A Tale As Old As Time - Page 4

Chapter - 04

“Easier Said Than Done” - Professor Nishant Sharma found himself realizing the proverb once again. It had been hours since they started their investigation but all of their efforts went to vain. Neither “Daayan Rahasya” nor “Chudhail Shastra” had any answer. Naman and Saavi had practically gone through every single book in their library while he tried to determine whether Ansh’s consciousness was stuck in some dreamland created by an evil entity but to no avail. There was simply no explanation of Ansh’s condition, let alone a solution. 

On top of that, Piya’s reaction to the situation added to his fear. She hadn’t spoken a single word since that afternoon. Nishant knew his elder daughter had a nerve of steel. Hardly had he seen her losing control. But when it came to Ansh, no one could predict her reaction. Thankfully, sensing the urgency in his voice, Naman decided to bring Guru Maa and Pandit Ji along with him. Even though they were as clueless as the Reevavanshis, initially Nishant felt a bit relieved thinking Piya might find some solace in her mentor's company. Apparently he was wrong. Going by her facial expression he couldn't tell if she was in the condition to acknowledge others' presence or anything for that matter. 

“Dad, I think we should tell Di about the scroll.” “For God’s sake Saavi! When will you let go of it?” “When I’ll be a hundred percent sure that the spell having nothing to do with Jiju’s condition. Tell me something honestly, do you really have no doubt about it?” Nishant remained silent. “That’s what I thought.” She was about to leave the room when Nishant spoke up, “I have my doubts but I have no means to prove anything. Theoretically, anything is possible. Practically it’s a different story. Let’s just assume you are right, that Ansh has indeed cast a time-traveling spell. Then how is his body still present here?”

“I don’t know.” “My point exactly. We can’t just drop the bomb on Gudiya when we are not sure of anything.” “I understand that Dad. But we can’t deny something did happen here. Di has a right to know the truth. We can’t keep hiding this from her just because...” “Hide what from me?” Both father and daughter were startled seeing Piya at the door. “You don’t have to protect me Baba, I can take the truth. Just tell me what exactly has happened to Ansh.” Her melancholic voice sent a shiver down Nishant’s spine.

“Earlier today, Dad was talking about a forbidden spell; one that bestows you with the power of controlling time.” “Like the Kohrayan Talwar?” “Yes, but with more precision. Dad and I were gonna destroy the scroll containing the incantation but…” “But?” “Before we could do that, we found Jiju in this state. I have a feeling that unknowingly Jiju has cast the spell.” “That's impossible. Ansh would never do something like that.” “I know, that's why I said maybe he has done it unintentionally. To cast the spell you need Kohrayan Talwar or its essence at least. And we found it lying near Jiju when we entered the room. Besides...” Saavi continued to explain the entire scenario to Piya while the latter listened to her silently,

“Alright,” Piya took a deep breath and turned to Nishant, “So you think somehow Ansh has activated the spell?” “Or transformed it into something similar.” “But you are not certain about what it is?” “No,” Nishant replied hesitantly. “In that case, I can use the Kohrayan Talwar myself and go back to the exact moment when Ansh cast the spell. That way I'll be able to prevent this from happening.” “Gudiya you don’t understand, if Ansh has indeed gone back in time, each of his actions will determine the course of our fate. You might think rewinding time for a little while won’t cause any significant change but that’s not the case. By the moment you leave, this entire timeline could have been altered due to Ansh’s actions in the past and you might end up in a different timeline altogether where none of us exist. You’ll be trapped there forever.” 

“Then what do you expect me to do Baba? I can’t just sit here and watch him withering away.” Piya stormed off the room leaving Nishant and Saavi behind. “I’m sorry Dad. I didn’t think this through.” “You don’t have to apologize dear. Perhaps you are right, my cautiousness might be the reason I’m missing the obvious.” He let out a sigh. “Whatever it is, we can’t give up. You go and see if there’s anything regarding how to reverse the spell. I’ll go and bring Gudiya along.”

Piya was standing alone on the balcony. It seemed like only yesterday when she came back here for her Pagphera and found Ansh climbing his way up just so he could catch a glimpse of her. Unknowingly her lips curved into a smile. To the rest of the world, Ansh Rathod was a mystery. The “Angry Young Man” of their class or “Intense Kumar”, she never bothered about his countless nicknames for her he was simply Ansh; her Ansh who could make her smile even in the darkest hours. Then what changed between them? She knew she crossed several lines with her one statement but didn’t he know what he meant to her? She had once chosen to walk on a different path than the one Gods had chosen for her just so she could be with him. And now that he has embarked on creating a new world, where is her place in it? 

Her train of thought came to a halt when she heard a footstep, “Ansh!” “It's me Gudiya.” Piya wiped off her tears immediately and tried to act normal, forcing a smile. It broke Nishant’s heart to see her like that - broken and aloof. But what pained him more is that even in that condition she decided to keep everything to herself and suffer alone rather than sharing her woes with him. He walked up to her and gently put his hand on her shoulder. 

“I am really sorry Baba. I shouldn't have snapped at you.” “It's alright Gudiya. You have every right to be upset.” “Is Saavi mad at me?” “What! No! She’s trying to find a solution. You know how your sister is, stubborn just as…” “You.” “Can’t really argue with that.” Nishant smiled sheepishly. “It's all my fault.” “Gudiya listen…” “Ansh and I had a huge fight this morning. I told him he was inadequate and he…” Before she could finish her sentence, a violent sob wrecked her body, “I swear I didn’t mean it Baba. I really didn’t. I know I hurt him but never had I thought that he would...”

“Listen to me, Ansh knows exactly how much you love him. Yes, you have crossed your limit and I’m sorry but what you told him is unforgivable. But it’s Ansh we’re talking about. He will never leave your hand even if you urge him to.” “He will if he feels my happiness lies somewhere else,” She said slowly, almost in an inaudible tone, “He has done it before.”

“Gudiya...” “If there’s one thing we have always dreamed of then that would be having a normal life. But the moment we got it, we started faltering; I started faltering. Honestly speaking, at times I wonder why do I react so impulsively these days. I know it’s normal between a couple and most of the time we resolve our issues but I can’t help but feel we are drifting away; as if history is repeating itself, just as we parted ways six years ago.” Nishant stood silent. As much as he wanted to assuage Piya’s fears he knew some wounds were so deep that nothing could heal them completely. 

“Why does everyone leave me Baba?” The lament in her voice almost choked him. “Even if I’m wrong, do I deserve such severe punishment?” “Piya!” “Guru Maa!” Piya ran into the old woman's arms as she hugged her gently. Blind of eyes, who could have possibly understood Piya better? It was ironic that the little girl who brought so much joy and innocence in her otherwise ascetic life bore too much pain herself. Night after night, she spent hours stroking her hair, consoling, that one day she would reunite with her family. After all these years, she felt like she was comforting that same little girl, scared and alone, with so many questions that she had no answer for. 

“What should I do Guru Maa?” “Patience my child. It’ll be alright. You just have to wait for a little longer.” “I can’t Guru Maa, I’m exhausted.” “Piya, I know you are hurting. And I wish I could take your pain away. But if I’ve learned one thing in my life that is everything happens for a reason. Right now, you may feel like your world is ending. But you never know, this might be your new beginning. All you have to do is take one step at a time and do what you feel right until you find the root cause of your problem.” “Roots!” “What?” “I know what I need to do.” 

“I am sorry but could you please explain again what you just said.” Astonished by Piya’s proposal, Naman couldn’t decide whether he should appreciate her idea or rebuke her for her foolishness. “I want to call Daayan Vriksh and look into Ansh's mind. It's the only way we might get some clue.” “I got that Piya. But aren't you forgetting something?” “What?” “You need to be a Daayan or a Sarpika to summon that tree. And I thought you didn't want to involve the kids in this matter.” 

“You are right. But in case you have forgotten, I am the firstborn of my parents. I inherited my mother’s power and connected with Daayan Vriksh before. It knows me well. I may not be a Sarpika anymore, but I can still summon it as I did during my fight with Mohana.” “I am aware. However, at that time you were aided by the Sarpvanshis. Thanks to Mohana, their entire clan has been wiped out. How are you gonna call Daayan Vriksh without their assistance?” “You are right Naman, there's a high chance I might not be able to reconnect with the tree. But I have to try irrespective of the consequences. And if I succeed, we'll be able to reverse whatever has happened here.” 

“That's actually a really good idea Di. If only we can identify the realm where Jiju is trapped, it will be much easier to come up with a solution.” “Baba, what do you think?” Nishant remained silent. He knew of all the ideas they came up with, this was probably the sanest idea. Yet he felt uneasy. It was one thing to evoke Daayan Vriksh and another to control it. Despite her being a Daivik, Piya might not be able to control it for a long period. It simply didn’t work that way. He wanted to revive Ansh but not at his daughter’s expense. 

Piya understood his hesitation and held his hand in assurance, “It'll be alright Baba. Nothing will happen to me. Don't worry.” Nishant was about to say something but stopped midway seeing the desperation in her eyes. He loved his daughter. There was no way he was gonna lose her to an experiment. Nonetheless, he was also aware without Ansh, they would lose Piya anyway. That girl would rather destroy herself than accept a world without Ansh. The least he could do was support her in her quest and protect her from every possible mishap. He tried to smile at her and gave her a nod.

Piya closed her eyes and focused her power on Daayan Vriksh. After multiple unsuccessful attempts when she was on the verge of giving up, the tree emerged and under her command, the branches connected her consciousness with Ansh's, allowing her to read his thoughts. At first, everything seemed blurry. It felt as if she was surrounded by smoke, separated in a different plane from where she could feel others’ presence but couldn’t connect with them.

Slowly, the smoke started to disappear. She heaved a sigh and looked around. It seemed like she was in a nursery. She focused on Ansh again and realized the spell had worked. She was in fact looking through his eyes. He was approaching someone - a girl standing in a corner, seemingly ecstatic by the plant in her hand. Just as Ansh touched her shoulder, she turned around, making Piya's blood freeze. To her utter bewilderment, she was looking at herself...

Chapter - 05

“Have you ever wondered how our lives would turn out to be if we had never met or had any supernatural powers?” 

“Well... To be completely honest, I never got the time to think about it. We met, all hell broke loose, and before I could wrap my head around what was happening or how I felt about you, we got married.”

“So you think in some parallel universe we would actually be better off without each other?” 

“I can't be sure whether we'd be happier but yes, life most certainly would be a lot different. Who knows? Perhaps easier as well.”

“Do you regret it? Being tied to the one who's prophesized to be

the most evil entity this world has ever witnessed?” 

“That's quite an interesting introduction. But no, I have no regrets. And if I were given a choice, I would choose you all over again, with my eyes closed, in every single lifetime, in every alternate reality. I would choose you because I love you!”

“Despite all the heartache?” 

“Specially because of all that heartache.”

“You know, you are quite twisted for a Daivik.” 

“I'm not. What difference does it make whether one is normal or bestowed with magical powers? We all get a little twisted when it comes to love and I love you Ansh! Always have, always will. It doesn’t matter which version of reality we are in or could possibly be in, I will always find my way back to you!”

Memories! Such power they possess that can give someone hope amidst an ocean of darkness. Ansh remembered every single detail of that beautiful afternoon - the serenity, the warmth; the much-needed alone time which brought out their playful side. But what stayed with him was Piya's unwavering faith in their love. It often astonished him how despite everything they had been through, Piya never once contemplated a life without him whereas his mind wandered in the realm of possibilities - what if he was the reason for her miseries? Would she thrive more in his absence? 

Ansh's breath hitched at the idea of getting away from Piya. No matter what he thought or said in a fit of anger, he could not think of a life without her. She was the answer to all of his questions, his anchor that connected him to dear life. He wasn't sure if he was sent back to the past or if some evil entity had trapped him in a mystical world. All he knew was he had to find her. He had to look into those big brown eyes of hers and tell her what she meant to him. 

He got out of his car and entered the nursery. Lucky for him, he didn't have to travel all the way to Kanpur to find Piya. He took the wrong route by mistake and perhaps it was the Goddess's wish that his car broke down near a nursery where he spotted Piya. Clad in a sea-green kameez, she was playing with the sapling in her hand. The way she gently brushed her fingers across the leaves - whispering to it and giggling, one might presume her to be nurturing an infant. Ansh couldn't help but feel amused. Some things simply never changed. He moved forward in her direction and placed his hand on her shoulder. 

Albeit surprised, Piya turned around and greeted the stranger with a smile, “Yes?” Ansh stood silent, overwhelmed with emotions he didn't know how to express. Clearly, she didn't recognize him. It's not like he didn't anticipate this situation. But it was one thing to hypothesize a theory and another to accept it in reality. “How may I help you?” “You...I...” “Piya!” Ansh froze in his spot hearing the voice. It couldn't be! “Is everything alright?” A tall, well-built guy came from behind. “Stop pretending to be so serious all the time Ayush.” She hit his shoulder playfully, “Please don't mind my brother. He likes to act all rough and tough before strangers.” She said smilingly. 

“Well, I have to. Otherwise, who'll protect them from your wreath?” Before Ayush could finish his sentence, Piya smacked his head, resulting in a fight between the siblings while Ansh kept staring at them, stupefied. How was this possible? How could Ayush be there? “Good lord! Guys please stop it. This is a nursery, not our house that you can break into a fight anytime you want. Spare me this secondhand embarrassment.” Another boy came out of nowhere. He looked familiar but Ansh couldn’t recall who he was. “Hi, I'm Danish. Sorry about that. My siblings have a tendency to ensue World War III irrespective of the time and place. Is there any way I can help you?”

Ansh couldn't utter a single word. That's why he looked so familiar. He had seen his photograph in Nishant's old family albums. Danish was barely five years old when Mohana killed him. Then how could he be present there? What the hell was happening? “There you are!” Neha heaved a sigh of relief seeing Ansh. “I have been looking for you all day. What's the matter Bhai? Why did you leave home like that and what are you doing here?” Ansh simply looked at her, unable to answer any of her questions while the latter became anxious seeing his state, “You don't look okay. Let's get you home.”

The ride to their house was completely silent. Ansh remained lost in his thoughts while Neha occasionally caught glances of her cousin from the driver's seat. She had a thousand questions to ask but seeing his condition decided to keep quiet. Once they reached home, she felt relieved seeing Vedashree and Shekhar were back from their trip. If not with her, Ansh could surely open up to his aunt. 

Vishesh, the youngest of the cousins was chattering as usual. Apparently, he enjoyed his time in Delhi a bit too much. But what drew attention was Ansh’s questioning glances, as if he didn't recognize him. “Bhai!” He came running the moment he saw Ansh, adding more to his confusion, “You wouldn’t believe what I discovered there - “Crossword”. They had the entire collection of “Batman” and “Wolverine”, can you believe that!” Despite his confusion, the excitement in the young boy’s eyes brought a smile to Ansh’s face, “I would have bought some more but Maa didn’t let me. Once my exam is over, you will take me there, won’t you?” He pleaded innocently holding Ansh’s hand. 

“That’s enough Vishesh, let your Bhai take a breath first, will you?” Vedashree entered the hall with a tray full of snacks accompanied by Chaitali. “Maa!” Ansh hugged her tightly. “Thank God you’re here.” Vedashree felt surprised. Usually, Ansh called her “Badi Maa”. What happened to him that he was behaving that way? Ansh broke the hug and heaved a sigh, “Who’s this kid?” “Don’t tell me now you have forgotten your baby brother’s face,” Mohana said smilingly while walking down the stairs, “That’s the type of prank we expect from Karan, not you.” 

Uncontrollable rage took over Ansh’s senses the moment he saw Mohana. So it was her who cast the spell. To everyone’s horror, he charged in her direction and throttled her. “You! Don’t you ever die?” His grip on her neck tightened, nearly choking her. “Where is my family? What did you do to them?” “Bhai what the hell are you doing!” Rishi tried to pull him away. “I killed you once before, I'll do it again. Reverse your goddamn spell right now!” Just then, Avinash hit Ansh’s head with his revolver, knocking him down. Before he lost consciousness, Ansh saw the rest of the family members encircling Mohana, unaware of the looming danger in their lives. He tried to warn them but to no avail. A tear dropped down his eyes as his tired eyelids finally gave up before he mumbled her name one last time, “Piya!” 

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“Ansh!” Piya woke up from her dream with a jolt and looked around frantically. “What’s wrong Gudiya? What happened to Ansh?” “He…” A tickling sensation made her touch the back of her head when she discovered blood on her fingertips. Astonished, she examined Ansh’s skull as well only to realize he wasn’t healing either. “We’ve got a serious problem.”