Circle of Time: An urban fantasy (The Kazi Chronicles Book 1)

by Riverr Ravenswood

  After another few beats of silence, they start shaking their heads.

  “Holy shit! He is The Paramaiah. The one and only? Oh fucking hell in all the worlds that God ever created,” the other girl says. Then she stops. She looks at Ada with wide eyes, “Oh fuck. He created the fucking hell in all the worlds?”

  Ada is not even trying to hide her laughter. She nods.

  “This is so badass. A real God. Oh my God oh my God oh my God,” the other girl starts fanning her hands around her face stomping on the ground.

  Parama pinches the bridge of his nose and shakes his head. “It was better when she was scared of me.”

  “No way, Baba. This? Her fangirling over you is way better, any day,” Ada says with a lilting laughter.

  The other girl is still chanting oh-my-god.

  “Now,” Parama says, “let’s get to important things.”

  “Important!” all of them shriek. Excluding The Four, Ada, and another man. He is looking at Parama with the most affectionate expression I have ever seen on anybody’s face.

  “You being Paramaiah, a real God is The Most Important Thing,” the big guy, one of the guys says.

  “Hey! We are real Gods,” Wana butts in.

  “Meh,” the girl says dismissing him. “He is Paramaiah. And He trained us.” Then she stops dead in her tracks like she is getting an epiphany. “He. Trained. Us. OhmyGodohmyGodohmyGod.”

  “Calm down. For now we need to wait for whatever it is to come. The Land wants us to witness it. Vyhdir has just healed. He doesn’t need the madness that is us, yet.” Ada says, but she is still laughing.

  “Since when did you know?” the other girl erupts.

  “I need to know everyone’s names,” I grumble. It makes The Four cackle with mirth.

  “Oh I am so sorry,” Ada apologises. “Guys, stop it. Come. He needs to know what your names are. Else he is going to keep calling you the girl, the blond one, the big one, etc.”

  How does she know that’s what I was doing.

  As if I said it out loud, she looks at me and shrugs, again. “Common sense.”

  The six men and the other girl come forward and introduce themselves.

  Lexie, Enzo, Ash, Ryan, Vince, Ian, Cael.

  Beautiful names.

  “Who is the Protector?” I ask them.

  Cael speaks, “it would be me. Ada is my baby girl.”

  I don’t know how or why, but something tells me that he is going to be super important in times to come. Someone around who we will revolve. I find myself already respecting him, for no rhyme or reason. Imagine that.

  “How do you know Parama?” I ask him.

  “Cael is my son,” Parama says. I am surprised to hear this. Parama is not someone who would label anything. If he calls Cael his son, then Cael is his son in all ways that matter. Maybe that explains the feeling I got. “And Ada is my granddaughter. Nothing else matters. Now, let’s figure out how you ended up here, and what more is about to come.”

  Rage starts unfurling in me at the mere mention of what had happened.

  “Betin betrayed me. But,” I take a deep breath, and look at Parama, “how did he get so powerful to overpower me?”

  Right then, outside of our invisible shield, there is a sand tornado. Ada gasps and takes a step forward. Vala puts his hand on her shoulder to stop her, only to be growled at by Cael.

  “Hands off my daughter,” Cael whisper-barks.

  But Ada has gone stone stiff.

  “Fuck. Guys, be quiet. Please,” she whispers. Her hand goes to her chest and rubs it. Like she is trying to soothe an ache.

  Something in her tone warns everyone. We look out to who is arriving.

  The next instance, my blood boils. Betin walks out of the tornado. I don’t even realise I have taken a step forward, when Ada places a hand on my chest, still looking out, and whispers, “he is not alone. Stay put.”

  I am raging that someone could tell me to stay put. As I open my mouth to say something, Aida curses. Aida. Curses.

  I look out and find Brahakta stepping out from the tornado, with someone bound. Brahakta came to rescue me? Happiness is about to burst inside me that my family went to great lengths to get to me. But Cael and Parama inhale sharply. Murmurs break out within the tiny group around me. The Four, Parama, everyone.

  “Where is Deer?” Brahakta asks Betin, face contorting with fury.

  “I think we should tell them we are here. Brahakta will worry,” I whisper to Ada, and am about to again take a step forward when she rounds up on me.

  I stumble back at the fury in her eyes. “You. Stay. Put. We are hiding for a goddamn reason. Those two out there are not your friends. None of your friends. Everyone, stay the fuck here and shut the fuck up!”

  With that she whirls back to face the front, and looks on intently. Eyes and face burning with rage so hot, I think at this moment she’d be capable of burning everyone who came in her path.

  I share a look with Parama and he shakes his head. His silent warning don’t piss her off and listen to her.

  “I don’t know. I had left him here!” Betin screeches, looking around like a mad man. “How could he escape? None of the censors triggered. Except for this one,” he says pointing to the bound man.

  The bound man is wrapped with barbed wire. He is bleeding from the various wounds on his body. Cael steps forward, fists clenched tight.

  “Dad, who is he?” Ada whispers.

  “Borys,” he grits out.

  Ada frowns and looks out more intently. “No. Something isn’t right,” she says.

  “What isn’t right? He slaughtered our family. He has to pay,” Cael grits out.

  “Dad, please trust me. Something isn’t right. Just, please, hang on for some time,” she beseeches him.

  How does she know?

  I look at Parama who is looking intently at Ada, with laser sharp focus.

  “You useless fool!” Brahakta screams, and the land seems to shudder. “He clearly got out somehow. Or he is hiding here somewhere. Lo-”

  He is cut short by the bound man’s, Borys’, laugh. Borys laughs but his face contorts in pain. Brahakta steps forward and kicks him, hard. Have to hand it to him. He received a kick from Brahakta and didn’t fall. He stumbled, but didn’t fall.

  “You find this funny, sweet child of mine?” Brahakta asks him.

  Borys shakes his head. And he looks at Brahakta with open venom. “It is called Karma, you asshole. He didn’t escape. He was rescued. Kazi got to him before you did. And she will avenge every death you have enacted in her name.”

  Chapter 56

  Ada

  I stumble back and Enzo wraps his arm around my shoulders. Everyone looks on bewildered. What does he mean?

  “They will never find out. No body will ever find out,” Brahakta smirks. And his smirk sets my blood boiling.

  He is the God who had unleashed the celestial weapon on Ida-Samara’s animals.

  Asshole!

  “Like I didn’t find out?” Borys asks.

  “You were a fool to go digging where you shouldn’t have!” Brahakta screeches and punches his face. “Anyway, we need to find Deer. His escaping is not the option!”

  Betin steps forward raising his hands in the air, “what are we supposed to do then? He is not here! And why is his escaping not an option? Everyone knows that I kidnapped him. You are still safe.”

  Brahakata turns to him and glares at him, “because he is the only one who knows what happened.”

  I turn my head to Vyhdir, who looks perplexed. Baba rounds on him and stares at him.

  Vyhdir looks at Baba, straight in the eye, “I don’t know what he is talking about.”

  “What are you talking about? He is Parama’s best friend. Confidant. You told him? Has he betrayed Parama?” Betin asks.

  Brahakta gives an evil smirk. “If only. I offered though. But no. I didn’t tell him. He found out what was going on. I blocked his memories. If someone, someone like Parama coaxes th
e memory out of him with his powers, Vyhdir would remember it all. But Parama would never think to look at Vyhdir’s memories in this regard. I still need to be safe. That is why I had asked you to kidnap him. Because he is a loose end.”

  Baba and Vyhdir frown.

  “You can block the God of Time’s memories?” Borys asks.

  Brahakta laughs. As if he is patting his own back.

  “Yes I can. I cannot create people or worlds. But I can create memories. That means I can override the existing ones. I can create faces. I can create everything else. How else do you think you killed your family?” that smirk is back.

  Borys sputters in anger. “You asshole! I worshipped you. I used to look up to you!”

  “Yeah and we all know how it turned out,” Brahakta raises one hand like he is talking to a toddler. “Betin. We need Dir. And If Kazi is here, then nothing better than finding her as well. She cannot survive two gods. Just like Samara.”

  Everyone gasps around me. Yeah, they didn’t know. Only Kali and I knew. Baba actually stumbles and Dad supports him. I look at them and nod.

  “I know. I saw it all happen, with Kali,” I whisper, but I dare not take my eyes off Brahakta, Betin, and Borys.

  “The skeletons and when you started running,” Lexie whispers. I nod once again.

  “I won’t let you!” Borys screams and stands. His eyes spewing rage so great that it could only match Dad’s.

  “What,” Dad whispers. I have an idea of what is going on, but I need to be sure.

  “You won’t let me?” Brahakta laughs and the same spear appears in his hand. My breath catches. “Like you didn’t let me kill Shakti? You have been nothing but a pain in my existence. It is time now to end yours.”

  Borys laughs. “Yes, like I didn’t let you kill her.”

  Brahakta stills. Dad stills. Baba stills. My entire being stills.

  “What do you mean? You were late, as always. And it turned out she wasn’t Kazi,” Brahakta spits.

  “What the fuck?” Vala whispers.

  Borys looks at Brahakta. Intent. Scathing. Promising. Promising vengeance.

  “Remember Peru? When you went with my face and tried to kill everyone? Guess what Brahakta the-fucked-up Creator? I know what you did. You took them and put their faces on burned bodies? You can create faces,” Borys spits. “I will do you one better. I found them. And I rescued them. Just like I rescued Shakti. And I will die killing you before I let you hurt her daughter!”

  My soul sings. Dad and Baba are frozen. So is everyone else.

  I believe him. I do. Seems like Brahakta also believes him. Because he kicks Borys who falls hard on the ground. He raises his spear and screams in rage.

  He is about to attack.

  I cannot let that happen.

  I jump out of my hiding, Kali coming back to me in an instant. That was the element of surprise I had hoped for. Brahakta, Betin and Borys still. But I don’t.

  I start running towards Borys as the flapping sounds grow.

  “Parama?” Brahakta and Betin question.

  I reach Borys and help him up. Looking at Lexie, I communicate with my eyes on what I want her to do. Licking her lips, she nods and places her hands on Borys, while Enzo coils his magic around the barbed wire.

  “You…..! You killed Sama?” Baba screams and in my peripharal vision I see the supreme God that he is. The entire Land lights up. His whole body is lit with white glow.

  Brahakta doesn’t even stumble. “Good, you know now. So you know that I won’t stop at anything less than everything!”

  Lexie closes her eyes in concentration and sends numbness or soothing energy to Borys, as Enzo destroys the barbed wire in one move with his magic. Borys grunts, but doesn't cry out. Lexie keeps sending healing calmness to him. Proud of Lex and Enzo, and overwhelmed with everything, I whisper to Borys through tears, “I believe you.”

  Behind me, Vyhdir rumbles. “Why? You are one of the most powerful Gods,” Vyhdir takes a step towards him. “Why?”

  We are running out of time. I don’t trust Brahakta. Or Betin. Jobian’s voice rings in my head, ‘we are there!’

  “Because I am going to be the most powerful God. Not one of them. Since you are here, I think my wish will be granted soon enough.” With that, Brahakta raises his spear, just as an entire herd of Zielaaths land around us.

  This, more than coming face to face with Baba, Vyhdir and The Four, causes them to stumble back.

  “No… how?” Betin whispers.

  One of the Ziealaaths, Coreawrn, lands directly on Brahakta and Betin, making them fall on the ground. He proceeds to trap them by keeping one leg each on the two.

  There is clearly more to the Zielaaths that I need to find out. But that is for later. I help Borys up on Jobian who is next to me. Everyone takes their Zielaaths.

  I look at Wana and Vala, frantically trying to convey what I want them to do. They understand!

  Vala wastes no time and opens a ditch in the ground, while Wana binds Brahakta and Betin’s limbs. As soon as Coreawrn lets up, Wana pushes them in the ditch. It won’t hold them in for long, sure. But it gives us time to make our escape and regroup.

  The Zielaaths take flight while I bring my breaths in control.

  I look up to Borys, who is looking at me, dazed. I beam at him.

  “So, Ma’s alive?” I ask him, just in time for Thabika to glide closer with Dad and Vyhdir sitting on top.

  Borys nods, eyes shining with tears. “Yes. They are all alive. They will be happy to meet you all finally.”

  He looks at Dad, eyes pleading him to understand his truth.

  Dad swallows a hard lump in his throat. “You were never against us?”

  “Never. I swear on everything I am Cael, never. But I had to do what had to be done, so did the others. I am sorry,” Borys replies.

  Dad looks at him for a few beats longer than intimidating. Borys doesn’t back down. Dad finally releases a breath, and tears gather in his eyes. “Good to have you back brother. But we have a lot to talk.”

  Borys nods, fighting tears of his own. Baba and Bellaira glide up on my other side, Ash with him. I look at them, smiling. I couldn’t stop smiling. What comes next, comes next. If Ma and everyone’s parents are alive, then it changes everything. Because with our parents and Baba, their family, we would be unstoppable.

  “You understand this means war, right,” Vyhdir speaks up.

  Everyone nods.

  “And we will be ready,” Ash announces, giving his trademark smile.

  I feel my connection with Jobian. With everyone around me. With the land that is hailing us on. And somewhere distant, with some people. Whatever dread I felt earlier, has gone up in a smoke of exhilaration. A new determination fills me as I vow to make life a living hell for Brahakta and Betin and whoever might be with them. The Zielaaths nod their agreement at my thought.

  I hug Jobian and caress Kali as I scream at the top of my voice, “Let’s Dance!”

  The Zielaaths let out a hoarse whistle. Vyhdir and Baba suck in a breath. Because the Zielaaths just announced their call to war.

  I look at Dad and say, “I love you Dad. More each day.”

  “I love you more baby girl. More with each breath,” he says, smiling through the tears that run down his face. “Let’s get our family back.”

  Are we doing okay?

  Thank you guys for reading Circle of Time. Your support has meant a lot to me. When I started writing earlier this year, I hadn't even thought that I would get another story out. I hope you love it as much as I loved writing it. I hope you enjoyed their banter and the deep rooted histories that they uncover. Kali is such a badass, isn't she? I love her.

  Well, I promise that I will try to get the next instalment to you as soon as I can. After all, I too want to know all about Borys and his life, and meet Shakti and the other warriors. Not to forget, I am anxious to see how Ada's relationship with the guys progresses. Ooooooohhhh. Fun time!! I hope that you are a part of this jou
rney with me!!

  Nothing in my world is possible without my family's support. Plus, I have to thank Margarette Darbouze for vamp-speeding the edits on this one, and Kyleigh for being the best out there to point at the things I missed.

  And Merlin Lighpainting, the marvelous artist who is responsible for the cover photo. Check out his work here.

  If you want some extra PoVs and some gossip on what my book fam is upto, join our FB group Riverr Ravenswood Stars.

  Thank you for your support. Please consider leaving a review if you liked this. You reviews and support help us authors immensely. And please, feel free to stalk me, to talk about me, and to share my work wtih everyone you know. :)

  Until next time,

  wishing you love, fun, and sun,

  Riverr Ravenswood

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