Journey to the Old Era (Drisana's Mahabharat #1)

Chapter 54

Drisana, Nakul and Dridhaksh moved through the cave carefully. Nakul and Dridhaksh's sword was at ready where Drisana was holding two long daggers. The torch held by Dridhaksh had survived and they were moving using its light. One Pisacha already tried to confuse them by taking Drisana's form. Drisana ran to it immediately shouting 'twin of mine' and in the next second beheaded it before it could react.

"People hug prosperity and success. She hugs Rakshasa and Pisacha." Dridhaksh said in a bored tone.

"We are moving blindly. There must be some way to get out of here." Drisana said.

"Why don't you tell us the way? You're the one who got us here afterall." Dridhaksh said smiling sarcastically.

"Stop whining like Anarkali, Bhrata." Drisana said in annoyance.

"Who is Anarkali?" Dridhaksh asked frowning.

"Akbar's son's lover." Drisana said.

"Who is that now?" Dridhaksh asked again bemused as Nakul rolled his eyes at the brother sister duo.

"Akbar was - no is - actually will be -" Drisana started.

"Pisacha." Nakul said.

"Akbar was not Pisacha." Drisana said frowning.

"Whoever that was, right now we're stucked in a cave full of Pisacha. We can analysis who was whom after getting out, don't you think Hridaya?" Nakul said patiently.

"You call her Hridaya?" Dridhaksh's eyes rounded and eyebrows reached his hairline. Nakul only nodded with a tight lipped smile.

"Don't you think this is a sign you should run away from Dravida as soon as possible. I can provide the horse too." Dridhaksh said to Nakul. Drisana narrowed her eyes at him. Nakul only shook his head.

"You won't dare if you want to ride on a horse again." Drisana said gritting her teeth.

"Fine. If you want to take this savage Hridaya upon you, go ahead." Dridhaksh muttered.

As they were moving, a pisacha appeared before them out of thin air. And more appeared surrounding them quickly. Nakul and Dridhaksh stood with Drisana in the middle. Pisachas could be killed by only beheading them. But with their ability of being invisible, it was getting difficult as they disappeared and reappeared continuously. As they killed one, more kept appearing.

Drisana was watching out too. She felt a snake sliding upwards on her body again and this time instead of freezing in fear, she immediately cut it out of her body, beheading it in the process. Another Pisacha appeared in front of her in its real form with obsidian skin, veins protruding out and red glowing eyes with rotting flesh. Drisana struck her one knife into its eye and with the another cut off its head. As they were fighting with the Pisachas, one particular one appeared with black liquid oozing out from its pores. It stood a little far away. As they watched it, the black liquid started to flow towards them. Not only through the floor, but it started to travel through the walls too. They started to back away but it was fast approaching and in a few moments surrounded them. The liquid formed the shape of hands and reached out to them. Though they cut through it, more kept forming in the next moment. It was getting impossible to ward them off.

"What is this thing?" Drisana asked, being worried.

The liquid reached Dridhaksh and covered his feet. It felt like a thousand needles were piercing his skin at the same time. He gave a loud groan gritting his teeth.

"Bhrata!!!" Drisana shouted in horror.

"Drisana watch out. We can't fight it like this." Nakul said. Raising his sword in front of his face, Nakul started chanting something closing his eyes. Drisana was warding off the liquid hands wildly with Dridhaksh. The liquid was spreading over Dridhaksh. Just as he went down on his knees, not able to withstand the unbearable pain, the liquid reached Drisana too. A short scream escaped her throat at the intensity of the pain. She looked at Nakul and gasped seeing half of his body covered in the liquid. Finding no resistance, it was going upwards towards his chest and head. Soon he would be consumed by it. But surprisingly, not a single reaction was given by him. It seemed his whole concentration was in his sword and didn't acknowledge the pain.