The Night Before the Storm

The night spread across the sky like a dark blanket. Stars sparkled above the village, but the air felt heavy—too heavy. Something was coming. Something big. Something dangerous.

Rudra couldn’t sleep. He sat near his window, staring at the moon. His room was silent, but inside his head, it felt like a storm was growing.

Ever since Jinnah entered his life, nothing had been normal.

He couldn’t laugh freely.
He couldn’t talk normally to his friends.
He couldn’t even close his eyes without seeing Jinnah’s red, glowing stare.

Rudra rubbed the Saktra Bracelet on his wrist. The crack in the crystal looked bigger now. The light was almost gone.

“What if next time I can’t change back?” Rudra whispered.
“What if next time… I become a real monster?”

His chest tightened with fear.

He pulled his knees to his chest and hugged them. For the first time in a long while, Rudra felt truly alone.

Deep in the forest, Valmiki stood in front of a waterfall. The water crashed on the rocks loudly, but Valmiki remained calm. He practiced slow hand movements, controlling the flow of natural energy around him.

He whispered in a calm voice:

“Shakti… Dhairya… Santulan…”
(“Power… Patience… Balance…”)

The air around him glowed faintly with golden light.

Every breath he took made the ground vibrate gently.

“Rudra is strong,” Valmiki murmured.
“But without balance, strength becomes danger.”

He pressed his hands together and closed his eyes.

Images flashed inside his mind:

Rudra turning into Jinnah.
Rudra losing control.
Rudra attacking him with frightening power.

Valmiki exhaled slowly.

“I have to prepare him for the truth.”

Aghori walked between rows of newly created monsters. Each one was different—some were tall like trees, some had four legs, some had burning red skin, and some had strange tentacles moving like snakes.

The air inside the cave smelled like smoke and death.

One monster, bigger than the others, knelt down in front of Aghori. It had three eyes, each glowing green. Its body was covered in cracked stone-like skin. It growled softly.

Aghori placed his hand on its head.

“You… will be my general,” Aghori said.

The monster roared loudly.

“I name you Trikal,” Aghori declared.
“The monster of three eyes, who sees past, present, and future.”

The monster bowed again.

Aghori smirked.

“With you leading the army, even Jinnah will tremble.”

Rudra finally walked outside his house quietly. The night air was cool and gentle. He sat on the porch stairs and looked at the stars. Maybe watching the sky would calm him.

But no.

He couldn’t stop thinking about the darkness inside him. He could feel Jinnah waiting—silent but awake.

“Why me?” Rudra whispered to himself.

He never wanted to be a hero. He never wanted to fight monsters. He just wanted a normal life—school, friends, playing cricket, going home, eating dinner with his family.

But destiny chose him.
And destiny wasn’t gentle.

Suddenly, he heard soft footsteps behind him.

He turned quickly—but relaxed when he saw who it was.

“Valmiki Guruji?” Rudra whispered.

Valmiki walked toward him slowly, his expression calm but serious.

“Rudra,” Valmiki said softly. “You look troubled.”

Rudra tried to act strong.

“No… I’m fine.”

Valmiki raised an eyebrow.

Rudra sighed deeply.

“Okay… I’m not fine,” he admitted.
“I’m scared. What if Jinnah takes over again? What if I hurt someone… again?”

Valmiki sat beside him.

“Rudra,” he said gently, “fear is not your enemy. It is your teacher.”

Rudra looked confused.

“Fear teaches you what must be protected. It teaches you what matters. The monster inside you is powerful, but remember—power is just a tool. You choose how to use it.”

Rudra looked at his bracelet.

“But… I don’t think I can control him.”

Valmiki placed his hand on Rudra’s shoulder.

“You can. But you need guidance. And time. And calm.”

Rudra nodded slowly.

Valmiki continued:

“Tomorrow… Aghori will attack.”

Rudra’s eyes widened.

“Tomorrow? Already?!”

“Yes,” Valmiki said. “He has created a new army. Stronger. Faster. Deadlier.”

Rudra swallowed nervously.

“Then I’ll fight,” Rudra said, trying to sound brave.
“I’ll transform again.”

Valmiki shook his head.

“No. Not now. You are not ready.”

Rudra’s face turned shocked.

“But… without Jinnah’s power, I can’t—”

Valmiki stopped him.

“You will use Jinnah only when there is no other choice. Not in anger. Not in fear. Only in pure intention.”

Rudra looked down.

“How do I do that?”

Valmiki closed his eyes.

“You must learn to breathe with calmness. Think clearly. Accept Jinnah… but don’t let him rule.”

Rudra whispered:

“But what if I fail?”

Valmiki opened his eyes.

“I will be with you.”

The sky above the forest turned darker than night. Black smoke rose like a tornado around Aghori.

He raised his staff.

“MONSTERS!” he shouted.

Hundreds of creatures roared together.

“Tonight… we march toward the village of Rudra Singha!”

The ground shook.
The trees vibrated.
Even the animals ran away in fear.

Aghori laughed loudly.

“Valmiki… you cannot stop me this time.”

Trikal, the three-eyed monster, walked beside him.

“Destroy everything,” Aghori whispered.

Trikal growled deeply.

A sudden cold wind blew toward them.
Rudra shivered.

“Guruji… did you feel that?”

Valmiki stood up, his eyes narrowing.

“Yes. Aghori has begun his march.”

Rudra stood quickly.

“Then we should go! We can’t wait!”

Valmiki shook his head.

“Not now. Now you must prepare your mind.”

“But—”

“No arguments,” Valmiki said calmly.
“You have two choices, Rudra.
Become a weapon that loses control…
or become a warrior with balance.”

Rudra clenched his fists.

“I… I want to be a warrior.”

Valmiki nodded.

“Then sit. Close your eyes. Listen to my voice.”

Rudra sat on the ground. He closed his eyes nervously.

Valmiki spoke slowly:

“Breathe in…
Breathe out…
Feel the earth…
Feel the sky…
Feel the energy inside you…”

At first, Rudra felt nothing. Just darkness.

Then… he felt a heartbeat.

Not his own.

A second heartbeat.
Powerful.
Deep.
Dark.

Jinnah.

Rudra’s breath shook.

But Valmiki said:

“Do not fear the heartbeat. Let it pass like a wave.”

Rudra tried. He inhaled slowly.

The heartbeat grew stronger.

A voice whispered:

“Rudra… let me out…”

Rudra’s eyes opened in fear.

“I can’t! Jinnah is talking!”

Valmiki placed a hand on Rudra’s back.

“Stay calm. Do not run. Face him.”

Rudra swallowed hard and closed his eyes again.

The voice was louder now.

“You cannot fight the coming war without me…”

But Rudra stayed calm this time.

“No,” he whispered.
“I will call you only when needed.”

Jinnah growled.

“You dare command me?”

Rudra took a deep breath.

“Yes.”

And for the first time…
Jinnah went silent.

Valmiki smiled proudly.

“You are learning, Rudra.”

The monster army stood in rows. Aghori raised his staff.

“Tonight… we end the balance of the world!”

The monsters roared loudly, shaking the earth.

The war was about to start.