Pruthvi slowly opened his eyes. He yawned and stretched, feeling a lot better than the last time he remembered being awake. He felt completely refreshed from sound sleep. He wondered for how many days he had slept that was making him feel stronger. He looked around and found himself still being locked up in the room. He touched his stone in his pocket being fully aware that it was still with him. Then he realized that Leena didn't connect him back for all the days he was asleep. No help from doctor or anyone else. He shivered feeling stuck in the room may be for his whole lifetime. For ones he thought to dash out and confront any obstacle that came in his way. But what would he do then? Where would he go? He didn't know the way out! He wondered where all the goons might be by now. His stomach growled and he craved for something to eat. He searched for something and complimented his own luck. At the corner of room, he came across a bundle of bananas placed in a basket. He ran to have some and ate like never before.

"Aah! This feels so good," he said, running his hand around his belly.

Feeling satisfied, he walked towards the door and checked if it he was yet alone. He peeped out of the hole. There was not even a single soul visible but still he hesitated to go outside. He could never know, if they were waiting for him to come outside and again start beating him senseless.

"It's not safe here anymore," he whispered, "I definitely need to get out of here."

He started searching for any other way out. He checked every wall at all the directions and wished for the possibility of a secret door or something. Luckily, when he was walking all around the room, he sensed a cool breeze over his forehead from the canopy of the fireplace. He sensed it carefully and scrutinized the path. And when he was ready, he devoured a deep breath and shouted-

"Stone Explosive Formation!"

The wall ruptured and he effectively smashed a few bricks. He grabbed a few of them from falling on the ground careful enough not to let the thud penetrate out of the room. Soon he created a hole that seemed the best way to get himself out of that freaky prison.

He leaned over to crawl out of the room. The farther he went the colder the air turned out. It was the month of May-the month dominated by the heat, but the temperature seemed totally different. Breathing the cool fresh air after a long time felt just right but he wished he had warmer clothes on except wearing his usual formal shirt and trousers. Finally, fighting all his might, he came out of the thick wall. He adjusted his rectangular spectacles that was slightly damaged with all the beatings he received. He took a minute to properly visualize at what he was looking at and where he was. There was nothing but dense snow filled tropical region of banana farm right at front of him. He tried to look far away from it but in vain. He decided to move on and strolled inside the farm, pushing away the big leaves, escaping the melted flakes of snow, he made himself a proper way. Suddenly he heard a loud womanly cry, startling him. He trembled and releasing that there was someone inside the prison, he fastened his pace to be as far as away from the farm. Finally, after jogging for few minute, that seemed like a lifetime, he reached the other side of the farm and was a rather relieved to see an astonishing but a very silent village.

Without further more delay, he paced towards the village. It was so quiet that he thought if it was rather an abundant place. He frowned and watched the thatched huts. Trees were half dead and the few leaves were lingering on the roofs of the huts, sloppily decomposing, chunks of snowflakes here and there. There was no single pupil he could spot. It was a complete lifeless and dull village. Wind rustled making Pruthvi to shiver more and making the village foggier than it already was. He folded his hands across his chest to feel warmer.

He wanted to talk to someone, he wanted to get more details about the village and reach his friends to inform them where he was. He walked around the village till he found a closed abundant area to keep the coolness away. He selected a neat place and sat there for a while. He was happy that he was out of the prison but this village with no people around, made him feel nothing lesser to one.

"Leena?" He called out. As guessed she didn't reply. He even tried to reach Tyrell and Celina. He was frustrated that he wasn't able to reach any of them. He missed his gadgets very much. He missed being at the academy even though he didn't like it as much as he should be. He chided himself and averted his eyes.

He found himself staring at the door of one of the hut. Suddenly, on watching it closely the door of the hut opened and a little girl wearing a woolen gown walked out of the hut, holding a doll supposedly made of clay.

Pruthvi's hopes rose. He quickly stood and walked into the fog, nearer to her. Rubbing his hands, to create the much needed warmth he said to the little girl very politely, "Hello."

The little girl shuddered and stepped back.

He sat on his knees, to reach her height and said, "Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you."

She checked her doll again and timidly looked at him.

"I am not here to take your doll," he said smilingly.

"Who are you?" she asked softly.

"I don't think you want to know who I am but can you tell me what place is this?"

"Dakshinpur," she said with a shivering voice. "my mother told me once, yes, it's Dakshinpur."

He was happy that he informed Leena the same.

"In India?"

He highly doubted his own question. Anybody could tell the weather in India particularly at this very month is completely the opposite.

But unfortunately this time, the girl didn't answer him. She simply shrugged and ran back to her house shutting the door.

"Hey wait," he called out but the girl was already gone.

He then went to the door of the house and knocked on it. He tried it twice. When no one answered he forcefully backed out. Pruthvi sighed with frustration but was satisfied with the least information he discovered. He walked upfront and was about to go back to the warmer place that he had discovered but before he could do that he heard someone calling him in his head.

It was none other than Leena.

"Leena! Thank god you reached me.... I am in Dakshinpur...I think I am in India but not exactly sure. Please find out more about this place. It is some kind of village... Yeah I am fine, don't worry about me." He paused, "What! You cannot find doctor? Where did he go?" He listened intently to her and then said, "So the new guy is Hayden...How can he find me when he knows nothing about me... I don't know Leena. But they were saying something about my sister... Of course I don't have a sister, you know that. Leena do something; find out how I can get out of this place...Leena?"

She didn't answer. He dropped his shoulders in disappointment. He started walking back when suddenly his eyes spotted a shadow of a human figure walking behind the fog. He froze with fear and wished it was not the man who abducted him. As the outline of the person came closer and out of the fog Pruthvi gave a proper glance. He was glad that it was not the same man but some random older person, who seemed to be middle of his forties. He looked creepy, with chiseled jawbone and abnormally high cheek bones. He was walking straight towards Pruthvi and looking intently at him with his big dark black eyes. His entire body was covered with a thick shawl and his head with a turban.

He stood before him and said, "Who are you?"

Pruthvi didn't understand what to say. "I don't think you know me," he said trying to be very diplomatic.

"Did Shashi send you?" he asked, angrily.

Pruthvi frowned, "Who?"

"I have been watching you since an hour. You are doing nothing but roaming around. What are your intentions and what do you want?"

"My only intention is to get out of here," Pruthvi said impatiently, "I don't know where I am and..."

"Then how did come here?"

He swallowed and said, "Would you believe if I tell you that I was kidnapped, that three men caught me and dumped me here?"

"Who?"

"I don't know," he replied, "If it makes you any better, they were not my friends or my family."

The man kept quiet for a minute and Pruthvi felt awkward staring back at him.

Then he broke the silence. "Do you know where you want to go? Do you have you any relatives in this village?"

"No," he shrugged, "I just got lost and I don't know the way back. I am from United States. I should not be here. Can you help me?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Because I really need someone to help me."

The man gaped. His face was expressionless but to Pruthvi, it was still very creepy.

The man turned back and said, "Follow me and walk swiftly."

"Where?"

"There is a place where people like you are sent."

"Er...before I follow you, can I know who you are?"

"You are the first person to ask me that. I am the Sarpanch of this village and a member of Gram Panchayat."

That rang a bell in Pruthvi's mind.

"Yup! I am definitely in India." He said to himself, "Man, I am so screwed."

"What?" Sarpanch asked.

"What, what?"

"Did you say anything?"

"Nothing."

"You know for a young boy; you talk a hell lot to yourself."

"Sorry, bad habit." He said nervously and started walking with him, wondering if the man had heard him talking to Leena earlier.

Pruthvi wanted to trust this person and that he wasn't one of the goons. But he made up his mind that if he find any suspicious acts from this very person, his stone might just come in handy. So he was ready, always picturing his stone in his mind, ready to attack. It was indeed the time he utilized all the training he had underwent in the academy.

He, alongside the man who called himself as the Sarpanch, walked past the village and were now trudging uphill. It was getting cooler and cooler for every step he took. Crossing his hands tight, Pruthvi looked down at the dusty wooden staircase. It was glossy but broken and cracked. He was slightly scared if both of their combined weight might turn too much for the stairs to handle. He hesitated to hold on the trails as it was almost on ice that made his palms numb. After walking a few miles, they finally reached the top, making Pruthvi a lot happier.

"Are we there yet?" Pruthvi asked breathing heavily.

"Nope, keep walking."

Pruthvi was exhausted and if he took one more step he feared he might collapse. When the man started walking again, Pruthvi dared to stop him.

"Please, Mr. Sarpanch," he said, "I know you are stronger than me but it is a good idea to take rest before we resume our hike."

There was still no expression on his face but thankfully he nodded and sat down on the step. Pruthvi followed his gesture and sat beside him.

He has never mentioned this to anyone but Leena that he was scared of heights. He challenged himself to look down but as his eyes wobbled, he quickly looked up. He was able to see the snowy pine trees from this height. The place was fine-looking and at the same time it was weird without any people around.

"Doesn't anybody live here anymore?" he asked pulling up lot of guts to question him.

The man looked at him and said, "You really don't know anything about this place, do you?"

"Of course I don't," he said grimacing, "What, you thought I was lying back there?"

"I am Sarpanch. Not believing in unknown person is my job. And now about the question you asked me, people do live here, but in terror, round the clock. They live closely shut inside their houses. But we make sure they are provided by the basic necessities. That is the reason, when I found you roaming around carefree, I thought you came to hurt the poor villagers."

Pruthvi scoffed. "I am on a verge of running away from the people who are trying to hurt me. And the irony is I don't even know why."

"How did you manage to run away from them?"

Pruthvi opened his mouth and closed quickly. He cannot tell him about him possessing a precious stone that gave him powers.

"I got lucky," he superimposed.

Sarpanch gaped at Pruthvi as if he was reading his mind. Now, Pruthvi understood by reading his expression that he was suspicious about him.

"Can you tell me anything about the people who abducted you? Like their name or anything."

Pruthvi's mind raced. He tried to think about his time in the prison, finally settling on hearing the conversation among the three men.

"Shourya," he said suddenly, "One of the person's name was Shourya."

Pruthvi found Sarpanch's eyes flew open and mouth fell ajar.

"You met Shourya?" he asked, shockingly, "Do you know who he is? He is one of the deadliest minions of Shashi Thribhuvan."

"I...I don't know who this Shashi person is. But Shourya didn't seem deadly to me. In fact, he helped me get out..."

Then something something happened that Pruthvi might have never expected. Sarpanch stood up quickly and forced Pruthvi to stand. He started rubbing his hands all over Pruthvi's body.

"Hey! What are you doing?" shouted Pruthvi feeling uncomfortable having Sarpanch's hand all over him.

Finally, his hand rested on his pocket and before Pruthvi could stop him, he snatched out the green shining stone.

"That's mine," cried Pruthvi trying to take back his stone, "Give it back to me."

"Who gave it to you?" Sarpanch asked, his tone completely different.

"No one gave it to me," Pruthvi said, "It appeared in my pocket when I was fifteen."

"It cannot appear just like that unless you are..."

He stopped there. He stared at him like Pruthvi was not Pruthvi anymore. He took a step back completely flabbergasted. Pruthvi, on the other hand, did not like the way he was behaving. He was not sure if he even liked this guy anymore.

He asked for one more time very patiently. "Give it back..."

"You are a Samagraha," he said suddenly, "Aren't you?"

Pruthvi and his friends were told that no one else except the people in the academy knew about being a Samagraha. He swallowed hard when Sarpanch asked him that. There was his stone in his hand and he wanted it badly. Without it he wouldn't survive a minute in this seemingly dangerous place. So he decided not to risk it anymore.

"Yes," he said, "I guess I am."

Sarpanch continued to look at him still being appalled. He dropped his shoulders down, a sterile smile formed at his lips.

Then, with utmost glee, he said, "Samagraha, I welcome you to the Forgotten Kingdom."

-x-