Chapter 11: The Silent Wonders

  Kabir, observing everything with a keen eye. The sights and sounds around them were unlike anything they'd seen before. Vibrant stalls full of fruits, fabrics, and other goods surrounded them, but what caught their attention the most were the people. There was something off. Something... different.

  Arjun's gaze wandered across the crowd, his senses heightened. The people didn’t just seem like they were living in another time—they were doing things that defied logic. A man was carrying heavy crates with ease, but his hands weren’t touching them—he was floating the crates in the air with a gesture of his hand. A woman walked by with a jug of water balanced on her head, but the water was swirling inside the jug as if controlled by some unseen force. And there, in the distance, a vendor was selling glowing stones, and every time someone touched one, the stone seemed to glow brighter.

  "Am I seeing things?" Kabir whispered, eyes wide. "Did that woman just—?"

  "Yeah," Arjun said, his voice barely audible. "That’s... magic."

  Rohan looked over at Arjun, confused. "Magic? Really? I thought that was just some crazy trick or an illusion."

  Arjun stared at the woman with the jug. "I’m not sure. But it’s real. People here are using magic—at least some of them. And it looks like it’s part of everyday life."

  Rohan squinted at a merchant who was levitating a basket of apples into the air. "Wait, so... not everyone can do that? Because that’s some insane stuff."

  Arjun shook his head, still processing. "I don’t think so. Maybe only a portion of the population. But there’s definitely magic here."

  Kabir raised an eyebrow. "How are we supposed to blend in when everyone around us can do that?"

  Rohan laughed, glancing over at Arjun, who seemed oddly calm about it. "You’ve got a lot more to worry about than that, Arjun," he teased. "Look at you—every girl in this market is practically staring at you. What’s your secret?"

  Arjun raised an eyebrow but didn’t respond immediately. He’d noticed it too. Every time he made eye contact with a woman, they would smile, blush, and sometimes even wave. It wasn’t just the usual politeness—there was something magnetic about his presence here. He was different, but he didn’t know why.

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  He glanced at his bracelet, and for a split second, he could have sworn he saw a faint glow emanating from it. Could the magic be tied to the bracelets? He wasn’t sure, but he had a feeling that this power wasn’t random—it was connected to something bigger, something he hadn’t figured out yet.

  Arjun subtly observed his surroundings, using his newfound charm to his advantage. He allowed the attention from the girls to wash over him, but his mind was working. While Rohan and Kabir joked around, Arjun carefully scanned the people around him, his eyes catching snippets of conversations and his ears tuned in for any hints about the society they were in.

  He overheard a group of young men talking excitedly about a "sacred circle" that controlled the flow of magic in the city. His curiosity peaked. A hierarchy? A system for the magic? His fingers itched to write it all down, but he had no pen and no paper. And asking questions would likely raise suspicion.

  Arjun’s attention shifted to a small group of elderly women gathered by a fire. One of them waved her hands, and a small flame flickered to life in the air, dancing like a tiny fireball. Her friends clapped in amusement, but Arjun noticed something else—her hands trembled slightly after the act. Magic, it seemed, had a price. Or maybe it wasn’t something everyone could do without effort.

  "I swear, I’m going to lose my mind if I don’t figure this out," Rohan grumbled, crossing his arms. "Look at all this—magic everywhere. I can’t even tell who’s doing what anymore."

  Arjun smiled slightly. "Focus, Rohan. There’s more to this than just magic tricks. We need to understand the rules here. Why are we here, and how do we get back? We can’t just—"

  Before he could finish, Kabir nudged him with his elbow, a mischievous grin on his face. "Look, Arjun, you’ve got another fan."

  Arjun glanced around and, sure enough, a young woman was watching him from the corner of a stall. Her eyes met his, and without hesitation, she smiled, her cheeks flushed. The moment seemed to stretch on forever.

  Rohan groaned, shaking his head. "Okay, seriously, man. What’s your deal?"

  Arjun shrugged, feigning innocence. "What? I’m just being myself."

  Kabir snorted. "Yeah, well, I think ‘yourself’ is secretly some kind of magnet for attention."

  Arjun couldn’t help but chuckle. "I don’t get it either. Something’s different here. It’s like I can’t be ignored."

  His friends exchanged a look, both envious and impressed. "I don’t know," Rohan said. "But if it helps us figure out what the hell is going on, I’m not complaining."

  Despite the attention Arjun was getting, he didn’t let it distract him. The atmosphere in the market was buzzing with energy, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that the magic here wasn’t just for show—it was integral to the way society functioned. He was beginning to understand that this world they had landed in was built on layers of power, some known to the public, others hidden.

  "Okay," Arjun said, turning to his friends. "Here’s the plan: We keep a low profile. We don’t ask too many questions. But we observe. We need to learn more about how this society works, who holds the power, and how magic is involved. I think we’re on the verge of something big here."

  Kabir raised his eyebrows. "You mean bigger than the fact that you’ve got some kind of magical charm? Because I think that’s pretty big already."

  Arjun smiled, but his mind was elsewhere. He couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. Whatever magic existed here, he was going to uncover its secrets—no matter what it took.

  As the trio continued through the market, Arjun kept his eyes peeled for any further signs of magic. In the corner of his vision, he saw a merchant offering an array of items, each glowing faintly. The man’s eyes met his, and without a word, Arjun knew there was more to this shop than just trinkets. There was magic here too—he could feel it.

  They might not have asked about it yet, but Arjun had already decided. They would learn everything they could about this world—about its magic, its hierarchy, and how it all tied back to them.

  And soon, the mysteries of the past would begin to unfold.