Beyond the fractured wrought-iron gate, the haunted mansion stands like a faded shadow of a glorious past. The gate creaks open with a ghostly groan, revealing a long, overgrown path leading to the building. Ivy-covered walls and broken windows cast long shadows, while a sense of foreboding hangs heavy in the air. Plants and the roots growing on the walls are inviting all who dare to unravel the mysteries within.

They handed over the money to the car driver and stood before the looming mansion. They are a group of four adventure-lover friends coming from India.

Among the group was a girl named Ananya, whom friends call Anna, a bearer of a regal lineage, where her forebears once reigned as zamindars of Bengal. The grandeur of their bygone days had faded away, yet the vast estates and ancestral manors remained, standing as silent witnesses to the forgotten past.

The library in their ancestral building was undergoing renovation. Amidst the dust-laden tomes, Anna's searching hands unearthed a treasure beyond expectation.

It was a map, yellowed with age, of a small foreign town. It revealed that an ancestor who, ventured far from his homeland and built a mansion in a foreign lands.

This map, full of mysterious symbols and cryptic puzzles, was not mere cartography; It was a legacy shrouded in mystery, the promise of an adventure that would span generations and blur the boundaries of time and space.

Anna's voice trembled with a mix of excitement and anxiety as she dialled her friends' numbers. "You won't believe what I've found today. Come here as soon as possible. A new adventure is waiting for us!"

After one hour, they gathered in the hall room.

-"An old map, hinting at hidden treasure!" Anna exclaimed, placing the aged map delicately on the table. Its parchment, yellowed with the passage of time.

Dev, ever the cautious one, leaned forward. "Anna, are you sure about this? There could be considerable risks involved."

-"I am aware of that." Anna's eyes locked onto Dev's. "But this isn't our first time, is it? We've ventured to solve countless mysteries in India."

Dev leaned back in his chair, with a frowned face. "True," he admitted, "but those were familiar territories, Anna. This time, it's entirely different. The challenges we'll face will be on a whole new level."

Anushka, Dev's sister, countered, "But that is what makes it exciting, Dev! Think of the stories we could uncover and the treasures waiting to be found."

Ray nodded, "Indeed," he concurred with Anushka, "Anushka, you're right about the opportunity to uncover history, but Dev's caution is well-placed. We must proceed with both courage and caution."

"So friends, are you ready for a new ride? " Anna asked while scanning them with her eyes.

The other three friends exchanged glances and finally, they agreed. The next day, they prepared to embark on the journey. Finally, they reached their destination. As they entered the mansion, a shiver ran down their spines. Each step they took seemed to resonate with the echoes of the past. The reptiles and nocturnal creatures cried out at the sight of humans after decades.

It was dusk, so they took out their torches from their backpacks, lit them and took out their jungle knives for unwanted attacks. The entrance to the palace looms before them, its door partially open, as if inviting them into a mystical embrace. Their torches cast a faint glow on the ornate edges, revealing intricate carvings that had long since lost their lustre.

"Anna, first, we must find a safe room where we can stay. " Ray urged.

Anushka, ever eager for adventure, protested, " But why so early? We can explore the place a little, can't we?

"I think that would be a bad idea, Anushka." Anna replied firmly, "It's evening now, and at night, it will be dangerous to roam in an isolated mansion like this. We must find a secure place to regroup."

With their torches held high, they crossed the threshold, their footsteps echoing in the cavernous hallway. The air grew colder, and the mansion seemed to inhale their presence as if drawing them deeper into its ancient secrets.

As they ventured deeper into the dimly lit corridor, they left behind the locked rooms, each one seemingly guarding its own secrets. The atmosphere grew heavier with each step, and an unsettling silence pervaded the mansion's halls. Then, as if beckoned by fate, they found an open room which gave them an unexpected surprise. The room was adorned with pumpkins and lanterns, casting a strangely inviting glow. It resembled the setting of spooky cobwebs, flickering candles, lanterns and skeletons. The room's decor seemed inapplicable with the mansion's overall spectral ambience.

"Who would celebrate Halloween in a burnt-out deserted mansion like this?" Ray exclaimed.

Anna, equally inquisitive, cautiously stepped into the room, her eyes scanning the decorations. "Interesting!" the only word escaped from her mouth.

Driven by curiosity and following the leader, others decided to step inside. As they were exploring the decorations, their hand torches flickered, casting uncertain shadows on the walls. Then, to their shock and dismay, the torches flickered a few times and extinguished, leaving them in the room. The air grew heavy with tension, and a fearful chill swept through the room. Panic began to claw at their hearts as they realized they were enveloped in an unsettling twilight. The atmosphere grew oppressive and anxious.

Sensing something uneasy, Anna's voice trembled as she cried out, "We need to get out of here. Now!"

In desperation, they ran to flee from the room, but their hopes were dashed when the door slammed shut with a resounding, bone-chilling thud. The once-inviting room had transformed into a claustrophobic chamber of fear as they were sealed within its walls.

"Who's there? Let us out! "Anushka cried out in panic but no one listened to her. Their heartbeats echoed in the oppressive silence as they fumbled for a way to escape the unexpected trap. The skeletons seemed to be alive, shadows were dancing along the walls. Some nocturnal creatures laughed at their fate.

Anna's mind raced with an unsettling realization. Dev, typically the voice of caution, had been completely silent since they had entered the mansion. A nagging feeling tugged at her, demanding an answer to his behaviour.

she turned to Dev and asked the question that had been annoying to her, at him, "Dev, why have you been so quiet? This isn't like you. Are you okay? "
"Welcome, Anna," he said, his words carrying a weight that seemed to transcend time. "We've been waiting for you for ages." Dev's response sent a chill down others' spines, his voice echoing as if it came from a distant, chilling abyss. The room seemed to close in around them, and a malevolent aura was created with the flickering candles and lanterns. Dev's chilling words hung in the air, Anna and the others exchanged horrified glances.

"What... What do you mean, Dev? This isn't the time for jokes or something ." Anushka's throat trembled while asking. Dev's eyes were glowing yellow. "Break the curse," he murmured, taking a slow and deliberate step toward Anna. "Save us," he continued, his words haunting and filled with a strange urgency. On the other side, Anna's mind was not in the state of processing anything. Her heart pounding with fear, eyes wide with terror, immediately backed away from Dev. Ray was driven by a desperate instinct to protect Anna, hitting Dev with the edge of a jungle knife. However, to their great astonishment, Dev felt nothing. It was as if he were an illusion, a mere spectre. Ray's knife struck empty air, and he stumbled forward, crashing to the ground. The oppressive atmosphere of the room grew more suffocating as the group struggled to make sense of the surreal and terrifying events unfolding before them.

Ray fell to the ground unconscious, his friends screaming his name in maddened despair. The room filled with flickering candles and lanterns felt like a chamber of Doom.

"Ray! Wake up, please!" Anna's voice shivered with pain as she shook him. Anushka, her heart pounding with a mixture of panic and helplessness, knelt beside Ray, her trembling hands gently slapping his cheeks. "Come on Ray. You need to get up. We need you."

As Dev, or the illusion that had taken his form, continued to murmur the same words, Anna's frustration reached its breaking point. In a voice filled with a mix of anger and desperation, she shouted at him, "We will help you, but who are you actually? Where is Dev? What do you want? Just answer me!"

In response to Anna's outburst, Dev, or the illusion wearing his likeness, slowly dissolved into the surrounding darkness, making them too stunned to process anything. The oppressive atmosphere that had gripped them began to lift, and the door to the cursed room creaked open as if releasing them from its malevolent clutches.

Anna and Anushka wasted no time and rushed to Ray, carefully lifting him between them. With determination in their hearts, they stepped through the cracked doorway and escaped from the room.

" We have to do something, Anna. " Anushka panicked.

" Give me the bottle. "

Anushka quickly retrieved her water bottle from her backpack. Anna almost snatched it and sprinkled water over him, hoping to rouse him from his unconscious state.

But just as they began to tend to Ray, another threat emerged. Anna's sharp instincts caught sight of a chandelier above them, its chains giving way.

"Watch out! " she rushed and pushed Anushka aside with her.

Time seemed to slow as the heavy chandelier crashed down.

Moments later, the dust settled, revealing the chandelier broken into pieces. Anushka stood up, fear was visible on her face. She helped Anna to her feet, embracing her tightly. "Thank you Anna", Anushka whispered, grateful that her friend had saved her from a disaster.

"Ahh!" A whispering moan alerted them only to find out that Ray was regaining his consciousness slowly. They bent down over him supporting him to get up.

"Where am I? " He asked in a weak voice. The girls helped him to get up. Anushka told him the situation shortly.

"We need to search for Dev. Hurry up." Anna urged, others agreed with her. They held each other's hands and walked down the corridor. They were treading very carefully, suddenly stopped by the sight of two small twinkling orbs floating in the air. It made their hearts pound in extreme fear. The sparkling balls were coming closer to them.

" We... We have to exit from here as soon as possible. Please! " Anushka nearly cried out.

"It's too late, Anushka, now we can not run away from the consequences. We will not return without Dev." Ray said calmly.

"I think Ray is right. Now only thing we can do is keep faith in our fate. " Anna told when trying to scan the moving things. When it came close to them, they realized that it was nothing but the eyes of a black fluffy cat. As soon as the tension shattered, the next incident left them breathless.

"We need you, Anna, to help us. " The source of the sound was the cat standing before them. Their throats were parched, and sweat was dripping down as if they were standing in a desert.

"Who are you? What kind of help do you want from me? " Anna questioned.

"I am one of those unfortunate souls who are captivated by the curse of this place. You are the descendant of the mansion's owner, only you can break this curse and free us from this tragedy. " The cat told them.

Anna's frustration shifted into determination,
"what kind of curse? What do we need to do?"

"Halloween, a day of celebration for everyone," the cat explained. "But little did we know, a malevolent demon played tricks on them. Lord Pratap, our master, sought to save this place from the demon's grip. The priests devised a trap to capture the demon, but he outsmarted us, reversing the roles and ensnaring us in our very own trap."

"How can we save our friends and break this curse?" asked Ray.

"In the hall and pavilion where prayers ascend on silent wings, Seek the path to the past, where ancestral whispers sing. The key is hidden in the blood-soaked walls. To unlock the treasure, follow the heart, and let the stories be told." the cat riddled blinking its eyes slowly.

Anushka asked, "And where is Dev? What happened to him? "

The cat dissolved in the shadows without answering. They looked at each other, tension engulfed the atmosphere. Finally, Anna broke the silence.

"Pass me the map and light a few candles," Anna requested as she settled down in the corridor, preparing for the events that lay ahead.

With the candles casting their soft glow, they unfolded the map. The map revealed the existence of a hall marked with a cross symbol and another location marked with a geometrical symbol, a triangle between a circle. Driven by curiosity, they decided to explore both.

"I think, the cross is the prayer hall, but what is the other one?" asked Ray. Anushka looked at Anna who was lost in her own world.

"Anna? What is going on in your mind? "

"Nothing, just trying to crack the riddle. "She sighed. "Where is the pavilion? Can you see it here? " A line of thought occurred in her forehead.

"I think hall and pavilion are the same thing," Anushka said.

"We should go there. Maybe, there we will find other clues. " Ray suggested.

"It cannot be the same thing. As long as I know my family history, Lord Pratap did not convert to Christianity, the pavilion is most probably the temple of our Kuldevta (family God) Maa Kaali." Anna replied.

"Indeed! He was a great devotee of Goddess Kali. Not only a noble person, he was a saint who used to know powerful mantras. He was kind and wise. People here, loved him a lot. " the sound came from a mysterious person standing in front of them. They stood up. The person was wearing the clothes of a Catholic Priest.

-"Who are you and what are you doing here? "
-"How did you know this much about Lord Pratap? "
-"Where did you come from? "

A bunch of questions came from them. The priest smiled watching their curiosity.

"I am a priest living near this mansion. I saw you coming here. Nobody dared to enter this place, but you did. Who are you?"

"I am one from his lineage coming from Bengal. These are my friends. One of us is missing, we don't know how. Can you please help us?" Anna urged.

Anushka shared the unearthly events they faced here. In the flickering candlelight, they could see the fear in his eyes clearly.

"The cat fooled you. The captivated spirits are evil ones, the demon himself is captured here by the powerful chantings. The cat is his disciple. Don't trust him, you will be killed. Maybe he is in the behind of Dev's disappearance." He stopped, he could see that the friends were extremely scared and confused.

"You should go back, or else the evil energy can engulf you." He warned them.

"No, we will never go back without Dev! " They said in union.

"But vent here would be very dangerous. " He concerned.

"We faced many dangers in our lives. It is not new for us. We must find Dev, at any cost. He is my brother, I can't afford to lose him." Anushka almost cried when talking.

"OK, then there is only one way to find him. You have to kill the demon who is captured here. " The priest told them.

"How do we do it?" asked Ray.

"Come with me, I will tell you." he smiled.

They found it strange but believed his words anyhow. He lit up his lantern which was noticed by them just now. He turned and started walking. They followed him. He went upstairs revealing a forgotten world. They were walking through the balcony of 1st floor when the priest showed them a room. He proclaimed that it was a secret room where the weapon for killing the demon was kept. The door is tied with many threads purified of sacred hymns and the cross.

"You have to unlock the door. Then you can take the weapon." Said he.

Anna took a deep breath, her hands trembling as she reached out to touch the threads. She whispered, "These threads feel... strange. They're unravelling."

The threads and cross unravelled, one by one, revealing the keyhole beneath. With a steady hand, Anna inserted the cross into the lock as the priest said. The door creaked open, revealing a small, dimly lit room. Inside, they found a wooden chest, adorned with intricate carvings and symbols. The priest instructed them to open it.

Ray exclaimed, "It's a gleaming silver blade and it looks powerful."

"Now, give me that!" The priest said hoarsely which made them shocked.

The holi attire changed into a sinister armour, the demon showed up standing in front of them in the place of their guide.

The demon laughed, a chilling sound that sent shivers down their spines. "You fools think you can defeat me? powerful beyond your IQ level of thinking. Give me the weapon, now I can defeat the spirits completely with this and conquer the mansion totally. Give me that! " he shouted at the last sentence.

"We have to fight this evil and free them." Anushka tightened her grip on the weapon. With a swift motion, she stepped forward, aiming the silver blade at the demon. But the creature was quick, dodging her attack effortlessly. It retaliated with a swipe of its clawed hand, sending her crashing into the wall. Pain seared through her body, but Anushka refused to give up. She pushed herself up, blood dripping from a gash on her forehead. Her friends joined the fight, each wielding their own jungle knives against the demon. The room became a battleground, filled with the clash of metal and the cries of pain. Anna and her friends fought with a determination fueled by love and friendship. Nevertheless, the demon was overpowering them. At that crucial time, the black cat showed up again and jumped on the demon. A sacred aura was dancing around him which was making the demon weak. Using the opportunity, they rushed out of the room.

Hurriedly they checked the map and guided themselves to the cross-marked room. As they thought, it was the prayer hall or a church. The interior was covered with cobwebs, there was a rack where only two books were kept.

"Hurry up, we need to solve the riddle real quick. " Anna was panting.

"Let's find the next mark," Ray suggested. They ventured onward to the room next to the prayer hall, which looked like a temple with the symbol of Tantra yoga on the floor and a Trishul thrust into a throne.

"Do you remember that riddle? It says 'seek the path of past', what does it mean? " Anushka asked.

"We can know the past from books... Maybe, the library can help us." Ray said.

"But there is no library here according to the map," Anna informed. Suddenly, something struck in her mind. -" If there is tantra Sadhana, there should be the sacrifices too. We have to find the place where the sacrifices used to be done."

They found the place soon after some searching, still the blood stains were visible which made them horrified, but they knew they had to push forward. They scanned the wall. Nothing was left there except some cryptic symbols. Writing it down, they came back to the pavilion.

-"Now, we should check the books. " Anushka suggested. Ray went to the prayer hall to examine the books where Anushka was scanning the outer place. Anna was collecting the artefacts scattered around the pavilion.

Suddenly, the demon again came there to attack them. Anushka with the silver blade jumped over him. Again the fight began. Others were alarmed.

Suddenly, Ray felt a whispering voice in his ears. Initially, he dismissed it but soon concentrated. Listening to it, he turned the pages of a book and started chanting the holy words loudly. Unknown to him, an invisible shield around the mansion seemed to be cracking up.

On the contrary, Anna successfully gathered the artefacts, arranged them and read the process. After reading, she cut her finger with a needle and placed a drop of blood in the centre of the symbol on the floor. The symbol started glowing. She was reading the nymns loudly making the Trishul float around that.

Here, Anushka was terribly injured, bleeding profusely and panting heavily. She collapsed but the demon seemed to be unbeatable. He was going to chop her head, and the Trishul emerged from the pavilion and stabbed him. He dissolved into black smoke. At the same time, the shield was crumbled by the powerful chantings of Ray. Anna and Ray rushed out of the rooms and saw the unconscious Anushka in the pool of her own blood. They screamed her name and rushed to her. Ray took out the first aid kit, while Anna carefully moved her away from the mess and onto a clear area. They cleaned and bandaged her wounds, tending to their gravely injured friend. They were bothered about her health but soon they relived. Due to the echos of Ray's powerful reciting, the trap was shattered freeing the spirits free.

The spirits, with an air of grace and gratitude, surrounded the friends. Their radiant presence filled the room, casting an otherworldly glow that left Anna and Ray stunned. The black cat came forward and thanked them.

"I knew that you must free us. Meet our owner Lord Pratap." saying this, he fell his gaze in a direction where the soul of Lord Pratap was visible.

"I am proud of you my descendent. Thank you for coming here and releasing us. May Maa Kaali bless you and your friends." His words blessed them.

"Welcome my forefather. I have a request, can you please find our friend Dev and heal Anushka, Please?" Anna urged.

"Of course, my child, your friend Anushka will get well soon. But... " He stopped, hesitating to say something.

"But what? What about Dev? Where is he?" Ray asked being restless.

"We had been attempting to use Dev's vessel to communicate with you. However, the evil demon interfered and snatched him away from us. We have no idea where would he be." another soul answered them with a heavy voice.

"Now, the demon is dead, can't we search for him?" asked Anna.

"No, he is not dead yet. He just merely lost his significant portion of power and was captivated by the ritual. The silver blade you wield is specifically crafted to extinguish the trapped souls. That is why, he was trying to take it from you. The holy threads and cross previously prevented him from taking it. You have to go to the pavilion, where he is held captivate but before killing him, you have to release Dev from his grip." The souls told them in a sombre voice.

"We will free him at any cost." Anushka declared, capturing others' attention to her. She regained her consciousness. Ray and Anna hugged her in joy and thanked the spirits. After some time of solace in each other's arms, they broke the embrace.

"Anushka, are you feeling better now?" Anna asked.

"Yes, I am fine but my brother..."

"Don't worry about that, we will kill the demon and rescue our friend." Ray consoled her.

They entered the pavilion. The demon was tied up with an outworldly aura. He was trying to break it but it was burning him up and causing unbearable pain.

"Where is Dev?" Anna asked him sternly.

"You will never find him." His evil laugh echoed throughout the room. Fueled by anger, Anushka cut his hand with the blade increasing his pain.

Demon growled, "I am not going to tell you. Do whatever you want, you won't find him."

"Say or we will smash you," Ray shouted.

"The worst can you do is kill me. I don't care. I will not let you win."

"Anahita, Dev is seen in the basement, unconscious. Follow the light." The voice of spirits filled the room and a magical light showed up. Without wasting another moment, they rushed towards the light following it into the basement with their hearts pounding with anticipation. As they descended the creaking stairs, the atmosphere grew colder, and an eerie silence enveloped them. They reached the Basement entrance but could not enter because a powerful shield prevented them from doing so. They looked at it astonished while the spirits sensed something horribly wrong.

"Anahita, go and search for the crystal box where his secrets are kept. You will find the way from there." The spirits voiced. She glanced back at the spirits, her friends were glancing at her with hope. She ran upstairs while her friends followed her. They were searching each room one after another, rummaging through old boxes and dusty shelves and their eyes scanning every nook and cranny.

Suddenly Ray's scream made the others' hearts sink.

"Come here, quickly!" Anna and Anushka came to him and were astonished to see the crystal box.

"What are you looking for? Just open it, Ray." Anushka was becoming more restless. Ray opened it revealing a collection of ancient scrolls and artifacts.

"Now, find out the needed one," Anna said distributing those among themselves. They were trying to understand the secrets. Midnight passed, still they were unable to find the solution. At a crucial moment, finally Anna found the scroll.

"Friends, watch out! It contains the spell that would crack the shield. But... ANUSHKA!

Anushka snatched the scroll and ran down to the basement without letting her complete the sentence. Anna and Ray followed her.

Anushka cast the spell which made the shield part allowing them to enter the Basement. Reaching the basement, they found Dev lying motionless on the cold, damp floor. His face was pale, and his breathing shallow. Their hearts sank at the sight. Anushka knelt beside him crying, " Dev, my brother, wake up, please. Dev! Do you listen to me? Wake up."

Anna checked his pulse, "He is alive."

With bated breath, they all tried to rouse Dev. Anushka continued to shake him gently, calling his name. Dev's eyelids fluttered, and he let out a soft groan.

"He's waking up!" Anushka exclaimed. Dev slowly opened his eyes, his vision blurry at first. As it cleared, he saw the worried faces of his friends hovering over him.

What... Where am I?" Dev asked in a weak voice. Anushka hugged him tightly where other two were unable to hold back their tears.

"You're safe, Dev. We found you in the basement." Anna told him.

"I don't remember... What happened?"
He was confused.

"It's a long story, Dev, but the important thing is that you're back with us now."Ray added, "We have to destroy the demon and you're a vital part of it." Others nodded in agreement.

Dev's strength was returning slowly, he sat up. "I'm with you. Let's go. "As they embraced each other with love, the spirits seemed to watch over them with a sense of satisfaction.

Though, the happiness was like a piece of camphor. The basement was suddenly rocked by a violent earthquake. The ground quaked beneath them, causing the walls to crumble and debris to rain down. Panicked, they clung to each other's hands, desperately trying to escape the crumbling basement. Dev, Ray and Anna managed to escape the Basement but Anushka could not. They were shouting her name, gesturing to jump out but their hearts were sanked when they saw the whole mansion gradually dissolving in the air!

At the same time, Anna jolted awake, her heart pounding, drenched in sweat. She took some time to understand that It had all been a horrific nightmare, but the fear and loss felt all too real. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and grabbed her phone. She dialled Anushka's number but the automated voice on the other end announced, "The number you have dialled is not reachable." She quickly dialled Dev's number. He picked up.

"Hello, Dev? Dev, it's Anna. Can you please connect me to Anushka?" Anna asked.

"WHO IS ANUSHKA?" Dev seemed to be confused. Anna's heart plunged at his words, and her entire body shivered.

Your... your sister," she stammered, her voice shaking even as she stood under the whirring ceiling fan.

"Are you kidding me? Is this a time for jokes? I am the only child of my parents and I don't have any siblings!"

Anna's grip on the phone weakened, and it slipped from her fingers, clattering onto the floor. Dev continued to speak on the other end, concerned, but his words were drowned in the disruption of Anna's thoughts. She recalled the scroll's cryptic message: whoever broke the shield would be forgotten by everyone. Anushka didn't even read or let Anna read the scroll entirely.

Was it just a nightmare? Or had it been a horrifying reality? And why did she alone remember Anushka when everyone else had forgotten? The tension of the situation left her trembling and confused as she sat on her bed.