Author's Note – World Setting
This world mirrors our Earth—its cities, its cultures, and its people.
But not everything is the same.
Some places that exist here don't exist in the real world, and some that do are… twisted.
Because this is not our Earth.
This is Zyaera, a parallel reality hidden beneath the surface—
where ghost relics exist, the Veil separates truth from terror,
and the rules that govern life and death… are very different.
________________________________________
Mumbai University buzzed with life—students sprinting to lectures, chai vendors yelling their last calls, and buses honking just outside the gates. But amidst the academic chaos, one group of students walked with unusual purpose.
Aarav Panwar curious and too much interest in history of India from Indus civilization Why did civilization wipout without finding evidence,tall ,lean with sharp eyes and a quiet presence, adjusted his sling bag and checked the train schedule on his phone. Mira Desai, calm and determined, her long black hair tied in a tight ponytail, rolled her eyes at his constant worrying. Rajat Shekhavat, athletic build, clean-shaven with a habitual smirk, carried a small drone camera. Zubair, stocky and always grinning, joked louder than necessary. And finally, Divangi, curious and calm, with glasses that kept slipping off her nose, held a leather-bound journal in her hand.
They were all members of Club Aghori Archives, a historical research group with a passion for digging deeper—literally.
Their destination? A rumored Neolithic-to-Indus crossover site near Gujarat, accessible only via an overnight train and a bumpy ride from a local village.
---
The Train Ride
The group boarded the 9:15 express.
"Finally, adventure begins!" Zubair announced, throwing his bag into the overhead rack.
Aarav groaned, "Don't jinx it." Again' when you something bad happened.
Mira chuckled. "He'll jinx it anyway. That's what Zubair does."
Rajat leaned over. "As long as he doesn't touch any buttons or poke ancient artifacts, we should be fine."
"Me?" Zubair feigned innocence. "I'm the soul of caution!"
Divangi mumbled, "You're the soul of chaos."
They laughed, ate snacks from a tin box, and played dumb quiz games. For a moment, it felt like a college picnic.
---
Hotel Stay
They checked into a modest hotel near the site late at night. Basic beds, dusty curtains, and one working fan. No one complained.
"Sleep fast," Aarav said. "We start early tomorrow. The site's only accessible from 6 to 11 a.m."
Rajat threw himself on the bed. "Five hours of sleep after this journey? Great. Just great."
---
The Site – Day One
By early morning, they reached the outskirts of the archaeological dig. It was quieter than expected—only two local guides and a fenced path led to a semi-excavated site buried in centuries of dust.
As they stepped down into the open chamber, the air shifted.
It was cooler inside. Silent. Time felt slower.
Symbols were carved into the wall—Neolithic, but with strange curves none of them recognized.
"Guys," Aarav said, his voice hushed, "stay in line. No touching anything.we see everything slowly do are research.
Divangi jotted notes. Mira took photos.
After that they doing their things
Then—Zubair.
"Yo, what's this?" he said, stepping into a corner.
"No—Zubair! Don't!" Rajat called out.
Too late. His hand grazed what looked like a rusted lever embedded in the stone.
A grinding sound echoed.
The seal door on the side wall creaked open, slow and ominous.
Dust blew out like breath from the underworld.
"You idiot—" Mira began, eyes wide.
But something compelled them to look inside.
Within, a hidden chamber waited, its walls lit faintly by crystals embedded in the stone. A faint hum vibrated beneath their feet.
The group hesitated.
"I don't think we should go in," Mira whispered.
Rajat shrugged. "Might as well document it while we're here."
They took cautious steps forward.
And then Aarav saw it—a cracked grave in the center of the room. Unlike the others, it was shaped like an ancient altar, surrounded by worn symbols and ash.
A faint glow shimmered at the heart of the ash pile.
As Aarav stepped toward it.
Aarav went to the grave more faster. He felt something calling him, deeper than fear, older than instinct .
He reached down slowly, brushing away soot and fragments. Beneath it, a locket lay nestled—blackened, metallic, etched with a half-erased symbol. It pulsed faintly as if breathing.
His fingers trembled as they closed around it.
Suddenly—
A gust of wind howled through the chamber.
The glow from the crystals turned blood red.
The walls began to breathe—contracting and expanding like lungs.
A high-pitched whine rose in their ears.
Zubair screamed again. Guys I moved the T rod—
At the far left corner, Zubair had lifted another rusted rod resting beside a pedestal.
The chamber shrieked.
A screech—no, a scream—rose from the stones themselves. The crystals dimmed. Shadows twisted.
Blood-like mist poured from the walls. Mira screamed. Rajat pulled her back.Divangi.
Something had wrapped around her ankle—a shadowy limb, thin and long, like smoke made of fingers, pulling her toward the cracked wall.
"Divangi!" Mira shouted.
Aarav lunged forward, grabbing Divangi's arms and pulling with all his strength. Rajat helped. With a final heave, they pulled her free—and the limb snapped back into the shadows, hissing.
Divangi's leg had claw marks. Her breathing was shaky, eyes wide with terror.
"What the hell was that?" she whispered.
Divangi nearly fainted.
Something unseen brushed Aarav's cheek—cold, wet.
They turned to the secret room Zubair had opened.
A deeper darkness lingered there. Shapes moved inside—tall, thin, too many limbs.
"Do NOT go in there," Aarav said firmly.
Everyone backed away. Even Zubair nodded, terrified.
"Run!" Aarav shouted.
They dropped everything and fled—up the stairs, past the shocked local guide, out the gates, and didn't stop until they were back in the hotel.
They didn't even pack properly.
Within minutes, they had checked out, thrown their bags together, and called for a ride back to the station.
---
Back on the Train
No one spoke for the first hour.
Rajat broke the silence, slamming his bag down. "Guys, we can't find out what that place was. Not like this. What the hell was that? F***... dammit."
Mira sat beside Divangi, gently bandaging her leg.
Zubair looked like he hadn't blinked since they left.
And Aarav sat quietly.
His hand gripped something in his pocket.
The locket.
It felt heavier now. Warmer.
And from the depths of zubair l, he heard something whisper.
"You woke me."