" What is that life without any
thriller,
There's no problem, no saviour nor a
killer."

Jia's POV

The day passed in a haste with me, hopping here and there joyously in my shorts and over-sized shirts. I still can't believe it, we are engaged. The door of my room creaked open only to reveal my Mom standing there smiling at me.

" I thought, someone was least interested for this marriage. But see, its the other way around." She was grinning at my embarrassed self.

" Mom, don't start again. Please choose a dress for me to wear in the party tonight." I asked her in a childish way.

She saw every dress in the cupboard and selected a beautiful black dress that had pink floral designs in the front. I slid into that dress and I was amazed to see how beautifully the dress complimented my body.

My mom came to me and her both hands cupped my cheeks, "How lucky I got to be the mother of this gorgeous princess!" She said with tides of happiness flowing in her eyes.

The word 'princess' made my heartbeat rapid and triggered some memories, I don't understand what's going on with me. I drove towards the party venue. Upon reaching, I was greeted by every friends, and staffs , who were constantly congratulating me. But my eyes were searching for someone, who was no where to be seen.

As I felt a commotion at the main entrance, I glanced back and my eyes met with those greenish blue orbs, that was on me all the time. I squirmed under his constant gaze. He felt it and diverted his eyes. Before I could register anything, I was pulled into a bone crushing hug. I saw Ishaan's jaw clenching. I turned to see, who was the one capable of making my man jealous. As soon as I turned, I squealed.

" Oh my, Surfraaz ! You are here." I started rambling on a jovial tone.

"I had to be here. My bestfriend is getting engaged. I can't afford to miss her wedding, can I ?" He said in his usual cheery voice. His voice is just like honey, sweet as always. How much I missed him !

" So, My pretty lady, Can I have a dance with you ?" Surfraaz asked me for a dance in his not-so-polite tone.

" Sure, My gentle man." I replied him, flipping my hair backwards.

"Let's move to dance floor." With this we ran towards the dance floor like kids. I was about to reach first but he dragged me back and went ahead. Such a cheater !  Everyone was busy laughing at us. He mumbled a sorry and we started dancing.

The song was swirling in the air, giving it the perfect party vibe. A soothing song was playing currently and we both were enjoying every bit of it.

"Your fiancé is so handsome , You have a great choice." He whispered in my ears as the loud sound was making us unable to understand what the other one was speaking.

" Tell me something that I don't know." I haughtily replied and he made his face like he smelled rotten tomatoes.

"But he seems so grumpy." He said.

" He is acting all grumpy on you because you are dancing with his girl. If you say, I can give you a demo. Just call Neha here and let Ishaan dance with her." As that name left my mouth, his face colour altered.

" I need to go out. Sorry, Jia ." He left me there and moved out.

I went to Kshiraj and Zara. Talked with them for minutes. Wait, have I told you, They are also getting married with us . I think these days, my name should be altered from Jia to news delivery girl.

After Zara went to fetch her a glass of water, I asked Kshiraj about Surfraaz.

" Hey, Kshiraj. What's going on in Surfraaz's life ? Earlier , when I used to tease him, he blushed used to blush. But today his face held so much of untold emotions."

" Jia, just leave it. Where's Ishaan? " He averted the topic.

" Kshiraj, Don't even try to avoid ?" I warned him.

"Actually, Neha is getting married tomorrow. So,he is just heartbroken. It's too difficult to see your loved one getting married to another person." He explained although I knew what it feels.

" What are you doing here? It's your day, but you both no where to be seen. Come, and start the dance." Vyom Bhai came forward and took me with him to where Ishaan was standing.

He forwarded his hand for me to hold. I calmed my heart. The breeze intensified and blew more stronger with our slightest contact. Intensely looking into each other's eyes, we moved to the centre. The spotlight was focused on us. Every eyes were watching us. Suddenly the music changed into a slow paced romantic classic song.

The white curtails of the party house were floating in the air. He pulled me closer. It felt like the nature was celebrating our togetherness. His hand rested on my waist and mine on his shoulder. We swirled in the tune of the music. On a high note, he twirled me round and then picked me up but our eyes were least interested in dropping the eye contact. We were completely oblivious to the vicinity. Our moment was marred with the applauses of the individuals present there at the end of the song.

Petals of roses rained over us, making us smile in delight. I saw my previous Ishaan today after six months, but I knew it was soon going vanish. And, that is what happened.

It was already mid-night. I was driving back home, admiring the full moon's beauty. My car abruptly halted in the middle of the woods. I was wondering what went wrong with the car as I did the servicing just two days back. The night sky was lit with the moon's shine but suddenly I saw fire clouds on the sky. I scratched my eyes, to see if I was hallucinating. But it was purely real. I saw something flying on the sky. It looked as if a peacock's tail. The peculiar creature neared me, my heart was throbbing violently thinking of the upcoming dangers.

I got to see the creature as it stood close to me. It had a face of lion but its beard had colourful feathers of birds. It had four limbs and the body of lion. It had wings of falcon that was flapping in the air and had a peacockish tail. His head had a symbol that I couldn't grasp. I wasn't even blinking my eyes, seeing the bizzare animal in front of me.

I mustered up all my courage and looked into its eyes. The yellowish purple orbs met my chocolaty brown ones. I felt as if a hefty sum of light rays entered my eyes and all those scenes that I have been dreaming since long hovered my vision once again. Was it for real ?

The last thing I heard was that creature shouting , "Krishyanshi, wake up. Remember, who you are and the reason behind you being here ?"

--------

" Finally, you woke up. " My mom shouted happily. But I couldn't comprehend what was happening around me.

" What happened to me ?" I contrived.

" You were unconscious for the last 12 hours. Ishaan found you, lying in the car motionless yesterday night." She explained and a sad smile crept on my face as my mind drenched in the thoughts of his hatred towards me.

I excused myself from her and stepped straight into the bathroom. I closed my eyes, only to see those pictures from last night reappearing.

"Wake up, Krishyanshi. Remember, Who you are and why you are here for ?"

" You know, you are running out of time. If you don't achieve the crimson diamond on time, everything will be destroyed."

" Remember, Krishyanshi. You need to remember about your past life, and remind those days to Paarthiv too."

With that, an eagle flew on the sky rounding us and took that grotesque animal away. I was lying there unable to speak or stand. The visuals of two lovers killing each other, haunted my brain as I sauntered towards my car having a mini panic attack. It was beyond the scope of my brain, why I was feeling in that way.

Suddenly, someone took me in its arms and that was when her vision drooped.

I splashed water on my visage to calm down my thudding heart. It was a hell of a night. I quickly did my routine and set out for the office. May be, this day is going to be somewhat better.
I dressed myself in a formal attire, and was ready to step into my cabin. Someone hugged me from behind and I was startled.

"Surprise !!!" Surfraaz shouted near my ear. I heaved a sigh of relief as I saw him. He literally took out life from me, for a while and plunged it in again. He has been always that funny bunny boy, that every girl wishes to get. The thing that I love the most about him is that, he has a hefty sum of respect for girls. He loves his sisters dearly and if anyone even causes them a scar, they are gone.

" I know, I am a handsome hunk. So, stop eyeing me." He said with a glint of amusement in his eyes.

" No. I was just giving you look of sympathy. Keep that aside, now speak how is Neha?" I asked him, hoping for an answer. But he had other plans.

" Hey, see your fiancé is giving out red smoke from his ears, seeing us." I glared him and saw turned back, only to find a raged bull standing there, looking at our entwined hands. I quickly released my hands from his.

" Trouble in paradise." Surfraaz mumbled.

" Jia, I will take my leave now. " With this being conveyed, he hugged me and mumbled a " Good luck" in my ears. I saw Ishaan from the corner of my eyes, to see his eyes turning redder. I glared at Surfraaz, who just left winking at me.

I am doomed !

I wasn't at all incorrect. He instantly dragged me to his cabin.

" What was going on there?" He yelled.

" What?" I stammered.

" Don't you think, hugging and laughing in the office is not allowed ? That too, when you are engaged ?"  He shouted at me, slightly emphasising the word 'engaged'.

" So what, just wearing a diamond ring to show others, doesn't mean being engaged, when you don't love me at all." I bragged.

Maybe, he heard it as he banged the table with his fist. Then rushed towards me aggressively and swept me off my feet. It was so sudden, that I didn't even realise it.

He moved out of the cabin and I started hitting him," Put me down, Ishaan." All the office staffs were gawking at us. When Ronnie saw us, he showed me a thumbs up, and my cheeks went turning redder, thinking what he meant.

He threw me in his car's backseat and started driving. I tried to ask him, where he was taking me but one glare from him, shut me up.

He stopped the car near an old building. Then again carried me to the upstairs of the building. The interior building was so beautiful and clean , which I least expected because the external side looked as if it hadn't been cleaned since ages. He threw me on the bed and I fell on my butts, a scream releasing out of my mouth.

As he switched on the lights, I got to notice that all the four walls of the room was filled with my pictures. I was in daze, when he spoke up.

" You will never ever understand how much I love you, even if I speak my heart out. From the day I saw you dancing in the rain that day, I fell in love with you. I tried to search you every where. Days passed, still my heart had you. But it broke only after I knew that you were my best friend's to-be-bride. That was the best days for me, when we used to live every second of our day, talking to each other. I don't know if I had ever read so much during my college years, how much I read to teach you. That was only because I wanted to be with you. Your simple wishes had started to animate my life . I still remember, how I was pacing around in nervousness the day, I was about to propose you, but what you did. You made me realize that I don't even deserve you. You can't even imagine, how much those words haunted me and how I lived those 2 years. I do think now, perhaps I don't deserve you. You may not love me, but you don't have any fucking rights to question my love for you, because that was only thing I ever did with all my heart. Don't you get this simple face, tht I love you. " He poured out all his accumulated pain and love in those sentences. My eyes were watery and so was his. But he tried his best to hide those from me.

He was about to leave, but I hurried hugged his legs to stop him from leaving me again.

" I am sorry, Ishaan . It was all my fault. I was this gullible that I believed that bloody girl. I am sorry, please don't leave me again." I begged.

" You have only a 'sorry' for what I endured all these years? Let it go, by the way, you were never with me that I will leave you. We were always that distant." He let out a sardonic laugh and was about to hold the door.

" I love you." I confessed finally after keeping it in my chest for so long, after I hugged him from the backside. He took hold of my hands and said,
"You ruined it, Jia. You ditched me when I was impatient to hear these 3 words from you, but you confessed when I don't think I can ever love you back again." He told me, keeping the eye contact intact. Tears were vigorously rolling down his cheeks. Seeing him that vulnerable just provoked my guilt more.

I cupped his cheeks and calmed him down, hugging him close to my heart.
In an instant, the room turned foggy and the bright afternoon turned into the blackest of nights. I clutched his hands tighter. He seemed alarmed too.

Two creatures were flying on the sky flapping their humongous wings. One looked like a lionish eagle, a Griffin and the other one was a splendid creature with combined body designs, having horns of antelope, body of deer and strength of a dragon. Both the creatures were having a common symbol on their forehead. I have always been a fan of fantasy novel, so I knew it somewhat looked like a 'Serch Bythol' They were like a vivid painting of a wildlife exhibition.

" Regards to our highnesses." They both bowed their heads, turning us equally surprised.

" Krishyanshi and Paarthiv, There's a message from Goddess Naintara that you both need to find out the way to Ujwal Nagari soon. " One of them said.

"Who are you ? We don't know you?" We both inquired in the same time, though our insides were trembling in fear.

They both looked at each other and the next while, a sound wave was exerted from that symbol. We both clutched each other 's hand tightly as our vision blackened at that mean time and we felt as if flying.

________

Hey guys,

The new chapter is out ...

Hope you liked the fantasy and waiting to read even more of it.

Loads of love to you all and take care.

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Tons of love to everyone and a free Huggie...haha🤗🤗

Love,
Biswa❤️