The night had fallen like a thick, dark shroud over the city, casting deep shadows between the flickering pools of street lamps and neon signs. Rain had begun earlier, leaving the streets slick and shining under the subdued glow, the air smelling faintly of wet earth and distant fires. Beneath the overcast sky, Arjun battled the fierce current of the river, his lungs burning, head pounding fiercely from the earlier impact. His clothes clung to his skin, sodden and heavy, while icy water slapped across his face. The pain was sharp, but it was the desperation to find her, to save her, that drove him relentlessly forward.
He kicked and pulled against the violent waves, the residue of the crash making his movements awkward and sluggish. Blood trickled from a deep cut on his forehead, stinging
