Hi guys. Happy Mahalaya. And. Happy Durga Puja in advance. I am going to release 2 episode today in occasion of mahalaya here. And my new book fff² is coming soon. So ..oh and the fate book of mine is also releasing 10 episode today. Let's go.
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### **Chapter 12: Confronting the Shadows**
The air inside the stone circle felt thick, charged with a strange energy that Raghav could feel pulsing through his entire body. The shadows around them swirled with increasing intensity, and Raghav felt as though the very ground beneath him was alive, vibrating with unseen power.
As he stood in the center of the stone circle, the whispers of the past grew louder, filling his mind with fragmented images—faint cries, flashes of familiar places cloaked in darkness, and echoes of laughter that turned into sorrow. Raghav clenched his fists, steeling himself for what was to come.
"Stay calm," Amara instructed, her voice grounding them. "The shadows will show you what you need to see, but you must not let them consume you."
Raghav nodded, glancing at Aarav and Priya. They were both tense, eyes wide as they tried to process the overwhelming sensations. The darkness around them felt almost tangible, like it was creeping closer with every second. But there was no turning back now.
Suddenly, the shadows shifted, condensing into distinct forms. Faces emerged from the swirling darkness—faces that were twisted with pain and despair. One by one, they solidified, until Raghav found himself staring at a group of spectral figures, their ghostly eyes fixed on him.
He recognized one of them immediately—Nikhil.
"Nikhil," Raghav whispered, his heart pounding in his chest. Nikhil's ghostly figure looked pale and distant, his once lively eyes now dull, filled with sorrow that cut deeper than any blade.
A low, mournful voice echoed through the grove, and it took Raghav a moment to realize that it was Nikhil speaking.
"Why did you leave me?" Nikhil's voice was filled with an aching sadness that sent chills down Raghav's spine. The other spirits, still cloaked in shadow, began to whisper, their voices blending into a cacophony of sorrow and accusation.
"We didn't leave you," Priya blurted, stepping forward instinctively. "We're here to help you!"
But Nikhil didn't seem to hear her. His gaze was fixed on Raghav, his expression pained. "I waited… so long… but no one came. They forgot me."
Raghav swallowed hard, feeling the weight of Nikhil's words pressing down on him. The guilt was suffocating. Even though he hadn't known Nikhil personally, he could feel the boy's agony as if it were his own.
"We didn't forget you," Raghav said, stepping closer to Nikhil's ghost. "We're here now, and we want to understand what happened to you. We want to make things right."
Nikhil's form flickered, the shadows swirling more violently around him. "You can't… make it right. The darkness… it never leaves."
Amara stepped forward, her presence commanding the attention of the spirits. "You are bound to this place, Nikhil, but not by choice. The pain you feel, the shadows that cling to you—they are not yours to bear alone."
Nikhil's eyes flashed with a mix of anger and confusion. "It's too late. The shadows… they've already claimed me."
The other spirits shifted, their ghostly forms hovering closer, as if drawn to Nikhil's despair. Their faces were indistinguishable, but their emotions were palpable—grief, anger, regret. Raghav could feel them pressing in, their combined sorrow creating a suffocating weight in the air.
"We have to help them," Aarav said, his voice tight with fear. "There has to be a way to release them from this."
Amara turned to the group, her expression grave. "The shadows feed on their pain, their unresolved emotions. If you wish to help them, you must face the truth that binds them here."
Raghav's stomach churned. "What truth? How do we find it?"
Amara raised her hand, and the shadows responded, swirling around the stone circle with even greater intensity. "The truth is buried in the past—locked away in the memories of those who still remember. You must be willing to confront not only the ghosts, but the history that has kept them bound."
Before Raghav could process her words, the air around them shifted again. This time, the shadows parted, revealing a vision—a glimpse of the past. The stone circle dissolved, and they were transported to a different time, standing in the middle of a crowded school courtyard.
Raghav blinked, his heart racing as he took in the scene around him. The school looked the same, but the atmosphere was different—brighter, more vibrant. Students walked by, laughing and chatting, completely unaware of the darkness that would soon claim this place.
In the middle of the courtyard stood Nikhil, his younger self, surrounded by a group of friends. He looked carefree, his smile wide as he joked with his friends. But as Raghav watched, something changed. Nikhil's smile faltered, and he glanced nervously toward a group of older students watching from a distance.
"They were bullying him," Priya whispered, her voice laced with sadness.
The vision shifted again, fast-forwarding through moments of Nikhil's life at the school. Raghav watched as the bullying escalated—cruel words, shoves in the hallway, and the constant feeling of isolation. Nikhil's laughter faded, replaced by a mask of indifference that barely concealed the pain he was carrying.
And then, the final scene. Nikhil alone in the woods, standing near the grove. His face was pale, his eyes filled with despair as he stared at the stone circle. The shadows began to close in around him, their dark tendrils reaching for him, pulling him into the darkness.
"No," Raghav whispered, feeling the weight of Nikhil's pain crushing him. "He was trapped by the shadows… because of what happened to him."
The vision dissolved, and they were back in the stone circle, the shadows still swirling around them. Nikhil's ghost hovered nearby, his expression filled with a mixture of sorrow and resignation.
"It wasn't just the bullying," Amara said softly. "Nikhil was abandoned by the very people who should have protected him. The pain he endured fed the shadows, allowing them to grow stronger."
Raghav clenched his fists, anger and grief bubbling inside him. "We have to free him. He doesn't deserve this."
Amara nodded. "To free him, you must confront the truth of his past. You must acknowledge the pain he suffered and ensure that it is not forgotten."
"How do we do that?" Priya asked, her voice thick with emotion.
"The shadows are tied to the guilt and regret of those who are still living," Amara explained. "If you can bring this truth to light—if you can make those responsible acknowledge what they did—it may release Nikhil and the others from the darkness."
Raghav's mind raced. "So we need to confront the people who were involved in the bullying… and make them face what they did?"
Amara nodded. "Yes. Only by facing the truth can the cycle of pain be broken."
The weight of the task ahead settled over Raghav and his friends. It wouldn't be easy, but they couldn't turn back now. Nikhil and the other spirits deserved peace, and they were the only ones who could give it to them.
"We'll do it," Raghav said firmly. "We'll bring the truth to light."
Amara's expression softened. "Then may you find the strength to face the darkness, both within and without."
As they left the grove, the shadows receding behind them, Raghav felt a sense of purpose burning inside him. They had uncovered the truth of Nikhil's past, but the hardest part was yet to come—confronting those responsible and ensuring that Nikhil's story would not be forgotten.
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