The mango grove lay in misted repose at dawn, branches heavy with golden fruit. Under its shade, the air pulsed faintly—not with Ravagers, but something more ancient: divine invitation.
As the team stepped under its arch, they felt the air thrum.
A system message rippled:
Grove Sanctuary ActivatedDivine Trials InitiatedParticipants: Arjun + 6 Team MembersObjectives: Succeed in god‑chosen challengesRewards: +2 Levels; divine blessings; weapon enhancements; skill upgrades
They hesitated—this was no fortress crawl or battlefield.
This would test their souls.
At the heart of the grove, an ancient stone dais glowed with flickering runes. As Arjun approached, the voice of Veer-Shaastra—his sworn class—resounded:
"You claimed power for duty. Now prove your vow's steel."
A phantom battlefield spread before him: civilians crying out, ravagers closing in, a crumbling levee about to break.
Arjun stood before them, gaze steady.
He raised Vajrapath and marched into phantoms, hewing protection lanes, forging safe passages. Every choice weighed—heal or fight, lead or bear wounds himself.
When wave after wave came, he never wavered—shielding, guiding, spitting defiance.
At the final wave, a vision of his lost father appeared vulnerable on the levee. Arjun dove between phantom and savior, shield raised, spear aloft.
The simulation ended.
While Arjun fought, his team found themselves led to four distinct arenas.
Varun – "Labyrinth of Entropy"An immense tangle of fallen roots and vines—they grew violently toward him. He had explosives and his bracers.He navigated, planted timed charges, sealed passages, set traps under pressure.When the labyrinth shifted mid-run, he pressed forward, breathing life into his Ashthorn's next tier.
Dhani – "Lake of Reflection"On a floating island in still water. The mirror surface reflected not her, but sorrow, anger, hope.To pass, she had to reconcile each impulse—turning emotional knots into elemental focus.She calmed the mirrored water to stillness and walked across it, earning another upgrade to her Glacier Thread.
Ravi & Meher – "Skyreach Pillars"They faced shifting stone platforms rising into the canopy. Sniper-to-sniper exercises: suppressing phantom beasts across long distances, timing shots with moving heights.Their teamwork—coordinated, trusting—elevated them both. Ravi unlocked a ballistic fire matrix in his Sudarsh-Eye, Meher gained explosive sniper rounds.
Tapan – "Eyes of the Watcher"A cavern with zero light. His drones, unpowered, filled the space. He had to rely on intuition, hearing, commanding them to map the darkness.Silent. Pure.At the last moment, he dispelled sound-trap illusions by sending his drones in blank formation—unlocking Swarm Core's stealth patch expansion.
Suraj & ChildTogether, along "River of Echoes"—Suraj pointed out signs of refugee camps family-builds from early collapse. Together they ensured safety in coordination and empathy—unlocking diplomatic aura strengthening the safe zone's rep.
When Arjun and his team emerged, the grove had transformed. Mango trees seemed taller. Light burned purer. A ring of tranquil energy wrapped around them.
The system recorded:
Arjun: +2 levels → 13, +Skill: Oath's Resilience; +Divine Favor
Varun: +2 levels → 11, Ea: Trap Mastery Level III
Dhani: +2 levels → 10, Glacier Thread Tier IV
Ravi: +2 → 10, Precision Snapshot
Meher: +2 → 9, Heavy Round Optimization
Tapan: +2 → 10, Drone Stealth Matrix
Suraj: +2 → 8, Diplomatic Network Drive
Arjun raised Vajrapath as chakra light surrounded him.
Veer-Shaastra whispered approval. A burst of steam-like energy emitted from the grove's heart:
"By your oaths tested and strength proven, this grove joins your Sanctuary Network. Its light will protect travelers north."
A map carved itself into the stone dais: Next Target: Family… and beyond.
They left the grove quietly—the SUV awaiting beyond rusted gates. Their weapons felt attuned, their spirits charged.
Each carried renewed purpose: not only to rescue what was lost, but to forge what survived.
Northbound. The Ganges whispers ahead. And so does hope.