Harsh: The Shadow Protocol

The Unseen Thread

Harsh lay on the cold floor, his breathing shallow and rapid, his heart hammering against his ribs as if trying to break free. Trembling, he dug his fingers into the floorboards and slowly forced his head up to glance back at the hallway mirror.

The mirror was completely normal.

Reflected in the glass was merely his own face—pale with terror and drenched in cold sweat. There was no shadow warrior draped in violet flames, no blazing orange Trishul, nor the screaming visages of Natasha or the reptilian monster.

Harsh staggered to his feet, walking over to press his palm against the smooth glass. Everything was clear and motionless. Taking a ragged breath, he muttered to himself: "It was just a nightmare... I'm just stressed. My mind is playing tricks on me."

He stared deep into his reflection—everything appeared ordinary. Yet, a terrifying question echoed continuously in the quiet shadows of his mind: Am I losing my sanity?

The following morning, as Harsh stripped off his shirt to take a shower, he froze right in front of the bathroom mirror.

Etched directly over his heart was a strange, dark violet emblem embedded beneath his skin. It looked like an ancient, mystical sigil woven into his flesh. Harsh desperately rubbed his chest with his fingers, but the mark remained untouched beneath his skin.

He gripped his hair in frustration—he had absolutely no memory of how or when this mark had appeared on his body!

Meanwhile, at the central hospital, Natasha’s condition had stabilized.

She recounted the horrific incident in the woods to the investigating police officers, describing the terrifying beast and the masked, hooded savior who called himself Mahakaal. However, the officers merely exchanged subtle, amused glances. They assumed the young woman was experiencing post-traumatic hallucinations or inventing a wild story to process her shock.

Everyone believed Natasha had simply suffered a horrific nightmare. Yet, one detail deeply unnerved the medical staff—the 5-inch-deep lacerations tearing across her back. No ordinary wild animal in the region could inflict such catastrophic damage.

By afternoon, a senior Sub-Inspector quietly visited the clearing in the forest without informing his team. He discovered deep claw gouges carved into the tree trunks and black scorch marks on the surrounding boulders. However, there was no trace of black ash or physical evidence left behind. The officer examined the marks silently, shook his head, and kept the discovery entirely to himself.

Three days passed in unsettling silence.

Harsh spent those three days consumed by paranoia. Day and night, he scoured the internet, ancient historical texts, and research archives for any mention of the violet sigil on his chest, but found nothing. Dark circles hollowed his eyes, and he retreated into a quiet, suffocating shell.

Noticing his deteriorating mental state, his close friends—Varun, Chandni, Veer, and Divya—grew deeply concerned.

On the third evening, the group gathered at Harsh’s apartment. As Harsh sat silently on the couch, Chandni decided to break the heavy atmosphere with her usual witty humor.

Pointing a finger at Varun, Chandni teased: "Arey Harsh! Why are you sitting there looking so gloomy? You look like Varun just stole your lunchbox... which, by the way, he does every single day!"

Varun immediately protested: "Hey! I only take a bite of the sandwich, I don't steal the whole lunch!"

Veer burst out laughing: "Right, Varun’s lunchbox robberies are world-famous!"

Chandni walked over, sat beside Harsh, and gently poked his cheek: "Harsh baby, stop stressing so much! If this Ph.D. research is breaking your brain, tell me and I'll write a romantic drama for your thesis. The examiner will pass you out of sheer emotion!"

Divya joined in the laughter. The warm teasing and genuine care from his friends brought a faint, genuine smile to Harsh's face for the first time in nearly a week.

Seizing the moment, Veer proposed an idea: "Guys, to clear Harsh's mind, we should plan a trip together. Somewhere in the mountains or a quiet riverside resort... somewhere peaceful surrounded by nature!"

Everyone loved the idea. Until 10:00 PM, the group sat together planning routes and destinations. Slowly, the heavy dark cloud lingering over Harsh began to lift.

By 10:30 PM, his friends said their goodbyes and headed home.

It was 11:45 PM.

Harsh lay in his bed, his mind finally at ease. He thought that taking a trip with his friends might genuinely help him escape this creeping depression.

TRING!

Suddenly, his phone screen illuminated the dark room. An encrypted text arrived from an unknown, untraceable number.

Harsh picked up the phone and opened the notification. There was no greeting, no name attached... only a single, chilling line:

"The next one will die before sunrise. Wake up, Host."

The moment he read the text, the violet sigil over his heart flared with a sharp, burning heat! His blood ran ice-cold. Who had sent this text? Who was addressing him as 'Host'? And who was destined to die before the sun rose?

Who was the anonymous sender who knew about the terrifying dark entity slumbering inside Harsh? Will Harsh be able to save the next victim before sunrise... or is the curse of Mahakaal destined to claim the lives of those closest to him?

To uncover the chilling secrets, keep reading -Episode 6!