They drank coffee in silence, ate dinner without ceremony, and retired to bed as though the day had been no different from any other. Yet destiny had already begun to stir. That night, when sleep finally claimed Prabhas, the world around him dissolved into darkness. Chains clinked.
A sharp, metallic sound echoed through the void, followed by the sound of sobbing, soft at first, then desperate. A young woman appeared before him.She was bound in thick iron chains, her wrists shackled above her head, her feet barely touching the ground. Tears streamed down her face as she struggled, her body trembling with pain and fear. Flames licked at her legs, slowly climbing upward, devouring her flesh inch by inch. The smell of burning air filled Prabhas's lungs, choking him.
"Prabhas…" she cried, her voice hoarse yet piercing. "Prabhas, please… look at them. Look at how cruel they are to me." He tried to move, but his body felt heavy, as though rooted to the ground. "If I don't obtain a body," she sobbed, "my spirit will perish in these flames. Please, Prabhas… save me."
Her eyes locked onto his, eyes filled with anguish, familiarity, and a pain that felt ancient. "Anamika," he whispered, though he didn't know how he knew her name.
She struggled harder, calling him again and again, but the chains refused to loosen. Just as Prabhas stepped forward, the air shifted violently. A towering figure materialized out of the smoke.
The man was massive, broad-shouldered, his presence overwhelming. He wore an orange khadi dhoti that glowed faintly in the firelight, and in his hand was a long, gleaming sword. His face was stern, carved like stone, his eyes cold and resolute. Before Prabhas could react, the giant seized Anamika by the chains and dragged her deeper into the fire. "No!" Prabhas shouted, rushing forward.
But another figure, charred, half-consumed by flames, staggered in front of him, blocking his path. "This is not the moment for you to enter," the voice said, echoing unnaturally. "This is not your time." Prabhas clenched his fists. "Why did you burn her? What sin did she commit?" The giant turned slowly, his sword resting against his shoulder. She committed a grave crime in her previous life," he said calmly. "Her soul must be punished."
Prabhas felt fury rise within him. "Then why show her to me? Why make me hear her cries?" The man stepped closer, his presence crushing."You are still alive," he said. "You have a role yet to fulfill. The will of God binds you. You cannot protect her."
With one swift motion, he struck Prabhas backward. The world spun.He fell, falling endlessly, until, BANG. The clock struck 6:00 AM. Prabhas jolted awake, gasping for breath, his shirt soaked in sweat. Sunlight streamed through the window, soft and golden, brushing his face as if welcoming him back to life.It was morning.
He touched his legs, his arms, his chest, whole, unharmed. "A dream…" he murmured. Yet the pain, the screams, the flames—they felt far too real. He sat there for a long moment, breathing slowly, trying to steady his thoughts. Whatever that nightmare was, it wasn't something he had time to dwell on. He had more pressing concerns.
The girls.
But how was he supposed to find them without evidence? Without proof? His father's words echoed in his mind. "They don't react like normal children. No excitement. No emotion." Akshatha and Aparajitha.
He remembered them clearly now. They sat perfectly still in class, faces blank, eyes calm. Even half-robot students—engineered beings—showed some form of curiosity or excitement. But these two girls… nothing.
No expressions. No reactions. Only silence. "I'll watch them closely," Prabhas decided.At the academy, the corridors hummed with mechanical precision. Students took their seats, movements synchronized, efficient. Prabhas began his history lecture.
"Today," he said, "we will talk about the transformation of early humans, from the Stone Age to civilization." Images flickered on the smart wall as he spoke. "In the Stone Age, humans lived by hunting and gathering. Food was scarce. Sometimes they went hungry for days. They ate raw meat, fruits, and whatever they could find."
The students listened attentively, their heads tilted ever so slightly. "During winter, vegetables were unavailable. So they hunted animals. They used stones as weapons, no metal, no machines." He paused, watching Akshatha and Aparajitha. Their eyes were fixed on him. Fully focused.
"Over time," he continued, "the Earth warmed. Some species, animals and humans, went extinct. Around twenty-two thousand years ago, humans began settling in one place. This region is called the Fertile Crescent." A murmur spread through the class. "They developed tools—sharp stones, bone tools, antlers. Innovation changed everything." Prabhas smiled faintly. "Then came the most important invention of all." "Fire." The class leaned forward.
"One night, in the freezing cold, a Stone Age man struck two stones together. Sparks flew… and fire was born." He gestured vividly. "Fire gave warmth. Protection. And one day, meat fell into the flames." The class stared at him. "When he ate it," Prabhas said, "it tasted… delicious." A sudden uproar erupted. "What is taste, sir?" "What does it mean?" "How can food be delicious?" Prabhas froze. Right. 2090. He smiled awkwardly. "Taste is a sense. When food touches your tongue, you feel salty, sour, spicy…" The room went silent. Shock rippled across their faces. Before more questions could follow, the bell rang. Class dismissed.
Students filed out, but Akshatha and Aparajitha remained seated. "You're not going home?" Prabhas asked gently. "Sir," Akshatha said, "your lectures are interesting." "We want to explore," Aparajitha added. "Not stay inside buildings." "Can you take us with you?" Prabhas stiffened. "Your parents—" "They don't visit," Akshatha said calmly. "They come only to fill the refrigerator." "We have a robot," Aparajitha said. "We were born in labs. Tube babies." The words hit him harder than he expected.
"We've never seen the world outside," Akshatha whispered. "Please." Prabhas hesitated… then nodded. "I'll take responsibility. You must stay with me at all times." Their eyes lit up, for the first time.
As they walked together, Prabhas looked up. The sky stretched endlessly above them, stars glittering like scattered diamonds. Some shimmered birthstone-blue, others silver, distant and fragile—like sparks of angel fire floating in darkness.
It felt like snowfall in space. For the first time in a long while, Prabhas felt hope. But deep within him, the flames of the past still burned.
Will Prabhas take the girls into the real world? What crime did Anamika commit in her past life? how are history, destiny, and the future connected?
Stay with me on this journey through time, memory, and redemption.Don't forget to like, comment, and walk this path together.