Once registered, Kalika began her power walking. She couldn't afford to waste a single second on reviewing charts from the previous hour. Right now, the disturbance in the energies demanded her immediate attention.

The Kaal Chakra, the machine they managed to control the flow of time across all the lokas, was operating solely on a single Yantra—the Devi Yantra. Each loka had its own Yantra to regulate the flow of energies, all interconnected with the Devi Yantra of Kaal Loka.

Kalika sensed a disturbance in the central part of the Devi Yantra. Entering the Yantra was strictly prohibited, reserved only for the Head Priestess, and she knew she hadn't entered there.

If what she was thinking had just happened, then they were in grave danger—not just them, but all the lokas. Breaking into the main chamber wasn't the work of some dark time charmers; it had to be someone who had helped create it. And then it hit her. There was no way she could stop him alone.

Kalika mind-linked with Agastaya, "Agastaya! We have a Code Red."

Agastaya, along with the nine chief ministers, was in the midst of discussing a new strategy to strengthen ties with all the lokas in the grand Mantralaya Graha. The Graha's ceilings were adorned with exquisite stone carvings, depicting gods and goddesses locked in epic battles, capturing the divine drama of celestial legends.

Despite their aid, they still needed the support of the other lokas in case any conflict arose. As Agastaya listened to Kalika, he had been proposing a strategy to collaborate with Brahmaloka, given its superior position among the lokas.

He fell silent, realizing the gravity of the situation. Perhaps Kalika had seen something that could impact the major decision Maharani was about to make regarding their ties to Aranyaka. But that didn't seem to warrant a "Code Red" alert. So, what could it be? He shook his head, refocused, and decided to leave the meeting.

Forming alliances with other lokas was Maharaja Arjun's duty, and he was more than capable of handling it. Agastaya stood from his royal chair, bowed to the Maharaja, and said, "Maharaja, Kshama! Please accept my apologies. I must leave this meeting; an urgent matter requires my attention."

He knew that alarming the Maharaja without verifying the situation's intensity could lead to chaos.

"Maharaja, what has happened?" the Maharaja inquired.

"Maharaja, it concerns my forces protecting Ratinagarh. I must depart immediately," Agastaya responded.

Taking a measured breath, the Maharaja replied, "If it involves your troops, then proceed swiftly. We will manage the situation here."

Agastaya bowed again, bidding farewell to the Maharaja and the other eight chiefs present. Leaving the palace, he re-established the mind link with Kalika, "Are you certain?"

"Oh, I'm sure. I am the HEAD PRIESTESS. I can't afford to misjudge this."

"Okay, are you heading to the main chamber?"

"Yes, I'm on my way."

Agastaya mounted his majestic black horse and rode toward the northeast. "Did you inform Antra?"

"No, and you're not allowed to tell her either."

"Good call."

"How long until you arrive?" Kalika asked, riding her beautiful white horse, almost blending in with the ice-covered landscape of her town.

"Not long. I'll use the hidden passage from the cave just outside the town. It should take about an hour," he replied, his eyes sharp and focused.

"Great, meet me at the gate." With that, they ended their mind link.

Kalika strode as fast as she could. On her way to the cave, she could sense him. He had arrived. He was bad news for everyone. The last time he brought destruction, it resulted in the annihilation of the entire universe. It had taken everything they had to create a new one. Last time, they had Shakti and Shiva, but now, they didn't even know where they were.

Kalika could see his strong white aura near the cave. Her third eye had now activated. She wouldn't let him go without a fight.

With stronger strides from her horse, she reached the cave.

The scene outside the cave was gruesome—not in a blood-soaked way, but worse. Every soldier assigned to protect the cave was captured by the Yakshanis, who were well-trained in hypnotizing anyone, diverting them from their main goal. Bringing them back from that state would result in a gruesome death. All these soldiers were now captive for life, destined to be taken away by the Yakshanis.

Kalika covered her face and closed her eyes. "Agastya! Yakshanis are here," she sent a message to him.

Although Agastya was strong, there was a 1% chance of him being taken by the Yakshanis, and Kalika couldn't afford to lose him.

Kalika entered the cave. To see clearly the energy prints left behind, she closed her eyes and activated the third eye on her forehead.

The floor was marked with white energy prints leading deeper into the cave, but none were returning. There was only one way in and out. His aura was unmistakably strong within.

The path to the center of the cave, where the Kaal Chakra and Devi Yantra were located, was not a straight line but a labyrinth of time. Time inside the cave was on a continuous loop. Anyone unfamiliar with the way would end up walking in circles. Only Kalika, Queen of Kaal Loka and the creator of Kaal Chakra knew the way to the Devi Yantra.

Ironically, the creator was believed to have died thousands of years ago.

Kalika's suspicion grew stronger as she neared the Devi Yantra. At the center of the chamber lay a small yantra composed of nine triangles—four pointing upwards and five downwards—with the Shakti Bindu at its core.

Standing next to the yantra was a man in a white dhoti, emitting a strong, white aura. He had a long white beard, and his half-tied hair was arranged in a bun. His eyes were sharp and penetrating, reflecting his deep insight and understanding of cosmic truths. He held a wooden mace in his right hand.

A soft smile glowed on his face, and Kalika was captivated by his presence.

"Pranam, Shukracharya," she said, paying respect to his wisdom and knowledge, though her eyes revealed her disdain for the wrong decisions he took that had led them to the brink of disaster.

"Vijayi Bhavah!" he responded with a smirk.

"Do you truly intend to bless me with the boon of victory?" The mockery in her tone was unmistakable.

"My child, you are so naïve." He walked towards her, his presence commanding and serene.

"Why are you here?" Kalika demanded, unwilling to waste time.

"What is the hurry? We have time. After all, we are standing where time begins and ends." His smirk grew wider.

"I may not be as strong as you, but I will give you a tough fight."

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. My child," he chuckled softly. "I am not here for a fight, and you know it."

Kalika folded her hands and arched her eyebrow, waiting for him to explain.

"I was waiting for you."

"What?" Kalika squinted her eyes, puzzled by this unexpected response.

She walked closer, now just a foot away from him.

"Stop lying."

"A teacher never lies."

Kalika took a deep breath, trying to steady her emotions.

"Do you remember the day when you were just a child, learning the art of controlling time in my gurukul?"

What could he want? Kalika thought to herself. Why bring up the past now? What good could come of this?

"No."

"Oh, but I remember it vividly—as if it were yesterday. You were my favorite, after all. You are the daughter of Shakti and Shiva, my Aradhya. Oh, those were the days." Shukracharya then sat on the floor and patted the ground, inviting Kalika to sit beside him.

At first, she hesitated, but despite her reservations, she sat next to him, maintaining a respectful distance.

"You asked me what the line between good and bad is. It was a profound question, one that requires wisdom. I was impressed by you—a six-year-old child asking such a question." He looked at her with a soft, genuine smile, as if reminiscing about old days.

"Yes, and you then took me to the pond."

"Do you remember what I taught you?"

"You showed me a scorpion and placed it on my hand. It bit me, and I cried, feeling angry and betrayed, wondering why you would do such a thing." Kalika smiled at the memory.

"To teach you a lesson—that—"

"There is no absolute good or bad. What seems wrong in your eyes might be right for someone else," Kalika completed his sentence.

"Yes. The scorpion bit you to protect itself. I placed it on you to illustrate a point, knowing that its poison couldn't harm you. After all, you have the essence of poison flowing through your veins."

"But to someone who only sees part of the truth and views the situation from the outside, the entire incident might be misinterpreted, making me appear to be a bad teacher."

With tears welling in her eyes, Kalika looked at her teacher. "And so, a good deed can be perceived as bad."

"Yes," Shukracharya confirmed.

"Good and bad are merely constructs. It is our choices that may sometimes be morally correct and other times not," she replied.

Shukracharya placed his hand gently on her head. "My child, I wish only the best for you. I do not intend to bring harm. But I must remain firm in my convictions. My blessings are with you."

Kalika closed her eyes, a tear slipping down her cheek. She understood that he had taken half of the Shakti Bindu and left for his Rakshasa Loka.

"Kalika, where are you? I'm standing outside the cave," Agastya mind-linked to her.

Kalika, still lost in her thoughts and struggling to compose herself, did not respond immediately. She opened her eyes and glanced to her left. Shukracharya had left, but his white energy prints were still visible, stamped on the hard rock floor. She wiped away her tears.

"Kalika! KALIKA!" Agastya's voice echoed urgently in her mind.

"Agastya, he took it," Kalika replied, her voice heavy with sorrow.

Agastya sank to his knees, the weight of their predicament crashing down on him. The end was near.

"Come outside. We need to speak with the Maharaja," Agastya said, trying to regain his composure. He cursed himself for not listening to Antra. Both he and Kalika had dismissed her warnings, and now everything was on the brink of collapse.

Kalika emerged from the cave. Though her tears had dried, her eyes betrayed the emotional turmoil of the moments just passed. She walked toward Agastya and embraced him tightly. In that moment of weakness, she sought the comfort and strength of the person she loved deeply.

"Ssshh, Kalika. I'm here," Agastya whispered softly, holding her close.

He grasped her arms gently but firmly, forcing her to meet his gaze. "You are strong. Don't let your emotions distract you. We must head to the palace now. Understood?"

Kalika nodded in agreement. They mounted their horses, but before leaving the cave, Kalika cast a protective spell. Anyone other than herself attempting to enter the cave would be reduced to ashes in an instant. Even Shukracharya would not be able to breach its defenses.

As she wiped the remaining tears from her face, she said, "You understand the gravity of this. Even if there's no battle to come, we are still doomed."

Agastya nodded solemnly, aware of the high stakes. They had to act swiftly. Both of them mind-linked to Antra, "Antra, you were right. We need to speak with the Maharaja. Head to the Mantralaya Graha immediately."

They spurred their horses into a swift, determined gallop, racing toward their destination.

<a/n>

Word count - 1893