'Anamika, are you in there?'

The voice belonged to someone Anamika least expected. It had jolted her out of the sorry pit that she was digging for herself in her psyche. She dried her tears with her hands and sprung to her feet. She pushed to curtain aside only to be surprised again.

'Dhurya?' She frowned, 'What are you doing here?'

The former Nayak looked nervous. He tried to look stoic but it wasn't working very well. She didn't point it out.

'Rohini sent me to inform you that the Yadhuts have arrived. They have ordered all the Nayaks to assemble-' He paused and she knew there was more coming. She shook her head, 'You should've told me that sooner,' she interrupted him. She grabbed Nashtra and tied her around her waist.

'Anything else you'd like to tell me?' She asked.

He nodded, 'Rohini will be expecting me.'

It didn't come as a surprise. Rohini had always favoured him over anyone else. Anamika was getting tired of it. Her outburst did not render her incapable. Reminded of her loss, she looked over at the courtyard. It was empty. The stains of the daanav blood were gone too.

There were more scouts on the towers. Rakshaks trained out of fear.

Anamika shut her eyes when she felt tears trying to break free.

'I'm glad you're the Nayak, Anamika.'

Dhurya's compliment caught her by surprise. He looked at a little uncomfortable under her gaze. He shifted on his feet, 'You should go.'

Baffled, she nodded and made her way to the portal room. Those kind words were unsettling but she appreciated them.

The Rakshaks eyed her as she made her way to the courtyard. A few were kind enough to smile. She ignored at the piercing gazes and entered the room.

The room was plunged into silence.

All eyes were on her. She didn't miss the look of frustration that crossed Rohini's face but the older woman quickly hid it under well-enacted concern. Anamika did not find the need to apologize for being late. She spotted five Yamdhuts in the centre and recognized one of them.

Kasa.

He was the first to speak up. He got to his feet and gave her a small smile, 'Anamika, I am glad you could make it.'

She fought the emotions that tried to surface and did her best to mirror the genuine smile she received. She greeted them with her palms pressed against each other. She wanted to ask where Yoshanhara was but she knew better than to ask such a question surrounded by so many other souls.

He beamed at her as he took his spot.

She sat on the ground with all the other Nayaks. Rohini was seated behind her. Keval was seated in front of Anamika. He gave her a tight-lipped smile which she returned.

'First and foremost,' Abhay began, 'I would like to thank Anamika for doing what she did-'

'She saved us,' Nandan interjected, aggravated by the Eka Nayak's ignorance, 'The least you could do is acknowledge it!'

Some of the other Nayaks shared his thoughts.

Anamika felt a surge of pride going through her but immediately felt guilty. It wasn't her victory.

'Alright! Alright!' Abhay waved his hands to get their attention. He looked at her, his face softened a bit, 'Thank you for your heroic act today.'

She nodded mutely and mustered a smile as everyone clapped.

'Now, for more important matters,' He said and looked at the Yamdhuts, 'We need to know if we're still under attack. Clearly your blessing did not work.' His tone was harsh.

One of the Yamdhuts spoke, 'For someone who was on the verge of losing everything, you seem very arrogant.' There was a sardonic smile on his face.

The Eka Nayak looked offended. There were scattered chuckles to the remark.

'Jaidev,' Kasa softly reprimanded but he didn't hide his amusement.

Anamika was furious at how casual all the Yamdhuts were. She simply glared at them. Her energy seemed to have altered them because they glanced at her.

'What Abhay means is that we need to know if it is safe to stay here any longer. They know our location and they've killed-' Her voice broke but she managed to keep her composure, 'they've managed to kill one of yours and I believe the woman, she knew-' Her voice got caught up in her throat as she attempted to say her friend's name. Her voice was quivering when she finished.

'Thank you, Anamika.' This time Abhay smiled at her gratefully and then with a face set in stone, he addressed the Yamdhuts, 'What she said.'

'You say they knew each other, how are you so sure of that?' Another Yamdhut asked her.

'Because she took her name,' Anamika kept a calm facade, however, her mind was a mess.

Kasa looked like he was deep in thought.

'Anamika,' the other Yamdhut moved closer to her and placed a hand on her shoulder, 'Do you mind if I see?'

Anamika knew what she was asking of her. She did not hesitate before agreeing.

For a brief period, when their eyes connected, Anamika regretted it. It felt as if all her mind was being turned upside down; as if all her memories were being pulled out of her soul. The pain reminded her more of her loss.

Yoshanhara.

Yoshanhara.

'Stop! You're hurting her!'

Yoshanhara.

When it ended, she fell on her side but the Yamdhut steadied her. She felt so hollow and weak, deprived of all urja.

She tried to fight it but she shut her eyes when the Yamdhut transferred her to someone. Her vision was blurry when she looked up to see who the other soul was. She recognized the shape of his head and the silken hair that cascaded down his face.

He wasn't looking at her. His eyes were fixated at the Yamdhut who had delved into her psyche as a glare.

***

Keval did not know what he was thinking when he got to his feet and pried Anamika away from that scary looking Yamdhut. He doubted he was thinking at all.

It irked him more than it should have when Anamika agreed to let that Yamdhut inside her mind.

At first, it was fine, Anamika didn't look like she was in a lot of pain but then it came. Her face contorted with discomfort and then she began to quake vehemently.

The Yamdhut put up no fight at all. She simply let go of her but he couldn't help glaring at her. He was careful enough to avoid her eyes. He couldn't let himself be so utterly careless. He assessed Anamika for any injuries, which seemed pretty stupid to him. If she had done some damage, he would never be able to see it. Her eyes were hazy and she was tired, other than that, she was completely fine.

When he looked back up at the souls in the room, he found them staring at him intently. The Yamdhuts took advantage of that and started whispering furiously. When the Rakshaks' attention was pivoted on them, they settled down.

Kasa spoke, 'Anamika is right.'

In Keval's arms, Anamika tried to sit up. He didn't resist despite his displeasure. She gave him a quick thankful look before turning her attention to the Yamdhuts.

'We do know the woman who was leading the daanavas,' Kasa continued, 'However, we cannot inform you who she is or how we know her.'

At this Keval's interest was piqued. The Yamdhuts knew Ainas? It was certainly interesting. He kept his curiosity under control knowing that the others would pester them enough to let the secret out. He was not disappointed.

Guru Gavistha voiced what all the others were feeling, 'This is outrageous! How can we fend ourselves if you don't provide us with the necessary information!'

'How we know her has nothing to do with your protection,' the Yamdhut who had assessed Anamika's mind spoke up, 'As of now, more Yamdhuts will be called.'

There was a moment of silence which was broken by Erodh, 'So she's that dangerous.'

'As of now, being here is dangerous,' she said, sharply, 'But none other stations are large enough to hold all the Rakshaks. We do not have any choice but to remain here. And from what I've seen,' she threw a brief glance at Anamika before continuing, 'You've scared them-'

Jaidev interrupted her, 'Maybe we should address the Rakshaks and tell them so.'

'It's a great idea,' Kasa agreed.

'Might I suggest, Kasa be the one to address the Rakshaks?' Tamira timidly said, 'Since he's the Yamdhut most of them are familiar with?'

'Of course,' the Yamdhut replied with a smile.

Keval zoned out after that. Even after giving the incident some thought, he was unable to believe that he had witnessed Ainas terrified. He found himself wondering what had distracted Ainas so much that her spell broke. The last time was perfectly fine. The Astha station had been wiped clean. It was easy.

He found it hard to believe that Ainas was strong enough to kill a Yamdhut but terrified of...

He caught himself. His gaze travelled to the mess of curly hair.

Ainas' magic never had a lasting effect on him. It would work sometimes but it would have to be a powerful spell. He wondered if it was the same for Anamika.

And they shared something in common.

They had no recollection of their lives on the Prithvilok.

'Keval?' Kasa's voice jolted him out of his reverie.

All eyes were on him. He almost panicked. What if Kasa had told the Nayaks about the truth? But his training had been well-founded. He kept a straight face, 'Yes?'

The gazes on him were solemn.

'It will be painful for you but I need to see your mind,' the Yamdhut spoke softly.

If Keval had felt fear before, what he felt after Kasa's words was something else. He shook his head immediately, 'No!' It came out louder than he had expected it to.

'Keval, it is imperative they know what happened there,' Guru Gavistha explained.

'No! I've already told all of you!' He almost yelled. He was unable to think coherently. His entire being shook violently. 'I've already told you everything!'

'Keval-'

'With all due respect, Guru Gavistha,' Anamika cut in, 'Keval has been through a lot. He has been through the most painful experiences as a Rakshak. We must be considerate to his situation.'

He was more than grateful when she fought for him. A part of him cursed himself because, in the long run, all of this act of goodwill will end up hurting her.

'If we are considerate to his situation any longer, none of us may survive this,' the guru barked.

Then that's our fate, Anamika wanted to say but she knew better. Instead, she looked over at Keval, 'I'm sure Keval would be able to answer a few questions.'

Keval nodded, 'I can do that.'

Kasa sighed loudly, 'Fine, for now, we will stick to questions.'

'I insist Kasa studies Keval's mind,' Ashvath voiced, 'We need to be sure if there is anything Keval has missed.'

'I agree with Ashvath,' Hruvty nodded. A couple of other Nayaks seemed to have the same opinion.

Keval wanted to unleash his wrath upon those two. He was affirmative that none could face him. He was blind to their concerns. It didn't matter anyway. Their doom was certain. These ignorant fools just didn't want to accept it.

'Anamika was brave enough, why can't we expect the same from Keval?' One of the Rakshaks Keval didn't recognize pointed.

The window Anamika seemed to have opened for him was rapidly closing. He racked his mind for a reasonable excuse. He had no choice but to be melodramatic. As much as he hated it, he had to behave as a coward would;

With frustrating cowardice.

'Do you know how it's like to be the only survivor to a tragedy like that?' His voice was a mere whisper but it echoed in the room. All other voices dissolved into nothingness. His felt smug. His pretend was affecting them the way he wanted it to. 'And then, that woman-' he snarled, 'Seeing her again, do you think that was easy!'

'Do you want the tragedy to occur again?' Rohini asked harshly.

Another moment of stunned silence. Keval was shocked. He hadn't expected such harshness from anyone.

'Did you not see the way Yoshanhara was vanquished?!'

Keval had no words.

'If not for Anamika, there would no one! None of us!'

Anamika looked at him guiltily. She looked like she was almost apologetic. He scowled at Rohini and stormed out of the room.

He was furious but more than that, he was scared. They were being kind to him by asking for his permission. He wasn't sure how long that would last. He knew he couldn't push the moment he feared any further.

***

Anamika was mad at Rohini for pestering Keval so much that he stormed off.

The Rakshak Nayaks and the Gurus were outraged by the disrespect he had shown. She knew she couldn't do anything to curb it.

'This is simply outrageous!'

'Did you see the way he stormed off!'

'You see what happens when there's no Rakshak Guru to guide them!'

'Absolutely disrespectful!'

'That ungrateful brat!'

The Yamdhuts stayed quiet. They observed the chaos that his actions had caused.

'It makes me think he has something to hide!'

'I'll give you a piece of my mind? I think he's a traitor.'

All the other voices died. Anamika was enraged by such a comment. She found herself staring at the soul who had dared to utter such a disgraceful remark about Keval. True, he shouldn't have walked off like that but that did not make him a traitor, much less a coward.

'Abhay, you're taking this too far,' Kasa calmly stated.

'Really?' Guru Gavishtha came to aid his beloved Nayak, 'He comes out of nowhere, none of the Rakshak Gurus have heard of him, and his style of training is very peculiar. The way he carried himself? Nothing about him indicates that he's a Rakshak.'

Anamika stared incredulously as the others agreed. She hoped the Yamdhuts would be unbiased.

They didn't let her down.

'Let's not jump to conclusions especially when emotions are running high,' Jaidev suggested.

'Are you implying that we're incompetent?' One of the other Rakshak Guru asked.

'He's not implying anything!' Gone was the smooth understanding of Kasa's voice. He was taking back the reins. 'None of us are drawing a conclusion! Not until I've examined Keval's mind!'

Anamika was glad.

'And no one will speak a word regarding this meeting to any Rakshak. It's an order. Am I understood?' His voice boomed in the room.

The stillness that followed his answer was the answer. No one had anticipated Kasa to be so angered by it.

'Am I understood!?'

Slow and hesitant nods were what he was answered with. He was content.

'Good,' his voice was back to being calm and composed again. 'Now, as I was saying, we're going to address your woes.' He paused, 'It is best that we stay here at the Eka station. From what Miasha has seen, our aggressor will not be striking anytime soon.'

One of the Nayaks opened their mouth to speak but Kasa cut him off with a glare.

'You will be safe for the time being. We will call for more Yamdhuts while you train yourselves better. The war between us and the Daanavraj is inevitable. We do not have much time. I suggest you make the best of it.'

Gloomy silence was the only reply to his words.

'Also, I would like to repeat my order. No one will ever accuse Keval of being a traitor. You have your opinions, it's best you keep it to yourselves.'

He made sure his eyes traversed over everyone. They lowered their eyes, accepting his authority.

Satisfied with the response, he dismissed them.

Anamika stayed back.

Kasa wasn't surprised. He instructed the other Yamdhuts to leave. They did so without asking any questions.

When they were gone, he beamed at her, 'Anamika, I believe you have a reason for staying back and I'm assuming that it is not because you're particularly fond of me.'

She stared blankly at him not knowing how to respond.

He eased her by laughing, 'I am joking, Anamika.'

She cracked a smile. The tension that had manifested in her dissolved.

'Now that we're fine, don't keep me waiting.'

She scratched the hilt of her talwar nervously as she inquired, 'What about Yoshanhara?'

His smile did not leave his face, 'What about her?'

She was confused. A sharp pang of sorrow hit her as she explained, 'Aren't we going to mourn for her?'

Kasa's smile melted into understanding. He sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder assuringly, 'Allow me to let you in on a secret.'

His words piqued her interest. She furrowed her brows, 'What secret?'

He grinned mischievously, 'What am I?'

She was bewildered by the simple yet strange question. 'I think you know what you are.'

'Humour me, Anamika.'

'A Yamdhut,' She replied immediately.

'What are you?'

Nonplussed by his question, she eyed him suspiciously. The grin never left his face.

Giving in, she replied, 'A Rakshak.'

'Of course, you are.' He rolled his eyes, 'But what I'm asking you is what differentiates me from you?'

'I'm a soul?'

'Yes!' He said with an enthusiasm she could not understand. He read her expression and chortled, 'I see that you have yet to understand what I mean.'

She nodded, unsure.

'Alright, little one, listen closely. We are different. A Yamdhut is a child of the Yamraj. We are born from the dead...' He looked at her expectantly.

She didn't understand. 'What?' She asked, 'Where's the secret?'

He groaned, 'Anamika, I've already told you so much and you still don't understand?'

She would've been sorry but she realized that he was having fun. She narrowed her eyes, 'You've just stated the obvious!' She argued.

Kasa smirked and winked at her, 'Sometimes secrets are obvious. Ponder over what I've told you, I hope you get it.' He reached the door, leaving her dumbfounded.

'But Yoshanhara is taken care of, right?'

He looked over his shoulder and gave her a warm smile, 'Yes, Anamika and she appreciates your concern, more than you can imagine.' He left her alone in the room.

She couldn't control her tears any longer.

***