The secrets revealed

Vishwaprit and Setupati were discussing about the situation all night. A lot of unanswered questions made them anxious. And the most annoying thing was, they didn't even have enough information about their enemy. Vishwaprit had already checked all the books, writings from that time, from every library, but still couldn't find anything useful.

Setupati looked at Vishwaprit helplessly. And he realised something.

"Vishwa, do you remember, my father used to keep his books hidden from everybody, and used to read them at night when everybody was asleep."

".…..."

"He used to say, 'those are not only books. That is our family's past. Our legacy.' Do you think those can be related to 'it'?" Setu's curiosity level reached the to the peak.

"Setu, if those books were that important, he would have handed them over to you, wouldn't he?"

"He wasn't himself in his last days. He had lost his senses, he was acting like a madman. So he didn't get the chance to do it. It happened when you were persuing your engineering. That's why You weren't around when it happened."

Setu explained.

"So, there is a possibility that those could be related to the incidents happened back then. The reality?" Vishwaprit asked.

"What do you mean reality?" Setu asked surprisingly.

"Setu, before coming to you, I studied all the documents related to it I could find, and after reading them, it seems like a fairly tale or a fantasy. It was all about how our forefathers defeated the powerful enemy, who had the power to control the world. But still, our forefathers won. Nobody explained how." Vishwaprit expressed his frustration.

"Well then, we have to find my father's books first."

"Do you have any idea where can they be?" Vishwaprit asked.

"I have a hunch. Come with me." Setupati stood up and wore his shoes to get out of the house.

"Where are we going?" Vishwaprit asked.

"My father's farmhouse."

"Your father had a farmhouse?" Vishwaprit asked surprisingly.

"Why? Are only royal families allowed to have such luxury?" Setupati teased Vishwaprit about being royal, which Vishwaprit hated his all life.

"No. It's just, I never knew. I thought I know everything about your family. Maybe more than mine." Vishwaprit's voice got a bit emotional.

"That's normal. You lost your family too early. You never got to talk to them. Everything you know about your family, is from others mouth. On the other hand, you have spent all your childhood with my family. It's natural to feel that way. But my father kept many secrets. I only got to know them after his death. This farmhouse is one of them. It's more like a safehouse. I have gut feeling that the books we are looking for, we will find them there." Setupati tried to make Vishwaprit comfortable.

Vishwaprit looked at him with watery eyes and walked towards the Car. Bhishu and his brother followed him along. Bhishu never trusted Setupati. He always found him useless because of his 'never so serious' attitude. But now looking at him, working with his lord so seriously and with passion, his impression about Setupati was being changed, little by little.

******

Raghav arrived on his job at the police department a bit late that morning. Nobody paid attention though. He was billionaire's son, so they had direct orders to not to disturb him.

Raghav had spent almost a week at his job there, and he found all of them surprisingly normal people. Nothing dramatic like movies. Everybody talked to him nicely, not only because he was an heir of rich group, but some people who had no idea who he was, also behaved nicely.

But among all those normal people, two of them were noticeably clever. One of them was his mentor, Ganesh and another one was Suhas from forensics. If no one was able to notice the facts around the crime scene, these two were always the lifesavers. He got to experience it twice last week. He felt good to work with such a good team. He had great respect towards all of his colleagues but a little more for these two.

Everyone was quite this morning. He wondered why. He asked his colleague,

"Is anything seriously wrong? Why everyone is awfully quite?"

A colleague replied, "The thugs we found last week, it's about them. They want answers from up there. The matter is getting out of hands now. "

"Didn't they give away any information?" Raghav asked surprisingly.

"Ganesh Sir himself 'attended' them personally. But they haven't gave us anything to report yet. Also, they are neither connected to any terrorist group nor any political group. We are not able to figure out there exact motives. And all of them have, 'don't tell anyone', uniquely enduring bodies. Normal people would have been dead by now." The colleague lowered the tone at his last sentence.

"You mean superpowers?" Raghav was surprised, though he had met them during a fight.

"We haven't reached the conclusion yet. But after watching all the Hollywood movies, yes, you can say they have superpower to stay alive after all that torture. Like they're mutants." The colleague added.

"And what were they doing at the temple?" Raghav tried to get more information.

"I heard, Ganesh sir also had brought religious gurus from reputed temples, but they couldn't find out what was going on. It just looked like sacrifice for some god, or something." He said with fear.

"The god or something evil?" Raghav asked his query.

"Some say they are mad people, and some say they're followers of someone evil. I think they're both. Hey Lord Shiva, please save us." The colleague looked up to the ceiling and prayed.

"Don't worry my friend, everything will be fine." Raghav tried to calm his colleague down. And headed to talk to his mentor, Ganesh Sir.

"Good morning Sir, may I talk to you for a moment?" Raghav asked like well mannered gentleman.

Ganesh noticed him and replied, "Good morning, young blood. What is it that bugging you?"

"Sir, it's been almost a week, I think I am ready to work in real crime world under your watch." Raghav pleaded as politely as possible.

"Why not? But real crime world is far different than you think, my friend. It's very" Raghav didn't let him finish.

"Ugly and ruthless. I know. I joined the police department only after accepting the fact that the work I will be doing, won't be exactly goody goody." Raghav replied passionately.

"Then why do you want to work in this ugly line? You can easily choose any other career. Or you can follow your father and brother's footsteps." Ganesh asked the question which was squeezing his mind.

"I do not believe the world itself is ugly. There are people like you and me. And there are people like them. The criminals, terrorists, thugs, betrayers... But I believe, we can make it better, if we work hard. I want to make this world a better place, for me, for my family and for everyone I love." Raghav's voice got emotional.

"And what if you lose what you have on the way. Will you be able to accept it?" Ganesh tried show him the reality.

"I can lose everything even if I don't work in this line. What us the guarantee that I will be safe in my mansion? So, why not I make sure it stays safe by myself?" Raghav was determined.

"That's also right." Ganesh agreed with Raghav.

"Sir, you don't need to worry about my family and status on the way. You're my mentor and I will follow you as long as I believe you're fighting for the right people." Raghav's passion was glowing through his words.

"Quite strong words Mr. Raghav. And why do you think I will fight for the wrong people? Do you think I can get corrupted that easily?" Ganesh teased Raghav.

"Anyone can be corrupted." Raghav's harsh words hit Ganesh's ears.

"You don't need to worry about that young blood. As long as my heart is beating, I will fight for the right people." Ganesh assured Raghav.

"I don't doubt that, Sir. Not even for a second."

"Thanks." Ganesh smiled after realising Raghav's true passion.

"Then can you let me assist on the cases with you?" Raghav asked politely.

"Yeah. About that. I don't think there will be any problem in that matter anymore." And Ganesh gave him approving smile.

Raghav smiled back with immense happiness.

"Thank you Sir".

He realised, his mother had finally allowed him to work for his passion.

"Then can I ask you about the thugs we caught last week? Can I get to attend the interrogation?" Raghav asked carefully, tried not to be over enthusiastic.

"That's a twisted case. Why do you want to get involved in that? It's getting religious now. It's frustrating. I don't believe what is happening anymore." Ganesh showed his frustration about the fact that, they couldn't figure out what was all about.

"I hope, I'll be useful in that case." Raghav didn't give up.

"Fine. We're going to interrogate them in the afternoon after the meeting with the commissioner sir. This matter is getting out of hands. We'll decide the way to investigate this matter. Political, terrorist or religious." Ganesh tried to explain him the situation.

"Fine sir. In the afternoon then. Good luck for now." Raghav wished him luck.

******

Setupati and Vishwaprit arrived at the farmhouse out of the town. They entered the abondoned house.

"Where can they be?" Setupati talked to himself.

Vishwaprit was also trying to figure out where to start. The house was quite big for a farmhouse. It was a two story house with multiple bedrooms.

"Which can be the Uncle's room?" Vishwaprit asked Setupati.

"I don't think he woukd keep such important books in his bedroom."

"Then in the study room?" Vishwaprit suggested.

"I don't believe there is any study room in here." Setupati replied.

"But there is a store room underground. We found it when we were here last time. There was some useful stuff in there. And also father's trunk was there too. I think books can be in that trunk." Setupati figured it out.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Vishwaprit asked.

"Nothing. It's just.... I am hoping to get some answers."

"We will. Don't think too much." Vishwaprit tried make situation better.

"Yeah. The door is on that side." And Setupati headed towards the door.

They stepped diwn the stairs and opened the dusty door and took a look inside. There were lots of trunks there. But the one they were searching for was a bit older. Received from his forefathers. Setupati spotted it and pointed towards it.

Vishwaprit grabbed the heavy box and brought it down. It was locked.

"Do you have it's key? " Vishwaprit asked seriously.

"We don't need one. We can break the lock" Setupati said smilingly.

He brought a hammer from somewhere and broke the lock.

They all looked inside curiously. Some books and notepads were there. Setupati grabbed few of them and tried to find something.

"Setu, I think we have to read all of these. Then we will find something useful." Vishwaprit explained the basics.

"I fear that too." He couldn't hide his disappointment. He didn't like to read much. He never had to. He had received all the knowledge he ever needed by his parents without any obstacle. He hadn't struggled for it. Still he started reading the book named 'True history'.

Vishwaprit also grabbed one of the books named 'Night Horrors' and started reading.

They kept reading and reading, until all the books were finished. Bhishu and his brother read some of the books too.

The more the read, the more they knew. Something was really gone wrong back then. 300 years ago, when the enemy first showed up! They gave each other the glances everytime they got to know something horrifyingly surprising. They shared a few words and started reading again.

Meanwhile Bhishu brought them some snacks and refreshments. They were reading for all day and all night. Finally they gave up in the next morning. They had almost finished all the books. Some important ones were read by everyone.

Finally they slept for few hours one by one. Vishwaprit woke up first, Bhishu also up with his lord, as if they were connected somehow. Vishwaprit tried to gather the knowledge they learned from the books and notes. He realised that they're in deep danger. They had to  do something. Until the one who can destroy the enemy, would arrive. Their saviour. But was there anybody like that? Or the legends were just made-up stories by people? He had now started to doubt every single thing he knew.

"Did you ever think that it was all a lie?" Setupati asked with disappointed voice.

"They all lied. The glorious Stories about defeating the enemy, it was all a lie. They never defeated it. They never could. And then they covered it up with shining colors." He was getting furious.

"But they found a way to control it. Didn't they? They made it go away. They saved humans from the enemy back then." Vishwaprit tried to look on brighter side.

"But at what cost? They made a deal with Demons. They sold their future generations to save their present. And the bill finally came due." Setupati's voice was getting emotional now.

"We have to fight this. We can't accept the defeat without even fighting it. At least we have to find the one who can." Vishwaprit tried to optimistic.

"Do you even believe someone like that exists? I don't believe anything they told us now. They were all liers." Setupati was refusing to accept the presence of the one. The one who had the power to defeat the enemy.

"I don't believe in legends, but I do believe in you and your visions. You said it yourself. Someone do exist. And we're going to find him." Vishwaprit firmly explained his motives.

"Sometimes I don't believe myself."

"Setu, you have to stop all of these negative thoughts. Now we have only two options, either we fight this and die, or we don't fight it and die. You choose." Vishwaprit tried to encourage him and lighten up his mind.

"Quite interesting options to choose. Then let's fight this and die." Setupati smiled.

"How do you think we should start?" Vishwaprit was now getting ready to make a plan.

"I had a vision last night. It said that the enemy isn't moving forward to us. It has changed the direction. It is heading towards the city." Setupati told them about the vision.

"And why is that?" Vishwaprit asked curiously.

"I think it needs something in the city. Something that only city can give."

"Pollution?" Vishwaprit tried to crack a joke.

"The only thing that is loads in the city is people. It is filled with them." Setupati explained his view towards the situation.

"Why does it need people?" Vishwaprit amazed.

"We will find out after reaching there." Setupati suggested the next move.

"So, we're visiting that dirty shiny city again. Then, when shall we leave?" Vishwaprit made himself ready to follow the battle into the city.

Bhishu heard them and replied quickly, "I will make the arrangements for your journey, my lords."

Setupati looked at Bhishu surprisingly. He had called him 'Lord' for a moment there. It was good improvement. He smiled to himself. And looked at Vishwaprit, who looked determined to him. And his aura was getting stronger day by day. Something was changing about Vishwaprit.

He wondered what.

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