Chapter Twenty-Five

The Wall of Freedom

Humans' best comes to the fore when their backs are driven against the wall.

Theoreous Sunborne

Earth (Outskirts of Mount Tenebra) EarthYear 999

Theoreous looked at the Iron Cage, the twenty-foot-high iron fence that marked the boundaries of Mount Tenebra. Iron was the nemesis of Soulments as it melted their forms. The First Holy Five, the Real Pietieous had erected this iron wall around Mount Tenebra to stop demons from infiltrating the Earth. Humans were prohibited from setting foot inside these boundaries after sunset.

Theoreous moved his horse towards the Hell's Door, the huge gate that was the main entry point into Mount Tenebra. He had taken a calculated risk when he chose Nox Tenebris for this battle. Pieteous derived their powers from the Bliss and their Unseens got it from Inferna. Both Bliss and Inferna would be very close to Earth on this night, so their powers would be at their peak. But there was also a flip side. Inferna will also aid the rogue Soulments on the Darkest Night and his plan could easily backfire.

However, Theoreous had little choice as he had seen the ominous dark clouds, the constant lightning, the rumbling thunderstorms, and the smoke spewing out of the volcano. Clear omens that something was brewing behind those walls. Their enemies are surely going to use this last opening to bring as many Soulments to Earth as they can for the last war. The Potens must finish off these dark beings before they spill out.

This battle might also help them better understand the powers of their enemies. The final war will be fought on the same battlefield and the conditions will be the same if not worse, so this will be the best practice they will get before the last showdown.

As an added incentive, Theoreous knew that once people had seen the real threat, many more would sign up for their cause. They needed more people to join the fight for humanity's existence.

A huge crowd had gathered in the large clearing outside the Hell's Door. Theoreous stopped his horse near the gate and turned around to face the people. He paused for a moment to look left and right, trying to gauge public emotions. Excitement, uncertainty, anxiety, and downright fear. It was a rare sort of amalgam. People wanted to see the looming threat, but their hearts weren't ready to accept the reality.

The other four Potens moved toward their friend. They joined hands, closed their eyes, and said a silent prayer.

The Supremes did listen. The lightning, which had been a constant menace, stopped and the thunderstorm disappeared. A strong breeze blew the rain away. There was silence. A ghostly silence that gnawed at the souls. The kind of silence that precedes a storm.

***

Tri

Earth (African Coast) EarthYear 1999

The Potens had shifted their base to Dar-es-Salaam and were waiting out the Dark Night at Julian's residence. They wanted to be at Tenebra, but David argued that this wouldn't be a full-fledged battle, but rather more of an ambush. They must preserve their energies for the big fight.

Graham was also stuck with them. David didn't want to risk another Ruler cum Scion on the front with Alexander's death still fresh in public memory.

"I am an idiot," Graham mumbled looking at Julian who was peacefully snoring in his easy chair. "I have put all my armies around Tenebra because of this old man's vague theories."

"Well, his theories are all we have right now."

Brendon was holding Tri's hand while she was snoozing on a lounge. "Sweetie, we gotta do somethin' else. Just sittin' like this, holdin' our breath, waitin' for some news's makin' me crazy."

"Holy Angels, you want to hold much more than her hand. Demon's curse, how can someone even think of that during these dark times? Brendon, there is no need for this I am getting bored gimmick. You and Tri can go to the bedroom and do whatever you like. No one is stopping you."

Tri sent a Rubik's cube flying towards Ryan which he dodged by a whisker. "Honestly Ryan, your brain needs to be cleansed with Holy Water."

This Dark Night took ages to pass. Everyone dozed off in their chairs and there was still no news when the sun came up. Nothing happened at Tenebra or anywhere in Africa. No tornadoes, no attack, nothing. No one was sure whether this was good news or bad. Julian's prediction had gone wrong. Hubberts had broken the pattern. But Why?

"No! This can't be happening." Tri woke up with a start.

Mysha rushed towards her friend. "What happened Tri?"

"I have some news."

"Did Hubberts strike?"

Tri nodded.

"Where?"

"Across the sea. Delhi."

Mysha held on to a chair for support as her head started to spin. "Well, how do you know?"

"Arun reached out to me, mind to mind. I knew he had the skills. They did use air, but not as we had expected. They crashed dozens of AirCars on prominent buildings, a couple of them on Mahendra's residence. Hundreds have been killed, including the Humblest Warden. Honestly, India is in utter chaos."

Julian who had just woken up slumped back on the couch. "My gross miscalculation cost hundreds of lives. I thought they would not cross the sea."

Max was up and running, pacing all over the place. "Okay okay, we thought they wanted the Valley but now they don't need it. India's route to Bliss is far less protected than the Valley. Let me tell you, this is their master plan. While we are busy securing Mount Tenebra they are going after the Eye of Eden."

Professor Matthews appeared near Julian's couch, stretching himself as if he had woken up from a deep sleep. "Harbux hears someone's predictions didn't turn out to be true."

"This is no time to glee," Mysha scolded her Djinn.

"Harbux doesn't glee, but you must admit that he was once again proven right. He had warned you that they might target India."

"Zounds, but how'd they enter India? That damn port's impossible to break in."

The Professor tried to come up with a logical explanation. "If India has its own road to Bliss, then it can also have its own passage from Inferna. Humans haven't discovered that backdoor yet, but Harbux thinks the Free Souls are swarming through it."

"I think he is right." Julian's voice had lost its edge. No jibes, no taunts, it was barely a whimper. "This also means the battle of Nox will be fought in India. Tiny-Little-Witch, you will have to take all our armies to India and hunt them down before they reach the Eye of Eden."

"As far as Harbux knows, Indians won't allow Miss Mysha and her friends to enter their territory."

"Well, their stance might have changed after the attacks." Mysha was back to fidgeting with her lock of hair. "If I were in their place I would grab whatever help is offered to me with both hands. All this depends on who has taken Mahendra's place after his death. Tri, do you have any idea who we have to deal with now?"

Tri nodded. "Arun reached out to me only on the orders of the new Warden. Any guesses? Seriously? Isn't it obvious? The most intelligent person we met in India."

"Raksha," everyone said in unison.

"And just as Mysha assumed, she has sought our help."

"Okay okay, it is time to pack our bags and get our armies ready," Max announced. "Graham, we will need a lot of ships to get our troops across, you know."

"That is easier said than done. How will we justify sending all our armies to a land we have no relations whatsoever? Let alone the common people, our own soldiers will revolt against us. Our people will be more than happy by demons taking over India as long as they don't wreak havoc on this side of the Sea."

Mysha put a comforting hand on her grandson's shoulder. "Well, we understand your situation but you have to find a way to convince our people. It is not about India, it is about this whole world."

"I will have to sit with other Scions and find a solution. Hubberts have screwed us. Since father's murder, things have only gone downhill." Graham kept snapping his fingers in quick small bursts before looking into Mysha's eyes. "Don't worry Grandma, you prepare for the war. I will take care of the politics."

***

"Seriously Max? Will you stop pacing around the cabin?" Tri was fed up with Max's nervy behavior. "The sea is making me sick and you are making it worse. Blurt out what is going through your mind or I will throw up on your face."

Max crinkled his nose at Tri. "God, someone is picking up Brendon's manner. Tell me, don't you guys think we are undercooked for this war?"

"Here we go again. For God's sake Max, We have been training for a year now. Why Mister I-Think-of-What-Others-Can't always overthinks?"

"Mysha, your loverboy is right." Max found some unexpected support from Tri. "We are underprepared."

"Congratulations Max, you just found a new member for your pessimist club."

"I can't believe this. Mysha, I am just stating a fact. We are fighting forces we don't even understand so it is better to be realistic. Honestly, I am not a daydreamer who believes in fantasies where good always triumphs the evil."

"So shall we stop believing? Well, this war isn't a choice. Our enemies are out to ruin our world. We have to stop them or perish trying to do so and that is what we were sent for."

"Wars end in sorrow and grief and should always be the last option." Usually, Harbux's form never flickered, but recently it was happening a lot as if he was sick or injured. Emotional distress didn't even spare the Soulments. "There is always a path to peace if people don't overlook it."

"Well, if you can bring your beloved Hubberts to the table, without them trying to kill us, I am up for a truce. Can you do that? No, because Mister I-Am-Always-Against-the-War, your friends are kind of busy searching for the most heinous ways to butcher us."

"Your tone shows your contempt for the Souls. You feel we are wrong but it is us who are suffering."

Mysha opened her mouth to retort but Max intervened. "Can people leave their fight for some other day and concentrate on what I am trying to say? If we want to win this war, we need to have some plan. We can't just keep running behind them, we need to get a step ahead of them."

"The brain that had been in a coma since the beginning of the time has finally woken up." Julian was gradually getting over the shock of being outsmarted by Hubberts and returning to his annoying worst. "You keep following them and one day you will walk into a trap, just like the baby giant. You need to lure them into a battlefield and then catch them unaware."

"Just like we did it at the Windsor cottage, you know."

"Yeah Max, but there we trapped one Hubbert n here we've gotta get'em all. Tri, ya've lived in India, ya must be knowin' this territory way better than those buggers."

Tri shrugged. "I have never been anywhere around Vrindavan. Hopefully, Raksha knows it better."

"What's Wrin the one, sweetie?"

"It's Vrin-da-van." Brendon was about to repeat it but Tri cut him short. "Don't even try it again, just call it the Indian Valley. Honestly, I know nothing about that place. Something else is bothering me. Something looks off."

"Like what?"

"I don't have a good feeling about this whole journey."

"That is not a good sign," Julian said with a shake of his head. "Mind readers are blessed with intuition."

Mysha's heart skipped a beat. "Tri, do you sense danger? Are we walking into a trap?"

"No, quite contrary. I don't sense any danger at all and believe me this doesn't make any sense."

"Congratulations Miss Mysha, your Brainsucker friend has officially lost her mind," Harbux scoffed. "Not sensing any trouble is a problem for her. Harbux isn't surprised by that. After all, she always gets pulled towards darkness."

"Seriously? You are still rattled because I ventured into that dark gorge inside your soul. Don't worry Harbux, I am not telling anyone what you are hiding deep down there."

"The Dumpy-Brainsucker should try and scare someone else with her empty threats. Harbux knows you would have never come back if you would have even touched the surface." Harbux always addressed everyone with respect but Tri was always an exception. She always got under his skin.

"Honestly Mysha, why can't we just throw this irritating being out of the ship?"

"Harbux can float, swim, even fly, but you can't do any of that if Harbux chooses to dump you into the sea."

Tri pointed to the chain around his neck. "You can't do that till that is in your neck."

"Disposing you won't kill Harbux. In fact, he thinks some pain and suffering could be worth the price if that gets rid of your annoyance. You don't want to push him to consider that option."

"Harbux can you please stop." Max intervened again. "I am feeling like a referee officiating in one boxing match after another. First Mysha, now Tri. Why can't someone take a chill pill?"

Olivia popped up inside the cabin to put a brake on Max. "We are approaching the port. Two ships have already offloaded without any incident but we shouldn't drop our guard. This ship has all the things they fear."

Arun greeted them with a welcoming smile when their ship had docked. "Namaste, hope you guys had a pleasant journey."

"Wait a minute." Brendon stopped everyone. "We gotta confirm that's Arun n not a Hubbert. Arun, tell me somethin' which only Arun would've known about me."

"Like your brain lies in your pants?" Arun asked without moving a muscle on his face.

"That is too general," Ryan quipped. "Half the world knows that."

"Okay, so from where do I start? Brendon, you tried to flirt with my wife during your first meeting with her. I was about to kick the love out of you, but my wife had mercy on you. If that is not enough I can tell Tri about all those unmentionable things you said about her when you first laid your hungry eyes on her at the hermitage?"

"Seriously? I would like to hear that." Tri's eyes were burning like a flame.

"Jeez, He's... He's lyin' Tri. I didn't say anythin' gross. I swear."

"I can't believe this. First Ryan, now Arun. Brendon don't you dare come anywhere near me."

Mysha sighed. "If Mister I-Like-to-Act-Smart-Although-I-Am-Not is done wasting our time can we start moving?"

They got off the ship and this time around, their Soulments were swiftly cleared through the security checks. Twenty AirCars parked right outside the port meant they wouldn't need to suffer in those old-fashioned carriages.

While others rushed towards the AirCars Tri stood there, scanning the whole area.

"Tell me, is something wrong?" Max asked.

"Max, if you were the enemy and knew that all the support for Raksha would be coming through this route, what would you do?"

"Take over the port and stop anyone from entering."

"Believe me, all Hubberts had to do was to capture this port and India's top-notch defense mechanism would have ensured that no armies of humans or Unseens entered India. Yet they did not attempt to do so. Why?"

"The Mind-bender is bending her brain a little too much." Professor Matthews appeared near Max to help him answer the questions that were out of his syllabus. "Hubberts only attack on the Dark Nights, and let Harbux remind you that they were busy blowing up some strategic targets that night."

"I can't believe this. So you don't think this place is important enough to qualify as a strategic target?"

"Harbux thinks that spending too much time in the arms of a dumb cricketer is adversely affecting your brain."

"I will not tolerate any snide remarks from a useless djinni."

"Not djinni but Djinnnn. With a couple of extra Ns. And Miss Brainsucker with a sucking brain, tell us how blowing up this port would help Hubberts' cause?"

"They didn't need to crash their AirCars here and blow up all its Anti-Soulment mechanisms. A surprise ambush, when Indians were least expecting a Soulment attack, would have got them the port."

"I would like to correct you on that." Arun intervened. "We were following the news on the Mainland and had heightened security on all the strategic locations and important buildings. This port was heavily guarded on the Dark Night."

"I can't believe this. Then how was Mahendra killed? Wasn't your Wardens house an important building?"

"Ground security was heightened there too, but we weren't prepared for AirCars falling out of the sky."

"Even with the heightened security, they should have given it a try. This was their best bet for stopping us from entering India."

Professor Harbux Matthews let out an exaggerated sigh. "The Brendon effect won't let Miss Brain-Drainer use her brain. They would have suffered heavy casualties if they had attacked a place that had the best Anti-Soulment weapons fitted all around it. Harbux assumes Hubberts have better plans for Free Souls than losing them in a suicide mission."

"Even if they had somehow won the port how were they supposed to hold onto it?" In a rare display of camaraderie, Harbux's rival scholar chipped in his support for his theory. "Once the Dark Night was over Indians would have attacked the powerless Soulments and easily won it back."

"Oh my God, I can't believe this," Harbux said mimicking Tri's go-to phrase in a disgusting exaggerated tone. "Did Julian, the ocean of knowledge, agree with the poor ignorant Harbux?"

"Your horrible mimicry of this awfully dim-witted girl makes me want to jump into the sea," Julian said squinting his eyes shut.

Max the referee stopped Harbux from landing a return punch. "Will people please stop diverting from the topic again? And Tri, attacking the port might have been the most obvious thing to do, and as far as I know, Hubberts are quite averse to the obvious."

Tri shrugged. "Honestly, I just have a gut feeling that we are missing something. Believe me, we are overlooking an important piece of this puzzle."

"We can discuss all that once we reach Delhi," Arun announced. "Raksha is waiting for you all."

"Arun, ya sure these things won't crash us into some buildings?" Brendon asked closely inspecting one of the Aircars.

"These latest Vayu380s are Demon Proof. They have Anti-Soulment shields."

"Then how'll our Soulments come with us?"

"Your Soulments will stay in Mumbai. We all will be traveling south towards Vrindavan in a couple of days, so there is no point carrying them all to Delhi."

***

Chandni Chowk, the beating heart of Delhi, looked like a ghost town. Half a dozen AirCars took out a chunk of this iconic bazaar but narrowly missed Raksha's residence. Arun and Raksha were amongst a handful of Sunbornes that had survived these attacks.

Raksha was waiting for them in her office. Tri spotted dark circles under her eyes and even a couple of grey hairs. There was no crisp business suit, instead, she wore a wrinkled kameez that hung loose from her shoulders.

"Pardon my appearance, I get little time to sleep or change these days." Raksha got up from her chair and embraced Tri in a tight hug. "Thanks for telling Arun that he can reach out to you. This is far too big for me to handle alone."

"Believe me I somehow knew that you would need us. Don't know how but I just knew."

"Tell us, how is the situation after the Dark Night?" Max asked Raksha. "Were there any more attacks?"

"No, because they must be moving south. Kanyakumari is the southernmost tip of India."

"N why'd they want Can... Ya... Cum're?"

"You can make even the most sacred places sound gross," Raksha said to Brendon with a hearty chuckle. "Kanyakumari the leaping point of the Eye of Eden. Legends say that after entering Vrindavan, one has to take a three-day long tiresome journey on foot to reach Kanyakumari. It is the last pilgrimage in this world before leaping into the Bliss."

"Will the defenses of Wron... the.." Max gave up his attempts to pronounce the word. "Will the Valley hold in the face of an attack?"

"Miraculous charms protect the Valley from the intrusion of humans and Soulments alike. Our forefathers further fortified the invisible shields by erecting metal fences and barriers. Dev-Sena, I mean our Holy Army, and the Armies of Unseen guard these walls day and night."

"Crikey, then why're we worried if the security's so strong?"

"The problem is we don't know if these measures will hold in the face of a full-fledged demon attack."

"Loose-Panted-Superstar, Mount Tenebra was deemed impenetrable, but they cracked it open," Julian warned the Potens. "So don't be surprised if Hubberts find a way to break these charms when their magical powers are at their peak. We can't be complacent when the war is hanging on our heads like a sword."

***

They flew back to Mumbai the next day and were immediately transferred to Vrindavan. Even the friendly Soulments were banned from traveling in AirCars so their Armies of Unseens had to be transferred through land routes.

After a long and tedious journey, a literally huge surprise awaited them at their destination. They had imagined a barbed-wire fence protecting Vrindavan, however, their jaws dropped when they saw an imposing thirty-foot-high iron wall, staring down at them.

Raksha had seen the impressed looks on their faces and her voice carried a hint of pride when she gave them a tour of the fence. "Welcome to the Wall of Freedom. Vrindavan is located on a peninsula and our ancestors built this fence, running from the east coast to the west, over its narrowest point of course. Still, it took seven decades, a lot of resources, and an unimaginable amount of man and Soulment power to build this megastructure. Theoreous himself laid down the plan for this wall."

"Wow, such a marvelous structure with such an ironic name." Although other Soulments were still in Mumbai, the Potens had insisted on bringing their Guardians with them. Raksha's gloating over the wall needled Harbux the wrong way. "But Your Highness, tell us what Theoreous gained by wasting all that time, money, and resources other than stopping some poor slaving Souls from gaining freedom. Harbux thought Theoreous was different, however, it seems he too was a Soul-Exploiter like others."

"Theoreous feared that if Vrindavan was left unguarded Soulments would use it to attack Bliss. He didn't want India to become the battlefield between Soulments and Malaks. He just wanted to protect his people."

"Protect humans by sacrificing the Souls. Harbux thinks the great visionary forgot that Souls were once humans. And he named it Wall of Freedom to further rub salt into Souls' wounds."

"Theoreous did care for the Soulments. He fought his friends to secure a big share of chained Soulments, forty percent of Armies of Unseens are still sent to India. He argued he needed them to develop and manage this huge wasteland but actually, he set them free. No Soulment has ever completed its sentenced term in India."

Now that was something that even Max hadn't heard of. "Let me tell you that is impossible. Soulments can't leap without completing their vow."

"They can. Theoreous needed Soulments to maintain basic law and order in India, you know how this system works, but he allowed Soulments to leap after serving for a couple of decades, or three."

"Harbux, what is the minimum vow for a Soulment to ascend to Earth?" Max asked.

"Ten decades," Harbux mumbled. "It was five before the first Reckoning but our New Holy Pieteous made it ten as a punishment for the rebellion."

"A hundred years of slavery!" Brendon exclaimed. "Jeez, that's not fair."

"Only imps and spirits, the powerless Souls who just make up the numbers, escape with a ten-decade-vow. The powerful ones get a lot more. A lot lot more." If pain could be seen it would have been visible in Harbux's voice.

"Theoreous never forced anyone to work beyond a few decades," Raksha continued elaborating on her point. "And every Soulment, once it knew it would be set free well before its time, happily carried out the duties of ten. Theoreous's successors followed the same tradition."

"Her Highness tells good stories," Harbux's voice still reeked of contempt for this slavery. "However, the truth is that a chained Soul gets annihilated if it tries to enter the valley. So how you set them free if you can't send them to Bliss?"

"Your question has your answer. It is simple. We remove the chains, free them of their vows."

"These chains can't be removed. Don't try and fool Harbux. They only disappear once a Soul fulfills its vow."

"No, they only disappear when their master utters these words: I accept your term as completed and set you free."

Raksha blinked twice. A smoky figure appeared in front of her. "Gina, I accept your terms as completed and set you free." Everyone let out a gasp as the golden chain around Gina's neck dissipated. "Gina you took such good care of me. I will miss you. You can go now." Gina disappeared with a whoosh.

Raksha turned to her guests. "Chains are bound to masters, not time. Once they are removed, nothing can stop Soulments from entering Vrindavan."

"Okay okay, just a second. Are you telling me that an unchained Soulment can enter the valley any time he likes?" Max asked Raksha

"Not exactly. Humans and Soulments can enter the Valley only after the Swarga Dwar," Raksha paused for a moment after seeing the bewildered expression on their faces. "Swarga Dwar aka Heaven's Gate opens on the longest night of the year. It remains open for the eleven Bright Days, from Winter Solstice till New Year's Eve, the last Dark Night of the year."

Max gasped upon hearing that. The Abyss of Bliss on the Mainland also appeared on the same dates, but the mention of the Dark Night with the Bright Days made his brain make some quick calculations and it presented a horrific scenario. "Nox Tenebris falls on New Year's Eve. You mean to say the Eye of Eden will allow Soulments to enter Bliss on that night?"

"No. That is the beauty of this Symphony. The Eye of Eden disappears just before the sunset on New Year's Eve. So by the time Inferna bestows its powers on the Soulments on the Darkest Night, Bliss has already closed its gates."

"There's gotta be a way to sneak in," Brendon said.

"There is no other window except these Bright Days and no other entrance except Heaven's gate. No one has ever succeeded in breaking through the charms and entering from any other place. However, when the gate opens, it accepts humans and soulments alike and doesn't annihilate anyone."

"Holy Angels! So why don't the rogue Soulments dash for this gate if it doesn't stop them?" Ryan asked adjusting his glasses.

"Because of these man-made metal barriers," Harbux said pointing to the huge structure. "The so-called Wall of Freedom gives freedom to humans but traps the poor Souls. These same walls stop Souls on the Mainland."

"We lift these barriers for the Soulments we have freed from vow and let them enter Vrindavan," Raksha quietly added.

"Well, what if a human who hasn't completed five decades on Earth enters the Valley?"

"Heaven's gate allows everyone to enter when it opens. Supremes had their reasons for this arrangement."

Max knew the reason. "The Keepers of Abyss. They also enter the Valley on Bright Days to stop the undeserving from leaping into Bliss and send them to Inferna. You also have Keepers?"

Raksha gave an intriguing smile. "There are no Keepers in India. Remember, we don't relegate people to Inferna. Still, we stop people below fifty years from entering the Valley because the Eye of Eden has a mind of its own. It has some sort of a magical age detector. Its charms don't let any person below that age pass through it."

"N what happens if someone sneaks in n leaps before his time?"

"A few idiots who tried this stunt kept swirling in the whirlpool till they drowned because once you jump from the cliff, there is no coming back. They went to Inferna instead of Bliss."

The group finally reached a small gate built into the wall. One of the soldiers made a rhythmic tap from the barrel of his gun. The gate instantly swung open.

The touring party first had to pass through a narrow passage with solid metallic walls on both sides. The passage was so narrow that any Soulment would have burnt away due to the proximity to the metal.

The passage gave way to checkpoint number two which opened into a small tunnel. "Jeez, I thought the checkin' at the port's a little over the top," Brendon gruntled while crawling through the iron tunnel. "But that's a walk in the park compared to this."

"For someone's information, these checks are a little too much for someone who is at the fag end of his life and has come here to seek the peace of the Bliss." Even Max didn't look pleased.

Raksha shrugged. "I know it is a little inconvenient but pretty foolproof. A checkpoint only opens when a person has cleared the previous one. This ensures that if someone or something sneaks past one, it gets trapped in another."

The tunnel opened into a narrow passage where they were treated to a pat-down with a metallic rod.

"I am sorry for the inhospitality," Raksha said in an apologetic tone.

Ryan looked at Raksha getting frisked. "Demon's curse, doesn't the Humblest Guardian of this behemoth nation get an exemption from this?"

"I could very well be a Hubbert in disguise," Raksha said with a playful smile. "And there are no special privileges for anyone in this land."

"What the hell?" Mysha screamed as powerful jets of cold water shot through the walls to soak her. "What is this?"

"This is the latest addition in security. Water infused with high iron content. This solution rips through Soulments in any form. Would come in handy during the war."

Raksha turned to her husband who was having an animated chat with Brendon. "Arun please ask them to turn this off. We have ascertained that none of us is a Soulment so no point drenching our guests."

Arun spoke into a walkie and the hoses were turned off. Ryan let out a small grunt and Mysha's clothes started drying.

"Thanks. Ryan, you are such a darling."

"Crickey, it's time for someone to show off his different shades of pink."

"Mister I-Am-the-Most-Mannerless-Person-on-This-Planet, you can learn from your dear friend how to score some points with girls."

"Nah, I don't need that. I'm scorin' pretty well with Tri."

"Seriously? Who said that? You were sitting on a minus hundred runs the last time I remember."

"Okay okay, everyone take a deep breath." Max had to pull them back on track, again. "Let me tell you, those Hubberts wouldn't have imagined such high levels of security even in their worst nightmares."

"Yeah, those buggers r gonna regret pickin' India as their battleground."

They emerged into a field after walking through the last tunnel. A thick forest lay ahead of them.

"Come on, let me show you Vrindavan."

Raksha led them through a narrow pathway amongst the dense trees. The forest gave way to a small clearing that ended on the edge of a cliff. A long wooden bridge connected this cliff to the one on the other side.

"And that my friends, is Swarga Dwar, the official gateway to Vrindavan."

Six soldiers were guarding the bridge.

"Wait, there is no physical gate?" Max asked.

Raksha shook her head.

"So what's gonna stop me from crossin' the bridge n enterin' the valley right now?" Brendon said walking towards Heaven's gate.

"Nothing. You can take a stroll into Vrindavan anytime you like."

Brendon passed the soldiers, who quietly made way for him. The moment he set his foot on the bridge he was thrown several feet in the air and landed hard on his back. His whole body was covered in wet mud. "Shnikes! That would've broken my back if I hadn't used BrenFreeze to soften my landing."

"When did you start thinking on your feet?" Raksha asked with an evil grin. "Or does your mind work faster when you are upside down? By the way, this is your little punishment for making moves on me during our first meeting."

"Jeez, a Queen filled with Vengeance, that's what we gonna need for this war."

"Seriously Brendon, are you this dumb? How can you go for a stroll on that bridge when everyone knows this place is protected by impenetrable charms?"

"Tell me Raksha, what is our plan now?" Max asked Raksha before Tri and Brendon could start another one of their charming little love spats.

"We stay near the wall and prepare for the Nox."

"More preparations? Holy Angels! I think Hubberts would prefer a direct ticket to hell rather than coming here and taking the long route."

"Baby giant, don't be too overconfident," Julian admonished Ryan. "You don't know the power of determination. This is a war of survival and survival instincts can make people do crazy things."

"Theoreous famously said when he laid down the plan for the Wall of Freedom, 'This wall is a preparation for a defining moment in the history of the human race.' I just hope that moment goes in our favor," Raksha said to the group whose actions might decide the fate of humanity.

***

On the other side of the world, The Pietous Scions, for once, dumped their secretiveness and showed the public the gravity of the situation. The fate of the human race was hanging by a thread. It was time for common people to take their destinies into their own hands and join the War of Survival.

The Scions sought help from celebrities, priests, scholars, academics, influencers, and anyone who could connect with the masses. Media outlets all over the world took to this cause. Footages of the damage done by Hubberts all over the world were played on a loop. American fires, The Mainland's Earthquakes, the Australian Tsunami, and the blown-up Indian structures, all were used to stir public emotions.

Experts discussed in detail the Soulments' plan of taking over the Vrindavan and Bliss, and what that meant for the people of Earth. Every scholar had his theory but they all were united by the fact that this was a dire situation for humans. Every TV channel, newspaper, and social media platform let out a call of duty for The Last Stand of Humanity.

And people responded. Humans' best comes to the fore when their backs are driven against the wall. Humanity fights back during times of adversity. The growing scale of widespread damages in every corner of the Earth had made it clear that this war was something way beyond the Scions and their Holy Armies. It was a prelude to the apocalypse. People forgot their problems and joined hands to fight the ultimate evil. The full world became one, to aid the One. The whole human race, young and old, men and women, strong and weak, spent the next couple of months preparing for the big battle.

Thousands of people started landing on the shores of India. The country which was cut off from the whole world was now the center of activity. The Mainlanders were circumspect when they arrived, but the Indian hospitality won their hearts. Even during this time of distress, they welcomed their guests with open arms and made them feel at home.

Hundreds of tents were erected around the Wall to accommodate the fighters. Delicious Indian food was served to everyone day and night. People even played games, danced, and sang to momentarily switch off their minds. Although they were preparing for the biggest war in the Earth's history, it looked as if the Wall of Freedom was hosting a grand festival of the human spirit, where people from different lands, beliefs, and social statuses had come together to celebrate a single goal. The goal to save this world.

Some of the senior commanders were not in the mood to wait. They launched several search missions to hunt down the rogue Soulments, but India was a big country, and as Harbux had predicted Soulments were good at lying low. All raiding parties returned empty-handed.

In the end, everyone agreed that the best strategy was to stay put behind Theoreous's iron behemoth and let the enemy make a move. Additional defense structures and Anti-Soulment weapons were installed all around the wall to further turn the unassailable fortress into a mission impossible.

The death trap was ready, now they were just waiting for the prey.

***

A Hubbert was standing on a cliff close to the Wall, looking at the sea of humanity in front of him. "They don't know what awaits them," he said straightening the sleeve of his flowing robe.

"All this will count for nothing on the big night," his partner, another Hubbert, replied.

"Anyhow, we need to update Hubbert about all this."

The second Hubbert nodded and closed his eyes. Earlier he had to concentrate really hard to connect but lately, the connection was quick. He was instantly inside his mind and now the Hubbert could see what his brothers were watching.

***

Hubbert saw the scenes that were relayed to him and broke into a smile. "These iron walls won't save the humans. The Earth is doomed."

His prey had taken the bait and now it was time for him and his brothers to make the move.