The heavy wooden doors of their respective rooms creaked shut, each click echoing in the long corridor, a final punctuation mark to their shared journey for the day. Gauri stepped into room 214, the air inside feeling strangely still and carrying a faint scent of old wood and dust. She let out a long, weary sigh as she dropped the cumbersome blueprint and her backpack onto a nearby antique table.
Unpacking was a slow process, the drawers of the heavy wooden wardrobe initially resisting her efforts before finally yielding with a groan. As she arranged her clothes, she noticed a small, sleek device on the bedside table – an Alexa. A thoughtful touch, considering the circumstances.
Sinking onto the edge of the four-poster bed, Gauri spoke to the device. "Alexa, send a voice message to rooms 210, 211, 212, and 213." After a brief pause, she continued, her voice clear and slightly amplified by the device. "Hi everyone, just a reminder that there's an Alexa in each of your rooms. It can be used to send emergency messages if needed. Please connect it to your phones as well, just to ensure we can reach each other through multiple channels in case of any trouble. Stay safe."
A few quiet minutes passed before the Alexa in her room chimed softly. A voice message began to play – Veda's dry, pragmatic tone filling the space. "Gauri, while I appreciate the concern, perhaps we don't need constant reminders designed to induce paranoia. Some of us are trying to remain rational."
Gauri frowned slightly, then responded into her Alexa. "Veda, I'm not trying to scare anyone. I just want to make sure we're all prepared. We don't know what we're dealing with here, and I just want to ensure everyone's safety." A genuine worry laced her tone. "I don't want to lose any of you."
Almost immediately, Jai's reassuring voice came through the device. "Hey, Gauri, relax. We're a team. You're not going to lose anyone. We'll figure this out together."
Then Arya's confident voice joined in. "Yeah, Gauri, chill. Nothing's gonna happen. We've got this."
Finally, a small, slightly muffled voice came through. "Yeah… goodnight everyone. Going to sleep now. It's pretty late." It was Isha, her exhaustion evident even through the digital message.
Gauri sighed again, a mix of relief and lingering unease settling over her. They were here, they were connected, and hopefully, they would be safe. But the silence of the ancient castle pressing in from all sides was a constant, subtle reminder of the unknown that lay ahead.
The dead of night descended upon Swarg Sadan, the silence within its ancient walls growing deeper and more profound. In the stillness, a faint, rhythmic creak echoed outside Isha's door, like someone pacing softly. Her eyes snapped open in the darkness, her heart beginning to thump against her ribs.
Carefully, she slipped out of bed, her injured ankle protesting with a dull throb. Moving with exaggerated caution, she crept towards the door, her senses on high alert. She grabbed her phone from the nightstand, its flashlight her only potential ally in the oppressive darkness. Each step, though light, sent a jolt of pain through her ankle, a constant reminder of her earlier clumsiness.
The faint footsteps continued, leading her down the silent corridor. The beam of her phone danced across the aged tapestries and shadowy alcoves, each flicker of light revealing nothing but more stillness. The sound eventually led her to a heavy, oak door – the entrance to what she presumed was the castle's ancient library.
Pressing her ear against the cold wood, she strained to hear any sound from within. The library remained stubbornly silent, a dark and mysterious void. A shiver traced its way down her spine, a feeling that had nothing to do with the temperature.
Summoning a shaky breath, she slowly reached for the ornate brass handle, her hand trembling slightly. Just as her fingers brushed against the cold metal, she felt a hand gently rest on her shoulder.
A strangled scream tore from Isha's throat. She whirled around abruptly, her phone clattering to the floor, its beam now pointing haphazardly at the ceiling. Standing behind her, her expression etched with concern, was Gauri. Tears welled up in Isha's eyes, her earlier bravado completely shattered by the unexpected touch in the darkness. She threw herself into Gauri's arms, clinging to her sister like a frightened child, sobs wracking her small frame.
"Shhh, it's okay, Isha, it's okay," Gauri murmured, stroking her hair soothingly.
Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed down the corridor. Arya and Jai appeared, their faces etched with worry. "What was that? Who screamed?" Arya asked, his gaze darting between the two sisters.
"It was Isha," Gauri explained, her voice calm but tinged with concern. "I saw her leave her room. I followed her, and she looked scared, so I just… came up behind her. She didn't realize it was me."
"But… but there was someone," Isha choked out between sobs, her grip on Gauri tightening. "In the corridor… footsteps… they went inside… the library."
As if on cue, the heavy oak door of the library creaked open. Standing in the doorway, bathed in the warm glow of a handheld torch, was Veda. A large, leather-bound book was tucked under his other arm, his expression a mixture of surprise and mild annoyance at the commotion.