Nature in Hiding

32- Destroyer and A Protector

They all walked ahead with no particular direction and with no idea of what their future held. Roads were almost empty, so the elements could walk in peace without being afraid of getting caught. Yet they still wore the masks. No matter what, they couldn't let down their guards right now.

Neer, Avan and Sameera were continuously fighting the sadness. Their hearts were brutally broken by the ones they thought they could trust with closed eyes.

Gyaan looked at the three heartbroken elements, and then glanced at the one who was completely different from them. While the other three were wallowing in sorrow, Ahana had a murderous glint in her eyes. Her eyes showed a promise to take revenge on the people who dared hurt her loved ones.

Gyaan was scared yet relieved to have Ahana by his side. Ahana could destroy anything in her way within seconds if she was rubbed in the wrong way, but there was no one who could protect them as fiercely as she could. She could turn into a destroyer or a protector depending on the situation. And right now, the situation called for both.

"When are we attacking Maanvi and the researchers?" Ahana asked in a whisper to Gyaan, while rubbing her hands, getting ready for the action.

The other three were walking in front, unaware of the volcano bursting in Ahana's veins.

Gyaan side-eyed her, before looking up in the sky and mumbling, "Why me?"

"Hello?" Ahana waved her palm in front of his face to gain his attention. She started walking backwards so that she was in front of him, not letting him avoid her question at any cost.

"We aren't attacking anybody," Gyaan said, stressing each and every word.

"What do you mean?! Aren't we going there right now?" Ahana yelled, gaining the attention of the other three elements.

"Don't bother, it's our usual banter," Gyaan waved it off.

Neer shook his head at the duo, before turning back again to face the front. Sameera and Avan followed suit.

"Want to announce it to the world?" Gyaan whisper-yelled to Ahana, who looked apologetic for her own outburst.

She might have felt apologetic but she was never going to admit it. So instead of a small 'sorry', Gyaan had been expecting, he received an eye-roll in response.

"Don't come at me, when you are the one who shocked me," Ahana said, making Gyaan want to hit his head on a wall. "Why aren't we killing them? You do realize what they have done. They need to pay."

"And they will," Gyaan promised, "However, we will need some proof before punishing them. Andddd, we are definitely not killing anybody."

"Why not? Their actions could have killed us. And we can still be killed or tortured if we are captured again. Then why can't we give them a taste of their own medicine?" Ahana asked in a low yet scary tone, before speaking again,

"Forget about all of us, we are strangers. But how can someone do that to their own child? They could have at least spared Avan," Ahana said angrily.

"Exactly. That's why I am saying to wait until we gather some proof, before doing anything. Why would anyone do that to their own child?" Gyaan asked, throwing Ahana's question back at her.

"I don't care about the reason anymore Gyaan. If they didn't have any other choice then they should have created one. For God's sake they are the 'Researchers.'

"Whatever their reason maybe, we are on the verge of being killed. We are being hunted, Gyaan. And I am not going to spare them for making us go through this. I am going to kill each and every person who is involved in turning our lives into a nightmare."

"I am not asking you to spare them. I am just telling you to not turn into a murderer for the likes of them," Gyaan said, throwing his hands up in the air in frustration, as he stopped walking, not understanding what had gotten into her.

"I am already a murderer. How does it matter if I kill some more people?" Ahana asked with a sardonic chuckle, "Don't blame me. You are the one who woke up the murderous side in me."

To any outsider it would have looked like a perfect reflection of a villain, a sadistic monster who loved killing. But inside Ahana was feeling the exact opposite.

She didn't show, but killing those people was taking a toll on her mental health. Even if they deserved it, Ahana couldn't handle the thought of having killed someone. Ahana was slowly losing her mind, and hence, she decided to get revenge once and for all, before she gave up on herself.

Gyaan placed his hands on her shoulders, before looking into her eyes, "You didn't kill anyone, and you aren't going to kill anyone in future either."

"Huh? But...those...laboratory staff..." Ahana trailed off, looking at him with confusion, yet there was also a hint of hope in her eyes.

"They all came out alive. Even the laboratory was safe. Your fire didn't last long because of your losing energy and even the fire brigade had arrived on time. So in all, everything is safe. You haven't done any harm to anybody," Gyaan said, making sure she understood that she wasn't the villain she was making herself out to be.

Gyaan cursed himself internally. He had made a wrong decision. Ahana was strong, but she wasn't invincible. He would have never asked for her help if he knew this would impact her mental health. He promised himself to never risk her well being, no matter what situation they were in. Never again.

"Damn!" Ahana muttered in disbelief, as she moved back a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Yes, damn!" Gyaan said with a smile, removing his hands from her shoulders.

"What happened?!" came Neer's shout from afar as they noticed Gyaan and Ahana had stopped walking behind them.

Neer's shout pulled Ahana out of her stupor. She shook her head to come back to her senses, before yelling, "Coming."

Gyaan and Ahana resumed walking again, while gesturing to the others to walk ahead.

"You went back to check," Ahana said, not really asking him a question.

"Yup. I went there when I was out to buy buttermilk," Gyaan answered.

"And you call me crazy. What if you got caught?"

Gyaan shrugged, "I guess I was being a little crazy. But it can't really match your level."

Ahana snorted at his words, but agreed nonetheless. They both had small smiles on their faces as their conversation came to an end just like that.