Chapter 13: Time To Take Action


    "Finally," said Daksh hiding behind the bushes as he saw a ck car pull over.


    "Wait," said Maya. "The meter shows some negative energy around."


    "Should we go ahead or not?" questioned Ray. "Let''s wait for a while," suggested Maya ncing at the


    meter.


    Advika rubbed her palms and peeped out of the window. "I don''t see anyone here," she said. "What if


    somebody is hiding behind those bushes?" wondered Zarna, pointing at the bushes on both sides of


    the road.


    "Okay," said Maya. "All good now."


    Tej stepped out of the car and put his mask on. "Feels like robbery," said Ray as he pulled up his mask


    and stepped out of the car. The girls followed suit.


    They carefully headed towards the temple; looking around them, careful not to be seen.


    "Wait," said Ray. "How did this lock open so easily?" he wondered as he pulled out the hairpin from the


    lock. "It''s good, right? Now let''s get in," said Maya. "Something''s not right," whispered Advika.


    Tej stepped inside; the others followed.


    They headed towards the wall where they had found the symbol. Advika kept her hand on the Earth


    symbol, Tej on Fire, Zarna on Water, Maya on Air, and Ray on the Sky symbol.


    Daksh cautiously closed the main gates of the temple behind him. "Lock the gate," he said to the old


    man and headed towards the temple.


    The five friends heard soft music y. "Advika," said Tej and motioned her to go ahead. Advika closed


    her eyes and focussed on her breathe; entering the state of thoughtlessness. All she could hear was


    the sound of soft music. She took a step ahead towards the womb chamber of the temple and paused


    for a brief moment. She could feel the positive energying from within the chamber. The others


    followed her, unaware of the fact that somebody else was following them too.


    It was dark in the womb chamber. Everyone except Advika removed their cellphones and switched on


    the shlight. Tej stood close to Advika. "Ouch!" she almost screamed as she lost her bnce. Tej


    caught her hand in time.


    "Woooo!" said Ray. "A secret underground tunnel," he said as they looked at the sliding ground below


    them. "Hold this," said Tej as he gave his phone to Maya motioning her to hold it above him so that he


    could see clearly. "How do we go down? I see no stairs and unfortunately, we aren''t carrying any rope,"


    said Maya.


    "That''s because it works on the Master''smand, and that''s me," whispered Daksh. "But it never


    reveals itself, how and why did it do that?" he wondered.


    "Let''s just jump, can''t be that deep, is it?" wondered Zarna and sat on her knees, peeping down the


    underground tunnel-like opening they had just found. "That''s crazy," said Maya. "Tej, I''ll jump and see,


    or you go, you''re taller than me," said Ray adjusting his headband. "I''ll go," said Tej and sat at the


    opening with his legs hanging down. "Careful," said Advika, breathing heavily.


    Should I let them enter the room or no? Daksh thought. Let them go, maybe they''ll get what I''m looking


    for.


    "Make all the unseen seen," whispered Daksh and closed his eyes.


    The stairs began to appear one by one. The five moved stepped back at once. "Why do I feel like...


    somebody wants us to go in there," whispered Advika.


    "Intelligent girl," mouthed Daksh.


    "Let''s just go down and see, we''vee so far," said Maya and began descending the stairs. Tej


    followed. Ray thought for a brief moment and then followed his friends. Zarna held Advika''s hand and


    pulled her downstairs.


    The stairs led to a small room that looked more like a prison cell. It had some broken mud utensils, a


    few matchsticksy hither-tither; oil spilt on the floor. It had the smell of petrichor; the air damp and


    cold.


    "The magical bowl," said Advika. "How could I forget," she said.


    Maya held her phone above the bowl kept on the stone table. "Is this normal water?" quizzed Zarna.


    "No, don''t touch it," said Advika as she held Zarna''s hand. "What did you forget?" asked Maya and


    looked at Advika.


    "I had read about this bowl in the book The Legends of the Elements," she said and took a step closer


    to the bowl. "The other day we went to the library."


    "And?" said Maya.


    "No!" Ray almost screamed. They followed his gaze and found the sliding door to be closed.


    "Somebody closed that lid, the door," Ray panicked.


    Daksh smirked as he sat on the sliding door. "Poor guys," he said and closed his eyes. "Make the seen


    unseen," he whispered.


    "No!" screamed Zarna as the stairs began to disappear one by one.


    "Don''t panic, don''t panic," said Advika more to herself than to the others. "Advika," said Tej. "Got any


    idea of getting out? How can the bowl help?"


    "The bowl," said Advika and sped towards the stone table. "I had read... this helps... to get answers..."


    she stammered; her body shivering with fear and anxiety.


    "Advika," said Tej and held her hands. "Rx, calm down, breath."


    "May the air you breath vanish, may the consciousness you hold vane into oblivion," said Daksh


    closing his eyes as he brought his lips close to the sliding door.


    "This bowl can help us get out of here, it can show us the way," said Advika. Maya coughed; her hand


    on her chest. "The air," mouthed Advika. "Somebody''s ying with-" Advika stopped mid-sentence and


    coughed.


    Ray held his throat breathing heavily. Zarna dropped down on her knees gasping for air. "Maya," said


    Tej panting. "You... can... influence the air, do something," he said.


    It felt like someone was choking them to death. The air inside the room ceased to exist. The shlights


    from the phone were the only source of light in the room.


    Advika kept her hands on the stone table, leaning on it, tears slid from her eyes and fell into the bowl. A


    ripple of cold energy floated through her head and made her shiver. The water in the bowl began to


    move. "The... bowl..." she managed to say. Zarna, Ray, and Tej dropped on their knees, coughing


    loudly. "Maya... the bowl... words," said Advika and extended her arm. Maya held her hand and stood


    near the bowl.


    The tinge of golden and silver colour appeared in the bowl; the water began to move in a circr


    motion. Letters began to dance in the water; Advika dropped on her knees. "Maya," she said panting.


    "You can bring back... the... air," she said andy unconscious.


    Daksh pressed his ears against the sliding door on the ground.


    Maya blinked her eyes, staring at the bowl, trying to make sense of the words floating on the water.


    She spread her arms and stood near the stone table for a brief moment.


    "May the done be undone, past be present, and actions reversed," read Maya and fell on the ground,


    unconscious.


    "No!" screamed Daksh and push opened the door.


    ~~~~~~~


    "We''re not going back to the temple again," said Advika and crossed her arms.


    The five friends had gathered at Ray''s home, sitting in his bedroom. His parents were asleep


    downstairs in their bedroom.


    "The spell," said Maya and sat on the bean bag. "It reversed everything."


    "God saved us," added Advika and sat on the bed cross-legged, cing the cushion on herp. Zarna


    sat next to her. "Yes, we were saved, but who was that person?"


    "Was some boy, couldn''t see his face, it was dark," said Ray leaning against the wall. "He trapped us,"


    said Tej and sat on the ground, leaning on the bean bag. "It means he knew we were going toe, he


    nned it," said Advika.


    "But he has seen us," said Tej. "What do we do now?" wondered Maya. "Focus on the book, as of now,


    it''ll tell us what to do," replied Tej. "But, what if hees searching for us?" asked Advika. "Exactly, he


    knows how we look," said Zarna. "I was thinking-" said Maya. Everybody looked at her as he paused


    for a moment.


    "The old man... is he with that guy? Otherwise, how could he do all that?"


    "True," said Advika. "It''s quite possible that he has people with him."


    "It means we need to hurry up," said Ray and wore his headband. "Yes, it''s 12 we need to go," said


    Maya. "Where?" asked Advika. "To the moon," said Maya and faked a smile. "We are being followed, is


    it safe to go to the barrennd?" she questioned.


    "The book will handle everything," said Ray adjusting his hair. "Let''s just go, somece where it is


    quiet."


    "But the book should appear there, right?" quizzed Advika. "Let''s go to our usual ce if the book finds


    it fit, the forest will appear, else, we''ll be transported somece safe," said Tej.


    Advika was doubtful about going out together with her friends. She knew they were followed by


    someone whose powers were still unknown to them. She had not yet recovered from the incidentst


    night.


    "You guys go ahead," said Advika. Tej spun around and looked at her. "Don''t be silly," said Maya. "The


    symbols don''t glow till all of us are together simrly the book won''t appear if we aren''t together."


    "Advika," said Tej and ced his hands on her shoulders. "Swe... I mean, I know you''re worried, but


    trust me, when we''re together, we can handle anything, running away from things isn''t a solution, is it?"


    Advika let out a sigh and nodded her head. "I just want all of us to be safe," she said. "We will be," said


    Tej and held her hand. "Now let''s go."


    "You girls go ahead, I want to talk to Tej," said Ray and smiled. Maya opened her mouth to say


    something but Ray stopped her. "Man to man," he said. "Whatever," said Maya and marched


    downstairs. Advika and Zarna followed.


    Ray shut the door and smiled at Tej. "What''s the matter? Why are you smiling?" asked Tej. "Dude," said


    Ray and hugged Tej. "What-" Tej pushed him slightly, breaking the hug.


    "We''re best friends," said Ray. "I know you from childhood, and you, you-"


    "Ray, please be clear, get to the point, we''re gettingte and the girls are waiting," said Tej. "Girls... or


    Advika?" asked Ray and crossed his arms. "What do you mean?" asked Tej and turned around. "Face


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    me or don''t face me," said Ray. "But you can''t deny the fact that you were about to call Advika,


    sweetheart."


    "That''s rubbish," said Tej. "We''ll talk about thister," said Ray and went downstairs, leaving Tej alone.


    Tej walked to the mirror kept beside the bed. "I don''t love her," he said looking at his reflection in the


    mirror.


    "Where''s Tej?" asked Advika as Ray descended the stairs. "He''sing," Ray said and smiled. "Is he


    fine?" she asked. "More than fine," replied Ray and motioned Zarna and Maya to follow him.


    They headed towards the door. "You guys wait near the car, I''ll tell mom we''re going out... somewhere,"


    he said.


    The girls, except Advika, went to the parking where Ray''s car was parked.


    "What happened, Tej?" asked Advika. "Nothing," he answered, avoiding eye contact. What''s wrong with


    him? Advika thought.


    ~~~~~~~~