The River of Time (The Shiva XIV Series Book 4)

by Lyra Shanti

  “I don’t mean to be rude,” said Pira, “but… why are you telling me all this? What does it have to do with Ayn’s recovery?”

  Em cocked her head, raising her left brow and said, “It has everything to do with his recovery. In fact, if he cannot find a way to join his two halves, he will never be able to heal again.”

  “But…” said Pira, “what are his two halves? What do you mean exactly?”

  “One side of him is the angry, vengeance God of his past, and the other is a loving king who has the power to heal this world. It is up to him to choose which path he will take. I fear this illness will make him choose unwisely, and out of fear, he will either give up entirely, or he will let the anger take him to the depths of his rage.”

  Pira shook her head and folded her arms. “No,” she defiantly stated, “he will not give up. Nor will he become the vengeance God you speak of. He is brave and noble, and with my daughter at his side, he will fight the disease, and come through it fine.”

  Em sighed, then walked to the book that Pira had set on the table. “You were reading about the great Gods of old, were you not?” she asked as she opened a page in the book. Pira nodded, unsure what Em was getting at. “Did you know that Otho, the wolf, was once a heavenly prince?” Showing Pira an illustration from the book, Em added, “You see, the father of all the Gods, Ah, put a curse on Otho, so that he could never take the holy crown. Otho was extremely clever, however, and found an ancient magic that split his spirit in two halves. By day, he lived as a mortal, golden-haired man and by night, he became a black wolf. He was undetectable by his father for many years… until one day, Otho fell in love with his sister…”

  “Matana,” said Pira. “Yes, I know this story well. I remember reading it as a child.”

  Em raised her brow and said, “Really? That is a good sign, my queen. And do you remember how the story ended?”

  Pira nodded. “Yes,” she replied. “When Siri found out about his wife, Matana, and her love for Otho, he banished the wolf from the mortal world. Otho was then doomed for all eternity to live as the wolf of the underworld.”

  “Yes…” said Em as she closed the book, laying it on the table, “and Matana killed herself shortly after, for she could not live without her true love. However, she knew she would reach him in the underworld. It is not a happy ending, though. It is a tale of darkness and woe, and what will happen if you separate parts of your soul.”

  “But what can I do to help him?” Pira asked, panicked. “Ayn only listens to Ona!”

  “No,” Em calmly replied, “he will listen to you as well.”

  “Me? Why me?”

  “For many reasons,” the high priestess replied, “but mainly because you understand what he feels. You are also split in your memory. You need each other right now, and I suggest you go to him.”

  Pira stood in the library, shocked. “But I…”

  Cutting off her words was Ona who entered the room and said, “Emelanthia, may I have a word with you?”

  Em turned to Ona and nodded. “Yes, of course,” she replied as she followed Ona out of the room. Pira noticed that her daughter seemed completely distraught.

  Could it be that Ayn is truly not going to make it? Pira asked herself, twisting the silky sash of her emerald green dress. Taking a deep breath, she decided to head Em’s advice. I don’t know if I can actually help him, she thought while walking out of the library, but I know I have to try. Hold on, dear Ayn, I’m coming!

  --

  In his dream, he was perfectly fine. He was more than fine, for he was singing and playing a golden harp. There was no sign of sickness in his hands, and he was glowing with healthy energy. Looking across the room, he saw Ona’s beautiful oval face smiling, and she was dancing. Wearing a pink dress, she beamed with joy.

  As Ayn looked down, he saw children dancing with her while they held onto the ends of her dress. They were a boy and a girl, no older than five or six, and they were his; he knew it.

  Love… so much love in this room, he thought as he sang and played. Ayn could feel the song carried far and wide throughout the palace, even through the city, and even further! It seemed to Ayn that his song was like plasma itself, touching the universe, reaching inside everyone’s hearts.

  Just then, without warning, his fingers seized up, and his throat choked. It felt as if a snake was crawling through his skin, forcing its way through his body. “Help me!” he yelled to Ona. She tried to reach him, but somehow, she was fading away. He could no longer see her and his children. Where are they?! I need them here! he begged in his mind. I can’t fight the Plasma Sickness alone!

  He then saw his mother in the darkness. She was on her death-bed, taking her last breaths. No, he told himself, I’ve had this dream too often. I need to wake up! I can’t see this yet again! I won’t!

  Despite his decision, he was now a small boy, feeling his mother’s cold hand as he cried.

  “Please, Mother, don’t leave me,” he begged. “I’m not ready to be king. I can’t be The Bodanya! Please, don’t die!”

  Then, something very different from his past dreams occurred. As Ayn opened his eyes, he saw an old man in the bed where his mother had been.

  “Who are you?” he asked.

  “I am… King Adin,” the old man replied in a gravelly voice.

  “What?” said the child version of Ayn, “That’s impossible. You died! You died at twenty-six! You’re old; you couldn’t be him!”

  “Things are not always what they seem,” croaked the old man. “I am Adin… and I will die, like a normal, mortal man.”

  “Then you must have lost your powers somehow,” said Ayn as he morphed into an adult. “Did Sri Unda do this to you when she brought you back? Do you no longer have any power?”

  The old man slowly shook his head and replied, “It isn’t Sri’s fault, but yes… I am just like everyone else now, and I will die.”

  Ayn backed up and ran for the door. It was locked, however, and he felt trapped. “No!” he yelled. “I can’t stay in here with him! He’s diseased! I will catch his illness! Someone, open the door! Open the door this instance! I command you! OPEN THE DOOR!”

  Pira didn’t know what to do seeing him as he yelled in his sleep. He hadn’t responded when she tried gently waking him, but she knew she had to do something. Panicked, she grabbed his shoulders and firmly said, “Ayn, wake up!”

  “I CAN’T DIE HERE! OPEN THE DOOR!” he yelled.

  “Ayn!” she yelled in return, shaking him gently.

  Finally, he opened his glossy blue eyes, and adjusted to his surroundings. “Pira?” he asked, confused. “Where am I?”

  “Oh, Ayn,” she said with tears forming in her eyes, “it’s alright, you’re safe.” She then sat on the bed and held him softly.

  Her warmth permeated his heart as he regained his memory. That’s right, he thought, I’m in the doctor’s office. I fell asleep. It was just a dream. He was instantly relieved, though still shaken.

  “Pira…” he whispered, “it was a horrible dream I had just now. My mother was there and…”

  “I know, sweetheart,” she interjected, “you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

  “No,” he said as he slightly pulled away from her arms, “I do. I need to tell someone. The truth is I think my dream was trying to warn me about something.”

  “About what?” she asked with a deeply concerned expression, her green eyes glistening in the white lights of the lab.

  Ayn sighed and said, “I’m not sure, but I was old and weak in the dream. I guess I saw myself as sick… like my mother was when she was dying. I guess I never really got over her death.”

  “I’m so sorry, Ayn,” she said, whimpering as she grabbed onto his back. “I don’t want this to be happening to you. It’s not fair!”

  Fully bawling, Pira couldn’t hold it in any longer. She was sick of pain, sick of death… sick of confusion. Why does such a good boy have to die? Has he not done enoug
h for you, selfish Gods?! she silently asked in vain as she cried.

  Ayn half-smiled, moved by her tears. “Ona’s lucky to have you as her mother,” he said as he stroked the back of her soft, golden-brown hair.

  “I told you,” she said, sniffling, “I’m your mother too.”

  Just then, it hit them both simultaneously. As they slowly pulled away from their embrace, they looked into each other’s eyes and saw their true souls.

  “Mother?” Ayn asked in a daze.

  Pira felt a shiver up her spine as a vision flashed into her mind. She saw herself reaching for her one and only, beautiful little boy. He was with his father, her beloved Meddhi… and Ayn was showing her his toy boat. “Look, Mother, it’s blue like the ocean,” he said while he moved the toy up and down, pretending it was moving with the waves. “No, my beloved son,” she said in return, “it is blue like your sweet eyes.”

  “Oh, my Gods!” Pira said, gasping as she stood up. She then covered her mouth in shock.

  “Pira?” asked Ayn, baffled.

  “I’m not Pira!” she cried. “I don’t understand how, but I’m your mother, Ayn. I’m Amya!”

  He sat, staring at her with a stunned expression. After a few moments, his face changed to an accepting smile. “Yes,” he replied, “it is you, Mother. I feel it too.”

  Trying her best not to fall over, she wobbled and swayed. Ayn struggled to get the energy enough to stand with her. He got up and held her arms.

  “It’s alright, Mother, there’s nothing to fear. We’re finally together again. I waited so long, and now you’re here with me. I’m so happy.”

  Pira couldn’t stop tears from racing down her cheeks. “But, Ayn,” she whimpered, “I’ve given you my sickness! I’ve come back too late!”

  “No,” he hushed, “you’ve come back just in time. You will help me ease into the afterlife the same way I helped you once.”

  She cried and whispered, “It’s not fair… so not fair.”

  “Don’t cry, Mother,” he replied, “I’m happy, for I know now that we will never truly be apart. We will always be together… life after life. I promise to be brave the way you were, and I will not fear death. Be brave with me, alright? Can you do that for me?”

  She wanted to say she couldn’t let him go, but instead, she softly replied, “Yes, my dear boy, I will be brave… for you.”

  Together, they cried and quietly held each other for a long time, accepting whatever fate may come.

  Chapter 16: The Promise of Home

  “You aren’t supposed to be here, you know,” said the imposing Sarax with wild, red hair. Even in his Sirini form, he still towered over most and gave an air of supreme authority.

  Gulping down his nervousness, Axis twiddled his fingers and said, “Yeah, I guess not... but I’m here nonetheless. I like to think there’s a higher purpose to my traveling to this time. It can’t just be a random accident, can it?”

  Raxas raised his brow and coldly replied, “Why not? Accidents happen all the time.”

  Not knowing what to say, Axis took an anxious breath and looked around the mountainous terrain; it was glorious with red flowers growing all along the nearby bushes and purple flowers hanging from the trees.

  “Look, you need to be honest with me,” added Raxas as he folded his muscular, reddish-gold arms. “Did you make a child with Irix?”

  “Wha.. what?!” Axis stuttered.

  “I know you’ve been sleeping together. Just be honest. I need to know how much damage I must control when you’ve finally gone back to your time.”

  Flustered, Axis cleared his throat and said, “I swear, Raxas, I don’t want to hurt her, and I’ve been as careful as I can be, but… she is very persistent!”

  Raxas grinned and said, “Yes, well, she’s my daughter. Plus… she misses her husband.”

  “Yeah…” said Axis, emotionally conflicted.

  “So, she may be pregnant with your child as we speak?”

  “Yeah, maybe…” Axis wistfully replied. “I’m honestly not sure.”

  Raxas sighed and said, “Alright, I will deal with whatever happens. Take a walk with me, Axis. I want to tell you a story.”

  Axis hoped it wasn’t going to be a tale about how Raxas killed Irix’s previous suitors, then buried them somewhere in his castle. Gulping, he slowly followed Raxas down the mountain’s path.

  “No doubt, you have heard about Adin’s short, but intense love affair with the Sirini queen, Niss-Hana,” said Raxas.

  “Yeah… I think I remember hearing about that,” Axis replied.

  “Well,” said Raxas, “what the books probably have not told is that Nissa, in her despair over losing Adin, attempted time travel to get him back. She was not ready in her ability, however, and nearly changed everything, including her own people. You see, she was meant to later have children with Siri, and their offspring was meant to flourish through the years. Everything has its purpose and its time, Axis. Do you understand?”

  “Not really,” he replied.

  Raxas groaned a little, then loudly said, “What don’t you comprehend? Do you not see what you’ve done? You’ve possibly changed an entire time-line!”

  “I know,” said Axis, “but… what can I do about it now? Irix loves me, and I’m here now. It’s not like I can go back. I’ve tried, but I don’t know how I came here in the first place!”

  Raxas cracked his scaly, dragon-like neck, containing his anger as best he could. “You came here,” he said in a low, steady voice, “because your soul is confused.”

  “It is?”

  “Yes. You still can’t figure out who you are, or when you are. It must have happened when you left this time-line as Xam… when you went to search for your father and tried to re-write the events leading to his death.”

  Axis was shocked. He stood still, barely breathing.

  “Does that jog your memory, boy?” said Raxas with a knowing smirk.

  “Yes…” whispered Axis. A chill ran through his spine as he vaguely remembered a dream where he was Xam, and he wanted revenge. “But… how did I… I mean, how could I be Xam and reincarnate so quickly? Who are my parents? Who am I, Raxas?”

  Tears were forming in Axis’ blue eyes, striking deep sympathy in the usually stoic red-haired Sarax.

  “You are you,” replied Raxas. “No matter your name or face, you remain the same soul. As far as your lineage or blood, that is somewhat complicated. I’m not even sure I understand what happened to you the night Xam left us… but from what I can tell, you forced reincarnation upon yourself. You see, when a Sarax travels into the waves of time in a fearful manner, they can sometimes cause their own death. Xam was not in a good mind frame that night, seeking revenge on the murderers of Adin. I believe he died sometime during his flight, but then, he somehow became caught inside the plasma of his own soul. When this happens, we call it soul-polarity. He probably panicked, then changed into you before he fully passed to the afterlife. Such a technique is quite rare, and impressive, considering one has to re-create one’s own body - and quickly. However, it is problematic, for it seems Xam could no longer control his own time-line, causing him to fly to a time far into the future - about a thousand years, I suppose.”

  “I… um... Xam did all that?!” Axis sputtered.

  “Yes,” replied Raxas, “and in the span of a few moments in time. I was too hard on him before. I realize that now. He had… you have great ability. I was merely afraid to teach you.”

  “Why?” asked the young Sarax.

  Raxas sighed and looked at Axis with pained, yet fiery eyes. “Because,” he quietly replied, “I was jealous.”

  “Huh?” said Axis. “Of what? Of me?”

  “No,” replied Raxas, “of your father… and his relationship with your mother - my sister, Siya.”

  Axis knotted his brow, confused. “You didn’t like Adin?” he asked.

  Raxas folded his arms and looked down. It seemed to Axis that the red-haired Sarax looked ashamed. �
�I quite hated him, actually. For a long time, I blamed him for Siya’s betrayal against me, then I mistakenly took that anger out on you. I’m sorry, my boy. I shouldn’t have done that. You are my nephew, and my daughter’s chosen love. I had no right to blame you for what your parents have done. I was childish, and wrong.”

  Axis stood in silence, surprised at his words. “Wait…” he finally replied, “I thought you said I was your grandson. How can I be your nephew and your grandson?”

  Raxas shook his head. “I never told you that you’re my grandson - not in this time-line anyway. If I told you that in my future, I’ve no idea why. Although… it is possible I was too embarrassed to tell you the truth. Perhaps I blamed myself for your death. I don’t really know. Unfortunately, I cannot travel to that time and ask myself, for that would cause a paradox of great proportion.”

  Axis sighed, then said, “You wouldn’t want to meet yourself at that point anyway. You’re kind of… scary.”

  Raxas held up his right hand and said, “Please, I told you, I don’t want to know what I will be in my future.”

  “Sorry.”

  “All that matters,” continued Raxas, “is you are here now… and you must decide what your fate will be. Shall you stay here and change your future or will you go back to the time-line you came from?”

  “But…” said Axis, “I don’t even know how to travel back there. I would if I could. I have a feeling Ayn needs me.”

  “Is Ayn your father reincarnated?” asked Raxas.

  “Yes, I think so… though I don’t think that’s quite our dynamic anymore. He’s more like… my best friend.”

  Raxas smiled and put his large, clawed hand on Axis’ shoulder. “I will teach you how to safely travel, then you can decide where you belong. But remember, my daughter adores you and will miss you if you leave her... yet again. Please take that into consideration, especially if you have indeed given her a child.”