Shattered Reflections : Unmasking the shadows of Lucknow

Chapter 15

The Himalayan Secret House stood as a secluded sanctuary, shielded from the prying eyes of humanity by an impenetrable security system. Within its walls resided a treasure trove of concealed knowledge and historical records. Vihaan’s investigation led him to this enigmatic location, where the secrets of the past were meticulously safeguarded.

It was here that Vihaan unraveled the shocking truth about his uncle, Damien David. He discovered that Damien was the perpetrator responsible for the murders of Divyendu Tyagi, Vihaan’s own parents, and the entire Lucknow council. Damien’s malevolent actions extended further, as he orchestrated the fateful accident that claimed Raj Verma’s life and even took the life of Tara, the beloved figure Vihaan held dear.
With each revelation, the veil of secrecy surrounding Damien’s identity as the masked killer began to lift. The pieces of the intricate puzzle fell into place, exposing the depths of Damien’s malevolence. Vihaan stood at the precipice of understanding, ready to confront the man who had shattered lives and orchestrated a web of deception.

Struggling to rise once more, Vihaan’s efforts proved futile as he tumbled to the floor. Damien David, defeated, lay on the verge of death. A jagged shard of glass pierced his heart, while his face bore the scars of the chemical’s wrath. His final moments were upon him, fading away into the abyss.

In that critical juncture, Vihaan’s mind raced, recalling the haunting memory of the party where he believed he had slain Damien. However, as Vihaan gazed upon the altered visage before him, doubts clouded his conviction. Perhaps he had unwittingly taken the life of another, and it was his own delusion that cast Damien as his nemesis.
With his gun aimed steadily, Vihaan prepared to deliver justice. Yet, Damien seized a fleeting moment and uttered words that caught Vihaan’s attention. “After all, you won,” Damien uttered, acknowledging his impending demise. Vihaan pressed him for the truth, demanding to know why Damien had orchestrated the ruthless murder of his parents.

“It was merely my revenge,” Damien replied, his voice laced with a chilling conviction. Vihaan, his voice quivering with anger, implored, “Revenge for what?” Damien’s response cut through the tension, “A revenge for brotherhood.” A sinister laugh escaped Damien’s lips as Vihaan pressed further, questioning if Damien’s life flashed before his eyes.

Unperturbed, Damien retorted, “Life flashes before those who fear death, and I am not one of them.”


In the year 1988, on a fateful night of revelry, Lucknow found itself under the influence of dark forces. Following the demise of Ravi Verma, Divyendu Tyagi rose to power as the mayor. Unknown to the public, he was not only a corrupt politician but also a notorious drug addict and dealer.

Within the confines of his opulent manor, Divyendu indulged in an illicit affair with his assistant, Emilia David, who happened to be the mother of Damien and Darren David. Emilia, widowed and vulnerable, suffered numerous instances of torment at the hands of Divyendu, who exploited their secret relationship. Trapped in a desperate situation, Emilia’s children’s lives were threatened by the diabolical drug lord.

One night, Divyendu’s insatiable desires drove him to commit a heinous act against Emilia, who, in a desperate bid for self-preservation, attempted to end his life. Tragically, her efforts were in vain as Divyendu turned the tables and extinguished her life. A witness to this horrific event, the household cook met a similar fate, silenced to protect Divyendu’s sinister secret. The following day, the remaining cooks who sought to expose the truth were also eliminated, including Damien’s own sister. Divyendu’s rampage extended to the house cleaners, including Damien’s aunt and uncles, leaving no one alive who possessed knowledge of his dark deeds. In total, twenty lives were extinguished, demonstrating the depths to which a deranged mind would go in pursuit of its twisted goals.

Among the victims was a cleaner who possessed intimate knowledge of the buried bodies. Consumed by madness, he confronted Divyendu, only to have the blame cunningly shifted onto Darren, Damien’s twin brother. A warrant was issued for Darren’s arrest, accusing him of the twenty gruesome murders committed in Divyendu’s house. Desperate to evade capture, Darren fled from the relentless pursuit of the police.

Meanwhile, Damien, a member of the Lucknow council, returned home and discovered his deranged brother, teetering on the brink of madness. Darren confided in Damien, revealing the truth behind the accusations against him. Fueled by a thirst for revenge, Damien implored his brother to surrender to the police, promising that justice would eventually be served.

Assuring Darren, Damien said, “Fear not, dear brother. One day, you will be freed.”

Darren was apprehended and placed in a special cell due to his erratic behavior, while Damien’s family abandoned him entirely. Driven solely by his thirst for vengeance, Damien was prepared to venture to any lengths to fulfill his dark purpose.

His journey of retribution commenced with the calculated murder of Divyendu Tyagi. Under the cover of darkness, Damien skillfully infiltrated Divyendu’s residence, gaining access through a window. Coincidentally, a petty thief had also targeted the house that night. Rousing Divyendu from his slumber, Damien administered a lethal injection, allowing the dying man to face the consequences of his sins in his final moments.

Mocking Divyendu, Damien exclaimed, “Awaken, you wretched creature! You have slain my family and yet find solace in your sleep.”

Startled, Divyendu cried out, “Who is it?”
Damien retorted, “I am your father, you imbecile.”
As Divyendu struggled to rise, Damien injected him with a deadly drug, ensuring his imminent demise. To further obfuscate the truth, Damien staged the scene to resemble a suicide, suspending Divyendu’s lifeless body from the ceiling.
Following Divyendu Tyagi’s suicide, an attempt was made to suppress the truth by eliminating reporters who sought to expose the dark reality. Though most of them met a grim fate, one journalist managed to escape unscathed.
Among the witnesses was a thief, driven by desperation to secure funds for his daughter’s medical treatment. Determined to confess to the police, he found himself confronted by Damien, who cunningly exploited the thief’s love for his child. Faced with the threat of his daughter’s life, the thief was coerced into an unholy alliance with Damien.
Under the terms of their arrangement, the thief would carry out Damien’s bidding without the protection of a mask or hidden identity. His duties included managing foreign relations, conducting illicit business activities, and executing the targeted killings designated by Damien, who concealed his true identity behind a chilling mask.

Damien’s grand scheme revolved around the total destruction of the Lucknow council. Fuelled by an insatiable thirst for revenge, he sought to reclaim every drop of blood lost by his family, multiplied manifolded. The council members would face the wrath of Damien’s vengeance, as he unleashed a storm of chaos upon them.

In the year 1990, a deep bond existed between Damien, Guddu, and Aditya, who were the closest of friends. However, when Aditya discovered the dark truth about Damien, a heated confrontation erupted between them within their workplace. Amidst the altercation, blood was spilled from Aditya’s hand, serving as a stark reminder of the escalating tension. With a single powerful blow, Aditya swiftly incapacitated Damien, leaving him stunned and defeated. This incident occurred on the eve of the oath ceremony.
Determined to expose Damien’s sinister deeds and sins to the world, he made the decision to unveil the truth during the highly anticipated oath ceremony. Aware of the impending revelation that would tarnish his reputation, Damien resorted to desperate measures. Under the veil of darkness, he ruthlessly murdered Aditya and his wife, Avani, extinguishing any chance of their testimony against him.
Throughout his nefarious actions, Damien employed a distinct mask, a symbol of his malicious intent and his desire to conceal his true identity while carrying out his heinous acts.
In a sudden turn of events, as Damien was poised to utter something significant, Vihaan swiftly pulled the trigger, effectively ending Damien David’s life. The wintry landscape outside bore witness to this climactic moment, with snowflakes gently falling upon the mountainous terrain in the Northeast.

Vihaan, taking charge of the situation, carried Damien’s lifeless body outside and found solace beneath a towering pine tree. There, he tenderly laid Damien to rest, burying him with utmost care. In a solemn tribute, Vihaan crafted a stone cross bearing Damien’s name, serving as a lasting memorial to his fallen adversary. The act of attending the funeral of his sworn enemy demonstrated Vihaan’s embodient
honor and valor, symbolizing the essence of a true warrior.