Eighteen-year-old *Dhruv* felt a strange unease settle in his chest, an inexplicable sensation that had been growing for days. An average student at *School/ University*, Dhruv excelled on the football field but had never experienced anything like this before. It gnawed at him, a silent whisper of something lurking just out of sight.

One crisp autumn afternoon, Dhruv and his friends were playing a spirited game of football at the local park. The leaves were turning gold and red, and the air was filled with the scent of fallen leaves and the distant hum of traffic. Dhruv, as usual, was the star of the game, his athletic prowess and quick reflexes making him a formidable player. As he sprinted down the field, eyes locked on the ball, he suddenly lost his balance and tumbled to the ground.

Irritated, Dhurv checked the area and discovered a pitch-black stone half-buried in the dirt. The stone was unlike anything he had ever seen, its surface absorbing light rather than reflecting it. It was cold to the touch and seemed to pulse faintly as if alive. Intrigued, he pocketed the stone, dismissing the incident as a mere distraction.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

That evening, as Dhruv sat at his desk attempting to study, he couldn't shake the feeling that the stone was significant. He turned it over in his hands, feeling an odd connection to it. He placed it on his nightstand before bed, unable to resist keeping it close.

That night, Dhruv was jolted awake by a vivid dream. He found himself floating in the vast expanse of space, stars swirling around him. The cosmos itself seemed to be shifting, stars imploding, and a dark wave sweeping toward Earth. He saw cities crumble and oceans boil under the force of this cosmic disturbance. He woke up in a cold sweat, his heart racing. What did it mean? He couldn't shake the feeling that the stone was somehow connected to his dream.

The next day at school, Dhurv was distracted, the dream replaying in his mind. His best friend, *Shreya*, noticed his unusual quietness. "Hey, you alright? You seem off," Shreya said during lunch.

"Yeah, just had a weird dream," Dhruv replied, forcing a smile. He didn't mention the stone or the growing sense of unease.

During another football game that afternoon, Dhruv was still preoccupied. As he lined up a shot, the ball struck him square in the face, causing his nose to bleed. Frustrated and in pain, he hurried home to clean up. As he washed his face, a drop of blood accidentally fell onto the black stone he had placed on his desk. He didn't notice the faint pulse of light the stone emitted as it absorbed his blood.

That night, as Dhruv drifted into a deep sleep, the stone activated. It had recognized Dhruv as its master and began its ancient work. In an instant, Dhruv's spirit was drawn into the stone's inner world.