Chapter 5 — The First Death
The night air in Bhangarh was heavier than water.
Every breath tasted of dust and decay, of dreams long dead.
No one spoke much as they gathered at the camp after the day's exploration. The chanting from last night still echoed faintly in their minds. Ananya was silent, staring into the dying embers of the fire. Kabir cleaned his rifle. Sid reviewed footage for the third time, hands trembling.
Arjun remained quiet. He had a bad feeling—something he could not name.
> Five nights. Four left. Tonight was the last calm before it begins.
---
The Decision
Dev broke the silence.
> "I'm going deeper into the tunnels."
The statement dropped like a stone. Sid's head snapped up.
> "What? You want to go alone?"
> "He's right," Kabir said, narrowing his eyes. "This is a curse. No one should wander alone."
Arjun's gaze hardened.
> "I warned you, Dev. You've seen the walls tonight. You've heard the chanting. This isn't about science anymore. It's about survival."
Dev crossed his arms.
> "I don't believe in curses. And if something's down there, I want proof. This is what we came here for—evidence."
Ananya said nothing. Her eyes were fixed on him like she could see inside his soul.
> "Proof will come… but it will take your life."
Dev chuckled nervously.
> "Then I'll make it quick."
Without another word, he grabbed his gear and walked toward the sealed eastern door. Kabir moved to stop him but Arjun stepped in first.
> "We stick together. No exceptions."
Dev ignored him, disappearing into the shadows of the tunnel.
Arjun stared after him, fists clenched.
> This is a mistake.
---
The Descent
Dev's flashlight cut through thick darkness.
The tunnel smelled of earth, rot, and something metallic — like dried blood. The farther he went, the colder it became. His breath came out in visible puffs.
His radio crackled softly, a whisper beneath static.
> "…Dev… come home…"
He froze, scanning the darkness. The beam of his flashlight trembled. The air felt heavier.
Then he heard it — footsteps behind him. Slow, dragging.
He turned quickly. Nothing.
But the sound didn't stop.
A low chanting began — the same mantra they had heard before:
> "Jeevan se bandha, mrityu se mukt…"
Bound by life, freed by death.
Dev's radio buzzed violently. A voice came through — deep, guttural:
> "You came alone."
---
The First Kill
Back at camp, Arjun paced. Kabir and Riya kept watch. Sid had fallen asleep, the camera beside him still recording.
Then Dev's voice came over the radio — strained, distant:
> "Arjun… I found it… you need to… see—"
Static swallowed the rest.
Arjun grabbed his radio.
> "Dev! Answer me!"
Only static. Kabir cursed, grabbing his rifle.
> "I'm going in after him."
Arjun stopped him.
> "No. Not yet. Wait for me. We'll go together."
But before they could move, Dev's radio screamed in static again. Then silence.
A loud thud echoed from the tunnel entrance.
Sid woke with a start.
> "That sounded like—"
Kabir cut him off.
> "That sounded like a body hitting stone."
They all froze.
The silence after that thud was different. Heavy. Watching.
---
The Discovery
Arjun, Kabir, and Riya entered the tunnel together. The beam of their flashlights sliced through darkness. The air grew colder with every step. The chanting was stronger now — almost deafening.
They reached a small chamber. The walls were carved with grotesque murals — figures bound in chains, faces screaming in agony. The air was thick with chanting, though no one was speaking.
And there, at the center, lay Dev.
His body was sprawled unnaturally, his face frozen in a scream. His skin was pale gray, covered in strange carvings — symbols glowing faintly golden.
Kabir stepped back, speechless.
> "What the hell did this to him?"
Arjun bent closer. His voice was low.
> "This was the seal… Dev broke it."
Suddenly, the chanting stopped.
The silence was deafening.
Then, without warning, the chamber door slammed shut behind them.
---
The Whispered Name
A voice — deep, golden, filled with longing — whispered in the darkness:
> "One falls… the rest will follow."
Arjun's recorder fell from his hand.
Kabir raised his rifle, but his hands trembled.
Riya clutched his arm, wide-eyed.
Ananya's voice rang in Arjun's mind:
> "The first is taken. The curse wakes. The others… are next."
And outside, deep within the stone, the chanting began again.
---
End of Chapter 5