"We should rest," Reet said, exhaling as she wiped grime from her brow. Her voice was calm but carried the weight of exhaustion that the entire group felt.
The others didn't even hesitate.
"Yes. Yes, please," Tara said, dropping her bag dramatically to the cave floor as she nearly melted onto a smooth, cool rock. "I swear my legs turned into pudding three caves ago."
Advika gave a short, amused breath and nodded. "Agreed. If I swing my blade one more time today, my arms might just fall off."
Manvi plopped down beside Tara with an exasperated sigh. "I second that motion. Motion to rest. Motion passed."
Reet smiled as she knelt and opened a small pack, spreading a cloth over the rocky floor like a picnic blanket. "Let's eat. We've earned it."
The girls gathered around the mat. Tara handed out food boxes like some generous goddess of carbs. Everyone sighed in gratitude.
Armaan was last to sit down, eyes still scanning the area cautiously. Even as they settled, the sense of battle-ready awareness hadn't left him.
But the atmosphere around the group was shifting. Tension melted under warmth.
As Armaan finally sat and opened his pasta box, Advika observed him. Not in a dramatic, lovesick way—more like a slow admiration brewing behind quiet eyes. His hair was a mess, slightly matted with sweat, and his shirt clung to him from earlier combat—but none of that mattered.
He took a big bite of his pasta, his brows furrowing slightly in delight, clearly enjoying it way more than he'd let on.
"He even looks bold while eating... but somehow that just makes him look cute," Advika muttered to herself with a small smile.
Tara caught it. "What was that, Advika?" she teased, leaning in.
"Nothing," Advika snapped upright, cheeks tinted pink. "Just... admiring the pasta. Good pasta."
Armaan looked between them, confused but suspicious. "What now?"
"Nothing, oh mighty pasta warrior," Tara grinned. "Eat on. We're just admiring your epic battle against carbs."
That earned a chuckle from everyone, even Reet.
Manvi tilted her head. "But honestly... Armaan, the way you moved back there. That speed. That blade throw. You summoned your sword mid-air next to that Danawa and just—boom. Like something out of a legend. That wasn't training. That was instinct."
Armaan scratched the back of his head. "Honestly? That just... happened. I didn't plan it. I don't know how. It's like—my body was fighting on its own."
Advika tilted her head, studying him. "So you weren't conscious of it?"
"I was… partially. I could feel every movement, but I wasn't thinking. It was like being awake in a dream where everything just works."
"That's actually kinda scary," Manvi said with wide eyes. "Cool, but scary."
"And the speed?" Reet asked.
Armaan gave a nostalgic smile. "That's thanks to my gramps. Ten days of heavy sword training. Like... boulders tied to your wrists kind of heavy. I thought I'd die after day three. But I didn't. And now I move faster than I used to think was possible."
The girls were all quiet for a moment.
Then Tara said, "Okay, but serious question—are you like, secretly a shonen protagonist? Because this is textbook main character stuff."
"I vote yes," Reet added. "Black mysterious energy, ancient mentor, fights without thinking, gets flustered when complimented…"
"Definitely protagonist," Manvi agreed.
"Stop it," Armaan said, ears turning pink. "You guys are embarrassing."
"We're just honest," Advika added, smirking. "Besides... you haven't explained the black prana yet."
That made everyone go silent. The air shifted again—this time with curiosity.
Armaan looked down at his palm, watching faint traces of shadow-like energy flicker along his skin.
"I don't know why it's black," he said. "It's just... always been like that. Ever since I started fighting seriously. I don't even know if it's normal. But I like it. It feels... strong. Like I can rely on it."
There was something honest in his voice, almost childlike.
Advika watched him silently for a while, then looked away with a small smile.
They all continued eating.
At some point, Tara got up and stretched. "I feel like my spine has permanently molded into this cave floor."
Manvi yawned. "It's not so bad. Better than sleeping in the mud."
Reet was reclined near the corner, already drifting into a half-nap.
Advika stayed close to Armaan. Closer than before.
Without realizing it, she eventually leaned against his shoulder. At first it was casual. Then her head slowly lowered...
And stayed there.
Armaan blinked, cheeks warming again. He turned slightly but didn't move. Her breathing was soft. Peaceful.
She was asleep.
Manvi noticed first. She poked Tara and nodded toward them.
Tara nearly squealed. "She's DROOLING on him."
Manvi grinned. "She is literally drooling. On. His. Shoulder."
Armaan whispered, "Should I move?"
"Nooo!" Tara and Manvi whispered back in sync.
"She looks so peaceful," Reet added with a sleepy smile.
Armaan sighed in defeat, his face red but smiling. He just leaned back against the cave wall and let her rest. He could feel her breath against his shoulder. It was oddly comforting.
And the others left them be.
The silence was warm now. Not awkward. Not strained.
Just peace.
They stayed like that for a long while—no monsters, no battles, no power surges.
Just laughter. Teasing. Praise. And comfort.
And the quiet, gentle beat of hearts finally allowed to rest.
[SCENE CHANGE : SCHOOL ROOFTOP]
A golden hue spilled across the school rooftop, casting long shadows behind the trio seated in a quiet circle. The wind carried faint echoes of morning chatter from the classrooms below, but up here, the world felt paused—like a breath held too long.
Alya leaned against the railing, arms crossed, but her eyes distant. She wasn't watching the sky; she was staring through it—searching for answers that wouldn't come.
"I read about the Kalambhaar Cave again last night…" she finally said, voice low and hoarse from sleepless worry. "It's not just an ancient ruin. It's a death trap. A hunter from Bangladesh entered it years ago. They never even found his scent again."
Samar's jaw tightened. He didn't look at her. "I know."
Roumit sat cross-legged beside them, fidgeting with the strap of his watch. "I found a thread on an old forum. The locals call it Shoknogroh—the Pit of Mourning. No echo. No signal. Just... a quiet that swallows you."
Silence followed.
Alya turned to Samar, eyes glistening despite the calm on her face. "Do you think he's okay?"
Samar inhaled deeply, his gaze steady as he looked back at her. "I think he's fighting. Because that's what Armaan does."
Alya blinked.
"Even if he's scared, even if he's bleeding, he'll keep moving," Samar said, more softly now. "That's the kind of person he is. He doesn't run from the dark. He walks through it."
Roumit gave a small, lopsided smile. "And if he gets lost… he'll carve his way out."
Those words steadied something in Alya. But only for a moment.
Then, her eyes narrowed slightly. "He's with her, isn't he?"
The boys didn't respond, but they knew who she meant.
"Advika," she continued, voice clipped. "The Divya Rakshak. The one who—just so happened—to be at his side when he almost died. Again."
Samar finally met her gaze, half amused. "Are you... jealous?"
"Don't be ridiculous," Alya scoffed, but the slight tremble in her voice betrayed her. "I just don't trust her. She's too calm. Too close. Like she's already part of his story."
"She did save his life," Roumit pointed out casually.
"And let him rest on her lap, right?" Samar added, lips twitching into a teasing grin.
Alya's face flushed pink. "You two are enjoying this way too much."
She turned away, jaw clenched, but the wind carried her silence clearly. She hated the distance. Not just the miles of cave and curse—but the emotional space growing between her and Armaan. The part of him that now existed in a world she couldn't reach.
But deep down, she clung to the same unspoken hope the boys did.
He'd come back.
He always did.
And far below the sky they sat under, Armaan still slept in the heart of that cave—surrounded by laughter, danger, mystery… and the warmth of someone who might be stepping too close.
Back to cave, after some time, Advika stirred.
She blinked sleepily, a soft yawn escaping her lips as she sat up. Then—
"Wha—"
Her eyes shot wide open as she saw where she'd been resting.
Her head had slid down, resting gently against Armaan's shoulder… and to make matters worse, a noticeable trail of drool glistened near the collar of his robe.
Flustered, she wiped it away in panic.
"Crap, crap, crap—please tell me no one saw—"
But as she looked up—
The girls were staring at her.
Reet, Tara, and Manvi were watching with a mix of jealousy and awe, their eyes fixated on the bold, composed figure Armaan cut—even in his sleep.
"Umm… I-It's not what it looks like," Advika stammered, her voice cracking as she waved her hands defensively.
Reet smirked with her arms folded. "Oh, it looks exactly like what it looks like, Miss Drool-on-Shoulder."
Tara snickered, nudging Manvi. "He even sleeps like he's ready to take on a hundred monsters."
Manvi nodded dreamily. "He looks like… a manga cover right now."
Advika glanced at Armaan again.
His head was bowed slightly, his right arm draped over his raised knee, blade resting diagonally across his chest like a warrior in silent watch. Calm yet alert. Even his breathing was faint but rhythmic, trained. Muscles still faintly tense.
There was something untouchable in the way he rested—a quiet storm coiled in peace.
Her heart did a quick somersault.
Then she realized again.
She had DROOLED.
On Armaan.
In full view of three girls who clearly admired him too.
She instantly sprang back with an embarrassed squeak, her face burning like a furnace.
Clutching her cheeks, she muttered under her breath, "Kill me… please just let the earth eat me whole…"
Reet leaned over with a teasing grin. "Too late. You already got the shoulder real estate."
Tara crossed her arms, mock-pouting. "And here I was thinking I'd get to sit next to the Dragon Slayer this time…"
Manvi giggled. "I mean… she didn't exactly plan the drool. But even that somehow looked cute."
Advika groaned louder, hiding her face in her hands.
But when she peeked one last time at Armaan… she didn't regret it.
"When did I start seeing him this way? He used to be just a mission partner. Now... it feels like something else." Advika mumbled to herself slightly blushing while she was looking at the SLEEPING BOLDNESS.
Just as the teasing reached its peak and Advika was about to bury her face in her hands again—
Snap.
A sharp breath. A quiet hum of energy.
Armaan's eyes shot open.
Like a lightning bolt had cracked the calm silence, his gaze flared with instinct—sharp, unwavering, almost feral.
The sudden movement made Advika jump back, startled. Even Reet, Tara, and Manvi flinched, caught off-guard by how sudden and precise it was—like a switch had flipped.
His voice was low but firm. "Something… strong is nearby."
The girls instantly fell silent.
The warmth and laughter in the cave vanished in a blink, replaced by an unsettling stillness.
A pulse.
Like a slow heartbeat reverberating through the ground.
A moment later—
They all felt it.
A surge of powerful prana, crashing like a distant storm. Ancient, boiling, and ominous. It wasn't just strong—it was unfamiliar. A presence that didn't belong.
Reet instinctively reached for her blade. Tara's fingers clenched. Manvi's breathing grew shallow.
Advika's eyes shifted to Armaan.
He didn't move. He just sat there—his eyes fixed on the direction of the cave's far end. The prana was coming from deep beyond the passage they hadn't explored yet.
His right hand slowly drifted to the hilt of his blade.
"It's not Danawa," he said coldly. "This is something else."
Advika's voice trembled just slightly as she asked, "Is it… the Daitya?"
Armaan's eyes narrowed, lips curling in a thin line.
Armaan's eyes sharpened, the glowing black in his irises intensifying for a moment. "Yes," he replied, his voice calm but weighted. "It is the Daitya. And we are not far from him."
A chill swept through the cave.
"He's been watching us… the entire time."
His statement made everyone freeze.
"No more delay," he continued. "Get ready. We move forward. I can feel his enormous prana growing with each passing second."
Suddenly, the entire cave vibrated slightly, as if the earth itself recognized the name Daitya.
A pressure heavier than anything they had felt before started descending upon them. The air turned thick—too thick to breathe normally.
Reet gasped and collapsed to her knees, clutching her chest.
Tara followed next, stumbling sideways, caught by Manvi—who also fell beside her a second later.
Even Advika, whose strength had matched Armaan's in every moment so far, dropped to her knees, eyes wide in disbelief as she struggled to endure the overwhelming aura pressing down on them.
Armaan, standing ahead of them, bowed his head slightly—not out of weakness, but as though acknowledging the presence of a true monster. His knees didn't buckle, his body remained upright, but the pressure forced even him to grit his teeth.
He raised his voice, strong and steady despite the weight of the prana.
"Brace yourselves…"
And then…
A deep, ancient voice echoed through the cave, reverberating in every corner like a thousand whispers merging into one.
"Finally... You have arrived... I was waiting for you."