Ahsan arrived at AZ's office the next day. As soon as he stepped inside, Noi glanced up from her notebook. She greeted him with a faint blush coloring her cheeks.
Ahsan felt his chest tighten a little. Ah, she looks adorable.
He smiled back, trying to play it cool, and took the chair beside AZ's desk.
"Hey, AZ... can you teach me some Thai?" Ahsan asked.
AZ blinked at him. "Thai? Like Thai Green Curry? Pad Thai? Or—"
"No, man, the language," Ahsan groaned.
"Oh!" AZ snapped his fingers. "Thai language. Got it."
Then he shrugged. "I don't speak Thai."
Ahsan stared at him. "What? You literally talked to Noi in Thai yesterday."
"I did," AZ agreed calmly, "but why did you assume I spoke Thai?"
Ahsan felt his brain short-circuit. "Bro—what do you mean?"
AZ leaned back in his chair, smug. "Remember the magic trick called Revert? Well, there's another basic trick: Connect. Anyone with a bit of demonic influence can use it. It links your thoughts to those of another person. So even if you're thinking in your own language, your mouth speaks the language of whoever's in front of you — accent, dialect, everything."
Ahsan stared, slowly absorbing it. "So basically you can speak every language in the world?"
"Yup." AZ snapped his fingers again. "That's the idea. Do you speak anything besides Bangla and English?"
"Well, Arabic."
"Perfect! Say something."
Ahsan said in Arabic, "I like eating apples."
AZ casually replied in flawless Arabic, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away."
Ahsan's jaw dropped. "The hell—?!"
"So," AZ continued, grinning, "want me to teach you Connect?"
"Yes! Please!"
AZ called out something in Thai, and Noi peeked from the doorway before walking toward them. She stood in front of Ahsan, her posture straight but with a shy tilt in her shoulders. Her simple dress made her look soft, almost like a princess. Ahsan felt warmth rush to his face.
"Alright," AZ said. "Step one: Look into her eyes. Focus."
Ahsan obeyed — which was a mistake. Noi's round, light-brown eyes lifted to meet his, and Ahsan's mind immediately turned to static. His heartbeat punched against his ribs. Oh great. My heart's dying. My brain's dying. I'm dying
"Now say something," AZ instructed.
Ahsan opened his mouth. Nothing but air escaped.
AZ sighed. "Come on, Ahsan. Speak."
"I—I can't..." Ahsan whispered, mortified.
"What do you mean you can't? Just focus and say something!"
"I can't just say something to the most beautiful girl I know!"
The words exploded out of him before he could stop them.
Noi's eyes widened — and she bolted, running into another room with her face blazing red.
Ahsan blinked. "Huh?"
Behind him, AZ started clapping. "Amazing! You spoke Thai. You're a natural."
Ahsan turned to him slowly. "...Thai? I spoke Bangla."
AZ lifted his phone. "Listen."
Ahsan pressed play — and heard his own voice, smooth and fluent, confessing in perfect Thai.
His hands flew to his face. "Oh god. NOI HEARD THAT?!"
"Exactly," AZ said cheerfully. "What did you say again?"
Ahsan groaned into his palms. "No comments."
AZ smirked. "Well, cheer up. We've got another case. Suit up."
Ahsan dragged himself to his feet and followed him, feeling half-alive, half-dead, and completely doomed.
He was definitely not sleeping tonight.
Soon, AZ and Ahsan reached their destination. Ahsan was still light-headed from earlier — Noi's reaction kept replaying in his mind like a broken tape. Even walking felt unreal.
They climbed a narrow staircase and entered an old apartment. An elderly man stood waiting inside, hands clasped tightly in front of him. His eyes were swollen, the kind that had forgotten how to sleep.
The moment they stepped in, he rushed forward and shook AZ's hand.
"My name is Azizul Bashir," he said, voice trembling. "I… I'm the one who called. It's about my son."
AZ nodded calmly. "Tell me everything. Don't leave out a single detail."
Bashir swallowed hard. "My son, Rakib… he fought with his wife. She left and went back to her parents. When he went to bring her home, her family beat him and threw him out of the house."
Ahsan winced. AZ remained expressionless, listening.
Bashir continued, "He was returning alone… crying. He wasn't paying attention to the road. He took a wrong turn. A cursed turn."His voice cracked. "That road has a tree, a cursed tree. They say no one should pass it at night."
Ahsan felt a cold chill run down his back.
Bashir's fingers began to shake. "There… under that tree… he saw something. A behemoth. A creature taller than the tree itself."His breathing hitched. "It forced him — forced him to crawl beneath its legs."
AZ's eyes sharpened at that.
"When Rakib came home," Bashir continued, "he wasn't the same. He kept looking over his shoulder, like something was watching him from a distance. He couldn't sleep. Couldn't eat. Every night, he woke up screaming."
Ahsan's heartbeat quickened.
"And then the marks began…" The father's voice dropped to a whisper. "Claw marks. Bite marks. On his arms, his chest, his back… wounds that appeared on their own. No one touched him."
Tears finally spilled down his wrinkled cheeks.
"In just a few days, he… he lost himself. He doesn't recognize me anymore. He speaks to someone who isn't there. He laughs at shadows."
He looked at AZ with desperate, pleading eyes.
"My son has gone insane. Please… save him."
AZ stepped forward and said firmly, "Take me to your son. I need to examine the wounds myself."
Bashir nodded quickly and led them down a narrow hallway. The air grew heavier with every step. When they reached the room, Ahsan felt a shiver run through his spine.
Rakib was inside — thin, pale, eyes sunken deep into their sockets. He sat on the floor, rocking back and forth, laughing like a broken machine.
"He is watching…He is watching…He is watching…"
He repeated the words endlessly, as if trapped in a loop.
AZ approached slowly, crouching beside him. Rakib didn't even notice the presence of other humans. AZ lifted his arm gently — and Ahsan's breath caught.
Deep bite marks. Long jagged claw wounds. Circular teeth marks that didn't resemble any animal. Some looked fresh. Others looked infected, rotting from within.
AZ snapped his fingers."Found it."
He stood up and looked directly at Bashir.
"Sir, your son has been cursed by a Brahmodaitya."
Ahsan blinked. "Wait… I've heard of them. Aren't Brahmodaityas supposed to be kind spirits? Spirits of Brahmins who help people?"
AZ shot him a tired look. "Are all Brahmins noble?"
"…No. Obviously not."
"Exactly," AZ said. "Not all Brahmodaityas are benevolent. Some are the spirits of Brahmins who were cursed or died with twisted intentions. And one of those has cursed Rakib."
Bashir grabbed AZ's hands with trembling fingers."Please… save my son. I'll pay anything. Anything! I'll give you my entire building if you cure him."
AZ smiled gently. "No need. Just pay the price we agreed on. I'll save him. But we need to act fast."
Ahsan frowned. "What do you mean by 'fast'?"
AZ's expression darkened. "The Brahmodaitya is draining his life force bit by bit. Judging from his current condition…"He exhaled sharply."He might not survive the night if we don't break the curse."
Bashir gasped. "NO! My son… my boy…"
From the other room, Ahsan heard muffled crying — Rakib's mother and sisters holding onto each other. Their grief pierced the air like knives.
Ahsan clenched his fists. He understood this pain too well."We're going to save him, AZ. We can't let this family go through what I… what I went through. His parents need their son. His sisters need their brother."
AZ nodded. "We'll return after nightfall. Let's go, Ahsan."
They were just stepping out when the front door opened.A woman entered — dressed well, with an annoyed expression, no tears in her eyes.
She walked straight to Bashir.
"There is no cure for your insane son," she said coldly. "Stop giving me false hope. I'm filing for divorce."
Bashir's face crumpled. "Please, Jasmine… Rakib will be cured. I've brought exorcists—"
She looked at AZ and Ahsan with a mocking, disgusted sneer.
"Exorcists? Seriously? They look like actors pretending to hunt ghosts. Pathetic."
Ahsan's jaw tightened. He wanted to shout at her, wanted to shake sense into her. But before he could speak, he felt AZ's hand grip his arm firmly.
"Let it go," AZ whispered. "She's not our priority."
Jasmine tossed her hair over her shoulder."I'll be back tomorrow with the divorce papers. Make your son sign them. Or just stamp his fingerprint — I don't care. I just want him gone from my life."
Without waiting for a response, she walked out.
Bashir collapsed into a chair, sobbing silently.
AZ placed a hand on Ahsan's shoulder and said quietly, "We've got work to do."
The two exorcists walked out of the apartment — not defeated, but burning with determination.
Tonight… they would face the Brahmodaitya.And Rakib's life depended on them.
Night fell over the empty road like a curtain of darkness. AZ and Ahsan walked side by side, the moon lighting their path in pale silver.
Ahsan whispered, "So… how exactly are we fixing Rakib? Killing the Brahmodaitya?"
AZ shook his head."Killing it would be pointless. The curse won't break just because the spirit dies.Tonight, we use our brains—not brute force."
As they approached the cursed tree, Ahsan felt a chill crawl up his spine.
There it was.
Sitting on a thick branch was the Brahmodaitya — nearly twenty feet tall, its body shaped like a man but covered in dark, ragged feathers like a monstrous crow. Its skin was rough, cracked, and pitch black. Glowing red eyes stared down at them hungrily.
Ahsan muttered, "Now that looks like a nightmare brought to life."
AZ smirked slightly. "I'm surprised you aren't screaming."
"Oh, trust me," Ahsan said. "I'm terrified. But Rakib needs us more than I need to run away."
The Brahmodaitya tilted its head, feathers rustling.
"Greetings… Do you wish to cross this road?"
AZ stepped forward, completely calm."I know you cursed a man named Rakib. He has done nothing wrong. He has a family suffering because of you. Lift the curse."
The monster laughed, a deep, echoing sound."He tried to cross my road. That was his toll. Why would I let him leave unharmed?"
AZ's voice turned cold. "Spare him… or I kill you."
The Brahmodaitya's laugh shook the branches."And what would killing me accomplish, human? The curse will still cling to him. You gain nothing."
AZ narrowed his eyes. "Then what do you demand in exchange?"
The monster leaned down, examining AZ closely."You… You are strong. The strongest human I've seen in centuries. Walk beneath my legs, and I will spare the man's life."
Ahsan's heart dropped."AZ—"
"Relax," AZ said softly. Then louder, toward the spirit: "Fine. Why not?"
The Brahmodaitya rose to its full height, its legs stretching so long they touched both sides of the road. AZ walked forward slowly.
But just before he stepped under its massive leg—
A black mist swirled behind him.
Ahsan gasped."AZ—!"
AZ didn't hesitate. His black blade flashed like lightning—Shhk!The dark mist split in half and dissolved into nothingness.
At the same instant, AZ blurred forward—
SHING!
With two swift strikes, he severed the Brahmodaitya's legs at the knees.
The monster shrieked, collapsing onto its hands.The severed limbs twitched on the ground—then twisted grotesquely, turning into crow legs.
Ahsan immediately grabbed the transformed legs and jumped back, far out of the monster's reach.
The Brahmodaitya screeched in panic, "Give me back my legs!!!"
AZ pointed his blade at its face."Remove your curse from Rakib. Restore his health. Restore his sanity.Or crawl on your hands for eternity."
The monster trembled."You… You tricked me."
"No," AZ said calmly. "You underestimated me."
A long, furious breath rattled from the Brahmodaitya's throat.
"…Very well. I will lift the curse. The man will live."
Ahsan tossed the crow-legs back toward the monster. They reattached with a sickening crack.
The Brahmodaitya glared at them with burning rage.
"Now… GET OUT OF MY SIGHT, HUMANS!"
AZ smirked. "Gladly."
The two exorcists turned and walked away, leaving the defeated creature behind them.
The duo returned to Rakib's house. When the door swung open, it wasn't Bashir who greeted them—it was Rakib himself.
He stood tall, healthy, glowing with life. The scars that once twisted his face were gone; even his eyes looked brighter, calmer. For a moment, Ahsan and AZ simply stared, stunned.
Rakib broke into a wide smile and pulled them both into a sudden hug."Thank you," he said, voice trembling. "Thank you so much. You gave me a second chance at life."
Bashir hurried forward from inside, unable to contain his tears. Seeing his son whole again broke him all over. "My boy… my boy is back…"
The next day, AZ, Ahsan, and Noi arrived for what they assumed was a small family gesture.
Instead, Bashir had organized a feast for the entire neighborhood.
Children ran around with plates, elders gathered on mats, and huge pots steamed with biriyani, roast, firni, and dishes none of them could name. The trio was seated like honored guests—the kind who had saved a kingdom.
Food piled on their plates faster than they could eat it.
Ahsan groaned, leaning back slightly. "I think… I finally understand why you're an exorcist."
AZ raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Because if every job ends with this, then dying is absolutely worth it."
AZ nodded in solemn agreement. Noi hid a laugh behind her scarf, shoulders shaking.
As they focused on inhaling the food, Jasmine appeared at the entrance of the courtyard. Her eyes found Rakib instantly.
She froze.
Rakib—normal, healthy, handsome again.
"You… you're cured?" she whispered. "How…?"
Rakib didn't answer the question. He simply looked at her and said, "You wanted a divorce, right? Did you bring the papers?"
Jasmine swallowed hard and stepped forward. "I'm sorry… it was my fault you lost your mind that night." Her voice cracked. "I pushed you away because I thought I was bringing you bad luck. I couldn't sleep afterward, Rakib. Not one night."
She held out the papers with trembling hands.
"You deserve to be free… from this cursed woman."
Rakib took the papers gently. He stared at them for a moment.
Then he tore them cleanly down the middle.
Jasmine gasped.
Before she could say a word, Rakib stepped forward and wrapped her in a tight, desperate embrace.
"You did nothing wrong," he murmured into her hair. "Anyone would have been scared. But I want to be with you. Only you."
Jasmine choked back a sob, then slowly, slowly melted into his arms. Claps erupted around them—neighbors cheering, children whistling, elders nodding in approval.
Meanwhile…
AZ and Ahsan didn't even look up.
They were too busy demolishing plates.
Ahsan tapped his fork on the table. "So… what's for dessert?"
AZ, dead serious: "Same question."
Noi simply sighed.