Anshu was idly sitting on the roof of the palace. From where she was, she could see almost anything: soldiers coming in and out of the palace, the beautiful gardens nearby, the eagle flying in the sky and the topmost point of her current residence, Kailash Graham. 

The roses of the garden tend to bent a little as the cold blowing wind softly kissed them. While on one side, the swans in the pond were playing with each other, splashing water at one another, on the other side, on a nearby tree, a female bird was feeding food to her little ones. This all was completed by the sunset. What a view it was! 

But Anshu clearly didn't enjoy it, neither was she here to. 

"What are you doing here?" Dhruv asked as he ascended towards her. He placed every succeeding footstep carefully. Couldn't she find a decent place to sit? One wrong step and I'll gone forever!

"Go away Dhruv." was all she replied. 

This means I need to do something else to make her talk. He thought. 

"Can I sit here?" he asked her as he bend to meet her face. 

"Is it my palace?" she asked him. 

"No."

"Then who am I to object? Secondly, you're already seated." She replied as she pointed at him. 

"So what are you doing?" Dhruv asked her again. "Counting chickens?"

"Yes I am counting." She replied in a weak voice. 

Dhruv led out a laugh. "You're counting chickens? Even before they're hatched?" he asked as he led another shrike of laughter. 

"No Frog Prince. I'm counting the soldiers over here." She replied. When one is upset, one should do something engaging. She thought. This was a thing she discovered some years ago. For her it was counting. 

"So how many?" he asked. 

"What?" 

Great she's back to normal now. Dhruv thought. "I was asking how many guards are there." 

"I haven't completed yet." She said as she looked away. "So leave me alone, please." 

"As you wish." Dhruv said as he got up. "Do you really want me to go?" he asked her. 

"Every damn cell in my body is screaming the same." She replied. 

"Okay then." he said as he started walking back to the palace. 

Stay. Anshu thought. Don't go. It has been days since I have talked with someone about what I am going through. Clearly, she didn't turn back to say the same but a part of her wanted him to stay. 

Why am I even thinking this? He's no one. Just a rather arrogant teen that's it. 

Are you going to make your opinion about him so early? You barely know him. Her brain gave back the answer. 

Either I am too philosophical or this all is driving me crazy! She thought. 

Anshu stop being so tomboy type. You may not be always right. Her brain answered back. 

Shut up brain! 

Asking your brain to shut up? You're really going crazy! 

"STOP!" She shouted as she pulled herself out of her entangling web of thoughts. 

"What happened?" Dhruv asked as he rushed back to her. "Are you okay?" 

"Do you care so much?" She asked. I'm practically amazed! Maybe he isn't that bad. She thought. 

"It's just, I don't want you jumping off the roof of my palace." he said. "That will be messy. Find another rooftop to commit suicide." he continued. 

Anshu punched him on the belly. "Really lame, really really lame." She replied. 

From what Dhruv could see, the ends of her lips curled a little. Is she smiling or is she controlling not to smile? He thought. Figuring girls out is difficult. No matter how smart they seem, it's always complicated.

"What binds you?" he asked her. 

"What do you mean?" She asked back. 

"I mean… For the past few days, you are little extra aggressive, a little angrier and ticking you off is more easier. I mean you get annoyed and start to get irritated easily. No offense, but where's that Anshu who was before?" 

"You mean I have changed, that I am fighting on foolish reasons, that I am mean and arrogant?" 

"No-No! I mean when I first saw you, back in the Graham, you readily trusted everyone. You ever thought that this all was a joke or something, you never double checked any of them: Chitrakshi, Shoubdha or Karan. 

Where's that friendly and cheerful Anshu now?"

"Your family and friends give you strength. I remember mom when she used to make meals for us, when she used to sing me lullaby, I remember dad and every time we used to go to picnics as a family, him taking my side on every argument between me and Neel, no matter I was wrong or right. I remember my brother-he-he was so lost in the world. You know he had no friends, he still doesn't. He never discussed about it with anybody. Ironically, he thought if he won't tell us, we won't know, but we all did. 

But you know the fact? No matter how we lived, no matter how many hardships we had to face, we were happy. Now… Now it all seems like a dream, like nosogenic fragments of my life, like a home which will any time turn to dust. 

I-I don't know where they are, I don't know if they're safe or not, I don't even know if they're alive. 

When the demons caught mom and dad, I was in pain. But I couldn't show it. You know why? Because I am older, Neel's responsibility was in my hands. I couldn't break in front of him. So I controlled my emotions, forcing them not to come out. 

But after Neel's disappearance, it hit me hard, harder than whatever I have witnessed till now. 

Now my life feels like a fine thread, a thread which is so fragile that in a moment it will break and I will be lost!"

"Hey girl, don't be so sad." 

"You don't know how it feels, the fear of loosing the ones you love, that any second someone would announce that they're dead and your life will be nothing but misery." 

The conversation was followed by another long pause. She's frightened. Dhruv thought. She's just like what I was, years ago. 

An idea clicked his mind, really-really bad idea but he was happy that it did. The only question was, was he ready to share it? 

"You know Anshu, I lost my dad too early. Count it my bad luck, he was a king and his kingdom needed to be protected. He died in war. He used to say that fighting against a group of enemies is the best way to die. 

I lost my mom shortly after…" 

"This isn't helping! You're the worst at giving examples!" Anshu replied in a harsh and low voice. 

Dhruv didn't listen to her, he continued, "... After mom expired, I was left with a younger sister and a kingdom looking forward towards me for answers. Great that I had Choti Maa and MahaMantri with me. But when I tuned six, choti Maa left too. You know, she was a diviner. She had all that sort of futuristic visions and all, and she was never wrong. She would make whatever I wanted to eat far before I made my wish, she would forecast weather and flood and droughts. But one night she had a vision and she left the next day. All she said was that she had this vision before and by ignoring it, she had paid the price. She told us that she was finding something lost, which had power beyond eternity, which could lead to deadly war and death of millions and hence was to be protected.

Without thinking twice, she left me and her five year old daughter in the hands of the courtiers."

"Wait! Do you mean you and Vaani-" 

"We are half siblings. Same dad, different mothers." he replied. 

"I-I am sorry. I didn't know that and about your mother. Mothers actually." Anshu couldn't believe how dumb she sounded back there. 

"There's no need to be sorry. Many don't know about my past, and they all make an opinion that I am just an arrogant Prince who-" he stopped. This was going far. He couldn't say more. He just revealed her the biggest secret of his life. He didn't expect any good feedback from her, neither did he do it for praise and sympathy. It just was, he wanted to tell her that he knew how it felt. 

 "Look I made you senty too." Anshu replied as she laughed, fake laugh. 

"Well, in return you can help us. Vaani is still waiting for us in her room, in a hope that I won't piss you even more." 

"She, expecting me, even after I insulted her like hell." 

"No offense. I would have done the same if for Vaani. Beside we have something you need to know." he said as he got up. "But first, did you think the same thing I did after I heard the reference to the garden?" he asked as he gave her a hand. 

"Yeah." She replied. She acted like an insecure girlfriend! Anshu thought. 

"Let's go Anshu Raizara, we have things to discuss." 

¤¤¤¤¤

"Let's talk!" Anshu said as she entered the room along with Dhruv. "But decently. No more yelling and shouting." Dhruv completed her sentence. 

Vaani got up from where she was sitting. I can't believe my eyes! When Anshu left the room in anger and Dhruv said that he would handle this, I was praying he wouldn't piss her even more. 

"Okay, but I want one more thing, no one will interfere while I will say my words. No one means no one." Vaani insisted. 

Anshu looked at Dhruv. What's in her head? She gestured him. I don't know. He gestured back. But it's going to be worth it. He gestured her as he gave her a thumbs up. 

"Okay then." She replied to Vaani. 

"Ahhhh…" Vaani took a deep breath before starting to speak. I never thought that this moment would come. Of course, not everything goes as planned. She thought. She sighed in suspense as her lips moved. 

"... Anshu this all started when our mom Quen Rambha left for her untold work years ago. When mom left, she left beside her a letter, foretelling her return." 

"Wait! Dhruv I thought she was dead!" Anshu interrupted. 

"No she isn't. I never told that she died." Dhruv replied. 

And here I was the fool, feeling sorry for this guy! Anshu thought. Whatever. 

"Shut up you two!" Vaani jumped in between. "So as I was saying, mom told me that one day I would find someone who will lead me to her." 

Wow! A box inside a box! Anshu thought. A riddle in a riddle, a mystery in a mystery. What a family! Hands off! 

"Mom didn't say much about who it will be, but just said that I would meet him in the temple of Jaisalmer."

"And it was the very same day we were there. Right?" Anshu asked. I have no doubt. She will definitely say a yes. She thought. 

"You're right. So that day, I skipped my training sessions and went to the temple, surpassing both the palace security and the High Tower. But when I reached Jaisalmer, the scene was illogical. The city was literally flooded with demons. I mean everywhere: market, buildings, homes and whatnot. They were everywhere. Anshu did you see anything abnormal that day?" She asked her. 

"I did. A car practically exploded in front of us, but it came back to normal a second later. However no one seemed to notice it." Anshu replied, remembering the explosion of the car that day. She had goosebumps on her body when it happened. Seeing a person getting exploded in millions and coming back to single unit is had to believe. She noticed it but others didn't, as if it never happened. But Neel did. She thought remembering the strange look on he brother's face that very moment."

"But demons don't just roam around in mortal realm and that too in such great number." Dhruv added. 

"Exactly! Great point Anshu and Dhruv. So as I wa saying, after a lot of hiding, cautious observation and racoon walking, I reached the temple. But when I saw at the place mom asked to, Neel was standing there." Vaani told them. 

"Was it before or after us getting hit? I mean by that magic ball." Anshu asked. 

"After." Vaani replied as she took a deep breath. 

"No way! We were knocked out by that attack." Anshu replied. I can still remember that pain. Not doing that another time. 

"No. He was standing on his feet, all in one piece. However the clothes… Well, no comments." was all Vaani said. 

"It makes no sense. I mean we related to people of ETKing, well I can understand. But to an unknown demon gathering along with you mother, it doesn't!" Anshu replied. Or it does? She thought. 

"It does Anshu." Vaani replied as she lifted a book from her table. "See this." 

Anshu and Dhruv stared at the title like owls as Vaani title the book a little. 

Brahaspati: The Guru of the Gods. It read. 

"From when are we dealing with Gods?" was the first question that came to Anshu's mind. 

"We do." Vaani replied. "We always have. The Trinity, also known as the Fates are the ones who created the Universe. We are given power by the gods too." In a rather sophisticated way. Vaani thought. "So if we exist, so do the gods." 

"How is Lord Brahaspati related in all this?" Dhruv asked. 

"That's the same question I had in my mind until I read this book." She replied as she filled her lungs with air. It's going to be a long story. She thought as she continued. 

"This all which is happening is related to what this book calls The Blade of Vish. 

Long long ago, before the gods left the mortal realm, when they used to visit here frequently, in short, a little later than beginning of the world. 

Lord Brahaspati is the teacher, the Guru of the gods, and he is himself a God too. The name of Lord Brahaspati's wife is Tara Devi. 

Lord Chandra, the God of Moon was all blessed with great looks and womenizing capability completed with a tongue which can mesmerise people. 

As Lord Brahaspati was the Guru of the Gods, Chandra went to him for his studies. But instead of studying, he fell in love with his Guru mata, Tara Devi. Both were equally drawn towards each other and eloped under the very eye of Lord Brahaspati. 

Lord Brahaspati, now devasted, seeks the help of Lord Indra, the King of the Gods. As a result, Indra attacked Chandra's abode. 

At that time, Lord Vishwakarma, the architect and weapon creator of the Gods, was a really close friend of Lord Brahaspati as he himself was once Lord Brahaspati's student. On hearing what happened with his teacher, all combined with the atmosphere of war and the harsh winds of rage blowing within, Vishwakarma himself tend to interfere. 

He forged a sword and using his godly strength, teleported directly to the abode of Chandra, where the battle was taking place. That day he was furious, anyone who stood in his path paid with his life. 

After the end of the battle, Chandra was forced to present Tara Devi in front her rightful husband, Lord Brahaspati. It was only after the return of Tara Devi that Vishwakarma's anger finished. 

But it was too late. He was standing around a pile of dead bodies, of the people he had killed. As if that moment was reflecting what the type of beast he had become! 

'My Lord!' he sighed as he started crying, 'Look what have I done! I killed innocents just because they stood in the path between me and Chandra!' he led another sob as he looked at the sword in his hand. 'This is all because of you!' 

'THIS BLADE HAS ONLY BROUGHT SORROW AND BLOODSHED AS IT IS THE PRODUCT OF MY RAGE AND HATRED. FROM TODAY, FROM THIS MOMENT, I SWEAR IN THE NAME OF THE HOLY TRINITY, I QUIT THE POSSESSION OF THIS SWORD!' Lord Vishwakarma announced as he threw the sword in the space, hoping that no one will find it, hoping that it would never return." Vaani completed her words with sigh. 

"What-What was that?" Anshu asked, still expressionless. 

"But how is all this related to Neel's disappearance?" Dhruv asked. 

"That was the same thing I was thinking when I read the book the first time." Vaani replied. "See when a thing is related to someone, it tends to comeback at the same point. Hindu Gods are the foundation of Civilization. The Blade is a part of the same. So…" 

"It returned." Anshu replied. "And coincidently, we were on the correct place on the correct time." Anshu completed as she thought about the incident at the temple once again. "The demons were there most probably for the same Blade!" 

"Bingo!" Vaani replied. "See when an object gets connected with a person, it gains some of his or her aura, a piece of their power. Vishwakarma teleported to Chandra's abode in a splash of second! It means the Blade could have done the same!" 

"Means along with it, demons could have crossed the boundaries of the Eternal Kingdom. They must have been planning it for years. The Blade can alter the structure of the force field and a result of it's power was the near explosion of the car. If they get the hold of the sword, it would result in bloodshed!"

"Hey book heads! I'm here too. And I can't understand a single word you say!" Dhruv said as place his hands alongside his forehead. 

"Aww little soul…" Anshu teased him as she got up and looked for anything definable in her room. There was canvas lying down thee, brushes, quill, and papers. 

Papers! Anshu thought as she picked a whole bundle of them and placed in front of him. 

"See Prince, a single paper is translucent, you can see through it. But if we place many papers over one another, it isn't. Similarly, force field is made up of many energy levels. The Blade seemes to sacater it's energy… " She said as she scattered the papers once again. "In this way, it again becomes translucent. So at that time we had witnessed a sudden outbreak of the sword's power. But-"

"-Mortal eyes are too underdeveloped to view this change." Vaani added. "So the Blade was there, in the temple, on the very moment." 

"But it still doesn't fit with Neel!" Dhruv exclaimed. This all is almost getting off my head. What do they expect from me to understand? 

"Remember the killing of the demon that very day? Neel, along with you and the demon, was directly teleported to the bazaar. The same would have happened when we were in the garden." Vaani replied. 

"This means Neel somehow channeled the Power of the sword." Anshu said, half guessing. 

"It's worse. I rechecked the constellations that day. Movement of bodies around the space is highly dependent on constellations. What I found was: in the temple, Neel was standing right where the sword should have been." 

"Means he absorbed the whole sword?" Dhruv asked. 

Vaani gave a small nod. 

"And the demons broke in our house looking for the same." Anshu added. "But they were unable to find the sword so took mom and dad with them." She said with a sigh. 

"Actually, not only for the sword…" Vaani said in a low tone. 

"Then what for?" 

Vaani prayed to gods. Whatever she was going to tell her, if any other girl would have, Vaani would have ripped her in two.  She toop a deep breath combined with lots of courage. "Your brother is an Asura. He's a half-demon." 

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY? I SWEAR DHRUV I WILL KILL HER IF SHE SAID EVER THAT AGAIN!" Anshu rploed as she restlessly got up from her seat. But Dhruv was faster, he caught her arm and forced he backwards. 

"It's true." he said as he fixed his eyes in hers. 

"You both are lying!" 

"We aren't! I swear!" Dhruv replied. 

"Anshu, have you ever seen your brother when he's angry? And it's not pissed angry, it's angry angry." Vaani questioned. 

"I have." 

"After the incident in the temple?" 

"No. I haven't." 

"You should have…" Vaani whispered. "How do you remember your brother as? I mean in terms of behavior and attitude?" 

"He's humble and calm." 

"Was he any of this in the past few days?" 

Anshu didn't answer. 

"Let me tell you. He wasn't. You know why? I had many questions in my mind too and so I enrolled in his school, as his classmate, as so to find more about him." Vaani replied. "What i found was that, whenever he was angry, or depressed, his eye colour turns to amber, glowing amber…." 

That's the same as in the photo! Anshu thought remembering the photo she saw in her house. 

"That day in the temple, when a demon tried to do the ritual of getting the hold of the Blade of Vish, the blade somehow was absorbed by him. As an aftereffect of the attack the demon did on you two, you fainted but Neel just lost his control over his body. He killed the demon right away. 

Looks like the incident in the temple somehow triggered his powers and they resulted in random outbursts. 

I wasn't sure about what I was thinking and so I used this book for double checking." Vaani said as she gave her another book titled the Sons of Diti. "Read it yourself." She said to Anshu as she handed her the book. "Read the bookmarked pages." 

Anshu held the book with trembling hands. She turned the page and read it aloud. 

"Diti and Aditi were sisters married to the same Sage, Rishi Kashyap. 

While Aditi mated with Rishi Kashyap at the morning time. Morning time is the time of good spirits and so, sons of Aditi were blessed with mighty abilities and Goodness in their heart. They were known as Devas, or the Gods. 

As a total opposite to this, Diti mated at the midnight, the time of ghosts and evil spirits. As a result, the two sons born to her were evil by nature. The name of the first son of Dana a and that of the second was Daitya. 

Dana a and Daitya, along with their descendants, collectively are called Asuras. 

Asuras have some remarkable  abilities, which make them unique. They are blessed with charming looks and an essence which makes it impossible for a person to ignore them. 

There is another sub-breed of Danavas, known as Davanshs, or simply Half-Demons. Half Demons are rare. The reason behind this is their resistance to some spells. While a Demon can be prisoned by using magical spells and some magical items, a half demon remains unaffected by many. 

Half Demons have powes similar to Danavas: along with increased strength and speed, irresistible essence and great looks, they have some differences too. As the amount of Demon-Blood flowing in their veins is less effective, they are less powerful compared to a full demon. Their humanic body is too fragile to support their powers. As a result, their eye color change whenever they channel their powers. 

In some half-demons, the demonic traits show quite later, mostly after puberty. But this isn't necessary, for some half-demons, it can take even longer."

"See? I am right." Vaani replied. "One, he defeated Dhruv in duel, without even basic training. This might have been because of the Blade. 

Two, he got angry very easily after the fight, when Guruji ordered him to apologize, demonic ego. 

Three, his eyes turned to amber everytime he drew power. Mark it as the Forge or the duel, or the assassin getting killed. When you were attacked by the demon in the temple, you were knocked out, but he didn't. It hardly affected him at all. This is oly possible if he is a demon too! 

Four, he has good looks and irressibility, making it hard for people to ignore him, the only reason why I like him so much!" Vaani completed, the last words were more like whispered, but still audible. 

"I - I am not sure what to say." Anshu whispered. My whole life, I have been making choices on the basis of facts and information. Never thought that one day it will hit me so hard. 

While in one place, my brain asks me to believe them, while on the other, heart says not to. Anshu thought. 

"Anshu, when I got the suspection for the first time, I too wanted not to believe. He being so harmless in mortal world, and then being a demon." She said with deep sigh as she tried to comfort her. "But it ended up making me wanting to haye him, for no reason, and ironically, it made me like him even more. I have learnt it, either after losing his faith or after guilt of messing things up, that it doesn't matter if you are a demon or not, being good and being evil is still in one's own hands." 

"Now get up Anshu Raizara, we know where to find your brother." Dhruv announced. 

So Guys that's it! The Secret is revealed. Neel's a demon.
Who else expected this?!!!!

Anyway.
This chapter is dedicated to Satarupa_Official
Why: I had been going though my head for a year figuring out how to justify the title.
It was just months ago that I read her work "Divinities Of Navalok" that I finally got the clearer picture how to set the pieces in one place.
Make sure to check her work out.

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Happy Reading....