Bishnupriya_Parida

Aarav awakens in a world that defies logic—a place where time distorts, shadows move on their own, and the walls seem to whisper secrets. He doesn’t remember how he got here, but he knows one thing: he is not alone.

Then he sees her. A girl with piercing golden eyes who speaks in riddles and seems to understand the chaos surrounding them. She warns him—this place is not just a prison, it’s a test. And those who fail? They vanish.

As unseen forces close in, Aarav must navigate a labyrinth of shifting corridors and cryptic messages. Every step brings him closer to the truth, but also to something darker—a secret buried within himself, waiting to be unlocked.

The rules of reality no longer apply. If Aarav doesn’t escape soon, he won’t just lose his life—he’ll lose himself.

The Reflection Paradox

Aarav tumbled through the void, the air thick like liquid, pressing against his skin as if trying to erase him. Shadows curled around his limbs, dragging him deeper into an abyss with no end.

Faint whispers slithered through the darkness, voices overlapping—some pleading, some laughing, some screaming.

Cold fingers wrapped around his wrist, jerking him to a halt. He looked up, his breath catching.

Her face was the same, yet different—distorted, shifting between the girl he loved and something else. Something ancient. Something hungry.

"You shouldn't have followed me," she whispered.

Aarav clenched his jaw. "I came to save you."

She laughed—a sound that sent shivers down his spine. "Save me?" she repeated, tilting her head. "Aarav, I don't need saving."

The darkness around them pulsed, moving like a living thing.

He pulled at her hand, trying to drag her back. "Saira, listen to me! This place isn't real. They're controlling you!"

Her expression flickered—just for a second.

"You still don't see it, do you?" she murmured, stepping closer. "This world is more real than anything you've ever known."

For a moment, Aarav saw everything.

Endless corridors of memories, looping in and out of time. Echoes of himself, trapped in repeating patterns, making the same choices over and over again.

And at the center of it all—Saira.

His pulse pounded. "No," he whispered. "This isn't you."

She smiled, a mixture of sadness and understanding.

Aarav shook his head, his mind racing. There had to be a way out. A way to bring her back.

But the darkness around them shifted.

The answer had been in front of him all along.

With one last breath, Aarav closed his eyes.

The moment he did, the darkness collapsed.

And everything—everything—faded to white.

The Final Descent