Midnight… when darkness came alive…
And that night, darkness truly had come alive.
A strange mist had spread across the earth as if someone had laid a white sheet over everything.
The air suddenly turned cold.
The stars and the moon in the sky slowly disappeared behind dark clouds.
Even the leaves on the trees had stopped rustling.
Everything was drowned in an eerie silence… as if the world could sense an unknown danger approaching.
In an old alley in Kolkata, a thirty-year-old man Mukesh stumbled forward in a drunken haze.
Suddenly, he came across a pole.
He kicked it angrily and said,
"Boss! I just took one day off, and you cut half my salary for the month!"
Then…
He saw something out of the corner of his eye an animal, something like a wolf, standing upright on two legs, staring at him.
Its eyes glowed red… and its claws were fully extended.
Mukesh let out a laugh.
"Looks like I drank a bit too much… even dogs are starting to look like monsters!"
He approached the wolf.
Patting its head, he said,
"Munna… don't growl like that… I'm not scared of you."
But the wolf bared its fangs and started growling in rage.
Mukesh, still laughing, raised his hand to pet it again…
The very next moment the wolf leapt at him!
Mukesh sobered up instantly.
He realized at once this wasn't a wolf or some drunken hallucination… this was a monster!
"Help! Help! This… this is a real monster! Save me!!"
His scream drew some people out of their homes.
One boy said,
"Looks like Mukesh uncle drank too much again…"
But just then…
The wolf pinned Mukesh to the ground, climbing onto his chest.
With a horrific snarl it snapped and thrust its claws deep into Mukesh's stomach.
Mukesh's last scream echoed through the entire city.
Several people came running…
And what they saw haunted them for the rest of their lives.
Mukesh's body had been torn to pieces.
The monster had ripped out his insides.
Some vomited… others hid their faces in horror.
Then the wolf turned to look at everyone…
And with blood dripping from its jaws, it let out a monstrous growl…
And in the blink of an eye it vanished. Disappeared into thin air.
People were traumatized and left in shock.
All they could do was stare at the spot where Mukesh's body had been just moments ago.
The Next Morning…
In the kitchen of a small family home…
A woman shouted:
"Raj! Be careful on your way to school… last night, Mukesh uncle was killed by that strange creature."
Just then, a man called out:
"Come here… look what's on TV!"
The woman snapped angrily,
"What now? I work all day… I don't care about TV!"
The man replied,
"Just watch this!"
A news anchor appeared on the TV screen:
"Namaskar! Since last night, a strange phenomenon has been observed around the world.
Trees and plants have grown abnormally ten times their normal size.
Animals are evolving rapidly.
Werewolves and giant bats have been seen in several areas.
In countries like India, Japan, China, Russia, the USA, and Korea over 12,357 people have died because of these monsters.
What's really happening?
Is this a natural change… or something else?"
"Today, we have the head of the Indian Supernatural Bureau with us Dr. Rajesh.
He will help us understand the reason behind this phenomenon and these changes."
(The anchor brought the mic to Dr. Rajesh.)
Dr. Rajesh a 47-year-old scientist with white hair and glasses said:
"We've detected a new kind of energy in the air.
This energy can also be seen in plants…
And these changes may be the result of that energy.
It's still too early to say whether this energy is safe for humans or not…
Please, everyone stay indoors until we can say more with certainty."
One Year Later
A man Kishor was traveling in a car with his family, driving through a dense forest road near Alipur.
From the back seat, his wife Rupa said anxiously,
"Honey, drive faster… I've heard that because of this aura energy, all the animals in the forest have turned into monsters!"
Kishor laughed, holding the steering wheel,
"Rupa, you're overthinking… there are electric fences all around. No animal can get out."
Rupa insisted, even more anxiously,
"But Kishor… what if the fence fails?"
Kishor, mocking her, said,
"You're reacting like some monster is going to jump on the roof of our car any moment now!"
Rupa whispered, her eyes filled with fear,
"Don't say that, Kishor… I'm getting a strange feeling."
Kishor, now speaking in a slightly serious tone, said,
"Alright, just 10 more minutes… and we'll reach Alipur. Relax."
But…
Right then!
The car crashed into something a violent jolt!
Thuddd!
The car's bonnet started smoking.
Kishor's head hit the dashboard his skin split open, and blood started flowing down his face.
"Shit! How the hell is there a rock in the middle of the road?!"
Kishor, furious, looked outside.
Then turned back and tried to wake Rupa.
"Rupa…? Rupa, wake up! What happened?!"
He shook her shoulder.
But Rupa was unconscious. Her breathing was steady, but her eyes were shut.
Kishor panicked and quickly got out of the car looking for help…
But the moment he looked ahead...
His entire body went cold.
His breath quickened.
Sweat started dripping down his face.
Fear froze in his eyes.
Kishor's heartbeat had become much more intense.
His hands were trembling… sweat dripping down his neck…
Suddenly…
A black shadow with red eyes passed by him at the speed of light!
Its face wasn't clear, but the air felt heavy due to its presence like death whispering in his ears.
Kishor's whole body started trembling.
Just then…
A big claw struck hard on his head!
Kishor fell down whimpering in intense pain.
"Aaaahhh! H-help!!"
His scream echoed in the silence of the night…
But no one was there to hear him.
In the next second…
That black shadow loomed above him.
And in one go it caught Kishor in its mouth and tore him into pieces!
Bones, flesh, and blood scattered into the air.
The ground turned red…
And that black shadow once again disappeared into the darkness of night like thin air.
9 PM at night…
The roads of the city were crowded with people.
There was a traffic jam horns and sirens of vehicles… everything echoed.
But a shadow came running from outside the city and screamed:
"Monsters… monsters are coming! Run!!"
People looked at him with surprised expressions.
He was a 20-year-old man covered in blood from head to toe.
He said again, his voice trembling:
"Monsters are coming!! Help! Help…!"
But again, everyone remained silent. They just stared at him.
Then in a single moment that man's body was cut into tiny pieces.
Everyone's silence broke in an instant.
A tiger monster emerged from behind his dead body…
The one with red eyes… from whose body a red-colored aura emanated.
Its sharp teeth, claws, and body were ten times bigger than a normal tiger's.
Fear appeared on people's faces.
Just then, a man shouted:
"This… this is a real monster!! Run!!"
And in the next moment the crowd started running in fear.
Some were pushing others, some were stepping on them…
Screams… blood… smoke… everything together.
The very next moment, that monster came running and attacked the crowd.
There was only destruction and pieces of flesh all around in a moment, a place of joy and a peaceful city had turned into a graveyard.
Other side
Location: USA, WHITE HOUSE – WAR ROOM
The presidents of the most powerful countries and the top scientists from each nation's supernatural bureaus had assembled in one place. The air was filled with an eerie silence as if they all knew that devastation was lurking just around the corner.
JONES WILLIAM (USA PRESIDENT) said in a tired yet anger-filled voice:
"Thousands of monsters have assaulted us in the past year different forms, different simulations, different creations and each time, more destructive. They were becoming invincible, and now, defeating them seemed almost impossible."
YAMATO DAIKI (JAPAN PRESIDENT) immediately nodded in grim agreement:
"According to our reports, superpowers like India, the USA, Russia, and China were almost worthless before them. Millions had already lost their lives."
NIKOVA IVAN (RUSSIA PRESIDENT) slammed his hand on the table:
"Not anymore! I believed the time for nuclear bombs had come. We must annihilate those monsters!"
SHIVAM BANERJEE (INDIAN PRESIDENT) opposed him without delay:
"NO! If we did that, not only the monsters even humanity would be wiped out. Professor Rajesh had conducted deep research on the source of this Aura."
ALICE SILVA (BRAZIL PRESIDENT) asked curiously:
"How? How was that even feasible?"
Professor Rajesh, who had been silently seated until now, suddenly stood up. There was neither sleep nor fear in his eyes only the weight of truth. His face was grave, as if staying silent any longer would have gone against his conscience. For a moment, silence filled the room… everyone awaited his next words.
PROFESSOR RAJESH (CALM BUT SOMBRE VOICE):
"This wasn't just a crisis... it was a war for existence. For our survival. We had to unite and form a formidable joint supernatural defense unit combining our strengths to face what lay ahead."
RUSSIAN GENERAL (IN HIGH RAGE):
"Cooperation? Your supernatural theories are spiritual nonsense! These are just biological mutations! Russia will handle them with nuclear bombs!"
AMERICAN COMMANDER (IN A COLD TONE:
"Some drones were sent to Nevada... none of them returned. This hostile force… this was something else. We may have to destroy our own cities with nuclear strikes."
At that moment, a Japanese monk-scientist stood up. He wore traditional robes, but his eyes reflected the immense power within him.
JAPANESE MONK (GRAVE YET PIERCING):
"These creatures don't belong to this dimension. They came from another space. The energy they possess... is Aura. An ancient power one we abandoned long ago. The sages of our ancestors whom you dismissed as myths are now our only reality."
Then the Chinese delegate stood up in anger:
"So you mean to say ghost sprites and demons are real? This is absurd!"
Professor Rajesh stared straight into his eyes as if peering into his soul:
"Ask that to the 47 cities... that China lost last month. Entire populations were wiped out."
The room fell into heavy silence.
Then, the Korean delegate played a video on the projector screen...
A GIANT BAT was shown tearing apart military tanks like paper toys, leaving behind twisted metal and black smoke.
Everyone watched in silence. The only thing left in their eyes... was TERROR.
A UN officer gently asked:
"Then... what are we supposed to do?"
Dr. Rajesh stepped forward and stood in the middle of the hall.
Dr. Rajesh:
"We need to train. We need to rise. We must fight for survival. But not with guns, weapons, or military tech...
We must fight with what they themselves fear Aura."
And then... red alarms began blaring from every corner of the White House.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
The floor began to shake as if a demon, or perhaps an angel, was awakening...
HENDRISON SMITH (EUROPEAN UNION PRESIDENT):
"What the hell is happening?!"
DILSHAN OSMAN (ARAB PRESIDENT):
"The entire ground is trembling... but this isn't an earthquake. This is something else..."
Then, an encrypted emergency call came to Jones William his face turned pale with panic.
In the war room, red blinking lights painted eerie reflections on every face. Technicians pressed buttons at their terminals with trembling hands.
A military officer came running to the war desk, breathing heavily, sweat pouring down his face.
Officer (shouting):
"Quick! Turn on all global monitors! Now!"
Another technician rushed to the console and turned the emergency override key. One by one, the screens came alive
London. Mumbai. Moscow. Tokyo. Cape Town. New York.
The live feed activated.
And on every screen the same horrifying image…
From the dense jungles near these cities, giant insectoid monsters were emerging some like massive scorpions, others flying mantises, and some were enormous black centipedes, trailing clouds of poisonous mist behind them.
An ancient hill colony near Beijing was burning. Thousands of monsters attacked Staten Island, New York.
Suddenly, a louder alarm began to ring…
And on the center screen, one word flashed: "KOLKATA."
Technician (in shock):
"Kolkata... right near the Sundarbans... we've got a live feed!"
Everyone turned toward the screen.
Live Feed:
Dark storm clouds loomed over Kolkata. The ground trembled. A strange humming filled the air as if nature itself was weeping.
The camera shook, but managed to focus for a moment
A 25-foot-tall black-furred tiger-like monster leapt from the Sundarbans toward the Howrah Bridge. With a deafening roar, the city quaked.
Behind it marched countless bug-type demon soldiers some with wings, others spewing green poison, and millions of tiny crawling bugs that devoured everything in their path.
Under the bridge, people ran for their lives.
One bug-monster grabbed a man, spun him in the air, and slammed him down. Tiny bugs swarmed him crawling into his mouth, eyes, ears, and nose. Blood poured from every orifice, and soon his flesh was ripped apart.
Only bones remained... which the bugs then chewed.
Back in the White House war room everyone held their breath.
UN Officer (trembling):
"How many creatures are we talking about?!"
Jones William, with shaking hands, connected to the Pentagon through his encrypted phone.
Jones William (in a stunned voice):
"Lakhs... maybe millions."
Suddenly, a satellite feed from Japan began blinking.
Technician:
"High-energy movement detected near Mount Fuji!"
The feed showed a massive shadow rising into the sky glowing red eyes, and a body resembling a tiger-demon hybrid.
Yamato Daiki (barely breathing):
"This is... the 'Kaiju'... the one from ancient legends..."
The room exploded in chaos. Delegates from every nation activated their mics and shouted:
"How is this all happening at once?!"
"Is this an invasion?!"
"Who's behind all this?!"
Alice Silva (Brazil President):
"We must evacuate our capitals!"
Nikova Ivan (Russia):
"Deploy every missile! I'll do whatever it takes to save Moscow!"
Shivam Banerjee (India):
"Wait! Nukes won't work. Professor Rajesh... your 'Aura' theory... it's our only hope now."
All eyes turned toward Professor Rajesh.
He stood and activated a digital world map. Points lit up: Himalayas, Tibet, Peru, and ancient African temples.
Professor Rajesh:
"We found scriptures in four corners of the world the Himalayas, Tibet, the jungles of Peru, and the ancient temples of Africa.
They spoke of a time when not only monsters... but even humans fought them.
Humans had Aura... powers... but we forgot everything."
Yamato Daiki (suspicious):
"What are you trying to say?"
Professor Rajesh:
"I mean... this aura surrounding the monsters it wasn't harmful to humans.
Some people were absorbing it through breathing... healing from diseases. Their strength physical and mental was rising rapidly."
Nikova Ivan (sharp-eyed):
"You mean... if we learn to control this Aura... humans could evolve?"
Professor Rajesh (nodding):
"Exactly. But"
Nikova Ivan (interrupting):
"Then WHY was this information hidden?!"
(Everyone turned to him. Silence filled the room.)
Professor Rajesh (tiredly):
"Because... until now, we didn't know how to control it.
If something went wrong... there'd be no difference between a monster and a human."
Jones William:
"Then... what do we do now?"
Professor Rajesh:
"Wherever attacks are happening evacuate immediately.
Clear the cities... and the surrounding regions."
Jones William (frustrated):
"But what's the use? The monsters will come back."
Professor Rajesh:
"We don't need to run... we need to evolve.
We need to harness this power.
The ancient texts hold the answers.
If we find the way we'll survive.
If not…"
---
The story then shifted to the city of Kolkata,
Where in two different places, two pairs of people ran for their lives every single minute.
On one side a brother and sister.
On the other four friends.