Chapter
ALAKH
After finishing their dinner—
Kriti hesitated.
"Where is Alakh…?"
Her voice carried a quiet worry.
Siddharth replied calmly,
"Don't worry… wherever he is, he'll be safe."
"He's saved us too many times."
Kriti nodded—
but the uneasiness stayed.
---
"Now…" Siddharth said, his eyes sharpening,
"let's end this."
---
Kriti smiled lightly.
"And like before… you'll lock me in a room?"
Siddharth laughed.
"No. This time… you're coming with me."
He stepped closer—
kissed her forehead—
"Just stay behind me… my love."
---
They stood before the castle.
Massive.
Unnatural.
Like something that shouldn't exist.
Kriti's eyes sparkled.
"Woah…"
The walls were drenched in blood—
yet she couldn't look away.
Siddharth… wasn't looking at the castle.
He was looking at her smile.
---
Then—
he clenched his fist.
Energy gathered.
A single punch—
BOOM
The invisible barrier shattered—
like glass raining from the sky.
Each fragment reflecting… memories.
---
They stepped inside.
---
Bodies.
Raghav.
Head teacher.
Ascalon.
All… gone.
---
Siddharth's throat dried.
His breathing turned uneven.
Kriti hugged him from behind.
"Don't look…"
---
Siddharth stepped forward—
eyes burning.
"001… COME OUT!"
"Face me!"
---
Footsteps.
Slow.
Calm.
---
A figure emerged—
small…
familiar…
---
Alakh.
---
Kriti's face lit up.
"Alakh!"
---
Siddharth stared at him.
Something… felt wrong.
---
Alakh smiled.
"…What's going on?"
---
Siddharth walked toward him slowly.
"Come here…"
---
Alakh stopped.
---
"…I'm sorry."
---
Silence.
---
"I'm not Alakh."
---
A pause.
---
"I am 001."
---
Kriti froze.
"…Stop joking…"
---
In the next instant—
half of his face twisted—
skin cracking—
something darker revealing beneath.
---
Siddharth's world… shattered.
---
Kriti collapsed to her knees.
"No… no…"
---
Siddharth's voice trembled—
"…So it was you…"
---
Flash.
---
Moments replayed—
Every time he fell—
Every time he woke up—
Alakh… was there.
---
"You…" Siddharth whispered.
"You were always there…"
---
001 smiled.
"Of course."
---
"Every time you lost consciousness…"
"I was the one watching."
---
"Every time you were helpless…"
"I was the one who picked you up."
---
Realization hit.
---
"That's why…" Siddharth said slowly,
"You always found us…"
"You took everything… before anyone else…"
"And after the bridge…"
"You disappeared…"
---
001 clapped slowly.
"Bingo."
"You finally understood."
---
Silence.
Heavy.
---
Siddharth's fists tightened.
"…Why?"
---
001's smile widened.
"Because you were useful."
---
"I stayed close to you…"
"Not as a friend…"
---
"But as your observer."
---
"You trusted me…"
"…because I let you."
---
Kriti's tears fell silently.
---
Siddharth stood still.
Broken.
---
"…So everything…"
"…was under your control?"
---
001's eyes gleamed.
---
"Exactly."
---
"But Being…"
"…that wasn't part of my plan."
---
He tilted his head—
that same twisted smile returning.
---
"But don't worry…"
---
"This time…"
---
"I'll finish everything properly."