Nine: Vengeance of the Warrior by Shobha Nihalani Read Free Book Online

psychiatry and received a licence to practise. She had a flourishing private practice, fearlessly facing demons of a different kind. They had learned to live with their powers. In this technology- and media-savvy age, it was not exactly an advantage to have super abilities, especially with twenty-four-hour news cycles. It put the Nine in a more vulnerable position. Computer technology, smart gadgets and hi-tech surveillance systems could disrupt the very fabric of the Nine with just one capture on video. And if proof of the super powers went viral on the Internet, that would be the end of ‘the unknown’.
    Raakin left his office and glanced at Jake. He shook his head—no news. Raakin needed to talk to one of the protectors. If there was a storm brewing on the horizon, he needed to build a plan. He stopped by a banyan tree.
    From the corner of his eye, Raakin noticed a group of red-robed monks approaching. They used this route routinely. They walked briskly, the pedestrians and passers-by hardly noticed them. Religious groups were part of daily life in a big city. One of the monks joined Raakin.
    ‘I understand that we are expecting some disturbance?’ Raakin said, walking slowly. ‘Why can’t the Council destroy the spirit?’
    The monk smiled. ‘The spirit cannot be destroyed. You know that.’ He smiled beatifically as if the world were such a perfect place.

    ‘There has to be a way to put an end to this recurrence.’
    ‘You are worried. After all these years with the Nine, you still feel you have control over their destinies?’
    ‘I can hope, can I not?’
    ‘Remember the last time the spirit rose? The councillors found the Three who would succeed the previous ones. They were successful. The destruction of the Kalingan enabled the Three to earn the respect of the Council and the councillors.’
    ‘Yes, but the time may come again. This time we can access the powers of the Nine to destroy the spirit.’
    The monk and Raakin strolled side by side, as if they were guru and follower, having a chat. ‘In essence, after their experience with the warrior spirit, Tara, Akash and Zubin acquired the courage and discipline to realize the truth. They are the perfect specimens of this era—capable of facing up to the evils of this generation. Even though the Kalingan power had dissipated and the physical body had been destroyed, the spirit still lurks in the Angkor temples; a centuries-old warrior’s rage is not easy to obliterate, it can erupt again. We should have placed a stronger protective layer in that temple.’
    ‘You can still do that. The premonition means that we can still salvage the situation. We can still stop the Kalingan spirit from rising again.’
    The monk agreed. ‘However, the creativity of the human spirit knows no bounds. It feeds on its whirlpool of emotions and manifests into reality. This spirit had no intention of giving up. Unfulfilled desires in limbo. The power of the mind is immense—if only people would realize their own capacity.’
    ‘So all we do is wait and watch, and let the spirit take over? I would like to be prepared this time around.’
    The monk nodded. ‘We cannot stop what is meant to be. We will be in touch. The Three will have to face the Kalingan again. Remember, the spirit recognizes them.’ He walked away.
    Raakin watched the gliding birds. He was no enlightened teacher. But he knew what the monk meant. There was so much turbulence in the world today that the power of unfulfilled desire fuelled by anger and revenge was strong enough for the Kalingan to rise again.
    The Senior Six
    The holographic images of six of the Nine merged together. ‘From now until we inform you, you are bonded as one. You will be superior in consciousness and intellect. You will be stronger together rather than apart. You will assist the Three when the time comes,’ the councillor said. ‘I have received reports of an impending time of strife, where the power of the Nine will be tested