Cold rainwater dripped from Garud's hair.
A sharp voice cut through the darkness.
"गरुड़… उठ! गरुड़!"
His eyes fluttered open.
Blurry shapes slowly formed into a familiar face.
Karan.
Mud-stained, breathing hard, fear still etched on his face.
"तू ज़िंदा है!" Karan said, gripping his shoulders.
"I thought you were dead."
Garud tried to speak, but his throat felt dry. His body was heavy, as if he had been pulled back from somewhere far away.
He slowly sat up.
The temple lay in ruins around them.
No storm.
No rain.
No gate.
Only broken stone and the faint smell of smoke.
Dream… or Reality?
Garud pressed his hand against his chest.
Lord Shiva… the gate… the voice…
His heart raced.
Was it a dream?
He looked at Karan.
"तूने… कुछ अजीब देखा?"
"Did you see anything strange?"
Karan shook his head.
"सिर्फ तू ज़मीन पर पड़ा था। और बिजली… बस वही।"
Garud lowered his gaze.
So it was only me…
Confusion gnawed at his mind.
The Rudraksha
Karan suddenly turned toward the Shivling.
Despite the destruction, it stood untouched—calm, unbroken.
Something caught his eye.
Resting gently on the Shivling was a Panch-Mukhi Rudraksha.
Clean.
Dry.
As if the storm had never touched it.
"ये तो पहले यहाँ नहीं था…" Karan murmured.
He picked it up and placed it in Garud's palm.
"रख ले। शायद भगवान की कृपा हो।"
The moment Garud closed his fingers around it—
Nothing happened.
No light.
No pain.
No voice.
Just a bead.
Garud let out a slow breath.
Definitely a dream…
The Calm After Chaos
The sky above them was clear.
The storm had ended as suddenly as it began.
No thunder.
No wind.
Only silence.
Garud stood up, still unsteady.
"चल… घर चलते हैं," he said quietly.
"Let's go home."
Karan nodded.
Neither of them noticed—
The Rudraksha had grown slightly warm.
Somewhere Beyond
In a realm beyond sight…
A pair of eyes opened.