Previously on Ophidian: A Saga

Nari woke up tied in a dark room… and gasped as she saw the man she loved — Suhaan — standing in the shadows.

*****

Nari’s body trembled as she stared at the man in front of her — the man she once trusted with her entire soul.
“Suhaan…” her voice cracked. “You found me.”

Her voice echoed softly in the cold, empty room.
He stood at the doorway, shadows crawling around his figure like smoke.
His brows furrowed in disbelief. “Nari? What are you doing here… in this place?”

“I don’t know,” she wept, her wrists raw from the ropes digging into them. “Please, Suhaan… untie me. Please…”

A silence passed. Then, footsteps.
He moved behind the chair, crouching down as if to release her — but stopped.

She heard a chuckle. Soft. Twisted.

“Wait a minute,” he said, his voice suddenly low… playful.
“Why should I untie you?”

Nari blinked. “W-What?”

Then he laughed — not the laugh she remembered.
This one was colder. Almost inhuman.

“Because…”
He leaned forward, his lips near her ear.
“…I’m the one who tied you here.”

Her breath hitched. A rush of disbelief hit her chest.
“What are you saying, Suhaan? You’re kidding, right? This isn’t funny…”

His hand brushed her shoulder — almost gently — but the weight of his truth crushed her.

“I’m not joking, my love,” he whispered. “And guess what…”

He pulled back, a grin stretched across his face like a mask.

“…Your little boy? Jay?”

Nari froze. Her eyes widened.
“No,” she gasped. “No, no — where is he? Where is my Jay?!”

“Tell me where is my kid!!” she screamed, her voice cracking the silence like thunder.

“WHERE IS MY JAY!!”

—

Far away from that room, in another corner of the city…
Rudra gasped, jolting up from his bed, sweat clinging to his forehead.

His eyes blazed red — glowing, alive, haunted.

The Ophidian had awakened.

And he was coming for them.