Dwandva: Between The Realms

Dehradun is a quiet city. Green. Peaceful. For Umi, it is also crowded with the dead. At sixteen, she has long accepted that she can see what others cannot—ghosts drifting through streets, spirits lingering around, shadows that don’t belong to the living, although not very common. They were never much of a problem to her. Most of which passed by without incident. And Umi learned early that the safest way to survive was to: Ignore them. Stay neutral. And live normally. That fragile balance shatters when she notices a spirit trailing her best friend, Mira. At first, it doesn’t seem hostile, just persistent. But spirits are not meant to linger near the living. Prolonged exposure begins to take its toll on Mira, as she begins to grow weaker by the day. What Umi once dismissed as harmless suddenly becomes dangerous. For the first time, neutrality is no longer an option for her. Forced to involve herself with the supernatural, Umi is drawn deeper into a world where the "Veil" between dimensions is thinner than it should be, where spirits do not always wander aimlessly, and where some of them have intent. Blending bone-chilling encounters with sharp, lighthearted humor, this story follows Umi as she navigates life, friendship, and the unsettling truth that “normal” may no longer be possible. Set in contemporary India, the novel weaves supernatural tension into everyday life. Quietly, naturally, without losing its cultural roots. Can Umi protect Mira without exposing herself? And once you step beyond the veil, can you ever really go back? ***************Author's Note**************** Thank you for giving Dwandva a chance. This story began as a collection of ideas. About spirits, about unseen dimensions, and about what it means to live between two worlds. I’ve always been drawn to visual storytelling, especially through manga and anime, and that influence naturally shapes how I imagine scenes and moments. Instead of following the usual Japanese or Korean settings often seen in supernatural fiction, I chose to ground this story in India. You’ll encounter several elements of Indian life and culture woven into the narrative, not as decoration, but as part of the world Umi inhabits. Many of the arcs and incidents in this story are inspired by real reports and local folklore, reimagined through fiction. While readers may notice similarities to certain ghost-centered series, Dwandva is built from my own ideas and interpretations of the supernatural. This is a passion project, written as a hobby but with personal care. I hope you find something here that stays with you. Thank you for reading.