The Warrior's love

Seven

"Khushi.. Khushi..Get up"said Naina as she knocked the door again and again in the middle of night..

Khushi who just slept woke up in a start..

Switching on the light she walked out. Naina was a the door alongwith Madhu..Her aunty. Both were ready. Wearing some saree and some more religious stuffs..

Soon Khushi felt like her own mouth was loosing her control. She was like being injected with Anastasia but nothing was injected.

"Go and put on the clothes"Madhu said as she handed the black clothes and few other things to Khushi..

Khushi like a puppet walked back. And soon came out wearing it.

The trio started walking somewhere deep within the forest. They lived in the outskirts. It was Khushi who had bought that house. Because she liked the calmness..

Soon they stood infront of the cave. Naina put her hands on its door and the cave opened. It looked well maintained. Equipped with modern technology as well. Solar panels were set upstairs to keep electricity..

Naina and Madhu walked inside and Khushi followed like a puppet..

There was a room,with many things like vermilion,ashes,skull and so on. Naina indicated Khushi to sit inside a circle with a rug mat.
Khushi sat..

Naina and Madhu too sat down. And the fire started. They were chanting some incantation. Khushi was blank. Neither her body was in her control nor her mind. They were throwing things at her like flowers and so on. Then came to offer flowers and made her wear a garland..

Soon Khushi fell strange. Like her soul was being pulled out. She wanted to scream. But she could not. All she could do was pray. Pray for someone to come and save her.

Arnav..What should she do to come out of such a place and reach her Arnav. But she was cursing herself. She had left the only one who was always by her side.

Naina and Madhu smirked looking at the tears in her eyes..

Just as they were about to take the last step,that is cut their hands and Khushi's. Then they would drink Khushi's blood as a offering and achieve immortality..

Bullets rained. Two shots and both were perfectly shot in their heads,right on their eyebrows..

And from the behind walked out Sashi Gupta,the father of Khushi and a middle aged man in white cotton Dhoti..

Soon he sat infront of Khushi and began chanting. And slowly the pain Khushi was feeling decreased. She could slowly move her body. Still the man indicated her to sit still. He continued to chant and sprinkle water on her for few more minutes. Then she watched as the circle drawn around her with ashes and vermilion decrease and vanish..

Khushi tried to get up. It took few attempts but she stood up and walked towards her Babuji..

The old man had tears in his eyes. Finally he could save his daughter..

But the other man indicated Sashi that it was better to leave. Sashi nodded. And the duo left. The other man stayed behind to complete the rituals needed to free both the spirits who had fallen into the hell of greed. Their greed for immortality had made them demons..

He and his disciples sat and started a havan in the same place. Soon few others walked around and took all the things there. The books had vast knowledge on tantricism. Few misguided fellows like those two tainted the whole group of people. The man sighed. It was best that such thing to be erased. There was no need for such things that could create monsters like them. So as the havan flame grew more and more,the disciples took books after book and put it in the flame. Soon the havan was completed. The body was burned after Sashi Gupta arranged for funeral. He just declared that a tiger ate his sister and her daughter and they sacrificed their lives for his daughter. So he donated huge sums in their name and the matter was closed..

Khushi was still lost after this. What happened. How did her ever kind aunty and best friend cum sister turned out to be like that. She was with her mother as her father completed all the formalities. She had forgotten to call or inform Aman about it..

On the other side. Arnav was down with heavy fever. At times he just sleep talked. Like it was paining. Soon doctors came. He was put to sleep with high dosage of medicine. Otherwise it might take harsh turn as he just woke up from coma..

Aman was so busy that he tried to call Naina but forgot.

After three days...

Khushi called Aman..

"Aman..I am outside the office. Come down"she said and cut the call..

Aman ran down. Literally. First he was feeling bad for not being able to talk to Naina. He had messaged her. But she seemed to be busy. There was no reply at all..

Aman saw Khushi standing out of a car with an old man.

"Khushi..Thank God you are here. You did not inform me. About your arrival. I would have gone to fetch you. Arnav is very sick. High with fever. By the way where is Naina?"Aman enquired as he looked inside the car. But all he saw was a lady..

"Aman. He is my Babuji. She is my Amma. Let's go up. I would tell you everything slowly"said Khushi..

After Aman greeted her parents everyone walked upstairs. Sashi Gupta sighed in admiration. He was still the same. Same simple man. Without any hint of luxury..Without a hint of vanity. Simple,honest..

Garima nodded in appreciation as there was nothing like picture of models or things. All she saw was simple home..

Khushi walked inside the room of Arnav followed by her parents. She watched Arnav. He had fallen asleep.

Sitting with him for a few moments assuring herself that he was okay,alive..

She walked out..

Soon Sashi Gupta took the lead and explained the story to Aman..

He told Aman how before Khushi turned sixteen a man looking like a teen came to his door step. And told him to send his daughter away. To his sister somehow. Only it can save her life..

When Sashi asked why,the man told him about the life of them. Only with Madhu and Naina could Khushi's memory be supressed. And until the specific night,they would not harm her. And if Khushi stays anywhere else,then she might start recalling things and then they might harm her in hurry. That specific no moon night,the day was very dangerous. But also the most perfect time for ending it for once and all..

Sashi Gupta asked the man who he was. And he told,that he had promised someone to protect the girl. And he just kept it.

Aman listened to everything. He could understand who he was. He might be the Rajguru about whom Arnav was talking about..

He felt blank. Naina was so kind,so good. But inside it she hid such a dangerous face..

The Guptas sat quitely as they let Aman process everything..

So everything was a plot. Her help with Arnav was to seek revenge from him. By separating him from the girl he loves.

And involving Khushi directly was a way to push Khushi to recall herself. So that she would watch herself die again. What a vile game for satisfaction..

Why did it feel more like a wicked game than a chase after immortality,he wondered..