Pruthvi Krishna was staggering.

Grabbing his arm, trying to cease the blood oozing out, slowly and carefully, he sat on the rusty bench. His breathe was heavy and he craved for water. He looked around trying to see what this smelly place was. He trembled with fear when he realized he was jailed. He was able to acknowledge why someone like him could be in the position he was. Only a few hours ago he was walking on the strand of the lake, hand in hand with Leena, sending a quality time with her, visualizing her excitement when she described the new dress she recently bought, the way she talked. He felt a sharp twinge of pain in his stomach thinking of her.

He was missing his best friends he made after he came to know that he was a Samagraha-Tyrell and Celina. He was missing their bickering; he wanted to get back to them. They were the only people who made him comfortable living in the academy. They were everything to him after he lost his parents. Thinking about his parents gave a jolt in his stomach. Never ever he could have imagined that a boat trip in cool weather of Ogunquit would be his last and worst trip. He lost both of them there when they were attacked by an alligator. He shook his head trying to drift away those ugliest nightmares.

He still couldn't believe he was abducted. To his utter revelation three people appeared before him, made Leena fall unconscious and snatched him away. He couldn't have noticed their faces for they were completely camouflaged. He didn't know where he was being taken to. It was a total blackout. The only next thing he remembered now, that he was in this prison, beaten and thrashed till he could stop fighting. His stone was taken away from him not letting him use his powers.

After a few hours when his eyes were heavy and trying to sleep, he heard a low humming sound from outside, he sensed someone. He wished to call out for them. But he was too weak to bring the voice out of his mouth. The humming sound was closer now. He tried his best to see who it was. Suddenly, the gates opened and a huge man masked with a black veil, stepped in. Pruthvi's terror rose. He didn't want any more pounding. He knew his body couldn't handle anymore. His heart dropped to his knees when the man leaned towards him, his yellow eyes flashed and he sniffed.

"I know you are beaten enough," he said with a grating voice, "I hope you are ready to speak."

Pruthvi tried hard to talk and finally said, "What do you want?"

"A simple answer for a simple question."

Pruthvi looked away.

"Do you know where you are?" the man asked.

Pruthvi mocked, "In a prison, without any reason."

"Of course there is a reason," he said, "I need some details that only you can give me."

"What details? What do you want from me?"

"Where is your sister?" He said quickly, his voice turned greedy.

Pruthvi scoffed, "You are mistaken. I don't have any sisters."

"Don't make me lose my patience, boy. Just tell me where she is?"

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"I know doctor told you everything. He was successful in hiding you for so long but not anymore. We do know you are her only living relative. Don't try to manipulate me."

Pruthvi pressed his eyes hard and gritted his teeth, "He told me nothing. He hardly ever talked to me. I don't know who you are and why you brought me here. Please let me go, I know nothing."

The man stepped forward and caught him by his hair, "Are you listening to me? I said I need to know where your sister is."

"And I told you, I don't have a sister," Pruthvi said loudly, "I swear. I am the only child to my parents."

Man sneered and let him go. Pruthvi could hear his breath loud and clear.

"Look, I don't want to be someone I am not. Don't make me lose my patience. Think carefully before you answer," he warned, " I am talking about the girl you father took care of."

Pruthvi looked up. His eyes flew open. "What?!"

"Stop pretending too hard, boy. Stop pretending that you never knew anything about her."

"I am not..." said Pruthvi but quickly stopped. A girl his father took care of-what was he talking about?

"Tell me now or rot in Dakshinpur, god knows for how long."

Pruthvi was sure he didn't understand a word he said. Tears formed in his eyes and he rested his chin on his knees.

The man sighed hard in anger and said, "Fine, there is only one way you'll open your mouth"

He ducked his hand in his pocket of his black trousers and took out a diamond shaped box with a silver lid. Pruthvi eye's fell in the small green stone inside it-His emerald.

"Do you want me to destroy it?" The man asked.

Pruthvi gasped and cried, "Please no!!"

"Then let out everything, before I grind it?"

"I don't know," Pruthvi cried, "why don't you believe me?"

Man gaped, watching him cry.

"Please give me back my stone," Pruthvi asked trying to hold the box.

The man sat on knees and came face to face with Pruthvi, only an inch distance between their noses.

"Look," he whispered and Pruthvi guessed he didn't want the guards outside to hear him, "I will give your stone back. Run away from this place. But you have to pretend as if you snatched it away from me. Understand?"

Pruthvi stared at his naked yellow eyes. There was a slight change in his expression. But without doubting him anymore, he took the advantage of the chance the man was giving him. So, before he changed his mind, Pruthvi nodded.

The man stood and opened the box and as soon as he did, the green stone zapped into Pruthvi's pocket. He felt a sudden surge of strength piling inside him. Taking in deep breath, he sat on his knees and commanded his stone,

"EARTHQUAKE FORMATION!"

He punched the floor as hard as he could and created a wave in the ground. He was successful in stumbling the man and other guards. He was glad the man kept the door open making it easier for Pruthvi to dash outside the prison before anyone could catch him. He quickly decided the better way out. He ran as fast as he could, when in the mean time he pictured Leena in his mind.

"Leena, can you hear me?" he called her but unfortunately she didn't respond to him. He called her again and again until he found a room to hide shaped like a cave. He entered, closed the door and calmed himself down until he controlled his rushing heart beat.

"Leena please talk to me," he said quietly. This time he got lucky. Leena responded. She sounded dumbfounded but he didn't have time to answer all her questions.

He said, "Stop talking Leena, listen to me first. I am not sure but I think I am in a place called Dakshinpur. Please go to the doctor if he knows anything about this place and ask him to help me. Till then I'll wait for you to connect me back. I don't have much time...Leena...Leena...are you there?"

He was angry he wasn't able to talk to her much. In a split second he heard the sound of the footsteps nearing him. He wiped away the sweat crawling down his temple. He checked the door thoroughly if he had locked it. He found a small hole on the door and peeped through it. There was the same man standing facing the two other guards.

"He escaped," the man was saying.

"How can he escape, Shourya?" one of the guards said furiously, "You know what can happen if Shashi finds out..."

"He will not," the man interrupted , "I'll tell him what happened. Pruthvi was very clever. He tricked me and snatched the stone away from me."

"Did you see which way he went?" asked the other guard.

"I saw him running towards the temple. We have to find him quickly, before he gets away from Dakshinpur."

The guards then followed each other to the opposite side of the prison. In no time they were out of sight. Pruthvi turned around. He wanted to use his stone as much as much as he can but he knew his strength wasn't enough. He glanced at the room. There was a single chair and table on which were many large papers. It seemed like someone was having a research party. There were many cupboards with small squared racks filled with paper rolls. He checked the papers on the table and was astounded. His jaw dropped when he saw his painting carrying the stone. At the top of the paper was a cross mark. He checked rest of the pages and he found those belonging to his friends with cross mark beside their faces. He recognized everyone but one person intrigued him the most. It belonged to the most handsome face he knew. May be, he thought, he was the twelfth Samagraha that Tyrell was going to get. He looked at the painting closely. He appreciated the way this person was painted -wearing a checked shirt on a T-shirt on his chiseled body suited him a lot. He frowned when only this person had a check mark beside his face.
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