"Are you sure?"
"I have no interest in telling lies." Amarisa frowned back.
"Oh no," I sighed in exasperation. "This is so confusing! If no one has built it here in your time, then how could it be discovered there in the future?"
"How did the thing you mentioned work?"
Flashes of memories rushed back into my mind, distressing me. I wondered what had happened to my father, Dr. Ivan and the others. Did they know I was missing? Or was their time moving forward or standing still while I was here?
"I'm not quite sure," I said. "I remember I touched the Moonstone then all hell broke loose. I remember there was a lunar eclipse and the spiral glowed and burst into brilliant light. A strange phenomenon. The next thing I knew, I was inside the pyramid's pit of your land."
"The pyramid? You meant the Temple of Shiva?" Amarisa asked.
"That very one." I shrugged dejectedly.
Amarisa's dazzling eyes flickered with unanswered questions.
"Queen Mother Jayara also mentioned that the Great Lord would send the one who is destined for an unforgiving fate."
"An unforgiving fate?" I said. "What does that mean?"
"I do not know the details." The princess shook her head. "It's the secret of the gods."
It gave me a headache thinking about what it all meant. I decided to brush it aside for now.
"Anyway, Amarisa...I meant...Your Highness, please forgive me for what I told your mother," I said. "I did not intend to insult her noble blood. Maybe it was just a mere coincidence."
"I knew you did not lie," she said, looking down at the fire hearth. "I just fell prey to a hasty temper as Queen Mother said."
"How is she now?" I asked. "I remember the look of shock and distress on her face when she found out about my birth mother. I felt so terrible."
"Queen Mother is well," Amarisa replied and then she paused and looked at me. "But I overheard her talking to the Hora, something about the mysterious way of the Samsara."
"You mean the Cycle of Rebirth?"
"Indeed."
CHAPTER 19
The very first day I arrived at this seeming paradise world, the Hora already handed me a chilling prophecy that scared me half to death.
Now, I had a feeling that this 'unforgiving fate' was most likely meant for me, too.
Oh well, and let us not forget about the Cycle of Rebirth, which I was sure had something to do with my mother and Queen Jayarajadevi.
The concept of reincarnation had never crossed my mind until now. Perhaps, I was too scared to believe that it was all true, and everything was preordained before I even came into existence.
If it was so, there was nothing I could do. I felt trapped and helpless.
Heaving a sigh, I turned to Amarisa again. She was staring at me as if she was trying to read my mind. But when our eyes met, I realized that whatever happens to me would still be worth it as long as I could see that sweet comely face every day. The thought comforted me like a balm. As our shoulders brushed, the familiar yearning began to rise from the depth of my stomach again.
I marveled at the glow of her skin and the color of her luscious lips. I tried to curb my craving for the princess, but everything about this woman just enslaved my heart. No girls I had been with had this much effect on me.
Amarisa's cheeks reddened under my intense gaze.
"I must go now," she said and began to get up but I caught her by the hand.
"No please, not yet," I said. "I still want you to stay and chat some more."
The lovely princess scowled back in irritation.
"There's nothing else to talk with you about. Let me go!" she said.
"Of course, there is a lot," I said. "You may stay the night if you wish."
"I have no such wish, and you must stop this indecency," she retorted.
"Well then at least, give me a goodnight kiss," I said with a smile.
Amarisa looked at me like I was crazy, and with both hands, she shoved me away. I almost toppled over, but when she rose from her seat, I grabbed her by her dainty waist and pulled her back. Amarisa's lithe form landed onto my lap. She gasped in disbelief. My eyes gave a quick glance around the room. Seeing that all the doors and windows of the chamber were well-shut and no sight of the unwanted four-legged company, I quickly wrapped my possessive arms around her. The princess turned half way to give me a burning glare. Her blushed face was inches beneath mine.
She was too adorable. I tightened my grip around her and looked deep into her eyes.
"Nikita, what on earth are you doing?!" Amarisa hissed at me. "I order you to let me go immediately!"
"I can't," I said.
"What do you mean you can't?" she snapped, trying to untangle my arms. "I have never seen anyone so disrespectful like you!"
"I'm not disrespectful, Your Highness, I'm just afraid that if I let you slip away, I may die from a great parching despair."
“I’ve never heard anything this stupid!”
“Is that so?” I said.
And out of naughtiness, I joined our lips, making her body freeze. I wondered if she could hear the tormented sound of my pounding heart. The sensation from the touch of her skin raged through every nerve in my body, and I could barely catch my breath.
Amarisa whimpered when my tongue filled her mouth. I kissed her with all my desperate needs. In that moment, I didn't care about any stupid prophecy or my doomed fate.
I kept devouring her mouth, coaxing her velvety tongue to dance with mine until I heard a soft moan that wasn't my own.
For a moment there, I thought I was imagining it. Then I felt Amarisa's tensed body begin to melt. It came as a pleasant surprise that I had to break us off to gasp for air. Amarisa opened her eyes again as if she had just woken up from a deep sleep. Our chests panted against each other. Never in my life had I been engulfed in such euphoria.
The princess blinked once and twice, looking utterly confused and embarrassed. Her hand flew to her lips, which blushed red from our deep kiss. I could almost feel the heat radiating from her sweet cheeks.
Then the princess freed herself from my arms and rose to her feet.
I sat there looking up at her with the silliest grin on my face. She shot me a piercing stare as though she didn't know whether to be mad at me or at herself.
At last, Amarisa turned and stormed out of the room.
Alone again, I was still trying to grasp what happened. I was still trying to convince myself that it did happen. I let my body fall back on the soft rug and spread my arms wide like a butterfly fluttering its wings.
~*~
I could barely sleep that night. The next morning, I went to our encampment as usual. Tusita kept glancing at me while we were practicing archery.
When I caught her staring at me for the sixteenth time, I decided to ask. "What?"
"You look like you might want to visit the Aswins House," she said.
"Why?" I frowned back.
"Because something must be wrong with you today," she said.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Just take a look at your target boards."
I realized the arrows I shot had pierced through the bull's eye. All of them.
"Oh! I got the bull's eyes!" I cried, thinking Vorac would be so proud to see this.
"And you didn't even notice it." Tusita rolled her eyes at me. "Something wicked must have possessed your mind."
"I do not think it's a bad thing." I grinned back proudly.
After we were done with the training, we returned to our chambers. I finished my bath and was ready to go to bed when Tepi and Atith visited me.
"What's wrong?" I asked them.
"We shall take you to the Throne Hall," Tepi said. "Tonight, the Hora is going to predict the tasks for our upcoming game. I think you might want to witness it."
"Why would we need a prediction?" I asked. "Is the game designed by the gods, too?"
"So it seems now," Tepi said. "For all I know, the gods might
be taking sides."
"I pray they be in our favor tonight," Atith said.
"Does it matter?" I shrugged. "Maybe Morokot was right. It's not worth your efforts to go through all these because of me."
"Don't let her words infest your mind, Nikita." Tepi patted me on the back. "That girl has always been too proud and too hot-headed. She can't be more wrong."
"Well, she's hot-headed literally, too," I pointed out. Atith burst out laughing.
"At least, Samudra has done us a favor and enforced the Law of Karma upon her," he said. "I don't think she would bother you again."
"Speaking of Samudra, he has already pledged himself to our team," Tepi said with a bright smile. "He chose you, Nikita, and that says something."
"Oh, really?" I was surprised. "And how about that quiet girl, Ravi?"
At the mention of her name, their faces fell.
"Forget about Ravi. She's with Issarak now, which is a shame," Atith sighed, sounding deeply disappointed. "The daughter of Vayu is always unpredictable and hard to reach."
"Well, I can understand that," I said with a nod. "Who wouldn't want him as a leader? Isn't his holy father a war god? Who would want to believe an average girl like me?"
"You never know what the gods are planning for you, my friend," Tepi said. Her words lifted my spirit, and I looked at my avatar friends, feeling fortunate to have their faith held strong in me.
"Alright, let's bring it on!" I said. They laughed.
When we reached the Throne Hall, the rest of the avatars were already there. We settled into our own places. The King and Queens arrived a while later. I didn't see their daughter with them. They sat on their golden thrones.
"My Hora," Queen Indradevi spoke. "The night has fallen and the stars are weaving tales in the sky. I believe this is the best time you may proceed."
"Yes, Your Majesty." the Hora bowed. He walked to the center of the hall like the last time.
We all watched him arrange his tools in silence. He spread out the same wooden board and a bagful of fine white sand.
I looked around and noticed that Morokot wasn't sitting next to Issarak anymore. She was now replaced by Ravi. By the look on Morokot's face, I could tell how bitter she was about it.
Before the Hora began, the flames in the brazier hissed and roared, sending fragrant smoke through the hall. We all shifted our attention to the fire hearth. Something was stirring in the air.
The fire changed colors to various shades then it rose almost two feet to the ceiling. The heat slapped our faces like a desert wind. Morokot was staring at the flames as if she was lost in a trance.
The blaze waved and crackled as if in fury. Some of the maidens stumbled over each other in fright. The others stared at the burning brazier in awe.
Sambo raised his hand to calm the panic. The conch shells were blown again. All the Brahmin priests came and circled the roaring fire, chanting a praising hymn. As their voices chorused to an ancient mantra, the fire grew dimmer and danced between the hue of red, purple and blue. A silhouette of a man appeared from the blaze.
If you had never seen anyone with two heads, four horns, long wavy flaming hair, six radiant eyes, seven arms, and three legs, then you would either go crazy or faint. In fact, I thought I would if I had been alone in the room.
The strange appearance of the man was not only frightening but also strangely beautiful. There was something alluring about him that made all the people freeze in a paralyzed shock.
He sat on a white ram with his three legs hanging off the animal's side. The ram poked its head out of the burning fire. Its master stayed engulfed in the flames like it was part of his being.
Morokot stepped forward. She clapped her hands together in a humble way and kneeled down to the floor.
"Father." She bowed.
The King and Queens kneeled and bowed their heads in respect to the fire god. Everyone did the same. Tepi nudged me, and I figured that I should follow their example.
The Brahmins retreated to the background again. Morokot remained still. It seemed she didn't even dare to breathe. The god tilted his two heads about his neck as if trying to take in the surrounding. The bright colored flames reflected those six radiant eyes as they stared at the girl.
I could only imagine how it felt being stared at by that red blazing gaze. I decided I didn't want to know.
A moment later, the fire roared back higher and brighter.
My eyes instinctively darted around for the nearest water bowl to grab.
"Bad child," the god's voice was as deep as a mountain cave. It chorused and slithered through my ears like tongues of burning flames. Morokot shifted uncomfortably. It was not just her, everyone was on edge, having a divine being in the hall.
"Ss...sir?" Morokot stuttered.
"Why did you abuse the power you were bestowed?"
"Lord Father, I...I..."
"Listen," the god said. "A defeat by virtue is better than a victory by evil deeds. I inspired your birth to protect the creation and the greater good. Your bad deed shall be due. I ask you to leave honor here as befits the daughter of mine."
"Yes, Lord Father," Morokot said and bowed her head again, "I promise this will never happen again."
"Now, by the blood which you owe a god, and my oath that will not bend, I lay down this fatal rule upon you. As the daughter of the holy fire, your gift shall come to serve only the just and courageous. Do you heed me?" His heavy tone caused another burst of frenzy flames to hiss louder.
"Yes I do, Lord Father!" Morokot said, face already ashen with fear.
"Have my blessing, dear child," Agni said and the fire dimmed down. I thought the god had come all the way from heavens just to lecture his misbehaved daughter, but while the people were watching the frightened Morokot on the floor, one of Agni's heads turned to me then stared straight at Queen Jayara.
"Don't be disheartened by the fate, O devoted Queen, smooth things, things gentler than the whole truth will not save you," Agni said, looking at her. "Your prayer has been answered and your wish has been granted, therefore, you must sacrifice for greater deeds."
"I do understand, my lord," Queen Jayara said with a grievous face. Her eyes glittered with tears as she bowed at the god.
Agni nodded back. His other face looked at the other godlings.
"Children of the Immortals," he said. "Your heart will prompt you in part, but other things the Lord will teach you to say and do. Be wise and obey the wish of the eternal gods, for without them, the hearts of you mortals would go desolate."
After having said that, he shimmered brightly until his form dissolved in a mini mushroom-like explosion and disappeared from the blazing fire.
We recoiled from the effect. Although the roaring flames had ceased, the avatars were silent for a long moment before they came back to their senses again.
Queen Jayara had a faraway look on her face. The King put his strong arm around her and spoke something softly into her ear as if to console her. The whole time she didn't glance at me once. I wondered what the god of fire had meant.
The Throne Hall was still buzzing with whispering questions.
Morokot returned to her place. Her hands trembled as she held the golden cup to her parched lips. My face turned to Tepi, but even she sat confused as the rest of us. I was left surrounded by questions until our Guru came forward and bowed to the three monarchs.
"I believe the other gods are waiting, Your Majesties. Shall we proceed?" Sambo said.
"Yes, I think we must hurry. My Queen is not well," the King replied.
The Guru nodded to the Hora, who resumed his place again and began to work his magic.
"O Lord Pipaet, Master of Foreseeing, Oracle of Rama," the Hora chanted, letting the white sand flow from his hand. "Please show us by the will of the Great Lord what games are best to test our holy children."
The sand began to come alive again. It rolled over the wooden board, hovering in the air and turning into various forms. The hall grew dea
d silent. Everyone seemed to hold their breath in anticipation. We saw the waking grains formed into a miniature figure of a long-tailed bird.
The sandy bird spread its sandy wings and flicked its flowing tails before falling back into a pile of sand again.
"The first game is a Mayura," the Hora announced.
The crowd gasped in awe. Issarak just smiled and quirked his eyebrows at us. Tusita muttered something under her breath that sounded like a curse.
I turned to Tepi and whispered. "What is a Mayura?"
"Mayura is a sacred phoenix born from the feathers of the divine Garuda," she told me. "It can only be found when the moon is full."
"One of my older sisters rides one," Tusita said, smugly. "Hers is a phoenix of fire, fastest and fiercest. One day, I will borrow the mount when she comes down to earth."
The Hora was waving his hand over his sand again, and it started to crawl back to life once more.
I continued to watch the process of this strange selection, not knowing what to expect.
In no time, the live sand transformed into another figure that looked like a fish. The Hora frowned a little at that, but he lifted his face and make another announcement.
"The second game is the Anthanu!"
This time even the Guru was taken aback. Queen Jayara turned her head to look at me, and all I saw was a deep worry in her eyes.
"Oh Meru gods," we heard Samudra breathed. He was the only one who seemed to know of the creature.
"What?" I asked. Tepi let out a sigh.
"The Anthanu is an ancient fish, Nikita,” she said. “The scales on its left are made of fire, while the scales on its right are made of ice. Anthanu means ‘Rainbow’. The legend has it that the fish even tried to swallow Lord Buddha once."
I shuddered a little.
"But that's not the worst part. The creature is the property of the sea god and is heavily guarded by—" Samudra said, yet before he could finish the sentence the Hora announced another task.
"The third game is the Gajasimha!" he said. The sand had created another form of a weird four-legged animal.
"What about this one, Tepi?"
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