As the interdimensional portal suddenly opened, Kartik was thrown backward and fell hard to the ground. He groaned, trying to steady himself, his eyes fixed on the swirling, glowing doorway before him.
The sound of Kartik's fall immediately drew his grandmother's attention. She hurried over, concern etched on her face, and asked,
"Kartik beta, what happened? What was that sound?"
Kartik quickly reassured her, forcing a small smile.
"It's nothing, Grandma. I was just… doing a little exercise."
His grandmother frowned slightly in her mind, thinking, "What kind of exercise is this, especially at such a late hour? Kartik is never up this late without a reason…"
Kartik slowly got to his feet, brushing off the dust. His eyes returned to the glowing portal, and his mind began racing. Questions swirled through his thoughts — What is this portal? Where does it lead? How did it appear here? He couldn't shake the feeling that something extraordinary was about to happen.
Gathering all his courage, Kartik hesitantly reached out a hand toward the portal. A shiver ran down his spine as he touched it, but he quickly pulled it back, startled.
It suddenly dawned on Kartik that the portal led to another dimension. His heart raced with a mix of curiosity, excitement, and a hint of fear. The thought of stepping into an entirely unknown world both thrilled and unnerved him. He glanced around, making sure no one was watching, and hesitated for a moment, imagining the possibilities that awaited him on the other side.
Without thinking, Kartik dashed toward the portal and leapt into it. The moment he entered, he collided with a beautiful girl, and they both tumbled to the ground together. The world seemed to pause for a brief instant as they lay there, caught in an unexpectedly intimate moment, their eyes meeting with a spark of surprise and something unspoken.
Kartik quickly scrambled to move off her as fast as he could.
"I-I'm so sorry!" he stammered, his face flushing with embarrassment.
Ira immediately sprang to her feet, a sleek dagger in her hand. She lunged at Kartik with a swift, precise strike that could have been deadly.
"Who are you?!" she demanded, her eyes blazing with intensity.
Instinctively, Kartik managed to dodge just in time, narrowly avoiding the deadly strike. He muttered to himself,
"If my body hadn't been so athletic today, this could have been my grave."
Catching his breath, he turned to her, exasperated.
"Hey! Are you crazy? If that had hit me, I could've died! And didn't I say sorry?"
Ira fixed her gaze on him, her eyes sharp and alert, every muscle in her body ready for another attack.
"Tell me your name," she demanded, her voice steady but edged with suspicion. "I need to know who you are first — and how am I supposed to trust that you're not a threat to me?"
Kartik rolled his eyes and shrugged.
"What is there to prove? I wasn't about to take you on with that dagger — I'm not stupid. By the way, my name's Kartik."
Ira slowly lowered her dagger, every movement deliberate. She didn't relax her stance — only the tension in her arm eased slightly as she kept him locked with a cold, unreadable stare.
"Alright — I'll trust you, for now," she said, voice low and steady. "But try any trick, and I'll kill you."
Kartik threw his hands up, exasperated.
"Okay, okay. I wasn't going to do anything anyway, but at least tell me your name — come on, tell me."
Ira's eyes narrowed as she studied him.
"My name is Ira."
She took a step closer, voice low and warning.
"Tell me the truth—why are you here? One lie and I won't hesitate."
Once the soldiers had moved a little distance away, Kartik leaned closer to Ira, his eyes wide with curiosity and caution.
"Hey… who were those people?" he whispered. "They were really strange, and I could feel their energy… it was so intense, almost trembling. I've never felt anything like that before—it's like they could crush us without even touching us."
For a few seconds, Ira froze, her eyes widening in shock. In her mind, she thought,
"He can feel their energy… but how can someone from another world sense this? This is… impossible."
Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she regained her composure and spoke aloud, her voice steady but cautious.
"First, we need to get out of here. After that, I'll explain everything to you."
She glanced around, scanning the surrounding area for any signs of danger.
"We have to move quietly," she added, lowering her voice. "Even a small sound could draw attention. Stay close to me, and don't panic."
They carefully made their way south, keeping to the shadows as they moved. After a while, they arrived at a hidden location — a temporary base that Ira and her companions used. It was cleverly concealed, blending seamlessly with the surrounding terrain, and seemed almost invisible to anyone who didn't know it was there.
As soon as they entered the base, a few small children ran up to Ira, grabbing her hand excitedly.
"Ira didi! Ira didi!" they shouted, their voices full of joy and relief.
Ira smiled warmly, ruffling their hair gently.
"Shh… calm down, everyone. I'm here now," she said softly.
Hearing the children's cries, an elderly man stepped out from inside the base. He was clearly very experienced, his presence commanding yet calm. His gaze immediately fell on Kartik — the same boy who had brought so much joy to the children.
Even at first glance, the old man recognized something unusual about Kartik.
"This kid is something else," he thought to himself.
But outwardly, he remained calm, acting as if nothing was amiss.
Ira approached him and gave a brief report on the situation. After listening, the elder turned to her and asked,
"Who is this boy?"
"He's Kartik," Ira replied simply.
The old man paused for a moment, deep in thought, before finally walking over to Kartik.
Kartik bowed slightly and greeted him respectfully.
"Namaste, Baba."
The elder smiled warmly and chuckled.
"You can call me Master Naval," he said, his tone both gentle and authoritative.
Kartik looked up at Master Naval and said politely,
"My name is Kartik."
Master Naval nodded after hearing Kartik's introduction. Turning to Ira, he said,
"Ira, you and Kartik should come to the HQ office after a while."
Ira nodded respectfully, glancing briefly at Kartik, who felt a mix of curiosity and unease. What could Master Naval want to discuss? The question lingered in the air, heavy with anticipation.