Kill The Beast

The Castle's Enigma

Both the man in the tomb and Wolfgang arrived at the Blue Bird Castle, but the man in the tomb was taken aback by the desolation that surrounded the once-vibrant estate. He gazed upon the castle's grand facade, its windows now dark and lifeless, and its gardens, once brimming with laughter and life, lay in ruins. A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he lamented, "It no longer looks alive, does it? Where are the echoes of children's laughter, the shared joy of men and women in that garden? I never expected to see my home in such a state. For thousands of years, I held onto the hope that happiness would forever dwell within these walls, but it seems happiness has abandoned this place. What has transpired here?"

Wolfgang nodded in agreement and said, "We must investigate. Let's find out if there's any life left within these walls."

The man gently pushed the rusted gate of the castle, causing it to emit a mournful creak as it reluctantly opened. A rush of wind swept through their feet, carrying with it a cascade of dry leaves and dust. They proceeded along the concrete path, with an abandoned, leaf-strewn fountain at its center. The once-majestic garden had succumbed to neglect, with overgrown grass and trees flanking both sides of their route.

As they continued walking, drawing closer to the heart of the castle, their presence did not escape Aayaan's notice. He stood on the balcony of the second floor, cigarette in hand, waiting for their arrival. Aayaan observed their approach, yet his demeanor indicated that he regarded their presence as inconsequential, as if they were mere shadows beneath his gaze.

Wolfgang gazed up at the boy on the balcony, taking in the sight of him smoking, and asked, "Do you live here, young man?"

Aayaan took another drag from his cigarette before responding, his voice carrying a note of indifference. "Live here? Not really," he replied. "I'm just passing the time."

As Wolfgang and the man in the tomb exchanged that puzzled glance, it was the man who pressed forward with the question, "Are you the son of Trisha and Kailash Gautam?"

Aayaan took another slow drag from his cigarette and finally acknowledged the question. "Yes, I am," he replied, his tone still tinged with nonchalance.

Wolfgang, showing a degree of politeness, asked, "Do you mind if we come in?"

Aayaan was not sure who these guys were, but he saw no reason why not to let them in. The both man entered into the hall. It was messy full with dirt, the man in the tomb was disgusted by the untidiness of the interior and he did not shy away from hiding his disappointment. Wolfgang did not care about anything and take his seat in the sofa near. Aayaan came down of stairs in his night robe, and asked, "Who are you?"

"I am Wolfgang, and this man here is your greatest grandfather, Parth Gautam. You must have heard his name." said the Wolfgang while Parth Gautam was looking around the pictures and painting of his lineage.

Gautam saw the man looking intriguingly on the wall and said, "No, never heard of him."

Wolfgang chuckle a bit and asked, "Your father never told you about him."

Aayaan expressed with annoyance, "I never had meaningful conversations with my father. Honestly, I didn't know him well."

In his most composed tone, Parth Gautam inquired, "What happened to him?" Despite being aware, he posed the question without glancing at Aayaan.

Aayaan's irritation was tempered by Parth's composure as he replied, "He passed away, last year."

Parth placed his hand on the picture of Kailash Gautam and uttered, "May his soul rest in peace," then turned his gaze towards Aayaan, asking, "How did he pass away?" Parth blinked back tears, letting a few fall in remembrance.