A woman lay asleep in sheer exhaustion, her body finally giving in after what felt like a lifetime compressed into mere hours. Inside her mind, fragmented memories drifted in and out of focus: her father wounded, clutching his stomach in agony; a college mate turning hostile with veiled threats; the face of an untrustworthy young man who, against all odds, had become her last hope; the terrifying sight of dark greenish smoke swirling into a malicious structure; and finally, a warm, grounding hug followed by a gentle kiss placed upon her forehead.
Slowly, her eyes fluttered open.
Riya realized that she was still holding someone's hand—Dev's. Across from her, she saw her father, Ranveer, receiving treatment, while her mother, Latha, slept upright, exhaustion evident in every breath. The rhythmic hum surrounding her made her realize that they were inside an ambulance. She remained still for a moment, trying to understand how she had gotten there, when a voice from the driver's seat pierced the quiet.
"Madam Isha, shall we proceed to the nearest hospital, or...?"
Isha responded calmly yet firmly. "I got the clearance from Commander-in-Chief Padma. Divert to the command center."
Riya's brows furrowed as the words sank in. Who is she? How is Padma Aunty involved in all this? Her ears remained sharp as she listened to the conversation, though every answer seemed to create another question.
The driver hesitated before saying, "Madam Isha, I know Mr. Dev Kollari is officially listed as part of Operation SBS. But... we have no confirmation or record for Mr. Ranveer."
"I understand your concern," Isha replied without pause. "But according to both circulating intelligence and Mrs. Padma herself, Mr. Ranveer came into direct contact with the 3rd Commander of the Council of Six. That's why she personally inducted him into Project-M."
Riya's thoughts spiraled faster than her heartbeat. Council of Six? Third Commander? What the hell is Project-M?
Isha continued, her voice now carrying a subtle weight. "Also, Padma confirmed that Miss Riya is one of the Holders of Spear. That alone qualifies her for command center access."
Riya stared ahead, trying to process the unfamiliar terms. Before she could make sense of any of them, Isha suddenly tapped her earpiece and frowned. "Communications are down..." she whispered, a gut feeling twisting inside her chest.
"I need to get back," Isha said, her voice clipped with urgency. "Driver, activate hyper mode—get me to the venue now. Something's wrong."
Hyper mode? What is she talking about? Riya blinked, her mind desperately trying to find something familiar to hold onto. Who exactly are you, Isha?
Isha glanced back and noticed that Riya was awake. Relief briefly crossed her face. "Oh—you're awake, Riya."
The driver calmly responded, "Activating hyper mode."
In a blink, Riya felt a sudden jolt. The ambulance seemed to remain completely still, yet the world outside had shifted. The road beyond the windows was different, unmistakably familiar.
"This is... the venue?" Riya whispered.
The sudden shift made her dizzy, and her balance swayed as she struggled to understand what had just happened. Isha immediately passed her a water bottle. "It's your first time, Riya. Drink. You'll adjust." She then looked outside and suddenly narrowed her eyes. "Driver, you know the spot—wait... is that Ayaan and Rohit running? Something's really wrong."
Without hesitation, Isha leapt out of the vehicle.
Riya, now alert but still uncertain, instinctively grabbed her gun, ducked low, and followed her. How does she know Ayaan? she wondered as she cautiously peered outside. Her heartbeat rose when she recognized the surroundings. Wait... this really is the singing competition venue.
She glanced at the driver and said, "Mr. Driver... I don't understand anything right now. Just—please take them to wherever that woman told you."
The driver simply smiled. "Okay."
He turned the ignition again, and in the next blink of Riya's eyes, there was nothing. The ambulance had vanished as if it had never been there.
Confused, Riya pinched herself. A sharp sting answered her. Real pain. She wasn't dreaming.
Her eyes fell on her gun.
It was glowing again.
Holding her breath, Riya stepped inside the venue, following Isha's path. At the main door, her eyes instantly locked onto Anaya, who was standing on the stage. Her gaze then shifted to Ayaan, who was being stopped by security, and finally to President Aditya, who stood frozen, staring intensely at them both.
Then it happened.
From somewhere within the crowd, a voice pierced through the venue, raw and wild. "Hail Queen of Thorns! Hail Hollow Pact!"
The man ripped open his jacket, revealing the bomb strapped to his chest.
For an instant, time seemed to freeze. Riya's gun glowed even brighter, its light humming and resonating deep into her hands. Just like before, there was no hesitation. She raised the weapon and looked through the scope, locking onto the man. Her breathing synchronized with something deeper, while her own voice echoed inside her ears, directing her with an unfamiliar clarity.
She saw the vital point.
The moment sealed itself within her body.
With Dev's words still lingering in her heart, she pulled the trigger.
The sound of the bullet echoed through the venue, cutting through the silence like fate itself.
The echo of the gunshot hung in the air for a fraction of a second longer than expected before chaos erupted. The man in the bomb jacket collapsed mid-shout, and panic spread across the venue like wildfire. Screams tore through the air as people scrambled for safety, chairs overturned, and camera crews dove behind equipment.
Rathore immediately fired a round into the air. "EVERYONE STAY CALM!" he shouted, trying to anchor the spiraling fear.
But even as the noise began to dull, Ayaan, Anaya, and President Aditya stood frozen, shock etched across their faces as their minds struggled to catch up with reality.
Suddenly, figures dressed in black emerged from the shadows. Silent and fast, they charged toward the stage, sharp wooden sticks gleaming as they aimed directly at the remaining participants.
Ayaan didn't think. He pushed past the stunned security personnel and sprinted toward Anaya. Without hesitation, he threw himself over her, hugging her tightly and forcing her to the ground just in time to dodge the first strike.
From the side of the stage, Rohit, Bhairava, and Isha leapt into the fray. The attackers were fast, but they were faster. Isha's strikes were clinical, Rohit's counter-takedowns precise, and Bhairava's presence alone made half the attackers rethink their moves.
Still clinging to Ayaan, Anaya looked up through the chaos, her eyes catching Rohit and Isha. Relief poured out of her in a soft breath. "Finally... you're back."
Yet she didn't let go of Ayaan. Instead, she hugged him even tighter, as if anchoring herself to something solid amid the chaos.
Ayaan's eyes flickered downward. Beside him was the award trophy, still miraculously upright.
Then a gust of wind swept through the venue.
It wasn't natural. It had direction and weight, flowing through the black-hooded attackers like an invisible blade. Isha's eyes narrowed as she spotted the fresh cuts appearing across their garments. She quietly whispered, "Thank you, Surya..."
Ayaan, still on the ground, looked again at the trophy, his mind drifting back to the words of the shadow figure: "If my medal is my Crowning Glory... then this trophy is Anaya's."
He stood with a determined look, grabbed the trophy, held it high, and then, as if fulfilling a silent oath, threw it upward.
That's when it began.
A strange, haunting sound echoed through the venue, like glass breaking. The trophy shattered in mid-air, but no fragments fell. Instead, another sound followed—the sound of glass breaking at the top edge of the venue. Then the walls. Then everywhere.
Yet no visible windows or panels were breaking, and not a single shard landed on the ground. Still, every person felt it. They felt the weight of glass fragments brushing against their skin and passing through their hair, like fragments of illusion peeling away from reality itself.
Amid the confusion, only two people wore smiles: President Aditya and Rathore.
Within the flashes and refracting illusions, they saw it—a single glowing symbol, the true emblem of Project-M, briefly revealed within the shattering noise of the hidden glass.
Anaya slowly stood, tears welling in her eyes as she looked around. Then she turned and threw her arms around Ayaan, laughing and crying at once. "Finally... it's over," she whispered. "Finally, that obstacle is gone."
Ayaan didn't fully understand what she meant, but the feeling inside him matched hers. He smiled back and hugged her in return.
From the side of the stage, Rohit chuckled. "Never thought our junior would fall for Mr. Perfect Aim."
A playful punch landed against his side as Isha rolled her eyes. "Don't ruin the moment. Some of us aren't big on hugs. But seeing them? Feels worth it."
Suddenly, a small weight landed on Isha's shoulder. She looked up to see Anaya, still holding Ayaan, smiling as she pointed toward Isha and Rohit.
"Ayaan, remember what I told you? That one day I'd introduce the only family I've ever had?" Anaya gestured toward them. "They're here."
Ayaan blinked in surprise. "You know them?"
Anaya nodded softly.
Across the crowd, Aditya's heart cracked. He turned away and murmured, "You still haven't forgiven me..."
As he started to walk away, he felt a hand grab his arm.
He froze.
Then he heard Anaya's voice. "Mr. Aditya... President... I have Ayaan now. I have new friends. I have old friends. But I'm still missing something."
He turned his head slightly. "What are you missing?"
Anaya took a breath. "The award... the one I won. It was my best friend's dream—to receive it from you." Her voice lowered as she continued, "And I'm missing that same smile... from my foster father."
Aditya turned fully toward her, a soft light appearing in his eyes. Without a word, he walked over, took the trophy from Ayaan's hands, and raised his voice. "Everyone, calm down. Everything has been handled. Please—settle down. It's time to honor the winner."
He turned toward Anaya and smiled. "Miss Anaya... this belongs to you."
Anaya smiled widely and accepted the award, but then immediately handed it to Isha and Rohit.
The two stared at the trophy for a moment, emotions rising as memories of the past came rushing back. In a quiet, shared whisper, they both said, "Finally... the last achievement of the Melody of Our University."
They pulled her into a hug, three old classmates reunited, their past wounds momentarily healed.
From the side, Ayaan watched Anaya's glowing smile and couldn't help but smile himself.
Far from the stage, however, someone unsheathed a sword.
A gleam of steel reflected in the light.
Pooja and Sneha noticed it immediately. They exchanged uneasy glances before whispering, "Wait... doesn't he look like Teja?"
Above all of them, on the rafters high above the chaos and joy, stood a young man dressed in white, holding a photograph of a campfire in his hand. He quietly watched the smiles spreading across the faces of his seniors as they reunited, his eyes lingering on the scene below.
The setting sun cast its final golden light across the venue.
The young man smiled faintly and whispered, "Yes... the Melody of Numn University."
And then, along with the fading sunset, he vanished.