10 days ago,
City Conference Seminar Hall,
"Hello... Ladies and Gentlemen, tonight we are honored to welcome our Top performer on the yearly successful men chart. His work has reshaped the thoughts of future development of the city. This person has personally contributed himself in making of artificial farming, agriculture, healthcare, and defence system for our city. This person has helped our god to design strongest scientific drones, crop-collecting machines, and telescope. In addition, as the HOD of the top leading 'Art & Craft Institution', in our city, only he could able to develop the stimuli that can increase our creativity qualities with a double speed than the normal. That's why, we're proud to have such person with our side. So, please welcome... Mr. Azrael Voidryn..."
At that moment, the doorway slowly opened at the end of the hall. All flashlights and cameras focused on that spot. Everyone's heartbeat seemed paused in that moment.
And, he slowly stepped in the hall.
Cold.
Focused.
Unmoved by the attention surrounding him.
There was no smile on his face, no sign of excitement or pride. His expression remained composed, distant like the calm surface of someone who didn't care about the surroundings reactions at all.
As he ascended to the stage through the aisle, all conversations stopped one by one. People who had been whispering moments earlier now watched him in silence. Something about his presence carried an unspoken weight, as though the air itself had grown heavier in his path.
He completely ignored the audiences and reached at the stage. Each booted steps echoed softly against the polished floor. His golden hair was shimmering very gently with the cool breeze in the hall. All the lights above and his dark black suite seemed to frame him like a dominating figure carved from quiet authority.
The anchor extended the award to him with a respectful nod.
Azrael accepted it with a simple motion.
And then, without saying anything to anyone, he slowly left the hall. However, while leaving the hall, he only told to the anchor with a little smile on his face,
"This hall looks terrible. Next time, when you'll call me on the stage, make the surroundings more grand..."
After that, he left the hall and got into the car.
The driver began to scold him with an elderly care,
"What is this behaviour, sir! At least, you could give some appreciation to the host. Maybe I'm nothing but just a driver, but I didn't raise you like that."
"Uncle, after father's sudden disappearance, you were like my second father to me. You know it very well. And, in this matter, I can clearly say that, they're giving me the award only to just showcasing their innocence to us, the city residents. That, I don't love at all. And, that's why I didn't want to drag you in this matter. I love you, uncle. But, this is completely different matter."
"I'm not saying that you can tell public about our relation. No... What I'm saying that you had contributed very much in the city's development. So, you deserve the award. But in addition, the city and them also helped and supported you throughout your actions. So, isn't it their right to at least get a little recognition from you? Don't you think so?"
"No I don't think it's possible now. And what happened with us one years ago, I can't forgive them at all. Sorry, uncle. I'm not their puppet and I won't go to them... Never..."
Thus, their conversation was going on, when suddenly, they both felt a massive vibration beneath their feet. The driver somehow managed to stop the car before any accident happened. After that, they stepped out from the car immediately to find out what happened. By then, many people also gathered there.
And, everyone became stunned in shock to experience the view in front of them.
Due to that violent tremor, the ten acres of road in front of them completely collapsed and from that pitch black darkness resurfaced a ruins of something prehistoric and patient, something that had spent an eternity below the feet of the living, simply waiting for the world above to grow thin enough to break.
But the most surprising part which shocked everyone was that the ruins was covered with multiple bizzare murals, altars, and structures. Everywhere was filled with human fleshes, bloods, and rotten bones. Multiple sacrificial runes were clearly visible from the naked eyes. It seemed some very powerful sacrificial ritual had been done long ago... Maybe some eternities ago.
After seeing the horrific views, everyone was so frightened that some of them ran at the opposite direction, some of them felt numb on their body, some of them lost their consciousness on that spot, and some of them's health got deteriorated while vomiting there.
A few of them was so curious to peek into the deep part of the ruins. However, the moment they stepped into the one meter of that area, their flesh and soul became mutated in a weird way. Slowly, they transformed into a bizzarro creatures and sunk into the shadows of the ruins.
Seeing that scene, Azrael got no courage to inspect the ruins.
At that moment, all of a sudden, exact ten drones arrived over that ruins. From those drones, ten masked man descended on the land, keeping a decent distance from the ruins.
They were wearing black covered dress with a sword kept in each of their back. They didn't react to see the bizarre surroundings. One of them only talked in a very solemn voice. It seemed that person was the leader of those masked men.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, don't panic. We'll sanitize this place. We want this place vacant. So, leave this place immediately. And those who died tragically, their families will be compensated by the gods soon."
Even if no one else recognized him, Azrael clearly realized that person was the anchor who gave him the award. But he didn't react and listened to his words. Besides that, everyone also left the place immediately.
After that, he reached to his room and slept in the bed. It was 8 o'clock at night.
At that moment, he experienced a dangerous dream.
At first, the dream was full of colorful thoughts, desires, and memories. But after some minutes, suddenly in his dreams, some bizzarro creatures appeared and began to feed his colorful thoughts, desires, and memories. Slowly, his dreams started crumbling and he woke up. That experience made him very scared.
At that moment, suddenly he felt a loud screech from the window. He looked at the window and saw some letters written on the window.
"I NEED YOUR HELP. PLEASE FIND ME IN THE RUINS."
First that ruins appearance, then that dream, and now this weird writings... All those phenomenons seemed very coincidental... yet very unnaturally similar to him. And, he felt something very dangerous yet to happen.
Still he decided to go with the flow. Although he couldn't imagine what would happened if he didn't follow the signs, still he listened his heart.
So, at the midnight, he silently left his room and about an hour later, he reached near the ruins by driving his car.
By the time Azrael reached near the ruins by his car, he became extremely shocked to see a tall, handsome, black-suited person in front of his car. That person was his late 40's. Seeing that person, he was so stunned that his car straight bumped into a iron wall near the road.
That person was his mentor, teacher, and his only best friend. But after his father's sudden disappearance, he and that person broke their ties, both deciding to never cross paths ever again. After that, he stopped contributing for them, whereas that person stayed with them and continued working there. However, after some time, the rumour had spread that that person was no more. That's why, all of a sudden, seeing that person in front of his eyes again after a long time made him very much stunned.
That person called himself as Dr. Agni.
After somehow stepping out from his destroyed car, he met his teacher.
"I didn't expect you to come here!"
"I told you that we'll cross paths again. But you didn't listen. Now see, finally we met again."
"That we'll come later. But, first of all, tell me, how come you're alive? I thought you already died... I still can't process this thing." With so much amazement, he asked Dr. Agni.
"That's a long story. But, long story short, I'm alive. To be frank, I still regret my decision at the last meeting of ours. Otherwise, we'll still be together." With a embarrassed smile, Dr. Agni answered.
"Hahaha... Let bygones be bygones. Now, how are you, teacher?" Azrael smiled.
"Overall life keeps going... Leave it... You tell me, how are you working on your dreams?"
"My dreams... hahaha... Which is not possible, I don't want to continue those things. I love to pick those which are possible to do..." A sudden melancholy appeared on his face.
Hearing that answer, Dr. Agni became surprised for a moment. But then immediately remained silent for a moment. It seemed his realized his student's mental state.
Then Dr. Agni changed the topic.
"Alright. May I know, why you're here?" he asked Azrael.
In reply, Azrael told everything what bizarre phenomenons he faced previously right after the ruins appeared. Hearing that, Dr. Agni also became surprised.
"This is really very concerning. Because you aren't even a part of the operation. And also, I can't give you any cure of your problem. Let's hope these bizzare incidents won't happen to you in future."
"Operation? I don't get it."
"Yeah. So, for your information, tonight they will perform a secret operation to find out the truth of the ruins. And unfortunately, you're now a part of the operation. According to them, they think that this discovery can open many paths of the further development for the city. That's why they send me here to handle this operation."
"Oh, okay. Then why so patience? Let's complete the mission."
"Wait. Even though I'll moderate the whole operation, you're not only one person who will go down to that path of the ruins. There is a total of six person who will go with you. And now with you, the count is seven. So, let them come. Then we will start the operation..."
"Oh. So do you know who they are?"
"Neither I know them nor they know me. We all will be masked. And, it's their strict order that all of our information should be hidden so that nobody can know each others identities..." Dr. Agni paused. After that, he called his servant. Then his servant came with a dress in his hand. Then he continued, "Azrael, change your dress and wear these clothes. It will hide your identities and protect you in the crucial moments."
"Oh. So, I guess it's also their order?" Azrael asked with a bitter smile in his face.
"Don't ask me. Do what I said."
Hearing that, Azrael didn't ask him anything more. He wore a black hooded cloak, black vest, black full pants, black high boots, and a black mask. In addition, he carried a large steel sword in his back. In that costume, he looked stunning and more handsome.
By that time, rest six people also arrived that place. Everyone was in the same costumes. Even, Dr. Agni was also in that uniform. The only difference was he was wearing a red mask instead of black.
After that finally, at that midnight, their dangerous yet noteworthy adventure started. Although they didn't know that the spine-chilling memory which they would experience, was destined to leave an indelible mark on their lives forever.