Those were the final words of the old man Gangadhar who raised him — the only family the boy ever knew.
At 14, Veer stood silently outside the small wooden house, high up in the misty mountain village, where snow fell more often than rain.
Gangadhar once strong as stone, now lay weak and pale on his deathbed. His voice cracked as he confessed,
> "I found you alone in the forest... a crying child... I never told you because I didn't want you to feel alone. I'm sorry."
Tears welled in the boy's eyes, but Gangadhar held his hand firmly.
> "Live your life the way you want to. Chase your dream... But protect the people you love — no matter what. Don't... end up like me... filled with guilt."
Veer nodded slowly, his throat dry from holding back emotions.
He remembered all the times he had said:
> "I want to become the strongest! I'll be a Supreme Warrior one day!"
And Gangadhar would always scold him with a stern voice:
> "Foolish boy! Strength brings enemies. And enemies bring death. Stop chasing battles! Stay alive… that's all I want!"
Back then, he thought his grandfather hated his dream.
But now, he knew the truth.
Gangadhar wasn't angry —
He was scared.
Scared of losing the only person he loved.
It had been a month since the old man died.
The mountain village that once echoed with his laughter now felt like a ghost town to him. With nothing left to hold him back, Veer finally began his journey — toward becoming a Supreme Warrior.
He walked through the dense forest trail, a staff slung across his back, a small pouch of dried food at his side, and memories weighing heavier than any bag.
Suddenly, a scream tore through the silence.
A child's voice.
His feet moved before his thoughts did.
Racing through the trees, he found a little girl — no more than 12 years old — lying on the forest floor, her knees scraped and her eyes wide with terror. A massive wild bear snarled inches away from her, its mouth open, fangs dripping with hunger.
Without thinking, the boy leapt in front of her.
Crack! His staff met the bear's claws, stopping the first strike.
> "Run!" he shouted at the girl, but she was frozen in fear.
The bear roared and swiped again. He dodged left, rolled across the ground, then struck the beast's side with the staff. It stepped back, growling louder.
But the bear wasn't done.
Another charge. Another strike.
SNAP!
The wooden staff broke in half, splinters flying. One sharp claw slashed across the boy's shoulder, sending pain shooting through his body.
He fell to his knees, breathing hard. The bear stood over him now.
> "Damn it... I'm not strong enough..." he whispered, clutching the broken staff.
Just as the bear raised its claw for a final blow —
WHOOSH!
A blur of movement.
Someone shoved him aside.
The girl with a sword — almost same age of him, maybe 14— stood between him and the bear. She wore a long cloak, her black hair fluttering in the wind.
Then, without a word, she drew her sword.
FWOOOM!
The blade erupted in flames — glowing red and orange, humming with power.
The bear froze.
One step back.
Then two.
It turned and fled into the forest, whimpering.
Silence returned.
The sword girl turned slightly, her eyes calm but sharp.
> "You fight with heart," she said. "But you're not ready to die yet, are you?"
Veer, still bleeding, stared at her — half in awe, half in pain.
His journey had just begun.
And already, he had met someone… burning with power.
The forest was calm again. Only the sound of leaves rustling in the breeze remained.
The sword girl lowered her flaming blade. With a practiced motion, she pulled out a small glass vial — a glowing blue liquid inside.
She gave one to the boy, and helped the little girl pour the other. Within seconds, their wounds faded, the pain melting away like snow in sunlight.
The boy stared in surprise. "What… what was that?"
> "Healing potion," she replied casually. "You really are from the mountains, huh?"
The little girl stood up now, brushing dust off her clothes.
> "I'm okay now," she said cheerfully.
But the sword girl turned to her with a strict face.
> "You were told not to wander! You're lucky this boy was here. What if I had arrived late?!"
The girl pouted and looked down.
Then she looked up at the boy with wide, excited eyes.
> "What's your name? And why were you here?"
Veer introduced himself and shared his story — how he had lived with his grandfather Gangadhar who recently passed away, how he was now alone, and how his dream was to become a Supreme Warrior.
As he spoke, the child's eyes sparkled.
She introduction herself
> " My name is Eisha" and the sword girl as "Charu".
She turned to Charu and shouted:
> "Let's take him to Master! Let's take him! He's perfect!"
Charu raised an eyebrow.
> "He's not strong."
> "But he saved me!" the girl argued. "Even when he knew he could die!"
Eisha looked at Veer again and said proudly:
> "Master said… if I find a good student for him, I'll get sweets every week!"
Veer blinked in confusion. "Wait... what?"
Charu sighed. "Our master is looking for someone worthy to train. But no one wants to become a warrior these days — the risks are too high. Everyone's afraid of dying young. That's why we've been traveling from town to town... searching."
Eisha added with a smile:
> "I begged him to give me sweets. So he made a deal. If I find a student… I get them!"
> "She's more interested in candy than safety," Charu muttered.
Veer looked between the two, puzzled.
> "So… you're saying I might be chosen to train under your master?"
Veer stood in silence, processing everything.
He had planned to search for a master himself — someone who could shape him into a true warrior. But now, fate had placed one right in front of him… thanks to a sweet-loving, stubborn little girl.
> "Alright," he said with a small smile. "If your master is really willing to train someone like me… I accept."
Eisha's eyes lit up like fireworks.
> "Yes!! I knew it!" she jumped with joy. "Now I'll get sweets every week!"
Charu sighed, shaking her head.
> "You're impossible…"
Veer laughed softly. He hadn't smiled like that in a long time.
> "Looks like you don't get to say no anymore," he teased.
Charu gave him a side glance, then smirked a little.
> "You're lucky she's more stubborn than I am."
With that, the three of them began their journey.
They walked along the forest trail, the trees whispering secrets overhead. Eisha kept talking nonstop — about her favorite desserts, how cool her master was, and how she once defeated a frog with a stick.
Charu remained quiet, alert, always watching the surroundings.
Veer walked behind them, his heart filled with something he hadn't felt in weeks.
Hope.
> "I don't know who this master is," he thought, "but if this is the path to becoming stronger… I'll walk it till the end."
After two days of traveling through dense forests and rocky paths, the trio finally arrived.
Before them stood a massive staircase carved into the mountain — ancient, worn, and seemingly endless. The stone steps stretched upward like a path to the heavens, disappearing into the clouds above.
Veer stared at it.
And kept staring.
And stared some more.
> "W-What is this?" he finally asked, his voice dry.
> "Our master lives at the top," Charu replied calmly.
> "You mean... we have to climb... all of that?"
> "Yep!" chirped Eisha. "Only 50,000 steps!"
The boy's knees wobbled.
His soul almost left his body.
> "F-Fifty... thousand?! I-I'm going to die before I even meet him..."
Eisha patted his arm cheerfully.
> "Don't worry! It's not that hard. You'll manage!"
Veer looked at her in disbelief.
> "She's a kid! How can she say that with a smile?!" This mountain is higher than were I live before.
Charu added with a teasing grin:
> "Even she can climb them. Surely you can too, future Supreme Warrior?"
> Veer: "Is that a threat or encouragement?"
With no choice, Veer took his first step.
Then the next.
And the next.
Hours passed. The mountain wind howled. The sun began to dip.
10,000 steps in —
The boy collapsed.
> "I… can't… feel… my legs…" he whispered, lying face-down on the stone.
Sweat dripped from his forehead. His shoulders ached. His feet were screaming.
He looked up at the endless stairs and groaned.
> "Why… why did I listen to that kid…"
Eisha stood two steps above him, munching on a sweet candy.
> "Come on! We're just getting started!"
Veer closed his eyes and muttered:
> "This is how I die… on step 10,037…"
Step by painful step, he kept climbing.
20,000…
30,000…
40,000…
Each time he thought he couldn't go further, his stubbornness kicked in. But by the time he reached step 49,999, he was basically crawling.
Dust clung to his face, sweat soaked his clothes, and his legs had stopped working somewhere back at step 38,000.
Finally—he reached the top.
He dragged himself across the final stone platform and collapsed in front of a large, peaceful temple gate.
A magnificent old structure stood ahead — ancient pillars, prayer flags fluttering in the wind, and a calm silence in the air.
Veer looked up weakly and muttered:
> "Why… why would anyone build a temple this high? Couldn't the Master have opened it… like… at ground level?!"
Just then, Eisha zoomed past him.
> "Took you long enough! You wasted so much of my time!" she shouted, dashing toward the temple.
Charu followed without even glancing at him.
> "You could've helped me, you know!" Veer called out. "Is this your idea of hospitality?!"
Charu didn't even turn around.
> "Unbelievable," he groaned, lying face-down on the stone. "This is the worst temple experience ever."
A moment later, footsteps echoed.
The boy looked up — and instantly went pale.
From inside the temple walked out an old monkey… standing on two legs… wearing a sage robe and yawning like he just woke up from a 100-year nap.
His long tail swayed lazily behind him.
> "Mmm… who's this dusty child?" the monkey sage said, rubbing his eyes.
Veer blinked. Blinked again.
And then exploded:
> "Wait… WAIT— You mean to tell me… I did all THAT… climbed fifty thousand stairs… just to meet a MONKEY?!"
The monkey raised an eyebrow.
> "Rude."
But before the boy could say anything else—his body gave up.
Thud.
He collapsed right there on the stone floor, completely unconscious.
He had pushed every limit he had today.
And the reward?
Apparently… a monkey..