Chapter 1: The Crack
"Sir… please, just pay me a little… it's been three days since the work was done."
Suraj, a thin, weary 19-year-old boy, stood with his head down. His eyes carried fatigue, and his voice was trembling with helpless hope.
The contractor scowled and snapped,
"Working illegally, are you? You're just a kid! Want me to call the police?"
Suraj said nothing. He turned around silently and walked away.
Some of the older laborers, aware of his situation, quietly handed him small amounts of money — one gave ₹100, another ₹50. Suraj nodded softly in gratitude.
As night fell, he found a small job outside a warehouse — packaging goods till late. ₹1000 for the entire night's work.
By 10:30 p.m., tired and a little numb, he bought:
a chocolate bar
a milk packet
a small bag of rice
a strip of painkillers
All for his sick sister and exhausted mother.
When he reached the bus stand, the last bus had already left.
He sat down on a bench, clutching his bag. The streets were almost empty. Then, from the corner of his eye — a strange blue light flickered in a dark alley.
A glowing, humming slit in the air… like the sky itself had cracked open.
Curiosity pulled him closer. The sound felt… unnatural. Static, eerie.
As Suraj reached out to touch the rift—
—everything went dark.
---
He opened his eyes slowly.
But it wasn't Earth anymore.
Cracked earth. Dust in the air. Burnt rubble. The sky… not blue, but a dull orange haze.
His backpack was still with him.
The milk, chocolate, rice, painkillers — still inside.
He was in another world.
Suddenly, he heard screams in the distance. He crouched low and crept toward the sound.
Four men were attacking what looked like a hidden shelter. Inside, a girl fought back fiercely.
Her name would soon be known to him: Velra.
A scar-covered face. Cold eyes. Survival knives in both hands. She moved like someone who had long given up on mercy.
One by one, she brought them down.
But the fourth attacker, before dying, managed to send a signal.
Backup was coming.
Then — BAM!
Suraj fell directly on top of the dying attacker.
"Another one?!" the man growled, grabbing Suraj by the collar.
Suraj couldn't even react. But just as the man raised his blade, Velra came from behind and slashed his throat clean.
Velra turned to Suraj and noticed the items that had spilled from his bag — milk… chocolate…
"Is this… real?" she asked, stunned.
Suraj nodded, still breathless.
Velra grabbed his arm.
"Backup's on the way," she said coldly.
"We have to move. Now's not the time for questions."
A small girl ran out of the shelter — around 14, with innocent eyes. Her name? Liri.
Velra. Liri. Suraj.
The three of them fled into the sewer tunnels beneath the ruined city.
Behind them, heavy footsteps grew louder. Backup had arrived.
And ahead?