Inside the haunted building, time had lost its meaning.
The nursery—the false sanctuary built of lies and toys—had grown quiet again. The air felt heavy, thick with unseen eyes watching from every corner.
On the floor, four figures sat in a loose circle.
"UNO!" Aishwarya slammed her final card down with a victorious grin. "And I win again. That's my seventh win."
Sharin stared at his cards, utterly defeated. "You're terrifying at this game."
Lioran dropped his cards and leaned back, irritation written all over his face. "I'm done. I'm not playing this stupid game anymore."
Aishwarya smirked. "What? Can't handle losing?"
"You're cheating," Lioran snapped. "I know it."
"Oh wow," she scoffed. "Now you're putting false allegations on me? You're such a child."
Lioran's eyebrow twitched.
"I am not—"
Before the argument could escalate—
GRRRRRRRRRR—
The entire building shook.
The floor trembled violently beneath them.
"What the hell is happening?" Lioran shouted.
The walls groaned.
Cracks spread across the ceiling.
Then—
THUD. THUD. THUD.
Stone stairs began forming from the roof, descending unnaturally into the room as if reality itself was being carved apart.
"From where did those stairs even spawn?" Sharin muttered.
Skanda watched calmly, arms crossed. "Looks like an invitation."
He glanced at the three of them. "So… what should we do?"
Lioran smiled—a sharp, dangerous smile.
"We accept it."
Arpit clutched Aishwarya's sleeve, trembling.
"D-Didi…"
She placed her hand gently on his head. "Don't worry. We'll keep you safe."
He nodded weakly. "Hmm…"
With steady steps, they began climbing.
The stairs led them into an enormous empty chamber.
The ceiling vanished into darkness.
And at the center—
They stood.
Three Narvans.
Their bodies radiated an oppressive presence that crushed the air itself.
One was deep blue, its skin shimmering like cold steel.
The other two were white.
One of them had three eyes—arranged vertically, all staring with cruel intelligence.
The other had only two, but its grin was wide and unsettling.
"So this is where you were hiding," Skanda said calmly.
The three-eyed Narvan chuckled.
"So… you finally found us."
Aishwarya's eyes widened. "That Narvan… it can talk."
Her voice trembled—not with fear, but disbelief. "This is my first time seeing one speak."
Sharin clenched his fists. "Not mine."
He glanced at Lioran. "Do you remember? Our first Narvan encounter back in college."
Lioran's jaw tightened.
He remembered.
Blood.
Fear.
The moment his Prāṇa had awakened for the first time.
"…Yeah," he said quietly. "That one could talk too."
Skanda nodded. "Some Narvans possess speech. Even our researchers don't fully understand why some can and others cannot."
The three-eyed Narvan listened intently—then smiled.
"Oh? Curious, are you?" it said mockingly.
"Allow me to fulfill your death wish."
Its voice echoed unnaturally.
"Long ago, some of our ancestors learned speech from humans," it continued.
"They observed you. Studied you. Copied you."
Its eyes glowed faintly.
"Over time, speech became our trait. A part of our blood. Passed down through generations."
Skanda exhaled slowly. "So you truly are reflections of humanity… its corrupted, twisted remains."
The Narvan snarled.
"Don't compare us to you, human," it hissed. "We are superior to filthy creatures like you."
Lioran stepped forward.
"Then prove it."
The Kroors smiled.
"So you want to fight?" the three-eyed one said.
"Then let's make it interesting."
It spread its arms.
"One versus one. A death match."
Sharin's eyes widened. "What?"
That Narvan said. "You send one. We send one."
Skanda nodded. "Fine."
"But Skanda—" Lioran started.
"Don't worry," Skanda interrupted calmly. "I trust you three."
Lioran clenched his jaw… then nodded.
"We're ready."
The three-eyed Narvan slammed its palm onto the ground.
BOOOOOOM—
The room twisted.
Walls stretched.
The ceiling rose.
Space itself folded and expanded.
"What is this?!" Lioran shouted.
"It's manipulating the environment," Skanda said grimly.
In seconds, the chamber expanded into a vast arena.
Aishwarya's eyes widened. "That's how we couldn't escape. It was changing the house the entire time."
"That's insane," Sharin muttered.
The three-eyed Narvan turned to the blue one.
"Nimbuda," it said coldly. "Show them hell."
Skanda looked at his team. "So… who goes first?"
"I will," Lioran said instantly.
Sharin grabbed his arm.
"Let me go first."
Lioran turned sharply. "Sharin—"
"I want to test my training," Sharin said firmly.
Aishwarya stepped between them. "Believe in him. He'll win."
Lioran hesitated… then nodded.
"Make them regret coming into this world."
Sharin stepped forward.
"So your name is Nimbuda," he said. "Didn't know Narvans had names."
Nimbuda burst into laughter.
A deep, mocking laugh.
"Are you mocking me?" Sharin asked.
The laughter stopped.
Nimbuda's mouth opened.
Too wide.
Sharin froze.
Something moved inside.
From its mouth—
A tongue slithered out.
But it wasn't normal.
Its tongue had a mouth of its own.
"—!!"
The tongue lunged.
Sharin barely dodged.
"What the hell is that?!" he shouted.
The tongue extended further—far beyond what should be possible.
It curved.
Tracked him.
"What? It can change direction?!" Sharin gasped.
Lioran clenched his fists. "That thing's tongue has its own mouth…"
"These Kroors…" Aishwarya whispered. "They're nothing like Bhools."
Sharin dodged again and again, muscles screaming.
"Enough!"
Prāṇa surged through his arm.
"PRĀṆA FIST!"
He lunged forward.
"TAKE THIS!"
Nimbuda's tongue retracted.
Sharin closed the distance—
Then—
SPLCH—
A mouth opened on the ground beneath him.
"What—?!"
A tongue erupted upward.
It bit into his leg.
"AAAAAAGH!!"
Blood sprayed.
Sharin stumbled back, clutching the wound.
Lioran's heart dropped. "SHARIN!"
"How is that even possible?" Aishwarya shouted.
"Mouths can appear anywhere," Skanda said grimly. "Be careful!"
Sharin panted heavily, teeth gritted in pain.
Then—
Nimbuda smiled.
The walls trembled.
SPLCH! SPLCH! SPLCH!
Mouths began opening everywhere.
On the walls.
On the ceiling.
On the floor.
Dozens.
Hundreds.
From each mouth, tongues shot out.
All of them aimed at Sharin.
"SHARIN—!!" Lioran screamed.
All the tongues struck on him.
RIP! TEAR! SPLASH!
Blood filled the air.
Then silence.
TO BE CONTINUED…