Beyond the unknown

Ch-24 The Lord and his offerings

"Mr Roy! What all things do you know about Taaku?" I asker straight away while everyone looked at me with wide eyes and shocked expressions at how I took his name as if he was nothing.

"What do you mean? I..I mean what do you want to ask?" Maan asked with the sound of clearing throat.

"Everything about Taaku plus even after knowing how evil he is why you have not shifted the school?" I asked

Mr Roy took a deep breath and looked towards Maan (fake Aryan) with side eyes.

Maan cleared hi throat again and said, "Because he's not actually that evil. I mean one might get scared from him at first Like you did...but later when you get to know about him the fear is all gone. Remember the day you saw all the villagers? And I said that we are looking for a way to destroy the evil. I was not Taaku I was talking about...but the Evil with in him." He said and I gave a confused expression.

A sentence came into my mind but I refrained from speaking it out a loud, "Do you hear what you just said? It doesn't make any sense."

"Umm..I think you got confused. See lord turns evil when he wants something. His desires make him go evil. That's why he do everything in power to get what he wants. But when he's happy he blesses his followers with abundance. That day he wanted something..But before he could do any damage the villagers served him with various offerings hence, he calmed down." Maan completed.

"What kind of offerings?" I asked.

"Hmm..it can be anything. He gets happy quite easily. That day villagers did some rituals in front of fire." Maan said.

"A hawan or Yajna?" I asked

"No no. Not that. I mean It looks like that but it's different. The words you utter are different the offerings are different...as in that day animal was given as an offering." Maan said casually.

"Are you guys for real! You killed an animal in name of offerings? This is cruelty...and these prayers of yours..If it's not religious then what is it? Some kind of occult practice?" I asked in shock..Maan coughed loudly...And something hit me.. "IMLIE BE CALM"

I sighed and then said, "I meant..all this is so unbelievable."
And Mr Roy took over the conversation..

He nodded in response, "Worry not. I know you must be feeling awkward after listening all this..you know new generation guys don't really understand that we should value the powerful.Plus the offerings are not exactly dead."

"But..but what if it turns out to be evil even for the once who worship him?" I asked.

"Usually he never does that. He cares for us. He blesses us with power to live onn." Interrupted one of the male teacher.

"Powers?" I asked.

"Umm not really like that." Mr Roy interrupted and side eyed towards that teacher who sat quietly after that.

"Powers as in he blesses you with peace. And sometimes more will power as in case of Resham. Ask her if she feels more fit now or not?" Mr Roy said with a wide smile and when I looked upto Resham shockingly she agreed to Mr Roy's statement and I knew they had lured her that she'll live on longer if she continues worshiping Taaku.

"And you know what. The offerings doesn't die. Instead they become lord's active followers who helps in spreading his words and tell people about his greatness. You know they are lord's favourite." Mr Roy said with proud expressions.

"How come an animal do that?" I asked.

"Here I'm not talking about animals. Yes don't give me that shocked look..(he said with a chuckle)..sometimes humans also willingly goes in front of him as an offering..animals just live on to protect his boundaries and the part I mentioned earlier is done by humans" Mr Roy completed.

"Well that's a bit difficult to understand. I mean why would anyone go in as an offering?" I asked.

"To get that one thing you desire the most..the thing you could do anything for. And along with that you get a really long life as his most trusted follower." He replied.

"Sounds like a deal and that would make more and more people go for it" I said.

"It isn't easy. The chosen one is selected by Lord himself. And then it's upto that person if he/she wants to go for it..to fulfil that ultimate desire. People have given their lives Imlie, begging in front of him to accept them as offering..and even if he chooses someone the process of offering is very difficult..many loose their lives..their senses in the bid to fulfil their dreams." Mr Roy said.

"I wonder what would make a person do that?" I murmured.

"Think of it Imlie. There's always that one thing you could die for...think of it deeply you will find one too...And coming back to that evil thing that you mentioned earlier...He only gets angry when someone disrespect him..I know you must have been thinking about Rubina.. You know even human's ego can gets hurt easily..he's a powerful being. He never harms his followers. But traitors yes! The once who can't follow the rules made by him. The only thing lord wants is our loyalty. And then he's all yours he'll fulfil you each and every desire." Maan again started speaking.

"Yes. I was indeed thinking about her. What if you want to be an offering..FOR THAT ONE THING..what you have to do?" I asked..giving them a hint like I'm interested.

"So you do have something?" Mr Roy asked in his ever  calm voice.

"As sir said. Everyone has something." As I said those line the lights goes off.

The only light remained was the fire. Their was a black out and this was the moment when a shiver ran down my spine.

"Did I said something wrong?" I wondered.

"Purav...Pulkit. Go have a look." Shouted Maan.

"I think we should go back to our rooms." Suggested Mr Roy.

"Yeah I feel the same." Said Maan.

And to my surprise all the other faculty agreed.

"What the fuck?...what if taaku came after me? Was my showing interest was a bad idea?" I asked to myself.

And when everyone was moving towards the building I followed them. Then I saw pulkit and gave out the first sigh..
"Thank god someone trustworthy..but where is Aryan?" I asked myself.

My heart rate was increasing and I knew I was getting more and more scared of Taaku. And Aryan's absence was somehow making it worse for me.

Slowly as we went towards the hostel the faculty started going to their respective rooms and with in no time I was all alone.

The flashbacks to those haunted nights came like flashbacks in my mind. Yes I was scared of Taaku but knowing that he was not really there to hurt me feel better.

"It's not him Imlie..It's you..don't worry and no way you are going to scratch the walls." I murmured and went to my room.

With my hand on the door..I heard foot steps approaching me.

"Aryan? Is that Aryan?" I thought and in a swift move a hand grabbed my wrist and took me in the room..locking the door behind.

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