Chapter 1
The storm began before sunrise.
Raghav and Nandini had left the cult for better future but they didn't tell anyone about them. They left the valley with one suitcase, a few thousand rupees, and no idea what came next. At a crowded railway station, Nandini sat beside Raghav on a metal bench, clutching a paper cup of chai.
“Raghav,” she said quietly, “we don’t have the cult anymore. No leaders. No prophecy. No destiny. What exactly do we have?” Raghav stared at the passing train before turning to her with a grin. “Let’s see. We have one suitcase, seven hundred and forty-three rupees, and a suspicious amount of optimism.” Nandini laughed despite herself, “You are impossible.” “No,” he replied, slipping his hand into hers. “For the first time in my life, I’m free.” Everything was going smooth, they bought a house on rent. Raghav took job as waiter in five star hotel and Nandini took cooking classes. Everything got managed.
Raghav had been acting suspicious all week. Every time Nandini asked where he was going after work, he’d suddenly become very interested in ceiling fans, wall clocks, or anything that wasn’t her question.
So when he showed up at their apartment wearing his best suit and holding a single rose that looked slightly crushed, she wasn’t surprised. she asked, "hmm.... mr. husband where are we going?" raghav said, "mrs. wifey, you get ready but wear soemthing fancy." she went and came after being ready raghav did dramatic fall that he is smitten and then made her wear blindfold.
when they reached the hotel he opened her blindfold and she was, however, surprised when he brought her to the five-star hotel where he worked. Nandini stopped outside the entrance.
“Raghav.” said, nandini. “Hm?” replied raghav . nandini asked, “Are you sure we’re allowed in here?” He looked offended and said, “Nandini, I work here.” nandini said , “Exactly. That’s why I’m asking.” Raghav sighed dramatically and guided her inside.
The restaurant was beautiful. Crystal chandeliers. Soft music. White tablecloths. The kind of place where breathing too loudly felt expensive. Nandini picked up the menu. Then immediately put it back down.
raghav asked, "What happened?" nandini replied, “There are no prices.” Raghav smiled confidently, “It’s a classy restaurant.” nandini sarcastically said, “Or a dangerous one.” Raghav said, “Nandu.” nandini asked raghav, “If I order tea, am I accidentally buying a car?” Raghav rubbed his forehead and replied, “We’re fine.”
A waiter passed by. “Good evening, sir.” Raghav nodded. The second the waiter disappeared, he leaned across the table. ragahv wated t impress her and said, “Order whatever you want.” Nandini narrowed her eyes, “How much is whatever I want?” raghav tells her, “...reasonable.” nadini scolds him but politely, “That’s not a number.”
Raghav complains, “It’s date night. Stop interrogating me.” She grinned, “You’re nervous.” raghav fumbles, “I..I’m not nervous.”Nandini mocked him, “You ironed your socks.” Raghav looked genuinely offended, “That’s called being prepared.” nandini mocked again, “That’s called being terrified.”
Before he could defend himself, soup arrived. The young trainee carrying it looked moments away from fainting. His hands shook. The bowl wobbled. Raghav watched him with growing concern. The trainee watched the bowl with growing concern. Nandini watched both of them with fascination. Everything happened very slowly.
The bowl tilted. Raghav’s eyes widened. The trainee panicked. A splash of soup landed directly on Raghav’s lap.
Silence.
The trainee looked horrified. Nandini bit her lip as she was stopping herself from laughing. Raghav looked down at the stain. Then up at the trainee. Then back at the stain. he said with sarcastic, “Interesting.” The trainee blinked, “Sir?” Raghav sassily said, “I wasn’t expecting to wear the soup.” waiter got embarrassed and said, “I’m so sorry, sir!” raghav forgiving replied, “It’s alright.” The trainee looked relieved.
Raghav pointed at his trousers, “But if anyone asks, this happened while I was saving a child.” The trainee fled. Nandini lasted exactly three seconds before laughing. Raghav glared, “You are supposed to support me.” nandini said, “I am supporting you.”raghav said while pouting, “You’re laughing.” nandini said, “Emotionally supporting you.”
The food arrived. The date recovered. For approximately twenty-two minutes. Then the bill came. Raghav opened the folder. His smile disappeared. Nandini immediately noticed and asked, "What happened?” raghav hiding, “Nothing.” nandini pressed his hand, “Raghav.” raghav smiled, “Everything is under control.” nandini knew him, “Raghav.” He slowly closed the folder.
raghav said while emabarrased, “Would you still love me if we had to wash dishes for six months?” Nandini started laughing before he even explained. Ten minutes later she was sitting alone at the table, watching him argue with the accounting department through a glass partition. He pointed at the receipt. The accountant pointed at the computer. Raghav pointed at himself. The accountant shrugged.
At one point, Raghav ran both hands through his hair and looked toward the ceiling as if asking the universe for help. Nandini nearly fell out of her chair. Eventually he returned. Defeated said, “Good news.” nandini said while pouting, “There is no good news.” raghav said, “The bill is fixed.” nandini said, “There it is.” Raghav sank into his chair, “I spent a month planning tonight.”
nandini asked, “And?” raghav said, “I wanted to impress you.” Nandini looked around the restaurant. At the stained trousers. At his exhausted expression. At the way he was still trying to pretend everything was fine. Then she reached across the table and took his hand, “You did.” Raghav blinked, “I did?” nandini saidsmiling, “You brought me somewhere fancy.” raghav said, “The soup attacked me.” nandini gave him cnfidence, “You survived bravely.”
Raghav replied, “It was mushroom soup.” nandini said with slight smile, “You fought with honor.” Raghav laughed despite himself, “There she is.” nandini got jealous, “There who is?” raghav pointing at her,“The woman making fun of me during my darkest hour.” Nandini squeezed his hand while smiling, “Someone has to keep you humble.”
When they finally left the hotel, they walked home instead of taking a taxi. Halfway down the street, Nandini slipped her hand into his. “You know,” she said, “this was actually my favorite date.” Raghav stared at her, “Your standards are alarmingly low.” she replied, “No." and then she leaned against his shoulder, “I just like being with you.”
For a moment he was quiet. Then he kissed the top of her head, “Next date is at home.” She said, “Good idea.” He said, “No waiters.” she gt excited, “Excellent.” raghav was slight embarassed, “No accountants.” nandini replied, “Even better.” raghav was confident, “No soup.” Nandini thought for a second, “I can’t promise that one.”
By then, after learning nandini had started taking custom dessert orders from home. One evening, a new recipe went catastrophically wrong. Smoke filled the apartment. The fire alarm screamed. The neighbors complained. And the cake looked like charcoal.
police came and investigated and asked nandini to take care and askedher to not do this typeof stunts again. tillthen Raghav also returned and she said everything to him. Raghav stared at the cake. Nandini crossed her arms defensively, “Don’t.”
Raghav innocently replied, “I’m not saying anything.” nandini was about to explode, “Raghav.” raghav said jockingly, “I’m just impressed.” nandini said, “Impressed?”ragav replied mocking her, “Yes. I didn’t know chocolate could evolve into coal this quickly.” Nandini threw a dish towel at him. He laughed so hard he nearly fell off his chair.
After the incident, Nandini started to dream about her own dessert shop, raghav started to do extra shifts and other odd jobs o weekend. here, nandini expertised herself in every dessert she knows. after so much struggle finally a dream become real their first small dessert café had finally opened. The sign outside wasn’t perfect. The paint was uneven. The chairs didn’t match. But it was theirs.
That night, after closing, they sat together on the counter eating leftover pastries. “We actually did it,” Nandini whispered. Raghav looked around the empty café. No cult. No fear. No chains. Just their hard work. “Our own place,” he agreed softly. Nandini rested her head on his shoulder. “Do you ever regret leaving?” Raghav didn’t even hesitate. “Not for a second.” He kissed her forehead. “Everything we have now belongs to us.” And for the first time, Nandini truly believed their future would be brighter than their past
After 1 month, she was finishing last order and raghav was cleaning the mess and almost all her employees left. She came out for picking something and she saw a silhoutte and suddenly, the laughter died instantly. A heavy silhouette stumbled out of the mist and slammed against the glass entrance. A bloody hand dragged across the door.
Nandini was stading their in shock and confused. Raghav came out and saw, “Nandini, get back,” Raghav ordered immediately. Years of peace vanished from his eyes. He stepped in front of her. The leather binding wrapped around his wrist snapped as he tore it free. Faint sparks flickered around his fingers. “Step away from the door!” he roared.
The figure outside collapsed. A streetlamp illuminated the face. Nandini froze. Her breath caught, “Dad...?” The word escaped her as little more than a whisper. Raghav’s magic disappeared instantly. Nandini rushed forward and threw open the door. Her father collapsed into her arms. Blood soaked through her apron. “Dad!” she cried. “Dad, look at me! Dad!”
His eyelids fluttered weakly. His lips moved. “Nandini...” Tears blurred her vision, “What happened? Who did this? Tell me!” His trembling hand gripped her sleeve. Terror filled his eyes. A terror she had never seen before. “The crimson eyes...” he wheezed. His breathing hitched. “He’s coming...”
Nandini shook her head frantically, “No. No, don’t talk like that. Let me help you.” her dad said,“For the child...” His grip loosened. “You have to—” The sentence never finished. His head rolled to one side. The light left his eyes. “Dad?” nandini called. Silence.
“Dad?”, Her voice cracked. She shook him harder. “Dad!” Raghav knelt beside them. He pressed two fingers against the old man’s neck. The seconds stretched endlessly. Then Raghav slowly lowered his hand. “Nandini...” The look on his face said everything. nandini was in denial, “No.” raghav was sympathizing, “Nandini...” nandini yelled, “No!”
Her father couldn’t be dead. Not like this. Not after all these years. Not before explaining anything. Not before telling her why he had come. She grabbed his shoulders and shook him again, “DAD!” The scream ripped out of her. Raw. Broken. Agonizing. The windows of the café rattled. The lights flickered. A sudden pulse of energy exploded outward.
Raghav’s eyes widened, “Nandini...” She didn’t hear him. Another scream tore from her throat. The faded tattoo wrapped around her wrist began to glow. At first it was only a faint silver shimmer beneath her skin. Then the symbols blazed brighter. Brighter. Brighter. Ancient markings that had remained dormant for years awakened one by one.
Nandini stared down at her arm in shock, “No...” The power she had surrendered. The power she had willingly given away before leaving the cult. It was returning. Flowing through her veins like wildfire. The glowing symbols spread across her hand as forgotten magic rushed back into its rightful owner. Raghav felt the surge instantly. The air around them vibrated. And for the first time in years, Nandini’s power was alive again.
The weight of the finality hit her all at once. Her father’s chest fell one last time, his grip relaxed completely, and the faint, residual warmth of his pulse vanished. He was gone. Nandini sat frozen on the floor, her knees tucked tight to her chest, staring blankly down at her apron. The dark, thick blood had soaked through the fabric, staining her skin beneath. She didn’t move. She didn’t cry. She just stared at the red stains, completely hollow and numb.
Raghav’s heart twisted in his chest. Seeing her so terrifyingly silent tensed every nerve in his body. He stepped around the broken ceramic and glass from her magical outburst, dropping to his knees in front of her.
“Nandu,” he whispered, his voice cracking with a fierce, grounding tenderness. He wrapped his arms around her trembling frame, pulling her head tightly into the crook of his neck. “I’ve got you. I’m right here.”
The solid warmth of his chest broke the dam. Nandini’s fingers clutched into the back of his shirt, and a ragged, piercing sob tore out of her. For the rest of the night, the world outside ceased to exist. They sat together on the hard kitchen floor in the dim light of the ruined café, Raghav holding her so tightly that no more shadows could reach her, while she wept for the father who had abandoned her, betrayed her, and finally died in her arms.
As the first pale light of dawn began to peek through the front glass windows, Nandini’s cries finally quieted into a heavy, exhausted silence. Raghav gently kissed the crown of her head, untying her stained apron and tossing it away. “Stay here,” he murmured softly. “Let me take care of this.” Raghav stood up and began the grim task of fixing the physical wreckage.
He swept away the shattered mugs and bent spoons, wiped the blood from the floor, and straightened the overturned chairs, methodically erasing the chaos of the night. When the floor was clear, he walked back into the kitchen to check on her. He stopped dead in his tracks.
Nandini was staring down at her lap, but her fingers were trembling, and a soft, erratic pulse of luminescent light blue energy was faintly radiating from her skin. The magic was leaking out of her again, completely unprompted by her conscious mind. Raghav sighed heavily, his jaw clenching. “Exactly what I thought would happen. The emotional shock is fracturing our control.”
He didn’t hesitate. He reached into his pocket and pulled out two small, spare leather cords from his jacket. Kneeling before her, he gently took her hand. He whispered an old, guttural incantation under his breath—a temporary binding charm. As he tied the cord tightly around her wrist, the blue light crackled once and died out, safely locked away. He then tied the second cord around his own wrist, forcefully shoving his own crackling energy back into his veins.
“It’s a temporary lock, Nandu,” Raghav said quietly, rubbing her cold knuckles. “It will keep us hidden from their trackers until you’re strong enough to control it again.” Raghav stood up, his face hardening into a grim, respectful resolve. “I need to take care of him now. We can’t leave him here, and we can’t involve the city authorities. I’m going to cremate him in our way. The old way.” Nandini didn’t speak. She just gave a slow, numb nod.
Raghav went to the back room and carefully lifted his father-in-law’s heavy, lifeless body. He carried him out through the back door, navigating the hidden alleyways to a secluded, rocky ridge on the edge of the city where the dense fog would conceal the smoke.
He laid the old man down on a pyre of dry timber. Despite the manipulation and the cruelty her father had inflicted upon them, Raghav knew the laws of their old life. He leaned down and carefully slipped a heavy, carved silver ring from the dead man’s finger and unclasped a thick copper bracelet from his wrist—the ancient artifacts that held the cult leader’s personal magical lineage.
“You brought us nothing but chaos,” Raghav muttered, staring at the lifeless face. “But you were her father. And you died warning us. For that, you get your dignity.” Raghav set the artifacts aside, struck a match, and touched it to the wood. As the fire caught, he raised his hand and channeled a localized burst of pure heat through his temporary bond, causing the flames to roar with a brilliant, supernatural intensity.
The fire consumed the body rapidly. Within minutes, the physical form began to vanish, disintegrating directly into fine, silver-gray ash. Raghav carefully swept the remains into a simple clay urn he had brought along. He picked up the urn, pocketed the ring and bracelet, and walked back to the café. When he re-entered the kitchen, Nandini hadn’t moved an inch. Raghav walked over and gently placed the heavy clay urn into her lap.
Nandini looked down at it. She took the urn into her hands, her fingers wrapping around the cold clay without uttering a single word. Her silence was louder than any scream. Raghav extended his hand, pulling her up to her feet. He grabbed his jacket, took one final look around the pristine, empty café they had worked so hard to build, and reached for the main light switch. With a sharp click, the room plummeted into darkness.
They stepped out into the early morning mist, Raghav securely locking the heavy deadbolt behind them. He wrapped his arm tightly around Nandini’s shoulders, shielding her from the morning chill, and together, they walked away from The Stardust Café, heading back to their apartment to face a future that had just changed forever.
Nine months after that dark, fateful night, the heavy shadows of the past had finally begun to fade. The Stardust Café remained closed, but in their quiet home, Nandini had slowly found her smile again. The laughter, the easy banter, and the warmth of their bond had fully returned.
Until one Tuesday morning at 4:00 AM. The bedroom was pitch black and perfectly silent, save for Raghav’s soft, rhythmic snoring. Suddenly, Nandini’s eyes flew open. A violent wave of nausea hit her like a tidal wave. She bolted out of bed, practically ripping the blankets off Raghav, and sprinted down the hallway.
SLAM!
The bathroom door banged shut, followed immediately by the unmistakable, violent sound of gagging and dry-heaving. Raghav jolted awake, his heart hammering in his chest, his protective reflexes instantly flaring. He reached for his wrist, looking for a binding charm to tear off, before realizing there was no danger. “Nandu?” he called out, his voice thick with sleep. “Nandu, are you okay?”
Inside the bathroom, Nandini washed her mouth out, her breath hitching. She wasn’t pale or crying—she was staring at her reflection in the mirror, a sudden, wild thought sparking in her mind. Her hands flew to her stomach. An unusual, fluttering, beautiful feeling was blooming inside her.
She dashed out of the bathroom, ignoring a very confused Raghav who was sitting up in bed, and ran straight to the wall calendar in the kitchen. Her eyes scanned the dates. She counted once. She counted twice. Her face completely transformed into a look of absolute, ecstatic, happy shock.
“YES! OH MY GOD, YES!” Nandini suddenly shrieked at the top of her lungs, jumping up and down on the kitchen tiles. She grabbed a wooden rolling pin from the counter, using it as a microphone, and started belts out a terribly off-key, joyous Bollywood track. “Dhoom tana na na! Dhoom tana na na!”
Raghav tumbled out of bed, completely panicked. He rushed into the kitchen, his hair pointing in five different directions, his eyes wide with terror. “What?! What is it?!” Raghav yelled, grabbing her by the shoulders to stop her from spinning. “Nandu, stop jumping! What happened? Are you hurt? Is something paining?! Did the cult trackers find us?! Why are you singing?!”
“No, you idiot! Look at me!” Nandini gasped, her face flushed with pure joy, her eyes shining. “Listen to me very carefully. Your five-star hotel waiting days are officially paying off.” Raghav blinked, utterly bewildered. “What? Did... did the manager finally send my back-pay from 2008?” Nandini rolled her eyes, groaning. “No, Raghav! Think! What happens when a customer sits at a table, orders a massive, heavy meal, and then leaves a tiny, precious little tip behind?”
Raghav stared at her, his brain completely stalled in sleep mode. He crossed his arms, answering with absolute, serious sincerity. “Well, usually, if the tip is too small, I get annoyed because I worked hard carrying the soup. Wait... did Mukesh send us money?” Nandini threw her hands in the air, exasperated. “Mukesh has nothing to do with this! Okay, let me rephrase. Raghav, think about a seed. A tiny, little seed planted in very rich, warm soil. And after nine months of waiting... what happens to the seed?”
Raghav’s eyes widened. A look of profound realization washed over his face. “Oh! Oh, god. Nandu... the balcony. The flower pot. Did the money-plant finally sprout? I told you watering it three times a week was the secret!” “Raghav!” Nandini smacked his arm with the wooden rolling pin, laughing hysterically. “Are you actively trying to be this dense? Look at my hands!”
She placed both of his large, calloused hands directly onto her stomach. She looked up at him, her smile softening into something incredibly beautiful and emotional. “There is no money-plant. There is a tiny, little human being right here. Growing.” Raghav stared down at his hands on her stomach. Then he looked up at her face. Then back down at her stomach.
“A... a human?” Raghav whispered, his voice suddenly squeaking. “Like... a small person? A tiny Raghav or a tiny Nandini?” “Yes, Raghav,” Nandini laughed, tears of happiness finally spilling over her eyelashes. “You are going to be a father.” The fear, the confusion, and the sleepiness vanished from Raghav’s face in an instant, replaced by a look of sheer, unadulterated terror. His knees literally wobbled.
“A father?” Raghav choked out, his hands flying to his own head. “Me? A Baba? Nandu, I can’t even tie a bow tie straight! I broke an entire pyramid of champagne glasses! What if I drop it?! What if it inherits my clumsy trainee friend’s coordination?!”
Nandini wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his chaotic face down to hers. “You won’t drop it. You’re going to be the most amazing, fiercely protective Baba in the entire world. Crooked bow ties and all.”
Raghav froze, the weight of her words sinking in. A massive, goofy, breathless grin broke across his face. He swept her up off her feet, spinning her around the messy kitchen, completely forgetting his panic. “I’m going to be a father!” Raghav shouted to the empty apartment, kissing her fiercely. “We’re having a baby!”
“Yes, we are,” Nandini laughed, clinging to him tightly as the dawn light finally broke through the window, painting their new beginning in bright, golden light. “But if the baby throws up at 4:00 AM, Raghav... it’s your turn to clean the mess.”
Nine months after that dark, fateful night, the heavy shadows of the past had finally begun to fade. The Stardust Café remained closed, but in their quiet home, Nandini had slowly found her smile again. The laughter, the easy banter, and the warmth of their bond had fully returned.
A few days after the chaotic morning revelation, they sat nervously in a quiet clinic on the outskirts of the city. The doctor looked up from the medical file with a warm, reassuring smile. "Well, Mr. and Mrs. Rathore, the blood tests are entirely conclusive," the doctor stated cheerfully, tapping the paperwork. "You are officially six weeks pregnant. The baby is healthy, and everything looks perfectly on track. Congratulations, you two are going to be parents."
Nandini let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, squeezing Raghav’s hand so hard his knuckles turned white. Raghav just sat there, a massive, frozen grin on his face, nodding blindly at the doctor like a toy.
9 Months of Pregnancy (10 Moments of Joy & Chaos): Month 1: Raghav officially banned Nandini from lifting anything heavier than a teacup, resulting in a hilarious argument when he tried to carry her across the living room to save her from walking.
Month 2: The midnight cravings kicked in violently; Raghav woke up at 2:00 AM to hunt down a very specific brand of spicy mango pickle and vanilla ice cream, blending them together because "that's what the baby wants."
Month 3: During their first ultrasound, they heard the rapid, tiny thump-thump-thump of the heartbeat, and Raghav openly sobbed in the clinic, wiping his tears with a prescription slip.
Month 4: Nandini’s morning sickness finally faded, replaced by an unstoppable burst of nesting energy where she re-organized their entire wardrobe three times by color and fabric weight.
Month 5: The first kick happened while they were watching a movie; Raghav pressed his ear against her stomach and swore the baby was trying to tap out a secret morse code message.
Month 6: Raghav spent an entire weekend trying to build a wooden crib by hand in the living room, surrounded by sawdust and manual guides, accidentally hammering his own thumb twice while cursing softly so the baby wouldn't hear.
Month 7: Nandini's belly grew into a beautiful, round bump; she would sit by the window singing soft melodies, feeling the baby roll and move gently in response to her voice.
Month 8: The ankles swelled up terribly, leading to a daily evening ritual where Raghav would gently massage her feet with warm coconut oil, whispering jokes to make her laugh.
Month 9: The bags were packed by the front door for three weeks straight, and Raghav slept in his shoes twice out of sheer, anxious paranoia that her water would break in the middle of the night.
The Final Day: The labor pains finally hit on a rainy afternoon, and Raghav completely lost his mind, grabbing the wrong suitcase (filled entirely with winter blankets) before sprinting with her to the car. The grueling hours of labor vanished the exact second a sharp, high-pitched cry pierced the hospital room. The doctor gently placed a tiny, beautiful baby girl wrapped in a pink swaddle into Nandini’s exhausted arms.
"A girl," Nandini breathed, her pale face radiating a tired, celestial glow. She looked down at the mop of dark hair and the tiny, perfectly formed fingers. "Look at her, Raghav. Our little melody. Ragini." Raghav dropped to his knees beside the bed, his hands trembling violently as he touched the baby’s tiny velvet cheek. "She's perfect, Nandu. I swear, the moment she opened her eyes, the entire world outside just went quiet."
Two months passed in a beautiful moments. They had hidden deep in a remote mountain ridge, building a small, heavily protected sanctuary where the storms could shield them. But perfection never lasts. That night, the air turned unnaturally brittle. The warmth of the hearth seemed to shrink, suffocated by a sudden, freezing draft that crept under the door. Two-month-old Ragini, usually a sound sleeper, began to whimper in her small cot, her tiny hands flailing as if fighting off invisible shadows.
"Raghav..." Nandini whispered, sitting up in bed, her motherly instinct instantly flaring. "Something is wrong. The wind... it doesn't sound right." Raghav was already out of bed, his hand automatically reaching for the heavy iron fire poker by the hearth. The outside of the house was dead silent—no crickets, no rustling leaves. Just a heavy, unnatural pressure that made it hard to breathe.
CRACK.
A single, violent bolt of lightning struck the peak above, but there was no thunder. Instead, the heavy wooden front door rattled on its hinges, vibrating with a low, rhythmic thumping. "Stay behind me," Raghav ordered, his voice dropping into a fierce protective growl as he stepped between the door and the cot where Ragini was now crying openly.
The wood of the door began to frost over, turning a sickly, pale white. And then, through the small window pane at the top of the door, a silhouette materialized. It was a man, but he didn't move like one. He stood tall, towering and absolute, draped in the heavy dark of the storm.
The stranger leaned closer to the glass. Through the frost, his face remained completely obscured by shadows, but his eyes suddenly flared to life. They weren't human. They burned with a piercing, malevolent crimson glow—two pools of pure, unadulterated blood-red light that cut through the darkness of the room, locking directly onto the crying two-month-old child in the corner.
By midnight, it felt as though the heavens themselves had declared war on the earth. Thunder roared across the sky like the footsteps of angry giants. Rain lashed against the windows of the isolated mansion, turning the world beyond the glass into a distorted blur of darkness and silver.
Raghav removed his bracelet and magic struck him like lightening, to divert his attention towards him he threw magc as a spell and pulled his attention. here, nandini ran towards nursery ut she culdnt get in. so she ran back to her master bedroom and was thinking how to go down the hall. Nandini went towards the window and thought to get down through the window but suddenly, she heard raghav's scream and came back to the hall. she saw man pushed raghav and he was injured, nandini pulled all her strength and concentration and felt her powers flowing inside her.
Till, she was pulling her powers, the man throw the knife and it hit her shoulder but she was not less she also throw a spell on him which made him statue for some time. she stood near the door trembling and tried to reach beside the nursery door. Blood dripped from a deep wound in her shoulder. Her breathing came in ragged gasps. Fear filled her eyes. But not for herself. For her daughter. For the child sleeping just beyond the door.
Another lightening strike illuminated the hallway, nandini saw the figure standing before her husband. Terrified, she came out and said, "Leave my family out of thi, who are you?" His face was hidden beneath shadows. she could only see his eyes. His eyes were burning with an unnatural crimson light. Eyes filled with hatred. The killer slowly lifted a serrated knife, "Where is the child?" The blade gleamed wickedly. She saw a fireplace poker near by and she gripped it. The mother tightened her grip on a fireplace poker she’d grabbed moments earlier. Her hands shook. Still, she stood her ground. “You’ll never touch her.” The killer tilted his head. His voice emerged low and cold, “Step aside.”
Nandini said , “No.” The answer came instantly without hesitation, without fear. A mother’s love was stronger than death. The killer took one step forward. Nandini charged with a desperate scream, she swung the poker directly toward his head. The killer got little dizzy and staggered slightly. For a brief moment, hope flashed across her face. She ran and helped raghav to get up. Then the killer smiled. A horrifying smile as though he enjoyed her resistance. The killer got his conciousness proper, then he ran towards nandini and raghav, kicked raghav towards wall and he pulled nandini, his knife flashed. Once.Twice.Three times.
Nandini gasped and she felt pain exploded through her chest. Blood blossomed across her white nightgown. The poker slipped from her hands. She stumbled backward. “No...” she whispered. The killer watched her fall and she crashed onto the floor. Her vision blurred. The nursery door remained in sight. Just a few feet away. So close. She began crawling and dragging herself through her own blood toward her daughter. Toward the only thing that mattered. The killer followed slowlyl and casually. The woman reached the nursery doorframe. Her fingers touched the wood. A tear rolled down her cheek. “My baby...”The killer raised his knife. The nandini looked up one final time.
Raghav was unconcious, when he woke up he saw nandini lying her own pool of blood and he pulled himself towards nandini. he held her and was crying, "No nandini... no you promsed to support and tease me till we grow old." The killer was also injured so he was basically healing him. he then saw the killer and ran past him to pick his daughter. but killer used his magic and made him fall and he is now more injured.
Inside the house, blood stained the wooden floors. And death waited in the shadows. The room was dimly lit by a single flickering lamp. She was only a few days old. Tiny. Fragile. Perfect. Her little fingers were curled into fists as she lay wrapped in a cream-colored blanket. Strangely, despite the violent storm shaking the house, she wasn't afraid. She wasn't crying.
Instead, she gazed toward the ceiling with bright, curious eyes and a small smile that seemed impossibly calm. Almost as if she could see something nobody else could. Beneath her delicate skin, a faint golden glow pulsed through her veins for only a fraction of a second before disappearing again. An invisible miracle hidden inside an innocent child. A miracle someone desperately wanted dead.
The father wasn't dead. Not yet. He staggered through the room, one hand pressed desperately against the massive wound in his abdomen. Blood seeped through his fingers. Each step felt impossible. But he kept moving. Because he could still hear his daughter breathing. And as long as she was alive. He would keep fighting for his daughter. The killer stood there blocking the path. The blood-covered knife glistened beneath a flash of lightning.
Something changed inside him, fear disappeared, only rage remained with a roar, he charged. The two men collided, furniture crashed, glass shattered. The father fought like a man possessed, not because he believed he could win. But because every second mattered, every heartbeat, every breath, every moment his daughter remained alive. The killer drove the knife into his side. Once. Twice. Raghav screamed but refused to let go. He punched, kicked, bit; fought with every ounce of strength left in his dying body.
Finally, the killer slammed him against the wall. A sickening crack echoed through the house. The father collapsed, blood pooled beneath him. The fight was over. The killer turned away and went inside the nursery. Toward the child. The father knew he couldn't move anymore. His body was shutting down, his vision darkened and death was approaching. Fast. But somehow he forced himself to speak. "Please..." The killer stopped only for a moment and came out. Raghav stretched out a trembling hand and tears mixed with blood on his face, "Please... don't hurt her." His voice cracked, "She's innocent." The killer gave no response and remained silent.
The father's hand shook violently, "I'll do anything..." His breathing faltered, "Take my life..." A bitter laugh escaped him. Then he realized how meaningless those words were. The killer had already taken everything. "Just spare her..." for the first time, the killer looked down at him.There was no mercy in those crimson eyes there was something but that was only certainty, only purpose.
The father understood that this monster would never stop or will never listen. A tear rolled down his cheek, "My little star..." His voice became barely audible, "Daddy loves you." Those were his final words. His hand fell. The light left his eyes. And he died.
Silence.
The killer entered the nursery. The baby girl still lay peacefully in her crib looking up at him, watching him like she was almost studying him. The crimson-eyed man approached slowly with knife in his hand. At last, he said, "The prophecy would end.The threat would die. The child would never grow up and she will never discover what she truly was. she wont be able to awake the power sleeping inside her."
He took his knife to kill the baby by raising it, but suddenly a light emerged and whole room got white nothing was visible, when the light went away she got vanished. he got agitated and irritated, that the light was disturbing him, when he opened his eyes he got scared that where did the child went. knife fell down(clung) and he staggered and his back touched the wall.
chapter 1 ends here.... will come back with chapter 2 with more entertainment and more mystery with story continution.
toodles readers........
