Maayavan - Part one

Fantasy | read 14 min #shortstories #fantasy #experimental #suspense #thriller #supernatural

Chapter one

Be in a hurry! Hold my hand and let's quickly get out of this! Otherwise, we might die!

Back then!

"Get in the car. I've been waiting for you quite a long time," said Sanjay. 

"Since when?" asked Veer.

"It's been more than ten minutes," Sanjay replied, siting in the driver's seat, speaking to Veer through the open car window on his right.

"Asshole. Just wait - I need to say goodbye to someone," said Veer.

"Who's that 'someone'?" Sanjay muttered, watching Veer walk away from the window.

"It's about to rain. I think this idiot always does the same," he murmured inside the red Tata Curve, a year-old four-wheeler.

Later, while both were traveling in the car.

"It's geting dark. What about having dinner at Abhinav Restaurant? It's famous for regional food," said Sanjay, looking at his best friend Veer.

"I'm not sure. I'll have to ask my father," Veer replied.

"Why do you need to ask?" Sanjay questioned.

"Because we need approval to enter the house if it gets too late," Veer explained.

As he reached for his mobile in his right pocket, a wrist amulet wrapped around his wrist caught Sanjay's eye. It shone vividly. On instinct, Sanjay exclaimed, "Oh my god! What is that on your right hand? It looks amazing - like a star in the sky, glowing red. I feel like I need to touch it!"

"No, you shouldn't. Give me a few minutes before we get into that - I need to make a call first," Veer responded.

Later, after dinner, on the way home.

"Look, what I told you during dinner is top secret," Veer said. "I don't even

know how it happened. It's hard for me to believe too. I'm just beginning to understand the truth, just like you." "That's okay," Sanjay replied, "I'm willing to wait and witness the journey from here. I'm so excited," he added with a profound sense of joy.

As they reached Veer's house and Veer stepped out, he left the car door open. From the driver's seat, Sanjay called out, "Red you enchanter, please close the

door when you get off!"

A few meters away, Veer turned back and raised his hand. From nowhere, a glowing force emerged from his amulet-wrapped right hand - and the car door slammed shut.

Boom! The car shook slightly in response.

Chapter two

On the beachside, there stood a serene house near Palolem Beach where a boy named Veer lived with his father for many years, without any neighbors. Since his childhood, he had always thought of leaving that house someday.

But slowly, as people began moving into the area, everything started to change. It was then, during his teenage years, that he met his friend Sanjay.

One day - before he had ever met anyone in his life, back when he was still in school...

On the way to school, lost in a reverie, he entered the classroom when someone called out to him, "Hey dude, come here, let's have some fun! Look at those girls - they're pretty."

As he turned toward them, out of nowhere, he saw a fascinating lift nearby, almost luring him to stop inside. He walked into it. The lift traveled rapidly upward, and when it stopped, he found himself transported to a railway station named Suhan, holding an amulet in this hand.

Next to him, he found a note that read:

"Holding a precious thing means carrying the responsibility go returning it to where it came from. It is believed to be endowed with special powers - to protect or bring good fortune to humans. Try to give it to your friend who is in real danger in Maayavan, your next destination."

Soon after, he arrived in Maayavan - a land known for its gigantic mountains.

As he steeped into the place, he felt a strange heaviness in his heart, a feeling that surprised him. And then he realized:

"Am I connected to this place?"

Chapter three

"How about kicking him in the face? Acting all over-enthusiastic just when I was about to ask something about submitting our final-year thesis!" said Sanjay to Veer, speaking about Amir, as both were working on the same project for their year-end semester.

"He's a nice guy, though sometimes irritating," Veer replied with a laugh, looking at Sanjay beside him.

Amir had been a bit distracted lately, worried about his girlfriend who had just arrived to teach a few projects focused on the Middle East.

Apparently, they were looking for students with relevant knowledge, which is way she came here. But she wasn't listening to him anymore - she seemed to find his behavior funny, as if she sensed he had something more on his mind about her, Veer continued.

"How do you even know all this?" Sanjay asked, surprised.

"I was observing him closely ever since we started working on the project. And Miss Naila - though technically a senior - is about the same age as us," Sanjay continued.

"That's what heroes do," Veer added sarcastically.

"Come on, let's go to Evening Cafe for some snacks," said Veer, and they both headed out.

Later that day, in the library hall...

There they were - Veer, Sanjay, and Amir.

"Is it true what I heard from Veer this afternoon about you and Naila?" Sanjay asked Amir.

"Yes, it is," Amir replied with a Casual look.

"I think she's about to leave and head back to her place. How will you manage that? Veer asked, concerned.

"So does he to where she goes," added Sanjay in disbelief, looking at Amir with doubt.

"Wish you the best of luck, my dear friend," said Veer to Amir.

And, he added with a laugh, "We're going to miss the most irritating guy we've ever met!"

They all chuckled and continued their conversation.

While all three were in the car, Amir opened up about his future plans - to settle in the Middle East. He told his close friends that he saw Naila as a possible connection or opportunity that could help him get there.

But it seemed she had been avoiding him ever since she sensed his true intentions, and now he didn't know how to act.

Listening to him, Veer felt a bit of a connection to his situation and advised, "Let's go to Naila's residence."

"It's okay, where is it?" Sanjay asked.

"Oh no, why now? Oh god, please drop me nearby, I"ll go home on my own," said Amir in a minor panic, but ended up revealing where she stayed - almost unintentionally.

Near her residence, Veer asked Amir to call her and ask her to come down.

Amir, nervous but cooperative, made a quick call and explained the situation.

After a short conversation, she agreed to come down.

When she arrived, she greeted them all with a smile and shook hands with each of them. Amir stood in shock, unsure of what had just happened, and blurted out, "where's your hijab?"

She smiled playfully and replied in a flirty tone, "Huh... go get it from my room."

From the back, Veer rubbed his right hand across the amulet on his wrist and said with a grin, "Boom!!!".

Chapter four 

When Veer arrived in Maayavan.

Locals were muttering in some Indian language on the other side. Veer began searching for the person.

A few minutes later...

Suddenly, he heard gunshots echoing near the entrance. Panic gripped him, and he started running.

Out of nowhere, someone grabbed his hand and pulled him away.

Be in a hurry! Hold my hand and let's quickly get out of his! Otherwise, we might die!

They both moved slowly into the Maayavan.

Veer felt a little curious about the girl and experienced a heartwarming moment.

A conservation began:

Girl: "Hello!"

Veer: "Hi," he replied.

Girl: "Where are you coming from?"

Veer: "Suhan."

Girl: "Hmm, you're lucky. If not, you could've died."

Veer: "Thank you for saving my life."

Girl: "Is this your first visit to the Maayavan?"

Veer: "Probably... yes."

Girl: "Okay. Do you have any relatives here?"

Veer: "No", he said, struggling to speak further.

Girl: "Fine then. Come to my home."

And so, they both headed to her home.

Later that evening, inside a dark, enclosed room at her house, when things became hard to see, a soft light began glowing from the amulet Veer had received from the lift.

"This has to be delivered to you," Veer said, handing the amulet to her.

She took it gently and replied, "I'm the one who placed it in your hand. Don't you remember? I was in the same lift."

"No, I didn't see you," he responded calmly.

"That's because your eyes were closed. But I was beside you," she responded.

"Why would you do that? Who are you? What is all this? I don't understand anything."

"Don't worry. This happens to those born into the Maayavan family. You and I we are part of it."

"But my father never told me anything," Veer said.

"He's didn't need to. It happens when the time is right. The amulet is a symbol of that bond."

"Then... what about the lift?" he asked.

"It's not exactly a lift. It's a magical box - an enclosed space - that you imagined as a lift. It can only be seen and accessed by you."

"And the place we're in right now?"

"It's part of our world - created specially for the Maayavan bloodline," she explained.

"So, it's developed just like the world we live in?"

"Yes, it is," she nodded.

"Wow. I can't believe something like this is even possible. But... we still don't have all the answers. Our lives are already surrounded by so many problems."

Later, they went for a walk to the top of a mountain, known for its sloping gardens. They sat in silence for a while, when continued their flow of questions and revelations.

Veer: "Everything's fine... but you still haven't told me who you are really are. Where do you live? Where did you come from? Were you really in that magical box probably a lift?"

As she was about to answer -

On the other side, some local bandits were watching them from behind the trees.

One of them whispered, "Looks like we've found something tonight. Hope we get blood and gold."

Hearing the voices, the girl's face turned pale.

"Veer! Let's get out of here - now! They're vampires. Extremely dangerous!" They both started running.

Suddenly, Veer was shot and fell to the ground.

With tears rolling down her cheeks, the girl took amulet he had given her earlier at the house.

Holding it tightly, she began to pray, hiding in a nearby spot.

The bandits were getting closer...

Suddenly, Veer rose from the ground with an explosive force, as if awakened by something greater.

In a heroic burst - like a scene from a movie - he fought them off, protecting both himself and the girl.

Boom!

Chapter five

"How did you convince her to do that?" asked Sanjay, eager to get an answer from Veer.

"Remember the day I told you I was meeting someone, and you got a bit frustrated," Veer began.

"I was about to meet her to discuss some doubts I had regarding the project I'd been working on.

During that conversation, I casually brought up Amir's interests and goals - just to see what she thought about him and whether she was already in a relationship."

"And?" Sanjay asked, leaning in.

"She said she wasn't in any relationship and was actually curious to work on Amir's project. So I took the opportunity to help her understand the project better, and things went quite well."

"Oh! That was you behind all of that!" said Sanjay, impressed.

"But why did you feel the need to help him, specifically?" he asked, a little puzzled.

"He's a good guy. That's all. Simple as that," replied Veer. And they continued traveling in the Curve.

Later, near Veer's house...

Some bandits had entered the gardens, trying to sneak in. Veer, watching them from the window, thought, "Are they connected to Maayavan?"

As they approached closer, he activated the amulet's powers to protect himself and his father.

Boom!

After a brief but heroic fight, Veer realized they weren't magical beings from Maayavan - but rather local thugs trying to extort money from his family.

Witnessing all of this, Veer's father raised an eyebrow and asked about the powers from the amulet.

"Have you ever experienced anything like a magical box?" he asked his son, clearly shaken.

Veer turned around, ready to explain what had happened in his past...

At dinner that night, when Veer and Sanjay were getting ready to go out, Sanjay noticed the glowing amulet on Veer's wrist.

"Wait - how have I never seen this before? We've been friends since our teens!" he exclaimed.

"Tell me everything. What happened? And why didn't you tell me earlier?" Sanjay pressed, full of excitement.

"Just a few days ago, I experienced the magical box again," Veer began. "Wait - what?" Sanjay interrupted in shock.

Veer nodded.

"The first time I encountered it was during school. But even before that, I used to have vivid reveries - since the time I learned to talk and walk.

I always felt connected to something else, but I never spoke about it to my father. I feared he'd think I was imagining things."

"And then?" Sanjay asked.

"That day, I was determined to see it for real - and I did. That's when everything started. I met the girl. the amulet was passed on. It stays with you only as long as you need it... then disappears."

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Sanjay asked again.

"Because you had never seen it. My plan was, if you ever noticed it - then and only then - I'd explain. And here we are."

"Such a great plan. But how did I miss it all these years?" Sanjay muttered, thinking aloud.

"Just recently," Veer continued, "while walking on the beach one night, a girl bumped into me. It was too dark - I couldn't see her face or even look back.

And soon after... I was taken into the magic box again."

As Veer finished his food, realization struck him hard.

"She... she was the reason it all happened again," he whispered.

He quickly explained the same to Sanjay. They both locked eyes, stunned by the unfolding truth.

They were speechless, yet they knew deep down that the future held more, and it was coming. 

And what about Maayavan?

The End.

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