Tanvi smiled brightly as Kali just nodded. But on the inside, she was incredibly happy for her species would be saved. Akileshwar on the other hand, was terrified and took a deep breath, calming himself down. A trip to Naraka was not something he was looking forward to. But he would not back down. He shook off his fear and put on a determined expression.

Suddenly, the doors burst open as a boy ran in. He had blond hair and wore a foreign jacket, must have been a foreigner.

Tanvi inwardly groaned. She was aware of this boy checking her out in the streets earlier.

'David!' Cried out Bhringi as the trio stared at him in confusion. David Cross noticed Akileshwar, Kali and Tanvi and at first was confused. But then he smiled on the inside. This was the time he could win Tanvi.

He winked at Tanvi who just glared at him, causing slight confusion but he didn'tt express it. He walked over to Bhringi and they shook hands.

Kali cleared her throat. 'Care to explain?'

Bhringi nodded. 'This here is David Cross, a man who comes from the United States. He is a fine businessman, one of the most greatest in fact. He is here on tour and has planned to meet me, and I agreed'

Akileshwar felt something was wrong. When David first entered the building and stared at the Shiva statue he had a sort of hungry gleam in his eyes. Then, it had disappeared, as though he had imagined it.

'Now!' Said Cross in a happy tone, but Akileshwar detected something else he could not place in it. 'What are you doing here?' The question was mainly directed to Tanvi as he turned to her and the hungry gleam returned, but a split second later it was gone. Akileshwar glared. This man was pushing the bounds.

Tanvi too noticed and frowned suspiciously. She didn't like being considered a prize just to be won over. She too glared at Cross.

'And why do you want to know that?' Asked Kali, not wanting to share information about her problems.

Cross grinned. 'All right. Woman wants their secrets kept' He put his hands up.

'All right. You've seen the Shiva statue, you can leave' Said Akileshwar.

Cross glared at him, his happiness no longer there. He seemed to have a grudge against Akileshwar. His master had given him orders. But he wanted to just hack at his face right there.

'I happen to hear that the Asurans have a problem' He said, a smirk appearing on his face as the others' including Bhringi's face represented shock and horror.

'And I also happened to know' Continued Cross. 'That that man right there, has been appointed as their savior. The so-called Asuraksha' He pointed at Akileshwar.

Akileshwar glared at him. 

'Yes. What you have heard is true. Now, why do you ask?' asked Bhringi, getting a bit worried. Matters like the one Cross had just spouted out were meant to be kept classified. It wasn't normal for a man to just march in and just claim he knew about the secret of their quest. Much less a man who didn't dwell in the Ancient gods of India.

'I want in' He said causing everyone to frown. 'Whatever adventure your doing, whatever quest your doing, I wanna be there. Or else the Lingamputras' location goes to everyone in the world. Including the tech you have. And the queen of the Asuran's little visit to Pariha'

Akileshwar's glare intensified. He certainly did not trust this foreign man who had just threatened them. He would not be able to work with such people. Nevertheless, for everyone's safety, he nodded reluctantly and Cross' smile returned.

'So! What's our first assignment?' He asked.

'There is no first assignment. We are directly going to the Asura, and retrieve something stolen from us' Explained Bhringi. He too, felt uneasy around Cross and his new threat, his opinion having changed about the American.

'And how are we going to do that?' 

Bhringi opened his mouth to answer, but then closed it. Then only he realized that they did not know of the Asura's location. It could be anywhere in India, or not even on earth. It was a divine being, so it must have had some kind of abode.

'That's it!' Said Akileshwar, confusing everyone.

'Naraka!' Slowly everyone seemed to register his words. 

'The Asura is like the gods, you said. And the gods have heaven. And the demons have Naraka! The underworld'

Naraka was the Indian form of the Underworld. Where all the demons lay. Legend also dictated that when a human dies, their soul was taken to the Underworld. Naraka was also known as hell. And rightly so. The Asuras and other demonic creatures it contained..

Fear flashed through Cross' eyes. His master did not say he would have to accompany them to Naraka. 

Akileshwar suppressed the urge to snicker. 

'Akil makes a good point, Guruji' Said Tanvi and Bhringi nodded. 'The Asuras created Naraka. It's only logical for them to reside there'

'Then how did they get the circle of life near it? The circle of life was guarded by Indra himself. And no one will question the might of the king of the gods' Said Kali, repeating the question Akileshwar had asked her previously.

'Wait a minute, the circle of life is an actual thing?!' Questioned Cross, this time determined for an answer. Wow, his master left a lot of details.

Bhringi sighed. He got ready to explain how the circle of life was created.

'Long ago, when lord Brahma, the creator came into existence along with Shiva and Vishnu, he created us, mortals' He paused to take a breath. 

'Then, the mortals started behaving demon-like. Wrecking and destroying everything in their path. That's when lord Vishnu created Prakara, nature. Unbeknownst to Shiva and Vishnu, Prakara was also hunted and destroyed by the mortals. But Brahma noticed this and created the circle of life, or else known as the Mandalayu. The circle of life controls the work of nature and mortals alike. If tampered with, it would have meant the loss of mortals and Prakara. That's why Brahma gave it to the only man he could trust, Indra. But the Asura stole it from Indra, and only time will tell what it will do with it' Concluded Bhringi gravely.

'That proves the Asura is a being of massive power' Summed up Akileshwar.

'Not entirely' Said Bhringi as everyone frowned.

'Indra might be powerful. But his ego and greed can easily be used and manipulated' He explained. 'I have seen this first hand'

Akileshwar and the trio nodded. The circle of life being stolen was solved. Now all they had to do was retrieve it.

'When do we leave?' Asked Cross.

'Right now. The Asura's lunch is already being served' Said Kali with a sad expression.

'Your saying we have to go across literal hell?' Asked Tanvi.

'Yes.. The Mandalayu is not meant to be tampered with' Said Akileshwar as he put a brave face on. But he didn't even believe himself. Something told him this mission was about to go drastically wrong, and he could not destroy the Last Asuran.