Doctor sprinted out of the bar, slightly hacked off. Celina tagged along appearing timid and unduly modest about having been caught.

For a January night, the weather wasn't bad. Chilly but tolerable. Cloudless, ablaze of the stars and the full moon beaming down from behind the Uilani hill. Luminous wash spread across the silent landscape devoid of prying eyes. At the base of the hill, the village seemed unperturbed, hundreds of shacks surrounded by acres of ranches, swathed with snow.

Doctor cleared his throat seeking her attention. He flipped his walking stick and held with both his hands. She hesitated to meet his eye. Her mind was stuck on the jarring news Doctor had given her. This ensuing night began to give her grand apprehension of her life. It was indeed a mad dream, that couldn't possibly be true. Moreover, she couldn't escape from accepting the fact that her disappearance had caused this breakage amongst her friends.

Naag was inside the storeroom where she'd held a man captive. She glanced back twice at the entrance. "Check on him," Doctor had ordered his Constellia, "See if he's fit enough to be taken to Panchayat. Otherwise, wait for me till I'm done with her."

Clearly, Naag had chosen to wait. Frantic with the worry of getting caught, she had nearly strangled the man to death. Against her better judgment, she would already pronounce him dead without the need to check on him. It was with trepidation that she gulped down, picturing herself shackled in a dark prison as Doctor had always threatened her with.

"You and I need to go on a job." Doctor began and that drew her attention.

"Job?" Doctor's words nonplussed her and she looked back at the bar. "I already have a job."

He shook his head. "No. Taking over the business is your personal family matter. You've been given permission to do so until you were strong enough to get familiarized with the actual duties demanded of a Moonstone user. Protecting your clan was a preliminary round of your training. I admit, keeping your today's feat aside, you've been putting the efforts well. With the benefit of hindsight, I've realized your limitations and now ready to take a necessary risk of portraying your true gifted powers."

"But I want to know what's going on with Tyrell. Leena told me he is sick. We have been fighting just for no reason. And now you are telling me that he left the academy? Got manipulated by Shashi? Doctor, please tell me what's going on. I deserve to know about him. I...."

"Everybody loves him," Doctor snapped with a raised voice, "Name one who doesn't. Worrying about Tyrell Kissler will not bring him back. The sooner we accept it the better. Celina Hanslay, I've given you quite a few months to steady yourself. To get stronger in a fast and methodical way. If the Clan of Vaquiro is getting to have a sound sleep tonight, evidently it's because of you. But Panchayat is not happy with you limiting yourself to just one clan, and neither am I."

She stood alert. "Panchayat?"

"Yes. This is bigger than you think. It took me a while to get legal permission from them and now they've finally given a nod only after realizing that their reluctance to act at the right time has cost them a Samagraha. I do not want to waste my time anymore. Celina, Shashi is planning big. Get this into your brain once and for all. He is going to do something drastic to sabotage this country until he gets what he wants."

She stared blankly at him, listening intently with her mouth slightly hung open.

 "And you know what," Doctor continued, "this is not going to stop with Shashi. There are many more crooks living in every corner of the country with the same mentality and might one day turn up like him. Therefore, you and I need to work a lot harder to put an end to this craze of dark magic itself."

The way Doctor articulated, with a refined and fixed mind, she felt a rush of adrenaline coursing down her system. Inhaling a lungful of air, she really focussed and made herself prepared for anything the future was about to throw at her. She'd already guessed if this had something to do with Almourah. But just to be sure and safe, she enquired, "What do I have to do?"

"Before I get to that, I prefer to tell you how this all began. I need to tell you a story that happened a thousand years ago. Harden your heart, and pay full attention. Because this is going to give you the answer for why Shashi did, what he had done, only after your disappearance from the academy."

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"Almourah's dying wish," Celina wheezed, stopping in her tracks, "Is to die in the hands of his mother?"

"It is believed so," Doctor said, "And which is one of the reasons why Naag thinks that you're the right person to go on this job. The Pride is designed to be a wish-fulfillment weapon just so that nobody but his mother can claim his life. The legendary dark magic user has wished to die in the hands of his mother. Now if that wish has passed down to you as an ability or not, we shall know once we get to the point where we stab him the second time. We have to find out together if the supposition is true."

Almourah must really love his mother to have such a dying wish, she thought.

It wasn't her place to scorn myths, but she found Doctor's statements highly disturbing. Endira El Sayed, being the birth mother of the pioneer of dark magic user, couldn't stop Almourah herself. So could she bestowed that magnificent opportunity to her successors? Wasn't that mean? Apart from that, in order to prove that she was the right person to go after Almourah didn't she need to know the real meaning of motherhood first? What the heck, Endira.

Her stone burned the skin beneath her bracelet. "Ouch!" She gasped and held it firm in her palm, pressing it to cool down. Fine Vrishabha, will not say another word against your first master.

It had taken more than a couple of hours, and several walking laps around the bar for Doctor to narrate the entire remarkable story of the First Formation Samagraha - abridged, yet detailed. They dedicated another daunting hour to all the questionnaires until she thoroughly understood the legend. It began with a summary of the origination of the stones, the collision of the two stars, leading to Tyrell's ability. Then the existence of the invisible demon, Shaytan Rup, born as a loophole for Yajna, the story eventually revealing Hayden's ability. The dagger, in the possession of the TriArambh, was the only means to bring an end to the dark magic and everything made with the wood of Vrindahina, for instance, Shashi's tomb. And that gave away an account for Pruthvi's ability. There was an unusual concentration when they talked about the story which included Matsyasvi, Pizaca and the woman named, Haimavati Roksana, the inventor of the Pride.

"This year's Fest shall be historic," Doctor stated as an appeal, "Because I want to make it one. Pruthvi Krishna, Hayden Mackay and you shall work as a team but different, in totally independent directions. Shaytan Rup's death shall bring peace to the Constellia and the Clan of Matsyasvi. But what needs more attention here, is that his death will cause a sudden, quite miraculous change in you. So brace yourself for that."

She creased her brow. "Change, as in?"

In the dazzle of the moonshine, there was a strange look in Doctor's eyes. "Lady Chandrika's curse might be lifted off your stone."

Her heart began to thump too fast. "Ca...care to explain more?"

"With pleasure," said Doctor with a small smile across his face, telling her to relax before he revealed the entire story in the form of a complex monologue. They began to walk again. "These abilities that the Formation Samagraha have to deal with...sometimes I feel proud that you are sensible enough to understand and retain. But also I can't shy away from pitying you for taking the sorts of pain that comes with it. The Firsts were cruel, they were selfish. I admit that it is unfair to pass these abilities to succeeding generations just because they weren't able to tackle the problems arisen by themselves."

Doctor's eyes were distant and far away. "Haimavati's inclusion in the Firsts; life has started this commotion. She was one mysterious woman. With what Naag had narrated to me about her, that's the only way I can assess her. The reasonings for what she had done were best known to her. Although the people depicted it as a mere cynicism. There's more to the story of Almourah and his mother, which includes Haimavati as well. So listen...

Despite Almourah's raging grudge against his sister and the rest of the women of this country, he was against the idea of his clan hurting his mother for her blood. He made sure that his magic didn't work on her. To accomplish that, he laid a charm on her stone that kept his clan away from her being. It is the stone that is charmed. The clan is born out of his magic. And because of that every magic Almourah invented will not be applicable to the one owning the Moonstone. For instance, Yajna was exceptional to Endira. She was the only person to see anyone or anything that went through it."

She immediately asked. "Didn't you say the only person who can see people gone through Yajna is Shaytan Rup?"

Doctor smiled. "Correct. That is where Haimavati comes in.

This greed to acquire more power, either magically or politically, has been existing for thousands of years. Lady Chandrika exerted a lot of influence on the Panchayat in that era. In due course of time, she forced Haimavati to choose between her friendship with Endira and her status as the FIrst Queen of Paramarashtra. Haimavati was stuck in limbo. Eventually, she chose the status. And for that she had to bow down before Lady Chandrika's wishes, and did everything she must, to sabotage Almourah and Endira."

Celina interpreted it in different ways, her mind recollecting every information she had received today. "Matsyasvi? She used Matsyasvi to kill all those army men and that eventually weakened Almourah."

"Yes."

Celina sensed a small flare of anger burning in her heart. How can Haimavati betray her own friend? "But what has this got anything to do with Shaytan Rup?"

"Haimavati was a powerful witch, and also a very intelligent woman. She had a knack of changing her personality as per the demands of the situation. She acted according to the wishes of Lady Chandrika but also, she simply couldn't let her friendship with Endira go. With a mind adept at conspiracy, with the distinct magic in her hands, she decided to take an extreme step and end this enmity with Lady Chandrika by giving her a slow painful death. Seeking the chance, she inflicted the first Diamond user with the lethal Virus she herself invented and announced that it was the work of the Deity. Lady Chandrika was successfully placed in mortal peril. And Haimavati thought she won."

"Comalica Virus," Celina said, feeling more and more aggravated against this woman, "That's the full and real story, and people still believe that it is indeed the work of the deity. Haimavati played really well. But I still didn't get my answer. What has Shaytan Rup got anything to do with Endira?"

"As I said, Haimavati thought she won. She rejoiced at the thought that with Chandrika's death, she'll be the only person to rule the country and that there would no longer be threats from any side. But she'd forgotten that she was still Lady Chandrika's apprentice, that she'd learned how to conspire from her master. As soon as Lady Chandrika came to know the reason behind her deteriorating health, she looked for ways taking the help of one of her children. And cursed both Endira and Haimavati, linking their magic with the Shaytan Rup, in such a way that as long as Shaytan Rup's alive, both of them would be devoid of any magical powers. And that forced them to lead a life of a complete normal human.

All in all, Endira was still a Moonstone user and she continued to live with the privilege of being a Samagraha. But unfortunately the charm laid upon her stone was lost, and her blood became vulnerable to the beasts. Haimavati, on the other hand, lost everything though. Magic as well as her authority over the throne. She later spent the rest of her life as normal as any other human."

"Oh my God!" Celina started to breathe heavily, her mind working tremendously even at this time of late hours, "Now I understand. So if Hayden kills Shaytan Rup..."

"The charm Almourah laid on the Moonstone will return."

"What if Hayden fails?"

"He cannot fail. Failing is not an option. I believe that Shashi is under the impression that the charm is still working, and so he waited for that moment to have you unavailable in the academy before he went after Tyrell. Our job is to make his belief turn into reality. But this is not about Shashi, it is about the safety of the country. There should be atleast one person resistant to Almourah's powers. One person that every dark magic user of Paramarashtra remains forever terrified of."

She gulped down, realizing his intended meaning. "So everything is dependent on Hayden."

"Yes. I hope he gets his mind around and realizes how important he is to this country. And Pruthvi Krishna needs to master his alternative Kinetic power as soon as possible." Doctor scratched his forehead gently, and Celina noticed there was a glint of fear in his eye that he wanted to hide. "The curse," he said, "once lifted off, can arise situations that can either be for the wellness of this country or can cause a complete devastating blow. It has to be dealt in a very meticulous manner."

A vein on Doctor's temple throbbed as he stared blankly into space. Celina realized that perhaps he wasn't talking about her anymore. "Haimavati Roksana," she asked, "Whatever happened to her?"

Doctor sighed, turning aside looking at the rising sun from behind the Uilani hill. "Living the life of a normal human must be unbearable. She remained silent, disappeared without a trace and people eventually forgot about her. She remained nonexistent but was actually never declared dead, though. She was simply considered...gone." He sighed and turned back to her gaining his composure. "That's the story I wanted to tell you. I'm sure you've figured out what the main aim of our job is."

She gently nodded. "To kill Almourah."

"Correct. And this will be a one-time thing. Because we do not kill. Understand?"

She nodded, trying not to think about the man inside her bar.

Doctor continued, "Celina, I repeat it. Your challenger is the most powerful dark magic user ever born in Paramarashtra. He is not just the user, he invented it himself. Even during the month of the Fest, he might be powerful, so we need to take it seriously. Naag says there is almost no way to get the part of the Pride straight out of his possession except to lend him his dying wish, which I'm guessing he wouldn't be even wanting now. So we need to fight till he dies."

"Right."

"Hayden shall travel to Parallel Universe this August, and before he comes back we need to have all the parts of the Pride in our hands. That's our goal. July the first is the date I meet Lady Matsyasvi and then Sir Pizaca. I'll return to talk to Hayden and Pruthvi. After that, right during the month of Fest, you and I shall travel together to Uttarameer. And finish the job within the month."

Her heart skipped a beat. "It will take a month?"

Doctor's eyes twinkled. "It has to take only a month."

She started to have a few nervous jitters. "Until then?"

"You will have rigorous training with me. Vrishabha and Naag will be your opponents apart from me. Dedicate your life to this training for the next few months. Forget the business. Forget Tyrell Kissler and your other friends. Panchayat has given us one and only one chance. We have to utilize it well. Bear this in mind, I'm giving you importance more than any of your fellow Samagraha. Let's struggle for the greater good."

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