Eternal Hunt

Scars of the Past

The next day, everyone was back to their usual routines. Shreya and Piya were attending class when their professor walked in with an announcement: "The college is organizing another trip. This time, you all must prepare an assessment file on a topic of your choice based on the location."

The students immediately began shouting suggestions. "Ma'am, we should go back to the jungle!" someone yelled.

But the professor shook her head. "No, not the jungle again. We need something different."

Piya raised her hand. "Ma'am, there is an ancient palace in the Sanchi forest. It’s a significant historical location; we should go there."

"That place is nothing but ruins now," the professor cautioned. However, with no better suggestions on the table, she agreed. The task was set: the students would research the ruins and present their findings in a formal report. Everyone was thrilled. Just like last time, they would be traveling by college buses.

Shreya was particularly excited. She had always felt a deep connection to nature and historic sites. As the friends chatted, Piya whispered, "Should we bring Kartik along too?"

Shreya looked thoughtful. "But how? He’s not a student."

"Leave that to me," Piya said confidently. "I’ll send a message to Aadi as well."

Hearing Aadi’s name made Shreya blush, though she tried to hide it. "You talk to Kartik then," she teased. "You’ve grown quite close to him lately."

"Yeah, I love spending time with him," Piya admitted with a smile. "Whether it's grabbing a meal or just hanging out... he’s really wonderful."

"You two look great together," Shreya noted. "So, when’s the wedding?"

Piya laughed. "No idea yet! We’re just going with the flow."

Meanwhile, Namah was consumed by thoughts of Shreya. As he sat alone, flashbacks of another girl—Ishani—hit him like a wave. He remembered the moments they shared, the romance, and the life they had. His eyes welled up with tears that refused to fall, a testament to the immense pain trapped inside him.

His friend walked in, observing him. "You’ve endured so much pain, Namah, yet you never let a tear drop."

"This is nothing compared to what I’ve already survived," Namah replied coldly. "Nothing matters anymore."

"Maybe Shreya is the reason you can finally return to a normal life," his friend suggested.

"No!" Namah snapped. "She can never replace Ishani."

"You sacrificed your heart for Ishani," his friend argued. "She didn't deserve all of that."

"Shut the f**k up!" Namah roared, his voice trembling with rage. "I did it because I love her! My entire life was for her!"

"And now you're living in hell because of her," his friend countered. "Shreya could be your chance..."

"Shhh... stop," Namah silenced him, his face etched with agony. The very idea of a life with Shreya felt like a betrayal. Yet, a dark thought lingered in his mind—the idea of using Shreya for his own ends.

The day of the trip finally arrived. The college buses pulled up, and students began boarding, buzzing with excitement. Piya and Shreya found their seats, though Piya remained mysterious about how Kartik would join them.

As the bus rolled out of the campus, Shreya glanced out the window. Her eyes widened as she saw a car trailing behind the bus. It was Kartik, looking sharp in sunglasses. She quickly tapped Piya to show her.

But then, Shreya noticed the person in the passenger seat. It was Aadi, dressed perfectly and looking more handsome than ever. Seeing him there brought a wave of relief and joy over her. While Piya blew flying kisses toward Kartik from the window, Aadi remained serious, staring ahead. Shreya took a deep breath, comforted just by his presence.

By nightfall, they reached the desolate palace. A lone caretaker lived there, the only soul maintaining the crumbling haveli. The place was stripped of anything valuable; most of it had fallen into ruin. No visitors ever came here, and the dust of years covered every surface.

As the students hopped off the bus and began exploring, Kartik and Aadi caught up with Piya and Shreya. The four of them ventured up to the first floor. The dimly lit rooms and ancient, eerie paintings gave off a distinct horror-movie vibe. Aadi pulled out his camera and began capturing the shadows of the mansion.

Later, the professor gathered everyone to set up camp. Aadi, being experienced in the outdoors, made quick work of his tent. As the sun set, the students gathered around a roaring bonfire. Drinks were passed around, and the eerie silence of the palace was replaced by the energy of a party.

While the others discussed their research, Aadi and Shreya sat slightly apart from the crowd. Under the silver glow of the moonlight, Aadi looked breathtaking. They didn't exchange a single word, but their silence spoke volumes as they remained lost in each other's eyes

While everyone else was caught up in the party, Aadi was quietly scrolling through the photos he had taken earlier. Suddenly, his thumb froze on the screen. In the corner of one photo, carved into a weathered stone, was a strange, intricate pattern.

It looked familiar—almost like a coded symbol. His heart racing, Aadi pulled out the mysterious journal he had found back in the college library. He flipped through the yellowed pages until he found it. He gasped in shock; the symbols on the palace wall were an exact match to the ones in the diary.

Inside their tent, Shreya and Piya were settling down for the night. Just as Shreya was about to drift off, the tent zipper hissed open and Aadi stepped inside.

"Aadi! What are you doing here?" Shreya whispered, startled. "Boys aren't allowed in the girls' tents!"

"Come on, this is urgent," Aadi said, his voice low and intense. "I need to show you something."

Curiosity got the better of her fear of getting caught. "What is it?"

"Just follow me," he urged.

They slipped out of the campsite and headed back toward the dark silhouette of the palace. Aadi led her exactly to the spot where he had clicked the photo. He pointed his flashlight at the stone wall and then held the journal next to it.

"Look at this, Shreya. It’s the same language," he explained. "The diary from the library and this palace... they use the same script."

Shreya stared at the carvings, her eyes wide with shock. The realization hit them both at once: this wasn't just a random historic ruin. There was a deep, secretive connection between that old book and this specific palace. Why was it so well-hidden? And what were these symbols trying to protect?

Aadi was now certain. The symbols weren't a coincidence; there was a direct link between the library journal and this crumbling palace. To decode the script later, he carefully took several high-resolution photos of the wall, ensuring every etching was captured.

But as the wind howled through the empty corridors, Shreya’s anxiety began to peak. The palace felt alive, its shadows stretching toward them like reaching hands.

"Aadi, let’s go," Shreya whispered, her voice trembling. "This place is terrifying. If someone sees us out here at this hour, we’ll be in huge trouble."

As they stepped back into the cool night air, Aadi’s mind was still racing. He wasn't ready to let it go. "That caretaker," Aadi said, looking toward the small, dimly lit shack near the gates. "He’s been here for years. He must know what these signs mean. We should talk to him."

Despite her fear, Shreya followed him. They approached the old man’s quarters, the gravel crunching loudly under their feet in the silent night.