Night’s End

"So, what happened after you collapsed?" Bikram asked, his voice barely above a whisper, snapping Manash out of the vivid memory he had been murmuring about.

Manash blinked, dragging himself back to the present. He glanced at Bikram and began to speak, his tone steady but distant. "After he vanished, the ACP and that man arrived in the parking area. They heard the commotion." He paused, as if reliving the moment. "We were both unconscious by then. They helped Miss Saya and carried us to the car."

Manash hesitated again before continuing. "Then she somehow drove us out of there, just before others arrived and found us."

A silence followed his words, heavy and contemplative, each of them lost in thought.

It was Suraj who broke it. "So, who was that guy… Kurai? And what's a... Kalikara?"

"I don't know," Vani replied before Manash could. Her voice carried a hint of frustration, her gaze falling to the floor. "That was the first time we ever faced one."

She exhaled sharply, the weight of defeat clear in her tone. "He beat us without even using a weapon. Just his strength... physical strength." Her fists clenched at her sides, and her head bowed slightly, ashamed of how easily they had been overpowered.

"Why didn't you ask Guru-dev about him?" Bikram pressed, still piecing things together.

"I did," Manash replied, though there was a note of reluctance in his voice. "But all he said was that Kalikaras are Half-Asuras. Devotees of Maa Kali and their Swami." His voice softened on the last word.

"Swami?" Suraj echoed, his brow furrowing.

"In this case, it means 'Master,'" Manash clarified. He seemed to be weighing each word carefully, still wrestling with the cryptic explanation himself. "Guru-dev said they were once powerful enough to defeat the Devas and their Dev-sena under their Swami's command. But after their Swami was defeated… on the verge of his death… they disappeared. As they obeyed his last command to vanish."

"So why do you think he attacked you? And why did he let you live?" Bikram asked again, his confusion mirrored by everyone in the room. "It doesn't add up."

Manash's gaze fell, his mind racing. "I think... he was just toying with us," he said finally, though the words tasted uncertain. After a brief pause, his frown deepened. "Or maybe... he was testing us."

His eyebrows knitted together, the weight of unanswered questions pressing heavy on him. Why did he leave like that? Was he just playing with them? Was he just trying to warn them about something? Something... that's coming?

The storm of thoughts churned within them, unspoken but shared. Each of them felt the same chilling realization—this was only the beginning of something far greater... and far more dangerous.

As the group sat in contemplative silence, Arunika suddenly spoke up, her voice cutting through the stillness. Though she had been listening to Manash and the others, her mind wrestled with a different thought entirely.

"Do you think... it's possible there are Rakshasas in our school? Disguised as students?" she asked, her tone heavy with both doubt and dread.

The others turned to her sharply, their expressions ranging from surprise to disbelief.

"What are you talking about? That's not possible," Bikram said, shaking his head. "If there were any, we'd sense them right away."

Vani's eyes narrowed as she caught the unease in Arunika's voice. Her usually composed friend looked pale, visibly troubled. Gently, Vani reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder. "What do you mean by that, Arunika?" she asked, her tone both soft and probing.

Arunika hesitated, her gaze darting between her friends. She knew she had to tell them, but the weight of what she was about to share made her falter. Finally, she took a deep breath and spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.

"You know Maya had a date with Ayush today, right?"

"Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?" Vani asked, her brows knitting together.

The room fell silent as Arunika hesitated again. The tension was palpable. Suraj's eyes narrowed thoughtfully, recalling how Arunika had rushed out to Maya's house earlier after receiving a frantic call. At the time, he hadn't paid much attention, but now the memory stood out. When Arunika had returned, her face had been tight with anger, though she had said nothing.

Finally, Arunika spoke, her voice trembling. "Ayush... he was a Vrikraal."

The words hit like a lightning strike.

"What?!" Vani gasped, panic flashing in her eyes. She grabbed Arunika's arms, her grip tightening as her voice rose. "What are you saying? Where is Maya? Is she okay?"

Manash frowned, his confusion evident. "Wait—Ayush? The guy Maya had a crush on? The one from Section A? What do you mean, he's a Vrikraal?"

Arunika glanced at Vani, whose escalating panic was evident in her trembling hands and unsteady breathing. Matching Vani's concern, Arunika softened her tone, striving to project calm. "Vani, please calm down. Maya's fine now," she assured, her voice steady but laced with a trace of unease.

"What happened?" Vani pressed, her voice wavering.

Arunika sighed, her gaze shifting between Vani and Manash. "Her parents called me earlier. They couldn't reach her on her phone. She lied to them, saying she was with me at the Expo." Her face reflected the weight of her worry as she paused. "When I tried to call her, she didn't pick up either. I didn't know what to do, so I rushed to her complex. That's when I saw Akshay... with her."

"Akshay?" Manash's brow furrowed deeply. His voice turned sharp. "Why was he there?"

Arunika hesitated, as though replaying the moment in her mind. "I asked him the same thing," she replied, drawing a steadying breath. "But Maya brushed me off. She said he was the one who saved her and then dragged him into her building."

"Saved her? From what?" Vani's voice cracked as her worry deepened.

Arunika then took a steady breath, composed herself, "When I saw him with her, I got angry and so I asked why was he there with her, but Maya brush me off, saying that he was the one who saved her. She dragged him to the complex."

Vani's face remained pale, her worry unabated.

"And he told Maya's father what happened… But…" She continued, "He asked them to not to inform them about this to the police."

Manash eyes darkened. "And how did you find out that Ayush is a Vrikraal?"

Arunika's gaze then turned to Manash, "Akshay told me, the story he told her parents was not making sense to me, so, I tried to confront him,"

"Alone? But why?" Vani interrupted, her voice sharp with concern.

Arunika then turned to Vani, momentarily loss of words, "I…. I am sorry… Maya is my friend too. I wasn't thinking straight… I just wanted the truth."

Vani's features softened, guilt flickering in her eyes. She placed a hand on Arunika's shoulder. "I'm sorry," she murmured, "… then what happed?"

Arunika nodded. "When I pressed him for answers, Akshay told me that Ayush is a Vrikraal. He also mentioned another man, a human, may be in his forties or something."

"And, you believed him?" Manash pressed, his expression hardened.

"What? No!" Arunika snapped, frustration evident. "I wanted to push him for more answers, but he slipped away before I could stop him."

"What's with your tone, Manash?" Vani asked, glaring at him.

Manash raised his hands in a calming gesture. "I'm sorry," he said quickly, softening his tone. "I didn't mean it that way. But we can't ignore the possibility that Akshay might be dangerous. Sure, he saved Maya, but that doesn't clear him of suspicion. You've all seen how Sristi reacted to him."

The group fell silent for a moment, the weight of Manash's words sinking in.

Before anyone could respond, a deep voice echoed through the room.

"Are you not done yet?"

The group turned toward the doorway, startled, to see Lakshmana-Acharya standing there, his sharp gaze fixed on them.

They all immediately stood, their postures straightening as if out of instinct. "Guru-dev!" they said in unison, bowing respectfully.

"The servants have finished their work. Go to your beds," he commanded, his tone firm and authoritative. "Don't make them wait any longer."

"Yes, Guru-dev," they replied together, nodding in deference.

As they began to leave the room, Lakshmana-Acharya called out, halting two of them in their tracks. "Manash and Arunika," his voice resonated with calm authority, "I have something to tell you. Wait for me outside."

The others paused mid-step, exchanging surprised glances as if silently wondering what their Guru might want to discuss with Manash and Arunika.

"Yes, Guru-dev," the two replied in unison, their voices steady despite the curiosity brimming in their eyes.

While Vani, Bikram, and Suraj headed off toward their quarters, Arunika and Manash walked out to the veranda of the main ashram building, where the cool night air carried with it the scent of damp earth. The dim light from the veranda cast long shadows over the cobblestone path, creating an almost ethereal stillness.

"What do you think Guru-dev wants to discuss?" Arunika asked softly, her face partially lit by the faint glow of the lamps.

"I don't know," Manash admitted, his brow furrowed. "Maybe it's something important."

As they waited, their attention shifted to the diyas lining the pathway of the praangan. Their flames had long since flickered out, a quiet reminder of the late hour. Together, they moved along the path, gathering the extinguished diyas and placing them carefully into a bamboo basket positioned at the corner of the veranda.

Their task complete, they returned to their place near the entrance just as Lakshmana-acharjya emerged from the main ashram building. His presence seemed to command the very air around them.

"Guru-dev," they greeted in unison, stepping forward with respect.

Lakshmana-Acharya's piercing gaze studied them for a moment before he spoke. "What is bothering you?" His voice, though firm, carried an undertone of genuine concern.

Manash and Arunika exchanged a quick glance, hesitant to voice their worries.

"Forgive us, Guru-dev," Manash began, bowing his head slightly. "We never intended to trouble you."

Lakshmana-Acharya waved off the apology with a subtle gesture. "It's alright. Speak freely. What concerns weigh so heavily on your minds?"

Manash hesitated, his words momentarily caught in his throat. Arunika, sensing his hesitation, stepped forward, her voice soft but steady. "It's about Akshay... and everything happening since his arrival. We're not sure what to make of it."

Lakshmana-acharya's gaze remained steady, his expression unreadable. "Go on," he said, his tone inviting yet firm.

Manash and Arunika hesitated, the weight of their thoughts pressing down on them. The quiet of the night seemed to amplify the tension in the air. Finally, Manash spoke, choosing his words carefully.

"Guru-dev," he began, his tone respectful but guarded, "it's just... things have been unusual lately. It feel like something has stirred something—something we don't fully understand yet."

Lakshmana-Acharya's sharp gaze didn't waver. "Unusual how?" he asked, his voice calm but probing, as if peeling back the layers of their hesitation.

Arunika stepped in, her voice softer, yet firm. "We've been sensing... changes. Shifts in the air, in the people around us. It's hard to explain, Guru-dev, but it feels as though something is moving beneath the surface—something we can't quite see."

Lakshmana-Acharya regarded them in silence for a moment, his expression unreadable. The stillness stretched between them, and for a fleeting moment, Arunika wondered if they had said too much. But when he spoke, his voice carried a measured calm.

"You both are perceptive," he said, his words deliberate. "The threads of the unseen often reveal themselves to those who pay attention. But be cautious—perception alone is not enough. One must also discern truth from illusion."

Manash exchanged a glance with Arunika, her face partially obscured by the shadows of the veranda. "Guru-dev," he asked carefully, "do you think... there's something we should be preparing for?"

Lakshmana-Acharya didn't answer immediately. Instead, he stepped forward, his hands clasped behind his back as he looked out into the night. The faint glow of the moonlight illuminated his profile, highlighting the deep lines of wisdom etched into his face.

"What I think is of little consequence here," he said finally, his voice low but resonant. "What matters is that you stay vigilant. The world we live in is not as it seems. There are forces at play that even the most devout cannot fully comprehend."

His gaze shifted back to them, piercing yet kind. "Trust yourself and instincts, but temper them with patience. There are truths you are not yet ready to face. When the time comes, you will definitely know."

Arunika opened her mouth as if to ask something but stopped herself, biting her lip instead. Manash, noticing her hesitation, placed a hand lightly on her shoulder, a silent gesture of support.

Lakshmana-Acharya watched them both with an almost knowing look. "Rest now," he said, his tone softening slightly. "The path ahead will demand much of you."

"Yes, Guru-dev," they both responded, bowing deeply.

As they turned to leave, both their steps quieter as they walked away from the veranda. The cool night air wrapped around them, and in that moment, they didn't know if they had something to say or not, but each was lost in their own thoughts.