Chapter 1 — The Arrival in Bhangarh
The dusty road stretched endlessly ahead, shimmering under the golden Rajasthani sun. The air was dry, thick with the scent of sand and something older—something that whispered from the ruins that loomed in the distance.
> "So… this is Bhangarh Fort," Sid muttered, peering out of the van window, camera already in hand. "Doesn't look cursed to me. Just… ancient."
Beside him, Riya adjusted her glasses, her voice calm but curious.
> "The fort dates back to the 17th century. Legend says the entire town vanished overnight. You might want to be a little more respectful."
Kabir, sitting in the front seat, chuckled.
> "Respect doesn't stop bullets or ghosts, Sen. But sure, we'll bow before the ruins if it keeps you happy."
Arjun Malhotra, their leader, didn't reply immediately. His eyes were fixed on the horizon—the shadowed outline of Bhangarh Fort, rising like a broken crown from the desert. The air around it seemed to shimmer unnaturally, like heat haze that refused to fade.
> It's real… that pressure again. Same as I felt in Naggar and Ajmer.
Something is alive here.
He finally spoke, his tone quiet but firm.
> "Once we cross the archway, keep your recorders running. And don't step away from the group. No one enters alone, understood?"
The group nodded, the humor from earlier fading.
---
The Warning
They stopped at the gates where an old sign read:
> "Entering the borders of Bhangarh after sunset is strictly prohibited."
— Archaeological Survey of India
Ananya Iyer, the youngest of the team, placed her palm on the stone gate. Her soft eyes fluttered shut.
> "This place remembers pain," she whispered.
"So many voices… trapped under the earth."
Sid laughed nervously.
> "You mean echoes, right? Like… geological vibrations?"
Ananya didn't answer. She just turned her head slightly, as if listening to something only she could hear.
Kabir looked at Arjun.
> "You sure about this, boss? We can come back tomorrow morning. This heat's enough to melt a man."
Arjun adjusted his wristband recorder.
> "We didn't come here for the daytime stories, Kabir. The truth hides after dusk."
---
Inside the Ruins
They passed through the crumbling archway. The light dimmed instantly, even though the sun still hung in the sky. The temperature dropped. Birds flew out from the fort walls, scattering in panic.
Riya opened her journal.
> "According to the records, this used to be a prosperous town—temples, markets, even gardens. But after the curse—"
> "Curse?" Sid interrupted, his voice shaky. "You mean the love story?"
Riya nodded.
> "A tantric named Singhia Nath fell in love with Princess Ratnavati. He tried to enchant her with a potion, but she saw through it and killed him. Before dying, he cursed the entire city… that no one would live here again."
Ananya's voice trembled.
> "It wasn't just a curse. It was a seal."
Everyone turned to her.
> "What do you mean?" Arjun asked.
> "Something inside this place was bound using that curse," she said softly, eyes distant. "He wasn't warning the princess. He was warning the world."
---
The First Sign
Hours passed as they explored. Dev set up sound recorders near the central courtyard, while Sid filmed the surroundings. Kabir inspected the fort's defensive structure with a soldier's discipline.
As night approached, the wind grew stronger—carrying faint, broken voices.
> "Arjun, did you hear that?" Riya asked, her tone uneasy.
> "Yeah…" He frowned. "Like chanting. But it's… backwards."
Sid replayed his audio. Static filled the air, followed by a whisper—low, masculine, and unmistakably human.
> "You shouldn't have come."
Sid paled.
> "Tell me that was Kabir messing around—please."
Kabir shook his head.
> "Wasn't me. I was at the gate."
Ananya stepped backward slowly, clutching her pendant.
> "It's begun. The circle is waking up."
---
The Shadows Move
That night, they made camp inside the fort's outer courtyard. Lanterns flickered weakly, the air thick with unease.
Dev was still laughing at his own jokes to stay sane when he suddenly froze.
> "Hey… Arjun. Did anyone walk past that wall just now?"
Arjun looked where he pointed. A long, dark shadow had just moved—against the wind, against the light.
> "Nobody's there," Kabir said, checking with his flashlight. "Must be your imagination."
But when Arjun looked through his thermal lens, his breath caught.
There was a figure—standing still—in the archway.
Cold. Lifeless. Watching.
And the temperature around them dropped to five degrees.
> "Everyone… back to the tents," Arjun ordered quietly.
"We start recording everything. No one sleeps tonight."
As the others scrambled, Ananya whispered again, voice trembling with both fear and trance.
> "He knows your name now, Arjun…"
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End of Chapter 1