Strangely Familiar

“Life is never fair, and perhaps it is a good thing for most of us that it is not.” - Oscar Wilde

Naina fought the urge to roll her eyes.

For all she knew, he could be Royalty too in a far-off land.

“You speak of Malsvov Theory?” Cian asked, a little intrigued, before exchanging glances with Shaurya. “Your little mage is quite the fast learner,” He turned his gaze back to her, “but make no mistake, imitated magic is just as powerful as the real.”

Shaurya said nothing.

He resumed roaming his eyes around the room before they landed on Samraat and motioned him to come closer.

Naina wanted to stop the interaction before it took place, but her brother stepped forward without hesitation.

Cian was curiously looking at the design on the walls, carefully curated monochromatic designs, and types of equipment in the room. One would think they were simple designs, but Cian knew better. They were the souvenirs of his past winnings.

“The collection is truly unique and exquisite. One would think you spend an eternity collecting them. Oh wait-”

He paused, throwing a cheeky grin. “You did spend eternity in here.”

Shaurya ignored him. “I require your assistance.”

“Mine?”

“Unless you are not the one the little naive girl talked about being by her side during her troubling times in the Mansion, yes.”

Samraat returned a confused look. “What do you need me for?”

“I need you to break your ties.” He commanded.

“What ties?” Naina stood beside her brother with folded arms.

“Excuse me!”

Their reaction was in synchronicity.

Shaurya smiled pleasantly at her. From her experience, she knew that smile was up to no good. He conveniently ignored her and carried on. Naina scowled at him, mentally promising that she would make him taste his medicine one day.

“Tell me, mortal, have you been feeling a little overwhelmed or tired recently?”

“His name is Samraat.” Naina seethed. She does not understand Shaurya’s hatred toward mortals. Sure he suffered at their hands, but he can’t put everyone on the same platform, or ready to throw them under the bus. That just wasn’t fair.

A wave of cold rush washed over her, making her insides shiver. The cold air froze her movements, pinching the pores of her skin for a second before melting away. She let out a heavy breath at the sudden exposure.

The Royalty dropped his hand by his side, his lips twitched slightly. “Do shut up, Akira, or I assure you I can be highly creative.”

Cian overheard them and snickered. “Yes, the moment he is free, he’s gonna open a school of creativity, considering his previous records have been quite ingenious.”

Focussing his attention back on the young man, Sharuya repeated, “Your answer awaits.”

“I have, but only because I,” Samraat paused, not known to be very vocal about his feelings, let alone with a complete outsider who was a force to be reckoned with.

He looked at him in anticipation. Samraat shook his head, slightly agitated at being interrogated by the man responsible for the twist in their lives. “I just felt hurt.”

“Define hurt.” He asked

God help her.

At that moment, Naina was tempted and so close to smashing her fist right into the Immortal’s eyes. Probably that would tell him how hurt feels. She closed her fist to contain her anger. How can someone be so incompassionate?

Shaurya arched an eyebrow at her. “Something on your mind, Akira?”

Cian interrupted, holding a small blue sapphire stone, and inspecting it. “It wouldn’t take a Royalty to guess.”

“I don’t know,” Disregarding them both, Samraat shrugged nonchalantly, his tone shaper than intended. “How does losing your family, getting defeated by a single mortal despite having an army, and staying locked up in a Mansion for hundred of years feel like?”

He rightly guessed it was probably his emotions speaking. However, the repercussions of his statement are yet to be faced.

And faced, he did.

The Royalty’s magic blazed on its own, sensing a wave of rush, and a gleam of light flickered and burst around him and shot its way toward a defenseless mortal. Naina launched herself in between them, spreading her arms wide to cover for him, her body taking in the bits of blows before his magic retreated, almost like realizing her presence. For some reason, their respective magic did not like becoming opponents.

His pupils sparked red at her interference. Her magic swirled into heat waves inside her for defying him straightforwardly. She managed to keep a calm facade.

“Not my brother,” she whispered, drinking in the painful reaction of his magic mixed with hers, running in her veins, currently crawling and floating under her skin, urging her to shift positions. “Lest you shall see where my loyalties truly lie.”

His face twisted into something she had never seen before - a sudden discomfort. It was like his eyes revealed an underlying emotion, an ache deeply buried in its depth suddenly surfaced for a second before they disappeared completely. His expression hardened a second later, and without a word, he turned around and left.

“I’m sure he got his answer now.” Cian was watching the episode curiously.

Samraat supported her shivering form, nonetheless yelled. “Are you mad? What were you thinking?”

“What were you thinking riling him up like that?” She wanted to be angry but suddenly felt too tired.

“I’m sorry,” he was quick to apologize. “I’m sorry. Are you okay?”

“No,” she exclaimed, unable to get over the dreading feeling. “I don’t feel good. At all. I need to sit.”

Rahil Kazmi pulled a chair out for her to sit on. “Wait here, I’ll fetch you a glass of water.”

“That’s interesting,” Cian murmured as Mr. Kazmi left the room in quick steps.

Naina couldn’t help but scowl. “Glad you are enjoying the show.”

“I sure am, although I don’t think a glass of water will help you.”

A wide smile was pasted on Cian’s face as he pulled a chair for himself to sit in front of her. Naina noticed his green eyes twinkling with amusement, pouring out the positivity in the atmosphere that walked out with Shaurya.

“I didn’t ask your opinion.”

“You have a bad habit of defying your superiors.” Samraat watched him rotating his fingers, and a bowl full of colorless liquid materialized in the air. Well, it’s not water, he mentally concluded.

“Drink.”

Naina raised her brows, suspiciously. “Any reason you are helping me?”

“Don’t stress your young mind more than it already is.” He placed the bowl in front of her.

Mr. Kazmi appeared holding a glass of water. He exchanged glances with Samraat silently asking what precipitated here. Naina stood up on shaky legs and grabbed the glass, murmuring him a nonverbal thanks before gulping it all in a go.

“I know better than to trust a stranger who was willing to experiment on a defenseless girl.”

Cian waved his hand vanishing the bowl.

“It was Xaleam, a drink made to induce mild euphoria. You looked like you needed one.” His gaze looked at Samraat. “Besides, I did not lay a finger on your little girlfriend. She’s currently in the surveillance Chamber.”

“Surveillance Chamber?”

“Magic creates, magic inspects, magic destroys. That’s pretty much the crux of it.”

“Is she going to be okay?” Rahil Kazmi asked. In his eyes, she was still a youngling.

Cian turned a blind eye to his question. “You should be more worried about this young man over here.”

Smaraat’s ears perked up at his reference.

“Your little girlfriend created a link with you, intentionally or not, I cannot tell. Hence why, the Royalty asked if you felt anything out of the ordinary.” He explained.

A sudden pang of guilt hit her chest, surrounding her causing nausea as Naina clenched her fist at her indiscretion. She has got to stop acting impulsively.

“What kind of link?” Samraat shook his head. His memory flashed at the weird sensation he had been feeling all day.

“A link that will make you feel everything she’s going through. Destroy it.” He marched up the room’s corner, looking at the thunderous sky of the Median. “Of course, that is if you desire to live.”

“Can you guys just not speak in riddles?” Naina felt her frustration rising, getting the best of her.

He turned around sharply. “I can but since you proved you don’t trust a stranger. Any efforts of mine are purely futile.”

Naina heaved an irritated sigh. She spun the miniature wheel of time and asked in a loud voice, “Tell me about the magical link and how it can be destroyed.”

The wheel spun over their heads. Cian watched curiously, pacing around them in circles. He heard it explain the basic definition and ways one can effectively severe it.

According to Rahil Kazmi, the knowledge was extremely elementary. “That’s it?”

“What is this link exactly?”

Naina felt a bit uncomfortable, and this was neither the place nor the time to have such a conversation. Since the wheel clearly stated the link is like a bond that may vary from being physical to mental and emotional. Asking her brother about his relationship standard was incredibly awkward.

“I have feelings for her, I guess it’s the emotional bond.” Samraat squeezed his eyes closed as another wave of anxiety hit him hard.

“Ah, the most agonizing one to break,” Cian commented from behind, clearly amused.

Naina snapped her head at him, meaningfully. She didn’t understand why he was even here. Then again, he was an Immortal, he could do whatever he pleased. Life and health never mattered to the Immortals and why would it? It’s not like they’ll ever truly lose it.

She thumped on her brothers’ shoulder lightly, in reassurance, but he winced in return. “What is it?”

“Just a little sore,” he whimpered, slightly perplexed at the sudden muscular pain. Expressions wiped off his face as horror gripped his voice, “Something is wrong.”

“What do we do?” She scowled at the Nova in frustration, pacing around carelessly, and when he didn’t respond immediately, her cheeks flushed in fury.

“Asking me?” Cian asked innocently, enjoying her anger. “Just a few seconds ago, when I tried to help, I was wrongly accused of being untrustworthy.”

Samraat started coughing badly. He clutched his stomach, a strange expression contorting his face as he fought the burning sensation in his chest. “What h-happens a-after the l-link is b-broken?”

“What a stupid question.” Cian sniggered.

The glare directed his way was uncompromising.

Rahil Kazmi patted his back to ease the tension. However, it was a lost cause. Even he knew it. If the magical link truly exists, they have to destroy the root cause in the primary source.

“You would be free of your situation, of course.”

“But doesn’t,” he stammered, choking on his words. “oh, please!” The words rushed out of him in a plain whisper as he bent, even more, to crush his ribs in an attempt to relieve the pain that was creeping around his chest.

“Doesn’t freedom demands sacrifice in your world?” Mr. Kazmi asked for him, though a part of him already knew the answer.

“It does, however, the definition of sacrifice varies from situation to situation,” Cyan responded.

Naina bend down next to where he crouched, face grimacing in pain, half cowering, half wincing. “Break the link, Sammy. It’s gonna be okay.”

“How?”

“You have to control your feelings. That’s what’s linking you to her. Aruha’s magic was dark, Sammy. It is acting up on you, affecting you negatively.” Naina tried her best to explain to him.

“What if it kills her?” His voice was getting hoarse.

“What if it kills you?” Naina shouted in disbelief. She was tired of talking senses into him. Why did his brother become such a lovesick fool? She pressed her palms against his forehead and shuddered. He was burning up.

“I’ll live.” He offered her a brave smile. “She may have used our bond for selfish motives, but my feelings were honest.”

“You are an idiot,” Naina yelled again, crying out in frustration. “Please, please, break the link.”

“Now is not the time to become a martyr.” Rahil Kazmi suppressed his urge to smack his head. He would have done that if the young man in front of him wasn’t already wincing in agony.

“I can’t even if I tried,” he stressed to speak. “It’s not e-easy.”

“Do something, please.” She pleaded to the Nova.

Cyan, relaxed in his posture, secretly enjoying the show, decided to pay some heed and responded to her begging. “Run, little mage, to your King, for now only he can help you.”

“I’ll be back.”

Her stiffened limbs reacted at once and she dashed out of the room.

Running in haste and blinded by the need to relieve his brother from his suffering, Naina rushed through corridor after corridor reaching the room that escorted her to the Opal.

No sooner than she stepped in an arm shot out to catch her by her elbows.

“Not today,” Ayaan spoke in a serious tone.

“I need to see him.” Naina beseeched.

“He specifically asked not to be disturbed.” He motioned her to leave while she stood blocking the entrance.

“It’s my brother. He needs help,” She implored, trying to throw light on the seriousness of the situation. “Please ask Shaurya-”

"His Majesty,” Ayaan cut in between, glaringly.

“His Majesty,” She parroted his words without thinking, speaking at such speed that she missed out on most letters, “please ask him to help me.”

He sighed. “You can’t meet him today. He asked not to be disturbed. Surely, you don’t think you can meet the Royalty at every whim.”

She closed her eyes, preventing the tears from threatening to escape. “Tell him, I’m sorry.” She sobbed, “But my brother needs his help. Please, he is the only one I’ve got.”

He stared back, emotionless. “Go back, Naina. You aren’t wanted today.”

“But-”

“Consider yourself lucky, you are still in one piece after you blatantly defied and disobeyed him.” He said rather rudely, shaking his head. Ayaan was back to his usual self.

But Naina refused to give up.

“I am ready for whatever punishment he decides to lay on me, but my brother needs his help.”

“Your brother disobeyed and insulted him too,” Ayaan spoke angrily, “I would say he deserves whatever comes his way.”

Naina felt like he slapped her right across her face, like a pointed arrow aimed to hit the heart into pieces. His words hurt more than she imagined. Maybe because subconsciously, somewhere at the back of her head, she started treating him like a friend.

‘You are one of us,’ he said once. Perhaps he only said that to get himself free. She foolishly believed him.

“Mortals think so highly of themselves that they ignore and refuse to acknowledge everything else in front of them. Mannerism seems to be evaporating from this world.” He gave her a snide remark.

Naina stared back mutely. Her brain no longer registered his words, almost like it was stuck and disturbed by his blatant disregard for human life.

“Go home, Naina.”

“Where is my home, Ayaan?” She whispered, at last, so broken, so lost.

An expression slipped on his face but he quickly recomposed himself. Shaking his head, and without answering, he magically slammed the door at her.

Naina stood there teary-eyed. The magic running in her blood sped up as her heart rate increased. She cried her heart out at the entrance hoping he might help her - her brother. Her cries were not heard. Naina knew Shaurya was powerful to achieve the impossible. She also knew she couldn’t exercise her magic right after the shield she created inside the Mansion, and openly defied the Royalty. Her magic needs time to work itself out.

Dejected and depressed, she took both her hands to cover her head and fell to her knees. That was the moment Naina realized how she was truly alone.

Sobbing in between her breath, she wiped her face with the arms of her shirt marching her way back to her world. Her brother was wrong. Mr. Kazmi was wrong. This world wasn’t hers. It was ruled by beings who solely believed in power over everything else.

Crestfallen, her hopes shattered around at the sight in front of her as she pressed her foot to the entrance of Manor Paradise. Her adoptive brother, who also happened to be her best friend, was still whimpering on the ground trying hard to cope. His face looked pale.

With firm determination, she sought to aid him even if it meant disclosing the entire world of her magical healing blood. Why would that matter anyway if she can’t help her loved ones? Naina knew there were powerful forces out there looking for her, now even more than ever.

It does not matter anymore. She was going to help her baby brother.

The world of magic can go to hell.

Ayaan’s toxic friendship can go to hell.

Shaurya Lomhani’s freedom, he can deal with it without her. Trusting him was her mistake. One she intended to rectify.

This was his war. Not hers.

She chose to fight only because she felt it. Felt something for him, a connection that she couldn’t deny. However, feelings have no place in the Immortal world.

She would not fight anymore.

This was her fate, after all. She would decide how it all ends.

Her arms spread wide as she unleashed magic with all her might, and as if sensing the violation of her bound loyalty, her magic started to burn her from within, but she did not care.

Her brother shall not suffer on her watch.

She channelized her energy, gathering all four layers of protective shields, extending it to him, and bringing him into the magical radars. Circular movement spiraled across the room, releasing different wavelengths, forming one strong shield.

Mr. Kazmi stood awestruck. He had never read about such a display of magic.

Cian was watching curiously as her magic unfolded, revealing layer after layer like neatly pleated cloth unwrapping to its maximum length.

Naina was breathing hard, the magic started to consume all her energy, urging her to let go. Blood stains appeared in her line of sight as she tried hard to stay focused. Her ears felt numb with an acute burning sensation that they started to pinch even with the slightest air contact. Someone at the back was yelling something she couldn’t hear. It felt like two heavy blocks were placed inside her ear, blocking every noise source.

Her legs were shaking just like her stretched-out hands. It was getting excruciatingly painful that even gulping a lump down her throat became exceedingly difficult. Her shields became so powerful that they could’ve blocked every outside magic.

Her vision was getting dizzier, and her head was throbbing like someone was constantly hammering it.

Someone was shaking her, or maybe she was hallucinating, she could not tell. Every part of her body quickly grew numb, losing its ability to feel anything. Was she still alive? Did her magic assist? Was her brother okay? She wanted to inquire, but her lips were frozen. Her voice vanished somewhere after a scream that sounded exactly like her own. She couldn't find it anymore. It felt like she was sinking into an infinite void. Her brain rolled over as if seeking to rearrange its place inside her skull. Her senses were being dulled by the discomfort.

Was this it?

Was it all over?

Perhaps, it was a good thing.

She doesn’t have to explain anything to anyone anymore. Her adoptive mother has one less to worry about. Her brother will remember the good times they have spent. Maybe she’ll see her Dad again on the other side.

Her visions turned into dreams and hope.

In the next life, she envisioned herself to be a simple human born to parents who truly love her, surrounded by friends who accept her for who she is. That would be nice. The thought brought a strange sense of relaxation in her.

A moment later, her vision blanked and she fell into her pool of blood. A loud smashing sound that seemed like shattering, followed by her hope of a pleasant life, was the last thing her senses retrieved before she blacked out embracing her fate like an old friend.