The temple was quiet that evening.
Golden light washed over the steps of Jagannath Mandir, and the air smelled of rain and incense. The waves from the nearby shore whispered against stone — like some eternal rhythm between heaven and sea.
Then came the sound of approaching footsteps.
Measured. Hesitant. Heavy with purpose.
Hanuman ji's gaze turned toward the door before anyone else sensed it. "Someone approaches," he murmured, his tone calm but alert.
The guards by the threshold tensed immediately, and within moments, Parth and the others appeared near the courtyard — ready for anything. Although Aarav was still in a daze, he moved along as well.
Through the faint mist of twilight, a lone woman emerged.
She looked neither royal nor common — her clothes were simple but expensive once, travel-stained but carefully maintained. Her hair was tied loosely, her eyes carrying the exhaustion of someone who had walked far and left everything behind.
Hanuman ji stepped forward, his calm presence filling the air.
> "What brings you to the door of my Lord's palace, Devi?"
The woman paused at the steps, lowering her head with respect.
> "I am… a runaway," she said softly. "My husband is an Elite. My father was one too. But I am done with their sins."
Her voice trembled — not out of fear, but release.
> "Since childhood, I have been a devotee of Jagannath Dev. I can no longer live among those who mock the gods. Please… let me stay with the other women of this temple. I seek only service and silence."
Her words carried truth — or at least, the kind that sounds like it.
Parth's eyes narrowed slightly, reading her expression, weighing her aura. But Hanuman ji only smiled — that gentle, knowing smile that stripped away doubt.
> "Welcome to the palace of Shri Vishnu," he said, folding his hands. "Here, He never rejects a bhakt."
The temple guards relaxed slightly, though their eyes stayed sharp.
As the woman stepped inside, Parth approached her with quiet curiosity.
> He said, "may I ask you something?"
She looked up, meeting his gaze.
> "Of course."
> "It's about the Elites," he continued slowly. "About what they're planning."
Her eyes darkened.
> "Then you deserve to know," she whispered. "Because the storm they've built is not far anymore."
---
Scene Shift — The City of Glass
The scene changed like a dream cracking open.
Far from the salt wind of Puri, towers of white metal rose into the sky — their spires crowned with digital halos. Roads shimmered beneath translucent glass, and light pulsed through the veins of the city like blood through a machine.
Inside one such tower — The Central Hall of the Elites — silence ruled.
There were ten of them seated around a long crystalline table. None looked older than thirty, but their eyes were ancient. They wore wealth like a second skin — woven gold coats, diamond implants along their wrists, jeweled data lenses that flickered faint blue.
One man leaned back in his chair, tapping a tablet embedded into the table.
> "The Nexus Project has entered Phase Two," he said, voice smooth, confident. "The initial synchronization was successful."
A woman beside him adjusted the crystal band around her neck.
> "And the subjects?"
> "Stable," another replied. "No resistance after calibration. The pulse sync is holding perfectly."
A third voice joined — deeper, more cautious.
> "You're sure it won't affect the outer sectors? We can't risk exposure yet."
The first man smirked.
> "Relax. No one outside the upper levels even knows what Nexus is. To them, it's just another medical upgrade."
Laughter rippled through the room — soft, deliberate, unsettling.
One of the younger elites spoke up.
> "How soon before it's ready for mass deployment?"
> "Soon," came the answer. "Once the final sequence is activated. After that… the rest will follow willingly."
For a moment, the room fell silent again. Only the hum of invisible machines filled the air — steady, rhythmic, almost… alive.
Then someone asked quietly,
> "And the Overseer? Does he approve of the pace?"
The leader smiled faintly.
> "He doesn't just approve. It was his idea."
A faint tremor passed through the table — a low pulse of dark static, like an unseen heartbeat echoing through the walls.
They all looked at one another, unease flickering for a second before fading back into smug calm.
The hum grew softer, settling into a perfect rhythm — steady, hypnotic.
---
Back at the Temple
The temple lamps flickered suddenly.
The woman's face was pale, her breath trembling.
> "They've built something," she whispered, almost to herself. "Something that shouldn't exist."
Parth took a step forward. "What do you mean?"
But she only shook her head.
> "You'll understand soon. I'll tell you everything. Just… let me calm down a bit first."
The air around them felt heavier — as if the world itself had overheard her words.
From somewhere outside, thunder rolled across the horizon — not loud, but deep, like a heartbeat beneath the sea.
—