Back to the past, the night was calm. Aarya ran as fast as she could, her breath short and heart pounding. When she reached Bhairava's home, she saw him coming outside, face pale with worry, eyes scanning both ends of the road.
"What happened?" she asked, catching her breath.
Bhairava turned to her, voice tense. "Shivani is not at home." He looked down the street again, more desperate now.
Aarya tried to reassure him. "Don't worry. She might've just gone out for something."
But Bhairava shook his head. "She wouldn't go anywhere at this time. This is my fault. I should've come earlier."
Aarya stepped closer, her voice gentle. "Bhairava, calm down. Nothing might've happened to her. Just breathe."
But Bhairava couldn't wait. He was about to run down the street when suddenly, from the shadows, Bell came bounding toward them, tail wagging.
Behind him, Shivani appeared, jogging to catch up.
Bhairava froze, eyes wide with relief. Aarya smiled. "I told you—nothing would happen to her. That man probably just said all that to scare you."
Shivani caught Bell and looked up, confused by Bhairava's panicked expression. She signed, "What are you doing outside?"
Without a word, Bhairava walked up and hugged her tightly. Shivani stood still, surprised.
Then he gently pulled back, holding her arm. "Where did you go?" he asked, voice still trembling.
Shivani signed with a puzzled look, "Just took Bell for a walk. What happened?"
Aarya stepped in, smiling. "Nothing. He just got scared when you weren't home."
Shivani smiled and playfully teased Bhairava with a light gesture. Aarya laughed softly, the tension finally lifting.
Bhairava and Shivani walked back into their home, the door closing behind them with quiet comfort. Aarya, now at ease, turned and headed to her own home, the night calm once more.
After dinner, Bhairava and Shivani quietly retreated to their rooms. The house was calm, the night air soft. Bhairava stepped out onto his balcony for a moment, letting the breeze brush past him. Just as he reached to close the door, he heard a familiar voice.
It was Aarya.
Her window was open, and inside, Bhairava saw her arranging her bed with a line of dolls—each one with a name. She was gently placing them in order, speaking to them like old friends.
"There you are, Pinky. I was searching for you," she said, lifting a small doll from under the pillow.
Bhairava couldn't help but laugh quietly.
Aarya heard him and turned, startled. She saw him watching and quickly stood up, flustered, pulling a bedsheet over the dolls.
She walked to her window, cheeks pink. "What are you laughing at?" she asked.
Bhairava smiled. "Nothing. The day was awesome."
Aarya nodded. "Yes, I enjoyed it too."
Bhairava leaned on the railing, eyes playful. "Think about it—Shreya looked really cute today, right? She might be thinking about me right now."
Aarya rolled her eyes. "Don't think too much. She might be thinking about someone else. Go to sleep, man."
Bhairava frowned dramatically. "Say something nice, idiot. You'll definitely have a bad dream tonight. Good night."
Aarya laughed. "Then I'll have a good dream. Good night."
They both smiled, exchanged a final glance, and gently closed their windows.
Back in his room, Bhairava lay down, the events of the day swirling in his mind—Mano's antics, Thana's fight, Shivani's safety, Aarya's rose, and Shreya's smile.
He closed his eyes with a quiet smile, and sleep came softly.
Then slowly, Bhairava opened his eyes.
He was standing in the middle of a vast garden, surrounded by flowers of every color—soft petals swaying gently in the breeze, the air filled with a sweet, calming scent. The sky above was a soft lavender, glowing like a dream.
He looked around and whispered to himself, "Wow… now I can do it with ease."
A smile crept across his face. "Everyone said it's hard to control dreams, that it takes time. But I think I can do it whenever I want."
Excitement bubbled inside him. "Let's try to fly."
He had waited for this moment. If a god appeared and asked people what power they wanted, most would say: I want to fly. I want super strength. I want to be invisible. But Bhairava had found something better, lucid dreaming. A space where anything was possible.
He closed his eyes, relaxed his body, and imagined himself lifting off the ground. But flying wasn't easy. Humans don't know how it feels to fly, so his mind struggled to create the sensation. His feet wobbled, his balance faltered. He could feel himself floating—but it was unstable, like standing on a moving cloud.
He tried to steady himself, arms stretched, heart racing with hope.
But then he lost control.
He tumbled down, landing softly on the grass. "As I thought," he muttered, brushing off his clothes, "It's hard to fly without knowing how it's supposed to feel."
The flowers around him rustled gently, as if laughing with him. And Bhairava, lying there in the dream-garden, smiled at the challenge.
Bhairava lay on the soft grass, gazing up at the vast sky where clouds drifted slowly like thoughts in motion. "It's so peaceful," he whispered, letting the calm settle into his bones.
Then a spark lit in his mind. He stood up, looked around, and murmured, "Let's try to recreate it."
He closed his eyes and focused. The garden shimmered, and the dream began to shift. Buildings rose from the earth, roads paved themselves, and people appeared, walking and chatting like echoes of memory.
When Bhairava opened his eyes, he was standing in a bustling market. Beside him were Mano and Aarya, looking around in awe. In front of them, Shreya walked gracefully through the crowd.
Mano nudged him. "Hey Bhairava, look! Isn't that Shreya?."
Bhairava nodded, heart thudding even in the dream. "Yeah, I know. I'm going to speak to her now."
He stepped forward, nerves tingling. Even in a dream, her presence made his heart race. "Shreya," he called gently.
She turned, her eyes meeting his. She looked radiant—so effortlessly beautiful that Bhairava forgot how to speak.
Mano and Aarya watched, mouths slightly open.
Finally, Bhairava managed, "You look beautiful today. Can we go for coffee?"
Mano and Aarya gasped. "He directly asked!"
Before Shreya could respond, a voice rang out. "Thief! Somebody help! Thief!"
A man dashed through the crowd, just like in real life. But this time, Bhairava stepped forward with calm confidence. "Don't worry," he told Shreya. "I'll catch him."
He stood in the thief's path. "Move out of my way!" the thief shouted.
But Bhairava didn't flinch. He tripped the thief with ease, grabbed the stolen bag, and handed it back to the woman. The crowd froze in shock.
Then, with a cool look, Bhairava walked back to Shreya. "You didn't answer me," he said, voice steady.
Suddenly, the thief lunged again, throwing a punch. Shreya tried to warn him, but Bhairava turned calmly, dodged the attack, and pushed the thief away with quiet strength.
Just as Shreya opened her mouth to respond, the thief charged once more. Bhairava sidestepped, and the thief crashed into a flower shop. Petals burst into the air like confetti. Bhairava caught a single rose mid-flight and walked toward Shreya with quiet romance.
Shreya blushed, her eyes wide with wonder. Bhairava lifted the rose and asked, "Will you marry me?"
The market buzzed with awe. Mano was grinning, Aarya surprised, and Shreya stood speechless.
But before she could take it, the thief interrupted again, shouting, "I won't leave you!"
Bhairava reached out his hand. Shreya gave hers without hesitation. He spun her gently, and with her free hand, she struck the thief. Bhairava pulled her close, and she twirled into his arms. For a moment, it looked like a dance—fluid, intimate, powerful.
They were inches apart. Bhairava looked into her eyes and whispered, "You look even more beautiful up close."
He brushed her cheek lightly with the rose. Shreya blushed deeply, unable to speak.
The thief, now furious, pulled out a knife. "I'll kill you!" he screamed.
Bhairava turned to Shreya, calm as ever. "Just give me a moment. I'll finish this quickly."
As the thief rushed forward, Bhairava glanced at the rose in his hand and said with a smirk, "Don't you see I'm busy right now?"
Without breaking his romantic rhythm, he dodged the attack and delivered a single, precise punch. The thief collapsed instantly.
The crowd erupted in applause.
Bhairava walked slowly back to Shreya, the rose still in hand. "Will you…" he began.
But Shreya didn't wait. She hugged him tightly and whispered, "I love you."
Mano and Aarya stood frozen, mouths open in disbelief.
And Bhairava, heart pounding, hugged her back with all the emotion he'd held in. "Yes… it happened," he thought. "Even if it's a dream, it feels real."
Holding Shreya close, his mind whispered another thought. "If I get one chance like this again… only one chance in real life… it will definitely happen."
A moment passed, and Bhairava's eyes drifted upward—toward the top of a distant building glowing faintly in the dreamlight.
There, perched silently, was a white raven.
Its feathers shimmered like frost under moonlight, and its gaze was fixed directly on him. Something about it felt familiar. Then it struck him—he had seen this raven before, in his last dream. The same piercing eyes. The same eerie stillness.
His breath caught.
The raven tilted its head, and before Bhairava could process the feeling in his chest, it launched itself toward him.
He dodged instinctively, heart pounding. "What is happening?" he whispered.
The dream began to shift. The vibrant market, the flowers, the warmth—all dissolved into shadows. The sky turned black. The ground beneath him felt cold and endless. He was alone.
No sound. No light. Just the echo of his own breath.
Then, from the darkness, the white raven appeared again—hovering just in front of him, its eyes glowing faintly.
Bhairava froze.
The raven didn't move. It simply stared, and in that stare, Bhairava felt something deeper than fear, something ancient watching and waiting.