The Bride they burned

"She thought she buried him.

But nightmares don't rot—they rise."

---

NYRA – AFTER THE STABBING

Blood soaked my sleeves.

Ravian fell.

Gurgling.

Coughing.

Smiling?

> "You think I'm the final boss?" he gasped. "You were always so naive."

He fell to his knees.

> "Ask him," he whispered, "who your son really is."

> "What are you talking about?!"

He died laughing.

My hand shook around the knife.

But before I could blink—

A dart flew past my head.

I turned—

Meher.

> "Step away from the corpse, Nyra," she hissed.

---

MEHER – SAME MOMENT

She loved Ravian.

Loved his cruelty.

Loved watching him hurt Nyra like a game show.

Now he was dead.

And she wanted blood.

She raised the gun.

> "You ruined everything!"

Nyra ducked behind the column.

> "You were his dog," she spat.

> "And you were his prize," Meher smiled. "Now neither of us win. Let's kill each other like queens."

Bullets. Fire. Screams.

---

AARAV – IN THE CELLAR AGAIN

He was tied now.

Bruised. Silent.

Meher had carved something into his arm.

A name:

> "Kray."

> "Why are you marking me?" he whispered.

Meher's voice echoed from earlier:

> "Because you're not Ravian's real son."

> "You're his debt."

> "A child stolen to win a bet."

> "A child born from Kray's bloodline."

He didn't understand.

Not yet.

But someone was coming down the hall.

Boots. Slow.

Click.

Kray.

Smirking. Holding his old ring.

> "Long time, kid."

---

CELESTE – WITH KAI

She held the knife to his throat.

> "You chose her," she whispered.

> "Celeste, this isn't—"

> "Don't lie to me like he did."

Her eyes glistened.

But her hand was steady.

> "I loved her too," she said. "I would've burned the world for her."

> "Then why betray her?"

> "Because she only looks back when someone dies."

She kissed Kai.

Soft.

Then slashed his cheek.

> "You'll remember me now."

---

SAHIR – FINDING AARAV

He entered the chamber.

Gun raised.

Saw the boy.

> "Aarav?"

But the boy didn't answer.

Just stared.

Afraid.

> "Who are you?" Aarav asked.

> "I'm… a friend."

> "My mom said never to trust men who say that."

Sahir smiled despite the pain.

> "Smart woman."

He reached forward—

but Kray appeared behind him.

> "Let the boy decide. Or do you want to be the next Ravian?"

---

NYRA – BLEEDING BUT STANDING

She walked through the hallway.

Gunshot in her leg.

But she didn't stop.

> "They think this is my finale," she whispered.

> "But this is only Chapter One of my story."

She stepped over Meher's dead body.

> "And I'll rewrite every page with blood."

---

TO BE CONTINUED…