Chapter 2: Not Your Time For Awakening

Rudransh dared not even lift his head to have a look at the figure standing beside him. 

The evil's presence exudes an aura of ancient power. 

"After seven thousand years of imprisonment, we are free. Finally!" 

The monster's gaze shifted, locking onto Rudransh with an intensity that sent shivers down the spine of the boy. 

Frozen in terror, he dared not even draw breath, his chest constricting as streams of tears ran down his cheeks, unchecked.

The monster's sinister smile widened as it spoke. 

"Your wish caused this! You carved out this new era out of your words!" It declared. 

Its voice resonated with a sickening certainty.

The creature roared a terrible laugh that shook the whole place as it terrified Rudransh, his evil laughter echoing through the house.

Rajesh and Pooja's parental instinct took over, and they hurled forward to grab Rudransh. 

However, the creature released a strong energy burst that encased them in a shimmering barrier, before they could hold Rudransh in their arms.

With all his power, Rajesh began to pound and smack the energy bubble surrounding them, but to no use. With a flick of its monstrous power, the creature flung them aside, sending them flying in the opposite direction.

The impact force of the barrier broke the house's walls, sending Rajesh and Pooja flying into the sky. 

As they soared through the air, Pooja's voice pierced through everything, her urgent plea ringing out above the chaos. "Ansh, you have to protect your siblings! Keep them safe! Promise me!"

Rudransh kept his head bowed in anguish, tears falling down his cheeks. Even when his mother and father are in danger, he does not dare to lift his head. Gripping his clothes as hard as he could, "I-i will return them to you, mom… I promise." he mumbled

With a deafening screech, the monstrous presence in the room suddenly vanished, leaving behind an unsettling silence in its wake.

Rudransh could finally breathe freely; his head was flooded with emotions that he never knew existed. He gripped his chest as he kneeled on the floor, his mind completely thrown into chaos. 

Rudransh lifted his head slowly, his eyes widening in horror as he beheld the hellish landscape that stretched before him through the gaping hole in the wall. The sky above had transformed into a menacing shade of red, not the soft crimson of a sunset, but the vivid hue of blood spilled. Tall figures loomed over the crumbling remnants of buildings, their colossal bodies crushing everything beneath their feet. Streets once familiar were now flooded with grotesque beasts and monsters.

Gentle taps on his cheeks brought him back to reality "Big brother! Big brother, wake up!" Rudransh slowly opened his eyes with a groan.

Rudransh instinctively pulled Krishna closer as he crawled his way under the shelter of a nearby rock within the pit. But the severity of his head injuries was a burden, weakening him with every second that went by. With a final effort, he wrapped his arms protectively around Krishna, shielding his younger sibling as he started to lose consciousness once more.

This time, we see how Rudransh grabbed the hand of Bhavya as he carried Krishna in his arms, running from the creatures of terror behind them. 

They ran wildly through the roads of Kolkata, their hearts racing with every step, and fled the horrifying beasts chasing them down.

Everywhere they turned, people fell prey to the ravenous jaws of the monstrous beings that roamed the streets, their anguished cries echoing through the air.

Bhavya fell on her knees when she saw a whole family, trapped inside their car, being devoured by the merciless creatures. For some reason, these beasts attacked cars and vehicles far more than humans on their legs.

Rudransh handed Krishna to Bhavya as he climbed a nearby car's roof to get a better look around. A few military vehicles were set not too far away from their locations. A huge crowd gathered around them, desperately trying to get aboard. 

They quickly rushed towards the vehicles, but most were filled and started to leave one by one.

Rudransh begged the people on the military trucks to help them up, but all of the grownups turned a blind eye. 

He kept on trying, asking people to help them climb the truck, but no one listened as if they were invisible. When the last truck engine started, they started to run out of options.

Rudransh grabbed Bhavya's hand and forced her onto his shoulder. In a moment of desperation, he managed to push his sister onto the truck's edge. But he fell; even Bhavya was losing her grip as she wasn't in the vehicle but hanging from it. 

Rudransh Shouted with all his might "Someone, Please- please help my sister! Please!" Two hands reached out to grab Bhavya's hand, two familiar faces, the faces of their cousins. After a few moments, as the truck moved down the road, he could finally see the faces. The truck was mostly filled with his relatives and family friends.

He smiled in relief, looking at Bhavya as the truck drove away. But Bhavya looked back at him from the back of the vehicle and shouted, "Brother, run! You have to save Krishna! Run!"

Rudransh turned around to notice some demonic dog monsters running toward the trucks as they left. 

He hurriedly picked up Krishna from the ground and started to run on the same road. One more thought crossed his mind, maybe if he kept running, he could find Bhavya again, as the truck disappeared in front of his eyes on the long road.

He gripped Krishna tightly in his arms as he started to run towards the direction that the truck went in. Some military Jeeps were driving in that direction. He desperately shouted and begged them to stop, but they drove right past him. When the last vehicle was about to pass them, he risked his life and jumped in the path of the jeep to make them stop. The car driver, pressed the brake as hard as he could, stopping the car just in the nick of time.

Some military personnel came out of the car.

"Umm sir.. Its a boy sir.. Can we take him with us? He-" One of the soldiers asked higher ranking officer in the car.

But their plea was interrupted by a couple "Aren't you all tasked with taking us out of here? And we don't have space for some filth."

You could tell they were wealthy just by looking at their clothes and the jewelry that they wore. The commander had no option but to ask his military personnel to clear the path. The army officers reached down to grab Rudransh's arm and drag him to the roadside.

"I won't sit inside! I can just hang on the back! I promise I won't complain! Please take me with you uncle!" 

The army officers looked at the commander back in the car; he looked down with a dark face and replied, "Why are you taking so long?" The faces of the army officers turned dark as they turned back. 

Rudransh grabbed the waist of one of the officers, refusing to let go. Just then, one of the officers took out his gun and shot in the air. Rudransh's grip lost its strength. The army officers got in the car, which had plenty of room, and with their faces covered in guilt and shame, they drove away.

Rudransh was once again rejected by the people he thought would save them. Just then, a sound echoed through his head once again "Ansh, you have to protect your siblings! Keep them safe! Promise me!"

Coming back to his senses once again he picked Krishna up in his arms. As he started to run in the direction that they went. He kept on running on the path for hours now, in the pitch dark, not stopping even for a breather. Just then, we see how he failed to notice the pit in front of him and stumbled down.

"Big brother! Are you sick?" Krishna gently tapped on Rudransh's head. "Big brother… Please…I am scared! Big brother…" Krishna's desperate calls echoed through the dark pit.

Rudransh's eyes flew open, heart pounding as he clung to his brother, burying his face in Krishna's chest. Above them, crimson eyes glinted menacingly in the darkness. 

The air was thick with dread, who knows if it was Rudransh's blood that attracted the monsters or Krishna's cries that lured them in.

One by one, the dreadful monsters jumped down the pit, twittering and snarling at their next meal. Rudransh's left hand was numb for some reason, and while his head felt very light from the loss of blood. 

"I am scared…brother.." Krishna spoke very softly as his lips shaked.

Rudransh grabbed his brother's head and tried to hide his face in his chest. "don'.. worry..i am here.." a small smile gleaned on his face

However, his expression quickly changed ""Bholenath, Kedarnath, Maheswar, I have never asked you for anything in my life yet." Tears started falling down his cheeks on Krishna's face and head.

"But I am begging you now..Please, my Lord Shiva! protect him. How can I face Mom if something were to happen to him?!" 

The monsters closed in on their prey. Rudransh recalled the events that happened today, including how their family relatives abandoned them. He understood that no one in this world was going to save them and that it was over him.

"Mom..dad.. I want to see you all again..maybe just once more.."

The monster opened its big mouth to devour them, and Rudransh closed his eyes once again, this time accepting his fate.

"You are brave, Oh! little one." Someone said this to Rudransh in a very soft voice. It was low, but these words alone were enough to make Rudransh's body lighten up.

Rudransh's heart felt as if it had finally united with something that he was meant to be. Sounds of diving bells and ox hooves filled the air. Rudransh slowly opened his eyes, it felt as if tens of billions of suns were lit up in a single place, but it did not burn his eyes. This light was rather gentle and compassionate, and in the center of it was a tall figure standing.

His demeanor showed the pride of a thousand lions, his walk was smoother than the flow of ganga, and his skin was fairer than camphor. Wearing a turban on his head, which was decorated with many jewels, they shined as if the moon himself adored his turban with his radiance.

His clothes were traditional kurta and Pajama. Carrying a big staff in his right hand, he walked towards Rudransh and kneeled. "I am sorry, for not being able to reach you sooner… son." He touched Rudransh's head, and it felt like all his pain, hunger, grief, fear, and anger vanished. 

Rudransh picked up Krishna in his hands and lifted him up, trying to hand him to this mysterious man "Please… Please save my little brother… uncle" The mysterious man smiled at him, something about him set Rudransh's heart at ease. He felt as if nothing can hurt him anymore, he was safe here.

"W-what is your name, uncle?" Rudransh questioned the mysterious man in front of him. The man, after giving it some thought, replied in a soft tone, "Kedarn- Kedar! That is my name." The man picked up Rudransh in his arms while Rudransh carried Krishna in his own. 

Both of the brothers fell into a deep slumber. The mysterious man looked at the brothers in his arms and smiled. "It is not your time for awakening!"