Aniruddh Iyer Chapter 1: Shadows of the Bronze The morning air in Kanchipuram was heavy with a strange silence, one that usually didn’t belong in the bustling temple town. The sun had barely risen over the ancient skyline of gopurams, and the air still smelled faintly of incense and jasmine. At the revered Kailasanathar Temple, an elderly priest named Ganapathy Iyer unlocked the sanctum doors with his usual devotion, murmuring slokas under his breath, but as he stepped into the inner chamber, he froze. His breath caught, the key slipped from his trembling fingers, clattering against the stone floor. The…