Connor phoned Rory and briefed him on what was going on. Rory said that he could get us a flight to where we need to be immediately.
The flight seemed to take forever before we had finally landed. It was evening when we arrived in India. Because it was already dark and we were tired, we decided to find a hotel. We have picked worse places to stay. The walls were cracked and looked like they haven't been washed in decades. The room was very grungy looking, the beds were too.
Ren dumped his things on one of the beds and headed for the door, "I'm going to scout out the area, I'll be back in a bit."
Connor slipped out of his shoes and loosened his shirt. He stretched out on the bed, Sivath hopped up beside him. As they started to flip through the channels on the T.V, I grabbed some of my things and went into the washroom to have a quick shower.
I stepped in the washroom and made sure that the door was locked. The washroom was small and had an extra door. The mirror was cracked, as well as the walls and floor tiles. I turned the water on and began to undress, I then stepped into the stream of water pouring from the shower head. I squeaked, the water was ice cold. I fumbled with the taps for a bit and much to my annoyance, there was no hot water at all. Shivering, I grit my teeth and tried to wash up as quick as I could.
I had just stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around me when the extra door swung open and a man walked in. He froze and his eyes went wide. The man looked to be about in his late sixties and he was stalky and bald. I screamed.
The man covered his eyes and started to speak rapidly in Hindi. I screamed again and ran out of the washroom, Connor was just getting to his feet when I burst into the room. I ran up behind him peeked around him.
Connor looked down at me, "Tara? What's wrong?" Just then, the man walked into the room waving his hands.
The man said repeatedly, "Khēda, Khēda!"
Connor's eyes went wide, "what the bloody hell, who are you?!"
The man continued to speak rapidly in Hindi, he looked up at Connor and then over to Sivath. The man went quiet and stared at Sivath for a few moments.
Sivath looked around and then back at the man. He waved his little paw and said, "Hola!"
The man put his hands on his head and started speaking rapidly again, he was cut short when his eyes rolled back and he fainted.
We all looked at each other then stared at the guy laying on the floor in silence for a few moments. After a short period of time, Sivath asked, "is he dead?"
The door opened and Ren walked in with a bag in his arm, "the area looks clear and I got some food for us while I was out. I hope you guys like cur...." He stopped and looked at Connor and I.
I could feel Connor tense up and Ren said, "what the.." he seemed to have just realized that I am in nothing but a towel. He gave Connor a look, "uh, Connor..?"
Not knowing what to do with himself, Connor quickly looked around the room, "uh.." he then pointed at the man laying at the floor.
Ren turned his gaze to the unconscious man, "oh..is he dead?" he looked back at us.
I tightened my grip on my towel and said, "okay, what are we going to do with him?"
Ren put down the bag of food, "we need to figure out how to keep him knocked out for the night and get him back to his room."
We were trying to think of a way to keep the old man knocked out when he started to snore. We all looked over at him and Connor said, "well, that answers our question. We just need to drag him to his bed next door."
Connor grabbed hold of the old man's arms while Ren took the legs and carefully carried him next door to his room as I got dressed. They placed him on the bed and came back into the room.
Ren set up the laptop and took out the curry from the takeout bag. Connor took some curry and sat down in front of the lap top and Sivath sat on the desk and picked from Connor's plate as he helped him with the research.
Ren sat down on one of the beds with a bowl of curry and began to eat. I crawled onto the bed and sat opposite of him. Ren furrowed his brow and said, "aren't you going to eat?"
I shook my head, "I'm not too sure about curry..I've heard that it's really spicy. You know that I don't like spicy food."
Ren shook his head and swallowed as he held out his bowl of curry, "I know you don't, that's why I got the mild stuff. You shouldn't find this too spicy. Here, have a bite."
I gave my brother a wary look and took a bite of his food. I made a face and swallowed. I began to suck in air, "liar!"
I could tell Ren was trying not to laugh, "I'm sorry! I didn't think it was that spicy, honest! I can hardly tell that the food is spicy!"
I glared at him, "well you have no taste buds if you find that hardly spicy. That is far from mild."
There was chuckling in the corner of the room, Connor and Sivath were up to something. I looked over to see them watching some YouTube video. Ren shook his head and stood up, "okay, I think you two need a break, I'll take over now and see what I can find."
I checked the time, it was about nine PM. I looked up at Connor and asked, "do you want to go explore a bit with me?"
Connor thought for a moment, "uh, sure."
I jumped up from the bed and headed for the door, "alright, we'll be back in a bit, Ren."
Connor and I walked the streets, looking around. I saw street performers and grinned. I grabbed Connor's hand and tugged him towards the performers. We were now standing by the performers and watching, I had completely forgotten that I did not let go of his hand, after a few moments I felt Connor gently wrap his fingers around mine. It felt nice. We stood there a bit longer, both of us enjoying the moment.
After a while the street performers were done and the by standers dispersed, Connor and I moved along as well.
Connor looked down at me and asked, "are you thirsty?"
I looked up at Connor, "yeah, I'm getting a bit thirsty." I couldn't help but notice how blue his eyes were as I looked up at him.
Connor gave a nod and looked around, he pointed at an outdoor cafe. "We can grab a coffee there."
Still holding hands, we walked towards the cafe. We took a seat at a table and an old lady came up to us to take our order. She was a bit frail looking with peppered hair wrapped in a shawl. She eyed Connor up as she took our order. The old lady turned around and as she walked back to the counter she yelled, "Two coffees!"
The old man behind the counter grunted and started to pour the coffee.
Connor and I sat in awkward silence. He started to play with a napkin from the table while I began to trace patterns with my finger on the tablecloth.
Connor looked up at me and said, "so..uh, what do you think of badminton?"
I raced a brow and replied, "badminton is alright I guess..I've never really given it much thought.."
Connor started to fidget nervously, turning a little red. I couldn't sit still either.
Wanting to occupy myself, I reached for the vase in the middle of the table to move it to the side. Connor was doing the same thing and we ended up touching hands. We both looked up at each other and quickly pulled our hands back.
Connor cleared his throat, "okay, looks like we covered the sports angle. Let's try politics."
I couldn't help but giggle and Connor smirked a bit. He got a mischievous look in his eye, "so, what do you think of that women's topless protest?"
I squinted at him and smirked, "what?!"
Connor turned beet red, "I suppose you shouldn't say that on the first date.."
I blushed and raised my brows, "this is a date?"
This seemed to fluster him, "um..we're not on a date..?"
I replied with a mischievous grin and leaned against the table and placed my hand atop of his, "it could be.." It is too much fun teasing the poor bugger.
Connor started to fidget even more but before he could say anything the waitress had come with our coffee.
The old lady looked at us then at Connor with a grin, "this one's worth keeping!" She then placed our coffees in front of us and turned around. As she was walking back towards the counter the old man started bickering at her and she just simply ignored him. I am guessing that they are married.
I sipped at my coffee and watched in amusement as Connor continued to fidget nervously, nearly spilling his coffee a few times.
We finished our coffee and payed before leaving. Connor and I wandered the streets again, this time he took my hand and I wrapped my fingers around his. We looked at some more sights and watched another street performer before deciding to head back to the hotel.
As we were walking up to the hotel, we both released hands. We did this because it would be awkward. I was about to open the door to our room when Connor took my shoulders and gently turned me towards him, he leaned down and kissed my cheek. He smiled and said, "thank you for a wonderful evening." He then opened the door and walked through, leaving me standing there flustered.
"Hey, how come you're a funny colour?"
I looked down to see Sivath standing at the door looking up at me. I shook my head and walked around him, closing the door behind me. I muttered, "I don't know what you're talking about.." It was taking everything I had to not show that I was as giddy as a schoolgirl.
***
Connor, Ren and I were standing outside the temple. The temple was now closed so no one should be inside other than the caretakers. I looked up, the temple had an Aztec architecture and was made up of white stone.
We grabbed our gear and headed into the temple. Inside, the rooms in the temple were filled with paintings over a thousand years old.
Ren crossed his arms as he looked around, "There is most likely a secret entrance here somewhere. Let's take a look around and see what we find."
We dispersed and began to search along the walls. I tapped Sivath's head, "Sivath, want to help us?"
Sivath unwound himself from my sword and slithered up to my shoulders, taking his usual spot. "My eye will be ever watchful and focused, my Bonito!"
I shook my head and started walking around, not even a few seconds after Sivath said, "oh, what's that?" and he was gone.
Sivath was looking at an outline on the wall that was about his size. He looked at it closely and said, "hey, it looks like I can fit!"
I began to warn him, "Sivath, hang on!" but it was too late, he had stepped into the outline. We heard a loud clank and the floor next to him opened, revealing a staircase.
Sivath slithered over to the staircase and peered down, he then looked at me with a grin, "woah! Hey, Bonito, Izza Geenus!"
I walked over to Sivath and said, "wait here, I'm going to see what's down there." I wandered down the staircase, at the bottom there was a torchlit room. Each wall had a doorway, three in total. I called back up the stairs to Sivath, "go get the boys!" I could hear him scurry off.
As I waited, I wandered around the entrance room. The walls had ornate carvings on them but on the far right there was a large symbol on the wall. It was the one we saw in that abandoned apartment building.
Once the boys and Sivath came down, we began to come up with a plan.
Ren said, "okay, since there are three doorways we can split up. Tara and Sivath will take the left, Connor can take the right, I'll take the one ahead. If we find something or run into trouble, we'll whistle. The sound should carry."
I gave a sheepish look, "I can't whistle.."
Connor sighed, "I'll teach you. It's really easy."
Connor spent the next few moments trying to teach me, with the odd comment on how cute I looked with the faces I was making and Ren said that I looked like a puffer fish. Finally, I got it..kind of..sort of..it was close enough.
We all went our separate ways. The next room was almost as vast as the temple entrance upstairs. More doorways were in the room. Statues were sitting in corners of the room and there was a large throne with a huge statue of a Hindu god sitting on it. I continued to wander around, I went through one of the doorways that lead into a hall. I followed that for a bit before finding myself in another room, this went on for the next few minutes. I was in a huge room by time I had realized that I was very lost.
I took a look around, it looked like I had wandered into a mess hall. I froze. There was about twenty five people sitting at a stone table. They all stopped eating and looked at me.
I spun on my heel and hightailed it to the other room, I could hear the men screaming as they chased after me. As soon as I began to draw my sword, Sivath wound around it and solidified.
I spun around, holding my blade in front of me. By now all the men from the mess hall had entered the room and began to encircle me. I tried to whistle but nothing but a breath of air came out. I tried again, my attempts becoming more and more desperate. I heard one of the men say, "She sounds like she's going into labour. Do we allow pregnant women down here? Is she going into labour?"
I didn't think twice, I dropped the sword and put my hands on my stomach, hunching over and breathing like a pregnant lady in labour. I wheezed quietly, "Sivath, I need you to go and get the boys. Wait until they're close before going.."
A big dumb looking guy started walking towards me, "what are you doing down here? Pregnant women aren't allowed here."
The guy stepped into striking distance, I glanced down at Sivath and his eyes flashed a red. At the exact moment Sivath jumped off and glided out of the room I picked up the sword and ran the man through. The best I can do is buy myself time and hope that the boys come in time.
The men began to draw their weapons and I turned around and ran for the other room. I had just rounded a corner when they opened fire. I quickly glanced around the room and saw a statue that was crumbling, if one of the men came close enough I could easily topple it over onto them. I darted behind the statue and held my breath and I waited.
Three men barrelled in, I whacked the crumbling leg of the statue three times with my hilt and it fell over. I heard a scream cut off by a sickening crunch.
I quickly looked for the exit and ran out of the room. I found myself running down a hallway lit by torches. I began to knock them all out, I then doubled back. Expecting to run into another few of the men, I ran with my sword held ready. I could see four more men down the hall but they haven't seen me yet.
I met them before they could open fire. I dove low at the first man and took him out at the legs, I rolled onto my feet and decapitated him. I spun around with my sword and stabbed the second man through the heart. I withdrew my sword and took two steps forward and jumped off the wall, launching myself at the third man, he had just raised his gun. I sliced through it with my sword and decapitated him. I wasn't quit quick enough to get to the fourth man and he had opened fire on me. A bullet grazed my cheek, I didn't hesitate and kept moving. I quickly cut down the last man and turned around to continue in my retreat.
I found myself running through the room with the huge throne statue. I skidded to a halt and turned around. I started out with at least twenty five people, I took down eight so I think that would leave me with about seventeen left. I am in trouble.
I centred myself just as the remaining men piled into the room. I heard a familiar whizz and saw Connor's ebony hammer fly past me. There was a loud boom as it hit the men.
I gave a sigh of relief. Sivath jumped on my sword and I turned around to see Ren and Connor, I found that they came with company. Zoggan, Soji and an unfamiliar hooded female figure was with them.
They all rushed past me. Zoggan rushed forward and crushed a few men with his fist, Ren released a ball of fire at another group while the hooded woman's eyes glowed a bright blue. The remaining men turned into ice.
I looked at my brother and Connor, "good to see you guys!"
Zoggan walked up and gave me a huge hug. "I am pleased you are well! It is quit fortuitous that we found you when we did!"
The hooded woman walked up to us and pulled her hood down. She was slim and tall, just a little bit shorter than Ren and had long dark brown hair and blue eyes with a purple tinge. She looked very elegant. She smiled and held her hand out, "My name is Dianna Inderi. Soji has told me quit a bit about you."
I returned her friendly smile, I then noticed Ren's transfixed gaze on Dianna.
Ren commented to Dianna, "that was a very impressive display of magic."
Dianna gave a nod, "thank you, I see you have some skill as well."
I looked over at Soji, about to give him hell for disappearing for months on end but stopped and furrowed my brow. He was staring at the statue figure on the throne.
There was a crack of thunder and a large, booming voice spoke "I thought I told you to never come back here, Míngzhì de lóng!"
The statue sitting on the throne gained colour and stood up.