REVENGE FROM ME

The Next Day

Naeem woke up with a strange, burning sensation coursing through his body—an aura of fire humming beneath his skin. He sat up, eyes wide with excitement. The first thing he did was test the new power surging within him.

He held out his hand and focused.

A flicker of flame sparked to life in his palm.

It came easily.

Naeem exhaled in relief, a slow smile forming on his face.

Later that morning, he made his way to the training field where he usually taught his students. Within thirty minutes, all of them had arrived, standing in loose lines, eager to begin.

Today's lesson was different. Naeem focused on teaching them how to control and refine their energy with greater precision.

When the session ended, Naeem called out two names: "Razar. Zara. Stay behind."

The others dispersed, but the two students stepped forward, curious.

"I want to show you something," Naeem said.

He stepped into position and concentrated fire energy into his left foot. A small fireball ignited beneath it, glowing with intense heat.

Then, with a sharp stomp, he slammed his foot into the ground.

In an instant, Naeem shot into the air like a blazing rocket, flames trailing behind him. He landed smoothly moments later, dust swirling around his boots.

Razar's jaw dropped. Zara's eyes sparkled with awe.

"Now you try," Naeem said calmly.

Razar went first, but struggled to channel his energy into his foot. The flame wouldn't come.

"Relax," Naeem instructed. "Don't force it—just feel the energy and guide it. Trust the flow."

Razar closed his eyes and tried again. Slowly, as the sun dipped toward the horizon, a tiny fireball flared beneath his foot. It wasn't strong—but it was progress.

Zara, determined not to be outdone, focused all her remaining energy. At the last moment, a flicker of fire ignited under her foot—just before her strength gave out.

After Razar and Zara left, Naeem remained on the field, lost in thought. A new idea had sparked in his mind while he was training Zara.

He thought about muscle memory—how the brain often reacts faster than conscious thought, even before pain registers. What if we could apply that to energy control? he wondered. What if we trained our bodies to respond instinctively, without needing to focus every time?

What if... we used our words instead of our concentration?

If it worked, it would be a massive advantage in battle—no delay, no mental strain, just pure reaction.

He sat beneath the shade of an old mango tree, legs crossed, eyes closed.

He tried.

And failed.

Again. And again.

But Naeem was stubborn. He didn't stop.

Hours passed.

Finally, as the sun dipped low and golden light bathed the field, it happened—just once. He muttered a single word, and a small fireball appeared in his palm. It had taken too long to be practical, but it was a start.

Then he heard footsteps.

A sharp voice followed.

Naeem opened his eyes to see Anisha standing before him, arms crossed, a cute pout of frustration on her face.

"You forgot I was home alone," she said, clearly annoyed. "I got bored waiting—and then Muskan came by and went searching for you."

Naeem blinked, startled. He had completely lost track of time.

"Ah… Sorry, Anny. I didn't mean to. I just... got caught up in something."

He stood up, brushing the dust from his clothes.

With a sheepish grin, he added, "Let's go home."

And together, he and Anisha walked back, the last light of the day following quietly behind them.