THE DIVINE CHRONICLES : THE RISE OF KALI s

THE JOURNEY BEGINS

The Mumbai orphanage was anything but quiet on a typical morning, and this morning was no exception. Somewhere down the hall, a group of kids were bickering over who got the last slice of toast, while the older ones exchanged half-asleep complaints about their chores. But in one corner of the common room, two teenage girls were deep in a very different kind of conversation.

"Look at this!" Rhea said, nudging Rita as she held up a glossy travel magazine. The cover featured snow-capped mountains and a calm, glassy lake. "Nainital. We're going there! Do you know how beautiful it is?"

Rita glanced at the magazine with mild interest, scrunching her nose. "A mountain lake? Isn't that just a glorified puddle with some trees?"

Rhea rolled her eyes, her excitement undeterred. "A glorified puddle?" She slapped the magazine onto Rita's lap. "Come on, it's in the mountains! There are hills and boats, and maybe we'll even see some snow."

Rita snorted, pushing the magazine away. "I'll take Mumbai's crowded streets over a cold mountain any day, thank you very much. And what's the big deal? We're probably going to be staying in some musty old house with cranky staff and weird rules."

Rhea wasn't about to let her cousin's sarcasm ruin the mood. "Still beats the crowded dorms here. And anyway, who knows? Maybe they'll actually have decent food up there. Imagine... something other than boiled potatoes and rice."

Rita made a face as she picked up the magazine and flipped through it. "I'll give you that one. If they have anything halfway decent to eat, maybe it's worth the trip." She paused, letting her voice drop to a playful whisper. "And maybe we can escape into the forest when no one's looking. I bet you're not allowed to explore, but it's not like we'd listen."

Rhea's eyes sparkled. "That's the spirit! See? It's not all bad! Nainital is supposed to be... magical or something."

Rita raised an eyebrow. "You really think so? The most magical thing in my life right now is getting more than five minutes of hot water."

Before Rhea could respond, Mrs. Kapoor, the head of the orphanage, appeared in the doorway, clapping her hands to gather everyone's attention. "Rhea, Rita! I've got some good news," she said with a smile.

The two girls exchanged a quick look, a mixture of curiosity and excitement.

"Starting next week, you'll be heading to Nainital!" Mrs. Kapoor announced, beaming.

Rita gave a mock gasp. "Nainital? You mean we're actually leaving this glamorous place?"

Mrs. Kapoor chuckled. "That's right, Rita. Don't sound too excited now. You'll be staying at a boarding home there, under the care of some very kind people. It's a fresh start—a chance to experience life outside of Mumbai."

Rhea tried to hold back a grin, but she couldn't help the small squeal that slipped out. "Thank you, Mrs. Kapoor! This is amazing!"

Mrs. Kapoor winked. "I figured you two might enjoy the change. And who knows? You might find that there's a whole world out there beyond these walls."

Rita leaned in to Rhea with a mischievous grin. "Let's hope they've got more to offer than old, cranky rules and mushy peas."

As Mrs. Kapoor walked off to announce more details, Rhea turned to Rita, grabbing her arm. "Can you believe it? Fresh air, mountains, new people... we're getting out of here, Rita!"

Rita smirked. "Fine, I'll admit it sounds... kinda interesting. But don't expect me to go all mountain-goat like you and start wandering around the wilderness."

Rhea gave her cousin a playful nudge. "Maybe you'll finally learn how to relax a little. Who knows? Nainital might even melt that icy heart of yours."

Rita laughed, crossing her arms. "Sure, sure. But if we get up there and I end up covered in mosquito bites, I'm blaming you."

The girls packed that night, buzzing with energy as they threw their few belongings into old suitcases. They whispered and laughed long into the night, wondering about what they'd find in Nainital and making grand (if slightly ridiculous) plans for their "new lives."

As they fell asleep, neither could have imagined that this was more than just a change of scenery.

Little did they know.... what secrets this trip of Nainital  would hold for them, maybe something about their lineage or the answers to Rhea's dreams or the reason why Rita does not know how to control her anger. NOBODY KNOWS, WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN NAINITAL.