TARA : Beyond The Time ( Under Editing)

Tara met Ria

                       Tara's pov

I slowly opened my eyes feeling a sharp pain in my head. Where am I? What happened? I tried to move but realized my hands and legs were tightly bound with rope.

Oh no, this can't be happening! I started to panic, struggling against the ropes cutting into my skin. My heart raced as fragmented memories flashed in my mind - the palace temple...rustling leaves...then nothing. Fear gripped me. I've been taken! But by who and why?

I gasped for air, trying to stay calm. Dhruv...what is he going through right now? Does he know I'm missing? Have they left any clues? Or have I just vanished? I shuddered at the thought of being trapped in this darkness forever.

But I can't give up, not when I know Dhruv might be searching for me. He promised to protect me, no matter what. He'll find me, I know he will. I have to be strong and have faith in him.

Taking a deep breath, I focused on my surroundings. A damp, earthy smell...dripping water...I must be underground, maybe a cellar. As my eyes adjusted, I saw stone walls and a faint gleam of light through a crack. There is a heavy wooden door which is likely the only way out.

No, I won't surrender to despair. Dhruv is coming for me. Until then, I'll fight and find a way to escape or leave a trail. I began studying every detail - sights, sounds, smells - locking them into my memory. I need any advantage I can get to survive this nightmare and find my way back to the palace , no matter how treacherous the path.

The faint sound of approaching footsteps shattered the eerie silence around me. I tensed, my heart pounding wildly. Is this it? Am I about to face my captors?

The heavy door creaked open, slivers of light piercing the darkness. Instinctively, I closed my eyes and feigned unconsciousness. Perhaps I could glean some information from them about this nightmare.

"Hurry up and bring her in," a gruff voice ordered. Her? There were others being held captive?

I heard shuffling and grunts as something...someone was dragged across the floor and unceremoniously dumped beside me. A new scent mingled with the musty air - a disturbingly familiar aroma that made my stomach churn. Blood.

"Check on the other girl," the other voice commanded, laced with callous disregard.

Rough hands gripped my face, calloused fingers prying open my eyelids to inspect me. Every fiber of my being screamed to recoil, to fight back, but I willed myself to remain motionless, regulating my breathing to maintain the illusion.

"Still out cold," the second voice grunted. "Good, makes things easier."

As their footsteps retreated, I caught a snippet of their conversation. "Once the shipment of black powder arrives, Aaga's plan will move forward. This land will tremble."

Black powder? Aaga? A knot formed in my stomach. What sinister plot was unfolding?

The door slammed shut, submerging me in inky blackness once more. Cautiously, I opened my eyes, panic seizing me anew as I noticed the still form beside me...and the girl covered in blood on the floor beside me .

"Oh gods..." I choked back a sob, fearing the worst for my unfortunate cellmate. But I had to push past the horror. Crying would solve nothing - I needed to analyze every scrap of information.

Aaga...the name ignited a flicker of recollection from my studies. A shadowy figure rumored to be behind numerous assassinations and robbery across kingdoms. But with the way they were talking their agenda doesn't seem as simple as seen.

My blood ran cold. If they were involved, the stakes were far graver than I could have imagined. Not just my life, but Dhruv's...our entire kingdom was in peril.