Mirik's POV-

We arrived at the house of the village chief around sunset. Few of the pedestrians gave us looks because of our unkempt appearances. I was trying to think what we will do now that we were outside his house. There were no guards outside his house maybe because he was the strongest man in the village.

"So what now? Do we go and knock on the door." I said sarcastically. Rama looked at me and then towards the house again.

"We don't need to do anything. He already knows we are here," he said his gaze still on the house. I also squinted my eyes and kept looking towards the house.

It was then that the door of the house opened and the man came out. He looked toward us with no emotion on his face. Rama started walking toward the village chief and he too started walking towards him. A big clash was inevitable.

"So you are finally out huh?" the chief said, sill walking at a steady pace.

"You don't look happy seeing me," Rama said as both of them were face to face. I readied myself for an epic fight but what happened was unthinkable.

"You look old, you pig." the chief said while hugging Rama.

"Are you sure you should be the one to say it?" Rama replied. Then suddenly both of them started laughing like young boys.

"I thought so, your grandson was enough to get you out." the chief said cheekily.

"yeah, you sent one in prison and two to hell. You are a crafty old man." Rama replied.

I was just shocked seeing the man who I hated from bottom of my heart be a friend of Rama. But what was more shocking was two old men acting like this. After this exchange, we all went inside his house where after such a long time I was finally able to eat good food.

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I came to find out that Rama and he were old friends. Rama was the one who asked the chief to be locked up in that prison. But fate had different things in mind. Uncle fell in love with the chief's daughter and now this friendship had turned into a relationship.

"So Mr. Chief, you were acting all this time," I asked suspiciously. If it was all an act then he was a damn good actor.

"What do you think? And call me Luma," he said while drinking from his cup.

He really was a crafty man. I still couldn't read him. He knew how to play with a person's mind. From my fight with Kiara to sending me to the prison was a part of his plan. He wanted to get Rama out of the prison at any cost. But why?

"So what are you planning? You wanted me to come ut just for those Garden bastards?" Rama asked him while filling up his glass with booze.

"They have started to move again," Luma said while taking a sip from his cup.

"Do you mean 'The Hermits'? Why now?" Rama said with a shocked expression.

"I don't know but they have started to come out. It will take some time before they are completely active but I had to take precautions." Luma replied.

Silence fell over the room. I didn't understand the conversation but I did feel the gravity of the situation. For Rama to be this concerned meant that something big was taking place.

"I have sent the kids to the city so that they can grow stronger. You should also start to get serious boy. Playing time is coming to an end." Luma said with a straight face.

"How have the things got to this position," Rama mumbled to himself

"That's why I got you out of the prison. You should go and seek your friends too." Luma proposed.

"Do you think they will even want to talk with a man who suddenly disappeared without saying any word?" Rama said while holding his head.

"I think you underestimate friendship. They can sure be angry with you but true friends will understand you and forgive you." Luma replied standing from his seat to open another bottle.

"Forgive yourself.....only then others will forgive you," Luma said while drinking straight from the bottle.

Nobody said a word for another minute or so when Rama abruptly stood up.

"Mirik we will be leaving tomorrow. We will leave as early as possible." Rama said while leaving the house.