Chapter 3
The morning sun burned away the remnants of last night’s storm, casting long shadows across the streets of Imphal. The city hummed with its usual rhythm—buses rattling along the roads, vendors hawking their goods, and students hurrying to class. But Ajit couldn’t shake the sense that something darker was at play beneath the surface.
He stood at a street stall, sipping a steaming cup of chai while Rajesh typed furiously on his laptop beside him. They’d chosen the stall for its anonymity—tucked into a corner near the university, it was busy enough to blend in but quiet enough to talk.
“So, what do we have?” Ajit asked, keeping his voice low.
Rajesh adjusted his glasses, his face illuminated by the glow of his screen. “I’ve been pulling double shifts on this. Found more breadcrumbs, but they lead to some sketchy places.”
“Define ‘sketchy,’” Ajit said, his eyes scanning the street for anything unusual.
“Deep web forums. Black-market tech deals. Prakash’s name doesn’t show up directly, but the same aliases keep popping up: ‘NagaLab,’ ‘Asura Prime.’ Someone’s buying cutting-edge gear under the radar, and the patterns line up with his timeline.”
Ajit frowned. “Any idea what the endgame is?”
Rajesh shook his head. “Not yet. But based on the drones, the transmitter, and what little we know about Project Asura, it’s big. Like, take-over-the-city big.”
Before Ajit could respond, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced at the screen—Padmini.
“Hold on,” he said to Rajesh, stepping away to answer.
“Ajit,” Padmini said, her voice tinged with urgency. “Are you on campus?”
“Not yet. Why?”
“You need to get here. Now,” she said. “Something’s happening at the main fountain. People are getting sick.”
Ajit’s heart sank. “Sick how?”
“I don’t know—nausea, dizziness. Some of them collapsed. The whole area’s cordoned off.”
“I’m on my way,” Ajit said, ending the call. He turned back to Rajesh, who was already closing his laptop.
“What’s up?” Rajesh asked.
“Trouble at the campus fountain. Sounds like it might be an attack.”
“Figures,” Rajesh muttered, grabbing his bag. “Let’s move.”
By the time they reached the campus, the fountain was surrounded by police tape, and a crowd had gathered despite the officers’ attempts to keep them back. Students whispered anxiously, their eyes darting toward the motionless figures being loaded onto stretchers.
Ajit pushed through the crowd, Rajesh close behind. The faint hum of his snake sense grew stronger with each step.
“Over here!” Padmini called from the edge of the barricade.
She looked pale, her notebook clutched tightly in her hands. “It started about half an hour ago,” she said as they approached. “A group of students drank from the fountain, and then… this.”
Ajit’s eyes followed hers to the water, which shimmered unnaturally under the sunlight. He stepped closer, his enhanced vision picking up faint traces of movement in the liquid.
“Rajesh,” Ajit said, his voice sharp, “get a sample.”
Rajesh hesitated. “Uh, you sure? That stuff doesn’t exactly scream ‘safe.’”
“I’ll handle it,” Ajit said, pulling a small vial from his bag.
He moved toward the barricade, his snake sense flaring as he approached the fountain. The water’s surface rippled unnaturally, and a faint chemical smell wafted into the air. Carefully, Ajit dipped the vial into the fountain, collecting a small sample before retreating.
“What do you think it is?” Padmini asked, watching him closely.
Ajit capped the vial and handed it to Rajesh. “Not sure, but I don’t think it’s natural. Can you analyze it?”
Rajesh nodded, already slipping the vial into his kit. “I’ll head back to the lab. Call me if anything else happens.”
As Rajesh hurried off, Padmini stepped closer to Ajit. “You seem… different,” she said, her voice low.
Ajit tensed. “What do you mean?”
“You knew exactly what to do,” she said. “And the way you moved, the way you looked at the water—it’s like you’ve done this before.”
Ajit forced a chuckle. “Just paying attention in biology class.”
Padmini didn’t look convinced, but before she could press further, a commotion erupted near the barricade.
One of the officers had collapsed, clutching his throat as his face turned a sickly shade of green. The crowd recoiled, panic spreading like wildfire.
Ajit’s snake sense surged, sharp and insistent. He turned toward the fountain, his eyes narrowing. Something—or someone—was behind this.
And they were still close.
The tension around the fountain erupted into chaos. Students screamed and stumbled over one another, pushing back against the barricades as more people collapsed. Ajit’s snake sense buzzed louder now, the warning as clear as a fire alarm. Whatever was happening, it wasn’t over.
“Everyone, move back!” a police officer shouted, trying to restore order. But the growing panic made it impossible.
Ajit turned to Padmini. “Get out of here. Find a safe spot and stay put.”
“What about you?” she asked, her voice tight with concern.
“I’ll be fine,” Ajit said firmly. “Just go.”
Padmini hesitated, her eyes searching his, before nodding reluctantly and disappearing into the dispersing crowd.
Ajit turned back to the fountain, stepping over the barricade before anyone could stop him. The faint chemical smell was stronger now, mixing with the sour stench of bile from the affected victims.
“Sir, you can’t be here!” an officer called out, moving toward him.
Ajit ignored the warning, his eyes fixed on the shimmering water. His enhanced vision caught subtle changes in the liquid’s surface—a faint swirl of iridescent colors, like oil on water, but moving with a deliberate rhythm.
“Poison,” he muttered to himself, crouching near the fountain’s edge. The venomous aura in the air was unmistakable, tingling against his heightened senses.
The officer approached, reaching for his arm. “Sir, I said—”
“Stay back!” Ajit snapped, his snake sense flaring violently.
Before the officer could respond, the water in the fountain began to churn violently, frothing and bubbling as if alive. The crowd gasped, and a few onlookers screamed as the water suddenly shot upward, forming a towering column that twisted unnaturally in the air.
Ajit stood his ground, his fists clenching instinctively as a shape began to emerge from the water.
The column split apart, cascading back into the fountain and revealing a man standing in its center. His body was covered in scales the color of tarnished brass, his eyes glowing a sickly green. He moved with a serpentine grace, his long, clawed fingers flexing as he surveyed the crowd.
“Greetings, little mortals,” the man said, his voice low and rasping, like a hiss carried on the wind. “I am Karkota, herald of chaos. And you… are trespassing in my domain.”
Ajit felt a surge of recognition—the name Karkota was steeped in mythology, a serpent known for venom and treachery. But this wasn’t just a story come to life. The man before him radiated danger, his presence setting every nerve in Ajit’s body on edge.
The crowd backed away further, their fear palpable. The officers drew their weapons, but Karkota’s laughter stopped them cold.
“Guns?” Karkota said, his lips curling into a sneer. “How quaint.”
He raised one hand, and the water around him surged outward in a wave. The officers scrambled to avoid it, but the liquid turned to mist midair, enveloping them in a thick, noxious cloud. One by one, they dropped to the ground, coughing violently.
Ajit stepped forward, his voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through him. “Leave them alone.”
Karkota turned his glowing eyes on Ajit, tilting his head like a predator assessing its prey. “And who are you to issue commands, little worm?”
Ajit smirked, rolling his shoulders as he stepped closer. “Someone who’s about to send you back where you came from.”
The serpent-man’s laughter echoed across the plaza. “Bold. But you’re no match for me.”
“Let’s find out,” Ajit said, his voice sharp.
Karkota lunged, his movements a blur as his claws slashed through the air. Ajit dodged to the side, his enhanced reflexes carrying him out of harm’s way. He countered with a burst of venom from his palm, aiming for Karkota’s face.
The serpent-man hissed in anger as the venom sizzled against his scales, leaving dark, corroded marks. But the attack only seemed to enrage him.
“You’ll regret that,” Karkota snarled, his body twisting unnaturally as he lashed out again.
Ajit ducked, narrowly avoiding the swipe, and landed a solid punch to Karkota’s midsection. The impact staggered the serpent-man, but he recovered quickly, his glowing eyes narrowing.
“You’re not just human,” Karkota said, his tone shifting to one of curiosity. “Interesting.”
Ajit didn’t respond. He moved with precision, circling Karkota and looking for an opening. The serpent-man’s movements were fast but erratic, leaving brief windows of vulnerability.
Karkota struck again, his claws aimed for Ajit’s throat. Ajit caught his wrist mid-swing, using his enhanced strength to twist Karkota’s arm and throw him backward into the fountain.
The water exploded outward as Karkota hit the surface, but the serpent-man rose again, unharmed and smiling.
“This isn’t over,” Karkota said, his voice dripping with malice. “Not by a long shot.”
Before Ajit could move, Karkota raised both hands, and the fountain erupted in a blinding column of water that enveloped him completely. When the water collapsed, Karkota was gone, leaving only ripples behind.
Ajit stood motionless, his breathing heavy. His snake sense was quiet now, the immediate danger gone.
The plaza was in chaos, the affected victims still writhing on the ground. Ajit clenched his fists, his mind racing.
This wasn’t a random attack. Karkota had a purpose—and he’d be back.
The plaza was a chaotic mess, with police officers and medics scrambling to aid the victims of Karkota’s attack. Students had backed away to the far edges, their whispers filled with fear and speculation.
Ajit crouched near one of the fallen officers, his enhanced senses zeroing in on the symptoms. The man’s skin had turned pale, his veins darkened like ink spreading under his flesh. He coughed violently, gasping for air.
“Poison,” Ajit muttered under his breath, recognizing the signs immediately.
Padmini emerged from the crowd, her expression a mix of worry and confusion. “Ajit, what just happened? Who was that?”
He hesitated, the weight of the truth pressing down on him. “Someone dangerous,” he said finally, keeping his voice low. “And this wasn’t random.”
“Random or not, we have people collapsing left and right!” she said, her frustration evident. “What are we supposed to do?”
“I have an idea,” Ajit said, straightening. “Stay with the victims. I’ll be back.”
“Wait, where are you going?”
Ajit didn’t answer. He pushed through the crowd and jogged toward the science block, his mind racing.
Rajesh was hunched over his laptop in the small lab space they’d commandeered, surrounded by scattered equipment and cables. He looked up as Ajit burst through the door.
“Let me guess,” Rajesh said, closing the lid of a soda bottle. “Something worse just happened.”
“Karkota,” Ajit said, dropping into a chair. “He poisoned the fountain. People are dropping like flies.”
Rajesh frowned. “Karkota? That serpent guy from mythology?”
“He’s real, and he’s dangerous,” Ajit said, pulling the sample vial from his pocket. “We need to analyze this now. There’s a chance we can synthesize an antidote.”
Rajesh took the vial, holding it up to the light. The liquid inside shimmered faintly, almost alive. “Yeah, this is definitely some next-level stuff. Let me run it through the spectrometer.”
He set the vial into the machine and began typing furiously. As the device whirred to life, Ajit paced the room, his fists clenching and unclenching.
“Why now?” he muttered. “Why target the campus?”
Rajesh glanced up. “If this guy’s working with Prakash, maybe it’s part of the bigger plan. Or maybe he just wanted to make a statement.”
Ajit stopped pacing, his jaw tightening. “Whatever the reason, it’s on me to stop him.”
“Easy there, hero,” Rajesh said, his tone light but his expression serious. “You’re strong, yeah, but this guy sounds like he’s in your league. Maybe even above it.”
Ajit exhaled sharply, forcing himself to calm down. “Just focus on the analysis. We’ll figure out the rest later.”
The spectrometer beeped, and Rajesh leaned closer to the screen. His brow furrowed as the data filled the display.
“Okay, so this isn’t just venom,” he said. “It’s a hybrid toxin—a mix of natural and synthetic compounds. Whoever made this knows their biochemistry.”
“Can you neutralize it?” Ajit asked.
“Maybe,” Rajesh said, typing rapidly. “I’ll need some time. This stuff is complex, but I think I can break it down into its components and reverse-engineer a counteragent.”
Ajit nodded. “How long?”
“Couple of hours, if I don’t screw it up,” Rajesh said. “Maybe less if you stop hovering.”
Ajit smirked despite himself. “I’ll head back to the plaza and see what I can do to keep things under control. Call me the second you have something.”
“You got it,” Rajesh said, already lost in his work.
Back at the plaza, the situation was deteriorating. Medics worked frantically to stabilize the victims, but without an antidote, their efforts were limited. Ajit scanned the crowd, his snake sense on high alert.
Padmini approached him, her face pale but determined. “The paramedics are saying they can’t do much without knowing what’s in the water. Please tell me you have a plan.”
Ajit hesitated, then nodded. “Rajesh is working on it. If he can crack the toxin, we’ll have an antidote soon.”
“And what if it’s too late?” she asked, her voice wavering.
“It won’t be,” Ajit said firmly, though the weight of her words pressed down on him.
A commotion near the fountain drew his attention. One of the fallen students had started convulsing, his limbs jerking violently as foam bubbled from his mouth. The medics rushed to restrain him, their movements desperate.
Ajit’s snake sense flared, sharper than before. This wasn’t just a reaction to the toxin—there was something more at play.
He moved closer, his enhanced senses zeroing in on the convulsing student. The darkened veins under the boy’s skin pulsed rhythmically, as if something were moving within them.
“Padmini,” Ajit said quietly. “Get everyone back. Now.”
She didn’t question him, turning to shout at the crowd. The medics hesitated but began pulling back, dragging the convulsing student with them.
Ajit stepped closer to the fountain, his eyes narrowing. The water’s surface rippled unnaturally, and the faint chemical scent in the air grew stronger.
“Karkota,” he muttered, his voice low.
The water began to churn again, sending small waves lapping over the fountain’s edge. Ajit tensed, readying himself for another attack.
But instead of Karkota, the water surged upward in a smaller column, forming a snake-like shape that writhed in the air before collapsing into the fountain.
Ajit stepped back, his mind racing. The attack wasn’t over.
It was only beginning.
The unnatural rippling of the fountain’s water slowed but didn’t stop, its surface shifting as though alive. The faint chemical smell hung heavy in the air, a toxic warning. Ajit’s instincts screamed at him—something was still there, lurking just beneath the surface.
The convulsing student had quieted, his body limp as medics worked frantically to stabilize him. Padmini stood with the other onlookers, her face pale but resolute.
Ajit stepped closer to the fountain, his movements deliberate. His snake sense buzzed with intensity, warning him that the danger hadn’t passed.
“Ajit,” Padmini called out, her voice taut with concern. “What are you doing? Get back!”
“Not yet,” Ajit said without turning.
He crouched near the fountain’s edge, his enhanced vision catching faint trails of energy in the water. It wasn’t just poisoned—it was being manipulated. Karkota had left more than a mark.
The water shifted suddenly, small tendrils curling upward like grasping fingers before collapsing back into ripples. Ajit’s hand shot out instinctively, releasing a burst of venom into the pool.
The reaction was immediate. The venom sizzled on contact, and the water recoiled, as though it were alive and in pain. A low hissing sound echoed from the fountain, unnatural and grating.
The crowd gasped, their fear rippling outward like a wave.
“What was that?” Padmini asked, stepping closer despite the panic in her voice.
Ajit didn’t answer. His eyes remained locked on the water, which had begun to churn violently once again. The surface rose in another column, but this time, it didn’t collapse. Instead, it formed a new shape—long, sinuous, and unmistakably serpentine.
The water-serpent lashed out, striking toward the nearest group of onlookers.
“Get back!” Ajit shouted, moving with lightning speed.
He leaped between the serpent and its target, raising his arms to shield the panicked students. The serpent collided with him, the impact sending a shockwave through his body. It felt like being struck by liquid steel—fluid but unyielding.
Ajit staggered but held his ground. The serpent hissed, its glowing green eyes boring into him as it coiled back for another strike.
“Ajit!” Padmini cried out, her voice breaking.
He didn’t look back. His focus remained on the writhing creature before him. It wasn’t just water—it was an extension of Karkota’s will, a remnant of the serpent-man’s venomous power.
The serpent struck again, faster this time. Ajit dodged to the side, his enhanced reflexes saving him by a hair’s breadth. He countered with a venom spray, aiming for the serpent’s head.
The venom struck true, and the creature hissed in agony, its form flickering like a glitch in a projection. But it didn’t disappear. Instead, it grew larger, its coils thickening as it drew more water from the fountain.
Ajit clenched his fists, frustration building. Every attack only seemed to make it stronger.
“Rajesh,” he muttered under his breath, activating his earpiece. “Please tell me you’ve got something.”
Rajesh’s voice crackled to life. “Working on it! I’m close to synthesizing the antidote, but—what’s happening? Your feed’s glitching!”
“Karkota left a parting gift,” Ajit said grimly, dodging another strike. “A water construct. It’s attacking the plaza.”
“A water construct? Seriously?”
“No time for commentary!” Ajit snapped, diving behind a nearby bench as the serpent smashed through a row of barricades.
“Okay, okay!” Rajesh said. “If it’s tied to the poison, neutralizing the toxin should weaken it. But I’m not ready yet!”
“Then hurry,” Ajit said, his voice taut.
The serpent lunged again, and Ajit met it head-on. This time, he shifted tactics. Instead of attacking directly, he used his agility to evade, drawing the serpent’s strikes away from the crowd. The creature’s movements were predictable, almost mechanical, but its speed and strength made it relentless.
“Come on,” Ajit muttered, leaping onto a statue and baiting the serpent into following him.
The creature lashed out, its watery coils smashing into the statue and shattering it into chunks of stone. Ajit used the distraction to vault over the serpent, landing behind it.
“Ajit!” Padmini shouted. “It’s coming back!”
The serpent turned, its glowing eyes locking onto him once more. Ajit braced himself, his mind racing for a solution.
“Rajesh,” he said through gritted teeth, “I can’t hold this thing off forever!”
“I’m sending the antidote formula to the medics now,” Rajesh said. “They’ll load it into the sprayers. Just keep that thing busy!”
Ajit smirked grimly. “No problem.”
The serpent lunged again, its movements a blur. Ajit rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding its strike, and countered with a venom-coated punch to its body. The venom disrupted the creature’s form momentarily, giving him enough time to put some distance between them.
From the corner of his eye, he saw medics rushing toward the fountain with large spray tanks strapped to their backs.
“Rajesh, they’re in position,” Ajit said.
“Good. Tell them to spray directly into the fountain. If the construct is tied to the toxin, breaking the source should destroy it.”
Ajit relayed the message, shouting at the medics over the din of the serpent’s hissing and thrashing. The first sprayer activated, releasing a fine mist of antidote into the water.
The reaction was immediate. The serpent recoiled, its body flickering violently as the antidote disrupted its structure. It writhed in agony, its form shrinking and collapsing with each passing second.
Ajit seized the opportunity, delivering a final strike to the serpent’s head with a concentrated burst of venom. The creature let out a deafening hiss before disintegrating into a spray of harmless water.
The plaza fell silent. The crowd stared in stunned disbelief as the fountain returned to its still, lifeless state.
Ajit straightened, his chest heaving. His snake sense was quiet now, the danger finally passed.
“Nice work,” Rajesh said in his ear. “That was… intense.”
“Understatement of the year,” Ajit muttered, brushing water from his jacket.
Padmini approached him, her eyes wide. “What just happened? How did you…?”
Ajit glanced at her, his mind racing for an answer that wouldn’t reveal too much. “It’s a long story,” he said finally.
She didn’t look satisfied, but before she could press further, a medic approached.
“We stabilized the victims,” the medic said. “Thanks to that antidote, they should recover.”
Ajit nodded, relief washing over him. But his victory felt hollow. Karkota was still out there, and the attack on the fountain had been just a prelude.
This was only the beginning.
The crowd had begun to disperse, though a lingering tension remained in the air. Students whispered in hushed tones, their eyes darting to the fountain and then back to Ajit. The medics worked swiftly, loading the last of the stabilized victims into ambulances, while the police cordoned off the plaza entirely.
Ajit wiped his damp hands on his jeans, exhaustion beginning to creep in. The serpent construct was gone, but the bigger threat loomed like a storm cloud on the horizon.
“Ajit.”
He turned to see Padmini standing nearby, her arms crossed. Her expression was a mix of concern and suspicion.
“What happened back there?” she asked, her voice low enough that no one else could hear. “You were… different. Faster, stronger. And that thing—it went straight for you.”
Ajit hesitated, his mind racing for an explanation. “I don’t know,” he said finally, avoiding her gaze. “Maybe it saw me as a threat.”
Padmini frowned. “Don’t lie to me, Ajit. I’ve known you too long to believe that. You’re hiding something, and I want to know what it is.”
Before he could respond, Rajesh’s voice crackled through his earpiece. “Ajit, you there? You’re gonna want to see this.”
Ajit placed a hand over the earpiece, glancing at Padmini. “I’ll explain later. Right now, I need to check on something.”
She stepped closer, her voice firm. “You always say that. But you never do.”
Ajit’s jaw tightened. “I will. Just… trust me, okay?”
Padmini looked at him for a long moment before stepping back, her frustration evident. “Fine. But this isn’t over.”
Ajit nodded and turned, walking briskly toward the science block.
The lab was dimly lit, the glow from Rajesh’s monitors casting shadows across the cluttered desks. He was hunched over his laptop, his fingers flying across the keyboard.
“What do you have?” Ajit asked as he entered, shutting the door behind him.
Rajesh didn’t look up. “Pulled footage from the plaza security cameras and cross-referenced it with traffic feeds. Check this out.”
He tapped a key, and the screen filled with grainy footage of a figure in a dark coat moving through the plaza just before the attack. They carried a small case, which they placed near the fountain before slipping away into the crowd.
“That’s our guy,” Rajesh said, pointing to the screen. “Or at least the one who planted whatever poisoned the fountain.”
Ajit leaned closer, studying the figure. “Can you enhance it?”
“Already did,” Rajesh said, pulling up a closer view. The figure’s face was mostly obscured by a hood, but the faint outline of scaly skin was visible beneath the shadow.
“Karkota,” Ajit said, his tone grim.
“Yep. And guess where he went after the plaza?”
Rajesh switched to another video feed, showing the same figure entering a nondescript building on the outskirts of the city.
Ajit’s snake sense tingled faintly as he watched. “What’s the building?”
“Some kind of old storage facility,” Rajesh said. “But get this—it’s owned by a shell company. One that ties back to, you guessed it, Prakash’s research fund.”
Ajit exhaled sharply, his suspicions solidifying into certainty. “It’s not just Karkota. Prakash is behind all of this.”
Rajesh leaned back in his chair. “If this is where they’re operating from, it’s your best shot at finding out what they’re planning. But you can’t just waltz in there. They’ll be ready for you.”
Ajit nodded. “I’ll need to prepare. And I’ll need backup.”
Rajesh raised an eyebrow. “Backup? As in… me?”
“Who else?” Ajit smirked.
Rajesh groaned. “Of course. Fine. But if I get eaten by a water-snake, I’m haunting you forever.”
Later that evening, Ajit sat on the rooftop of his building, the cool night air washing over him. Below, the city lights shimmered like distant stars, masking the dangers lurking beneath.
He flexed his hands, venom pooling at his fingertips. His powers had grown stronger, sharper, but so had the threats he faced.
The attack at the plaza had been a warning, a small piece of the larger puzzle Prakash was building. Karkota was a formidable opponent, but Prakash was the real danger—a man who saw humanity’s limits as chains to be broken, no matter the cost.
Ajit clenched his fists. Whatever Prakash was planning, he’d be ready.
He had to be.