by T. G. Ayer
"What do you mean?" Maya frowned She suspected she wouldn't get anything out of him. The serious crease to Nik's forehead made Maya wonder if this had something to do with Yama's soon to be revealed problem.
"Sorry Maya, my father will tell you. We are not allowed to talk about it."
"Oh, is it some big secret?"
"Yes, it's a secret. So you'll have to wait until later to find out more." Nik gave her an apologetic smile and took a few steps away. "Want to keep going?"
"Well, as long as you can keep up," Maya shot back.
Nik covered everything they'd done so far, and paused to watch Maya catch a streak of fire in her hands. "Kill it," he said softly.
"What?" Maya frowned, confused at this new instruction.
"Kill it, extinguish it."
"I know what you meant," Maya responded, her voice dry and defensive. "But how am I supposed to do that?"
"Use your mind, pull the energy from the fire. Something like the way you create your fire, but in the reverse. The essence of your power is really your ability to create from nothing. If you use the same concept you should be able to take the flames and make them nothing." And he didn't give Maya any time to think, just sent a flash of fire at her and grinned.
Maya caught the fire, turning like she had before but this time she didn't send the fire back to Nik. Instead, she held the heat and flame within her palms. At first, she was unsure what to do with it. Should she literally squash it or was there something more she needed to do? But she played a hunch and placed pressure onto the fire, forcing her fingers onto the flames.
Bad idea.
The fire exploded in her hands. Maya coughed and spluttered, waving away the smoke from her face.
Nik was still grinning.
"I guess pressure isn't a good idea." Maya smiled wryly and blinked against the smoke. She dusted herself off and said, "Let's do this again."
Maya's second attempt was more of a success, with the fire making a hollow popping sound as it went out.
"Right, so this time, take the fire, kill it, and send a blast of your own fire, make it look like it's one movement. This will deceive your opponent into thinking the fire is his own and he won't try to avoid it."
Maya dropped into her stance, and waited, following Nik's instructions, effortlessly creating a ball of flame and directing it at Nik. It all went well until she was about to let the fire fly at him. She hesitated. She had a sudden vision of Nik being incinerated right in front of her eyes.
She shouldn't have hesitated.
And it wasn't Nik who was in danger from the flames.
Maya's arm was on fire.
Chapter 37
Her arm was ablaze and her torso soon followed. Before she knew it her entire body burned. She was so shocked that for a moment she remained unsure what to do. Joss's shrieks brought her to her senses. Joss drew abreast of Maya and stared at her face, shock, horror, and fascination contorting her poor friends features.
"Maya," yelled Joss. "What in god's name is going on?"
"I'm fine Joss, just keep away." But Maya wasn't fine. She had no idea how to put out the fire. Terrified she met Nik's eyes and the moment her gaze made contact, she could tell he knew.
He moved toward Maya, waving Joss away with one hand. "Right, there's nothing to it. Just calm down, get your heartbeat to a comfortable level again. Panic won't hurt you specifically, but it will maintain the fire. So breathe and relax. Now bring your palms together. Breathe in and out and try to guide the heat toward your palms. Channel the fire to your hands - you'll have better control. Right now it's feeding off your body and your Kali power and you need to disconnect it or it will drain your energy."
With Nik's words buzzing in her ears, Maya tried to concentrate. She felt the ebb and flow of the fire course through her veins, molten lava, liquid flame. She felt the seductive pull of the heat against her body, tugging at her breath, almost lulling her into a drunken ecstasy.
"Maya."
The single word brought Maya to her senses. She stiffened, hardening herself against the fire. She threw her hands out before her, opening her palms, wrists together, like an open bowl ready to catch whatever flew past.
With a breath, she channeled the energy within her veins, urging it to filter through her muscles, through her blood, into her hands. Perspiration gathered on Maya's forehead, the effort taxing both her mind and her body. She tugged at it, almost spent, and then she felt the energy slowly following the path to her hands. But it was like tethering an eel. The moment she thought she had control the power back lashed and fled back inside her, filling her up, the fire flaring hot and red.
"That was good. Go again." Nik's instruction was calm and firm and comforting. Under any other circumstances, Maya's hackles would have risen and she would have resisted his direction. Not now though. This time she absorbed his words, channeled the strength behind them.
She tried again, deliberately keeping her thoughts as far from her previous failed attempt as possible. Her confidence had been nicely obliterated. No sense in replaying it in her memory. Maya breathed in and cleared her mind and started fresh.
The second round proved more difficult, taxing her body and her strength more than before. Sweat dripped down Maya’s spine. Her muscles quivered with the strain of pushing the energy through her body. At last, the power gathered within Maya’s arms, still bucking and straining against the hold of her mind, but Maya refused to let go. If she managed it once she’d be able to practice and finally control the fire without breaking a sweat.
When it felt like the pulsing energy would engulf her once more, when she sensed the tiniest waver in the energy level of the surging power, only then did Maya make her final move. Only then did she push the heat into her hands, felt it flare in the center of her palms, felt it burn.
Maya stared into the flames rising and crackling from her palms, stared at fire that had, only minutes ago, coursed through her own veins. With a soft sigh, Maya squeezed her fist and deadened the fire.
"Well done, Maya," Nik closed in on her and grabbed her shoulder, squeezing it encouragingly. Joss came closer too but all she did was stare. Maya wanted to giggle. Poor Joss looked shell-shocked.
"That was great. So what else?"
"Nothing else. You are summoned." Chayya materialized behind Joss, and didn’t waste any time ending the session. She brooked no argument either, just walked off, leading the small contingent out the door. Maya hurried to grab her satchel, staring with a jealous eye at the spike-ended Madus on the wall as she passed.
Maybe next time
Someday soon, all of this is going to seem normal and fine and real. Someday soon.
Maya entered a set of double doors.
Well maybe not.
The doors themselves were made from gold, molded and carved with scenes from ancient scripts; kings being carried on palanquins, giant elephants, generals in chariots and battles, even the Churning of the Oceans; the story of the origins of the universe. Not to mention the doors were at least fifteen feet high.
Maya gulped, her legs leading her forward while her mind rebelled against what her eyes showed her. Gold and jewels decorated the room, tapestries and paintings covered the walls, a riot of color and majesty filled the silent hall. As the small group moved forward the only sound to be heard was a loud scratching as if an implement scraped back and forth across the surface of a piece of paper.
A few steps more brought them to a set of three stairs. Each stone stair again carved and edged in gold. At the top sat two men. One leaned over a large book, leaned so far over it seemed his spine must have grown into that specific shape.
The other man exuded such a power and magnetism Maya was in no doubt he was the formidable Lord of Justice, Dharma, also known as Yama, Lord of Death. He sat comfortably within an enormous golden throne, the arms curved outward like gigantic pillows, the backrest rising above his head inscribed with Sanskrit and other scripts Maya didn’t recognize.
&nbs
p; His tanned skin gleamed, a perfect foil for his coal dark eyes. He wore his mustache thick and caterpillar-like, much the same as Ria’s father. The memory of her friend pulled Maya back to the present and back to her reason for being here.
Yama beckoned Maya forward. Light from the hundreds of little lamps around the room glinted on the fine gold threads in the fabric of his robe. Maya shuffled closer but didn’t dare to place a foot on the steps. The last thing she wanted was to offend the god of justice for whatever reason.
"The Hand of Kali, Maya Rao. Patala welcomes you." Yama’s voice boomed out into the hall and he rose to his feet, placed his hands together and bowed to Maya. Shocked, Maya was totally unsure what to do and looked around for some guidance from Chayya or Nik, but both were also bowing to Maya. Joss goggled, as confused as Maya.
What in god’s name is going on here?
Chapter 38
"Maya, I see you are confused by our obeisance. Know that it is to the benevolent soul of the Mother Radha that we pay our respects. In your life as Radha, you were an exemplary soul. You are perhaps too young to understand this but someday I do hope your eyes will be opened to the beautiful soul you were in your previous life." Yama still spoke with such reverence Maya felt slightly uncomfortable.
Mother Radha seemed incomparable. How was Maya ever going to live up to her? Or to herself, rather. Maya shook her head slightly. It was confusing trying to figure herself out.
Despite the uncomfortable quiet, Yama sat back and studied Maya, rubbing his chin as the silence seethed. Nik cleared his throat.
"Very well, let us begin," said Yama. "You do not need to leave, Lady Chayya."
Maya turned to see Chayya stop in her tracks. She faced Yama again, a curious expression in her eyes but she said nothing. Joss, though, looked like she was about to ask if she should stay or go.
"Everyone stays. I do believe you come as a - Nik what is it the modern folk say- a bundle-"
"A package." Nik smiled.
"- ah, yes, a package deal. Now, I assume we have your undivided attention." The silence answered in affirmative and Yama continued. "Maya, your presence has been requested as you are the only person alive who is capable of completing this task. The gods are growing weaker every day, and will continue to weaken until we can retrieve Varuni."
"Varuni?"
"My apologies, Maya. Perhaps I ought to start at the beginning." Yama cleared his throat. "A long time ago the goddess Varuni, the keeper of the Amrita, was stolen from us. In the time that passed, the gods grew weaker, their power fading. Slowly becoming mortal."
Yama rose from his throne, and began to pace, as if the story took too great a toll for him to take sitting down. "In recent times we discovered who took Varuni, and we knew then that you, the Hand of Kali, were perfect for this task. We need you to go to Swargaloka. There you will find Narakasura, the demon King."
Maya gasped. Even she knew who Narakasura was. "But I thought he’d been killed?"
"In a sense, yes. But even a demon can gain sway over his god. Narakasura was granted the chance to live again. Perhaps it was believed he would make up for what he’d done, make up for the evils of his past."
"I guess he didn’t hold up his end of the bargain," said Maya.
For a moment, she thought she saw a flicker of sadness on the god's face but it disappeared so fast she couldn’t be sure. "No, he did not. Narakasura renewed his challenge to the gods with a vengeance. This time he was more strategic. He stole the goddess from her abode in the celestial ocean. He took her to Swargaloka. None of the gods were able to challenge him simply because of Varuni. Nobody dared to endanger her life in any way. And since that day Narakasura has remained at Swargaloka, with Varuni."
Maya frowned. "How long has he kept her captive?"
"It has been a hundred years. Not long in terms of the length of our lives. But in these years, the gods have ailed and grown frail and tired, becoming more and more mortal each day. For a long time when we thought there would be no saving us from the future without the Drink of Immortality, but the goddess Kali convinced us to have patience. That the day would soon come when a human girl would raise her hand and wield the power of Kali." Maya met Nik's eyes and he gave her an encouraging nod. She turned her attention back to Yama. "That human girl will release us from the destiny the demon Narakasura had written for us."
"And that human girl is me?" Maya knew the answer. She just wanted to hear him say it again. So she knew she hadn’t imagined the whole thing.
"Yes, Maya. You are still young, and have a while to go before you gain experience in life and in battle, but unfortunately we do need to call on you now." Yama returned to his throne, resting his elbows on the armrests of his golden seat. "Nikhil has told me of some of your experiences in your town. Someone knows where and who you are. For that reason, we simply have no choice. The gods are unable to protect you for much longer. Of course it does not help when more and more people are losing their faith in us every day."
It was as if the last sentence was meant for Maya. It went straight to her heart and her conscience. She was one of those very people who had no longer believed. She was one of those people who had no longer prayed to the gods. But could she really change because Yama said so? Sure, she stood before a living breathing god, but what did it change except to know the mythology was true? Could she bring herself to prostrate herself before the gods just because they were gods?
Maya’s head began to hurt as she turned the thoughts over and over in her mind. "What do you need me to do, my lord?" she asked softly. The scribe continued to scratch words into the pages, pausing only to dip his pen into a bottle of ink, before continuing in silence.
"You must go to Swargaloka, and bring Varuni back to us. At whatever cost."
Chayya gasped and Nik stiffened beside Maya.
"What do you mean, my lord? You said whatever cost?" Chayya said, shadows swirling around her face and darkening her eyes.
"It means just that, Lady Chayya. This is no easy task. Neither is it one to be abandoned for any reason. Maya must retrieve Varuni. Or die trying."
The hall went silent. Even the scribe had stopped his scratching.
Ice sluiced through Maya’s veins, the ice of reality. So this was it. "Well, if I’m putting my life on the line then I get to ask for something in return, right?" Maya lifted her chin, not caring in the least if her request would seem presumptuous. To heck with presumptuous. She was about to embark on a journey which might well take her life. If she came back dead, or not at all, she wanted to be sure her wish was granted.
"I want to make a request for my friend, Ria."
"Ah, yes, the child who was possessed by the Rakshasa."
"You know about that?"
"Yes, my dear, there is little that is demon related that I do not know." Yama leaned forward in his seat. "I may not always be able or allowed to interfere in such matters but news does travel to my ears."
"Then can you save her? Make her well again?"
"It depends."
"On what?" Maya's head grew hot. Not a good sign. She felt like she was bargaining for a night out and about to have her parents come up with a very inventive way of saying no.
Yama looked over at the scribe, who had during the ensuing discussion, continued his scratching. "What say you, Lord Chandragupta? What does the life of Ria Gupta say to you?"
The old man lifted his head and Maya almost gasped to find he was neither young nor aged. As he straightened, he seemed to grow more attractive, younger, more congenial. Chandragupta stood aside, and placed the golden pen beside the book. He spoke a few silent words over the pages which began to turn on their own.
The tome itself was a monstrosity. Maya had first assumed the book lay upon a golden table. But on closer inspection, she found the enormous book sat directly on the floor, its covers made entirely of gold, its pages seemingly never ending.
Now those pages spun like the cards on a huge Rolodex, fluttering on and on unti
l at last they sighed to a stop and fell open. Chandragupta leaned over the page, placed a finger on its surface and moved the digit slowly downward as if searching a list for Ria’s name. At last he stopped, and raised his head. "A good soul, and an obedient child. A hard life, abused by her father. Her mother too, bears the responsibility of turning a blind eye for her own safety. Low self-esteem."
"Sins?" asked Yama.
Maya’s gaze flew to the god. What did he mean sins? Ria had barely lived long enough to sin.
"Minor sins. Lies to her parents usually due to peer pressure and a wish to have some life enjoyment. Also lies as a means of gaining comfort. Disobedience toward her father - this is related to her refusal to marry the man her father has chosen for her."
Maya felt her knees buckle. She’d suspected Mr. Gupta would someday arrange a marriage for Ria, but not in her wildest imagination did she expect it to be this soon.
"Many of these lies may be excused, or the punishments for them reduced," said Yama. "And perhaps most of them could be erased as a result of her experience at the hands of the Rakshasa. That would certainly have been painful enough to warrant a justified payment for her sins."
Maya's ears throbbed and Yama’s words seemed to come to her from a distance. What were they talking about? Ria had never done anything wrong in her life. Did they really mean people were punished for every single sin they ever committed in a lifetime? And how did they know all that anyway?
Yama continued. "But even if we erase them all she will still face her punishment when she does finally get here sometime in the future."
"What do you mean?" A flurry of fear flitted up and down Maya's spine.
"We can only give your friend a second chance, not give her a lifetime of immunity against her sins."
"Oh, I see." Maya nodded. "So what happens now?"
"Well, we can make it so that once you return, Nikhil will accompany you and help transition Ria to her second life chance."
