Dwandv:: The Battle for the Gate

by Dinkar Goswami

  When Tony reached her, Gerua was mumbling incoherently to herself. Her heart was devastated and her mind racked with thoughts of treachery and failure. She had failed to follow her instincts about KK’s sinister intent despite numerous premonitions. She felt Tony holding her shoulders, standing behind her. An unfamiliar feeling of rage filled her heart. If Tony had acted when she had asked for help, Kally would be with her. She abruptly stood upright, turning around. Tony reached out to hold her but she withdrew. “Why didn’t you come to help me save Kally? We could have pulled her up and saved her. She begged me that she didn’t want to die...but I…I failed her. I tried to save her...but...KK...Keshi...”

  “Gerua, what happened...and who is Keshi?” Tony was utterly confused. “I wanted to help, but I was stuck to the piton. You would have gone over too if I had somehow moved. I couldn’t see what was happening. I thought KK would be able to help you and Kally...” At the sound of KK’s name, Gerua launched herself at Tony.

  “Stop about KK! You got us into this!” she screamed, punching Tony on his cheek and then pounding him on his chest. “You must have known what KK was up to! You are his friend! You are as responsible as he is for what happened to Kally! I hate you! I wish I had never met you!”

  “Stop, Gerua, don’t shout... You’ll cause an avalanche. Please calm down and get a hold of yourself,” Tony pleaded, holding her shoulders.

  Gerua was too traumatized to understand him. “You’re a liar! You used me! Get away from me! I never want to see you again! Ever!” Gerua screamed as loudly as she could. She was not able to hear what Tony was saying. The trauma and the anguish had shut her ears. Tony tried to hold her, but she pushed him away in an attempt to get away from him, forgetting she was on a dangerous mountain. Gerua lurched backward, losing her footing, and fell on the slope. Tony lunged to grab her, his hands flailing in the thin air. Gerua was beyond his reach, tumbling over and over down the slope, in total silence. She lost total control as she plummeted faster and faster, the sound of her crashing against the snow and the rocks over and over again, reverberated through the air, devastating Tony’s mind. Everything blurred as she finally heard Tony’s fading but hoarse voice, “Geruaaa! Oh my god!?” as he chased after her helplessly.

  Gerua’s body hit a boulder on a slope, and she was sent flying into the air, her arms thrashing, legs and body spinning, as she began to fall. She was still conscious when she hit the rock, but the impact had knocked her cold. Gerua’s unconscious, limp body flew high and landed behind the rock with a force that broke the icy surface. She fell into a crevice no one knew existed. The crevice opened to receive Gerua and then closed. The mountain had swallowed her.

  She fell headfirst into the cave below and entered the cold water of an underground lake that shocked her brain back into semi-consciousness. She felt something huge coil around her body, stopping her from fully submerging into the water. It pulled her head out of the water. Gerua could hazily make out a huge snakelike creatures tail wrapped around her. It held her up in the air as it examined her with its round eyes and its huge head, its tongue flickering rapidly. Gerua was beyond caring and totally limp. She would have surely drowned and died, were it not for the creature holding her.

  Tony scrambled on the mountain where Gerua had tumbled. He had done everything he could, but all of it had gone terribly wrong. He saw her hit the rock and saw her fly through the air and then drop behind the rock. It took Tony some time before he reached the rock Gerua had hit. He had to stop to regain his breath.

  He hoped that the rock had somehow managed to stop Gerua from falling farther, and he was praying that she was still alive. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing her.

  Tony’s only priority was to find Gerua alive. He reached the stone she had crashed onto and looked beyond and around it. He could see nothing. There was no trace of her. No telltale signs on the snow and ice. Gerua had vanished!!! He looked around, and he could see only rocks, snow, and ice. The majestic mountains seemed to look down on him. Everyone was gone—Gerua, Kally, and KK. What had happened? His world had just fallen apart. He did not know what to do. He collapsed next to the rock, alone and frightened. He wanted to continue, but mental trauma, hopelessness, and exhaustion set in. He sat there dazed. It was dusk when Tony got up with a gargantuan effort and started down the mountain aimlessly. He was found a day later by an Indian army unit on patrol, frostbitten and in shock.

  Light was emanating from somewhere in the cave in which Gerua had fallen. She could vaguely see the huge underground cavern, which seemed to house a number of serpentine creatures. She remembered opening her eyes intermittently, and through the haze of unconsciousness that was trying to engulf her, she saw the serpentine creature that held her change into a huge majestic half-snake, half-man. It had the body of a snake and the torso, head, and arms of a man. He unwrapped its coils, cradled her in his arms, and swam, slithering to the edge of the lake. She could not differentiate hallucinations from reality. She hazily saw the large man-snake take out a bright blue stone, which he wore around his neck in an ornamental necklace, and place it on Gerua’s forehead. She lost consciousness immediately.

  She briefly gained consciousness the following day, hurting all over. Groaning, she found herself cradled in the coiled body of the man-snake that had saved her. The events of the previous day flooded her mind, causing more anguish. She groaned again, and tears flooded her eyes. Vaguely, she saw the man-snake place the blue stone on her head again. She felt anesthetized, her anguish disappearing.

  In a dreamlike state, Gerua saw the man-snake hand her over to a huge humanoid whose body was covered with fine golden fur. The humanoid was over seven feet tall, exceptionally well-built, his muscles rippling under his golden hair. He had a gentle rose pink face resembling a monkey with a slightly protruding mouth, thin well-defined lips, a small upturned but flattish nose and deep-set eyes. He wore neat white, pleated shorts called a dhoti hugging his muscular legs till his knees. After examining Gerua, the humanoid handed Gerua back to the man-snake. He lifted an egg-shaped opaque cocoon, capable of holding an adult human, with his tail. The man-snake gently put Gerua into the cocoon in a fetal position, and she disappeared in it as it closed. The cocoon itself then turned invisible.

  The humanoid appeared to converse with the man-snake briefly, without actually speaking, and thanked the man-snake with a respectful bow and namaste. Turning around, the humanoid ran through the cave into a natural underground upslope tunnel at an astonishing speed, carrying Gerua in the warm cocoon tethered on his back with his long muscular tail. The humanoid exited onto the upper mountain after some time. He scaled the mountain and carried her to heights where nothing lived. Inside the invisible cocoon, Gerua slipped into unconsciousness again.

  CHAPTER 10

  ASHRAM

  Gerua woke up in a simple white room that had no doors or windows. She was lying on a mattress covered with a simple white sheet. A man with a shaven head, dressed in a loose white shirt with a round collar and loose white pants, sat on a short stool beside her in a lotus position. His eyes were closed, and the backs of his wrists lightly rested on his knees. His fingers were extended forward, except for his forefinger, which lightly touched the tip of his thumbs. He had a compassionate and lively face, and he was meditating. Gerua whispered, “Kally...is she...?”

  The man opened his eyes speaking in a calm, comforting voice. “You are injured. You have been through a lot. You need to rest and heal.” He picked a bowl. Raising her head, he touched the bowl to her mouth. “Please sip slowly.”

  Gerua took a few sips, and something unfamiliar coursed through her. Something that flowed as a liquid through her throat, as fumes through her lungs and then again as a liquid through her esophagus into her stomach and digestive system. Her green eyes met his, her focus enhanced, as whatever he gave her invigorated her. “Where am I? Did anyone find Kally?” Gerua asked, her focus improving. She tried to move but could not. “Why can’t I move?”

&n
bsp; “You are in our abode, an ashram at one of the highest peaks of the Himalayas. The leader of the snake people who are known as naga saved you from drowning. His name is Vir. A vanara, the humanoid with the golden fur, brought you to us in a climate-controlled cocoon. The naga and the vanara are the keepers of virtue. You can thank them both later if you desire. They could not find your friend Kally. You have been sleeping for two days. We have immobilized you to help you recover,” the man informed her in a soothing factual manner.

  “I have to find Kally!” Gerua tried to get up again but couldn’t. She ached all over. She remembered seeing the man-snake and the vanara in the underground cavern. Kally’s words that KK was the devil filled her mind with confusion. The image of Kally being swallowed by Keshi, the demon horse, swirled in her head, evoking fear.

  “Please help me find Kally. She might still be alive,” she pleaded, her focus surging. “I saw KK pull her down into the huge mouth of a demonic horse. It tried to take me too. It looked like Keshi. Was it real?”

  “Reality has many manifestations. Your friend Kally was lost to the mountain you were scaling. You must rest for now. You are injured and anxious. Once you recover, you can think of finding your friend. We ask that you let us help you heal. The mountain saved you for a reason. You have a miracle growing within you,” he said with purpose.

  Why was this man who was pretending to help her talking in riddles? “I have lost everything. The mountain did not take Kally. KK and Keshi did. I couldn’t save her. The man I loved deceived me. I have nothing left, let alone a miracle.” Gerua’s eyes filled with tears.

  “Child, the miracle grows in your womb. Nothing happens without a reason. Ask yourself if your friend would want you to blame yourself. Your friend played a vital role in nourishing your relationship with the father of your child to be. The father of the child is responsible for saving your life. Would you deny them this by blame and self-pity? No one you love blames you or has deceived you. What you believe happened on the ledge is not what actually happened there. Your pain is obscuring reality, and your mind has tricked you. In time, you will understand the truth. For now, you must focus on your mental, emotional, and physical health. Your health is of paramount importance.”

  “Are you saying I’m pregnant with Tony’s child?” asked Gerua, trying to think straight. It was just four, or was it five days ago! She did not even want to think about that afternoon with Tony. “How do you know what happened on the ledge?”

  “Yes, you are with a child, and Tony is his father. We know what happened. The mountain and the creatures dwelling there, including the ones that brought you here, communicate with us. Now please focus on your recovery. Your body needs to heal, as do your heart and mind. We can help you heal if you allow us.” He got up and touched her neck below her ear, making her drowsier. He left the room, seemingly going through the wall. Pregnant... with Tony’s child... Gerua tried to absorb what the man had said, but it was too much. She was weak. She closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

  When she woke up again, Gerua tried to sit up. She was successful this time. She felt pain in her ribs and her legs, and her head hurt. Even breathing was painful. She saw her ankle was swollen, and she was bruised all over. She looked around; she was alone in a room that had no openings. This man who had told her that she was pregnant appeared again. She saw that he came through the same place in the wall. He did not walk through the wall but seemed to glide through it.

  “It is good to see you sitting.” He smiled pleasantly. Even though her instincts told her that she was safe, Gerua was weary.

  “Why are there no windows or doors in this room?”

  He smiled at Gerua. He looked at the wall, waved his hand, and sunlight flooded the room through the bay windows. She could see the snow-covered neighboring peaks. She was obviously on the roof of the mountain range. Is there magic here? she wondered. After what she had been through, anything was possible.

  “There are windows and doors. This is not magic. It is just how our ashram is made. We are yogis, and this ashram is our home. The air outside is very thin. It is difficult to breathe out there. The ashram controls its environment. When you get better, you will be able to see for yourself,” he said in a very matter-of-fact tone.

  Gerua stared out of the window. Why didn’t I listen to my instincts? Tears fell on Gerua’s cheeks. Pain flooded her heart again as she recalled the events on the ledge. I should have saved Kally.

  Why such treachery? I have to f ind out. I have to set things right.

  She heard the calming voice. “Loss is a part of life, and you must not let it overwhelm you. Let go of your hatred and guilt. Your heart has no room for these feelings. Pain with blame is eroding. Love is durable and liberating.

  “You did listen to your higher instincts and surrendered to a higher calling. Please try and focus on your unborn child. You have a duty to nourish the child growing inside you, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. You have to look after yourself. We can help you attain the knowledge and skills you came seeking. With these skills, you will be able to see and face reality without pain, aversion, or guilt. You came looking for yog. Yog has found you. We are all yogis, and we will all impart our knowledge on to you. Please accept our gift and stay with us at least until your child is born.”

  A remarkably elegant middle-aged woman with well-defined features appeared. She wore an elegant white wrap that extended from her waist to her ankles like a frilled skirt. She also wore a bikini-style blouse. She had reddish-brown hair tied in a neat bun and a very kind and pleasant face. “This is Master Tara. She has been looking after you while you have been resting. She will help you heal quickly and discover your strength,” said the man as he prepared to leave.

  “What may I call you?” Gerua asked weakly but politely. There was a hint of anticipation in her eyes.

  He smiled. “I am Master Shalya.”

  Master Shalya’s words resonated in Gerua’s mind. It was true she had come looking for yoga, yog as Master Shalya called it. Had she really found it? The man-snake, the vanara had all been real. She wondered if she was really in the abode of the great yoga masters. Whoever Master Shalya was, he was right. She wanted to forgive Tony, but she could not let go of the pain of losing Kally. She still couldn’t understand why Tony hadn’t helped save her. She still felt so helpless. She knew she had to find a way to get rid of the guilt. I am going to have a child, Tony’s child... she thought, placing her palm on her belly. She had to fill her heart with love. Perhaps Master Shalya and Master Tara could really help her.

  She tried to stand, but pain shot through her ankle upward. Master Tara helped her lie down. She adjusted her ankle, applying pressure on specific points on her body, relieving her discomfort and easing her breathing. Master Tara then massaged Gerua’s aching body with herbal balms and oils. Gerua fell asleep again.

  They took very good care of her. Master Tara was a kind and quiet healer. Gerua learned she was hundreds of years old. She glided in and out of her room and attended to Gerua’s every need. She cleaned her, fed her, and nursed her back to health. Gerua tried to converse with Master Tara, but the yogini just smiled. Gerua was recovering miraculously fast and healing at an exceptional rate. After two days of Master Tara’s care, Gerua could move on her own. She was soon able to walk and breathe without pain as well, even though her ribs were sore. No one immobilized her or restricted her movement anymore. Gerua was keen to speak to Master Shalya.

  It was early morning when Gerua got up. She went to the same place in the wall where she had watched Master Shalya and Master Tara enter the room. There was a mat on the floor marking the place. She stepped on to the mat, and it went through the wall taking her along, out of her room into a courtyard. She was absolutely stunned by what she saw.

  There were nine yogis in the ashram including Masters Shalya and Tara. They looked to be roughly the same age, young, and agile. Some were in yogic locks called Bandha, frozen in time while medit
ating, while others were practicing what seemed like dance forms or alien martial arts with mudras. Some were practicing yogic forms called Kriya, which she did not recognize and others breath controling techniques.

  What astonished Gerua was not their activities, which she had heard about, but the place and surroundings as well. The masters were practicing on a floor made of ether, a swirling mass of pure energy, which emitted a bluish-orange hue. Gerua was amazed that there was no visible solid floor; however, where she stood was rock bordering the ashram walls. The huge ashram appeared to be carved into the perpetually snow-covered part of the mountain. The rectangular ashram, as large as a small citadel, was divided into two equal squares, the inner and the peripheral ashram, with a bridge in between from one square to the other, under which a gentle stream flowed from one side of the ashram wall to the other. The stream had ether on one side, which she would learn was the inner ashram, and grass on the other square, the peripheral ashram. Small water creatures would appear in the stream, some staying there and some disappearing into the mountain on the other side. The stream dividing both the squares was bordered with a pathway made of natural mountain rock that extended along the walls all around the inner ashram within which the floor made of the swirling ether flowed. A similar border was around the square of the peripheral ashram.

  The walls were made of pure white stone. The stone was polished to give it a translucent appearance on the outside. There were intricately carved lifelike sculptures inside the stone. The stone directed the light it emitted inward onto the sculptures of the eight immortals that Gerua recognized, four each on the length of the sidewalls. The light reflecting from the sculptures of the eight immortals depicted their aura that, in turn, illuminated the whole inner ashram. There was no temple or any sacred space of worship in the ashram, but the effect of the sculptures was so powerful that Gerua could almost sense their power. She would learn later that the stone that gave the impression of a seamless wall actually had concealed doorways on either side of the sculptures of the immortals to the dwelling units of the yogis behind the wall. The ashram extended well beyond the apparent walls of the two squares, as Gerua would discover later.