Chapter 11: House of Secrets

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After an arduous train journey, Tatya and Parth finally arrived in Rajasthan, a place rumored to have a significant presence of witches, including Shreya. Despite their best efforts to gather information in the city, they came up empty-handed, struggling to find any leads that could take them closer to their goal.

As they ventured through a sparsely populated area on the outskirts of the city, a young girl suddenly approached Parth, demonstrating her respect and gratitude by touching his feet, a common gesture towards respected sadhus and Tantrics in India. She warmly invited them to her home for lunch, and given their hunger, they gratefully accepted.

Inside the girl's house, Tatya and Parth noticed an unusual cage containing a monkey. Tatya's affinity for animals led him to approach the cage, assuming that the monkey was a regular pet. To their astonishment, the monkey began to speak, revealing itself as Parag, the yeti who had appeared in Tatya's meditation at Kalkar's place. Parag explained that the girl serving them was Shreya, the witch who had cursed him and transformed him into a monkey. Through his psychic powers, Parag had manifested within Tatya's meditation, connecting with him to seek help.

Parag disclosed that Shreya was no ordinary witch; she was a Baba Yaga witch, and the only way to defeat her was to break her magical stick. Even more astonishing was the revelation that the house they were in had supernatural properties – it had chicken legs and could run if it sensed danger.

Their conversation was abruptly interrupted when Shreya appeared, and her true form was unveiled. The once youthful and beautiful girl transformed into an elderly, hideous witch. The house sprouted chicken legs and began to dash wildly, throwing the trio and their surroundings into chaos. The house's furniture disappeared, leaving only its four walls.

Shreya, wielding her psychic powers, launched Tatya against a wall and hurled the monkey's cage out the door. She engaged in a fierce battle with Parth, who managed to cast holy ash on her, causing her eyes to burn. Despite her distress, Shreya used her powers to repel Parth and sent him careening throughout the house.

Parag, having been thrown out, managed to free himself and re-enter the house to confront Shreya. In the intense showdown that followed, Tatya seized Shreya's magical stick and threw it toward Parth. With a final, determined effort, Parth harnessed his powers and shattered the stick. Shreya disintegrated into ashes, and the runaway house ceased its chaotic journey.

As Parag, Tatya, and Parth collapsed in exhaustion, Parag retrieved a strand of the witch's hair from her ashes, consuming it to regain his true form as a yeti. Meanwhile, Tatya and Parth collected the items Parag had instructed Tatya to obtain in his vision: five pieces of Shreya's hair, a piece of her clothing, and a nail from her leg. Parag directed them to burn these items and recite specific mantras. By following these instructions, they could bring Tatya's friends back.

With Parag's psychic abilities, they were swiftly teleported back to Buldhana, ready to embark on the final leg of their quest – bringing Tatya's friends back from the supernatural grasp that had ensnared them.

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