The deep blue sea stretched endlessly before the horizon, its waves shimmering like liquid sapphires beneath the morning sun. The wind carried a warm salt-scent, teasing through palm leaves and whispering against the coastline.
A plane's silhouette glided gracefully above the shoreline, lowering its wings as it prepared to land at Goa International Airport.
Thud… Screech…
The wheels landed on the runway.
Inside, Lioran, Sharin, and Aishwarya straightened up, fastening their belts as the seatbelt sign flickered off.
"Finally," Lioran exhaled, stretching his arms, "we're here."
"Goa…" Sharin said softly, his eyes gleaming with curiosity as he peered out of the window. "I've heard this place looks like heaven."
"It is," Aishwarya said with a small smile. "But don't forget—we're not here for vacation."
The three stepped out into the warm coastal air. Goa greeted them with its chaotic charm—palm trees swaying along the road, the distant crash of waves, and the rhythmic hum of scooters zipping past.
They exited the airport and walked toward the taxi stand. A dozen cab drivers waved hands and shouted offers, but one approached politely.
"Where do you want to go, sir?" the driver asked.
"Carvela Beach Resort," Sharin replied, checking the address on his phone. "Can you drop us there?"
"Of course, sir. Hop in."
The group entered the cab, luggage tucked neatly in the back. The car started with a soft rumble, rolling out into the crowded streets of Goa.
The narrow lanes came alive with color. Shops lined both sides—vibrant scarves swaying in the breeze, seashell jewelry glinting in sunlight, and the smoky scent of roasted fish filling the air. Aishwarya pressed her face against the window, her eyes sparkling like a child's.
"This place is amazing!" she said, nearly bouncing in her seat. "So many shops! So many colors! I want to go shopping right now!" Aishwarya said.
"Driver, can you stop us here for a bit?" she asked eagerly.
But before the driver could respond, Lioran shook his head. "Hey, Aishwarya, not now. We'll come back here later. First, we should reach the resort."
She pouted slightly, folding her arms. "Fine…"
Lioran looked out the window as the words echoed faintly in his head.
After a long drive through winding coastal roads, the car finally stopped before a massive white structure facing the sea.
Lioran's eyes widened. "Wait… this is the place?"
The Carvela Beach Resort stood like a palace sculpted from marble and sunlight. Blue-tiled domes glistened on its rooftops, while coconut trees swayed lazily around an infinity pool overlooking the ocean. Expensive cars lined the entrance.
"I think we came to the wrong place," Lioran said, voice caught between disbelief and concern.
"Yeah, You are right. We definitely came to the wrong place," Sharin added, blinking rapidly.
Aishwarya rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, this is exactly where we're staying. Mukhi booked it for us."
"Mukhi did what?" Lioran said, almost choking. "This place looks like heaven. Staying here will be so costly."
"Relax." Aishwarya adjusted her sunglasses. "The ashram covered all expenses. You two don't have to worry about anything."
"Still," Sharin muttered.
"Enough…" Aishwarya said with a grin. "Now go get ready."
"Ready? For what?" Lioran and Sharin asked simultaneously.
Aishwarya smirked. "You'll see."
A few moments later…
The scene shifted from luxury marble to glistening water and golden sand.
The three stood at the seashore—Lioran and Sharin in swim shorts, and Aishwarya… well, she wore a black swimsuit that hugged her athletic frame, her short dark hair fluttering as the sea breeze touched her skin.
Sharin's eyes went wide. Lioran nearly forgot how to breathe.
"What are we doing here?" Sharin finally managed, trying not to stare.
Aishwarya tossed her towel aside. "We've got our mission at night," she said, stepping into the waves. "Till then, we can enjoy a bit of peace."
Before they could protest, she ran forward and splashed into the water with a graceful dive.
When she resurfaced, droplets sparkled like diamonds against her sunlit skin. Her laughter echoed with the sea breeze.
"Come on!" she called out. "Don't just stand there like statues!"
Lioran sighed. "You know what—why not?"
He sprinted forward and dove into the surf. Sharin followed, shouting, "Wait for me!"
Splash!
The three of them spent hours swimming, splashing water, and chasing each other through the shallow waves.
Whoosh—
The sun began to dip toward the horizon, turning the sky orange and purple. The sea turned into molten glass. They stood side by side, soaked but smiling.
By the time the last light faded, the sea had turned black under a silver moon.
The trio now stood outside an abandoned industrial complex near the city outskirts. Rusted gates loomed before them. Faded letters read: "Goa Steel Works Pvt. Ltd."
Wind howled through the broken glass panes.
"Are you both ready?" Lioran asked, tightening his gloves.
"Yeah," Sharin said, though his voice carried a faint tremor.
"Let's go," Aishwarya said, her tone sharp now—calm, professional. The playfulness from earlier had vanished.
The three entered. Their footsteps echoed faintly across the dusty floor. The smell of rust, mold, and oil filled the air.
Broken machinery stood like corpses in the dark. Cobwebs hung from iron beams. Somewhere in the distance, a metal pipe clanged softly—clang… clang… clang…
"Creepy," Sharin muttered. His eyes darted across the shadows.
Aishwarya noticed. "Why are you trembling?"
"I–I'm not trembling," he lied, forcing a smile.
Lioran smirked. "No matter how strong you get, some habits never change, huh, Sharin?"
Sharin glared. "You're so bad"
"Alright, enough joking," Aishwarya interrupted. "We need to cover more ground. Let's split up. Sharin and I will search the right wing—you take the left."
Lioran nodded. "Got it. Stay in range."
They separated.
Lioran moved through the long hallway, flashlight flickering weakly. The floor creaked beneath his boots.
Step… Step… Step…
He checked each room carefully—rusted lockers, broken tables, shattered monitors. Nothing.
Then, something unusual struck his senses.
A smell.
Disgusting. Thick. Rotting.
He gagged. "What the hell—? This smell is foul."
He followed it, holding his breath. The stench grew stronger with every step. It led him to a metal door at the end of the corridor.
The door was half open. He pushed it slowly.
Creakkk…
Instantly, a wave of nauseating odor hit him. His eyes watered.
"Ugh—what is that?" He covered his nose with his sleeve. "It's unbearable!"
Despite his disgust, he stepped in.
The flashlight beam cut through the dark—and froze.
The room was filled with piles of rotting garbage, old machinery, and what looked like decomposing organic matter. Black liquid dripped from pipes into the heap.
"Disgusting…" Lioran whispered. "No human would live here. Is this… the work of a Narvan?"
His instincts stirred. The air itself seemed tainted.
He crouched, examining a strange residue on the floor. The moment his finger brushed it, a faint vibration shot through him—a flicker of Narvan energy.
"Something's wrong here." he murmured.
Hundreds of miles away, in the quiet halls of the Kashmir Ashram, Mukhi sat at his desk, reviewing reports when the phone rang sharply.
He picked it up. "Hello, this is Mukhi from Kashmir Ashram."
The voice on the other end was urgent.
"Sir, this is Central Headquarters. We have an emergency situation."
Mukhi frowned. "What kind of emergency?"
Mukhi's breath hitched after hearing the call. He slammed the phone down and bolted from his room.
"Master!" he shouted, running through the corridor. "Master, there's a problem!"
The echo of his footsteps filled the ashram halls as a storm gathered over the Himalayan peaks.
TO BE CONTINUED…