Ch. 5: Chapter 5 — The Last Sunrise

The final encounter came without warning.

Just before dawn.

The ridge exploded with motion. This time, they did not retreat.

Arjun and Raghav fought side by side as the world shrank into noise and smoke.

When it ended, the valley was still again.

Arjun collapsed in the snow. Raghav knelt beside him, bleeding but smiling.

“We held,” Raghav whispered.

The sun rose.

Golden light spilled across the border, across their frozen boots, across the flag that still flew.

Arjun looked at the sky.

“My sister will wake up safe today.”

Raghav nodded.

“So will millions.”

They stood there as the morning warmed the mountains.

Unseen. Uncelebrated. Unbreakable.

The Indian border soldiers.