At dusk, the forest road transformed into something both beautiful and unsettling.
Twisted branches clawed at the darkening sky like skeletal fingers, while pale mist crept along the narrow path, coiling around stones and roots as if it possessed a will of its own.
The air felt heavier here—thick with damp soil, silence, and an unease tension that refused to be named.
Arjun had fallen completely silent with the surrounding atmosphere as he was crossing through.
Gradually, Arjun's eyes drifted away from the road. Once again, he slipped away from reality, retreating into the vast, infinite universe inside his own mind. Remembering all the incidents happening to him today. His gaze wandered past the silhouette of the trees and the distant hills, fixing onto an unreachable point in the twilight sky where no paths existed.
It felt as though something far beyond this world was softly whispering his name, gently pulling his thoughts away into the deep, quiet unknown.
Gopi had also been noticing Arjun's unusually quiet demeanor for a while now, unable to figure out why he was suddenly acting so detached.
He slowed his pace, furrowing his brows as he nudged Arjun with a sharp elbow to break the silence. "Hey, what is wrong with you? I've been watching you ever since we left the temple compound. You've been acting so strange and quiet—just constantly zoning out into your own little world. It's like your brain is parked miles away.
Arjun blinked, but he didn't react or offer an answer, continuing to walk alongside him in heavy silence.
"What's bugging you?" Gopi pressed, studying his face, desperate to hear him. "Speak up before you completely lose your mind in there."
Arjun blinked again, the vacant look in his eyes finally clearing like mist. He shook his head slightly, a faint, apologetic smile touching his lips. "It's nothing, Gopi," he said softly. "It's just… those stories the priest was telling back at the temple. They've just stayed with me longer than I expected."
Gopi let out a loud scoff, kicking a loose stone off the path. "You're still stuck on those? I can't believe you. Arjun, they're just ancient tales—wildly exaggerated myths meant to keep the villagers terrified and the kids obedient. Nothing more."
Arjun didn't take the bait. He remained calm, "I'm not saying they're true," he replied, his voice steady. "But I can't exactly call them false, either. Until something is proven, choosing a side feels… meaningless. To me, truth and myth are the same thing—at least until reality decides to separate them."
It was an odd answer for a twelve-year-old, especially coming from someone like Arjun.
On the surface, he seems like your typical, carefree teenage boy—playful, goofy, and always finding a way for his mischievous activities and fun no matter where he is. Slender and olive-skinned, he fits right in with kids his age, effortlessly wearing the mask of an ordinary, chaotic teenager.
But behind that lighthearted mask lies a hidden mystery.
Deep down, there is a completely different side to him that no one ever sees. Behind hazel eyes that reflect far more than they reveal, Arjun is quiet, observant, and carrying a depth that feels much older than his years. The true source of this hidden nature stems from the strange, vivid nightmares that have haunted him since childhood—horrors that forced him to confront fear, death, and existential questions far too early in life. Coupled with the unexplained serpent mark on his hand, these chilling dreams shattered his innocent view of the world, instilling in him a quiet, relentless need to seek answers about his true identity.
It is precisely because of these nightmares that he carries such a stark dual personality.
While he plays the fool on the outside to keep life light and normal, the terrifying truths shown to him in his sleep have forced him to mature ahead of his time. He secretly understands the real hardships of life and the cruel indifference of the world, holding a deep, intense interest in mysteries most kids his age could never grasp—keeping his true, battle-hardened awareness carefully hidden in the shadows.
...