The Echoes of Neo-Veridia: The Complete Archive

Chapter 2

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.

"I... I had another nightmare," Lachu sobbed, her heart pounding frantically against her ribs.

Her mother looked at Amal and her husband with growing concern. "This is happening every single night. Tomorrow morning, we are going to the temple to offer a special prayer." She turned back to Lachu, wiping her tears. "Don't be scared, molu (dear). I'm right here."

"Mom... will you sleep in my room tonight? Please don't leave me," Lachu pleaded, clutching her mother's nightgown.

"Of course, my child. I'm not going anywhere. Don't worry," her mother comforted her, settling down beside her on the bed.

As her father and Amal quietly stepped out to let them rest, Lachu looked toward the open doorway. Standing just outside in the dimly lit corridor was Robin. He was staring at her, his expression unreadable, shrouded in the dim shadows of the hallway. It was as if he knew exactly what she had seen in her dream.

Meeting her fearful gaze, Robin gave a slow, cryptic tilt of his head, turned silently, and vanished into the darkness of the corridor.

---

*Why on earth was Lakshmi staring at me like that last night?* Robin thought to himself as he stood by the window, watching the sunrise. *Does she suspect something, or is it just her usual animosity? She truly understands nothing about what is coming.*

The next morning, the house was quiet as the heavy, ominous atmosphere of the previous night began to dissolve into the morning light. Robin and Amal were standing near the front porch, discussing their plans in hushed tones, when Simi walked in through the front gate, looking bright and energetic.

"Hello, Amal chettan (brother)!" Simi greeted with a warm smile.

"Hello, molu (dear)," Amal replied, shaking off his serious expression.

Turning to Robin, Simi bowed slightly. "Good morning, sir."

"Good morning, Simi," Robin replied smoothly, his tone polite yet distant.

Amal looked at her curiously. "You're up early. What brings you over to our house this morning, Simi?"

"My mother told me that she and Lakshmi's mom are planning to visit the temple this morning to offer some special prayers. Since they were going, I thought I’d tag along too," Simi explained cheerfully.

Robin glanced toward the stairs, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Well, if you're going to the temple, you had better go upstairs and wake up Lachu first."

Simi blinked in surprise. "Wait, hasn't she woken up yet?"

"No, not yet," Amal sighed, running a hand through his hair. "She had a rough night."

"Alright, I'll go up and wake her up right now!" Simi said, quickly dashing up the stairs.

---

When Simi opened the bedroom door, she found Lachu already out of bed, freshly showered and putting the finishing touches on her traditional attire.

Simi leaned against the doorframe, crossing her arms. "Hey! Professor Robin just told me you were still fast asleep. Look at you, you're almost ready!"

Lachu scoffed, throwing an annoyed glance toward the door. "Oh, please. You shouldn't believe a single word that man says. You trust him way too much."

"Hey, it wasn't just him," Simi laughed, walking into the room. "Your brother Amal said the exact same thing."

"Whatever," Lachu muttered, adjusting her mirror.

Simi sat on the edge of the bed, her expression turning curious. "So, tell me. Why this sudden, unannounced trip to the temple early in the morning? Your mom seemed really worried."

Lachu paused, her fingers tightening around her hairbrush. "It's because... for the past two days, I've been plagued by the most horrible, unsettling nightmares. Mom got frightened hearing me scream last night, so she insists that a temple visit will cleanse the bad energy."

"Nightmares?" Simi pressed, her eyes wide with curiosity. "What kind of nightmares did you see, Lachu? Tell me!"

Lachu turned around, looking dead serious. "A Dracula. A blood-sucking vampire. There, are you satisfied now?"

Simi stared at her for a second before bursting into laughter. "Oh, come on! Stop pulling my leg. Tell me the truth, what did you actually dream about?"

"Simi, I am telling you the absolute truth!" Lachu insisted, her voice dropping to an intense whisper. "I saw *him* in my dream. Robin. He was the monster trying to rip my throat out and kill me! If he's trying to drink my blood in my own nightmares, what else am I supposed to call him if not a Dracula?"

Simi rolled her eyes, chuckling at her friend’s wild imagination. "Lachu, you are unbelievable. You only see these kinds of crazy dreams because you harbor so much negative energy and bad thoughts about Professor Robin during the day! Honestly, you don't even need a temple visit for this. Just start thinking positive, good things about him, and your nightmares will vanish. Understand?"

Lachu groaned, shoving a pillow at her. "Oh, just shut up and get out, Simi!"

Simi giggled, dodging the pillow. "Alright, alright! Whatever the reason, let's just go to the temple. Come on!"

---

As Lachu and Simi walked downstairs and prepared to leave for the temple, they were surprised to see Amal and Robin standing by the door, completely dressed and ready to go out as well.

Simi looked at them, surprised. "Where are you two headed so early?"

"We're coming with you girls," Amal announced, grabbing his car keys.

Lachu’s face instantly darkened. "Chettan can come if he wants... but Robin is not allowed to join us. I don't like it, and I don't want him there."

Before Amal could argue, their mother walked out of the kitchen, her voice firm and uncompromising. "What nonsense is this, Lachu? Why shouldn't he come? If he wants to join, he will. All four of you go together, perform the prayers, and come back. No more arguments."

"But Mom—" Lachu protested, stamping her foot.

"Don't be stubborn, Lachu. Go on, leave now," her mother commanded, leaving no room for discussion.

Lachu let out a heavy sigh of defeat, her face twisted in a deep scowl.

---

The four of them arrived at the sprawling, ancient temple compound. The bells were chiming, and the scent of incense filled the air. However, as Amal, Simi, and Lachu walked toward the grand entrance, Robin suddenly stopped at the outer perimeter. He showed no intention of crossing the sacred threshold.

Amal turned around, looking at his friend in confusion. "Hey, Robin, what's wrong? Aren't you coming inside the temple?"

"No, mate," Robin replied quietly, keeping his eyes fixed on the stone ground.

"Why not?" Amal pressed.

Robin glanced briefly at Lachu, who was watching him with a suspicious glare. "First of all, your sister clearly despises my very existence. If I walk into the temple with her, it'll ruin her entire mood and her prayers. That's reason enough... You guys go ahead. I'll wait right here in the outer courtyard."

Amal sighed, nodding in understanding. "Alright, if you say so. We'll be back soon."

---

Lachu, Simi, and Amal went inside, performed the rituals, and received the holy offerings. As they walked back out through the temple gates a little later, Simi suddenly gasped and pointed toward the road.

Just outside the compound, Robin was gently holding the arm of a frail, elderly man, carefully guiding him across the busy, chaotic street away from traffic. His demeanor was surprisingly gentle and caring.

Simi smiled warmly, nudging Lachu. "Look at that, Lachu. Professor Robin is actually a really good, kind-hearted human being, isn't he, Amal chettan?"

Lachu crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing as she watched Robin's effortless grace. "Oh, please. A good human being? More like he’s just putting on a grand show to wash away all the sins and wrongs he has committed. Doing a few good deeds won't change who he really is," she muttered under her breath.

Simi frowned, utterly bewildered by her friend's extreme bitterness. "Lachu, what on earth are you talking about? What sins?"

Amal quickly stepped between them, catching Lachu’s eye with a warning glance. "There's a lot you don't know, Simi. Don't worry about her rambling. Come on, let's head back. When the time is right, I'll explain everything to you."

With that, they returned to the car and drove back home. Simi spent a few hours hanging out in Lachu's room, chatting and laughing until the tension from the morning finally faded. Late in the afternoon, Simi waved goodbye and headed back to her own house.

--

"Aren't you going to college today, Lachu?" her mother asked as she saw her daughter lounging on the sofa later that evening.

"No, Mom. I'm skipping the remaining hours today. I just want to rest," Lachu replied, staring blankly at the ceiling.

The following morning, however, Lachu and Simi went to college together. As they walked through the campus courtyard, Lachu spotted Robin walking in their direction. Determined to avoid another explosive argument, she looked away, pretending she hadn't seen him, and walked right past him without making eye contact.

Suddenly, a deep voice called out from behind them. Lachu froze, her heart skipping a beat, but to her immense relief, the call wasn't meant for her. Robin had stopped Simi.

"You go ahead, Lachu. I'll catch up with you in a minute," Simi said, turning back toward the professor.

"Alright, hurry up," Lachu replied, walking over to a nearby stone bench under a tree.

She sat there, watching from a distance as Simi and Robin engaged in an intense conversation. Since she couldn't hear a single word they were saying, she found herself sitting there like a useless post, growing increasingly bored.

"Hey, Lachu! What are you doing sitting here all alone?"

Lachu looked up to see Renu walking toward her. Renu was one of her classmates.

"Oh, hey Renu. Nothing much, just waiting for Simi," Lachu replied with a small smile.

Renu adjusted her backpack. "By the way, did you submit the assignment yet?"

Lachu blinked blankly. "What assignment?"

"The English assignment for Module 3, silly," Renu said, shaking her head.

Lachu’s eyes widened in horror. "Oh no, I completely forgot! I haven't written it yet."

"Well, you better hurry. Today is the absolute last date for submission," Renu warned.

"Alright, thanks for letting me know, dear," Lachu said, panicking slightly.

"No problem. See you in class!" Renu waved and walked away.

A moment later, Simi came jogging back over to the bench. Lachu immediately stood up, looking anxious. "Why did Robin call you over? Was it about me?"

"No, it was about the English assignment," Simi said, catching her breath. "He wanted to remind everyone that today is the last date. Did you finish yours?"

Lachu slumped back onto the bench, defeated. "No, I completely forgot about it."

Simi grinned triumphantly, pulling out a thick project file from her bag. "Don't worry! Knowing you, I already sat up last night and wrote your assignment along with mine. Here you go!"

Lachu’s face lit up with pure joy. She wrapped her arms around her friend in a tight hug. "Oh my god, thank you so much! I love you, moleeee! You are a lifesaver! ❤️😃"

Simi laughed, gently pushing her off. "Alright, calm down! But listen, there's another major piece of news."

"What news?"

Simi’s expression turned somber. "College has been officially suspended. We have been granted a one-week leave starting from today."

Lachu looked at her, utterly confused. "A one-week leave? Why?"

"Our senior professor, Vishva sir, passed away unexpectedly last night," Simi explained in a hushed tone. "The entire faculty and most of the students are heading over to his residence right now to pay their last respects."