King of World

"They're late. I'll go look for them," Anita said, hurrying toward the door.

Aditya quickly stepped in front of her. "It's dangerous. We don't know what's happening out there. Stay here—I'll go."

Anita's sharp eyes narrowed. "I don't need you to tell me what to do. I can handle myself. I don't need an adult's permission!"

Before she could argue further, a hand reached from behind and gently twisted her ear—firm, but not painful.

Anita flinched. "Ow! Who—" She turned to see Anu standing behind her, looking calm but firm.

"This isn't about control, Anita," Anu said. "It's about respect. When someone is worried about you, don't brush it off."

Anita opened her mouth to argue but hesitated. Her expression shifted from defiance to reluctant understanding.

Anu sighed and patted her head. "Thank you—for all three of you. You've done enough to help us in this situation."

A faint sound rang in their ears—a slow, deliberate set of footsteps.

Everyone turned toward the door, holding their breath. When it creaked open, Samradh and Vikram stood there.

The room fell silent.

Samradh's face was heavy with disappointment, his sharp gaze sweeping over the group. Vinayak, watching him closely, felt a dozen questions forming in his mind, each one visible in his expression. But his attention soon shifted.

Beside Samradh stood Vikram—his posture slouched, his face void of emotion. His lifeless eyes stared at the ground, unmoving.

Anita stepped forward, her voice uncertain. "Vikram?"

Aditya followed, concern deepening. "Officer… what happened?"

Samradh barely acknowledged them. Instead, he muttered, "I need to go. You guys should head home."

Aditya frowned. "Hey, wait! What about that girl? What happened?"

Anu, panicked, grabbed Vikram's shoulders and shook him lightly. "Vikram, are you hurt? Say something!"

But Vikram only whispered, "Let him go."

Everyone fell silent as Vikram continued in a dull, hollow voice, "He's going to the station… to get the report on the Chaudhary family and the Devange family."

Anu and Aditya froze.

"We know what happened to the Chaudhary family," Aditya muttered, his mind racing. "But… Devange? That came out of nowhere."

Vinayak, watching the two, felt unease creep up his spine. "What exactly happened?" he asked cautiously.

Aditya, still thinking, spoke slowly. "The Devanges were the Chaudharys' neighbors. But… how did they die?"

Before he could connect the dots, Vikram cut in, his voice eerily calm. "They committed suicide out of fear. Maybe they thought tomorrow would be their turn. Rather than dying at the hands of a killer, they chose to end things painlessly. If you ask me… a wise decision."

Silence.

A sharp slap echoed through the room.

Vikram's head snapped to the side as Anu, trembling, lowered her hand. Tears streamed down her face.

"What the hell are you even saying?!" she shouted. "You're talking as if this is normal for you!"

Her voice cracked, but she didn't stop. "I'm your mother! No matter what happens, I will protect you. Just… don't become like this. My heart trembles seeing you like this!"

Vikram stood still, the impact of her words lingering. For a moment, it seemed like he might say something.

Instead, he gently shook her off and turned to leave.

Just before stepping out, he glanced back. "Let's go home."

Anu wiped her tears, Aditya clenched his fists, and Vinayak felt a deep sense of helplessness.

Without another word, they followed him home, unsure of what lay ahead.

Aditya watched his surroundings from the car. Four houses were sealed shut after the serial killer's massacre. As they parked the car, Vikram went straight to his room, his mother following behind.

"Vikram?" she called.

"I'm just feeling tired," he replied, locking his door, leaving his worried parents behind.

"They committed suicide, so there won't be any horrific scenes tomorrow… but what about the day after? And what will happen when our turn comes?" He buried his face under the blanket, clenching his fists and biting his lips. "I want to protect my family. I'll do anything. Please… someone, help me. Please, please, please…" His breathing grew heavy, but the thought still lingered in his mind. He curled himself up like a worm, digging his nails into his face until it bled.

"Please, just help me. Rather than dying, I will do anything if it means saving my family."

A hand gently brushed through his hair. He opened his eyes in shock—he was submerged in dark water, drowning. The same figure from his previous dreams was there again, brushing his hair. She was still unrecognizable, appearing only as a golden silhouette.

Vikram looked at her with teary eyes.

She spoke. "If you can't help yourself, how can you expect others to help you?"

"But I don't have the power to do anything," he replied. "That force is unstoppable."

She smiled gently. "Nothing in this world is truly unstoppable. Even your very existence is bound to be erased one day. The universe you live in will die—its remnants won't even remain. And yet, you think a coward who attacks unarmed people in the dead of night is unstoppable compared to all these greater forces?"

"But he's something beyond what a normal human can comprehend… And those people didn't deserve to die. Whenever I think about it—"

She interrupted him. "And what? You feel bad? Wise men do not grieve over the dead."

Still drowning in the dark waters, Vikram stared at the golden silhouette, who seemed almost godlike. He gritted his teeth. "So now we can't even grieve for the dead? Why don't they deserve it?!"

The goddess answered, "It's not your duty to grieve. The moment you decided to fight, you became a warrior. Your only duty is to fight for Dharma—the path you choose to follow. Were the words you spoke this afternoon meaningless?"

Vikram lowered his gaze. "But I don't know what my Dharma is… And even if I did, I don't have the power to follow it."

The goddess grabbed his hands, and suddenly, they rose out of the dark water. Vikram gasped as he saw the sky—a vast expanse filled with countless stars and galaxies, like something straight out of a fairytale.

"Dharma is the duty of human beings," the goddess explained. "Dharma exists in your responsibility toward your father, mother, brother, and even your passion. Following it is necessary. But the moment you take up a weapon to protect, it becomes your greatest responsibility. And for that, I will give you the power to follow it."

They stopped on a cloud. The goddess looked at Vikram and handed him a box.

"What's this?" he asked.

"In this box lies the power you are worthy of receiving," she said. "This will probably be our last meeting like this."

"Wait!" Vikram panicked. "I still don't know who you are… What if things get worse? Please, don't leave me!"

The goddess gave him one last look. "Then come and find me in the Vitala Realm."

Vikram didn't understand what that meant, but he nodded. Then, he opened the box. Inside, golden scriptures glowed brightly. He began reading the inscription aloud:

"Karma Bhumi Mrityu Lokasya Raja Vikramsya Raj Mudra."

("Land of Karma. This is the seal of Vikram, the King of the Realm of the Dead.")

Suddenly, Vikram's body began to glow. A warmth spread through him—an indescribable comfort from deep within his heart. Around his pupils, golden rings formed. Shivers ran down his spine as golden steam surrounded him. A golden aura radiated from his body.

He then realized he was no longer in the dream world. He was in his house's temple room, reading the copper scriptures that were supposed to be read on his birthday. Before him, golden steam condensed, materializing into a coin. The moment the coin was fully formed, a massive storm erupted in the sky. Thunder roared as lightning struck the earth multiple times.

All the animals in the forest began making noise—wolves howled, accompanied by the roars of lions, tigers, and elephants. The wind grew so violent that the clouds scattered, revealing a breathtaking sight.

Everyone who saw it could only utter one word:

"Wow."

The entire sky was covered with stars, and an abnormally large moon loomed above. The sight was a hundred times more grand and beautiful than what Vikram had seen in his dream. Shooting stars streaked across the Milky Way, their brilliance even clearer now. A mesmerizing purple stardust cloud swirled across the heavens, creating a stunning spectacle.

From the rooftop of a distant building, Onna watched the celestial display. "Wow… So it finally happened after 127,545 attempts."

In a crowded street, a strange bald figure with eyes covering his head murmured, "So… the wait is over."

A black, bird-like humanoid gazed at the sky, facing the moon. "Is this your return gift for me… for saving you that day?"

Another half-human, half-bird figure watched from the shadows. "So… the King of the Karma Land has emerged."

Vinash grinned. "Let me take some photos. I'll show them to Vikram and Anita."

Vinayak, along with a group of students on a trip, stared in awe, imagining watching this scene together with Vikram and Vinash.

On a distant deck, a bald, wounded man, shirtless and covered in silver chains, lay on the ground, struggling to breathe.

A young boy walking down the streets looked up at the sky, wondering, "Is this real… or a dream?"

Meanwhile, Vikram, still in his temple room, grabbed the coin. The golden aura and steam disappeared. The world returned to normal.

Vikram's voice trembled. "Why… why was something like this hidden in my house? Is this destiny?"

A voice scoffed behind him. "To hide their inability to achieve something, humans tend to use words like 'destiny.'"

Startled, Vikram turned around, assuming a defensive stance. His eyes widened in shock.

A beautiful young maiden stood before him, dressed in a red outfit that was both elegant and impossibly alluring. The slight anger on her face only enhanced her beauty. She folded her arms, staring at Vikram, waiting for a response.