The morning at the villa began quietly, warmer than usual. Sunlight spilt through the skylight, scattering in soft gold across the marble floor. The lake outside shimmered, and Lyra hummed softly while preparing tea.
Elyra stood near the balcony, sketching future maps of Eden's energy network. Helion worked beside her, analysing satellite updates about the newly formed guilds across continents.
It was a rare moment of calm until the pendant on my chest pulsed—once, twice, then brighter than ever before.
Helion looked up instantly. "That frequency... It's divine."
Elyra's silver eyes widened. "The Masters.
The air shimmered above the dining table, and twenty holographic outlines appeared in a circle of light—the elder faces I had not seen in years. They looked unchanged by time, voices filled with power and pride.
Master Arken Veylan, my first teacher, spoke first. "Mukul Sharma, our disciple, we may have sent you into the world too hastily."
I bowed. "You trained me for decades, Master. What could be left to learn?"
"This is not about lessons," said Master Darius Vale, his tone gentle but firm. "It's about legacy. There's something we forgot to give you."
Lyra looked at me nervously. "Baby, 'forgot' from twenty immortals never sounds small."
Master Arken smiled. "Prepare the transport port within your villa. We'll send what's meant to be yours."
I turned toward Helion. "Open the secondary transport zone in the East Wing."
Helion nodded, creating a golden array on the ground. Elyra adjusted the coordinates, drawing glowing runes across the air.
When the symbols aligned, the floor trembled softly. A beam of white light fell into the circle, swirling like mist.
Moments later, twenty small tokens floated down, surrounding a sealed letter wrapped in a crimson thread.
They landed gently before me, each etched with distinct marks—dragons, swords, stars, wings—all glowing faintly with their own colour.
Elyra watched in awe. "What are these?"
I bent down and picked up the letter. "Let's find out."
The seal bore the emblem of Aarvak Island. I broke it carefully, recognising Arken's strong handwriting.
"To our final disciple, Mukul Sharma,
Years ago, we formed twenty guilds across the continents, each guarding knowledge, craft, or wisdom. They were meant to preserve balance if the world ever fell again into chaos.
Those masters passed on, and their successors forgot our name. Yet their souls still serve the Circle of Harmony.
These twenty tokens mark you as the next master of those guilds—their rightful heir.
Unite them under one command, and the Circle will be complete once more.
Each token corresponds to a guild's heart, its speciality, and the leader's title. May this inheritance guide you through the new era."
I exhaled slowly, reading further as the words shimmered into glowing letters of light across the air.
The Twenty Guilds of the Earth
1. Crimson Lotus Guild – India
Speciality: Healing Arts and Martial Discipline.
Leader's Title: Crimson Saint.
2. Azure Dragon Sect – China
Speciality: Alchemy and Energy Flow.
Leader's Title: Flame Monarch.
3. Golden Pyramid Order – Egypt
Speciality: Sun Science and Artefact Creation.
Leader's Title: Pharaoh's Voice.
4. Iron Wolf Legion – Russia
Speciality: Weapons and Defensive Engineering.
Leader's Title: Steel Marshal.
5. Violet Rose Sanctum – France
Speciality: Illusion and Emotional Arts.
Leader's Title: Mirage Queen.
6. Emerald Horn Order – Kenya
Speciality: Nature Control and Spirit Taming.
Leader's Title: Beast Prophet.
7. Silver Falcon Alliance – United Kingdom
Speciality: Sky Technology and Aviation.
Leader's Title: Sky Commander.
8. Onyx Cross Order – Vatican City
Speciality: Divine Protection and Light Barrier Study.
Leader's Title: Holy Keeper.
9. Ruby Spirit Hall – Brazil
Speciality: Energy Core and Crimson Crystal Mining.
Leader's Title: Core Guardian.
10. White Feather Division – USA
Speciality: Cyber-Defence and Digital Security.
Leader's Title: Guardian General.
11. Amber Forge Collective – Canada
Speciality: Machine Innovation and Renewable Design.
Leader's Title: Iron Artisan.
12. Crystalline Vale Clan – Iceland
Speciality: Climate, Energy and Glacier Runes.
Leader's Title: Frost Saint.
13. Platinum Heart Sanctuary – Switzerland
Speciality: Medicine and Mental Healing.
Leader's Title: Saint Commander.
14. Celestial Hawk Union – Australia
Speciality: Wind Science and Atmospheric Studies.
Leader's Title: Sky Regent.
15. Obsidian Crown Guild – Germany
Speciality: Rune Technology and Energy Circuits.
Leader's Title: Rune King.
16. Sapphire Moon Society – South Korea
Speciality: Mind Meditation and Memory Healing.
Leader's Title: Calm Arbiter.
17. Shadow Bell Coven – Spain
Speciality: Espionage and Cloak Mechanics.
Leader's Title: Whisper Lord.
18. Amber Lion Pact – South Africa
Speciality: Military Training and Tactical Survival.
Leader's Title: Savanna Chief.
19. Ivory Tome Guild – Italy
Speciality: Ancient Records and Lost Text Translation.
Leader's Title: Scholar Prime.
20. Ocean Crest Guild – Japan
Speciality: Marine Energy and Water Technology.
Leader's Title: Tide Lord.
Beneath the list, one last paragraph glowed brighter than the rest:
"Mukul, you must visit each land, reclaim the guilds, and unite them beneath one banner—The Circle of Eternal Balance. When the twentieth token accepts you, your master's title will become universal: "The Keeper of Worlds.
I lowered the letter, the words ringing in my ears like destiny calling again.
Lyra leaned closer, eyes wide. "So, the Masters basically handed you leadership of every secret guild ever created. That's insane!"
Helion smiled faintly. "More like calculated succession. They prepared humanity's safety net, and now they've placed it into his hands."
Elyra touched one token; it glowed silver before settling back into place. "Twenty paths, twenty nations, one purpose."
I stood slowly as the tokens activated in sequence, rising around me like tiny suns. Their combined light formed a ring around my pendant as if accepting its command.
The villa filled with a low hum — the sound of recognition.
I looked at the letter again, feeling my master's spirit woven into every line. "You trained me to guide peace, not rule power. But if this is the next step toward protecting this world, then I accept."
The tokens glimmered in response and embedded themselves around the pendant like stars joining a constellation.
Lyra grinned. "So… world tour?"
I smiled. "Not a tour — an awakening. Let's start where my journey began: India. The Crimson Lotus Guild has waited long enough."
The wind shifted, carrying the scent of rain. Elyra's soft voice broke the silence. "Then the world will soon remember its master."