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{} - thoughts of characters.
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Namashkar, I am a cat, name's Sarami, it means "pond+me". Just like most cats I love eating fishes. That is also why I live in this village which has many ponds filled with fishes! Now I am your narrator for this tale.
[As you already know, this world has a human race called Golems or gombus, which eat mammals to increase their lifespan. Now these gombus can transform into rock monsters with extreme power for killing their mammalian victims.]
[And so, in order to protect humans and other mammals from these rock monsters, there are 2 human races in place called Hooms and Maans. Now these hooms and maans gain power through various means, such as training with their created weapons, manipulating particulite, and etc. These trained individuals from hoom and maan races collectively form a class of warriors called Kshatriyas. These Kshatriyas constitute both, the military, as well as the civil servants such as cops and political figures in this world. Any hoom and maan, irrespective of any factors, such as gender, age, status or etc., can gain this training, to become a Kshatriya.]
[This tale is about a female Kshatriya named Jaladhi. The name means, a type of pond, usually surrounded by trees, with less or nil water current in it.]
[It's happening in a village of farmers and fishermen, somewhere in the south eastern state of the world of MahaJanapadas.]
[Day 1]
[Pundashay, a lively young man, is about to join his work from today, with a tragedy awaiting him.]
Pundashay - Wake up ma, I don't want to be late on the first day of my work. I will not wait for breakfast after returning from the pond, so please make my meal fast.
His mother - [Slowly Waking up] hmm.....Don't worry son, I'll prepare your food and prasad before you return, now hurry and go. (Prasad is a devotional food which is first given to god and later shared with devotees. It brings good luck usually, and so it is given to devotees without fail before they start something new.)
[Pundashay was now on his way to the pond nearby for taking a bath. The water was changed recently. It was still and clear, reflecting the trees surrounding it. Squirrels chased around, for it was a lush village, filled with trees everywhere. Pundashay kept his belongings in the rope, hung between trees, and entered the pond and takes a dip.]
[About 30 minutes later. His mother was waiting at home for his return. She was holding the plate of prasad at the outer gate of her house, but it got very late. A fellow villager was passing by when the mother called him.]
Pundashay's mother - Ohh Gappu, come here. [He obeyed] My son went to the last pond by this street before the main road for bathing. He was supposed to return by now, can you go and see what is taking him so long? Ask him to come fast!
Gappu - Yes kaki(Aunty in my language.) I was going on that path.
[When he reached there, the sudden event changed his expression and his composure. He lost it, he made a ran for it, screaming for help. He ran to the mother to inform the words of the tragedy.]
Gappu - [Grasping for breath] Ma..... Pundashay.... is no more...[The mother let out a scream.]
[About 1 and half hours later Jaladhi came to the pond. Her cruzane had many equipments for Pond type cases, such as poles, nets, gelfoam sponges etc. Pundashay's mother and father were at the scene, along with Gappu and some more villagers. The mother was crying, and some were trying to console her.]
Jaladhi - [To the mother]Kaki, I am an experienced Kshatriya officer, I will avenge your son without fail. Trust in me, and leave this scene, for the golem might still be close by.
The mother - [With a mixed feelings of anger and sorrow] Yes, I want justice, find this golem at all costs. [They all left the scene, except Gappu.]
Jaladhi - [To Gappu]Dada(Addressing him as elder brother in my language), what did you see when you came here? Can you explain in detail?
Gappu - Yes, the first thing i saw was the blood-red water, and then the blood soaked mud. Pundashay's clothes that were hanging in the rope were there as is. Other than this, I don't recall much, I panicked and ran, thinking there is a golem nearby.
Jaladhi - Hmm, did you see any corpse or any body parts?
Gappu - Not that I recall, no.
Jaladhi - Try to remember anything else that you think might help me?
Gappu - [After thinking for some time] Sorry uhh..... 'mam', I don't recall anything else.
Jaladhi - Don't call me mam, I am not old enough for that. Anyways, you should now leave the scene.
[Gappu leaves.]
[Jaladhi now puts up the "Do not cross" crime scene tape around the pond, attaching it to the trees. Searching around the pond, but couldn't find anything important, she finally decided to dive in it. She wore her swimsuit, equipped her GDT(Golem Detecting Torch), her Gelfoam Pole, and her Astral Jewel(used for calling weapons). Ready to dive, she jumps in the pond.]
[Now, a GDT has been explained in a previous chapter, it is a torch for detecting golems, which are hiding, guised in some form of a material. Astral Jewel, as you already know, is a tool of all Kshatriyas, used for calling weapons that are stored inside it. Now, this Gelfoam pole is a new term it seems. Gelfoam sponge is actually a real world sponge, it is a medical device intended for application to bleeding surfaces as a haemostatic. Now in this world, it's a piece of cotton called Gelfoam Blood Cotton. This cotton piece comes in various shapes and sizes. It is used to absorb blood from surfaces or from liquids. Jaladhi, here, is attaching it to a pole, just like any other pool cleaner, using it to clean the blood from the pond.]
[While she was inspecting the pond, to her surprise, she came across some vital clues. She found 2 chopped off hands stuck to the mud deep under the pond, and also a small torn piece of blue gamcha(handloom towel). She stored these in plastic envelopes as pieces of evidence.]
[Jaladhi now gets out of the pond, wipes off, and gets dressed. Ready to ask around the village about the piece of gamcha. But first she returns the hands to Pundashay's parents. She goes to his house, rings the bell, places the hands in front of the gate and kneeling down, she sat and bowed her head. His parents came out, witnessing this, they broke down again and Jaladhi left after some consolation. After asking around many villagers, she learnt that this gamcha belonged to a fisherman named Pravaha. The name means, a pond that has waves in it due to strong winds. She knocked at his door, but apparently he was not to be found there. She decided to come back some hours later.]
[During this time, rumour got around the village that Pravaha's torn gamcha was found in the pond where Pundashay died. Soon some villagers had gathered near Pravaha's house, started abusing him, and the elder villagers asked him to leave the village and never return, therefore almost banishing him. Things were almost going out of control when Jaladhi came to the scene.]
Jaladhi - [Raising her voice] Everyone, stop it. He is still to be proven guilty.
A middle aged villager - But his gamcha was found wasn't it?
Jaladhi - Ya! That proves nothing! what if it's somebody else's gamcha and it's just a mistake?
A second elderly villager - But he is under our suspicion for quite some time now. He is new to this village, because he got banished from his last village for he was a thief there. Now we know for sure that he is a golem in disguise! [Many villagers present there agreed loudly.]
Jaladhi - Okay, that is news to me. Anybody who has nothing to say other than abuse Pravaha, I request to leave. Others stay.
[Many left the scene disappointed, Pundashay's father, 2 elder villagers and 2 middle aged villagers stayed.]
Jaladhi - Now then, Pravaha. My first question is, where have you been this whole time? Look at my eyes and tell me honestly.
Pravaha - [Sobbing] I was not here at all, I-.... I left the village for the river very early in the morning as always.
Jaladhi - And how are we supposed to believe that?
Pravaha - I was fishing in the river with my friends, they can assure this and also, even the people in the fishing market saw me there depositing my fish in the fish market depot.
Jaladhi - ohh.....hmm..... now that's a valid reason, although I'll have to go there and verify all this first. Now, what the elder said, is that true?
Pravaha - [sobs]Y-....yes.... but that has complicated reasons, my history in my hometown..... very bad memories I have there... I was banished from there[sobs].
Jaladhi - Fine fine....now, Kaku[asking the elder], what have you to say?
The first elder present there - Ya, he was a thief there, and what about the gamcha?
Jaladhi - Right! I was just about to ask that. Tell me Pravaha, where is your gamcha?
Pravaha - [It was at this moment when he showed his gamcha, and it just happened to be torn significantly. The 2 middle aged villager was about to charge at him when he said.] Please! Listen to me! [Jaladhi stopped them.]
Jaladhi - [Angered expression] Right, now how do you explain this?
Pravaha - It happened this morning, please trust me in this. When I woke up today, I already found it torn like this. Somebody had broke in at night!
Jaladhi - Now how do we believe that?
Pravaha -[cries aloud] Please believe me! I am a human! I am not a golem! My gamcha was already torn!
[The villagers present there were getting restless. Luckily, at this moment, after calming herself, Jaladhi's brain struck a series of thoughts.]
Jaladhi - Pravaha, answer my next questions very carefully, okay?
Pravaha -I'll try my best!
Jaladhi - At what time did you wake up?
Pravaha - I wake up for work at 5 am daily. The fish market doesn't wait for anybody! The best fishes sells first!
Jaladhi - Keep it short and specific! Now, at what time did you reach your fishing spot with your friends?
Pravaha - The usual time, at 5:30 am, give or take 5 mins.
Jaladhi - And at what time did you finish your fishing with your friends there?
Pravaha - We fish for hours, I remember reaching the market at around 8:20 am, for keeping my fishes there. And it takes about 15-20 mins to reach the market from the river.
Jaladhi - And can I verify all this with your friends and the people in the market?
Pravaha - Yes! My friends were with me the whole time!
Jaladhi - But these friends..... tell me more about these friends of yours.
Pravaha - 2 of them are from my previous village and 2 are from another village near the river.
Jaladhi - Will you meet with them again tomorrow?
Pravaha - Of course we will! This is high fishing season!
Jaladhi - Good! Does anyone else have anything to add in this?
[The villagers still looked eager to pin him down and banish him, but were holding back because things were not clear just yet. And so, after some conflicting thoughts they all left except Pundashay's father.]
Pundashay's father - [On the verge of tears.]I lost my son today, and for that I am lost, what am I do now? Who am I to blame and who am I to turn for justice?
Jaladhi - kaku, bless me, and trust in me,.... I am a rank 2 unit, I will find the golem very soon and bring you his corpse! That is all the words I can give you for now kaku.
[They left Pravaha's house.]
[The next day Jaladhi came to Pravaha's house to follow him to his work and verify his case.]
[Jaladhi met his friends and on enquiring, they all confirmed that he was with them the whole time. Furthermore, she asked them to ask him questions that they thought only Pravaha knew, just to be extra sure. And it all matched their answers, so this time it was all confirmed that it was the real Pravaha indeed. But the last question was still bugging Jaladhi, she simply could not find an explanation as to how did Pravaha's gamcha reach the pond where Pundashay was killed.]
Jaladhi - [to Pravaha] hey, did you say that somebody had broken in your house that night? And that you think the one who broke in is the one who tore your gamcha?
Pravaha - Yes! That's right!
Jaladhi - B-But...Why?..... uhh.... I mean..... What made you think that exactly?
Pravaha - First of all, my window was opened, and the rope where I hung my gamcha is right next to the window. More importantly I saw a piece of my gamcha stuck to the window.
Jaladhi - Why didn't you say this yesterday?
Pravaha - Because you did not ask, and I was even in a panic, with all the glares of the villagers around me. I almost forgot what I saw.
Jaladhi - But still..... if there was a break in, why did you not report to the police?
Pravaha - That is exactly what I was going to do after returning home, only if I was not surrounded and beaten up by the villagers. After all, the morning market is the best for fishes, I couldn't delay my fishing time!
Jaladhi - Right... [Whispered]shit...
Pravaha - Sorry, what?
Jaladhi - No, it's nothing.....Anyways, you are off the hook for now, keep your eyes and ears opened wide. Even if you are not the culprit, apparently, you are still marked by the golem, he will try his best to frame you again. So if anything suspicious happens report to me immediately, alright?
Pravaha - yes mam!
Jaladhi - Call me 'mam' again and I'll frame you myself.
Pravaha - Sorry! uh.... didi!(elder sister in my language.)
Jaladhi - Ya, that's better.
[Jaladhi leaves. She keeps thinking{At least now I know that the golem is guised as something, but what is it exactly..... something that wouldn't be noticed by anyone normally..... something that could carry around a gamcha somehow, without drawing any attention.... what could it be.....}]
[For a few days Jaladhi patrolled the village. During this time she noticed quite a number of small animals around the village including cats, squirrels, otters and mice. She speculated that one of these creatures might be the guised golem. But narrowing down the golem seemed near impossible at the moment.]
[4 Days later, Day 2 of the case.]
[It was as early as 5 am in the morning when Pravaha phoned Jaladhi.]
Pravaha - [In the call, very worried.]I have bad news!
Jaladhi - [She had just woken up.] What is it?
Pravaha - Remember the bangles I was wearing a few days ago?
Jaladhi - The brown wooden bangles? What about them?
Pravaha - Yes, those! I put them away when I sleep, but I can't find them now. They are stolen! Even my window is opened yet again!
Jaladhi - uhh.....Do you see any footprints of any animals outside your window?
Pravaha - [Hurries to the window and checks.]No, but there is a lot of mud, I'm sure it was dry soil just yesterday!
Jaladhi - Hmmm, nor did it rain yesterday. Okay, don't leave your house whatsoever, I'll be there in a few minutes. And if possible, pack up some clothes and food.
[Few minutes later Jaladhi arrived at Pravaha's house, with her cruzane vehicle.]
Jaladhi - Now, get behind me.
Pravaha - uhh.... sorry.... what?
Jaladhi - Get up behind me in my cruzane and grab the handles tight.
Pravaha - [Joining his hands and praying to god a bit, he gets up and grabs on to the supporting handles.]
Jaladhi - [While they were riding on the cruzane.]Where do you want to stay locked up? In a kshatriya tent or in the quarters?
Pravaha - [Confused]The quarters sounds better.
[After some time they reached the Kshatriya quarter where Kshatriyas, who are assigned to that locality or sector, live. Now Jaladhi made Pravaha follow her to a room, on reaching which Pravaha realised something.]
Pravaha - [Surprised, in a loud voice]This is your personal quarter! You are kidnapping me?
Jaladhi - Get in without questions and I'll explain to you. [They get in] Now listen closely, the golem which framed you is guised as a small mammal. Your bangles were stolen by this same mammal. So it's just a matter of time when another victim will be killed in a pond and your bangles will be found there.
Pravaha - huhh?...How do you know that?
Jaladhi - Hmm..... good question, but unfortunately I can't explain it all to you now. So first tell me, is there any mammal in your knowledge that you suspect could be the guised golem.
Pravaha - [After some thinking.] I came to the village only 10 months back, but I am aware of this much that the village has close relations with Otters because they fend off crocodiles that attack from the nearby river.
Jaladhi - Otters you say?
Pravaha - Yes, I heard they are living in the village from even before humans inhabited it.
Jaladhi - [Sudden excited expression]oohhhhh!!.... It all makes a lot of sense now!
Pravaha - uhh....okay...but..., can you tell me why lock me up here?
Jaladhi - Just to prove that you were not present in the crime scene to the villagers. I'm sure they still suspect you!
Pravaha - Do you?
Jaladhi - I already have the proof that you are not the guised golem, but explaining all that is difficult as of now. Meanwhile I will go talk to some otters.
Pravaha - You will do what?
Jaladhi - Tell you later. Bye! [She leaves the quarters, for investigating on some otters.]
[Now you might be wondering what she meant by talking to otters huh? Let me, Sarami, explain what that means! This world has a lot to do with mammals. For example, kshatriyas can gain the ability to communicate with mammals by practicing Padmasana with specific Mudras. A given set of mammals can be spoken to by practicing a specific Mudra. Mudras are certain yogic hand gestures which are used alongside certain yogic postures called Asanas. Jaladhi here has practised enough mudras to speak with Otters and some rodents.]
[An elderly man of the village was playing with his little grandson near a pond. Now two men came to bath in this pond. They looked like close friends. They wore their gamcha and dipped under the pond together. Some time passed but they did not come up. The old man and the kid, out of surprise got a bit close, but suddenly the water was being pushed from below, bubbles rose, and then some blood came up, and finally 2 pairs of sliced hands rose up. The old man immediately covered his grandson's eyes, took him up in his arms and ran away as fast as his old legs could run.]
[In the meantime Jaladhi was talking to the eldest otter in the village, on the river shore. It was a female otter named Suchira. Now Suchira was a special type of mammal, whose life span was increased due to mutationally enhanced particulite in its body. She has outlived all other otters in the village.]
Jaladhi - [Using highest form of respectable language.] Mahodaya, I request, I need your help to keep the peace of the village. A person has died and a golem is confirmed to be involved.
Suchira - [Thoughtfully]Our duty, as otters, is to defend the village against monsters and crocodiles. As the duty already tells, it is limited to muscle power. But still, I will help you with anything within my capabilities.
Jaladhi - Hmm... I want the help of otters in doing something. I have suspected that the golem is using some kind of trap to pull humans under the ponds and drag them somewhere else.
Suchira - A Trap you say?
Jaladhi - Yes, a trap that grabs its victim by their limbs and pulls them underneath.
Suchira - Interesting...using traps to kill my villagers.....I can't just turn a blind eye to some golem eating my villagers like that. Who knows, he might come and eat my otters as well.... So tell me, what should we do to help?
Jaladhi - Its simple, I want the otters to dive down the ponds and search for this trap.
Suchira - [After some thinking] But what if the otter gets trapped and pulled in the process?
Jaladhi - Right....That is the part that I cannot ensure. I only suspect that the trap activates only in contact with human limbs.
Suchira - No..... I cannot allow otters to do that if it threatens their life. I can't just ask my own race to get trapped and die for some theory of yours.
Jaladhi - But please, I can provide them the tools which will let them return unscathed. I can also keep close watch-
Suchira - Dear please... We are merely defending mammals.....It is not in my duty to make the otters do that, nor is it within my capability to solve these cases. We can only fight and kill golems which are already identified and caught. It is your job to find these golems first dear. You are a highly trained Kshatriya officer, you should know how much we have already contributed to the safety of this village. We have shed blood and tears for years, even before the humans came here. You should know your duty better dear.
Jaladhi - But I do assure they are-
[A middle aged woman cried out to Jaladhi.]
The woman - Officer! More people have died! Come at once!
[They ran to the scene. The old man, who was playing with his grandson, was there. Some more folks were also gathered there. The pond water was reddish with blood.]
Jaladhi - Who among you arrived here first?
The woman - My son and father-in-law was already here.
The old man - Yes, I was just here, playing with my grandson, when all this happened.
Jaladhi - Dadu(addressing very old men in my language), if all this happened right in front of you then why didn't you call me or the police while it happened?
The old man - I never said it happened in front of my eyes, all of it happened under the water. My grandson saw it all the same.
Jaladhi - Under the water? What exactly did you see dadu?
The old man - At first 2 men came to bath in here. They looked like close friends. They dipped down the water together and they never came up......[went silent]
Jaladhi - What happened then dadu?
The old man - Right..... that is when I went close to the pond to check, but the water started gushing from below and blood came up.....and then 2 pairs of chopped off hands came up.
Jaladhi - Your grandson, where is he?
The woman - My son is at home, he is very scared.
Jaladhi - hmm..... and dadu, if you remember their clothing or anything else, that would be very helpful.
The old man - hmm.....[Thoughtfully]Short pajamas and wore gamchas by their hips..... looked very much like fishermen....I had never seen them in this village.
Jaladhi - Fishermen? Did one of them wear a blue vest and had big nails?
The old man - I didn't notice their nails, you can find their hands under the pond I'm sure. But yes, the blue vest, I remember, it was a rather bright blue vest. How did you know?
Jaladhi - I just made a guess of a fisherman who was close to this village. But now, I want all of you to leave this place, I will be searching for clues here now.
The woman - My friend lost her son 5 days ago, you better find this golem fast please!
Jaladhi - I am trying my best kaki. I am very close to finding out who it is.
[They left the scene. Jaladhi now cleared and dried the water using her ice and water abilities. There were the torn clothes of Pravaha's 2 friends, and their fists.....but most importantly she found Pravaha's wooden bangles there. {This was within my prediction. This golem is a smart one, he has done well at framing Pravaha successfully so far. But killing his 2 close friends was a bit too much. I swear I will find him within 2 more days! Now I must see that no one notice's these bangles here otherwise the villagers will start blaming him again.} She then returns home and finds Pravaha in her quarter, sleeping. Jaladhi wakes him up.]
Pravaha - [Yawns and wakes up, rubbing his eyes.] Ohh yes, didi, so.... what happened today?
Jaladhi - [With a sorrowful face, she handed him his 2 friend's fists and clothes.] This....
Pravaha - [His face lost all colours... his body began trembling]T-.....This can't be......this is a mistake......[His crying shrieks were loud enough to be heard throughout the quarters and neighbours.]
Jaladhi - I-...I tried my bes-
Pravaha - Don't! They were the only friend's I ever had![crying]
Jaladhi - [Patting his head.]hmm....cry all you want, I understand.....loosing friends....
[After about half an hour.]
Pravaha - [Loud voice] What am I to feel now? Now I am left all alone again! Who will avenge me? Who will go fishing with me?
Jaladhi - It is my duty to avenge you, and all those who loses their close ones to golems. I promise you something Pravaha. I will find this gombus within 2 more days, and when I do, I will bring you and the village his head. I have only 1 last piece left to find this gombue. [Jaladhi's phone rang. She answered.] Hello. who is this?
The caller - [Angry voice.]This is Pundashay's father and I have something to confirm from you.
Jaladhi - Yes kaku, I have almost found the gombus who took your son away, but other than that, tell me kaku, how may I help you?
Pundashay's father - I hear a rumour that Pravaha's bangles were found in the pond today, where 2 people died the same way my son did. Is that true?
Jaladhi - [Extreme panic expression.]{How did he know? Who made such a rumour? I'm sure nobody saw me there!} Kaku...who told you th-
Pundashay's father - Just answer me officer!
Jaladhi - {Alright, its time I took my aggressive approach as an officer.}Sir, I sincerely apologise but I am not obliged to share information regarding our investigations to you. But, I'll be even closer to finding this golem if you please cooperate and tell me who is spreading this rumour? Was it some otters?
Pundashay's father - [Aggressive voice]Ho-....How did you know!? It was indeed some otters who started the rumour!
Jaladhi - I told you sir, I am very close, I just need 1 last solid proof. And more importantly, there is no way for Pravaha to have killed them because he was in our custody the whole time. He wasn't even in the village from 5 am.
Pundashay's father - [After some thinking, calmed down voice.] I trust you, but I have bad news for Pravaha, this rumour seems to have turned the villagers against him even more now and now they are wreaking havoc in his house. Do you know where he is by any chance?
Jaladhi - He is still our suspect so he is still in our custody even now.
Pundashay's father - That's good to hear. So I believe he was framed yet again?
Jaladhi - Even worse, that is, for killing his own friends.
Pundashay's father - Sad to hear. Poor guy.... exiled by his last village and now all this.....he must be having a very bad time.
Jaladhi - He sure is, he was crying hard until just a few minutes ago.
Pundashay's father - hmm..understandable....anyways, I'll try to calm the villagers a bit. Any ideas what I should tell them?
Jaladhi - Well....Just to be prepared for the worst, because the culprit behind all this, will shock every single one in the whole village! And it'll come out as very unacceptable character.
Pundashay's father - Woah.....putting it that way..... Who is it if I may ask?
Jaladhi - You wouldn't believe me now until I prove it, in fact, the opposite might happen sir, you might get aggressive towards me.
Pundashay's father - hmmm....okay then, at least tell me how much longer will it take to prove this gombus?
Jaladhi - If I'm lucky then tomorrow itself! But in the worst case, within day after tomorrow! I promise!
Pundashay's father - No worries, my son hated golems too, I wish he was here to see the demise of this golem.
Jaladhi - I will avenge his soul kaku!
Pundashay's father - I am putting my trust in you Jaladhi. [He cut the call.]
[This very night Jaladhi worked late till midnight. She dove in all the ponds she suspected to have the trap. She came home late, at around 4 am. Pravaha was sleeping on the floor, looking distressed. After setting an alarm for 8 am she went to sleep on the bed, exhausted.]
[The next day she woke up at the alarm bell. She saw Pravaha cooking some food.]
Jaladhi - When did you wake up?
Pravaha - I didn't get a good sleep to begin with, the clock on your wall showed around 6 am when I woke up and couldn't get any sleep after that.
Jaladhi - uhmm...okay..... you should go back to your house now, and try your best to ignore the glares of the villagers
Pravaha - uhh... why? I didn't do anything, did I?
Jaladhi - You didn't! But the gombus has spread the rumour that you might have eaten your own friends because your bangles were found there.
Pravaha - [With a sad voice.] This much...I never imagined such a day would come when I'd be blamed for killing the closest people I have.
Jaladhi - Hmm...don't worry too much, they have no proof to do anything to you. So you're safe now.
Pravaha - Yes, okay....
[Pravaha gets ready and leaves. When he reached the village he could feel the glare of the villagers piercing him, but he hurried inside his home. He locked the door and broke into tears again. Poor man.]
[Jaladhi kept diving in the ponds to keep in check as to which ponds were trapped. It took her about 6 hours but she narrowed down the option to just 1pond. Nothing happened this day, which is lucky because no one got hurt, but also unlucky because the gombus didn't get caught.]
[It was just as she predicted, it was the next day. Jaladhi was now sitting beside a pond. It was a women's pond for bathing. A young lady came, she undressed, and got in the pond. Jaladhi, got up, at the height of her vigilance, waiting for the right moment for anything to happen. She knew this pond was trapped today. The water disturbance started, Jaladhi jumped, froze the water and stopped the trap from pulling the young lady down. She then quickly attached a part of her ice weapon to the trap, which it pulled away, which went straight inside the belly of the gombus.{Right, everything went as planned. Now I just have to wait till afternoon to drag the gombus out in the open.}
The young lady screamed in pain, she lost 2 fingers from her left hand. Jaladhi covered it using her cloth.]
Jaladhi - Dear, I am sorry I was a bit late, but I assure you, your hand can be healed. Just visit a hospital.
The lady - [crying in pain.] Yes, .....[sobs]thank you for saving me. [They leave the scene]
[Afternoon came. About a dozen villagers had gathered near the river for gossiping, as usual, spending casual time with each other. Just as most days Suchira, the elder female otter, was present there, she was sitting at a distance. Jaladhi came riding in her cruzane and parked it nearby, and then she honked the horn. This grabbed the attention of the villagers.]
Jaladhi - Namashkar! A very good afternoon everyone! I'd like to share an experience of one of my superior's. May I have your attention for a few minutes please?
The villagers - sure; I don't mind; I like hearing Kshatriya stories!
Jaladhi - Great! But sorry sorry, this is not exactly a whole story, but rather just a part of it. So ...one of my superior's shared this tale with me.
There was once a huge joint family with many members living under the same roof. They were very rich and privileged. Naturally, they were in good terms with all their neighbours. But it started one day, 1 of their neighbour disappeared! My senior was appointed immediately! Before he could come to any conclusion multiple neighbours had disappeared. Only this joint family was intact. It was then when he noticed that this family had a cat that everyone was fond of. This cat was spoilt rotten by everyone, even by all the neighbours! Nobody would ever suspect this cat!.....[She went a bit silent and saw the expression in everyone's face.] Can anybody guess what was wrong?
A villager - This cat is surely a guised golem here!
Another villager - Yes yes! He should be punished and tortured!
Jaladhi - Yes! That is what I say! But without conclusive proof, who could point a finger on the loving cat of such a rich family? How would he solve the case if he could not prove it?
[The villagers went silent.]
Jaladhi - Don't worry! My senior was a pro! He solved it in less than 2 weeks! And I will explain how by using a term called Astral Bond! Look closely everyone![Suchira, the elder otter, was just about to make a run for it, when she brings out her ice spear from her hand and charges it at full strength at Suchira. Suchira, impaled, was thrown away at a distance.]
The villagers - What have you done!; You killed the defense otter of our village!; Ohh gawd! forgive us!
Jaladhi - Relax everyone! You'll see it right now! [Suchira's size increased, thick organic limbs protruded out of her. Her head became a rocky heap, spikey hard parts came out of her back! She was the golem all along!]
Suchira - HOW DID YOU KNOW!?
Jaladhi - [Suchira was about to break the spear when she called it back] Now now, don't be too surprised! It's basic lesson for golems to watch what they eat, no?
[The faces of the villagers looked too shocked. It was their beloved Suchira! Even Pundashay's father was present there, he looked very confused.]
Suchira - Aaaaah....It's wrong![charges a spike at Jaladhi; She jumps high and pushes Suchira even further, away from the villagers.]
Jaladhi - [Calm face]I don't know what is wrong about killing a golem that killed 3 people over the last week, but I'd like to ask some questions if you cooperate? It's for my report! Lets start with your name!
Suchira - Are you mocking me?
Jaladhi - Does my face look like its mocking? I am serious here! I don't want to keep on writing 'a golem did this', 'a golem did that', so tell me your actual name.
Suchira - Its Bricken, and I only want to live!
Jaladhi - ya, don't give me that, everyone you killed had the same wish, except, they were only innocent humans! Now, this should be one of my last questions, why did you choose this village?
Bricken - Because it was easy to hunt humans here. I only had to guise as the elder otter, because I knew it will never be suspected!
Jaladhi - Of course its that! Why did I even bother asking the obvious! Anyways, do you have any last words before I take you down?
Bricken - See! You're mocking me after all! [Charges another spike at her] Just answer me, how were you so sure that it was me?
[Jaladhi throws her spear up and warps to it and then charges it onto Bricken. He shields it with his huge organic hand and Jaladhi calls it back again.]
Jaladhi - Hmm...I was going to explain that to everyone present here! [Villagers were listening, unattentively, they just wanted the fight to end quickly.]Sooo......On the very first day itself pretty much half the trick was solved. While investigating the pond, I noticed that the pond had a soft ground, that was severely uneven underwater. While lifting some soil further, I found disparticulite remains down there. I realised it then itself that a trap was being used.....
Bricken - Huh? How did you pin point that towards me?
Jaladhi - Right question! So on the second day when Pravaha told me that his bangles went missing, and that he didn't see any tracks of anyone stealing them, I realised that it was the trick of a small animal. An animal that could climb steep surfaces and was small enough to not leave any footprints. That is when I kept Pravaha in my custody. [Pravaha just arrived to the scene.] Ohh! There he is! Our guest of honour!
Pravaha - Yes thank you! That is when I told her that the villagers would never suspect the otters because they have a history with them. But me? nahh.... I am new here, I have nothing to do with you! But....[Angered face] what I do want to know is that, why me? Why did you target me? You first framed me as a guised golem, and then you killed both my friends, and if that wasn't enough, you even put my bangles there just to frame me for killing them myself? Answer me!
Bricken - You answered it yourself! Its the same reason as you idiot! It's because you are new here and that they will suspect you very easily! It was easy to make a scapegoat out of you!
Pravaha - [Angrily] Jaladhi didi! Why are you not killing it yet?
Jaladhi - Cuz you had some remaining questions? lol... ON IT! ICY FOUNTAINS DePloY! [Jaladhi began deploying her ice and water abilities. This ability made icy fountains from under the ground and froze anything it fell on.]
Bricken - Don't underestimate me![Bricken charged spikey rocks at her.]
[Jaladhi kept charging watery jets and icy streams. After about 3 minutes the fight was over. It ended with Jaladhi breaking her ice spear and Bricken breaking his hard belly off. Bricken died. Jaladhi fell to the ground very heavily damaged. The villagers took her to the hospital.]
[The next day. Jaladhi woke up in the hospital, Pravaha and another friend of Jaladhi was there.]
Pravaha - Good morning! How do you feel?
Jaladhi - G'Morning. I feel better now. Thanks for bringing me here and coming now.
Pravaha - No, its me who is thankful. I owe you a great deal, here, I brought some fishes for you. Please have them.
Jaladhi - Thanks a lot. When will I be released?
Pravaha - Tomorrow the doctor said, but I had 1 last question.
Jaladhi - Yes?
Pravaha - Astral Bond was it? What is it and how did you track him with that?
Jaladhi - ohh right! It's our weapons. We can sense them at close ranges. In some cases we break small pieces of our weapons, and they work as trackers in close ranges. So I simply attached this broken piece to the trap that the golem ate, and so it got stuck inside the golem's body. And when I came close to Bricken, I simply sensed it inside him. This bond between the weapon and its owner is called Astral Bond.
Pravaha - Woah! So this is the ability that saved my life! Very Cool! Can I learn it too?
Jaladhi - Of course! You just need to perform the Parashakti Dakshina and train your body to manipulate Particulite.
Pravaha - uhh...I don't follow... but okay, I'll ask these things when you are out, for now you should rest. I'll take my leave then didi.
Jaladhi - uhmm..... wait...Before you go, can you think of a moral for this story? It can be a 2 line rhyme. I need it to write my reports.
Pravaha - uhmm...[After a lot of thinking]Here:
Be it ice, water, rocks or Ponds.
Anyone can be tracked by Astral bonds!