(Book 6) Hayden Mackay and The Third-Eye of the Pancharatna

26. Partner Up

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Drop a message discreetly as you did for me the other day and let Ashwant know that they were found in Shashi's lair. But you cannot give him our names. Neither yours nor mine. No names at all. It will ruin everything if you do. Understand?"

He took a moment to reply. "What do I do then? Do you want me to come back?"

"That won't be necessary. I will figure out a way to return to Sharad. And you...Shourya, please do not run away. Wait for my return. There are a lot of matters that we need to discuss and bring to settlement once and for all. So, please, wait. You will, right?" All it would need was a bit of courage, Shourya. Please, stick with me. I'll make it up for my grandfather's unwise decisions.

Shourya hesitated to give a nod. He turned his head aside and pretended to look at one of the nearly dead Samagraha. He was actually looking into the abyss. Thinking. What are you thinking?  Such a mysterious man! He had been independent for years, working for himself, and had done whatever he'd decided was the best for whomever it might be concerned. Was I wrong to expect too much obedience from him?

"And you two," I said to the couple, "you will help my friend take Samagraha out of here. You will go wherever he wants you to go, and please wait with him. If you don't do as I say...trust me, I'm bound to my own rules and charges against you will be serious. I'll hunt you down anyhow. You don't want to bring more trouble than it's worth. Okay?"

They looked at each other and solemnly nodded.

We commenced fulfilling the task. Shourya and I checked if any of the Breaking Samagraha were in a condition to stand on their feet or function on their own accord. Ruchin and Anila were barely able to walk. They teetered with support. Whereas the others were in a condition of the utmost hazard, almost sent off into merciless unconsciousness. Shourya pulled a few bedsheets and bundle-wrapped them. The man and woman calmly followed his lead. They wrapped everyone, one after the other. Shourya lifted the weightless body in a fireman's carry and pulled the Samagraha into the Gates and out in no time.

When Shourya lifted the only remaining Breaking Samagraha, sudden footsteps droned outside the room. We stood alert at the spot. The couple, on the other side of the Gates, were gaping at Shourya clouded with apprehension. The footstep padded towards the door of the ward. I readied myself, ready to call Singh if necessary. The door burst open and a few men wearing familiar black clothes and holding muskets burst inside. They held the weapon up, pointing at Shourya.

Through command and control, I generated a shield of fire that acted like a wall between Shourya and the men. "Quick! Leave!" I yelled at Shourya.

The firing began. A live round was being thrown into the fire. The room sprung up with tremendous blasting sounds. The explosion of the gunpowder sounded a little less though. Bullets were leaving by the sides of my ear. The feeling of propelling back with the force had me break into a cold sweat. This was my first ever encounter with firearms and it was sweeping me away with a spine-chilling effect.

The Gates closed behind Shourya.

I crouched down and yelled out a command on a whim. An effortless pressure it required and fire spilled out of my hands in several thin strings. The laces of fire traveled just over the floor,  waves over waves, and with twice the speed. Relentlessly targeting the exposed skin of their legs, the strings rammed into them as per my will. The contact made them scream, writhe, twist, and bounce up and down. The ward filled up with hues of red and orange. My bruised arm sent a shooting pain. I let out a gasp before applying pressure. My fire scorched their skin but with the intention of not setting their bodies on fire. The men fell on the floor, screaming with agony, and tapping hard on the fire to keep their clothes from burning.