The news that Princess Priya was to be married off to a powerful, distant noble hit Arjun like a physical blow. It was the cruelest twist of Dhruva's knife, designed to break him, to separate him from the one person he was determined to protect. The memory of his past life, of his failure to save Priya from Dhruva's dark schemes, burned within him. He would not let it happen again. His usual calm slipped, replaced by a cold, desperate resolve. He had to act, and he had to do something undeniable, something that would make even Maharaja Vikramaditya reconsider.
A Desperate Plan: Seeking the Unseen Solution
Arjun knew he couldn't simply declare his love or openly challenge Dhruva. He was still only a fifteen-year-old 3rd Circle Mage, albeit a prodigious one, from a struggling noble family. His true powers, his hidden air and fire magic, and his nascent summoning abilities, were still a secret he dared not fully reveal. He needed a way to prove his immense value to the kingdom, to make himself indispensable, to show that his presence at court, near Priya, was far more beneficial than any political marriage.
He spent sleepless nights in the academy's quiet library, pouring over ancient texts, not just for magical theory, but for war strategies, for historical precedents where desperate situations were turned by unexpected ingenuity. He needed a problem, a crisis that the court, blinded by their political squabbles and reliance on the Maharaja's past glories, couldn't solve.
The perfect opportunity soon presented itself. Reports from the northern borders grew dire. The Northern Barbarians, emboldened by their recent gains, had launched a surprise attack, seizing a critical supply outpost known as Raktadwaar Pass (Blood Gate Pass). This narrow mountain pass was vital, connecting the capital to several northern garrisons and resource mines. Without it, Aravalli's northern forces would be starved of supplies, and the barbarians would have an open route into the heartland. General Rakesh, the commander from Durgamgarh, sent frantic messages, but the court, bogged down in debate and petty arguments, seemed paralyzed. This was Arjun's chance.
Pushing Limits: The Rising Power
While the court debated, Arjun pushed his magical training to its breaking point. He needed to be stronger, faster, more adaptable. He channeled mana relentlessly, his 3rd Circle magic hummed constantly, seeking to burst into the 4th.
He practiced Wind's Cloak (वायुकाआवरण - Vayu Ka Aavaran) until he could move like a phantom, the air currents bending so perfectly around him that even his own shadow seemed to ripple with silent grace. He could almost disappear in plain sight. His Flame Shards (अग्निशल्य - Agni Shalya) became swifter, hotter, capable of melting through tougher materials with silent precision. He practiced their silent projection, making them almost impossible to trace back to him. He also began to push his summoning abilities. He didn't try to conjure large beings, but focused on controlling the Spirit's Echo (आत्माकीप्रतिध्वनि - Atma Ki Pratidhvani) more finely, making it a tangible whisper he could direct, a faint, chilling sense of presence. He even attempted a stronger version of Shadow's Glimmer (छायाकीचमक - Chhaya Ki Chamak), making the ephemeral shadow last slightly longer, capable of drawing a wary glance even from trained guards. He was preparing to hint at a power beyond his recognized circle, but subtly enough not to raise immediate alarms.
Allies in the Shadows: Uncovering the Truth
Arjun couldn't work alone. He discreetly sought out his new, unsuspecting allies.
He met Prince Rohan, the scholar, in a secluded library alcove. "Prince Rohan," Arjun began, his voice quiet, "I've been studying ancient siege tactics. I came across something intriguing about Raktadwaar Pass. Did you know of the old dwarf-built tunnel systems beneath it? They were said to be for emergency supplies, but also... for infiltration." He spoke of an obscure, forgotten passage mentioned in a text Rohan had recently studied. Rohan, intrigued, spent days researching, confirming the existence of the tunnels, now long-abandoned and forgotten by current military maps. This was a crucial piece of information. He also found a way to meet Princess Siya in the royal infirmary, ostensibly to help with the wounded. While aiding her with a particularly difficult injury (perhaps using his hidden Flame Shards to quickly sterilize equipment without her noticing the source of the heat), he casually mentioned his concern for the soldiers at Raktadwaar Pass. "It seems a terrible shame," Arjun mused, "that their supply lines are cut. I heard whispers that certain provisions meant for them were rerouted... perhaps by mistake?" Siya, with her sharp sense of justice and her own network of sympathetic servants, quietly investigated. She confirmed Dhruva's subtle interference: he had indeed delayed and rerouted vital supplies to Raktadwaar Pass, hoping its fall would discredit a rival general.
Arjun now had the key: the forgotten tunnels and Dhruva's deliberate sabotage of Raktadwaar Pass.
A Daring Proposal: The Prince's Gambit
With the news of Raktadwaar Pass's fall, panic began to grip Indiranagar. The Maharaja, a storm cloud on his brow, called an emergency war council. Dhruva, ever the opportunist, spoke first, criticizing the fallen general and proposing a massive, costly frontal assault, one that would undoubtedly lead to heavy losses but position his own loyalists for glory.
As the council descended into chaos, a quiet voice cut through the clamor. "Your Majesty," Arjun said, stepping forward, his academy robes seeming too plain amidst the shimmering silks of the court. All eyes turned to him. "Raktadwaar Pass is not impregnable. It has forgotten weaknesses."
He then laid out his plan: "The barbarians expect a frontal assault. But there are old, abandoned dwarf tunnels beneath the pass, known only to a few ancient texts. If a small, swift team can clear those tunnels and secure the barbarian's rear, while the main force feigns a direct attack, we can trap them." He presented old, crudely drawn maps, sketches based on Rohan's findings, that only he, with his past life's knowledge, could have truly interpreted.
The court erupted. Some called him a fool, others a reckless youth. Dhruva, visibly annoyed by the interruption, sneered. "A child's fantasy! Those tunnels are collapsed, if they exist at all. This is a desperate attempt for glory."
"And the rerouted supplies, Prince Dhruva?" Arjun's voice was low, but it cut through the noise. "Were those also a 'fantasy'?" He presented a scroll, subtly passed to him by Siya, detailing the specific, unusual supply shifts Dhruva had ordered. The direct accusation, backed by quiet evidence, caused a stir. Dhruva's charming façade flickered, a momentary flash of cold anger in his eyes.
Maharaja Vikramaditya, however, was intrigued. The mention of ancient dwarven tunnels and the direct challenge to Dhruva's integrity struck a chord. He looked at Arjun, a long, assessing gaze. "You speak with unusual confidence, young mage. Do you propose to lead this... 'swift team'?"
"I do, Your Majesty," Arjun replied, meeting his gaze. "And I guarantee the pass will be retaken within two days."
The Phoenix Rises: A Display of Unseen Power
The Maharaja, weary of the court's bickering, gave Arjun a chance. He was granted a small detachment of elite soldiers and a few seasoned mages from his academy contingent. Dhruva's allies scoffed.
Arjun moved swiftly. He led his team through the treacherous mountain paths towards the hidden entrance of the dwarf tunnels. Inside, the tunnels were indeed collapsed in places, riddled with traps, and choked with ancient dangers. But Arjun, using his advanced Soil Whisper (मिट्टीफुसफुसाहट - Mitti Phusphusahat) and Stone Sentinel (शिलाप्रहरी - Shila Prahari) spells, cleared the rubble with impossible speed, detecting traps before they could be sprung. He even used a controlled Quake Step (कदमकंपन - Kadam Kampan) to cause minor tremors that diverted collapsing sections away from his path. The veteran soldiers watched, awestruck. "This boy's earth magic is... divine," one whispered.
When they encountered barbarian patrols inside, Arjun began to reveal a facet of his hidden strength. He didn't use massive, obvious spells. Instead, as a volley of barbarian arrows flew towards his exposed soldiers, he sharply extended his hand, and with a clear, audible incantation, commanded, "हवाधकेले! (Hawa Dhakele! - Wind, push!)" A focused Gust Push (हवाकाधक्का - Hawa Ka Dhakka) roared from his palm, diverting the entire volley into the tunnel wall. The soldiers gasped, staring at the young mage, and then at the scattered arrows. His air magic was raw, undeniable.
Later, when enemy mages tried to conjure a thick, choking smoke screen to cover an advance, Arjun quickly unleashed a more powerful, silent gust of wind. This time, he didn't speak the incantation aloud, but the sheer force of the air, visible as a swirling vortex, tore through the smoke, scattering it uselessly and leaving the enemy exposed. He followed this with calculated uses of Wind's Cloak (वायुकाआवरण - Vayu Ka Aavaran) to create silent ambushes, his team appearing and disappearing with unnerving speed. The barbarians, confused and unnerved by the precise, powerful wind magic from a mage they thought was only of earth, hesitated.
Arjun still kept his fire element deeply hidden. When a large barbarian shaman was about to summon a powerful spirit, Arjun channeled deep, forbidden mana. He didn't fully summon a creature, but he made the very air around the shaman crackle with chilling energy, unleashing a horrifying Spirit's Echo (आत्माकीप्रतिध्वनि - Atma Ki Pratidhvani) that wasn't just a whisper, but a resonant, primal scream of anguish and fear, accompanied by a fleeting, dark Shadow's Glimmer (छायाकीचमक - Chhaya Ki Chamak) that sent shivers down the spine of every barbarian present. The shaman dropped his ritual, trembling, his eyes wide with fear, and fled. The barbarians, terrified by the unseen forces and the unexplainable bursts of powerful wind, broke formation.
As the main army feigned its frontal assault, Arjun's team emerged from the rear of the pass, sowing chaos among the barbarian ranks. Caught between two forces, disorganized and demoralized by Arjun's visible wind magic and unseen elemental and spiritual manipulations, the Northern Barbarians broke and fled. Raktadwaar Pass was retaken within Arjun's promised two days, with minimal Aravalli casualties.
The Aftermath: A Temporary Reprieve
The victory was undeniable. Maharaja Vikramaditya, upon hearing the full report, was visibly impressed. He publicly praised Arjun's "unparalleled strategic genius," his "extraordinary command of earth magic," and now, his "surprising and potent mastery of wind." The revelation of Arjun's wind element was a shock, but in the face of such a decisive victory, it was celebrated as a rare gift. The Maharaja still attributed the stranger, more chilling events (like the shaman's panic) to the "chaos of battle and barbarian superstition." He sent a personal message to Arjun, commending his service.
More importantly, the Maharaja subtly shifted his stance on Priya's engagement. The political urgency of the border alliance had diminished with the victory at Raktadwaar Pass. He announced that "due to the recent successes on the northern front, Princess Priya's engagement negotiations would be delayed to allow for further diplomatic considerations." It wasn't cancelled, but it was a reprieve, a chance Arjun had desperately fought for.
Prince Dhruva, however, was furious. His carefully laid plan had crumbled. Arjun had not only succeeded where others failed but had also subtly exposed his sabotage and now revealed a second, powerful elemental affinity. Dhruva's charming façade strained; his eyes now held an undisguised, dangerous glint whenever Arjun's name was mentioned. He knew Arjun was more than just a talented mage; he was a serious and growing problem.
Arjun felt the weight of Dhruva's new, intensified hatred. He had gained a reprieve, yes, but he had also drawn the full, focused attention of his greatest enemy and revealed one of his vital secrets. The chessboard was still active, and the next moves would be even more deadly. He had saved Priya for now, but at the cost of escalating the silent war between them. The phoenix had indeed unfurled its hidden wings, and now, the true hunt would begin