The Secrets of the Elements

Chapter 29: Revealing some secrets

Ray hit the break as they arrived at a bungalow. 'Patel House', read the fancy nameplate.

Advika, Zarna, and Maya stepped out of the car. "I'll pick Tej and come, till then you can do the

investigations," he said and took a U-turn.

Maya strolled across the parking and sat down to have a look at the ground.

"What does it mean?" wondered Zarna and sat next to Maya.

Maya took some of the black ash lying on the ground in her hands and brought it near her nose closing

her eyes.

"Negativity and evil powers," concluded Maya.

"The white powder changes color when it comes in contact with negative energies," clarified Advika.

"It means that someone, some intruder, with bad intentions had been here," added Maya.

"Let's collect it before Tej comes," said Advika and removed a small glass bottle from her pocket. Maya

followed.

Zarna folded her arms and tilted her head looking at her friends. "Do you guys like always roam around

with such stuff?" she wondered.

Maya smiled and looked at Zarna. "You always got to be equipped when you are on such a mission."

~~~~~

Something is not right, thought Rutuja as she observed Rishi who was playing with Rio in the backyard.

Daksh walked up to Rishi and extended his hand. Rishi smiled and took his hand, getting to his feet.

Daksh looked at Rio and patted his back. "Rio never liked anyone, except me, Danj, and-"

"And?" asked Rishi grabbing a stick for support.

"Devansh," said Indra as he appeared in front of the boys.

Rutuja rushed downstairs and towards the backyard as Dai Ma appeared with a barrel in her hands.

Dai Ma placed and barrel on the ground and tapped it twice with her fingers.

The barrel lifted itself in the air, making its way towards the kitchen window.

"Who is Devansh?" asked Rishi. Rutuja looked at Daksh and raised her eyebrows.

"Dad," said Daksh and nodded his head.

"Well, doesn't give me pleasure talking about it too, Daksh," said Indra and looked at the sky.

"Daksh had a twin brother, Danj," revealed Indra. "And, an elder brother nobody knew of."

Rutuja looked at Daksh as he closed his eyes taking a long breath.

"I'm telling you so that our enemies don't tell you otherwise," said Indra and turned to look at Rishi and

Rutuja.

"Devansh was our eldest son," he began.

"Was?" said Rutuja, confused.

"Azazel killed him," said Dai Ma.

Daksh clenched his fists and began walking towards the house.

"Dak-" said Rutuja and watched him slam the door behind him.

"Why?" asked Rishi as Rio took a step towards him, nuzzling his elbow.

"Devansh was the protector of the book," revealed Indra. "He gave his life protecting it."

"And Danj?" asked Rishi patting Rio's back.

"Danj was killed by Azazel's men on that black night," said Dai Ma. "Tara could only save one."

"I couldn't save my sons, but I will protect you all till the last breath of my life. I cannot lose anyone

now," said Indra fighting back tears.

"So much for just a book?" wondered Rishi.

"It isn't just a book," began Indra. "Besides, if that book falls into wrong hands, or at that time when it

was weak-"

"Weak?" questioned Rutuja.

"Azazel's power were at their peak back then," answered Indra. "The Kings and Queens had just made

the book-"

"The book was made?" "Kings and Queens?" "Who are these Kings and Queens?"

Indra was showered with questions from Rishi and Rutuja.

~~~~~~~

There was a loud crack and a strong smell of burnt ash and alcohol filled the air as they broke into a

small hut.

"I'm feeling nauseous," said Zarna and covered her mouth with her handkerchief.

"I'm having a bad feeling about this place already," said Advika as she removed the spider webs

hanging from the low roof.

Maya shut the door behind them and switched on the torch. It was pitch dark.

The hut had rough stone walls, torn blackened red carpet, and ash lying all over the floor.

"Don't," warned Advika as she held her phone's flashlight up at Zarna who was going to touch the

chairs.

"Don't touch anything," she said.

"Aren't we here to inspect?" questioned Zarna and kept her phone back in her pocket.

"Wear the gloves," said Maya and walked towards a portrait hanging on the wall. She removed it from

the wall and dusted it.

Advika coughed.

"Is this hut suppose to be theirs?" asked Zarna as they observed the three women in the painting.

They looked elegant wearing long dreamy gowns. One of them holding a cup of tea, the other a bottle

of wine, and the third knitting something. They were seated in a lush green garden. The sky was pink.

"Why isn't she drinking something?" asked Zarna. "How is the sky pink?"

"It's one of these women," said Maya.

"But how do we know which one?" wondered Advika.

"Let's look around for more clues," said Zarna and headed in the opposite direction.

Maya hung the portrait back on the wall and lowered her torch to examine the floor.

"Black ash," she pointed.

"Does it mean that these are bad witches?" quizzed Zarna.

"Not necessarily," said Maya.

"Empty bottles of alcohol," said Advika as she scrutinised the small table and three chairs surrounding

it.

Zarna stood in front of a wardrobe kept in the corner of the hut. The doorknob was somewhat shaped

like a sword.

"Should I?" she questioned and looked at her friends.

"Carefully," said Advika and took a step towards her. She could feel her heart pound and head spin a

little.

Maya checked the meter. "Negative," she said.

Zarna held her breath and kept her hand on the knob.

"Careful," said Advika and removed a locket from her jeans. Maya produced a small glass bottle from

her sling bag.

Zarna turned the knob, the wardrobe was empty. She heaved a sigh and turned to face her friends. As

she stood with her back towards the open cupboard, she felt a tingling sensation running through her

back. The air around the nape of her neck grew colder.

She sensed the danger and lifted her left foot to move away from it. Just then she was pulled in by her

waist.

"Zarnaa!!" screamed the girls.

"It won't open," said Advika as she tried to turn the knob. "Zarna?"

Maya slammed the door. "Zarna!"

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"There were three kings and three queens," said Indra as Rutuja kept the tray on the ground. It had five

glasses filled with lime juice. She took two glasses, offered one to Rishi, and sat beneath a huge tree

next to him.

Daksh sat a little far from them, under the tree opposite Rishi and Rutuja.

Dai Ma sat on the small cot they had kept outside the house. Indra sat beside her on an easy chair.

They all were seated in a circle, facing each other.

"King Agneya, his wife Queen Bhilangana. King Bhaumik and his wife Queen Ambar. King Samir and

his wife Agrata," began Indra. "What can you make out of these names?"

"Agneya means fire, Bhilangana means river Ganga, so water, Bhaumik means Earth, Ambar is the

sky, Samir is air, and Agrata means leadership," said Rutuja and sipped the lime juice.

"Excellent," said Indra. Rutuja smiled.

"These Kings and Queens each held the power of an element, as per their names," revealed Indra.

"And Queen Agrata, as her name suggests, was the leader of all. If was going good, until, Azazel

arrived."

"Did he attack these kings and queens? Is he like, that old? I mean centuries old?" asked Rishi and

wiped the sweat off his forehead. The sun was overhead.

"Azazel had stopped ageing after he achieved some extraordinary powers after years of practising

sorcery, unfortunately, he used it in the wrong way," answered Indra.

"So he did attack the queens and kings?" asked Rutuja.

"Yes," replied Indra. "They knew Azazel was nearly invincible. To protect their powers, they decided to

keep it in a place where it could not be found. So they summoned Grantha, the guide, and transferred

all their knowledge into her. Grantha had the power to transform herself into anything she desired. So

she transformed into a book and skulked, landing on Earth, where our ancestors were given the

responsibility to protect the book, by the kings and queens."

~~~~~