Evening settled over the train like a soft velvet curtain, blanketing the landscape in shades of gold and plum. Aaryaksh had finally recovered from my earlier soul exhaustion, though my limbs still felt like lead and my aura a touch unstable.
The moment he stirred, he looked across the coach, but Kiyana had not returned yet.
He tensed under his breath, shaking his head. "Had Kiyana returned yet?"
"About half an hour ago after you dozed off," Vaidehi replied.
"Hmm. Not bad," he muttered.
"so where is she now?" Aaryaksh asked,
Vaidehi raised an eyebrow. "And how do I would knew that?"
"After returning since she saw you sleeping she had gone. And its been approx already few hours. We even tried to reach her but couldn't. Hopefully she had said that she'll return"
"What had you done to my Kiyana" Vaidehi asked in furious look.
As Aaryaksh felt where Vaidehi's dirty brain is going he frowned.
Then he stood and pulled Vaidehi out of the coach, her eyes widened in shock. As she tried to shout.
Aaryaksh grabbed and locked her from back and sealed her mouth with his palm.
"If you want to know where Kiyana is then silently follow me and don't you dare to shout. Or the consequences will not be good for you."
Hopefully Rahul was sleeping that time or this would be awkward for him.
After he took Vaidehi where Kiyana would be.
Right on the coach as he opened the door of the coach, Kiyana slowly opened her eyes.
Her cheeks flushed the moment her gazes met with Aaryaksh. he smiled, amused.
"So, Miss Kiyana… how's the progress?"
She looked away, still slightly embarrassed.
"Impressive," he added. "Waking up from your first deep spiritual trance in just three hours? Most martial artists take anywhere from two to five days to just stabilise their consciousness again."
Hearing Aaryaksh was praising her Kiyana's face turned rose red.
While Aaryaksh was busy observing Kiyana. Vaidehi froze seeing Kiyana floating few feet above her seat in padmasana.
"What?!" Vaidehi exclaimed in intense shock.
He turned toward, calm and direct.
"I'm training Kiyana in a specific martial arts. She comprehended the book more deeply than I expected the one that she stolen from me."
Hearing this Kiyana fall from padmasana with a thud and hid her face in embarrassment and shouted back. "I had not stolen just borrowed"
"Oh then as I remember I had taken it back from you then how did it end up here in this coach, while my luggages were on other one?" Aaryaksh smirked.
And Kiyana was unable to counter it.
Vaidehi who was still in shock returned to her senses. And asked in surprise.
"Kiyana how are you floating in air just now."
"As Aaryaksh said I had find the book compatible with me and then changes occurred in my body that he noticed. And brought me here to train. Or I would have been paralysed."
"And yeah he is a martial art tutor in the same institute where Rahul is going to study."
She detailed Vaidehi briefly perfectly covering that he is not a martial art tutor and that he teach spiritual seeker.
As for the martial artists now a days the world is filled with them and it's not a big deal for high level martial artist to float for few seconds.
To keep things casual, Aaryaksh stood and said aloud, "I need to teach Kiyana a few more things for her self control over power. And since you had already known about Kiyana's where about now you can be rest assured and return"
Hearing this Vaidehi hesitates to leave but after getting out of coach she placed her ear on doorway, quiet and curious.
To avoid attracting any more attention form outside, Aaryaksh discreetly cast a Time-Space Dilation Dome around. Everything outside slowed to a crawl, nearly frozen and separated within the bubble time ticked on, fast and fluid. This spell is till on basic level but at least effective on mortals.
He handed her the book she had stolen earlier and said.
"This," he said softly, "is not just a book. It's a spiritual key. One of the most sacred beginner texts for spirits. Guard it with your life for now."
She stared at me, eyes wide.
"You're officially part of our world now. Practice the mantras, enchantments, and physical arts it contains. No shortcuts. You'll need discipline. And if you want me as your master.... come find me."
"Where?" she asked.
"The Huyen Institute," Aaryaksh replied.
"Or if not you better get admission and take basic knowledge from Section S."
Her jaw dropped. "That place has a *Section S*?"
He nodded. "It's hidden. Reserved only for awakened spirits and those with rare soul mutations. I'm going there to teach. Not the average martial arts students. Spirits like you."
Aaryaksh look out of the window, looking at the painted dusk sky. "Our world," he said slowly, "the spirit world—it overlaps with the normal world. Like two rivers running parallel. But we stay hidden. Not out of shame, but necessity."
"Because it would affect the normal world?"
"Yes. Too much spiritual energy around unawakened people destabilises their aura. Confuses their instincts. Some even go berserk."
"So first of all we teach martial artists and those who make them compatible to absorb spiritual energy and adapt to its flow enters the spiritual world. And since you already is mutated spirit soul. You don't need follow these rules."
She looked out the window, taking it all in.
"I want you to join Section S at Huyen," he said. "You won't find it on your own. Call me when you're there. I'll bring you in."
She nodded slowly. "Okay…"
"And now the most important thing" Aaryaksh said with a serious face looking straight into Kiyana's eyes.
"If you want you can also consider me as your official master, and I'll try my best to grow you and give you best resources that I can."
Hearing this Kiyana's eyes lit up. She had fall head over the heels for Aaryaksh since she knew that he could enslave her but he had not. And the time he ignored her question her crush towards him deepened.
So as he mentioned about considering him as mentor she found a chance to grow closer to him and instantly agreed.
'If I accept his offer with our master disciple relation it might be tough to grow our relation further, but if I reject his offer now he might even not consider me important to and our relation would forced stop at just casual friends. And who know after this journey he would even consider meeting me or not' thinking this Kiyana started to panic.
In other side Aaryaksh was equally tensed.
'God please this arrogant girl accept me as her master. Her comprehending ability is out of the world. And with her abilities my growth would also boost by few multiples. If persistent one day she even might stay on equal footing with me or even surpass me.'
Both of them had their own desires but as Kiyana considered latter option her heart panicked and instantly she shouted.
"I..I.. consider you my master." And instantly knelt and bowed in front of him.
"Master please accept this spoiled minx as your disciple"
hearing this Aaryaksh widened his eyes looking her in shock. She definitely had chosen each and every word if accurate precision.
Seeing the expected reaction Kiyana smirked lightly. Definitely plotting something.
'With my words I sure made my intentions clear enough now lets see if he took me as his disciple or not even if he not took me as his disciple I'll not leave him this easily. And since he is the one to offer the probability of of accepting me is 70-30. But what if he get offended by my words and kick me out of his life.' her forehead dripping sweat as she though about different scenarios and their consequences.
But out of all things surprisingly Aaryaksh accepted her.
Definitely eager to take her as a stepping stone.
"Alright then since I'm taking you in as a direct student, there's one more thing." he held his palm out.
A glowing scroll formed in the air between them—a floating contract woven from golden energy and script etched in ancient glyphs.
"This is a Soul-bound Student-Master Contract. That mean in this life I'll be your only master and you can't even consider any one else as your master. Don't worry, it's not dangerous. Just if you ever disobeyed me and even considered betraying me your cultivation will be crushed and you'll turned to being a mortal."
"Some of them who betrayed their masters even found dead"
He tried to scare her of a little.
Hearing this Kiyana started panic a little and her determination to get him shaken a bit.
Aaryaksh smirked he definitely not going to play by her rules. He heard her pretty well when she bowed it is just he was waiting for the perfect counter attack.
'Oh no, what do I do now it's definitely nothing but a different type of enslavement. It is just that here you are master and disciple and that you'll not be ordered anything unethical. But still...'
Then suddenly while thinking she grabbed a point in her favour.
'Since it's a soul bound draft. I will fully be connected with Aaryaksh. And since I'm already clear to submit myself with soul and body why hesitate. Even with a little uneasiness she agreed.
"What do I have to do?" she asked, hesitant.
"Channel your spiritual energy into your bloodstream into a single blood drop. You're partially awakened now, so you can do it. Focus. Then, nick your thumb and let the drop fall onto the scroll."
She hesitated, then did exactly as instructed. The blood glowed faintly as it made contact, and the scroll sealed with a soft hum before fading into her chest.
From this moment forward, she was bound to him as her first spirit bound master.
He gave her a warm but firm nod with a slight smile.
"From now on, you'll call me Master."
He had done this type of contract to keep her in limits and to stop her from making future troubles.
Knowingly she smiled faintly. "Yes… Master."
"Now," He continued, serious again, "you need to be extremely cautious. Your bloodline has begun to activate. That means your essence will change. Some demons—those with awakened senses—might detect you."
She stiffened.
"They feed on spiritual blood," he said. "Especially pure ones. Don't get too close to strangers. If anything feels… wrong, call me now since you are soul bound to me you can call me with using little spiritual energy. Or just run."
She swallowed and nodded.
Then out of sudden all of her seriousness disappeared and once again she returned to her arrogant and jolly behaviour.
She blinked with puppy face.
"So that's why you never told anyone where you were heading…"
"Exactly." he smiled and dropped the Time Dome with a breath.
The sudden rush of temporal energy made the outside world feel normal, chaotic again. He stretched slightly to loosen the tension building in his shoulders.
Then they returned to their coach.
Evening snacks had already arrived. The smell spicy snacks, tea and coffee filled the cabin.
Kiyana reached for the book again, but Aaryaksh placed a hand on hers. "Not tonight."
She looked surprised.
"You've done enough for one day. Let your body adapt to the changes happening inside you. If you push it now, you'll burn out your reserves."
She relaxed, setting the book aside.
The rest of the journey passed in quiet conversation and soft laughter. Vaidehi and Rahul exchanged stories, the sky outside melting into star-splashed night. Aaryaksh returned to writing his research notes. Kiyana curled up near the window, gazing out at the darkened horizon—but now her eyes held a new goal something more to achieve.
A spark.
A power waking from within.
And she wasn't the same girl who'd boarded this train.
Not anymore.