Have you ever read your own history? The culture we come from. The bloodline we were descended from? Even before caste and religion were part of an ancient India there were only two kinds of people. Shaivas and Vaishnavas.
But even before them were...
"Now I'm really scared Shiva" Ammu mumbled as the hooded men parted for the cheif who walked in their direction pushing his hood back revealing a grey hair and beared with defined features.
"They are not the same hooded men" Shivali assured her.
"You've a very keen observation your highness! Yes! We're not same and you don't have to be scared of us" The man smiled.
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"Who are you? Why did the secret passage lead us to this place? What is this place?" Sammy questioned.
"I am Veera! I'll explain everything but you've to follow me first" Veera turned around and started walking.
Shivali sighed and took a step forward but stopped by Sammy's words "Are you an idiot? What if he hurts us?"
"Do you really have any other choice of escaping here? Either we follow him or go back to those masked men" Sammy sighed realising that they really didn't have a choice and followed Veera as the other hooded men looked at them from under their hoods.
Veera walked into a room making them frown and follow him inside. Ammu widened her eyes and rushed to the bed "Granny!" and sat on the bed hodling the old woman's hand.
"Shouldn't she be in the hospital?" Sammy glared at Veera.
"The risks of being attacked were high. That's why we had to shift madam Suryavanshi here. We were about to come and get you too but you were already attacked" Veera explained.
"Why isn't she waking up?" Ammu teared up.
"She's in a coma" Another man walked out of the dark.
"You're the doctor who told me she will wake up soon" Sammy accused the doctor.
"Yes! But seems like the poison effect was too much to bear on madam's old body" The physician nodded.
"So did they find out what they were searching?" Shivali asked.
"How did you know?" Veera looked at her.
"The environment in the study was that of a search and if they poisoned her that means they were sure to find it since they attacked again" Both the men raised their eyebrows impressed with her conclusion.
"They didn't!" Veera replied.
"What did they want in the first place that they attacked us during the day?" Sammy questioned.
"A map" The physician replied.
"All of this for a piece of paper?" Shivali scoffed glaring at the old lady on the bed "What have you and your son got us into?"
"It's not just any map your highness! It's a map to paatalam" Veera spoke.
Ammu frowned "Paatalam? As in the land of demons?" making the men nod and then the siblings looked at each other before laughing out loud.
"Yeah Right! The paatalam is real and the next thing you say is the people attacked us are demons" Sammy held his stomach trying to control his laugh.
The trio stopped laughing when they saw the men in the room looking at them with utter seriousness making Ammu mumble "Guess they are telling the truth".
Shivali took a deep breath "So this map...why would we have it? Is Mrs. Suryavanshi a part of your cult too?"
"No! But your father was. Your grandfather too and all your ancestors were a part of us" Veera replied.
"And we're not some cult! We're a secret society called RUDHIRAS. Most of us know as the NINE MEN" The physician corrected her.
"Nine men? As in the secret society formed by the Indian emperor ASHOKA?" Sammy questioned.
Veera nodded "Yes! And your family has been in this secret society since the beginning of the time".
Shivali rolled her eyes "Ashoka existed two thousand years back not since the beginning of the time".
"We were named as the nine men when the emperor Ashoka joined us your Highness. I know it is hard to believe us but keep an open mind" The physician requested.
"Fine! I've an open mind why don't you explain what the hell is going on?" Shivali folded her arms controlling her anger.
"I think it is best if someone you know explains it" Veera looked behind her making them turn to the door.
The siblings widened their eyes "Dr. Raayala? Vidhaar?"
