The New Set Area – Launch Day
Raghav and Mahen were guided through the newly built studio wing—sleek control rooms, modern LED walls, high-end cameras, soundproof booths, and the main interview set glowing under soft lights. Crew members moved quickly, adjusting angles and checking feeds.
They reached the interview area first—two comfortable chairs, a low table, large backdrop displaying the Drishyam News logo with subtle traditional motifs. The host (a senior anchor) waited with a warm smile.
The interview began smoothly.
Questions flowed: their college days in Britain ("We were the only two Indians in that batch—naturally we became friends"), how they stayed in touch, Mahen's sudden appearance today ("Old promise—couldn't miss my friend's big day"), future goals for the channel ("Truth first, always—regardless of pressure"), and light-hearted banter about their shared past.
The session wrapped quickly—professional, warm, no controversy.
They parted ways with firm handshakes and quiet words.
Raghav's Office – 2:00 AM
Hours later, the building was dark and silent.
Raghav sat alone in his newly renovated office—food packets, empty juice glasses, and takeaway containers scattered across the desk like battle casualties. His suit jacket hung over the chair back. He leaned back, exhausted, rubbing his eyes.
The wall-mounted TV played the late-night news on mute—headlines scrolling:
"Mysterious global tremor during three days of prayer—scientists baffled, temples report divine heartbeat sounds."
Stock ticker below: several major companies down sharply—bear market field day.
"Kedarnath miracle: stranded climbers rescued in impossible conditions—claim 'divine intervention'."
"Unprecedented storm system in western India—forces mass sheltering in Maldives."
"Indian Navy submarine missing for 48 hours—onboard retired officer fulfilling last wish—search ongoing."
Raghav's eyes were half-closed, head nodding.
He didn't notice the shadow behind him.
Maya.
She had slipped in silently—inhumanly quiet.
Her fingers brushed his shoulder… slid upward… toward his neck.
Her eyes shifted—deep onyx, glowing faintly.
A thin, dark mist coiled around her. Her features momentarily sharpened—face gaunt, teeth slightly elongated—like a fleeting glimpse beneath the human mask.
She whispered his name—soft, hypnotic—beginning a chant.
Her palm hovered over the fish tattoo.
The moment she touched it—
A sharp hiss.
She recoiled violently, stumbling back, clutching her hand as if burned.
Raghav snapped awake—hand flying to his neck. Black, viscous liquid—her blood—stained his fingers.
His eyes widened.
He stared at his hand… then at her.
"What were you doing?"
Maya's face twisted—rage boiling beneath the surface. Her eyes burned pure onyx.
"Y-you… you're the Maharakshak."
Pitha-Ma's voice thundered in his mind:
"Don't let her go. She knows who you are. Capture her now—or she tells her siblings."
Maya snarled—then leaped.
She crashed through the floor-to-ceiling window in a blur of inhuman speed—glass exploding outward.
Raghav rushed to the shattered frame.
Below—her half-transformed silhouette sprinted across the dark street—shadows twisting unnaturally around her.
"She just ran away," he said, breathing hard.
"Follow her," Pitha-Ma ordered.
"People will see me."
"Believe me—no one will. Believe."
Raghav took fast, steady breaths.
Looked down.
"She's getting away."
He closed his eyes.
And jumped.
Mid-Fall – Drishyam Tower
Daisy—working late on the middle floor, files spread out—glanced up at a strange sound.
Through the glass wall she saw a figure plummeting past her level—blue light flickering around him.
Her papers scattered as she jumped to the window.
Outside – Night Streets
Raghav fell—wind roaring.
"Transform!" Pitha-Ma urged.
He brought both bracers together in a tight boxing guard.
Contact.
Time stuttered.
A bubble of brilliant blue energy expanded outward—stopping his descent mid-air.
Then—with the sound of rushing water—the bubble collapsed inward, slamming back into his chest like a tidal wave.
The blue suit materialized—sleek, radiant, alive.
Marketplace – Crowded Night Bazaar
Maya reached the bustling late-night market—people shopping, eating, laughing.
She forced her form back to human—eyes still faintly glowing.
Grabbed her phone—dialed frantically.
The Chinese contact at Instagram HQ didn't pick up.
Voicemail.
"Something important—I can't say it over the phone. Meet me at the main mine. Now."
She hung up—looked around.
Her eyes shifted fully to onyx.
She touched a nearby man's shoulder.
A Chaya-Ratri rose from the ground—darker, more human-like than others—born directly from him. Maya-Ratri.
She pressed her palm to his head.
His eyes glowed the same onyx.
The crowd around them remained oblivious—blinded by her power.
The new Maya-Ratri darted into an alley.
Maya watched it go—then turned, satisfied.
A sudden crash from above.
Time froze.
People locked mid-step—mid-laugh—mid-bite.
Maya slowly turned.
In the alley mouth—Maharakshak stood, blue suit glowing softly, holding the Maya-Ratri by the throat.
The shadow creature struggled—clawing.
Raghav's chest rose and fell—breathing heavy from the flight.
He looked at it—then slammed it into the wall.
The creature shattered—dissolved into black mist—gone.
Maya snarled—rage boiling.
Her hands and eyes flared—black onyx laced with red.
Suddenly—the frozen people began moving again.
Eyes glowing the same dark colour.
All of them.
She stepped forward—voice low and venomous.
"Look, Maharakshak… the people you were saving… are now the ones you have to fight."
She lunged—leaving the controlled crowd behind.
Raghav caught her shoulder—tossed her hard into the far wall.
She hit—cracked brick—then began crawling up the alley wall like a spider—fast, unnatural.
The mind-controlled crowd surged toward him.
He punched through Maya-Ratri forms—pushed real people aside gently but firmly—never striking to harm.
Maya leaped—clawed at him.
He flew upward—dodged—grabbed her mid-air—slammed her into the ground.
The impact shook the alley.
She coughed—then kicked him hard.
Her hand shot to his forehead—pulled.
A black-light replica of Raghav emerged—his own Maya-Ratri—identical, dark, vicious.
It attacked—fists flying.
Raghav blocked—grunted—saw Maya crawling away along the wall—quick as shadow.
The crowd closed in.
He looked at her retreating form—anger flashing.
The mass piled onto him—hands grabbing, pulling.
Rooftop – High-Rise Building
Maya reached the top—panting—human form restored.
Phone in hand—she dialed again.
This time—he answered.
She began speaking—voice urgent.
A sudden sound of rushing water.
She froze.
Turned.
A massive blue light erupted from the alley below.
The Chinese contact's voice crackled through the phone:
"Hello? What's that noise—?"
She didn't reply.
A colossal blue fish—ancient, radiant—burst upward from the street.
It opened its jaws—snapped them around her.
She screamed.
The fish launched skyward—carrying her.
Below – Alley
Raghav tossed the last Maya-Ratri aside—dissolving it.
He looked up—saw the fish ascending with Maya struggling in its mouth.
Pitha-Ma's voice:
"We need to erase her memories. Hold her by both hands—connect the bracers. It will seal her in stone. We can purify her later."
Raghav nodded—launched upward.
He flew faster—closing the gap.
Maya thrashed—clawing at the fish's jaws.
Raghav drew level—smirked.
"Hey, Maya. How you doing?"
She growled—furious.
"Hah? Can't hear you—the wind's too loud!"
He laughed—dodging a stray eagle.
"Well—I can see you're not looking as beautiful as before."
He shielded himself from another gust.
"So what I'm saying is—I can't give you the job. You tried to kill me. No favours."
He wobbled slightly—still adjusting to flight.
"Sorry—first time flying. Anyway—meet my new friend. Haven't named him yet… but people call him Matsya Avatar. Yeah—the one from the legends. You know him, right?"
She snarled.
"Don't waste time, Raghav—she isn't weak."
"So—you can guess my powers now. This is just the first one. Second's a tortoise… then a wild boar… then a lion…"
She roared.
"I'll kill you."
"Hah? Did you say something? Kill me? Sorry—but I don't kill women."
"Like hell you won't—I'm immortal!"
"What? Can't hear—wind again! But I assume you said something about being immortal. Great for me—sucks for you. You get one shot. I get as many as I want."
She screeched—ear-splitting.
The fish's grip slipped.
She plummeted—head-first.
Raghav dove after her.
She smiled—dangerous, triumphant.
Pulled a small vial from her sleeve—blue liquid glowing inside.
"Soma," Raghav breathed.
"Stop her—now—or things get out of hand."
She cupped it between her palms—magic flaring.
The liquid turned red—swirling violently.
"Stop that Soma from exploding—if it does, ten miles of this city becomes ash and nothingness."
"You didn't tell me she was carrying a nuclear bomb!"
"That's far more powerful than any bomb."
"Shit."
The vial glowed brighter—red-orange—like a falling star.
People below looked up—cars stopped—construction workers froze—Daisy stepped back from her window—glass trembling.
"We're too late—it will destroy miles—and you," Pitha-Ma warned.
"Not if I have anything to say."
Maya locked eyes with him—then with the glowing vial.
She thrust it toward him—offering.
Raghav understood instantly.
He surged forward—grabbed her throat.
She flung the vial sideways—laughing.
"Me… or this city."
The vial arced away.
Raghav glimpsed fire blooming in her right palm—dangerous magic.
He ignored it—focused on the vial.
He touched her throat with his bracers—the carved fish symbol flared.
She screamed—pain ripping through her.
The vial flew free.
Raghav released her—shot after the falling tube.
He caught it—mid-air.
Looked down at the city below—lights twinkling innocently.
Determination hardened his face.
He rolled into a tight ball—pressed the glowing vial against his chest.
Closed his eyes.
For a split second—his bracers flared—fish symbol blazing.
Then—a second form appeared beside it.
A tortoise.
The vial detonated.
A brilliant explosion bloomed high above the city—contained shockwave rippling outward.
Heat washed over streets—windows cracked—people shielded their eyes.
But no fire reached the ground.
No destruction.
Only a fading blue-gold afterglow.
Daisy—still at her window—stumbled back as glass spiderwebbed.
When the light cleared—
The sky was empty.
Nothing remained.