Nakul sat unblinking beside his wife. He was on his way to find Yuyudhana when a dasi informed him that Abhijishya had fainted while doing aarti.

He had never run so fast in his life. Bhabishree Satyabhama had caught her before she hit the ground. It was like someone cut her strings suddenly she had said.

That was in the morning. Now it was night time. The Vyadji said she could have collapsed due to weakness and not sleeping properly. Nakul cursed himself for not being more mindful about the state of his wife.

But that was hours ago too.

The Vyadji and Nakul himself had tried everything to wake her up. She needed to eat something. They had not been successful.

Bhabishree Rukmini had brought Bhratashree Krishna. He had never seen such a grim look on his face.

He had touched his Abhijishya's forehead once and left without a word.

As much as Nakul rather stay with his wife, Mata Devaki insisted he have lunch. Part of him protested that when his Abhijishya was lying unconscious without food, why should he eat. The healer in him knew he had to eat because no one needed him to fall sick when Abhijishya was in this state.

He never felt this helpless in his life before. To be simply put, Abhijishya was sleeping. They just couldn't wake her up. From trying to shake her awake to splashing water on her face, nothing worked.

Nakul had a gut feeling this had something to do with whatever was bothering her earlier. Her state was not something that any medical condition could explain.

He had said that much to everyone. Later he heard Mata Devaki crying and saying it was her fault for pushing Abhijishya to do aarti of Devi Ekanamsha.

Nakul had run to Bhratashree Krishna for answers. He found Bhratashree Balram and Bhratashree Krishna in a heated discussion. He knew that they knew what had happened to his beloved.

He tried his best to control his tone of speech. It looked like he wasn't successful much. Bhrata Krishna had said something cryptic about Abhijishya not waking up on her own and that he would go to someone who could give him the means to wake her up. Nakul hadn't questioned him anymore after that. He just wanted his Mohini to wake up.

He wished Abhijishya had trusted him enough to let him help her. He didn't even know why she was not waking up.

Over everything, Nakul sorely felt the absence of his brothers more than anything now. No matter what they went through, his Jyesth was there to guide him, Bhrata Bheem would try to distract him by joking, Bhrata Arjun would comfort him and Sahadev would always advice him and let him vent. He missed his Mata too.

Here, the people who knew what this was about were not telling him anything. He felt angry towards Krishna. He called himself Abhijishya's brother, her friend and he wasn't doing anything.

Nakul caressed Abhijishya's head trying not to shed tears.

"Wake up, love. I feel like I am drowning without you here," he whispered.

================================

In the early hours of the day, Abhijishya walked towards the police station with determination.

No one stopped her. She was about to enter the SI cabin when a constable called her.

"Hello? Madam? Where do you think you are going without permission? Sir is busy now. First tell me what you need then I'll ask Sir when he will be free. Then only you can meet Sir," he said.

Abhijishya deadpanned and said in a flat tone," Eat shit. You aren't even real."

She walked inside ignoring the indignant protests of the constable.

The SI was doing paper work. He looked up astonished. "I wasn't informed that I had a meeting."

"Oh? Now the DSP has to set a meeting to meet her sub-ordinates. ATTENTION," Abhijishya barked out.

The SI clearly wasn't expecting anything of this sort. He stood up abruptly and saluted," Ma'am."

He was so off balance from the strange occurance that he couldn't even process what exactly was going on.

Abhijishya nodded approvingly. "At ease."

"NOW, what kind of way of keeping the gun is this? Go on, take it out. GO ON," she snapped again.

The SI fumbled for a moment and took out the gun and placed it on the table. "Ma'am?" he asked tentatively.

Abhijishya walked confidently forward and took the gun in her hand. She simply turned towards the cabin door and ran.

The SI shouted," Hey? You are not the DSP."

'Well, duh," she thought sarcastically. Where was her Oscar?

The constable from earlier had brought along a few more police officers. Two of them were woman. The Police Inspector from earlier was also there.

"Drop the gun or I'll be forced to shoot," he warned.

Abhijishya stuck out her tongue and pointed her gun at the unarmed SI. "You shoot and I shoot," she said menacingly. This illusion rubbish was getting to her.

They tried slowly pushing into her space but Abhijishya jumped on a table. The she jumped down from it and ran out.

There were cacophony of shouts behinds her. She also heard gunfire sounds but she didn't look back.

Abhijishya emerged out into the main street. A biker was coming her way. She stood in his path and pointed the gun. The scared biker got off. She stuffed the gun into the waistband of her jeans and got on the bike.

The police were just behind. She sped off as fast as she could. Soon Abhijishya took the high way and drove recklessly.

It wasn't like she would be in pain if she had an accident. So honestly she didn't care.

Normally she wouldn't have gone through so much of a hassle. Barber shops had mirrors. But one problem. Most of the shops were closed due to lockdown. She didn't fancy trying to break through shutters. Too much trouble, really. It creeped her out how much this illusionary world felt real regarding every aspect.

The sound of the siren was getting closer. Abhijishya picked up speed to 110 km/hr. barely missing being hit by a truck.

She took a sharp right and moved out of the highway. She could neither hear the siren nor see the police van from the looking glasses.

But she didn't stop. Abhijishya rode till she reached the mango groove of Nasibpur. She got off and dumped the bike there. Taking the revolver and getting away had been surprisingly easy. She had half expected to be thrown in jail. She wondered whether everything was this easy in the real world if a normal civilian did the unexpected. Who in the right mind even steals a gun from a police inside a police station in broad daylight?

Right. Her. Abhijishya knew this illusionary world was finally taking a toll on her but she felt oddly apathetic about her actions. She looked around to check if she had come to the right place.

As far as she knew, if she walked through the mango groove she would reach the rice feilds. After crossing the rice fields, she would end up near the her house. Illusionary house that was like her house. Whatever.

She sighed and started walking. Good thing one didn't feel tired in the mindscape.

================================

Krishna was aware from the very first moment about Devi Ekanamsha trying to contact Abhijishya.

He knew that the visions had shaken up Abhijishya. But he also knew Devi must have an important motive behind her action.

But this was too much. Devi Ekanamsha was actively interfering with a mortal whose purpose had yet to be fulfilled. She was intervening and compromising Abhijishya. Most of the people who encountered her illusions were driven insane.

Krishna couldn't allow that. He also wanted to know the reason behind her abrupt actions that she didn't think it necessary to speak to him about it.

Her mortal form of Subhadra wasn't meant to endure the strain of Devi Ekanamsha's divine powers. Yet she was doing so.

Krishna was able to look into the past, the present and the future of every living being but he did not look into the minds of Gods and Goddesses out of respect.

But he wanted answers soon. His elder brother Balram had sensed the influence of Ekanamsha too. Samkarsana did not look into time as he himself was the embodiment of time.

Baldau was worried about his sister Abhijishya whom he had grown quite fond of in a small time.

That was why Krishna was on his way to the Kanyashram Subhadra was currently staying in.

Guru Mata led him inside to the visitor's cottage.

Krishna waited patiently. The jingling sound of anklets alerted him of his sister entering the hut.

He turned around. Innocuous face greeted him with delighted smile. He felt himself soften.

"Bhratashree," she squealed in joy and ran into his arms.

"Subhadre," he said softly encircling her in his arms.

================================

It was late afternoon when Abhijishya reached her house.

She rang the bell and waited patiently. As soon as her mot- no female illusion opened the door, she placed her foot in to stop her from shutting it.

"Shut up," she said harshly pointing the gun at It.

It looked at her terrified. "Open the door or I'll shoot," she said while holding the gun against It's forehead.

Abhijishya tried not to think much of her actions. She got in.

Small It that looked like her sister was shaking and cowering away from her.

"Take anything you want and leave please," It pleaded.

"I asked politely yesterday. I just want to use the mirror. Just don't bother me and I will move once I am done," she said.

Abhijishya walked to her parents' room and shut the door.

She walked in front of the dressing table mirror and exhaled trying to calm herself.

Okay. The moment of truth. She stuffed the gun into the waistband of her jeans and touched the mirror.

Abhijishya pressed her entire palm on the mirror and pushed. Nothing.

She tugged her hair in frustration. What even was she expecting! Magic mirror doorways?!

'Wait,' another idea occured to her.

Abhijishya cleared her throat and spoke loudly," Mirror mirror on the wall. Take me to the world that is real."

Still nothing. She started pacing. Hesitantly she tried again," Mirror mirror of the dressing table. Send me back home, Oh mighty Mirror! Are you able?"

Again nothing. No black mist or shining light. Just her ruffled reflection looking back at her.

She went back to pacing.

'How about I try it platform 9¾ style?' she thought. It wasn't like she had any better ideas.

She stepped back some distance away for a good start. Abhijishya focused on Nakul, Krishna, the Pandavs, Mata Kunti and ran forward.

She slammed against the mirror and fell down. The dressing table toppled down over her.

The mirror broke and shattered all around. Abhijishya stood up uncaring of the broken pieces.

So option mirror doesn't work. She unbolted the door but was kicked back. Abhijishya sprawled on the floor at the blunt force.

Her fath- no male illusion, It, male It, loomed over her with a cricket bat. She wondered where he got that from. Back home, her sister didn't play cricket.

Abhijishya picked herself up when she went sprawling on the floor once again. She stood up quickly this time.

"That wasn't nice, you know?"she drawled out. "Look, I am sorry about the dressing table mirror. But it's not like anything is even real. So chill. I am done with my need here. I'll just get going."

But her illusionary father was having none of it. It started beating her with the cricket bat. Even though she didn't feel pain, being knocked around was very annoying.

She caught the bat and threw it aside. Taking out the gun, she pointed it at male It.

She didn't expect him to lash out and try to take the gun from her.

She didn't expect her sister- when did she get inside the room- to abruptly push her.

She didn't expect her finger to press the trigger.

She didn't expect to hear the raw cry of pain from her fath- illusion- er, the agonising scream of her mother, the wailing of her sister.

She didn't expect the illusion- it was her father gurgling and choking on blood. Her Baba looking at her with devastated eyes. His body shook for a moment and went still- to bleed out on the floor.

She stood up and walked passed her mother who was crying and cursing her existence.

"WHO ARE YOU? What did we even do to you? You wretched animal, you killer," she screamed.

She walked passed her sobbing, babbling sister trying to speak of her father's murder over the phone in a too young voice.

She stepped out of the house and could hear the approaching siren of the police van. She ran through the fields, through the mango groove; she ran till she reached somewhere she didn't recognise. It was a bamboo forest.

The moon shone high in the night sky. The stars twinkled. Flopping down unceremoniously on the ground, she gazed at the sky then back at her body.

She could see the blood stained hands and the mirror pieces protruding from her legs in the moonlight.

She didn't feel pain. So this must mean everything is a illusion. Right? But- but how could illusions die?

She closed her eyes.

Her father's dead face stared back at her. His rapidly spilling blood was soaking her clothes. She could still hear her mother.

"WHO ARE YOU? What did we even do to you? You wretched animal, you killer,"

She felt nothing.

Maybe something was wrong with her mind. Something was coming unhinged. Why did she not feel anything?

Abhijishya was no killer. No, no, not a murderer.

Who was she then?

~°•~°•~°•~°•~°•~°•~°•~

A.N. - I hope some things became more clear to you.

The motivations behind Ekanamsha's drastic actions will be revealed tomorrow.

Shree Krishna seems to be in a fix too.

Nakul is suffering alone.

What is even going on?

To know more, keep reading.

Let me know in the comment section what do you think so this chapter. Please do vote too.

Until the next time,

Byee ;")