"What happened there?" Doctor asked.

His voice was shaky with fury, gazing hard at Celina who was absorbed in her own thoughts.

No matter how annoyed she was, the voices that she had heard grating on her nerves, language so bizarre, something at the back of her head told to let it go. The past was gone and over. This is their generation. The generation that has the capacity to define their own movements. Yet, the tears of guilt and anger welled up at the corner of her eyes. She sat rigid on the stone, staring blankly into space, having a hand involuntarily caressing the other. Blisters have started to pop on the burnt skin all around her Moonstone and upper right arm. It felt prickly and being a Samagraha did not help the sensation go away.

"You were almost there, Celina," Doctor said, trying to be polite, "Only if you were a little bit careful, perhaps we would be returning home victorious. Too bad we've lost a lot of time, the month of the Fest is over, and...tell me, what happened there?"

She blinked, obviously startled. "I heard voices."

He paused for a moment. "Another Haima's magic."

She looked up imploringly and kept her attention out of the beast crawling outside the maw of the tunnel. "This is something I did not know. Shaytan Rup could have died if Haimavati wanted to?"

The revelation burst forth like a rocket overhead. Doctor's face was covered with blood and sweat, but it did not veil the look of surprise surfacing in his face. "Is that what you heard?"

"Yes!" She replied, a tear dropping down and voice getting wobbly. "I don't know what and how but it was definitely two different voices of two different women, calling each other by Haima and Endira. And they were arguing ...over the charm that was laid on my stone."

His unblinking stare made her believe that he was trying to take in the fact. "What did you really hear?" He asked.

She gritted her teeth so hard that her jaw ached. "Is it not Shaytan's nature, that if Haima desired, he could have gladly destroyed himself? The only thing he needed was her nod. Just one nod, one single wish from her. But that woman was keen on protecting him."

"So it is true."

"You knew?" Her heart ached with anger gripping her.

"There was no confirmation," he replied, lowering his voice, "Even I'm acting on my hunch and taking necessary risks. If Naag doesn't know, I wouldn't know. We are getting to know these myths together."

"Why? Why did she protect him?" Celina bellowed, "She planned to send him to Parallel universe during this month of Fest and created all those stupid games so that a Cornelian user couldn't hunt him down? What was the need to plan so much?"

Doctor replied in the affirmative. "Even if she wanted Shaytan dead, it wouldn't have happened without getting encountered with the magical fire. Her acceptance would only boost support for a Cornelian user."

"I'm really starting to hate this woman," Celina said, her face contorting and the slight wind blowing in the tunnel, "thank god she's dead otherwise....and now I know that Endira parted ways with her because of her stupid decision of letting him live."

"Don't get into a conclusion without knowing the facts," Doctor said, with a slight quiver in his voice that made her notice his nervousness, "It was Almourah who made you aware of this. How can you believe in him?"

"You did consider this possibility, didn't you?"

Doctor stayed mum and let her speak.

"Had Shaytan died a thousand years ago, there wouldn't have been a crazy amount of deaths in the country. Our parents wouldn't have died. Hayden didn't need to go to Parallel Universe. Charm on my stone would have been still intact. And Haimavati...oh god, she could have gotten her freakin' powers back!"

"I told you Haimavati was a mysterious woman. She must have had an explanation."

"That's your explanation? And why are you even supporting her?"

"Because if it was that easy, then Lady Chandrika wouldn't have gone through lengths to link the charm and her powers with Shaytan Rup. Do you not sense the paradox here? Lady Chandrika wasn't a pea-brained."

"Well she gave birth to thirteen pea-brained kids, so who knows. It must be in the genes."

"Don't be ridiculous like your guy friends," he retorted at once, "You're a better thinker than them."

Celina bent down fuming and avoided to give a harsher reply that arose in her head. She rocked back and forth trying to quell her anger. Pressed her eyes shut hearing the beast outside bellowing in hunger.

"Just wait, alright?" He then said, calmly, "Don't get upset over it, not worth your time. It hasn't got anything to do with you. Let me be the one to worry about it. And let's just pray and hope that Hayden will finish it off within this month. Alright?"

She still prefered to stay calm.

Doctor continued, "We should leave now."

His statement struck a chord. Confused, she watched him pick his bag and food basket in his hands. "Leave?" She asked, "To where?"

"Home. Back to Dakshinpur. This job is over."

She stood up, feeling a bit dizzy. "Without the Pride?"

"Consider the Pride gone," he said, showing her the two part of the Dagger. He gave a resigned look and his wrinkled face suddenly looked older. "It will be shipped back to their respective owners in a few hours."

She gaped at him dumbfounded. "How? Didn't Almourah throw us away when I was in trance? Thank god the beasts caught us otherwise we would have been crushed."

"What's your point?"

 "The Blade should be still up there. We should try again."

"These parts should go back."

"Why? "

"Because I was asked to," he said and coughed a little before he spoke further. "It took a while for Matsyasvi to trust me for the second time. I was the one who helped King Harsh separate her clan, remember? She thinks I broke her clan for my selfish reasons and is really not happy with me at the moment. She lent me the piece of the dagger only when she was convinced that we were going to kill Almourah. But she also put a time constraint on it to be used only in this month."

Celina felt ill at ease when Doctor sounded too disappointed about the job that hadn't gone according to the plan. "We have one more day. We really should try. Why do you want to leave now?"

"Because it's useless. No matter how many times you try, it will not affect Almourah. Our Formation isn't working on him. And without Formation we are nothing. Perhaps we need the help of witches and warlocks and we can return with a better plan the next time. Unfortunately, Tyrell needs to wait a little bit more." He turned the other side watching the beast crawling about. His eyes suddenly twinkling with unspoken deepest of emotions. "It will take a day to walk back to Madhyakshetra. I need to check on Hayden and Pruthvi. They are my responsibility too."

"It's a matter of one day."

"I need to report to Panchayat in two days."

Celina rubbed her eyes, and thought about what was best for them in this situation. "If that's the case, then maybe you should go alone. I'll stay here. Just one more day and I want to use it well. And who knows, if Hayden destroys Shaytan and the power of charm might help me fight with Almourah better the next time."

Doctor shook his head. "I can't leave you alone. It's too dangerous."

"Why? Almourah can do whatever the hell he wants. He can hurt me more but atleast I won't die."

"That's not the point," he said, slightly raising his voice. "You're a woman."

"Oh, excuse me!"

"You know what I mean when I say that. It's just too risky."

She heard a snuffling sound coming from outside the tunnel, the prying eyes of the beasts suddenly starting to bother her. "Now you're being possessive like a typical father. Don't be, alright? I like the way how you treated me during those training sessions. You made me strong enough to deal with anything. I think I can take care of myself."

He gazed at her, crow's feet at the corner of his eyes deepened. "Celina..."

"I am not coming. And it's decided," she replied strictly, feeling a pang in her heart, "Leave the Pride with me and...you look really tired. Maybe you should rest for an hour or two and then leave?"

"I'll rest after I go home. Not an hour or two, maybe a little bit longer. This old man needs a peaceful sleep."

She smiled forlornly. Doctor handed her over the two parts and then a few lemons. He asked her to apply the liquid all the while she stayed here in the territory and then promised to return within a week with a better plan and help. He didn't forget to lend her a month full supply of nourishment- muffins, snack bars and the jar of hot chocolate. His high-quality fatherly compassion warmed her heart. She hugged him before he left. Saying goodbye had never felt harder before.

-----------------------------------------

"Celina, wait!" Pruthvi shouted, lifting himself up when she had knocked him down with a swift gust of wind.

"Go away!" She yelled back, her eyes streaming with tears.

Snow crunched under her feet as she raced faster and faster towards the bar. Earthly planes shot up in front of her but they were hardly any obstacles. She flicked her hand and with a loud cracking sound the plans shattered down into pieces. Cages tried to stop her, but she easily barged through slicing them up in half.

From the corner of her eyes, she noticed his shadow speeding, closing the gap. "Celina, stop!" Pruthvi urged but rather rudely. His rudeness that she had missed. "I swear I got no problem hurting a girl."

The ground began to shake violently, trying to knock her off balance. She tumbled down slightly but created a great rush of wind that lifted her up and supported to get her back on track. Adrenaline rushed realizing the bar was nearby. Maintaining her heart-pounding pace, she heard a gentle whimper and noticed Horsey dozing off in standing position.

"Give me one reason, why are you doing this?" Pruthvi shouted, and she heard the pain in his voice. "Tell me when you'll return. Leena and I will stop waiting for you."

"I'll return when I want to," she replied, "You have to let me do stuff in my way first."

"What is your way?" he asked, a bit surprised. "You could be jailed for whatever you're doing, don't you get it?"

"So be it! That is what I deserve to leave Doctor alone to die." She let her sob out saying that but didn't slow down the pace. The bar was only a few feet away.

Although Pruthvi slacked up at her reply, his shadow getting further back. "No!" He yelled, "It can't be true. I saw how he died. Just talk to me!"

"Sherwood Forest!" She cried, quickly twisting the knob of the door. "Tyrell's there somewhere. Go find him. Leave me alone!"

She burst through the door and closed it behind her. The ground quivered again, and Pruthvi's angry voice resonated inside her house. "I can't believe it! You don't want to return 'cause you blame yourself for his death? What a load of crap! This is so unlike you."

Celina stayed mum, and let tears spill down her eye.

"Nazira looks up to you. Don't let her down."

Her heart seemed to be getting a lot heavier.

"Open the door, Celina. You're vulnerable. You need us as much as we need you. Open the damn door!"

A few thrashing bangs on the door startled her. But she didn't pay heed to Pruthvi's demand.

Out of nowhere, a clomping sound followed by a loud neigh interrupted him.

"Damn it!" Pruthvi gasped and grumbled in his usual way, and then remained calm until Horsey gave him a chance to speak up. "Fine, I'll leave," he shouted, vexation clear in his way of speaking. "But I'm done covering up for your creepy unnatural behavior, Celina. I don't need you to keep saving me in Purvachand. You want to stay aloof, then for heaven's sake stay aloof. Because if this blows up, believe me, we're all screwed."

-x-