Clouds were spreading like a blanket in the sky. The air turned chillier than before and I suspected a snow shower any time. Celina was continuously rubbing her hands for warmth and so was Tyrell. He was trying harder to cover his ears using his cap. I smiled watching them thinking how lucky I was to have a cornelian in my pocket. It was keeping coolness away from and I kept pressing it hard to feel its warmth.

I didn't know why, but I didn't like Pruthvi and Leena going separately; Shourya was dangerous and he will do his utmost to abduct Leena. But on the other hand, I couldn't stop Pruthvi when he was so focused on getting his sister back that he thought that him and Leena going alone was worth the risk.

"Are we there yet?" Tyrell asked.

We just turned into the second lane as instructed by Dananjay. I moved on looking for the cottage made of grass. I tried to look till the end of the lane and as far as I could.

"For the first time I am seeing a throng in this place," said Celina watching upfront.

"Yeah, me too," I said watching a few men standing at the end of the lane, "Are they wearing black robes?"

On walking a little bit closer I realized the men were standing against the cottage made of grass.

"Er...do you think they are..." said Tyrell but he couldn't finish.

I watched closely shrinking my eyes. Tyrell and Celina reduced their pace in uncertainty. There were few men standing before a small dry grassy cottage. On the threshold standing, now as I was able to see pretty clearly, was definitely doctor and it seemed like he was having a verbal combat with someone.

"It's Shourya!" I said, my heart sinking, "Guys get back! Don't let him see you."

We quickly moved aside and hid behind a hut and we tried to listen to them.

"What are they talking about? Can you hear anything?" asked Tyrell, his voice quivering, "how did they get out of Pruthvi's cage so quickly?"

"I don't know," I said feeling a little stressed, "We have to go closer to see what's happening."

We covered our faces with our hoods of the jacket and slid carefully forward. Quickly we found a gap between the two huts providing enough space for three of us to hide. Finally we were much closer to them and we started eavesdropping.

"This is not right thing to do, Shourya," doctor was saying, "You cannot take my son away from me. You don't know what I can do to you."

"If you use your stone doctor," Shourya said, "Don't forget my men is already inside. And if you take one wrong step, be prepared to see your son dead."

Celina gasped. "They are taking Ashvanth away!"

"Don't worry," whispered Tyrell, "Doctor is not going to fall for his threats."

But it didn't seem like that to me. A young man probably reaching thirties was being dragged out of the cottage. He looked tired and completely glossy with the green skin. His outfit was rugged and his hair tousled. The one dragging him out was wearing the same robes as Shourya, only his face was much crueler and his hands were tied up with plastic careful enough to not to touch the victim directly.

"Oh! Poor Ashvanth!" cried Celina.

"He is too sick, Shourya," said Doctor, persuading, "I beg you. Leave him alone."

"Doctor is begging now?" said Tyrell surprised, "Why the heck he is listening to a puny man."

"He is sick, that is why we are taking him away," said Shourya, "This is for the kingdom's own good."

"Since when did you start caring about the kingdom?" asked Doctor, "All you did was torture villagers?"

"That is none of your damn business. Deva, take him away," he ordered to his men.

Ashvanth was then tossed onto the horse. Doctor's face was filled with grief and misery. He instantly walked forward but did nothing else as if he didn't mind them taking his son away. Doctor was the strongest person. I can bet on that. The way he fights with us in our training session was enough proof. He was the master of a diamond and doesn't require to actually uttering a command to fight back. He was that good. Now watching him doing nothing but only feel sorry for his son made me wonder if he was the same doctor I knew.

Tyrell pulled me away as Shourya and his men on the horses galloped towards us. We skid away facing the other side of the hut, careful enough not to fall within their sights.

"Are they gone?" I asked.

Celina peeked from my shoulder and when they really gone, she nodded.

"They have Ashvanth," she said almost breaking, "They took him. They might even kill him."

"I cannot believe doctor didn't do anything to save him," said Tyrell, "Let's go and ask him."

"No wait," I said stopping him and he did stop only it was not because of me.

I jumped back in surprise as I stared with my frozen cold eyes. My heart started beating like a drum against my chest. Watching a giant hound right in front of us made my hair at the back stand.

Then I remembered it looked exactly like the hound I and Tyrell encountered in the forest two months ago. How did it follow me here?

It walked closer and was ready to attack. Droplets of drool were oozing out of its wet mouth. Its eyes were scarier than before and were stuck on me. Celina grabbed Tyrell by his collar and pulled him back. But I wasn't afraid anymore. Then I let out a huge sigh. I didn't want to be afraid anymore, not again. I closed my fists tight and I was ready. The girl came back in my mind when I shouted, "Flame formation!"

Flames formed at end of both of my hands. Last time when I met a hound in the bar I wasn't careful but now I didn't want to kill this one. I only wanted to scare it away. As my flames increased the hound before me stopped walking and kept staring with its dangerous eyes. I tried to shoo it away but there wasn't any sign of it turning back and leaving us alone.

"What do you want this time?" I said aloud angrily, "Why are you after me?"

"Excuse me Hayden," said Tyrell, "You do know animals can't talk, do you?"

"But I think it wants something from me," I said.

"Let's get out of here," said Celina, her voice shaky, "It looks angry."

"I am not going anywhere until I make thing clear today. It is the reason I am unable to meet my aunt. I am so done with dogs."

For a moment it stared directly at me. Then something unexpected and unnatural thing happened. The hound began to transform itself. Its limbs grew and then its body shaped turned larger. Its face started forming humanly.

"We meet again."

It was none other than Shourya. Celina screamed loudly. Only a minute ago we saw him sitting on a horse and taking away doctor's son. But here he was now in the form of a hound and changing his shape.

"You are a freak, ain't you?" shouted Tyrell completely flabbergasted.

I was too stunned to say anything. But this did not stop my mind to race. Does this mean the hound I killed in the bar was a man too? This didn't make things clear. It made worse.

"Freak or not," he said, "But you are not the only one with the powers Kissler."

"How did you...?" I asked trembling.

"I am quite sure you have learnt about Psychenokenisis, ain't I?"

Psychenokenisis-the power of shape shifting. I had seen the Tanvir using the same power and turning himselves into any shape he liked, a tiger, a giant three headed snake and even into doctor. Now Shourya was telling me he can perform it too?

"How did you know we are here?" I asked loudly.

"I change into a dog," he said, "I can sniff. It took me no time to realize where you were. You can put off your fire Hayden; I am not here to fight."

"No, don't!" said Tyrell warning me, "Don't listen anything he says."

"Of course you will," he said, "You will listen to me. My men are already gone. No one will ever know about this."

"You can't have Leena..." said Celina.

"Don't you listen? My men are gone. I do not have to pretend anymore. I came here to save Leena."

"We will never believe...."

"Wait Tyrell," I stopped him, "This is about Leena. I think we let him talk."

"What! You already forgot what he did to us? He left us to die."

"But you didn't," Shourya said, "Listen to me first and then decide what you have to do."

"Will you leave Ashvanth alone?" Celina asked.

"That is not up to me," he said, "But I assure you nothing will happen to him."

"What is it you wanted to tell?" I said, "Be quick and don't play with me. I am serious."

"He wants Leena," he said.

I blinked, nonplussed.

"Shashi?" I asked coldly.

"Yes. And before he finds her, you should do something else."

"And what is that?"

Shourya turned around and sniffed. His nostrils flared and he furrowed his brow before he said, "Doctor is coming."

"Then be quick," I said desperately, "What do we have to do? We will do anything for Leena's safety."

"Get the cup," he said, "The Maiden's cup."

"The what..." I asked as I was not sure if heard properly, "Can you be anymore louder?"

"The Maiden's cup!" He said it aloud.

"What the hell is..." before I finished my question, I changed it to something important, "Where is it? Where can I find it?"

But Shourya didn't seem to listen. He changed back into the dog and ran away from us.

"No! Wait, tell me where it is?" I ran trying to catch to him but it was useless. He was already gone.

"Hayden! Tyrell! Celina! What are you doing here?"

An angry voice echoed in the chilled air. My mind was still fixed on Shourya and his little message. I didn't know if I could believe him. I didn't know if Shourya was toying with me? But to me it seemed he meant everything he had said. I swallowed as hard as I could.

"Hello doctor." Tyrell and Celina said together. I turned around to face him and he was standing there, staring morosely at me.

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