Beyond {UNDER EDIT}

S1-4-A Knight in Shining Armor

Time slowed down.

Abhay closed his eyes, lowered his head and brought his hands up, guided by a defensive instinct. And waited. Waited for death to consume him. His physical powers had never been at par with his mental abilities. But it was a different story for his brother. His brother. The only man he knew as his family member, the man who had nourished him like his mother. It had been ten years now. Ten long years but he still remembered him as vividly as if he had seen him the day before, his every word still echoed in Abhay's mind.

"OPEN YOUR EYES YA' FOOL!"

Abhay slowly opened his eyes and looked up. The sword had stopped midway. He looked around. Panav and Ojas were as confused as he was. Rohak stood beside the soldier, with a wooden vase in his hands. He seemed ready to strike, ready to strike the man in armor if the blade moved even an inch closer to Abhay's head.

In between the silt of the helmet, Abhay saw the black eyes move. The man delivered a fierce side-kick as Rohak collapsed on the ground, cursing. Panav rose up and leaped at the soldier, Ojas stood up. But the man pushed Panav back mid-air with the brute force of his palm. He fell back on Ojas and they settled on the ground. Before Abhay could do something, the man removed his helmet.

"You idiots are lucky that I came to investigate this room."

The four looked at his face.

Rohan.

"Rohan!" Abhay exclaimed.

Named after the previous King, Rohan used to be his elder brother's best friend. He was the only man in an armor who could be trusted by the four. A fierce warrior he was, and the King himself had selected him for his army when he had witnessed his spectacular win in the fencing tournament of children when he was only ten years old. Now he was twenty, rumored to be the best swordsman in the entire town. In the last few years, he had rapidly risen through the ranks and was the top candidate for the next military commander.

"You, You don't usually do these kinda check-ups do you? I mean you are supposed to be the Northern squad's Vice-Captain, right?" Asked Ojas, still shocked by the rapid series of events.

"There was a checkup going on while I was passing by, I volunteered to do your room's thinking that I would get a chance to interact with you all..." There was an abrupt pause followed by an eerie silence. Then he continued- "BUT WHAT EXACTLY WERE YOU'LL PLANNING WITH THAT?" he pointed towards a corner where saathi lay, partially broken.

Abhay stood up. There would be no point in denying the truth.

"Go beyond." He said, with a determining tone, as if he were passing a death sentence.

"Have you lost it? Don't you know the ruthlessness of the Praveg?"

"I plan to go west and then north. We will be able to avoid them."

"Okay Sir Genius, but why do you even want to go there? Is it because of your brother's last words or is it because you believe you're gonna find Chand... or is it because you still believe Aarush is alive?"

The sudden reference to his brother's name brought tears to Abhay's eyes. They slid down his cheeks.

Rohan kept his hand on Abhay's shoulder and continued. "Look Abhay, I care for you. I knew your brother well. You resemble him in the way you think. I don't want you to choose the path he chose. There is no chance that he has survived, I do not believe in the existence of man-eating demons, but the existence of Praveg clan is a hard fact. I know you want..."

Abhay pushed his hand away and stepped back- "WHAT, WHAT IF HE HAS FOUND CHAND? WHAT IF HE STILL WAITS THERE FOR ME? WHAT IF HE MANAGED TO AVOID THE PRAVEG CLAN? WHAT IF HE...."

"HE WOULD HAVE COME BACK FOR YOU IF HE HAD FOUND CHAND!" argued Rohan.

The memories of Aarush infiltrated Abhay's mind and prevented his tongue from moving. He was sobbing now.

"I, I am sorry Abhay. Just don't go. Aarush's last words are a mere illusion. You are smart enough now. No one has ever returned. I don't want to lose you. Please don't go." Saying that, Rohan turned and walked towards the door, hiding his own tears. Right when he opened the door, he stopped and turned. "And for heaven's sake throw away that raft, and I'll tell that nothing suspicious was found here."

The door was shut and minutes of uncanny silence followed.

Then Panav spoke, "What were Aarush's last words?"

Abhay turned and looked through the window. He tried to see as far as his eyesight could stretch. A slight outline of the unconquered peaks was seen. Then he swallowed, rubbed his eyes and spoke,

"When the time comes, leave this cursed land and go where our destiny belongs."