Manali, Northeast India | The Himalayan Range:

  A local market day. Sellers shouted their prices, and the streets were thick with locals.

  ?In the chaos of the crowd, two young boys managed to slip away from their mother’s side. Driven by curiosity, they dashed toward the massive dam that loomed over the valley. Peering over the edge at the churning turquoise depths, they noticed something unsettling. The water wasn't just flowing; it was vibrating.

  ?"There’s something in there," Kid 1 whispered, eyes wide.

  "Probably just a huge fish," Kid 2 replied, trying to sound brave.

  "No... I think it’s a crocodile. A giant one."

  ?As the words left his mouth, the ground groaned. The massive concrete structure of the dam began to shudder, hairline fractures spidering across its face. Then, with a deafening roar of grinding stone, the dam gave way.

  ?The boys were trapped on a crumbling section of the walkway, suspended over the abyss. Their mother’s scream pierced the air from the shoreline, but her horror doubled as the water didn't just flood out—it rose.

  ?A creature of legendary proportions erupted from the depths. A titan of prehistoric scale, the mammoth-like behemoth stood a hundred feet tall and stretched twice as long. One massive tusk remained intact, while the other was a jagged, broken stump. With a primeval trumpet that shook the valley, the beast broke the surface, its massive trunk curling upward like a falling mountain to crush the children.

  Suddenly, a flash of white light blinded the valley. In mid-swing, the titan’s trunk was encased in shimmering, jagged layers of ice.

  ?"Hey, look!" Kid 1 pointed upward, trembling. "It’s the Ice Princess!"

  ?Standing atop a jagged spire of ice was a young woman. She wore a pristine white churidar, cinched at the waist by a traditional meti, with ornate golden cuffs gleaming on her wrists. Her hair, as white as the Himalayan peaks, flowed down to her waist, whipping in the frigid wind.

  ?"Hey, big guy," she called out, her voice calm despite the carnage. "Try me."

  ?As she distracted the titan, the bridge beneath the kids finally buckled. They squeezed their eyes shut, bracing for the fall, but the impact never came. Instead, they felt the rush of wind. Kid 2 opened his eyes to see a teenager with blond hair, clad in a vibrant yellow suit and a flowing black cape, carrying them through the sky. He touched down gently next to their mother.

  ?"Thank you, Centum Boy!" Kid 2 cheered.

  "Most welcome," the hero replied with a quick grin.

  ?Their relief was short-lived. A sudden blast of force sent the Ice Princess flying back. She skidded across the debris, coming to a halt near Centum Boy and the rescued family.

  ?"Run!" she gasped, pushing herself up. "Don't just stand there!"

  ?The mammoth raised a massive, pillar-like foot, preparing to crush the fleeing crowd. Before it could descend, a streak of light hissed through the air. An arrow struck the beast’s heel and detonated in a brilliant flash. The titan bellowed, stumbling back into the deeper waters.

  ?"Look! It’s Arch Lady!" a voice cried from the crowd.

  ?Standing on a nearby ridge, the archer—dressed in a traditional warrior’s suit—muttered under her breath, "I hate that Tagname."

  ?"Nice shot, Leader!" Centum Boy shouted toward the ridge.

  ?With a final, resentful glare, the mammoth sank beneath the surface, vanishing into the dark depths of the reservoir.

  ?By afternoon, the rescue teams from Blink had swarmed the area, setting up medical tents and distributing rations to the displaced residents. The mission commander approached the trio of heroes.

  ?"Current reports show no casualties," the commander stated, checking his tablet. "Just property damage. We got lucky."

  ?"It’s temporary," Arch Lady countered, her expression grim as she unstrung her bow. "It will be back. You need to stop the formalities and move these people immediately."

  ?"Getting relocation approval is the toughest job at Blink," the commander sighed. "We’re pushing for it, but the bureaucracy..."

  ?"This was the third attack in a month," Arch Lady interrupted. "We held them off for now, but tomorrow? Tomorrow is a question of fate."

  ?The commander nodded solemnly. "You're right."

  ?The Ice Princess stepped forward, her white hair swaying. "Aishwarya, we should move out."

  "Yeah," Centum Boy added. "Our camp in the middle of the forest is completely unsecured right now. Freshers are there."

  ?Aishwarya gave a sharp nod of approval. As they began their trek back toward the treeline, she looked toward the southern pass. "Did Section D ever arrive? They should have been here by now."

  ?"I haven't seen them," Centum Boy said, glancing back.

  "Maybe you should go check on them," the Ice Princess suggested.

  Deep in the foothills of the Himalayas, the tension among the members of Section D was beginning to thaw.

  "I thought I was the only one who was hopeless at reading maps," Surya admitted, glancing over at Vaishu as they navigated the winding mountain trail.

  Vaishu sighed, turning the parchment in her hands. "I keep confusing myself. The more I look at the lines, the less they make sense."

  "It’s not your fault," Chandru chimed in from the back. "Guru Pedro’s maps are a topographical nightmare. Only Pari has the brainpower to actually decode them."

  "Uh... I see," Surya muttered. He adjusted his stance, careful not to disturb Rohan, who was fast asleep and hitched to his back.

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  Pari, who was leading the pack with an intense focus, finally looked up. "Two miles west of Calicut... guys, we’ve made it. We’re officially in the Manali region."

  "Should I wake Rohan?" Vaishu asked softly.

  "Not required," Surya replied, looking over his shoulder at the sleeping boy. "Let him sleep a bit longer."

  Vaishu watched them for a moment, a small, genuine smile tugging at her lips.

  "What are you smiling at?" Surya asked, catching her expression.

  "Nothing," she said quickly, looking away.

  "Come on, Vaishu. Tell me."

  She hesitated, then softened. "You two just look like brothers. You and Rohan."

  A shadow of a memory crossed Surya’s face. "Actually... he reminds me of my brother. Most of the time."

  Vaishu’s eyes widened slightly. "You have a brother?"

  "I had one," Surya replied, his voice dropping an octave.

  The realization hit Vaishu instantly. "I’m so sorry, Surya."

  "It’s okay," he said, his gaze fixed on the path ahead. "When I lost him, I was Rohan’s age. Back then, I was weak—vulnerable. I couldn't save him that day. But I’ve made a promise to myself: I will never let another brother lose his life while I’m standing by."

  Vaishu stepped closer, her voice firm with resolve. "Then I’ll accompany you in that. You won't have to save anyone alone."

  Surya looked at her, the weight of his past feeling a little lighter. "Thanks, Vaishu."

  The moment was intimate, the world around them fading away—until a loud throat-clear shattered the silence.

  "Hey, lovebirds! Keep moving. You’re blocking the entire path!"

  Both Surya and Vaishu jumped, their faces flushing a deep crimson.

  "No... it’s not like that!" Surya stammered. "We were just having a... a light conversation!"

  "Exactly," Vaishu added, her hands flying up in defense. "Just chatting. As friends. Only friends."

  Raksha rolled her eyes, walking past them with a smirk. "Sure. I’ll just pretend you’re 'just friends'—even though we all have eyes."

  Before Surya could come up with a retort, Subha pointed toward the peaks above. "Look! Someone’s coming!"

  A streak of yellow and black descended from the clouds, landing with practiced grace a few yards ahead. The boy stood up, brushing dust off his vibrant yellow suit, a confident grin plastered on his face.

  "Hey, fellas! If I’m not mistaken, you’re Pari, right?"

  "I am," Pari said, stepping forward with a cautious but respectful nod.

  "I’m Nova. Most people call me Centum Boy," the hero announced. "Nice to finally meet you, Leader of Section D."

  "Likewise," Pari replied.

  "Let's get moving this way," Nova said, gesturing toward a narrow, hidden trail. "It’s a shortcut to our camp. To keep things from getting boring while we trek—why don't you all introduce yourselves one by one?"

  "Lead the way," Pari agreed.

  As they started off, Surya leaned in and whispered to Vaishu, "Watch. When it's Chandru’s turn, He is going to say: 'I am Moonmask—Nightmare of the Vamps!'"

  Without even turning around, Chandru snapped, "I heard that."

  Surya winced. "Sorry, dude. I was just repeating your favorite line."

  Chandru stopped in his tracks and glanced back with a mysterious smirk. "Actually, I lied. I heard a noise, but I couldn't make out the words... until you just admitted exactly what you were doing."

  Surya’s eyes went wide. He had walked right into that one.

  The winds picked up as day bled into dusk, casting long, jagged shadows across the mountain pass. Just as the first stars began to pierce the twilight, Section D finally marched into the camp.

  Nova introduced them "Everyone, gather around. Please meet Section D," he announced, his voice carrying over the crackle of the campfire. "Led by Pari (Mantisman). Then we have Subha (Verge), Chandru (Moonmask), Vaishu (Vector), Rohan (Pause), Raksha (Replica), and Surya (Firefist)."

  Sheetal (Ice Princess) tilted her head, a skeptical brow arched. "Vector? Pause? Replica? What kind of tag names are those?"

  "Hey, don't mock the names," Rohan piped up, crossing his arms defiantly. "I came up with those myself."

  Sheetal walked toward him. "I’ve heard of you, kid. You’re the youngest Vessel in Section D, right?"

  "Guilty as charged," Rohan replied. "Who else do you know?"

  "I met Chandru during the Gandarva rescue mission three years ago," Sheetal said."And I met Subha at the Mumbai HQ recently. But you..." She turned her gaze toward Surya and whispered, "I’ve heard something interesting about you."

  "What’s that?" Surya asked, leaning in eagerly.

  "You’re the longest-qualified student in Blink history," Sheetal said with a smirk. "Nineteen years old and still a fresher."

  Surya’s face reddened, and he muttered something unintelligible under his breath. To break the tension, Centum Boy stepped in to introduce the veterans of Section B.

  "You know Sheetal and me," he began. "Then there’s Nuvan (Elasto), who can stretch his body like rubber; Aaron (Annihilator), our heavy hitter with super strength; Jatayu (Man-Eagle), our eyes in the sky; Rana (Mist), who can teleport through vapor; and Varun (Marine-Alpha), a hydro-elemental Vessel." He pointed toward three girls—identical in appearance, yet varying in height."And those are the Trinity sisters—Mia, Mona, and Mayi. They share a collective power through their Tri-pundras."

  Surya looked around, confused. "Your team doesn't have a weaponized Norman?"

  "Oh, we do," Nova replied, his eyes shifting toward the dark treeline. "Our leader. She’s currently in the forest on a hunt."

  "A hunt?" Surya blinked.

  "Yes," Nova said grimly. "Cave Demons."

  Subha leaned toward Surya, her voice clinical. "Cave Demons are a subspecies adapted to high-altitude caverns. Their hide is tougher than a Vampire's, though they lack the same regenerative durability."

  Surya sighed. "That was literally my next question."

  The conversation died as Aishwarya (Arch Lady) emerged from the shadows, her bow slung across her back. She didn't offer a smile as she surveyed Section D. "Did you bring your own supplies for the camp?"

  "Uh..." Pari started, but Aishwarya cut him off.

  "We don't share," she said coldly. "Food, water, and space are already scarce. We can't support extra mouths."

  "Leader, let them stay," Sheetal urged. "They’re allies."

  "If the resources run dry, it’s our problem, not theirs," Aishwarya countered.

  "Don't worry," Pari intervened, holding up a hand. "We brought our own gear. We’ll set up a separate camp nearby."

  As Section D began to unload their packs, Surya grumbled to Pari, "So much for Mr. Pedro’s words. He said she was generous."

  Pari hammered a tent stake into the frozen ground. "Yeah. Truly a heart of gold."

  In a cavern lit by glowing fungi and molten veins of ore, a crowd of monstrous soldiers roared in approval.

  "Beat him! Break him!"

  At the center of the pit, an arm-wrestling match was underway between the Cave Demon General and their King. The King was a mountain of muscle with gore-stained tusks and eyes like burning coals.

  "Use both hands, General," King Naraga taunted, his voice a low rumble that vibrated in the floor. "I’ll even allow it."

  "That’s not fair, My King!" the General strained, his muscles bulging and sweat pouring down his grey hide.

  "Just try," Naraga replied.

  The General roared, slamming his second hand onto the table to gain leverage. Naraga didn't even flinch. He used his free hand to casually rub his ear, looking bored. "All right. My turn."

  With a sudden, explosive burst of strength, Naraga slammed the General's hands down. The stone table shattered into a thousand pieces. The crowd of demons—each twice the size of a man—went berserk.

  "KING NARAGA! KING NARAGA!" they chanted, their voices echoing through the tunnels.

  Naraga reached down, pulling his defeated General to his feet. "As expected," the General panted, "you are undefeatable."

  Naraga let out a booming laugh that was silenced only by the arrival of a messenger.

  "Hail King Naraga! The twin Vampires have arrived for the strategic meeting. They are waiting for you."

  Naraga didn't answer immediately. He looked down at the heavy chain around his neck. A small red orb dangling from it began to glow; inside the translucent sphere, the miniature form of the mammoth titan pulsed with light.

  "Not today," Naraga growled. "Tell them the meeting is postponed. I have more pressing business."

  The messenger bowed low. "As you command."

  The General watched the messenger leave. "Is it the Vessels again, My King?"

  "It seems they’ve survived the first wave," Naraga said, his eyes narrowing. He reached for his necklace and snatched two more colorful orbs: one a deep, swirling blue and the other a cold, metallic grey.

  "One titan against many was a warm-up," Naraga smiled, revealing rows of serrated teeth. "This time, we send two."

  He tossed the orbs onto the cavern floor. They began to grow, twisting and expanding into monstrous shapes that cast terrifying shadows against the walls.

  "Go," Naraga commanded, his laughter echoing into the dark. "Kill the Vessels on the surface."