Night draped over Dharavanar like a silent veil, but Neel couldn't rest. The memories of those glowing eyes and the fear in his friends' faces replayed endlessly in his mind.
He stepped quietly into the living room, where his parents sat in muted conversation. The soft hum of the ceiling fan filled the silence as they looked up at him.
"Neel? It's late," his mother said, her voice calm—but her eyes flickered with something he had never seen before. Fear.
"Mom… Dad…" Neel swallowed hard. "Those things I saw… the shadows with eyes… they're called Kalaraks, aren't they?"
The air froze. His father's expression hardened instantly. "Where did you hear that name?"
"You told me," Neel replied quietly. "Years ago. You said if they ever came back, it would mean… something bad."
His mother's hands trembled slightly as she clasped them together. His father stood slowly, the weight of his silence heavier than any answer.
Finally, he spoke. "Kalaraks are hunters. Servants of darkness… older than the Veils themselves. If they've returned…" He stopped, his jaw tightening as if the truth was too dangerous to speak.
Neel stepped closer. "What do they want? Why now?"
His father looked at him sharply. "Stay out of this, Neel. Forget what you saw. Promise me."
"I can't." The words escaped before Neel could hold them back. His fists clenched at his sides.
His mother rose and touched his shoulder, her voice trembling. "The Veils… they keep balance between realms. If they break, everything ends. That's all you need to know. Please, Neel… don't go looking for trouble."
Neel lowered his head, shadows masking his expression. "I'm not looking for trouble," he whispered. "But if it comes for us… I won't run."
He walked out into the cool night air, heart pounding, mind burning with a single thought:
I'll protect them. Whatever it takes.