"This," he told them, his voice icily calm, "is only a beginning. A demonstration. A reminder of the consequences of disobeying Dashanan. We, Dashanan, gave you these powers and will take it from you by any means. Take this as a convincing argument." He stepped back, beckoning to the doorway. Two of his black-suited men stepped in, each carrying limp bodies covered in dark fabric. They moved with a chilling efficiency, placing Anika's parents' bodies down beside Dhruv's on the floor. Robin's eyes turned to Anika, their gaze lacking any warmth. "The same… persuasion… was used with your parents. A necessary measure."
He turned and left, his black-clad figures trailing quietly behind him, leaving Dhruv and Anika to themselves in the room with the corpses of their families.
Anika let out a muffled scream, falling to the ground next to her parents, her tears echoing through the empty house. Dhruv stood immobile, the world about him in motion. The fury that had been building inside of him now erupted, a raging fire of revenge and sorrow.
He stared at the lifeless bodies of his parents, the ones who had loved and guarded him his whole life, and a single, blood-curdling thought reverberated in his mind: Dashanan would pay. They would pay for what they had done. He would make them wish they were never born. But his mind is still trying to understand what he (Robin) said, "We, Dashanan, gave you these powers."
Anika's weeping filled the night air, a sorrowful moan that rent Dhruv's very being. He sat with her, in a daze of sorrow, the pain of their loss overwhelming him. The visions of their families, their death faces frozen in time, were imprinted in his memory. Slumber brought no relief but a re-enactment of the terror, the shots, Robin's cold words.
As the sky was painted with colors of a bruised purple by dawn, a newfound determination stiffened within Dhruv.
He could not remain here. They were not safe. Dashanan would not desist.
They would return, complete what they had begun. He glanced at Anika, still red-eyed and swollen, her spirit crushed. He needed to keep her safe. He needed to keep them both safe.
"We must go," he said quietly but firmly.
Anika gazed at him, her eyes dark and impenetrable with sorrow. "Where… where are we going?"
"We can't travel by road," Dhruv said. "There are too many CCTV cameras. We'll be seen. We'll go through the back."
He stood her up, his touch firm but insistent.
They crept out of the house through the back gate, familiar surroundings now transformed into a landscape of threat. They went swiftly, quietly, in the back alleys and narrow streets, keeping away from the main roads, hiding in the shadows.
"Dhruv," Anika questioned, her voice shaking, "where are we heading?"
He stared at her, his expression stern. "To a temple," he said. "A temple where I… where I initially learned to harness these abilities. To see Panditji. My religious guru." He hesitated, a spark of hope lighting up his eyes. "He can assist us, Anika. He'll understand what to do."
After a tiresome journey, Dhruv and Anika arrived at the ancient temple. Panditji, who was attending the sacred fire, noticed their blood-stained clothes and his face went white. "Dhruv… what had happened?"
"Dashanan… they killed my family," Dhruv managed to choke out, the name being a curse on his lips.
Panditji gasped, horror painted on his face. "Dashanan ? Who… what is Dashanan ?" he inquired, his brow creased in perplexity.
Dhruv and Anika exchanged a look, realizing Panditji was unaware of the organization that had shattered their lives.
"They're… they're evil," Anika whispered, tears streaming down her face. "A powerful group… they want Dhruv's powers."
Dhruv clenched his fists. "They're ruthless, Panditji. They killed our parents… just to get to me."
Panditji's eyes hardened. The gentle, kind expression was replaced by a look of fierce determination.
"No more," he replied, his deep voice resonant. "This… this cannot be allowed. Dashanan will be ruined." He turned his eyes to Dhruv, piercing. "Dhruv… you actually had powers?"
"Yes, Panditji," Dhruv answered, his voice heavy with emotion. "But… More importantly, we need to do something. We can't let them get away with this. We need to stop them. They'll come after us next. We need your help."
Panditji nodded slowly.
"I see. This is… more than I could have ever imagined.
I can provide you with shelter, instruction… but this battle… this is something that takes more than I can provide."
He paused, his long white beard stroking.
"But… I know a person who can assist you greater than I.
A great scientist, Dr Rudra."