The ridge point had turned from a serene gathering place to a stage for tension. The blind man's smile never wavered as he stood in front of Madhav, Raj, and Akash, his cane tapping rhythmically against the stone ground.
"Hello, boys. Are you all fine? You have something of ours."
Akash stepped forward, his tone defensive. "Sir, I don't think we've taken anything from you."
The blind man chuckled softly and tilted his head. "Not you," he said, raising his cane and pointing directly at Madhav. "That boy. What is your name?"
Madhav's heart raced, but he kept his voice steady. "My name is Madhav Anand."
The blind man nodded knowingly. "Good. Now, give me my thing, and you may go freely. I will not harm you."
Raj, ever the defiant one, stepped in front of Madhav. "Listen, sir. We're not weak, and we don't take kindly to threats. We don't know what you're talking about."
The blind man sighed, his milky eyes seemingly piercing through Raj. "I want that small box," he said slowly, "and inside it, the golden coin."
Madhav and Raj froze, their faces betraying their shock. How did he know about the box? How did he know about the coin?
Madhav, regaining his composure, spoke firmly. "I don't have the golden coin anymore. I'm sorry, but we're leaving now. Goodbye."
He subtly signaled to Raj and Akash to move, nudging them as he turned away. But before they could take a step, they saw four figures emerge from the shadows, blocking their path.
The four men grabbed the trio by their arms, their grips like iron.
Raj struggled against his captor, shouting, "Hey, let us go! Blind man, you're making a big mistake."
Akash, his voice shaking but still defiant, added, "We'll call the police. You'll regret this."
The blind man let out a deep, resonant laugh. "Call the police if you like," he said, spreading his arms dramatically. "But I've already prepared for that."
As if on cue, the surrounding area began to fill with people. They came from the shadows, from alleys, from behind stalls—men and women who didn't look like tourists. Their expressions were cold, their stances rigid. Within moments, the trio was surrounded by nearly 200 people, their sheer presence suffocating.
The blind man smirked. "These aren't tourists," he said, his voice echoing in the still air. "These are my fighters. And they don't take no for an answer."
As Madhav, Raj, and Akash struggled against the iron grips of the four men, Madhav glanced at the face of the man holding his arm. His eyes were vacant, his expression blank—like a puppet with no will of its own. A chill ran down Madhav's spine.
"These people... they're controlled by him," Madhav muttered, his voice barely audible.
Raj and Akash looked at him , but before they could respond, the blind man spoke again, his voice calm and deliberate. "It's simple," he said, tapping his cane against the ground. "Give me the golden coin and the small box, and all of you—along with these people—can walk away, unharmed."
Madhav's jaw tightened as he met the blind man's lifeless gaze. "I don't have the golden coin anymore," he said firmly.
The blind man tilted his head, his smile never faltering. "A lie doesn't suit you, young man," he said. "If you no longer have the coin, then tell me where it is."
Raj, sensing the growing tension, jumped in. "Listen," he said, his voice steady but persuasive. "If you want the golden coin so badly, let us go. We'll head back to the villa, get the coin, and return it to you. Simple as that."
Raj forced a grin. "You don't have much of a choice, do you? Keeping us here won't get you what you want."
The blind man's cold smile widened as he leaned forward slightly, his empty eyes seeming to pierce straight into the boys . "I told you," he said softly, "I have a choice, young boy. And I will take what I want."
Madhav clenched his fists, his heart pounding in his chest. "Please," he pleaded. "We'll get you the coin, just don't hurt anyone—"
The blind man raised a hand, silencing him. "Do you think I am a fool? You would deceive me just like the others who once possessed the coin. No one with that cursed object can be trusted."
He turned his head slightly, addressing the men holding the trio. "Start with the boy," he commanded, his voice devoid of emotion. "Beat him until he learns the price of defiance."
Akash's eyes widened as the man gripping him suddenly swung his fist, landing a brutal punch to his stomach. "I haven't done anything!" Akash cried out, doubling over in pain.
"Stop!" Madhav shouted, his voice breaking with desperation. "Please, don't hurt him!"
But his cries were ignored. The blind man raised a single hand, and another man behind Raj stepped forward. Without hesitation, he began to strike Raj repeatedly, his fists landing with sickening thuds.
Raj tried to fight back, but the man was too strong, too unrelenting. Blood began to drip from the corner of Raj's mouth as he stumbled under the onslaught.
"Enough!" Madhav shouted again, panic rising in his chest. "You're hurting them!"
The blind man simply smiled and gave another signal. A third man, standing behind Madhav, moved into action. A powerful blow landed on the back of Madhav's head, sending him sprawling to the ground. Before he could recover, a barrage of kicks and punches rained down on him.
Madhav tried to shield himself, but it was no use. Pain coursed through his body as he tasted the metallic tang of blood on his lips.
All around them, the crowd of controlled fighters stood watching, their faces twisted into eerie smiles. The joyless laughter of the blind man echoed through the air.
By the time the assault subsided, the three boys were left crumpled on the ground. Blood dripped from their noses and mouths, their bodies battered and bruised.
The blind man took a step closer, his smile fading into a cold, stern expression. "You thought you could outsmart me," he said, his voice as sharp as a blade. "This is only a taste of what awaits you if you continue to defy me. Now, give me what I came for."
Madhav, barely able to lift his head, looked up at the man through swollen eyes. "I-I told you... I don't have it anymore," he gasped, his voice weak but defiant.
The blind man's cold smile twisted into a scowl as the person behind Madhav reached into his pocket and pulled out a gleaming object.
"Sir," the person announced, holding the coin aloft. "I found it! The golden coin!"
The blind man's expression darkened with fury. His milky-white eyes seemed to burn with a silent rage, and he clenched his fists tightly. "So, you dared to lie to me," he said, his voice low and venomous. "You thought you could deceive me, boy?"
Madhav's mind raced as he stared at the coin in disbelief. How did it get there? he wondered. I remember not taking the coin before we came to Mall Road. How could it have ended up in my pocket?
"Give him the punishment he deserves," the blind man ordered sharply. He turned to another man standing nearby and gestured with a flick of his hand. "You. Hand the hockey stick to him."
The man nodded, picked up a heavy hockey stick, and passed it to the one who had retrieved the coin. The blind man's voice was cold and commanding. "Hit him. Hard. Let him feel the consequences of his defiance."
Madhav's heart pounded in his chest as he watched the man approach, gripping the hockey stick tightly. The others stood motionless, their eerie smiles frozen on their faces.
Before Madhav could react, the man swung the stick with full force. In the split second before the impact, Madhav's thoughts spiraled. What is this coin? How is it always returning to me?
The stick struck Madhav's head with a sickening crack. Pain exploded in his skull, and his vision blurred. A wave of dizziness and nausea overcame him, and he felt consciousness slipping away.
Before he could collapse to the ground, two of the blind man's controlled men grabbed his arms, holding him upright. Madhav's head lolled to one side, blood trickling down his forehead.
Madhav tried to lift his head, but his strength was fading fast. Around him, Raj and Akash struggled , shouting in protest.
Madhav hung limply between the two men holding him, his head tilted forward as blood dripped slowly from the wound. The blind man smiled triumphantly, but that smile faded when Madhav's lips moved faintly.
"Do you really think… you can take the coin from me?" Madhav's voice, though weak, was laced with an eerie calmness.
The man standing behind Madhav leaned closer, his face contorting in confusion. "What did he just say—"
Before he could finish, Madhav's leg shot backward with shocking force, delivering a devastating kick to the man's chest. The impact sent him flying through the air, crashing into the ground far from the scene with a sickening thud.
Gasps echoed through the crowd of controlled onlookers. Raj and Akash, still restrained, watched in stunned disbelief as Madhav, who had moments ago seemed on the brink of collapse, now moved with an unearthly strength.
The second man, startled, raised the hockey stick to strike Madhav again, but Madhav caught it mid-swing with one hand. His grip was like iron. Before the man could react, Madhav grabbed his face with his other hand, his fingers digging in with terrifying force.
Madhav's strength lifted the man off the ground, his feet dangling helplessly in the air. The man's muffled cries filled the tense silence as Madhav held him effortlessly, his head tilted slightly as though he were studying him.
The crowd froze, their eyes wide with fear and disbelief. Even the blind man's calm demeanor faltered. "What… what are you?" the blind man demanded, his voice wavering.
Madhav didn't respond. Instead, he flung the man with casual strength, sending him hurtling over the edge of the ridge. The sound of his scream faded into the abyss below.
Madhav turned slowly, his expression unreadable. His gaze fell on the man holding the golden coin. The man's hands trembled, and he instinctively stepped back. "Stay away!" he pleaded, his voice breaking.
But Madhav advanced with slow, deliberate steps, his movements unnervingly calm. Without a word, he reached out and took the coin from the man's shaking hands.
The man collapsed to his knees, his entire body trembling. "Please… don't hurt me," he begged.
Madhav tilted his head, his lips curling into a faint smile. Then, in one horrifying motion, he thrust his left hand into the man's chest. The man's body stiffened, his eyes widening in shock and agony. Moments later, he collapsed lifelessly to the ground.
The crowd collectively stepped back, murmurs of fear rippling through them. Even the blind man stood frozen, his lips parted in astonishment.
"What… what is happening?" the blind man stammered, his voice filled with disbelief.
Madhav turned toward him, the golden coin glinting in his right hand, his bloodstained left hand at his side. His smile deepened, his eyes glinting with an unnatural light.
"You wanted the coin," Madhav said softly, his voice carrying an edge that sent chills through everyone present.
The golden coin glinted in Madhav's hand as he tossed it high into the air. It spun, catching the last rays of the sun before vanishing into his palm. The moment it landed, the atmosphere shifted. Dark clouds swirled across the sky, blotting out the light, and the rumble of thunder echoed across the ridge.
Raj and Akash watched in shock as the wind picked up, howling like a living entity. The temperature dropped sharply, but sweat dripped down the blind man's face. His lips quivered as he felt the powerful, oppressive presence radiating from Madhav.
Madhav's eyes snapped open, glowing an unholy red, brighter than the stormy skies. His once gentle demeanor was replaced by a chilling aura of authority and malice. "Finally," Madhav—or whatever had taken over him—said with a sinister smirk.
The blind man staggered back, his legs trembling as the heat of his own fear overwhelmed him. "You... you're the demon of the cursed coin," he whispered, barely able to get the words out.
Madhav turned his crimson gaze toward the blind man, his expression dripping with disdain. "It took you long enough to figure that out," he said mockingly, his voice deep and resonant. "Yes, I have claimed this body. The weak human you call Madhav is no longer in control."
Akash, clutching his injured side, managed to croak, "Madhav bhaiya... are you okay?" His voice was filled with desperation and pain, his eyes pleading for a sign of the friend he knew.
Madhav turned to Akash, his lips curling into a sinister smile. "After so many years, I awaken in a body as feeble as this? Truly, what a shame," he said with a dark chuckle.
Raj struggled to stand, his body battered from the beating. "What have you done to Madhav?" he shouted, his voice raw with anger.
Madhav—or the demon—ignored the question and turned back to the blind man. "You were foolish to seek me out," he said coldly. "You meddled with forces beyond your understanding. Now, you will face the consequences."
The blind man shook his head, his hands trembling. "No, no! I didn't want this! I just wanted the coin!"
"Greed always leads to ruin," Madhav said darkly and loudly."
"Madhav raised his hand and began writing a message in the air, seemingly with glowing light, as if by magic. Madhav declared, 'In the demon Asur kingdom, if any of my relatives are still alive, this message will reach them. They will know where I am and how I am now.'
After writing this, Madhav saw a blind man with an arrogant attitude. Madhav said, 'Now I will kill you and consume your soul.