As Nakul soared through the air, reveling in his newfound abilities, a sudden realization struck him: his smartphone battery was dead.
Panic set in briefly as he wondered how he would stay in contact with Ozwel, but then, a voice resonated directly within his mind.
"It's alright, Nakul,"
the voice said, calming his racing thoughts.
"I used the smartphone as a medium to ease you into this, so you wouldn't be shocked by a ghostly voice. But now, I can communicate with you directly through your mind."
Nakul was both amazed and relieved.
"That's... handy. But what now, Ozwel? We can't fight this Cosmic Organization on our own, even with you guiding me. What happens if they manage to get past even you?"
Ozwel's voice was steady, filled with wisdom from eons spent in countless dimensions.
"You're right, Nakul. We can't face them alone. But don't lose hope. Throughout history, there have been others who knew the truth about THE MAN, TREQUETRA, and the Syndicate's authority. We're not the first to encounter this cosmic secret."
Nakul's curiosity piqued. "Others? Who? How did they manage?"
Ozwel began to explain.
"Across the centuries, THE MAN revealed his true nature to a select few. These people, upon discovering the truth, either met tragic fates—death, blindness, muteness, or crippling injuries or managed to survive long enough to pass on what they learned. One such group was formed by the ancient Indian Emperor Ashoka."
"Ashoka? The great emperor who ruled almost all of India?"
Nakul was familiar with Ashoka's legend afterall it was his country's greatest Emperor in the recorded history , but this was new to him.
"Yes, the same Ashoka. He was a wise and curious ruler, and when he learned of THE MAN's existence, he was fascinated, not frightened. He understood the importance of this knowledge and wanted to protect it. So, he created a secret society known as the 9 Unknown Men."
Ozwel continues with explaining The Man's nature.
"When I looked through out the time line I noticed that THE MAN can take various forms and truly love the Human Race, time to time he has help humanity himself from cognitive revolution to agricultural revolution, all couldn't have been without his interference, humanity could not have achieved such feat in couple of thousands of years without his intervention. "
"The 9 Unknown Men..." Nakul echoed, thinking of the legends surrounding Ashoka's mysterious council of scholars. "They were said to be keepers of vast knowledge, protectors of secrets too dangerous for the world."
"Exactly," Ozwel confirmed. "Each of these men was entrusted with a specific branch of knowledge, and together, they held the key to understanding THE MAN, TREQUETRA, and the Syndicates. Their role was to safeguard this information, ensuring it wasn't misused or fell into the wrong hands."
"While Ashoka formed this group of people , giving them the duty of protect the secret, develop the power to stand against such force of Nature"
"But how does this help us now?"
Nakul asked, still unsure of where this was leading.
Ozwel's voice carried a hint of excitement.
"The knowledge of the 9 Unknown Men wasn't lost. It's been preserved, passed down through generations, hidden from those who would exploit it. If we can find their descendants or those who now hold their secrets, we might stand a chance against the Cosmic Organization. They could have the tools, the knowledge, and the power we need."
Nakul felt a surge of hope. "So, our next step is to find these people?"
"Yes, but it won't be easy,"
Ozwel warned. "The 9 Unknown Men have remained hidden for centuries. They've mastered the art of concealment, and they trust very few. But with my knowledge and your abilities, we have a chance to locate them. I could not manage to pin point the location but One of them, I think I know where he might be residing, since their motive wasn't just to counter them but to understand the concept of power of the Universe "
" And that Power can be useful to survive this" Ozwel added with displeasure.
Nakul nodded, determined. "Where do we start?"
"I've traced some of the oldest records back to a region in modern-day Nepal. There are clues hidden in ancient texts and relics, things that only someone with your unique perspective can decipher, but we do not need that right now"
The idea of uncovering ancient secrets, of joining forces with a group that had been safeguarding humanity for millennia, was both daunting and thrilling. He felt a renewed sense of purpose, a path forward in this cosmic struggle.
But before they could begin their search, Nakul needed to find a safe place to hide and rest. The events of the past few days had left him exhausted, and the journey ahead would require all his strength and wits.
"Let's find a place to lay low for a while,"
Nakul suggested.
"We'll need to plan our next move carefully."
Ozwel disagreed. "No! Nakul! We do not have time, get a ticket to Kathmandu Right Now , You are going to Nepal"
Nakul did not ask any further questions and set off toward the Airport, his mind buzzing with thoughts of what lay ahead. he was now part of something much larger, a battle that had been raging in the shadows for centuries.
With Ozwel's guidance and the possibility of finding the 9 Unknown Men, Nakul felt a glimmer of hope amidst the overwhelming odds.
As he made his way through the Gushing Wind, Nakul couldn't help but think about how much his life had changed in such a short time. The loss of Ozwel, the discovery of the cosmic forces at play, and now, the chance to uncover secrets that had been hidden for millennia ,it was all so much to take in.
Ozwel then tells him the Location of One of the 9 Unknown Men, "I do not know the exact location but with All I could peak into the past , the last time one of them was seen was Four Hundred years ago, near Kanchunjenga Mountain "
"Four Hundred!????? And how are you so certain that their descendants also might be residing there!", Disagreeing with the Idea of seeking someone who was seen centuries ago.
"Not Descendants, Nakul, 9 Unknown Men were formed 2200 years back and 400 years ago in the past I saw him, The same person" Ozwel's Voice seemed unreal while he stating this.
"You mean , They Immortal?"
"Positively"
Ozwel agreed with the assumption of Immortal Human' existence.