A wave of shock rippled through Tripti as the accusing fingers of the Kartikey pointed decisively at Ravindra, putting him into the spotlight of suspicion. The atmosphere in the room thickened with an unspoken tension that gripped Tripti's senses. The weight of this unexpected accusation surrounded her like a cloud, leaving her disoriented and struggling to reconcile the person she once knew as Ananya's only friend.

Turning to Ravindra, her eyes sought answers in the familiar contours of his troubled gaze, but what she found was an uncanny blankness. His silence became a deafening roar which echoed with the gravity of the allegations.

The room seemed to close in, and the once-reliable ground beneath Tripti's feet turned into a terrain of treachery. It was as if an unseen force had woven a sinister shade around them, and she found herself entangled within it.

"Ravindra, what is happening?" Her voice, tinged with both disbelief and urgency, cut through the charged air.

The intensity of the moment rendered every heartbeat audible, underscoring the gravity of the situation. Yet, Ravindra's silence, a stark departure from the person she thought she knew, intensified the unsettling nature of the unfolding drama.

"Ravindra, what is happening? Why would they think you're involved in this?", she repeated.

Tripti's voice wavered with a blend of concern and reluctance. She expected him to vehemently deny any wrongdoing, to assure her that it was all a terrible mistake. Yet, to her surprise, Ravindra remained silent, his head bowed in an agonising display of shame.

"Ravindra, you have to say something. Tell me it's not true," she implored, her eyes searching his face for a glimmer of reassurance.

The weight of the accusation loomed over both of them like a dark cloud, threatening to shatter the foundation of trust that had anchored their friendship for the last three years. Yet, Ravindra's silence persisted, building a heavy and an impenetrable barrier between him and the unraveling truth.

The room once hailed as the ground of judgement and justice now felt like a courtroom, the accusing glares of the CBI officers intensifying the sense of isolation.

Tripti, torn between loyalty and the unsettling doubts that began to creep in, pressed on.

"We need the truth. You can't let them believe this about you." The urgency in her voice mirrored the internal turmoil, but Ravindra, burdened by his own incapability to save Ananya added on by the accusations, was unable to offer a defence and bowed his head in defeat.

In a hushed admission that reverberated through the room, he finally spoke, "I don't know."

The words hung in the air like an ominous verdict, leaving Tripti grappling with the harsh reality that her friend, the last person she believed would ever hurt someone, stood entangled in a web of suspicion.

Kartikey, seizing the moment stepped forward with a sardonic smirk playing on his lips. The room, already tense, braced for the impending onslaught of his next words.

"Well, well, Ravindra, a brilliant student who passed the toughest examination of our country, our shining example of virtue," he sneered as his words dripped with scorn. The disciplinary board and CBI officials, momentarily silent, observed the scene unfold with a mixture of curiosity and disdain.

Kartikey continued his derisive commentary, the subtle provocative nature in his tone became more and more apparent with every syllable uttered by him .

"Who would have thought your student harboured such dark secrets? Maybe you should have considered a career in crime rather than engineering," he added, "You must see the news don't you? How the youth is slowly getting more and more degenerate? I didn't think they would stoop so low to take someone's life mercilessly, who once was a best friend," a mocking tone underscoring his attempt to turn the serious situation into a cruel spectacle. A collective discomfort settling in as Kartikey's sarcastic remarks echoed off the walls.

Kartikey's malicious smile widened as he continued to sharpen his fangs on his ongoing verbal assault, relishing in the opportunity to demean Ravindra further. "

You think you're special, don't you, Ravindra? All your wealth, your fancy family connections, your sister, your god - none of that matters now. No one can save you," he declared with a loud cold spine chilling certainty, the words striking heavily to every conscious minds present there.

He turned his attention directly to Tripti with a sinister glint in his eye, a sight no human would ever want to see until and unless there is an ounce of life left in their body.

"Isn't it ironic, Tripti? The golden boy of your prestigious institution, your friend, reduced to nothing. No amount of money or influence can shield him from the truth. Your friend, the so-called 'special' one, is nothing more than a fraud."

The venom in his tone accentuated with the deliberate intent to undermine Ravindra's reputation and break his spirit in front of those who had once admired him.

Tripti had her anger reaching its peak, struggled to contain her emotions as she witnessed the calculated destruction of Ravindra's image. She tightly clenched her fists and looked down on him, knowing she can do nothing for him. A part of her conscience still considered Ravindra innocent, but the expression of his says otherwise.

"That's enough, Kartikey! This is not the time or place for such remarks. Let's stick to the facts and proceed with the inquiry in a professional manner," the dean finally senses the escalation of hostility and the inappropriate nature of Kartikey's comments and intervened, his voice cutting through the toxic atmosphere. He declared firmly, attempting to rein in the situation. The disciplinary board members nodded in agreement, their expressions reflecting a shared disapproval of Kartikey's distasteful conduct.

"This trash has no place in our society. He's nothing more than a stain, a parasite feeding off the decency of those around him," Kartikey's outburst cut through everyone's skin like a serrated blade, each word laced with venomous anger.

His declared had his face contorted with rage. The room was now fraught with tension, bore witness to the intensity of emotions swirling within. The dean and the disciplinary board, despite the shocking nature of Kartikey's statements, maintained a stoic facade, but the unease in the room was now tainted with spite.

But something else was spurred. In that instant, the veneer of composure shattered within Ravindra. The insults flung at him by Kartikey ignited a dormant rage that surged through his veins. His eyes now turning into a swirling tempest of blue, reflected the storm within him.

A guttural roar erupted from his throat, a primal scream that seemed to pierce the very fabric of reality. With a speed that defied logic, he lunged forward, his fist bathed in an intense, otherworldly blue light.

The impact of Ravindra's punch was massive, enough to leave a shockwave behind. Kartikey, caught off guard, was sent hurtling through the air, crashing into the far end of the room.

The sheer force of the blow left everyone momentarily paralysed, their faces etched with a mix of shock and disbelief.

Tripti had retreated instinctively, stared wide-eyed at the spectacle unfolding before leaving. She watched in horror as she saw Ravindra turn into what she had only seen and read in fiction.

Deshmukh and Tripathi showed no delay in drawing their guns with a precision born of experience. They pointed their guns at Ravindra, their expressions stern and unwavering. Deshmukh, his voice carrying the weight of authority, barked into his radio, summoning security reinforcements. The room, once a battleground of words, now crackled with an imminent threat of violence.

The atmosphere sparkled with tension as the security team closed in on Ravindra, their movements precise and methodical. The ethereal glow around his fist dimmed, revealing a mixture of confusion and defiance on his face.

Tripti, torn between shock and concern, watched as the scene unfolded from afar, her voice barely above a whisper, "Ravindra, what have you done?"

Deshmukh and Tripathi had their guns still trained on Ravindra, exchanged a stern glance, communicating a silent understanding of the escalating gravity of the situation.

"Secure him. We can't let this escalate any further.," Deshmukh ordered. The security personnel, unfazed by the supernatural aura that had briefly enveloped Ravindra, closed in, their training overcoming any momentary hesitation.

As Ravindra was subdued, his defiant gaze met Tripti's from afar, and in that fleeting moment, an unspoken communication passed between them-a shared acknowledgment of the turbulent events that had unraveled everyone's lives.

Tripti had her eyes still fixed on Ravindra, couldn't shake off the feeling that a torrent of unseen forces had been unleashed in that singular punch. The surreal events of that day left an indelible mark on everyone present, signalling a shift from accusations to a more ominous unknown. The Dean, the disciplinary action, Kartikey himself and his two team members, all were in awe of the supernatural event that occurred right in front of their eyes.

Sanjana and Nikhil entered the chaotic scene, their expressions a rapid contortion from shock and disbelief to horror at the tumult that had unfolded. Sanjana was instinctively rushing toward Ravindra, but she was abruptly halted by Tripti, who intervened with a stoic expression.

"Stop! You can't go any further. It's already a mess, and we don't need more. There are two monsters in there, fighting for each other's throat," Tripti cautioned, her gaze still fixed on Ravindra, whose eyes have gone numb by now.

"But that's my brother! I need to do something!" Sanjana's voice wavered with desperation, her eyes pleading for understanding. Her sense of helplessness intensified as Tripti maintained a firm grip, blocking her path.

"Please, Tripti, I can't just stand here. Dad left his responsibility on me, please, I need to make sure he's okay. Let me go, please," she implored, her plea carrying the weight of a sister's concern for her brother caught in the turmoil.

Nikhil, sensing the urgency of the situation and relying on his legal expertise, stepped forward. "I have a court order. I can intervene. Let me handle this," he declared with confidence, his gaze determined as he pushed Tripti and raced purposefully toward the unfolding confrontation. Tripti shifted his gaze from Ravindra to Nikhil, as he walked into a hurricane of horror.

Tripti, maintaining a firm grip on Sanjana, shifted her eyes to her and offered a plain yet empathetic reassurance. "Let that man handle it. We need to avoid making things worse. There are already too many uncertainties in there."

As Nikhil stepped into the room, Sanjana felt a mix of gratitude and anxiety. She could only watch helplessly, her eyes fixated on the unfolding events, whispering to herself, "Ravindra, please be okay."

Nikhil, holding a document aloft, asserted his authority with a commanding tone, "I have an order from the court. Mr. Ravindra Kapoor is granted thirty days to gather evidence before any charges are imposed on him. No one has the authority to apprehend him during this period."

Despite Karthikey's malevolent gaze, Nikhil remained resolute, his adherence to the legal order unwavering. The security personnel, recognising the legitimacy of the court order, reluctantly released their grip on Ravindra.

Nikhil's voice charged the quiet room, his authority echoing in the confines of the dormitory. Karthikey, undeterred, stepped forward with a scowl, "What kind of court order is this? He assaulted an officer on duty; that should be enough to detain him! Or are you trying to save him because of personal reasons, Mr. Soorajmal?"

The Dean, shifting his gaze between Nikhil and Karthikey, who were already looking at each other in spite, interjected, "We need to respect the court's decision, Karthikey. Let's not make matters worse. Besides, let's not forget you are the one who triggered him in the first place."

Karthikey shot a venomous glare at Nikhil, and then at the Dean, his frustration was boiling at it's peak.

"This won't save him. He's just buying time, and we all know it," he muttered under his breath.

Nikhil, maintaining his calm demeanour, addressed the security personnel, "I suggest you follow the court order too. Any action contrary to it will be considered a violation of legal procedures. So may I suggest, kindly let him go."

The security personnel, torn between legal compliance and Karthikey's pressure, exchanged uneasy glances but eventually conceded, releasing their hold on Ravindra. As the tension subsided, Ravindra lay unconscious on the floor, a symbol of exhaustion with the inner and outer battle, between justice and accusation.

The council room, which a minute ago echoed with tension and accusations, gradually emptied as individuals left in solemn silence with their heads bowed down to confusion and fear.

Tripti, standing on the far side holding Sanjana, cast one last lingering glance at Kartikey, who had a wicked smile as he was exiting, seeing which a mixture of concern and confusion etched across her face. Karthikey was still simmering with resentment, left with an air of defiance, his footsteps echoing a revenant discord.

As the room cleared, Sanjana broke through the holds of Tripti and rushed in, her eyes swelling with tears at the sight of her unconscious brother. She knelt beside Ravindra, gently cradling his head in her lap.

"Ravindra, wake up. Please, wake up, please be okay, please wake up," she whispered, her voice choked with a mixture of fear and sorrow. Nikhil joined her, attempting to rouse Ravindra from his unconscious state.

"He took a heavy blow. We need to get him to the hospital," Nikhil suggested, his worry evident. Sanjana nodded, her hands trembling as she tried to hold his palm, trying to assess his condition. The room, now devoid of onlookers, bore witness to a different kind of intensity-one of familial concern and the struggle to understand the tragic events that had transpired.

Tripti walked in from behind, her expression carrying concern and determination. She approached Sanjana and Nikhil, who were carrying an unconscious Ravindra with them.

"This won't end here. Kartikey might be the least of our worries now. There are others who will come for his life," she warned, her words hanging in the air with an ominous weight. The gravity of the situation intensified as the reality of external threats loomed over Ravindra's life.

In the aftermath of the encounter, the room carried unanswered questions and the floating spectre of unseen adversaries. As Sanjana cradled her unconscious brother and Nikhil stood by. The ominous words of Tripti echoed, very well knowing that Ravindra's misfortune had only just begun.

"In the dance between shadows and light, secrets unfold, and destinies intertwine, revealing that even in the ordinary, the extraordinary awaits its moment to emerge."