The night passed in a beautiful sleep. But I can feel a new color starting to play in my mind. After all, the human heart is unconscionable - there's no trusting it. Somehow, I must free Hrid and Jara and bring them back. No other thought is allowed in my head.
In the morning I woke at the call of the Captain:
Anil: "Sir, please get up and hurry."
Hridoy: "What's the matter, Captain?"
Anil: "We need to leave quickly. Tonight is the last night to enter the demons' world. If we don't go in today, we'll have to wait until the next new moon."
Hridoy: "Hmm… let's go."
Two of us left the room.
Nila: "So you're already getting ready to leave."
Hridoy: "Yes. Thank you very much for helping us."
Nila: "No need to thank me. Only give me my share of the treasure.
Hridoy: "Yes, you will have your share.
Nila: "Then let's hurry and get out of here."
Anil: "Alright, come on."
Just as the three of us were about to leave, Nila held us back.
Nila: "The king's soldiers are coming this way."
Hridoy: "You mean they realized we stole the map from their war room?"
Anil: "That's how it looks to me. We have to get away. If they catch us, we might not be saved."
Hridoy: "What is there to be afraid of? We'll fight them."
Nila: "Are you crazy? You're human and you want to fight people from the lower world who have modern weapons. Explain that to him."
Anil: "Yes, sir. It wouldn't be wise to fight now. Besides, if they see our faces they'll identify us and we'll have even more trouble. We should move toward our destination."
Hridoy: "Hmm… let's go."
Nila: "We'll need weapons first, so let's go there. There's a path behind the house; let's exit that way."
Hridoy: "Hmm… let's go."
We continued our walk with Nila—Anil and I. The more I looked at the girl, the more my affection grew. How could such an enchanting girl live alone?
Hridoy: "How do you manage living by yourself?"
Nila: "I'm used to it."
Hridoy: "Aren't you afraid?"
Nila: "I used to be. But I've driven the fear out of my mind."
Hridoy: "Have you never thought about having a family?"
Nila: "Family… I want to enjoy my life first. Maybe later I'll have a reason to enjoy it."
Hridoy: "Wow."
Nila: "People looking at you would never think that you came in search of treasure… Because usually, people who search for these things are often brave but ill-tempered. But you are the exact opposite."
Hridoy: "Maybe."
Nila: "So have you searched for treasure before?"
Hridoy: "No, never… This is my first time. But I have faced many adventures that I used to think were imaginary."
Nila: "Some things are better left to the imagination."
Hridoy: "Hmm, maybe… Because if people like us knew that those imaginary things were actually real, they'd be too afraid to leave their homes."
Nila: "Even if they know, they'll decide to come eventually."
Hridoy: "Maybe… But it seems like we are entering a weapons shop."
Nila: "Yes, this is where we'll get the weapons we need."
Anil: "Really, are we going to fight monsters with guns made by humans?"
Hridoy: "Will they die if we shoot them?"
Nila: "Let's go inside first."
We went in… There was an elderly man in the shop. Wow, I could see different types of guns. Wow—I never imagined I'd actually see dream guns right in front of me. I picked one up.
Nila: "We won't need any of these."
Shopkeeper: "Then you can leave."
Nila: "Yes, David. These two helped me get out."
David: "Hmm. Come with me. I'll show you what you'll need for your safety."
Nila: "Alright. Let's go… You come too."
There was a staircase that went down from the inner room. David started down and we followed.
Hridoy: "Anil, look-they have every kind of new weapon here."
Anil: "Yeah, our jalpuri weapons are from Akaspur… and those look like some new kind of swords."
Hridoy: "We can take whatever weapons we want from here."
Nila: "Great. You can't just take whatever you feel like from here. Only pick the things you know how to use. Anil, you're a water-man — you know how to handle water-weapons. Take whatever you want."
Hridoy: "I can use water-weapons too."
Nila: "No, it's not enough to 'be able' — you must be skilled. Come with me."
Anil took the weapons I liked, but that Nila girl wouldn't let me have any. Who knows what toy she'd hand me. Does she look down on me just because I'm human? I'll show her.
Nila: "Take this sword."
Hridoy: "A sword?"
Nila: "It's not an ordinary sword."
David: "Yes. It's made from the strongest metal on Earth. No matter how many blows it takes, neither this sword nor this staff will break."
Hridoy: "Am I supposed to carry around just a sword and a staff? They're big."
I held them in my hands.
David: "Let me see. Give them to me."
He took the staff and did something to it; it became a watch that he put onto my wrist. Then he pressed a switch on the sword, and it became a pen.
Nila: "See? They're small now."
David: "Put your fingerprint on the watch."
Hridoy: "What will that do?"
David: "You touch the watch with your finger whenever you need your staff. Sort of like a biometric lock. Once it has your fingerprint, it becomes the staff."
Hridoy: "Wow."
Nila: "Do you like it?"
Hridoy: "Hmm… yes. But it would be better if there were a gun, too."
David: "You can look at this — APH Magnetic Gun. One shot, instant kill."
Hridoy: "Wow…"
Nila: "That one might be out of your price range. It's the most expensive weapon here."
David: "Yes."
Hridoy: "Anil."
Anil: "Yes?"
Hridoy: "Pay for these."
Anil: "How much is it?"
David: "Ten thousand gold coins."
Anil: "Do you have an account at the Water City bank?"
David: "Yes, we had to open it for business.
Anil: "Alright, I'll transfer it to your account."
David: "Thank you. Come again."
We left the weapons shop.
Nila: "Have you been robbing people?"
Hridoy: "Why?"
Nila: "I thought ten thousand gold coins didn't mean anything to you."
Anil: "No, actually my grandpa used to take some from that treasure. That's how we've been getting by… But it's running out, which is why we're going back to get more."
Nila: "Alright, how did your friendship with this human even happen… And why do you call him 'Huzur'? Is he your master?"
Anil: "You ask so many questions. He once saved my life… That's why I call him Huzur… And since then we've been friends."
Nila: "A human saved a water-being's life. That's ridiculous."
Anil: "I was caught in a hunter's net and he set me free."
Nila: "He must be a very good-natured person… but his eyes are so frightening… What did you bring him here for? Do you not know how much danger we will invite?
Anil: "You'll see when the time comes… There's the blood of a great warrior in him… nothing will happen to him."
Nila: "Hmm, let's see what happens…"
Hridoy: "Where do we need to go from here?"
Nila: "You're going to the museum… that's quite far from here. We'll need to take a vehicle to get there."
Hridoy: "Then why are you waiting?"
Nila: "You know you'll have to pay the fare when you ride in a vehicle… and you can't pay that through the water bank."
Hridoy: "We need money… but we don't have any."
Nila: "I'll arrange it… but I'll take a little extra from the share."
Hridoy: "You're very calculating."
Nila: "Yes, when you're alone you have to be a bit calculating, otherwise you can't manage."
Hridoy: "Alright… fine, we'll pay… Let's go."
We took a vehicle and went to the old museum. On the way, five soldiers of the underworld attacked us… We killed them somehow and reached the museum.
It is a very old museum; its very aspect is intimidating, to say the least. Everywhere, one finds sculptures of mermaids and sky-nymphs.
Nila: "People call this place a realm of imagination, but everything here is real. The stories here are each about real kingdoms. But people think it's all fantasy… they turned everything into make-believe."
Anil: "Yes, I have heard about this place so many times… But I'm really glad to be here for the first time."
Anil: "Then we shouldn't delay… The full moon finishes tonight. We do the call of the moon and will have to wait.
Hridoy: "Aren't there any guards here?" Nila: "There are during the day, but none at night… Because strange things happen here at night." Hridoy: "All of the statues come to life, right?" Nila: "No…" Hridoy: "Then?" Nila: "You'll see for yourself tonight… It looks like the moon is covered. Will you open the door now?"