Nightfall

The rain was pouring millions of litre water on to the earth, Nothing could stop this fierce storm. The country had arrived at an abrupt stop. Only military police were allowed to do duty and guard the country because this rain could not stop those worst Tonga kingdom. And this would be the best chance to seize their golden ring and kingdom. All militaries were on guard throughout the country but to the far east of the kingdom lies old Taiga forset.

The rain was in no mood to stop beneath a tree there lies a motionless human figure under the smooth and muddy ground. There came a rustling noise from the back of the body an old man stood with an axe in his hand and white beard but under a hooded cap though he looked perfect in his old day's it seems that discovering a human in this thick forest worried him!

It looked dazed and blur when I first woke up it was warm though inside a house.

A voice spoke," don't get up boy you are severely injured just lie down there".

Someone gave him the liquid drink and I fell senseless again.

Everything went fast forward and I was working in the woods chopping down a tree. At a distance pine trees there stood my daughter checking something and observing nature for the first time looking at the blue sky which was crystal blue with white snow.

She had never been out but it was the last day, I had seen her. At the same night, a black army with the hooded face invaded the northern region of our townlet. They killed all of the people living it was strange though nobody had attacked from this region.

The scream could be heard all way nobody was there for support. I had been dragged and caged into the cell.

The next morning I woke up with a shock and saw a bright sky day through the window, the first time in twenty days the sun had shown. It was just a real nightmare. An elegant looking woman was cooking something in kitchen the room was filled up with the warmth and cold breeze of wind. I have sat upon the largest bed because there were more two but smaller in size. There were rifles hung over the embankment. It took to know the time to realize that, I was in a military habitation which made no sense in the deep forest.

" You are right boy we had already cut out businesses with military personals," said and distant voice with a heavy tone as if, I was on the battlefield and was not quick enough to shoot at the enemy. The man was in the late 60s but he had beard, sacres and muscle that he would have not looked like an old man expect of his hairs.

I said," Then, why to live in the forest, I'm sure the military takes care of retired once?"I Said in undertone voice.

The old man said," So are you another dog of the military "he grinned at this. His attention got to the badge which was eagle-shaped and on which my name had written. " So, Varun Thakur you must be high ranking official, how did you come to forset?"

Ignoring my question he was asking me back the question.

" My village was attacked by the Tonga army and I had fled from the village narrowly ".I said in an authority. Before speaking anyone and after a long pause.

I said," Now, answer my question".

The old man said," That's not your business boy" In harsh voice.

"Get well soon and get out of my house," He said and left.

" Do not mind him, He just frustrated about the military business?" said a beautiful voice from the corner of the kitchen She looked tall bright green eyes, A never-ending charm on her face black hairs and simple dress.

Two days later the old man left the house for some reason, which surely he didn't want to tell anyone and He would be back in three days.

He also spoked loudly," Annabeth just shoot him with a rifle overhung there pointing at the wall if he tried to misbehave". And with that, he left.

We both were alone, I got more information out from Annabeth then the old man.

She had taken some cleaning today and I was able to stand and help. So she removed an old looking wardrobe. It took me to know second that this cupboard belongs grumpy looking old man. Checking and cleaning some photographs and papers one picture shoot me like a punch in my stomach.

A woman in the picture had a golden ring and it was same as in the centre which was being guarded.

Annabeth said, "she is my mother lost her when I was ten".

" Then what about the ring she is wearing," I said into a worried expression.

"This was a marriage ring which my father gave her", said she

My stomach gave a somersault the ring which was firing in sunlight on that women finger was a golden ring which was same as which was guarded in central.

" How could this be possible " I screamed inside my mind. I soon picked up everything, I had brought and soon stood up and was leaving the house.

Annabeth looked confused but there was no time for discussing this is it. I didn't go to the centre this country would be attacked by the Tongan kingdom.

I left at dusk the sky was clear and the moon was facing the earth. I know from the map I had to travel a long way. The cold breeze settled my scars quickly.

It was midnight and I still don't want to stop I was walking in the pathway a narrow one but not a steep heavy jungle lies to my both sides.

At a large tree, I sat down for some rest. Something moved behind the bushes and trees.

" Who is there?" Said I, No answer came.

Then in instant, a large dark figure rosed, He was in shadows.

He said, " Are you hurrying somewhere maybe central", there was the mischievous manner in his tone.

At the instant, I understood, Who he was.

" Old man you!, How could you be here," said I shocked nothing came in my mind than this.

The old man came into the light and said," I know you would come here and make sure you are not going anywhere otherwise, I 'll kill you" at this he pulled out a pistol.

" What do you want," I said though I had nothing to give.

" You should never report to the centre, What you saw in the cupboard," said the old man.

"How could you know about that?" Said my legs shaking this all was not suppose to happen.

" is not this obvious that you would certainly check the room When I was not supposed to be around," said Oldman with no grin.

This was getting worst, I didn't yet imagine this was true, I was backfired by an old man.

" Which means the ring is the real one, isn't it?" Siad I

"Yes, that's the real one," said Oldman

" The real ring is safe where it ought to be safe the ring in central is fake but a perfect copy", He loses the grip of his pistol intentionally.

The first thought that came was to fight the old man and continue to head central.

But my body was not moving an inch something was holding me back the question which was yet to be answered.

I sat down under the tree and beside me old man. I could not harm him because he only knows the truth.

" The central is cursed the ring which they guard or ring which real where never was of this country it came from ancient tonga kingdom, Which was there's lost treasure and when they saw their golden ring which was ancient of course they asked for it and was predicated the central refused to do so," said the old man.

He looked tired and sleepy now. "Means this all attack and battles were fought for just ring". Said I, looking bewildered.

" No it's not because of its price but it's a magical one, The one who posses the ring had to say some chants before using the power. The man from tonga came here and learned about all this and soon took off to find the script which had chanting on it. The man got the ancient script but was failed to retrieve the ring. In mid eighty's tonga needed ring because there was a famine in the whole country", said the old man.

" Which means somebody stoled from the centre and placed a fake one and left the country," said I

" Yes, Only some people could know the difference between real and fake but the man who stole the ring was neither Tongan nor of this country. But whoever stoled that didn't know anything about its magical power and it passed on the generation's the military came to know about the duplicate ring but they never gave a second thought. And the same man found the ring beside a river after twenty-five years of a struggle though that man would never use it."

" Why didn't that man went back to the Tongan kingdom?" said with a curious look.

" Because since ninety-eight's perspective had been changed, since the first lookout. Now the Tongan king wanted it for revenge, So the man who had both didn't bother to go back and started living in hiding," said the old man.

"But who the man was and How to do you know about that man so much?" Said I temper rising now.

" It was me who did this all stupid things," Said the old man.

" Why did you bother to tell me all this?" Said I

" Because I loved someone bearing your surname Thakur and my full name is Robert Thakur at this he removed a photo from his pocket," said Robert.

I was shocked tears fell into my eyes the photo consisted of two parents holding a sweet child and believe or not it was my childhood photograph and the man beside me was my old father though hard to recognize.

From my childhood, I thought my father was dead but now he is right beside me.

We both left two hours earlier the sky was still dark but it didn't matter now.