The thought refused to leave Aarav's mind.
Aayesha was still there… waiting.
Not gone.
Not lost.
Waiting.
That single word became the only thing holding him together as he stepped out of the Dark Forest.
The moment he crossed the invisible boundary—
Everything changed again.
But this time… it was the world outside.
The sky above him wasn't the same soft blue he remembered. It was dull… almost grey. The air felt heavier, unfamiliar.
Aarav frowned, looking around.
"This doesn't feel right…"
The forest stood behind him—silent, still, like nothing had ever existed inside it. No whispers. No shadows.
Just trees.
Normal trees.
Anyone looking at it would never believe what it truly held.
Aarav clenched his jaw.
"I'm coming back," he whispered to himself. "I promise."
But first… he needed answers.
—
Hours later, Aarav reached the nearest village.
Or at least… what he thought was the nearest village.
Because something was off.
The houses looked older. More worn out. The roads were cracked, like they hadn't been repaired in years.
People walked past him, but no one looked at him.
No one noticed him.
Aarav stepped in front of a man.
"Excuse me—"
The man walked straight past him.
Like Aarav wasn't even there.
A chill ran down his spine.
"Okay… that's not normal."
He tried again. A woman this time.
"Hello? Can you hear me?"
No response.
She didn't even blink.
Aarav's heart started pounding.
"What is going on…?"
His breathing grew uneven. "Did the forest… do something to me?"
He looked at his hands.
They were there.
Solid.
Real.
So why did no one else see him?
Suddenly—
A voice behind him.
"You're not supposed to be here."
Aarav turned sharply.
A girl stood a few feet away.
About his age.
Her eyes… strangely familiar.
Not in a way he could explain.
But something about them felt connected to the forest.
"You can see me?" Aarav asked quickly.
She nodded.
"Yeah. Because you don't belong to this time."
Aarav froze.
"…What?"
She stepped closer, studying him carefully.
"You came out of the forest, didn't you?"
His silence was answer enough.
The girl sighed.
"I knew it. It happened again."
"What happened?" Aarav asked, frustration creeping in. "And what do you mean I don't belong to this time?!"
She crossed her arms.
"How long were you inside?"
"I don't know… a few hours, maybe?"
The girl's expression darkened.
"It's been three years."
Silence.
Aarav stared at her.
Then laughed nervously.
"That's not funny."
"I'm not joking."
"No. That's not possible. I just— I was just there!"
"Time doesn't work the same inside the Dark Forest," she said calmly. "It never has."
Aarav shook his head, stepping back.
"No… no, that can't be true…"
His chest tightened.
Three years?
That meant—
Everything had changed.
Everyone had moved on.
And Aayesha…
She had been trapped there for three years already.
Waiting.
Alone.
Aarav ran a hand through his hair, panic rising.
"I need to go back."
The girl grabbed his arm.
"You can't."
"I have to!"
"You don't understand!" she snapped. "No one who escapes the forest ever goes back."
Aarav pulled his arm free.
"Then I'll be the first."
She stared at him.
"You'll die."
"Maybe," he said firmly. "But I'm not leaving her there."
The girl's expression softened slightly.
"…She stayed behind for you, didn't she?"
Aarav's silence said everything.
The girl looked away for a moment, thinking.
Then sighed.
"You're really serious about this."
"Yes."
"…Fine."
Aarav blinked.
"Fine?"
She nodded slowly.
"If you want to go back… I'll help you."
Suspicion flickered in his eyes.
"Why?"
"Because," she said quietly, "you're not the only one who lost someone to that forest."
Aarav's expression changed.
"You too?"
She nodded once.
"My brother."
Silence settled between them.
A shared understanding.
A shared pain.
"My name is Alina," she said.
Aarav froze slightly at the name.
Something about it…
It felt familiar.
But he couldn't place it.
"I'm Aarav."
"I know."
"You know me?"
She gave a faint, mysterious smile.
"Let's just say… your story didn't go unnoticed."
Aarav frowned, but didn't question it further.
"Tell me how to get back."
Alina's expression turned serious again.
"It's not that simple. The forest doesn't just let people walk in and out whenever they want."
"Then how did I get out?"
She looked at his arm.
"The mark."
Aarav followed her gaze.
The faint glowing symbol was still there.
"You're connected to it now," she said. "That's why you survived."
"Then that's good, right? It means I can go back."
Alina shook her head.
"It means the forest knows you."
"And that's bad?"
"It means next time… it won't go easy on you."
Aarav exhaled slowly.
"I don't care."
Alina studied his face.
Then nodded.
"Alright. But if we're doing this… we do it properly."
"We?" Aarav asked.
"I'm coming with you."
"No," he said immediately. "It's too dangerous."
She raised an eyebrow.
"And you think I'm going to let you walk into that place alone?"
"I can't risk another person—"
"You're not," she interrupted. "I already made that choice a long time ago."
Aarav hesitated.
Then nodded slowly.
"…Okay."
Alina turned and started walking.
"Come on."
"Where are we going?"
"To find answers."
—
They stopped in front of an old building on the edge of the village.
It looked abandoned.
Dusty.
Broken windows.
"This place…" Aarav said, unsure.
Alina pushed the door open.
"It's a library."
Aarav blinked.
"This?"
"Trust me."
Inside, it was darker than expected. Shelves filled with old, worn books stretched across the room.
The air smelled of dust and time.
"This place has records," Alina said. "Stories about the forest. People who went in… and never came out."
Aarav's chest tightened.
"Aayesha…"
Alina pulled out an old book.
"If there's a way to break the forest without losing another life… it'll be in here."
Aarav stepped closer.
"Then what are we waiting for?"
Hours passed.
Page after page.
Story after story.
All the same ending.
No one returned.
Until—
"Wait," Aarav said suddenly.
Alina looked up.
"What?"
He pointed at a page.
"This… this is different."
She leaned closer.
Her eyes scanned the text.
And then widened.
"…No way."
"What does it say?" Aarav asked urgently.
Alina looked at him.
"There's another way."
Hope sparked instantly.
"What is it?"
Her expression turned serious.
"It says… if someone inside the forest is still alive—"
Aarav's heart pounded.
"Which she is."
"—then the bond between them can break the curse."
"Bond?" Aarav repeated.
"Yes. But…" she hesitated.
"But what?"
"It requires both people."
Aarav frowned.
"I don't understand."
Alina looked straight into his eyes.
"You don't just have to go back into the forest…"
A pause.
Heavy.
"You have to reach her."
Aarav's determination hardened instantly.
"I will."
Alina closed the book slowly.
"Then we don't have much time."
"Why?"
She looked toward the window, where the sky had begun to darken.
"Because the forest is already calling you back."
A faint whisper echoed in Aarav's mind.
Soft.
Familiar.
"Aarav…"
His breath caught.
"Aayesha…"
The connection was still there.
Alive.
Waiting.
Aarav clenched his fist, resolve burning stronger than ever.
"I'm coming."
And this time—
He wouldn't leave without her.
To be continued…