Ananya now stood in a small, dark room.
No windows.
No light—except the one coming from the crystal in her hand.
It lit the dust that hung in the air. The walls were bare, the silence deep, ancient—not the silence of peace, but the kind that follows long-forgotten things.
Her mind raced.
Did the crystal bring me here? Or did something want me to find it?
She looked down at it—still glowing. Still warm.
Just as Ananya was trying to understand where she was, the door creaked open.
A man walked in.
He looked young—probably around twenty-five—but something about him felt older. He had neatly combed hair, wore glasses, and held a thick book in one hand. His clothes were simple and tidy, and he moved quietly, like he didn't want attention.
At first glance, he seemed like a shy student, but when Ananya looked closer, she noticed the ID card on his sweater:
Professor Veer A. Sharma
Joined: 2014
Ananya blinked in surprise. He's a teacher? And he's been here for ten years?
She tried to speak politely. "Sir...? I didn't mean to be here. I just... got a little lost."
He looked at her briefly, didn't say anything, then turned back to his file. He glanced down at it, then quietly headed for the door. Before leaving, he paused, looked back once—not saying a word—and slipped out, leaving the door open.
Ananya stood still, confused. He hadn't been angry. He hadn't even seemed curious. And something about him… didn't feel ordinary at all.
As his quiet footsteps faded, Ananya stared at the cool crystal in her hand. What just happened? One moment, she'd followed a strange light; now, she was in a silent, forgotten room far from where she started.
But before the questions could settle, worry swept through her.
Meher.
She hadn't seen her since the crystal appeared. Panic rose in her chest. Without thinking, she rushed to the door and stepped into the hallway.