The cave was cloaked in shadows, the silence almost suffocating. Flickering torches cast restless light across the jagged walls, dancing over the faces of the gathered Daayans.
Mohana's statue loomed at the center, carved in cold black stone, centuries of malice frozen in its expression. But then—
It shivered.
A low, resonant vibration ran through the statue, sending tremors across the floor. The Daayans froze, every eye wide with awe and anticipation.
"The Daavansh… he's awakening," whispered one of the younger Daayans, voice trembling. "I can feel it—his power is surging."
An elder nodded slowly, lips pressed tight. "This is the moment our clan has been waiting for. Rivanshi… she's gone. The infant they tried to hide from us… gone. But now, the Daavansh will rise. Our hope lies in him."
The statue quivered again, and Mohana's reflection shimmered faintly on the nearby waterfall, her fiery eyes fixed on some distant pulse only she could sense.
"He stirs," she murmured softly, voice echoing as if the cave itself carried it. "The Daavansh… my son's power awakens. And once it is fully unleashed, nothing will remain to challenge us."
The Daayans whispered among themselves, some with reverence, some with fear. Their centuries of plotting, their vengeance, their survival—they now hung on the rise of the Daavansh.
For a moment, the cave fell silent again, as if holding its breath. The statue stopped trembling, but the air remained heavy with the unspoken promise of power yet to be claimed.
Meanwhile, on the empty highway, Pranati staggered back, eyes wide in disbelief.
Arnav…
He wasn't just human anymore.
Monstrous wings unfurled from his back with a terrifying sweep, the membranes stretching like shadows across the dim late-afternoon light. His eyes burned with a hellish orange glow, radiating a heat that made the air around him tremble.
Pranati's chest heaved as she stumbled backward, her mind struggling to comprehend the impossible. "Oh… oh God…" she whispered, voice trembling.
Instinct screamed at her to run. She spun on her heel, dashing toward her scooter. The metallic clink of her keys hitting the handlebar was deafening in her ears. Relief… maybe she could escape.
But then—
Arnav's form shifted. He didn't move like a man. He levitated, the asphalt barely touching his claws as he rose slowly, deliberately. The scooter, Pranati's only means of escape, lifted off the ground in front of her eyes.
Her heart skipped. "No… no… no!" she shrieked.
Before she could react, he slammed the scooter violently against the tarmac. The impact sent a metallic screech into the air, sparks flying from the twisted frame. Pieces of it bounced across the road as Pranati staggered, shielding herself with trembling arms.
Arnav advanced, each step deliberate, wings stretching wider, casting a monstrous shadow that swallowed the sunlight. Pranati's breath caught in her throat; terror clawed at her chest.
She turned, panic flooding her, her mind racing for any possible escape. But there was nowhere to run.
Somewhere deep inside, she knew: this wasn't just a man anymore.
This… was something far beyond human.
Pranati's legs shook as she ran, her breaths coming in sharp, ragged gasps. Every step felt heavier than the last, her heart hammering in her chest like it would burst through her ribs. Branches scraped her arms and face, roots clawed at her feet, and the shadows around her twisted like living things.
Oh God… oh God… this is it… this is my dream… it's real! she thought, panic surging through her veins. Her hands trembled as she pushed herself harder, stumbling over a root and barely catching herself against a tree.
Above her, the shadow moved with terrifying grace. Wings—massive, jagged, and monstrous—beat the air, each stroke sending a gust that rustled the leaves and made the forest tremble. Arnav. His hellish orange eyes glowed, fixed on her.
Pranati screamed, stumbling again, her voice echoing through the trees. "No… stay away… please… someone… help!"
Her mind raced. I can't fight him… I can't outrun him… what do I do? The fear was crushing, each heartbeat hammering with the certainty that he was closing in.
Her body shook uncontrollably as adrenaline surged. Sweat stung her eyes, and tears blurred her vision, but she didn't stop. She couldn't. I have to survive… I have to…
The jungle around her seemed alive with menace. Every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig, sounded like him drawing closer. She dared a glance over her shoulder and saw those blazing eyes tracking her, calculating, inevitable.
Pranati's chest heaved. Her legs quivered so violently she thought she might collapse, but sheer terror pushed her forward. This was my nightmare… and it's happening. I'm trapped… and he's coming…
The predator above, the Daavansh, moved like a shadow made of fire and fury, gliding over the treetops, wings cutting the air with a dreadful rhythm. Pranati's scream echoed again, raw and trembling.
Her pulse raced, her hands shook, and her very soul seemed to tremble with fear. Yet she forced her feet to move, driven by a singular, desperate thought: I must live. I must survive.