Looking down at my own shadow on the pond, I was easily able to sense the little tension that just created between me and Tyrell. My proposal to follow Anmol diving into the pond seemed no good to him. But I was certain about it. I couldn't bare Leena crying all the time. It made me feel very indolent and helpless that was something I wasn't able to endure it.

"What if I trigger current?" asked Tyrell apprehensively, "What if I die?"

"Don't trigger, as simple as that," I snapped.

"You should seriously consider rethinking."

"I am done thinking. Look, I have to do something to bring Pruthvi back. So, why not this?"

"I just wanted to eat something and you asking me to gulp the pond full of water?"

"Tyrell, are you coming with me or not?" I asked him once and for all. I didn't want to lose Anmol and my chance to find the truth.

"Alright," he said sinking his shoulders, "But if I get killed inside, I will make sure to come back and beat you senseless."

I ignored him. Even though he was against my idea, I knew, Tyrell would follow me. I took a deep breathe and dived into the pond creating a huge splash. Quickly there was another one and I sensed Tyrell right behind me.

I was definitely inside water but I wasn't able to feel any wetness. It was middle of the night but everything inside seemed so clear. My sight didn't degrade at all. I was not an avid swimmer but I felt the water making me float and booting my swimming abilities. The ambient sound of the water was so dense and natural that it made me look from where it was coming from.

I was awestruck by the astonishing beauty that existed inside the silent pond. There were different plants with incredible shapes and colors. In between there were the stones of different sizes hovering beside the plants. Small fishes swam is groups right before my eyes. I looked at Tyrell through the water. He was as fascinated as much as I was. I still couldn't believe how he or anyone else had never grabbed the opportunity to look at the beauty hidden deep inside the pond.

Leaving the view aside, I started looking for Anmol. He was definitely out of sight and pond gave up on ending at a certain point. It didn't seem so big and deep from the academy. Deeper we went, more attractive it looked. I remembered Tyrell telling me on my first day-the water is sacred. And now I knew what he meant by that. I looked at other side. For a second I thought my eyes were deceiving me and I had to look twice to see a bright light coming from a distance. I signaled Tyrell to follow the light. Swimming straight towards the light, not caring our eyes were straining we passed through it. It seemed like a lifetime for the water turning clearer and at last I grabbed the stoned wall that ended the pond. I was glad I was able to reach the topmost point of the wall. I put both my hands on the top of the wall and leaped up off the pond. I inhaled very hard taking in the fresh air. I caught Tyrell by his palm and pulled him over. We looked down at each other and to both our surprises we were not wet at all.

"Whoa!" said Tyrell breathing hard, "That was some journey!"

"Yeah but where are we?" I said looking around. The one factor that amazed me the most was it was not night in here, unlike from where they started. I walked slowly forwards. Everything was tannin-brown. The grass under my feet was crispy. Looking up, the trees were skyscraper tall.

"I think we are in a forest." he said touching a huge tree. A soon as he said that orchestra of birds took place. The day light stars peeped down at us and wind rustled suddenly making me realize it was extremely chilly.

"Hey, do you feel so cold or is it only me?" asked Tyrell folding his hands across his chest.

"Yeah, it is cold," I said rubbing my hands, "Do you think Pruthvi can be here?"

"I seriously doubt that." He wasn't looking so good. The forest sounds were freaking him out.

"Why don't you try and connect him?"

"What?" he asked, he seemed to have a brain jam.

'Tyrell," I said, "Try and connect to Pruthvi. I have a feeling we might be nearer to him now."

"Yeah good idea," he said and held a finger on his head, "Pruthvi...can you hear me..."

And then I deduced Pruthvi to be talking to him.

"Pruthvi, can you speak loudly? How are you?" he said enthusiastically and clasping his hand with mine, "Why not? Yeah Leena told me that you are in Dakshinpur. No wait... I think the pond has something to do with the rumor about secret room. Is it so...okay but do not disconnect..."

"What is it?" I asked.

"Shhh.."

I sighed loudly unable to resist my curiosity. I followed Tyrell's expression and they were changing like the lights in a disco.

"Who is Sarpanch? And how come you mix up Leena with Lithika?" he said, "First of all who is she?"

And again after a while I understood Pruthvi should have disconnected when Tyrell said, "He is gone."

"What was that about?" I asked.

"Trust me I didn't understand a word he was saying. He was calling some girl named Lithika as Leena and then he said sorry and yeah...he was with some person called Sarpanch."

"Sarpanch? As in the name given to the head of a village in Rural India?" I asked.

"I don't know," he said, "How can you possibly know anything about India?"

"My mom is an Indian. She has got this traditions bug she was so proud of."

He nodded at me.

"Okay whatever," I said getting back to the topic, "Who is Lithika?"

"No clue."

I sighed again. One thing that made me satisfied was Pruthvi was still alive but the fact we were still in nowhere was making my hair at the back stand straight. Also it was so chilly in the month of May was unbelievably terrifying too. Tyrell was shivering but thanks to my stone it was keeping me slightly warm.

After walking here and there, looking for around at nothing was upsetting both of us.

"Hayden lets go back," said Tyrell, "I feel we are in the right direction."

"We can't," I said, "We have to find Anmol. I am positive he could lead us to Pruthvi."

He waved his hand dissatisfied. "I was expecting a room with some amazing stuff but that stupid pond lead us to this forest! I can't believe it..."

I ignored his continues jibber jabber.

We started walking in different directions. I was trying to look deeper inside the forest to find a way out of it and to reach a town or something but there was nothing except the dry grass and the whole lot of bushes and tall trees.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, there was growling sound.

"What the..." Tyrell exclaimed.

"Careful," I cried, "It's a forest. Anything can attack us."

"No I meant I think I saw something," he said.

I looked carefully at him. He was staring into the bushes, sitting on his knees. I sat beside him and followed his sight. There were two twinkling spots; I was able to see clearly even in the sunlight, bright yellow in color. I tried to watch it closely and figured those were animal eyes. It looked angrier. Suddenly it winked.

"Get back!" I shouted pulling Tyrell by his shoulder.

The bushes dangled and a hound leaped above us. Before we could stand straight to have a proper look, the hound kept running without focusing on us and quickly disappeared behind the bushes of the other side.

"What was that?" cried Tyrell.

"It's the same hound that attacked me in the bar," I said. I realized my eyes were wide opened and staring blankly the bushes.

"But you killed it, right?" he asked hurriedly.

"You can't expect only one living hound in the whole world."

"Do you mean they are following you?"

He made a point. I chanced to look at him. His face was filled with terror and so was mine. He might be right. What if there was a group of hounds out there trying to avenge the one he killed? I chided myself- Stupid thought! May be coming to the forest was a bad idea. But I couldn't go back, not until I dig deep into the matter.

"What now?" Tyrell asked.

"Let's follow that hound." I said.

"That won't be necessary," said a grating voice.

We hurdled at once and spun around.

A tall, well-built man was standing behind the same bushes, the hound had just passed. He was wearing a jet black robe wrapping his entire body. His face, except his big round eyes, was covered with a black veil.

"Who...who are you?" I asked feeling alarmed.

He didn't respond.

"Hayden," whispered Tyrell looking at the man up and down, "I think he is a savage."

"Come with me both of you," he said, his voice challenging.

"Wh...Where?" said Tyrell

"No wait," I said cutting Tyrell, "We are not from here. Actually we are searching for our friends..."

He sneered, "I know you are here for Pruthvi Krishna"

We gaped.

"Come with me Hayden Mackay!" he said.

I heart dropped to my knee.

"How do you..."

"Hey now guess my name!" said Tyrell mockingly.

"Not now," I scolded him.

"What, he is saying our names so I thought..."

"I said not now..."

"Poor Pruthvi, stuck in an unknown place, fighting to come back to you," he said, "But is he even aware that one day is friends might be trapped like he is."

"Where is he?" I asked now annoyed at the person making fun of us.

"Did you kidnap him?" asked Tyrell shocking me.

"Why don't you come with me," he said, "You might want to join Celina and Leena right?"

Tyrell gasped, "You have them too?"

He gave out a high-pitched laugh and said, "Of course they are. They were pretty easy, you see, when I told them I know where Pruthvi is, they followed me like a puppy. "

"Hayden," said Tyrell, "I think we should listen to him. This is Celina and Leena he is talking about."

"How do you know?" I asked rounding him, "This might be a trap."

Tyrell was tensed. Even the cool breeze didn't stop a little drop of sweat sliding down his temple.

"Okay," I said making up my mind, "First we shall contact and check on them and..."

"No! No! No!," the man interjected me, "You come with me right now and I will leave the girls alone. But if you give that job to your stones, I promise, the very next minute they die."

"No!" cried Tyrell, "Please don't! We will come with you."

"But Tyrell..."

"Good," said the man, "Now walk towards me."

"Please Hayden," said Tyrell desperately, "Pruthvi is already in danger and we can't risk the girls too."

I didn't like the idea of following the man. But before I could think about something else, Tyrell was already walking. He gave me no choice and I went along with him. The man turned around and started walking away from the bushes. He turned around twice making sure we were following him. Bushes were so dense that I feared we might lose the man too and as guessed as soon as we came out of the bushes, to our utter surprise the man was out of sight.

"Where is he?" Tyrell asked.

Before I could say anything the ground underneath us gave a crack and divided.

"Aaargghhh!!

We screeched together. I was paralyzed with the shock. A sudden rush of adrenaline took place within me until we hit deep inside the ground.

My head hit the base. Few rocks and the mud landed beside me. I had no clue if Tyrell was alright but I was sure I heard him coughing. I felt though my whole life flashed before my eyes and I struggled to breathe normally. After a minute when I forced to feel my own body and when my eye sight cleared, I was fully apprehended with the fact that we fell and landed into a closed, dark prison.

-x-