Third Person POV
While Rudra was occupied within the serene clearing of the Forest of the Forgotten, enjoying the celestial tea offered by Devi Aranyani, he was being watched by eyes that did not merely see physical forms. These eyes saw through the fabric of reality itself, observing the tangled gold and silver threads of destiny that swirled around the boy like a protective cocoon.
"Hmph… I want to call his name, too," Mata Parvati sighed. Their gaze fixed on the image of the boy reflected in a pool of liquid moonlight. "I want to speak with him like my own child. I want to hold his hand and guide him through the mountains as my baby boy. But I cannot. I must stand here behind the veil of divinity and watch from afar."
"Patience, Devi," Lord Shiva said with a soft, rumbling chuckle that sounded like distant thunder over a peaceful valley. "You will have your time with your son. But true intimacy must wait. For now, he is still fragile, a creature bound by the heavy laws of time and the limited perceptions of three-dimensional space. He knows nothing of the ancient past or the infinite future. He sees only the step directly in front of him."
Mahadev adjusted their seating on the tiger skin. Their presence radiated a stillness that could calm a supernova.
"Before we can speak freely without the weight of our names crushing his spirit, we must train him to stand upon the banks of the River of Time. He must learn to watch its currents without being swept away by its influence. If we reveal the full depth of our bond now, his mortal mind will shatter under the paradox of who he was, who he is, and who he shall become."
Parvati turned to Them, Their expression a mix of maternal longing and fierce resolve.
"It is difficult, Mahadev. To feel the heart of a parent beating in my chest while he looks at us only as distant, supreme beings to be feared and worshipped. To him, I am the Great Mother of the Universe, a figure of myth. To me, he is the child who once cried for comfort in the dark of a thousand different lives. But fine... I will wait until his spirit is tempered like steel and he is powerful enough to bear the truth. But when that day comes, and indeed until that day comes, I will be the one spending the most time with him. I will make sure of it."
"And why is that?" Shiva asked, a playful glint appearing in their three eyes. "Why am I to be denied the pleasure of time with our son? Am I not his father?"
"You dare ask me that!" Parvati's voice rose, though it remained melodic, causing the flowers in the celestial garden to bloom in sudden, vibrant agitation. "Who was it that slipped the Shiva Kavacham into his uncle's collection of holy books? Who gave him a means of protection, knowing the disasters that were to come, yet displaced my own Devi Kavacham to ensure he found yours first? You made sure he read your words before he even knew mine existed!"
The Great Mother stepped closer, their silver ornaments chiming with indignation.
"And now? Do you know what happened when his earthly parents finally gave him my book to read? I watched it from the heavens! He looked at the sacred text and said, and I quote... 'I have already read Mahadev's Kavacham; it is enough for me. So do not worry, I fear nothing.' He thinks your protection is all he needs! So yes, I will be taking the lion's share of his time during this training, and I do not care what the laws of the universe say. You had your turn in his world. Now, it is mine. Stay away! Hmph."
Mata Parvati turned their shoulder to them, Their long, dark hair flowing like a silken river of shadows.
"Alright, alright! I surrender," Shiva laughed, raising their hands in a gesture of mock defeat. The moon in their hair glowed a bit brighter with their amusement. "You shall have your time. I won't interfere with your lessons. Just... please, do not be angry with me. He needed to find the strength of the Kavacham to survive the journey here."
Mahadev smiled wryly before their expression shifted to one of quiet curiosity, looking toward the borders of Kailash.
"By the way, when are the others arriving? We summoned our other children to meet their brother and assist in his development. They should have been here by the time the sun reached its zenith."
...
Meanwhile, back at the Shrine of Devi Aranyani…
"Hmm... yes... let us do it like this!" Aranyani struck their palm with their fist, their eyes lighting up with a spark of divine inspiration. "I shall train you as well! I will support you in every way I can. How does that sound?"
Back in the Higher Realm…
....
"As if I will let her have him for so long," Parvati muttered, watching the scene below with a protective, narrowed gaze. "Even if she insists on helping, she will have to wait until I am finished with his foundations. Why is everyone trying to steal my time with him? First Nandi, then the Tree Spirit, and now the River and the Forest? He is my son!"
"Let her be, Parvati," Shiva said gently, placing a hand on the Goddess's arm. "Aranyani shares a deep, karmic bond with him that predates even this cycle of creation. It is only natural that she wishes to guide him. She represents the wild, untamed nature he must learn to master within himself. But back to my question... when do the others arrive? The halls of Kailash feel too quiet."
"Soon," Parvati replied, their anger cooling into a soft, expectant glow as they thought of their other children. "They are travelling from the farthest corners of the cosmos. But tell me, Mahadev, should we instruct them to treat him as a brother from the start? Should we reveal the blood of the soul that connects them? Or should we let nature take its course?"
"No," Shiva mused, looking toward the horizon where the divine energies of the approaching deities were beginning to gather like a brewing storm of light. "Let it be. Let their bonds grow naturally through struggle and shared labour. What is meant to be will always find its way into existence. Forced love is a shadow; earned brotherhood is a mountain."
"And how long is she trying to stay hidden in there?" Shiva suddenly chuckled, their gaze shifting to a specific shadow near the lake where Rudra was currently present.
Deep within the spiritual echoes of the forest, another existence was watching. A hidden deity, draped in the cold radiance of the moon and the heat of the spear, stood silently.
She watched Rudra with a gaze that was both fierce and longing, her presence masked even from the spirits of the forest. She was the shadow at the edge of the blade, the strength in the grip of the metal.
She waited in the silence, her heart beating in rhythm with the boy's pulse. She was the one who would appear from the right, the one who would teach him that mercy and silver light were two sides of the same coin.
"She is waiting for the right moment," Parvati whispered, following Shiva's gaze. "Just as we all are. The stage is set, the witnesses are gathered, and the player is finally taking his seat at the table."
Mahadev nodded, the serpent around their neck stirring as if sensing the coming change. "When it is the time of training, she'll finally show herself alongside her siblings. And they'll train him to the best of their abilities, and with that world shall never be the same again."
The two supreme beings stood together, watching the mortal boy finish his tea, oblivious to the fact that the greatest powers in existence were currently debating over his daily schedule. The tea ceremony was ending, but the echoes of his arrival were only just beginning to shake the foundations of the stars.
....
As they were talking with each other
Another presence heard it all, as she resides in the third eye of Mahadev, she was free from the karma and memory eraser and still remembers the bond they shared in past.
She was very eager to spend time with her brother or soon-to-be brother.
....
While she was having such thoughts, Mahadev and Mata Parvati
Were also aware of it, they were happy that at least one other person remembers the bond they shared with Rudra.
And then Mata Parvati sent the call for her kids who were present in different parts of the world.
The call travelled to separate areas at the same time,
On Earth
In Patal and different realms
And so on...
(To all the childrens)