The storm still raged above the underground citadel as Murunda pushed the heavy stone door open. He stepped into the corridor beyond, where two scientists stood by a row of sealed containment pods, scribbling on their tablets.

  His robes were stained with blood. His eyes glowed faintly with unnatural darkness.

  Murunda (with a crazed smile):

  “Now... now our Aniuman will be stronger than anything ever born. I’ve found the formula.

  A perfect synthesis.”

  Scientist 1 (blinking in disbelief):

  “What? How could you discover something so complex... so fast?”

  Scientist 2 (nervously):

  “That formula’s been incomplete for years. Impossible to solve without—without divine sequences.”

  Murunda (snapping):

  “Don’t ask me foolish questions. Just do as I said. Begin the experiment—immediately!”

  The two scientists hesitated, exchanging a look of unease, then nodded.

  Both Scientists (quietly):

  “Yes... okay.”

  Murunda walked past them, eyes locked on a stasis tank at the end of the lab—empty now,waiting.

  Murunda (whispering to himself):

  “You will be the true Aniuman. My masterpiece. A beast to tear down anyone”

  [ Library – Night]

  Far away, in a library, Adir paced between wooden shelves, haunted by questions that refused to let him sleep.

  Adir (to himself):

  “How was I saved that day? Who brought me back... and why me?”

  “Where is Garu? Why can’t I remember clearly?”

  He clenched his fists. Despite the powers he carried—venom, reflexes, vision—he still felt small. Untrained. Incomplete.

  Adir:

  “If I’m the one chosen... I need to understand the snake. Not just the powers... but the truth behind them.”

  He turned toward the oldest section of the library—shelves bound by chains and dust—and began to search. His fingers brushed across cracked leather spines until—

  Adir (murmuring): “Oh... there it is. Thank god.”

  He pulled out a book titled “Serpents of the Earth: Truth Beyond Scales”. Pages filled with

  sketches of snakes, ancient rituals, and mythic transformations.

  “A serpent sheds its skin to grow stronger, harder... reborn. Its venom—an

  alchemy of life and death. It slithers through shadow but sees in total darkness.”

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  Adir frowned.

  Adir:

  “I already know this... Where’s the part I don’t understand?”

  He scratched his head in frustration. Then something caught his eye.

  Two ancient books—one resting on his desk where he hadn’t placed them.

  One bore the golden seal of a bird with wings outstretched.

  The other—a massive serpent coiled around a planet.

  Adir (whispering):

  “How... how did these get here?”

  “Is someone watching me?”

  Before he could examine them further, a soft voice interrupted him.

  Girl (walking up sheepishly):

  “Oh! Are you sitting here? I’m sorry—I thought this table was empty. I was just returning those books to the librarian.”

  Adir (relieved, polite):

  “No, no—it’s okay. You can sit here. I’ll take the other seat.”

  He sat down quickly, stealing another glance at the two tomes.

  Adir (casually):

  “Hey, if you don’t mind... could I take a look at these books?”

  Girl (smiling):

  “Sure. I wasn’t reading them—just found them lying near the vault section. You can keep them.”

  Adir: “Thank you so much.”

  Girl: “No worries.”

  She walked away, disappearing behind a row of shelves.

  Adir opened the first book: “Wings of Heaven: The Forgotten Legacy of Garuda”.

  [Book Excerpt – Garuda]

  “Garuda, the celestial eagle, born from fire and storm, is not just a divine mount,but the enemy of serpents and destroyer of poison. His wings, when fully unfurled, can eclipse the sun. His scream can rupture mountains. A single

  feather of Garuda contains a shard of divine light that burns through illusion and darkness.”

  Adir stared wide-eyed.

  “It is said that Garuda could fly faster than thought, and with a blink, carry

  entire armies across the sky. His bloodline was not bound to one body—his soul fragments live in chosen vessels... waiting to awaken.”

  Adir (whispering):

  “Garu... could he be connected to this?”

  He turned to the second book: “Shesha: The Infinite Coil”.

  [Book Excerpt – Shesha]

  “Shesha, the King of Serpents, existed before time. The World Serpent. He coiled beneath the universe, holding its weight. From his breath came the winds. From his tongue—the storms.”

  “No demon could defeat him. When the gods fell, Shesha emerged to coil around the earth and hold it together.”

  “Some say when evil grows too strong, Shesha chooses a mortal vessel. The serpent's mark appears on them—and with it, the burden to protect.”

  Adir closed the book slowly, heart pounding.

  Adir (to himself):

  “I’m... I’m part of this. Not just by blood. This is destiny.”

  “But if Garuda's bloodline lives too... then maybe Garu—maybe he and I were meant to fight together. Or against each other.”

  He looked out the window at the full moon.

  Adir:

  “If Shesha's power is inside me... I need to awaken it fully. Not just survive. Not just fight. I

  need to become the guardian.”

  In Murunda’s Lab

  Murunda: “What is the progress of the aniuman?”

  Both Scientists: “We have injected all the chemicals into these 5 aniuman, but still there is no reaction at all.”

  Murunda: “Why is there no reaction?”

  (Murunda to himself) “Is the power too high… are these humans unable to handle it?”

  Suddenly, a deafening roar echoed from the tubes.

  A green gas hissed and seeped out, filling the lab with a sickening glow.

  Glass shattered one after another as the containment tubes exploded.

  The creatures within emerged — grotesque, twisted, and radiating a dark aura.

  These aniuman… they were no longer human.

  They were demons… hiding behind the mask of flesh.

  The aniuman shrieked and howled.

  One of them, with elongated claws, leapt onto a console and smashed it.

  Another grabbed a canister and hurled it across the room, splashing acid on the floor.

  The lab descended into chaos.

  The scientists screamed. One tried to run but slipped, chemicals burning into his skin.

  The other clutched his arm, already mutating from exposure.

  Murunda stepped forward, his voice like thunder:

  Murunda: “STOP!”

  Instantly, all five aniuman froze, then dropped to one knee, their heads bowed low.

  They looked at Murunda like loyal beasts.

  All Aniuman (in unison): “Yes, my lord.”

  Murunda’s eyes widened in dark realization.

  Murunda: “Why… why do they follow me? Is it because of my demon blood?”

  He touched the scar on his chest — the one that never healed.

  A twisted smile spread across his face.

  His voice dropped into a cold whisper:

  Murunda: “Let’s start the terror.”

  One of the aniuman raised his head slightly.

  Aniuman 1: “Command us, master. Who shall fall first?”

  Murunda: “The world above… the ones who rejected me and my ideas. Start with them.”

  Aniuman 2: “The city will burn, and they will know your name.”

  The wounded scientist coughed, gasping, “We .. are successful.……”

  Murunda raised a hand.

  The aniuman growled, ready to pounce.

  Murunda (softly): “Kill them all. Leave no one standing. Start with the phanin boy”

  The room erupted into violence again.

  And so, the terror began.