Ch.68: Shadows and Sunlight

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Calcutta, Bengal, Bharat, January 14, 1944

Karna led Shrishti and Utkarsh through the bustling streets of Calcutta, his mind focused on getting them to safety. As they approached his home, the familiar warmth of the Makar Sankranti celebrations greeted them. The house was filled with laughter and the aroma of festive foods.

As Karna entered with the two in tow, he was greeted by Aryan, Shakti, Nalini, Ravi, Lakshmi, and his parents, Suraj and Radha. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, but the appearance of the two strangers in shabby clothing puzzled everyone.

Before anyone could ask, Karna began recounting the events that led to his meeting with Shrishti and Utkarsh. "I found them being harassed by some thugs in an alley. They were in a terrible state, and I couldn't just leave them there. So I brought them here hoping that they can be in a safe environment until we find a better place for them to stay."

After listening to the recount of the events, the ladies present—Shakti, Nalini, Lakshmi, and Radha—immediately moved towards Shrishti and Utkarsh, their faces filled with concern and compassion. Lakshmi gently caressed Shrishti's hair, while Shakti and Nalini knelt down to Utkarsh's level, offering him a reassuring smile.

"You're safe now, dear," Lakshmi said softly, wrapping a comforting arm around Shrishti. "No one will harm you here."

Utkarsh, still trembling, clung to his sister. Radha reached out and gently stroked his hair, trying to calm him. "It's okay, little one. You're among friends."

Aryan and the other men exchanged understanding glances and praised Karna for bringing them here. Aryan placed a hand on Karna's shoulder in appreciation and, sensing the metahuman potential in the siblings, stepped forward to reassure them as it was his responsibility as a superhero and the head of the state. "Both of you are safe now. You must have been through a lot. We will make sure that no harm comes to you from now on."

Shrishti and Utkarsh looked at Aryan with wide eyes, recognizing him immediately. Even among the poor and downtrodden, Aryan's fame as a superhero and a leader was well-known. For people who possessed supernatural powers like them, he was a role model. The siblings knew they possessed supernatural potential but couldn't use their powers or knew what exactly their powers were. Despite their eyes changing suddenly one day to a feline-like appearance, they were still unable to use their powers, which led them to be considered monsters and demons by society and rejected by their own parents, leading them to live miserably without a home. However, Aryan's presence brought them a feeling of security they hadn't felt in a long time.

"Thank you, sir," Shrishti said, her voice trembling with gratitude. "We are so lucky to have met Mr. Karna and to be here with you."

Aryan smiled warmly. "You don't need to be so formal with us and thank us. We're here to help. Now, let's get you both cleaned up and into some fresh clothes."

The ladies led Shrishti and Utkarsh away to clean them up and provide them with new clothes. As they left, Karna felt deep satisfaction. He had not only protected the innocent but also brought them to a place where they could find hope and safety.

After some time, the ladies returned with Shrishti and Utkarsh, both transformed by their fresh clothes and clean appearances, their injuries both old as well as new ones fixed with the help of the healing potions given to them by Shakti and Nalini. Shrishti wore one of Radha's old sarees, a beautiful deep red with intricate gold embroidery. The saree, though simple, accentuated her natural grace and beauty. Her long hair, now washed and neatly braided, framed her delicate face, and her eyes, though still holding a hint of sadness, sparkled with a newfound hope.

Utkarsh, now dressed in a clean kurta and pajama, old clothes belonging to Karna, looked like a different boy. His hair was neatly combed, and his face, free of dirt, revealed a youthful innocence. He stood close to his sister, his eyes wide with curiosity and a hint of nervousness.

Karna couldn't help but be mesmerized by Shrishti. Although he had been around beautiful women like Shakti and Nalini, who were enchantingly beautiful, they were like sisters to him due to their engagement to Aryan and his own feelings of brotherly affection towards them. But seeing Shrishti in his mother's saree, his heart couldn't remain calm. He masked his emotions well, but the people in the room, all his close ones, immediately sensed his predicament.

Aryan, his best friend, had a mischievous smirk on his face, fully aware of Karna's internal struggle. He nudged Karna playfully, whispering, "Looks like someone has found a new reason to smile."

Karna shot him a look but couldn't hide the slight blush creeping up his cheeks, eliciting laughter from everyone.

"Hahaha," Aryan along with everyone laughed at his friend.

Shrishti, oblivious to the silent exchange, looked around the room, feeling a mix of gratitude and uncertainty.

Radha stepped forward, her eyes warm and kind. "You both look wonderful. Come, let's join the celebration. Today is a day of joy and new beginnings."

As they moved to join the others, Karna's eyes lingered on Shrishti, his heart filled with a mix of emotions he hadn't felt in a long time. The warmth of the Makar Sankranti celebrations enveloped them, promising a brighter future for Shrishti and Utkarsh.

After the celebrations, as Aryan and his family were returning to their home, Aryan decided to speak with Shrishti and Utkarsh along with Karna separately. He led them to a quiet room and looked into the eyes of the siblings with a more serious expression. "Shrishti, Utkarsh, both of you have incredible potential, but for some reason you are not able to use your powers. I believe it can be due to some mental block you subconsciously placed upon yourselves due to your harsh experiences."

Karna nodded from the side at his accurate account as he already sensed the mental block they had and wanted to heal them too, but he was caught up in his own cautious nature of not trusting people easily, especially when it comes to the supernatural, even though he knew that both the siblings were kind individuals through their memories. So, he let Aryan take the lead in helping them awaken their powers as he had ways to prevent people from betraying him.

"I can heal you mentally and spiritually, which will enable you to access your respective powers but, I have to be sure that you two will not use these powers for anything evil. So, I propose that Shrishti, you should join us in our goals, under my and Karna's leadership while a promise for Utkarsh to do the same in the future," Aryan continued.

"Also, you both will have to be marked with a special seal that prevents anyone from betraying us. The consequences of the betrayal can be very harsh as you can be erased completely or your souls could be imprisoned for eternity depending on the severity of the betrayal. Or, you can simply forgo this conversation and don't have to be involved with us. We will ensure both of your care and safety in either case. So, you should think about what you want to do carefully before answering me," Aryan further explained the options to them.

After a long silence, Shrishti spoke up in a determined way, "We will join you."

Shrishti along with her younger brother had seen a lot of hardship at such a young age, from facing rejection from society as well as their own parents to living a life full of challenges to survive on the streets. So, she didn't hesitate to take this opportunity as even though she hated her powers, she would use any means necessary to survive with her brother and also she for some reason always felt at ease around Karna and all the people around them not to mention Aryan who was her and her brother's role model. She had a feeling that these people had their best intentions in mind offering the siblings an opportunity to turn their life around and be meaningful to society in some way.

Utkarsh too spoke up in determination in contrast to his earlier nervousness, "Yes, you and Mr. Karna are our role models. We will not let this opportunity go."

Aryan smiled at their conviction and he used his powers to heal them spiritually and mentally from their trauma and marked them with the seal crafted specially for the KAVACH agents. As he healed them, both siblings began to awaken their powers.

Shrishti's transformation was subtle yet profound. Her eyes, already feline-like, now glowed with a soft, ethereal light. Her movements became more fluid and graceful, almost as if she were gliding. She discovered her ability to merge with shadows, becoming intangible and nearly invisible in darkness. She could now teleport across short distances using shadows, a power she would later name **Shadow Morph**. Under the moonlight, her strength, speed, and healing were amplified, and she could unleash an aura that paralyzed enemies with fear, a power she would name **Lunar Predation**.

Utkarsh's transformation was more pronounced. His eyes shone with a fierce golden light, and his physique seemed to grow stronger and more imposing. He discovered his ability to emit a powerful roar that created shockwaves, capable of disintegrating weaker enemies and boosting the morale of allies, a power he would name **Primal Roar**. He could draw immense strength from sunlight, gaining a radiant aura that burned enemies and shielded allies, a power he would name **Solar Regalia**.

As Aryan finished healing them, he smiled warmly. "You both have incredible potential. Use your powers wisely and always remember that you are not alone. We are here to support you."

Shrishti and Utkarsh, now transformed and empowered, felt themselves filled with new purpose and hope within them. They looked at Aryan and Karna with gratitude, ready to embrace their new identities and the challenges ahead.

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