To hear the audio narration, click here →
Yash made the difficult decision to surrender himself, walking towards the half-burnt building where the sacrifice was to take place. The members of the Protector team were shocked; this was not part of the plan they had devised.
As Yash stood before the dark lord, a sense of calm washed over him. "Why have you done this?" one of the team members whispered, unable to comprehend Yash's sacrifice.
"I can't let anyone else suffer because of me," Yash replied, his voice steady. "This ends here."
The dark lord and Yash exchanged a few words, their conversation unheard by the others. Finally, the dark lord nodded, and Yash was led to the center of the building.
As the ritual began, an unexpected turn of events unfolded. The sacrifice was left incomplete, and the dark lord began to diminish, much to the confusion of everyone present. The dark lord howled in pain, his form flickering and fading before their eyes. Soon, the dark lord transformed into a human, leaving everyone bewildered.
"I... I don't understand," one of the Protectors stammered. "What is happening?"
The human form of the dark lord looked around, his eyes filled with a mixture of relief and regret. "It was written in the prophecy," he explained. "When someone willingly sacrifices themselves, the curse will break, and I will return to my human form."
He went on to reveal a shocking truth. A construction worker had died during the making of the campus, and his soul had been haunting the place, growing stronger day by day. The dark lord had inadvertently tapped into this power, becoming a vessel for the worker's vengeful spirit.
"I never wanted any of this," the human form of the dark lord said, his voice filled with remorse. "I was consumed by the power, but now, thanks to Yash's sacrifice, I can finally be free."
With that, the human form of the dark lord vanished, leaving behind a sense of peace and closure. The campus was finally rid of its dark past, and Yash's sacrifice had saved not just his friends, but the entire campus from a malevolent force.