After Aditya implanted his sword in a breach between the tiles, as deep as he could, it was almost drowned till his hilt, then he inserted his chakram upon the sword and used it as a ring to tie the rope, then he tied the other end with his waist. He looked at his friends for one last time, the ghost was still restrained but there wasn't much time before he will lose free. He adjusted his mobile on the corner so it could cast at least some light in the chasm and this was the first time when he realized the source of stench, he was feeling from the moment he had arrived. the smell was so bad that, he once even had changed his mind but then he saw his friends.
He couldn't disappoint them, not now at least, when they had agreed to risk their life without even thinking once. He couldn't retreat at this point even if it meant jumping in a gutter. He had to do it this was there only chance of survival and he was going to do it. And like this, holding the bundle of rope in his hand he started to rappel from the slop. Water was falling from above, continuously like a cascade, on all four slops, perhaps from some kind of pips. The flow wasn't rapid but when he crossed the stream it was enough to soak him badly with sewer water. (yes, sewer water at least this was what Aditya had imagined it to be, perhaps because of some leakage in the sewerage system of the city but somehow all of the sewer water of the city was seemed to falling in the pond) However, on rest of the way while he was descending, he was thinking about the demon Chalawa. What if there would be more like him? like his babies or something? the thought was enough to form of not in his stomach, he even had left his weapons and bag above, the only things which could save him in the time of need.
He shrugged the thought off quickly, there was already enough trouble, there wasn't any need for more. So, he tried to think something pleasant to reduce his fear a bit and that pleasant thing was obviously Elina, the time they had spent together, in collage canteens, in lecture rooms, in theaters and where not. He remembered the quarrel going on between them and it almost made him laugh, now being this close to his death made him realized that how little the things were they fighting on also how silly his behavior was. Until he decided to apologize from her, he had reached the bottom. If you could call a feet wide boundary of a pond a bottom.
This was when he heard the distant roar and his heart started to pound even move intensively, he knew what it meant and that leave him no choice but to jump, instantly. He didn't know how deep it could be or what would happen with him once he'll jump. The chances were high of the pond to be a well, leading state to a really deep aquifer. All the water falling from above seemed to be swallowed by the pond, the level of the water was same as Aditya had saw in his vision whereas according to the measure of the water the place should have been flooded years ago. And one thing Aditya had forgot to consider before taking this part was that he didn't know how to swim and he fear water the most, especially deep, dark, slimy once. Who knows what would be lurking under the surface? There was no surety that even after having the rope he would be able to come up again but he had to jump anyway and with a sound of "plop" he jumped.
On the other side this was the moment when the spirit set free. He roared, putting all of his force to speed up the winds and the last few particles of the bhabhoot flew off. The winds stopped in a plump, the ghost was still standing there, his face slumped down. Rajveer who was waiting all along, charged with a guttural outcry. Holding his shield in left and Kattar in his right hand he threw a right cross, aiming for his face but before Rajveer's Kattar could touch the spirit, he just dissolved in the shadows. Rajveer had put all his strength in that punch so, when it didn't connect with its target, the momentum disbalanced Rajveer. On the same moment sweater from his backside raised from two spots as if grabbed by some invisible hands, Rajveer's body lifted up from the ground, slammed with the roof and fell on the ground, all in a second. Sidharth ran to him twiddling his axe indiscriminately here and there. When he looked at Rajveer he found blood soaking his long hairs. this time, he wasn't so lucky his head was busted open, it was difficult to tell the how deep the wound was but guessing from the blood it surly wasn't small. But the big guy wasn't completely out, in daze, he was still trying to get up.
'show yourself you coward' Sidharth challenged still swinging his axe and changing directions.
Meanwhile Rajveer came to his senses and got up to his feet
'oh man, he just busted my head open' Rajveer said shaking off his dizziness. 'Pakhi is going to kill me, but wait a second am I already killed'
'no you fool' Sidharth shouted 'sit..' a tile shot passed overhead of them as Sidharth grabbed Rajveer's neck and make him duck just on the right moment.
'how did you..?' Rajveer asked in amazement.
Sidharth showed as if he didn't listen and naturally, they didn't had time to talk. When they stood up, they automatically were back and forth watching each other backs. Tension was high, their hearts were pounding, it was clear that Mantriks guidance and their weapons both were insufficient, they could just give them some more breaths but they couldn't save them.
But still they have to try so they kept standing defensively their backs joined. Learning from Rajveer's mistake playing defense now. Knowing, the best they could was to dodge the attacks and hope that Aditya would come back with a proper plan to defeat Vishal permanently and yeah! before them dying.
The tunnel was lit by their mobile lights resting on the corners. A minute passed and nothing happened, Vishal didn't appear, even his cold and scalp tingling presence was seemed to be vanished. that was strange for both of them.
'he is gone' Sidharth said grimly without revoking his attention from the watch.
'yeah.. but why' Rajveer whispered back.
'I don't know'
A moment passed in silence, they were ready to believe that the ghost had gone when a sharp girlish voice echoed in the tunnel.
'Rajveer…' someone shouted.
Rajveer felt as if his heart was about to stop, he knew the voice, better than anyone's, but it wasn't possible, Pakhi couldn't be in the tunnel. He stood there in dilemma for some that wondering that whether or not he was still sane
'Rajveer..' she shouted again and in front of him a girl stepped out from the turn.
Rajveer and Sidharth picked their mobiles, the girl standing in front of them with tears in her eyes was no other but Pakhi, she was wearing a green tee and jeans, both dusty, even some brushes could be seen on her arms.
'Pakhi..' Rajveer voice wavered, he ran toward her without caring for anything. Rajveer couldn't bare someone even talking loudly to her and seeing her in this condition had drove him completely nuts. Waves of grief and anger simultaneously washing over him. the word 'trap' never occurred to him.
'Rajveer listen, no, it's not..' Sidharth tried to stop him but he didn't listen, he was already 10 meters away, Sidharth having no options ran behind him but for Vishal the distance between them was enough. As Sidharth was running, between him and Rajveer, on a point roots started to sprout from everywhere, knitting themselves with impossible speed, in front of Sidharth eyes Rajveer's picture started to disappear as the roots wove. Sidharth ran with his full might but before he could cross them there was a wooden wall blocking his way. instantly he put his mobile in his pocket and started slashing the wall with his axe. But even after many attempts he was only able to make a little gash. He kicked the wall in desperation but the wall was so thick that it didn't even made a sound. In frustration and having no other option Sidharth again got involved widening the gap, putting all his strength in every strike.
On the other side of the wall Rajveer was running toward Pakhi. Her arms extended evoking Rajveer to come and hug her. However, Rajveer was too moony to noticed the sound of roots sprouting from the walls and then kitting together, like hundreds of rattle snakes slithering on a desert's sandy surface.
Rajveer reached to Pakhi and picked her up in a hug. 'Pakhi..' he sighed 'how.. how do you reach here?' his voice wavered. She didn't reply, her body cold and shivering, she kept on crying.
Rajveer put her down and cupped her face carefully in his weapon occupied hands. 'Pakhi do not fear I am here now' Rajveer insured 'tell me what happened who bring you here' on who his voice took a sharper edge.
Pakhi stopped crying very suddenly and lowered here gaze.
'hey.. don't worry' Rajveer said very soothingly and picked her head up.
Concern in Rajveer's eyes suddenly wear off replaced by both shock and disgust. He moved his hands as quickly as he could from her face and backed away. Pakhi was still standing there but instead of tears her eyes were full of anger and a crooked smile was on her face. Her upper lip twitched, she tilted her head sideways and suddenly in the place of Pakhi's beautiful face was Vishal's corpse face appeared looking like a shadowy overly mask over Pakhi's face. Rajveer swallowed thinking that Vishal had trapped him by using Pakhi's appearance. but Then Vishal screamed, while he straightened his neck as if it was very stiffed. And the shadowy mask disappeared and it was again Pakhi standing in the dim light of Rajveer's mobile. For a minute Rajveer was too stunned and confused to do anything.
'rajveer' Pakhi squawked as if her throat was choking, she raised her hand in a pleading way evoking Rajveer to come close to her 'please.. save me' Rajveer ran to her his hearth seems to be getting heaver in his chest with every second. He knew if Pakhi was possessed and was dragged here it was only his fault, and watching her like this was worst of all. But he had to do something whatever the case was he couldn't let her be like this for another second.
'pakhi just hold on for a minute every thing will be okay' Rajveer promised.
He didn't have the bhabhoot or Gangajal but an idea had formed in his mind. he quickly wore off his backpack then his sweater. Quakily he finds the thread on his arm which Aditya had tied on his bicep and untied it. he held the thread to tie on Pakhi's arm but Pakhi waved his hand and the thread fled from Rajveer's hands and was nowhere to be seen, leaving Rajveer open mouthed. Now standing in front of him Vishal grinned darkly. he understood too late the true intentions of the ghost, he had set all this to get him remove the thread from his arm, the thing actually holding the spirit from killing them.
At this point his feeling were all mixed up. One part of him was relieved that at least Pakhi was safe in her house other part of his mind wanted to kick the ghost bloody butt for showing him all that crap and making him fool twice. But he also knew that it was the end. He didn't stand even a little chance in front of Vishal now.
He swallowed 'Sidharth' Rajveer yelled over his shoulders, barely managing not to squeak. When nobody answered he turned just to see a wooden wall behind him.
'shit' Rajveer grumbled while putting a step backwards. 'shit, shit, shit.'
The spirit must have been enjoying the scene, as he didn't attack or possessed him instantly.
Rajveer however having no other choice raised his weapons to defend himself. According to psychology when in danger a person either run of fights. And Rajveer was one of them who prefers to fight. However, that was different thing that there wasn't any place to run either.
On the other side after jumping in the pond, the first thing Aditya discovered was, (thank the gods) the pond wasn't deep, the water was just till his chin, which wasn't as pleasant as you might be thinking because the stench was enough to burn up his nose hairs. The second thing he discovered was the surface he was standing wasn't solid. It was like standing on water mattress under the water. Aditya didn't have any idea how he would find the thing he had come after or whether or not it would still be there but he didn't have any time to waste either. So, he plunged into the water ignoring the stench and the questions bubbling in his head like how many baths it would take to remove this odor from his body and what side effect a bath in the sewer water could cause.
The idea was to stroke his hands here and there on the bottom and retract any small object his hand touches with, which was pretty basis. When he touched the surface, he was standing on he understood why it felt that way. it was a kind of net of very thick vines. Which surprised Aditya, he had seen, even stepped on the surface like this before but not underwater. Water hyacinth, an herb which grows in stagnant water makes surface like this. but how underwater he had no idea. He stroked his hands further and his hand touched with a thing which was much too large to be the thing he was searching maybe a wood. He gripped the thing just out of curiosity and having no practice of long underwater dives, he was failing to stop his breath for longer. He went up to take a breath and afterword he raised the thing he was imagining as a wood. When he realized what he had fetched was a human bone, the first thing he did was to drop it back in the pond. 'Ugg' he said a feeling of nausea washed over him 'oh god, what have I done wrong that I.. I deserve this' he stood there for a minute before he remembers that his friends lives were at stake and if he didn't moved fast.. he didn't think ahead. He couldn't let anything bad happened to his friends, he will have to defeat Vishal whatever it might take. He took a large breath and dived again.