The Ganga flowed silently, carrying the ashes of Professor Arjun Singh downstream. Smoke from the pyre curled into the gray morning sky, mingling with the faint drizzle. Dev stood at the riverbank, hands trembling, eyes fixed on the water.
Laxmi stepped closer, her hand brushing his arm."Dev… it's okay to cry," she whispered. "You don't have to carry this alone."
Dev shook his head, voice tight."I… I just feel like I could have done something. A second too late…"
Shubham stood a little behind, silent. Even his usual energy had vanished, replaced by the gravity of the moment.
Once the ashes scattered into the river, the trio made their way back to Dev's home. The city streets were drenched, the drizzle still falling lightly, but Dev barely noticed. His mind was still at the river, still on Singh, still lost in the ache of absence.
When they reached the house, a chill ran down Dev's spine.
The front door creaked open, and immediately they saw it: Singh's study was in chaos.
Drawers pulled open and dumped on the floor. Books strewn across the carpet. Papers torn, some crumpled, some carefully folded and left aside. But strangely, nothing appeared to be missing.
Laxmi's hand went to her mouth."This… this wasn't like this yesterday."
Dev stepped in cautiously, scanning the mess. The faint smell of old wood mixed with dust filled the room. His pulse quickened."Who… who could have done this?"
Shubham crouched near the bookshelf, holding something between his fingers."Dev… look at this."
It was a small wooden piece, smooth and dark, with faint, strange carvings etched into it.
Dev took it carefully, feeling an odd chill pass through his fingers."This… wasn't here yesterday. I would've noticed."
Shubham's eyes narrowed, inspecting it closely."I've never seen anything like this," he said, voice tight. "And trust me, if it were ordinary, I'd recognize it. This… this is different."
He ran a series of tests on it—UV light, magnetism, chemical swabs. Nothing. The piece remained ordinary, stubbornly inert, as if it were resisting discovery.
Frustrated, Shubham leaned back, sighing."Completely normal. Nothing unusual. I don't get it."
Dev shook his head, staring at the artifact."No… Singh wouldn't have kept this in his room if it was just wood. There's a reason he held onto it."
As they continued searching the room, Dev noticed a scrap of paper partially tucked under the desk. Carefully, he pulled it out. It was part of Singh's handwriting, faded and torn:
"…the piece is the key… do not let them…"
A shiver ran down Dev's spine. He looked at Shubham."This… this isn't random. Singh's research… it's connected to this piece."
Shubham's eyes widened."And whoever came into this room knew exactly what they were looking for."
Dev clenched the wooden piece tightly, feeling the weight of something unseen pressing down. Outside, the drizzle fell silently, but the shadows in the room seemed to grow darker.
Something told him this was only the beginning.