With her words, resurfaced the painful fact that she was no more.
" Patience, Madam Donadieu!! Have just a little more patience. We're almost at the shore now, please don't give up just yet. Years of your struggles to keep the children safe is about to be paid off. Both your daughters are grateful for your sacrifices in heaven. " Father whispered in consolence to Nani after seeing the lady in tears.
" I know, Father. It's just that I couldn't see back then what Aarohi could see so easily. If only I had been more mindful then maybe she would have been with us today. "
" Looks like Soham was over-confident and you are over-indulgent. "
Nani chuckled lightly.
" You're trying to trap me in my own words?? But no, I'm well aware that if Aarohi was with us today then we wouldn't be facing this problem. "
" Aarohi knew what she was getting herself into, Madam Donadieu. Also she understood Lia's significance as well, that why her main purpose was to keep Lia safe even of it meant giving up her motherhood. And I know Lia deeply understands that. "
While the elders solemnly discussed the past, the youngters were busy with the present and the future.
" Lia, what in the world has today's situation got to do with the death of your uncle and aunt, except for the attackers being the Viento triplets??? "
Surbhi's frustration was beginning to change for the worst.
Facing Surbhi's question, Lia's gaze never once shifted from Soham.
Feeling suffocated under her impressive but taunting gaze, Soham finally threw in the towel.
" Lia, I don't have answers for any of question. So please!! I'm humbly requesting you to stop this riddle game. "
" That's exactly where our problems lies Brother Soham. If you had the answers of my questions than there wouldn't have been the need for me to play this riddle game with you. " She said with dead seriousness but, her tone was neither cold, nor distant. There was no hint of teasing or taunting. All she had was compassion and sympathy.
" You saw your mother's powers but, never tried to understand her identity.
You enjoy your abilities but, ignored the responsibility that was bestowed upon you.
You witnessed the event but, remained aloof from its significance.
Instead of drowning yourself in the pain of losing your parents Brother Soham, if you had tried to search for the causes then we wouldn't have to face this day today. You wouldn't have been so powerless today. You would have been able to sort out half the problems and understood time and it's call. And if my memory serves me correctly than I believe both of your powers should have been at par with that of Saaransh, Nakash and Nitiya because the curse was active as long as Auntie was alive. Mind you!! Neither of you had any powers till her last breath. "
Lia's irrefutable words forced the siblings a troll down the memory lane, reminding them of something that was once their saviour.
Images flashed and facts re-emerged from the depths of time, re-opening an ancient chapter that was forcefully locked away.
" The flame of revenge doesn't reside in the darkness of ignorance, Brother ; only the swamp of bloodlust can be found there. "
Settled in the hall was pin drop silence.
With deep creased eyebrows, unfocused gaze and clenching fists the siblings travelled deeper and deeper in a reverse gear.
" A Guardian Virgin!!! " Kaya yelped in surprise at her sudden realization breaking their silence " A Guardian Virgin!!! Mom was a Guardian Virgin!!! Or atleast that's what those triplets said when they gate crashed my party."
" That's right!! I didn't think much of the term back then but, I guess that's our clue. And hats off to you, Lia!! "
Realisation was for both and Soham ridiculed himself without any reserve as he managed to grasp a bit of Lia's perspective.
His very own origins.....
One's origin is the root of one's self and the further one shifts from its roots ; the further they shift from themself.
By reminding Soham and Kaya their origins, Lia managed to remind them who they used to be.
As for ' A Guardian Virgin ' , even though everyone was curious they knew better that this was not the time to discuss a history lecture.
" Lia, I understand that there's a lot that we need to know and get done but, what do we do now at the given moment??? What are our options??? We do have the triplets at our doorstep along with the Shadow Army. "
" Fight is the only thing we can do right now, Brother Fernandez and that's the only option we have. We'll have to fight in a way that will free them from their cursed life and return them back to their origins while avenging at the same time. "
" Return them back to their origins?? " Surbhi felt a migraine coming on and realized the meaning of what Father Abraham once told her regarding Lia. Her words were like gems in the ocean. Only few were found but, they explained as much as the ocean.
" Yes Sister-in-law, this is our only way. "
" Then why did you enter the ' Realm of Time ',Lia?? "
" I entered to revive someone. Someone without the existence of whom the cycle of life for eons remained incomplete. "
Lia's words fell like thunder in little Nitiya's ears because her story was only the interpretation of what she gathered from the triplets. Therefore it didn't take her much work to figure out the inner meaning of Lia's words.
Only and only Lord Marvolio was destroyed.
The impossibility that tempted Nani ; Lia's words proved it to be a reality.
" Mommy!! By someone, you don't mean Lord Marvolio, do you??? " Before anyone had a chance to ask anything to Lia, Nitiya's timid words set off yet another bomb. She knew she was asking the impossible but, the response she received was beyond impossible.
" Yes Nitiya!! You're absolutely right. Without Lord Marvolio we can't even begin. "
" So does he support us, mommy?? "
" He does my love, and has promised us to help in case we're ever in need. Reviving him was the first step of revenge. "
Everyone looked at Lia with perplexity.
Especially Nani.
She couldn't believe what she just heard. If not for Father Abraham holding her back, she didn't know what she would've done. Nothing made sense to her. What was only heard of in the divine myths was now a reality.
Dahlia!! But how??
However, Lia ignored them all. Her only focus was the siblings and therefore, she placed forth the final piece of her plan. " So Brother Soham!! Kaya!! What have you both decided?? Are you willing to let go of your stubbornness and fulfill your responsibilities with me or indulge in your baseless pain and remain powerless??? The choice is all yours. But mind you, every choice has its own consequences. So ask yourself before you choose, are you willing to face those consequences?? Think... Because a choice once made cannot be reversed. And not only do we all have to face the consequences of our choices, we'll be tested down to our core as well. So think carefully about it. "
" And you have our word, Lia. No matter what we face, you'll never be along again. Ever. We'll fight alongside you but, this time it will be for our parents and for you. So that no child will ever have to witness his parents being slaughtered like sheep's and pigs right before his eyes. No mother will ever have to sacrifice herself to save her child. No son will ever have to helplessly watched his mother being defialed. No child will ever have to suffer like you and your children. " Soham's words finally found the compassion that Lia was searching for all this time. " This will be the beginning of an end. " There was no trace of his previous anger. There was only a son's love and respect for his parents.
" That's right Sister Lia!! We'll work extra hard to make sure your plans are a success. Count on us. We're in this together. Because we're all a family. " Kaya was equivalent as well. The troll down the memory lane was the catalyst in their change of heart as they were forcefully reminded how everything actually began for them sixteen years ago.
Lia was touched yet, in her heart she let out a cold, devilish and dangerous laugh gazing outside at the fuming triplets.