His mane was full on fire. It enlarged and ignited his body. The growl of pain never stopped. I had no idea why I wasn't it seriously, even though I knew he was in pain. Perhaps that was how our relationship was meant to be- to laugh at each other's pain. I watched his forelimbs bending. He was trying to wake back up, but he shivered tremendously. Not to mention the fire burning him never diminished.

Although standing attentive, in case Singh gathered himself up and resumed the challenge, I creased my brow fixing a perplexed gaze at him. He was still in pain. Being a Constellia should be an advantage but it didn't seem so. I raced my mind and it took me a while to realise that the reason for me and Singh to get knocked off was because of this typical fire log. Natural fire that it was. How and why Singh would generate natural fire in his realm, I wouldn't know. I looked at the log holding it firm with both of my palms. It quickly reminded me of the day our academy was blasted, when I had blisters all over my hand.

"Aha!" I said, watching Singh raising and falling too many times, and when he wasn't able to, I felt extremely elated that my plan worked, "Now who is going to get a life sentence, huh?"

Fire was burning him thoroughly, and he was growling...

"Come on, show me what else you got!" I exclaimed.

He trembled at the spot. Unable to resist, his limbs skidded far away from one another and he dropped down completely on the ground.

I felt my stone gradually cooling down. I blinked and dragged my eyes to look at her over Singh's burning body. Nazira had her mouth covered and staring at him with frightened imploring eyes. Her utter intimidated posture suddenly struck a chord with me. My smile vanished and my elation at once worn off. I was suddenly concerned about my Constellia.

"Hey Singh! Wake up!" I yelled, slowly lowering the log.

Singh didn't respond. He remained stiff, burning amidst the flames His golden skin, I noticed, was turning grey.

"My god!" I cried, adrenaline flew over my veins when Singh stayed unmoved for a long time than I had anticipated. I threw the log away and immediately rushed towards him. Nazira must have been waiting for me to react first and when I did, she ran hurriedly. We both reached him at the same time and stopped ourselves abruptly at a slight distance away from the fire.

I was breathing heavily. My mind had completely gone blank, devoid of any favourable ideas. All I could think of how this was possible. Singh, being a Constellia, shouldn't have to suffer the way he was as of the moment. Why wasn't he doing anything to get rid of fire?

"What do we do?!"

I heard her frantic voice in my brain. I shook my head letting all my emotions drain off. My stomach was hurting but I tried to think of something, anything worthy. I followed the instinct that led me to remove my outer shirt off and to beat out the flames using it. It took me several minutes but I successfully put the fire off. Singh's head was lolled aside lifelessly, his total body although rising and falling, taking laboured breaths.

The next instant the brilliant light emerged beside Singh and I was hugely relieved to know that he still conscious enough to move his paw and place it amidst the opening.

"Nazira," I gasped, holding her hand and forcing her to look at me, "Can you please go get something from the basket, first aid box or anything."

"That won't help," she said, signalling.

Her voice was aggressive and her eyes- red, wild and watery just like I had been seeing and hearing her all through the challenge. She looked aside, at the top of the hill and then said, "Please wait, I will be back."

"Wait...where are you going?" I shouted, but it was useless. She was already running away.

"You..you both must leave," Singh said, alarming me before I watched Nazira where she was headed to. "T..time. It never waits."

I dropped down to my knees beside his face and replied, "I am not leaving until I make sure you are okay...hey you are supposed to be a Constellia, then what the heck..."

His eyes were tightly shut. I spotted his skin folded and his whiskers turned downside. Pain must be too much to bear.

"I am used to this," he murmured. "It isn't new. I can take care of myself. You should go."

I grimaced not understanding his nonsensical talk. "Shut up! Just shut up. I am not listening to you anymore."

"Shaytan would stay in the Arena only for next twenty-four hours," he said and then hissed in pain, "or probably less. Please, please finish this off and prove my choice right. It's been a thousand years."

I stared at him, open-mouthed. Questions raged in my mind and I wished Nazira to come back quickly from wherever she went before I start troubling Singh. But I did ask the obvious one that might help him understand my plea. "Why are you always so worried that I might turn out like them? Why can't you give me one chance?"

Singh made a harrumphing sound but he said nothing. I was distracted by a hurried foot tapping sound and found Nazira trotting back with a branch with a bushy foliage. Frowning, I stood up, figuring out the leaves belonged to the tree of Vrindahina.

"Leaves are medicinal," she said, handing them over to me, "If you place them all over his body, it might help me cool down."

"Even a Constellia?"

She looked down at his burning body and said, "I think they are called your extension for a reason. All those medicines Doctor sent aren't used on normal people."

I gaped. "Did you go up the hill and get it? By yourself?"

She nodded. But I read her expression which stated- what type of question is that?

I wanted to compliment and thank her for showing quick-wittedness but I saved it for later. I immediately sat down on the ground and began separating the bronchial leaves from its thick branch. Nazira lent me a helping hand to quicken the process.

"I don't hear the girl's voice," said Singh, "I don't even understand if she is talking. How can you?"

He had his head slightly lifted, eyes were half opened and glued on her.

"Well," I said, "Looks like there is something I can do and you can't."

"Is the girl disabled?"

"Yes."

"And you can hear her voice?"

"Yes."

"Do you know how?"

"Dark magic, as I was told. Now stop talking and act disabled for a while."

Singh grunted and released a steaming breath out his mouth. He relaxed placing his head down and moved his paw a little closer inside the opened Gate. I began placing the leaves systematically all over his body. Leaves were fresh and broad dark-green but on touching his skin, they scrunched turning brown. He was huge, the leaves Nazira had brought weren't sufficient. Without hesitating, she went up the hill more than a couple of times until I covered him up thoroughly.

We waited till all the leaves changed colour before placing a fresh set upon him. In those gaps that we waited, seeking the opportunity I took care of my appetite, had a few glasses of hot chocolate with Nazira who complained of having a persistent headache. My only intention was to regain my strength now that the final fight with Shaytan Rup was around the corner.

For about a several minutes or probably for hours I rubbed his neck, paws and brushed his mane, just to let him feel better. His eyes were always closed. His stomach was rising and falling tremendously. Nazira and I were sitting in the opposite direction. She was adjusting the leaves around his neck and scrutinizing his facial features. I guessed if she wanted to prepare herself before she painted him down. Then she suddenly gasped with a screeching sound, pulling her hands away from Singh and widening her eyes.

"What's wrong?" I asked as she looked up at me horrified.

"Are those tears?" She asked, doubtfully.

I frowned and crawled ahead to have a clear view of his face. His skin beneath his closed eyes and around the upper part of his nose were wet and shining. His neck seemed to have grown wider than it usually was. They weren't just the tears but the burst of grief, atleast that's what I thought. My heart ached to see him in that condition. The tough, arrogant Constellia that he was, it seemed it was all a cover-up, and beneath was generous personality waiting to be unleashed.

Singh, what is really bothering you?

Dazed and flustered, I lifted my hand up and gently wiped his tears away, running the tips of my finger over his soft skin under his eyes. Right in the process, reacting to my touch, Singh opened his eyes and glared at me. Had he been fit, he might have growled at me, shouting things like- Stop caressing, I am not your pet! Or I could break your teeth for touching me, atleast that would make you look good. But no words came out of him mouth. He just stared, unblinking, unshed tears stung in his sad eyes making them shine more. He stayed mum, but as we looked at each other, I noticed there were myriads of expressions crossing through his face. For once I wished the realm to act in reverse and disclose what he was thinking about.

An hour passed. The late afternoon sun casted slanting shadows of the hill. The red soil yet shimmered with its rays amalgamated with that of the lights of the Gates. When the leaves we had spread over Singh stayed green for an extended time, Nazira and I decided to leave him alone to rest on his own. We sat quite a distance away from him placing our backs against the hill, our shoulders touching each other. Then Nazira did something which I was expecting her to. She gently laid her head down on my shoulder, her eyes slightly droopy looking blankly at Singh. I smiled and rounded my hand around her other arm and pulled her closer, went further ahead and placed my head on hers.

I sighed a breath of relief, analyzing my current situation. I was done with all the Constellia. I successfully opened all the gates that lead me to meet the beast that killed my parents- the one who was a mistake caused by my predecessor and created this deadly game. Opening up my feeling for Nazira Khan was one thing. I was savouring this moment- and why not- if things didn't turn out in the right way with Shaytan Rup, I might never find this moment ever again. I closed my eyes, a short nap was all I craved to have. I drifted away at once, hearing Nazira's deep breath and without caring about those two awakened eyes watching us the whole time we slept in his realm.