Anything For You
Chapter 84

The four people set out after bidding farewell to each of the tribal members, especially to elder lady and aadu, for they were the two people who had been guiding them all. Egon, Akhim and Estella had been here for a while, and hence it was quite difficult for all of

them to part their ways from these generous folks, but every meeting has to end, and so did this one.

Valor wasn't much attached to all these people to the same extent as they all three were. But he had got good friends here in the form of Egon and Estella. The elder lady looked through his sufferings and grievances. She treated him like a son. He had found a little family here, after loosing so much in the past years. And now was the time to leave everything behind. He was leaving the living for someone who had been long dead.

Any departure and goodbye is never off without tears. Estella had the tears of departure. But all of these three people were having hopes, hopes that they would succeed what they had been desiring for since long ago.

It was the time of sun-setting. The night was crawling from the lap of a long sunny day. These people had been aware of their path, and destination. But merely being aware is not the only necessity to attain a goal. One has to sacrifice a lot when it comes to one's loved ones.

Stepping up on their respective horses, all of them headed to the respective destination, THE SARAINE VILLAGE, the village of magic and witchcraft.

"To where exactly we are supposed to go?"

Estella was pretty curious regarding their visit to this witch. She heard enough about her from Egon, and she was impressed just listening to the skills that lady possessed. She couldn't wait to see her.

"We are going to the village that falls next to 5 villages, The SARAINE VILLAGE."

Akhim replied instead of Egon. By this time, Akhim had also befriended Estella despite of all his doubts about her personality.

Egon stepped in the conversation, while their horses had slowed down by now, and were just pacing under the setting sun. They could really talk in mere whispers in this calm environment. He started to narrate the legend of that village to Estella and Valor, since Akhim had already been aware of that,

"It was said that the people here in THE SARAINE VILLAGE belonged to a bloodline who practiced magic in the times back. They had powerful witches who could summon Angels from heavens and demons from hell. They could rule over the five elements of life. Death was never a stop for them. But they never practiced black magic, and used magic only to help others.

This village had magic in its soil, wind, water, clouds, and even stones. But times later, now they are left only a few doing the magic practices, because many of them moved to other villages after the war that happened 500 years ago between two villages for power. This witch that we are going to seek, is one of the ancestors. You see, witches and people like them who practice magic, are the ones who live for longer times. She rarely sees anyone. Akhim had nearly begged her to see us..."

While Egon was narrating the events, almost chuckling at the mention of Akhim begging that rumored ancestral witch, Akhim cut him off in the middle saying,

"... With a favor in return." "What kind of favor?"

Estella was now even more curious. For her, it was the first time to travel far away from her cave home, and with all the descriptions, that Egon and Akhim had provided, she wanted to make sure that she was going to meet the same witch about whom her mother mentioned back in her childhood days.

"Well, we also don't know that yet. She conveyed that she would let us know when the right time would come. Till then, we are clueless."

"What do you think she would demand from us, in return of her help? I mean what could a lady witch like her want from us, when she herself is a great magic prodigy!!"

Valor was also curious like Estella. But he was aware of the evil and good. He was just having doubts regarding the favors that this rumored, all powerful witch wanted from them.

"I also wonder that. I mean, what exactly could she yearn for?!" Egon self-questioned, but his voice was audible to Akhim, who had been besides him, while Estella and Valor were behind them side by side.

"Your Majesty, if she is that much powerful, she must know that you are a king. And she could ask for anything from you taking into account of your title."

Akhim made a suggestion, which was quite a lot compelling to Egon, while the rest of two people in the group were clueless about these duo's talks.

Here everyone was excited to meet that powerful witch, but something was happening to Estella. Today was the night of hiding, and here she was, travelling, riding on the back of a horse, with more and more night approaching, fully exposed to her surroundings, and getting more and more prone to the lurking dangers.

She didn't pay attention to the timings of month before setting out. Now, she could only rely on her destiny, to not encounter any dangers and enemies for the coming few hours until the night passed away. But nothing happens as one plans.

The group of four stepped into the territory of The SARAINE VILLAGE, with lots and lots of hopes, ambitions, and in search of answers to the jingling questions, which had been haunting them since a long time. Inhaling the magical scent of soil, and the magical wind washing away their faces, it was a heavenly feeling.

Everything suddenly seemed so beautiful and peaceful. Akhim was ahead of Egon, and soon after stepping inside the village, his expressions changed from a normal one to Enigmatic one, which couldn't be deciphered by Egon. The moment Akhim turned his head to look into Egon's eyes, who was behind him on his horse, Egon shouted hysterically taking the other off guard,

"Cover your eyes, as well as your horse's."

Witnessing the two people standing frozen in their spots dumbstruck, Egon hastily covered his eyes with his left arm, while his right arm started working on the blinker of his own horse, in order to cover his eyes properly too. He again shouted, this time more harshly and loudly, getting the other two people oblige immediately, "Estella, Valor, cover your eyes, and adjust the blinker of your horses. There is a trap ahead, and Akhim is trapped."

Listening to his words, the duo pulled bridles of their respective horses to step back, and immediately covered their eyes, just as Egon did. Estella was working with the horse, and Valor fetched two pieces of clothes to tie on their eyes. He used the one and passed the other to Estella.

"How do we step ahead with eyes covered? Moreover, the horses can't see too. And what about Akhim? He is behaving weird."

Estella was worried about Akhim. The time for their meeting was coming near, and now they were struck here. Akhim was the one who had met that witch, and now his behavior was a clear indication that they were on their own. "Don't worry. I have made the arrangements for this."

Saying this Egon adjusted the bridle of his horse, after whispering something in his ears. The horse complied, and started to move ahead taking one step at a time until it reached closer to Akhim, who had been looking here and there, like a mentally challenged person.

The horse stopped, indicating Egon to process the things further. Egon fetched a little red bottle from the side sleeve of his robe, still his eyes closed. He opened the bottle, and called Akhim. Sensing the movement of Akhim besides him in that silent place, he splashed all the contents of that bottle over him, which worked magically, and Akhim came back to senses.

"Urghhhh..!! What had happened? Why you all had tied your eyes?"

Akhim asked with a hoarse voice, struggling to understand what had just happened here.

"You were trapped in the maze of wind. I just did what you told me to do earlier. I think now you are fine."

Egon replied with a faint smile over his lips, which he knew only Akhim could see. He patted over his general's shoulder, and moved his head gesturing him to show them the path.

"I am fine now. I was lost here in this place, due to that maze. But now since the bottle had been emptied for me, so I can only show you the path. Remember, do not remove the cloth from your eyes. Same applies to your horses."

Saying this Akhim started to guide them, moving ahead.

"How can you move ahead with your eyes open, bit we can't?" Estella asked Akhim from behind acting as a blind person, but deep down, she could see everything clearly.

"Because I had that antidote to this maze. But now we don't have much of that left. So, you can only rely on me. That witch had told me about some traps and mazes here. They built these to protect their village. She told me how to cross them. We had prepared ourselves before handedly. Come on, Now move. We are running late."

With a sudden feeling of fear arousing in their hearts, and chills running down their spines because of the cold air of SARAINE VILLAGE, all the four headed towards the direction of Witch's house, not being aware of the fact that they were being followed.