The creature, Da-Tan, tilted its head, its glowing eyes locking onto Madhav. The air grew heavier, an oppressive weight settling over everyone present. Even the blind man felt a sliver of doubt creep into his heart as he realized the tension between Madhav and the creature was unlike anything he had anticipated.
Da-tan was standing in front of Madhav when suddenly blind man blew a loud whistle with his mouth. Upon hearing the sound, Da-tan, a small creature, transformed into a large, muscular body, appearing to be double the size of a human. It resembled a monstrous animal, somewhat like little bit of a half-tiger or half-lion.
Da-Tan stood motionless at first, its massive, grotesque form emanating an aura of raw power. Its gray and blue body seemed alive with energy, crackling faintly like a storm waiting to erupt. The blind man smirked, his confidence bolstered by the transformation of the creature he had summoned.
"You see now, demon?" the blind man taunted. "Da-Tan is no mere small beast. It's your end."
Madhav, though tense, showed no fear. His fiery red eyes locked onto Da-Tan, studying its every movement. He let out a sharp exhale, a wicked grin curling his lips. "Let's test this... creation of mine."
With a simple flick of his hand, the dead bodies littering the ground floated upward, suspended like grotesque marionettes. Madhav hurled them toward Da-Tan with a force that could shatter bones. But as the corpses collided with the beast, they simply disintegrated on impact, leaving Da-Tan completely unscathed.
The blind man laughed triumphantly. "Is that all, demon? Even your powers are nothing before Da-Tan!"
Madhav's grin faltered slightly, but his resolve remained unshaken. "Fine," he muttered, clenching his fists. "Let's see how it handles this."
In a flash, Madhav leaped into the air, closing the distance between himself and the towering creature in the blink of an eye. His fist crackled with dark energy, a swirling force of destruction condensed into a single blow. He drove it toward Da-Tan with unrelenting ferocity.
But as their powers collided, the impact was catastrophic.
A deafening explosion rocked the ridge, sending out a shockwave that tore through the air. Wind howled, debris was flung in every direction, and the ground itself seemed to tremble beneath the force. Dust and smoke filled the air, obscuring everything in a thick, choking haze.
Madhav's body was flung backward by the sheer power of the clash. He crashed into one of Shimla's iconic buildings, the structure crumbling instantly under the force of his impact. The once-pristine landmark was reduced to rubble, leaving nothing but dust and ruin.
Mohit, standing at the edge of the chaos, shielded his face as the shockwave reached him. He coughed and squinted through the swirling dust, trying to make sense of what had just happened. "What in the world..." he whispered, his voice trembling.
The air was heavy with silence, broken only by the sound of settling rubble. Somewhere in the distance, Da-Tan let out a low, guttural growl, its form still visible through the haze.
And then, slowly, Madhav emerged from the debris. His once-confident smirk was gone, replaced with a grim determination. His body was battered, his clothes in tatters, but the fire in his eyes burned brighter than ever.
"So," Madhav muttered, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. "It seems you've improved . But this is far from over."
Madhav emerged slowly from the debris, his body bruised but his resolve unbroken. With a sudden burst of dark energy, he leapt high into the air, his fist radiating destructive power as he aimed for Da-Tan.
But Da-Tan, prepared for the attack, waited with calculated precision. As Madhav descended, Da-Tan struck with its massive claws, hitting him mid-air. The impact sent Madhav crashing into the ground with an earth-shaking thud, creating a cloud of dust and a deafening boom that rippled through the ridge point.
Madhav struggled to rise, but Da-Tan didn't relent. It lunged at him, delivering blow after blow with brutal ferocity. Each strike drove Madhav deeper into the ground, until finally, his body lay motionless. Blood trickled from his wounds as his eyes closed, his unconscious form seemingly defeated.
Mohit, watching in horror, sprinted toward Madhav, desperation fueling his every step. "Madhav!" he shouted, but before he could reach him, Da-Tan turned its monstrous head and let out a thunderous roar. The sound alone froze Mohit in his tracks.
In a flash, Anika rushed toward Mohit, shoving him aside just as Da-Tan's claws struck where he had stood moments before. Both of them tumbled to the ground, shaken but unharmed.
"Are you okay?" Anika gasped, pulling Mohit to his feet.
Mohit nodded, his voice trembling. "Yes... but look around."
The two of them stared in disbelief at the scene before them. Half of the ridge point was reduced to rubble, a wasteland of destruction that bore the scars of Da-Tan's rampage.
Da-Tan turned its attention back to the unconscious Madhav, looming over him with menacing intent. But then it shifted its gaze toward Anika and Mohit, its hulking frame casting a terrifying shadow as it slowly advanced.
The blind man, now grinning ear to ear, clapped his hands together. "At last! My victory is certain. With Madhav down, there's nothing to stop Da-Tan now." His confidence blinded him to everything else, leaving him oblivious to the others.
From the ground, Raj weakly called out to Mohit, his voice barely audible. "The... the call recording... the whistle sound... Play it."
Mohit's eyes widened with realization. He quickly pulled out his phone, scrolling frantically through the files. Meanwhile, Anika picked up a stone and hurled it at Da-Tan in a desperate attempt to distract the beast. The stone bounced harmlessly off its thick hide, and Da-Tan ignored her entirely.
Panic setting in, Anika's hand brushed against her bag, and she remembered the carrot she had been given earlier. She pulled it out, staring at the peculiar vegetable for a moment. "When I first saw this creature... there was a carrot," she murmured, piecing it together.
Without hesitation, she hurled the carrot toward Da-Tan. It landed near its feet, but the massive beast paid it no attention.
"Come on, Mohit," Anika urged, her voice trembling as Da-Tan loomed closer.
"I've got it!" Mohit shouted, finally finding the whistle recording. He hit play, and the piercing sound echoed through the air.
Da-Tan froze mid-step, its eyes narrowing as the sound reverberated around the ridge. Its massive form began to shimmer, its monstrous muscles retracting. Within moments, the towering beast shrank, its body folding inward until it was no larger than a small creature.
Anika and Mohit stared in astonishment as the once-terrifying creature now stood harmlessly, its gray and blue fur bristling as it let out a soft, almost pitiful growl.
As Da-Tan shrank back into its small, harmless form, it turned toward the carrot lying nearby. Without hesitation, it began eating. its ferocious aura now completely gone. The chaos at the ridge point seemed to pause, the violent storm replaced by an eerie silence.
The blind man's triumphant demeanor crumbled the moment he saw Da-Tan's transformation. His smile vanished, replaced by a look of sheer disbelief. He stumbled backward, muttering, "This... this can't be. No! How did this happen?"
Before he could gather his thoughts, Mohit, his face burning with rage, charged toward the blind man. Grabbing him by the collar, Mohit slammed him against a nearby wall. "What the hell have you done? What was all this for?!"
The blind man tried to wriggle free, his voice trembling as he stammered, "F-Free me, you fool! I'll kill you where you stand!"
But Mohit wasn't intimidated. He raised his hand and delivered a sharp slap across the blind man's face, the sound ringing through the air. Blood trickled from the corner of the blind man's mouth as he turned back to Mohit with a mixture of shock and fury.
"Why?!" Mohit shouted, his voice cracking with emotion. "What reason could you possibly have for all this madness? And what have you done to my friend?"
The blind man's expression wavered, his defiance faltering under Mohit's fiery gaze. "I... I'm just a normal man," he stuttered, but before he could say more, Mohit slapped him again, this time harder.
"Normal?" Mohit spat, his anger boiling over. "A normal man doesn't summon monsters! A normal man doesn't do this!" He gestured toward the carnage around them—the bloodied bodies, the ruins of the ridge point, and Madhav's unconscious form lying amidst the destruction.
The blind man groaned in pain as Mohit landed a swift kick to his stomach, causing him to double over. He gasped for breath, blood now dripping freely from his mouth. "Please... stop," he whispered, his earlier bravado completely shattered.
Mohit grabbed him by the collar again, lifting him to face him. "You don't get to beg for mercy! Not after everything you've done!" He tightened his grip, his knuckles white with fury. "Now start talking. What is going on here? And what's happening to Madhav?"
The blind man coughed, struggling to speak, his voice barely audible. "It's... it's the curse," he rasped. "The coin... it binds everything. I was just following orders..."
"Whose orders?" Mohit demanded, shaking him violently. "Who's behind all this?"
As Da-Tan continued munching on the carrot, the blind man's expression twisted into one of shock and disbelief. "No! Not the carrot!" he shouted, trying to push past Mohit. "He must not eat that carrot!"
Mohit grabbed him firmly by the collar, preventing him from moving. "You're not going anywhere," Mohit growled. "Answer my questions first. Why are you here? What have you done to Madhav?"
The blind man, clearly panicking, stammered, "You don't understand! If Da-Tan eats that carrot, his loyalty will change. He won't belong to me anymore!"
Mohit's brow furrowed in confusion. "So what if he changes loyalty? What's the big deal?"
The blind man's voice rose in frustration. "Do you have any idea how rare and expensive Da-Tan's species is? I paid a fortune to acquire this mythical creature. His loyalty is everything!"
Mohit's eyes narrowed. "Mythical creature? You're telling me that thing is part of some mythical species? How is that even possible?"
The blind man hesitated but then saw Mohit's unwavering glare. He sighed. "Fine. I'll answer your questions, just don't let him eat the carrot! I came here for the golden coin and the small box it belongs to."
"A coin and a box?" Mohit asked, his grip tightening.
"Yes," the blind man confirmed, his voice trembling. "But it seems your friend, Madhav, only has the coin, not the box. That's a big problem."
"Why?" Mohit demanded.
The blind man's face grew grave. "Because the demon inside the coin will kill him. The last date of this month—it'll be his end."
Mohit's rage flared, and he slapped the blind man hard across the face. "You expect me to believe that nonsense?!"
The blind man grimaced but maintained his composure. "Hitting me won't solve anything," he said coldly. "I'm just a servant, following orders. I was sent to retrieve the box and coin, nothing more."
"Orders?" Mohit pressed. "From who?"
"They're powerful people. A wealthy family," the blind man admitted reluctantly.
Mohit's jaw clenched. "And how do I save Madhav?"
The blind man hesitated, then sighed. "You need to find the box. Whoever gave Madhav the coin likely kept the box for themselves. Once the coin is back inside the box, it'll suppress the demon, and your friend will be safe."
Mohit's heart raced as he processed the information. "And these people who gave the coin to Madhav—why would they do this?"
The blind man let out a bitter chuckle. "People call me Roy. I'm just a servant, but I've seen things you can't imagine. My powers, for instance, come at a cost. I gave up the sight in my left eye to a demon for control over others. I sacrificed my left leg to stop aging. That's the world these rich people live in—a world of deals with darkness."
Mohit stared at him, stunned. "You... you sold parts of yourself for power?"
Roy grinned wickedly. "And it was worth it. Until now, at least."
As they spoke, Anika noticed Da-Tan approaching her, the small creature now docile and harmless. She froze as it sniffed at her, then nuzzled her leg.
"It's not attacking me," she whispered.
Roy's expression shifted to fury. "You! Girl! You've stolen my creature!" he bellowed, his voice echoing through the ridge point. He lunged toward Anika, but Mohit stepped in his path.
"Don't even think about it," Mohit warned.
Roy's eyes burned with anger, but he suddenly smirked. "I don't need to think about it." From his pocket, he pulled out a small smoke bomb.
Before Mohit could react, Roy threw the bomb to the ground. A loud bang echoed, and thick smoke enveloped the area. Mohit coughed and stumbled, blinded by the smoke.
When the smoke cleared, Roy was gone. Mohit scanned the area frantically, but there was no sign of him.
"Damn it!" Mohit cursed, slamming his fist into the ground.
Anika crouched near Da-Tan, who was now calmly licking its paw. "What do we do now?" she asked, her voice trembling.