The sun had begun its slow descent, tilting toward the western fields where dust floated lazily in golden sheets of light. What had once been a bright, celebratory afternoon was now turning warmer, heavier — the kind of evening that carried both excitement and something else no one could quite name.
Shiva stood near the wooden barricade of the Jallikattu arena, his fingers loosely gripping the rough rope tied across the posts. The ground beneath him was dry and cracked, trampled by hundreds of restless feet. Somewhere behind him, drums beat in uneven rhythm, and men shouted instructions while adjusting their veshtis tightly around their waists.
Lakshman leaned over the barrier beside him, eyes glowing with anticipation. "This is it, da… the real event. All the games before this were just warm-up."
Benedict cracked his knuckles playfully. "If that bull charges this side, I'm climbing and ill stop bull alone, Shiva."
Shiva smirked faintly but didn't respond. His attention was fixed ahead — on the massive wooden gate at the far end of the arena.
The announcer's voice roared through the loudspeakers, slightly distorted but filled with pride. "Our next bull is known for speed… for strength… and for never being caught twice!"
The crowd erupted.
Men inside the arena rolled their shoulders, bouncing lightly on their feet, testing their grip strength, stretching their arms as if preparing for battle rather than sport.
Riya stepped closer to the group, shielding her eyes from the lowering sun. "You boys better not get any ideas. Watching is enough."
Aljasheem laughed nervously. "Yeah… watching is enough. Very enough."
Shiva's eyes flickered briefly toward him.
Aljasheem instantly cleared his throat. "I mean… we are responsible citizens."
Riya tilted her head slightly. "Why are you whispering like someone's threatening you?"
Aljasheem forced a grin. "No reason."
Shiva looked back toward the gate.
A deep metallic clang echoed as the wooden barrier trembled from something massive pushing against it from inside.
The bull's snorting was audible now — powerful, impatient, furious.
Dust lifted as hooves scraped against packed earth.
"Ready!" someone shouted from inside the holding pen.
Shiva felt his pulse respond instinctively, not with fear — but with something raw and ancient.
The gate burst open.
The bull exploded into the arena like a storm given muscle and bone. Its hide gleamed dark brown under the fading sunlight, its horns curved sharply, decorated with turmeric and garlands now already half-torn by movement.
The crowd screamed in exhilaration.
One man lunged forward, grabbing at the hump of the bull's back. For a brief second he held on — muscles straining, teeth clenched — before the bull twisted violently and flung him into the dirt.
Lakshman whistled loudly. "That's insane!"
Benedict shook his head. "That animal is built different."
Shiva's eyes tracked every movement carefully — the rhythm of the hooves, the way it lowered its head before charging, the calculation behind its aggression.
It wasn't chaos.
It was precision.
Riya leaned closer to Shiva, her voice softer now. "You're studying it like it's an exam."
Shiva didn't look at her. "It's not just strength," he said quietly. "It's instinct. It knows where to move before they do."
Riya watched his profile carefully. "You sound like you understand it."
Shiva paused before answering. "Maybe."
Aljasheem shifted slightly, attempting to speak. "Actually, bulls react to—"
Shiva turned his head slowly.
Aljasheem stopped mid-sentence.
"—react to… nothing. They just run," he finished awkwardly.
Riya narrowed her eyes again. "You two are weird today."
Another participant charged at the bull, this time managing to grip tightly and run alongside it for several strides. The crowd roared louder as dust engulfed both man and animal in a swirling cloud.
For a brief moment, the world seemed reduced to sound and movement — hooves pounding, drums echoing, bodies colliding.
Shiva felt something stir inside his chest again.
Not jealousy.
Not anger.
Something else.
A vibration almost.
He blinked and shook it off.
The announcer's voice rose higher. "Final round! Final attempt!"
Men gathered again near the entry line, breathing heavily, sweat glistening across their backs. The bull pawed at the ground, steam rising faintly from its nostrils in the cooling air.
Lakshman leaned closer. "Last one. After this we'll get tea."
Benedict nodded. "bajji,and...sweet pongals!!!."
Riya laughed softly.
Shiva's gaze lifted slightly toward the horizon.
He frowned.
His eyes shifted toward Riya.
She noticed immediately.
"What?" she asked with a curious smile.
Shiva hesitated for a moment before speaking quietly.
"Can you come with me for a minute?"
Riya raised an eyebrow. "Why are you saying that like you're planning something illegal?"
Shiva rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Just… come. I want to tell you something."
Lakshman immediately smirked.
"Oho."
Benedict elbowed him. "Leave them, da, bruh just got brave for first time."
Aljasheem suddenly found the ground very interesting.
Riya folded her arms but followed Shiva anyway. "Fine. But if this is some prank—"
"It's not," Shiva said quickly.
They walked away from the crowd, moving past the outer barricades of the arena toward a quieter patch of land where a few neem trees stood near the edge of the fields.
The noise of the festival slowly faded behind them.
Drums.
Laughter.
Shouting.
All of it became distant echoes carried by the wind.
The fields stretched wide and open, golden from the late afternoon light.
Riya stopped under one of the trees and turned toward him.
"Okay," she said. "Now tell me what mysterious thing you brought me here for."
Shiva suddenly felt his throat tighten.
This had seemed much easier in his head.
He looked at the ground, then back at her.
"I… uh…"
Riya watched him carefully.
"You're nervous," she said, smiling slightly.
"I'm not."
"You are."
Shiva sighed.
"Fine. Maybe a little."
Riya stepped closer, curiosity replacing her teasing.
"So what is it?"
Shiva took a slow breath.
For a moment, the entire world felt quiet.
The wind brushed through the trees.
The distant festival lights flickered faintly.
And Riya stood there waiting.
Shiva finally looked directly at her.
"There's something I wanted to tell you for a long time."
Riya's expression softened.
"Okay…"
Shiva swallowed.
His heart was pounding now.
"I… I really like you, Riya."
She didn't look surprised.
If anything, her smile grew gentler.
Shiva gathered the last bit of courage he had.
"I lo—"
Suddenly—
The wind stopped.
The sky darkened unnaturally fast, swallowing the warm sunlight in seconds.
its 4:30pm now
But the Clouds were gathering unnaturally fast, thick and heavy, swallowing the gold light and replacing it with a deep gray hue that felt wrong for this hour.
Shiva blinked again, focusing harder.
The air felt denser.
Quieter.
Even the wind had shifted.
meanwhile shiva friends...
Lakshman followed his gaze. "What? Just clouds. Rain maybe."
Benedict shrugged. "Adds drama."
The announcer laughed into the mic. "Looks like even the sky wants to watch!"
The crowd cheered again.
No one seemed concerned.
The final participant ran forward.
The bull charged.
The impact of bodies meeting sent a shockwave through the arena — dust exploding upward as man and animal rolled violently across the ground.
The crowd screamed in both fear and excitement.
Riya notices shiva instinctively.
"you okay?"
Shiva didn't answer immediately.
He was staring at the sky again.
The gray had deepened.
Not like rain clouds.
Like shadow.
The light poles around the arena flickered faintly.
One by one, volunteers began switching on the floodlights surrounding the grounds, assuming it was simply early dusk.
Bright white beams cut through the unnatural dimness.
Still, the darkness lingered.
Aljasheem swallowed. "It's… darker than it should be, right?"
Lakshman waved dismissively. "You are overthinking too much. Storm clouds. Relax."
But even he spoke a little quieter now.
A low rumble rolled across the sky.
Not thunder.
Something deeper.
Longer.
Later, Shiva and riya reunite with shiva friends
But Shiva still felt it again — that vibration in his chest.
Stronger this time.
His fingers tightened around the rope barrier.
Riya looked shiva. "Why do you look like someone announced exams?"
Shiva forced a small smile. "Nothing."
But his eyes betrayed him.
The floodlights hummed loudly overhead.
The sky continued darkening.
And though the crowd remained focused on celebration —
A single crack of red lightning flickered silently behind the distant tree line.
No thunder followed.
Only silence.
Shiva felt his heartbeat slow.
Then steady.
Everyone thought that, it was just weather.
Meanwhile...
Darkness swallowed the outskirts of Kalapashana Samadhi as fog drifted between ancient stone pillars and broken walls.
Silence ruled the place — but not for long.
A black SUV stopped near the outer boundary.
The father stepped out slowly, carrying a large metal suitcase, his hands trembling but determined.
Inspector Aravind watched from the darkness, hidden behind fallen stone, whispering into his earpiece.
"Positions?" Aravind asked quietly.
"Sniper one ready."
"Perimeter sealed."
"Thermal scans active," another officer murmured.
"Four heat signatures approaching from north ridge."
Aravind's jaw tightened.
"Let them come," he said softly.
"No early move."
"No mistakes."
From the shadows between dead trees, Ravi Mohan emerged calmly, face covered with a black cloth mask.
Two gangsters followed behind him, rifles slung across their shoulders.
Another held little Ananya by the hand.
The child was awake now.
Her eyes were swollen from crying.
But she stood bravely.
Ravi stopped several feet away from the father.
"You came alone?" he asked coldly.
The father nodded shakily. "Please… let my daughter go."
"Money first," Ravi replied.
The father placed the suitcase on the ground and stepped back slowly.
Ravi gestured to one of his men.
The gangster moved forward, opening the suitcase cautiously.
Stacks of cash filled the case perfectly.
He nodded. "Looks real."
Ravi stared at the father for a long second.
"You're lucky," he said calmly.
He pushed Ananya gently forward.
"Appa!" the child cried, running toward her father.
The father collapsed to his knees, hugging her tightly.
Tears streamed down his face.
"Now we leave," Ravi said quietly, signaling his men.
They began stepping backward toward the tree line.
"Move," Ravi whispered.
"Vehicles are ready."
That was the moment Aravind had waited for.
He lifted his hand slowly.
"Now."
Red laser dots flickered across the ground.
Police lights exploded on from every direction.
"DROP YOUR WEAPONS!"
Gunfire erupted instantly.
Two gangsters panicked and fired wildly into the dark.
Sniper shots cracked through the night in response.
One gangster fell instantly, collapsing near a broken pillar.
The second tried to run —
Another rifle shot dropped him mid-stride.
"Anna!" someone screamed.
Chaos swallowed the temple grounds.
Ravi cursed under his breath.
"Split!" he shouted.
"Run separately!"
He turned and sprinted toward the deeper ruins of the temple.
Inspector Aravind emerged from cover, firing a warning shot.
"RAVI MOHAN! STOP!"
Ravi didn't look back.
He ran across cracked stone pathways, leaping over fallen statues and shattered columns.
The temple loomed ahead — ancient, blackened, silent.
The entrance gaped like an open mouth.
Another gunshot echoed.
Aravind aimed carefully.
The bullet struck Ravi's shoulder.
Ravi stumbled forward, crying out in pain.
But momentum carried him into the temple's inner corridor.
Blood dripped along the old stone floor.
Aravind followed carefully, weapon raised.
"Drop the gun!" he shouted.
"You're surrounded!"
Ravi staggered deeper inside, pressing his wounded shoulder.
He leaned against a carved pillar for support.
"Damn you…" he muttered through clenched teeth.
The air inside the temple felt colder.
Heavier.
Different.
Aravind stepped into the entrance cautiously, flashlight beam cutting through the darkness.
"Ravi… this ends now."
His voice echoed unnaturally.
Ravi backed toward the central sanctum.
Ancient carvings surrounded him — symbols etched deep into black stone.
A cracked circular seal lay embedded in the floor.
His blood dripped onto it.
One drop.
Then another.
The ground trembled faintly.
Ravi froze.
"What…?"
Aravind noticed the vibration too.
"what the hell!" he ordered.
But Ravi lost his balance.
His foot stepped directly onto the cracked seal.
The stone shifted.
A hidden mechanism groaned beneath the floor.
The circle split open violently.
The ground beneath Ravi collapsed.
He fell through darkness, screaming.
Aravind lunged forward instinctively —
But stopped at the edge of the sudden pit.
Dust rose thick into the air.
From below…
A deep rumbling sound echoed.
Not human.
Not mechanical.
The ancient carvings along the walls began glowing faint red.
Symbols lit up one by one like veins awakening.
Aravind stepped back slowly.
The temple floor sealed itself again.
As if nothing had happened.
As if Ravi had never existed.
Silence returned.
But the air felt wrong now.
Alive.
Outside, police secured the area and arrested the remaining injured gangsters.
Ananya was safe, wrapped in her father's arms.
pole lights blinking.
Aravind walked out of the temple slowly, his face unreadable.
A constable rushed toward him.
"Sir? Ravi Mohan?"
Aravind looked back once at the temple entrance.
"He fell."
Into something that he couldn't explain.
Behind him, deep beneath the stone —
Ravi Mohan's scream faded into something far worse.
Something that was no longer just a scream.
Someone that chooses him