20. Truth
Arjun POV:
Such a powerful exorcism could only be attributed to the shadow assassins from the northern province of SuryaGarh. They target individuals driven.They attributes such as Stealth, illusion casting and dream walking. They are referred to as shadow assassins because it is often impossible to identify the true instigator behind the majority of the damage inflicted.
They are often deployed at borders to persuade enemy soldiers to give up. The Shadow Clan is not referenced in the book, indicating that it serves merely as a brief overview of events in Suryagarh, similar to a historical account of Dhrupad's triumphs.
Capturing Aditi with a genuine shadow assassin was a significant step for her kidnapper. It signified chaos. If they chose to, they could easily manipulate me. Why did they target regular people instead of me? There must be a reason for this.The initial move to safeguard Aditi is to discover a remedy for the shadow assassin's attack.
Each clan's strength is connected to another clan's weakness. As a member of the Agnivansh (fire clan), I can control fire, but I am vulnerable to attacks from the Jalvansh (water clan). Likewise, the Jalvansh clan is susceptible to strikes from the Vidyutvansh (lightning clan). In this context, a shadow assassin who is often seen as deceitful and filled with lies is harmed by direct sunlight and is defenseless against truth, which can burn them. They are unable to capture someone who is honest and trustworthy.
I knew I was not honest but that meant something else. The shadow assassins probably tried to gain control over me in order to get to Aditi. However, they likely did not succeed because I had earned her trust. Trust is a significant vulnerability for them; it weakens their ability to manipulate others.
The greater the trust between individuals, the less power a shadow assassin has to influence or control someone. This means that when trust is strong, their tactics become much less effective.Only individuals who have earned trust are more likely to steer clear of being possessed. In Aditi's situation, the people she can rely on might be Yash and Shikha Di.
Feeling trusted by someone motivated me to protect that trust forever. In my earlier life, no one had ever trusted me—neither Prince Yashomitra nor King Vanraj. Instead, I faced contempt from those around me. I knew the struggle of living without trust all too well. However, with Aditi placing her trust in me, I made a promise to value and honor it for the rest of my life.
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Aditi POV:
We arrived home without incident. I found it difficult to understand the events of the day. How did a romantic dinner escalate into such a perilous scenario? What were those individuals discussing? Were they targeting me? If so, why? What had I done to provoke this? Everything felt hazy, like a cascade of clouds obscuring a clear sky. It was solely due to his presence that I felt secure. Yet, what was the significance of the note left on the table? "Characters don't exist in this world!" What does that mean? There is only one world, isn't there? Or could there be two?
Everything feels confusing and doesn't make sense. Managing all of this on a daily basis is making me feel overwhelmed. On top of that, I worry that I'm putting the people around me in danger. I can't help but wonder what happened to people who were running towards me saying something disgusting in a language I couldn't even understand.
Why did he tell me to close my eyes? Is there something he's not telling me?
I was on a quest for answers, and the only person who seemed to hold them was Arjun.
It was late at night, and sleep was nowhere to be found. Outside, Arjun was deeply engrossed in a book.
"Are you having trouble sleeping?" he asked quietly, putting his book down.
"Not really... Well, yes. But why do you keep going back to that same book?" I inquired, curious as I looked at the cover.
"This is my favorite book of yours. I connect with it on so many levels, which is why I can't seem to set it aside," he explained.
I understand. Keep reading. Just as I was about to stand up, he took my hand and pulled me down onto the couch beside him.
"Are you feeling scared? You don't have to be. I'll sort everything out," he reassured me, his fingers gently running through my hair. I leaned in closer, resting my head on his shoulder.
"I trust you completely. But you're not keeping anything from me, are you?"
He paused for a moment, then straightened up, which made me lift my head from his shoulder.
"Can you hold on until the right moment? I promise I'll tell you everything then."
"When will that moment come? Will it be after I leave?"
"No, it will be soon, as soon as I have the answers. And regarding your death, you won't die. I assure you of that!
"Don't make promises you can't fulfill, Arjun. Death is a part of life. It happens to everyone. How can you possibly change that?"
"What if I said I could add a few more years to your life?"
"How is that even possible? How could anyone achieve that?"
"I can make it happen. Just keep believing in me. If you lose that trust, I won't be able to support you, no matter how much I want to."
I believe in you. Can you please share the truth about what happened to me today? If I don't get answers, I won't be able to sleep.
"Okay, I'll be honest with you. But you have to promise not to ask any questions—no questions at all."The individuals pursuing us were influenced by a magical force that isn't part of our reality. They were probably after your heart. "
"What!"
"Yes, that's all I can say. Don't expect anything more."
"I wanted to share something too..."
"What is it?"
"When we were sitting at the table, you were speaking, and then you suddenly disappeared for a moment. It felt like a glitch on a screen, but you came back. I was really scared. There was also a note on the table that read, 'Characters don't belong in this world.' What does that mean?"
"It means exactly what it says."
"What do you mean? Do you not belong here?"
He began to walk away, but I held onto his arm.
"Please, just answer me. You won't vanish again, will you?"
"I told you to wait for the right moment," he replied, pulling my hand away."I really can't promise you that."1. His words made me feel like my entire world was collapsing. I wished for death to take me right then. The thought of living without him was unbearable. I began to feel drowsy and eventually fell asleep on the couch.
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The dream begins in an endless, moonlit desert—silent, vast, and cold. The air is thick with the scent of decay, though there is nothing in sight but dunes shifting like restless bodies. The woman with a pounding heart, stands barefoot on the cracked earth. She doesn't know how she got here. She only knows she's being watched.
In the distance, a shadow stirs. A figure, faceless yet towering, holds something in its skeletal hands—an ancient hourglass. The glass glows with an eerie luminescence, the sand within a deep, crimson red. It drips slowly, agonizingly, but with each grain that falls, she feels something inside her unravel, like her life is slipping away.
She tries to move, to run, but her feet sink into the ground as if the desert itself is swallowing her. The faceless figure tilts the hourglass slightly, making the sand fall faster. A whisper snakes through the air, hollow and mocking:
"Time does not belong to you anymore."
A searing pain spreads through her chest as if something is clawing at her heart. She looks down and sees her reflection in the glass of the hourglass. But it's not her face—it's a decayed, hollow version of herself, lips moving soundlessly in a silent scream.
The sand inside is almost gone. A chilling realization slams into her—when the last grain falls, so will she.
The figure steps closer, extending the hourglass, as if inviting her to take it, to accept her fate. Her hands tremble as she reaches for it, but the moment she touches the glass, the world shatters around her. The sky cracks open like brittle bones, and a black void swallows everything.
I wake up with a scream, drenched in sweat, my pulse hammering in my ears. But on my bedside is Arjun holding onto my hand.
"Take a deep breath. Everything is okay. You're doing well. You are secure."His voice resonates with me, and I can feel my breathing slowly returning to a steady rhythm. As I gaze into his eyes, which are a profound ocean blue, I see a complex tapestry of emotions. They convey a blend of hope and strength, intertwined with tranquility, turmoil, and an undercurrent of sorrow, all swirling together in a captivating dance.
A vision unfolded before me, reminiscent of a hourglass, symbolizing the passage of time in this world. In the midst of this imagery stood a man, a figure who seemed to embody the essence of my thoughts. As I attempted to articulate the profound experience I had in my dream, I found myself stumbling over my words, grappling with the challenge of expressing the depth of my feelings and insights. The dream lingered in my mind, rich with meaning, yet I struggled to find the right phrases to share its significance with him.
"I don't know how to make you understand..... I can't ...can't find the words. I am sorry."
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