It was a beautiful day!!! Vishwaprit was feeling light like a feather and ready to take on his life with all the new charm. Setupati was observing him since last night, his aura was changed totally. He really wanted to peak into Vishwaprit's thoughts and wanted to know the truth, but his instincts were preventing him to do so. He might knew that, it could be something very private, that he shouldn't interfere as a good friend, so he didn't.
Afternoon lunch was a delicious treat from Raghav's mother's kind motherly instincts towards her son's friends. She almost forced them to stay for lunch. And their motherless lives were filled with warmth once again, which reminded them of Setupati's mother.
They were resting on terrace, not talking to each other at all. Vishwaprit was listening to the chirping birds with smiling face. But actually Vishwaprit was worried about last night's attack and enemy's real motives and how to stop him. He just couldn't stop smiling since last night. Setupati and Raghav, both had noticed his ridiculously happy expressions and decided to ignore. Raghav was stressing his head over last night's attack on Vishwaprit's team and was trying to understand the full picture. Whereas Setupati was deep into his mind realm, trying to find the clues about enemy's plans.
While they all were busy in their deep thinking, Setupati heard a voice into his head. It was Shastriji, calling for him with great urgency.
"We need to gather around. I have an important matter to discuss with you and Vishwaprit. Meet me at my Aashram as soon as possible. You may bring Raghav along."
Setupati heard his message and opened his eyes. He replied quickly,
"We'll be there by evening."
He stood up from the lazy chair and declared,
"Vishwa, Raghav, we need to leave. Shastriji has asked us to meet at his aashram."
"Are you sure he wants me there. I feel like he doesn't like me."
Raghav asked honestly. He had actually felt his hate or disliked feeling towards him and his senior Ganesh had also warned him about his daughter Meera, in front of whom Raghav forgets everything because of his fluttered heart, and he couldn't understand why. So he had decided to stay away from Meera as well as Shastriji.
"He asked me to bring you along by himself." Setupati explained.
Raghav looked at him with puzzled eyes and then looked at Vishwaprit and said,
"Who knows what thought's are going into that old head of his?"
Vishwaprit didn't have an answer either, so he moved his shoulder up and down saying he doesn't know either.
They all looked at each other and said,
"Let's go then!!"
They all left for the Aashram.
*******
Meera was looking at the sun in the afternoon sky. It was shining brighter today, she felt.
'He is coming!!', she thought to herself and continued with her chores in the aashram.
******
Vishwaprit, Setupati and Raghav reached the aashram after noon. Shastriji was waiting for him in the spiritual room, to discuss something very important. One of his followers showed them a way towards Shastriji's presence. The aashram was too big to search for him.
They entered the room where they saw Shastriji meditating silently, seating in a spiritual 'Padmasan' position. They all felt his devotion towards God and positive vibes around the room.
Shastriji realised the arrival of his guests and opened his eyes slowly and said,
"Welcome, my children! Please have a comfortable seat, we have to discuss a very important matter."
Setupati was trying to read Shastriji's thoughts, but his mind was shielded, so he couldn't. He was getting anxious to know the matter.
Vishwaprit was feeling something was off about all this. He was feeling nervous and he didn't want to know what was going to happen. Setupati had realised Vishwaprit's uneasiness. But he couldn't help him.
Raghav was looking at those three extraordinary people around him and thought what was he doing there. But Shastriji had asked for him by himself so he was sitting there, to be a part that discussion.
After looking at those overly curious sets of eyes, staring at him anxiously, Shastriji started,
"As you all know, the enemy has already attacked us several times. He even tried to kill Vishwaprit in the mind realm and tried to assassinate two of you last night by his dark blood followers." Shastriji looked at Vishwaprit and Setupati.
"By God's grace, we have survived till now, but we the Survival is not our aim now. We need to find a way to destroy him. And before that, we need to know where he his hiding, what are his capabilities we don't know about."
Setupati nodded with agreement. Vishwaprit was looking at Setupati, but he couldn't understand where this conversation was going. Raghav was cluesless.
Shastriji continued,
"There is only one way to know all of this."
Setupati's eyes sparkled and He replied,
"He is only one who knows what happened exactly. How the enemy slipped off from his grip and where did he go exactly. Of course we need to find him."
Vishwaprit was confused now, he asked,
"Whom are you two talking about?"
Setupati looked at Vishwaprit with disappointed eyes and Vishwaprit realised what he was missing. He asked,
"Are you saying that we have to find the Dark lord?"
"Yes, exactly! He is the only one who can answer our questions and give us knowledge to fight this enemy." Setupati replied.
Raghav was listening their discussion silently but carefully. His ears also felt the tension in the room after hearing the name of the Dark Lord.
"And how do you plan to find him?" Vishwaprit asked.
Shastriji looked at Setupati with determined eyes and nodded his head.
Setupati heard Shastriji's message in his head and his eyes got filled with kindness and guilt towards his friend. He turned towards Vishwaprit and said,
"I'm sorry to ask you to do this, Vishwa. But there is only one family who can summon the Dark Lord. And you know, she will come, if you ask her."
Vishwaprit heard Setupati's request but he didn't reply. He looked away from all of them for a moment, closed his eyes to digest his emotions and replied,
"Fine. I will call her." And he stood up and left the room.
No-one tried to stop him. Setupati's eyes were worried for his friend. He kept looking at him, walking towards the door.
Raghav couldn't understand, whom they were planning to invite, so he asked impatiently,
"Whom is he going to call?"
"The famous 'Ketaki Mathur'. He is going to call Ketaki Mathur." Setupati replied with huge disappointment and hate.
"Can she summon the Dark Lord?" Raghav asked.
"Raghavendra, there is only one family, who was given authority by our ancestors, to summon the Dark Lord. And that family is 'Mathur' family." Shastriji replied to Raghav's question instead of Setupati.
"And there are only two Mathurs left in this world, Ketaki and her brother Kartik. Kartik would never answer our calls or invitation, he hates us because of our cursed life. So, we have to ask Ketaki." Setupati replied.
"And why is he so sad and emotional about it?" Raghav asked.
"Raghav, please don't mention this in front of him, or let him know I told you. He is very sensitive about this subject." Setupati asked him to be cautious.
"No, I won't, believe me." Raghav promised not to spill.
"Ketaki Mathur and Vishwaprit used to be a famous royal couple in Vijaypath, in his college days. He was in love with her from his childhood. But they broke up after graduation and she left the country. He is very sensitive about this matter, so never mention her name in front of him intentionally." Setupati told him about Vishwaprit's sad love life.
Raghav nodded his head and felt concerned towards Vishwaprit.
'Poor soul!!', He thought.
********