Keval had befriended everyone. 

He had become social. 

It was tiring for him but the smile on his face never left, even if it was fake. The change in his behaviour had surprised the Rakshaks and the Yamdhuts alike but they took it positively, never doubting it, or so it seemed to him. He had sent so many reports to Ainas over the past few pehers borrowing scrolls from the portal room. 

Sneaking scrolls out was tougher than he had expected it to be.

Quiet recently, there was news that the Yamraj had summoned his children, so the Yamdhuts had to leave the station. Before they left, they blessed the station, to provide it protection from external attacks. They left Yoshanhara, Anamika's friend with the Rakshaks.

That was the last report he'd sent Ainas.

He was in his room, resting when he felt something scrape his cheek.

His eyes shot open.

Looming over him was the face was Ainas'. She had a seductive smirk on her face. He propped up on his elbows and backed away. She didn't let him go too far.

'What are you doing here?' He hissed, angrily, 'You'll ruin everything!'

She caged him between her arms. He felt uncomfortable. She leaned her weight on one arm and used her other hand to trace his jawline, 'I missed my little pet,' she purred.

His eyes were trained on the still curtain. Every time a shadow crossed, he felt a little of his control slipping. It was too much for him to tolerate. He had to stop himself from yelling at her. 'What are you doing?!' He whisper-yelled at her.

She pouted and pinched his nose.

He frowned and moved his face away from her fingers. He sneered her name. His gaze still fixed on the doorway.

He prayed for none to enter.

He had worked too hard. He had endured too much to let her throw it away so carelessly.

She giggled at his aggravated his state which caused his temper to flare. Before he could give her a piece of his temper, she hushed him. She eyed his lips.

Feeling unnerved by her lingering gaze, he cleared his throat, 'Ainas, what are you doing?'

'What I do best,' she murmured in his ear, 'Go to sleep.'

Keval wanted to protest. His consciousness felt like dead weight. His urja slipped away. His vision blurred but he saw her profile slipping away. He saw her move away. She never once turned her back on him and then she vanished.

And no sooner than she disappeared than he stopped fighting.

He fell asleep.

***

There was a cry of help that came from the north-east tower.

Anamika was on scouting duty. Alone she stood at the north-west tower. She hadn't seen anything that could've elicited a cold cry like that from anyone. Leaning against the stone wall and taking the support of the gigantic torch, she squinted her eyes to see what must have caused it.

It didn't take long to identify the intruders.

One of the Rakshaks was thrown from the tower. She gasped when she felt another many of them came together to save the falling Rakshak. They'd managed to catch him. Relieved, she fixed her gaze on the accused.

She had never seen such a creature before. To her, they were only drawings in literature. Another cry caught her attention. Two of them were thrown on the other side. They landed in the River. Anamika watched horrified as they dissolved into the harsh waters. The Rashaks didn't scream for help. They simply accepted their fate silently.

The creatures were closing in on her. Four tall, bulky, tar skinned beings. They had a malicious look on their faces. Their necks were so thick that they blended into their broad shoulders. Their arms look so stout that could crush anything in their path.

Identifying them was not a problem.

They were daanavas.

Anamika thrust her Nashtra back into the scabbard and jumped high enough to grip the hem of the torch. She pulled herself upward narrowly missing the clutches of the closest daanav. She heard them grunt. They had completely surrounded her. She immediately regretted her choice. It was foolish of her to think that she could escape their grasp.

They were too heavy to propel themselves at her. Keval wasn't lying when he told her that they were tactful. They used their weight to their advantage. They tried to flip the torch. Her core shook with anticipation. Under the duress, she couldn't understand what to do.

For the first time, she winged it. Drawing her talwar, she emitted a loud war-cry and ran toward them. It startled the daanavas. She stepped on one of their sturdy heads like she was skipping stones and launched herself at the courtyard's clearing. They caught strands of her hair but that wasn't enough to hold her back.

She landed on her back. Her urja was wavering. She stared at the terrible faces that were looming over her and scrambled on her feet. She clutched her weapon and retreated to the circle that the Rakshaks had formed to fend themselves. They were frantic and scared.

'Hold your positions!' She heard Yoshanhara's voice boom. The order made Anamika feel calm. She gripped her weapon tighter.

The daanavas had surrounded them.

'My, my, my this is an awkward situation.'

Another feminine voice cut through the tensed atmosphere. It was dark and shrill. Her voice reminded Anamika of nightmarish sleep.

The woman appeared from nowhere. She materialized just behind the line the daanavas had formed. She would've been beautiful but there was something wicked about her. Her movements were fluid. Her dark sari seemed to flutter in the airless courtyard. Her bosom was barely clad. Her hair seemed to have a life of its own, floating around her sinister face. It was almost as if she was mocking them.

She snickered, 'It seems as if we're uninvited here.'

'Go back to where you came from, you unworthy creature!' Yoshanhara barked as she faced the strange woman.

Anamika gawked. She had never seen the Yamdhut so riled up. She shuddered fearfully even when the anger wasn't directed at her.

The woman's laugh pierced the stillness of the courtyard, 'My, my, you still think you have control over me?' Her eyes glinted darkly. She spread her palms as she marched toward Yoshanhara, 'You see me as I am, Yoshanhara. You have no control over me.'

Anamika was addled. The woman knew Yoshanhara and by the look on the Yamdhut's face, she knew that they had a history.

'You can tell that to my blade.'

Yoshanhara drew her khanjar.

The woman seemed unfazed by the former's threat. She simply folded her arms and tilted her head. Her face had an unsettling smile, 'I would love you see you try to attack an unarmed woman and forget all that you've been taught. Do it, Yoshanhara, throw away all your high and mighty morals.' Her face turned grotesque as she screeched, 'Do it!'

'You've never needed a weapon,' the Yamdhut seemed oddly restful despite the khanjar in her hand.

It was apparent that the words had picked on the woman's nerves. Her face contorted with rage. Anamika half expected her to burst into flames but the woman kept her voice quiet as she spoke, 'You will not be able to protect them, you know that, don't you, Yoshanhara?'

'I don't believe in your divination.'

'Then you're a fool.'

The woman didn't spare another moment. Her braid unfurled toward the Yamdhut with jarring speed.

Anamika wanted to help but her fear had her paralyzed. The daanavas made their move toward them. The Rakshaks didn't move. Not one did. She saw through her peripheral vision, that there was something stopping them from moving. There were signs of struggle on their faces. She knew immediately that something was wrong.

She spotted Laksh. He was bent over his knees trying to reach of his tabar.

That was when she realized that they were frozen.

All of them.

'You're no use,' the woman caught her attention again.

To Anamika's horror, the woman had the khanjar at Yoshanhara's neck.

'I won't even spare you the courtesy of last words,' the woman seethed.

Before Anamika could dash through the crowd of frozen Rakshaks, the woman slit her dear friend's throat. Anamika witnessed the impossible. Yamdhuts couldn't be killed yet here Yoshanhara was, her head separated from her body. As the head rolled on the sand, it left a trail of black liquid behind it. Anamika couldn't get her eyes off it, not until she heard the body slump to the ground.

A strangled cry was heard.

The woman's head snapped at her and their eyes connected. Anamika had never seen a pair of eyes looking so resentful. They languished in the hellfires of rage and woe. She almost felt sad for the woman, almost. The spell cast by the agony in her eyes was broken when Anamika saw fear in them. She felt the blinding flash of wrath take over her being. Her vision was blurred but she could still make out the profile.

The woman barely avoided the blow. Anamika let out a frustrated cry and attacked again, without any thought. The woman kept gliding away like it was a game. Anamika's fury knew no bounds. Her urja drained but she continued to pounce on the woman, swinging Nashtra blindly.

She wanted the woman's head.

The woman's braid had a life on its own. It tried to distract her. It managed to wrap itself around her other arm, restricting her movement. In a fit of blinding rage, Anamika ruthlessly caught hold of the braid.

She got lucky when her talwar sliced the woman's pesky long braid.

The woman howled and collapsed.

Anamika loomed over her. Her being resembling the quaking Prithvi.

All the woman could see was her obliteration. She knew it was best to retreat. Drawing the little magic she had, she cried out to the Daanavlok for shelter. Her wish was granted.

Anamika's snarled when the helpless woman's contours were no longer visible.

'No!' She screamed as she tried to grasp her neck. The woman smirked wanly at her. It was a message, one which provided a perspicuous message: They would be back.

'No! You spineless witch!' She cried as she attempted to grab hold of the woman. She grappled the air, long after the woman had vanished. Profanities left her mouth, the tears never ceased to flow down her cheeks.

When she gave up, her eyes fell on Yoshanhara's headless cadaver. She covered her mouth and sobbed loudly.

She felt a hand on her shoulder. In her frenzied state of mind, she was about to attack but she recognized him. It was her brother-in-arms. He knelt next to her.

'They...' Her words dwelled in her throat. 

He hugged her. 'Don't,' His voice was hoarse. She felt his tears land on her temple. She shook violently as she wailed. She dared to look at Yoshanhara again. She saw Keval lay Yoshanhara's head on the ground, connecting the severed region like it was going to weave itself together and Yoshanhara would come back to life.

She allowed herself to hope, looking expectantly at the still Yamdhut.

***

Keval sat up, startled when he heard a soul-shattering cry. He panicked. Pulling his breastplate over him, he grabbed Sakhi and peeked out of the curtain.

He was greeted by a shadow. It was unmistakably the back of a daanav he was facing. It addled him. He thought he was seeing things. Stealthily, he snuck away from the daanav only to find that the station had been compromised. This was unplanned, he told himself. A daanav noticed him, thankfully didn't react. At least they recognized him as one of their own.

Rashaks were frozen. He shook his head in disdain, Ainas could've at least given them a chance to fight back.

Another scream tore through the station.

With that Ainas' spell was broken. The Rakshaks sprung into action taking the daanavas by surprise.

He spotted Anamika instantly. He was baffled when he caught a glimpse of Ainas' horror-stricken face. He couldn't recollect if he had ever seen such an expression on her. Anamika was striking at her relentlessly while the daayan barely avoided her blows, ducking and shuffling away to keep her head.

One of the daanavs collapsed at his feet. A Rakshak appeared to be thirsting was the blood. The daanav looked up at him. It irked Keval when he understood what he was asking but unfortunately, Keval could not do anything that would blow his cover, not until he figured out why Ainas decided they were ready to attack.

He drew Sakhi and saved face by killing the caitiff. The Daanavraj would have done the same. 

Cowards don't deserve to live.

He made his way toward Ainas. If Anamika went too far and managed to kill Ainas, he would be held responsible.

He could not let her die. If something like that ever did happen, the Daanavraj's plan would be delayed and thus, his freedom.

When he reached them, Ainas' form was barely a mist. He watched as Anamika helplessly tried to reach for her throat. Her demeanour screamed desperation. She had abandoned her talwar. It wasn't rage that was driving Anamika.

It was pain.

He couldn't understand why he was so sure. He watched as Ainas disappeared completely and Anamika howled, 'No! You spineless witch!'

It tore him apart. He felt as if the ground had been pulled from underneath him.

She banged the ground with her fists. He took a step toward her to comfort her but Laksh beat him to it.

The look on Laksh's face mirrored Anamika's. The Rakshak and the Rakshak Gurus, all of them, they looked hopeless.

Keval was perplexed. He failed to understand why they weren't happy. They had chased a powerful being away.

Then he saw it.

He saw the headless cadaver.

He recognized the attire. It belonged to a Yamdhut and there was only one Yamdhut amongst them.

Suddenly, he was overcome with sadness. It was foreign to him. The Yamdhut was Anamika's friend. He had witnessed a few talks between them and it didn't take much thought to realize that they shared a deep bond.

He spotted the Yamdhut's head at the foot of a pillar. Her hollow eyes were still capable of diving to the darkest depths of anyone's psyche and ruin them. Slowly, he walked toward it. He didn't dare to look into her eyes. Carefully, he picked it up and placed it near her severed neck.

When he looked up, he met Anamika's eyes but she wasn't looking at him.

Her gaze was trained on the deceased Yamdhut. He saw hope. She didn't want to believe Yoshanhara was gone. He pursed his lips. Moving the cadaver would be disrespectful.

'We must cover her,' A Rakshak Guru spoke.

Keval took it upon himself to do so and found himself jogging toward the weaponry. From the neat stack of saffron curtains, he took one and jogged back to the cadaver.

Laksh got to his feet when Keval unfurled it. Together, they placed the cloth over the being, covering her completely.

Anamika sobbed loudly.

'We must proceed to do the headcount,' Guru Gavistha whispered but they echoed in the stillness that the unexpected death had brought. He turned to the Nayak of the Dve station, 'Shaurya light the torches immediately. We must let the Yamdhuts know that something has happened.' He proceeded to instruct his Nayak, 'In the mean time, Abhay, send a scroll to Kasa.'

To their credit, the Nayaks got over their shock. Abhay nodded and dashed to the portal room. The Dve Nayak took two Rakshaks with him to the towers and began to light the torches.

Keval watched as Anamika's guru placed a hand on her shoulder. Anamika didn't respond. Rohini shook her head and walked away.

He turned to see if Laksh had seen it. Laksh pursed his lips. He seemed to have noticed Keval's gaze on him. He was about to say something when Shlok wrapped his arm around Laksh's distracting him.

All Keval wanted to do was to go and comfort Anamika.

It was his fault all of this was happening. He told himself that it wasn't his choice. He had to do the Daanavraj's bidding or else he would land up in that hole again. There was an oath to honour. He pursed his lips, torn with the conflict that brewed inside him.

A few Rakshak Nayaks walked toward her.

As much as he wanted to kneel next to her and take her in his arms, he saw that she was already taken care of.

He didn't move as Tamira helped Anamika up and patted her head with great affection. He couldn't hear what she words she was using to comfort her but he was glad. He would never know what to say to her if someone put him up to that task.

Anamika didn't need much support for long. As the Rakshaks lined up for the headcount, her face was stoic and unfeeling. There was no hint the Anamika he had come to know. Despite trying his hardest to fight it, he had become very fond of Anamika. The way she smiled, her kind words, her resilient nature... he couldn't help being drawn to it. Also, those times when her entire being shimmered like a jewel on the Daanavraj's crown.

He tried to pry his eyes away from her, trying to convince himself that she was standing on her feet and that she was alright.

He knew he was lying to himself. That nagging thought at the back of his mind demanded that he talk to her.

After the headcount, he decided to talk to her. He almost tripped over a daanav carcass trying to catch up with her.

She was making her way toward her room.

'Anamika,' he whispered her name, unsure if he should do so.

She heard it. She stopped short and looked over her shoulder. She saw him.

He felt as if his entire existence had been pivoted to that exact moment. The way her fierce eyes softened when their gaze met. She turned to face him. She let her guard down around him. It affected him in ways it shouldn't.

'I'm sorry.'

'Thank you.'

They spoke at the same time.

He cleared his throat, 'You first.'

She bit her lip embarrassed. She gave him a tight smile, 'Thank you for...' her voice died down. He couldn't words to say to divert her attention. It was hard to distract oneself from the elephant in the room. Fortunately for him, she didn't need much help. Momentarily, she shut her eyes.

'It was very considerate of you. Thank you,' her chest heaved, 'What did you want to say?'

His vocabulary seemed to have abandoned him. She looked at him expectantly.

'You should get some rest,' He managed.

She forced a smile, 'Of course.'

With that, she turned her back to him and walked into her room.

Once they were separated by her curtain, he glanced down, at the courtyard.

While everyone was scraping the carcasses of the daanavas, Guru Gavistha was staring right at him.

***