Chapter 11: The Village of Blood Bond
Aarav placed his hand on Kiyan's shoulder. "If we have to save Arushi Didi, we must go to Kalprant. We'll find some answers there."
Kiyan nodded, a determination in his eyes. Just then, the room door opened and Arushi entered, lines of worry on her face.
"Where are you all going?" There was a strange tremor in her voice.
Aarav and Kiyan looked at each other. Aarav turned to his sister and said, "Didi, we're just… going for some important work."
Arushi's eyes fixed on Aarav's face, as if she was reading the lie hidden behind his eyes. "I heard everything, Aarav. Virbhadra… Kalprant… what is all this?"
Aarav looked at Kiyan for help, then back at his sister. "Didi, we'll be back very soon. Don't worry."
"I'm coming too," Arushi said firmly.
Aarav placed his hand on his sister's shoulder, his voice a mixture of a brother's love and a warrior's seriousness. "No, Didi. You will stay here. If you come with us, it will cause more trouble for us. Virbhadra is targeting you. You need to stay safe."
Tears came to Arushi's eyes. "But Aarav—"
"No, Didi," Aarav said firmly. "You have to stay here. We'll all be back very soon."
Arushi took a long breath, then said softly, "Okay… but take care of yourselves."
Aarav hugged her, whispering in her ear, "Didi, you take care too. I promise, everything will be fine."
Karishma peeked through the door and said, "Let's go, friends. Time is short."
Nayan jingled his keys. "Let's go!"
Aarav took out his bike. Kiyan sat behind him, his hands resting on Aarav's waist with a strange uncertainty. Nayan took out his bike and Karishma sat behind him. The four friends set off toward Kalprant, with the scent of an invisible danger in the air.
On the other side, in the darkness of a cave, Virbhadra was completing his preparations. He gathered wood, pieces of bones, vermilion, ritual materials, and brought a rooster. He lit a fire in the Agni Kund (sacred fire pit) , added wood, then the ritual materials. Sitting in lotus position, he began chanting Naad Sutra (sacred vibrational chants) . The cave filled with his echoing chants, every word bouncing off the walls and returning, as if an invisible creature was answering him.
Virbhadra applied vermilion on his forehead, then held the rooster in one hand and a knife in the other. Taking the rooster over the burning fire of the Agni Kund , he severed its neck with the knife. A stream of blood fell into the fire, causing it to blaze fiercely, turning into blue and green flames. He threw the rooster's body into the Agni Kund and chanted loudly.
The fire of the Agni Kund blazed intensely. Virbhadra grew happy, a mad gleam in his eyes. "It's time for your arrival," he muttered and began offering oblations into the ritual.
Smoke began to emanate from the cave, and a bright light burst forth. Virbhadra's laughter echoed in the cave, a laughter filled with centuries of madness and hunger.
The four friends reached a village that seemed trapped in time. After stopping the bikes and dismounting, they began to walk forward.
Aarav looked at Kiyan and said, "Kiyan, do you really know? Is this entire place Kalprant?"
Kiyan nodded slowly. "Yes, Aarav. Mother had told me about this place."
Nayan said, "Then let's go forward."
Kiyan nodded and everyone began to move ahead. Reaching the village, they saw some people wearing clothes that seemed from another era. The men wore dhotis below the waist and kurtas above, while the women wore sarees and covered their heads with the pallu. The villagers stared at the four as they approached, and everyone's eyes fixed on Karishma.
Karishma looked at Nayan, feeling uncomfortable. Just then, a woman from the village, who had her face covered with her pallu, came to Karishma and covered her with her own saree without saying a word.
Karishma, Nayan, and Aarav were startled. The woman took Karishma's hand and began to lead her inside a house. Nayan stepped forward, but Kiyan stopped him. "Nayan, stay there."
Nayan stopped. Then a man came to Kiyan and said, "Come, come, sit."
Aarav was surprised to see this. Kiyan began to move forward with them, and Nayan and Aarav followed.
A wooden cot was placed in the sun outside a village house. The man gestured for them to sit on it. Aarav, Kiyan, and Nayan sat on the cot.
Aarav whispered in Kiyan's ear, "What is all this? Why are these people so strange?"
Kiyan said softly, "Nothing is wrong. These people live far from the city. So their behavior is different from ordinary people."
Aarav was about to say something when a woman came from inside the house with glasses of water and placed them in front of them. Kiyan picked up a glass, and Aarav and Nayan also began to drink water. Then the woman took the glasses and went back inside.
The man sitting in front of them said, "So tell me, who are you and where do you come from? You don't seem from nearby villages… are you from the city?"
Aarav said, "Yes, we are from the city."
The man looked Aarav up and down and said, "I see… so you're from the city. Tell me, what work do you have in our village?"
Aarav looked at Kiyan and said, "Actually, we want to know about Virbhad"
Just then, Karishma came from inside the house and said, "Aarav! What is going on? These people are forcing me to wear a saree!"
Nayan went to Karishma. "What happened?"
Kiyan went to Karishma and said softly, "Karishma, the women here only wear sarees."
Karishma said, "But Kiyan"
Kiyan stopped her. "Karishma, we have to live by their rules while we're here."
Karishma fell silent. Then a woman came from inside and began to lead Karishma back inside.
The man said, "Our women don't speak in public."
Kiyan said, "We are from the city, so—"
The man said, "It's fine. My name is Vikram Singh. And yours?"
Kiyan said, "My name is Kiyan, and these are my friends Aarav and Nayan, and our friend Karishma is inside."
Aarav stared at Kiyan. Kiyan lowered his eyes.
Vikram asked, "So, what work has brought you to our village?"
Kiyan said, "We want… we want to know about Virbhadra."
Vikram jumped up and thundered, "What? About Virbhadra?" He pulled out a knife from his waist. "Get out of here! And never come back!"
Nayan and Aarav also stood up. Hearing Vikram's voice, Karishma came outside.
Vikram shouted, "Hey boys! I told you, get out of here! Don't even take his name in this village!"
Just then, the village headman arrived and said, "Stop, Vikram! What happened?"
Everyone looked at the headman. The headman came and said, "What happened, Vikram?"
Vikram lowered his eyes and said, "Headman ji, these boys are from the city and are asking about Virbhadra."
The headman was startled to hear Virbhadra's name and said angrily, "What? About Virbhadra?" He looked at Aarav and Kiyan, then picked up his stick and moved to hit Nayan. "Hey boy! How dare you ask about Virbhadra?"
He was about to hit Nayan with the stick when the stick stopped in mid-air. The headman and everyone looked at the stick. It was suspended in the air. The black-haired headman and everyone were looking at Karishma.
Karishma's eyes had begun to glow golden, and her braid was waving in the air. She threw the stick away. The headman and everyone were frightened seeing Karishma. The headman shouted, "This… this is a Chhayagrasini (witch-like entity) !" And he began to run.
Aarav went to Karishma and said, "Calm down, Karishma! Nayan is fine, we are all fine!"
Karishma calmed down and shortened her braid. Aarav went to the headman and said, "Don't be afraid! She won't hurt you! She is not evil!"
Aarav caught the headman's hand and said, "Uncle, don't be afraid!"
The headman saw the mark of the Aadisrashta Chakra (divine discus of the creator) on Aarav's wrist and shouted, "You… you are a Devanshik (divinely blessed one) !"
Hearing the headman's words, all the surrounding villagers fell to their knees and bowed their heads. The headman also fell to his knees and bowed his head.
Aarav, Nayan, and Karishma looked at each other, astonished. What… what was all this?
And far away, in a cave, Virbhadra opened his eyes. There was a triumphant gleam in his eyes. "They've come… finally they've come. And now… now you will all fall into my trap."
He began to laugh, and the cave echoed with his evil, venomous laughter.
© 2026 Aaryaveda. All rights reserved.
Do not copy or repost without permission