Sumedh's POV
"So, according to the map...hame iss gufa me jaana hoga" Mahima said looking at the map.

We nodded.

We went to the cave and entered.

Mirza managed to lit a flambeau.

"Seedhe chalte jana h" Kabir said.

We started walking.

The cave was really long.

"Yeh to khatam hi nhi ho rhi...na hi kahi le ja rhi h! Sahi raaste pe to h na ham?" Dimpana asked.

"Haan rasta to sahi h...dekhte h shayad aage kucch mil jae" Mahima said.

We nodded amd continued.

Finally we arrived at some unknown place.

"Waha se roshni aa rhi h" Razia said pointing towards the direction where the light was coming from.

"Lagta h manka wahi h!" Mirza said.

"Lekin waha pohonchenghe kese!?" I asked.

There were some kind of stones infront of us which were making a kind of bridge. Some meters under the stones, there was a river.

"In patthro pe chalke" Dimpana said and stepped forwards.

As soon as she placed her foot on the first stone, an arrow came and was about to hit her when Kabir pulled her towards him.

"Damn! Yeh kya tha!?" Mahima asked.

We thought for a while.

Mirza stepped forwards and stood on the second stone.

We were about to stop him but nothing happened. He was perfectly fine.

"Inme se kucch kucch patthar par per rakha jaa sakta h" He said.

"Lekin konse!?" I asked.

"Inpe kucch bana hua h...shayad ise milakar, kucch matlab nikal aae" He said.

We looked at the stone where Mirza was standing. There was a spear disegned on it.

"Spear? Bhala kyu bna hoga ispe?" Mahima asked.

"Jispe Dimpana khadi hui, uspe dhanush tha" Kabir said.

"Dono hathyaar h...fir yeh wala patthar theek kese h!?" I asked.

We kept on thinking.

"Aage wale patthro pe kya h Mirza?" Razia asked.

Mirza looked at the next stones.

"Ek pe kavach jesa kucch h, ek pe talwaar h, ek pe teer h...fir trishool h aur waha kulhadi h" He said.

As soon as he finished I looked at Kabir. I had a strange feeling.

It seemed like I was familiar with those things.

"Tujhe kucch laga?" I asked. He nodded.

"Jese hamne pehle bhi suna h inke bareme..." He said.

"Pehle bhala...fir kavach...talwar? Trishool?" I asked. Maybe I was getting the idea.

"Bhala, talwar aur trishool!!!" Finally Kabir and I said in unision. Everyone looked at us surprisingly.

"Yehi to Pratapgarh k Raj Gharane k log chalate aae h" Kabir said.

"Haan! Hamare sab purvaj isi baat k lie jaane jaate h...unhe yeh sab chala aata tha" I said.

"Matlab bhala, talwar aur trishool wale patthar hi sahi h!" Mirza said.

We stepped on those stones and finally reached our destination.

We walked a bit and found the next manka.

Mirza picked it and soon as he did that, our closed and when after some seconds we opened them we found ourselves in a well known place.

We were in Pratapgarh. "Ham yaha kese aae? Abhi ek manka dhoodna baaki h!" I said.

We looked around and then looked at Mirza.

"Guru Vastika k paas chalte h...wahi btaenghe aage ka raasta" Mirza said.

We nodded and went to Guru Vastika's hut.

Guru Vastika was meditating. He felt our presence so he opened his eyes.

"Mil gey 6 manke?" He asked.

"Gurudev manke to 7 the na? Ham pehle hi waha se kese aa gey!?" Mirza asked.

"Saatva manka mere paas h Mirza" He said.

We widened our eyes.

"Aapke paas?" Kabir asked.

How close we were to the last manka!

He took the manka out of his pocket and gave it to me.

"Yeh raha tumhara aakhri manka" He said. We thanked him.

"Aage kya Gurudev?" Mirza asked.

"Aage wahi hoga jo pehla hota tha Mirza. Yeh chaaro wapas apni duniya me jaenghe jaha sab kucch badal chuka hoga. Tum dono k aage boht lambi zindagi padi hui h. Boht kamyaab hoghe tum dono. Itehaas yaad rakhega Razia aur Mirza ko" He said.

"Jao tum chaaro...apne duniya, apne parivaar, apne logo k paas" He said.

We nodded and took his blessings.

It was difficult to leave them but it was a must.

We hugged Razia and Mirza. After wishing them good luck for their life, we were ready to leave.

Guru Vastika sent us to Pratapgarh, our Pratapgarh.

We landed in our Raj Mahal. Everything was looking quite normal actually.

"Kabir chal Shiv ki murti par manke lagake aate h" I said.

"Manke? Woh to Dimpana k paas the" He said. I looked at Dimpana.

"Mene Mahima ko die the" She said. We looked at Mahima.

"Sumedh mene tumhe die the!" Mahima exclaimed.

No, for God's sake! Don't say we lost them.

"Aapko Bade Maharaja khane k lie yaad kar rhe h" A servant said.

"Ham aate h aap jao" I said irritatingly.

We were quiet. "Sumedh tune suna usne kya kaha?" Kabir asked.

"Yehi k Maharaja khane k lie bula rhe h yaar!" I said. "Maharaja nhi Bade Maharaja!!! Matlab Daada ji!" He said excitingly. Yes! Yes man!

"Matlab...shraap se mukti mil geyi!?" I asked. He nodded. "To manke apne aap Shiv ki murti par lag gey honghe!" I said.

We ran to the dining hall. Everyone was waiting for us. "Der kardi. Kaha the sab? Chalo betho ab" Daadaji said. We widened our eyes.

"Aap jante h hame?" I asked.

He looked at us confusingly.

"Jante h matlab? Kese sawaal kar rhe ho? Abhi itna budha bhi nhi hua hu k tum logo ko naah pehchanu. Mahima Dimpana tum bhi betho jaldi" He said.

"Aap hame bhi jaante h?" Mahima asked.

"Arey! Kya ho gaya h sabko!?" He asked.

We shook our heads and sat to have dinner.

Author's POV
Everything was normal. Finally things were sorted out. Pratapgarh was free...they made it!

After that long journey, the Royal Family wanted Sumedh and Kabir's marriage.

They already proposed Mahima and Dimpana. Their families also agreed and they got married.

After Maharaja, Pratapgarh was in safe hands...Yuvraaj and Shehzaada were its rulers.

*******

And here it comes, the end of Pratapgarh Diaries.

It was a nice journey. A short one, I must say.

Personally I don't feel things went the way they were supposed to go. There was something missing...never mind.

I hope you guys enjoyed the season. I was thinking about Pratapgarh Diaries 2. Not sure. Just an idea. Don't know when will I write that season but I think there will be one.
Hope to see you soon with Pratapgarh Diaries 2 till then 'An Accident' to h hi, so enjoy that!

Lots of love!
Band...u/ana.