True Rising: Mark of the Defenders

by Tanishq Sheikh

  My shocked eyes follow their trail passing the edge of my trishul that is resting against a broad chest glowing with inscriptions I know well.

  Ajaz!

  The wild fury that had gripped me beats a rapid descent. I stare at him in absolute fascination. I can’t decipher my emotions anymore. Rage is still in the throes of a confused retreat, reality a million years away.

  My heated body calms down as he approaches me with that lazy gait which is all too familiar. He comes to a stop before me. His torso is bare except for his glowing tattoos, his hair flopping all over, his eyes more molten than the lava flowing beneath us and his lips dying to crush mine.

  “Prish, baby, why are you showing off?”

  My heart feels like it will burst into infinite pieces. He’s here! He’s really here and I don’t have to live out my destiny in this surreal state alone!

  “Yes, I’m here,” He confirms crushing me into the sweetest embrace possible. “And I’m never letting you go.”

  Our kiss is filled with sweet passion. Our love drowns us as we claim each other, rising through the realms encircled by sparkles that zap around expressing our elation.

  We roll together across realms, laughing, teasing, kissing before we come to a slow stop, floating in each other’s arms.

  Ajaz’s kiss knows no bounds but he manages to gradually release my lips to press kisses against my eyes, nose, cheeks, chin and neck.

  I can’t stop smiling as my palm cups his cheek. “I thought I lost you.”

  “You almost did.” He presses a kiss on my forehead. “Firion attacked me but he couldn’t finish the job. He was called away as soon as you left your body.”

  I put my arms around his neck to kiss his smiling lips. “You didn’t promise but you did the right thing.” I lay soft punches on his chest even as he chuckles. I hug him tight, aware I was never letting him go. “I was lost without you, Ajaz.”

  “You’re not lost anymore. Let’s go back home.”

  I frown showing my displeasure. “I have to get Partho.”

  Ajaz grips my shoulder to catch my attention. “Baby, you’ve been here too long. You need to get back now or you’ll be trapped forever.”

  My frayed brains reject his reasoning as I begin to struggle against him. “I won’t rest till I kill him!”

  Ajaz looks torn. His next decision can be his eternal burden to carry.

  I’m already floating away from me, the bond between us glowing as it stretches to accommodate the distance. I turn away only to have him take my hand in his. We look at each other sideways, sharing a smile. We’re in it together, forever.

  I have no idea where Partho has disappeared but instinct leads me on. We travel at an unbelievable speed when, to our surprise, we reach a very familiar place. Partho’s home or rather the impression of his home; a place where his power is strongest.

  It’s engulfed in an eerie silence. It looks deserted but I’m sure it’s not. I push open the door of his house with my foot. The dark corridor that stretches behind is endless. Ajaz and I look at each other with a cynical smile. Who needs torches when we can shed our own lights?

  We both dramatically ‘switch on’ at the same time. Ajaz glowing with his infinite inscriptions, me with my sparkle buddies. I’m thankfully almost normal in appearance in Ajaz’s company but I’m fierce and invincible.

  We tread down the corridor in silence, then comb room by room in search of Partho. I have a hunch he’s in the same blessed room where he had transferred the powers in me so we head there.

  A flickering light emits from the room that sits at the end of the latticed passage. We are slow and wary in our approach. I’m not sure it’s a good idea to enter the room but I need to end this with Partho. I take a step in and all of a sudden behind me the door disappears. I’m in the room and Ajaz out with no entry point.

  A slow, dark, smoky shadow forms in the room revealing Partho Sangram. A malicious smile accompanies his wicked look. He’s wearing a black dhoti, his torso is naked except for the rudraksh malas that adorn it, his forehead is marked with lines of black ash, while his hair and beard are in a disarray. Physically, he’s in a surprisingly good shape with gleaming muscles flexing in a show of strength.

  He watches me from under hooded eyes before beginning to mutter under his breath. My response is immediate. My body buckles making me sink onto my knees. My breath rises and catches in my throat even as my head falls back.

  ‘You are not as powerful as you think!’ I can hear him speak in my mind even as he continues his muttering. ‘This is my domain and you can’t defeat me here. You will finish what you are supposed to and then I’ll finish you forever in your mortal body!’

  ‘The child is born! She’s born without my powers!’ I try and push him out of my mind.

  He lets out a wild, triumphant laugh. ‘She hasn’t taken her first cry yet!’

  His words give rise to uncertainty in me. It’s not possible! Why hasn’t she cried yet? If I go back before she cries then I’ll lose this ultimate battle against Partho. My powers will get transferred in her and he will kill us all.

  Partho keeps muttering making me choke and gasp to breathe. My arms remain spread and locked by my side. I let out a wild cry clenching my fists. It’s futile, he’s somehow gaining an upper hand. I feel the beginnings of force pulling at me.

  He’s sending me back!

  Pain courses through my veins as I put up a relentless resistance. I search within for my powers that are hovering as if imprisoned. Break free! Break free!

  Ajaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaz! I roar for him to release me from Partho’s enchantment.

  As if on cue, the world explodes around me, disintegrating the room and flinging Partho away from me. My head snaps free bending over my body drawing in deep breaths. I look up to see Ajaz’s thunderous expression. Clenched fists, lips pulled back in a snarl, burning eyes, raging tattoos and a newer one in the shape of a crescent moon throbbing in the centre of his forehead.

  My man! I smirk pinning Partho with a challenging look. His hold over me has gone. He glares back at me muttering out a command.

  I do a back flip landing on my feet next to Ajaz just as innumerable beasts and Zorkas surround us. We stand back to back assuming defence positions. We don’t need to look at each other to decide a strategy. We already know each other’s every move.

  I begin to glow with inscriptions as does he and when I reach behind for my trishul, he reaches behind him to draw out a blazing sword. Impressive!

  Partho’s minions launch an attack on us sending us into attack mode. Ajaz’s moves are effortless as he loops his sword like a pro before tearing into the creatures that attack us. I do the same and soon we’re swinging, punching, tearing and crushing them. They screech, howl and yelp as they meet their doom drowning the realm with their helpless cries. But they don’t reduce in numbers.

  I have to kill him, I silently tell Ajaz who simply nods, striking down scores of howling beasts at one go.

  I turn to hunt out Partho. I spot him surrounded by his creations that swirl around him casting an impenetrable fence. I wield my trishul, slicing through the abominations at a fascinating pace.

  ‘They are never-ending, daughter, undefeatable,’ Partho enters my mind with his warning.

  I snarl at him, grunting as my trishul sweeps out hordes of creatures.

  Find your strength! Find it! Find it!

  ‘Prish!’ I hear Ajaz’s call.

  ‘Finish him, now! We have to go back! Listen! Listen!’

  I almost freeze, straining my ears even as I keep cutting through the fiends that attack me.

  Then I hear it, over and above the unearthly screeches and roars, a faint cry travelling across the realms.

  A baby’s first cry!

  ‘Noooo!’ Partho rages while I turn upon him with the wickedest, most triumphant smile that he would ever witness.

  My smile is wider than that of the Cheshire cat’s, my gleaming eyes streaked with black kohl while
in the centre of my forehead is the glow of a blazing trishul.

  Partho’s eyes widen in fear, shock and awe. It was he who had fashioned the trishul with sanctified water and a peacock feather quill. It was his art, his creation and it is doomed to be his destruction.

  A bright light surges through the trishul at my forehead striking directly at his heart. It sears him, tearing him apart with a gaping hole. He screams in terror and agony before falling to his knees as he melts from within.

  I watch him die without any regrets. I guess this was my destiny.

  “Let’s go.” Ajaz’s grip is strong against my wrist. The beats and creatures have disappeared in the wake of their creator’s demise.

  I once again hear the wail of a new-born. My baby!

  As if answering my call, a string begins to glow across the expanse of the emptiness we are floating in. I stare down in wonder as it reaches out to me and attaches itself to my bellybutton. I feel its invisible tug before Ajaz takes my hand in his and we follow the string back home.

  Thirty - two

  First born.

  The gasp of breath that I draw into my lungs is intense. It shakes me to my core, causing my body to spasm out of control. I hear cries before Ajaz is taking me in his arms, soothing my hair, kissing me, willing me to survive.

  Then I hear it again. The loud wail of my child. A sound that tugs my heart demanding attention. I will my eyes to look down between my legs. Rinaz is holding the wailing baby and then Ammi cuts the cord.

  Everything seems to be happening in slow motion. I grip onto Ajaz, my eyes wide with shock, my mouth open, my lips dry. My baby has survived! I have survived! Ajaz has survived! I share a wondrous look with him smiling in disbelief. We did it!

  Rinaz swathes the baby in a blanket and brings her to me. I stare at her in wonder, tears flowing down my cheeks. Ajaz sits at the edge of the bed enveloping both of us in his arms. He’s as speechless as I am.

  My fingers move the blanket so that we both can peer in. The most adorable, wrinkly, red face lets out an annoyed wail. “Oh!” I whisper at this miracle causing her to cease her agitation. “Hey, there.”

  To our amazement, the baby in my arms opens her eyes to take a lazy view of the world.

  I gasp. “Ajaz, look!” I whisper. “She’s got your eyes!”

  Ajaz grins wide like the proud father he should be. He hugs us both and I know he’s promising to never let us go.

  ~ ~ ~

  A week later, I sit with Ajaz in our favourite joint, the library. We are jotting down all that we can remember from our journey across the realms, especially mine. We feel it will help us, our children or our future generations someday.

  As for my baby’s birth, I’m told I was out for not more than a minute before coming back to life. The revelation shocks me. I had raged battles and destroyed realms. To me I was away for an eternity. But, thankfully, not.

  I further realise that although Ajaz had successfully stopped my heart and sent me out of my body I couldn’t make it back on my own unless I was guided back. I thought I had lost him and without him I was aimless.

  Ajaz found his own ability to jump out of his body and follow me. He knew he was the only one I’d pay heed to. Him and the baby.

  Partho’s fallen body had disintegrated into ashes and disappeared before we made it back to our realm. I see it as a sign that he was completely destroyed but I will never let my guard down.

  It’s one of those nagging feelings that tells you, this isn’t over.

  It motivates me to write the manuscript with accuracy. All the secrets that I somehow know are written down. All except the Apeksha.

  ~ ~ ~

  Ammi wants a naming ceremony for the baby. I’m not sure I’m ready to face people yet. Ajaz leaves it to me which isn’t helpful. I can’t refuse Ammi her wish. She stood by Ajaz and me during our toughest time. She held my baby in her arms as I battled dark forces.

  The baby is forty days old when people are invited for an afternoon naming ceremony. I wear the same dress I had worn for my wedding to Ajaz. It makes me feel pure. Ajaz wears a white pathani, drawing flirtatious glances from the women in attendance. He has eyes only for me and our baby.

  I sit on the couch with the baby in my arms and Ajaz next to me.

  Ammi approaches with a gentle tread. She leans forward to whisper the name in the baby’s ear.

  I smile. It’s a name that we as a family sat and decided upon.

  Amaal. It means hope.

  ~ The End ~

  About the author

  Tanishq fell in writing at an early age. An avid reader, she grew up reading Enid Blyton, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and later Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Chekov, C.S.Lewis and many more. Her favourite book to date is 'The Great Gatsby' by F.Scott Fitzgerald.

  She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature and also an Early Childhood Care and Education Diploma. She has over a decade of experience in the early years that has seen her provide curriculum design and teacher training to various schools and individuals across India.

  As a mother of two and the director of her own company she doesn't have much spare time but whenever she does, she is busy writing down her thoughts.

  Inspired by romance novels, in her younger days, she has written and published two books using a pseudonym.

  With the Defender series, she has ventured into a world of urban fantasy with the intention of entertaining imaginative minds.

  She aims to write and publish a series of children's books in the near future.

  Tanishq currently lives in Mumbai, India with her family.

  You can connect with her on www.facebook.com/tanishq.by.definition.