The night was quiet, almost too quiet. The streetlights flickered weakly, casting broken shadows across the empty road. A stray cat padded silently along, disappearing into the darkness.
A teenage girl walked alone, her phone pressed to her ear. "No worries, I'm almost home. See you tomorrow. Love you, bye." She ended the call and slipped the phone into her pocket.
Her footsteps echoed against the silence, each sound bouncing off the empty street. But soon, she noticed something strange—the rhythm of the steps didn't match. There was another set of footsteps, faint but steady, following her.
Her heart skipped. She turned quickly. A man was walking behind her, the only other figure on the deserted road.
She faced forward again, quickening her pace. The man did the same, closing the distance between them.
His voice broke the silence. "It isn't safe to walk alone on a dark road like this."
The woman looked at the man. She was frightened inside but didn't show it outwardly. With a faint smile she replied, "No problem, I walk this same route every day."
The man walked beside her, scanning her from head to toe. "Is that so? Strange, I've never seen you before. Where is your home?"
The woman glanced around, but the street was empty. She answered firmly, "That's none of your business."
The man smiled, his tone unsettling. "If your house is too far, you can come to mine. It's nearby—you could spend the night there."
The woman instantly understood his motive. His look was disturbing, and fear rose inside her. She avoided his eyes and replied quickly, "No thanks."
She picked up her pace, walking faster. But the man didn't stop—he sped up too, following close behind. It felt less like walking and more like a chase: she in front, him right behind.
While moving quickly, she pulled out her phone and dialed. Her steps hurried, desperate to escape, as she called the police. The line connected. "Hello, Police station… someone is follo—"
Just as she was about to report, a hand suddenly clamped over her mouth from behind. It was the same man. Her eyes widened in shock, muffled sounds escaping as she struggled to speak. He snatched her phone and ended the call.
Fear surged through her. This was exactly what she had dreaded and now it was happening. The man dragged her toward a side wall where the street was darker, far from any nearby houses. He shoved her against the empty wall. She fought to break free, but he pinned her. One hand gripping her wrist tightly behind her back, the other covering her mouth. Their faces were inches apart.
Her eyes trembled with fear as she tried to scream, but no sound came out. The man leaned closer and whispered, "Don't worry… it will be quick."
Her heart pounded. Tears welled up as she struggled harder, desperate to escape. He was about to touch her when a sudden noise echoed nearby. Distracted, the man turned his head.
She seized the moment. Summoning all her strength, fuelled by fear and adrenaline, she shoved him with everything she had. The push wasn't enough to knock him down completely, but it created an opening. She broke free and ran.
The man regained his balance and chased after her. She turned sharply at a corner, his footsteps pounding close behind. But then—something struck his head.
He staggered, struggling to keep his balance, and looked up. A figure stood ahead, dressed entirely in black, face hidden behind a mask. The features were impossible to see in the dark.
In that instant, he realized the figure had attacked him. Before he could react, the masked stranger drove a needle into his neck. His body weakened, his vision blurred, and his strength drained away.
He collapsed onto the road, powerless. The last thing he saw before darkness swallowed him was the masked figure standing silently over him.
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Meanwhile, as expected, Bhairava woke inside his dream. He found himself standing at the centre of a football ground, wearing his college team jersey. A roaring crowd surrounded the field, cheering his name.
He looked around in confusion. "Am I… playing football?" he thought.
His eyes turned toward the goalpost. The opposing team stood ready to block, and the ball rested at his feet. It looked like a penalty shot.
His thoughts continued, "Yes… I remember. I have to shoot now."
The pressure was immense. His teammates watched with tense faces, the opponents braced themselves to defend. The entire match depended on this one goal.
Bhairava took a few steps forward and kicked the ball with all his strength. It flew at incredible speed. The defenders lunged desperately, trying to stop it.
The ball curved toward the edge of the goalpost. For a moment, everyone thought it was going out. But at the last second, it bent smoothly and slipped inside, brushing the post.
The goalkeeper stretched out, but it was too late. The ball crossed the line. The crowd erupted in thunderous cheers.
His teammates rushed to him, lifted him high, and celebrated the victory. Bhairava smiled, happiness flooding him. As the crowd lifted Bhairava up in celebration, his eyes caught something unusual. At the corner of a building, a figure stood silently, cloaked in a black hood. Bhairava had seen this figure once before in a past dream.
The moment his eyes met it, a strange, unexplainable feeling surged through him. He knew instantly—this was one of the figures that had haunted his dreams not long ago. The very fear he had been searching for, the answer he dreaded, was now standing before him. And it was staring directly at him.
Without wasting a second, Bhairava leapt down from his teammates and rushed toward the spot. But when he reached it, the figure was gone. He scanned the surroundings, his thoughts racing. "I saw it here… just a glance, but I know it was real."
Then, something above caught his attention. Something long was flying across the sky. His heart sank as he followed its movement with his eyes, silently wishing it wasn't what he feared.
Far in the distance, a lone tree stood. On one of its branches, the flying shape landed. Bhairava's breath caught.
It was the figure he both dreaded and longed to see. The White Raven.
The bird perched silently on the branch, its pale feathers glowing faintly in the dreamlight, its gaze locked on Bhairava.
Bhairava looked at the Raven and suddenly, time stopped. Everything around him froze: the crowd, the birds in the sky, even a stray dog. It was as if the entire world had turned to stone.
The Raven tilted its head, almost in confusion, while Bhairava began to walk slowly across the frozen ground. He realized the stillness wasn't caused by the Raven—it was his own doing. He had controlled the dream, halting time itself. Yet the Raven remained untouched, moving freely within the frozen world.
Step by step, Bhairava approached the lone tree. The Raven sat motionless on its branch and watching him. Then, without warning, its eyes glowed a deep, burning red.
Their gazes locked. Bhairava's eyes widened in shock. "No way…" he whispered.
Then, slowly, his lips curved into a smile. "As I thought… you're not part of my dream, huh?"
The Raven tilted its head, and a voice echoed inside Bhairava's mind. "Not bad. You're smarter than I imagined."
A chill ran through him. He was scared, yet at the same time, something inside him stirred with excitement. He had suffered because of this Raven before—the fear, the pain, the endless nights haunted by its presence. He had wished never to see it again. But now that it stood before him, his mind burned with questions. What was it really? Why did it keep appearing? And knowing it wasn't part of his dream only made him more eager.
Bhairava smiled with a strange thrill. "I knew you would come someday. Who are you?"
The voice inside his head replied calmly, "It seems you are no longer afraid of me."
But the truth was different. Deep down, Bhairava still remembered the suffering the Raven had caused him. The fear was real, the pain unforgettable. Yet for some reason, he had been waiting for this moment. The need to uncover the mystery was stronger than his fear.
In an instant, the Raven vanished from the tree branch. When Bhairava blinked, it was standing right in front of him, its glowing red eyes locked onto his.
The voice whispered again, sharper this time. "Or maybe… you're only pretending to be brave?"
Bhairava held its gaze, refusing to look away. His voice was steady, though his heart raced. "Who said I was afraid of you? Why should I fear? There is nothing in you to fear."
Bhairava tried to act brave, but his trembling hands betrayed him. He forced a smile as he stared into the Raven's glowing eyes. The bird tilted its head, watching him closely.
Bhairava spoke, his voice steady though his body shook. "After all, this is my dream. I'm the one in control here. You exist inside my head now. I have no reason to be afraid."
A cold voice echoed behind him. "Is that so?"
Startled, Bhairava spun around—and there it was. The Raven had appeared right in front of him, closer than before. He stumbled back a few steps, fear rising in his chest. He was terrified, but he refused to let it show.
The voice continued, sharper now, cutting through his thoughts. "Your dream, huh? How pathetic. You must learn to think beyond the box. Just because you've awakened your consciousness inside the dream doesn't mean you control everything."
The Raven's eyes glowed brighter, turning into burning red orbs. A strange aura surrounded it, pulsing with power, and a force seemed to radiate outward. The voice continued, heavier now. "You don't even understand the dream. Not you, not anyone in this world. Humans have never had the capability to understand it."
The Raven flew closer, its aura pressing against Bhairava like a storm. His eyes widened in shock as he whispered, "What… no way…"
Around him, the scenery began to shift. The ground darkened, the trees turned brittle and brown, the grass faded into dry autumn colors. The entire dreamscape transformed, and Bhairava realized with horror that it wasn't his doing—it was the Raven's.
The voice rang out again. "Do you still believe you have all the control here?"
Bhairava clenched his fists. He refused to accept defeat. Closing his eyes, he focused with all his strength. Slowly, the scenery began to change again, this time under his will. From where he stood, the land brightened, spreading outward in waves. The grass turned green, the trees blossomed, and the sky shifted into a clear, bright blue, like a pleasant spring day.
He opened his eyes and saw the transformation. A smile spread across his face, radiant with triumph.
The voice echoed again. "You won't accept defeat, huh?"
Suddenly, the scenery shifted. The world around him turned into a frozen wasteland. Heavy winds howled, snow fell thick and fast, and everything was covered in white. The Raven was gone, but its presence lingered.
Bhairava clenched his jaw and fought back. He reshaped the dream, turning the snow into a lush green valley. A shimmering lake appeared before him, with a waterfall cascading down from a forest above. The sight was beautiful, alive, and full of color.
But the victory didn't last. The scenery twisted again, transforming into a desert. A violent sandstorm raged across the barren land, and Bhairava stood alone in the storm. Confusion filled his mind. "This is my dream… I can feel it. So how is it being controlled by something else?"
The storm drew closer, swirling around him. Bhairava stood firm, thoughts racing. At the last moment, he raised his hand. As the storm touched him, the sand dissolved into countless butterflies. They scattered into the forest, filling the air with beauty. The desert melted away, replaced by greenery once more.
But the battle continued. The scenery shifted again—this time into a fog‑covered lake. The mist was so dense that nothing could be seen. Bhairava concentrated, reshaping it again.