"Three minutes," said Jyran, cold-heartedly, "Only three minutes. You better ask him if he has any last wish, Hayden Mackay."

I was crying on his fatally body unceasingly, hands clenched at collar of his jacket, and so was Nazira, standing at the same spot, completely frozen. Her sniffs and slow mourns, which unfortunately only I can hear, were crushing and squeezing my heart, dizzying and disorienting me.

It felt like there was a heavyweight my heart was holding. And it hurt even more looking into those teary lifeless eyes of his, that had no personality anymore.

Jyran laughed on stating the last minutes my friend had. His raucous laughter and his irritating voice was suddenly turning me into someone I was refraining myself to become. He was my friend's father and until now I was just hoping for a family bond that I was deprived of.

"Cry Hayden, cry," he said, without possibly knowing that his voice was provoking me, "this boy's death should make you feel sorry for everything you said to me."

I slowly looked up at him, through my unbroken stream of tears. Watching his smug look was heating my body, anger boiling up in my system as a hot lava.

"I am too indebted to your grandfather to let me live that I am still unable to kill you this instant," he said, "probably going after someone else without a stone will make you feel sorrier."

He was turning his head to glare eerily at Nazira. She gasped, certainly understanding his intention and stepped back in horror.

He messed up with Tyrell, he killed my friend right in front of my eyes, now he was making an attempt to hurt her? A newborn monster aroused inside me, giving me a sensation that I never felt for anyone before, not even for my friends. It was sending me a strange anonymous vibe that he was about to target something that belonged only to me, and that my whole life was dependent on it.

Sharp pain in my head commenced as soon as he took a step towards her. He was making me weak just like earlier, when he had attacked Pruthvi. But this time I wouldn't let him make me vulnerable, not when it was the matter of my own life.

Not caring about the chronic pain in my head that was too much to handle, not caring that I was in an anguished misery watching my friend on lifeline, I made up my mind to do it- something that I should have done right after he broke an ice about what he had done to my dear friend Tyrell.

I put Pruthvi down on the floor, gritted my teeth to not to succumb to pressure my head was causing. Chest heaving, I rose myself up and kicked my heels to run as fast as I could. He turned around noticing me and my hands burning with hot fiery fire, and not to mention I didn't even command my stone at all. His mouth gaped open in shock watching me move even with my head bleeding with the pain.

Reaching closer, and before Jyran could perform any of his magic on me, I gripped both of his hand and twisted it hard, till his bones melt. He fell down on the floor on his knees, withering. He shrieked and I was immensely liking watching him in that agonizing pain. His shriek was giving me the same amount of pleasure that he had taken on hurting Tyrell and Pruthvi. It was unlikely of me to enjoy someone suffer that way, especially when I knew that he was my friend's father, but I couldn't let this feeling go waste. I was completely different person now and I knew it very well. I couldn't resist anyway. He was about to hurt her, nothing else mattered to me more than her at that time.

My hand, as if it was detached off my nervous system, instantly went too far to grab his neck and crushed it. I didn't even mind if my bare hand was going to tear his throat out. His skin was burning, I could sense the strong burning aroma coming right through his neck muscle. He was choking and gagging, his eyes bulged out. For the moment I forgot that I was killing a person even after when Doctor had warned me not to take such an extreme step. I kept on increasing my pressure on him, I just wanted him dead.

Pain in my head suddenly began to subdue and then I realized it was because of the warm hands that were gently placed on my arm.

Breathing hot breathe, I looked aside, not liking the interruption. It was her, sitting beside me, a drop of tear rolled down her expressing concerned eyes.

"Please, don't hurt him," she signaled, her voice in my brain was quivering although pleasing, "you are his grandson."

  
I glowered at her, unable to believe that she, like Doctor, also respected my grandfather's horrible, meaningless motto that was apparently the reason for Shashi to stay alive, Zarina Khan to still crave for the pleasure of money and a self-obsessed father like Jyran Kerenza.

That was the moment I realized how wrong my grandfather was, that I disapproved his way of ruling his kingdom and I was against his motto. His preposterous decision of keeping these people alive, has snatched my parents away and now my family like friends were suffering.

It was all his fault.

"He killed your brother," I said to her, through my gritted teeth, "he deserves it."

"My brother isn't dead yet. There is still one last hope."

My grip against Jyran's neck loosened. The monster inside me simmered down. I was too stunned to even crease my brow, but stared at her contemplating. What was she talking about? One last hope? Was she going to do something, was she the miracle I was hoping for?

But it wasn't her.

"Grrrrr....."

There was a rumbling growl followed by a loud bark emerging in the great hall. Before I could even look around, a black, tall and wide creature out of nowhere, dripping it's drool on my hands, leaped over me and Nazira, throwing us far apart.

Jyran was free of my deadly grip and he crawled aside groaning in pain and panting heavily. He quickly took his canister out, opened the gates to Paschimgarh and within seconds jumped out of it. I didn't want him to escape with the Shaatrumani, I didn't want him to live at all. My first instinct was to go after him but when I noticed the creature was actually a large hound, now whirling around towards us, everything about Jyran drained out of my mind.

Silence fell in the great hall for a few seconds. I was watching the hound walking too insolently towards Pruthvi. Goosebumps exploded over my skin, although I shouldn't be that surprised on watching the hound that started changing it's shape, growing into a fully formed muscular man, his blank robes magically forming beneath his waist.

"Maruti!" I heard Nazira's voice, filled with enthusiasm.

I frowned at first, not understanding why she was calling him by a different name. But as it approached closer I realized what it was all about.

Short stubby red beak, green short feathers, glazing black eyes, flying up in the air was a ring neck parrot.

"Nazi! Nazi!" It shrieked, similar to what I had heard two days ago. It was flying straight  towards Nazira to settle on her finger.

Turning aside to look at the hound turned human, none other than Shourya, was sitting down beside Pruthvi. I silently watched what he was up to. And whatever he did blew my mind away.

He set Pruthvi's body upright, holding him by his nape. Faintly growling, letting his sharp front teeth out, he bit his own hand, grossing me out. He pulled Pruthvi's jaw down and positioned his hand against Pruthvi's mouth, forcibly making him drink his blood.

"What are you doing!?" I cried, totally freaked out and running closer.

"STAY BACK!" Shourya bellowed at me, his eyes ferociously yellow in color and streaks of blood dripping down his wrist and Pruthvi's mouth, "We don't have time to answer your questions. NAZIRA, TAKE HIM AWAY."

"But.."

"Please," Nazira came over and stood beside me, her talking pet hiding its face in her hair, "Let him do it."

I couldn't believe she said that and I wondered if she even had an idea about Shourya working for Shashi.

"Do what?" I asked, nonplussed.

She looked back at Shourya without answering me.

For about a minute Shourya let his blood flow through Pruthvi's mouth and it was the only minute I had before I lost Pruthvi for ever. Gradually, Shourya pulled his hand back and let Pruthvi rest on the floor.

"A battle is running inside his body," said Shourya standing up and looking down at my friend dubiously, "Give him a few seconds."

"I don't have even a second...."

"STOP BEING CURIOUS ALL THE TIME!" He snarled, glaring at me, and I flinched. "Why can't you ever watch and learn?"

I gaped at him like a fish, noticing his eyeballs that were eerily changing it's color to black.

And then in about a few seconds we were interrupted glaring at each other by a deep gasping sound.

I fanatically looked down. Pruthvi's eyes were back to be all lively. He groaned and pulled himself to a seated position coughing, inhaling and exhaling heavily through his mouth.

"Pruthvi!" I cried, falling down beside him with utmost elation I ever had, wiping blood out of his chin.

"I..I am hungry," he said, sounding scratchy and raw, holding his stomach.

"Are...are you okay?" I asked, my eyes beginning to fill, watching him so alive and breathing once again.

"No, I am hungry," he repeated, pulling his glasses and rubbing his eyes. "Eww... did I just drink blood? It tastes horrible!"

I breathed a sigh of relief, hearing his voice slowly getting back to normal. I slightly pulled back to finally let my nerves go down and cool my body.

My friend was back, and suddenly he looked more than fine to me, except feeling uncomfortable for drinking blood of...

I blinked, keeping my face expressionless, my brain forcing me to go back to my original curious state.

What the hell just happened?

I looked up at ask Shourya, but he wasn't standing in his former place anymore. I quickly stood to check on him. He was swiftly walking into the passageway trying to disappear yet again.

I wanted to know what he had done to Pruthvi. I wanted to know everything, everything about him. Even though he was Shashi's minion, he has always been there for us in all troublesome and dead-end situations. I couldn't miss this valuable opportunity for I might not get another one as of now anytime again. I looked down at Pruthvi, who was checking his shining emerald, and I made sure if he was really in a good condition, and then at Nazira. "Please look after Pruthvi... each other...whatever. I'll be right back."

As soon as she nodded, I dashed off after Shourya who was too much in a hurry. Firing my fingers to help myself with proper light, her face appearing and disappearing within a snap, I ran inside the passageway after him. I noticed Shourya taking the same aisles that led to Nazira's room. I had my doubts and I had to be cautious, looking here and there, for any kind of sudden ambush. It was Shourya after all, the kind of a trickster who was a master in setting traps.

He was crossing Nazira's room now and halted against the wall, opposite to the door.

"Shourya, wait. I just need to talk," I said, loudly.

He didn't. He quietly lifted his bleeding hand up and wriggled holding something peculiar on the wall, and to my utter surprise the wall slid open, without making any kind of sound.

Is this the secret room Pruthvi was talking about?

I didn't had time to contemplate more about it. As soon as Shourya stepped inside, the door was already sliding back to close itself. I increased my speed and before the door locked me out, I jumped in through the small gap, nearly escaping to get crashed between the walls.

In a horrible sensation of falling into a pit, darkness immediately engulfed me and I had to increase my fire intensity.

"Shourya?" I called out.

My voice echoed loudly making my hair at the back stand. Air circulating in here was discomforting and sinister. It seemed to be more like a tunnel, with all stony walls and floor. Walking a little bit further, I came across the staircase leading down to some kind of a basement. Checking all around, I deciphered it was the only possible way that Shourya might have taken and without waiting, I went for it.

Setting my feet over the last thread of the stair, I gulped down finding fine number of lanterns forming a still shadow on the floor. Reading the outline of the shadow and being sure to whom it belonged, I swiftly walked towards it.

Creeek!

The sound of breakage cringed me. Taking my foot out of it, I noticed there were glass pieces beneath my shoe.  And then, on looking carefully, I was bewildered to see glass pieces all over the ground, just like Pruthvi had described it.

Nervously, taking a few more steps inside, I finally found Shourya standing exactly in the middle of the room.

"Shourya?" I called him, my voice a little bit shaky.

He turned around, smiling grimly. "Welcome to my home," he said.

"What is this place?" I asked, arching my brow, "What are you calling it your home?"

He grinned sympathetically, "Seriously Hayden, is that the question you really want to ask me?"

I sighed. "You are right. We better start from the scratch." Setting my fire off, I put forth my set of question before him. "Who are you? What is your problem? Are you really against us? Are you really working for Shashi?"

"Yes," he said and then immediately added, "and no."

"Stop making riddles," I said, taking a step closer, "I had enough of you. You need to tell me what you are and what did you do to Pruthvi."

"I saved him," he said, "Isn't that enough?"

"No, it's not," I said, my voice rising in anger, "You need to tell me everything, from the beginning. What do you actually want from us?"

He grinned again. His benevolent expression slightly worrying me. I had no idea if he was really trying to be friendly or killing time till someone showed up and attacked me. And not to mention, I left Pruthvi and Nazira alone.

Damn my curiosity!

"You want to know from the beginning?" he said, "So listen. But later don't blame me if you find me mean."

I swallowed. "Whatever it is, tell me. Just make sure, it is the truth."

"The Shaatrumani Stone," he said, grabbing fullest of my attention, "had been Rawat's most precious possession for years, and I was told that the second generation Samagraha were the ones who handed it over to the King of Rawat at that very century. Stored and protected right in this very room, built especially for it. All was well, until one day I dared to steal it."

"Steal?" I asked, blankly.

"Around twenty years ago, I was barely thirteen, the only son to my parents and the most mischievous child of my clan. People of Rawat were too fed up of my undisciplined acts. I had no friends to play with, no one to atleast talk to. Until I met this one charming young royal girl, and she became the only person who came forward to play with me. And in no time we became  really close friends.

She was my only friend and we were too young, too innocent. I did whatever she asked of me and I did everything, even if it wasn't under my control. It was her friendship that made me agree to steal the precious stone."

"People of Rawat? Royal girl?" I said, my brain racing, giving me hints, "Twenty years ago, that means it was the time when my... do.. do I know this girl?"

"Very well," he said, without hesitation.

"Who...who is she?" I asked, my heart sinking, "Who is the girl? Who asked you to steal it?"

He looked away, it seemed to be tough for him look at me anymore. "I didn't know at the beginning who she was, but later I found out that she was the daughter of Rawat's King..."

"Oh my god!" I gasped, taking a deep breath, hating the fact that my fears were coming true.

"...with whom I made friends with."

"It's my mom!" I mumbled, gasping loudly, "You and my mom!"

Shourya shook his head as if to clear it. "I wish it was your mother. I wish I was friends with Sarakshi. But unfortunately it was King Harsh's younger daughter, Tanishka Thribhuvan."