The Secrets of the Elements

It All Begins

"So?" whispered Advika. "We can't just walk upto him like that, can we?"

"I've called Dev," said Rishi. 

Advika held her breath and looked at him. As though she was trying to read his mind.

"Call?" she said. "I assume you mean telepathy."

"He will take us before Azazel as prisoners," said Rishi. "But before that, we have an important task to complete."

~~~~

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the forest, Tej, Ray, Maya, and Zarna stood in a clearing, facing each other. Without a word, they reached out and clasped each other's hands, forming a tight circle.

Meanwhile, Rutuja and Daksh moved around them, tracing a line in the dirt with their feet. Their movements were deliberate, creating a large circle that encompassed the hut and its immediate surroundings. As they completed the circle, they stepped back, joining the others inside.

With a collective breath, the group focused their energy, and the circle began to glow with a faint light. The glow grew brighter, flickering and dancing like flames. Soon, the entire circle was ablaze with fire, casting a warm, protective light around them.

"This circle has the power of the four elements," said Rutuja as she turned to look at the others. "And us. To put it simply, Indra Nagri is Azazel's weakness. His powers don't work at full capacity here because this is the birthplace of the Kings and Queens of the old. Indra Nagri has its own protective charm."

"And what happened to it on the night-" Maya stopped mid-sentence as she glanced at Daksh.

"Azazel broke it," responded Daksh. "As far as I know my Dad's so-called trusted friends were the ones who told him the ultimate spell and ritual to do so."

"They were tortured, and their families were killed," said a voice out of nowhere. The six swivelled to find the origin of the voice.

"Dai Ma?" said Rutuja as she took a few steps towards the edge of the circle.

Zarna pulled her back. "Don't risk it," she advised.

"But I recognize the voice," Rutuja protested. 

"She's dead," said Daksh and took a sharp breath in.

"Soul never dies," said the voice.

"It is Dai Ma," said Rutuja in between her sobs. Zarna patted her back. "I remember Advika had once told me this story, where a female ghosts lured these males through talking to them in the voice of the women, they loved the most."

"We understand your emotions," said Ray, his eyes scanning the sky. "But this is not the time to let our guard down." He glanced at Tej.

Tej closed his eyes, feeling the heat of the flames dancing fiercely around them within the circle. Maya tightened her grip around the black book she held close to her chest.

An old lady appeared before them, draped in a white saree, with a string of Rudraksha beads in her hand and around her neck.

Zarna's grip on Rutuja's wrists tightened as she took a few steps towards the edge of the circle. "You're back," said Rutuja.

The old lady smiled at her.

Daksh signaled the boys to spread out around the circle. "Don't be fooled," he warned. The flames surged higher, coalescing into a towering fence that enclosed them.

The lady smiled serenely, and a gentle whirlwind enveloped her, gradually diminishing the flames of the fire fence. As the whirlwind dispersed, the flames subsided, revealing the six individuals unharmed and the circle intact.

The lady in red robes stood before them, her hair tightly bound in a bun, emanating a soft, ethereal glow from her skin. Her eyes were a striking blood red, sending shivers down the spines of the six individuals. Despite the unsettling sight, she smiled warmly, her cherry red lips parting slightly, as if she knew a secret only she could understand.

"Aguntuk?" guessed Ray.

"Pleasure meeting," she said with a slight bow.

"Wish I could say the same," said Ray and stepped in front of Maya, almost covering her from Aguntuk's eyes.

Aguntuk's laughter echoed through the air, filling the space around them. Zarna shivered as a chill swept through the air, goosebumps rising on her skin. "Whatever happened to the protective layer," she mouthed. 

"We're safe as long as we're inside," whispered Rutuja and took a step forward. She stood poised; muscles tensed.

"Fancy seeing you here," she said as she took a few steps towards Daksh at one edge of the circle. 

"Just helping my Lord reach his end game," responded Daksh with a shrug.

"My Lord wouldn't be pleased," she said as she took a step forward. "Let me return the favor, and help you meet your mom and brothers."

Zarna moved closer to Maya; her eyes fixated on Aguntuk. "Maya," she whispered. "How did we fail to include this into our plan?" Maya glanced at her; eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Aguntuk," she whispered. "We've been planning about destroying Azazel, but what about Aguntuk. What are her weaknesses?"

Maya's knuckles whitened as she clutched the black book, her eyes fixed on Aguntuk. The air around Aguntuk seemed to shimmer as she raised her hands, as if conjuring an unseen force.

The invisible force surged toward them, a distorted sphere of energy hurtling with alarming speed. Maya gasped as it ricocheted off an unseen barrier, rebounding with such velocity that Aguntuk barely evaded its path, the rush of displaced air brushing against her skin.

"She cannot touch us as long as we're in the circle," said Rutuja.

"Well," said Zarna. "We can't be standing in forever." Her voice came out in a whisper, yet frustration was evident in her tone.

"Aguntuk is not a human," said Daksh. "She has been existing since the times of the old Kings and Queens."

"Meaning she's at least 500 years old," concluded Ray.

"Then what is she?" wondered Zarna.

"A demi-god?" quizzed Maya and glanced at Daksh. 

"Close," he said as Aguntuk released another ball of fire towards them. "Quasi-divine."

"Meaning?" quizzed Ray.

Daksh stood at the center of the protection circle; his gaze fixed on Aguntuk as she deftly evaded another rebounding attack. "She's not exactly a deity," he explained to the group, "but she certainly possesses certain divine qualities."

"In that case," continued Maya. "There are only two ways to defeat her." She glanced at her opponent; her blood red eyes somewhat similar to the younger version of Azazel she had seen. "One, relying on our intellect and cunning to outsmart her. Or two, seeking help from an entity more powerful than the quasi-divine."

"Asking help from whom?" wondered Zarna as she looked around. Her gaze shifted from Aguntuk to Daksh's old house. Rutuja tapped her shoulders. "Are you expecting Rishi and Advika be teleported to that hut?" she whispered. "If yes, then don't let your gaze warn Aguntuk."

Daksh's voice dripped with sarcasm as he turned to Maya. "And who, pray tell," he sneered, "would be our illustrious rescuer, this higher power of yours?"

"You're the one who has been working with the enemy," said Maya and crossed her arms. "And there is not one plan or idea in that brilliant brain of yours?"

Tej watched intently as Aguntuk began to circle them, her movements deliberate and precise. With her eyes closed, she folded her hands in a meditative gesture, tracing the borders of the protection circle with a serene determination.

"Guys," he said and flicked his head towards her. "We need to be quick."

"Why does it feel like she intends to break the circle?" quizzed Ray.

Daksh let out a tired sigh and rolled his eyes before replying, "Well of course she does."

"I have an idea," said Maya. She turned to look at Daksh. "Can we trap her? In this circle?" she whispered.