Room me hawa bhaari ho chuki thi…
Aarohi — ya shayad Shivanya — seedha us aadmi ki aankhon me dekh rahi thi.
Uski aankhein ab normal nahi thi…
Green glow… full Naagin energy.
"Tum…" usne dheere se kaha,
"Tumne mujhe maara tha…"
Wo aadmi muskuraaya…
Bilkul bina darr ke.
"20 saal pehle…" usne calmly kaha,
"Main hi tha jisne tumhari duniya tod di thi."
Aarohi ka gussa control se bahar ja raha tha.
"KYUN??" wo chillaayi.
Room me cheezein hilne lagi…
Table… chair… mirror…
Sab vibration me.
Wo aadmi aage badha…
"Naagmani ke liye," usne seedha jawab diya.
Flash—
Mandir… khoon… Shiv ka girna…
Aarohi ne apna sir pakad liya…
"SHIV…" uske muh se nikla.
Aankhon se aansu girne lage…
Lekin is baar aansu me dard ke saath…
zeher bhi tha.
"Tumne usse bhi maara…" usne dheere se kaha.
"Collateral damage," wo aadmi hansa.
Aur bas…
Yahi trigger tha.
⚡ TRANSFORMATION
Aarohi ke haath badalne lage…
Skin par scales clearly dikhne lage…
Uska body glow karne laga…
Aur next second—
WOH NAAGIN BAN CHUKI THI.
Half human… half serpent…
Aankhon me sirf ek cheez—
BADLA.
"Is baar…" uski awaaz hiss jaisi ho gayi,
"Main tumhe chhodungi nahi."
Wo aadmi peeche hata…
Lekin uske face par ab bhi confidence tha.
"Try kar lo…" usne kaha.
Aarohi lightning speed se us par attack karti hai—
Lekin…
Wo aadmi ekdum side ho jata hai.
"Tum abhi bhi weak ho," usne tease kiya.
Aarohi gusse me aur wild ho gayi.
"SHUT UP!" wo chillaayi.
Room ka glass toot gaya…
Aur phir…
Usne seedha us aadmi par apni power use ki.
Green energy blast.
BOOM!
Wo aadmi wall se takra gaya.
"Impressive…" wo dheere se uthte hue bola.
Lekin is baar…
Uski aankhon me halka sa tension tha.
"Lekin tum akeli ho," usne kaha.
Aarohi ruk gayi.
"Matlab?"
Wo aadmi muskuraaya—
"Tumhara partner… Shiv…"
"Wo wapas nahi aane wala."
Silence.
Aarohi ka dil phir toot gaya.
Lekin…
Is baar wo royi nahi.
Uska face cold ho gaya.
"Phir main akeli hi kaafi hoon," usne dheere se kaha.
Aur wo phir se attack karne hi wali thi—
Tabhi…
Ek teesri awaaz aayi.
"Nahi… tum akeli nahi ho."
Room me sab freeze.
Aarohi ne mudkar dekha—
Door ke paas…
Ek ladka khada tha.
Tall… intense eyes… calm expression.
"Tum kaun ho?" Aarohi ne poocha.
Wo ladka dheere se aage aaya…
"Agar tum Shivanya ho…" usne kaha,
"toh main bhi tumhari kahani ka hissa hoon."
Aarohi confused—
"Matlab??"
Wo ladka uske kareeb aaya…
Aur dheere se bola—
"Main Shiv ka punarjanm hoon."
⚡ Silence.
Aarohi ka saans ruk gaya.
Flash—
Wahi chehra… wahi feel…
"Shiv…?" usne halki awaaz me kaha.
Wo ladka uski aankhon me dekhta hai—
"Is baar… main tumhe akela nahi chhodunga."
Room me energy completely change ho gayi.
Wo aadmi peeche hat gaya…
"Interesting…" usne kaha,
"Game ab aur mazedaar hoga."
Aur phir…
Wo achanak gayab ho gaya.
Silence.
Aarohi aur wo ladka ek dusre ke saamne.
"Tum sach me…?" Aarohi ne dheere se pucha.
Wo ladka halka sa muskuraaya—
"Naam hai… Arjun."
"Aur kahani abhi shuru hui hai."
Hawa dheere se calm ho gayi…
Lekin…
Badla ab officially shuru ho chuka tha.