✨ Chapter 1: Death Was Just The Beginning
Raat ke 2 baje the.
Aasman me bijli chamak rahi thi… aur baarish sheher ko dhone jaise gir rahi thi.
Aarav bhaag raha tha.
Uska saans tez chal raha tha… dil zor-zor se dhadak raha tha.
"Why… why are they chasing me…?" usne darr ke saath peeche mud kar dekha.
Andhera.
Lekin us andhere me kuch tha.
Kuch zinda.
Kuch jo insaan nahi tha.
Achanak ek kaali shadow zameen se nikli… aur uske saamne aa khadi hui.
Aarav ruk gaya.
Uski aankhon me sirf darr tha.
"End of the line…" ek thandi awaaz goonji.
Agla pal…
SLASH!
Sab khatam.
Aarav zameen par gir gaya.
Khoon dheere-dheere sadak par failne laga…
Uski aankhen dheere band ho gayi.
"Bas… itna hi tha meri life?" usne socha.
Aur phir…
Darkness. Complete darkness.
🌑 Unknown Space
Aarav ne aankhen kholi.
Lekin wo zinda tha.
"Main… mar gaya tha na?" usne confused ho kar kaha.
Uske aas-paas sirf andhera tha.
Na zameen, na aasman.
Tabhi ek awaaz aayi…
"Tum mar chuke ho."
Aarav ka dil ruk sa gaya.
"Phir main yahan kya kar raha hoon?!"
Awaaz halki si hansi…
"Tumhe wapas bheja ja raha hai."
"Kyuuun?" Aarav chillaaya.
Kuch second ke liye sab chup ho gaya.
Phir…
"Kyuki tum… chosen ho."
Aarav ka haath achanak jalne laga.
Usne dekha — uske haath par ek kaala nishaan ban raha tha.
Jaise andhera uske andar ghus raha ho.
"Ye kya hai?!"
"Power."
"Kaunsi power?!"
Awaaz dheere boli…
"Shadow."
Achanak uske aas-paas ka andhera hilne laga… aur uske andar samane laga.
Aarav cheekhne laga—
"AAAAAAHHHH!!"
⚡ Back to Reality
Aarav jhatke se uthta hai.
Wahi sadak.
Wahi raat.
Lekin…
Uska body bilkul theek tha.
Na koi chot. Na khoon.
"Impossible…" usne apne haath dekhe.
Tabhi…
Uske peeche se ek awaaz aayi—
"Tum… zinda kaise ho?"
Aarav dheere se mudta hai…
Aur wahi creature khada tha.
Laal aankhen.
Darr se bhara chehra.
Aarav ke andar kuch badal gaya.
Is baar wo dara nahi.
Usne apna haath uthaya…
Aur dheere se bola—
"Come."
Shadow uske haath se nikli…
Aur us creature ko pakad liya.
Wo hil bhi nahi paaya.
"Ab main… weak nahi hoon." Aarav ki aankhon me andhera chamak raha tha.
Awaaz fir aayi—
"Welcome back…"
"Shadow King."