Chapter 9- A Task for you.

Raghu couldn't believe his ears. This was one of the rare moments when he didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

" Your ....Father.., you say?"

A positive nod from Aryan was the confirmation he needed. Hell, it'd been so long, he almost thought that Vishay would be dead. He felt like something went right in his life, for once at least.

" No way! " he chuckled . " This must be ordained by fate!"

He laughed with his head in his hands while his fingers lightly tapped his temple.

" I'm so glad he is alright."

Darpan wore a soft smile while waiting for Raghu to speak up again.

Raghu looks up from his hands and stares at Darpan while glancing at Aryan for a while.

He weakly touches Aryan's cheek and slightly strokes him.

" No wonder..,you both carry fragments of his temperament. I can't believe Vishay is all grown up now! He even has kids!?"

He lightly patted Darpan who still sat at his foot quietly waiting for more information to clear up their doubts.

" Kaka, if you don't mind answering, how'd you know our father?"

Aryan questioned, wondering how their father had any connection to the Moon Magic and all the chaos caused.

" Yes, it's expected you wouldn't know. The more I think about it, I get the feeling that maybe Vishay didn't want to involve you in matters of past. That brat , he trusted me too much.

Your father was the son of the vice admiral at the Late king's palace. We were both sons of officials so got along very soon. Everybody always said we were like peas in a pod. Even though he was so much younger than me. "

Raghu's face was much relaxed, thinking back to the peaceful days before anything even occurred at all. A small smile gracing his wrinkly and stained fragile face.

" Was our father one of the palace people? Then, How come... he never told us anything about his past? "

Darpan raised the question he found hard to digest. His father never lied to anyone. In fact, he had always been so open, cheerful and appreciative of anything the siblings do. So why did he never bring up his past? Was what happened so unfortunate that he didn't want to even remember it?

Raghu's face soon adapted the worried and anxious expression he wore before.

" Son, I am extremely glad that I have been able to get news of an old friend. And even more happy that he and his family are doing well. But no matter how glad and good I feel, the fact that your father never spoke to you about it makes me think he had his reasons for doing so. I don't want to fill the minds of you young children with useless crap that you don't need in your lives."

He lightly patted Darpan's shoulder who was still in a very confused state.

" Young man, I believe the one who should be telling you this is your father. He's the only one who can tell you what he did and why he did. It's not my place to tell you information you weren't supposed to know. I wish I hadn't blabbered about all of this in front of you."

Raghu smiled softly while looking at Aryan and Darpan.

" What's done is done, but I do believe it's not a coincidence that you ran into me at the perfect time. Right when I needed someone like you. "

he smiled brightly with what little teeth had left in his old mouth.

Darpan and Aryan were completely puzzled when Raghu suddenly got up and refused for help from Darpan or Aryan. He wobbled while trying to take something out from beneath the seater. The sight of the red cover instantly made Darpan panic.

" Is that?? Is.....that the..." Ashmit started wide eyed at the mysterious item whipped out of nowhere.

"Mhn. Yes, it is the infamous Moon Magic manual. That same cursed thing I was talking about to you before. This is the thing that I kept because I didn't know what to do with it. Bound to it because of a promise. "

He dusted the red cover with his hand before managing to sit down at the empty seater after everyone got up in shock.

His face quickly turned into a serious one. Frowns deepening and eyebrows slanted as he signalled all of them to sit down.

" This is the thing I had been protecting for the past 30 years. Risked my life for it. Preventing it from falling into bad hands. Lost everything I had. I promised I would protect it until I couldn't and..."

He looked at the three pairs of eyes all silent and focused on him. He adjusted the covers of the item making sure it was secure before suddenly putting it directly in front of Darpan's face.

Darpan was shocked and confused but subconsciously held his hands out. The reality of what had happened only sunk in when he felt the weight of the item placed in his hands. He blankly stared at the old red cloth that covered what was possibly the tool for destruction of the world. It felt so surreal to him. It felt weird.

" .....I can't anymore." Raghu finished. His face relaxed and much bright now, letting go of the weight he had shouldered so long for so many years.

Darpan's eyes snapped in his direction as soon as the words were spoken. He couldn't believe it. It was all too much for him to process. It had hardly been three hours since he went on a nice stroll and here he was, sitting in a cottage with his hands holding something he never even thought he'd see in his life.

Aryan and Ashmit too, shared concerned look between them before scanning Darpan's face for any reaction.

" What!? Kaka! How could I.....I mean , h-how can I protect it? I.... Why do you entrust this to me? I don't even know the extent of its power!"

Darpan pleaded in a desperate manner. He was not sure what Raghu saw in him but he for sure, was not ready for this responsibility...and he knew it.

" Beta, I am truly sorry. I do not in any way wish you ill by giving this to you. I cannot bear doing something like this either . I know what bad omen this thing possesses and it hurts me to even think of it affecting you. However, I believe this was fate that led you all here. To relieve me of my burden and ensure that no evil claws get to it."

He clasped Darpan's shoulders as he looked into his eyes.

" Look at me. I am old , weak and shrivelled. I have long lost the capability to protect myself if something were to happen to me. The only way I managed to survive until now was pure luck and my cowardice to not face the enemy.

However, with the way things are now, it won't take long until they find me. All these years me, and so many people who strives to keep it safe, their sacrifices would be in vain if anything were to happen to this."

He patted the cover of the manual ,still in Darpan's hands.

" I know I am asking too much of you by doing this. And I feel ashamed. But right now, all I know is my end is near and I absolutely cannot let those evildoers get away with whatever they've done. Darpan, Son. I want you to take this back to Vishay and ask him about the whereabouts of the last Moon Magic user. If possible, please tell him to pass this to him.

That's the only way we can keep it hidden for a short time. I know this is a lot for you to process and risk for ....but I beg you. Son, if not for yourself thn for the sake of the world peace.... please help me keep my promise."

Raghu joined his hands in an attempt to prove his desperation, which were soon caught by Aryan.

"Kaka, don't embarass us by doing this. Please don't join your hands like this . We understand what you have been through and know you would not wish bad for us. Don't do this!"

Aryan clasped his hand as Raghu weakly nodded.

Darpan let out a deep sigh. He carefully placed the item on the floor and looked Raghu straight in the eyes. He placed his hands on top of Raghu's wrinkly ones.

" Kaka, I am flattered to think that you deem me worthy enough to be trusted with this. Even though I am not sure about this; honestly I don't even fully grasp what's happening.....but you believe in me.

I.... Darpan Vishay Batra , give you my word that as long as I'm alive, I would do my utmost best to protect this manual. I will definitely not let down your trust in me. Let me be the one to relieve you of your burdens."

Darpan's eyes shone with determination. Even though he knew what he said came out of his mouth in the spur of the moment, even though he knew this was too heavy of a task to shoulder alone, even though he had doubts himself..... he was determined to fulfill his promise and get answers to the questions that still remained.

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" Sardaar ! I have news!"

The dacoit dressed in black yelled as he made his way inside the cave of the hideout.He swiftly made his way into the dark cavern ,into the narrow hallway that led to the large area within.

" Long live the Sardaar!" He bowed to the figure sitting on the rock. Meditating under the soft light that seeped through the cracks in the rocks above.

"Sardaar, I looked into the case of the massacre at Aroh Village,and it was as you suspected. They framed us for it. Apparently the killers were dressed in our uniforms and went as far to say they'd been ordered to kill the villagers by you.The capital inspectors had been suspecting us for a long time, now this..... What do we do , Sardaar?"

The man waited patiently for an answer from the man who sat above.

" How many deaths were reported that day , Chatur? "

The figure in the dark slowly opened his eyes.

" Around 70 people, not counting the ones abducted by the assailants."

Chatur quickly answered. As always, his Sardaar was worried about the people rather than the organisation. Couldn't he see what trouble they'd landed themselves in by caring for such people?

" Hmn. Over seventy innocent lives taken for absolutely no reason? What a heartless devil that person must be. I don't think the attack was unplanned. But for what? "

The figure replied, now sitting straight with his hands on his knees. His honey brown eyes shone in the soft sunlight that manages to escape from the layer of rocks. It was beautiful but absolutely terrifying at the same time, when he peered with those eyes as if he could see through you.

Chatur could feel the shivers on his back and neck.

" I'm sorry, I knew I shouldn't have kept it from you. I thought of only telling you when I had solid proof. The magic manual was last seen with the old man Raghu at Aroh. I was not sure of his presence there so I ...simply did not tell you. But he went into hiding after the massacre so we had a hard time locating him. Now I'm sure of his whereabouts. I intended on telling you today itself."

Even though Chatur knew he was safe, he couldn't help but feel scared at the pure rage emanating from those terrifying brown eyes.

" Chatur, I am disappointed in you. You know how much a simple delay in relaying messages can cost us. You know it best ,don't you? What do I derive from this? Those seventy plus people that were killed that day.. was it your fault that they ended up like this? Do you take responsibility for them??tskk tskk. "

The figure rubbed his temple and groaned in frustration.

Chatur refrained from blurting out anything anymore. Even though he didn't show it, he could feel his Sardaar's rage on his wrongdoing. It was best not to anger him further.

The figure stepped down from the rock in one swift motion. His dark maroon robes fell behind him as he briskly walked towards the person still kneeling on the ground.

" Where'd you say he was seen after he went into hiding?"

The brown eyed man asked as he signalled Chatur to get up.

" Outskirts of Chandranagar, Sardaar!"

Chatur replied as soon as got up.

" I'll need to go there personally then. make the arrangements for the essentials for the trip. "

" Yes , Sardaar!"

Chatur bolted out the space as soon as the order came.

After he left, the person sighed deeply. Opening his eyes only under the glow of the pure bright light .

" How long till I get that damn thing? I've waited so long for this. I can't let anyone get in the way anymore. I can't wait... not any longer!"

He screamed in frustration at the dome of the rock cavern, his hands reaching for the soft sunlight , wanting to capture what he had lost long ago, what was his.....

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1. Sardaar- a term commonly used to address people of highest rank in settings like dacoit gangs, theif gangs or hitmen gangs.