ABHIYA FF GROUP:::SANDS OF TIME::18 July 12 pg 148 - Page 49

With a jolt, Pia came out of her trance and weakly managed to pry Abhay off of her with great difficulty. She grabbed her clothes and before Abhay could do anything further, she bolted out of the room. She ran to the washroom and held onto the sink for support. She was panting from the run. She brushed her hair aside and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyeliner and lipstick were smudged all over her face and for a moment she could not recognize herself. What had just happened back there? No, this can't be her. She wildly ran her fingers all over her face and started sobbing badly. She sank onto the floor and wept her heart out. She was ashamed to even come to terms with what had just happened. Who are you Abhay Raichand and what have you done to me?

She had forsaken her abode, her family and her identity just to save the soul of this monstrous being. She sought to awaken the long lost humanity inside a beast but she almost lost her virtue to him. After what had happened she knew that the gates of heaven would never open to her again and at the same time she did not wish to tread on earth anymore. Now that she was nothing more than a mere mortal, death would not be hard to evade. She was emotionally unstable and she wished nothing more than to end this misery of hers. She left Poison Ivy without saying a word to anybody and besides what was the point anyways? Everyone was lost in their world swaying their bodies to the loud ear splitting music or was indulging in sinful pleasure. Pia just ran without giving a thought to her destination.

It was like her feet were moving on their own accord and she found herself at the end of the cliff where she had kissed Abhay in the rain. Those memories only opened the floodgate of guilt which was eating her from inside out. She closed her eyes and a single tear rolled off her eye. She was clenching her fists which had left gauge marks in her palm.

"Never took you for a quitter partner."

Pia opened her eyes with a jerk. For a moment she forgot where she was, why she had come here and what had transpired a few moments ago. She ran, pulled into the direction of the voice, straight into a pair of strong arms. She found her herself wrapped in the comfort of the warm wings which once used to be her glory before she fell.

"Daniel, I am so glad you came. I was so lost and I' I don't know what I was just about to, I, I'" Pia was stammering. No coherent words were coming out of her mouth and she pulled herself back to get reacquainted with her saviour. The same chiselled features with their deep set haunting violet eyes which held a myriad of emotions in them. The wind whipped his shiny blond hair and he pushed them back with a stroke of his hand to get a closer look at Pia. His heart was shattered upon seeing his best friend in this state. Pia's very aura used to cast happiness and peace around those who were within its vicinity. She spread joy, warmth and optimism wherever she went but now she nothing short of an emotional wreck herself.

Pia smiled through her tears and ran her fingers along the contours of his massive violet tinted white wings. This only reminded her of the price she'd had to pay for her stupidity. What in the name of heavens made her think that she could do the impossible? Abhay had given away his soul to the devil. She did not stand a chance against Lucifer.

Daniel seemed to have read her thoughts. He said in a sombre voice, "I see you have met Abhayendra Rajvansh Maurya?"

Pia was confused. "Who's Abhayendra?"

"Ah, you wouldn't know him by that name." He gave a sad smile. "He's not the same, is he now? Abhay Raichand."

Pia's eyes widened with shock. "You know him?"

Daniel had a forlorn look on his face. "Abhay Raichand?" He gave a weak chuckle and continued, "I guess you know him better than I do. Abhayendra Rajvansh Maurya was the Prince of Ajmer. But he was better known for reasons other than his royalty."

"Abhay and a Prince?" Pia was shocked beyond words to react. She did not say anything for a few seconds. After a while she seemed to have found her voice back. "Wait a minute. What was the last bit about Abhay being known for reasons other than his royal lineage? What was he known for then?"

Abhayendra Maurya? Why did this name seem to ring a bell in Pia's mind? She tried hard to rack her brains for an answer. She had heard this name for sure. Abhayendra.

Daniel replied for her ' "Abhayendra Maurya was the world's most renowned slayer ever."

This revelation had rendered Pia speechless. The demon used to be a demon hunter? She could not in the name of heavens fathom what this was all about. Was Daniel playing some kind of a sick joke on her?

Daniel sighed and continued, "Hard to believe that the person who had dedicated his existence to ridding this world of evil was engulfed by darkness? I would not blame you for that. Nobody would even want to think of such a possibility."

Pia finally came out of her thoughts and muttered weakly, "No, I mean are you sure? If Abhay, I mean Abhayendra had sworn to eradicate darkness then why did he turn to it? Why would he give himself over to Lucifer?" Pia was still in denial. She was shaking her head profusely.

Daniel gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "The answer you seek lies within the depth of your soul Pia."

Pia's head was reeling by now. "Dan I honestly don't get a single word of what you are saying."

"You had to forsake everything which you held dear to your heart just to bring him out of his misery. You very well know that nobody is born evil and it's essential for you to know what enforced Abhay to turn himself over to a fate which was worse than death itself. You can only rectify the present if you unravel the past."

Pia understood what Daniel was asking her to do. She shook her head sadly and replied, "I know what you are trying to say Dan. Trust me I do. But now I am ripped of all my powers. I mean almost. I definitely cannot summon an announcer."

Daniel gave his trademark smirk. "Yep I know" he said gleefully and winked at her. "But I can." He pointed towards the skies.

Pia looked towards where Daniel was pointing and she found the black shadows swimming above her head. For an onlooker it resembled nothing more than a swirling mass of smoke but Pia knew better. Those shadows were an outlet to one's past and future. They were what the angels called the announcers. Daniel summoned the one which was right over their heads and stretched it wide enough till it took the shape of a portal. He looked at Pia with questioning eyes and held out his hands. Pia took it without having any second thoughts about it. She needed her answers and she needed it now more than ever.

"Pia, are you ready?"

She nodded her head and gave him an assuring smile. They both stepped into the portal together and Pia found herself being sucked into a vortex. After what seemed like an eternity, her feet hit the ground. She opened her eyes and she was gaping like a fish at the sight before her. It was magnificent. She was standing in a ballroom. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, which were glittering with bright candles. The room was lined with long tables which were covered in white linen. The table was adorned with platters of pastries, cookies and wine filled crystal goblets. The hall was decorated in white lilies and roses. In one corner of the hall, she saw a group of women dressed in elegant gowns chattering away. On the dance floor she could see the couples dancing away to slow music which was being played by the orchestra. She could not help but compare this with the atmosphere in the club where she now worked and thought wryly as to how ironic that a few centuries could bring about a drastic change in mankind. She turned around and to her delight she saw a bunch of white peonies in a beautiful silver vase. She stretched her hand to feel one but all she felt was just air.

Daniel was amused to see that Pia had almost come close to becoming a human ever since she started living amongst them. "Pia this is just a memory and not reality."

"Where are we?"

"Versailles and oh, just for the record, it's 1650 AD."

Pia was dumbfounded. "What are we doing in Versailles? Shouldn't we be in India?"

Daniel sighed. "You'll never tire of asking questions my sweet Pia. Patience always pays off. So hold your breath for a while" he muttered sarcastically.

Pia scowled at him but said nothing. "You cannot blame me Dan. All I got to see few days back were girls in skimpily clad clothes and bodies gyrating to vulgar loud music. " She scrunched her nose in distaste.

Daniel laughed at her. "You hardly spent a few days on earth and you say this? Think about me. I have spent an eternity, seeing the evolution of mankind up close. Does not make a difference to me anymore."

Pia's eyes now sought only one person and she was getting impatient with each passing moment. At last she found him. He was in his hunter gear quite unlike others in this room who were dressed for the occasion. But nothing could compare to his beauty thought Pia. Nothing was different about him back then but yet not the same either. If Abhay Raichand was the devil incarnate then Abhayendra Maurya was the right hand of God. A slayer of demons who was born to protect mankind.

Pia was drawn towards him and without realising what she was doing she went up to him to get a closer look at him. She was now facing him and she looked into those soulful grey blue eyes. She extended her hand to touch his cheek and like last time she only felt a void. But for Pia this was real. This was her Abhay for whom she had left behind everything. She was right. Nobody was born evil and her Abhay was no different. In fact he was born to protect lives. Words would never suffice to describe what she felt on seeing the human Abhay. Her eyes welled up and she just said "Abhay."

While Pia was lost in her own world, Abhay was looking out for someone else. His eyes were scanning every face in the ball room and there was a glint of anticipation in them. He gave a slight smile and Pia was only mesmerised by the sight. There was so much of love in them. She never thought that she would ever see such emotions in him. Abhay now moved away from there and Pia followed him.

Abhay walked towards a woman who had his back to him. Looks like she had heard approaching footsteps and she now turned to face Abhay. Pia was left spell bound on seeing this mortal. She was the most beautiful woman she had ever set her eyes on. She was dressed in a long black gown that was tightly gathered at her waist and swirling into a glorious bell shape at the end. Her hairs were the shade of auburn and her curls were twisted to form a tight bun. She had left one stray curl hover over her pretty face. She had almond shaped emerald green eyes and Pia could see that they reciprocated the same feelings which Abhay held for her. Pia was green with envy.

"So now Pia you have got acquainted with Princess Ada of Savoy I presume."

Pia was startled to hear Daniel's voice. She got out of her dreamland. Strange she was now day dreaming. Weird for an angel she thought.

"Oh, so did Abhay'?" Even though the question came out of her mouth and deep down she knew the answer she didn't want to hear it out loud.

Daniel confirmed it for her. "She was the one. He sacrificed his soul for her." His eyes spoke a tale of remorse and pain.