Mid-August 2036 – the monsoon rains had tapered off, leaving the merged plains around the Unity Spire steaming under a sun that burned like a Punjab tandoor. The Eternal Bridge orchard was a riot of green and gold, mango trees dropping fruit with lazy thumps into the soft earth, their branches heavy as the hearts of those who had just sealed another minor rift. The air smelled of wet soil, ripe sweetness, and the faint, acrid tang of dispersed shadow energy—remnants of the Riftborn's latest incursion.
Ahmed Khan—Aelar Thorne, the Chaos High Human Unifier—stood at the orchard's center, his white kurta damp with sweat and rift-ash. His chaos affinity hummed like a live wire, the recent evolutions turning his mana into a storm of possibilities. But today, focus was on Zara Thorne-Fox, nine years old and ready for her trial in the Threefold Quest. The prophecy from Elder Rukh echoed in his mind: "Children of longing mend the final tear." Ammar had endured the dunes, Liyana ascended the peaks—now Zara would trick the shadows in the Punjab plains, where a major rift cluster twisted folklore into nightmares.
Zara bounced on her toes, russet tail swishing like a metronome of mischief. Her amber eyes sparkled; illusion patterns danced across her skin like living henna tattoos. She wore a small kurti embroidered with phulkari foxes and elven runes—her "trickster armor."
From Zara's perspective: "Plains? Boring flat stuff—but shadows? Oh, they're in for it. My illusions will twist them like Nani's paratha dough. Abba says trick with heart—not just fun. But fun is heart, right? Let's make legends laugh!"
Ahmed knelt to her level. "Beti, the plains rift is clever—shadows that mimic folklore, whispering tricks to divide. Your illusions are strong, but use them to reveal truth, like Heer's flute cutting through lies. Remember Bulleh's wit: question everything, even your own tricks."
Zara nodded seriously. "Got it, Abba. Trick the tricks—make them see the funny side."
The family had gathered—wives in a circle of support, children watching with wide eyes. The bonds had expanded to include mythological females from Saraiki and Punjabi folktales, each bringing unique essence and new hybrids:
• Sassi Desertborn (Saraiki endurance legend): sand-skinned, unyielding gaze. Daughter Sassara (two, wind-wanderer with sand-howls).
• Heer Passionfire (Punjabi defiant romance): flame-haired, flute-wielder. Son Ranj (one, passion-piper with heart-binding tunes).
• Pari Wingwhisper (Punjabi benevolent fairy): ethereal, wish-dust wings. Twins Parina and Parik (six months, wish-flutterers with dust-illusions).
• Churel Heartbloom (reformed Punjabi witch-spirit): blooming from darkness. Daughter Chura (five months, light-bloomer with ego-healing glows).
• Sohni Riverflow (Punjabi tragic nymph): water-veiled, ripple-scaled. Son Mahi (four months, flow-gurgler with calming waves).
These new wives joined the original twenty, their folklore origins amplifying the family's power: Sassi enduring rifts, Heer defying shadows, Pari wishing seals, Churel blooming light, Sohni flowing closures.
The children—now twenty-five hybrids—clustered around: Ammar (eleven, wolf-hybrid) howling encouragement, Zara leading, Liyana (eight, dragon-hybrid) frosting amulets for luck, Elara (five, vine-elf) growing supportive tendrils, Rami (five, claw-wolf) sharpening tiny nails, Durin (four, forge-dwarf) hammering good-luck charms, Ogra (two, roar-orc) bellowing cheers, Drakara (two, ember-dragon) puffing sparks, Veil (one, veil-human) humming portals, Bruno/Bruna (newborn bear) gurgle-hugs, Gallia (three months, kick-centaur) hoof-kicks, Pan (four months, pipe-satyr) tune-pipes, Ssera (two months, coil-lamia) wrap-giggles, Aero (five months, gust-harpy) wind-flutters, Mono (one month, gaze-cyclops) spark-blinks, Capro (three months, climb-goat) leg-climbs, Luna (two months, calm-vampire) coo-soothes, Naga/Nagi (newborn naga) chime-wriggles, Sassara (two) sand-whispers, Ranj (one) pipe-hearts, Parina/Parik (six months) dust-wishes, Chura (five months) bloom-lights, Mahi (four months) wave-calms.
Grandparents watched: Ahmed's human family from Kot Addu—mother stirring motivational chai, father sharing legend amulets, grandmother humming Pathanay Khan for courage—and Elandrian elders like Thalira rumbling blessings, Grom grunting approvals.
Ahmed opened the portal to the Punjab plains—a flat expanse of golden wheat fields now dotted with Elandrian starbloom patches, the Indus river glinting like a silver thread.
The rift cluster loomed: a massive tear in the sky, dark tendrils lashing like monsoon lightning over Jhang—birthplace of Heer's legend. Riftborn swarmed—dozens, twisted folklore echoes: shadow-Sassi with endless thirst-vines, vengeful Heer with broken-flute shards, dark Dulla with tyrant swords, phantom Mirza with arrow-storms, ghostly Sohni with drowning waves.
Zara stepped forward, tail high. "My turn. Tricks for the tricky!"
From Zara's view: "Shadows? Pfft. They're like bad illusions—clumsy. I'll show them real fun. But with heart, like Abba said. Trick to unite, not divide."
She recited Waris Shah's Heer: "Heer di zidd—Ranjha di flute…" (Heer's stubbornness—Ranjha's flute…)
Illusions bloomed—fake rifts drawing Riftborn in, then snapping shut like mango traps.
Ammar howled gusts to scatter them; Liyana frosted tendrils mid-lash.
Family supported: wives' powers fusing—Vixen illusions amplifying Zara's, Kira howls boosting, Sylara frost-fire blasting, Lirael vines binding, etc., down to new folklore wives: Sassi enduring shields against thirst-vines, Heer flute disorients vengeful echoes, Pari wish-binds dark Dulla, Churel bloom-lights phantom Mirza, Sohni flow-washes ghostly Sohni.
Younger children added: Elara vining barriers, Rami clawing shadows, Durin forging walls, Ogra roaring stuns, Drakara ember-blasts, Veil humming closures, Bruno/Bruna hug-crushes, Gallia kick-charges, Pan pipe-disorients, Ssera coil-trips, Aero gust-pushes, Mono gaze-disrupts, Capro climb-topples, Luna calm-frenzies, Naga/Nagi chime-disorients, Sassara sand-whispers confusions, Ranj pipe-hearts weakens, Parina/Parik dust-wishes heals, Chura bloom-lights purifies, Mahi wave-calms.
Mid-battle, Zara faced the core rift—whispering division: "You're alone. Fox-trickster, no pack."
Zara's illusions wavered. From her view: "No! Family's my truth. Trick the lie!"
She recited Bulleh Shah wittier: "Bulleh ki jaana main kaun? Shadow ki jaana tu kaun?" (Bulleh, who knows who I am? Shadow, who knows who you are?)
Illusions turned inward—mirroring Riftborn's own divisions, causing them to unravel.
Rift sealed—plains rift cluster mended, prophecy fragment: "Tricks mend tears when woven with truth."
From Zara's perspective: "I did it! Tricks with heart—best kind."
Family celebrated—mango feast under plains stars.
Chapter closed on growth—Zara's wit tempered with love, family unbreakable, final trials nearing.