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Episode 8: The Sacrificial Nightmare

"Some nightmares fade when you wake up. Others follow you into reality."

Darkness. Silence.

A cold breeze cuts through the void as Arjun slowly stirs, his head pounding, his body heavy like stone. His breath is shallow. His limbs refuse to move.

Then- a scream.

"Arjun, get up! Please! We have to get out of here! Help me, Arjun!"

It's his best friend's voice. Urgent. Desperate.

His eyes snap open.

A thick, eerie fog blankets the air, making it hard to see. He finds himself in a vast, abandoned temple, its walls covered in strange, ancient symbols. The stench of blood and burnt flesh clings to the atmosphere. The only source of light comes from a deep red glow ahead.

His heart pounds violently as he turns toward it.

A tantric ritual is unfolding before his eyes. A man cloaked in black, his face hidden, kneels before a massive red circle drawn in blood. At its five points-five severed goat heads rest lifelessly, their empty eyes staring into nothingness.

In the center of the circle, a girl lies motionless, her arms and legs bound with thick rope.

A wave of nausea washes over Arjun as he takes a step forward.

Something about her feels... familiar.

His breath quickens as he moves closer, step by step. His mind screams at him to stop, but his body is no longer his own. He must see her face.

And then-his blood freezes.

It's her.

His best friend.

Lying lifeless. A sickening stillness around her.

Arjun's stomach twists in horror. His fingers tremble as he reaches for her-when suddenly-

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A voice.

Deep, monstrous, whispering from the void:

"You are not ready, Arjun."

A sharp gust of wind blasts through the temple. Arjun turns instinctively-but the moment his eyes leave her body-

She vanishes.

His best friend is gone.

A hollow silence follows. Arjun's breath comes in ragged gasps. He turns back to the ritual circle-

And then-

SNAP!

A sickening crack echoes through the air as her head suddenly jerks back toward him.

She's back-but different.

Her face is deathly pale. Her lips curl into an unnatural, chilling smile.

A thick stream of blood seeps from her left eye.

Her head tilts slightly, the bones in her neck cracking like dry twigs. Then, in a voice that is hers-but not hers-

"Arjun..."

His veins turn ice cold.

She smiles wider.

"Come closer... help me... complete the ritual..."

Her bound hands tremble. She whispers, almost pleading:

"Set me free, Arjun..."

A bone-chilling laughter rises from behind the cloaked man. A monstrous presence looms over the ritual site.

Arjun's legs move on their own-he steps forward, closer, closer-

Until suddenly-

"NO!"

A wave of sheer terror floods his body. His mind snaps back to reality.

He turns and runs.

Blind panic. His feet pound against the cold temple floor. His lungs burn. The whispers turn into screams behind him.

And then-he trips.

A sharp crash.

The world spins. His body plummets downward.

Blackness.

Reality - Awakening in Terror

Arjun's eyes fly open. His body jerks violently upright. His breath comes in short, ragged gasps.

The first thing he sees-

His best friend. Sitting right beside him.

His face drains of all color.

Terror grips his chest. His heartbeat is erratic, his mind still trapped between dream and reality. He pushes himself back, away from her, his body trembling.

She reaches out, concerned-"Arjun, are you okay?"

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" he screams, his voice raw with fear.

His parents rush to his side, his cousins staring at him, confused and alarmed. His mother places a trembling hand on his forehead, whispering his name.

But Arjun can't hear them.

His eyes remain locked on his best friend.

She's here. Alive. Normal.

But in his mind-he still sees her in that ritual. Bound. Bleeding. Smiling. Calling his name.

A single thought claws its way into his consciousness-

Was it just a nightmare?

Or a warning?

What if the ritual was real? What if Bhairaa is calling him?

Promo Message:

🔥 Fear is no longer a dream. It is reality. 🔥

Arjun has seen something he was never meant to see. But was it just a nightmare... or a warning?

💀 The ritual has begun. The whispers are growing louder. 💀

💢 And Bhairaa... is waiting. 💢

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