Chapter 27 A New Question
The silence of the forest had become a physical weight now pressing down on all three of their shoulders. The body of Girgit Raj (the Chameleon King a shape shifting dark entity) lay before their eyes. A patchwork job. A deformed experiment. The air around it carried a strange smell. Burned flesh and melted plastic.
Kiyan stood at the very front. His golden eyes followed the trail of black ooze leaking from the dagger which was slowly spreading into a toxic pool across the ground. When his voice finally broke it cut through the damp forest air like a sharp blade.
Who killed Girgit Raj.
The question hung in the air like a poisonous fruit.
Aarav turned his head slowly and looked at Kiyan. Their eyes met. The same question was carved into both of their pupils. Not fear. Confusion. A deep unknown dread.
Nayan's gaze was stuck on the line where Girgit Raj's body split between green and human. He raised his hand slowly. His finger traced that strange seam in the air. The human torso above the waist with a web of blue veins visible beneath the skin. The chameleon body below the waist with green rough skin and a curled tail that was still quivering in a post death spasm.
How is this possible Nayan whispered. His voice was barely there. A mixed experiment. A human and a chameleon combined.
Aarav pulled a small flashlight from his pocket. The beam landed on Girgit Raj's face. Its eyes were open. One eye was human. Brown. The other was a chameleon's eye. Yellow with a vertical slit pupil. Both held the same expression. Pure frozen terror.
This is it Nayan Aarav said. His voice was flat like a scientist reading notes. The ancient creature.
But you told me that this thing is incredibly ancient Nayan said. His eyes were on Aarav now. Created by Tamomayi (dark practitioners). It was made even before Kiyan and his mother. So who killed it. Who is powerful enough for that. It was even stronger than a Chhayagrasini (a witch like entity who drains age and life force) was it not.
Aarav nodded. His gaze drifted back to Kiyan. Maybe. Because the Chhayagrasini defeated Girgit Raj once before. At our college function.
Nayan's brows furrowed. College function. He looked at Aarav then at Kiyan. But I do not know anything about that.
Aarav took a deep breath as if making a difficult decision. He looked at Kiyan. Kiyan erased those memories from you. Because we did not want to put you in any danger.
Nayan stood stunned for a moment. His eyes shifted to Kiyan who was now staring at the patterns of black fluid on the ground his face hidden. Nayan said nothing. Only the muscle in his jaw twitched. Evidence of a hidden wound.
Aarav moved forward and circled the body carefully staying well away from the dagger. Kiyan how are we going to figure out where Karishma is now. Our suspicion was on Girgit Raj but someone has killed him. Maybe there is something even more powerful out there. He was just a pawn.
Kiyan lifted his head slowly. His eyes were a burnt out gold now. All the shine was gone. Yes. You are right Aarav. But the question now is who could have killed him. Because no one was more powerful than him. As far as we knew.
He paused and collected his words. Ma defeated him yes. But back then she was powerful.
Aarav's breath caught. Back then she was powerful. What does that mean Kiyan.
Kiyan looked at his own hands. They were trembling faintly now. For the last fifteen days Ma has been growing weak. Exhausted. She can barely even step outside the Andhkaar Guha (dark cave) anymore. And she cannot use her powers fully either. So killing Girgit Raj is not possible for her.
Aarav's forehead creased. Then who could have killed him. Could it be Karishma.
Nayan stepped forward. No. Karishma could not have done this.
Aarav looked at Nayan. A sad understanding filled his eyes. She could have Nayan. She is a Chhayagrasini. Nayan even if your heart refuses to accept this we both know what a Chhayagrasini is capable of.
Kiyan looked at Aarav. The shadow of a decision was settling over his face. There is one way Aarav.
Aarav turned to him. What way.
Back when I was draining people's age Kiyan said. An old echo of torment surfaced in his voice. There was a police inspector. Abhi. He was trying to solve the mystery behind all of this. Maybe we can learn something from him. About who is behind all of it.
Aarav nodded. A new glimmer of hope woke up in his eyes. Yes. We should at least try.
Nayan spread his arms wide. But he is just an ordinary human just like us. How would he know anything about all of this.
Aarav placed his hand on Nayan's shoulder. No Nayan. We have to try. To find out who is behind all of this. Maybe Inspector Abhi already figured something out.
Nayan took a long breath pushing the fear out of his lungs into the cold air. Fine. If you say so then we will go to Inspector Abhi.
The police station was an old yellowed building. Damp stains had bloomed across its walls. Inside a ceiling fan wobbled above them its creaking sound making the silence even more suffocating.
A constable named Om Patil sat at the desk flipping through the pages of a file. Deep circles hung beneath his eyes. The sweat on his fingertips had smudged the ink on the paper.
Aarav stepped forward. Can we meet Inspector Abhi.
The moment he heard the name Inspector Abhi Patil's body went rigid. He closed the file slowly as if some confidential secret was buried inside it. His eyes swept over the three of them. A suspicious exhausted gaze.
Who are you Patil asked. His voice was dry as ash. And what do you know about Inspector Abhi.
Aarav and Kiyan glanced at each other. A wordless conversation. Aarav turned back to Patil. Actually he was investigating a case related to us. We needed to speak with him about that.
Patil nodded slowly but a spark of fear flickered in his eyes. Do you not know. Inspector Abhi has been dead for several days now.
The air froze. Aarav Kiyan and Nayan all went still at the same moment. The creaking of the fan now sounded like a painful melody.
Aarav's throat went dry. Inspector Abhi is dead.
Patil closed his eyes as if trying to chase away painful memories. Yes. I told him over and over not to go after her.
Aarav leaned forward. Not to go after whom.
Patil opened his eyes. The fear inside them was years old but still fresh. After that Chhayagrasini.
The moment the word Chhayagrasini left his mouth Kiyan's body jolted. He looked at Aarav. His eyes had gone wide.
After the Chhayagrasini Aarav asked. His voice had dropped to nearly a whisper.
Patil clenched his fist on the desk. His skin had turned white. Yes. After the Chhayagrasini sir. He wanted to know the secret behind the people growing old in the city. I told him it was the work of some Chhayagrasini. But he did not listen to me. He said all of that only exists in stories. That there is no such thing as a Chhayagrasini in real life. And that was what caused his death.
He dragged in a trembling breath. One night he was heading home from the police station. He never made it. When morning came his body had turned pale. Inspector Abhi was only thirty years old but his body looked like that of a sixty year old man doing umr choosna (age draining).
Patil's voice stopped. He buried his face in his hands. I told him so many times to stay away from this case. But he did not listen. And he lost his life. After that no police officer has had the courage to take up this case. Every officer runs from it now. And everyone has come to believe that behind the aging people in the city. And behind the deaths too. There is a Chhayagrasini.
Aarav Kiyan and Nayan stared at each other. Patil's words had dissolved into the air like poison. The death of an inspector. By something that stole age.
Aarav spoke quietly. Alright. Thank you very much for telling us all of this.
Patil opened his eyes. A cautious warning now lived inside them. By the way. What case were you talking about.
Aarav felt a moment of hesitation. This very case. The one about people growing old.
Patil's face turned completely white. He waved his hand frantically as if shooing away an evil spirit. Leave. Get out of here.
On the rooftop of Nayan's house the three of them sat together. The city lights flickered below them like hazy stars. The air was growing cold.
Nayan wrapped his arms around his knees. How are we going to find Karishma now Aarav. Every single person we think might give us answers ends up dead. Who is behind all of this. How are we ever going to find out.
Aarav looked at Kiyan in silence but he said nothing. A deep hopeless exhaustion filled his eyes.
Kiyan spoke softly. Only one person has the answers to all these questions. Karishma. We have to find her soon. And I know how to find her.
Aarav gave a small tired smile. Wait here Nayan. We will bring Karishma right here.
Nayan nodded but there was fear in his eyes. But what if someone has killed her too.
Aarav placed a hand on his shoulder. No. That will not happen. We will find her and bring her here.
Kiyan stood up. Come on Aarav.
Both of them walked out of Nayan's house. Outside the door they took each other's hands. No words. Just a firm determined grip.
And then with the speed of lightning they were gone. Only two fading trails of light remained in the air. One golden. One like silver. They dissolved quickly into the darkness of the night.
Nayan stood alone on the rooftop. His eyes kept staring at those two vanishing glimmers. Now there was only the cold in the air. And an unspoken deep fear.
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