A Tale As Old As Time - Page 13

Chapter - 19

“The wind’s picking up.” Karan glanced at Rishi once and focused on driving. Considering his cousin’s old habit of blabbering when he was tensed, it was a miracle that he managed to keep his mouth shut for so long. “How much further Karan?” “Almost there,” “We can go back if you aren’t feeling…” Rishi stopped midway as Karan shot a death glare at him. “It’s okay Rishi, it’s gonna be a big day for Karan. I want to be there for him.” While Ansh tried his best to sound cheerful, Karan felt a little guilty for lying to him. Was he doing the right thing?

He pressed the accelerator and looked ahead. Rishi was right; the wind’s direction hinted at the impending calamity. Leaving Ansh alone in such weather would have been out of the question had everything been normal, but he was desperate. It didn’t matter if Ansh was sick or if there was another world in existence that they didn’t know about. One thing was certain - his brother was suffering. He didn’t need medicine or time, he needed HER!

“Slow down Bhai! At this rate, we might get into an accident.” “Relax Rishi, our boy here seems to be way too excited to meet his fiancé. Let him be…” Karan noticed a faint yet genuine smile on Ansh’s face. His poor brother! He knew if it was required, Ansh wouldn’t hesitate to sacrifice his life for his sake. Then why was he having second thoughts? He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Today he was gonna unite Ansh with Piya and no one could stop him from doing that.

“We’re here.” “Are you sure? There’s no one else…” “I know, Mansi just texted me, her car broke down nearby. Can you please wait for us until we get back?” “Sure,” Ansh got out of the car and looked around, “Which direction should I take?” “Walk straight and then take a turn to the left. You’ll find the venue.” “Alright… See you soon!” Once Ansh was out of their sight, Rishi turned toward Karan, “Are you sure about this?” “Yes,” “Don’t you think we should at least…” “I know what you’re going to say… She has been waiting for us…”

“Thank you for agreeing to meet me.” Piya greeted Karan and Rishi. “It’s not like we had a choice.” “Bhai…” “Listen Piya… I don’t want to sound rude or disrespectful in any manner. But you do understand that you are partly responsible for my brother’s condition, right? One moment you are telling him off stating you are engaged and the next moment you confess your love for him. What does that tell us about your integrity?” “Added to that, your sister publicly humiliated Ansh Bhai. Give us one good reason why we should trust you.”

“You are right, I can’t justify my actions. Still, you responded to my plea. Which means you love your brother enough to ignore everything else. Somewhere deep down, you know I’m the answer to Ansh’s questions. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have agreed to meet me. Am I right?” “Don’t get so cocky lady.” “I’m not, believe me, I’m mortified. I can’t blame you for suspecting me. All I can do is tell you how I truly feel, and I… I love Ansh! That’s the truth. Please! Help me so I can get him out of this mess.”

Karan looked closely at Piya and sighed. As much as angry he was at her, the desperation in her eyes was evident. His mind was occupied with thousands of thoughts while his heart said he could trust her. Conflicted, Karan exchanged a glance with Rishi while the latter nodded his head in approval. “Alright,” He cleared his throat, “What do you need?” “Right now, you need to leave with Rishi.” “Excuse me?” “Forgive me,” Piya blew a powder over them and commanded them to return to their car and wait for her, “I’m sorry guys. Today I can’t afford any distraction. I have to do the needful no matter the cost…”

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“Finally my brother’s getting what he’s always deserved.” What started off as a pleasant thought, turned into a rude awakening As Ansh realized he was reminiscing an imaginary past whose existence was confined within a book. When he decided to do the right thing, why did it feel so wrong? The other night when Rishi and Karan barged into his room and shook him out of his dazed state, he felt relieved that he was alone in his room and the entire argument between him and Piya was his dream. Fantasy or reality, he loved her. Under no circumstances he would hurt her like that, neither physically nor emotionally.

Yet, a big part of him was devastated. He wanted her to be there, he needed the assurance that she loved him the same way he did, that his imprudence was no match for her indomitable will. He wanted to scream; he wanted to burn the world down where his Piya was subjected to so much pain. He wanted to punish himself for hurting her again. And most importantly, he wanted HER! Instead, he sat and joked around with his siblings while his mind kept reminding him of one thing - his entire existence was a lie.

A sudden flash of lightning blinded him briefly, stopping him in his tracks. It was unusual for the weather to be turning so bad suddenly. Then again, when has anything ever gone according to what mere mortals wanted? He looked up and smiled recalling Piya’s fascination for thunderstorms. The Daivik once told him the rumbling of thunder reminded her of the great battles between the Devas and the Asuras. The majestic bolts of lightning - not just a testament to Devraj Indra’s valor but a reminder that no matter how dark the night grew, eventually, it would dissipate by a gleam.

He didn’t know if the bright obscured lines pervading the sky were indeed telling a story. Daivik… Daavansh… Deva… Asura… for all he knew if he had dominance over all the natural elements like her, everything would be in flames today. Wouldn’t that be a glorious sight? Watching everything getting destroyed until the void took over him, sparing him of this agony. Suddenly Ansh felt like laughing. No matter how hard he tried to accept the truth, he knew in his heart he would forever be tied to Piya. Delusion, fantasy whatever way people described her, that girl was immersed in his entire being and there was no escape from that. He was doomed to love her. Accepting she did not want to do anything with him was just an added burden. For what it was worth, as long as his suffering ensured she got everything her heart desired, he was ready to annihilate himself.

“Remarkable, isn’t it?” He turned around hearing her voice and froze in his spot. It was HER! “Why are you staring at me like I’m a ghost?” While Piya smiled at him, Ansh felt his heart racing. What ghost? Cladded in the same white dress that she wore on the day they had first met, she looked like a Goddess. “No, this can’t be. I must be hallucinating.” He closed his eyes and opened them again to find himself alone. “That’s it, focus Ansh. You need to break free from this illusion.” “Is that what I’m to you now, an illusion?” He saw her face again as a flash of lightning illuminated the entire area. “Tell me Ansh, is that what you think of me?” He gulped hard at her question, unable to find any word while the thunder sent a shiver down his spine. It seemed as if nature resonated with her heartache and echoed her question in the hope of an answer.

“Remember this place? This is where you stood up for me for the first time.” Confused, Ansh looked around and realized why the place looked vaguely familiar to him earlier. This was where Piya was about to get married to Naman. “I warned you, set the damn place on fire. Still, you didn’t stop. You walked through the fire, ignoring everyone, so you could prevent me from marrying the wrong guy? Why?” “Because your happiness meant more to me than my life.” Ansh thought to himself. “We were unaware of our identities. I had no idea what my powers could do to you and of course, I was mad at you for a thousand reasons. What gave you the assurance that I too would jump into the fire and run into your arms?”

“Doesn’t matter,” “Why” “Because...” He struggled to utter the words. “Look at me,” She cupped his face and made him look into her eyes, “I’m right here Ansh. Tell me, what are you so afraid of?” “I’m afraid I’m wasting my life running behind a mirage.” He pulled away from her embrace, “You’re just a figment of my imagination that I created to appease my brother. You aren’t real. The real Piya is out there somewhere, living a peaceful life.” “If it is so peaceful, why do you have tears in your eyes?” “Something must have gone into my eyes...” “Stop lying!” She made him face her again.

“You loved me even when I held you responsible for my family’s doom. You risked your life God knows how many times to save mine. Hell, you refused to accept what was written in my fate and did Tandav before Mahadev so He revived me, not just once but twice. All of that was a lie?” “Yes... They were tools to enrich my story. Subplots, in case you wanna know the exact term. All of them together make a wonderful story and that’s it.” “So you are not gonna listen to me?” “No,” “Even if I can prove my existence?” “I’d love to see how you do that.” “Fine,” Piya wiped her tears,

“Does your book contain any chapter where the protagonists start questioning their life choices?” “What?” “Was there any chapter where the hero in particular expressed his regret over meeting the heroine? Or did you delve into her emotions where she struggled to express her feelings? Her fear of losing him over a silly argument?” Ansh felt weak in his knees. He didn’t share that particular conversation with anyone, not even Dev. How did she know about it? “Does the heroine get to apologize to the hero? Or he just shoves her across the room, refusing to believe how much she loves him?” “How did you...” “Tell me Ansh, have you written all this in your book?” Ansh felt dizzy. Was it true? Did Piya really come to meet him the other night?

“I know I crossed the line when I blamed you for taking me for granted. But what did you do Ansh? You took my one statement to heart and forgot everything we had been through? You witnessed my longing for my family and embarked on creating a parallel world. When will you realize? You are my family! My heart was no less than an abandoned house. You were the one who managed to bring those walls down. You replaced the thrones laid in my way with flowers. When I was drowning in grief, you held my hand. You filled my lonely world with unconditional love. You became my HOME, my happiness, the reason for my existence. How could you possibly think that I didn’t love you anymore?”

Her voice cracked as she interlaced her fingers with his, “I’m still that same, foolish girl whose days start and end with you. If I haven’t been able to make you feel loved or provide you the type of assurance you sought then it’s my fault; you have every right to get mad at me or punish me in whatever way you deem appropriate. But not this... I’ll die without you Ansh! Please don’t leave me!” A tear escaped his eyes when realization dawned on him. He wasn’t deluding himself. The girl standing before him was none other than Piya; his Piya who would do anything for his sake. He took a step in her direction, eager to hold her hand when he remembered Dev’s warning...

“Acceptance of your condition is the first step to healing. However, be aware; this isn’t gonna be so easy. Sometimes delusion stems from our greatest desire. And when it does, it becomes exponentially difficult to identify which version of reality is true. Be smart Ansh, try to connect the dots and you’ll understand the absurdity of your fantasy yourself.”

“Ansh?” Piya noticed the change in his expression and grew concerned. “Dev was right,” Ansh tried to smile through his tears but failed miserably, “I can’t be selfish with you.” “What are you talking about?” “I’m standing in the middle of nowhere. There’s no way the real Piya could find me and tell me exactly what I wanted to hear.” “Let me explain…” “That won’t be necessary,” He wiped his tears, “I’ll be content knowing in some fictional universe Ansh Rathod is loved by Piya Sharma. I really wish I was as fortunate because… I love you Piya! I love you so much! And it's because of that love that I have to let you go. You deserve better than a schizophrenic writer. You deserve all the happiness life has to offer.”

Before Piya could protest, he moved forward and placed a peck on her forehead, “Goodbye Piya!” “That’s it? You’re gonna give up on us so easily?” Ansh shut his eyes and turned around, refusing to take her words in. “Alright, have it your way,” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before invoking the Goddess Durga's blessings, “Jay Ho Maiya Ki!” On her command, a bolt of lightning struck the nearest tree, setting it ablaze. Soon, the fire spread with the aid of the gale leaving Ansh horrified. He looked back to find Piya stuck in a ring of fire. “Piya!” He ran frantically in her direction, “What are you doing? Come out, save yourself!” “Why do you care?” “What!” “You said I wasn’t real. What difference would it make if an imaginary person died? This nightmare must end, right? Let it end with me.”

“You foolish girl,” He cried out, “You’re gonna get yourself killed. Use your power and douse this fire.” “Now you felt the need to believe in me?” “Please, I beg you!” Ansh looked on helplessly as he saw her stole catching fire, “No!” He jumped into the fire without thinking twice. Meanwhile, Piya waived her hand to create a safe passage for Ansh. She could feel the flame on her skin, excruciating pain threatening her consciousness. “Devi Maa! I don’t have much power left to contain this wildfire. Help me!” She threw her stole away and focused her energy on safeguarding Ansh who stood petrified realizing Piya created some sort of protective shield around him at her own expense. By the time he made his way to her, she had succumbed to her injury and fallen to the ground.

“Piya,” With great difficulty, she managed to keep her eyes open, “Why?” “Still?” She started coughing up blood, “Oh God! What have I done?” “Look into my eyes,” She touched his face gently, “Feel that?” Just then Ansh’s eyes started glowing. “I...” Piya nodded her head. “I can heal you!” He tried to revitalize her only to realize his powers weren’t working, “No, this isn’t happening, this can’t be…” “Ansh...” She let out a whisper, “It’s okay, I did this...” Another violent cough interrupted her, “Take care of our kids...” “No!” “Forgive me!”

With her last remaining bit of strength, she held Ansh’s hand tightly and started chanting. There was no way she could prevent the fire from engulfing them and teleporting themselves back to their world at the same time. By the time Ansh might get a hold of his powers, it would have been too late. She could only save one and the choice was simple - him. Although Ansh tried his best to resist the spell, slowly he lost consciousness and fell next to her. Once she made sure the real Ansh was out of danger, finally Piya allowed herself to shed a tear.

How she wished there was another way! What wouldn’t she give to hug Nishant another time! To tell Saavi how much she loved her and the pride she felt in her achievement! Her heart yearned for her kids. How rewarding would it have been if she had the luxury to watch them grow and carry their legacy forward! Perhaps in another lifetime...

She closed her eyes in complete resignation. She could feel the flame coming her way. Maybe she could fight it for a while. But what was the point? She was exhausted from the endless trial and tribulation. Arguably, she had learned nothing from her past mistakes. Otherwise, she wouldn’t choose Ansh over her family yet again. But this time it was different. Even if she got back to her kids, they would be traumatized forever; Nishant would blame himself for the mishap and Saavi would be stuck in another loop of self-doubt for failing to help her complete this mission.

This way, the blame will befall her. Adi and Pari would never know what transpired between their parents. They would be heartbroken but proud believing their mother died for a cause. Ansh would be there for them, and hopefully, Nishant would understand her choice and help Saavi move on. Her entire life she longed for her family. What could be better than closing her eyes in a world where a version of them existed, living the life they always deserved? Her tired eyelids finally gave up, prepared to face the inevitable when a particular voice warned her against it, “Don’t give up Gudiya!” “Maa?”

*** Author's Note ***

Hello my dear readers! I hope all of you are doing great. Inspiration comes in different forms and this fic is no exception either.

In the middle portion of this chapter where Piya expresses her feelings for Ansh, I got the idea from a poem written by another loyal fan of Nazar who runs a fanpage on Instagram named nazarmemes

With her permission, I posted the poem here since it blends with the theme perfectly.

She is an extremely creative person with a great sense of humor. Do visit her page and share your thoughts with her...

jjjj

Chapter - 20

“I love you Adi… Always remember, whenever I’ll close my eyes, you’ll be my last thought.”

“I don’t want to be your last thought… I want you with me, always and forever!”

“Adi!” Her despairing appeal found its answer in complete silence, making her realize the bitter truth - she had lost! The same inevitability she tried to warn Adi of, who knew she herself wasn’t ready to accept that? Suddenly Piya felt a sharp pain in her chest. It was more intense than anything she had ever experienced. Wasn’t death supposed to be peaceful? When some of the most vicious Asuras found their salvation in their end, why was she deprived of the Goddess’s mercy despite being a Daivik? “Perhaps that’s what you deserve.” Her mind barked at her, “Stop playing the victim when you chose destruction on your own.”

Yes, she was responsible for whatever transpired between her and Ansh. She was guilty of prioritizing his safety over hers. Was that really her fault? Her heart wanted to protest. She did try her best; she fought until the last moment as she had promised Adi. She wanted her children to have the love of both their parents. Unfortunately, her intentions didn’t matter, she failed anyway. The mighty Daivik who had slain countless demons, finally lost the battle against time. A choice had to be made and she could only hope she took the right decision. If not, then… She shut her eyes, trying to block the voice inside her head. No, Adi and Pari should never go through what she had endured. They deserved happiness and if that required for her to beg in front of the Goddess and trade all her virtues with an eternity in hell, she was willing to go down that path as well.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a flock of chirping birds. Something was wrong. Her brews furrowed. Nothing about her surroundings seemed remotely close to what afterlife felt like. She had been there, she could sense the difference. If she wasn’t dead, where was she?

“Don’t give up Gudiya!”

She recalled hearing Divya’s voice just before she closed her eyes. “Was it my imagination? Or Maa was really with me?” Her confusion worsened seeing the fog slowly disappearing around her. The air was chilly and wet. She could feel the freshness of sprouting; a strange serenity that reminded her of an autumn dawn. She tried to get up and heard some noise, almost like someone was chattering. “Maybe I should follow that voice.” After walking for a while, she reached a local market. “Why do I feel like I have been here before?” Her heart skipped a bit when she noticed a billboard nearby, “Bandap Bus Station”. “No! This can’t be.” She looked around frantically, only to receive the biggest shock of her life - a young woman was bidding farewell to her daughter. It was none other than her and Divya!

“I’ll return very soon.”

Divya kissed on little Piya’s forehead and was about to leave. “Maa please wait, don’t go!” Piya ran to her direction and cried out, “You don’t understand, everything will fall apart if you…” Before she could finish her sentence, Divya passed through her, sending another shiver sown her spine. “You can’t see me!” She looked at her hands hopelessly and gazed at her mother again. As a child she didn’t understand the pain hidden in her eyes, but today she could. She saw Divya tearing up as her past self was waiving at their mother, hopeful of a quick reunion. “Please don’t leave Maa!” She burst into tears, “Your daughter needs you… I need you! Come back to me!” “Gudiya,” “Maa?” Piya realized Divya was standing right behind her and hugged her immediately, “Promise me you’ll never leave me again.” “I promise.”

Divya stroked her hair lovingly, “I never left you Gudiya; I was always with you, in your heart.” Confused, Piya broke the hug and saw Divya boarding the bus. “No!” She rushed behind the speeding vehicle until her legs gave up and she fell down, “You don’t understand, you won’t succeed today and…” “And our entire family will bear the consequences of my actions?” “How did you?” Piya looked at the speeding bus again and turned her head towards Divya who was smiling at her, “It’s alright, I would have questions too.” Divya wiped Piya’s tears while she looked at the direction little Piya was standing, “I failed her,” she whispered, “All my life I’ve wanted to return to this exact moment and prevent you from facing Mohana and today… I failed Maa. I failed our family. I destroyed everything because of my weakness.”

“It’s not your fault,” Divya held her hand tightly, “Neither were you responsible for what happened that day, nor today. I wanted to stop Mohana; I wanted to bring an end to her terror. If you want to blame someone, it should be me.” “It doesn’t matter,” Piya pointed to her younger self, “That little girl doesn’t understand the complexity of the grand design. She’ll spend her life waiting for her mother’s return and…” “Unknowingly repeating the same mistake,” “That’s not what I…” “This is when it all began, right? The moment you accepted you’ll lose everyone you love eventually?” “How did you…” “It was never about changing what Gods had planned. Your heartbreak was essential for turning you into this thoughtful, kind young woman you needed to be to become a Daivik. But you have endured more than your fair share, forgetting some crucial moments along the way. That’s why I’m here today, to remind you of what truly matters,” She stood up and forwarded her hand, “Shall we?”

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“I’m still that same, foolish girl whose days start and end with you… This nightmare must end, right? Let it end with me.”

“Piya!” Ansh woke up screaming. He looked at his glowing palms and realized his powers were reactivated. Noticing the familiar ambience around him, he was about to heave a sigh of relieve only to face the harsh reality - it wasn’t a dream. Piya was lying beside him, seemingly lifeless, and Nishant, Savi and Naman were trying to revive her. “Bring us the Neel Heem, Naman, hurry!” Savi shouted while rubbing Piya’s hands. “Oh God, this is not happening.” “Gudiya, wake up!” Nishant’s voice choked, “You can’t do this to us, you can’t do this to me. Please open your eyes!” “Sir Ji,” Naman came back with some essential herbs, “Take these, they might help activating the Neel Heem faster.”

“What’s happening Papa?” Ansh’s voice startled the trio, “Jiju!” Savi rushed towards his direction, “Help Di, please!” “Don’t worry Savi, I won’t let anything happen to her,” He knelt beside Piya and tried to heal her. To his horror, her condition worsened even more. “Oh God, what’s wrong with me!” “You can’t save her like this Ansh, she’s still stuck inside your dream land.” “What?” “News flash - you created a parallel world as per your wish and Piya is stuck in between. If something happens to her there, she’ll feel the same here.”

Suddenly Ansh felt weak in his knees. How many times did Piya try to warn him about that? Yet he kept denying it, believing he was hallucinating. How could he be so foolish! “A Daivik has control over all natural elements. Why is she getting burned then?” “Because you made sure no one in your dream land possess any power.” “That’s enough Naman, we don’t have time for this blame game now. We need to preserve Gudiya’s body and…” Nishant kept instructing the Reevavanshis while Ansh stood devastated. He could hear Savi’s different theories on the fastest was to get Piya back but his mind remained stuck on the moment Piya’s last words.

“Is that what I’m to you now, an illusion… Punish me in whatever way you deem appropriate. But not this... I’ll die without you Ansh! Please don’t leave me...

Tears stung his eyes as realization dawned upon him. Even in the end, she kept her end of the bargain. She chose to burn herself so he could live. Why? Why did he do for her to love him with such passion? A jolt of pain running down his arm brought him back to the reality. For the first time he noticed the roots of Daayan Vriksh binding hishand with Piya’s. “That’s it! She merged her consciousness with mine to gain control over whatever that world was. That’s why she was able to control fire this time.” “What?” “I know what I have to do to get back Piya.” “You need to act quickly,”

Saavi pointed out the roots slowly coming out of their hands and disappearing, “This can’t be a good sign…” “Look, the Neel Heem is also turning red, what does this mean?” “It means Gudiya is dying,” Nishant fell to his knees, “That’s why she’s breaking the connection between her and Ansh, She wants him to be safe.” “No, she doesn’t get to decide on my behalf, not this time.” Before Nishant could say anything, Ansh started chanting and commanded Daayan Vriksh to teleport him back to the dreamworld. “I’m coming Piya, your Ansh won’t let anything happen to you, I promise…”

*** Author's Note ***

Hello my dear readers! First of all, I’m extremely sorry for taking so much time to update this chapter. The last couple of months have been crazy busy and I’m still trying to get a hang of it. But last night, I just knew what I’d want for our beloved protagonists and here I am...

I know this is a short chapter but an essential one. I’ll try my best to update the last couple of chapter as soon as possible. Happy reading everyone!

jjjj