• We needed to keep going, as soon as we find out, we will get to go home...

The castle settled into an eerie silence as night deepened. Everyone retreated to their own rooms, Isha having declared her newfound bravery and insisted Gauri return to hers. Yet, sleep eluded Gauri. Her mind raced, trying to piece together the strange occurrences, an unsettling feeling that something was profoundly amiss nagging at her. She stared at the intricate patterns on her room's ceiling, lost in thought.

Finally, a wave of restlessness washed over her. Deciding to check on the others, she spoke into her Alexa. "Hey guys, have you all slept? Because… I'm not able to sleep… I… I don't know what's happening with me, my head hurts and…"

Before she could finish her sentence, a deep, low voice responded from the device. "Hm?"

A jolt of confusion, followed by a wave of cold dread, washed over Gauri. Had she accidentally sent the message to all four hundred rooms of the castle? She hadn't realized the scope of the network.

"Hello?" she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "Who is there?"

The same deep voice replied, closer now, it seemed. "Me?"

A distinct sound echoed from downstairs – a heavy thud, followed by a dragging noise. Gauri's breath hitched in her throat. She didn't reply this time, her heart pounding in her chest. The courage to leave the supposed safety of her room vanished. The rest of the night stretched before her, an endless expanse of fear and unanswered questions. She remained frozen in her bed, the lights in her room burning brightly against the pervasive darkness of the haunted castle. Sleep remained a distant, unattainable luxury.

When Gauri finally descended the stairs, the scene in the main hall was a picture of mundane normalcy juxtaposed against the eerie backdrop of the castle. Arya was idly scrolling through Instagram, Veda was engrossed in the ancient book, Jai was intently watching cooking videos on his phone, presumably planning their next meal, and Isha was snapping photos while listening to music through her headphones.

Arya glanced up, his eyes immediately noticing Gauri's bloodshot gaze. "Rough night?" he asked, a hint of concern in his voice, correctly assuming she hadn't slept.

Veda, without looking up from his reading, offered a practical solution. "Wash your eyes with ice water, Gauri. And drink some strong coffee. It usually helps."

She followed his advice, the cold water stinging her tired eyes and the caffeine offering a much-needed jolt. When she returned, Jai asked, "Feeling any better?" She nodded, a small, genuine smile gracing her lips. The initial panic of the night had subsided, leaving behind a lingering unease but a clearer head.

"Maybe we should take it easy today," Isha suggested, taking off her headphones. "You look exhausted, Gauri. We can all use some rest."

But Gauri shook her head firmly. "No, I want to keep going. The sooner we figure this out, the sooner we can all go home."

Jai nodded in agreement. "We all know we can't leave until we uncover the truth."

A brief discussion ensued about their next move. The large blueprint of the castle was spread out on the table before the couches. "King's room again?" Arya suggested, pointing to the marked location. But Gauri raised a skeptical eyebrow. "And how exactly do you propose we get in there this time?"

Arya grinned mischievously. "Well, there's always the window or the balcony. A little bit of acrobatic maneuvering never hurt anyone." Veda groaned, hitting his forehead with the palm of his hand in exasperated disbelief.

"How about the gardens?" Jai suggested, looking thoughtful. "We haven't explored outside yet. And you know what they say in those old stories – sometimes the most important secrets are buried in the gardens… literally."

"Or the basement!" Isha chimed in, her eyes gleaming with a hint of macabre excitement. "In all those horror movies, the basement is always where the really creepy stuff happens!"

"True," Jai conceded, "and gardens can also have… graves, as we've seen in pictures."

Suddenly, Veda looked up from his book, his expression determined. "Look, I really need to finish reading this. I have a feeling the answers we're looking for are in here. So, I won't be joining you for now. You four go ahead." He settled back into his armchair, his attention once again consumed by the ancient text.

"Let's head to the basement.."