Chapter 2 – The First Sign
The night was unusually quiet. KAJAL stepped out of the college gate, adjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder. The streetlights flickered above the empty road, casting long, uneven shadows on the ground. It was already past nine, and most of the shops nearby had closed.
She sighed.
"Why do extra classes always end this late?" her muttered to herself.
Normally, she would take the main road home. It was brighter and safer. But tonight, she felt unusually tired. The shortcut through the old neighborhood would save her at least twenty minutes.
After a brief moment of hesitation, she turned toward the narrow, dimly lit lane.
The air felt different there—colder, heavier.
Kajal rubbed her arms. "Weird… it wasn't this cold before."
The houses along the street looked old and abandoned. Broken windows, cracked walls, and rusted gates gave the place a lifeless appearance. Even the stray dogs were missing.
Then she saw it.
At the end of the lane stood a small, ancient temple. Its stone walls were dark and worn out, covered with moss and cracks. Kajal had passed this lane many times before, but she had never noticed this temple.
"Was this always here?" She whispered.
A faint golden glow flickered from inside the temple, like the light of a dying candle. It was weak, but clearly visible in the darkness.
Curiosity pulled her forward.
Each step felt heavier than the last, as if the air itself was resisting her. The silence around her was unnatural—no wind, no insects, no distant traffic.
Only his footsteps.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Crunch.
She reached the temple entrance. The wooden doors were half broken, hanging loosely on their hinges. The golden light came from inside.
Kajal swallowed.
"I should just go home…"
But instead of turning back, she pushed the door.
It creaked open with a long, sharp sound.
Inside, the temple was almost empty. The idol at the center was cracked, its face barely visible. Dust covered the floor, and cobwebs hung from the ceiling.
But on the stone platform in front of the idol, something glowed.
A small pendant.
It was shaped like a circle, with strange symbols carved around its edges. The center held a tiny crystal that emitted the soft golden light.
Kajal stepped closer, her eyes fixed on it.
"Who would leave something like this here?"
She reached out her hand.
The moment her fingers touched the pendant—
A sharp jolt of energy shot through her body.
"Ah!" She cried out, stumbling back.
The pendant fell to the ground, but the glow didn't fade. Instead, it grew brighter. The air inside the temple started to vibrate, and a low humming sound filled the space.
Kajal looked at her right hand.
A strange symbol had appeared on her palm. It looked exactly like the carvings on the pendant.
The symbol suddenly burned with heat.
"W-What is this?" She gasped.
The pain spread up her arm, like fire running through her veins. Her vision blurred. The walls of the temple seemed to twist and distort.
Then, images flashed before her eyes.
Dark shadows moving in the night…
A pair of glowing red eyes…
A massive creature roaring in the distance…
And a voice, deep and ancient, whispering:
"The chosen one… has awakened."
Kajal dropped to her knees, clutching her head.
"Stop… please… stop…"
The pain vanished as suddenly as it came.
Silence returned.
She breathed heavily, sweat dripping from her forehead. Slowly, she looked at her hand again.
The symbol was still there—but now it was faint, like a scar.
"What… just happened?"
At that moment, a cold wind blew through the temple.
The pendant on the floor cracked.
And the crystal inside it turned pitch black.
Kajal's eyes widened.
For a brief second…
his pupils glowed with an unnatural golden light.
Then everything went dark.