window and saw the sun rising over the horizon. He wondered what awaited him in Mumbai and beyond.

He hoped he was ready for it.

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Raj reached Mumbai after a long and tiring journey. He had managed to avoid any trouble on his way back.

He took a taxi from the airport to his home, a small apartment in a crowded neighborhood. He lived there with his grandmother, who had raised him since he was a baby. She was the only family he had ever known, and the only person he loved and trusted.

Raj parents were both officers in the Indian Army, but they had gone missing during a mission in Kashmir when Raj was only three years old. The government had declared them dead after seven years of no contact, but Raj still hoped that they were alive somewhere

He entered the apartment and saw her sitting on the couch, watching TV. She looked up and smiled when she saw him.

"Raj! You're back! How was your trip?" she asked.

"It was good, Nani," he said, using the Hindi word for grandmother.

"Did you have fun? Did you see anything interesting?" she asked.

"Yeah, I did," he said vaguely.

He didn't want to lie to her, but he also didn't want to tell her the truth. He knew she would worry about him if she knew what he had done and what he had learned. He knew she would try to protect him from any danger or trouble. He knew she would not understand his destiny or his mission.

He loved her too much to hurt her or disappoint her.

He hugged her and kissed her cheek. She hugged him back and kissed his forehead.

"I missed you so much, Raj," she said.

"I missed you too, Nani," he said.

They broke the hug and looked at each other. They smiled and laughed.

They went to the kitchen and ate dinner together. They talked about trivial things, like school, friends, movies, and sports. They avoided any serious topics, like politics, religion, or family history.

They acted like nothing had changed, like everything was normal.

But Raj knew it wasn't true. He knew something had changed inside him. He knew something was different about him.

He knew he had a sword in his backpack that could talk to him in his mind.

He knew he had a destiny that involved saving the world from evil.

He knew he had parents that were alive and in danger somewhere in the world.

He knew he had a lot of questions that needed answers.

He knew he had a lot of challenges that awaited him.

He knew he had a lot of adventures that lay ahead of him.

He finished his dinner and excused himself from his grandmother. He said he was tired and needed some rest. She nodded and told him to sleep well. She said she loved him and was proud of him. He said he loved her too and thanked her for everything.

He went to his room and closed the door behind him. He put his backpack on his bed and opened it. He took out the sword and looked at it.

It looked at him back with its silver light.

"Hello again," it said in his mind.

"Hello," Raj said back.

"Are you ready?" it asked.

"Ready for what?" Raj asked.

"Ready for our next journey," it said.

"Our journey? we just reached home,Where are we going?" Raj asked.

"We are going to himalaya after two week, so chill" it said.

After knowing they had to go to the Himalayas to awaken the remaining soul of the sword and unlock its true potential.

Raj knew that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but he also knew that it would not be easy. He had no idea what dangers and challenges awaited him in the Himalayas, or how long it would take him to complete his training. He also had to deal with his grandmother, who was very protective of him and would not let him go anywhere without a good reason.

Raj decided to do some research on the Himalayas, hoping to find some clues about what he was getting into. He opened a new tab on his browser and typed "Himalayas" in the search box. He clicked on the first link that appeared, which was a Wikipedia article. He skimmed through the introduction, learning that the Himalayas were a mountain range in Asia that separated the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. They were home to some of the highest peaks in the world, including Mount Everest, and were considered sacred by many religions and cultures.

Raj scrolled down to the section on "Culture and Religion", curious to see if there was any mention of his master or his sword. He read that the Himalayas were regarded as a place of pilgrimage, meditation, and enlightenment by Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs, and others. He learned that many sages, yogis, and mystics had lived and practiced in the Himalayas, seeking spiritual powers and insights. He also learned that some of these practitioners were said to have attained siddhis, or supernatural abilities, such as levitation, telepathy, clairvoyance, and more.

Raj felt a shiver run down his spine as he read about these siddhis. He wondered if he could also achieve them with the help of his sword. He remembered how he had felt a strange connection with the sword when he first held it, and how he had sensed its presence in his mind. He also remembered how he had used the sword to fight off some thugs who had tried to rob him, and how he had felt a surge of strength and speed that he had never experienced before.

Raj closed his laptop and leaned back on his chair, feeling overwhelmed by what he had just learned. He realized that he had a lot to learn and prepare before he could embark on his journey to the Himalayas. He decided to spend the next two weeks studying everything he could find about meditation, spirituality, and siddhis. He also decided to buy some essential items for his trip, such as clothes, shoes, backpacks, tents, sleeping bags, food, water, maps, compasses, flashlights, knives, ropes, first aid kits, and more.

Raj spent most of his time online or in bookstores, reading and watching videos about various topics related to his quest like siddhis,Spirituality, sword techniques etc. He also visited some outdoor shops and markets, buying everything he needed for his adventure. He spent a lot of money on these purchases, but he didn't care.

Raj was so absorbed in his preparations that he barely noticed the passage of time. Before he knew it, two weeks had passed and it was time for him to leave for the Himalayas. He packed all his belongings in two large backpacks and checked them twice to make sure he didn't forget anything. He looked around his room one last time, feeling a mix of nostalgia and anticipation. He knew he would miss his home and his grandmother, but he also knew he had to follow his destiny.