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Chapter 2 – An Ordeal in Faith

4 September 2022

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The Slaves of Magic
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Parth, a demoniac aks (magical gait), is in awe of Aastha, a black magician’s pride. He had everything — name, fame, riches, all that he needed, except the one. What was the one he needed the most? Nobody knew except a few. They formed his core group of confidants. Aastha loved Parth. He deceived her into a plan, a Game of Magic (the most inhuman game ever played with a human). She couldn’t figure out anything when, at her last thought, the world slipped beneath her feet. His magical world housed her for a long time, leaving her with many questions unanswered. Cribbed, cabined, and confined, Aastha awaits her release from the magical world. She has traveled beyond time and space to lead her life with the anti-social elements of the Universe. Who are these anti-social elements? What do they want from her? Will she be able to return to her world? Was she an ordinary mortal or the last incarnation of Godhead?
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Chapter 1 – I want her heart

4 September 2022
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"Riding a white horse armed with all the mightiest weapons of the universe, he will descend on time. Kalki, the last incarnation of Vishnu, is yet to descend on earth.’ Parth reads the excerpt with pr

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Chapter 2 – An Ordeal in Faith

4 September 2022
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Aastha crosses Parth. She waves at Dev, an old friend of hers. “Hey. What are you doing here?” She shouted. “Phew! What an escape!” Parth hurried to his destination. “It looks like some meeting,”

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Chapter 3 – Olden Days

4 September 2022
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On a dense morning on Friday, 13th of September 2012, Aastha shares her happiness with her mother, Rita, who often held ‘untying knots of everyday life is better than an idle one’. Rita hailed from

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Chapter 4 – The Plan

4 September 2022
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“I feel something heavy is overpowering me. I cannot fight against it.” “Whoa! I cannot sleep.” “I need to sleep. Let me take sleeping pills.” After an hour-long battle, Aastha goes off to sleep.

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Chapter 5 – Black Magic

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Chapter 5 – Black Magic A month passed by. In December, the country faced the shocking incident of the decade. That night, nobody slept. Everyone glued themselves to the news. The 2012 Delhi gang

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Chapter 6 – Reminiscences

4 September 2022
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“I am hungry. Let’s cook some pasta,” thought Aastha before cooking her favorite meal. “I want to try something interesting. Reading a novel might help me with my creative appetite,” she ponders.

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Chapter 7 – A break from the past

4 September 2022
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Turning the wheel of time, Aastha recollects her times. Despite being the topper of the college scoring in first class, she failed to get a campus placement. She visited an astrologer who predicted

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Chapter 8- Days of Despair

4 September 2022
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"Change is the only constant," once a Greek philosopher, Heraclitus said. That change is now visible to me also, thought Aastha. Who knew that this was short-lived? The Change. Who knew that my hap

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Chapter 9 – Lease of Life

4 September 2022
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"Clouds of dreams ought to bring rains of reality." However, she was far from realism. A depressed Aastha visited the Aim Law Institute for a job. She looked at the posters of toppers of judicial

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Chapter 10 – Irretrievable breakdown

4 September 2022
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A year later, on 13th July 2014, Aastha’s happiness knew no bounds. She was thrilled as she would not be alone in the City of Dreams. Her sister would join her in her endeavours. Harlyn was coming t

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Chapter 11 – No time for romance

4 September 2022
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Kolkata, 2015 "Hey Sis, your results are going to be out. Aren’t you excited?" said an excited Harlyn. "Yes. I have prayed before Shri Krishna and kept my fingers crossed. Let's hope for the best.

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Chapter 12- Taste of Success

4 September 2022
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There are only two ways of getting on in the world - by one’s industry or by the stupidity of others (Jean de la Bruyere). Our exams prove the same. Once again, Aastha appears for the Delhi prelimin

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Chapter 13 – The Last Thought

4 September 2022
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“The moment one dreams is the moment one lives…” “And I have reached my city of dreams. Here it is. Delhi. Let me take a cab to Sir’s home,” Aastha thought. It was noon, and she had to reach the i

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Chapter 14 – The Game of Magic

4 September 2022
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“Come, let us begin with our game”, Kishan said. “Which game” questioned Dick, his son, and Aastha's younger brother. “Our game of chess. Why what did you think?” Kishan laughed. “Our plan is worki

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Chapter 15 – Deception

4 September 2022
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"Conspiracy cannot be hatched unescorted".... and we are conspirators! "We are cheating on her" laughed the family members. "We have cheated her through our deception. This world so created by us

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Chapter 16 – His World

4 September 2022
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“There is no better haven than one's self”, thought Xavier, while waiting for Aastha. “They have come. Let us meet them”, said Catherine. “How was your stay in Ahmednagar?” asked Catherine. “I wa

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Chapter 17 – Revelations

4 September 2022
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"A ray of light is enough to sustain any form of darkness". Even I am in search of one to lead me to a better understanding of things. "Who could have conspired to lead me into a different world altog

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Chapter 18 – Bewitched!

4 September 2022
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"I am angry. What do they do?" Harry laughed. "They don't know anything." "Don't worry. They have just come out of their shells, let them breathe peacefully. Don't force yourself on them," said Seb

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Chapter 19 – The Unwanted “Guests”

4 September 2022
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The guests arrive at Aastha's place. She gives a cold welcome to them.  "Oh! They have come," she thought, hiding behind a book. "Hello, Bela. How are you doing? And where is the doll? I want to m

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Chapter 20 – Losing Faith

4 September 2022
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Forgetfulness took most of her when she called him up. Aastha had forgotten who he was. He never wanted her presence in his life. But she yearned for those moments that they shared. She had her numb

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Chapter 21 – Undying Love

4 September 2022
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"There is nobody around. I was hallucinating", cried Aastha. It is the side effect of the medicines that I am compelled to take. She took a glass of water and drank it after keeping the knife down

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Chapter 22 - Allegiance

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"We are shifting to Flat 5D. Everything is finalized. They are coming with the papers". From there, we will shift to Ahmednagar. Dick and Xavier are already there. Bela continued - "Flat 5C is now a

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Chapter 23 – The One

4 September 2022
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"The charm of death lies much beyond the life of one...." She is both – life and death for us! We began the game with "The One". It was the name of our game. The game on which our lives are based.

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Chapter 24- His Manipulations

4 September 2022
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1st January 2021 - He was standing tall with Alan. Denver could be seen from a faraway distance. Two most renowned gaits of Alan's gang. They were all waiting outside the Airport of Ahmednagar to rece

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Chapter 25 - Her Heart

4 September 2022
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"Why did you allow her to take part in the competition, Sir?" Parth looked at Harry in an exasperated tone. "You are the closest to me, out of all the people I know. Today I will tell you a secret.

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Chapter 26 - Our death

4 October 2022
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“Can you imagine your life without her?” queried Harry “I would answer your question properly once I come to know whom are you talking about,” laughed Dick “You know whom I am talking about. Our d

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