No matter the era,

hamesha ek hi desire raha hai.

Ek aisi desire jiska price—

zyadatar log afford nahi kar sakte.

Aur is story me…

woh price sab kuch hai.

— Narrator

Rovine subah jaldi uth gaya, uski saanse thodi uneven thi.

Kuch pal ke liye woh bas chupchaap baitha raha,

“Phir wahi sapna…” usne dheere se kaha.

Woh sapna jaana-pehchana lagta tha.

Bahut zyada familiar.

Maine ye pehle bhi dekha hai… hai na?

Lekin chahe woh kitni bhi koshish kare—

usse kuch yaad nahi aata tha.

Har baar sapna ek hi jagah par khatam hota tha.

Ek awaaz.

Ek buddhe aadmi ki awaaz…

Jo dheere se kuch phusphusata tha—

“…tumhe yaad karna hoga…”

Rovine khidki tak gaya aur bahar dekha.

Suraj dheere dheere ug raha tha,

sky me halki si neeli roshni fail rahi thi.

Sab kuch… perfect lag raha tha.

Zarurat se zyada perfect.

Usne khidki kholi aur thandi hawa ko mehsoos kiya,

jo uske safed resham jaise baalon ko chhoo rahi thi.

Ek aisi duniya jahan sab khush hai…

Na greed.

Na envy.

Na suffering.

Aur phir bhi…

kuch toh galat tha.

Humara ek past tha.

—

Ye sab Book of Zytherael me likha gaya tha:

“Ek waqt tha jab humans ko keede-makodon ki tarah maara jaata tha.

Jab dar har ghar me basa hua tha.

Jab greed, lust aur envy apne shikhar par the.

Na empathy thi.

Na trust.

Na love.

Sirf suffering bachi thi.”

“Phir… waqt aaya.”

“Kisi ko uss bojh ko uthana tha.”

“Kisi ko sab kuch khatam karna tha.”

“Ab aur suffering nahi hogi.”

“Na shok.”

“Na aansu.”

“Na dard.”

“Main sab kuch naya bana raha hoon.”

“Main sach bhi hoon… aur jhoot bhi.”

“Main jeevan bhi hoon… aur mrityu bhi.”

“Main shuruaat bhi hoon… aur ant bhi.”

Aur pata nahi kaise…

usne kar dikhaya.

Duniya dobara bani.

Ek perfect duniya.

Ek peaceful duniya.

Lekin Rovine jaanta tha—

kuch missing hai.

Kuch… mita diya gaya hai.

Fresh hokar Rovine neeche dining table par aaya.

Uski mom ne bahut accha khana banaya tha.

“Wow Mom… khana bahut tasty hai,” Rovine ne ek bite lete hue kaha.

Uski mom muskurayi.

“Kaha jaata hai ki Lord Zytherael bachpan me ye bahut khaya karte the.”

Ye naam sunte hi Rovine thoda ruk gaya.

“Mom…”

“Haan Rovine?”

“Kya aapko nahi lagta… kuch ajeeb hai?”

Woh thodi confuse ho gayi.

“Ajeeb? Matlab?”

Rovine thoda ruk kar bola,

“Mera matlab… sab kuch zyada hi perfect lag raha hai.”

Uski mom halki si hasi.

“Ye toh achhi baat hai na? Sab kuch theek hai.”

Rovine chup ho gaya.

Sab theek hai… hai na?

Uski mom ne notice kiya.

“Kya hua? Pareshan lag rahe ho.”

Thodi der baad Rovine ne dheere se poocha,

“Humari history ka kya…?

Agar woh sach na ho toh?”

Uski mom ne turant jawab nahi diya.

Phir shaant awaaz me boli,

“Agar na bhi ho… toh mujhe nahi lagta koi farq padega.”

Rovine hairan ho gaya.

“Pehle ki duniya… rehne layak nahi thi.

Lekin aaj… sab log khush hai. Shaanti se jee rahe hai.”

Woh thodi der ruki, phir boli,

“Mujhe nahi pata history sach hai ya nahi. Lekin Zytherael bhi apni kitab me kehte hai—”

“History hamesha winners likhte hai.”

Woh muskurayi.

“Jo bhi hua ho… ab matter nahi karta.”

“Jo zaroori hai woh ye hai ki aaj sab theek hai.”

“Aur itna hi kaafi hai.”

Rovine chupchaap sunta raha.

Aur ek pal ke liye…

usse bhi laga ki woh sahi keh rahi hai.

Rovine ghar se bahar nikla.

“Main ja raha hoon, Mom!”

“Aaj kahan?”

“Bas… ek cave. Thoda adventure.”

“Jaldi aana.”

Woh halki si muskaan ke saath chal diya.

Raaste me chalte hue woh soch raha tha—

Shayad Mom sahi keh rahi hai…

Agar sab theek hai… toh problem kya hai?

Usne aasman ki taraf dekha.

Aur tab usne use dekha.

Ek massive structure… aasman me tairta hua.

Ek phool ki tarah khila hua, crystal jaise petals ke saath.

Uske chaaro taraf ek bada sa ring dheere dheere ghoom raha tha.

Aether Floris.

Zytherael ka sthaan.

New World ke 150 saal baad banaya gaya tha.

Aur ab 500 saal baad bhi… utna hi chamak raha tha.

Kaha jaata hai ki ye hawa ko saaf karta hai,

weather control karta hai,

aur outer radiation se protect karta hai.

Lekin iska asli purpose… kuch aur tha.

Insaanon par nazar rakhna.

Rovine aage badha aur ek chhoti si kaansari (snack station) par ruk gaya.

Sab kuch automated tha—

na koi worker, na koi counter.

Usne ek sweet bar li aur apne points se scan kiya.

Is duniya me basic cheezon ke liye paise nahi dene padte.

Sirf desires ki price hoti hai.

Kaam karna zaroori nahi hai.

Log jo chahe woh karte hai—

aur unhe points milte hai.

Yahi… azaadi hai.

Aage badhte hue woh kheton tak pahucha.

Machines kaam kar rahi thi.

Aur phir bhi… log bhi kaam kar rahe the.

Majboori me nahi.

Apni marzi se.

Rovine bhi andar gaya.

“Main help karu?”

Ek chhoti si ladki muskurayi.

“Haan bhaiya!”

“Ye chillypeas hai. Is baar quality bahut achhi hai!”

“Arey dekho! Ye spiral shape ka hai!”

Rovine hasa aur usse de diya.

“Tum rakh lo.”

“Thank you!”

Kuch der baad woh jungle ki taraf badh gaya.

Phir usse ek nadi dikhi.

“Thodi swimming ho jaye…”

Woh paani me utar gaya aur aasman ki taraf dekhte hue float karne laga.

Aether Floris chamak raha tha.

Zytherael ne duniya ko badla…

lekin forests ko nahi chhua.

Unhone apni kitab me likha hai—

“Nature apne aap sambhal legi.”

Rovine ne bhauyen sikodi.

Ajeeb hai…

Kuch toh galat hai in shabdon me.

Usne aasman me aur dekha—

planetary rings chamak rahe the.

Din ke time.

Ye bahut rare tha.

Kuch der baad woh cave tak pahucha.

Uske kadam dheeme ho gaye.

Ye jagah…

maine pehle dekhi hai.

Sapno me.

Cave ka entrance bahut bada tha.

Andhera. Thanda.

Woh andar gaya, flashlight on ki.

Temperature turant gir gaya.

“Ye… normal nahi hai.”

Jaise jaise woh andar badhta gaya,

cave chhoti hoti gayi…

aur thand badhti gayi.

Phir woh ek flat jagah par pahucha—

bilkul smooth… jaise crystal ho.

Aage koi raasta nahi tha.

Sirf khamoshi.

“Yahan kuch nahi hai…”

Woh wapas mudne laga.

Tabhi—

Uska pair ek dheeli patthar par pada.

Patthar fisla.

Neeche gira.

Aur crystal se takraya.

Crack.

Zameen toot gayi.

Aur react karne se pehle hi—

Rovine andhere me gayab ho gaya.