On the morning of December 23rd, they were watching the sunrise behind the house. Later, they were planning how to decorate the farmhouse.
Ayaan:
"Where did Rishi go? I haven't seen him since last night."
Pankaj:
"I've heard that ghosts love the hills, so he must have gone for a wander."
Meanwhile, Rishi was walking on the rocky, unpaved path of the hills, chasing his blurred memories. Following those fading shadows, Rishi reached a waterfall.
There, Rishi saw dark silhouettes. A boy, a woman, and a man were sitting on a mat spread across the ground. Four plates of food were laid out on the mat. The boy spoke...
The Boy:
"Mamma… Papa, you said we would go to the place where the Real Warriors lived during the holidays..."
Mamma:
"(Laughing) Beta, we will go next time."
Hearing that woman's voice, tears began to well up in Rishi's eyes. He felt a sense of belonging in her voice. Rishi sat down on a stone near the waterfall and closed his eyes.
Those dark silhouettes now began to take a definite shape, though their faces were still blurred. The father picked up the child and threw him playfully into the water, and everyone started laughing. Seeing them laugh, a faint smile appeared on Rishi's face as well.
Suddenly, Rishi heard Pankaj's voice...
Pankaj:
"(Screaming) Ayaan… Rishabh… here he is! This sala is sitting right here..."
Then everyone (Ayaan, Rishabh, and Pankaj) bathed under the waterfall.
Night had fallen. The weather was turning extremely violent. A stormy rain was lashing down. Ayaan, Pankaj, and Rishabh had fallen asleep, but Rishi was sitting on a chair in the garden.
Suddenly, through the stormy rain, a luxury car entered the gates. A young man wearing a black coat-suit stepped out. Rishi couldn't see his face because of the deep darkness. Suddenly, lightning flashed in the sky. In that brief light, Rishi saw the man's face.
The moment he saw that face, Rishi began to tremble. He let out a piercing scream and vanished.
Hearing his scream, the three friends woke up startled. They checked the time—it was 10 PM. As they stepped out of their room, they saw a boy, about 6 feet tall, walking slowly toward them. The sound of his footsteps echoed through the house.
Because of the darkness, the three of them were terrified. When he stepped closer, they finally saw his face.
Pankaj:
"This is Shiv...!"
Shiv:
"I hope you didn't face any trouble here?"
Rishabh:
"No sir, not at all!"
Shiv went to his room. The three friends started searching for Rishi, but they couldn't find him anywhere.
It was now 12 midnight. Rishi was sitting by the waterfall. Now, all his blurred memories were becoming crystal clear.
Rishi remembered everything.
4 Years Ago…
A house built on a hill, surrounded by a high wall. A large wooden gate. Upon entering, there was a garden surrounded by tall Ashoka trees. In the middle of the garden sat a table and chairs. In front of the garden stood a beautiful house made of wood.
A woman's voice came from inside that house...
Woman (Swati):
"Arre, today is Virat's 12th result day, isn't it?"
Man (Pratap):
"Yes Swati, it's coming today, I think..."
Swati:
"Oh, forget it, you didn't even know which class he was in!"
Just then, a boy, still half-asleep and rubbing his eyes, walked down the stairs and said...
The Boy (Virat):
"What is this, Mamma, Papa... you both start arguing early in the morning."
Swati:
"Virat beta, you're awake... come, I'll make tea for my beta."
Pratap:
"Oh, the young lord is awake. Don't give him tea, give him milk with saffron (kesar)."
A little later, they sat in the car and went to Virat's school to collect his 12th-grade result. They waited for a long time. Everyone was given their results, but Virat did not receive his.
Finally, the school Principal came out and spoke...
Principal:
"Three years ago, a child took admission here who is from the 'Land of Warriors.' His name is Virat. A land that was known for its wars and its warriors."
Hearing this, everyone present began to laugh at Virat and his family.
Principal:
"A defeated land... whose habit of waging war killed so many of our people... who snatched our children and our loved ones from us... we will not grant any degree to them in our country."
Everyone there began to look at them with hatred. In anger, Pratap took Virat and Swati and left the place.
Inside the car, Virat asked a question...
Virat:
"Mamma, was innocent blood really shed by the people of the Land of Warriors?"
Swati:
"Nahi beta… History is not what is taught to us in books... that is just a curtain used to hide the truth."