Kartik looked toward the half-opened doors, the strange silver glow reflecting in his eyes. "I don't know about fun," he muttered, "but… something tells me it's going to be big."
The soft hum of wind swept through the hallway.
Master Naval raised his hand — a silent signal.
And just as the doors began to open wider, the light spilling further in—
the scene faded.
The night of Chaaya was only a step away. 🌙
Kartik took another step toward the door.
A pale light blossomed before his eyes, and that same voice inside his mind whispered again,
"Come, my child… move forward."
He wasn't outside the door,
but not truly inside it either.
He stood in that thin, trembling space between both worlds—
a place where choices don't just appear… they grow louder, heavier, impossible to ignore.
His heartbeat echoed in his ears, matching the faint hum of the glowing doorway.
For a moment, even the air felt still, as if the world itself was waiting for his next move.
Shadows stretched and bent around him, forming shapes that vanished the second he looked at them.
A strange warmth touched his fingertips, like the door was inviting him… or testing him.
Kartik swallowed, his breath shaky.
Every instinct in him screamed that whatever lay ahead wasn't ordinary.
It was a path that could change everything—
and once he stepped through, there would be no turning back.
As soon as Kartik stepped outside the doorway, the world around him changed completely. The entire sky was glowing under the light of the Silver Moon. It wasn't just bright — it looked alive. A soft silver shine spread across the clouds, the ground, even the air, as if someone had painted everything with moonlight.
The stars were brighter than he had ever seen before. They didn't look like distant points in the sky — they looked closer, clearer, almost like thousands of tiny lights floating in the darkness to welcome the night of Chaaya.
The wind was calm and cool, carrying a faint shimmer with it. Every shadow moved softly, every surface reflected a pale glow, and the whole sky seemed to pulse with gentle light. It felt like the world was holding its breath.
Kartik had never seen anything so beautiful.
For a moment he forgot everything — the fear, the confusion, the questions — and just stood there, staring at the glowing night around him. It looked nothing like Earth. It looked like a different heaven altogether.
Kartik was so lost in the silvery glow of Chaaya's night that the world around him had completely faded away.
The sky shimmered like it had been painted with liquid moonlight, and every star seemed to hum softly, welcoming him.
Ira stepped beside him, her presence gentle, almost blending with the quiet magic of the night.
"Beautiful… isn't it?" she said, her voice carrying a warmth that matched the glow above.
Kartik turned, a little startled, his eyes wide with awe.
"I've never seen anything this beautiful before," he breathed out.
"It feels unreal… like I'm dreaming."
He looked back at the glowing sky.
"For a second, it felt like this was my destination… like I was supposed to end up here."
Ira watched him silently, a tiny smile forming, as if she understood more than she said.
Kartik stood under the vast sky, completely still, as if the silver moon itself had wrapped him in its glow.
The light was soft yet powerful, brushing against his skin like a calm breath. The air smelled faintly of cold stone and blooming night-flowers, and every distant sound seemed to hush itself, giving the moment a quiet sacredness.
He was so lost in the beauty that he didn't even hear the footsteps approaching.
Ira stopped beside him, her eyes also lifted toward the radiant moon. The silver light danced across her face, softening her features, making her look gentler than she ever allowed herself to seem.
"It's beautiful… isn't it?" she said, her voice low but warm—almost hopeful, as if she wanted him to feel the magic she grew up believing in.
Kartik turned to her, his expression spellbound. The reflection of the moon shimmered in his eyes.
"I've never seen anything this beautiful before," he said quietly.
"It feels unreal… like I'm dreaming."
He exhaled slowly, as if releasing something he carried for too long.
"For a moment, it felt like… this was where I was meant to be. Like all my steps, all the chaos… brought me right here."
Ira's lips curved into a small, soft smile—one she didn't show often.
She looked at Kartik not as a stranger from another world, but as someone who, in this exact moment, shared a connection with the same sky she grew up worshipping.
A breeze passed them, lifting a few strands of her hair, and she gently brushed them behind her ear.
Her eyes softened even more.
"Chaaya's light does that," she whispered, almost to herself.
"It makes people feel seen… even when they're lost."
And for a brief second, both of them simply stood there—two souls from different worlds—silent under the silver moon that touched everything but felt like it was shining only for them.
As Kartik stood there, letting the silver glow wash over him, his eyes slowly drifted toward the people gathered nearby—the same faces he had seen earlier in the hallway.
But now, under Chaaya's moon, they looked completely different.
Some stood with folded hands, heads bowed.
Some knelt quietly, eyes closed.
A few whispered prayers into their palms, as if afraid the wind might steal their words.
They weren't just looking at the moon…
They were seeking something from it.
In the gentle silver light, Kartik could feel the weight in the air—an unspoken hope, fragile but sincere.
It was as if everyone around him carried a belief so deep that it shaped the night itself.
They prayed for their hardships to end, for their wounds—seen and unseen—to finally rest.
Their faces, touched by Chaaya's glow, didn't look defeated.
They looked… faithful.
For a moment, Kartik felt their emotions hit him like a soft tide.
Their hope, their pain, their longing—it all blended with the stillness of the night.
It was a strange, powerful sight.
A crowd of people, broken by their circumstances yet holding onto one shared belief:
"Tonight, our suffering might finally end."
And somehow, Kartik found himself silently hoping the same for them.
Just then, Master Naval stepped forward, the silver light outlining his figure like a quiet halo.
The crowd instantly straightened, their murmurs fading into a respectful silence.
His voice carried through the open space—steady, warm, and filled with the strength of someone who had endured far more than he showed.
"My people," he began, his eyes moving across every face,
"I believe the time is no longer far… the time when we will finally be able to live with peace again."
A soft ripple went through the gathering—hope, stirring where fear had lived for so long.
Naval looked up at the glowing moon, and for a moment it seemed as if Chaaya's light brightened just for him.
"Tonight," he continued, "Chaaya shines brighter than she has in many moons. It feels as though she herself has come to tell us something… as if she wants her voice to be heard."
The people listened with breath held, their faith anchoring them in the moment.
"And so, my friends," Naval said gently but firmly,
"I ask you to stand with me. Let us pray together to Chaaya… let us ask her to end this long hour of suffering."
A hush settled—deep, reverent.
"Tonight, we seek her help not just for ourselves, but for every life she watches over."
His words lingered in the shimmering air, wrapping around the crowd like a promise—quiet, but full of strength.
The moment Master Naval's final words faded into the night, a deep stillness settled over the crowd.
Nobody moved.
Nobody whispered.
It was as if the entire world paused… waiting.
Then, slowly, people began to step forward—forming a wide circle beneath the open sky, right where the silver moonlight fell strongest. The soft glow pooled on the ground like liquid light, and everyone gathered within it as if entering something sacred.
Small crystal lanterns were lit one by one, their pale flames swaying gently in the cool air.
A low hum began—soft, rhythmic—rising from the throats of the elders as they initiated the old chant passed down for generations.
Kartik stood still, watching everything with widening eyes.
This wasn't just a ritual.
It was something alive… something powerful.
The air felt charged, vibrating faintly as if responding to the collective hope of the people.
Even Lyra and Rayan—who rarely stayed serious—joined the formation without a trace of mischief on their faces.
Ira moved closer to Kartik, her eyes fixed on the moon above.
There was a certain calm in her expression, but also a depth he hadn't seen before—like this night meant far more to her than she could put into words.
Master Naval raised his hand.
The chanting deepened.
The wind slowed.
And the silver moon seemed to glow just a little brighter… as if Chaaya herself was listening.
The ritual had begun.
The vast open field stretched endlessly under the silver glow of Chaaya's night. The soft grass moved with the wind, shimmering gently like waves touched by moonlight.
People gathered slowly in the center of the maidaan, forming a wide circle. The small lamps they carried cast warm, trembling halos, glowing softly in the open dark.
When the prayers began, the entire field grew quiet—
not because the earth was listening, but because everyone held their breath at the same time…
as if the moment itself demanded silence.
Kartik and Ira stepped forward and joined the circle.
Before beginning, Kartik glanced at Ira.
She gave him a calm, reassuring nod, the silver light touching her face and making her look almost otherworldly.
They folded their hands.
Ira closed her eyes, her expression peaceful, as if she carried her own quiet strength.
Kartik felt something shift inside him.
Standing in the middle of that vast field, surrounded by hundreds of souls hoping for their suffering to finally end…
he felt a warmth, a strange sense of belonging.
But most of all, he felt a soft, silent connection with the girl beside him—
a bond that didn't need words.
The whisper of prayers began to rise, carried gently by the wind.
The moonlight, the open sky, the glowing lamps, and the hopeful voices around them created a moment that felt sacred.
And in that still, glowing night, Kartik and Ira prayed… together.
As soon as the people — and Kartik — closed their eyes…
As soon as Kartik closed his eyes, everything around him dissolved—
and in the very next heartbeat, he found himself drifting in a completely new place…
or perhaps a new dimension altogether.
He was floating in an endless, boundless realm—
a space with no sky, no ground, no horizon… only an infinite expanse of shimmering nothingness.
A place where sound felt muted, and even his own heartbeat echoed like a distant memory.
And then—
through the glowing haze of that strange void—
a faint silhouette began to take shape.
The outline of a girl.
Blurred… distant… almost unreal.
Yet unmistakably there.
That blurred silhouette hovered quietly in the glowing void—
until suddenly, a soft voice drifted toward Kartik.
It felt close… yet far… like it was speaking inside his mind rather than from in front of him.
"What happened, Kartik?
You look… quite surprised."
The voice was gentle, almost playful—
as if the girl behind that hazy outline already knew him,
already understood the confusion swirling inside him.
Kartik's breath caught for a moment.
That voice shouldn't have been familiar…
but somehow, it was.
Kartik steadied himself, eyes darting around the endless glowing realm.
His voice trembled slightly as he called out to the shadowed figure:
"W-who are you?
And where… where am I?
What is this place?
And you—who exactly are you?"
His words echoed strangely, as if the dimension itself was repeating them back to him.
The blurred girl's outline didn't move, but Kartik could feel her attention shift toward him—calm, unhurried, almost amused.
The girl's shadowy silhouette began to move—swiftly, almost playfully—circling around Kartik with a weightless grace. Her voice echoed from every direction at once as she said:
"Who am I?
Call me whatever you like.
Some call me air.
Some call me light.
Some believe in me… and some don't.
Some use my name to deceive people,
and some use it to help them.
As for where you are—
I brought you here.
There's nothing to fear.
You can relax."
She slowed her motion, her form still blurry, still unreadable.
"And if you want to know who I truly am…"
her voice softened, almost amused—
"ask your grandmother."
Kartik's eyes widened, his voice trembling with confusion and disbelief.
"W–why my grandmother?" he blurted out, almost stumbling over his words.
He stared at the shifting silhouette, shock tightening in his chest.
"H-how do you even know my grandma?
And why did you bring me here?
What is this place, and… what do you want from me?"
His voice echoed into the endless realm, filled with panic, curiosity, and a rising fear he couldn't hide anymore.
The silhouette drifted closer, her form still blurred like mist caught in moonlight.
"Don't be afraid, Kartik," she repeated softly.
"I brought you here because the path ahead of you… isn't ordinary."
Kartik felt the space around him pulse gently, as if the entire realm was breathing with her words.
The figure continued, her voice echoing from everywhere and nowhere at once,
"You stepped into Chaaya's night… and that alone has set things into motion.
Threads that were silent for years have begun to move again because of you."
She circled him slowly, a breeze following the motion.
"Your arrival in this world was not an accident.
And now, the real beginning… the one tied to your bloodline and your fate… is finally awakening."
A moment of silence stretched—heavy, meaningful.
"Be ready, Kartik," she whispered.
"Because what comes next will test who you are… and who you choose to become."
The shadowed figure slowed her circling, her form flickering like smoke caught in moonlight.
For a moment, she didn't speak—almost as if choosing her words carefully.
Then, in a soft, echoing voice, she said:
"Kartik… some truths are not given—
they are earned."
She drifted closer, her presence warm but impossible to touch.
"If I tell you everything now, you will break under the weight of it.
Your journey must unfold step by step… just as hers once did."
Kartik's eyes widened.
"Hers? You mean—my grandmother?"
A faint, almost nostalgic laugh escaped the silhouette.
"Yes. The one you call Daadi.
She walked the path of Chaaya long before you ever took your first breath."
Kartik froze.
A hundred questions crashed in his mind, but before he could speak again, the silhouette raised a hand made of shimmering light.
"You want answers…
and you will get them.
But not here. Not yet."
Kartik suddenly paused, his eyes narrowing as the realization hit him.
"Wait a second… you said Chaaya ki raat.
Does that mean… you are Chaaya?" he asked, his voice unsteady with shock.
At this, Chaaya let out a soft, knowing laugh.
"Yes… I am Chaaya. And from now on, this will be our secret, Kartik."
She began to drift backward, her form dissolving into the glowing mist.
"Now then… I should leave," Chaaya said gently as she faded away.
"And I will return," Chaaya added softly, her voice echoing like a whisper in the wind,
"whenever you need me."
Kartik blinked, trying to process everything, but before he could speak again, the shimmering outline of Chaaya began to blur—like smoke losing its shape.
"Remember this, Kartik…" her fading voice lingered in the air,
"your journey has already begun, even if you haven't realized it yet."
The realm around him rippled, light bending and twisting as if reality itself was folding away. A sudden pull grabbed his chest—gentle but undeniable—dragging him backward.
Kartik reached out instinctively.
"W-wait—Chaaya!"
But she was gone.
And the next moment, everything turned white.
And in the very next moment, he was pulled back—as if someone had yanked him straight out of that endless realm.
A sharp breath escaped him.
Suddenly, Kartik found himself back in the real world, standing among everyone else once again—right under the soft, silver glow of the Chaaya Night. The cool light poured down from the sky, washing over the entire field, and the murmurs of people praying quietly surrounded him.
His chest rose and fell rapidly.
Just a second ago… he was in another dimension.
And now… he was here again, as if nothing had happened.
But Kartik knew very well—
Something had changed.
Something had begun.
Kartik stood completely still, trying to steady his breath. The silver glow of Chaaya Night wrapped around him, but now… it felt different. Warmer. Almost alive.
He looked around.
No one else seemed to notice anything unusual—everyone was still praying, eyes closed, faces calm. Even Ira stood a little ahead, palms pressed together, her expression peaceful.
Only Kartik knew what had just happened.
Only he had heard Chaaya's voice.
Only he had seen that shadowed form calling his name.
A faint shiver ran down his spine.
A: And yet, beneath all that confusion, a strange sense of purpose sparked quietly inside him—like a small flame waiting to grow. As if the world had whispered a secret meant only for him. He didn't understand it, not yet… but he could feel it. Something was moving. Something was coming.
He slowly lifted his gaze toward the glowing sky.
Chaaya had said she would return.
She had said this was the beginning.
Kartik swallowed hard, the silver moon reflecting in his eyes.
Whatever path he had stepped onto…
there was no going back now.
The night felt calm—
but destiny had already started shifting around him.