The Secrets of the Elements

To the Past

As thunder rumbled ominously against the windowpane, rain cascaded from the darkened sky, draping the rugged ground with a watery blanket. The mighty gusts of wind whipped through the air, bending the branches of the trees in a unified direction, yielding to the relentless forces of nature.

Amidst this tempestuous backdrop, the evil king embarked on a rally, his loyal supporters trailing behind. Clad in vibrant crimson robes, they traversed the streets of the city, meticulously surveying each household that crossed their path. The night itself bore an uncanny resemblance to a haunting tale, shrouded in an atmosphere of sheer horror.

"Indra, go take the book to the sacred temple," said a woman holding a crying five-year-old in her arms.

Another woman came running from the kitchen and picked up the twin sleeping on the bed. "Dai Ma, what about the children," she said. "I'm afraid he will-"

"No," said Dai Ma. "If his people do not find the book here, they'll leave."

"Tara," said Indra as he wrapped the book in a red cloth. "Do not leave the house. I'm drawing a circle of protection for you and the children."

Tara's voice carried concern as she posed a question, her golden neckpiece shimmering as the child's hand brushed against it. The contrast of the off-white dress against the radiant accessory accentuated its allure, making the golden neckpiece truly stand out.

"What if you find yourself in need of assistance?" Tara inquired; her eyes filled with genuine care.

Indra kissed the forehead of the boy she was holding. 

"I'll accompany him," said Dai Ma. "Don't worry, Tara. Just be with the kids."

"No, Dai Ma. Stay here with Tara and the kids," insisted Indra.

"I'm a warrior, Indra," said Tara. "I can handle this."

With her almond-shaped eyes shining with determination and her long hair intricately braided, this remarkable woman exuded an undeniable aura of courage and bravery. 

Indra kissed both his children and hugged his wife. "I will see you soon, boys," he said as he gave them a last look and headed towards the kitchen window.

"Tara, do not leave the house. Protect the kids. I'm with Indra," assured Dai Ma.

"Dai Ma, if anything happens to me, please protect my kids at any cost," pleaded Tara.

"Until my last breath," said Dai Ma and jumped out from the small kitchen window.

                                                            ~~~~~~

"Come to the temple, KH," read Maya.

Ray examined the stone that had come along with the paper. "Who would have thrown it?"

"Let's check the CCTV footage," suggested Tej and picked up his phone.

"Is it connected to your phone?" asked Zarna. 

"Yes," answered Advika.

Tej played the footage which covered the entrance and fence of his house.

"Wait, wait," said Advika and hit the rewind button.

"O, My God!" said Zarna and covered her mouth with her hand.

"It's just the stone covered with the paper breaking the glass," said Ray. "There is no one throwing it. Is it some spirit?" he wondered and looked at Maya.

"The meter only detects ghosts or spirits live," she said. "It cannot tell you whether there was a spirit in the past."

"But what does KH mean?" wondered Zarna.

"Those guys, they were, Rutuja, Daksh, and Rishi," said Maya. "And they probably are still stuck somewhere otherwise we would have faced another attack by now."

"What if this is a trap?" quizzed Ray. "Quite possible," added Tej.

"What's the matter? Adu?" said Zarna.

Advika touched the paper and examined the writing on it.

"You see this paper, and this writing," she began. "This paper seems to be a century old. And this writing, it's ink. Who uses ink nowadays?"

"But this can be a trick by those three," said Maya.

"Should we go to the temple or not, then?" questioned Zarna.

"But it doesn't tell the time. It's just come to the temple," remarked Ray.

"Exactly, we can't go in the daylight because it's not allowed," said Advika.

"How can they treat a temple like a personal property?" wondered Zarna.

"If it holds so many secrets, they have to," added Maya.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello lovely Readers,

Hope you're enjoying the story.

What do you think, who is this KH?

And will the five go to the temple, or no?

Until the next update. Stay tuned.