Chapter 13: Whispers of Alignment

  Arjun walked through the market, the merchant's cryptic words echoing in his mind. Earned through deeds—what did that even mean? Magic was real, but how was it connected to him, to the bracelets, and to this strange world they had landed in? He needed answers, but his instincts told him to tread carefully. There was something important, something hidden beneath the surface.

  His gaze flickered over to Kabir, who seemed lost in conversation with the old woman. Arjun watched them for a moment, his thoughts swirling. This place, this reality—whatever it was—felt wrong in a way he couldn’t describe. The magic was too fluid, too integrated into everything. How could people live like this? Did they even know that this power was so pervasive?

  But it wasn’t just the magic. Arjun’s thoughts kept drifting back to the question he couldn’t shake. Why are we here?

  There was no point pretending he wasn’t thinking it. Rohan had already voiced it several times, but the question lingered in his mind, relentless. He wanted to know. Not just why they were here but how to leave. They had no purpose in this place. They were strangers in a world that felt too old, too unfamiliar.

  “Hey, man, you good?”

  Arjun snapped back to reality and saw Rohan standing beside him, grinning. He had clearly noticed Arjun’s distant expression.

  "Yeah, just thinking," Arjun said, brushing the unease aside. He turned toward the bustling market. "We should keep moving. Figure out what’s going on here."

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  Rohan’s grin widened. “You know, you’ve been a little too deep in thought. Maybe it’s time for a break.”

  "Break?" Arjun repeated, raising an eyebrow. "We’ve barely been here a few hours."

  “Exactly," Rohan shot back, looking around. "We need to blend in, not be walking around like we’re the only ones who don’t know how to use magic. If we don’t figure out where the nearest tavern is soon, Kabir’s going to lose it.”

  Kabir, who had been trailing a few steps behind, shot them an exasperated look. “I’m not losing it. I’m just fascinated by how everyone here talks about magic like it’s just a regular thing. It’s everywhere. And you guys—don’t even get me started on how everyone is staring at you, Arjun.”

  Arjun chuckled despite himself. “Yeah, yeah. The charm’s apparently working overtime today.”

  Kabir rolled his eyes. “You’ve got some kind of magnetic pull. It’s ridiculous.”

  “But it’s not just that,” Arjun said, the weight of his thoughts pressing on him. “There’s something else going on here. Magic, these bracelets... I don’t think it’s a coincidence we’re here.”

  Rohan gave him a curious look. "Yeah? You’ve figured out why we ended up in a random reality where people float crates around?”

  "I think it’s connected to the bracelets,” Arjun replied, his voice low. “The merchant hinted at something—alignment. We’re here for a reason, and it’s not just to stand around. There’s something important we need to understand.”

  Kabir’s interest piqued. “Align—wait. So, you think the magic here, the way they use it... it’s because of these?”

  Arjun nodded slowly. “That’s what I’m starting to believe.”

  Rohan scratched his chin. “And you’re going to ask more about it? Because if you go around asking people questions about... their magic? I don’t think that’s going to go over well.”

  Arjun glanced at his friends. They were right. Blending in was key, but Arjun couldn’t shake the feeling that time was running out. If they didn’t figure out their purpose here, soon, they might never get the chance to return home.

  "We need to find more answers. And quickly," Arjun said, his tone firm now. "We can’t just wait around for things to happen. We need to learn what’s going on here and why we’re part of it."

  “Alright, alright,” Rohan said with a half-smile. “But I’m still thinking about that tavern. After all this ‘save the world’ stuff is done, we’ll need a drink.”

  Kabir rolled his eyes. “You never change.”

  The tension that had briefly clouded the group lifted, replaced by their familiar banter. They didn’t know where they were, or how they had ended up there, but at least they had each other. And that—at least for now—was enough to keep them going.