The Secrets of the Elements novel Chapter 32

Indra snapped his fingers; all the curtains drew at once covering the hut in darkness. He swivelled to meet the confused faces of Daksh, Rutuja, and Rishi.

"Indra," said Dai Ma as she shut the door behind her. "They will be here in no time." She produced a small crystal ball from her dresses' pocket and held it in front of him.

"The transportation crystal," said Rutuja as she stepped towards it. "Why are we-"

Daksh spun around as the ground shook and thunder rattled in the distance. Rishi lost his balance and landed on the floor. "Rishi," said Rutuja and helped him get to his feet.

"Indra," said Dai Ma as she stretched her hand. Indra narrowed his eyes and tilted his head. "No, I'm not coming with you," said Dai Ma as though reading his mind.

"What is happening?" said Daksh.

"His people are here," said Dai Ma and thrust the ball in Indra's hands. Indra opened his mouth to say something but Dai Ma raised her hand in the air. "You follow my orders, Indra."

"How did they get here? Nobody knew this place-" started Rutuja and clutched Rishi's arm.

There was a bang and the door exploded into pieces. They shielded their eyes from the light flooding the room. "Indra," said Dai Ma, standing in front of them, facing the group of ten people now standing in front of them with what looked like guns in their hands. "Do it now. I order you."

Rutuja stepped ahead and produced a transparent ball of light and threw it towards the soldiers. The soldiers stood there, almost unaffected by her move.

Daksh stretched his arms in the air generating a ball full of sparkling blue light. Rishi moved his hands up in the air building a wall of protection around them as the soldiers began firing. The bullets could not pass the protective wall build by Rishi. Though the wall became weaker every passing second as the incoming bullets didn't seem to stop any time soon.

Daksh threw the electric ball in their direction. It hit them with full velocity. Still, they stood there, unmoved, their silver armours deflecting all the attacks on them.

Rishi fell to the ground; his hands in front of him, trying to keep the resistance of the wall poised. "I can't stop them anymore," he said closing his eyes, applying all the power he had. He could feel the strain in his muscles and nerves, the energy gradually leaving his body.

Daksh and Rutuja continued with their efforts of attacking the enemies from another side of the protective wall but in vain.

With much hesitation, Indra threw the ball up in the air and pulled the children towards him in a circle.

Rutuja spun her neck so fast that she might have hurt herself. Dai Ma produced a massive ball of void that blocked all the bullets coming from the shotguns of the enemies.

The image of Dai Ma battling the soldiers alone blurred every passing moment. Daksh stuck out his hand to feel the wall of what felt like water-raising around them. Rishi looked up at the crystal that was emanating bright white light.

Indra caught hold of Rutuja's arms as she set her foot towards Dai Ma, outside the circle of water they were standing in now. "We are not leaving her alone," she murmured teary-eyed.

Daksh took a step towards the wall but was instantly pushed back by an invisible force. He closed his eyes and moved his hands in a circular motion as though producing an ethereal ball. Rishi followed.

"This is a wall of transportation," said Rutuja, her heart pulsating vehemently against her chest. "No magic works in it."