If the Worlds Collide?

The Unseen Threads

A Game of Basketball

"Come on, Sid, stop avoiding the topic," Dan huffed, throwing the basketball towards Sid, who easily caught it with one hand. The evening was warm, and they had decided to unwind with a game, but even here, Sid couldn't escape the conversation that haunted him.

Sid dribbled the ball, his muscles tense under the black shirt he wore. "What topic? I'm right here, aren't I?" he replied, a smirk on his lips, though his eyes remained clouded with distraction.

Dan shook his head. "You know exactly what I mean. Sona. You've been avoiding her for months, and you can't keep doing it. She's brilliant, and her work might be the key to something bigger than all of us."

Sid tossed the ball, making a perfect shot, but his response was far from victorious. "It's complicated."

"It's only as complicated as you make it, Sid." Dan's voice held a note of concern. "If you don't meet her, the very thing you're trying to avoid might happen. The two worlds—"

"I know," Sid interrupted, his voice sharper than intended. He caught the ball as it bounced back. For a moment, he just stared at it, thinking. "I know what's at stake, Dan. But trust me, meeting her will only make things worse."

Dan crossed his arms. "Worse how? What aren't you telling me?"

Sid hesitated, then shrugged it off. "Nothing. It's just... destiny isn't something you can fight. Even if I keep my distance, somehow, some way, the worlds will still collide. She's at the heart of it all, whether I like it or not."

Dan sighed, retrieving the ball. "You know this isn't just about you, right? You're the key, yes, but Sona—she's more important than you realize."

Sid didn't respond. Instead, he turned his back to the game, the weight of his role pressing heavily on his mind.

Meanwhile, in Nivara, Ayra paced the sleek, glass-paneled office at Avara. Her light brown hair, loose and flowing, shimmered under the artificial sunlight streaming in from the AI-controlled skylights. The tailored silver dress she wore fit perfectly, accentuating her elegance as she moved. She looked every bit the powerful, composed woman she was, except for the frustration that clouded her normally bright eyes.

Ayan, her younger brother, leaned back on the plush office couch, his casual black jacket contrasting with his sister's polished look. He was lounging as usual, feet kicked up, but he could sense Ayra's unease.

"You've been pacing for the last ten minutes. What's up?" he asked, twirling a stylus in his hand.

"It's Sid," Ayra said, her voice low but intense. "He's been disappearing for days at a time, and every time I ask, he gives me some vague excuse. It's like he's hiding something."

Ayan raised an eyebrow. "Maybe he's got a secret hobby? Or a second life?" he joked, but the look on Ayra's face told him this wasn't the time for humor.

"I'm serious, Ayan. This has happened more than once. And it's not like I don't know about Earth. Our technology monitors everything—there's something going on, and I think it has to do with that world."

Ayan shrugged. "Okay, so maybe he's visiting Earth. He's allowed, right? Infinity Dominion spans both worlds, after all."

Ayra stopped pacing, her brow furrowed. "I don't know. Something feels off. And I intend to find out what."

On Earth, Sona sat in her cluttered office, surrounded by notes, charts, and open textbooks. She had been working for hours, her hair tied up messily, her glasses resting low on her nose as she scribbled down equations. Across the table sat her senior, Karan, a middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair and an encouraging smile.