Rudrapur, The Road Back to the Upper Districts
Veer's fingers tightened around the steering wheel as he guided his sleek black car back toward the Upper Districts. The distant glow of the sun bathed the sky in hues of bright yellow, casting shadows over the winding roads that cut through the city.
His mind was anything but calm.
The Vast Forest still lingered in his thoughts, its dark, ancient trees whispering an unspoken invitation. He had felt something there. Something different, something he couldn't explain. It wasn't fear—no, it was something deeper. A pull, a calling, as though the forest itself had recognized him.
But for now, he had to push those thoughts aside. His father was waiting.
The Khanna Mansion loomed ahead, its towering gates parting to welcome him. The moment he drove inside, he spotted Meera waiting near the entrance.
"Your father's in his study," she informed him.
Her gaze flickered across his face, sharp and assessing, as if trying to read where he had been. Veer didn't stop to offer an explanation. He had learned long ago that words meant little in this house—only actions mattered.
He stepped through the grand double doors and into the mansion.
A Father's Expectations
Inside, the air was thick with the scent of polished wood and expensive cologne. The golden glow of the chandeliers did little to warm the cold presence that his father carried.
Veer walked into his father's study, where Abhijeet Khanna sat behind a massive mahogany desk. He didn't look up immediately, instead flipping through some documents. The air between them was tense, charged with the same unspoken battle that always simmered beneath their conversations.
"You were gone longer than necessary," his father finally said, his voice calm but edged with something sharper.
Veer leaned against the doorway, crossing his arms. "The meeting was over. I wanted some time to think."
His father's sharp gaze finally lifted, locking onto him. "Think?" He let out a dry chuckle. "What is there to think about, Veer? Your path is set. You are my son. Your duty is to the family. To our legacy."
Veer's jaw clenched. Duty. Legacy. Control. These words had followed him his entire life, shaping him into the heir his father wanted him to be. But today, more than ever, they felt like shackles.
"Is that all you wanted to talk about?" Veer asked, his tone clipped.
Abhijeet's eyes narrowed slightly. He knew his son was holding something back, but he wouldn't press—not yet. Instead, he simply nodded.
"Lunch will be served in an hour. Don't make your mother wait."
Veer didn't reply as he turned and left the study.
A Decision Set in Stone
Later that noon, Veer sat at the grand dining table, surrounded by the luxury that defined his family's life. His mother, Anaaya, was speaking softly to his sister, Mahi, who was animatedly telling a story about school.
His father sat at the head of the table, eating in silence.
Veer, however, barely touched his food. His thoughts kept drifting to the forest—to the pull that had stirred something deep within him.
"Stay away from the Vast Forest."
"The forest has a mind of its own."
The words of old rumors echoed in his head, but instead of warning him, they dared him.
The decision was already made.
He would return.
After lunch, in the evening.
The Evening Beckons
The clock struck 4:00 PM as Veer stood at the edge of the Khanna estate, his black hoodie pulled over his head. The mansion was silent after lunch, the workers doing there evening routing.
With measured steps, he made his way past the estate's outer boundary, toward the stretch of road that led to the Vast Forest.
Unlike the bright noon, the evening air was colder, carrying a strange stillness. The closer he got, the heavier the silence became. It wasn't the usual quiet of the countryside—it was something else. A waiting, a watching presence.
The forest wasn't dense at its edges. The trees were spaced apart, their shadows dancing in the setting sun's light. But beyond that, deeper within the vast forest, trees are denser and the darkness thickened.
Veer hesitated for only a moment before stepping past the first line of trees.
The Whispering Shadows
As he moved further in, the sounds of the outside world faded. The cities traffic disappeared behind him, swallowed by the canopy above.
His boots crunched softly against the damp earth, his breath visible in the chilled air. Every step felt like a descent into something unknown.
Then—a sound.
A whisper.
Veer froze. His heart pounded, every muscle in his body tensed.
The whisper wasn't from any human tongue—it was the rustling of leaves, the shifting of air, yet it felt like words.
Like something unseen had acknowledged his presence.
A cold shiver ran down his spine, but he pressed forward. He had come this far—he wouldn't turn back now.
The deeper he went, the more the trees seemed to change. Their shapes twisted and the darkness increased, their bark rougher, ancient, almost scarred. The air here was different—charged, almost electric.
Then, suddenly, the whispering stopped.
Silence.
Veer turned slowly, his pulse roaring in his ears.
And that's when he saw it.
A figure.
Not human.
Not entirely.
It stood just beyond the next line of trees, barely visible in the evening light. Tall, slender, with a presence that sent a shudder through Veer's very soul.
For a moment, neither moved.
Then—it took a step forward.
Veer's breath hitched. His instincts screamed at him to run. But something deeper, something irrational and primal, held him in place.
His pulse raced as the figure emerged further into the sun's setting light, its features still shrouded in shadows. And yet...
He could feel it staring at him.
Watching.
Waiting.
And then—a whisper, clear this time.
"You came back."
Veer's blood turned to ice.
How?
Who—or what—was this?
The air around him seemed to tighten, a force unseen pressing against his chest. Every nerve in his body screamed to flee, but at the same time, a different force compelled him to stay.
To step closer.
To see.