The scene picked up right where it had left off. Arjun was talking casually with Sameer, Kabir, Rohit, and Rishi, his calm presence still carrying that eerie aura.
Suddenly, Sameer's eyes widened as he remembered something. "Bro… I have the 1/4th part of that drawing you told us to find," he said, holding it out carefully.
Kabir quickly chimed in, "Bro… I have also got a 1/4th piece, same as the one you mentioned back then."
Rohit frowned. "But… we only have the 1/2 part of the drawing from before. Where's the other half?"
Arjun's expression hardened, his tone cold as ice. "Here," he said, revealing the 1/2 piece of the drawing in his hands.
Rishi leaned forward, curiosity burning in his eyes. "Bro… where did you find that?"
Arjun's voice dropped even lower. "It's a long story."
Dev smirked, folding his arms. "Bro, then tell your long story. I want to know just how long it is."
Arjun tilted his head slightly, a slow, unsettling smile forming on his face. "You'll know later," he said, his words dripping with calm menace.
Dev's smirk widened. "Let's see, then."
Aman, still cautious, interjected. "By the way, Arjun… now that we have all the pieces of the drawing, what's next?"
Arjun's red eyes glimmered faintly in the dim moonlight. "Nothing more for now. We just keep the pieces together in order… and then I will recite the mantras to destroy it."
But nobody sees Arjun's red eyes.
Arjun quietly collected the pieces from Kabir and handed all the remaining parts to Sameer.
Sameer hesitated, holding the pieces nervously. "Bro… why are you giving me these? I… I don't want to hold them," he said, his voice trembling.
Arjun replied calmly, almost soothingly, "I just wanted the pieces to be held by someone kind."
Sameer felt a little relief at those words and carefully took the pieces in his hands.
Arjun then instructed, "Stand a little away… not too far, but a safe distance."
Sameer looked at him, confused. "Bro… why? Will it work this way?"
Dev chuckled, smirking at Sameer. "Yep, bro. Arjun's mantra signals will be much more efficient at that range."
Arjun then instructed Sameer, "Arrange the pieces… make the complete drawing."
Sameer carefully began piecing them together, his hands slightly trembling.
Suddenly, Dev spoke up, a hint of skepticism in his tone. "Bro… the drawing was already in pieces. We could destroy it one by one. Why are you collecting all the pieces first to make it complete? Does it even make sense to complete the drawing before destroying it?"
As Dev finished, Arjun slowly lifted his head from his hoodie. The sudden movement froze everyone—except Sameer, who was still focused on arranging the pieces.
All eyes widened as Arjun revealed his red glowing eyes, piercing through the dim corridor.
In a cold, heavy tone, he said, "I told you… you'll see soon."
Just as Sameer finished, he announced, "Done. The pieces are all arranged."
Arjun's lips curled into a creepy, unsettling smile, the air around him growing heavier with tension.
Suddenly, Dev's eyes widened as a horrifying realization hit him. He rushed toward Sameer, shouting, "Throw it away, bro!"
But it was too late. In slow motion, the completed drawing in Sameer's hands began to glow, an eerie light pulsating from it. A dark portal/gate slowly opened above the drawing, releasing a sinister dark aura that quickly enveloped Sameer.
Dev, screaming in frustration:"What have you done to Sameer!"
Arjun just smiles creepily, eyes glowing blood-red."You don't understand… You will see… on your own."
Dev growls:"You're not the Arjun we know! Just tell us — who the hell are you?"
Arjun tilts his head, lets out a low laugh that echoes in the corridor, then coldly says:"I am no one… and yet, I am the reason you're all still alive — to witness this moment."
Rishi (still recording, whispering nervously to Aman):"Bro… did you get that?!"
Rohit and Kabir back away in fear, standing behind Aman.
Aman suddenly realizes:"Wait… so you were that red-eyed ghost we kept seeing in the school… the one Sameer swore he saw that night?"
Arjun smirks darkly:"You sure have a sharp brain… and yes. That was me."
Dev clenches his fist and shouts:"I don't care who the hell you are — I'm saving Sameer!"
The drawing bursts apart, opening a black, spiraling portal of shadows in front of Sameer. A torrent of dark aura shoots out, wrapping around his body like chains, binding him as he screams in pain.
Rishi (terrified, recording with his shaky camera):
"Oh god… it's consuming him!"
Dev lunges forward, but a violent blow from the portal blasts him back, slamming him into a far away wall. Blood drips from his mouth.
The dark aura thickens — black veins crawl over Sameer's skin, one of his eyes burns crimson while the other stays human. Horns begin to protrude faintly, his fingers sharpen into claws.
Finally, the storm calms. Smoke clears.
Sameer — no, the Devil — raises his head slowly. His voice echoes with a mix of Sameer and a demonic growl:
"I… am… REVIVED."
He looks at his clawed hand, flexes it, then lets out a thunderous, chilling laugh:
"AHAHAHAHA! After centuries… I WALK THIS WORLD AGAIN!"
Arjun approaches, smirking proudly.
"Welcome... ."
But as he gets closer, the Devil suddenly impales him with a claw through the stomach.
Arjun (blood dripping, shocked):"W-what… I revived you…"
The Devil smirks cruelly:"And now… your usefulness ends. Return what is MINE."
Dark energy surges, ripping the aura out of Arjun's body. His glowing red eyes fade to normal, leaving him collapsing to the ground.
The Devil tosses him aside like trash and spreads his arms, his aura filling the entire corridor. The ground shakes, the lights flicker, and even the air feels heavier.
Aman shouts:
"RUN!!!! "
Devil turns his devilish grin toward Aman, Rishi, Rohit, and Kabir.
"Run if you want… but I promise you… the hunt will be entertaining."
The squad sprints into the darkness as the Devil's chilling laugh echoes behind them, shaking the entire school.
The corridor fell silent after the Devil and the others vanished into the darkness. Suddenly, far ahead, a human figure struggled to stand.
It was Dev.
His shoulder was dislocated from the brutal blow of the Devil, but after a moment of sheer grit, he managed to snap it back into place. He twisted his arm carefully, testing the joint, before slowly starting to walk — wobbly, unsteady, but unstoppable — toward Arjun, who lay on the ground, alive but battered.
Dev's eyes locked onto him, a smirk forming on his face."Looks like you got betrayed, huh?" he said, voice calm but laced with a hint of power.He stepped closer, tilting his head slightly, "I told you… you'll never make a perfect villain."
Arjun coughed, blood staining his lips, but managed a weak, pained smile."I… I'm sorry for everything I've done. My body… my control… it wasn't mine."
Dev knelt slightly, gazing at him warmly."You won't make a perfect villain because… deep down, you're a perfect hero, bro."
Tears welled up in Arjun's eyes, but he smiled through them, feeling both relief and pride.
Dev placed a steady hand on his shoulder and chuckled softly."By the way… are you fine?"
Arjun gave a weak smirk through the blood at the corner of his lips and said,"Do I look fine?"
Dev chuckled, his voice still shaky from the pain, "Hah… that's the Arjun we know. Still badass and cold with words—without needing any external power."
Arjun's lips curled into a faint smile.
Dev carefully slid an arm under Arjun's shoulder and helped him up, moving him slowly against the support of a cracked pillar nearby. Dust trickled down as Arjun leaned back against it.
Dev sat beside him for a moment, breathing heavily, then asked,"Btw, how did you even get those powers of the Devil?"
Arjun's voice dropped into a low, serious tone.Arjun: "It's a long story…"
Dev smirked, leaning closer.Dev: "Tell me, bro. I'll listen."
Arjun took a shaky breath, his eyes distant as if replaying every memory.Arjun: "As you know… my family was called to deal with the supernatural incidents happening in this school. It was supposed to end that day.The ritual was to be done in the basement, hidden from everyone else. Everything was going fine — the chants, the seals — the drawing was seconds away from breaking into pieces…"
He paused. His fists clenched.
Arjun: "…But at the very end, something happened. Something none of us expected. Something came out of that drawing. Dark. Powerful. Dangerous…"
Dev's brows furrowed.
Dev: "What happened next?"
Arjun's eyes hardened.
Arjun: "That thing… it possessed one of my family members and began attacking everyone. Teachers. Principal. Even students… As the possessed body moved out of the basement, the whole school turned into chaos. Blood… bodies… screaming everywhere."
His voice cracked for a moment but he kept going.
Arjun: "My parents… my dad and mom… they fought that spirit head-on while trying to protect others. In the end… they sacrificed themselves. But before dying, they managed to split the drawing into pieces and scatter it across the school. In each piece, they sealed protective mantras — no dead, no dark power, no spirit could touch them. Only living humans could."
Arjun's head lowered. His eyes shimmered but no tears fell yet.
Dev curiously leaned forward.
Dev: "Bro… how do you know all this? I don't think your parents would ever let you join the ritual."
Arjun coughed, blood spilling at the corner of his lips. Dev instantly moved to support him, but Arjun lifted his hand, refusing, wiping the blood with his own palm. His eyes were cold, yet his body trembling — a man carrying too much.
Arjun: "…The ritual was supposed to be completed in the afternoon. My parents told me they'd return by evening. Hours passed… and they didn't. I waited… and waited… but something inside me snapped. I came to the school to check."
His voice deepened, every word heavy.
Arjun: "The moment I stepped in, I knew something was wrong. The school was… too quiet. Too still. With every step I took forward… the air grew colder. Then I saw it — blood stains smeared across the walls, dragging marks along the floor… dead bodies lying in the corridor."
Dev's eyes widened, but he didn't interrupt.
Arjun: "Fear… real fear hit me for the first time. And then I saw her. My mom… lying on the floor, covered in blood. Barely breathing. I rushed to her, patting her cheeks, calling her name. She opened her eyes… her voice weak, but her gaze sharp enough to stab my heart. 'Why did you come back, Arjun? Didn't I tell you it's dangerous?' she said."
Arjun lowered his head, eyes glistening.
Arjun: "I told her… it had been hours. She promised she would return. And she didn't. So I came. I had to."
His jaw tightened as he continued.
Arjun: "Her eyes softened for a moment. She realized… they were so consumed by the ritual, they forgot I was waiting. She whispered an apology, but then her tone changed — 'You should not be here. Leave, now. There is something strong walking in this school. Before it finds you, leave.'"
Dev clenched his fists.
Arjun: "I told her no. I wasn't going anywhere without her… without Dad. Without everyone."
He paused. His voice cracked.
Arjun: "She tried to convince me… and then she screamed. 'Why can't you understand?! THERE'S NO ONE YOU CAN TAKE WITH YOU! THEY'RE ALL DEAD ALREADY!'"
Dev's lips parted slightly, stunned.
Arjun: "My mind froze. Everything… went blank. But then… I gathered myself. And I said to her… 'But you are alive. I won't lose you. If there's even a little chance of saving something… then give your 100%. You'll succeed. Isn't that what Dad always said?'"
Arjun's tone softened as his memories bled into his words.
Arjun: "Her eyes watered. For a moment… she saw me not as a boy anymore, but as someone ready to face the darkness. I lifted her, supporting her broken legs. Step by step, we began walking down the corridor…"
Arjun's voice suddenly dropped, colder, darker.
Arjun: "…But then…"
Arjun (narrating to Dev, voice heavy):"But then… we heard it. Loud, heavy footsteps echoing through the corridor. Each one shaking the walls. My mom froze. Her eyes widened in terror. She whispered, 'Go… now. He's here. Just leave me.'"
Arjun (to his mom, desperate):"I will not leave you. We'll move. Together."
He lifted her again, forcing her trembling legs forward. The footsteps grew louder, closer… like the sound of death stalking them.
Finally, unable to resist, Arjun turned his head—
—and his heart almost leapt in relief.
Arjun (reliving the memory, voice breaking):"It was Dad. His body covered in blood, clothes torn, but… alive. He was walking… slowly, wobbling, his head lowered. I thought… maybe he survived. Maybe… maybe we could all make it out."
A faint smile escaped him in the memory.
Arjun:"I started moving towards him. I wanted to reach him, hug him, tell him Mom was still alive too. But then… Mom grabbed my wrist with what strength she had left. Her nails dug into my skin."
She shook her head, tears in her eyes.
Arjun's Mom (weak, but firm):"No… don't. Run. That's not your father. Not anymore. He's… something else now."
Arjun's blood turned cold. He turned back to his father—
This time, his dad's head was no longer lowered. His face tilted up, pale and lifeless, and his eyes—
Arjun (whispering, trembling):"…glowed. Red. Bright. Burning."
The voice choked in his throat.
Arjun (to Dev, barely audible):"He wasn't my dad anymore. He was… possessed."
Arjun's dad suddenly leapt forward like a beast, his blood-soaked body moving unnaturally fast. His fist crashed into Arjun's chest, sending him flying across the corridor—
CRASH!
He slammed against a pillar, blood spurting from his mouth.
Arjun's Mom (screaming, voice breaking):"ARJUN!!!"
Arjun coughed, wiped the blood from his lips with the back of his hand, and forced himself up, wobbling but standing tall.
Arjun (to his mom, voice rough but determined):"Mom… you just leave. I'll buy us some time. You need to go."
Mom (shaking her head, tears flowing):"No! You are the one who must leave. Not me. I won't let you die here!"
Arjun clenched his fists tightly. Golden mantra symbols began to glow faintly around his hands. The air rippled with energy as he unlocked his inherited power.
Arjun (gritting his teeth):"Then I have no choice…"
He leapt forward, aiming a punch at his possessed father—but at the last second… he froze. His eyes trembled, his fist shaking inches away from his father's face.
That hesitation was enough.
His possessed father smirked with glowing red eyes and countered with a devastating punch.
But this time—
Arjun blocked it.
His own fist, glowing with protective mantra seals, clashed with the monstrous strength. The corridor shook with the force. Sparks of light and dark energy scattered everywhere.
His mom gasped in disbelief.
Mom (whispering in shock):"He… he blocked it…? His mantra control—so strong… but we never taught him…"
Arjun smirked through the struggle, his glowing fist holding back the devil's power.
Arjun (with a faint grin):"Obviously, Mom. I'm your son… and Dad's son."
Mom (tears rolling down):"But… we never had time to teach you… not even the basics…"
Arjun tightened his grip, his aura flaring brighter, forcing the possessed father back a few steps.
Arjun (smiling, voice steady):"I didn't need lessons… I learned everything… just by watching you all."
After some fight—punches, clashes, and desperate blocks—Arjun's breathing grew heavier. He was still young, and his mastery over the mantras wasn't complete. His arms trembled, his body ached, yet he refused to step back.
Then, his possessed father's eyes began to glow with a blinding brightness, preparing for one final devastating blow. The ground beneath him cracked as the energy surged.
Arjun gathered his remaining strength, wrapping his fists with mantras again, but this time the light was dimmer, weaker than before. He knew his mantras couldn't withstand such a strike, yet his resolve hardened. If I fall here, at least Mom will escape.
Sweat trickled down his forehead, each drop heavy with fear and determination. His father's massive aura roared closer, shaking the air itself. Arjun shut his eyes tight, bracing himself for the inevitable.
But the impact never came.
Confused, Arjun slowly opened his eyes—only to see his mother standing between him and his father, her hands glowing faintly with the last of her strength. She had formed a mantra shield in front of Arjun.
"Mom…!" Arjun's voice cracked.
The punch landed, and the shield shattered instantly. With no other choice, his mother put her own body between the blow and her son. The barrier had reduced the impact significantly, but the strike still pierced through her body—stopping just before it could reach Arjun.
"NOOOO!!" Arjun screamed, his voice echoing through the hall.
In that moment, something flickered inside his father. His glowing eyes dimmed for a second—his real consciousness breaking through. He looked down at his bleeding wife in his arms, horror and guilt twisting his face.
"I… what have I done…?" his father whispered, trembling as he held her fragile body.
His wife coughed weakly, but she smiled through the pain. "Don't blame yourself. Our child… has truly grown into someone strong. We should be proud of that."
Tears blurred Arjun's vision as he fell to his knees, but he forced himself to listen.
His father turned his gaze toward him, eyes filled with sorrow. "I'm sorry, my child… I never wanted to hurt you."
Arjun's lips quivered, silence choking him at first. Then finally, with tears streaming down his cheeks, he whispered, "Don't worry, Dad. I know… you were possessed. It wasn't you."
Hearing this, his father closed his eyes, holding back his own emotions. "I've managed to suppress it for now… but not for long."
Arjun quickly wiped his tears with the back of his hand—he didn't want his parents to see him broken. "Then we should do something, together. We can still fix this."
But silence hung heavy between them. No solution came.
After a long pause, his father gave a faint, bittersweet smile. "…Then the time has come for that thing."
Arjun's mother's eyes widened instantly. She understood what he meant. But Arjun, still confused and desperate, looked at them both.
"What… what are you talking about?" he asked, his voice trembling.
His father's voice grew solemn as he clasped his hands together, chanting an ancient mantra. The air trembled, symbols of light circling around his glowing body. His faint smile carried the weight of farewell.
"Dad… what are you doing?" Arjun asked, panic rising in his chest. He couldn't understand what was happening.
His father looked at him with gentle eyes. "This mantra… it seals the spirit, the darkness that possesses me. Once it's done, you will be safe."
Arjun felt a rush of relief—finally, it will end.
But then his father added softly, "…But the one who performs it… also gets sealed/killed . Life for life."
Arjun's eyes widened, his body froze. "No… no, Dad… you're joking, right? Tell me this is just some kind of prank!" His voice cracked as tears spilled uncontrollably. He stood up, screaming in desperation. "STOP IT!! Please stop it!!"
But his father's glow only intensified, his body beginning to disintegrate into fragments of light.
His mother, bloodied and weak, whispered faintly, "Arjun… we're sorry we couldn't give you the time you wanted. The rituals… they always kept us away. But you still grew this far, on your own. We are proud—so proud—to have you as our son."
Arjun shook his head violently, his cries echoing through the broken hall. "No… don't say that… please… just stay… please…"
His father's voice trembled, but he forced a smile. "Yes… you've become more mature than we ever dreamed. Forgive us… for not being with you longer…" His form was almost gone, his outline transparent, fading.
Arjun, broken, turned to his mother and sobbed, "See, Mom! Look at Dad—he's saying something so stupid! Can't you scold him? Please, just scold him!!"
But there was no reply.
When he looked back at her… she was lying still. Motionless.
Something inside Arjun shattered completely. He dropped to his knees, clutching his chest, his wails echoing louder than the crumbling walls.
Memories flooded his mind—the laughter at home, the warmth of his mother's embrace, the proud smile of his father during simpler times. All of it… slipping away forever.
And now, in that broken silence—Arjun was alone. Truly, painfully alone.
The corridor was drowned in silence. Arjun sat slumped against the wall, his head lowered, his body trembling faintly, but his face was blank—empty. His tears had dried, but his heart felt hollow. He had lost the two most important people in his life… and with them, his will to move.
The broken school echoed with distant creaks, the smell of blood heavy in the air.
Then—something stirred.
From the shadows behind him, a dark aura slithered forward, like smoke twisting with malice. It hovered, pulsing, almost alive, before slowly creeping toward Arjun's motionless body.
Arjun didn't move. He didn't even notice. His soul was drowning in grief, too numb to sense what was happening.
The aura touched the gashes and wounds carved on his skin during the battle. One by one, it seeped inside him, like poison filling his veins. His body twitched faintly—but he remained still, lost in despair.
The darkness spread deeper, wrapping around his heart.
And then… silence again.
Arjun slowly lifted his head. His breath was heavy, his expression void. But when his eyes opened— a crimson glow burned within them.
The same glow his father once carried.
Dev looked at him with a faint sadness in his eyes."I feel sorry for your parents… hopefully, wherever they are, they're at peace."
Arjun coughed, blood staining his lips, but his voice stayed steady."Don't feel sorry about it. They wouldn't want that."
Dev exhaled, then leaned closer with a half-smirk."Well then… you know how it is. If a problem stands in front of us, we stop wasting time feeling sorry—" he tapped Arjun's shoulder, "—and we focus on the solution."
Arjun looked up at him quietly.
"So," Dev continued, his grin sharpening, "you started all this. You know anything about how to stop that devil?"
Arjun's gaze hardened. His voice was calm but uncertain."I… know a way. A solution. But I don't know if it will work or not."
Dev chuckled, eyes glinting with fire."Doesn't matter. Even if there's just a tiny chance… we're taking it."
Arjun's lips curved into a faint smile.For a moment, Dev's words overlapped with the echo of his father's voice in his mind—"Even if there's a little chance, give your 100%… and you'll succeed."
Arjun whispered under his breath, barely audible,"…Dad…"