And just like that, I was back.

The air felt heavy and still as my surroundings came into focus. I was inside the temple again. The ancient carvings on the walls, the faint smell of incense, and the dim glow of the torches flickering against the stone pillars were all exactly as I had left them.

The mirror stood before me, whole and silent, as if it had never been broken. The last traces of light from its restoration faded into the stillness of the room, leaving me in a stunned silence.

I stood there, frozen, trying to process what had just happened. My knees felt weak, and before I realized it, I sank to the cold stone floor, my breath coming in shallow gasps. My heart was pounding so hard that I could hear it echoing in my ears.

"It wasn't a dream," I whispered to myself, the words trembling as they left my lips.

That's when I noticed my phone lying a few feet away, right where I had left it before stepping through the barrier. I crawled toward it, my hands trembling as I picked it up. The screen was still on, and the video I had been recording was playing-unchanged, uninterrupted, as if no time had passed.

I stared at the screen in disbelief. The timestamp was the same as when I had crossed the barrier. I rewound the video, watching myself walk toward the mirror, then - now . My voice, my movements-they were all there. But the moment I vanished, the video just showed like I was never gone , the camera still recording the silence.

"This... this can't be possible," I murmured, my voice barely audible.

But it was. I could feel it in every fiber of my being. The cold sensation of crossing the barrier, the weight of the shard in my hand, the man lying lifeless in the other world , Him -it was all real.

I turned my gaze back to the mirror. It stood there, whole and unbroken, its surface reflecting the dim light of the temple. The intricate carvings around its frame seemed to glow faintly, as if they were alive. My reflection stared back at me, but it felt different now.

I reached out hesitantly, my fingers brushing against the cool glass. There was no shimmer, no resistance, no sign of the barrier I had crossed. The mirror was just... a mirror now.

"I actually traveled to another era," I said aloud, the words tasting strange on my tongue.

I sat back on my heels, the weight of the realization crashing over me like a tidal wave. My mind raced with questions. How was it possible? Why me? Who was the man on the other side really , and why was the shard so important?

The memories of the other world flooded back. The barren landscape, the lifeless man, the shard cutting into my palm, and... him. The man who couldn't cross the barrier but stayed behind, watching me with that mix of worry and determination.

I was in the royal princess clothes . I touched my palm where the shard had nicked me. The cut was still there, faint but undeniable. A small dried streak of blood confirmed it wasn't my imagination. It wasn't a dream .

I looked around the temple, half-expecting someone to appear, some divine figure to explain what had just happened. But the room remained silent, save for the faint crackle of the torches.

The mirror, now whole, seemed to mock me with its stillness. It had been the gateway, the link between two worlds, and now it stood silent, offering no answers.

"What now?" I whispered, my voice echoing softly in the empty space.

I stood up slowly, my legs shaky but determined. I walked closer to the mirror, inspecting it carefully. Every detail of its surface was flawless, from the delicate carvings of mythical creatures around the frame to the smooth, reflective glass.

I pressed my hand against it again, harder this time, as if willing to respond. Nothing happened.

Frustration bubbled up inside me. "You brought me there," I said, my voice rising. "You showed me that world. You can't just stop now!" I knew I was being greedy here !! Still I'm an archeologist . I should have learnt more about the era .

The mirror remained silent, its surface unyielding.

I stepped back, running a hand through my hair as I tried to calm my racing thoughts. There had to be a reason for all of this.

My phone buzzed in my hand, snapping me out of my thoughts. It was a message from my best friend.

"Where are you? You've been gone for hours."

Hours? I glanced at the time on my phone. Ma will kill me today for sure .

I typed back a quick response, saying I was at the temple and would explain everything later. But how could I explain something I didn't fully understand myself?

I clutched my phone tightly, the video still playing in my hand. I would watch it again later, analyze every second of it, but for now, I needed to think.

Gathering myself, I picked up my phone and dusted off my clothes. My thoughts were still in the past as I made my way home.

As soon as I entered, Maa's sharp voice greeted me. "Aranya! Where have you been? I've been calling you for hours."

"I... I lost track of time at the temple- the site ," I replied sheepishly, offering a small smile. She gave me a gentle scolding about being careless before softening and asking if I had eaten.

After a quick freshening up, I came back to the living room, still in the royal attire. I was tired but couldn't bear to part with the clothes just yet.

"These?" Maa asked, her brows raised as she looked me up and down.

"Oh, I bought them recently," I lied, my voice calm despite the growing lump in my throat.

Papa, who had been reading the newspaper, glanced at me. His gaze was sharp, the kind of scrutiny only a professor and archaeologist could manage. "Interesting choice. They're unique, almost antique."

I smiled nervously. Convincing them wasn't going to be easy. "I thought they'd look good for festivals," I added casually.

Maa seemed to buy it, though she gave me a lingering look before turning back to her chores.

Later, I went to the pooja room, where the Shivaratri rituals were about to begin. The room smelled of incense and fresh flowers. Maa had arranged an intricate offering of bel leaves, milk, honey, and fruits. The shivling was adorned with marigold garlands, and the diya cast a warm, flickering glow across the room.

I joined my parents in the chants, the rhythmic sound of the mantra soothing yet leaving my mind restless. My thoughts kept drifting back to him-Rudraksha Veeraditya. Was everything okay after I left? Did I disrupt anything?

After the pooja, we had prasad, and I excused myself, citing tiredness. "I'll rest for a while," I told Maa and Papa, who nodded, their attention still on the pooja room.

In my room, I stood before the full-sized mirror, staring at my reflection. My royal attire was still pristine, and the cut from the glass shard on my palm was a stark reminder of what had happened.

"It wasn't a dream," I whispered to myself, my voice trembling. "I really time-traveled."

The ancient mirror was the reason. It had to be. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing thoughts. "But what if I hadn't come back? What if I stayed longer?"

My phone buzzed, pulling me out of my thoughts. The battery was low, so I plugged it in and checked the video again. To my shock, it showed nothing unusual. It was as though the mirror had never glowed, and I had never stepped through it.

Frustrated and confused, I texted Sandhya: Let's meet tomorrow morning. I need to talk.

Sleep overtook me quickly, my mind still swirling with questions.

The next morning, I woke to Maa calling me for breakfast. The smell of aloo parathas filled the air as I made my way to the dining table. Papa was already reading the book , and Maa was serving tea.

"Eat quickly. You'll be late," Maa reminded me.

After breakfast, I grabbed my bag and said goodbye. "I'll see you both in the evening."

At my office, I felt a strange unease. The room seemed different. I knew every artifact and document in here like the back of my hand, but something felt off. There were items I didn't recognize, small additions that didn't belong.

Before I could dwell on it, a knock interrupted my thoughts.

"Come in," I called, and Sandhya walked in, her usual bright smile in place.

She hugged me tightly. "Good morning, Aaru!"

"Good morning," I replied, hugging her back.

We sat down, and I wasted no time. "Sandhya, I need to tell you something, but promise you won't think I'm crazy."

Her smile faltered slightly. "You're scaring me. What is it?"

I recounted everything-stepping into the mirror, the kingdom of Vyantara, Rudraksha Veeraditya. Her expression shifted from disbelief to concern.

When I finished, she stared at me, silent for a moment. Then she asked, "Why are you calling Vyantara a myth kingdom?"

"What?" I blinked in confusion. "Because it is. It's just folklore. It doesn't exist in history."

Sandhya frowned, got up, and walked to my bookshelf. She pulled out a thick book with a bold title: The Legendary Vyantara Period: A Historical Account.

"What is this?" I asked, taking the book from her.

"Are you sure you're okay, Aaru?" she asked, placing a hand on my forehead as if checking for a fever.

I ignored her and opened the book. My hands trembled as I read the detailed descriptions of the kingdom I had visited. Vyantara was described as the most powerful kingdom of its time, feared and revered.

The text mentioned Rudraksha Veeraditya as ruthless, merciless, and heartless. It stated that he never married, waiting for someone until his last breath. His death was shrouded in mystery.

I closed the book, my mind racing. Did I change history?

Sandhya left shortly after, saying she had meetings to attend. She didn't comment further on my story, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I leaned back in my chair, staring at the book. "What have I done?" I whispered to myself.

The day passed in my usual routine as an archaeologist, but my mind was preoccupied. Details about him, his kingdom, and his era kept surfacing in my thoughts. What unsettled me the most was how my life seemed to have subtly shifted. Artifacts related to the Vyantara Kingdom were now part of my institute-portraits of Rudraksha Veeraditya, scrolls recounting his reign, and even poems and stories celebrating his rule. These items had not existed before.

It felt as though the timeline had rewritten itself. After I left, the kingdom had been freed from its loop and firmly etched into history. Yet, one glaring question remained unanswered: Why was the temple still abandoned? If Vyantara was so significant, why hadn't historians or archaeologists secured the site? Why did no one even know about it?

Evening came, and it was time to leave the institute. As I stepped outside, I saw Sandhya waiting for me. She leaned casually against her car, but her expression betrayed her curiosity.

"You didn't believe me, did you?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

She gave a nervous smile, rubbing the back of her neck. "I mean... it's not that I don't believe you. It's just-"

"Okay, come with me," I interrupted, sighing.

Sandhya followed me home, where Maa and Papa greeted her warmly. They adored her and always treated her like their own daughter. After some lighthearted teasing, we excused ourselves and went to my room.

She sat on the bed, her eyes darting around. "Alright, Aaru. Show me what you've got."

I pulled out the clothes and jewelry I had worn in Vyantara. The intricate designs, the antique craftsmanship-it was all too real to dismiss. Sandhya's jaw dropped as she examined the items.

"This... this is real. Where did you find these?" she asked, her voice laced with disbelief.

"I told you," I said firmly. "I'm not lying. I really time-traveled. And I think I might have changed history a little."

Her gaze shifted to the cut on my palm, which I showed her as further proof. She stared at it, then back at me, her expression a mix of shock and curiosity.

"Okay," she said after a moment. "Let's go to the place where you found the temple."

I nodded, grabbing my bag. This time, I didn't need the old manuscript to guide me-I remembered the way perfectly.

When we reached the site, I froze. The temple was gone.

The clearing where it had stood last night was now an empty patch of land. No ruins, no structure-nothing.

"What the..." I whispered, taking a step forward.

Sandhya placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Aaru, it's okay. Don't stress. Let's go home and think this through."

I nodded numbly, though my mind was racing. What was happening? Had I imagined everything? Was it all some elaborate hallucination?

On the drive back, Sandhya broke the silence. "Maybe... maybe the temple also transported to another era. You know, like a ripple effect or something?"

I didn't reply, too lost in my thoughts.

Back in my room, we were greeted by a shocking sight.

The mirror-the ancient mirror-was no longer where I had left it. Instead, it now stood on the opposite side of the room, towering over everything. Its ornate frame gleamed in the dim light, and its size seemed even larger than before, nearly touching the ceiling.

I screamed.

Sandhya screamed right after me, her eyes wide in terror.

"What the hell, Aaru? How is this here?" she asked, backing away from the mirror.

"I... I don't know!" I stammered.

My heart raced as I cautiously approached the mirror. I gestured toward it. "You still don't believe me?"

She just nodded, too stunned to speak.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped out of the room and called out to Maa. "Did you move anything in my room?"

"No, beta," she replied from the kitchen. "Why? Is something wrong?"

I hesitated, then forced a laugh. "No, no. Sandhya and I were just pranking each other. It's fine."

Maa chuckled. "Come to the kitchen and grab some cookies for you two."

I returned to my room with a plate of cookies. Sandhya was sitting on the bed, as far away from the mirror as possible.

We sat in silence, facing the mirror as we ate. Finally, she broke the silence. "Alright, Aaru. I believe you. But... why? Why did the mirror follow you? How?"

"I don't know," I admitted, staring at the mirror. "And the worst part is, it doesn't even work anymore. I tried touching it earlier, but nothing happened."

Sandhya tilted her head. "Maybe you did something specific the first time. Think back."

I frowned, trying to remember. Then it hit me. The thorn. The small cut on my hand. Blood.

I stood abruptly, grabbing the book I had brought from the institute. As I flipped through its pages, a stray edge nicked my finger. A tiny bead of blood appeared, and I instinctively sucked on it.

"Aaru!" Sandhya called out.

I turned to her, confused. Her eyes were fixed on the mirror. It was glowing.

The ornate frame pulsed with a soft, golden light, and the surface shimmered like liquid silver. My heart pounded as realization dawned.

"It's the blood," I whispered.

"What?" Sandhya asked, her voice shaking.

"The first time I entered the mirror, I got a small cut from a thorn. I think... I think the mirror reacts to my blood."

Before she could respond, I reached out and touched the mirror. This time, my hand didn't meet glass. It passed through.

The world around me dissolved into darkness once more.