Chapter 18: “Andheron Ki Gufa Mein Gum Hoti Roshni”
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Scene 1: Jungle Depth – Darr Ka Mausam
Dense fog jungle mein fail chuki hai. Pata nahi chal raha — din hai ya raat. Sabki senses alert ho chuki hain. Hayashi ka foresight thread activate hota hai…
> [Foresight Fragment]
Sylvia ke peechhe ek demon shadow…
Marianne girti hai ek trap mein…
Reinhardt ka expression cold ho jaata hai…
Hayashi aankh kholta hai, paseena chhoot raha hai.
Hayashi (thinking):
“Yeh jungle... kuch toh chhupa raha hai. Jaise sab kuch ek trap ho.”
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Scene 2: Jungle Encounter – B-1 ki Haqiqat
Team ek chhoti opening mein pahuchti hai jahan B-1 class unconscious pada hai, lekin unke chehre distorted hain — unhe illusions dikh rahe hain. Sylvia detect karti hai demonic magic ka high-level presence.
Sylvia (coldly):
“Yeh illusion... 7th-grade dark curse hai. High-ranking demon ka kaam hai.”
Marianne aage badhti hai, par ek trap activate ho jaata hai. She falls into a pit of demonic vines. Hayashi use bachata hai, but barely.
Marianne (shaken):
“Mujhe lagta tha main ready thi... par yeh kuch aur hi level ka hai.”
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Scene 3: Reinhardt – The Pull of Darkness
Jab sab busy hain, Reinhardt thoda alag chala jaata hai jungle ke ek aur hissa mein. Uske mind mein Zarek ki awaaz gunjti hai — ek hypnotic, cold whisper.
Zarek (telepathic):
“Reinhardt… kya tum sach mein inse belong karte ho? Ya tumhara asli raasta kuch aur hai?”
Reinhardt (gritting teeth):
“Main apna raasta khud chununga… lekin tumhare paas jawab ho sakte ho.”
Tabhi ek sudden Dark Teleportation Rune activate hota hai — niche zameen phat jaati hai aur Reinhardt andheron mein gir jaata hai.
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Scene 4: Everyone Realizes – Reinhardt Missing
Hayashi, Sylvia, Marianne aur Victoria sab wapas Reinhardt ke paas lautte hain — par woh gayab hai.
Hayashi (tense):
“Nahi... yeh system alert dene chahiye tha. Yeh toh... forceful teleportation thi!”
System Alert:
> “High-level Demonic Interference Detected”
“Team Member Reinhardt Draconis – Missing in Action”
Sylvia demon aura trace karti hai — par woh ek alag hi dimension ki taraf signal jaa raha hai.
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Scene 5: Inside the Abyssal Gufa – Zarek x Reinhardt Begins
Reinhardt aankh kholta hai — woh ek sunsan, kale gufa mein hai jahan sirf ek glowing demonic fire jal rahi hai.
Zarek waha khada hota hai, smiling like a devilish mentor.
Zarek:
“Welcome, Draconis. Tumhara bloodline... tumhari nafrat... tumhe yahan le aayi.”
Reinhardt:
“Mujhe tumhari puppet nahi banna. Main tumhe barbaad karne aaya hoon... seekhne ke liye nahi.”
Zarek (laughs):
“Seekhne ke liye nahi? Toh fir yeh demonic flame... tumhe kyun chhoo rahi hai bina resistance ke?”
Reinhardt ke haath par ek black mark ban jaata hai — ek demonic curse... ya ek power seal?
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Final Scene: Hayashi’s Decision – The Next Step
Hayashi sabko safe zone mein bhejne ke liye bolta hai.
But he stays back. Uska determination high hai.
Hayashi (to himself):
“Reinhardt... main tumhe andheron mein girne nahi dunga. Chahe mujhe khud gufa tak jaana pade.”
Episode ends