The Call of Mount Sumeru

by Elyse Salpeter

  Desmond turned back to Kelsey. “Kelsey, you can’t do this. You have to stop!” He reached into his hip pouch and removed the Vajra weapon. He was practically crying. “Please, don’t make me hurt you.”

  Kelsey swooped towards him, stopping just inches from his face. Oh my love, you are so brave. Will you just stand down you stubborn, valiant man?

  “No one here can hurt me, Desmond.” She blew him a kiss and swiped the weapon from his hands before he even realized what had happened. She scooped up the vial Ari had dropped and turned to address her people who all awaited her next words.

  “Let’s celebrate gaining your rightful place at the top of Mount Sumeru. I offer you a toast.” With that, she opened the vial and dropped the Amrita seeds into the golden lake. She then pointed the Vajra weapon and a bolt of lightning shot out of it, lighting up the lake with fire, turning it from gold to Gandapāna wine. She called to the four Asura factions--the Dānaveghasa Devas, the Vemacitrin, Rāhu and the Pahārāda. “Come, drink and let’s celebrate to your victory. To immortality!”

  “Kelsey, why are you doing this?” Desmond could do nothing but watch helplessly as each of the Asuras drank from the lake until they all became drunk with triumph. The liquid would offer them power, immortality and continued devastation to his people for as long as the Asuras reigned. Desmond knew that the Trāyastriṃśa Devas would never rest until they reclaimed the mountain for themselves. The fight would continue until his world was ground to dust. And it would happen at the hands of the person he loved most in this world.

  When they’d had their fill, Kelsey ordered them to release the Trāyastriṃśa Devas. “They cannot hurt you any longer. Let them go. In fact, push them over the edge of the mountain and dump them in the sea where they belong.”

  With a triumphant roar, the drunk Asuras stumbled and laughed as they dragged the Trāyastriṃśa Devas over to the cliff’s edge. Just as they were about to toss them over, Kelsey bellowed. “Pancaggala, now!”

  In an instant twist, the Trāyastriṃśa Devas turned as one and expanded in size. They lifted up each of the still laughing and intoxicated Asura Devas and threw them over the mountain where they landed at the base of Mount Sumeru, plunging partially into the sea below. Kelsey flew to the edge of the cliff and stood next to Pancaggala. She aimed Desmond’s Vajra weapon again. Another thunderbolt fired from the ancient relic weapon, lighting up the sea below until it glowed gold.

  Pancaggala turned to Kelsey. “The Asuras will now think they are still at the top of the mountain when they awaken from their drunken stupors.”

  Kelsey nodded. “It will take more millennia than they can count before they realize we tricked them… again.” She turned to Ari, who stood stunned next to Desmond. “Give me the second vial in your pocket. The one with the golden seeds.”

  Ari slowly walked over to his sister. She could see his gait tremble and felt sure she had finally intimidated him. That finally he understood what she could do. He had to look up at her, so great was her size.

  He put his hand in his pocket and removed the vial with the golden-colored seeds. He held it up to her and she grasped it, opened it and scattered the seeds where they fell down the mountain into the land below. Again she raised the Vajra weapon and again she fired. Golden dots of light on an enormous Pāricchattaka tree shone from two miles below.

  Pancaggala raised his brows in surprise. “Another trick, Princess? How ingenious. The Pāricchattaka tree only grows up here at the top of Mount Sumeru. Now we are assured they will never learn the truth.”

  Kelsey finally turned her stare to the sole Deva who stood alone at the crest. He had not taken the sacred sip and was not drunk. In fact, he had not moved. Bianca’s soul covered him like a shroud. Kelsey held out her hand. “Let her go, Sitaula.”

  He shook his three heads. “I will not. I just got her.”

  “She is not yours to keep. Her soul was never something to be bargained for. It never should have left her body.”

  Sitaula fumed. “I will not give you her. She’s mine. It’s not your decision.”

  “Then it’s mine!” Finley moved forwards and plunged the flaming blade of her dagger into Sitaula’s back. Kelsey could see the fiery tip had been dipped into the golden lake, just like she’d done with her fingers. The moment the blade hit Sitaula, Bianca’s soul lifted from his body and began to float away. Kelsey launched at her and grasped onto Bianca’s soul before she disappeared into nothingness. Sitaula screamed and reached for his daughter, but Pancaggala hoisted him up and flung him over the mountain where he landed into the sea below.

  Kelsey fell to her knees and moaned as Bianca’s soul enveloped her in its exquisite embrace. She felt the power of Bianca’s human essence magnified a thousandfold and could hardly breathe from the incredible feel of it. She could touch the girl’s fear, her pain, could feel her love of life. Bianca’s own lifetimes flashed before Kelsey’s eyes, over and over, but she’d always been a human. This girl had been good through and through.

  Desmond called to Kelsey and bent to her side, but the heat and power surrounding her kept him back.

  Kelsey tried to think, but it was so hard, so drunk was she becoming holding onto a human soul. She felt Pancaggala at her ear. “You need to release yourself from her. Let her spirit go.”

  “I can’t. It feels… too good.”

  “You must, if you want her to live.”

  With extreme effort, Kelsey called to her brother. “Ari, bring Bianca’s body to me.”

  Ari rested Bianca at Kelsey’s feet and then stepped back. Kelsey reached down, and with the tip of her pointer finger, touched the girl’s chest. The girl’s back arched and her chest heaved up. Her soul fled from Kelsey and returned to her own body. Bianca shuddered and gasped for breath and Kelsey collapsed to the earth, suddenly transformed back to her human form and size. She groaned and blood spurt from her opened stitches and pooled beneath her.

  Desmond was instantly at her side and threw his arms around her, but then shrieked in pain. He fell backwards and Kelsey stared at him, horrified, as angry red welts and burn marks arose on his arms and chest and every other place his exposed skin had touched her.

  Oh, my God. What have I done?

  Kelsey gasped, the dreadful understanding of what had just happened, stunning her. What the ramifications were for her freeing Bianca’s soul.

  I’ve been tainted. “Desmond,” she whispered. “I’ve touched another human soul and held it in my body. I’m… forever scarred.” She knew what this meant. Holding Bianca’s soul had soiled her. No one should ever possess another human. She’d broken one of the sacred rules and now she would be punished for what would seem an eternity. She could never touch another human again for fear of hurting them.

  Kelsey stared at Desmond and tears threatened to bubble from her eyes. She’d never hold him again. Never kiss him. Never make love to him or sleep cuddled in the safety of his arms. The magnitude of that realization paralyzed her.

  Pancaggala came to her side and helped her to her feet. “Every action has a consequence, Kelsey. That is the path and the way. You made a choice. A good and righteous choice. You sacrificed yourself so the girl could live. You put the Asuras back where they rightfully belong and you stopped a war. This will play heavily in your next reincarnation.”

  Numbed, she nodded. She had saved the world, again, but this time she would pay the price. The battle was now over and Aihika was finally free. Kelsey turned to Desmond, who held out his injured arms and simply stared at her, his face a mix of emotions. Love, confusion and mostly, pain.

  She did the only thing she could do. She put pressure on her injured waist and limped to his side. “Come, let’s leave this place. The battle is over.”

  Chapter 29

  The four of them stood on the edge of the field. The ruined buildings of Rin Mar stood like a ghost city in the background. It would take over a hundred years for them to rebuild.

  Desmond held his mother’s han
ds. She’d wrapped and bandaged both his arms and his chest and had refused to leave his side until the very last moment.

  “Will I forget when I leave this time?” He stared at the portals before him.

  She shook her head. “Not this time, my love. That spell only served to protect the children. You are now over thirty-three. You will remember everything.” Her voice trembled. “Garrett, must you leave? I only just got you back.”

  Desmond squeezed her hands. “My life is not here. It is back on Earth. I have a mother there, too. And… Kelsey.”

  Catherine offered a brave front and smiled. “Perhaps you will be able to visit.”

  Desmond stared at the portal, suddenly concerned. He gave Kelsey a questioning look.

  She nodded, understanding. “All these portals lead to our time and to Earth, Desmond. I promise. I can feel every one. I can feel the power behind the creation of each one of them. They’re linked to Xanadu and were created by the beings there. They all lead home.”

  Four doors, four different locations, but all on Earth. Desmond turned to Ari. “You two go first.”

  Ari stepped into the pool with Bianca. He held onto her hand and led her to the portal door. It showed a beach with white sand and waves crashing gently to shore. An ocean stretched out before them. “Go, Bianca. I will see you on the other side, I promise.” He leaned in and kissed her gently on the cheek.

  “You will find me?” she asked, hesitantly.

  “Of course, I will.”

  Bianca turned from him and stepped through the portal and it winked out of existence.

  He turned to Kelsey. “Where did she go?”

  Kelsey shrugged. She didn’t know. All she knew was that it was on Earth and during this lifetime. She knew they’d all have to find their way back home.

  Ari turned back to the doors and chose the one clearly showing the New York City skyline. He waded through the pool of water and without another glance, jumped through. It, too, winked out of existence.

  “That leaves two left for us, Desmond,” Kelsey said, quietly.

  He turned to her. “Which one do you want?”

  She sighed. Neither of those doorways would remove the punishment that gripped her. Neither of them would offer her a life where she could touch Desmond. “It doesn’t matter. Perhaps you should just stay here in Aihika.”

  He moved over to her and stood just inches from her face. He was so close she could smell the herbs on his body and detect that wickedly wonderful scent he gave off. It hurt her heart to be so close to him.

  “I go where you go, Kelsey.” He stared back at the two doors. “I’ll leave you the one with the sun.” He turned and stepped into the pool of water, at the same time Finley ran into the clearing. She jumped into the pool and launched herself onto her brother. He grunted in pain, but returned her fierce hug. “I thought you weren’t going to make it.”

  Finley cried into his shoulder. “I didn’t think I would. I didn’t want to say goodbye again.”

  He kissed her forehead. “Take care of Mom for me.”

  He turned back once before he walked through the portal filled with mountains and snow. “I love you, Mom.” And he disappeared.

  That left Kelsey alone. She stared around at Aihika. The battle was over and the blue sky above the Mountains of Sumeru swelled with white puffy clouds. The Fairies and Dwarves were returning in droves up the mountain. The Goblins had emerged from their hiding places and also reclaimed their home. The remaining dragons had flown back to their lair. Gone was the thundering clashes of battle. The land was finally quiet.

  Kelsey closed her eyes. She could feel the energy of this land deep in her core. She was stronger here. More powerful than on Earth. She concentrated and for a brief moment her feet lifted up from the ground. Energy tingled in every fiber and every nerve. She released the power and settled her feet back onto the dusty land, but she knew that here in this realm she could be a Queen. A ruler. Someone to be feared. Her feelings startled her and she realized being this close to the Deva realms was not good for her psyche. She had to return to Earth.

  She felt a light touch on her face and then heard a cry. Desmond’s mother had reached out to pat Kelsey’s cheek and now her finger blistered.

  Finley rushed to her side and pulled her mother’s hand away. “Go now, Kelsey. Go find my brother. No matter what happens, he needs you.”

  Kelsey stared at her sadly. “I hope so.” With that, she waded through the final pool of water and jumped through the portal filled with sun and palm trees.

  #

  Catherine O’Dallaigh stared at the spots where all the portals had disappeared. She heaved a deep sigh, and with great sadness, she and Finley turned to make their way back to the camp, but halted. The white-haired female Yeti stood before them. Catherine froze, unsure of what to do. The Yeti loped towards her and held out a small pick-ax. It was the one Desmond had given to the Yeti as a gift. Catherine tentatively took it and then gasped in astonishment. She stared at the Yeti and then started to cry. For when she touched the axe, she felt her son as if he were by her side.

  Tears of gratitude sprung from her eyes. “Thank you.”

  The Yeti nodded, morphed into an eagle and soared away.

  Chapter 30

  News Report: An emaciated and mentally ill woman was found semi-conscious on a New Jersey beach on Saturday. She is between twenty to thirty years of age, has dark hair and brown eyes and appears to be Nepalese. At this time, no one knows her identity. She has yet to regain full consciousness, but she’s rambling in both English and a language no one can translate.

  This report is eerily similar to a young boy found in similar circumstances over twenty years ago. Tapes have matched his words with hers and they appear to be the same language. Attempts to contact the child, who will now be over thirty years of age, have been unsuccessful as his name has changed and his files were locked after his release.

  Authorities are doing their best to find her next of kin.

  Kelsey leaned against the doorway frame to the meeting room at the monastery. She scowled. “You didn’t think to tell me? You know how much I hate secrets.”

  The Emperor glanced at her. “And what would telling you have accomplished?”

  Kelsey sighed, exasperated, and fingered the jeweled ribbon in her hair. “Not everything needs to be learned through experience, Emperor.”

  He raised his brows. “I beg to disagree. Everything in your journey is an experience. If I had told you of your powers too soon, nothing that happened would have transpired in this timeline. Are you dissatisfied with the ending?”

  Kelsey stared at him stonily and crossed her arms. “You know I am.”

  “Are you, really? You’d rather the ending have turned out differently? You’d rather the Asuras had won and Aihika been destroyed?”

  She pursed her lips. “I guess not. But it would have been nice to know what I was getting myself into.”

  He raised one brow. “Nice to know that no matter how far you run from the hell realms you are still connected to them? That no matter how many human lifetimes you live, you are still the Princess of Naraka, the Demon ruler of the Animal and Hell realms? I think not knowing this was much better for you, Kelsey, and I’m sure you agree. There is a cost and consequence for everything we do.”

  But she didn’t agree. She’d returned to Earth, dumped in the Florida Keys, and had to make her way back to New York. Desmond had to fly in from Canada and Ari had raced to New Jersey where news of Bianca surfaced. He’d convinced them that he was her next of kin, and had set her up in a facility in Long Island where she could heal from her ordeal.

  Kelsey sauntered over to stand next to the Emperor. She reached out and tapped his arm with her finger and he flinched. She frowned and watched his skin redden at her touch. “So contact with me hurts you, too? Even here?”

  “Such is the burden when we both share the same power. When you touch souls, they always leave a mark. My entire existence is c
entered on touching souls. Though, when you were little and first came here, you had not yet been tainted.”

  The Empress floated into the receiving room wearing her billowy robes and stood next to the Emperor. For the first time Kelsey realized she never saw them touch each other, and if they ever did, the moments were few and far between. She realized their burden was to rule Xanadu, and because of that, their own love could not ever be satisfied.

  “Send yourself home, Kelsey,” the Empress instructed. “There’s nothing here for you right now.”

  Kelsey nodded and closed her eyes.

  #

  Kelsey awoke in her bedroom in New York City. Desmond snored contentedly on her bed while she slept on the small couch that sat against her bedroom wall. She’d not wanted to hurt him and for the past two weeks, they’d not been able to do anything more than stare longingly at each other. Thankfully, his burns had healed and now were just bright pink reminders of his ordeal.

  He turned over and the covers fell off of him. Kelsey rose and gently picked up the blanket to place them back over him, but at that moment Desmond’s cat skittered through her feet, threw her off balance and she fell onto the bed. Her hand connected squarely onto Desmond’s bare back when she’d tried to catch her balance.

  In terror she jumped back, about to run for the balm and ointment, but Desmond never moved. In fact, he never cried out and never even stopped snoring. The red welts never materialized.

  Kelsey tiptoed back to his side and studied him. Biting her lip, she pointed her index finger. Slowly, she reached out and tentatively poked his arm. Nothing. She traced her finger down his shoulder. Again, he was fine. No welts appeared, no shrieks of pain. Kelsey’s heart threatened to overwhelm her. She slinked into bed and cuddled against him. Out of habit he turned over and flung his arm around her and Kelsey just smiled in absolute contentment. With a sigh, she fell back to sleep, nestled finally in her love’s arms.