Rudra, exhausted and panting, finally reached the bus. His steps were slow now, heavy. But there was urgency in his eyes.
Reaching out, he placed a hand on the gate and slowly pushed it open.
"…Ayaan."
Inside, Ayaan was curled up in his seat, wrapped in a blanket. He looked calm, almost content—completely immersed in a video call.
"You know… she didn't even turn around to look at me that day. It really hurt…" Ayaan was saying softly, recounting the story like an old wound he still hadn't healed from.
"Whaaat? Seriously? How rude of her!" Nyra responded from the screen, pouting in exaggerated disgust.
Rudra stepped closer, placing a warm hand on Ayaan's shoulder. "Ayaan."
"Huh?! Rudra?! You're back!" Ayaan's face lit up in surprise. A wide smile broke across his face.
"Look!" Ayaan turned the phone toward him. "Nyra's on call!"
Rudra leaned into the camera with a mischievous grin. "Oho, Nyra! You look like you've gotten a little chubbier since I last saw you~"
"Hmph! Excuse me?! I'm still totally slim, okay?! You two are the worst!" Nyra puffed up her cheeks, clearly offended.
The two boys burst into laughter but then Nyra's voice turned gentle.
"Hey… Ayaan. I forgot to tell you something important."
Ayaan blinked. "Huh? What is it?"
"…Your sister. Anya. She's okay now. She's completely fine."
The words hit like thunder. "…What?" Ayaan's voice trembled. "Are you… are you serious?"
Nyra slowly turned her camera around—and on screen, appeared a small, smiling face.
"Hi Bhaiya…"
Anya.
Ayaan froze.
The world around him stopped. His vision blurred as tears welled up, flooding past the edges of his eyes.
"Anya…" His voice broke. He choked on the lump in his throat. The tears streamed down—not of pain this time—but relief. Pure, overwhelming joy.
Rudra pulled him into a hug, wrapping a comforting arm around his shoulder. "Shh… it's okay, Ayaan. It's over now. You're not alone anymore."
Ayaan took a deep breath, trying to steady his voice. He wiped his tears and smiled faintly. "Sorry… I just got a little too emotional."
He looked at the screen again. "Thank you… Nyra."
Nyra blinked, surprised. "Huh? But I didn't really do anything…"
"Yes, you did," Ayaan said, his voice quiet but full of gratitude. "You were there for her. You stayed by her side. You made sure she wasn't alone. That… means more to me than I can ever explain."
Nyra's lips parted. Her eyes softened. Then she smiled—and tears of her own began to fall.
Anya gently leaned forward and hugged her, holding her close.
At that moment, the bus door opened again—and Oliver and Luna stepped inside.
"Yo~ We're back!" Oliver waved casually.
"Wait—you guys made it too?!" Ayaan said in surprise.
And they weren't alone. Right behind them stood the boy—that boy.
"The kid?! You actually caught him?!" Rudra's eyes widened.
Oliver laughed. "Yup. He's done causing trouble. We made sure he won't be going anywhere."
Ayaan stepped forward, eyes narrowed—not with fear anymore, but with focused intensity.
"So… it was you," he said, standing in front of the boy. "The one who messed with all of us."
The boy turned his head away, refusing to meet his gaze.
Oliver stepped beside him, resting a hand on Ayaan's shoulder. "Ayaan. Congratulations. You've completed your first mission."
"You're free to go home now. No more restrictions. You did it."
Ayaan's breath caught. "...What?" He looked at all of them. Their faces—smiling, proud. "You mean it…?" he whispered.
Oliver nodded. So did Luna. Rudra gave a big thumbs up.
Ayaan… couldn't hold it in anymore. He slowly sank to his knees. "…Thank you," he breathed, tears gathering once again.
"Thank you… all of you."
It was like something heavy inside him had finally lifted. Like the weight of fear, of grief, of guilt… had melted away.
Oliver, Luna, and Rudra stepped forward—and lifted him into the air with cheers. "Wooo!! Ayaan!! Rookie boy made it!!"
"AYAAAN! AYAAAN! AYAAAN!"
The sound echoed through the bus—laughter, cheers, and something that felt like home.
They weren't just a squad.
They were family.
And Ayaan—he laughed. He laughed from his gut, from his chest, from his soul.
That laugh… the one he hadn't felt in so long. The laugh he thought he'd lost forever. Today, it returned.
"HAHAHAHA!! I feel alive again!" he shouted.
His voice was full of color. Full of life. Full of hope.
Ayaan was laughing.
Tears streamed down his blood-streaked face, yet his mouth stretched into a wide, broken smile. His laughter echoed off the jagged walls—sharp, hollow, and horribly out of place in the rotting silence around him.
A foul stench hung thick in the air— The reek of rotting flesh, Dried blood, Fragments of bone scattered across the damp stone floor.
Spiderwebs hung like curtains from the ceiling of the cavern. Insects, centipedes, and lizards slithered across the cracks. This wasn't just a cave—it was a den. The lair of something unnatural.
And in the middle of it all… sat Ayaan. Propped against a cold, moss-covered boulder, he was slouched on the ground—body wrecked, soul unraveling.
Still, he laughed. Loud, uncontrollably. A laughter that felt almost victorious like he had won something.
Like his friends were still around him—lifting him into the air, calling out his name with pride. "Ayaan! Ayaan! Ayaan!"
But all of it... Was a lie.
Reality was far crueler.
One of his arms was gone. Both his legs—missing. Blood dripped from his chin. His eyes bled tears of red.
And yet, he smiled. And yet, he thanked.
"…Thank you so much," he whispered, barely able to get the words out. "If it weren't for you… I don't know what would've happened to me…"
Gratitude.
For what?
He raised his head slightly… and looked at the figure sitting before him.
That being.
Its hands—an unnatural blend of grey and murky green—had the texture of a crocodile's hide. Its fingers were long, skeletal, and crowned with claws sharp enough to slice bone like butter.
A lizard-like tail twitched slowly behind it, glistening with slime.
Not a single hair grew on its smooth, wet skin. The creature's entire body gleamed like something amphibious and ancient. Alive… yet utterly alien.
Only its eyes resembled something human but even they were elongated, reptilian. Vertical pupils like a gecko's, glowing faintly in the darkness.
It stared directly at Ayaan… and smiled.
Not a smile of comfort. A smile of satisfaction.
It was savoring his pain. Drinking in his broken state like wine. Every drop of agony, every drop of joy… was a feast.
The creature leaned forward and gently placed one clawed hand on Ayaan's head. "You're welcome, Ayaan…" it said.
Its voice was an unnatural mix—part man, part beast. Smooth… yet bone-chilling.
"I'll do anything for you." It whispered like a promise. Like a curse.
"People like you… are very important."
"To people like me."