The Echoes of Neo-Veridia: The Complete Archive

The heavy iron hands of the central clock tower struck midnight. As the final chime echoed through the desolate streets of the city, a thick, unnatural darkness rolled in, completely swallowing the pale light of the full moon. Through the shadows of the empty alleys, a man was running for his life. His breathing was ragged, his heart hammering violently against his ribs. He didn't dare look back, but he could feel it—an ominous, shadow-like silhouette gliding silently behind him, closing the distance with terrifying speed. Exhausted and gasping for air, the man stumbled and collapsed onto the cold pavement of a deserted lane. Before he could scramble back to his feet, the darkness materialized. A towering, shrouded figure stepped out from the gloom, looming over him. A sharp, blood-curdling scream pierced the midnight air, only to be abruptly cut short. --- The next morning, the horrific aftermath was discovered by a young newspaper boy doing his early rounds. Terrified by the sight, the boy immediately alerted the local police. Within an hour, a restless crowd of onlookers had gathered around the taped-off crime scene, whispering in hushed tones. Pushing through the murmuring crowd, the chief police officer stepped into the alley to inspect the corpse. He conducted a meticulous examination of the body, but confusion clouded his face. There was absolutely no sign of a struggle. No stab wounds, no strangulation marks, and no bruising. The body was rushed to the forensic lab for an immediate autopsy. The medical report left the detectives even more baffled: the official cause of death was severe, total blood loss. Yet, inexplicably, there wasn't a single drop, stain, or trace of blood anywhere at the crime scene. It was as if the fluid had been cleanly vacuumed out of his veins. With no physical evidence, no murder weapon, and no logical explanation, the police were left entirely empty-handed. The case grew cold. --- Two years passed. A young girl was walking down a dimly lit road. As the twilight deepened, an unsettling sensation washed over her—the distinct feeling of cold eyes burning into the back of her neck. She spun around instantly, her eyes scanning the empty street, but there was no one there. Only the whistling wind. Plagued by growing dread, she quickened her pace, her footsteps echoing sharply. Suddenly, the shadows in front of her swirled and coalesced. Out of thin air, a menacing figure materialized directly in her path. The last things she saw were two piercing, hypnotic glowing blue eyes. Before she could scream, the entity lunged forward, sinking razor-sharp, elongated fangs deep into her throat. "Mom...!" Lakshmi, affectionately called Lachu by her loved ones, bolted upright in bed, drenched in a cold sweat. Her chest heaved as she clutched her neck, her voice trembling. Hearing her daughter's panicked cry, her mother rushed into the bedroom, flipping on the light. "What is it, Lachu beta? What happened?" "It was just a dream, Mom... a horrible nightmare," Lachu whispered, trying to calm her racing pulse. Her mother sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing her back soothingly. "Don't worry, my child. Say a prayer, keep God in your mind, and go back to sleep. You are safe here." "Okay, Mom," Lachu replied, though she stared at the dark window long after her mother left the room. --- The next morning, the terror of the nightmare still clung to her like a second skin. Even as she got dressed and prepared for the day, the image of those glowing blue eyes replayed vividly in her mind. "Lachu," her mother called out, noticing her dazed expression. "What are you staring at so deeply? What's on your mind?" "Oh, it's nothing, Mom," Lachu said, snapping out of her trance. "Come on, eat your breakfast quickly. You don't want to be late for college." "Alright, Mom." --- At college, Lachu walked through the campus gates, still visibly distracted. Her best friend, Simi, noticed her quiet demeanor immediately and bumped her shoulder. "Hey, Lachu! What are you lost in thought about today? You look like you've seen a ghost." "Simi... I had the most terrifying dream last night," Lachu said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "A dream? What kind of dream?" Lachu quickly recounted the details of the midnight road, the sudden ambush, and the creature with the sharp fangs and piercing blue eyes. Simi burst into a fit of laughter. "Hahaha! Are you seriously stressing yourself out over a silly dream?" Lachu frowned, crossing her arms. "What's so funny?" "Oh, come on! Dreams are just random thoughts from your brain. They don't mean anything. Stop overthinking it!" Simi teased, flashing a bright grin. "Now come on, let's hurry. We need to get to class." Lachu sighed, allowing herself to be pulled into the lecture hall. --- As they took their seats, Simi leaned in closer, nudging Lachu excitedly. "Hey... did you hear the news?" "What news?" Lachu asked, pulling out her notebook. "Look, the new professor is here. Oh my gosh, look at him... he is absolutely glamorous!" Simi swooned, staring at the doorway. Lachu looked up, and her jaw dropped in pure irritation. "Oh... *him*? You've got to be kidding me." Simi’s eyes widened. "Wait, do you already know him?" "Unfortunately, yes," Lachu muttered. Before Simi could press for more details, a commanding voice silenced the entire room. "What is all that whispering back there? Do you not realize I've entered the room?" The new professor adjusted his collar and walked to the podium, scanning the students with a sharp, discerning gaze. "Good morning, everyone. I am your new English lecturer. My name is Robin. I will learn all of your names in due time." Robin’s eyes drifted toward the back of the classroom. He raised a finger, pointing directly at Lachu's row. "You, the last bencher... what is your name?" "Lakshmi," she answered coldly. "And yours?" he asked, shifting his gaze to her left. "Simi, sir," Simi replied cheerfully. "Very well," Robin said, turning to the whiteboard. "Alright guys, I will be teaching you the third module of your English syllabus. I won't officially start the lesson today, so we will begin tomorrow." Lachu let out a loud, audible sigh of relief. "Oh, thank goodness." Robin snapped around, his eyes locking onto her. "Did you have something to say, Lakshmi?" "Nothing, sir," Lachu shot back, keeping her face expressionless. --- As soon as the bell rang, Simi grabbed Lachu's arm. "How on earth do you know Professor Robin?" "A year ago, I went to Mangalore with my older brother," Lachu explained, walking down the hallway. "That's when I first met Robin. He is a close friend of my brother, Amal, and he's also Nimmi Aunty’s son." "Then why do you look like you want to punch him?" Simi laughed. "Why the attitude?" "Because he is incredibly annoying! He goes out of his way to irritate me and pick fights for absolutely no reason," Lachu grumbled. "Oh, please! That just means he likes teasing you. Deep down, it probably makes him happy," Simi teased. Lachu rolled her eyes. "Oh, shut up, Simi. Let's just go to the canteen. I need coffee." They headed toward the canteen, but before they could reach the counter, a sharp voice called out from behind them. "Lachu, wait a minute." Both girls froze and turned around. Robin was walking toward them, an arrogant smirk playing on his lips. Lachu’s face instantly darkened with rage. Before she could snap at him, Simi quickly stepped forward to smooth things over. "Yes, sir? What is it?" Simi asked politely. Robin stopped, glaring at Simi with an annoyed expression. "Are you Lachu? No, right? Then why are you answering when I called her name?" Lachu stepped in front of her friend, stepping right into Robin's space. "What do you want from me, Robin?" Robin’s smirk returned, his eyes glinting with a strange, unreadable intensity. "What do I want? I want something very specific... but I'll tell you when the time is right. Right now, I'm just here to let you know that your slacking days are over. Your little tricks won't work in my college. By the way, Simi, don't you girls have a class right now?" "Yes, sir, we do," Simi stammered. "Then why aren't you in the classroom?" Robin questioned, raising an eyebrow. "Whether we attend class or not is our choice to make, *sir*," Lachu spat back, dripping with sarcasm. Robin took a slow step forward, his voice dropping an octave. "Oh... is that so?" Sensing the dangerous tension building between them, Simi quickly grabbed Lachu's hand. "We are so sorry, sir. We will head straight to class right now! Come on, Lachu." "Simi, let go of me—" Lachu protested. "Be quiet and walk!" Simi whispered urgently, dragging Lachu away from the canteen. Robin watched them go, his gaze lingering on Lachu as a cold, calculating expression settled over his features. "Get to class. Now," he commanded quietly. --- When the college hours finally ended, Lachu and Simi walked back to Lachu's house. But as they opened the front door, Lachu froze. Sitting comfortably in the living room, sipping tea, was Robin. Her father smiled warmly as they entered. "Ah, look, the kids are home! Come in, girls." "Hi, Dad," Lachu said, her eyes locked onto Robin. Suddenly, a voice called out from the kitchen as a tall young man walked in. "Lachu, my little sister!" It was Amal, Lachu’s older brother. "Amal! When did you get back?" Lachu asked, her face brightening as she ran to hug him. "I arrived this morning," Amal laughed, patting her shoulder. "I traveled down here with Robin. He drove us." "Oh," Lachu’s happiness instantly evaporated. Amal smiled proudly. "I hear he's joined your college as the new English lecturer." "Yeah... we crossed paths today," Lachu muttered, pouring herself a glass of water. Simi stepped forward, smiling shyly. "Hello, Amal chettan (brother)." "Hey, Simi! So, have you met your new English professor? Do you like him, sweetie?" Amal asked jokingly, nudging Robin. "Oh, yes, brother! He's great," Simi giggled. Lachu slammed her glass onto the counter. "Why does she need to *like* him? Is she planning to marry him or something?" she snapped. Robin casually leaned back on the sofa, a mocking smile on his lips. "Why does liking someone always have to mean marriage, Lakshmi? Can't she just like me as a brother?" Unable to stand his presence for another second, Lachu stormed out of the living room and marched up the stairs to her bedroom. Simi quickly followed behind her, closing the bedroom door. "Lachu, why do you treat him like that?" Simi asked, sitting on the bed. "He's your brother's best friend." "I don't know, Simi," Lachu sighed, rubbing her temples. "Every time I look at him, I get incredibly irritated. There's just something about him that makes my blood boil." --- That night, after a quiet dinner, the house fell completely silent as everyone retired to their respective rooms. A few hours into the dead of night, Lachu was trapped in the clutches of yet another vivid, suffocating dream. In this nightmare, the setting was her own dark house. The shadows on her wall stretched and contorted, turning into the silhouette of a hunter. Out of the darkness stepped Robin, his face pale, his eyes glowing with an ancient, predatory hunger. He moved toward her bed with supernatural speed, a wicked, bloodthirsty smile revealing sharp fangs. He reached for her throat— Lachu woke up screaming. Her piercing cry shattered the silence of the night. Within seconds, the door burst open. Her mother, father, and Amal rushed into the room, turning on the lights, their faces pale with worry. "What's wrong, Lachu? What happened, my child?" her mother cried, wrapping her arms around her trembling daughter.