The Destiny of Shaitan

Laxmi Hariharan
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 Author: Laxmi Hariharan, www.laxmihariharan.com
Cover design: Peter Ratcliffe, www.peterratcliffe.com
Editor: Julie Lewthwaite, http://www.mlwritingservices.co.uk/
Cover design & all stories copyright Laxmi Hariharan 2012.
All rights are reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without
the written permission of the author. This is a work of fiction. Names,
characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s
imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living
or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
WCAUK Reg No C103956

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 "The Destiny of Shaitan is mind blowing, dark, humourous, and clever.
It took me on a powerful journey inwards, which was a surprise as I'm not
generally drawn to scifi or fantasy. I love the scene where the planet is
covered with water and Yudi rescues Tiina. It's core message is Unity. I
believe it will appeal to people across all ages."
Sonia Ducie Dip.CSN.AIN, Numerologist, Author 11 Numerology
books.

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 Contents

Shaitan’s World

Prologue

Yudi finds Tiina

Arkana

Ka Surya

Thalia

Rai’s journey

Tiina’s Journey

Yudi’s Journey

Reunion

First stop, Elixir

Bombay

Through the Gateway

The other side

This is it

The Seventh Hour

Glossary

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 Shaitan’s World

Places
Ka Surya: Tiina and Yudi’s home planet, destroyed by Shaitan
Arkana: The planet which is also the Academy of Half Lives
Bombay: Rai’s adopted city; the Gateway to the other side is located here
Pluto: Yudi’s adopted planet
Java: Tiina’s adopted planet
Saturn: Shaitan’s home planet and base from where he rules the world

People
Shaitan: The most powerful Half Life in the universe
Yudi: Shaitan’s first born
Tiina and Maya: The twin princesses of Ka Surya
Rai: Shaitan and Thalia’s son
Thalia: Rai’s mother and Shaitan’s mistress
Mimir: The wise Master and Guardian
Lord Vishnu: The Guardian of the Nectar of Power
Simh: Lion Man
Garuda: Bird Man
Raven: Goddess of War
Fu Zebox: Guardian of the Gateway to the other side

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 Prologue

The most powerful being in the universe was created in lust and
disowned at birth. Shaitan was a love child.
His mother Ira seduced the supreme God Shiva conceiving Shaitan in the
divine equivalent of a one-night stand.
When the moment of madness was over, Shiva regretted his lapse. When
most needed Shaitan’s powers would fail him, so Shiva fumed at his yet
unborn child.
Shaitan next encountered Shiva as a teenager. By then he knew he was
different from the rest. The son of a super life-form that he was, there was
never any doubt in his mind that he would one day become the ruler of the
universe..
Now he had a choice. He could do this step-by-step; the more traditional
and more honest way. Following in the footsteps of the human conquerors
before him, he could take one kingdom at a time, raze it to the ground and
rebuild it his way.
But why take the long torturous route when there was a simpler path to
glory. An accelerated five seconds in the limelight leading to a celebrity
career kind of method?
Shaitan simply stole Shiva’s weapon, the Trident. A device guaranteed to
bestow absolute power on its owner.
Surely as the son of Shiva, he had claim to that which belonged to his
father, thought the young Shaitan. Cradling the Trident in his hands, he felt
the strength flow right through him uniting the skies above and the world
below, with Shaitan at its centre.
It grounded him, the radiant white energy, giving him the power to
control everything. Shiva was furious.
He cursed Shaitan to be killed by his first-born. The journey of their
lives was thus set in motion. The patterns passed on from father to child to
father.
This is Shaitan’s story and the story of all Half Lives, the Half Human –
Half Alien race of the future.

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 Yudi finds Tiina

Tiina wakes with a start.

The nightmare is fresh in her mind. She does not scream out, though.
Save her heightened breathing and an increased pulse rate, nothing gives
away the horror and dejection the dreams evoke. Swept along by a tide of the
inevitable, she knows she is facing her destiny.
Rousing herself, she pulls on her sturdy neoprene jump suit. She snaps
on her sleek streamlined running shoes and is about to step out the door, when
a sixth sense makes her hesitate. She turns back towards her study table and
picks up her sword from its normal place next to her laptop. It is a long
sword, just a little short of her own five foot five inch height. She secures it in
its leather casing which fits snugly across her back, testing to make sure it
does not get in the way of her movements. Its weight feels good, reassuring.
She steps out to be greeted by a blast of the furnace-like heat of the post-
apocalyptic morning. Within seconds sweat pools at the base of her spine,
sending chills of anticipation crawling across her skin.
She begins to jog at a slow pace. Picking up speed, she has reached a
steady sprint by the time she reaches the canal near her home. Running along
the lush rows of suikerriet cultivated on both sides of the water, she turns her
head to admire the leaves rippling in the breeze. After a lifetime of greys and
browns, the green is sheer joy.
Her body settles into a well known rhythm leaving her mind to wander.
This is Java, her adopted planet. Where she can shut down the chatter in her
mind, and in that stillness, touch that space which is silent.
Nothing like the tossing, churning emotions, the only baggage she has
from her home planet of Ka Surya. The memories ignite doubt and despair.
With a conscious effort, she shrugs off the unhappiness.
Tiring of the sheer effort involved in the unaccustomed physical act of
running, she flicks on the flying activator on her suit and teleports.
It is bold on his part to follow her, considering that Tiina’s sixth sense
would have already picked up his trail. Yudi increases his pace and teleports
as well, keeping her blurred figure in sight.
This is her, all right, his other half. He is compelled to confirm her
identity. Putting on a burst of speed he dives, bringing her down. Together
they crash into the shrubs bordering the suikerriet fields.
Tiina swears and straightens herself. Pushing the hair out of her eyes, she
looks into a familiar face. Yudi, who has helped her up, takes his palms off
her shoulders and holds his hands out in front of her. “It’s me,” he says.
 “Yudi?” She splutters, “How did you ...?”
"How did I find you? How many good looking women of half human
origin do you think there are on this back of beyond planet?”
“Well, it is not like I was trying to hide!”
“No. You just buried yourself where no one would look.”
“This is a beautiful planet.”
“Sure! A happening place making headlines across the galaxies.”
“It has its virtues ...”
“Like what? The trees?” he asks, looking at the giant metasequoia trees
towering over them.Tiina is about to reply when Yudi puts his finger to his
lips, quieting her. He angles his head as if hearing something in the distance.
Following his example, she tunes out the nearby sounds, focusing on the
larger space, and picks up a strange low-pitched buzzing similar to the static
on the main frequency of a radio transmitter.
They come from the sky, flying straight at them. Giant killer bees so
prevalent on Java they give it a characteristic reddish colour when seen from
space. They come in a large seething swarm, an army with a one-track mind,
an evident discipline to their ranks.
Each creature is massive, many times the size of Yudi or Tiina, and a
terrifying spectacle to behold. Descended from thirteen queen bees released
from the now defunct beehives of Java, which were famous for their honeyed
delights, the killer bees are an amalgam of the best of their home planets. The
innocent beauty of nurturing Java fused with the murderous instincts of the
warrior planet, Mars, their short lives spent in equal parts killing all other
species while mating in abandon. The survival of the species was almost
guaranteed by their strange powers of reproduction instilled by generations of
inbreeding.
With little preamble the bees are on them. Yudi puts an arm out in front
of Tiina, as if to protect her. Both assume a synchronistic defence manoeuvre.
As one, they whip out their swords and swing, slicing through some of them.
Others collapse on the ground. Each fallen insect explodes in a flash of white
smoke, scattering its life force. Yet for each one that dies, others spring up to
take their place. Every drop of fallen blood gives rise to new life. They stretch
out into the distance, a sea of bright red. The inherent horror of the situation
dawns on Yudi. Legends and mythology, he realises, like history, have a habit
of repeating themselves. There is no getting away from the past or from one’s
destiny.
A particularly large bee comes straight for Yudi and slams into him,
jolting him out of his reverie. The sound of whirring wings fills the air. The
pungent smell of the creature overpowers his senses.
The force throws Yudi to the ground, knocking the sword from his hand.
Recovering, he manages to avoid the massive legs of the insect, rolls over to
the side; grabs back his sword, and swipes at the beast with all his strength,
decapitating it.
He throws himself at the head of a long row of the insects taking down
quite a few with him and disappearing right into their midst, the rest crawling
over him.
Meanwhile Tiina, who is engaged in a battle of her own, looks up in
mid-action just as she is swinging her sword at the closest creature. She is
horrified to see that the bees form a living, moving sky undulating in front of
her, covering the hills, stretched out for as far as the eye can see. Even as she
looks on, her line of sight fills with the giant insects, blocking out the light
blue of the vapour skies. Tiina shivers involuntarily as the bright light of the
Javanese sun is suddenly blocked, and the temperature immediately dips.
She jumps in after Yudi, shoves as many of the creatures as possible out
of the way and, reaching Yudi, pulls him to his feet.
“We have to go now. Now!”
Yudi does not waste a second, he wraps his arms around her and
teleports them through the skies to his spacecraft, docked in orbit around
Java.
They burst into the driving pod of the craft. Yudi slides into the driver’s
seat, grabs hold of the joystick and shouts, “Hang on!”
Checking to make sure that Tiina is in her seat, he inches the lever
forward, sliding the craft out and into the skies.
As the craft pulls away, Tiina looks back at the planet. Craning her neck,
she is amazed to see the familiar hills and valleys of Java taken over by a
mass of brown. It is as if a giant dark veil is casting its shadow over the
beautiful place.
As he pilots the craft away from the doomed planet, Yudi says, “I agree,
it really is a nice planet. Very welcoming, don’t you think?” He glances
sideways at Tiina, before turning to give the control panel his full attention.
Tiina’s heart sinks as she continues to watch the fast-diminishing planet.
“Why? Why did they attack us?” she asks.
“It’s classic. Species turning against each other. The beginning of the
end.”
“Why did you come in search of me anyway?” Tiina asks, then answers
her own question. “Wait, let me guess.” She pretends to think for a moment
then snaps her fingers. “I get it. Yet again Mimir, the old master, has
commanded you to save the world,” she says, trying to mimic his tone. “And
of course you have to find me to help you in this. Why is it that it always
comes down to you and me, Yudi?"
"Don’t forget Rai."
"How is Rai? Has he decided whether he prefers the male of a species
yet?”
 “I don’t remember you being so cynical, Tiina. Since when did you let
them get to you?”
“Easy for you to say.”
“You haven’t forgiven me.”
“No. Though thanks to you, I did find an entire new life …” Her voice
tapers off. “Which I just lost,” she says, looking back at the distant planet
formerly known as Java.
“I am sorry, Tiina.” Yudi reaches across and places his hands on hers.
“Sorry for then and sorry for now.”
“You apologising is a first. You never did say a word when it mattered.”
“I’m saying it now,” he counters. “I am here to give us a chance.”
“Among other things... You thought I would go along with your
promises again, eh?”
Yudi beckons. “Come let me show you what’s happening in the
universe.” Putting the spacecraft into auto, he gets up from his seat. Tiina
follows him and they go out of the main deck and into the area in its
proximity, which serves as the living quarters on the ship. Yudi stops in the
centre of the space and turns to face Tiina, who comes to an abrupt halt not
more than a few inches from him. Yudi puts his hands on her shoulders and
looks deep into her eyes.
“Aw, come on. Surely not here,” Tiina says looking at him with an
expectant gleam. In response Yudi leans forward and touches his forehead to
hers. Tiina shuts her eyes. She is immediately transported to horrifying scenes
of destruction. A strong sense of helplessness grips her, a strange fear grips
her heart as scenes of violence unfold before her eyes. She sees men picking
up arms against their choice.
Women committing suicide. Cities burnt. The most sacred places on the
planet invaded. Her deepest, darkest fears come true. Finally she can take it
no more and pulling away from him, exclaims “Stop! Enough! What do you
want?”
“Come to Arkana, help me find the stolen Isthmus and save the universe
from total destruction.”
“The Isthmus? How do you know it even exists?”
“I don’t. However, I do believe Mimir. When he insisted that I find you
and Rai and take on this mission, I could not refuse.”
“So.....we are .... the... saviours?”
Yudi nods. “We always knew we were going to be summoned. The call
came a little later than expected.”
“Ten years too late!” snaps Tiina. Then, relenting, she looks at him. “OK.
So it had to be the three of us. But, Arkana? I can’t breathe there. The crowds,
the sheer number of souls all clustered together in one place, the
overpowering feelings, the unavoidable human touch, the smell of so many
people packed into such a small space. It kills me.”
“I know, Tiina.”
“Can we not just find the Isthmus and hand it over, without going back
to Arkana?”
“It’s not like I have a choice, believe me,” he replies, still on tenterhooks,
anticipating Tiina laughing in his face and refusing outright to help him. To
some extent, he does not blame her. After all, he did cheat on her ....so it is
not as if she owes him anything.
Hoping against hope, he lets out a soft sigh of relief and smiles. “So
we’re on then, right?”
Once again, Yudi is wearing that jaunty confident smile, the one Tiina
loves to hate. She feels an unreasonable anger bubble up inside again. It is a
familiar reaction, one he has elicited from her from the time they first met.
He calls it chemistry.
For her it is more like biology. Absolute senseless lust, combined with
wanting to possess and being possessed. She knows that it is akin to a suicidal
one-way street.
“You know, Yudi, this is not a rewind situation, where the scene is
frozen, and the characters don’t know what to do with each other!” she snaps.
“Do we know what to do with each other?” he jokes. “Look, I was
stupid, completely dense. You are never going to forgive me … or forget the
past. But can we bury our differences, for Mimir’s sake, and get on with it?”
“Can’t you just tell me what’s really on your mind? If you could but
speak your heart you would save us both so much time!” she exclaims, then,
without warning, drops to a fighting stance and punches him in the eye.
“Now we can ...” she says, satisfied.
“Ouch,” Yudi gasps, bringing his hand to his left eye, which is beginning
to throb in pain.
“… Be friends, I mean.” Tiina grins and holds out her hand.
“Yes, of course,” he says. Then, putting his hand over hers, he pulls her
to him. They look into each other’s eyes for an instant and she is taken aback
to find that his lips are not far away from hers.She hesitates for only a
moment then, breaking his hold, throws him over her shoulder. “I went to the
same school as you, remember?”
Yudi picks himself up trying not to show his bruised ego. Swallowing his
pride, he mock bows. “How can I forget? Twice in two minutes. Does that
make you feel better?”
“The fight is not over, Yudi.”
He nods. “This is just the beginning.”
“And I’m going to win!”
Yudi holds out his hand. “Shall we shake?”
Brushing past him, Tiina goes through to the main deck and slips into her
seat. “Now that we are over the initial pleasantries, can we get on with the
business of piloting this craft?”
“Arkana it is,” says Yudi, and puts them on course for their destination.

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 Arkana

They dock on Arkana.

Yudi jumps out and sets about securing the ship with fast, efficient and
much-practised movements. His familiar routine is soothing to Tiina’s eyes.
She looks on, fascinated, as his actions speed up, very soon becoming a
blur. So riveted is she by his performance that when, having completed his
task, he stops, Tiina is startled out of her reverie.
Yudi has been feeling her eyes burning into his back all the while.
He turns and walks up to her. “Enjoy the show?” he asks, tilting his head
as he continues past her and towards the entrance of the structure in front of
which they have docked.
Tiina has the grace to blush at his remark. Pulling herself together she
follows him, running to keep pace with his long strides. Yudi leads the way
along a corridor which has a massive wall of glass on one side, showing the
vista of the megalopolis below. Ahead the corridor opens off into many
rooms. Each of the rooms is of a different colour and seems to echo a
different theme.
Tiina does a rough count of the doors and realises that there are probably
more than a hundred such rooms ahead of her. The entrance to each is a glass
door. It is not unlike being in an aquarium with multiple tanks on display.
Yudi sets off up the corridor at a brisk pace. Tiina struggles to keep up with
his longer stride while simultaneously trying to peer inside each of the rooms.
Finally out of breath and tired, she comes to a standstill.
“Stop,” she pants. “Stop!” she says again, raising her voice in order to be
heard. “What’s the hurry anyway?”
Yudi. Who is a couple of feet ahead of her, slows down a little so that she
is able to catch up with him. Tiina walks to him, managing to steal a glance
inside various rooms. She spots Geishas, Indian folk dancers, Spanish
flamenco artists, Russian Cossacks, one-eyed, big headed pimps from Pluto,
nubile young aliens from Venus, endowed with multiple-faces and other
multiple charms, many-armed soldiers from Saturn, the familiar multi-hooved
horses from Ka Surya, the transparent ghosts who waft from the multi-
dimensional world of Shanista, the swimming mermaids of Neptune … she
loses count of the various familiar and not so familiar species.
As they pass by one of the rooms, Yudi waves out to the three-headed
kangaroo-like marsupials inside, playing what seems to be a game of mind
dice.
Tiina looks at him. “Your friends?”
 He shrugs “We shared an adventure ...”
“Aren’t they from Mars?”
“Yes.”
“And they are happy to be kept here in a cell?”
“Yes!”
“Just like that?”
“Shaitan destroyed their planet. These were the only survivors. When
Rai and I found them, they were more than happy to come to Arkana. We
recreated the optimum climatic conditions within that space so they could live
there. Guess it works for them.”
Tiina begins to flag. She slows down further and comes to an almost
complete standstill. Yudi looks back to where she is lurking in the background
and adds in a semi-conciliatory tone, “They need a very specific breathing
mixture and did not object to being in that room. On the contrary, they all
seem to be thriving.”
“So they are the last of an endangered species?”
“I just told you that?”
“Being the survivor of a lost planet is a familiar feeling. Yet it is as if
Arkana has been resurrected, all these structures, this maze of rooms is all
new. I don’t remember anything like this.”
“It had to be completed in record time, alright, to accommodate all these
species.”
Tiina does not reply. Something very familiar inside one of the rooms
brings her to a halt. She gives a cry of pleasure on seeing the familiar scenery
of Java. The scene is as complete as if she has painted it herself. It has Java’s
characteristic large orange blossom flowers, the golden beach where she spent
many afternoons lazing by the shores, the giant yellow bees buzzing around
the flowers, the traditional paddy fields that made Java the granary of the
universe, and the traditionally dressed Javanese rice harvesters. One of whom
even looks up and waves to her.
Taken aback, Tiina asks, “What is this?”
“Don’t you get it yet?”
“It’s not what I think it is?” He nods in agreement.
“So each room reflects a different forgotten culture of the universe?”
Yudi smiles “The galaxy under one roof. Shaitan’s violence does not
spare much. These are the remnants.”
“Ah, so these are the extinct and the extinguished. Is this Arkana’s version of
a rogue’s gallery?”
“More like Mimir’s Ark. They are being kept here until they are ready to
become part of the new world.”
“And is that what we are too? Specimens?”
“Not yet,” replies Yudi. “And I hope that it will never come to that.”
“Mimir sure is taking this end of the world thing rather seriously.” For the
first time Yudi agrees. “That’s what I think, too.”
“I thought you were a willing accomplice, fully behind this new world thing.”
“It gives me a chance to be back with two of my best friends, so I figure why
not?”
Tiina is puzzled. “So this is just your regular personal entertainment fantasy?
You are a strange one, you know.”
“Whatever gets it up for me, no?” Yudi mocks her. Then, on a more serious
note, adds, “I do want to believe in a brave new world and fresh starts. Don’t
you?”
Tiina thinks about it “A chance to erase everything and re-write my future?”
“You don’t have to change the past to forge a future.”
“But you have to change, nevertheless.” A voice interrupts them. “The two of
you are still engaged in foreplay, I see!” They turn to face the figure walking
towards them.
“Mimir!” exclaims Tiina.
Mimir approaches them with that curiously floating gait of his, white robes
fluttering behind him, eyes crinkling as he smiles. His beard is much longer
than Tiina remembers. There are definitely more wrinkles on his face, if that
is possible, she concludes.
“Mimir!” She walks towards him.
That old much-remembered feeling of sparkling power radiates from him, and
flows over her. She feels the hairs on her forearms rise up, and a shiver of
recognition runs through her. A feeling of complete surrender to the ultimate
source of power overwhelms her, bringing tears to her eyes. She has forgotten
how truly overwhelming it is to be in his presence. Once more, his halo of
power reaches out and draws her in.
“Welcome back Tiina,” says Mimir. He smiles while continuing to gaze at her
with those peculiar piercing eyes of his. Turning to Yudi, he says, “I am
pleased you found her.”
“Did you doubt it?”
“I was sure you would reach her. But seeing the two of you together was
much beyond what I expected you to achieve.”
“We managed to arrive at an understanding … Of sorts,” says Tiina.
“You could say that,” agrees Yudi.
“That was your first of many lessons to come on this journey,” says Mimir.
“You will find yourselves and through that each other.”
“All this and save the world too?”
“First save yourself,” replies Mimir.
“Mimir, as usual you are full of interesting facts. Some things haven’t
changed.”
Mimir chuckles “A wise man is allowed to indulge in mysteries.”
“Isn’t that a woman’s prerogative?”
“We can talk later Tiina. Right now it’s time for the three of you to heed the
call. Shaitan’s power has grown exponentially since he stole the Isthmus. If
we do not act fast, he will soon be un-stoppable. Already he controls the
minds of most Humans and Half Lives.”
“Humans are the most intelligent species in this galaxy. Surely they can resist
him?”
“They could have, if they had tried,” he says. “But they have been caught
unawares. Over the ages, they have lost much of their ancient wisdom.
Perception is replaced by illusion. The left-brain dominates. And money is the
currency of life.”
“There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of greed now, is there?” remarks
Tiina. “We are human. We make mistakes. The pursuit of money is still the
most pleasurable journey of all.”
“What does this have to do with Shaitan and the Isthmus?”
“The Isthmus keeps the balance of the creative and the commercial. With the
Isthmus gone, the pendulum has swung to the extreme. It must now swing
back. Balance must be restored to the galaxy.”
“And if you we don’t succeed …”
“Then …” Says Mimir.
“Then...?”
“If this is not done, then the galaxies meet the same fate as your home planet
Ka Surya.”
Tiina grows pale. “Destiny repeats itself.”
“And the wheel keeps turning till you isolate the evil and take it out once and
for all.”
“You are right, Mimir.”
Yudi is quite happy to play his role in the mission, yet something bothers him.
“I’ve got to ask why you decided to choose us when there are others stronger,
more powerful than us, who could do this with less effort.”
“On the contrary others more powerful than you have tried, but none have
succeeded” replies Mimir.
“Oh! I did not know that. What do we have, which the others didn’t?”
“You have each other.” Mimir smiles and putting an arm around their
shoulders he walks them, one on either side, to the large window overlooking
the city.
“The two of you in the same place at the same time, and with true intent. That
is really powerful.”
“Alchemy to neutralise?” comments Tiina.
“A tune that revives?” Yudi laughs, trying to rhyme his words with her
sentence.
Tiina and Mimir both look at him in mild frustration. “Sorry ... sorry, just
couldn’t resist that one” Yudi apologises.
“You don’t believe me, do you?” asks Mimir.
“OK, we are each unique. I give you that. And together we are a strong
combination. We thrive off each other,” concedes Tiina.
“Real purpose,” says Mimir. “Together you have unadulterated power.”
“But is that enough to overcome evil as strong as Shaitan?”
“It will not be easy.” Mimir pauses. “You will be tested. And there will be
casualties.”
“Do we even know where to start,” asks Yudi, wearing a confused look on his
face. Mimir looks at both of them. “You will be guided every step of the way.
When you need me most, I will be there. Just follow your instinct and find the
way,” he says.
“But Mimir, you have the power. If you look for the Isthmus you would find
it like that” Yudi snaps his fingers for effect.
“If only it were that simple.” Mimir smiles “I can help, I can guide, but this is
your destiny not mine.”
Tiina is about to ask him another question, when Mimir interrupts her “Let’s
find Rai, shall we? There will be more time for questions, I promise.”
Mimir and Tiina follow Yudi along the seemingly never-ending corridor. It
slopes gently upwards and then abruptly turns a corner. They find themselves
in a space overlooking an open-air arena, right in the centre of which is what
seems to be an old-fashioned boxing ring.
They reach a viewing gallery. As they step into it, it gently disengages from
the main structure and floats light as a bubble over the circular arena until
they are in a prime position for a ringside view of the action unfolding in front
of them. The figures in the centre of the ring carry on, not in the least
disturbed by their newfound audience. As Tiina continues to train her sights
on the action, she makes out a familiar profile.
“Rai! What is he doing here?”
Tiina follows Rai’s movements and realises that he is engaged in what seems
to be a very strange game: pitting his mental powers against a very striking
being. She can only describe the figure facing Rai as half man, half lion. It
has the face and torso of a lion, tapering to a narrow and oddly sexy waist,
and then the strong legs of an athlete clad in black leather, but with a powerful
lion’s tail swishing back and forth.
The two gaze at each other across the length of the boxing ring the surface of
which is clear enough to reflect back their images as if the surface of a frozen
lake. Tiina realises that it looked like a sheet of solid glass. Her logic however
told her, that given the dimensions of the figures and the force of their actions,
it had to be something a little stronger to hold the weight of Rai and the Lion
Man. A surface tough enough to withstand their actions.
As she watches, the area between the two figures suddenly erupts. It is as if
getting tired of the mental game, Rai and the Lion Man had exploded into the
physical plane. They pull out their swords flinging it at each other at the same
time. The swords clash and a blinding light flares out, so intense that she can
feel heat and almost hear the static even from two-miles away.
Tiina puts up a hand to protect herself against its brilliance. The sheer power
from the conflict is such that she almost blacks out. She has a feeling of déjà-
vu, but is unable to really comprehend or catch up with the memories
triggered by the explosion. Meanwhile the action continues. Rai and the Lion
Man engage in fierce warfare, each of them now charging the other from
opposite ends of the field. Only they both seem to have moved onto riding
metallic beasts which are as translucent as the surface of the boxing ring on
which they are fighting. The sunset in the background with its reds and golds
frames the figures, makes it a picture-postcard scene. The sunshine bouncing
off the metallic animals, create a rainbow.
The two figures close the distance and when they are within inches of each
other, the animals they are on seem to melt away. Then it is just the two of
them on their feet. They rush towards each other and lock in a death grip. The
tussle continues for a few evenly matched seconds. When it seems that neither
of them will give way, Lion Man morphs into a complete lion and catches Rai
by the neck.
The illusion breaks. The lion fades away.
Rai gets to his feet, dusts himself off, and walks over, limping a little, a
sheepish look on his face.
Mimir looks at Rai with a steady piercing gaze. “You need to listen to your
intuition. Anticipate.”
“Sure thought I was doing just that.”
“Trust,” says Mimir. “Leap and you shall be caught.”
Tiina notices that the years seem to sit easy on him. “How do you do that?”
she asks.
“Do what?”
“Look exactly the same as when I last saw you.”
Rai laughs pleased with her compliment. “Hey, you look good too, Tiina,
even better than what I remember.”
“Doesn’t say much for your recollection then, does it?” She gestures to the
scene behind him. “So all that was what? An illusion?”
“You mean the Lion Man?” replies Rai, then without waiting for her answer
continues, “If you mean the creature I fought with? Then yes, it was an
illusion too.”
“He is not real?” asks Tiina
“No,” Mimir corrects Tiina “He does exist. Simh — the Lion Man. The one
who taught me the skills of the fight,” he says.
“So that was an illusion?” Tiina presses them both for an answer.
“No, he was there,” says Rai finally. “Only in spirit, though. On Arkana we
have the technology to channel him. What you saw was a fabulous illusion,
which simulates the exact real impact of your opponent. And it’s potent,
because it taps into the real strength of the person or thing. So you are right
there in the moment, caught up in the fight.”
All of a sudden Tiina begins to feel a little lightheaded. Her head reels from
the after effects of the bright blast that washed over her. She looks around.
“When did all this happen, how was all this built?”
“After you left …uh!” Rai clears his throat looking from Tiina to Yudi, “Well
after you left, Yudi and I were set to go our separate ways as well.”
Yudi completes his sentence. “But Mimir held us back.”
“We didn’t want to stay on, but Mimir convinced us to complete what we had
started.”
Yudi looks at the magnificent buildings around him. “We stayed until this
place took shape.”
“So this is where the two of you vanished to so often, then?” she asks. Some
things suddenly click into place. Even after all this time, the scenes from their
earlier years at Arkana are bright and alive in her mind.
“Trust Mimir to discipline both of you.”
“I wouldn’t say we’ve lost all our firepower yet,” Rai smiles.
Mimir looks at the three silhouetted against the glass wall, beyond which lies
the magnificent metropolis of Arkana. It is a moment in time forever etched
in his mind’s eye.
“So, what have you decided?”
The three of them look at each other and hesitate. They are not quite sure how
to voice their doubts.
“You know this is our last chance,” says Tiina looking at the other two. “This
is the time to speak up, if we have any doubts.”
“Else hold our words forever,” agrees Yudi.
Rai finally says, “We are together, for better or worse. So is there anything
stopping us from taking this journey?”
“I am in. I have always known I was going to do something different. This is
how I change the course of my destiny, so why not?” replies Tiina, without
any hesitation.
They both look at Yudi who bursts out, “OK! OK! I admit I am not thrilled. I
would rather do something a little less stressful. But hey! I’ll do it just so we
can spend a little more time together.”
“What about you, Rai?” asks Tiina. “Why are you doing this?
“For a long time I wondered why I didn’t feel comfortable anywhere. I
wandered the entire galaxy, and never found a place which felt like home.
And then,” he looks at them, “and then it dawned on me. It isn’t the place. It
is the people that make it feel like home.”
Both Yudi and Tiina are listening with rapt attention. “I found the two of you
at Arkana, and for the first time I felt I belonged. It was as if...” he struggles
for a word to describe the emotions he had felt then “As if I were whole
again... you know. I was safe, and could just be myself with both of you. I did
not have to pretend anymore. If I could only hold onto that feeling forever
well then I would die happy.”
“That was from the heart, Rai,” says Tiina. “So poetic....I didn’t think you had
it in you.”
“The words, you mean?” asks Yudi.
“No, the feelings,” says Tiina.
Mimir laughs “Enjoy the feeling for you are just beginning to find out what
were truly meant to do.”
“So where do we begin?”
“Never a better place than the beginning. See where it takes you,” he
chuckles.
Tiina presses him. “Mimir, you are a true words wizard. But give us a clue, a
direction — something to go on.”
“You are too impatient, Tiina.” He hesitates then gives in and says, “Go to
Bombay on Earth. Find the gateway to the other side, which will lead you
directly to Shaitan’s kingdom. You will face many challenges, many obstacles
and interesting situations on the way. However, know this — reach there you
will. So don’t give up!”
“You mean we’ll make it in one piece?”
“Much improved for the experience.”
“Much wiser, no doubt?” asks Rai
“All you have to do is cross over to the other side, then follow the signs to
your destination.”
“Is that all you have for us? Not much to go on, then, is it?” exclaims Yudi.
“You are as mortal or as invincible as you feel, Yudi.”
“At least tell us how we can enhance our strength.” says Tiina. “How do we
fight Shaitan without weapons?”
“With our bare hands?” ventures Yudi.
Mimir walks up to Yudi and holds up his palm. “There’s more power in your
finger than in the entire universe.”
“It’s all those connections & inter-connections!” exclaims Tiina.
“What do you mean?” asks Yudi. “I don’t get it. How can I possibly have
more power than everything and everyone in the world put together?”
“The energy of intent can move a thousand mountains,” smiles Mimir. “Yet
given your doubts, here are a few real enough props to shore up your
confidence.”
They follow him through panels that melt away in front of him, and they
step into the control room of a space ship.
 “Welcome to Artemis,” says Mimir.
“Is that what you call these things now?” asks Rai.
In response to his question, the walls around him promptly dissolve and
change shape.
“Not always. However, this is more than a ship. This is Artemis. She is
alive, real, and quite responsive, as you are going to find out very soon.”
Tiina walks over and places her palms on one of the two driving pods.
She smiles delightedly. “I can sense her, an incredibly optimistic and
adventurous soul.”
In response, the lights of the ship brighten a shade, taking on a rose-
tinted hue. The panel in front of Tiina illuminates and glows in shades of blue
and violet. The outer beam at the head of the ship switches on suddenly,
powerfully illuminating the way.
Yudi nudges Tiina. “You said the right thing, obviously. Artemis sure
seems ecstatic.”
Mimir places his hand on the wall closest to him. “Artemis,” he commands
the ship, “guide the three to their destiny. Protect them. But first, take them to
the essence, the Elixir of Half Lives.”
In response, the walls around them dissolve again and the ship changes shape
once more. For a few seconds they are surrounded by shifting beams of light,
some of which seem to have travelled many generations, and there are yet
other energies of many frequencies all of which seem to focus right here in
this space and time, to bring a massive boost to the moment. When Artemis
settles down again, her shape is sleeker, like a powerful streamlined bullet.
The nose of the ship extends out as if to pass right through any obstacles, the
sides are tapered with flowing, arching wings, that fold over like a crane’s
when not in flight, and she has an extended tail.
Artemis is as slim as a bullet on the exterior, yet spacious enough on the
inside so they have enough space not to get in each other’s way.
Tiina, Yudi and Rai look at each other in amazement.
“Wow,” Tiina gasps, “that was impressive. I do believe my doubts are
receding … somewhat.”
“The Elixir? So it does exist?” asks Yudi.
“Yes, and it will certainly help activate your hidden energies in the most
optimum manner. Nevertheless, it is just a catalyst. And each of you will react
to it very differently. It will either supercharge you or else drain you
completely of all your energy.”
“I thought just the three of us coming together was catalyst enough!”
exclaims Rai.
“That is the minimum!”
“Well,” Yudi concedes, “guess we’ll have some fun along the way, at least.”
“And that’s important, Yudi. Spontaneity, living in the moment every step of
the way. For when the adventure is over and you look back, you will regret
that you did not make the most of every minute you spent in it.”
“It is always easier to laugh in hindsight. No?” Tiina exclaims.
“That is why you are human and you have faults. Enjoy them. For this is what
the Gods envy.”
Yudi interrupts. “So if we get the Elixir of Half Lives, then will we make it
through alive?”
Mimir looks at them, a hint of impatience now coming into his eyes. He says,
“There are no guarantees, Yudi. I cannot foretell your destiny.”
“But you are God, or close enough, right?”
“Am I?” asks Mimir, enigmatically.
Before Yudi can say anything else, Tiina interrupts. Rarely does Mimir lose
his temper and it seems on this occasion he has been pushed to the brink of
his infinite patience.
Tiina says, “Let’s go, Yudi. I am sure we will find out more soon.”
“In time, Yudi, when you are ready, we will speak again, and perhaps then
you may have a different story,” says Mimir.
In response to an imperceptible signal from Tiina, Rai walks up to take
his place at the parallel driving pod. They both look at Yudi meaningfully.
With a resigned look on his face, Yudi seats himself in the pod behind the two
of them, so that they form a triangle, with Yudi bringing up the rear.
Yudi turns to Mimir. “When do we see you again?”
“At the appropriate juncture,” says Mimir, with that familiar all-
knowing, all-seeing smile. He raises his hands in farewell. In response the
entire array of front lights on Artemis fire up, casting an intensely bright
beam, illuminating the path ahead.
“Where to?” Rai asks Tiina.
“Plot a course for Bombay” Yudi pipes up.
“First stop, the Elixir,” Tiina corrects him.
Rai slides the lever forward, and they prepare to take off towards the first
destination.

OceanofPDF.com
 Ka Surya

In form and feature, he looks so royal, thinks Athira, looking at the baby
wrapped up in the bright orange cloth.
It is an intermittent shining in the distance which first catches his eye.
Thinking it is perhaps a piece of jewellery belonging to the royal family, he
goes towards the starlight.
It leaps at him right from the bushes; a snarling lion club.
In surprise, Athira draws back, simultaneously whipping his sword out
from its scabbard. They stare at each other, the lion cub and the charioteer.
The cub finally quiets down. It cocks its head to the right as if listening to
some sound in the distance. Then, purring softly, settles back on its haunches,
licking its feet, now looking at the man with what seems to be joyous
affection.
Athira is surprised by the sea change in its attitude. He cautiously
sheaths his sword and approaches the animal softly, hesitantly patting it on the
head. The lion cub looks up; its unblinking brown eyes lock with Athira’s
blue ones. It gets back on its feet and, turning around, walks into the bushes.
Athira follows the animal into the undergrowth and is instantly blinded for a
second, as the light reflects straight into his eyes.
When it clears, he sees the lion cub just ahead. It circles the child and
settles down next to it licking its paws and waiting.
Athira approaches warily, realising that what he had seen earlier was the
glow reflecting off the child who is, in fact, covered head to toe in some kind
of shining body armour.
He bends down and picks up the child. The infant yawns and smiles, its
indigo eyes gaze up at Athira. It snuggles into his arms, yawns again and,
closing its eyes, falls asleep peacefully.
Athira takes the baby back home with the lion cub in tow, purring softly
following him.
The boy is named Yudi, after Yudishtra, the righteous one, the one who
never lies.
Yudi the gardener’s son grows up in the shadow of the enormous palace
of Ka Surya. The lion cub and Yudi are inseparable. They are firm playmates;
two bodies, one soul, laughing, rolling together in the first blush of childhood;
gawking at the universe in surprise.
Yudi grows fast, shooting up like a tall sunflower. But Athira notices that
the cub stays the same. The realisation dawns on him, that the lion cub is
more than just a pet. In fact it is not ordinary by any means. The cub is
growing just not as fast as the boy.... It is....divine in some form, blessed by
something from beyond this realm. “Perhaps it has been sent just to see the
boy to Athira” he thinks. ”And now that Yudi was safe, Athira wonders how
long the cub would stay.” His answer is not long in coming.
For on the day Yudi turns five, the lion cub suddenly disappears. The two
of them are playing together by the waves on the beach. They are flush with
the joy of youth. Caught up in the exuberance of life, they surf the crest of
that place in which they are completely unaware of their surroundings. It is in
that space that the lion cub suddenly comes to a complete standstill, looking
into the distance as if it has sensed something. Then, its chest heaving with
exertion, it looks at Yudi with those special melting brown eyes, as if
engaging in a conversation from which there is no return.
Abruptly it turns around and paddles out into the sea. Nimbly, the cub
jumps over the waves and swims out, further and further, appearing first like a
dolphin, then fading to a speck in the distance.
Yudi watches the cub at first enjoying the sense of freedom the scene
evokes in his mind, then following the strange antics of the animal it suddenly
hits him that his friend is not coming back. It is the first loss of his young life
and Yudi takes it to heart. But he grieves in very grown up style.
He indulges in a flurry of activity; climbing walls, fighting imaginary
dragons, bouncing around from room to room in the house, and the garden,
and the mountains, trying to surf the waves, until finally he falls into a coma
of desperate exhaustion on the sands. Spending his nights on the beach
looking up at the night sky, which turns to day as the sunrise paints the skies
red.
Athira cannot bear to see Yudi in such pain.
His soothing words are like silken cream poured to cover his child from
head to toe, but Yudi just slithers away, crying harder as he does so.
The stuffed toys remain untouched.
When Athira tries a headstand to get his attention Yudi exclaims “Dad! I
knew yoga long before you were born!”
“Really?” Athira asks, surprised. “How is that?”
Yudi shrugs. “Just do,” he says. “Just like I know this…” He walks up to
Athira, takes his bow and arrow, aims at a bird flying in the distance, then lets
loose and brings it down. He walks back and hands the weapon back to his
dumbstruck father.
This just confirms that Yudi himself is not going to stay for very long.
“He is going to leave just like the lion cub” he realises. It lends his fatherly
heart an edge of desperation. He understands that he now cannot avoid that
which has been staring him to his face for a long time.
He always suspected that Yudi had illustrious lineage. He had assumed
he was an illegitimate son of one of the royal family of Ka Surya. But
something he had never thought of earlier comes to mind... “What if, what if”
he was actually the boy Shaitan was searching for...It was the only thing to
explain why his sudden appearance had coincided with the world wide hunt
for little boys born around the time Yudi had been found. News of Shaitan’s
cruel hunt and kill of new born boy children had reached Ka Surya around the
time that he had found Yudi. Yet he had never really thought to make the
connection..... Until now when the series of events brought it all together.
Could Yudi be related to the most powerful, the most evil in the galaxy?
Athira does not want to believe it.... and yet it seems inevitable.
He can already feel the pain of the forthcoming separation..... Then
Athira has a brainwave. He gets Yudi a white horse. He hopes that it will
replace the companionship of the cub, distract the boy a little bit. It is also
wishful thinking on his part that the horse turn out to be the proverbial knight
in shining armour, which would one day take Yudi to safety...far away from
his current space to the wide-open fields of tomorrow. If only it were that
simple....he thinks.
And so the cub slowly fades from Yudi’s memory to be replaced by
scenes of riding the horse, of looking to the horizon, to his future.

Years later Yudi, now almost ten, is racing his horse. In his mind, he
imagines being the hero who will save the world, little aware that his dream
would come true very soon. He approaches the palace walls of Ka Surya. It is
one of the biggest hurdles in his mind, one that he has consciously skirted
around to date. However, on this particular day, he is filled with blind
confidence, a “wanting to challenge the world to whatever is in store” feeling
blooming in his heart.
He makes up his mind, and making straight for the walls he jumps over,
all in one movement. Breathless with excitement, heart thudding in
anticipation, he lands inside the palace grounds, tearing a path through the
bushes that grow close to the boundaries. He emerges onto open lawns and,
before he is aware of its presence, knocks down a doll, forcing him to rein his
horse to a standstill.
Alarmed he dismounts and walks towards the figure to make sure he has
not broken anything. Then another girl, runs towards him from the trees. She
seems to be about the same age as him and he watches her with interest as she
approaches him. She stops, wide-eyed with surprise, and asks him in a soft,
melodious voice, “Is she dead?”
“Dead?” he asks incredulously. “It is alive?”
“Sure, and we were playing hide ‘n’ seek,” she replies, peering at him
through the fringe of hair partially covering her eyes.
“So that’s why she was here hiding near the grass next to the bushes” He
points to where his horse had landed this side of the wall, torn a path through
the boundary bushes emerging near the lawn, a hair’s breadth away from her.
“You’ve killed her!” she declares, eyes flashing.
“No I’ve not!” he says, enraged by her audacity.
They are about to come to blows when the doll/girl/figure on the ground
groans. They look at each other, eyebrows raised in surprise, and cease their
quarrel long enough to run towards her.
“Maya, how are you? Maya!” the girl exclaims, putting her palm softly
on the brow of the doll-like figure on the ground.
“Maya?” asks Yudi, rolling the name around in his mouth.
“That’s her name,” says the other girl, looking at Yudi strangely.
They both stand over the girl on the ground, who is utterly still. They
peer into her face and wonder what to do next.
When she suddenly sighs, rolls over, opens her eyes, and groans again.
She looks straight at Yudi with the greenest eyes ever, consuming him in
fierce concentration, and falls completely in love with him. Then she holds
her breath and resumes the earlier stillness. Only her eyes are open, and she
continues to look at Yudi, unwavering in her attention.
“Maya, Maya are you OK?” the other girl asks again.
Maya does not reply. She looks at Yudi, and holds out her arms to him.
Yudi shrugs at the other girl, his eyes full of questions. Nevertheless, he
proceeds to walk forward and picks up the figure from the ground. He follows
the other girl through the grounds into the palace.
They enter the palace and Yudi looks around, entranced at the high
ceilings, the jewels in the arches, the plush carpets in the colours of the
rainbow. He places the girl on a large soft couch which seems to be almost as
big and as wide as the entire living room floor of his home.
There is a sudden furore as the queen runs out of her rooms to meet
them. She drops down onto the couch pulling the girl to her chest, hugging
her and running her hands all over her hair and body to make sure she is not
hurt.
“Oh!” exclaims the queen, looking at the girl who is still standing, “what
has happened to her now?”
All of a sudden Yudi understands that he has run into Tiina and Maya,
the twin princesses, of whom he has heard his father speak many times.
He folds his hands together in greeting to the queen, “I am Yudi, the
Royal gardener’s son, at your service.”
“Then you have to curtsy to me, too,” says Tiina, “for one day I will be
queen of Ka Surya.”
Her mother laughs, then, and says, “And so he should, Tiina. But first
you should thank this young man for helping your younger sister.”
Yudi smiles at her, not for the first time noticing how incredibly alike the
two girls are. “So, the two of you really are identical twins?”
 “Yes,” she says, “except …”
“Except for the eyes!” he exclaims.
Where Maya has the greenest of eyes, Tiina has soft brown ones that
sparkle as they look at him. He can feel his heart skip a beat and suddenly it is
his turn to go pale.
The queen notices and exclaims, “Quick, seat the boy down before he
faints.”
To Yudi’s embarrassment, Tiina takes a firm grip on his hands and
guides him to the couch. Then, realising that this is his one chance to feel her
hands on him, he gives in to the pure pleasure of being fussed over by the
various women. He smiles and closes his eyes. He must have drifted off to
sleep, because when he comes to it is dark outside. He is in a room, on a bed,
covered by a soft feathered quilt. The bright light shining in his eyes. He
realises, is the starlight pouring in through the window. He gets off the bed
and pads towards the balcony, from which he can see the ocean crashing far
below. It is far enough for him to see the white tops of the waves, but not hear
them.
He looks up at a shooting star in the sky, just as there is a gentle touch on
his arm. Tiina asks, “Awake at last?”
Yudi turns around to look down at her and notices the moonlight playing
on her skin. A song from long ago plays in his mind, clouding his senses.
With some effort he snaps out of his reverie. “I must have passed out,” he
apologises.
She laughs. “Is that all you have to say?”
He smiles and holds out his hand to her. She hesitates. He nods as if to
reassure her. She places her palm in his and has the breath squeezed out of her
immediately. They travel over the seas, the white sands of the beach, the
dolphins and whales leaping up delightedly to meet them as they pass over,
they journey through the stars and the moon, cross the rings of Jupiter,
hanging there suspended for a minute grinning at each other delightedly.
Tiina laughs, her lungs filled with the pure joy of the moment, till it
seems her chest has constricted with excitement and she cannot breathe. She
is about to exclaim, but a small scream escapes her instead for, with another
whoosh, they are headed right back.
Back through the night and daylight, this time passing more twinkling
stars, and then back past the sea creatures that again seem to rise up in ecstasy
trying to touch them. Back to the bottom of the sea, and up the other side with
the waves, until they touch back lightly onto the balcony.
Tiina opens her eyes and looks at Yudi, her eyes shining. “Wow!” she
says.
“Wow?” he teases her.
“How did you do that?”
 “Magicians never tell.”
“Is that what you are? A magician?”
“Your true love.”
He stops smiling and leans forward to kiss her. She melts straight away
and steps forward, blocking the space between them so not even a ray of light
can separate them, when the noise of someone approaching the room
penetrates their consciousness.
They break their kiss, though are still unwilling to part their clasped
hands. Tiina opens her eyes. “It’s Maya, she …”
“Should not learn about us” Yudi completes her sentence.
Tiina smiles delighted that he could read her mind. Yudi leans forward to
kiss her smile one more time. Then waltzes over the balcony and whistles for
his horse which seems to come galloping out of the darkness. He vaults over
the rail and lands on the back of the horse below. He looks up to see her now
silhouetted against the moon standing where he had been just a few moments
ago, and smiles. She sees his teeth gleam in the dark light and has to smile
back. Then involuntarily gasps as he retraces his steps back from the morning,
taking his horse across the lawns through the bushes and in a jump over the
wall, disappearing into the darkness.
She closes her eyes and sends up a delighted thanks and a prayer to keep
him safe.

And feels all she has done since is pray for their safety, first his then her
own, hiding in the stables of the palace, hoping, praying, cajoling the universe
that Shaitan not find her. The sweat trickles down her forehead into her eyes,
causing them to burn, but she barely notices it through the haze of her pre-
occupation. She is shivering; partly from terror and partly from the fading
warmth, as the sun begins to set on the wounded.
Tiina and Maya had been sleeping when Shaitan burst in on them.
Having slaughtered most of the royal family and set the destroyed city behind
him ablaze, Shaitan had finally homed in on his destination.
Walking in on their sleeping forms, his eyes flick over the posters on the
walls he smiles. The girls seemed to be fans of bands from the sixties &
seventies. Shaitan himself was partial to music from that era and it amused
him no end that he and the twins shared so much in common. He must have
chuckled aloud, for even though his footsteps make no sound, yet both the
girls open their eyes to see Shaitan striding towards them, hold his sword
high.
Maya cries out in terror, seeing the devil incarnate right there in front of
her.
With a smooth movement, Tiina swings up, grasping the sword at her
side. Standing up on the bed in her bedclothes, her long hair streaming behind
her, she challenges him.
Maya runs across the room, from her bed to her sister’s, and clings to her
legs in terror. “Help me! He’s here for me,” she cries, almost babbling with
fright. Noticing her, Shaitan raises his eyes, and training his gaze on her,
smiles slowly, luxuriously, hypnotically. Transferring his own sword into his
left hand, he beckons Maya to him with his right.
Tiina is alarmed and holds onto her fiercely. “Oh no! You’re not!” she
says.
Shaitan continues to smile, no trace of emotion on his face. He beckons
again to Maya, who gets back onto her feet. Her movements are slow, as if in
a trance. She walks across the bed towards Shaitan.
“Maya” Her twin screams out and lunges towards her. She tries to hold
onto Maya, only to be struck by Shaitan’s sword and thrown off the bed.
Hitting her head on the side of the bed, she blacks out.
When she regains consciousness, Shaitan is gone and so is Maya. With
an effort, she gets onto her feet, holding her bleeding forehead.
The adrenaline kicks in and she runs out onto the palace grounds to be
greeted by complete silence. Not even the birds seemed to be alive. She can
smell the fires burning in the city. She continues walking and is assailed by a
sweet, almost aromatic, smell.
She moves towards it, curious, not quite understanding its source. Her
foot catches on something and she stumbles. She looks down and thinks that
it is a rotting tree limb. She prods it curiously, turning it over with her foot.
Then it hits her. She realises that is a burnt leg still attached to a corpse.
Tiina looks at the scene in front of her, taking it all in for the first time,
then she falls to the ground, her stomach heaving. She is at the edge of what
seems to be, as far as the eye can see, a human sea of dead people. Soldiers
dead, killed, massacred. The bodies stretched out across the beach, rushing
out to meet the waves, the waters turning red with blood, reflecting the blood
red sunset across the water.
It’s almost pretty in a gruesome way, she thinks, rising to her knees,
taking in the scene, instinctively burying her head in her hands.
Suddenly the sound of approaching footsteps breaks her out of her
reverie. She realises that it is far from safe yet.
Taking to her heels, she runs, chest heaving, to the stables, past the
horses still munching away, which turn to look at her, slightly disturbed by
her abrupt arrival. Amazed that they are still alive, she slows down and quiets
them until they are used to her presence. Then, walking to the back, she slips
into the shadows. She hides there in the quiet and, losing track of time, nods
off, events catching up with her.
She comes to with a start, not really sure what has disturbed her. The
nervous tension builds in her and sweat trickles down her face, stinging her
eyes. She draws in a deep breath trying to quell the heavy, dark fear, which
threatens to leap out and grip her again. Then freezes as she sees a shadow
enter, followed by another.
They walk noiselessly around the stable and, by the light reflecting off
their swords, she can see fleeting glances of their swarthy faces.
Half-human, half-animal: almost snake, is the closest that she can tell,
yet they are much more scaly, like pre-historic beasts, walking with a
slithering grace.
They seem to have a soft spot for the horses, which in turn reciprocate
their affection. One of the scaly things slithers to the closest horse, patting it
on the nose, and the horse nuzzles him affectionately, the others shake their
heads snorting in appreciation.
One of them looks up, cocking its head as if listening to something
beckoning him from afar. It signals to the other, they turn, and to her shock
change to a fully reptilian form and slither out very quickly in a flash.
Tiina takes a deep breath and falls back against the wall of the stable, the
strength goes out of her legs and she sinks to the floor, fresh tears springing to
her eyes as an overwhelming feeling of relief pours over her. She lies there
spent for a few minutes which seem like hours before dozing off again.
When she next wakes up she wipes the tears from her eyes. From
somewhere deep inside her core, strength comes bubbling up as if from an
underground mountain stream. And she reaches a threshold, a decision, a no-
return place in her mind.
Tired of being the victim, of being chased, of hiding.
“I am the princess, the future ruler of Ka Surya,” she thinks. “I will not
hide here like a coward while everything around me crashes and burns.”
It is time. Time to face her enemies and escape. “And if I die trying, so
be it,” she says aloud, with vehemence. She looks around her, checking to
make sure the coast is clear, and walks out of her hiding place and up to her
favourite horse.
Patting it on the neck she leans in close and whispers, “My life depends
on you.”
Feeling fresh tears springing up and threatening to engulf her again, she
hastily saddles up the horse and mounts. They leave the stables and she
coaxes the animal slowly through the shrubs and the rocks, riding down to the
shore, slipping and sliding, her heart in her mouth until they reach the beach
below. Finally picking up speed, they fly through the sand, her face close to
the horse’s mane.
“I am not afraid, I am not afraid, I am not afraid!” she chants to herself,
as if it is a mantra. She hangs onto the familiarity of the words, drawing
courage from them, blocking any doubts or fears from entering her mind. She
keeps looking behind anxiously, but no one gives chase. She rides all through
the night and by daybreak emerges on the far side of the city, at the base of
the flat plateau which marks the easternmost boundary of the kingdom. She
coaxes the horse up as far as possible, and when it gets too precarious to ride
further, she dismounts and walks the rest of the way, leading the horse.
Finally coming up onto the flat plateau, she shushes the horse and hides
behind the silver buildings that form the periphery of the base station,
surveying the activity.
Other residents of the planet have had the same idea, for as she watches;
various space ships of all sizes take off, packed with people and families.
Getting back on the horse she races towards the royal space ship, which is
being filled to capacity. She wordlessly rides the horse up the gangplank with
the other streaming hordes of people all making good their escape.
She huddles down inside, having secured herself and the horse, takes a
last look at the planet through the window, wondering ... knowing in her heart
that she will never see it again.
The space ship shuts its doors and takes off. As she looks out, she sees
Shaitan’s men coming up the mountain from all sides. One of them looks up
at the space ship, straight to where she is peering out through the window. He
beckons to others, who run towards the ship, but it is too late for they are
already on their way. She can only watch helplessly as the rest of the base
with her people and the remaining ships are torched. The flames from the
buildings on the perimeter of the space station leap up, forming a circle of
pain. She shuts her eyes...Opening them much later.

She is the most beautiful thing he has ever seen. Having jumped over the
balcony rails to the back of the waiting horse below, Yudi looks up at Tiina
and smiles. The moonlight wraps her in a halo, making her look ethereal. He
lifts his hand in farewell. Then, storing the last image of her in his mind, he
takes his horse across the palace walls. He rides through the adjoining cluster
of palm trees, emerging onto a beach and heads along the shore enjoying the
warmth of the first rays of the sun. Something has shifted and for the first
time he feels completely alive. Within twenty minutes he is home.
He finds Athira pacing the garden outside their home waiting for him.
“Where have you been?” he snaps.
The boy in Yudi is a little scared about his father’s anger. And yet Yudi
feels somewhere in the previous twenty four hours he has grown.... he feels
almost a man in many ways. He does not react, merely glancing at Athira as
he dismounts and leads the horse into a small stable to the right of the garden.
In the next stall Athira’s horse looks up butting him affectionately as he walks
his horse into the adjoining one. His movements are relaxed as he takes the
harness off the horse and lays out some hay, pouring water into the trough.
In a fine rage now, Athira walks up to Yudi and shakes him by the
shoulder. “The world is on fire and you … you are happy to just groom your
horse.”
Yudi catches his father’s hand, holding it in a surprisingly strong grip.
“Don’t push it old man,” he says.
Athira looks at him in surprise. Not for the first time he senses the
growing power in his son, the tense muscles of his thin arm coiled under his
hold. He lets go of Yudi, takes a deep breath to calm himself and says, “I was
worried …”
“Worried?” Yudi looks closer and sees that Athira’s eyes are troubled.
“What happened?”
Hoping to calm down Athira picks up the other brush and starts
grooming Yudi’s horse from the other side. “I received a transmission from
Saturn.”
Yudi continues to rub down the horse “I didn’t know you still kept in
touch with those on Saturn. Thought, you left all that behind.”
“I did,” he replies, “but this time they reached out to me. Some of my
friends on the planet tuned in to warn me ...”
“Warn you?”
“Yes. They showed me what had become of Saturn. Tortured and burnt
by …”
“Shaitan?” Yudi turns pale and stands still for a few seconds. Then,
resuming his earlier actions, says, “He’s coming for me.”
“Yes,” says Athira, looking at Yudi. “You don’t sound surprised.”
“It was just a matter of time,” he replies. “We always knew this was
going to happen.”
“So you admit it?”
“What?”
“Your connection to Shaitan?”
Yudi throws down his grooming brush and walks around to Athira,
trying not to show the temper building up inside him. Athira instead puts so
much effort into his movements that the horse shies away in pain.
Yudi sighs, sensing the discontent in the older man. He puts his arms
around Athira and hugs him. “Dad,” he says, “you are my father and nothing
can change that.”
Athira looks at him, eyes filled with love and sorrow “You’ve been more
than a son,” he says “And yet ... yet I live with this nameless fear that you will
be taken away. It’s bound to happen someday ...”
“We don’t know that for sure.”
“Why else would he come here?”
“You’ve heard the same legends as me,” says Yudi. “If Shaitan is going
to be killed at the hands of his son, then why would he look for me?”
“That is why he has come looking for you. So he can kill you before you
 get to him.”
“I’m not his son!” Yudi declares angrily.
“You don’t know that,” says Athira. “How else do you explain the
barcode on your skin?”
“That doesn’t mean a thing... its, uh! Like a birthmark,” says Yudi
sounding once more like the petulant young boy he really is. He feels his side
where he bears the strange mark that is the bane of much friction between
himself and his father. Father and son look at each other challengingly, the
same obstinate expression on both their faces.
“It is useless to fight over this, Dad,” says Yudi, giving in first.
Athira says “Come on then. I am tired. Let’s get something to eat and
figure out what to do next.”
Yudi heaves a sigh as Athira drops the brush and slaps the horse on his
rump. They walk out of the stable crossing the garden and into the house.
Later, sitting across the table from him, Athira watches his son tear into
his food with the appetite of youth while he himself can barely bring himself
to look at the plate in front of him.
“Hold on!” he exclaims as a thought strikes him “You never told me
where you were all night!”
Yudi barely pauses in the middle of a mouthful of food. “I was at the
palace.”
Athira chokes over the fruit he is eating “The palace? What were you
doing? Playing hide and seek with the princesses?”
Yudi laughs. “You could say that!”
“Yudi!” Athira warns him.
“OK, OK! Well it seems …” he hesitates, “it does seem like I’ve met
her.”
“Who?”
“You know who … um … the one … You know!”
“The one?” Athira does not understand, then suddenly light dawns. “Ah!
You mean the ONE!” He pauses then says again, “You are too young to know
what you want right now, let alone decide about the one. What do you know
about the ONE, anyway?”
“That’s not fair,” says Yudi. “When did you know?”
“Yeah yeah, OK. But I was much older than you and had seen the world
already.”
“You’re the one who always says that age has nothing to do with it.”
“When it suits me, yes”
“You mean when it makes you feel young. Then!”
“You are growing up too fast, Yudi.”
“And you’ve done a good job of that, Dad!”
Athira smiles “And I’m proud of you too,” he says, then sobers up. “We
 have to leave.”
“Yes. I know,” concedes Yudi. Finishing the food on his plate and
pushing it away, he reaches for the orange juice and drains the entire glass,
wiping his lips.
“Now!”
Yudi looks at him in alarm “Now?”
“And what will you tell the king?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing? So we just slip away …?”
“We don’t have much time.” Hardly are the words out of his mouth
when, as if in response, the walls of the house around them shake, sending the
pots and pans on the shelves crashing.
They look at each other in alarm. Then Athira springs into action. I am
going to get what we need for the journey.”
“Father!” Yudi protests.
Athira disregards him and runs up the stairs into his bedroom. Yudi
walks to the window and looks out in time to hear an explosion in the
distance. He can see a huge burst of flame rising up to the skies not far off in
the direction of the palace. He gawps at it, open-mouthed watching the flame
become a cloud of smoke, then is shaken out of his reverie by Athira, who
runs down the stairs with a backpack. He is also carrying both their swords in
protective sheaths. He throws the smaller one across to Yudi who secures it on
his back with the leather sheath across his chest. The sword is still almost as a
big as him and feels heavy but its weight is reassuring. Athira mirrors Yudi’s
movements securing his own sword across his back as well.
“Let’s get out of here,” he says.
Yudi has not moved from his earlier position by the window. As the fire
continues to burn in the distance he tells Athira, “we must get her.”
Athira looks at him “Who?”
“I can’t leave without her,”
“Are you out of your mind, boy?” Hardly are the words out of Athira’s
mouth when Yudi walks over and left hooks him.
“Ouch!” Athira gasps in surprise.
“Don’t say that again!” Yudi warns him.
“Wow. Perhaps it is true love after all,” exclaims Athira.
“You have no idea ...” says Yudi. Then he turns his horse around and
mounts it. “Are you coming?” he asks Athira.
“We are going to regret this!” Athira swears.
But seeing Yudi’s obstinate expression he gives in. They run out of the
house, lead their horses out of the stables and mounting them race back along
the beach, retracing Yudi’s earlier route. In just a few hours the scene looks
very different. The beach is filled with the bodies of dying human soldiers
and the peculiar gooey, messy remains of the slaughtered saturnine snake
beings. Some of those who are not yet dead try to attack them and they pull
out their swords, cutting them down. One particularly tenacious gets onto the
saddle behind Yudi, and rides hanging off it, for almost half a mile, before
Athira gets close enough to kill it from behind, taking care not to hurt Yudi.
Finally, they arrive at the palace and dismount. Athira shakes the sweat
out of his eyes.
“This is bad, Yudi! Really bad!”
Yudi does not reply. He runs into the palace through the bodies of dead
guards and wounded maids moaning for help. The corridors and rooms seem
untouched. It is as if someone took a sharp blade and carelessly let it scratch
against the walls all the way through, as running through it all is a single trail
of destruction. It’s as if the troops ran through in an orderly line. They follow
the line zigzag fashion, cutting diagonally through the rooms and up to the
room on the balcony of which Yudi stood less than twenty-four hours before.
With a sinking heart, Yudi enters. The bed is in complete disarray, but the rest
of the room seems untouched. Tiina is such a vital presence that her very
absence seems to have sucked all the energy out of the room. It’s the quiet at
the centre of the storm.
Yudi stands there shell-shocked, not believing that he was late on the
scene.
Athira, who had fallen, behind finally bursts into the room, brushing by
Yudi. He takes a quick look and tells Yudi, “She is not here.”
Yudi does not reply.
Athira turns to look at him sympathetically, then walks up to him and
says, “We must go.”
Yudi looks at him with tormented eyes. “And leave her here …?” He
stands his ground.
Athira’s voice softens further. “I am sure she escaped. She is too smart to
be captured. And you are of no use to her dead.”
“I am no use to myself alive!”
“Get a grip on your emotions. It doesn’t help if you give in to your
feelings.”
Yudi nods and with an almost physical effort pulls himself together. “I
will find her,” he says.
“I know you will.” Athira hugs him, then turns around and runs back the
same way they came in, pulling Yudi with him.
This time Yudi is hard pressed to keep pace with him. On the way out
they encounter three of Shaitan’s soldiers. Before Athira can react, Yudi pulls
out his sword and swings, his pent up emotions powering his arm. Within
seconds all three are beheaded. The head of the last one rolls along the
corridor, coming to rest at Athira’s feet. He kicks it out of his way and sheaths
his unused sword. He walks up to Yudi who is panting heavily, his eyes still
fixed on the figures on the ground. Yudi blinks as Athira silently takes the
sword from his hand, shakes it so that the blood drops scatter, and then places
it back in its sheath. With an unspoken understanding they break into a run
out of the palace, and within minutes are at the horses. They race back to the
house with no further incident.
They reach the house, pass the stables and with Athira leading race
across the field behind the stables to, where it backs into a small hill. Yudi
watches in growing surprise as Athira dismounts. He walks over to the side of
the small hill places his palms together, closes his eyes and goes into a
meditative state. After a few moments of utter stillness, he opens his eyes,
rubs his palms together and, walking towards the rocky plane of the hill,
places his right palm face down on a prominent boulder. Nothing happens for
a few seconds then the mountain seems to shake and dissolve. It fades away
leaving a massive shining globe in its place. The globe catches the sun and
reflects the rays into Yudi and Athira’s eyes. For a few seconds they shut their
eyes. The glow dies down and they open their eyes adjusting to the scene in
front of them.
“You have a spacepod?” asks Yudi in awe.
“We,” Athira corrects him, “We have a spacepod.”
“How did you do that?” Yudi asks in wonder. “Obviously you grow more
than just flowers...”
“I take it you like our new means of transportation?” Athira grins at
Yudi, with all the pride of a new father.
“What’s not to like?” asks Yudi. He walks around the gleaming vehicle.
“It looks … uh … fast.”
“It is … I think!” smiles Athira.
“You think? Meaning …?” Yudi asks in alarm. “Don’t tell me that
you’ve never been on it before,” he says, as Athira shakes his head.
“I did take it for a spin, once … after a fashion ... well, I only finished
fixing it up a few days ago!” He exclaims in his own defence.
“How long have you been working on it?”
“Since you were born,” says Athira. Yudi looks at him in surprise. “I
found it very close to where I found you,” Athira adds.
“And you’ve been fixing it up ever since?” Yudi asks in a disbelieving
tone. “You just knew that we would need it someday?”
“Something like that,” says Athira. “I have followed Shaitan’s progress
across the galaxy. It was only a matter of time before he came here to Ka
Surya. A small, healthy, rich planet such as Ka Surya is an ideal target for him
to take over and use for his own greed.”
Athira goes up to the spacepod and taps the side closest to him. The
panel slides open with a healthy lack of vibration and no hint of sound.
 Yudi is about to follow when he hesitates. “The horses?” he asks.
“What about them?” Athira asks back impatiently. Then, recognizing the
stubborn glint in Yudi’s eyes, he says, “OK. Go on then … hurry!”
Yudi flashes him a wide smile, then runs post-haste to the horses, unties
them, and leads them as quickly as possible to the spacepod. He makes sure
they are secure on board and are comfortable for their journey.
Athira has the spacepod ready for take-off by the time Yudi drops into
the co-pilot’s seat next to him.
“Where are we going?”
“Pluto,” he replies, “we’ll stay with my brother till things calm down.”
Athira pulls forward the lever and the craft rises lightly up into the air a
few feet, then settles back with a thump, the lights on the console clicking off.
“Oops, sorry,” says Athira, smiling in embarrassment. “Let me try
again.”
Once more the craft rises up into the air, this time a few feet higher than
the last time. Just as it feels that it is about to take off, the craft drops back, as
if a dead weight.
“Dad!” cries Yudi, impatience writ large on his face. “Why don’t you let
me take over?”
“You?” Athira asks in surprise. “And where did you learn to fly
spacecraft’s? You barely know how to ride a horse.”
“You are not the only one with secrets,” grins Yudi. “Come on,” he says,
coming around to Athira’s side of the craft, “let me just give it a try.”
Athira reluctantly takes the seat vacated by Yudi, who confidently slides
into the driver’s seat and flicks on the controls. In seconds the craft vibrates
healthily and takes off effortlessly up into the air, rising straight into the sky.
Yudi positions it at the correct height and moves forward smoothly so that
they are now sailing straight up over the trees, with the sea dropping away
rapidly below. In minutes they are above the shoreline of Ka Surya.
Athira looks at the navigation console before him and plots a course to
Pluto. As the spacepod pulls away into the atmosphere Ka Surya fills their
frame of reference on the screen, and just for a few seconds looms large in
front of them. Then as they pull away it becomes smaller. Soon it is a circular
planet, its surface a healthy green interspersed with blue. Then, as they watch,
the bottom of the circle begins to fill up, as if a large tap has been opened and
the water flows through, first slowly, in drops, and then faster, as if the faucet
has been opened full force. The blue rises very quickly right in front of their
eyes.
They both look at it, at first admiring the spectacle, until they both
realise at the same time that the planet is being destroyed.
Yudi exclaims, “The Sea of Infinity!”
Athira nods “It is rising, overrunning the land, wiping it out.”
 “Is that really possible?” asks Yudi.
“I’ve heard about it, read about it, never thought that it could really
happen.”
“Isn’t Ka Surya supposed to be indestructible?”
“Water … It was foretold that Ka Surya would meet its end through
water.”
“Clichéd.....but it seems the prediction is true.”
“Only Shaitan’s powers could have commanded the very seas to rise up
and devour the land that has protected and nourished it for so long,” says
Athira. “And that’s what we are now, a mere statistic in the history books.”
“So we will not be returning for a while.”
Athira shakes his head. “When the land rises again …” He lets the
statement hang in the air. “I will be back,” vows Yudi as the planet recedes in
the distance a tear running down his cheek.

OceanofPDF.com
 Thalia

He is named Darich after Keane Richards, of the Rutting Drones, the most
infamous Rock act in the galaxy thus setting the tone of his life. Yet with his
first drawn breath, Darich renounces any association with the band. He insists
people call him Rai. He claims it is shorter, easier to pronounce and translates
easily across all cultures around the galaxy.
Thalia, Rai's mother, is the favourite groupie to the Rutting Drones, the most
infamous rock act in the galaxy. She is their designated navigator, showpiece
eye-candy, sometimes stand-in stage performer, carrier of equipment, pleasure
partner, and, on occasions when the driver is too inebriated, even spacecraft
pilot. She has followed them all around the Universe.
On this occasion, the Drones are on their way to perform for Shaitan. It
is the once-in-a-lifetime gig that all bands dream about, at the court of the
king of the universe. The reward for a successful performance is a planet to
call their own. The smallest celestial body in Shaitan’s kingdom; an empire
which has now grown to gigantic proportions, stretching from Neptune to
deepest space.
Shaitan is the new Alexander. A self-crowned king of all he surveys changing
lives for the better everywhere.
The Drones are in thrall, deluded by the fantasy of a life lived in freedom.
They are not aware of being manipulated by Shaitan. His mind-control is
absolute. Weaving dreams of ecstasy from thin air. Giving them what they
want to feel.
Thalia is the highlight of their act.
A naked human female swinging on a trapeze high above the crowds.
In addition, as they look on, at the climax of the show, she loses her
balance and falls into the crowd.
Straight into Shaitan’s lap. She holds onto him tightly, and stays, to
become legendary for their vigorous love-making.
What Thalia does not realise is how much of an end of the line place this
is. She wakes up one morning pregnant.
A rare mistake made in the heat of passion. All her covering cast aside.
She has nothing to hide behind. Her every intimate space invaded.
As a possibility never considered blooms to life Thalia makes the
decision.
She is about to walk into Shaitan’s rooms to tell him the news but pauses to
hear a conversation between his two guards plotting the best way to kill her. It
is all very clear now.
A weird feeling runs through her. It is a payment for the sins of your past type
of realisation. How could she have missed that Shaitan always kills his
mistresses. As she stands there, hearing the guards talk, one says, “I thought
everyone knew about the curse of Shiva.”
The second guard shakes his head “No. I didn’t know either.”
Taking a more comfortable stance so as to give his entire attention to the
story, the first says, “Legend is that, angry at Shaitan’s impudence in claiming
that he was as powerful as Shiva, the God had cursed him …’Your own son
will kill you one day,’ he said.”
“Really?” says the second “Cursed by Shiva the supreme, himself. And yet all
these years Shaitan lives without any worries that it may come true?”
“Yes,” says the first, “because in response to Shiva’s outburst, Shaitan simply
bowed his head.”
“Ha! That’s a surprise. Shaitan’s temper is second to perhaps only to Shiva.”
“Like father, like son!” the other chuckles. Pleased at his own wit the first
guard continues, “Yes, no tantrums from Shaitan, he doesn’t lose his cool, this
time.”
“A rare display of sanity”
The first guard nods. “You bet! Shiva, too, is surprised by his calm
acceptance. He asks Shaitan if he isn’t worried by what this will mean for
him.”
“And?” asks the second, intrigued.
“And Shaitan replies that life finds a way, it always does.”
“Now that is really rare... Shaitan quoting philosophy.”
“Ah, but he is smart. He obviously knew how Shiva would react to this.”
“And then?”
“Well, of course, Shiva’s generosity takes over. He is impressed by Shaitan’s
cool acceptance. And feels perhaps he has been rash. So he tries to make
amends for his earlier outburst,” grins the first.
“This is really impressive. You know my esteem for our dark lord just went
up quite a few notches. I could have never predicted this from what I have
seen of him.”
“Shiva throws him a lifeline. He tells Shaitan that there is one way to avoid
the earlier curse.” He pauses for effect.
“Well? Go on,” says the second, impatiently.
“He tells Shaitan that the only way to avoid his fate is to not have any
children … this is, still in his hands. Shaitan realises that he really could
overcome the curse and its consequences. So, in reply, Shaitan simply bows
and accepts.”
“Go on...?”
“Well, he leaves but Shaitan being Shaitan, cannot hold back from his usual
actions can he? He resumes his bid to rule the Universe and continues on his
expedition”
“So there is no change whatsoever to his cruel ways?”
“Ah! But there is. He takes a vow — which, by the way, he seems to have just
broken with Thalia — of not letting any of his lovers live. Just to be sure that
there are no children.”
Their conversation is interrupted by a shuffling noise from the far end of the
corridor. They come to rapid attention and snap out of their earlier jovial
mood. It is as if a mask has dropped down over their faces. They run towards
the source of the sound to check on it and then understand that it must be
Thalia. They run into her rooms to find it empty.
The full impact of the conversation she has just overheard has Thalia rooted
to the spot. She realises the enormity of the situation. All at once it makes
sense to her. Shaitan mates and kills. He doesn’t leave anything to chance.
There are no messy endings. She had not expected him to be happy at the
news, but had hoped for his support....but realises that there is nothing left
now.
“So this is why our lovemaking is always so intense” she thinks “It’s almost
like he dies a little death with each climax. This is why he really does see only
me when we are together.” It is as if only during this most intimate of
occasions Shaitan reveals his true self. All of his experiences are distilled into
those few seconds for there is no hope for him after. She feels very protective
of her yet unborn child. And then she gets really angry. “He will not hurt my
son” she makes up her mind.
That night, Thalia makes love to Shaitan as if it is the very first time.
Matching him move for move, she is the exhale to his every inhale. The touch
of her hand sets his skin on fire, maddens him to a passionate high from
which he can only look forward to going all the way down. She circles his
neck with her fingers in affection “You and me, we are the same, yet so very
different” she says. Still inside her, Shaitan looks at Thalia through eyes
glazed with passion. She reaches for the knife on the side and plunges it into
his neck. Stunned, Shaitan falls unconscious. Thalia runs out into the corridor,
past the guards. They look at each other in alarm and run into Shaitan’s room.
Meanwhile, Thalia runs to the other end of the corridor and onto the adjoining
rooftop quadrangle, towards Shaitan’s personal spacepod. Clambering into the
driving seat, she fumbles around the controls, trying to start up the machine.
Glancing outside the window, Thalia sees to her horror that the guards have
already run purposefully out of the palace and onto the open terrace, intent on
stopping her. One of the guards drops to one knee, the other remains standing.
As one they raise their bows, slip out the arrows from their quivers in well-
rehearsed fashion, and take aim.
The sweat pours down her face, as with a sob on her breath and a prayer on
her lips, Thalia hits the pale blue button just below the steering control.
Instantly the ship fires up and rises into the sky, hovers for a second then, as if
making up its mind, it suddenly gains momentum and zooms straight up into
the heavens. The soldiers on the ground let loose their arrows in pursuit.
Making a trajectory that takes it halfway over the city in under a second, the
spacepod gathers even more speed. It pushes Thalia back against the seat with
its force and, breaking the light barrier, instantly catapults her out of that
dimension. One of the laser arrows which has locked onto the follows it
through the empty space and into the next dimension and, just as it seems that
it is about to hit the spacepod, it vaporises.
Thalia falls back against her seat, the adrenaline draining out of her as she
escapes with her newly-conceived foetus. She lets the spacepod carry her
along. And, burying her head in her hands, weeps in gut-wrenching sobs,
desperately hoping that Shaitan never finds her.
However, track her down he does.
Shaitan recovers quickly from the grazing wound she has dealt him. He gets
to his feet, runs out of his room and onto the open quadrangle. He looks up to
the skies just in time to see his spacepod disappear into the next dimension.
The two soldiers look at him, dreading his anger. Shaitan is indeed quiet as he
continues to stare at the empty space where the spacepod had originally
docked. He is really angry now. Controlling himself, he walks across to the
tracking panel in the control room adjoining his penthouse. Keying in a few
numbers he quickly tracks the progress of the vehicle.
His lack of reaction bothers his guards even more. They know that when the
explosion comes it is going to be worse than expected. They look at each
other and, in a fluid move, take out their personal daggers and plunge them
into each other’s hearts.
Shaitan continues to focus on tracking the ship. He traces it to its destination:
Bombay, on Earth. Galvanised by his vision, he opens his eyes and is about to
give a curt order to the guards to follow him when he notices in mild surprise
that they are both dead. He walks past them towards his room emerging
minutes later back on the terrace. He is wearing his protective vest over black
leather trousers. He picks up his sword, the ruby in the centre glowing deep as
he straps it to his back. He walks across the open terrace to the other side,
presses a few buttons on the wall so that the panels slide back to reveal a
space ship thrice the size of the one person spacepod which Thalia had
escaped in. He walks to it and jumps into the pilot’s seat. The space ship
shoots out into the skies and towards the setting sun.

The nano seconds it takes to catapult into the next dimension is the equivalent
to nine months earth time. Thalia has just docked the ship. As she prepares to
leave the vessel the first throes of labour pain catch her unawares and she
doubles over breathing heavily trying to control the contractions. Events then
take a life of their own as she proceeds very quickly into the final stages and
with a final mighty push Rai arrives into the world. The spacepod echoes with
the sounds of the baby’s cries.
It takes a few more long minutes for her to recover and clutch the baby to her
chest. The child stops crying as she kisses his forehead. For a few seconds
more she looks at him, her perfect creation. She has to save him from the
wrath of Shaitan, hide him away before he arrives. And she had no doubt that
he was on his way.
Gathering herself together she gets to her feet, wrapping the child in the scarf
she had earlier tied around her neck and leaves the spacepod. The panel doors
swish shut after her as she sets foot onto Bombay. As she walks away from
the ship, it lifts off and leaves. She feels all alone all over again, not that the
ship was human but at least it was familiar.
She takes a few steps out into the world and realizes that she is on the top of
one of the highest towers of the city. As she looks around trying to orient
herself she spots a very familiar signpost in the distance - Antilla. At one
point it had been a two hundred and fifty storey tall residence of the ruling
family on Earth. After the tsunami destroyed Bombay, it had been replaced
with an alter ego, a simulated holographic image of the Goddess of Bombay.
Many limbed, curvaceous, with flowing hair and various weapons of war
clutched in her right hands; from her left a steady downpour of gold coins
feeding the gluttony of a city at its peak of excess. The figure is almost as tall
as the original Royal residence. It extends from the ground all the way up into
the skies. A multihued figure watched over the city, her eyes darting around
following the citizens going about their lives.
Thalia looks to her for a minute in awe and inspiration. Then her eyes are
drawn to a speck in the distance far behind the holographic Goddess and she
watches as it heads in her direction. It flies right through the hologram
heading towards her. As it comes closer it reveals itself to be a space ship,
similar in design yet much bigger than the spacepod she had flown.
“Shaitan,” her mind screams. Clutching the child, now asleep in her arms, she
dashes towards the nearest entrance heading down the staircase. As she
descends she looks around in desperation for a place where she can hide the
baby. As she continues to run down the steps and across the floor below, she
finds suddenly what seems to be a flap panel to an opening in the wall. She
runs towards it and opens it, wondering what it is, only to realise it is a
transportation shaft, normally used to dump trash which is then collected at
the bottom of the building before being taken away. She hesitates only for a
second. As an afterthought, she takes off the chain around her neck and places
it around the child. Pausing only to wipe away her tears, she places the child
on the shelf behind the panel and closes it. She plays with the keypad of the
panel to make sure that it drops all the way to the bottom of the building. She
listens as the gears change and the shelf is transported down, taking the child
with it.
Then Thalia walks out onto the terrace. Shaitan steps out from his ship and
walks over to her.
Thalia looks at him trying not to show how terrified she is. Shaitan pulls out
his sword and walks over to her. Her legs give away as she falls to her knees.
Shaitan pulls her by her hair so that her neck is exposed and bringing his
sword down swipes off her head in one stroke. He wipes his sword on
Thalia’s clothes and puts it back in its leather casing on his back. He walks
back to his waiting space ship and leaves.

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 Rai’s journey

After Thalia – his mother died at the hands of Shaitan, Rai had been lucky
enough to have been taken in by one of the few surviving orphanages in
Bombay. Having spent the next eighteen years learning to beg, borrow and
steal his way through to adulthood, Rai knows how lucky he is to be alive. As
soon as he turned eighteen, he went travelling.
Stowing away on ships, intercity jets, trains, buses, any moving vehicle he
could find, he had finally made it to the hot deserts of Rajasthan. A once
beautiful & historic part of the country now razed to the ground by Shaitan. It
was here that he first experienced a true awakening of the senses. When
Gerald had taken him in his arms in the midst of the desert, and shown him
the honest sweaty emotion of healthy male lust. Rai had stayed to lead many
tours around the region. Navigating through the spirits of those slaughtered by
Shaitan, searching the skies above the ruins of the Taj Mahal, among the
living dead of Agra...
And now Rai is back full circle...Back to Bombay. The ultimate maximum
city which consumes him lives through him, driving him to struggle towards
his hopes & dreams. It was in this city that he had reached the pinnacle of his
life. Where he had met his love and lost his trust. The city always made him
feel breathless. As if something monumental was just about to happen. It
echoed the stillness of his heart when his gut yet refused to believe the
messages his skin was sending out. It was only in Bombay that he could be
himself — no inhibition, nothing weighing him down. It had taken him less
than a week to find an apartment. Originally a city built on seven islands,
after the tsunami, Bombay had reduced back to being the original seven
islands.
The highlight of Rai’s life was the Saturday night rave parties held on Colaba
beach. The original structure of the Gateway of India had been reduced to a
ruined arch by the tsunami. It provided a great backdrop for the weekend
celebrations. Surreal by moonlight with the techno-beats bouncing off the
structure and the laser beams lighting it up, and people from all over the
country coming down to dance on the beach.
Scenes from his life flash across Rai’s mind as he dozes in the sunshine at
Nina’s Coffee Shop one of the few surviving coffee shops in the city, now
serving up steaming cups of the brew that is fast becoming a rare commodity.
Already coffee beans are in short supply. Only the better off can afford it. The
rest can only stare at the steaming concoction with greed.
Nina’s cafe is tiny. It has only four tables. And the dozen chairs are so small
Rai could just about squeeze his tall frame into them. He looks across at the
temple next door dedicated to the Goddess of Bombay. Opposite is a new age
shop doing pretty well, with the female of many species from different parts
of the world coming in to get their inner souls fixed.
Just then the old woman next to Rai - with skin stretched so tight across her
face that Rai is sure it will snap any minute - makes appreciative noises as
Nina serves her a tofu which trembles in its dish. “Oh my,” says the old
woman, fanning herself with red-tipped fingers. “Too much. Too much. I
wanted just a little.”
“Well eat up, bitch,” thinks Rai. There seem to be too many of these old hags
around, with acid-peeled faces, white tights, and yellow, nicotine-stained
fingers. Hanging onto equally aged companions, dressed in ridiculous holiday
attire. Light blue cardigans, ironed jeans, and old-fashioned Nikons with large
lenses. All of the tourists seem to smile at the quaint scene of the Indian
temple, with the cafe opposite playing Bollywood love songs.
This is Bombay.
One of the few cities on the planet to have survived first the tsunami which
destroyed much of Earth and then Shaitan’s conquering advance across the
world. The old way of life is preserved here on Bombay, for the pleasure of
intergalactic tourists who visit from everywhere. They come in search of
truth. To learn and share in the emotion of living life in the form it existed
many years ago. When a man could love a woman, woo her, and have babies
the old-fashioned way.
Rai looks at the woman seated at the next table to him at the coffee shop as
she now digs into the white, jelly-like substance. The tofu slithers around on
her plate and she chases it around with her spoon until she finally captures it
and eats it with relish.
Somehow, the entire incident reminds Rai of his current obsession, Flaccid.
This, of course, is the real reason behind him leaving the solace of his
apartment in the affluent island of Colaba to the grungier party island of
Versova.
Flaccid. The one picked up at the most happening same-sex hangout in the
city.
Rai chanced upon him at the bar situated right behind Nina’s coffee shop.
Next door is the more affordable communication-café, with backpacking
students on their one-year-to-see-the-galaxy routine, surfing the mind waves
with their invisible antennae, trying to look occupied but really on the lookout
for cheap sex.
Rai had stumbled across the bar by accident. The combination of the loud
rave music pouring out and the charms of the muscular bouncer at the door
had drawn him in. He had walked in and ordered a martini. Even before he
had picked out the olives Flaccid had walked into his life.
To the sound of trip-hop, Flaccid had picked up the drink from his hand and
taken a long, drawn out sip, looking at Rai over the rim of his martini glass.
Rai had watched; as without breaking eye contact Flaccid had put his arms
around him. They had kissed with eyes open wide. That was how it was all
night long. Swallowed up, Rai could do no more but taste the magic of his
lips. He could not even remember touching or being touched anywhere else
by his lover. It was all about his lips.
When finally, he could stand it no more he had made the only direct move in
their relationship reaching down between his lover’s legs.
To find the nub of their relationship, the ghost of the ex-wife, the evidence of
that which was to lead to their breaking up; the flaccid member.
“So this is how it felt to reach the end of desire” thought Rai as Flaccid pulled
back, leaving Rai in the agony of his unconsummated desire. Rai had looked
on helpless as Flaccid pulled on his bikini shorts, then his trousers, and his T-
shirt and left. Then reaching out he took the old-fashioned pocket watch
Flaccid had left behind and closed his fingers around it.
The next day at Nina’s coffee shop, Rai is still in the misery of his not pre-
nor-post stuck-in-the-middle coitus as he goes over each individual mind-
connected, soul-stirring moment of their encounter.
How, Rai wonders, is he going to find Flaccid in this crazy city; Among the
mildewed dregs of coffee shops, incense filled temples, painters’ exhibitions,
antique fairs, flea markets, and karaoke bars? All spread around him,
overwhelming him with their noise, and sucking him in. Into the vortex of a
man he knows of only as Flaccid.
It is time. Time then, to go back to the basics. Perhaps tease the past into
revealing Flaccid’s whereabouts. Or else, he thinks in that dramatic fashion
unique to his thinking, cease, desist, snip and move on?
He is left suspended in the agony of the decision. The kind which is difficult
to make and yet once made, will change the course of the future and of the
past.
He picks himself up.
“Goodbye, Nina.” He waves to the familiar slim, beautiful girl behind the
counter and walks towards the highest point of the city on Malabar Hill. He
crosses the bridge across the narrow canal, which runs through the tall towers
of the few remaining old-fashioned nineteenth century skyscrapers, a
straggling reminder of the past. He proceeds past the central market, teeming
with all manner of life and mementos for sale from across dimensions. Across
the art exhibition situated in the clearing after the market.
He takes the final turnoff for the peak and boards the antique, still
functioning, cable car up, up towards the heavens. He perches at one end of
the row of seats, nervously fingering his eyelashes, revelling in the sick
sorrow bubbling up from his core and considers his future.
Getting off, he walks towards the end of the world, the peak of his life.
As he reaches his destination his calm stance finally melts, dissolving slowly
in the flood of tears pouring down his cheeks.
Rai stands on the small shelf-like space jutting out from the peak
overlooking the city, looking towards the future he never had. Then braces
himself, his feet spread out wide, pushing down against the earth, against the
rocky surface of his life, ready to take off.
He shuts his eyes, takes a deep purifying breath and then, just as he is
about to let go and jump...“Rai?” he hears a soft voice. He shakes his head.
Once again taking a deep breath, he tries to focus neither on the past nor the
future, but just on the now on the moment gathering his emotions to make that
jump down.
“Rai? ... Rai!” This time the voice is more insistent. “It’s not yet time,
Rai.” He opens his eyes and sees an apparition in white robes, floating gently,
wisps of hair from a long white beard blowing gently in the breeze, face
serene. Their eyes are level. Rai looks down towards his feet, and realises that
he is suspended miles from firm land.
“Who are you? Where am I?” gulps Rai.
“I am Mimir. And I am here to help you fulfil your destiny.” The figure
smiles. Rai continues to gaze, confused, the base of his spine prickling, his
feet tingling, the hair on his forearms rising up, the shackles around his heart
seem to crack, whisper, finally melt and break away.
“Destiny?”
“You do have one, you know.”
“I do?” asks Rai wonderingly, a cynical part of him denying what he has
just seen and yet some core of him wanting, needing permission to carry on.
“Yes, a future larger than life, bigger than everything you have ever
imagined. A place where anything is possible.”
Rai hesitates, taking a fleeting look at the lights below.
“Change. It is coming to you now, Rai. Everything you ever asked,
indeed prayed for. Grab it now, for your time has come.”
 “How would you know?”
“I am here to take you on your chosen path.” Mimir smiles again. “Come
with me.” He holds out his hand.
Rai takes a final look at the city spread in front of him. Then, takes out
the old-fashioned pocket watch that Flaccid had left behind. He lets it fall
from his hand. His eyes strain to follow it through the darkness as it traces a
path of white light in its wake until he finally tears his gaze away and looks at
Mimir. Rai places his palm in Mimir’s outstretched hand.
“I am ready,” he says finally. And Mimir transports him through the
wormhole, the tunnel which spans time, across the seven colours of the
rainbow, where his destiny awaits. His future. At Arkana. In the academy of
Half Lives.
Just as Tiina and Yudi are taking a walk in the grounds of the academy.
They look up from their conversation to see the white light up in the skies. A
familiar light symbolizing that Mimir is bringing in a new person.
They wait for Mimir and Rai.
Mimir leads a shaken Rai, who is not yet sure about what has actually
happened. He cannot help but smile back at Tiina and Yudi’s welcoming wide
smiles. They run up to him and embrace him. Rai finally feels at home.

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 Tiina’s Journey

Tiina’s spacepod creaks and groans as she manoeuvres with superhuman

effort out on a trajectory away from the main route used by star ships and
away into the night skies. Sudden silence greets her and the unusually bright
stars in the distance are her only company for a few seconds. Then as
suddenly the stars lose their form, blending into one, she switches time zones,
moving into a complete alternate reality. It is only for a few minutes, but that
is enough to take her off the radar of the air patrol cops who are giving chase.
They lose her trail completely.
Still running high on adrenaline, Tiina nevertheless heaves a sigh of relief.
She relaxes enough to switch the spacepod back to the now.
Then making a huge boomerang-like arc through the night sky, she sets the
nose of the spacepod down, en route to her destination, zooming in with a
terrifying speed, which compels her eyes to shut involuntarily as the ground
comes up at an alarmingly fast pace to meet her. The craft bounces once, then
twice, finally screeching to a halt in front of the Wanch. The jolt shudders
through her bones and reminds her of the massive drills of Java which used to
ceaselessly pound down sending shivers razing over the shells of sky scrapers
destroyed by Shaitan trying to build new homes for the survivors.
It is among the empty shell of yet another destroyed skyscraper that Tiina
finds the little girl. Tiina spots her from the spacepod in the air and her heart
skips a beat. For a minute she allows her heart lift at the thought of the little
girl being Maya. And yet she knows it cannot be. It has been many years
since her escape from Ka Surya and Maya like herself would be a grown
woman now, almost eighteen But it’s something she lives in fear of - finding
her twin in the worst possible condition. Pushing the thought from her mind,
she hastens to set down her pod, making sure she is close to the place where
she spotted the child, and in doing so, breaks a classic rule of not coming onto
any demolition site. She shrugs philosophically, adding this to her already
long list of crimes. Then, pulling out her sword, she runs in the direction of
the girl. As she gets closer, she suddenly spots her tiny tail swishing from side
to side and realises she is not human, but a catun. A cross between cats and
humans, they are normally found on another planet just outside the solar
system. The female catun had the best of both worlds. Beautiful human facial
features, big eyes, lustrous hair, a graceful gait and the characteristic long,
slim, feline bodies. Not surprisingly, they were much sought after by flesh
traders.
Tiina walks softly to the catun-girl, talking to her in a soothing voice, but she
shies away, her body shivering with fright. When she puts her arms around
the catun, the little one finally senses an ally and clings to her with all the
strength of an alley cat. She picks up the girl who feels as light as a feather in
her arms and runs with her to the small spacepod docked not far off. She
straps them both in securely.
As she takes off, the ever-vigilant air patrols spot her and, give chase with
flashing lights and screaming sirens. Tiina zooms off with extra strong
propulsion. In her hurry to give her pursuers the slip, she turns onto the wrong
lane of the intra-planetary highway, into oncoming traffic. Dodging the
various oncoming crafts, she curses her luck. She feels like she has made a
career out of engaging with the police.
Finally, as her craft comes to rest in front of the Wanch, there is utter silence
followed by a loud pop as one of the door panels next to her comes undone
and falls off with a crash. The entire craft then sinks further, collapsing by a
few more inches. Grimacing, she opens the door on her side, which also falls
off with a crash. As she looks at the fallen door, a hysterical giggle bursts up
through her lips. She closes her eyes, lets out a deep breath, calming her heart,
which is fluttering madly as if she has just downed a few cans of her favourite
high-adrenaline asteroid nectar. Not surprising, she thinks to herself, as this is
by far the biggest high impact journey she has experienced, since, well since
she had escaped from the burning Ka Surya.
She hastily pushes the thoughts of her charred mother planet away from her
mind and squeezes out from below the now dilapidated driver’s section. Then,
carefully replacing the earlier fallen spacecraft door panel, she limps to the
other side, pushes open the panel and the catun-girl immediately leaps into
her arms, resuming her earlier position of a wrap-around koala.
Tiina cuddles her, then sighs and walks into the Wanch where she plops
herself onto a barstool. Catching the eye of the bartender, she orders a shot of
whiskey and some milk for the girl. Placing the milk on the counter, she
manages to untangle the little girl’s hands from around her waist and plunks
her down on the stool next to her.
She looks down at the little catun, and is amazed to see that the milk in the
glass in front of her has been licked dry. “Hey, you finished all your milk
really fast,” she says, and is met with an unblinking stare.
“Are you still hungry?” she asks.
The catun does not reply, but simply looks at her with something close to
adoration in her eyes. Tiina sighs again for the third time in a row and
beckons the bartender, “Can I get some cookies, please?”
The bartender stares at her in surprise.
“Everyone around me is struck dumb today,” she exclaims, and then adds,
“Not for me, for her,” her finger jabbing in the air, pointing to the catun-girl
next to her, still staring at her unblinkingly.
The bartender nods and returns with a bowl of cookies, which he places in
front of the catun. As both Tiina and he watch, she flicks out a tongue and
grabs them all in one gulp. Then, licking her tongue around her lips, she turns
to look at Tiina once more with unblinking eyes.
“What’s your name?” asks Tiina.
There is no reply from her. Tiina sighs again and gestures to herself. “I am
Tiina. What’s your name?” she asks again, tapping the girl on her chest.
The girl blinks then says, “Mini.”
“Mini?” Tiina says, a delighted half smile breaking out on her lips. The name
is so apt and fitting for the tiny bundle.
The girl blinks, then puts her head down on her hands on the counter and
closes her eyes. A tear drop rolls down her cheek pathetically.
Tiina looks at the catun-girl helplessly, then looks to the entrance doors of the
bar, past which she can just see another spacepod draw up. A rather pudgy
man with the legs and tail of a plutonian reptile, but the torso of a human, a
round face, crowned with a mop of blonde hair, steps up.
Tiina picks up the little catun and walks towards him, reaching him just as he
steps inside the entrance gates.
“Hey, Edgar,” she says.
“Hey, Tiina!” He nods a reply. His eyes are drawn to the catun nestling in her
arms.
“This is Mini,” replies Tiina to his unspoken question.
“Another one?” asks Edgar.
“What can I say?” replies Tiina. “Every time I see one of these little catun-
girls, I think it could be Maya. I have to do something. Can’t just leave them
to die out there or …” She shudders “… meet a fate worse than death …”
“Surely you dramatise,” exclaims Edgar.
“You know I am correct. Well …?”
“Well, what?”
“Well, will you take her and send her back to Orvieto?”
“All the way back to her home planet?” he exclaims.
“She’s even smaller than the others I found so far. There’s no way she can
make it back on her own.”
“That’s what you said last time,” he responds in mock anger.
“Well, the catun was tiny, last time,” Tiina replies looking at him
beseechingly and fluttering her eyelashes for good measure.
Edgar is mesmerised for a second. Then he clears his throat and says, “OK,
OK. You don’t have to pull all your feminine wiles on me now.”
“Great,” says Tiina delightedly. “You are a sweetie. One in a million. A man
after my own heart …” she is about to go on heaping the compliments, when
Edgar interrupts her. “Enough, enough. Save some for later.”
“That’s a good point,” says Tiina. She tries to unravel the catun's arm from
around her to hand her over. Mini burrows further into Tiina and refuses to let
go. Tiina looks at Edgar for help.
Edgar sighs and then shrugs his shoulders. He bends down and silently waves
his palm over the little girl’s face. Mini shuts her eyes, her breathing deepens,
and she falls into a deep, restful sleep
“Wow, I sure wish I could do that, I could use a good, uninterrupted night’s
sleep,” says Tiina.
“That’s because you think too much,” says Edgar. “The weight of the universe
and all that …”
“You mean you don’t believe that I must save the future?” chuckles Tiina.
“Whatever …” Edgar shakes his head, takes the little girl into his arms, and
walks out of the bar towards his spacepod. He opens the panel at the back and
takes out a small, cosy travel carrier into which he carefully places Mini, then
places the case on the seat next to his and straps it in.
“So long then Tiina. Try to stay out of trouble …”
Tiina leans over and kisses his cheek. “I love you too …”
Edgar blushes, then gets into the spacepod. She watches him take off softly.
Then, squaring her shoulders, turns and walks back into the Wanch.
Looking around her, Tiina draws in the familiar reassuring feeling of the place
— a throwback to the early seventies, the walls crowded with posters of
familiar pop & rock stars, the same ones that she and Maya had put up in their
room. They had been so young, naive caught in the first flush of the pre-teen
years, just discovering their sexuality, entranced by the music of the seventies,
which had a chord with both their rebellious hearts. They were twins, not
identical in looks, but mirror images in every other way. And they had that
uncanny ability of reading each other’s thoughts. Those were the early years,
growing up on Ka Surya.
Coming back to the now Tiina smiles. She is in the company of friends.
The first time Tiina walked into the bar, it all seemed so curiously familiar.
Nostalgia, the thick taste of homesickness, coated her tongue and she could
feel the well of melancholy erupt sharply in the pit of her stomach.
The year when she had lost Maya, they had both been almost ten and the
music from the seventies had enjoyed a revival. The music had been
downloaded, re-engineered, re-mixed and re-sung and had achieved instant
cult hits. That was the year when Tiina and Maya had recreated their own
summer of love on Ka Surya, the same year she had met Yudi & lost him. The
memories of Maya and Yudi were forever intertwined in her heart.
She had found love and lost family, all in the space of less than forty-eight
hours. A coming of age with a vengeance she liked to call it. And over the last
few days, Tiina feels like she has come close to reliving those same feelings
again. She realises that life often repeats itself.
Egreog had appeared in her life the previous weekend. She had spotted him at
the weekly Saturday Salsa night at the Wanch. Seated at one corner of the
dance floor, she had been admiring his dancing skills. Tiina herself was still
an amateur having just taken up dancing a few weeks ago.
It was obvious to her that Egreog loved to Salsa. She could see right off that
he was really good at it too. To her surprise he had looked straight at her,
smiled and walked to her, leaving his beautiful dancing partner stranded right
there in the middle of the floor. He held out his hand to her. She took it and
was swept off to where the move and the music mattered more than life.
Their next meeting took her as much by surprise.
Egreog had looked out of the air transporter he was in, on his way down to the
beach. Through the steady downpour of rain, he spotted her, not less than four
feet away, walking, on her way home. Captured in slow motion. A snapshot
tucked away in the corner of his mind. Her mobile device beeped right then.
“Hi?” said Tiina.
“Enjoying your walk?”
“Where are you?” she smiled, recognising his voice.
“That was you in orange, right?”
“Yes.”
“Do you like talking to yourself?”
“What?” she asked, puzzled.
“I saw you talking to yourself,” he said.
“Oh!” Tiina laughed, embarrassed at having been caught in the act.
“It’s cute …” He reassured her.
Then, realising that he must not be far away, she asked, “Where are you?”
“In the transporter which just passed you,” he laughed.
“Oh!” she said, not sure what to say next.
“I’m seeing you tonight, right?” he asked.
“Yes.” She laughed again, happy that he had asked.
“What time will you be there?”
Regaining her composure, she answered, “Mmmmm, not too early, not too
late? At the right time?” she teased.
“The right time …” She felt him digesting that. “OK, then,” he agreed.
A scene from “When Tiina met Egreog”. A tableau etched in her mind. So
innocent and yet her mind was to replay it over and over again in the coming
months.
Him. Watching her watching the rain.
“That was innocent, right?” she would ask herself many times. Then why did
it bother her so much?
Later that night, waving to the few people she recognised at the Wanch, Tiina
walked across to where the regulars sit around chatting.
The music changed to a Tango and an elaborately dressed middle-aged,
intergalactic couple walked confidently onto the floor, taking the first Tango
Stance. The man was human enough. But his female partner was arresting to
the eyes. She was extraordinarily beautiful, of mixed extra-terrestrial race, as
far as Tiina can tell. With long, perfect deer legs, elegant hooves, doe-shaped
slanting eyes, and a pointed head from which long blue hair cascaded down
her back almost to her feet.
Tiina followed them across the floor until her attention was again caught by
Egreog, walking towards her. He went to the end of the long chrome bench on
which she was seated and, to her amusement, asked the four people seated
between them to get up. He squeezed in next to her, his face shining with
pleasure at seeing her again.
“Hi,” he said, sliding in, “how are you?”
“Fine. You?”
“A little tired. So, what did you do today?”
“Well I bought these new dancing shoes,” she said, holding out her feet for his
inspection.
“I liked the sneakers you wore this morning.”
“Sneakers?” Tiina smiles “Does anyone call them that anymore?”
“The short cut off trousers, too.”
“They were not cut off!” she exclaims.
“I could see your ankles.”
The comment felt very intimate coming from him. It wasn’t as if he had seen
her naked she thought. Tiina was embarrassed at how her thoughts had raced
so far ahead. “Did you like what you saw?”
“I liked that you put out your hand to feel the raindrops and then started
talking to yourself,”
Tiina was speechless. Caught in the act of making love to herself.
“I was in a transporter going down to the other end of the island. As we
passed Hollywood Road, I remembered you saying that you lived there, and
then there you were, walking by, not four feet away.” Egreog stares directly
into her eyes. “Do you know the odds of that happening?”
She shrugged, trying not to show how moved she was moved by the
coincidence. “So that’s why you laughed?” she asked
Just then, the music went up a notch to the much faster salsa beat, and Egreog
put out his hand “Shall we?”
The unerring precision of being caught in that act, by him, at that specific
moment. What if it had been a heartbeat here or there? For months, she
played it out in her mind, examining it from different angles.
Why did it disturb her so much?
The band at the Wanch was one of the few live bands to have survived. It was
another reason she loved the Wanch so much. Most of the other bars boasted
holographic bands and piped in music. As the band prepared to play their first
warm up number, the clash of cymbals demanded Tiina’s attention.
The Wanch was named after Wanchai, the most hedonistic of all the suburbs
in Java. It boasted Peep shows, nudes and neon’s. Various bars with names
like The Groovy Mule and Joe Bananas. They served up liquor and drinks
from all over the universe. You could find women with blue eye shadow,
unshaven armpits and greasy, shiny hair. Shuffling intergalactic sailors fresh
off the space ships, crew cut and clean shaven, float in groups, sniffing
hopefully for one-night stands. Others clearly from galaxies unknown
shuffled in anyway, own-country rejects with fifteen-year-old nubile humans
on their arms.
Java itself was a satellite on the edge of the galaxy. The last human outpost
before you crossed over to the other solar systems. Discovered recently, it had
grown in just a few years to be space sin city. It was the first inhabited space
that weary travellers reached when they come in from the long outer space
journeys.
It was no wonder that the enjoyment here had a touch of desperation to it. It
was
The perfect hiding place for Tiina. Where you could crawl underground, and
pull the hole in after you. There was enough commerce to earn her living, yet
the floating population gave her anonymity.
The passenger ship from Ka Surya had deposited her on Java eight years
earlier. Since then she had used her wits and common sense to survive on the
streets. She has spent most of the first few months on Java sleeping on the
streets. It was just her luck that she had landed in the middle of a hard winter
on Java. One night she had crawled out of the night into the warmth of the
Wanch and had begged and pleaded with the owner until he had relented and
given her a job cleaning up the place and a small room over the bar to stay. In
a few years time she was bartending at the Wanch.
The year she had turned seventeen she was approached by a man in his mid
thirties. He looked strong, like a warrior of some sort for he carried a strong
sword on his back. Yet he told her that he was a magician by profession,
performing at shows, fairgrounds and gatherings for the well to do citizens of
Java. Entranced by her budding beauty, he had asked her to be his muse and
play a leading role in his illusions. Soon he had become her father figure, her
mentor and guardian all rolled into one.
He had taught her to use the sword, training her every day. Pushing her, till
she was as skilled as him at using the weapon. From him she also learnt to
play the crowds, to use illusion to connect with people’s emotions, learning to
bend them to her will. To give them hope, and create just enough fear to make
life interesting, help them realise their dreams. Yet it had not been enough. It
seemed to her nothing would fill that empty space inside her ... And so she
had sought comfort in the familiar. She had gone back to bar tending at the
Wanch and to her old room above the bar.
That was until Egreog had come along.
Tiina turns to look at him, his head on the pillow next to hers and feels some
measure of faith return.
As if sensing her gaze he opens his eyes “Is this real?” Egreog asks, pulling
her long lustrous black hair away from her face. They are on her bed which is
so narrow that the only way they can both fit in is by spooning together front
to back. Now as they lie facing each other their noses almost touch, the cool
wind blowing in through the open windows raises goose bumps on the curve
of her back.
“Is that real?” Tiina asks back, “your name?”
He laughs and rolls over her, his elbows balanced one on either side of her
chest, the length of his legs kissing hers all the way down to her feet. The soft
smell of his skin cocoons her completely and she involuntarily sighs, already
missing him when he will not be around.
“Close your eyes.” His fingers flutter her eyelids down and he places his
forehead to hers. Her breath whooshes out as they enter the vortex, one to
one, head to toe, fused together. Sucked in, she hardly dares believe the
images, the dreams, and the visions.
She saw his blonde hair, her laughter, their wild dance around the fire in the
green forest. He had died in battle. And then she had married his brother.
In the lifetime after, she was his mistress, his secret desire at Hawa Mahal. He
had lavished turquoise jewels and rose petal silks on her. The attraction
between them was so strong that he could not stand it if any other person
dares look at her. And so he had built her a special palace where he had kept
her hidden from the eyes of the world. All of it ending when she hurled
herself onto his funeral pyre.
And now in this lifetime they are finally together... or were they? The
question echoes in her mind, the fear of losing him grips her and Tiina’s eyes
snap open.
The place next to her is empty and she jumps out to find Egreog sitting just
outside the door of the bedroom, on the floor, naked, his hands around his
legs and his head bent over.
“Is it true?” she asks, not bearing to touch him just yet. “All that you showed
me. Is it?”
“You saw it all. Didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Why the doubts, then?”
She hangs her head a little in shame. “It all feels right. Yet … yet I now find it
difficult to believe in everything that was the cornerstone of my thoughts
through my growing years. In some corner of my mind, I had a realisation
that it was all true. Yet I could never bring myself to believe in it. But it is all
actually true, right?”
“You felt it. Didn’t it seem real enough?” he snaps at her losing patience.
“The pain,” says Tiina, looking at him, and her face screws up as she
remembers that deeply wrenching, pathetically sinking, hollowed out
blackness feeling; of losing him over and over again in all the different
lifetimes which he had shown her.
Egreog looks up and holds his arms open, closing them around her. “I could
fall in love with you again so easily.”
“Make love to me?” she pleads.
“I would be lost then. I could not return,” he replies seriously.
“Just once more?” She runs out of words. He kisses her slowly, absorbing her
lips. “Give me this time at-least …” she pleads, swallowing her pride. Then
for some reason, is compelled to ask, “Who are you?”
“You know who I am. Just believe it,” he says getting up to put on his clothes.
He walks towards the door of her apartment.
Desperate, she casts about in her mind for something, anything that could
make him stay longer. Then, “Wait,” she calls out.
He stops and turns to her.
“Almonds …” she blurts out, seeing the pack on the kitchen table.
“Uh …?” he asks, surprised.
“Almonds — you know those crunchy nuts, they are my favourite snack.
Would you like one?”
He laughs then, throws his head back and laughs so she can see his chest
move in ripples. “You’ll see me again, I promise.” He picks her up and walks
into the tiny closet like bedroom.
Placing her on the bed, he covers her up. “Sleep,” he says and places his
hands over her eyes, covering them and forcing her eyelids closed. “Sleep …”
“But …” She opens her eyes to find him wearing his clothes. He kisses her
fully on the lips, taking her to the edge and back in just a few seconds. She is
unable to protest as he walks out. She closes her eyes and much to her
surprise falls asleep.
The craving for more of his touch warring with the more real feeling of fusing
into him and flowing across dimensions, across their different lifetimes
together.
Could she dare believe what he showed her?
All those years of searching, and then he enters and slips out of her life. Just
like that. Who was he she wonders.
 All of this takes place just a few months before her eighteenth birthday.
She wonders if she dare believe what he had shown her. All those years of
searching, and then he entered and slipped out of her life. She cannot
understand why the series of coincidences had brought them together only for
him to walk out of her life? “Who are you Egreog?” She wonders. It is a
question which tears her apart, disturbing her, so that she searches in vain for
an answer.
One day as she is walking down Pok Fu Lam – a strip of land which
connects Java to the mother planets by a solar bridge and is so long, narrow
and stark it can be seen from far outer space. She walks to the very edge and
looks out into the black space stretching out in front of her. And just like that
the visions appear. It is as if all the ghosts of those who died before her
terrorised by Shaitan had come to haunt her.
“This is it then” she thinks. And steps off the edge of the universe.
When she opens her eyes it is to find that she is with Mimir in Arkana. It
is still a mystery to her how he had found her. A question she is saving to ask
Mimir at the appropriate time.

OceanofPDF.com
 Yudi’s Journey

The lightning struck her down, charring her black, with the smoke ebbing out,
and he awoke to the gut-wrenching pain.
Thump Kreeee. Thump eeeeeee …
Fresh and throbbing, the sound jolts him into consciousness.
Yudi throws off the covers and pads onto the small, terrace adjoining his
bedroom. The noise carries through the still dawn air growing louder by the
second, Thump Kree THUMP KREEEEE…
He swore, “Not again.”
Not far below, he sees again the aged female Plutonian going about her early
morning ritual of dragging the large steel, electric pole, bumping down the
sleeping escalator steps.
“One of life’s great mysteries” he thinks.
The urban chemistry swirling around him mocks him. He can see his face in
the smog of the early dawn. Cigarette smoke hitting the sticky side of the one
hundred and forty stories high apartment buildings on either side of the street,
blowing between the gaps of the steps of the silent escalators, in and out
through the other open window of the apartment diagonally opposite, where
the young man often parades his women.
Carrying away the fading Thump Kreeee Thump Kreeee.
The DJ swings the record, slow now; then fast, stretching out the notes. He is
trapped in a celestial circle.
“Here I am, Yudi. Charioteer to the Sun God who drives the twelve flaming
celestial horses through the desert. I am safe ... No. I am scared, so scared.”
It seems unstoppable, growing within.
“Here I am, Yudi.” STOP! He screams to himself. His mind goes into
overdrive and he forces himself to brake. Finally!
His heart thuds. He can feel every separate beat. Realise the full breadth of his
life. Feel every separate moment intimately in that space.
“Do you know what it is, to feel completely helpless?”
His thoughts hang there suspended against the window, and then hurtle
against the glass, crashing into a thousand pieces in his mind.
“Stop! Breathe!”
He clings on and tries to haul himself up, hanging suspended over the
precipice. Then suddenly he is there. He opens his eyes.
“Tomorrow, opening night,” he thinks, “there I will be, up for display.
Exposed.”
When he had last met Ayse, his girlfriend of the last few years, she had
exclaimed, “You used to be so cocky. So full of yourself. Every time I saw
you, I wondered how someone could be so supremely confident. So ...”
Yudi interrupts her tirade, “I would be shooting my mouth off, right?”
“You played the tortured artist very well,” she says.
“The movie was everything then,” he retorts.
“And now?” she asks.
“Now,” says Yudi, “now it’s all over. They used to say that I was the one with
the original speak-what-you-are-thinking spirit.” He pauses. “Then it all went
wrong. Am I making sense?” he asks her, the desperation ricocheting through
the hollow corridors of his voice.
“Yes,” she says, “ah…”
Yudi goes on dejectedly. “How can I have found out all this? All this ...
stuff?”
She puts her arm around him “It gets easier.”
“Does it?” he asks.
She smiles. “It is no big deal.”
“And I had to meet you, here, of all places.”
“Yes, that’s the way it always is — isn’t it?” she laughs. “There are no
coincidences, you know.”
“No,” he says, “I don’t know, but I am learning. So how do you see yourself,
then?”
“Me? I’m hopeless.” She shrugs it off. “And you?”
“I am trapped. A victim of your charms.” he says in dramatic fashion, putting
his hand on his heart in an extravagant gesture. He knows that this will afford
him the pleasure of a smile from her. She does not disappoint.
“Ah! Yudi. You know exactly what to say!” she smiles.
Yudi chuckles, circling her face with his palms. Looking into her light blue
eyes, he says in a more serious tone, “You recoiled the first time you saw me.
That look on your face …” He shakes his head.
“Yes, because you had …” She corrects herself. “You still have, someone
with you,” she says, looking to his left.
His forearm hair stands up, all at once. “You give me the creeps when you say
stuff like that.”
“It is true,” she laughs.
“When I stand in art class, naked, holding still, looking over the heads of the
people drawing, that’s the only time I feel really light,” he says.
“Maybe you just like being looked at?”
“Yeah,” he grins, “that too.”
“Just go with it, OK?” Then she says with vehemence. ”You are halfway
there. But if you don’t choose, then you’re going to have to go back and start
over.”
Yudi nods, listening intently.
“Where did that come from?” Ayse shakes her head, surprised by her
articulation of her own feelings. “So, then, what is your movie about? Can
you tell me?”
“Well, I should not.” Yudi pauses, pretending to light up his first virtual
cigarette of the evening, “But you could say that it is homage to Spiderman.”
“Spiderman?”
He nods. “A Spiderman who spins his web between the tallest towers of
Arkana and the highest mountain on the moon.”
“Ah! Arkana!” she exclaims. “The dream destination of most Half Lives.”
“Do you ever wonder why we came to be called Half Lives?” asks Yudi.
“Sometimes. But I assume it is because we are only half human.”
“Half mortal — half not.”
“Half celestial,” she offers.
“Half God — half demon!” he says.
“And we can go on and on!” She smiles at him. “Any which way you look at
it we are only half human.”
“But the other half, the more exciting one, the physically beautiful, therein lie
possibilities. No?” asks Yudi.
“All it is,” she says, “is that the other half is from some other planet, really.”
“The part of me that beats the most.”
“How long will you continue denying your human existence?”
“Half human,” he corrects her.
“Half Life,” she smiles.
“And you? What makes you so comfortable with that non-human part of
yourself?”
“It brings me peace. It allows my mind to be free, to dream.”
“Ah! Here is the windfall; a mind that knows no boundaries?”
“And the reason you are able to turn out these amazing movies which have
brought you much fame.”
“Speaking of which...”
“Oh, yeah! The big tomorrow.”
Ayse realises that once again he has brought the conversation back to himself.
“Tell me more,” she says.
“It is” he says “about a Spiderman with no costume.”
“No costume? So he is naked?”
“No, it is because he is not really there.”
“Aha!”
“He is not real. However, his webs are real. And made of fibres that are silken
and sticky. He weaves his web such that it can catch all Half Lives and
Aliens; anyone who lusts after you beautiful human women.” He gestures
impressively in her direction.
Ayse laughs. “Now, why do you think that I am human?”
“More human than me, at any rate,” says Yudi.
“It so happens that both my parents are more human than not. I admit that
sometimes I am not clear what my mind wants. My heart always gets in the
way.”
“That’s what I like about you.”
“I thought it was more than just my heart,” she grins.
Yudi laughs and grabs her. They tussle and fall to the ground, both laughing.
That is how Yudi remembers her as he stands there, looking at the charred
remains of the building where they had spent the last few years of their life
together. It was gone just like that. That and everything of the life he had built
on Pluto.
He turns around and walks away, feeling numb. And keeps going, for many
days, until he is not sure where he is anymore. He is in the middle of
nowhere. Isolated on the island of his feelings. The moat of surreal separates
him from the rest of the living. Marking him out as being on a different path.
He gives in to his broken heart, sits down in the middle of a deserted square
once teeming with life. Letting the sun’s rays reflect off his parched lips, he
lets the last drops of emotion run down his hands, his legs, his feet.
That was almost a year ago. Yet the pain refuses to fade. Instead, like a
gnawing hunger it ebbs and flows, with its own rhythms, never quite fading.
Of late, he finds that he can on occasion calm it for a few seconds... only to
return stronger.
Standing there with the rest of his life spread out before him, the enormity of
the before and the after slice through him. “I may never sleep again” he
realises watching the breaking dawn.
How could he stay on in the aftermath of that terrible night, when it all came
undone; The raging fire had torn a path through Pluto burning everything in
its path, including his life. “The irony,” he thinks “leaving Ka Surya to escape
Shaitan. Building a new life on another planet. Only for nature to get him.
Fires from lighting storms were common on Pluto. He had just never thought
it would consume him.
Taking a deep breath he attempts to clear his head. He can hear thunder
grumble in the distance, lighting flash somewhere else. It echoes the turmoil
in his heart. “Perhaps it is that simple?” he thinks. “Just make sure it is my
turn next.... but how do I do that?” he wonders “when lightning never strikes
twice in the same place.”
He realises how far gone in his own misery to think about his own death.
He closes his eyes opens his heart, and asks the Universe ...if someone was
out there for help.
And, looks up when a shadow falls across him. Yudi raises his eyes and
there, shines the figure. There suspended in mid air his white robes fluttering
in the light breeze his long flowing beard as white as the starlight in the
background is Mimir. “You took your time.....I thought you’d never ask,” he
says, opening his arms.
Yudi walks into his embrace. “Welcome to Arkana” smiles Mimir.

OceanofPDF.com
 Reunion

Tiina is reeling from the sudden change in time and space. The journey to
Arkana is a blur of images melding into each other. It is a definite sort of
coming home for her.
It is a bright and sunny day, when she walks in through the front gates of the
academy. The Arkana of Half Lives, the dull virtual letters next to the gates
declare. She is about to step over the threshold when a young man who has
been gazing at the scene inside hails her.
Tiina looks around at him. “Hello?” she says. There is something very
familiar, yet she cannot quite put her finger on it. “Uh! Do I know you?” she
asks,
“I am Yudi,” he says.
“Yudi,” she laughs, unsure. “You are ...Yudi?”
“Ah! That’s what I just said, didn’t I?”
Tiina hesitates. “You don’t really want to know my name …?”
“Try me!” he says.
She puts her hand forward. “Uh! Zara.” She bites her lips. It’s easy to lie. The
sweetness of their final meeting is forever etched in her memory, married with
the pain of having left her twin behind. She is just not yet ready to reveal her
name to him, she realises.
“Where are you from, Z?” He takes her hand, enclosing her fingers within his
palm, warming hers.
Raising her eyebrows at the casual way in which he has shortened her name,
she says, “From a place far, far away from you.”
“Well, girl from far, far away, let me buy you a drink before we head in
there,” he says. “God knows if they have alcohol in this place.”
“Why not?” asks Tiina. “A place filled with young people, surely they serve
recreational drinks?”
“Recreational drinks, eh? That is cute,” he says, and then adds, “you are
cute.”
“Uh!” Tiina swallows uncomfortably. “You are direct,” she says, trying to get
by him. “I am in a hurry. I really do need to get on.”
“Oh. Surely not. Z, come on. If not alcohol then coffee. There’s nobody else
here I’d rather be with than you!”
“You’ll do anything to avoid going into Arkana, is that it?” she asks.
“I came of my own free will,” he replies, “but school has never been my
strong point.”
He holds on to her hand as he speaks, looking into her eyes, his lips curved
into a half smile, while his brown eyes twinkle down at her, his hair ruffling
just so in the slight breeze.
“Go on ...” he urges her, “just the one.”
I am over the “love at first sight” thing, she reminds herself. And it is not lust
... well, not lust, either, she thinks. However, there is an intense pull, an
attraction and affinity and a strange sense of immediate trust, as if she has
known him all her life. It does not seem to matter that it is almost eight years
since they last met, he still has a strange hold on her. All he has to do is look
at her with his brown eyes and just ask. And she could never refuse him
anything.
And so, in pursuit of the dream that has kept her alive for a lifetime, Tiina, the
grown woman in pursuit of the feeling that would make today the first day of
the rest of her life; And Yudi, the reluctant hero, who is putting off the
inevitable, until the very last instant. The two of them go get a coffee, which
turns into two. They move onto a few drinks at the nightclub nearby.
It is an evening which degenerates into an old-fashioned full-blown bender.
Swept along on a tide of that which feels right, the night reaches its inevitable
climax as they make love under the night skies.
Later on, looking up at the stars, he says, “How long are you going to keep up
the pretence?”
Still dazed by the events of the day, Tiina blinks. She does not want to open
her eyes, in case all this is a dream. Keeping them shut, she says, “Uh! What
do you mean?”
“You know what I mean,” Yudi replies still looking up at the night sky as if
searching for something.
She finally opens her eyes and looks up at the skies as well. “It is gone, you
know ... I’ve looked for it many nights.”
“Ka Surya,” he sighs. “So far, yet so near.”
“It will always be in our hearts,” she says, turning to him and laying her palm
on his heart.
“No ...” he says, smiling when she looks at him in surprise. “You know there
is only space for you here.”
“When did you know ...?”
“As soon as I saw you,” he says. “Did you really think I would not know you,
Tiina? Many nights I have gone to sleep with the touch of your lips on mine.”
He reaches out and kisses her. “And how could I forget this...?” He leans
forward and much to her shock and amusement, he smells her neck, breathes
deeply and says ... “That’s what I missed the most ...”
“We meet after all these years and all you can say is you missed how I
smell?” she asks not sure if she should be flattered or indignant.
“Ah! But it’s so potent, so uniquely you ... Something I never thought I would
smell again.” He sniffs her once more. If I were to bottle it and sell it, I would
become very rifh.”
She laughs loudly, till tears come to her eyes.
“I missed that, too ...”
“What?” she chortles, wiping the tears from her eyes.
“That full belly laugh of yours ...”
“You have a good memory ...”
“Why did you lie to me?” he asks, growing serious.
Tiina unwraps herself from him as if to put a distance between them. “I just
couldn’t, Yudi,” she shrugs. “How could I, when every time I look at you, I
still see her.”
“Maya,” he says, his tone weary.
Tiina nods, unable to say Maya’s name aloud.
Yudi looks up at the skies. “Maybe she is out there somewhere ...”
“Maybe,” says Tiina softly, as he reaches out to her and puts his arms around
her, drawing her into his embrace again.
Tiina realises that the two of them came together immediately, again. And yet
she has changed so much in the last few years. Definitely their attitudes to life
are now remarkably different. Gone is the carefree ten year old he had known.
In her place is a sober, more focused, more meticulous, eighteen year old.
“More boring ...” a voice whispers.
Yudi seems to have come off better. Always light hearted, he has turned out to
be one of those gifted people who is multi-talented, with a natural ability for
many tasks and happy-go-lucky.
Then “there is me” she thinks “Average abilities, perhaps even good at a few
things. Yet there is not one specific attribute, no specific trait, at which I
excel. Nothing about her truly stands out. Except that all of this makes her
fiercely determined to keep moving, to find that something which truly
inspires. What she does not realise is that it is this very drive to make a
difference which does make her stand out.
The first few months at the academy are, for Tiina, the best days of her life.
Yudi balances out her intensity. His easy-going attitude and happiness for the
small things in life are infectious. Everyone around him seems to love him.
It is something Tiina envies. In comparison she feels cynical, used up, wise
beyond her years. Unlike her, he makes friends quickly; indeed revels in the
closeness of others; so for once in her life, thanks to Yudi, Tiina is in the
company of those she likes. It is as if she belongs. It’s a new feeling.
When Rai meets Tiina and Yudi for the first time, they seem like a finely
tuned instrument. They are not always in perfect harmony, yet when they do
get it right, they can make the most melodious tunes. He sees Tiina as a
graceful veena — the ancient instrument of the Gods.
He compares Yudi to a saxophone. Someone who straddles many cultures,
with keys that can be played by those in the know, to make him perform the
actions they want, sometimes even against his own will, and yet Yudi would
be game enough to comply despite knowing that the consequences might not
be in his best interests.
It is no accident that the three of them first get together in the other dimension
during the class of self-ascension, for it is a taste of things to come. An
inkling of their journey together across the various dimensions.
Rai has just managed to calm his senses and ascend into the other plane when
he immediately runs into Tiina.
“Rai, isn’t it?” she asks.
“How do you know?”
“Hard not to miss you,” she exclaims. “I have seen you on the dance floor.
You, the demon dancer with stars on your jacket, hypnotising people with
your moves. Then, as they freeze, you walk to them and absorb their positive
essence.”
“So you’ve seen it,” he says, not surprised.
“Yes,” smiles Tiina. “But don’t worry; your secret is safe with me.”
Just then Yudi comes across to them and asks Tiina, “So, how about some
introductions?”
Rai smiles at him. “We don’t need introductions. We already know each other.
This meeting is destined.”
“Indeed it is,” says a voice.
They look up to see the wise old man with the flowing white robes and white
beard walking up to them, holding his hooked cane in his hands.
“Mimir!” exclaims Rai.
Tiina bows her head in deference. Rai and Yudi look at her, then exchange a
look, surprised by her obsequious gesture. Neither of them is compelled to
follow suit.
Mimir’s face breaks into a broad smile. “Tiina!" he says, “so you have met
your fellow voyagers.”
Once again, Tiina is entranced by the gentleness and the waves of complete
spiritual cleanliness she feels emanating from Mimir. If I could paint, she
thinks, then the mood of this scene would be peaceful, exquisite, all in white.
As if Mimir, just walking in, has spring-cleaned the space, rarefied the air in
some form.
Mimir nods. “It is my favourite colour.”
“Oh! Did I say that aloud …?” she asks in surprise, then realises that he has
probably read her mind. Mimir smiles at her again, as if privy to all her
thoughts, and she smiles back despite herself.
“I thought purple was the colour of all you spiritual minds,” says Rai.
“Purple is also good,” replies Mimir. “Though it has more connotations of
passion than I am comfortable with. Although I do admit that I feel like that
sometimes.” Noticing their confused expressions, he adds, “The passion, I
mean. I am familiar with that emotion. You don’t get to my age without
sampling the range of all the delights that life has to offer,” he says, a wicked
twinkle in his eyes.
“Oh!” exclaims Rai, “I do believe you were trying to embarrass us, Mimir.”
“We elevated spirits have our moments of weakness too,” chuckles Mimir.
“Though I confess that I get that way more when I am faced with yet another
‘good versus evil’ kind of situation.”
“Humour being the panacea to such intense situations?” says Yudi.
“You talk about it as if it were a common occurrence,” says Tiina.
“Good versus evil?” asks Mimir. “Well, when you get to be my age, it seems
to get annoyingly repetitive. It is quite cyclical too. As if all the bad stuff is
compelled to occasionally raise its head, remind us that it is still around, lest
we forget about it, and get slapped down, again.”
“You mean, be put in its place,” says Yudi, helpful.
“Yes, exactly, quite so,” says Mimir.
“It sounds awfully boring when you put it that way,” says Tiina.
Mimir nods. “It can get quite dull and solitary. Therefore, it is almost a relief
when someone such as Shaitan comes along. An out-of-the-ordinary situation,
needing a very different approach and raising some very interesting
possibilities,” he says, looking at them meaningfully.
“Uh, oh!” says Yudi. “I do not like the sound of this.”
“Well, you are right. The three of you are the answer this time,” he says.
Mimir looks at Yudi, Tiina and Rai. He then holds up his hooked cane so that
the moonbeams reflect off its polished surface and into their third eye. A
whoosh of pure energy sweeps them along; through an implosion of colour,
emotions, sensations and sound, which surprises all their senses. It sends them
reeling with conflicting sentiments that threaten to overwhelm. A forewarning
of the dangers that await. Not all of them will make it through to the other
side.
“Arise, chosen ones!” Mimir pulls them out of the frame. “You have a
mission. To defeat Shaitan. Find the Isthmus and restore it back to the sacred
mountain. Bring hope to all living beings.”
“Wait,” says Yudi. “So you are saying that we have to save the world?”
Mimir corrects him. “To restore peace to the living.”
“That should be easy!” says Rai, his tone sarcastic.
“It should not be very difficult,” says Mimir, “As long as you are together;
there is not much you cannot do.”
“Wait!” exclaims Yudi “Why us? Why now?”
“Why is it that young people ask so many questions,” Mimir sighs. “I guess
you realise by now that you are connected? You share a future.”
“So this is meant to be?” Tiina asks. “That’s your explanation on the random
choice of the three of us, being chosen for this … this mission?”
“Can I add, three very different people picked at random,” says Yudi.
“It is not random at all. You have been chosen to be here at this time and
place to undertake this journey.”
“So it is our destiny?” asks Tiina
“You said it, Tiina,” smiles Mimir. “But yes, it is. It is your future, so to
speak. I must warn you that you will be tested. And you will discover new
things about yourself.”
“Sounds fun!” says Yudi, “what do you think Rai?”
“Yeah ... Sure” says Rai, his face wearing a dazed “I don’t believe it”
expression.
“But it will be,” says Mimir. “You will have amazing adventures before
finding your way. And that I think is the best part. It is so much more exciting
to lose your way first. It will not be boring, I promise you that,” says Mimir.
“Mimir, you almost sound wistful,” says Tiina.
“Wish I could come along, but guess I am a bit too old to go around the
galaxy having adventures.”
“Do spirits grow old?” asks Rai with interest.
“No, I just became weary of responsibility,” replies Mimir. “But the three of
you are young. Your experiences make you hungry for answers. You still see
the promise of the future through different eyes. And this is what will keep
you going on the journey, and you will complete it ...”
“You will still be with us, won’t you?” asks Tiina.
“I will,” Mimir replies. “When you really need me, just ask and I will be
there.”
The three are quiet, taking everything in. Then Yudi voices the question that is
upmost in their minds. “Mimir, what if we don’t complete the mission?”
Mimir looks at him, his expression serious. “Then there is no more hope for
us.”
If Yudi is surprised at his tone of finality he does not show it. “And if we
defeat Shaitan ... then do we get a reward?” he asks, trying for a light tone.
“Ah! The old ‘what’s in it for me’,” he says, and then adds, “Surely the
journey is the reward in itself.”
The three of them begin to voice their protest when he concedes. “OK, I am
kidding you.” He smiles again, breaking the solemn note that has descended
on the group. “If you defeat Shaitan, then rest assured that you will be rich
beyond your wildest dreams.”
Yudi smiles. “Did you say riches?”
“Pay off, both spiritual and material is to be had. We, the spirits, are not
completely alienated from reality. We know what is important to you.”
“Mimir, will you be really there for us when we need you?” Rai asks, needing
reassurance.
“I promise,” says Mimir. “Just call me and I will be there.”
“Hey but what about graduation?” asks Rai
Yudi rolls his eyes “Why did you have to go remind him about that now?” he
says. “We don’t have to complete the course, do we? We have a world to save
now.”
Mimir laughs. “Afraid it does not get you off studying, Yudi.”
“What?” Yudi exclaims in surprise. “Shaitan is not going to wait around doing
nothing while we finish the course, you know.”
“Even heroes need to get their basics right. This is no ordinary course, Yudi.
It’s going to equip you with important mental and physical survival skills so
when you finally come face to face with your enemy, you have a much better
chance of actually defeating him,” he says, leaving Yudi downcast.
Mimir is ready to depart, when Tiina exclaims, “Wait. Ah! I have just one
more question.” She clears her throat uncomfortably. “Uh! It is a personal
one,” she says, then plunges ahead with it. “How can I reach my heart’s
desire?”
“You already have it in the palm of your hand, Tiina. You just have to reach
out and take it, accept it without fear.”
Tiina looks down to see her palm clasped in Yudi's. She hastily lets go and
looks up to find that Mimir has disappeared.
“Well, is that intense or what?” Yudi breaks the shocked silence.
Rai looks at both of them, “You know what this means, right?” When they
look at him questioningly, he says, “Well, there is no way out once you take
this on.”
“You heard him, though; there is a payoff at the end.” Yudi repeats Mimir’s
words.
“Who can refuse when Mimir asks?” laughs Rai. “He is clever, though.
Making it look so good that you cannot refuse.”
“Don’t I know about that? He brought us to Arkana, said all the right things.
And now sends us off on this crazy mission.”
“So what do we do”, asks Tiina? “It’s not like we have a choice, do we?”
“We always have a choice,” says Rai.
“He has challenged us. I see no option but to accept,” says Yudi.
“Fate. Here I come!” exclaims Tiina.
Rai shakes his head. “You young people are so impetuous.”
“How old are you, anyway?” asks Tiina, intrigued by his statement.
“Older than you,” says Rai.
She looks up to find him walking away from them. “Wait,” she says.
Rai looks at them. “I need a little time alone to think this through,” he says,
then turns and walks on.
Tiina asks Yudi, “What’s with him?”
“You can’t help someone who’s rejecting his own future,” says Yudi,
shrugging his shoulders. “He’ll come around. Come on, Tiina, we should
celebrate. It is a big day. We’ve found our purpose.”
“You know,” says Tiina, “this is possibly the first time that we have agreed on
something.”
“Oh! Really? I hadn’t noticed,” Yudi says, his eyes alight with mischief.
“I do believe that you are growing up,” continues Tiina. “Accepting your
place in the larger scheme.”
“Who, me?”
Before Tiina can reply, the illusion fades away and the three are back at
Arkana.

After this strange encounter with Mimir, Yudi, Tiina and Rai spend every free
minute huddled together discussing their future. It is as if they have formed
their own little unit against the world. The three discover they actually like
spending time together. They share a fun, easy-going friendship; an “all is
well with the world” kind of attitude. They like hanging out together and the
possibility of the future adventure seems a while away. The year passes
quickly and soon it is graduation night.
Tiina, Rai and Yudi join the other Half Lives of the universe, the future of the
galaxy at the graduation ceremony. They are excited to face the future, their
hearts alight with the hope of dreams and adventures to come.
They line the huge assembly hall of Arkana, listening to the graduation
speeches by the class prefects, and their teachers.
Some are emotional about the end of this phase of their life, a slice of time
when they could afford to be carefree, despite much else in the world that was
wrong. A few are fearful about stepping out into the wide world. Yet others
are looking forward to entering the race of life, to begin the true experience of
existence, without responsibility for anything except themselves and the
consequence of their actions.
For now, though, it is time to celebrate. All the formalities of the evening
being done with, the new graduates of Arkana, still clad in their formal
graduation robes, head off to party at the only bar on campus.
Yudi and Tiina are on the dance floor, wrapped up in each other. As Rai looks
on from the edge of the floor, Yudi draws her closer to him, then twirls her
around in an exaggerated move only to bring her right back in an even further
intimate gesture against his chest.
“I love you.”
Tiina looks at Yudi, love shining in her eyes. “That is the first time you have
said that.” She is about to reveal her own feelings when she notices that his
eyes are fixed elsewhere.
She follows his gaze, to a breathtakingly beautiful woman standing not very
far away, wearing an odd out-of-fashion white and gold dress which sweeps
behind her in a train. It is a timeless design, yet tailored to meet the
demanding requirements of today. As Tiina watches, the woman looks at Yudi
with deep dark eyes, slightly slanted and feline. Her body calls to him,
seduction in every step, as she takes to the dance floor and dances; her
movements slow, just for him. Their eyes lock over Tiina’s head and they do
not let each other out of sight all evening.
The DJ takes a break and the music winds down into a slower beat. Tiina goes
to get them another drink. At the bar she turns around to find that Yudi is
following the woman as she leaves the dance floor and walks out the door of
the dance hall. She walks through the open field heading in the direction of a
small hill not far from the academy. She stops and turns and, finding Yudi
following, smiles and raises her eyebrows, as if daring him to keep coming. It
seems to Yudi that as she steps forward, flowers bloom around her, soft grass
springs up underfoot, a gentle breeze wafts over his skin, scented now with
the smell of seduction. The entire space sighs with pleasure. They reach a soft
grassy ledge on the top of a small hill. Yudi has eyes only for her, though. He
fails to see the lights of the city spread out before them. He reaches for her.
They tear off each other’s clothes and make passionate love.
At one point, he is compelled to ask, “Who are you? A Goddess?”
“Your lust come true,” she replies, breaking into laughter as he stares into her
deep blue eyes. “Remember, you are mine!” she says softly, and walks away
leaving him weak in the knees. His heart is beating faster and a feeling of déjà
vu washes over him. It is as if he has set in motion an entire sequence of
events which feel vaguely familiar. He knows he has been here before; feeling
both ecstatic and unhappy at the same time. He does not regret the pleasures
of the past few hours. But he knows he has lost Tiina, a second time.
The next morning Tiina wakes up with a sense of something being very
wrong. She lies there feeling the old sensation of emptiness washing over her.
She cannot remember what has changed, and then the events of the past night
come rushing back.
Without even looking for him, she knows that Yudi is gone. No more will she
hear his stupid jokes, feel his calming presence. Everything was OK as long
as he was with her. She realises that she has lost him again. All her old
insecurities come tumbling back. Rai finds her still in bed that evening, not
having moved an inch from the morning. He tries to comfort her, picking up
the pieces one by one.
“You’ll see him again. I promise.” He tries to reassure her, not sounding
very confident himself.
“I am not sure I really want to ...” she says.
“That is what you say now. Things will change,” he says softly.
“Time and new memories?” she says, sniffling.
“And new adventures to replace old dreams,” he smiles.
“I know, I know,” she says.
 “Your heart will heal, I promise,” he says.
“Surely you don’t believe that, do you?”
“No,” he says truthfully, “I was just trying to be nice.”
“But remember the mission? We do have a world to save. Go on
adventures together.”
Tiina walks away, putting a little distance between them. She looks at
him, disbelief on her face. “How can you be so sure?”
“You heard Mimir. We will be together.”
“Do you believe everything Mimir says?”
“Not everything,” Rai hesitates, “but almost …”
“Ah!”
“You have to admit, he is more accurate than not!”
Tiina nods. “It will not be this easy the next time around.”
“You don’t have to make it easy for Yudi.”
“He will have to find me and woo me …”
“Make him grovel,” exclaims Rai.
“And even then, it will take a lot for us to be together again,” she says
“There will be adventures, but for now they will be my own ... I am going to
take a little trip.”
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t,” says Rai.
Tiina merely smiles.

OceanofPDF.com
 First stop, Elixir

Yudi has been staring ahead into the darkness for a few minutes
wondering how to proceed. Tiina and Rai watch him with growing
impatience. Artemis, the super intelligent tell-it-like-it-is spacecraft, has been
idling for what may have been a few hours, minutes or days. She is the most
patient of the four ready to set off on travels.
Then suddenly Yudi exclaims, "Ah!"
"What?" asks Tiina in exasperation “Have you plotted the fastest route to
Bombay?”
“I still don’t understand why Mimir told us to start with Bombay,” Rai
exclaims.
“Ah! Because that’s where we will find the portal to the other side?”
ventures Tiina.
“Not the most logical place to start with,” Rai says again.
“You heard Mimir. It’s the junction between heaven and earth. Where the
most good, and the most evil reside side by side.”
“A city of extremes!”
“Like us” says Tiina.
Yudi, who has been quiet so far, finally speaks up, saying softly, "OK.
Let’s take the road straight ahead."
Tiina and Rai look at each other in surprise.
“It took you a quarter of an hour to come up with that piece of amazing
advice, eh?” asks Tiina.
Rai heaves a long-suffering sigh. "Profound words indeed! Well, it is
better than nothing, I suppose. Straight ahead it is then!"
Yudi disengages the ship from the holding bay and it slides off its perch
on the edge of Arkana and slides softly into the night.
They look ahead into the darkness. Yudi is at the main driving pod. Tiina
and Rai are on either side. They continue in silence until Tiina exclaims, "On
my previous journeys through space I have always seen the stars in a
distance...and most of my ships have been equipped with television”
“What do you normally watch, reality TV?” asks Rai
Tiina ignores the sarcasm “Just hoping for something to break the
monotony … Here we are, in deep space, on the trip of our lives and all I can
see is darkness.”
“So sorry that it’s not to your expectations,” says Rai sarcastically. “You
always want too much.”
“Or not enough?” she asks. “Surely it’s not wrong to want things to be a
bit more interesting ...?”
Yudi chuckles. “I am sure we can do something about it,” then flips a
switch on his right so that a beam of light from the ship suddenly slices
through the darkness, lighting up their way. “Since you like music from the
seventies” he says, then leans forward and this time flips a switch on above
him, so that Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven fills the air and a three -
dimensional image of the music video fills the viewing gallery.
So incongruous and yet so apt it is, the three burst out laughing "I
officially title this trip ‘Starway to Heaven’," says Tiina.
Yudi nods “Spot on!”
Tiina asks, “How long is the trip going to take, then?”
“Time is relative in this part of our imagination, you know that,” says
Rai.
Both Yudi and Tiina groan. Yudi pretends to put out his hand to take the
nearest thing at hand and throw it at Rai who mimes ducking the throw then
neatly catches the imaginary object and throws it right back at Yudi.
“Enough of the pop psychology for one morning!” says Yudi.
“OK, OK.” Rai grins.
Yudi then says, "We just have to keep going until we reach the very heart
of the galaxy which leads to the eye of the pyramid where the gateway to
Earth lies.”
Scarcely are the words out of Yudi's mouth when Artemis picks up speed
and moves to the next level.
"Oops," he says. “Sorry, guys, still learning how to control Artemis.”
“Be careful how you phrase that,” says Tiina, smiling slightly “You don’t
want to upset Artemis?”
Yudi nods. “You are right. He looks around the ship, I apologise,
Artemis,” he says, “but we are in a hurry, so please can you speed up?” When
there is no response he adds “Please….?” In response Artemis moves up in
speed a few notches, slamming them back against their seats. "I suggest you
strap yourselves in….." says Yudi grinning “I think we are finally picking up
speed”
Before Tiina can reply, the ship revs up to super light speed, as Artemis aims
straight for the heart of the nebula, and going through the porthole crash-lands
on the other side jolting them all into unconsciousness.
Rai is the first to awake. He opens his eyes to find the sun shining
overhead. As he looks around to where the others lie scattered, he sees a dark
figure hovering straight up over him; its robes fluttering in the breeze, it bobs
up and down much as if a mechanical 3-D image. The image stretches out its
hand tentatively, as if making up its mind whether to approach him or not.
Then, in a very human gesture, stamps its feet and flounces off, shaking its
head, as if deciding to do the right thing much against its will.
 Rai realises that he has just witnessed the inner war of a being which is
not of his world; then, just as he is about to relax, the apparition turns and
floats right back to Yudi. As Rai looks on in surprise it reaches out one hand
towards Yudi and, before he can protest, puts a hand on Yudi’s head. Rai can
see Yudi’s body convulse and shudder vigorously as if his trapped soul is
trying to break free. Rai tries to get up and futilely reaches his hand out
towards Yudi.
He watches as the apparition moves towards Tiina, leaving her
convulsing. It then moves to stand in front of him.
Rai can only watch mutely as it reaches out and touches his forehead. A
warm tingling sensation flows through him, relaxing him, pulling him deep
down into the well of his imagination.
The first tremor wells up and has him in thrall as the information
downloads into him. First come the equations, then come the colours and
sounds and implausible sensations, and finally vibrations, which have
travelled from far away and across many dimensions to seed him with all the
information he needs to see them through the journey to Shaitan. He feels an
incredible amount of energy running through him, and can sense that he is the
middle of a grid connecting him to source and to the various focal points in
the larger universe. He is at the very epicentre. The radiant power runs
through him continuously, anchoring him, yet somehow setting him free, so
that he feels he is one with the energy. That he is the energy and the energy is
he. He opens his eyes and sees the truth. Then conveniently lapses right back
into unconsciousness.
When he comes to, he finds Tiina and Yudi's anxious faces peering over
him. He continues to gaze at them unblinking. Then Yudi slaps him hard and
Rai sits up with a surprised gurgle. "Ow! You didn't really have to do that you
know," he splutters.
Tiina and Yudi both simultaneously exhale in relief.
"We thought we’d lost you there!" exclaims Tiina.
"It was close,” Rai agrees. “And the thought did cross my mind,
especially when I glimpsed the company that we were keeping.”
“Really?” asks Yudi, surprised. “What did you see?”
“You mean none of you felt it?”
“Uh! I did feel a tickle on the underside of my foot,” says Yudi, “but it
turned out that I had chosen to collapse on an anthill and had to pull away
from that pretty fast.”
“You, Tiina?”
“I’d love to say that I felt more, but I can’t. I really did not feel or see
anything of consequence. Except …”
“Except?” prompts Rai.
“Except that I feel really exhausted. Like I have run many miles and
 been on many different voyages.”
“Which we have,” Yudi points out helpfully.
“Yes, I know,” she snaps impatiently. “But this is different. I am
completely mentally drained, too. My mind is blank right now.”
“Like it was wiped clean?” asks Rai.
“Yes,” says Tiina, surprised.
“I feel the same, except that I am a step up from there. It feels like my
mind has been wiped blank and …”
“And?” prompts Tiina.
“And in its place I have just got many streams of information running
through my mind. I feel like I have been … well …”
“Reprogrammed?” offers Tiina.
“Exactly,” says Rai. “But at least I know what has to be done next.”
"Oh, yeah? Well, tell us, oh enlightened one!" mocks Yudi.
“I know where we are and what's going to happen next."
Rai smiles “You were right about the music all along, Tiina. All we have
to do is find the tune. It is not that far away. Play the correct notes and the
pyramid will automatically open the way to Bombay!"
"Well, then," says Tiina, "let us go and keep going, before the past
catches up with us."
"Why do you say that?" asks Rai, as they follow Yudi who has set off at
a brisk pace already.
"You are not the only sensitive one, you know," says Tiina. "I may not
remember the entire experience of what just happened. I just have this feeling;
it is this thing, which makes me very nervous about the outcome. I really do
not think this is going to be as easy as you or he think it is going to be.”
Rai says with some finality, "I would love to know the outcome of our
journey.”
“I’d just like to resolve this one way or the other. Don’t you think so?"
asks Yudi.
Tiina can all but nod miserably. "But I so, so want it to end my way."
They both nod in agreement. “That would be preferable,” says Rai.
“Any last words or thoughts that you guys want to share, before we
indeed tread on this path to nothingness?” asks Yudi, only half joking.
Tiina increases her pace and catches up with him. “Ah! The height of
optimism, the fountainhead of youth, you are! That’s why I like you so much,
Yudi.” snaps Tiina.
“Sorry,” says Yudi. “Didn’t mean for it to come out that way. Guess I
can’t help but always think the worst of the situation.”
He says softly, “Perhaps when all this over, perhaps we have a real
chance at being together, a normal couple."
"Eh?" says Tiina, "you said something?"
 "You heard me,” says Yudi.
"Just speaking with yourself, as usual?" she asks.
"It’s a habit I need to break out of," Yudi exclaims.
"This circle of life is one I need to break out of," says Rai, catching up
with both of them.
Tiina nods.
"Let’s find the missing links, fit the puzzle and move on," says Yudi
resolutely. In unison, they pick up speed and set off at a brisk pace. They walk
in silence with Rai in the lead, each one immersed in their own thoughts.
They must have been walking for a few hours when the Goddess of Love
appears, shimmering, bobbing gently up and down on her borrowed lotus
chariot. Yudi almost bumps into her, with Rai and Tiina having to stop very
suddenly in their tracks.
"Steady, there," she says irritably, in a tinny voice, "don't ruin my robe,
which I have finally managed to clean of cosmic residue."
Yudi drops to his knees automatically and the others follow suit
nervously.
"Stand up, stand up, boy,” she says, “and tell me, what will you give me
in return for guiding you to the eye mountain?"
"Uh, well, but you are a Goddess already, what is it that that you lack?”
exclaims Tiina.
The Goddess's eyes lift to her and she fixes Tiina with her forceful gaze,
silencing her effectively. "Let the one I have asked the question of speak," she
says impatiently. "Even Goddesses have needs that only humans can meet,
after all."
"What do you want?" asks Yudi.
"Love," she says.
"But are you not the Goddess of Love?" he asks, a trifle amused now at
the strange apparition. “And haven’t we met before?”
Then as the recollection comes back, recognition dawns. “It was you, on
the dance floor in Arkana, all those years ago?”
"Yes," the Goddess cuts in, "and I am still here and still looking for
love."
“All we need is love?” says Rai delightedly.
The Goddess barely registers this remark. "If I show you the next stage
of your route, then will you become my companion?"
Yudi exclaims, “Me?"
"Yes," she says, "you of the three, the missing link who holds the destiny
of humankind in his will. The one with the superior genes. I couldn’t find a
better partner with which to have children.”
"Hey! Hold on,” says Yudi. “That’s my entire life right there you are
talking about. It’s good to know that I have the kind of genes which are of
interest to you. I am flattered that you would choose me as your mate, but
sadly I may have to turn you down.” As he speaks, he inches closer to his
friends, as if trying to hide himself from the gaze of the Goddess. “You see, I
do have a mission I need to fulfil first.” Not knowing if he is now getting
through to the Goddess or not, his voice tapers off.
The Goddess says, "But if you refuse," and at the thought her eyes seems
to glow with a distinctly unearthly fury, "If you refuse, then you are on your
own for the rest of the journey."
Yudi, Tiina and Rai look at each other, puzzled, and then Tiina says,
"That is the most bizarre request ever and not fitting for a Goddess!"
The Goddess laughs "You think greed is only the prerogative of you
mortals?"
"Yes, absolutely," says Tiina. "After all, you, the Gods who have
achieved Nirvana, you are liberated from the circle of life and death, right?"
"Exactly," says the Goddess, "and still need a companion.”
“Why would you need a mortal, though? Considering there are so many
thousands of you out there to keep each other company. Could you not choose
from among one of your own kind?”
The Goddess looks at her and sighs. “There aren’t that many of us to go
around, actually. And most of them have paired off already.”
“It sounds exactly like …”
“The dating cycle in your world?” The Goddess finishes her sentence.
“You are right. It is not far off. All the good ones are taken. As for the ones
who are not, well, you can imagine that there are good reasons why no one
will have them.”
“Wow!” exclaims Tiina, amazed. “Even Goddesses would have the same
fear as us girls?”
“Of ending on our own, scared and lonely, with only the cat for
company…”
“I know!” says Tiina “You haven’t told us your name by the way”
“It’s Uma” says the Goddess “And I so need a man! Someone who can
keep me company through the days and nights of this never-ending life”
“Tell me about it” agrees Tiina “And it’s worse for you …”
“Because I will live forever,” nods the Goddess.
“In which case, what help can a mortal man provide you with?”
“As the story goes,” says the Goddess, “if an immortal consummates
love with a mortal …”
“Then the immortal loses powers of never-ending life and becomes
mortal too, right?”
“To be mortal is the real thing," says the Goddess.
Then, noticing their shocked faces, she adds in a voice dropping a few
octaves "Or haven't you got that through your stupid heads yet?"
 Tiina stares at her in shock.
"Well? Why do you look so upset, Tiina?"
Tiina hesitates. "Ah, well ..."
Yudi speaks up. “She needs me, you see, all three of us have to be
together to rescue the Isthmus and save the world."
"Which you can and will," says the Goddess, laughing without humour.
"I am only asking you to stay with me your return. Save the world or
whatever makes you happy and then come back to me. Forever."
They look at each “No!” they say together.
Tiina glances at Yudi with a glint in her eye. “Unless, of course, Yudi,
you fancy staying back, you do have a taste in women from other worlds as I
recall …”
Yudi looks at her and frowns.
“Well then, mortals,” says the Goddess, her eyebrows twisting in fury
and rage, making the 3-D dimensions of her projection go all shaky, “Well
then, don’t blame me for what happens next.” Then abruptly the transmission
switches off. Silence descends, the sun continues to shine, and they walk on
quietly, nervously, not quite able to meet each other’s eyes. They scan around
the forest and the surrounding scenery wondering which calamity they had
now invited on to themselves.
Without warning, the sun suddenly hides behind the clouds, darkness
descends, and the breeze picks up. The wind blows faster and faster, howling
itself into a tornado. It begins to snow and they find themselves suddenly in
the middle of a snowstorm.
“Over there!” Rai screams to make himself heard over the breeze and
gestures to them to follow as he makes his way laboriously through the biting
sleet towards a large banyan tree. They tie the massive roots around their
waists, holding onto the solid tree trunk. Abruptly Tiina finds her grasp
slipping and screams, “Yudi, help me!”
They reach for her and pull her back to safety. The three of them
embrace each other in death’s grip, shutting their eyes against the elements.
Then suddenly the wind seems to pick up another notch, if that was
possible, and pulls up the tree, whose roots come free of the Earth with a loud
whoosh.
The three yell in unison as they go hurtling through the air, up through
the layers of the atmosphere and through space. A rocket through ether, a love
unrequited, footprints on the sands of time, blown away.
They hurtle past meteors, stars, the very rings of Saturn, shooting stars
crossing their path so close that their fiery starburst tails just miss them by
inches. On and on, the journey goes. A never-ending story.
They travel past apparitions of monsters which loom out of nowhere,
brushing them, some even hitching a ride with them briefly. The memories of
old descend on them. Old ghosts of dead parents, lost first loves, previous
lifetimes of pain, anguish, war, misery and loss. Attack of the unknown. Each
of them is trapped in their own private hell, writhing in misery, tears
streaming down their cheeks. Until finally, utterly spent and completely
numb, they lose consciousness.
At last, after what seems like ages, Rai notices that they are not moving
anymore. He opens his eyes cautiously. Unsteady from the previous headlong
rush. Not able to let go of the roots to which he is clinging. His anchor.
Then a soft touch on his face and he moans, not yet ready to face reality.
“It’s OK,” says the gentle voice. He opens his eyes then to see the vision
that he has seen many times in his dreams. A woman of amazing peace, grace
and beauty.
“Oh no!” he moans. “Another disgruntled Goddess!” He closes his eyes
and prepares to grip the tree roots even more firmly.
“It is OK,” the voice gently repeats. The words sound reassuring and
real. They flow over him like a gentle stream. Looking at her, he smiles, and
for the first time in centuries, hope rears its head.
“Who are you?” asks Rai.
“I am Ishtar, the protector,” she says, and smiles. “I mean no harm,” she
adds. “Follow me.”
He follows her as if in a trance. She leads him a few feet away and points
to the distance. The clouds part so that he can look through the clearing they
create. He can gaze right through them. In the distance, there shimmers a
shape which resembles roughly a pyramid shape. It shimmers, with mist
floating all round it. The scene is so serene, perfect, and quiet. Every single
object seems marked out clearly in relief, its outline glowing in unearthly
light.
“The eye-pyramid,” he exclaims.
“Yes!” she says. “And the next stage of your journey.”
“And you don’t want anything in return, right?”
"Not at all.” The Goddess smiles and says, “You must be hungry.”
As she mentions it, Rai realises that he has not eaten in days. In fact, he
has no recollection of his last meal.
She leads him into the woods and through to a clearing that seems to
appear magically out of nowhere. In the clearing are a table and two chairs,
almost as if she had been expecting company. Right next to it is a gently
tinkling water fountain.
The table is rectangular made of some transparent material, which glows
and gels around the various dishes, holding them lovingly in its grasp is set
with dishes of different shapes and sizes, laden with food. There is a crystal
wine glass next to each table, filled to the brim with a liquid which he
assumes is wine.
 Everything is as it should be, yet he realises that there is something very
different about the scene, some niggling detail, which he cannot quite pin
down.
Then he realises that the entire set up is light, ethereal, and floating a few
inches off the ground. As soon as the realisation strikes, the table, chairs and
the fountain lift off in one go. And the soaring notes of an aria fill the air. It is
as gentle as the first raindrops pattering onto leaves. The music is muted and
the entire effect is very much similar to a luxurious restaurant at the end of the
galaxy.
“All the comforts of home, eh?” jokes Rai.
The Goddess smiles and says, “You are home.”
Rai is surprised. “It may be home to you, but I can assure you that where
I come from, this is more like heaven.”
“Heaven and Hearth, is there much difference between the two?”
“You mean Heaven and Earth?”
“No Heaven and Hearth...” she replies
“Ah! A Goddess with a sense of humour!”
“Yes, where I come from I am known for my jokes.”
“The Goddess of small puns?”
“I wouldn’t go that far, now,” she says, “but let’s just say that I am better
humoured since, unlike others, I am one of those who did not lose touch with
my inner human.”
“I should be grateful that you found me?” he asks.
“You could have done worse!” she exclaims. “Eat now.”
Rai takes his seat on one side of the rectangular table. The Goddess sits
down on the other side. He tears into the food with gusto. He had not realised
how hungry he actually is, and soon has finished more than half the food on
the table. He looks up to find the Goddess watching him. “Aren’t you
eating?”
She shakes her head, “We spirits do not get hungry. We can’t eat.”
He pauses, the food on his fork midway between plate and mouth, and
asks, “You mean you’ve never tasted all this?”
She sighs “But I can find enjoyment in yours.”
Rai is tempted to say something more, but there does not seem much
point, and the food is just calling out to him. He pauses to pour himself more
red wine and turns back to the food, eating everything on the table. Finally
feeling quite satisfied, he puts down his fork, leans back and sighs with
contentment.
“Coffee? A smoke?” she asks. Rai feels that he should at least act
surprised by her question, but decides to go with the flow. She sets a humidor
in front of him and pours him coffee out of a coffee flask.
“Cuban, of course,” she says
 “Of course” he echoes her wondering why it did not surprise him more.
“We aim to please” she says
Rai lights up and puffs content. Finally, he sighs and says, “So, now that
we are over the formalities, let’s get down to the real thing. Who are you and
why are you meeting me now?”
“I’ve been waiting here a long time,” she says.
“All of you say the same thing?” says Rai.
“Don’t you believe me, Rai?” she asks him.
“It’s not that I don’t believe you. It’s just that …”
“You underestimate your own importance,” she says. “You are the three
who are going to change the fate of the future. You just don’t believe in your
own destiny.” So saying, she gestures. “Look!” she says, and proceeds to
show him a flurry of images, a projection, a collage of various scenes.
Seasons change. Various people come and go. She is the only constant,
always in frame. She appears ageless, beautiful and unchanging. No emotions
show on her face. She stands there grounded, rooted in time. It is only the
clothes that she is wearing which change, to reflect the decade she is in,
giving clues to the avatar she has taken on at that time.
The changing scenes gather speed until he feels drawn into a vortex
against his will and he is forced to take a step back.
Rai opens his eyes and looks at her with dawning comprehension. He is
only slightly stunned. “You would think I am used to these crazy trips that I
am forced to take all the time,” he says, speaking softly, almost to himself. He
adds, “OK, so you did wait for me. What do you want?”
The Goddess laughs. “It seems that you have met my dear twin sister?”
she asks.
“You mean the Goddess of love?”
“Yes,” she replies, “but alas poor Uma, no longer that loving, is she?
Having given of her love to so many people, she wanted a little for herself
and made the mistake of getting involved.”
“Is that wrong?” asks Rai.
“Afraid so,” says the Goddess. “It is the beginning of the end. Once she
loses her heart, her power starts to weaken.”
“Oh, really?” asks Rai.
“The heart is the power centre. It holds the key to life... Am I making
sense?”
“You do talk funny, but I sort of follow you – you mean lose your heart
and lose your world, kind of thing?”
“Yes! Why do you think men never really seem give away their hearts
easily? They seem to think it weakens you... but you know it kind of makes
you stronger.”
“Are you sure? Every time I fall in love I feel terrible.”
 “That’s because you choose the wrong person.”
“Now, if only it had been you instead of Bridget Jones, well, then the
young women around the world would have gone down an entirely different
route.”
“You mean beyond Marlboros and Chardonnay,” says the Goddess.
“You are quite clued in for a Goddess!”
“So I am always told by many of you who drop by.”
“You mean people like me?”
“Yes, all of you lost teens. I admit you are somewhat different.”
“I know. The missing links, the saviours, we have been called by various
names. But all we’ve done is move from adventure to adventure. It is not as if
we get hurt, either.”
“Careful,” the Goddess warns “Don’t tempt fate.”
Rai laughs again. “Thanks for the advice though”
“I do want something from you,” she says.
“Uh! Oh! Here it comes” thinks Rai to himself. He says aloud “Just as I
am beginning to like you ....”
“Relax, now. I don’t want much. Just promise me something,” she says.
“A promise?”
“A promise,” she confirms, “that when Yudi reaches the final destination,
you will not let him give into the final temptation.”
“And if I do?” he asks.
“Well, then, it’s not going to good for any of us. We will lose all the
ancient sciences and arts. No more can any of the humans hope to break the
circle of life and death and rebirth. We move into the material world with no
chance of return.”
“And the fate of all mankind obviously now lies in my hands?” asks Rai.
“That’s right.”
Rai shrugs “It’s not like I have a choice, right? So let’s get a move on.”
“Promise me,” she says again.
“I promise” says Rai.
“OK then” says the Goddess, and claps her hands.
Rai finds himself back in the land of the living. He opens his eyes to a
sliver of pain shooting through his head. He cringes & rubs it gingerly.
“Where did you go this time?” asks Yudi, helping him to sit up.
“You will not believe it. So I will not even attempt to explain it to you.”
“Why is that only you keep having all these experiences. I feel left out,”
complainsTiina.
“Both of you did take the most incredible trip the last time. You just
don’t remember it,” says Rai.
“Perhaps he is special?” says Yudi.
“Actually, no,” says Rai. He looks at Yudi meaningfully.
 “What are you trying to say?” asks Yudi.
“Seems you are the important one. The one who will take the final step. I
am but the trigger,” says Rai “and so is she” he adds looking towards Tiina.
“I don’t want it,” says Yudi.
"Don't want what?" smiles Rai. "You don't even know where this is
taking you."
Yudi exclaims, "Oh! But I do. I am beginning to get a real idea of my
role in all this."
“Well, do you like it so far?” asks Tiina.
“I am not sure,” says Yudi.
“You don’t have a choice,” smiles Tiina.
“No, he does not,” agrees Rai. “Well, none of us do. Not yet, anyway.”
“So I can get out of this crazy mission in the future?”Asks Yudi.
“I’ll remind you of this when you decide not to make the choice to walk
away.”
“That’s so not possible!”
Rai shrugs. “Believe me. It’s your choice.” So saying he gets to his feet,
dusts off the seat of his trousers and sets off at a brisk pace.
“Wait,” Tiina calls to him. She has to speed up to a brisk jog to keep up
with his longer footsteps. “What about me?”
“You will be there,” he says, “every step of the way with Yudi.”
“And you will not?” she asks.
Rai merely smiles and shrugs, not replying.
They continue in silence. Turning a corner on the journey, they see what
seems to be a large hill in the distance. As they walk towards it the scenery
gives away to grasslands. As they near the hill the grass on either side of their
path grows taller in height until by the time they reach the base of the hill it is
almost as tall as Tiina. Reaching the base, they realise it is actually a wide
pyramid like structure made of a stone like material. Its surface is overgrown
with vegetation. The pyramid is tall enough that there are clouds touching its
tip. Yudi can make out a path of some kind running up the pyramid. He points
to it and the others follow him as he makes his way through the vegetation at
the base of the pyramid.
The path runs around the structure as it winds its way up. After walking
for nearly two hours, they pause in the shade of a large banyan tree with
widespread branches. Not far away they can see cows grazing contently in a
pasture. Yudi looks up towards the peak and realises that they have only
covered half the distance to the top.
As they climb flowers of various colours yellow, white and red show
themselves along the path. The sun light grows in intensity, bathing them in
its warm, vivid radiance. The very air they breathe seems lightly spiced and
tastes delicious. Then as they take the next bend they come upon a sandy
beach with beautiful clear waves, the likes of which they have never seen
before.
Yudi is the first to shed his clothes and run with a shout of joy into the
water. Rai and Yudi follow without hesitation, stripping their clothes off as
the three of them laugh and dive right into the waves. Everything is forgotten
as they frolic in the water. At last, they emerge from the waves onto the
golden sands. The three of them lie there, completely exhausted, giving in to
the sheer pleasure of the sunshine beating down on them, drying them off.
They feel a sense of wellbeing and remain motionless like colourful wall
lizards.
Eventually Tiina opens her eyes. She looks up at the skies and asks
aloud, “Do you remember the skies being this blue anywhere else?”
Yudi replies, “It doesn’t feel real does it?”
“The best things in life are not real, and yet they are more real than you
could ever imagine,” chuckles Rai.
“For once,” says Yudi, “I agree with you.”
Tiina giggles at his answer. They stay where they are, falling asleep in
the sun. It is the rising wind which finally wakes Tiina. The sun has gone
behind the clouds and the darkness has begun to creep in, with a mist creeping
in from the sea. She opens her eyes, shivering. In the growing cold, she looks
around to find Rai and Yudi. They are sprawled out on the beach, not far from
her, and seemingly dead to the world.
She gets up, dusts the sand off herself. She wears her discarded clothes
and walks up to them to shake them awake. “Yudi, Rai,” she says roughly,
“Wake up! We need to keep going.”
Rai is up instantly and begins to look around for his clothes. Yudi takes a
little more time yawning and awakening reluctantly. Tiina helps him find his
clothes. They get back on the path and continue walking though this time at a
slower pace. Finally, they reach the top of the pyramid. The path ends at a
golden archway. There are massive gates which seem to be made of gold,
shining almost red in the rays of the setting sun. The gates themselves are
closed. By force of habit Yudi walks to the gates and putting both his hands
around the bars tries to shake them. They don’t even budge. The three of them
peer through the bars. The gates lead into a broad driveway that slopes
upwards, at the end of which they can make out the outline of a building of
some kind, lost in the thickening haze.
Yudi shakes the gates again and this time they open slowly at his touch
as if giving them permission to enter. They walk up the driveway.
As they move forward the fog begins to clear and a beautiful castle
reveals itself. The sun seems to shine brighter eating away the rest of the mist
to reveal towering minarets in the distance covered in gold. There are
buildings covered in a clear crystal like material soaring into the sky reaching
for the Gods, beautiful streams winding their way through the various
buildings on which sail maidens in their swan boats. And above the scene,
casting a stately eye on the proceedings below, are majestic intergalactic craft
gliding by noiselessly, as if soothing the entire scene with a balm of
benevolence. The craft are a mix of styles drawn from different dimensions.
Some seem to have been picked straight out of the ancient stories, some of
them seem too fantastical to be real, yet others seem to fit in perfectly with
the now, drawn from some of the latest sci-fi blockbusters playing on the
silver screen in Arkana. Yet, they all seem to fit together, making sense in an
odd kind of fashion.
One of the craft breaks away from the formation. It makes straight for
them, slowing down slightly in speed and, before it has come to a stop,
changes shape, so that there standing right in front of them is a man with the
beak of a bird and large, expansive, powerful wings, which even as they
watch, fold back neatly flap once cheekily and settle at his side.
He drops to his knees before them, bringing himself level with their line
of sight and says, “So! You have arrived, finally?”
The three of them look at each other and Yudi exclaims. “Our coming is
not a surprise to anyone except us!”
The Bird Man smiles. “That is fantastic, isn’t it? It is foretold of the three
coming to save our world. At every stage we, the believers of the prophecy,
made sure we would be present to guide you. And ease the burden that you
have undertaken. Come then,” he says, “they are waiting for you.”
“Who?” asks Yudi.
He smiles and beckons them to get on his back, changing shape again to
the mythical flying pod, a graceful boat-shaped space ship. The doors slide
open and steps appear to help them climb into the vehicle.
Tiina is the last to get on. Barely has she seated herself when with the
craft silently raises itself into the air and then, with a sudden burst of speed,
lifts off even further and joins the stream of other silent craft. The space they
are in is completely silent. It is comfortable and yet filled with many
emotions. It is, Tiina realises, the feeling of life thriving, of being satisfied
with itself. An emotion so unknown that it takes a little time for them to
comprehend.
They look around curiously, trying to glean what manner of lives
conducted their daily pursuits in such a rarefied environment.
They pass through beautiful gardens where children of all shapes and of
various galactic races play strange virtual games and then near the crystal
towers which they realise are actually made of many tiny windows glinting
and, as the craft ascends up the tower, they can look in and see families at
work and at play, families of all races and shapes. Just as they begin to relax,
it docks right at the top of the tallest crystalline tower.
 The doors slide open and the steps reappear to help them disembark from
the ship. They walk down the stairs. When they have all stepped off the ship,
the steps roll back, the doors close and the Bird Man changes back into half-
human half-bird form.
They stand there for a few minutes on top of the tall building, looking at
a silvery iridescent globe hanging in the skies.
"What is that?" asks Yudi.
"The moon," answers Tiina, a dreamy look in her eyes.
"It sure does look like the moon" agrees Rai.
"It is a close cousin," says the Bird Man, who has paused within earshot.
"It is the moon, but not as you know it."
"If that is the moon, then we are on …" Tiina hesitates, not wanting to
complete her sentence, not daring to hear the answer.
"Earth," he replies, agreeing with her “But not the Earth you know and
are bound for. This is the planet as it was centuries before you were born. A
much younger, more innocent planet, before it was tarnished by waves of
human greed sweeping through."
"But we can’t be on Earth right now” exclaims Yudi.
“Why not?” asks the Bird Man. “You are just on a different dimension.”
“So it is Earth, as it was, many aeons ago,” Yudi repeats after the Bird
Man, trying to comprehend. “We are here in the future, but also in the past?”
“Well,” chuckles the Bird Man, “when you put it that way, it does sound
confusing. But don’t worry, before this is all over, you’ll be speaking this
lingo like a native.”
He continues ahead and Yudi, Tiina and Rai follow him. They enter a
large area which resembles a stateroom. The walls are sheets of glass.
Massive windows with a view to the universe; and there, silhouetted against
the light, are seven assembled sages. Men wizened with age, with long
sweeping white beards that come to their waist and grey matted hair tied up
on the top of their heads. They look very similar to each other, and are
dressed alike in shimmering orange robes, which cover them from neck to
toe. The seven of them are arranged in the order of their ascending heights.
So like Russian dolls, thinks Tiina, smiling to herself.
As if reading her thoughts, Yudi whispers, “It is as if they are positioned
much like chess pawns, except that they are arranged in a contemporary
space-saving kind of way.”
She nods. “As if they could at a moment’s notice, jump into each other to
become one concise unit and fly away.” Yudi guffaws and Tiina tries hard not
to chuckle aloud.
As if sensing their amusement, the shortest sage, also the closest to them,
looks at them and frowns. Tiina and Yudi start visibly like errant children.
They shut up and endeavour to wear more serious expressions.
 The Bird Man crosses his hands over his chest and steps forward. He
bows deeply to the sages. Addressing the shortest of them, he gestures
towards Yudi, Tiina and Rai. “My Lord,” he says, “these are the chosen ones.
They have come a long way to see you. Moreover, they have an even longer
way to go. Many adventures they still have to cover for those so relatively
young.”
The shortest sage nods. “What do they want?”
“The Elixir. My Lord.” replies the Bird Man.
The sage smiles and replies “The Elixir is not that easy to come by.”
Then adds, “You know the drill, Bird Man.” He smiles. “So let’s do it.”
“Wait a minute,” Yudi says, on hearing this. “The drill?”
“As you are probably aware by now, Yudi,” comments the Bird Man,
“you are not the first. There have been many before you, and there will
probably be many after.”
“Your confidence is reassuring!” exclaims Tiina.
“Gladdens the heart,” adds Rai sarcastically.
“And for the first time, the three of you are united in the same voice.
How about that?” asks the sage.
“Hmm, that does surprise me.” says Rai.
“Does not surprise me at all,” says Tiina.
“Really?” ask Yudi and the Bird Man in unison, surprised by the
confidence in her voice.
“Sure,” she replies, “we came together for a reason. Despite all the
bickering on the surface, we all think the same.”
Yudi and Rai look at her with scepticism, and Tiina falters in the face of
their opposition.
“Uh! We are all in this together,” she says. “Well, OK, we are largely
together … Uh! More or less … OK, OK!” she exclaims. “You know what I
mean. We are not that different in our thinking, even though we have our
differences.”She tries to justify her earlier words.
The Bird Man finally takes pity on her. “We know what you mean,
Tiina” he says, “I was just trying to show that there is nothing like a common
cause to bring people together.”
“United against opposition, eh?” says Rai.
“Exactly,” says the Bird Man.
Tiina nods relieved that her words are taken in the right spirit. “I do
believe that you will not need to repeat this cycle of hide ‘n’ seek with the
Elixir again,” she says emphatically.
“I do hope so,” says the Bird Man. “It is about time I wrote a different
story. This last one has been playing out over many dimensions and many
ages. It’s becoming repetitive, even for me.”
“Been repeated too many times on the small screen of life,” exclaims
 Yudi.
“Re-versioned and released too many times on the home videos and in
the cinemas of the galaxy,” adds Rai in delight.
Tiina rolls her eyes. “Even I could do better than that one,” she
admonishes Yudi and Rai, as they laugh.
“Well, here’s your chance to break the pattern,” says the Bird Man,
turning to the three of them. “So how badly do you want the Elixir?”
“Hey!” says Yudi. “Let us remind you that it is not us who want it as
much as Mimir and you have commanded us to get it to save the universe, as
it were!”
On hearing this, the shortest sage, who has been closely following their
conversation, laughs and says, “So, Yudi, you don’t want any of the Elixir for
yourself. It’s only for the greatest good?”
Yudi looks slightly shamefaced. “When …well, I admit, no, it’s not just
all for the greatest good.” He adds, “If that were the case, then I would be
standing where you are just now.”
“So how should I perceive it?” asks the sage.
“Well, we are doing this for the good of the general people but hey!”
replies Yudi, “I am not complaining if I happen to accidently gain some
superpowers in the process. That’s a fringe benefit.”
“So you do want it for yourself, right? And you know it can only benefit
you in some form, personally?” prods the sage.
“Sure, this entire journey is one big ego trip!” exclaims Rai, angrily.
“Why should we answer your questions? And that, too, when you are so
obviously in disguise.” He looks at all the seven in the room. “It is obvious
that this is all just a front,” he says.
The seven of them stare back unblinking. There is no response or
reaction from them. Looking at their shuttered expressions, Rai realises that
they cannot expect much to be forthcoming from them.
Losing patience, he walks towards the shortest sage. Then, glancing
down at the diminutive figure, he says, “Well, the least you can do is reveal
your true self. All this subterfuge is tiring.”
Realising that Rai is trying to get a reaction from the sages, Yudi chimes
in with, “Yeah! What is a bit of reality between friends, eh? What do you
have to hide anyway?”
His words seem to trigger a metamorphosis. There is a flash of bright
lightning as the seven figures merge into one. In their place stands a figure
almost dazzling in his perfection.
Tiina gasps involuntarily, for he is the most beautiful male of the human
species that she has set eyes on. He shines lustrous, his blue skin radiating an
iridescent sunny glow which seems to light up the entire room.
Dressed in a flowing yellow-gold garment, he wears a slim golden crown
with a peacock feather on his head. There is a garland of yellow sunflowers
around his neck. He is extremely tall and statuesque, filling the entire height
of the room. He has four arms, one of which holds a whirring disc and
another, a flute. He folds his front two arms and bows slightly to the people
assembled in the room.
The Bird Man immediately drops to his knees before the God. Tiina,
Yudi and Rai look at him kneeling before the figure and then look at each
other in puzzlement. Yudi raises his eyebrows questioningly and Rai shrugs.
They are not quite sure what is happening, but it is clear that this is not an
ordinary everyday occurrence for the Bird Man.
Then Tiina speaks, breaking the silence. “Thank you for revealing your
true self,” she says softly.
The Bird Man is still completely overwhelmed. His face is writ large
with emotion, his voice slightly wobbly as he addresses the three without
taking his eyes off the floor in front of the God.
“You are very fortunate,” he says. “There are not too many people who
have seen Lord Vishnu in this form.”
“He is breathtaking. But why is this form that makes it so
significant?”Rai asks.
“It’s the universal form of the creator. The only form which does true
justice to the power of the source” replies the Bird Man.
“The source?” Yudi urges him to speak further.
The Bird Man nods. “The almighty, the omnipresent, the higher power,
nature. Call it by whatever name you believe it. You will find that everything
that you believe in is here, condensed into this avatar of the Lord. And this
form is unique for Lord Vishnu has revealed to very few.”
“Unique?” asks Yudi
“Yes. This form encompasses many different realities.”
Lord Vishnu’s voice cuts through the conversation. “Why do you want
the Elixir?” he asks, his voice booming, filling the space they are in and
ricocheting back.
Yudi and Rai continue to look at the figure. They are yet to get over their
surprise at his appearance. Yudi asks in a slightly defiant voice, “Why not?”
Not wishing to let this conversation take a turn for the worse, Tiina steps
in. “We believe that the Elixir will give us the powers needed to defeat the
forces of evil.”
“You are reluctant to complete this mission. And yet you stay persistent
to this cause?” asks Lord Vishnu.
Tiina hesitates before replying. “We have a heavy responsibility. We
complain about it, but that doesn’t mean that we are going to run away from
it.”
“Speak for yourself,” Yudi says in a low voice meant for Tiina and Rai’s
ears only. Tiina elbows him in his ribs, trying to quieten him down, while Rai
conceals a chuckle at Yudi’s reaction.
Seemingly unaware of Yudi and Rai’s reaction to their conversation, the
Lord continues. “You will have to work for it, Tiina,” he says.
“You mean a duel?” she asks in alarm
The Lord smiles for the first time. “Yes, a duel,” he says, “but of a
different kind. I challenge you to a game of chess. Win it and you get the
Elixir.”
“What is chess?” she asks.
“What is destiny?” retorts the Lord.
He beckons again and there appears a chess set laid for two. Yudi and
Rai look at Tiina incredulously. They realise that she is expected to pit wits
against the Lord himself.
Yudi asks, “Uh! Tiina, have you ever played chess?”
Tiina shrugs and walks over, saying, “Guess there’s always a first time.”
Rai and Yudi watch as Tiina takes her seat. The God reduces himself
down to a more normal size. His latter two arms are now folded into a groove
on his back. Except for a slight protuberance on the side of his body, he seems
to be largely human now, wearing the normal robes of a modern day
metropolis dweller.
Yet despite his attempt at normalcy, he looks just like what he is: a God
trying to fit in and not quite succeeding. Lord Vishnu walks to the place
opposite Tiina and sits down. He looks at the Bird Man meaningfully.
The Bird Man nods and tells Yudi and Rai, “I believe, we should leave
now.”
“Leave?”
“Where do you want us to go?” asks Rai.
“To the room next door” says the Bird Man “the energies of those
watching tend to interfere with the thinking process of the players, so its best
we wait in a separate space.”
Seeing the alarm on Yudi’s face the Bird Man says in a gentle tone
“Don’t worry she will be safe.”
Sensing the hesitation in both of them, he adds, “I give you my word.”
He leads them away to another room. As they are about to leave, Lord
Vishnu hails the Bird Man. “Don’t forget to turn on the music before you
leave,” he says.
“Of course!” replies the Bird Man, then walks up to a panel enclosed in
the wall and switches it on. The beats of Reggaeton pour through the space.
“The Lord loves Latino music,” whispers the Bird Man as they leave.
“So it would seem,” agrees Yudi.
“He spends a lot of his time in Rio. That’s where he picked it up,” says
the Bird Man by way of explanation.
 Yudi is deciding whether he should make a passing comment about the
partying and recreational hobbies of the Gods. Then he glances at the Bird
Man, who seems totally serious about his previous revelations, and thinks the
better of it.
As the panel to the room closes, Yudi glances through to see the two
figures engaged in deep play already, their heads bent. The Lord is tapping his
feet in time with the music, evidently enjoying it, his brow furrowed in
concentration as he looks down at the chess pieces on the board. The aura
from Lord Vishnu has settled to a warm rosy pink and it seems to flow out
and embrace Tiina. This serves somewhat to reassure Yudi and he walks into
the other room.
They pace restlessly while they wait.
Feeling lightly dizzy with the feelings of anticipation, excitement, fear
… washing over him, flowing, engulfing, completely overwhelming him,
Yudi pauses. He supports himself against the wall.
“Uh!” says Rai looking at him in surprise, the full extent of Yudi’s
feelings for Tiina coming to light. “I don’t have a cigar, buddy,” he says
trying to lighten the atmosphere.
Yudi looks at him, “I don’t want to talk about it.”
Rai subsides.
The Bird Man takes up his position on the threshold between the two
rooms. He can clearly watch the action in both the rooms from there.
Yudi exclaims yet again, “Why cannot we watch?”
Rai shrugs, “Guess the rules of celestial chess are somewhat different
from the game we play.”
“Do you believe what he said, about the watcher’s energies interfering
with the game?” asks Yudi.
“No,” says Rai “But then I don’t think we are exactly in a position to
argue with him, either.”
They walk up to the window and look out at the incredible view
stretching out in front of them. They are on the elevated summit of the tower.
It is one of the tallest in the area, from what they can see.
On one side is a scene which is as close to picture postcard perfection as
possible. It is an oasis in the centre of the universe, painted with the hues of a
perfect dream, with flowers of all colours stretching out and the smell of the
sea in the distance. Just looking at the scene soothes the nerves of Yudi and
Rai. They take in a deep breath, exhaling as one, smiles on their faces. Then
turn to survey the view from the windows on the other side.
These open onto a more familiar scene with soaring edifices and tall
monoliths reaching for the skies. A constant stream of space vessels use the
conduit between the structures, running through them at a frenzied pace.
“What a stark contrast, “exclaims Rai.
 “But it lends a real personality to this place,” says Yudi. “So this is what
Arkana could be like, if it is allowed to grow and prosper?” He lets the
question hang in the air, staring, awestruck by the magnificent panorama in
front of his eyes.
“This is very much the twin planet, a mirror image,” says Rai “yet so far
ahead of its time. It is difficult to see Arkana ever getting to this level.”
Yudi is about to reply when the door opens and in walks an extremely
tired Tiina walks in holding what looks like a carafe.
Yudi runs up to her and pulls her firmly into his embrace, almost
squeezing the breath out of her. Tiina is surprised but laps up the attention.
She sinks into the embrace, enjoying it for a few seconds. Then, balancing the
container in her hand, she says, “Careful, we don’t want to spill what I just
spent the last many hours battling for.”
Then adds, “the next encounter is all yours. It is going to take me a little
time to recover from this one.”
“But it was only a mental battle, nothing physical, right? All you needed
to do was concentrate,” says Rai.
“And that’s why I was chosen, the one with superior brain power,” Tiina
agrees, raising an eyebrow at Rai. “You are right. I am shocked that it took so
much out of me. It has given a whole new meaning to mind control.”
Yudi looks at Rai. “What do you think? Physical fighting or mental
evasion? Choose your weapon.”
Rai ignores the two of them and says, “I think we should drink this up.”
He gestures towards the carafe “whatever that is. After all that Tiina’s been
through, let’s at least get our strength up.”
They both nod amiably.
Yudi looks at the liquid and asks, “So this is the Elixir?”
“So Lord Vishnu tells me. It’s supposed to be some kind of secret
essence,” she replies “he didn’t tell me exactly what, except that it would help
us in reaching our destination.”
The Bird Man walks in, his wings flapping once more before settling
down on his back. He hears the latter part of their conversation and clarifies
“It is water in essence yet so much more. Not too many have yet got to where
you have,” he says.
“A mere coincidence that it is us who get to it?” asks Yudi.
“Perhaps it was just meant to be,” says the Bird Man.
“You mean …?” says Tiina.
“Us …?” says Rai.
“What about us?” asks Yudi.
“The Elixir of Half Lives. It is rumoured that this holds the secret to the
strength of the Gods. Churned up in the battle of the Gods and the demons,
and hidden away by the Gods until the three …” Yudi’s voice tapers off, as
the full realisation of the situation sinks in.
“Until the three chosen ones defeat the sages and reclaim it.” The Bird
Man completes his sentence.
“And in doing so they also reclaim their powers,” adds Rai.
“And finally rescue the Isthmus and rid the universe of the evil Shaitan?”
asks Yudi.
“Not bad,” says the Bird Man, “so you have read the myth of the chosen
ones as well?” he asks interested.
“Not really,” says Yudi, “just a lucky guess. You don’t get to where we
are on this journey without discovering something of your own fate.”
Then, sensing the protest that is about to come his way from the rest of
them, he gestures to the Elixir. “Time to drink up,” he says. “Shall we?”
Tiina looks around for something to pour the liquid in. She spots glasses
in the shape of test tube on a table to the side of the room. Walking across she
picks them up looking at the glasses with curiosity as she walks back towards
the small group. The glasses are shaped in a weird manner, but realising there
is no alternative, she pours the clear looking liquid from the carafe into the
glasses and hands one to each of them.
They clink glasses. “To us,” says Yudi.
“And the next stage of our journey,” says Tiina.
“And to Half Lives everywhere,” agrees Rai.
They each drink the liquid in one gulp. Yudi clutches his throat as the
liquid burns its way down. He barely has time to see Tiina fall to the floor
before he silently keels over.

Yudi opens his eyes to the feeling of the wind whistling through his hair.
His head is still heavy as if recovering from a heavy hangover. He sits up
groggily to find that Tiina and Rai are already awake, their faces wearing
befuddled expressions mirroring how he feels. He realises that they are back
on the back of the Bird Man, whizzing through space. Sure enough in a few
minutes the Bird Man arrives back at Artemis and sets down on her docking
platform.
After they alight, the steps fold back, the doors close and then the Bird
Man begins to shape-shift back to his half man- half bird form. “You know,”
says Yudi, his voice emerging in a croak before he clears it and tries again.
“You know” he tells Tiina “We’ll probably never see such an incredible sight
as this half bird – half man – half machine thing changing form.”
Rai waits until the Bird Man has completed his metamorphosis back to
his half-human form and asks, “So how many of you are there, anyway?”
“That’s a good question,” says the Bird Man. “I am not sure. I’ve never
met anyone like myself, yet” he adds, a thoughtful expression coming onto
his face.
“So you are one of a kind,” says Tiina.
“Perhaps”
“That can be lonely.”
“It is,” he says. “But it will change if you find the Isthmus.”
“How is that?” she asks.
“It’s Shaitan’s power that keeps me trapped in this form. When you find
the Isthmus and overcome Shaitan, I will be set free,” he says.
Yudi looks at him with something akin to disbelief “You sure are
optimistic to set your bets with us,” says Yudi.
“So that’s why you chose to be one of our guardians on this journey?”
asks Tiina “To make sure you got us a step closer to the Devil himself?”
The Bird Man smiles “I did it because I could.”
“So what now?” asks Yudi “The Elixir will endow us with super powers,
making us the most powerful in the universe??”
“You’ve changed you know that, of course. Only time will tell exactly
what these powers are. You will have to wait and see.”
“And Lord Vishnu?” asks Yudi.
“What about him?” asks the Bird Man.
“He is impressive! I would have loved to get to know him better.”
The Bird Man laughs. “You and many other people in this galaxy. Count
yourself lucky that you at least got to look the God in the eye.”
“And Tiina pitted her wits against a real, fully-fledged God. How about
that?”
“That’s just the way the dice falls, or rather the chess pieces in this case,”
says the Bird Man. He looks at Tiina “You did well. Better than I expected.”
“Yes. People don’t realise what I am made of, actually … but when I get
the chance. I do rise to the occasion.”
“And how!” says the Bird Man.
They both laugh. “Is there something you are not telling us here?” asks
Yudi, puzzled at the undercurrent of the many unsaid conversations he is
sensing here.
“That’s for you to ask and for Tiina to tell,” says Bird Man.
“Oh, come on! Tell us,” implores Rai.
“It’s a long story,” says Tiina.
“And I am sure you will have time on your long voyage to Bombay
when Tiina can fill you in on her adventure. For now, though, I have
completed my role here.”
He turns to go and Yudi exclaims, “Don’t leave us alone!”
Tiina adds, “You are our last familiar face, don’t leave us alone.”
The Bird Man turns to her. “Haven’t you learnt by now that you are not
alone? My role here is complete. I have taken you to the next stage of your
journey. But there will be others who help you out.”
“I don’t see any other guides here but you,” says Yudi
“They will find you, I promise.”
“When?” asks Yudi, then as if to himself, “No, don’t tell us, I know, I
know,” as both Tiina and Rai chorus in unison, “At the appropriate juncture.”
The Bird Man laughs. “You learn fast,” he says and puts up a hand in
farewell.

OceanofPDF.com
 Bombay

The technology of thought travel was invented and lost here. A secret place;
hidden away, sunk in mud, covered with cigarette butts and popcorn kernels;
where the film of the world nevertheless continues to run forever.
Marcodolo, the legendary space explorer who had bridged the gaps between
the galaxies, one day tears himself away from the adoring crowds to Bombay,
to meditate. For six days and nights, he prays to Lord Vishnu asking for the
knowledge of timelessness. Finally, the Lord opens his third eye and in one
single beam of pure energy reveals the secret, direct to Marcodolo.
The images unravel in his mind; telling him to go to the place referred to as
Churchgate, in Bombay. Here he manifests the technology; as a monad of
pure energy. Marco uses it to build the very first gateway to other dimensions.
His masterpiece is a large canvas of pure indestructible material, onto which
the monad projects colourful images, straight from world consciousness. And
it continues to this day.
Predictions, earthquakes, box-office successes, celebrity deaths and the birth
of new stars. It all plays out here on the timeless silver screen. A never-ending
movie, discovered by those for whom the time for travel has arrived.
For Marco, this triggers off his dormant gene, making him the first Half Life.
The one who achieves the very first recorded ascension, in accelerated time.
And so the Chosen Ones were also summoned to Bombay. How would it be,
to change the past and re-write destiny?

OceanofPDF.com
 Through the Gateway
Artemis lands in Bombay in typically dramatic fashion.
On the rooftop of the lone remaining skyscraper in the city.
This is, of course, not astonishing to the three voyagers. No, the true
surprise is to learn that Bombay is changed beyond recognition, nothing like
the pictures of the thriving metropolis they are accustomed to seeing. Gone
are the tall skyscrapers and the one-upmanship spirit. No more are there any
soaring buildings which speak to the Gods. It seems that the spirit of the place
has been broken after the killer tsunami flattened large parts of the country,
specifically targeting the recently built skyscrapers, wiping them out.
All that is left are the structures built in the Indo-gothic style so typical
to the city. They are a fusion of elements from native Indian architecture,
combined with revival and Neo-Classical styles favoured in Victorian Britain
bearing characteristic domes, arches, stained glasses, spires, and minarets.
It is almost as if by design the tsunami chose to wipe out all traces of
commerce and lust, and spring clean ruthlessly, leaving only that which is
somehow altruistic. That part of the people and the buildings that embodies
the heart of the city. Those who want to rebuild a future, of which future
generations can be proud.
Yet despite being almost razed to the ground, Bombay, named after the
Goddess Mumbadevi, remained at the centre of the galactic energy
movement, its inhabitants and the very space in which it is created continuing
to receive massive downloads of energy filled with knowledge and
experience. Travelling through dimensions, across galaxies. As ancient as
time, yet revealing themselves to the inhabitants of today.
Ushering in the unexpected in a very different way. Many complicated
miles of knowledge all condensed for consumption in a simple, easy to
understand form.
It is the ultimate consumer’s consumption dream. Plug in and get all the
information you need to equip your brain and your heart. No more fasting and
sacrifice in search of the truth. Have it delivered to you in quick, edible,
photonic bytes. Absorb it into your system.
Conforming to the fast-paced spirit of the city.
This, though, did not explain why Artemis is very excited. So full of
happiness is she that her colours change with every second. As the three
disembark from the ship, the colours reflect off their faces in the dark. It is
almost as if they are in an old-fashioned discotheque, with the flashing disco
ball reflecting the lights off the rotating spotlights onto the dance floor.
“What’s up with her?” Yudi asks Tiina.
In the many hours of travelling together across the galaxies to reach
Bombay, Tiina has been mock-designated Artemis’ keeper. The ship is
unusually responsive to her thought processes, much more than with the men.
It is obvious she has a soft spot for Tiina and will do almost anything for her.
That plus the fact that a few days into the journey, Tiina started
developing such a rapport with the ship that she is able to steer her purely by
thought alone. It is clear that the two have a mind-meld of sorts going for
them, if not a full-blown love affair.
By the time they reach Bombay, it has reached heights enough to make
Yudi particularly jealous of Artemis and the peculiarly intimate relationship
she shares with Tiina.
As they cautiously disembark and breathe in the night air, Artemis
continues to try to attract their attention.
“It’s more like she is your mistress now,” says Yudi.
Tiina looks at Yudi, amused. “I can’t believe it, you are jealous of a
ship.”
Yudi has the grace to look shamefaced. He says, “You have to admit, it’s
highly unusual for a machine to develop feelings for a Half Life. Trust us to
find the one lesbian-inclined space machine in the entire galaxy.”
“It is not entirely unusual,” says Rai.
“That the damned thing prefers the female of any species? That it has
feelings? Or both?”
“Both?” asks Rai. “It is more common among machines to prefer their
own gender than the opposite sex.”
“Really?” asks Tiina. “That is the first I’ve heard of that.”
“Machines are less surprising,” says Rai, “and more predictable. Is that
not what you would expect? We have a lot in common, so it’s common to feel
a certain kinship, especially in troubled times.”
Yudi thinks it over. “So we are more like the machines?” he asks wryly.
“Hmm,” says Rai, choosing to ignore that comment. “Coming back to
the original comment, all I am saying is that it is not unusual for a relationship
to develop between a Half Life and a machine, especially not since they are
being engineered more and more with real emotions.”
“Yes, OK, I know. It has happened on occasion. Still I find this difficult
to understand,” Yudi exclaims.
Tiina laughs, and then, to tease him even more, walks back to where
Artemis is parked, glowing in the dark. She puts her palms against the ship
and lays her head against the side of the panel. She tunes in to Artemis. And
is taken aback. It is a different trip this time. What flows through her mind is
an abundant rush of words, poetic, almost a prayer.
Intense joy, radiance, luminance, enlightenment.
You the all-powerful, the all-knowing.
The dancer who spans the galaxies in mystical ecstasy.
The origin of the soul, keeper of the third eye.
Fire in your step, purifying your gaze.
Your long locks whip around you.
Rippling muscles move in harmony.
Your eyes shut in intense concentration.
A cosmic chant.
All powerful, rising in crescendo.
I bow to you, humbled in awe.
In happiness, in gratitude.
I prostrate myself at your lotus feet.
Enfold me in your presence; give me a corner of your gaze.
You, who conquered fate.
Bowed the odds, narrowed the gap.
The prayer comes unbidden to Tiina. It is, she realises, a mantra. A song
asking nature to help them through the biggest adventure of their lives. The
pure energy vibrates through her and then falls away, leaving her drained.
She raises her head, stunned by the emotions that wash over her. Yudi and Rai
look at her as she walks back towards them, shaken by the entire experience.
Unable to put into words what she has just encountered, she simply looks at
them.
“What? So has Artemis finally confessed her love for you, then?” asks Yudi.
Tiina takes her time replying. “Not quite,” she says. “It seems as if it is time
to get back to the school of hard knocks.”
“Meaning?” asks Yudi.
“I am not sure what exactly I heard. It did not sound like Artemis. More like
someone was speaking through her. Someone or something. From another
dimension.”
“Are you sure?” asks Yudi. “Perhaps that was Artemis just assuming a
different avatar? Trying to impress you?”
Tiina looks at him. “I do believe you are jealous,” she says, “just because I
have a special understanding with Artemis.”
“Don’t be ridiculous!” exclaims Yudi. “It’s just a machine!”
Tiina smiles. “Just hear yourself, Yudi.”
Yudi laughs “Yeah! That was childish.”
“Who or what did it sound like?” Rai interrupts their shared moment.
“Like someone was watching over us. And asking … no, pleading with us to
be careful with what is to come,” says Tiina.
Yudi says in a considering tone, “Hearing your description, it sounds like it is
…” He lets the statement hang in the air.
“Mimir,” Rai and Tiina chorus.
Then Tiina’s face clears. “Of course! It’s him. No wonder the voice seemed
familiar.”
Rai asks, “And he is transmitting through Artemis?”
“Gives a whole new meaning to communicating through the ages, you have to
admit.”
“How did he do that?” asks Tiina.
“And why has he not said anything all through our rather long and tiresome
journey? I would have worried less knowing he was looking out for us,” says
Rai, ever the practical one.
“Maybe that is why,” responds Tiina. “He did not want us to take it too easy
...”
“You really believe that?” asks Rai.
“No,” says Tiina, smiling back. “But he has a knack with timing. So well it
makes me think that there is a really nasty surprise just around the corner.”
As they wonder what to do next, the few remaining lights in the city flicker
once, twice, and then go off. In the complete darkness that follows even the
stars in the night sky seem dull. Artemis switches on her single powerful
headlight, which lights up their way. As they watch, she shrinks down in size,
further and further, until she can fit in the palm of Tiina’s hand.
She then rises up into the air at about eye level to them, and glides towards
them. Her headlight now reduced to torchlight proportions nevertheless is a
steady beam cutting through the darkness.
She stops in front of Tiina, dips her light a little as if in acknowledgement,
and then continues further. When they show no signs of moving from their
positions, she stops and then jumps up and down in impatience.
“Oh!” Tiina exclaims, “she wants us to follow her.”
“I could have told you that,” exclaims Yudi. “So there is no letting go of her
then."
“You weren’t thinking of leaving her behind now, were you?”
Yudi shrugs his shoulders. “It did cross my mind.”
“Well, I, for one, am glad she is with us.”
Rai agrees. “Better Artemis, than us, to help negotiate our way through this
dark city,” he says, looking out over the darkness stretching out in front of
him.
They follow his eye meeting the sea of darkness, spreading out in front of
them. With Artemis’ torchlight now leading the way, they start through the
narrow streets. As they walk, Tiina asks the others, “Do you guys ever think
what would have happened if we had not met at Arkana?”
“Keep your voice down,” Rai admonishes her, adding, “Not really. No.”
“I guess it’s more of a girl thing,” says Yudi lowering his voice. Tiina looks at
him, her eyebrows raised in warning. “I mean to think about ifs, buts, what
could not have beens, as ifs …” his voice trails off.
“You’ve put your foot in your mouth with that one. Good thinking, Yudi,”
says Rai. He is laughing in anticipation of the expected comeback from Tiina,
and is not disappointed.
Tiina frowns, “That’s such a boy kind of remark, Yudi. You know it is.”
“It’s true,” says Yudi, unrepentant.
“No, it is not.” Tiina defends herself.
Seeing that it is headed into a full-blown argument, Rai interrupts, trying to
change the mood. “Well, I admit that since we embarked on this … this
journey, for lack of a better word, I do find myself wondering what it would
be like to lead a life where there is no adventure just around the corner.”
“No tests we need to pass, no questions to answer,” says Yudi, “Just hang out
and drink your beer at the pub in the evenings.”
“Though you have to admit you were flattered by the proposition of the
Goddess of Love,” chuckles Tiina.
“Well …” Yudi hesitates, wondering if he should agree with Tiina.
“Oh, go on,” says Tiina, “admit it, Yudi. It’s not every day when one comes
across a real Goddess, who asks you to be her partner.”
“Gross!” shudders Yudi.
“Why?” asks Tiina. “She was good looking.”
“Yeah,” he snorts, “sure, in a wicked witch kind of way. Not that I have
anything against older women, mind you,” he adds, “but somehow being
trapped forever, with someone who looks highly capable of whipping me,
every time I don’t do as she wants …”
“That would be character forming,” says Rai. “But think about what it would
be like to make love to a real Goddess.”
“Gives a whole new meaning to achieving heights of passion,” Yudi admits.
“Seventh heaven”
“Did the ground shake for you too literally, honey?” says Tiina.
They chuckle and Tiina adds, “Here I thought that you liked being
dominated.”
“Interesting,” confesses Yudi. “But I had someone else in mind for that
particular scene.”
“Oh, really?” asks Tiina with interest.
“Yes!” Yudi hesitates then decides he may as well say what was on his mind.
“I kind of always had you in mind ...” He is walking ahead of Tiina and
cannot see the reaction on her face.
“Ah!” Tiina coughs. Rai, who is just behind her, pats her on the back.
“Now, now! You have to be careful with the company you’ve been keeping of
late.” Rai lowers his voice looking at Artemis, who is ahead. Tiina chuckles
despite herself following his gaze. “That’s enough!” she scolds him, “Why are
we speaking in whispers anyway?”
“You don’t know what is out there,” says Rai.
“Ah! Things which go bump in the night? Beware of the creepy-crawlies
around the next corner,” jokes Yudi.
Yet the words ring true for all of them. They subside into silence and follow
Artemis, who continues to show them the way up ahead.
No one disturbs them as they walk through the deserted streets.
Then a thought strikes Yudi. “You lived in Bombay, didn’t you?” he asks Rai.
“Yes, but that was a while ago,” replies Rai.
“Oh, really?” Tiina asks, interested. “I didn’t know that.”
“He doesn’t talk much about it.”
“Why not?”
“I think he had a real heartbreak when he was here. So it brings back some
not very good memories.”
“I can imagine.”
“Hey,” protests Rai. “I am still here, you know.”
“Of course,” says Tiina. “We just thought that you may not want to talk about
it,” she continues in the same breath. “So tell us. Has Bombay changed much
since you lived here?”
Rai takes his time replying. “As much as you could imagine any place to
change over the years,” he finally says.
“Is that a lot? Or not that much?” asks Tiina.
“No, it has changed,” he admits finally. “When I lived here, it was vibrant, a
lot was happening, always. It was more human than Half Life. This was part
of the attraction for me. I suppose you could say that I have always been
attracted to those who are completely human.”
“Not surprising, considering that humans are all emotion, unlike us Half Lives
who are rather split in our emotional approach,” she replies.
“Those were enjoyable times. Even hedonistic, but I cannot complain. This
was before ascension became the new buzzword. Prior to finding out that
those of us born of the union of humans and aliens could not live full lives.
We didn’t realise that there were so many human emotions that we would
never feel. That we could exist in more than one dimension at the same time.
We didn’t know that as a Half Life you were forced to live only half your life
on Earth and that the other half had to be spent on another planet.”
“Painful,” she agrees. “So it was also before anyone found out the good stuff
about being a Half Life?”
“Such as superior powers to do with as we wanted, high IQ, partnering with
Gods, laughable missions, crazed journeys?” chips in Yudi.
“A chance at re-writing our own destinies,” Tiina corrects him and then tiring
a little from the fast pace of the last few hours she calls a halt and comes to a
standstill. The other two look at her. “Are you alright?” asks Yudi.
She nods, yet does not look totally at ease. “You know,” she says, “for the last
half hour or so … no, actually it is since we landed in Bombay. I just do not
feel comfortable. As we have been walking, my discomfort grows.”
“What is it?” asks Yudi.
“It is as if not everything is right with the world,” she says. “I feel really
nervous. I cannot help but wonder what would happen if we do not make it
through the gateway. What if we don’t track down Shaitan? If we do not find
the Isthmus?” She breaks off. It is as if by just voicing her fears, she is
bringing them to life.
“The big what if!” exclaims Yudi.
“Yeah! What if we had never been born?” Rai echoes her.
“I know I know what you are going to say. Especially after that rather long
discussion about writing our own destiny and all of that,” says Tiina, sighing
aloud. “And I seem to be repeating everything you said earlier Rai,” she says,
“and you speak just like Mimir.”
Rai pretends surprise. “Me?” he asks, an innocent look on his face.
“Sure,” she smiles, “you are such a smooth operator! Of the three of us, it is
you who has been longest in Arkana. After Yudi decided to uh! Follow his
heart,” she stumbles on her words and looks at Yudi who is now walking
ahead, yet she knows that he is following their conversation. “And after I left,
you stayed and spent almost all your time with Mimir. And he is very good to
make you see his point of view.”
“He can be quite persuasive,” agrees Rai, smiling and looking at her with
knowing eyes.
“And you are good at convincing us. Yet I have to wonder about the events
we triggered, what with breaking so many rules ...” her voice trails off as
Yudi, surprised at her outburst of misgiving, cuts in.
“Hey!” he exclaims, “that is not fair. You are stealing my lines.” He smiles,
trying to tease her a bit, distract her from her misgivings. “I always thought
you believed this was your big mission, the opportunity you were waiting
for?” The words are barely out of his mouth when he realises that he is not
helping to calm her down.
“That does not sound very reassuring, now, does it?” he says, turning around
to walk to her. He hugs her firmly and apologises. “I did not mean it that
way.”
She nods, not saying anything, yet not moving away from his comforting
embrace.
“You know what I mean,” says Yudi. “It is just that you are the one who’s
been so confident, so gung ho about this journey the entire time. I was the
unwilling, one. Yet here we are, on the threshold of something that will
change the course of our lives, and then you stop and hesitate. I am
surprised.”
“Strange, right?”
“You getting cold feet?”
“No. Only an impending sense of calamity,” she says in a dejected voice, her
gaze downcast, her brown eyes losing their normal sparkle.
“Ah!” says Yudi. “That’s OK then. Check out the past few days. Hell, take a
closer look at our lives so far. Surely not much else can catch us by surprise!”
He laughs and hugs her.
This brings a reluctant smile to Tiina’s face. She wipes her tears and, stepping
away from him, takes her fingers to her brow, trying to smooth out the lines of
worry etched there. She tries a fake grin, then a more genuine half smile.
“Better?”
Rai has been patiently watching the two of them. “Every action does have an
equal and opposite reaction. Even when things do not go according to plan,
they still are, except it is not the plan you thought it was. But it is still
according to a plan, right?”
“He’s back!” exclaims Yudi.
“He’s here!” echoes Tiina, in mock surprise.
“What? What?”
“Good to see you are now once more your usual special comments kind of
self,” says Yudi.
“OK, OK, I promise to tone it down,” says Rai. “I just think in riddles. It is
just the way I am.”
“Enough, stop,” says Yudi. “Your wit is killing us.”
Rai smiles “What I mean is, let us just trust and jump, shall we?” He looks at
both of them.
“OK,” says Tiina. “We have nothing to lose, do we?”
Yudi does not bother to reply. He walks in silence, following Artemis who has
been hovering in the foreground all along. As Yudi moves towards the ship,
her colours immediately brighten up and she glides forward, leading them.
Tiina is still worried, but she gathers herself together and draws strength from
the fervent appeal to the cosmos. The sacred mantra that she received earlier
is still lingering on her breath when, a few minutes later, Artemis guides them
into the old decaying movie theatre at Churchgate on the northern most tip of
Bombay city.
As they step in, Tiina takes a deep breath and continues to repeat the words in
her mind. It calms her a little. She tries to focus. “Courage,” she prays to the
cosmos, “to make the decision at the important point. Right or wrong is
another matter, just let me not hesitate,” she thinks. Then scolds herself.
“How I hate those who cannot make up their mind!”
“Churchgate!” exclaims Rai. “It has been a while.”
“When were you here last?”
“A long time ago. Before Arkana. When I was another person,” he replies.
“What were you doing?” asks Yudi, “other than watching a movie?”
Rai merely smiles.
“Oh, hang on!” says Yudi, “you weren’t even watching a movie, now, were
you?”
“You don’t want to know,” Rai grins.
Both Tiina and Yudi smile at that. “You never speak about your past,” says
Tiina.
“With good reason,” replies Rai.
Meanwhile Artemis, who has again been waiting for them to take the first
step forward towards the movie theatre, finally loses patience. She sidles up
to Yudi and tries to get his attention by flashing her colours and beeping.
“Ask and you shall receive,” says Rai and smiles.
On realising that Yudi is going to ignore her unless she does something
drastic, Artemis raps him smartly on his forehead. “Ow!” Yudi exclaims in
pain, finally giving her his full attention. “OK, I notice you now. What is it
that you would like us to do?”
In response, Artemis sails right into the archway of the dark building and is
instantly swallowed up by the darkness.
“Come on or we’ll lose her,” says Tiina.
“You talk of her as if she is human,” Yudi replies.
“She is.”
“Children, children!” exclaims Rai. “You either love each other or hate. There
is no middle ground, it seems. Why don’t I take the first step?” So saying, he
steps right in and is swallowed by the darkness as well.
Yudi holds out his hand to Tiina, who takes it hesitantly. Then, holding hands,
two peas in a pod, drumsticks banging on the gates of dawn, and to the
accompaniment of this rather ceremonious inner music, they step into the
darkness through the gateway of Churchgate. When their eyes adjust to the
darkness, they can make out a faint glow up ahead as Artemis leads the way
with Rai just behind. They have walked for not more than ten minutes
through a spacious corridor which, despite the years, has a freshly cleaned air
about it.
As they continue walking, the corridor curves sharply and then opens onto a
circular room. Artemis waits until Yudi, who is bringing up the rear, steps in
completely. She then dips her lights to them in farewell and vanishes,
dissolving completely into thin air.
“Hey! Wait for … us?” Yudi’s voice peters out as he looks at the others,
slightly alarmed. They stand there and look around as complete silence
descends upon them. The oval-shaped area is spacious, enough to
accommodate at least twenty people standing comfortably. The walls are
inlaid with silver-coloured bricks that seem new, showing none of the wear of
age. The entire décor of the room is quite plain, as if someone has tried to
keep the decor very neutral.
Rai takes a step forward. Finding that nothing untoward happens as he
continues to walk around and explore, he makes his way to the other end of
the room and pulls aside a steel curtain, something he assumes is a covering
to the doorway. He looks through it and realises that it leads to a large
screening theatre, unused for a long time.
Rai walks back to where Tiina and Yudi are standing in the middle of the
smaller room. It is Tiina who notices first what she takes to be a shadow
painting on the wall, except that something about it has been bothering her for
a while. She walks up to it, looking at it closely, then impulsively puts her
hand out to touch it. The eyes open in the wall, startling her so that Tiina half-
screams and takes a few steps back, almost stepping on Yudi’s toes. He
instinctively steps aside, but puts a hand out to steady her.
They walk through the curtain and into the large cinema. Fu Zebox, asleep for
a few hundred years, has just ascended to a higher stage of the sleep cycle,
when the three of them grab the knocker and bring it crashing down on Fu’s
subconscious.
Fu lumbers to his feet, steps out of the old movie screen and walks towards
them. His age-old face weathered by the Bombay sun, he wears his beads
with pride and his chest is bare, covered with ash, the result of numerous holy
rituals. In his forehead is an embedded sleek tip, capable of recording neuro-
impulses. He seems to be in the category of people who seem ageless, in a
purely time-defying kind of way.
The three of them turn to look at him in fascination. Taken by surprise, but
not completely shocked. Somehow it seemed quite appropriate, actually, that
the next guide on their journey would be of the silver screen.
“Welcome, welcome,” he booms.
Out of a normal sense of protecting others that most tall people have, Yudi
instinctively places his arms around Rai and Tiina’s shoulders.
“Come,” Fu Zebox says again. “You took your time. I have been expecting
you.”
Tiina and Rai look at each other and shake their heads in bewilderment.
The three of them walk carefully towards him, down the aisle between the
faded red leather seats. Rai first and then Tiina step onto the stage before the
large, flat, white screen. Yudi is the last. He has but placed a foot onto the
stage when deafening laughter rings out from the direction of the screen. Yudi
abruptly rears back to a standstill. The other two, already on the inside of the
perimeter, turn around and look at him curiously. The events are reversed. It is
now light on the inside, dark outside.
“Uh–oh,” says Fu Zebox. “Take off your shirt.”
‘What?”
“Well, I have to check if you still wear the sign.”
“I don’t … understand …” says Yudi.
“No — not the kind you have got in the real world. You would have been
born with the ultraviolet barcode on your back. Just strip and I’ll show you.”
Realising that resistance is futile; Yudi wordlessly strips off his shirt and turns
his back to Fu for inspection. The pinhead on Fu Zebox’s forehead lights up
all of a sudden and he scans Yudi’s back. Yudi is almost bent over from the
waist. He looks at Tiina, questioning her wordlessly.
Humming under his breath, Fu Zebox chuckles suddenly. “Hmm, yes it is
here … Very light, very faint, but here, nevertheless.” He pats Yudi’s behind,
not without affection, much as a father would an errant ton. Then, growing
serious, he says, “The dyes have faded off your back, eh? How many times
have you been put through the wringer of life, then?”
“I have no idea what you are talking about,” replies Yudi.
“Ah, well.” Fu sighs. “You young people of today don’t even make an effort
to remember your past, do you?”
He leads them out of the large cinema. They follow him down yet another
corridor. This one is dry and lit moderately. They hear the faint sounds of
someone speaking, then a crash and a gun going off. They pass a broken-
down confectionary stand with aged pink cotton candy vending machines.
As Fu pulls aside the curtain leading into the preview space, Tiina hesitates.
“Can you give us a minute? Alone? A last chance to talk?”
“OK,” says Fu, “come when ready.” He smiles and walks through into the
inner sanctum.
Tiina waits for him to pull the black curtain behind him and then retraces her
steps back towards the broken showcases. She sinks down onto the floor,
crosses her legs and leans against the wall, a little plastic broken goo goo doll.
“Tiina, this is not a good time to meditate,” says Yudi.
“You change your mind?” Rai asks Tiina.
She shakes her head. “I can’t,” she says, “I can’t get over the ‘If’.”
“Again?” asks Yudi in surprise. “I thought we had that one out of the way
earlier.”
Rai says patiently, “OK, if this is bothering you so much, then let us talk
about it.”
Tiina looks at him gratefully.
“Better to do this now than when we are even further along with no means of
turning back,” he says.
Tiina says, “What if, in fact, all this is terribly wrong and none of this is really
happening? What if this is all in our heads?”
“You mean it’s all a dream?” asks Yudi. “So perhaps we have never met and
are in fact not in Bombay now?”
Tiina nods. “It’s possible, isn’t it?”
Yudi walks up to her and pinches her sharply. “Ow,” she exclaims, rubbing
her upper arm. “What is that for?”
“It’s not a dream,” he says.
“But you have to admit, it’s probable,” emphasises Tiina. “So, the
possibilities are killing me.”
“You have always been sure that we are the chosen ones, right?” asks Rai.
“Yes,” says Tiina, hesitantly.
“Well, so if we are the chosen ones, then all this should be real... Don’t you
think?” asks Rai.
“Oh! Forget about the chosen ones!” Tiina exclaims.
“Really?” asks Yudi. “You are finally coming around to my way of thinking.”
“But why would you think so?” asks Rai. “Why be normal?”
“Why not be normal?” asks Yudi. “A job, kids, house in the suburbs, picket
fence. I see nothing wrong with this picture.”
Rai interrupts “It’s just boring.”
“Where’s the popcorn?” Tiina asks, looking at the crumbling walls around
her.
“So do you want to just give up then? Go back to what you were doing
because the way forward is hazy?” Rai asks her
“I don’t know. Oh!” Tiina’s face crumples up.
“Come, then,” says Rai, “jump. We have nothing to lose, have we?”
“Except our souls,” says Yudi.
“Jump and you shall be caught,” says Rai under his breath.
“Eh?”
“Trust in your destiny, Tiina,” says Rai. “After all, you are writing it
yourself.”
He walks up and touches Tiina’s cheek. “I guess you’ll just have to trust me
on this.”
“Do I have a choice?”
“No,” says Rai, “I’m going in.” He walks towards the entrance to the small
preview theatre, lifts the curtain there, and turns to ask, “Coming?”
Yudi and Tiina watch him enter, then look at each other.
Yudi follows Rai’s example. When it is his turn to lift the curtain, he turns
back to look at Tiina, raising his eyebrows in question.
“I’m in,” says Tiina.
They step over the threshold into the theatre. The black curtain falls back
from the silver screen in an angelfish swish and the opening credits of
Roberto Rodriguez’s From Dusk Till Dawn roll up on screen as they walk in
and seat themselves uncomfortably in the centre of the fifty seat theatre.
There is now no sign of Fu.
Yudi says, “So, folks. Sit back. Relax. Enjoy the show.”
Rai adds, “Well, for the moment at least, why not?”
Each of them unconsciously decides on the path of least resistance. They have
had a few adventures, with many more to come. All they can do for now is
enjoy the respite afforded to them and literally just take it easy. If they looked
closer, they would realise that the other seats are also occupied, by the ghosts
of Half Lives before them, people, entities from various parts of the world,
who tried to make the same journey and are now cheering them on silently.
They settle into the old bucket seats to enjoy the movie. It could have been a
normal trip to the Cineplex. Tiina and Rai occupy two seats in the centre of
the cinema, with Yudi in the row behind them, behind Rai. His eyes dart
around the place trying to pierce the cloying darkness. He has picked up on
Tiina’s nervousness and, as the worry builds, he does his best to quell the
anxieties that grip him. He fidgets with his hands, moves his hips around in
his seat, shuffles his feet and sighs again.
Tiina whispers to him, mock dramatically, “Oh! For some popcorn.”
Yudi whispers back, “A final treat. Oh, yes please.”
“Shush,” Rai admonishes them.
They settle into their seats, trying to overcome the feeling of awful
apprehension that has crept over them. Steel claws embedding into their
backs, tightening their hold on their misery. Finally they quiet down, falling
into some semblance of calmness and manage to even get engrossed in the
movie.
Their first inclination of a world going insane is Fu Zebox appearing on
screen and winking at them.
“Did you see that?” whispers Tiina excitedly.
They look at each other and then back to the screen, where the movie
relentlessly sweeps on, a yellow rubber ducky bobbing on the tidal wave of
confusion emanating from the lost trio.
George Clooney (at-least they think it is him) and Fu Zebox, the very same
person who they met earlier in flesh and blood, walk into the bar as the movie
unfolds. Then the young Chinese boy who is Fu’s son on screen looks at them
and steps out. One moment they are watching the movie, the next the boy is
walking towards them, over the small stage in front of the screen. The movie
continues to roll.
They sit motionless, dominos waiting to be knocked down. All three of them
wear the same look of surprise, doubts churning inside.
Yudi leans towards Rai and whispers, “Just when you thought it was safe to
go out ...”
Rai slaps him mildly, then says, “I have to agree. After all the adventures so
far, I wouldn’t have thought I could have been surprised, but this is
unexpected.”
“Hello there,” says Tiina to the young boy.
“My pleasure and greatest honour that the three assembled divinities called on
me.” The boy puts out his hand, his voice ringing with a clear American
twang.
Yudi wonders if he should laugh now or give vent to his hysteria later. Tiina
senses rather than sees the ripples extend out from Yudi’s shoulders to the tips
of his palms, and before he can incriminate himself further, she plunges in.
“One-directional, one-eyed, one mission,” she proclaims, looking at the boy,
who replies instantly, “Eye of the needle.”
“Innocent, yet numb to the really important stuff,” she says.
He thinks it through, mulling that one over. Then replies confidently, “Single-
minded.”
Then he says, “My turn now.” Turning to Tiina, Rai and Yudi, he proclaims,
“Together a unit. An egg and yolk. The first trips. He falls down and does not
get up, the second moves on to find a new mate. The first then gets up, and is
shocked …” He pauses. “Well, would any one of you care to complete that?”
“The first gets up and, shocked, decides to form a boy band, singing eulogies
to the one they lost …” bursts out Rai, as the other two try to fathom the
reasoning behind what they have just heard.
The boy laughs, pleased. “The two of you have passed the test. We are on the
same wavelength.”
He then looks at Yudi, the flashing lights from the screen reflecting off his
face, his white shirt glowing, and the buttons seemingly fluorescent. “I know
that all of you have questions,” he says. “What is it, Yudi?”
“How do you know my name?” asks Yudi in surprise. Then, in answer to his
own question, he shakes his head and says, “No.” He puts up his right hand.
“Don’t even answer that. I am the only one dancing in the dark. After all, I am
just the stooge, while they,” he gestures to his companions, “they play the
lead, right?”
Tiina moves over to him and holds his upright hand. “That’s not true, Yudi.
We want you on this journey. If you don’t come, what will happen to our
story?”
“Your guardian figure, who silently watches over you, guides your invisible
cord, tying you back. Both of you have one? Well guess what? I do not. So,
what’s the deal, eh?”
Mic smiles then, not saying anything.
Sensing that the situation is more humorous to the others than to him, Yudi
flares up angrily. “And what are you smiling at, you … what’s your name
anyway?”
“I can be anyone you want me to be,” he says.
“Flaccid?” Rai asked bewildered. “How …?” His voice tapers off and Rai
sinks back into his seat, shaking his head.
Tiina looks at the boy trying to determine the truth. Truth or dare? Halley’s
comet, which burnt out?
“Are you by any chance also a mermaid?” asks Rai in a droll voice.
In answer, the boy looks down at his hands and holds them up for inspection
... “Look, no scales.”
“Why mermaid?” Tiina asks Rai, puzzled.
“Well, just this crazy dream I had been having, eh … and I had been
wondering who was responsible for it,” answers Rai.
“Of course it was me,” says the boy. “Don’t you love my holographic skills?
Those manifestations were my best work,” he says
“What’s your name by the way?” asks Yudi.
“Mic,” says the boy, and waits for the inevitable question.
“Mic?” asks Yudi, interrupting. “Mic?” He blows air out in a rush. “What
kind of a name is that, anyway?”
“Acronym for Man in the Computer,” Mic answers, still smiling.
“Of course,” says Yudi. “Of course. Ask a stupid question.” For some reason,
Yudi finds himself getting even more upset.
He shakes off Tiina’s hand and walks up to Mic. Then, leaning down from his
height until he is eyelevel with the boy, he hisses, “Well, tell me who you
really are and why you have been messing around with our lives?”
To Rai and Tiina’s surprise, Mic draws himself up to his full height and says,
“What would you like to know, Yudi? What do you want me to tell you? Do
you want me to talk about how the jazz, blues, bhangra, beats, rock, and
swing, all of the music as you know it, is going to fade away from the future?
That we are going to lose the music in this world? That you are looking at the
destiny of the unreal? That you are trying to make the future, as you do not
know it yet, come into existence? That you are trying to mow down anything
that comes in its way and you are going to do it all wrong, for in destroying
the bad, you will also destroy the good?
“No, Rai,” Mic says then, “it’s not going to be like Mad Max, and Tiina, no,
it’s not going to be like The Terminator or The Postman or anything close to
Hollywood’s visions of the end of the world as such. However, they did come
close, in envisioning everything you see here,” he gestures.
“All this will give way to a new beginning. A future which exists only in the
minds of you, the visionaries, born of the decisions made by you on the road
to their future, everything depends on which bend in the road you are willing
to take.”
He stops and looks at them.
At his words, Yudi can feel his heart speed up, that old wretched, feeling of
hopelessness washes right through him.
He doubles over, huddled against the pain growing inside.
Tiina runs across to him. “Yudi, what?” She holds him, trying to comfort him.
Rai looks at Mic. “We want him to come with us, he belongs with us.”
“Well, the two of you are more powerful, you know that,” says Mic. “You
may need him now, but he will just turn out to be more of an interruption than
a help to you in any way. I suppose he could come as a bit of light relief, if
you know what I mean.”
Tiina looks up at him. “What are you talking about? What are you doing to
him?”
“Does it matter?” asks Mic.
“Of course,” she says, horrified, “of course it does.”
“Let’s just say that Yudi did the right thing in tracking you down and bringing
you on this journey. For, as you have always known, he is your soul mate.
Twin souls in many ways, he is the unwanted one. To be cast off at some
point.”
“So I am now an extra ... extra ... thing,” he says searching for the right word
“Something to be cut off and thrown away, never to be missed?” says Yudi
weakly.
Tiina sits back right there on the dusty floor between the seats on the aisle.
She is silent. And right now all she can feel is how incomplete it is without
Yudi.
The overpowering urge to protect him sweeps over her. She looks at Yudi, his
head cradled against her breasts. Yudi looks up at her and she can see the tears
forming in his eyes. “Tiina?” he whispers through the pain. “I am sorry for
hurting you. It is only after you left that I knew. It was all so clear. I cannot
leave you ... Cannot ... live without you …” His voice dies down and Yudi
closes his eyes. Tiina panics as his breathing begins to slow down.
Her mind races back, whispering over his skin, back to the feeling of being
immersed in him, the comfort of oneness, the terrifying loneliness without
him, the being buried under the weight of his body giddy-light-headed
sensation ... she feels it all at the same time.
"Yes/No — tick the right answer, please”, she whispers aloud. Then, making a
decision, says aloud, “I still want him with us.”
Mic shrugs. “It’s your decision. Don’t say that I did not warn you.” He turns
then to walk towards the screen, his cover, his home carried on his back.
“Wait,” says Rai, and Mic turns around.
“Who are you? Really?” asks Rai.
“Don’t speculate, Rai,” Mic says. “Does the truth have anything to do what
you think I am or was anyway?” He sighs. “Look at me carefully. You see me
now, don’t you?”
Without waiting for them to reply he goes on. “I am the everlasting thread and
the light that beckons. I am here to guide you the chosen ones to the origin.”
“This is crazy ... he is raving mad,” Yudi groans from his place on the ground
where he has curled up as if back in the womb. Fear seems to vibrate from
him in waves washing over the room, its light cold fingers gripping Tiina’s
heart in its death’s grip.
“Next he’ll say that we are not really here and all this is a dream,” Yudi
coughs.
“Yes,” says Mic, “born of technology which is, was, and will be the same. All
thought through. The chosen ones will play lead roles in this film. Born with a
special gene sequence, a third strand in the DNA.”
“A third strand?” Rai asks, interested despite himself.
“It’s not a secret,” says Tiina, sitting up and looking at Rai. She rises to her
feet. “I’ve read a bit about it. Apparently, over the years geneticists have
discovered the occurrence of a third strand in the cells of many Half Lives.
But it becomes active in only some people.”
Mic nodded. “Very good, Tiina.”
She continues, trying not to flush at his praise. “And so the strand, on being
rekindled, gives rise to …”
“Perception? Psychic powers? Sensitivity?” Rai finishes the sentence.
“Yes,” adds Mic, “and in your particular case, the strand in question was
activated from the moment you all set foot in Bombay. The base energy
vibrations of the city act as the trigger to unravel the special protein sequence
which all of you have been born with.”
Tiina adds, “Bombay. Where we can trace back the origins of the first Half
Lives. The experiment of the future, providing the ideal conditions for the
mating of the first human with alien species. It’s special enough.”
“So that’s why the gateway to the other dimensions exists here?” asks Rai.
“Yes,” replies Mic. “So the other species could come and go as they pleased.
And it provided a safety valve to balance all the strong passions created from
destiny being changed. Rocking the established world order to give rise to the
new age. Bombay is on the threshold of the many worlds and hence its
energies have to be kept in balance.”
“So the most good and most evil reside here,” concludes Rai “Newton’s third
law. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.”
“It figures,” says Tiina. “There has to be a minus for the plus.”
“Or there would have been if the three of you had followed the original plan,”
says Mic.
“Isn’t that what we are doing right now?” asks Rai.
“No. You’ve been changing the sequence of events all along, fighting too
hard.”
“Changing everything we came across.”
“Sadly, that’s just how you Half Lives are. You always have to interfere, don’t
you? But then it does show that you have the instincts and the intelligence, so
in a strange way confirms that I was right all along. But you know that
already, don’t you ...Tiina?”
“Hence my sense of discomfort?” she asks.
“It’s quite amazing, actually, how you are so sensitive to the changes. You
were right to feel that way for the plan did not follow the original blueprint.
The process went into hyper drive. You three are not supposed to meet so
early. And by coming to Bombay earlier than intended, well events just took
on a life of their own and in a much more dramatic way.”
“You mean …” says Rai.
“Well, all of your powers, enhanced by the Elixir, just unravelled at a much
higher pace, its dilution speeding up to eight times the usual speed.”
“Dilution? You mean strengthening?” asks Tiina.
“This is the ethereal world, remember? Here dilution equals becoming
stronger, almost a process of spiritualising by unleashing the true powers of
nature,” answers Mic. “So, before you could truly understand what was
happening, your fondest desires and deepest fears were all manifesting in
physical forms.”
“You mean … no!” Rai shakes his head. “No way”
“Yes. Egreog and Flaccid were but physical forms of your desire,” says Mic.
“You mean we imagined it all?” asks Tiina. “That’s not possible.”
“No, your emotions were real. So were your reactions. It’s just that they were
not really there.”
“So what were they?” asks Rai.
“Holograms,” says Mic “I think that’s what you call them?”
“Imaginary?” Tiina exclaims. “So I dreamed it all.”
“No.” Mic shakes his head. “They were your own creations. You gave them
shape. Much like how a director makes a movie.”
“But what were they made of and where did they go?”
“Flesh and blood. A mish mash of whichever characteristic you wanted them
to be drawn from. Various virtual characters from the movies there.” Mic
nods towards the screen.
Yudi asks, “Are you guys listening to this? I don’t think he’s telling us the real
story.” Without waiting for an answer he scrambles to his feet; still clutching
his side in pain and gathering the last reserves of his energy, he takes first one
step, then another towards Mic, his face angry.
In reflex, Rai puts out his foot, neatly tripping Yudi, who crashes to the floor
this time hitting his head against the hard ground and conveniently blacking
out.
The flashing blue lights on the screen cause Mic, Rai and Tiina to look up.
The scene is now Egypt.
“Ah,” says Mic, “the Fifth Element arrives. That’s our cue.” He holds his
hand out to Tiina. She walks to him and places her palm in his. “I am real,
you see. Come. We have work to do.” He looks meaningfully at Rai. “Will
you lead the way?”
Rai looks at Yudi, still out cold. “Leave him be,” says Mic. “He’s got a few
more lessons to learn.” And when Rai continues to look at him, he adds,
“Don’t you think so?”
“Yes, yes, of course. You are right …” Tiina steps over the inert figure and
walks up to them. “But we can’t just leave him.”
Mic looks at her. “You seem hell bent on changing the future, don’t you? If
you do so, then you will be in uncharted territory and I will not be there to
help you,” he warns.
Tiina hesitates, wondering what to do. This is her future and she can feel the
rightness of it. As she hesitates, Mic implores, “You were made for larger
things, Tiina. Don’t you see? You can have whatever you want.”
Tiina shuts her eyes, the words from the mantra whispering to her again.
“Mic, let him come with us. He is not as powerful as I am but he will bridge
the missing gaps ...”
Mic, who has been surveying the scene, finally speaks up. “I am pleased with
you, Tiina.” He gestures towards where Yudi is lying on the floor. “And you,
Rai. She needs you, as well, to complete the mission.”
Clearing his throat, he addresses the three, “Chased, you will be. Run, you
will have to.”
“So we will be back?” asks Tiina.
“Yes Tiina. For a last time. For the final test. Will you rise to the occasion?”
“And …?” she asks. “Will we?”
“There’s only one way to find out,” says Mic, gesturing to the screen.
“What the hell! Might as well,” says Tiina. She walks up to Yudi, who
has just opened his eyes. He sits up shaking his head to clear it. She holds out
her hand to him and he takes it as if in a daze, standing up all six feet of him
towering over her smaller slighter self. “Come with me,” she says in a soft
voice. Hand in hand the two of them follow Rai, stepping through the silver
screen.

OceanofPDF.com
 The other side

They walk out of the screen and into a well laid out garden set in front of
the crumbling remains of a building. Hidden away from prying eyes, the area
has that feeling of having been forgotten. It is a secret, well-guarded by those
who know about it. A jealous, I do not want you to be part of this, suggestion
hangs heavy in the air.
Yet the fading glow around the area, with its echoing vibrations of indulgent
self-importance, imply that it played a role in the journey of those who came
before them; those who also saw the vision to strive for something more, to
find a way to save themselves from the meaningless march of time. They had
come to exchange secrets, and give each other hope for the eventual discovery
of the Isthmus and its return home.
They walk through the beautiful garden, sniffing appreciatively the perfumed
air from the many jasmine shrubs and herb plants lining the perimeter of the
building. They keep walking and a few steps later Tiina gives a small cry of
delight at the sigh of hundreds of poppies nodding their heads ahead of them.
It is as if waves of colours have exploded for as far as the eye can see. Yudi
and Rai follow Tiina as she runs, skipping, into the flowerbed and flinging out
her hands tries to hug as many of the flowers as possible.
“What is this place?” Rai wonders aloud.
“It’s like the beginning of nowhere,” replies Yudi. He follows Tiina walks
through the poppies, admiring their colours, and straight into a familiar orb
floating on level with their heads. Its colour is the same red as the flowers, as
if it is trying to emulate them. Artemis looks Yudi squarely between the eyes.
Then, as if realising that her old enemy is back, goes a deep shade of green
and hastily darts around him and stops in front of Tiina who is right behind
and dips her lights to her as if to say, “Hello”.
Tiina shouts in delight, “Artemis!” She holds out both her palms in a cup
shape. Artemis floats gracefully to land on her upturned palm, snuggling right
in.
“She wasn’t gone long, now, was she?” asks Rai, amused.
“Yeah. Just like a woman. Disappearing when the going got rough. Making
sure she didn’t have to face the Godfather” Yudi grumbles.
“Guess she was enjoying the view while we dealt with the real stuff,” laughs
Rai.
With Artemis leading the way again, they continue to walk through the
garden until a transparent structure appears in front of her at the very bottom
of the garden.
Yudi approaches one of the glass walls and taps the panel tentatively,
wondering aloud, “What is this made of? Feels stronger than glass?
Something more complex?” He steps back in surprise when the panel springs
back with a quiet swoosh, admitting them into an area filled with rows and
rows of creepers on trellis. They walk closer and Yudi suddenly exclaims,
“Grapes!” He touches the bunches of succulent fruit and, breaking off one,
pops it into his mouth.
Tiina and Rai are close behind. They follow his example, breaking off
bunches of the fruit, chomping on them as they walk through the vineyard,
following what seems to be a path cutting through the shrubs and finally
opening up into a clearing. In the middle is set a tinkling fountain and beyond
it a sheet of solid glass, reflecting back their images.
Then walk up to the fountain and pause. Tiina steps up to the marble casing
around the fountain, and unable to resist, she sits down on the rim, trails her
fingers in the cool water, and asks, “Do either of you have a coin?”
Yudi laughs. “Ha! Do you really believe in these old stories?”
Tiina looks at him. “Unlike you, I still believe in something, right?”
Rai goes through the pockets of his clothes and pulling out a coin, comes over
and gives it to her. Tiina closes her fingers around the coin as Yudi shakes his
head in exaggerated disbelief and then closing her eyes, makes a wish and
tosses the coin into the fountain.
They continue to gaze at the fountain. Right in front of their eyes, the water
begins to gurgle and foam as if there is a living breathing dragon right there
below the water, blowing out fumes of fire, shooting through the layers of
water, heating it and making it break out into waves on the surface. The coin
she has just thrown in is cast right back out, as if in fitting reply to a
challenge, and it hits the glass panel in front, cracking it. The crack grows in
width and then the entire panel collapses, falling to pieces on the ground,
raining down pieces of glass onto the three, who cover their faces and drop to
the ground, hugging the earth, protecting themselves from the sharp shards.
There is a pause, then, as the last piece of glass falls to the ground, tinkling.
Rai looks up cautiously, removes his arms from where they had been
protecting his face, and slowly rises to his feet, walking slowly towards the
scenario now revealed. His feet crunch on the glass pieces in front of him and,
hearing this, the other two also get to their feet. Tiina shakes off the pieces of
glass caught in her hair and, holding hands, she and Yudi follow Rai. There
right in front of them is the most incredible, massive, gold-plated structure
that Tiina has ever seen. What seems to be a soaring gold altar rising to the
very heavens, the surface gleaming in the sunlight. The altar is stunning in
detail, various motifs carved into its side, tiled with beautiful designs, and
incredible statues stand on either side, overpowering in their sheer beauty.
As Tiina looks at it, she is forced to take a step back to put the entire complex
in perspective. She cranes her neck, gazing up at the structure, and realises
that the altar is curved around in a semi-circular fashion with massive motifs
extending out on either side. There is a massive gold-plated cage-like
formation on either side of the outer walls, which seems to enclose the inner
altar, walls, and an eggshell around the yolk.
"Wow!” she gasps. “What is it?"
Yudi says, “An installation of some kind, like a shrine for all the beautiful
things in the world.”
Mimir appears, seemingly walking out of the altar and says, “I had heard that
a resting place had been created to house the expression of some of the most
talented artists from around the world during their most joyous days. These
were brought together by the last empress of the united universe, uniting all
their creative energies and harnessing their hopes, talents and spiritual sense.”
This time none of them bats an eyelid, so accustomed are they to Mimir’s
seemingly easy appearing and disappearing into thin air, it seems almost
normal that he should materialise in front of them.
Continuing his conversation, Yudi says, “And so she left a clue, one last
beacon of hope for those who are to come later in search of the Isthmus, to
guide them in the right direction?”
“Yes,” agrees Mimir. “She was a descendent of the ancient souls of Machu
Picchu. She, the princess who worshipped Shiva till he revealed himself to
her and she bore him a son, the God of Destruction who would be able to lead
the troops in the future.”
"Shaitan?” queries Tiina.
“No less,” replies Mimir.
“Incredible how the pieces of the puzzle all fit together now, isn’t it?”
Yudi then says, “But that does not make sense. So Shaitan was born of this
universe. Yet he wants to destroy it?”
“The ultimate weapon gone wrong. He is the flawed one,” answers Mimir.
“He was supposed to protect us. Instead, he now leads the army that wants to
end it all. Never has there lived a more evil, more senseless soul of
destruction. And so it brings about the opposite.”
“The opposite?" asks Yudi. Then says with a note of resignation, “I know
what you are going to say next …”
Mimir nods “As evil as Shaitan is, he serves a purpose. He activates the very
DNA of the balancing force. He ensures that there is just as much good, to
balance him out.”
“It’s a weird logic, but it actually makes sense” says Tiina looking at Yudi and
Rai.
Mimir smiles, “I am not done yet.” He looks at Rai, “Don’t you think it’s
time, to show us who you really are?”
Tiina and Yudi look at Rai. “Is there something we don’t know yet?” she asks.
Rai doesn’t pay her any attention. He stands quietly observing the flow of
energy from the altar. The tricky part was to tap into it really. He holds out his
palms to the universe, offering himself and his fear, his aspirations and goals,
all to the greater good. He closes his eyes and reaches out with his heart
expanding with happiness, flying out, into the atmosphere, outside the orbit of
planet they are on, to gather up all the good intentions in the world, bringing it
right back so that it falls over them in a soft curtain of good hope.
Then opening his eyes he looks up and holds up his right hand to the sky,
sensing the energy flowing from the heavens, touching his finger tips through
his physical body, through his feet and to the heart of the city where he is
standing.
Yudi and Tiina watch fascinated as the lighting strikes from the sky flowing
through his finger tips and for a moment his entire figure glows with the
white light. Rai opens his mouth and screams in agony. Tiina and Yudi reach
out as one and hold onto him. Tiina puts her arm around his waist and Yudi
holds onto his legs, anchoring him, grounding him, as the sound of thunder
growls again, moving up to a crescendo with another explosion of silver
lightning catches them unawares.
The thunder and the lightning fade away leaving them the same yet changed.
Tiina steps back pulling the strands of hair away from her face with shaking
hands. She clears her throat but cannot trust herself to speak yet.
Yudi’s breath whistles out in relief as he looks at her from the few feet away
where the force of the lightning had flung him away earlier.
Only Rai seems undisturbed. Standing exactly where he had been earlier. If
anything he seems calmer than earlier. His eyes are now fixed on the altar.
Tiina and Yudi follow his gaze to the front of the altar which opens and out
walks a man dressed like a warrior with the head of a lion.
“Lion Man,” there is no other way else to describe him really, thinks Tiina.
He is well put together, with strong well shaped thighs, beautifully defined
chest muscles, and the proverbial chiselled face, his skin a dark brown rich
red teak colour. Thick luxurious blonde hair cascade from his head to the
middle of his back complimenting his golden moustache, beard and side
burns.
He is wearing black leather trousers and a golden vest of some kind made of
some kind of material which clings to his upper body like a second skin and
yet seems to be tough enough to deflect any sword.
There is a massive sword strapped to his side and a massive shield to his
back.
As they gape at him, the Lion Man says, “Watch out,” then dives towards the
ground for cover, taking the three of them with him.
Tiina manages to look up as they cower, and it seems to her that the entire
world is coming out of the altar. First flocks of birds of various varieties
which seem to go on and on, then animals and then what feels to her like the
entire rest of the world.
Finally when things slow down they raise their heads only to see the back of
an elephant as it runs away heavily from them and then unexpectedly, right
after, come space ships and shooting stars and then a kaleidoscope of colours,
which overwhelms them completely.
When they come to, the Lion Man bows to them. “I am the guide for the
next stage of your journey” he says then points to Yudi.” You are flawed yet
chosen, for the dark lord that dances keeps watch over you.”
“Shiva?” exclaims Tiina. “He is the son of Shiva?”
“Close,” says the Lion Man. “He is the son of Shaitan who is the son of
Shiva.”
“So he’s got to get to Shaitan before the opposite happens?" she asks.
“Yes,” nods the Lion Man. “A good team you make, son of Shaitan. You
and the one born by the grace of the rising sun."
"You mean me?" asks Tiina.
“Yes you,” says the Lion Man, smiling “You have the strength of a lion,
the charisma of royalty, and your true place in the world is to rule. You are of
my kind and I am here to protect you.”
The Lion Man bows his head to a bemused Tiina who looks at the other
two and rolls her eyes head in disbelief. “Hmm... Ah! OK.” She says
embarrassed then a thought strikes her “Wait, what about him?” she says
pointing to Rai. “You left him out.”
The Lion Man looks at Rai speculatively. "Yes. The third man. The one
…” He hesitates, “the one who is fated to spark the beginning.”
"Me," confirms Rai, nodding, as the other two look on in surprise.
“So that was your secret, eh?" asks Tiina.
Rai nods “So here we are the three of us on a date with destiny on this
journey.”
“That sounds serious,” says Yudi.
“Let's not speak about it anymore” says Tiina “Just enjoy the surprises of
the journey... pretend to be normal for as long as possible...”
“You got it!” says Rai, putting his arm around her shoulders “no more
deep dark talk from me...”
“Yah! Leave that to the girls...” smiles Yudi, coming up on the other side
of Tiina and putting his arm around her as well, so that for a brief moment the
three of them stand as one.
The Lion Man looks at them, unified, yet separate beings, and says, "The
three of you together, at the right place and right time. Now that is
powerful...If you succeed in your quest then you break the never-ending cycle
of birth and death for humans & Half Lives. You do know what this means,
right?”
 “It’s like the story of Buddha, Nirvana or something like that” smiles
Tiina
“Yes – free to be, forever. Free thinking forever, no boundaries to what
you can feel and do…”
“The ultimate choice,” adds Yudi.
“Sweet!” says Rai.
"And if we fail?" asks Tiina then adding “OK I take that back, pretend I
didn’t ask.”
"Well, then," and for the first time the Lion-Man falters, “well then, I
don’t know really."
"No, no, not another end of the world story, please!" exclaims Yudi.
"No," he says, "it is much worse..." Then he says, "But let’s not worry
about that now. Come, we must leave. Time is running short.”
As they had been talking the find that Artemis has restored herself back
to a normal sized space ship, ready to take them on their travels. They walk
with the Lion Man and get on board.
The ship is a lot steadier with the Lion Man piloting them into the
starlight-filled skies. The three are in sombre mood, each reflecting on the
very recent revelations about their true selves. They each wonder how this is
going to affect them, if it will aid their mission or else make no difference at
all.
The Lion Man points out the various galaxies, the distant planets, and the
stars that they pass. They continue onwards for a few days and nights, during
which the Lion Man opts to stay in the driver’s seat all through.
Then just as Tiina begins to think that those from the other world like the
Lion Man obviously don’t need much rest, he gets up, stretches, and yawns.
“Artemis” he says, addressing the ship. “Hold course, and alert once we get
close to the eye-mountain.”
Then, turning to the three, he says, “We have a little time to rest before
the final rush to the summit. You’ll need your energy for that, believe me.”
The Lion Man then goes off through to the small sleeping pod cleverly
set into the ship’s main deck and just next to the pilot’s pod.
Yudi, Rai and Tiina walk out of the main deck. The craft seems
deceptively small from the outside, they realise, for as they walk out of the
main deck now, the bridge takes them down to the level below. They walk
across to a small room which has big transparent windows from which they
can see the black yet occasionally star-lit void outside. The room has
comfortable couches, various types of mind games that one may play, as well
as an entertainment centre to watch movies, which Rai walks up to and looks
at.
“How the hell does this work, do you think?” he asks the others.
Yudi walks up to him and demonstrates. “You just sit down on this very
comfortable reclining couch, make yourself comfortable, shut your eyes, ask
to be shown all the various movies in the library, and watch …” He proceeds
to do just that.
Rai watches Yudi. He is a little disgusted that he was taken in by that, then
shrugs and wanders over to the big windows, gazing out.
Meanwhile Tiina walks to the tiny music console at the opposite end of the
room from Yudi and uses her fingertips to work out how to play the best
music suited to their mood.
“OK, guys, here’s some soothing jazz, then,” she says, as the slow, deep
music begins to play.
“Do any of you guys feel very different since we drank of the Elixir?”
“Not really, no,” says Rai, shaking his head, while Yudi does not bother to
reply.
Rai comments, “Isn’t it strange how soon one gets used to the entire concept
of stars and passing galaxies?” As he continues to stare out, mesmerised, a
face at the window looks right into his eyes. He can feel hysteria bubble up
and control slowly slip away and, as he feels himself approaching the void,
the face whispers, Rai … Rai? In an instant, he feels the dark rage ebb away.
And the face grows clearer, revealing the most beautiful non-human (it has to
be non-human, he thinks) face in the universe.
“I saw you go there,” it says, the words falling softly over his skin, making
him shiver quite involuntarily in response, “and I had to pull you back.”
Pulling himself together, Rai asks, “So who are you?”
“I am,” it says, “the person everyone wants to meet. The fountainhead of
imagination. Dip into me every time you want to feel new beginnings. I am
your muse, your inspiration. I live in you. I become what you want me to be.”
Rai reaches out to touch, mesmerised, and then, feeling an incredible urge to
follow it, throws himself against the large transparent windows, hurts himself,
and falls back with a groan of pain.
Tiina and Yudi rush up to him. “Why did you do that?” asks Tiina in an
incredulous tone.
Rai rubs his aching head and says, “It’s crazy, but I actually wanted to follow
the vision I just saw, follow it, you know. There was this incredible urge I
had. And I just did not know what I was doing.”
The Lion Man, who has just come in to find them, looks at them and says,
“And so it starts.”
“What?” asks Rai?
“The illusions. As we get closer to Shaitan, the dreams grow. No longer can
you believe what you see through your eyes.”
“And you?” says Rai. “Do you get affected?”
“Not normally. Then, I have never come this close to the devil himself. So it
will be interesting to see if, indeed, it does impact me.”
Once more, they continue on the journey. Rai’s encounter has shaken them a
little. So this time the group has much less energy to make wisecracks or
indeed talk frivolities. Yudi follows Tiina, who takes the bridge that appears
again as they walk out of the door and into the small kitchen just opposite the
leisure room.
“I’ll never get used to this thing just springing out of nowhere," he says,
gesturing to the bridge that has just disappeared behind them.
She looks up from the clear liquid she is pouring for herself, then, gesturing to
it, raises her eyebrows and asks him silently if he wants the same. He nods.
Yudi accepts the glass and then asks her suddenly, “It’s not more of the Elixir,
is it?”
She smiles and says, “No. It's just the best of the wine this side of outer
space.”
“Salut,” says Yudi, as they clink and sip the wine. Then, walking across to the
table by the wide bay windows, he sits down. Tiina joins him, sitting down
across from him.
She asks, “Have you wondered how all of us came to be on this journey?”
“It’s something I have been asking myself a lot of late. Why us? Why me?
Why now? That’s what I’d like to know.”
“You could never accept that each of us was special, the chosen ones. You
never have, not since I knew you, at least,” Tiina retorts.
“It could have been anybody else, right?”
“But it wasn’t. It was we. We are the chosen ones. The ones who will make a
difference to the universe,” she says emphatically.
“You like it!” he exclaims.
“I love it. Thrive on it." Tiina looks at him, her eyes gleaming with an almost
unreal light.
“You scare me sometimes, Tiina.”
“But you like that about me! It arouses you. Admit it now!” she cajoles
teasingly, moving closer to him.
As he is about to reply the spacecraft jolts abruptly and then the world turns
upside down, as they seem to go into free fall.
When they awake it seems that they are back on Earth. It’s a beautiful place
which neither of them recognise. Water from a beautiful waterfall tumbles
over the side of a small hill ending in a beautiful pond fringed by green fern
fronds. It forms a perfect frame to the incredible joy they feel as they strip
their clothes and dive into the water and frolic like dolphins.
Diving below the surface Yudi comes up for air then spotting Tiina swimming
towards the waterfall, he dives in again and pulls her under water laughing
when she goes under. The swim with the fishes for a while longer as the light
breeze fans the surface of the water.
Finally exhausted, they climb out and onto the sun-warmed rocks, and lie
there breathing heavily from their exhaustion. They lie there for many
minutes, or it could even be hours. Yudi does not know. Finally he raises his
head and looks at Tiina. “Are you sleeping, Tiina?”
It takes her a minute to find her voice, so caught up in the serenity is she, but
finally she replies, her voice husky with relaxation.
“No” she whispers.
Yudi raises himself on his elbow and kisses her gently on her forehead, her
closed eyes, her nose and finally on her lips, continuing his journey down to
the hollow of her throat, her breasts, her navel and the secret place between
her thighs until it seems to her that her entire body is enflamed, the once
serene beats of her heart replaced with a growing restlessness until she finally
opens her eyes, brings his head up in front of her face and kisses him with the
pent-up intensity of a lifetime.
This is an idyllic time. The days pass in a haze of building a small house just
by the waterfall. The nights in lovemaking. They discover the sheer pleasure
of each other’s company. So self-sufficient in that warm cocooned feeling that
the world reduces to just the two of them.
Tiina gives birth to Luv and Kush. In that utter peace, watching the children
grow up, it seems to them that nothing could ever go wrong. “Watch me,
mother,” says Luv and, before she can stop him, to her horror he dives off the
small hillock, straight into the beautiful pond and hits his head on the rocky
bottom.
Tiina screams, “Luv!" She dives in after him, bringing his limp body to shore
where Yudi wades out to greet her. They frantically try to revive him, then
realise that he is not going to breathe again. And, giving into the horrible,
sinking feeling, that incredible sense of overwhelming loss, they cling to each
other and weep.
Yudi shakes away the hand on his shoulder and then, getting angry, turns
around, throwing his fist to shove away whatever is there. Lion Man deftly
blocks his throw and says softly, “Come back to the real world, Yudi.”
In the next instant, they find themselves back on the spacecraft, being shaken
awake by the Lion Man. He has a hand on each of their shoulders as they lie
next to each other on the floor in front of the window they had been looking
out of earlier, Tiina’s left hand clasped in Yudi’s right.
“That was a dream. I told you, Shaitan’s powers are not to be underestimated.
He can get right inside your mind.”
Tiina wipes the tears from her eyes. “Well, these tears are real,” she says,
“and the grief I feel right now is very real, doesn’t matter what you say.”
“That’s what he does,” replies the Lion Man. “He can get right inside your
mind and play with your emotions. He weakens you until you can no longer
differentiate between the real and the unreal.”
“So what we felt was real?” asks Yudi.
“Yes, the emotions you felt were real. Everything else was an illusion.”
“You mean our child …” Yudi swallows hard and lets the rest of the sentence
hang in the air.
“Yes, all of it,” says the Lion Man.
“We have to stop this from happening again”
“The only way to protect yourself is to question everything you see. Do not
take anything for granted. Not even each other.”
Right then Artemis seems to lose momentum and it grinds to a complete
standstill with a very loud, screeching noise, as if brakes have been applied.
Then, inch by inch, she starts moving again, this time much more slowly,
almost at a different energy level. It feels as if a different set of gears
somewhere deep have been activated. Tiina, Yudi & Rai run quickly through
the doors, which swish open, and into the main driving pod. The joystick in
the driving pod is moving by itself, as if on autopilot. The Lion Man follows
them to the bridge at a more leisurely pace. He merely smiles at them and
says, “It’s found us, then.”
“The Isthmus, it’s found us!” exclaims Tiina.
“What? Like a homing device?” questions Yudi.
Tiina exclaims at the same time, “But the spacecraft is not linked to it at all, is
it?”
“No, it’s not. The peculiarity of the Isthmus is that it attracts every object in
the radius of a light year. So we are really close now.”
“Much like a tractor beam?” asks Rai.
“Yes, but much more sophisticated.”
“Like making everything in sight fall in love with it?” asks Tiina.
“Yes, almost like matter attracting matter,” replies the Lion Man.
“So, then, how we shall escape?” asks Rai.
“The power of the Isthmus belongs to its master," says the Lion Man.
“So all we have to do is own it, and we can direct its power,” says Tiina,
jokingly.
“That simple, eh?" asks Yudi
“It's all in your mind” says the Lion Man.
“Well, it’s all very well for you to say this. I wonder if you ever practice any
of this yourself?” challenges Rai.
The Lion Man looks at him and for a moment it seems that he is about to lose
his temper, for as they watch fascinated the whiskers on his face grow longer,
his skin goes red and his cheeks puff up in anger.
Then he calms himself with an effort, and as Artemis gathers speed says
“Come on, we need to secure ourselves in right away; we are very close to the
Isthmus!”
The four of them hastily get into their specific pods, which instantly
mould themselves to the shape of each of their bodies, enveloping them in
warmth. And Artemis gathers speed, going faster than light into a blinding
white space where all seems suspended, life itself, and then they seem to drop
right out of space onto the surface of the new planet, not far away from the
eye-pyramid.
Artemis slides through the sand, the impact carrying them all the way to
the base of the eye-pyramid, finally coming to a complete standstill with all
systems screeching, until they drop to the ground, bounce once, and land
again firmly, just a few metres from the edge of the pyramid itself. Quiet
descends on them like the final trickle of sand through an hourglass.
Yudi leaps out of Artemis, tapping its side smartly as if in gratitude. He
walks out on the planet, stretches himself, and smiles. “This is it then, guys,”
he says excitedly. “The final face-off. Where it all happens. Come on, eh!”
He walks a few more minutes before realising that there is no
corresponding answer back from his friends. He looks back and realises that
he is alone. Puzzled, he breaks into a run, jogs back to the ship and peers
inside. All the three inside seem to be stunned. Then, seeing the Lion Man
stir, he goes up to him. “Hey, what’s up? What’s with the three of you, then?”
he asks.
“That was quite a jolt,” the Lion Man replies.
Rai, wakes up with a gasp, as if coming up for air but does not make any
effort to move yet, though.
Yudi walks up to Tiina and places his palm on her cheek “Tiina?" He
calls out her name. She opens her eyes slowly, and then shuts them again,
“Whew!” she says, “that was quite an impact.”
“I seem to be the only one not hurt...the rest of you seem to be still
recovering.”
Even as she speaks, the Lion Man finally gets to his feet.
“Interesting” he says looking at Yudi fairly bouncing about filled with
energy. “It seems the crash has not had any impact on you...” he says.
Tiina looks at Yudi who seems the picture of health. He seems to be
standing straight, his eyes glowing with enthusiasm even his skin seems to
radiate energy. As for herself, Artemis’ crash landing has her insides still
shaking. She rubs the back of her head where it had earlier struck the wall of
the ship feeling slightly disoriented. And then she realises “Wait a minute”
she says “Obviously the Elixir....”
“Is having an effect on Yudi” says the Lion Man “who would have
thought it was him after all” he says aloud. Tiina looks to the Lion Man as the
full weight of his words sinks in. “Of course” she realises, “it is Yudi.”
The Lion Man nods and they exchange a silent look.
The Lion Man gets to his feet. He walks out to where is Yudi is
impatiently waiting for them and pats the ship in a friendly manner. “What
happened to you Artemis?” he asks “That was quite a bumpy landing.” As if
in reply Artemis’ hull darkens on itself, as if blushing, or at least definitely not
being quite proud of herself. Then lighting up again, the ship lifts a bit off the
ground and floats gracefully.
Tiina appears at the entrance of the ship and hails them. “Hey guys, look
what I found” she says holding up the swords she had found earlier.
“Perhaps you should arm yourself considering we may run in Shaitan
himself out there?”
Before they can reply, she tosses the swords at them. Yudi raises his hand
catching the weapon in mid-air, and smartly navigates it so it straps itself at
his waist. Tiina watches him with an eyebrow raised as she straps her own
weapon in place.
Rai holds his in his hand admiringly and, mock-practicing with it, “Not
bad, where did you find these?”
“In the hold. There’s more ... if you had but bothered to look.”
“Hey, that’s why we keep you around,” says Yudi.
The Lion Man who has already set off towards the eye-pyramid in the
distance turns to them and gestures “Come on,” he tells them, “let’s get to the
top before it gets dark.”
The three of them fall into a light jog behind him, the Lion Man leading
and Rai bringing up the rear. As they walk up the path leading to the peak of
the eye-mountain, night slowly begins to descend. They look back to find that
Artemis is fading into the backdrop of the deserted landscape and the night
sky feels unreal. It is a dark blue with the stars twinkling, flashing, blinking,
like tear drops drying on rose petals.
“Wow!” Tiina comes to a halt gasping for breath. “This is amazing” she
says looking at the scene in front of them.
Rai looks up. “The two moons of Saturn,” he says. The group is silent,
savouring the unexpected beauty of their surroundings.
“It’s hard to imagine all the evil hidden here” remarks Yudi.
Tiina says, “I’ve often found that extremes go hand in hand.”
“Just means you have to look below the surface to find that which is
true?”
The Lion Man smiles, “it seems the Elixir has increased not only your
physical strength but also your emotional sense, Yudi.”
Rai chuckles, Tiina laughs and even Yudi manages to crack a smile as
they continue to head up the slope. The joking banter gives away to silence as
they continue to labour up, the hard climb winding them, making all of them
pant and get out of breath. Even the Lion Man’s muscles strain, as he has to
make an effort to keep the pace. He looks back to find that the rest have fallen
behind. Yudi seems to be doing better than the rest thanks to the Elixir having
increased his energy levels substantially and, as he pauses for a quick rest,
Yudi catches up with him.
 As they wait, Yudi turns to the Lion Man, “Os this slope more difficult
that it looks? It’s like it’s trying its best to stop us.”
“It was never going to be that easy, especially not so close to the
Isthmus” says the Lion Man.
Yudi looks up to the top of the slope. “So we are almost there?” he asks.
Lion Man cautions him, his tail swishing slowly. “This is the toughest
mile of our journey.”
Yudi laughs then. “Well. Thanks for clearing that up!”
Rai and Tiina finally catch up and collapse on the ground at their feet.
“Whew,” says Tiina, looking at Yudi. “Stop showing off...You made that
look so easy. I almost killed myself trying to follow the pace you set.” She
looks at Rai who is too winded to speak.
Yudi responds, “You mean if someone like me can react in so dramatic a
fashion to the Elixir, then it is definitely going to make a much bigger
difference on someone as superior as you?”
“No, no …” she begins to protest and then shrugs. “Yeah, that’s true.”
Rai intervenes. He gets to his feet with an effort. “Come on, you two” he
pants, “Let’s get going. Time enough to fight once we have got the Isthmus
back to its source.”
The two of them follow Rai, who is close on the heels of the Lion Man.
The space between Yudi and Tiina is filled with unsaid words. They lose track
of time, keeping pace to the rhythm of their feet and the beat of their heart.
Tiina starts humming, first tunelessly, and then more musically as she finds
the song which has been replaying in her mind for a while, a tune reminiscent
of the opening credits of Star Trek. It has been running incessantly through
her subconscious and her dreams since she heard it at the pub earlier. She
starts humming it aloud and first Rai, then Yudi join in with smiles on their
faces. Even the Lion Man swings his tail in response, as they continue to walk
up.
As they turn the first bend then, they come to an abrupt halt as they run
almost slap bang into two beasts of gigantic proportions fighting with each
other. Both of them are breathing fire from the main face on top of their
bodies and have an additional face in the centre of its stomach. From the
mouth of the second face is spewing a dark purple liquid, which seems to eat
away everything it touches. Tiina realises that the main face itself does not
have eyes, which in effect were provided by the second face stuck to the
centre of the stomach. The Lion Man cautions “Don’t look them in the eye.”
Yudi exclaims, “Are you kidding?”
The Lion Man shushes him, “And keep your voice down …”
Yudi immediately shuts his mouth in response.
Tiina whispers, “I thought these were all dreams?”
“Yes, of course they are, but if you attract their attention they will pull
you into their reality and you don’t want that,” says the Lion Man with what
seems like a suspicious twinkle in his eyes.
Rai shakes his head and raises his eyes up to the heavens. Together, they
swiftly run under the arch created high overhead by the raging beasts. And
continue to flee until they turn the next corner. They slow down then, but at
the urging of the Lion Man keep going.
And as they approach the next bend, Tiina suddenly stops and asks the
Lion Man, “Wait a minute, I guess we are going to find some other shocking
scene around the corner and we just have to make sure that we do not react in
any way or get pulled into the scene, right?”
The Lion Man smiles broadly. “You’re right. But the challenge is to keep
moving, and not gape like tourists either …”
Once again, Rai takes the lead. “Come on, then.” They round the next
corner and this time step into a peaceful scene for a chance. There are rows of
sunflowers with people bent over the rows, seemingly harvesting them. It
seems quiet, but as they pass by Rai peers more closely at the flowers and
gets a complete shock when one of the flowers leaps out, neatly slicing off the
head of the closest man. He realises that the flowers are carnivorous, like
elegant Venus fly traps, and the beings bent over them are not harvesting, but
are each bound to the thick stalks like sacrificial offerings. As he watches,
another flower changes shape to reveal sharp white teeth among its jaws,
biting off the head of the man attached to it.
Rai stifles the scream that rises to his throat, he looks around and
realising that none of the others have noticed the details of the scene, keeps
the finding to himself. As they go around the next bend in the path, he realises
they have reached the peak. The twin moons of Saturn are clearly visible now,
as are its two rings, crossing in the distance. And, not far off on the horizon,
for it is a plateau that they have emerged onto, is the temple of Shaitan.
Heaving slightly with their efforts, now they start walking at a brisk pace
towards the temple. They are about halfway there when Yudi stops. The
others have already gone ahead a few metres when they realise that Yudi is
lagging behind. Rai turns around impatiently and asks, “Now what?”
The Lion Man and Tiina, who are a little further ahead, stop on hearing
Rai’s exasperated comment and turn around. They walk back to where Yudi
has stopped near the edge of the plateau close to an outcropping of rock. The
Lion Man looks at him. “What is it? You have something on your mind?”
“Yes, “says Yudi “I don’t think I can do it… Somehow it doesn’t feel
right,” says Yudi.
“Why not?” asks Rai.
“Why is it our mission to kill Shaitan and return the Isthmus? There are
so many others who can do this. Why us?” he asks
“Why not us?” asks Tiina.
“Yudi,” says the Lion Man “you were the most reluctant to cross over to the
other side of the screen, and now when we are almost at our journey’s end
you hesitate.”
Yudi sits down right where he is. “I don’t think I can do this... I am really
sorry guys” he lets the sentence hang in the air. “I don’t think I can carry this
burden of being the one... you’ve got to find someone else to go with you...”
“But you are the only one on whom the Elixir has had any effect,” Tiina
says in frustration. “Only you can help overpower Shaitan. We can’t go
without you.” Tiina’s words don’t seem to have any effect on him. Yudi looks
into the distance refusing to meet their eyes.
Rai can feel the rage build inside him and without realising what he is
doing, he marches up to Yudi and slaps him. When there is no reaction from
Yudi Rai puts his hands on Yudi’s shoulders and shakes him... “You are such a
coward!” Yudi does not reply. Giving up Rai walks away to look into the
distance still angry.
Tiina and the Lion Man look at him in exasperation. It is obvious they
are not getting through to him. They look at each other. “What do we do now?
“asks Rai.
“Pray?” ventures the Lion Man. They look at him and realise that he is
not joking.
Tiina closes her eyes and thinks of Mimir. “Help us,” she says. “We need
you now, Mimir. Tell us what to do next.”
As they stand there, the wind picks up in speed until it is literally
blowing the sand around them into dust devils, until they cannot see their
hands in front of their eyes. They stand there waiting; wondering what is
going to happen next. And Mimir walks out of the sand burst, with the storm
dying down behind him. Tiina opens her eyes and exclaims, “Mimir! Finally.”
She runs up to him and hugs him. Mimir smiles, hugs her back. Together
Mimir and Tiina walk up to Yudi, who has not moved from his previous
position.
Mimir kneels down beside him and touches his shoulder. “Do you hear
me? Yudi?”
“I hear you,” says Yudi, opening his eyes. They look at each other
exchanging thoughts swiftly. The others watch, puzzled at first, but realising
very quickly that they are speaking on a different level.
“I can’t, Mimir. Don’t ask me to.”
“I will not ask you to do anything against your will … But tell me what
it is that worries you.”
“I can’t do it,” says Yudi. “I cannot kill Shaitan.”
“Cannot or will not?” asks Mimir.
“What’s the difference?” says Yudi.
“There’s a world of difference …”
 “I won’t kill him,” Yudi says, emphatically.
“So you feel the power, you know you can do it. However, you just do
not want to?”
“No I don’t want to … I am scared.”
“Scared of what?”
“This power, this power that’s coursing through my veins; I can feel it so
completely …”
“And it fills your being, your very presence. Right?”
“You know how it feels for me, don’t you, it is changing me. Giving me
an insight into the infinite, into the hearts of my friends. I can read their
thoughts as if they were mine. I can finally see. And it is all so clear. And …”
“And?” prompts Mimir.
“And so meaningless. Why should we do this? What’s the difference?”
“It is all the difference in the world. Whether you manage to kill him or
not finally does not matter. What matters is that you use the powers that have
been given to you, for what they are meant to do. Act without worrying about
the results.”
“But how can I not worry? How can I separate myself from the
consequences of my actions?”
“Act because that is your wont. You have the power and it would be
worse if you did not use it for the reason it was given to you.”
“So that is it. I just have to do it. Don’t I have a choice?”
“Your only choice is to keep doing what you have to do."
“And what if I didn’t do so?”
“If you don’t kill Shaitan, then evil will take over the universe
completely. And you and every living thing will feel the consequences of your
non-actions.”
“It’s a heavy responsibility to bear …” Yudi falters.
“Only if you think of the outcome. Focus on the now. Carry out what
you have been given the powers for. And leave the rest to the universe to
decide.”
Yudi finally sees light; he gets to his feet, looks at Mimir and smiles.
Mimir is back on his feet. He smiles back, placing his hand on Yudi’s
shoulder. “Follow your heart and everything else will fall into place,
Yudishtra.”
Yudi turns around to look at Tiina, Rai and the Lion Man, who have been
watching from afar. He walks towards them and says, “I am ready now.”
Tiina meets him halfway and embraces him. “We couldn’t do this
without you.”
Yudi puts his arms around her and hugs her tightly. Then, remembering
Mimir, he looks for him to find he has disappeared. “I hate it so when he does
that.”
 Rai and Tiina burst out laughing. “He is a God, or almost. He is entitled
to come and go as he pleases.”
The Lion Man sets off at a brisk pace, followed by the three as they walk
up the final summit to the temple. The grounds around the temple are covered
with roses blooming and flowers of almost every kind, fountains of water
spraying the air with droplets. The air is scented with the blooms. Tiina
cannot help but smile as she stops to smell the roses.
“Well, these beings may be evil, but they sure are keen gardeners,” says
Yudi, eliciting a reluctant nervous laugh from Tiina. They walk through the
rolling landscaped gardens until they come upon the temple. It is made of
white marble, with a soaring dome and ornate carvings, set with what seem to
be precious stones running around the sides. They walk through the massive
doors into a central hall with a domed ceiling held up by ornately carved
pillars on each side. On both sides of the central strip are beautiful fountains,
and beyond that, through the open windows, they can see the garden running
all through. It’s a very long hall and they walk the length of it, coming closer
to what seems to be an elaborate structure, shaped much like an ornate jelly
fish, set at the very end of the hall. The structure is made of pure crystal and
seems to be floating, not quite touching the ground. And on it is a shining
turquoise jewel, in a wrist-strap shaped crystal setting.
“The Isthmus!” gasps Tiina.
As they watch it, the Isthmus seems to float up gracefully from where it
has been placed and hover there in front of them. As they watch anxiously,
the Isthmus moves back and away from them, gliding back serenely until it
snaps itself around the slender wrist of a beautiful woman, who looks up at
them with limpid eyes, and smiles. The four of them gaze at her bowled over
by her charm and grace as she begins to glide towards them, holding out her
slender wrist with the Isthmus snapped around it. As they watch she unclasps
the amulet and holds it daintily in her other hand. “Don’t you want this?” she
asks, looking at Yudi, who swallows and says, “Yes, I do.”
“Well, then, come and get it, won’t you?”
She chuckles, mockingly holding it with the thumb and forefinger of her
left hand, and waits as Yudi takes one step forward, then another, and another.
Tiina suddenly gasps. “I know you.”
The woman lifts her eyes from Yudi’s and in doing so breaks the
connection with him. Her eyes dart to Tiina and she raises her dainty
eyebrows. “You took your time, dear sister,” she says.
Yudi looks from one to the other, for the first time seeing the
resemblance between them. They have the same slender build and graceful
walk and hold themselves with the same fluidity of limb. “Maya?” he
exclaims.
The being merely smiles holds out her palm with the Isthmus in it and
beckons to Tiina with the other hand. “Come and get it!” she says and laughs
aloud as Tiina walks forward. With a scream, Maya rushes towards Tiina and
then, just before reaching her, changes to become almost transparent,
bouncing around the walls in a zigzag motion, her manic laughter echoing off
the walls.
Tiina gives chase. Both of them move very fast, crossing each other,
speeding up till it is difficult to differentiate one from the other. The laughter
from the woman builds up to a crescendo, only to turn into a scream as she
crashes down to the floor and the amulet falls out of her hand. Tiina lands
back onto her feet next to the fallen figure, panting heavily. She bends down
to feel the pulse at the base of the neck and looks up in time to see the Lion
Man put away his sword. He shrugs. “It had to be done,” he says.
Yudi walks up to the being. “Maya,” he says.
In death, the figure has regained its human form and looks like a frail,
fallen young girl, its features now very close in likeness to Tiina.
Tiina looks at Yudi and Lion Man, her eyes filled with pain for the sister
that she had lost a long time ago. “I will find him and kill him for what he did
to her,” she vows. Yudi picks up the Ishtmus and they watch as he straps it
onto his right wrist. The three of them stand still, waiting for something to
happen, then look at each other and exhale with relief when nothing happens.
There is no sudden explosion, nothing to show that it was the end of the
world. Just silence. They stay frozen for a moment, just savouring the feeling
of relaxation, not quite believing that they have finally completed their
mission.
And then, just as they are beginning to think that perhaps things will be
easier now, Tiina notices that the crystal and the throne like structure on
which the Isthmus had been placed is melting, and all around her the temple
and the gardens and their surroundings are beginning to fade.
“Let’s go,” she says.
They turn around and run back all the way along the length of the hall
through which they entered, the Lion Man leading the way.
The ground under their feet is now beginning to shake and they are not
more than halfway back, when up rises a creature which could have been
concealed in the shadows, been one with the floor all along, or have just
materialised. Whichever, it rises up; it’s back to them, and slowly turns
around to face them. It may well be someone’s idea of a joke being played, a
hybrid of heaven meets hell; a young child’s drawing of a favourite God gone
wrong. They come to a halt, taken aback by the sheer audacity of the being as
it turns around and shows itself in its entire misshapen splendour. It has four
arms and extremely strong trunk-like legs. Yet the beauty of its profile is
breathtaking, shaped like a Greek God, with blonde hair on both heads neatly
styled. He is buffed right down to his pedicure feet, each of the toes wide
enough to bounce off many of the oncoming humans in one go.
Marring it all, as if an immense scar in the ground is an ugly wound that
runs through the centre of his being. As they come closer, though, Rai realises
that it’s not a wound, but a massive mouth; a massive hungry mouth, he
corrects himself, for as they watch the mouth in the middle of the being opens
and roars so ferociously that the noise runs around the structure, round and
round, echoing, forcing Tiina to put her hands over her ears to block it out.
Then swiftly and before any of the others can react, the Lion Man takes
an aggressive stance in front of the being, stamps his feet, thrashes his tail
from side to side and roars in response.
“Run,” he roars to them. “Run now.”
The three of them take off, running towards the exit, only to be abruptly
stopped by the heavy weight of the Lion Man crashing down in their path. He
lies there stunned as they stop, shocked, not believing that someone as
powerful as him has been struck down with seemingly such little effort.
Rai, who is the closest to the creature, turns around and flinging himself
at him, holds onto his massive legs. Then, pulling out his sword, he plunges it
with all his strength into its flesh, cutting off its leg. The beast roars in
profound pain and, bending down, swipes at him as if he were a fly, throwing
him against the crumbling wall, where both the boy and the beast collapse as
a heap onto the floor.
Simultaneously the Lion Man rebounds back on his feet. He shakes his
head to clear it while running towards one of the pillars, which is now
beginning to crumble around them and uses it to springboard onto the
shoulders of the creature. The Lion Man wraps his legs around the face of the
creature with his hands around the upper eyes, effectively blinding it.
The creature roars again in fury and in trying to dislodge the Lion Man,
takes a massive jump upwards, hitting the ceiling, dislodging even more of
the timber. It then thuds down so heavily that it crashes through the floor,
disappearing through a large black hole and into the darkness of what appears
to be a long black tunnel illuminated by a bluish-green light, as the creature
and the Lion Man tumble out of sight. And in the quiet that follows, one of
the massive pillar falls with a crash.
Yudi and Tiina run up to Rai, who has not moved since his earlier fall.
They turn him around as his eyes flutter open.
“That was …” Rai coughs, spitting blood, “That was not nice. How bad
does it look …?” he asks Yudi, who looks up from binding his bleeding side.
“Not good, man. We have to get out of here.”
Rai coughs and says, “For once I agree.” He coughs again and closes his
eyes.
Yudi shakes him awake. “Come on, Rai; you can’t close your eyes now.
We have to keep going.”
 “Can’t you use that for help?” Tiina says, pointing to the Isthmus still
strapped to his wrist.
Yudi shrugs. “I have no idea what this thing does anyway, do you?"
They help Rai to his feet and, supporting him between the two of them,
run out of the temple, out onto the plateau and then towards the edge. As they
keep up the pace, Yudi happens to turn back and glances at the temple.
“Look,” he says.
The three of them turn back to find that the two figures are engaged now
in a battle in space, silhouetted against the stars in the night sky by a giant
beam of light from the netherworld. And as they watch, the Lion Man, now
clinging to the middle of the beast, pulls out his sword sticks it into the
middle of its body and putting all his strength behind it tears it apart. With a
giant roar that seems to emanate from both the figures, they come crashing
down towards the plateau, falling not far from them.
As they watch only one figure moves. The Lion Man, trapped under the
massive carcass, manages to work his way out from under. He pushes the
body over and emerges, shaking his head. Then draws himself up to his full
height, stamps his foot, raises his hands and his head to the stars and roars
triumphantly, the stars and the last vestiges of the crumbling temple form a
background to his conquest. Molecules of power radiate from him and
through him as he turns back and walks towards the three of them, his mane
rippling in the soft breeze which has sprung up, blowing away the remnants
of the dark mist which had sprung up earlier. The temple is now collapsing
completely, shaking the ground they are standing on. At their feet, the very
ground sighs in quiet relief.
The Lion Man bounds towards them and, taking hold of the hurt Rai,
places him on his shoulders “Let’s go, we don’t have much time now.”
“You mean there’s more?” asks Tiina.
“Shaitan will not let the death of his most powerful soldiers go
unheeded; we need to get back to the ship and out of here before that.” As he
speaks, they hear a new sound, like that of humming bees.
Tiina and Yudi look at each other and then to the Lion Man for
confirmation. He nods.
They double their speed and run down the plateau as the humming grows
louder around them. They are almost halfway down when the world around
them goes completely bright as if the sun is rising right next to them. Yudi
and Rai look up, the Lion Man beckons. “Keep moving,” he says. “That is
him.”
Barely are the words out of his mouth when the Lion Man stops in his
tracks. Tiina and Yudi are almost at Artemis and they look back to find that
the Lion Man has been hit from behind by a thunderbolt shaped weapon
which has clean gone through him. The Lion Man looks down to see its edge
sticking out from the front. He places Rai down carefully, and then draws
himself up to his full height. He glances at the three of them and without a
word, turns and walks back up the plateau.
“What is he doing?” asks Tiina, her voice filled with panic.
“What do you think?” asks Yudi
Rai groans but does not move from where he has been placed on the
ground. He turns to look at them.
Not far away, the entire plateau is filled with figures, silhouetted against
the sky. Not quite human or animal, but a mix of all the possible combinations
of life forms you could think of.
Tiina makes as if to dash up towards the Lion Man, but Yudi holds her
back. “We have the Isthmus,” he says, “we must get out of here.”
“And Rai?” she asks. “We can’t just leave him here.”
Barely are the words of her mouth when Rai gets up, slowly. He looks at
them with eyes filled with pain and then looks again to where the Lion Man
has reached the plateau. As the three of them look on the Lion Man flings
himself against the army, taking a few of them down with him, and disappears
from sight.
Rai looks back at Tiina and Yudi and exclaims, “Go!”
“What do you mean, ‘go’?” asks Tiina, eyes wide. “Aren’t you coming
with us?”
“I will hold them back with the Lion Man. Go, or else you’ll never make
it back.”
“No," says Tiina, her voice rising in panic. “I’m not leaving without
you.”
“Go,” says Rai, looking back at the army, which has crept nearer, a rising
tide with no respite. He looks at Yudi and then says again, vehemently, “Go!
Before I change my mind!” He manages to smile.
Yudi takes hold of Tiina’s arm and drags her along with him back to
Artemis. “Come on, Tiina, you know he is right.”
Tiina looks at Rai, tears streaming freely down her cheeks now; she
allows herself to be pulled along by Yudi. They are halfway to the ship when
she breaks his hold, turns and runs back to Rai. She hugs him firmly, kissing
him on his cheek. “I will see you again.”
Then runs back to where Yudi is already in the ship and pressing the
various control panel buttons to pull away.
Once they are in, they look back towards Rai, who he has not moved. He
is silhouetted against Shaitan’s army, which has almost reached him. He raises
his hand in farewell, mock salutes them with a smile then, following the
example of the Lion Man, pulls out his sword and with a mighty leap dives
lengthwise against the troops, taking down as many as he can with his fall.
The rest promptly swarm over him and he disappears out of sight.
 The tears continue to stream from Tiina’s eyes as they pull away and
take off, to head back to Arkana.

OceanofPDF.com
 This is it

They travel in silence for a long time. Neither has the inclination to speak.
The events of the past few hours weigh heavy on their minds. They are on the
bridge between the now and the future, where it feels that they could reach
out and touch the silence. Scorching a path through the crowded thoughts, the
words finally tumble out.
“Was that really Maya?” She wonders
Yudi does not reply to her question. Tiina looks at him “I was always
afriad, that when I finally met her, she would be in some horrible
situation...and I would just watch her die.”
“Guess you just made it happen,” Yudi shrugs.
His words ring very true and they both look at each other, a light
dawning in their eyes. “Unless …” says Tiina. “Unless Shaitan read my mind
…”
“And recreated your deepest fears” Yudi completes her sentence.
These are the very first words they have spoken to each other since
leaving the site of the bloodshed. The scene is fresh in both their minds.
Everything seems a bit unreal yet.
“I am tired of Shaitan creeping into our minds. After all that happened I
still do not even know how he looks. Do you?” Tiina asks Yudi. “I can’t just
wait around waiting for him anymore, not after everything he has done to us.”
She gets up from her seat, goes to the front screen of Artemis and
whispers to the great black space in front of her, “Come out of your hiding
place, you coward, and show yourself!” She gazes out into the void. There is
a deep, dark, complete silence in response. It is as if the world has stopped
spinning for a second.
She takes a deep breath and, turning around, looks straight into the eyes
of Shaitan.
“You called?” he asks relishing the humour in the situation.
“Ah!” she gasps in surprise. “And who are you?” she asks, knowing the
answer full well.
“The guardian of your divine power,” Shaitan says, mocking her. “I have
come to rescue you from this never-ending journey. Is that not what you
want?”
“Yes!”
“Then come with me,” he says.
“Where to?”
“A place free of the never-ending rhythms that bother you. Where there
is no life and no death. No past or future. Nothing that will cause you pain or
anguish. Where you feel the same all the time.”
Tiina smiles “And it exists?”
“No,” he says, raising his sword. “Not yet. But I can create it, just for
us.”
“Promise ?”
“I promise,” he says, placing his sword lightly on either side of her neck
as if measuring it for the accuracy of the final stroke.
Tiina closes her eyes. It is exactly what she wants right now. A single
stroke to end it all. She smiles.
Yudi taps Shaitan on his shoulder. “Hey! Not so soon,” he says “you still
have to get through me.”
Shaitan turns around “Ah! The knight in shining armour.”
He laughs aloud, the sound echoing through the ship and all through
space. It does a complete turnaround the wide empty nothingness, and lands
right back where it all started.
Then as Tiina and Yudi watch in amazement, Shaitan grows in size. On
and on he extends. His limbs, torso, throat, every part of his body expanding
in harmony, keeping pace with each other as if they have repeated this routine
so many times in the past. When he hits the roof of the ship, he simply
continues to extend sideways. He continues all through the circumference of
the ship, against the walls, circling the hapless pair in the centre, trapping
them in his centre. Wrapping them in his Shaitanness.
Yudi and Tiina are overcome by the wave of energy emanating from him
and crashing over them. Each more agitated and intense than the last. When
every last pocket of space in the confines of the ship has been taken up by
Shaitan, he begins to increase the pressure squeezing the very breath out of
them until they are almost senseless.
With his last coherent thought, Yudi manages to free his right arm with
the Isthmus strapped onto his wrist. He manages to get to his sword and holds
it up. The light catches the sword and makes it sparkle, charging it with divine
energy, then he brings it down strongly on the part of Shaitan closest to him.
There is no effect; the sword does not even make a dent. Close to tears
now, Yudi keeps hacking away with his sword “Come on, come on” he says
putting everything he has into it.
He finally manages to cut through something. He has no idea if it is an
arm, a leg, or an ear. But he knows that he has hurt Shaitan because all of a
sudden there is a roar of pain and Shaitan minimises back to his original form.
The entire action takes less than one quarter the time it originally did for
Shaitan to elaborately wrap himself around them. It is almost comical, the
way he snaps back into shape.
Yudi is pleased that Shaitan is at least bleeding. “So is not completely
invincible after all” he thinks, then says aloud “Show me what you’ve got!”
Shaitan looks at him and bares his teeth. As they watch in amazement his
two additional arms, which fit into a groove on his back, spring to his sides.
Then the knobs on either side of his head unravel to form additional heads.
Tiina notes absently that there are an additional four heads on one side and
five on the other.
“So the myths about this ten-headed, ten-armed form of Shaitan had
been true after all” Yudi thinks swallowing his fear. Then, staying calm, he
once more lifts the sword high above his head. The Isthmus on his wrist
catches the light again and glints. Shaitan’s attention is drawn to it. He
freezes; lowers his own sword and looks at Yudi.
“I will be back,” he says.
Turning his attention to Tiina one last time, he smiles. “If you want to
meet your twin again, come find me,” he says, and then, disappears.
Tiina wakes up breathing hard.
Yudi looks at her sympathetically. “Bad dream?” he asks.
“Yes” she says. She goes up to him and hugs him tightly. “I know where
he is.”
“Who?”
“Shaitan,” she says. “He’s not far off and he knows we are coming.”
“I am sure he is quaking with fear,” says Yudi sarcastically.
“Actually he is,” says Tiina, looking at him unsmiling.
Yudi looks closely into her eyes. “You sound like you’ve seen him.”
“I did. It was a dream, but much more than that. Call it a warning of
things to come. This is the Elixir’s effect on me I think.”
“What? The Nightmares?”
“Yudi!” she says exasperated. “I mean visions, the gift of sight.”
“So you are psychic now?”
“I always was. But the Elixir has simply magnified my capabilities, so
that I can really see these messages, Yudi.”
“OK,” says Yudi, “I believe you. So what now?”
“Shaitan is coming and he is not alone. We need a plan else he and his
army will destroy Arkana, just like he destroyed our home planets.”
Yudi turns pale. “Are you sure? You saw all that?”
“Now you know why this worries me so,”
“How do we take on an entire army?” Yudi wonders.
“You are the warrior,” says Tiina. “So this one is for you to resolve.”
“It feels to me like we are on a cyclical path which curves back on itself
multiple times and there is no moving forward,” says Yudi softly.
“Why, that’s almost poetic, Yudi,” says Tiina in surprise. “I believe even
your heart is beginning to turn more human than Half Life.”
“Whether the Elixir has given me fighting skills remains to be seen but
 sure seems to have made me more perceptive” he agrees
“You are right about that, Yudi, your heart has turned, it beats with
feeling now,” says a third voice.
They look around but cannot see anyone. “You heard that as well?” asks
Tiina cautiously.
“Yes,” nods Yudi in agreement.
“Whew! That’s good,” she says, “for a moment there I thought that I was
beginning to hear voices in my head.”
They look around, but cannot see anyone.
"Up here," says the voice more impatiently. They look in the direction of
the voice to find a woman seemingly perched on the ceiling. She is in full
battle combat gear. Full latex body suit, tight belt cinched in with golden
buckle, thigh high boots, black leather gloves, a small, smart back pack and a
sword holder and pistol hanging from the belt around her tiny waist.
As they watch, she leaps from the ceiling down to the floor in front of
them “Very impressive.” Yudi smiles at the woman in unabashed admiration.
Tiina raises an eyebrow at his tone. She walks up to Yudi and puts her
hand on his arm, drawing his attention back to her. Yudi smiles down at Tiina,
as he senses an undercurrent between the two women. Tiina looks back at the
woman defiantly. “Mine,” she says without speaking. “Back off!”
The other woman merely raises her eyebrows and nods.
“If you are trying to replace Rai, forget it,” Tiina tells her.
The warrior woman merely looks at her witheringly. “I have been sent,”
she says, “to help you.”
“We do not need your help,” Tiina replies hotly.
“Great!” There is relief writ large on the woman’s face and she turns as if
to leave.
“Wait!” Yudi calls to her. He lets go of Tiina’s restricting arm. “Wait,
madam, I am afraid my girlfriend speaks in haste. We need all the help we can
get. We have an army to defeat.”
She looks at them. “Your girlfriend is jealous of me,” she says.
Yudi looks at Tiina in surprise. “Really?” he mouths to her.
The woman jumps down from her perch and walks towards them. She is
nearly six feet tall. She towers over Tiina and is almost Yudi’s height.
“I am not here to be part of your childish love triangles,” she says. “We
have a war to fight.”
“No kidding!” says Tiina, under her breath. “And you are the Goddess of
War, no doubt?” she asks sarcastically.
The woman looks at her and sighs “I am Raven,” she says. “Mimir asked
me to guide you in preparing for battle. Of course, I am most happy to leave if
you prefer.”
“No, please don’t,” says Yudi quickly. “Pardon Tiina’s rude behaviour.
She is still recovering from the loss of one of our close friends.”
“Rai,” says Raven.
“Yes,” says Tiina. “And I will not ask how you know about that. Because
all you Gods from the other world, of course, know everything about
everyone.”
“Rai is fine,” she says, “and happy in the other world.”
“So you met him?”
“Yes, of course. He asks you not to be worried about him. He is where he
finally belongs.”
“He’s found his place?” asks Tiina, her voice softening
“Yes,” says Raven. “Would you like to speak to him?” she asks, and
before Tiina can answer otherwise, she closes her eyes for a few seconds, and
when she opens them, her pupils have rolled up to reveal the whites of her
eyes, which glow with an unearthly light. Electricity seems to crackle through
her and even though she is still Raven, her facial features seem to change so
that she seems to look unerringly like Rai. When she speaks the illusion is
complete, for the voice that emerges seems to be from Rai.
“Hey you two!” says Rai’s cheery voice.
“This is totally bizarre,” Yudi tells Tiina in an aside, but says aloud, “Ah!
Rai, what’s up?”
“Bet you guys are surprised to hear me,” says Rai.
“Not really,” says Yudi, “but you do sound changed.” He fumbles around
in his mind to find a word which truly describes the emotion he is hearing in
the voice. “Your voice seems much happier than on this side of the universe.”
“Does that surprise you?” asks the voice belonging to Rai, accompanied
by a chuckle that sounds so much like him, it prompts Tiina to walk up to
Raven. She effusively hugs her/Rai.
“I told you I’ll see you again,” she says.
“Indeed you did, Tiina,” replies Raven/Rai.
“I hope it did not hurt too much.”
“Uh!” There is a surprised silence and then his voice crackles again.
“What did not hurt too much?”
“You know, when Shaitan’s demons ran over you.”
“Mercifully Mimir took both me and Lion Man out of there before it
became too agonising. I did get a taste of it, though.” Rai pauses, and then
continues, “And I don’t want to repeat it again.”
“Was it painful?” she asks again.
“It was,” he replies, “but it was mercifully short and I was gone before it
could hurt me much more.”
“So what do you want us to do now?” asks Yudi.
“Raven will show you the way. It is not going to be easy. But the good
news is that you are on the last mile of the journey.”
 “Oh, great,” exclaims Yudi. “That’s good? So what’s the bad news?”
“The bad news is that Tiina is right.”
“Oh yeah? How?”
“Shaitan is preparing a huge army. He is pulling out all the stops.”
“What else?” says Yudi.
“He is planning to attack Arkana,” says Rai, “and you are going to need
all the help you can get to hold him back.”
“But isn’t that why Raven is here?” asks Tiina.
“You need more than Raven. This time you need all the Half Lives in the
galaxy to come together so you have enough manpower to defeat Shaitan,”
replies Rai’s voice.
“Is that possible?” asks Tiina.
“It is probable,” says Rai, “But you have to move fast. Follow Raven …”
His voice fades off. Raven closes her eyes; the expressions on Raven’s face,
which had made her look so much like Rai, smooth away to reveal her
original, unworried, emotionless visage. When she opens them, it is clear that
Raven is back.
She looks at them and raises an eyebrow quizzically.
“Guess we had better get back to Arkana real fast,” says Tiina.
Raven nods. She proceeds to the driver’s seat, just vacated by Yudi, and
starts fiddling around with Artemis’ control panels.
“Hang on,” says Yudi. “I am driving.”
“Correction,” she says, smiling for the first time, “I am now. And
Artemis and I understand each other much better, don’t we now, Artemis?”
she asks, patting the console.
The lights dim considerably before they come back on again, and this
time they are all a shade of red.
“Uh oh!” says Yudi “Don’t think she’s happy about that, either.”
“You know what? None of you has a choice in this. So can we get on
with it?” Raven says. “Just accept that you are going to need me when we
come face to face with Shaitan.”
“Personal quarrel?” asks Yudi with interest.
“An understatement,” she says, baring her teeth and looking capable
right then of tearing Shaitan apart with her bare hands.
“What did he do to you?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“We share a common enemy. Guess you’re not all that bad, after all,”
says Tiina making up her mind. “Let her take the lead.” She walks up to
Artemis’ panel on the far end and whispers, “Artemis, just fall in with the plan
for the time being, OK?” So saying, she pats Artemis and lays her cheek
against the wall. The lights change colour back to the original warm yellow.
The low purr of Artemis’ engines starting underfoot echo through the room.
 Yudi slips into the co-pilot’s seat.
Tiina takes her position in the last seat behind the two of them. They set
course one final time for Arkana. Raven gets them to their destination in
double quick time.
As she steers Artemis to the landing place in the dock, Yudi says
admiringly, “You were not kidding about understanding Artemis.”
“Yeah. Though it was a little more than just that,” she says.
“Really? So it wasn’t just your prowess with Artemis?”
“That as well that I managed to bend time. An L-shaped experience, if
you know what I mean. Fast-forwarded it so that we could skip some of the
boring preliminaries and come straight to the end of the journey.”
Both Yudi and Tiina look at her open-mouthed with surprise. “Oh!”
exclaims Tiina. “That’s incredible. Is that really possible?”
“No, I am just kidding.” Raven laughs at them as she gets out of the
driving seat, pausing only to lay her hands softly on the console as she slips
out. “Once Artemis and I had a heart to heart we found a mutual
understanding and even a grudging admiration for each other.”
“The two ice queens in conversation,” exclaims Yudi. “Now that would
have been a sight to behold.”
Raven merely smiles at his comment and nods. “It was … not easy,” she
says. “But once I had her trust, Artemis agreed to let me set an extra fast
course. And even let me in on a few secrets of her own.”
“Secrets?” Yudi asks, intrigued. “What secrets?”
“Ah!” Raven laughs. “If I told you then they would not be secrets
anymore now, would they?”
“I am not sure what she said to you, but it has put you in rare good
form,” comments Tiina.
“There’s nothing to be surprised about,” says Raven. “I always
appreciate a professional at work.” Then adds, “Just like you, Tiina.”
“Now I am not sure if you meant that as a compliment or not. But I’ll
take it as one.”
Raven pats Tiina on her shoulder. “Come,” she smiles, “we should not
keep Mimir waiting too long.”
“Looks like she took a shine to you after all,” says Yudi.
“Hmm! I am quite overwhelmed by her show of affection,” says Tiina,
spelling out each world slowly through gritted teeth “Wonder what she is
really thinking”
“We’ll just have to follow her for now to find out,” says Yudi.
They follow Raven into the academy of Half Lives and are ushered
straight into the hall of the great mirrors.
“Is it not strange that Mimir wants to meet us in the great hall?” asks
Tiina.
 “Is it? I thought it was because he wanted to welcome Raven in a formal
manner,” replies Yudi.
“He would normally meet us in his own room,” says Tiina. “This place is
only for formal announcements … I wonder what this is about.”
Raven strides ahead and the two have to run to keep pace with her. They
reach the hall and the three of them walk in to find Mimir in uncharacteristic
formal robes.
“He does look rather official,” Yudi whispers to Tiina.
“Yes. Those are the clothes which declare his position as the adviser to
the premier of Arkana,” Tiina whispers back. “I’ve seen him in this only once
earlier.”
“Yes, at our graduation, if I remember correctly,” Yudi replies.
Tiina nods.
“And that funny looking person with the cauliflower ears …” Yudi let
the sentence drop.
Tiina glances at the man. He is sitting upright on the formal throne-like
structure at the end of the room. She has to stifle a chuckle, for Yudi’s
description is quite accurate. He is large, with broad shoulders, a very long,
pointed nose and very large ears, slightly frayed on the edges, which twitch
occasionally. He has small eyes, but which twinkle with an inner light, and
seems to follow their every footstep into the room and across the distance
which separates them. He wears a formal tunic in red colour shot through
with gold.
“Who is he?” asks Yudi again.
“The premier of Arkana,” replies Tiina.
“Really!” replies Yudi interestedly. “I did not know that Arkana had a
ruler.”
“Oh, he is not the ruler. More a leader. Someone who can make
decisions,” says Tiina.
“You mean pull the trigger? Press the red button?” asks Yudi. “What is
he?”
“You mean where does he belong?”
“Yes. He is Half Life too, correct?”
“Of course, everyone here is Half Life.”
“Yes,” replies Tiina. “Wonder what they want with us though.” They
walk into the grand hall and bow to the Mimir and the premier.
Mimir walks forward and, disregarding the formal setting, hugs Yudi and
Tiina firmly. “It is good to see you both back safe.”
Then, without giving Yudi or Tiina a chance to respond to his greeting,
he says, “Tiina, you have a visitor.”
Mimir gestures to the far end of the room. An elegant figure dressed in
blue, with long flowing blonde hair, is standing there. She is turned slightly
away from them so that they can only see her profile. Mimir looks to her and
nods at them.
They walk towards the figure, followed by Raven. Tiina gazes at the
figure wondering who it could be. They are almost upon the woman when
something about the shape of her face sets off alarm bells ringing in her head.
Her fears are confirmed when the woman turns to them and smiles. Yudi
feels like he is looking at a two-way mirror. For, reflected there, is a
photocopy of Tiina. Or almost. She is blonde, her face shows more angular
planes than Tiina’s, and where Tiina’s eyes are a soft brown, hers are green.
She is similar, but yet different.
It is the eyes; Yudi realises, where they differ completely. Where Tiina’s
are warm and expressive, a mirror to her emotions, the eyes of the figure in
front are vacant. He feels the slight chill of an empty grave looking, into those
empty eyes.
Tiina stares as if hypnotised. “Maya?” she says, eventually.
At the sound of Tiina’s voice Maya springs into action. She bares her
teeth and without saying a word, takes out her sword and leaps at them.
Before Tiina or Yudi react, Raven has pulled out her trident and jumped
into the fray. They clash in mid-air. The energy from the collision rolls out in
solid sound waves, flooring everyone around and temporarily rendering them
unconscious.
When they recover, the two have disappeared. Tiina opens her eyes and
instantly knows something is horribly wrong. Then the events of the last few
minutes come flooding back. She runs out of the academy and into the
massive gardens overlooking the city.
As she steps out, something prompts her to look behind. She gasps at the
scene that meets her eyes. Raven and Maya are engaged in a clash high above
the palace. It is an impressive sight, for it is as if each has trained her entire
life for this epic battle. For a moment, Tiina is lost in the display of pure
power mixed with feminine elegance. The scene would have almost been
hauntingly beautiful, if the situation had not been so macabre. The contrast
between the two figures only serves to heighten how special the moment is.
Maya, with the long blonde hair moving in her wake with every move,
and a rather full, feminine figure. Raven, with her black curly hair sweeping
gracefully through the air, complimenting her long, lean figure, clad in black.
They are on the highest point in Arkana, on the tallest structure in the planet,
soaring above the city below. For a moment, the two figures are silhouetted
against the setting sun. Then, as Tiina watches, horrified, Raven’s trident lifts
in the air.
The sunset reflecting off the blade blinds Tiina momentarily. When she
opens her eyes, the figures are both tumbling through the air. Maya crashes at
Tiina’s feet. Raven is not far behind. She sails through the air gracefully and
lands soundlessly on her feet. She places her trident against the neck of the
fallen figure, as if measuring it for a clear fit, then raises her trident and is
about to strike a fatal blow to the figure on the ground.
Tiina suddenly recovers and, putting out both her hands grasps Raven’s
trident, holding her back. “No, don’t!” she exclaims. Raven tries to shake her
off. She is still trapped in the fever of the fight and turns on Tiina, who
instinctively puts up her hand and Raven freezes in mid-action.
Yudi looks on in amazement, not realising what has happened. Then it
hits him. The Elixir’s power is probably manifesting for Tiina. It is interesting
that it reveals itself now, in the climax of the situation he thinks.
Meanwhile, unaware of the thoughts running through Yudi’s mind and
completely ignorant of the spectacle unfolding around her, Tiina walks up to
the writhing figure on the ground.
“Maya?” she asks tentatively. A gamut of contradictory emotions well up
in her.
She is dizzy with expectation, hoping that this is her long lost twin. Yet
worried at how much the years would have changed her.
The figure continues to thrash about on the ground. The face is partially
covered by locks of blonde hair, which have untidily fallen over the brow.
Tiina is unable to make out the features clearly. She drops to her knees and
reaches out to brush the hair from the face of the person. She pulls back and
then, making up her mind, reaches out once more, completing the gesture she
has earlier started.
Maya looks back at her with hate-filled eyes. Tiina shrinks back at the
loathing. The pure hate rolls off Maya in waves and flows over Tiina,
physically pushing her so that she is forced to take a step away, her eyes still
fascinated by what she has uncovered.
“I tried to find you,” she tells Maya. “I looked everywhere”
“A … likely … story,” the figure on the ground says, haltingly, her voice
gravelly, as if unused to speaking. “You wanted to … to have all of Ka Surya
for yourself, so that you could be the … future queen …” Maya bursts out
laughing.
“No, no. Maya.” she protests, “that is not true. I searched for you. But
…”
“But you were more worried about yourself. Too busy making your own
life.”
Tiina hangs her head. “Yes,” she says, “I had to survive.”
“That’s you, dear sister. Ever the practical one.”
“I missed you,” she tells Maya softly, tears pricking at her eyelids.
“I did not miss you,” Maya hisses back at Tiina, venom dripping from
her gaze. “I hate you. At least Shaitan told me the truth about you and Ka
Surya. I was better off without you.”
 Tiina feels the emotions overcoming her. She sinks to the ground on her
knees, hanging her head. Despite the untruth of the words, she is wracked
with guilt, that perhaps she should have tried harder in some form to rescue
Maya from this fate.
Maya recovers her energy slowly and, clutching the sword, uses it as a
crutch to rise to her feet. She looks at Tiina with revulsion, pity, and
something else almost akin to adoration. Then, slowly raising her sword she
prepares to bring it down on Tiina’s neck.
Tiina’s eyes are downcast. She looks up, blinded by the tears pouring
down her cheeks, releasing Raven, from her earlier frozen position. Raven
rushes towards them and raising her sword and brings it down.
Tiina closes her eyes.
She opens them to see Maya’s head roll by her, and over the edge. The
world sways and she slides to the ground.

Yudi is worried. He has seen the sequence of events unfold. It is clear

that it had to be this way for Tiina’s powers to unfurl. Yet the knowledge does
not make the pain any less.
Tiina does not wail out loud, yet her suffering is audible to his ears. He
can hear her tortured voice. He can sense her consider giving up all hope of
life. The death of Maya has opened the floodgates of suffering.
Yama, the God of Death, waits there patiently. His favoured
communication device is the death-noose, in this instance wrapped neatly
around the collar of his Seville Row suit, substituting for a tie.
He is spotless. His briefcase is by his side. His patent leather shoes
sparkle in the sun. He pulls out the paper from the inner breast pocket of his
suit and checks it for details. Then, apparently satisfied, he assumes a waiting
stance. Feet slightly apart, perfectly balanced, moving back on the balls of his
feet. Arms folded over his chest.
Yudi realises he is waiting for Tiina. And Yama has time. The End is
infinite.
Yudi walks up to Yama. “You can wait as much as you want, but you are
not getting her,” he says, defiantly.
Yama merely glances at Yudi. It is just a casual flick of his eyes.
Upwards and back. He goes back to observing Tiina’s silent form prone on
the ground. He prepares to take out the noose, unwinding it from around his
own neck.
“Didn’t you hear me, old man? It is not her time yet.”
Yama is amused. “And who decides that?”
“I do, of course,” Yudi blusters.
“Young man, I face thousands like you every day. It used to be just
humans. But since the Half Lives began taking shape, my workload has
doubled.”
“So get help,” shrugs Yudi, wondering if the God of Death is not as calm
and composed as he had first appeared to be.
Yama’s brow is now furrowed. “I am afraid it is not that easy. He wants
us to keep doing double our jobs with the same resources.”
“He?” asks Yudi.
Yama nods. “He, the supreme power, the source of all energy.”
“So it is a he, after all.”
Yama hesitates. “As far as I can tell, yes,” he says.
“You have met him?”
“Not personally, no, but I do feel him all the time.”
“So you feel him now?”
“Sure!” exclaims Yama.
“And he can’t get you extra help?”
“Not that he can’t. Of course, anything is possible for him, as you can
well imagine. It’s just that … well; let us just say that he hasn’t approved it
yet.”
“The divine have such problems too?” marvels Yudi.
“Yudi, you already know that we are not that different from you
mortals.”
“I’ve heard so, but it’s difficult to believe, as you may well understand,”
says Yudi. Then on a brainwave says, “Let’s negotiate.”
“You learn fast,” smiles Yama.
“It’s been a long journey.”
“No kidding!” replies Yama.
“And I’ve met enough doyens of your spiritual world to know how
hungry you are for what we Half Lives have.”
“You have it all figured out?” says Yama.
“So what is it you want?” asks Yudi again. “I know that much as you
enjoy my company, it is not just small talk.”
“Actually, it is refreshing to speak with someone like you," says Yama.
“Surely you don’t lack for company? I am sure you get the best young
brains from various dimensions wanting to join you.”
“It’s not what it used to be. There has been a massive brain drain.”
“Oh, really? Why would anyone want to ever leave the heavens?”
“For the mortal life,” says Yama, in a defeated tone.
“Are you serious?”
Yama nods. “Yes. We had the same reaction too. After all, who would
leave the pleasures of heaven for the hardships of a real life? However, put
that down to the bizarre nature of you Half Lives. The true brains keep
leaving for the real world. They claim that they need more stimulation, more
opportunities to experiment, and the kind of daily inspiration which only the
real world can provide.”
“So they want to deal with the real stuff.... the tough life?” asks Yudi
understanding the situation better.
“Apparently.” Yama shrugs “Though why someone would consciously
choose hardship over fun and games is beyond me.”
“Perhaps because it gets a little boring if your every day is same as the
previous and life always follows a set pattern with no variety?”
“The high life isn’t all it is cut out to be. Some of us in the heavens,
crave stimulation to survive.”
“No creativity without angst, eh?” asks Yudi.
“You got that right.”
“So they have been leaving in droves. The losers!” says Yudi.
“And those who leave have not been replaced yet. It is being used as a
great opportunity to trim the workforce.” Yama sighs again.
“You speak funny ... like a business man " says Yudi, surprised by his
vocabulary.
“It is compulsory for all of us. We the senior members of the heavenly
abode had to complete a mini MBA course.”
“A kind of executive refresher course?”
Yama nods. “Apparently it worked so well that he has made a fully
fledged MBA compulsory for all new recruits.”
“So even the Gods haven’t been spared the clutches of modern
corporates …”
“There, you are right,” says Yama, switching back to the original
discussion. “So, getting down to brass tacks. You want Tiina to stay and you
want her alive, I take it?”
Yudi nods.
“And you have something I want in return?”
“I do,” Yudi nods.
"What is it?"
“My life”
"Your life?"
“It is simple. You take my life and you spare her. I know that you cannot
go back empty handed. You need to tally up your books at the end of the day.
And I want her to stay. Therefore, I offer myself in return.” Yudi pauses.
“Well? Do we have a deal?”
“Hmm,” says Yama, “that’s very generous of you. What’s the catch?”
“No catch,” smiles Yudi, “it’s a great deal for you. I have drunk of the
Elixir. Therefore, I believe I now qualify in the category of a super life. I am
someone with incredible super powers, right? And my powers are much
greater than Tiina’s?” he asks Yama, who nods slowly in confirmation.
“There you go, then. You get a kind of two for the price of one deal. It’s
a bargain.”
Yama shrugs. “That is true. It does sound good.” He makes up his mind.
“OK, come on then,” he says. “Prepare yourself. Any last wishes?”
Yudi smiles. He walks up to Tiina, prone on the ground. Bends down and
kisses her tenderly, smoothing away the hair which has fallen over her brow.
Then walks back to Yama.
“I am ready,” says Yudi, and closes his eyes.
He waits for what seems like an eternity. When nothing happens and he
feels like a decent amount of time has passed, he opens his eyes, cautiously.
“You passed with flying colours,” says Yama.
“What?” Yudi exclaims, confused.
“It was a test,” he smile broadly.
“A test?” he says again, stupidly.
“Yes! It is not enough to have super powers, we had to be sure that you
also have keen presence of mind and pure intent all that is required to take
you to your destination.”
“A test?” asks Yudi.
Then he looks to where Tiina still lies prone on the ground. “And Tiina?”
"She is alive and free to go, as are you. The both of you need to get on
now.”
“What about your books?” asks Yudi. “How will you tally them now?”
“Well, a huge good deed like this one is going to keep me flush in good
karma for a long time.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” says Yudi. “May I?” he asks.
“Go for it young man,” says Yama. “Go get the love of your life.”

What Yudi is not aware of is that just as he is engaged in conversation

with Yama, Mimir is chatting to Tiina.
As Tiina lies there suffering, her sister’s death weighing heavily on her
conscience, she is sure that she does not want to live anymore. She simply
wants to dissolve into nothingness and never have to face making any
decision ever again in life.
In that state of mind, Mimir appears to her. “You are free to go Tiina” he
says
There is yet no response from Tiina.
“It’s your choice,” Mimir continues, “your life, Tiina. You can leave
without completing what you started.”
Tiina looks at him, a flicker of emotion in her eyes.
“You know it is meant to be.”
“Ah! Destiny again” Tiina flares up. “So we as Half Lives are told that
we are different from humans because we can change our future. And yet
when something strange happens, it is fate?”
 “That was her destiny, this is your life.”
“I thought our destinies were supposed to be intertwined? She was my
twin.”
“Born within seconds of each other, yet poles apart. Distinctive in life
and in death.”
“This is not how it is supposed to be.”
“You never know how it is going to turn out.”
“For once, can I not get what I want? Without trying … so hard?”
“You have no idea how easy you’ve had it.”
“Me?” asks Tiina, surprised.
“Sure. You, who are born into royalty and a Half Life, one who found
purpose and true love. You’ve got it all.”
“When you put it like that …”
“It is not too bad, is it?”
“No,” she agrees.
“All you have to do is not play into his hands. Do not let Shaitan dictate
how you feel. Do you see that?”
Tiina looks at him, comprehension dawning in her eyes. “You mean …?”
“Yes!” he says. “You are letting him control you by giving in to misery.”
“You are right, Mimir.” Tiina looks at him, her eyes filling with hope.
“And you haven’t yet noticed that your true powers have been revealed.”
Tiina looks at him, a quizzical expression on her face. “What powers?”
“Do you remember how you stopped Raven the first time?”
Understanding dawns on her. “You mean …?”
“It was you, Tiina.”
“That was me? So I can control minds?”
Mimir nods. “You always could. But the Elixir finally activated your
complete powers.”
“It was the situation, wasn’t it?”
“Yes – everything that happened pushed you to free your true powers.”
“So you mean I can ...”
Mimir nods again.
“So maybe I can,” she gestures at Mimir, who falls silent and immobile
for a moment. Then, recovering quickly, says, “Good try, Tiina. You are still
not that powerful.”
“That is quite incredible. To be as powerful as you and possess energies
as potent as yours.”
“This is your chance, to choose your path.”
“Tell me how?”
“Just stay with it, in the silence of the situation. Let the whirlwind of
your actions guide you.”
Mimir’s voice is still echoing in her ears as Tiina opens her eyes. She
looks up at Yudi and, with a slight smile on her lips, whispers, “Reverse
psychology …”
Yudi pulls her up and into his arms.

Raven, Tiina and Yudi walk with Mimir and the premier to the main
viewing gallery of Arkana. The wide glass panes are flung open. As they
approach the space, Raven cocks her ears first to the left and then to the right,
looking very much like the shape-shifting bird after which she is named.
Yudi notices her actions and asks, “What is it?”
Raven does not reply immediately, but then asks, “Can you hear it?”
They strain to hear in vain. Initially there is complete silence. Then, as if
a dam has been broken, the sound gushes through the space and breaks over
them in waves. It is as if there is a mighty giant snoring in the background.
The sound rises and falls in troughs and crests.
“It feels like as if … as if …” Tiina is at a loss for words. She can almost
place the sound and yet not quite. She is unable to fully articulate the feelings
rising in her.
Then as they continue walking towards the space there is a new sound,
like a thousand wings flapping. Raven perks up considerably at that. For the
first time, there is genuine excitement on her face. She breaks into a run.
“Raven,” Yudi calls out as she runs to a gigantic window and continues out of
it. Tiina and Yudi dash to the mammoth panes and look out. The sun shines
straight into their eyes blinding them temporarily.
When their vision clears, they peer again at the scene. Tiina points
excitedly up to the sky, which is filling up with circling birds. They are
gigantic creatures, which flap their wings and circle around, continuing to
grow in numbers before their eyes.
The sounds of screeching and cawing grow until the noise is almost
overpowering. Then, as they watch, one of the birds, which has been circling
in their vicinity, breaks off and flies towards them. Yudi puts up a hand in
self-defence as the creature approaches them with speed then swoops down
on the ledge, wings flapping.
“Raven,” Yudi exclaims, with dawning realisation.
Raven laughs, glorious in the sunlight, and her excitement reaches them.
Her wings settle down, the beak, crown of feathers recede back, and she
laughs once more as she assumes her more human form. “Sorry! I just had to
say hi to my people.”
“Your people?” asks Tiina.
“The Bird People — they are all here. It is incredible, a huge family
reunion. Never before have I seen all of them, assembled together in place.
There’s someone here who can’t wait to meet you,” says Raven, smiling
again.
 Barely are the words out of her mouth, than another figure breaks away
from the circling monsters and heads towards them. This time, though, they
are much better prepared. They do not flinch as the beast hurtles towards
them at full force like a cannonball and then, at the very last minute, comes to
a screeching halt on the ground in front of them.
This one is many times the size of Raven. It towers in size from the
grounds below to the tips of the towers of the palace, stretching along the
entire length of the building. It is golden-brown all over, the speckled feathers
shining in the sunlight.
As they watch, it reaches with its human hands, plucks out a feather from
its back and hands it to Tiina. She puts out both her hands and manages to
grab the massive stalk of the feather with great difficulty.
Tiina looks at it and then at the face of the creature, which is partially
obscured by the sun.
“Bird Man!”
Barely are the words out of her mouth than he shrinks back to normal
size, the wings settling back into his body, the beak fading back into a normal
mouth and the crest of feathers now a crown. It is the Bird Man, alright, but as
they have never seen him before.
He looks splendid in bright golden robes the jewellery on his body marks
him out as Royalty. He bows to them.
“Meet Garuda, the King of Birds!” says Raven, bowing deeply to him.
Garuda stands to attention, then nimbly leaps off the ledge and goes up
to Tiina and warmly kisses her on the cheek.
“Bird Man!”
“Didn’t I tell you, that I would see you …?”
“At the appropriate juncture,” agrees Tiina, laughing delightedly and
hugging him warmly.
Yudi comes up and pats him on the back. “We should have realised you
were royalty, as soon as we met” he says.
“You made it as well, eh, Yudi?” Garuda slaps him on the back in a
friendly gesture, which is nevertheless strong enough to unbalance him.
Yudi regains his balance and rights himself. “Yes, and this time we come
equipped with full powers.”
“I cannot wait to hear what you have discovered on your travels,” says
Garuda. “The armies of Half Lives have been waiting for you for a long
time”.
“Army? What army?” ask Tiina and Yudi, looking at each other in
surprise.
Garuda looks to Mimir “Perhaps you can help in explaining what is
about to happen.”
“May as well show them right?” Mimir laughs and raises his hands. The
entire wall separating those inside from the atmosphere outside disappears
and there revealed, as far as the eye can see, is a vast army of soldiers. Living
creatures of all shapes raise their arms, wings, tails and various other assorted
attachments, their voices growing in volume.
Tiina and Yudi are stunned. They look at Mimir, then at Garuda and
Raven, both of whom look back at them and smile.
The premier takes their arms and walks them to the end of the catwalk-
like structure jutting out over the crowds. “Here is the greatest army
assembled ever,” he says. “The first army of Half Lives. The army of Arkana
is here to fight with you.”
The army cheers louder, the noise growing to a crescendo. The premier
lifts Yudi’s right arm, showing off the Isthmus on his wrist. As it catches the
sunlight and sparkles, the crowd below falls silent and the circling Bird
People quiet down, almost coming to a standstill in the skies.
“I give you Yudishtra the righteous, the one who will lead the Half Lives
against Shaitan. To victory!”
Mimir turns to Raven. “What say you, Raven the shape shifter? What is
your prophecy?” Raven looks at them, her eyes lit with an unearthly light. She
raises her sword “Victory to us!” she cries hoarsely “Death to Shaitan!”
The army cheers again in response to her war cry. Their screams are
much louder this time. The passion of their emotions bounces off the heavens
as they shoot their weapons into the skies, filling the atmosphere with a
display of bright lights. The excitement rises sorrounding everything. The
Bird People whoop and fly into a spectacular trident-shaped formation in the
skies, lending a celebratory, almost festive feeling to the atmosphere.
Yudi looks at the Isthmus glowing dark blue on his wrist. He can feel the
promise of victory welling up in his heart. He looks to the horizon where the
first of Shaitan’s army is now visible. “It is time,” he says.

OceanofPDF.com
 The Seventh Hour

The battle between the Half Lives and Shaitan’s Army is fierce.
Every soul brutally contested for and conquered. Every square inch of
land fought over and won.
Over the years, people abbreviate it to 7-7-7, for it is a war which lasts
seven days and nights. It is fought in the seventh month of the year. And only
seven survive on each side to tell the story.
The army of Half Lives is impressive to behold. Leading the charge are
the Mermen and women from Neptune, wearing a tough armour plate made of
fish scales, smooth to touch yet able to withstand the weapons of any enemy.
Then are the Varamens, the Boar People riding around on their magic
surfer boards, with powerful magic horns coming out of their snouts; capable
of casting a spell over the enemy leaving them open for the rest of the troops
to move in.
Right in the middle are the Narasimhans, the Lion People, far-flung
cousins to the Lion Man, nevertheless there to avenge the Lion Man’s death at
the hands of Shaitan. Upright and proud, their strong thigh muscles covered
by the traditional batik sarongs, holding shining diamond-edged swords, they
are known to be deadly in their precision.
Vamanen, the warrior Dwarf People, originally from Earth now
colonised separately on the moon; their speciality, the ability to grow to
extremely tall proportions in situations of extreme duress, the sheer size
dwarfing the enemy troops.
Paramen — the imperial red army guard unit from Arkana in their proud
five-layered headpiece, bare backs glistening with sweat, each tattooed with
the sign of their personal animal spirit and holding powerful axes, with which
they can scalp an enemy in minutes.
The only Half Lives with better armour plating than the Merpeople are
the Kurmen from Uranus. Slow movers and struggling to keep pace with the
fast paced slithering walk of the Merpeople, each of them carries an entire
range of weaponry on their back under the tough armour shells, providing a
never ending artillery supply for the army. They bring up the rear, followed by
the master strategists — the Buddhans. The wise men from around the galaxy,
each of them is centuries old, almost as old as Mimir. They are here to
provide advice in the art of strategic warfare to Yudi, Tiina and Raven. But
can also go to battle as needed.
There are ten of the Buddhans, their collective ages totalling more than a
thousand years. They fly up to the head of the army in their various flying
spacecrafts. Then landing on the docking jetty adjoining the viewing hall they
walk up to Mimir and swear their loyalty to the army of Half Lives.
Yudi and Mimir are in their respective spacepods, small capsule like
crafts streamlined, built for speed and yet made of some of the strongest yet
lightest metal ever, reinforced many times over to repel the strongest of
weapon attacks. Tiina of course rides Artemis, the space ship having
configured her shape to resemble a sleek warship almost a twin in dimensions
to Yudi’s spacepod.
And flying above them are the proud Bird People led by Raven and
Garuda.
The army is imposing enough to strike fear at the heart of any enemy.
Yet Yudi knows that they will meet their match in Shaitan’s troops who come
from the air, the land and the sea. Shaitan’s army is fearsome to look at. The
obvious lack of planning in their ranks is made up by brute force. Most of the
soldiers are giants, above seven feet tall, well built, wearing strong armour
which covers them almost from neck to toe. They bear a variety of weapons,
from large stones and clubs, to swords and spears, and the more exotic bows
and arrows. A few even have the much sought after golden discs which when
sent flying through air can cut through flesh of any kind in milli-seconds.
As the sun rises on the first day of the battle, Mimir blows his conch
shell announcing the official start to the war. The high pitched sound is taken
up by his generals and then by the leading soldiers on Shaitan’s side.
The air fills with screams of, “Death to the other side,” the clashing of
swords on shields, of spears rising in the air as the sun rays shine off the
impressive body armour worn by troops on both sides. Yudi’s human-lions
roar in delight at the prospect of sinking their jaws into the flesh of their
enemies. The boar people swish about showing off their expertise with their
magic surf boards, impatient to get started while the Paramen raise their
impressive battle axes and mock fight with each other warming up for the
action.
It is the Merpeople on Yudi’s front lines that are the most silent. On
hearing the trumpeting of conch shells they are the first to move forward,
their fish tails make no noise as they glide forward almost not touching the
stony ground below.
They clash with Shaitan’s brute soldiers, the force of the collision
sending many flying away into the air. There are huge bursts of lightning and
violent bolts of electricity generated, sending ripples through the rest of the
gathered armies. Most of the Mer-people are killed by the end of the first day,
but not before taking out a sizeable portion of Shaitan’s army holding him
back. At sunset the conch shells once more blare out and the armies retire to
their respective camps.
Shaitan is so confident about his victory that he does not come out to
battle on the first day. He is surprised to see his soldiers return downcast by
what they have seen. He bursts out laughing at the news of his army’s slow
progress. He cannot believe that Yudi’s army could be that strong. There must
be some mistake, he thinks, obviously many of my soldiers are drunk, as
usual. He dismisses the dazed news bearer, who runs out of his tent unclear
why Shaitan has spared his life.
On the second day Raven makes magnificent headway. Leading a
portion of Yudi’s army drawn mainly from her fellow Bird People and the
Boar Men, she fights first from the air. But very soon, as the enemy soldiers
on the ground thin out, she lands on her feet and, raising her sword and shield,
cuts her way through the various ranks of Shaitan’s army, slaying hundreds of
Shaitan’s soldiers. Her own soldiers try to keep pace with her, but within a
few hours they lose sight of her as Shaitan’s soldiers close in behind her, the
giants making an armour-plated umbrella above her, cutting her off from the
rest of her people.
When she is within yards of the centre of the army, she faces Shaitan’s
strongest soldiers, drawn from the ranks of his mightiest. They surround her
from all sides. She continues to fight, wheeling her sword around, keeping
them off. Her movements become slower and slower and the circumference of
her circle becomes smaller until finally she slows down and sinks to the
ground, using her sword for support. Waiting for just this opportunity, the
soldiers move in, and tearing to shreds her shield of safety, finally, in one
swoop, behead her.
That night it is the Half Lives who return to camp in silence, bearing the
fallen Raven. Tiina runs to her and seeing her once proud figure so quiet and
lifeless she bursts into tears. Mimir and the Buddhans come together with
Yudi and Tiina to discuss what to do next. The Buddhans advise that it is best
to go into a more defensive concentric formation from the next day. Yudi is at
the centre surrounded by the Lion People, and the remaining Bird People, led
by Garuda, guard him from any attack from the skies.
The Vamanen — the dwarf people are arranged around Yudi, then the
Paramen with their axes and finally the Varamens — the Boar People on their
magic surf boards encircle the entire army as they move forward.
Tiina turns to Yudi as they are in the middle of the discussion and asks to
be allowed to join the warriors upfront rather than being in the centre and
protected. As Yudi hesitates, she says, “Remember, I did go to the same
school as you, I am as good a warrior as you ... and not as important to this
fight.”
“But you are irreplaceable for me,” he says, smiling, as he places his
hands on her shoulders.
“The army is united behind you. We cannot lose you. Besides I am better
placed upfront from where I can help lead,” she replies in a serious tone.
 Yudi hesitates, but realising that she would never forgive him if he didn’t
let her go, gives in and agrees. “OK, then, but promise me you will not step
outside Artemis,” he says. “As long as she is there to protect you, nothing can
touch you.”
Tiina smiles and, appreciating his concern, leans forward to kiss him.

On the fourth day that the fight reaches a turning point. Sensing victory,
Shaitan wakes up before dawn, dons his massive armour over his vest and
customary black leather trousers, and picks up his long sword, its hilt polished
to a shining copper, the red ruby on it winking in the rising sun as he straps it
to his back.
As he walks out of his tent the very ground seems to tremble at the
power of his intent. His favourite space ship, which has seen him through
many a fight, materialises as if out of thin air, drawing to a silent stop in front
of him. The panels open and a bridge appears, on which he steps; once inside,
the ship closes around him, safely sealing him from the outside world. Yet its
walls are transparent so that he can see everything that is taking place outside
very clearly. The blood of the battle is in him and, with a laugh of pure delight
at the adrenaline coursing through his veins, rides to the front of his army
ready to fight.
Spotting Artemis’ distinctive reddish hull at the front of the Army of
Half Lives, he realises it must carry someone of importance and heads straight
for the smaller ship. Sensing the oncoming onslaught, Artemis immediately
increases in size to tower over Shaitan’s ship, increasing the width of her
walls so that the laser beams from Shaitan’s ship bounce off her without
causing any damage.
Shaitan circles around Artemis in his attempt to burn down the ship.
Despite Artemis’ almost invincible shield, he manages to find a weak spot in
her defences so that a beam of destructive energy gets through and hits Tiina
on her back, so that she falls to her knees, stunned.
Meanwhile, seeing the fight between Shaitan and Tiina, Garuda leads the
remaining Bird People to her rescue. They fly in a thick flock, attacking
Shaitan’s space ship from all sides.
Garuda retreats, heading in a straight line for the sun high in the sky.
When he has reached as far as he can go, he stays silent for a moment, folding
his hands in a mark of respect to the Sun God. He then turns around and,
folding his wings to his side, aims for Shaitan’s space ship below. The other
Bird People part for him. His body becomes the equal of a missile as he
gathers speed, hurtling towards his target. When he is moving so fast as to
become a blur, he rushes past his fellow warrior and smashes into the side of
Shaitan’s space ship, which shudders violently.
Shaitan is blinded for a few minutes, unable to see where he is going.
Seeing the opportunity, Artemis retreats, carrying the injured Tiina to safety.
Garuda’s speed carries him through the ship’s defences, and he crashes
into the main room of the space ship and lies there stunned and bleeding from
many places.
Shaitan recovers his composure in seconds. Pulling out his sword, he
walks up to the unconscious Garuda and plunges it into his heart. He then
pulls the inert body and, grunting with the effort, throws it out the same way
Garuda had crashlanded inside his ship.
Shaitan then charges up the walls of his space ship with laser energy,
strong enough to burn many of the Bird People who are clinging to its sides.
Those on his ship are burnt to cinders; the rest fall to the ground, their wings
burning, and are torn up and eaten by the many giants in his army below.
Seeing that he has lost the earlier space ship he had come after, Shaitan
is in a fine temper. He proceeds to fire up all his remaining laser weapons. He
kills many of his own soldiers, but also succeeds in wiping out most of the
Boar People who are the outermost line of defence for Yudi’s army.
Thus the fourth day ends with a standoff.

“Shaitan will not be happy at only taking out the less important soldiers,”
says Yudi. He looks at the injured Tiina, who has managed to make it to their
usual evening gathering to discuss the strategy for the next day.
Mimir agrees. “He will come after one of us tomorrow, and I’d rather it
be me than you.”
“But ...”Yudi begins to protest.
Mimir silences him. “Listen to me,” he says. “It’s important to keep him
distracted so that he can use up most of his energy before he gets to you.”
“I don’t like it,” fumes Yudi, “I am not such a coward that first a
woman,” he gestures to the wounded Tiina, “and then an old man,” he looks
at Mimir, “take up the fight on my behalf.”
“And I have the benefit of my powers of illusion, which is more than
you,” smiles Mimir. He walks up to Yudi and pats him on his back. “You will
have your chance, I promise you, but I ask ... I ask that when you and Shaitan
come face to face, you don’t miss.”
“How can I miss?” Yudi asks, incredulous.
“I hope that seeing your own father face to face does not weaken you ...”
“He is not my father ...”
“No, he did not raise you.” agrees Mimir. “but you are born of him, like
it or not ... and strange are the ways of the heart ... just remember, Yudi, what
you are meant to do.”
“I will not spare him,” says Yudi, his tone serious.
Meanwhile, back at his camp, Shaitan is angry, and yet for the first time
in his life he does not lose his temper. He sits with his lieutenants, drinking
heavily from his wine. He is sure he will get to kill at least one of the more
important leaders of the other side tomorrow. Somehow after years of
winning, it seems the slight setbacks of the previous few days are almost a
relief. I’ve missed the feeling of being challenged, he thinks. It feels good to
think and plot as to how to get the better of this enemy.
And somehow underlying it all is an eerie calm. Shaitan is not one to
believe in destiny, and yet it feels that despite his best efforts he is being
dragged slowly but surely towards an end. He shakes his head to clear the
gloomy feeling which has crept up. Rising from his chair he dismisses his
men and calls for one of the many beautiful women he keeps for his
amusement. At least wine and women have never failed me so far, he thinks.
Shaitan rises the next day, his head still blurry from the exertion of the
night before. Once more he wears his battle armour over his customary vest
and black leather trousers. Then, strapping his sword to his back, he steps out
as his battle ship comes to a silent halt in front of him.
In the opposite camp, Mimir gets into a battle ship which is a twin to
Yudi’s. He is wearing his customary flowing white robes, the only difference
is his sword strapped to his back. His silver beard glistens in the rising sun as
he waves to Yudi and Tiina, before steering his spacecraft out to the head of
the army. Accompanying him on either side, on their own smaller spacepods
are two of the Buddhans each armed with their own swords.
The remaining troops are formed mainly of the Kurmen bearing their
weapons, the Paramen with their battleaxes, and the Varamen — the warrior
dwarves with magic powers. All of them take their positions, sensing that the
climax of the battle is almost upon them.
Mimir and the two Buddhans ride out to the very front of the troops and
as soon as the conch shells blare the start of battle for the day, he jumps ahead
as if in a race heading straight for Shaitan’s ship. He is immediately
surrounded by Shaitan’s giants, many of them leaping up into the air to get in
his way and promptly struck back. Mimir and the two Buddhans initially use
their power of illusions so that it seems as if there is wall of fire from the
ground to the sky, coming at Shaitan’s troops. Many of them promptly drop
their weapons and panic, running away, creating havoc among the rest.
Mimir moves ahead at a swift pace, only to be met by more soldiers on
smaller spacepods. In response once more Mimir and the Buddhans come up
with a new illusion, this time of massive dragons that pounce on the soldiers
from the skies, surrounding them with their fiery breath. It does not seem to
faze them one bit and they drive straight through the images to continue
coming at them.
As they come closer Mimir realises that they are wearing super focus
glasses with which they can see through illusions. Mimir realises that their
illusionary powers will be useless against them. He signals to the other
Buddhans and, as Shaitan’s fighters get closer, he ramps up the power of his
force shields and, gathering all the power at their disposal, they throw their
laser beams towards the soldiers. One of the spacepods catches fire and falls
to the ground; however, the others are barely shaken and keep coming.
This time Mimir lowers the glass panels to the side and aims his
spacecraft at the closest enemy spacepod. When it comes close enough, he
sends his craft on a collision course with the spacepod. As the two crash and
fall burning to the ground, he takes to the air on a silver surf board thrown to
him by one of the Varamen, the Boar People. Proceeding towards the next
enemy spacepod, Mimir pulls out his sword and pauses to blow a magic spell
over it, energising it so that the sword seems to shimmer in the air. Then, with
an agility that belies his age, he jumps from the surf board to land right on top
of the spacepod and plunges his sword right through the panelled exterior and
into the giant seated at the helm. As the giant screams, Mimir pulls out his
sword and, jumping back onto the silver surfing board, proceeds to the next
one.
He turns around and realises that his other fellow Buddhans have not
been as lucky, for they are nowhere to be seen.
He continues onto the next spacepod, and the next, in this fashion, both
times killing the warrior driving the craft plunging them both to their deaths.
Then as he pauses for breath, he looks up to see an entire array of
spacepods filling his vision, at least hundred or more, coming at him.
Meanwhile the Varamen — a few of the Boar People on their silver surf
boards — have also caught up with him. The leader of the Boar People comes
up to Mimir, riding parallel with him, and gestures that he and the rest of his
team will follow him as they ride towards the enemy.
Mimir nods, his face expressionless, and continues on his surf board
towards the enemy crafts followed by about fifty of the Varamen — the Boar
People. Shaitan’s soldiers on their far superior spacepods surround them.
Mimir closes his eyes as one of them comes straight for him and, displacing
him from his surf board, slams his sword through his chest.
It is a sober crowd at Yudi’s camp that night. Yudi and Tiina, who is still
recovering from her injury, are joined by the remaining seven Buddhans as
well as the leaders of the Lion People and the Vamanen — the Dwarf People.
As the night grows darker with no sign of Mimir or any of the Boar People,
they accept that their worst fears have been realised. And then one of the Boar
People limps back into camp, with stories of the old seer’s bravery. He relates
how Mimir had managed to kill at least forty of the approaching giants in
their spacepods before being finally killed.
On hearing about the firsthand account of the death of his old guru, Yudi
is deeply disturbed and very angry. “He should never have gone into war on
his own,” he rages. “I should have been there.” He jumps to his feet and
walks out of the tent into the open field with the fires from the other tents
burning in the distance. He falls to his knees and pounds the dirt in
frustration, tears running down his cheeks.
Tiina limps outside and walks over to stand next to him. She wonders,
helplessly, how to console him and then reaches out to him. His head is level
with her chest and she hugs him close. Finally, wiping away his tears, Yudi
gets to his feet. “I am going to get him,” he says in a low voice. “He will pay
for everything he took away from me.”. Tiina does not reply as they both look
up and gaze into the distance where the lights from Shaitan’s camp can be
seen far away. Yudi holds out his hand to Tiina and then, supporting her, they
walk back into the tent to confer with the other leaders on the best strategy for
the next few days.
The sixth day of the battle dawns quiet, the morning light moody. The
troops on both sides are tired, the early excitement of the fight has worn off,
and the death toll has risen on both sides, enough to sober the remaining into
wishing the end was in sight so that they did not have to bury more friends
and fellow warriors.
Again, on the advice of the remaining Buddhans, Yudi holds back, but
barely. The leaders of the Lion People and the Vamanen — the Dwarf People
— take charge, leading their respective troops. This time the Lion People lead
the charge, ferocious in their approach, their loud roars reverberating through
the enemy soldiers, striking further fear into their already tired spirits.
Meanwhile the Dwarf people retreat to the side. While the Lion People keep
Shaitan’s army occupied, they take on the shape of twenty feet tall giants and
cross around swiftly, taking a wide curve around the fighting troops to come
up against Shaitan’s army on the other side. They manage to set fire to the
tents, laying waste to the arms storage, and many of them walk over the tents
crushing the guards underfoot as they attack Shaitan’s troops from the rear.
Shaitan himself has chosen to stay back, preserving his energy for the
final battle, and is in his tent when the Dwarf People take his guards by
surprise. As he comes out of his tent unarmoured, with his sword in his arm,
two of the giants close in on him. As he looks up towards them for a moment
Shaitan knows fear.
Then one of them laughs. “So this is the brave Shaitan?”
“I don’t know, he looks quite small and scared from up here, doesn’t
he?” sneers the other.
“Don’t worry, old man,” the first giant rumbles, “we will not kill you.
We are just here to give you a message from Yudi.”
“Tomorrow’s the day, Shaitan, prepare to meet your death,” says the
other, and before Shaitan can react the giant reaches down and, plucking the
sword from his hands, flings it away, its ruby glinting as it makes an arc
through the air, vanishing in the distance. Then, laughing, the two of them
move on leaving behind a stunned Shaitan.
“Bring me back my sword,” he roars at the nearest soldier, who runs out
in search of it.
Shaitan spends a sleepless night wondering how he could have got it
wrong. The encounter with the giants has shaken him more than he would
care to admit. Many of his fiercest soldiers have fallen this day and he knows
that tomorrow will be the day of reckoning. Much before dawn he wakes, his
head clear. He looks up at the silver morning sky and knows that he will not
have much help from the Gods today. Not when his own father, the Lord
Shiva, had disowned him at birth.
Simultaneously on the other side of the battleground, Yudi, helped by
Tiina, straps on his vest. She helps him place the armoured plates over it. He
snaps the armour into place over his black leather trousers, unconsciously
echoing Shaitan’s own battle uniform. He picks up his long sword, the ruby
on it glinting as it catches fire and glows. As a last gesture Tiina holds up the
Isthmus to her lips, then, kissing it for luck, she straps it to his right hand —
his sword hand. Yudi smiles grimly wondering if he will ever see her repeat
that action, then snaps his sword onto the sword-holder on his back before
stepping out.
He looks in surprise as Artemis stands ready outside to take him into the
warzone. “As long as you have Artemis, you will be safe,” says Tiina,
smiling. She kisses him for luck then steps back as he walks with quick steps
towards the waiting spacecraft and runs up the steps which fold up behind
him. The spacepod rises with a quite whoosh and, dipping in salute to Tiina,
takes off to the front line, followed closely by the remaining Dwarf People
who have once again assumed their giant proportions.
Then Tiina turns to wear her own battle gear in preparation for what she
hopes will be the last day of fighting.
Yudi and Shaitan meet on the seventh day, at the seventh hour, just as the
sun is climbing overhead, its red rays bathing both in a golden-red hue.
Shaitan’s spacecraft hovers in the air and Artemis mirrors its holding
pattern, her distinctive reddish hull changing colour so that ripples of gold and
silver shiver through it, mesmerising in appearance.
The two spacecraftcrafts charge towards each other and their individual
laser beams clash in the centre, giving rise to a sound similar to a clap of
thunder as the electrical charge fills the air. They repeat this again and again
and again until Shaitan’s space ship seems to tremble, and then, with an
almost gentle groan of metal, spirals to the ground, crushing the soldiers
below and coming to rest on their bodies.
Artemis gracefully lands a short distance away, coming to rest a few feet
above the ground. Yudi jumps out and pulls out his sword. He walks across to
where Shaitan has leapt to the ground and is trying to retrieve his sword from
its sword holder, where it is stuck. He manages to pull it out in time to block
Yudi’s strike, throwing him back with the sheer strength of his superior build.
Yudi realises he has to first exhaust Shaitan before he can hope to defeat
him. He dances around Shaitan, worrying him, angering him further, as
Shaitan growls in anger trying to pin Yudi to the ground. After a good half
hour of this, Shaitan can feel his muscles tire and, sensing his weakness, Yudi
thrusts with renewed force so that Shaitan’s sword flies from his hand,
burying itself in a mound of dirt just feet away. Shaitan swears and reaches
out for it, when Yudi places his sword on his father’s neck.
Shaitan raises his eyes to that of the young boy “Wait!”
The sheer surprise of hearing the voice of his enemy for the very first
time stops Yudi in his tracks. He leaves his sword as is breathing heavily with
the exertion of the day.
“You do not recognise me, do you?”
It is as if every soldier on the battle ground can hear their conversation,
for the clash of swords, the screams of the fallen and even the moans of the
wounded dies down as all fighting ceases. The warriors lower their weapons,
and look on at the drama playing out between Shaitan and Yudi. A hushed
silence descends on the field.
Yudi’s hand is steady but his voice wavers as he clears his throat “I do
not know you at all” he says.
“We are so similar you and I” Shaitan tries to laugh, his voice finally
breaking as the laugh gives away to a harsh cough. He subsides for a minute
coughing up blood.
“I am nothing like you” replies Yudi, then angered by what he sees as
Shaitan’s attempt in trying to relate to him, Yudi goes to raise his sword for
the final thrust when Shaitan hastens to interrupt him. “So Athira did not tell
you of your true father?”
On hearing his dead father’s name Yudi hesitates. Still holding up the
sword he asks “What do you know about Athira?”
Satisfied that he had finally got Yudi’s full attention Shaitan continues
“Did you ever wonder how Athira found you?”
“He found me in the grounds of the....”
“The Royal Palace, yes that’s what he told you and you believed him...”
It was more a statement than a question.
“That’s just how it was.”
“He didn’t tell you how much I met Yana your mother. How much I
loved her. How she never told me when she became pregnant with you. And
when you were born she sent you away to the farthest planet in the universe –
to Ka Surya. It was she who specifically chose Athira to find you and take
care of you...”
“Liar,” in a smooth move Yudi moves the sword to his left hand and
smashes his right hand with the glowing Isthmus wrapped around its wrist,
into the face he hates so much. Shaitan chokes over the slap, then coughs and
spits out blood and a few broken teeth. “I take it I have your full attention
then,” the laugh rumbles up from his chest, seeming closer to a cry.
“Can’t you see how similar we are....the same hair, the same eyes, we are
even about the same height...” Shaitan breaks off as Yudi brings down the
sword burying its blade in the ground to the left of his head. Then leaning
forward he grabs Shaitan by his shoulders and pulls him up so that he is
standing shakily again on his two feet “... the same temper...” Shaitan laughs
again. A strange trembling comes over his hands and legs as Yudi looks into
him with his brown eyes so similar to his own. He can barely stand up
straight. If it were not for Yudi holding him up he realises his legs would not
have held him up.
Meanwhile Tiina has pushed her way through the crowds of people
watching and come to the front. She sees Yudi with his arms on Shaitan’s
shoulders. From that distance there is no mistaking the similarity in the build
of the two of them. Both are dressed very similarly in black leather trousers
and protective vests, with long black reinforced leather boots. They are of
similar height somewhere above six feet. “Shaitan has aged since the battle
began” she realises, his body slightly stooped over, while Yudi stands straight,
still showing the slim build of youth.
She sizes up the moment and realization dawns. Without hestitation she
cups her palms around her mouth so that her voice would carry better and
yells “Kill him, Yudi. Kill him.”
As if waking up from their trance the crowd of soldiers takes up the
chant, “Kill, kill...” Their voices grow in strength “KILL...” they roar as they
close in a circle around the two men.
Shaitan sees Yudi hesitate, “So what it will be... son?” he says softly, as
if not wanting anyone except the two of them to hear the whisper.
Yudi turns his head to look at Tiina. Her figure blurs in front of his eyes
and he realises that there are tears running down his cheeks.
He turns back to Shaitan and lets go of his shoulders so that he falls to
his knees in front of Yudi.
Shaitan closes his eyes, waiting for the sword to strike; then, after a few
minutes which seem like hours, he lifts his head to look at Yudi, still poised
over him with the sword, the setting sun silhouetting him, making his golden
brown hair blaze as if with a halo. Shaitan blinks to clear his eyes. He opens
them again and watches with fascination as Yudi strikes; he sees the dull glint
of the Isthmus and a laugh bubbles out, as the sword descends towards his
neck, unhurriedly. It sweeps down at a slow pace and as it passes his face, his
eyelids mirror the gesture and shut down, as if to protect him from the sight of
his own death. Beyond is a strange stillness, a peace which he has been
looking for, and finds only on the other side.
Yudi plunges the sword into the ground next to Shaitan’s head. “I am
nothing like you...” he says, then clasps his left palm over the Isthmus on his
right wrist, as he turns and walks away. Shaitan bursts out laughing before
collapsing unconscious.
There are only seven survivors, including Yudi and Tiina, who leave the
battle field that day, to start the race all over again.
Glossary

Avatar: An Avatar refers to the incarnation (bodily manifestation) of a divine

Supreme Being into physical form. An Avatar is a personal form of the
Supreme Light. When a personal form of God descends from the higher
dimensional realm to the material world, they hold a higher vibration and shift
the outcome of everything they touch in thought and deed and action. They
are knowingly eternal and free from the laws of the matter, time and space.
They descend into this world telling those who will listen that there is more
than meets the eye.
Tiina, aka Parvati, aka Uma, is a Hindu goddess. Also regarded as a
representation of divine female strength, the embodiment of the total
energy of the universe. Also considered the supreme Divine Mother and
all other Hindu goddesses are referred to as her incarnations or
manifestations. She as Parvati is nominally the second consort of Shiva.
Yudi, aka Yudishtra the righteous: Yudishtra's father, Pandu, the king of
Hastinapura, soon after his marriage accidentally shot a Brahmin and his
wife, mistaking them for deer, while the couple were making love.
Before he died, the Brahmin cursed the king to die the minute he
engaged in intercourse with one of his two wives. Due to this curse,
Pandu was unable to father children. However, his mother, Queen Kunti,
had in her youth been granted the boon to invoke the Gods to grant her
children. Kunti gave birth to Yudishtra by invoking the Lord of Death,
Yama. Yudishtra’s true prowess was shown in his unflinching adherence
to satya (truth) and dharma (righteousness), which were more precious to
him than royal ambitions, material pursuits and family relations. He also
rescued his four brothers from death by exemplifying not only his
immense knowledge of dharma, but also his understanding of the finer
implications of dharma, as judged by Yama, who tested him.
The Lion Man, aka Narasimha: Avatar of Vishnu and one of Hinduism's
most popular deities. He is often visualised as half-man/half-lion, having
 a human-like torso and lower body, with a lion-like face and claws. He is
known primarily as the 'Great Protector' who specifically defends and
protects his devotees in times of need.
Yama, aka The God of Death: In Hindu tradition, he is considered to
have been the first mortal who died and showed the way to the celestial
abodes, and in virtue of precedence, he became the ruler of the departed.
Yama is also the god of justice and is sometimes referred to as Dharma
(righteous duty), in reference to his unswerving dedication to
maintaining order and adherence to harmony. It is said that he is also one
of the wisest of the Gods. He is also the father of Yudishtra.
The Bird Man, aka Garuda: A large mythical bird or bird-like creature
depicted as having the golden body of a strong man with a white face,
red wings, and an eagle's beak, and with a crown on his head. He was
said to be massive, large enough to block out the sun. An ally of the
Gods, this mighty bird is said to have brought the Elixir of immortality
to Earth from heaven.
The myth of the Asuras: In Hindu mythology, Mahishasura was a
demon that could not be defeated in battle by any man or god. Since he
was invincible to all men, the Gods created his nemesis in the form of a
young woman, Durga (a form of Uma or Parvati). In her incarnation of
Kali she defeats the demon Raktabija who has the magic boon that every
drop of blood falling from him to the ground will become another
Raktabija (rakta=blood, bija=seed). Kali spreads her giant tongue and
drinks up all the blood before it falls to the Earth, thus destroying him.
Seven Sages, aka Seven Kings, aka Seven Wise Masters, the title of a famous
cycle of medieval tales which centre round the story of a young prince who,
after baffling all efforts of former tutors, is at last, at the age of twenty,
instructed in all knowledge by Sindbad, one of the king's wise men. But
having cast his horoscope, Sindbad perceives the prince will die unless, after
presentation at the court, he keeps silence for seven days. One of the king's
wives, having in vain attempted to seduce the young man, in baffled rage
accuses him to the king with tempting her virtue, and procures his death-
sentence; the seven sages delay the execution by beguiling the king with
stories till the seven days are passed, when the prince speaks and reveals the
plot; an extraordinary number of variants exist in Eastern and Western
languages, the earliest written version being an Arabian text of the 10th
century: a great mass of literature has grown round the subject, which is one
of the most perplexing as well as interesting problems of storiology.
The churning of the ocean: Indra the King of Gods is cursed by the sage
Durvasa and loses everything to the demons. He forms an alliance with the
demons and together they jointly churn the ocean for the nectar of
immortality. The Gods (Devas) and Demons (Asuras) represent the positives
and negatives respectively of one's personality. The participation of both the
Devas and the Asuras signifies that when one is seeking bliss through
spiritual practice, one has to integrate and harmonise both the positive and
negative aspects and put both energies to work for the common goal. The
ocean of milk is the mind or the human consciousness. The mind is like an
ocean while the thoughts and emotions are the waves in the ocean.
Mahabharata: one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India; an
important part of Hindu mythology and of immense importance to culture in
the Indian subcontinent. Its discussion of human goals: (dharma or duty, artha
or purpose, kāma, pleasure or desire and moksha or liberation) takes place in
a long-standing tradition, attempting to explain the relationship of the
individual to society and the world (the nature of the 'Self’) and the workings
of karma. The epic also reveals the complexity of human relationships in
various dimensions, which can be related to even with the modern complexity
of human relationships.
The Trimurti (three forms) or the great trinity is a concept in Hinduism in
which the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction are
personified by the forms of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the maintainer or
preserver, and Shiva the destroyer or transformer.
Vishnu, the preserver: Vishnu is considered one of the five primary forms of
God. Hindu tradition also refers to Vishnu as the all-pervading essence of all
beings, the master of — and beyond — the past, present and future, the
creator and destroyer of all existences, one who supports, sustains and
governs the Universe and originates and develops all elements within. He is
described as having the divine colour of clouds (dark-blue), and four arms.
Also described as having a Universal Form which is beyond the ordinary
limits of human perception.
Egreog, aka St George: The most famous legend of Saint George is of him
slaying a dragon. In the Middle Ages the dragon was commonly used to
represent the Devil. The slaying of the dragon by St George was first credited
to him in the twelfth century, long after his death. There are many versions of
story of St George slaying the dragon, but most agree on the following: A
town was terrorised by a dragon. A young princess was offered to the dragon.
When George heard about this, he rode into the village. George slew the
dragon and rescued the princess.
Raven, aka Morrigan aka Kali: The Morrigan was prone to prophesying,
predicting the outcome of battle, and is a creature of need, of want, of greed
and gluttony, and can also demonstrate a possessive and jealous nature, but
from that need and want, from the satisfaction of that appetite, great acts of
creativity arise.

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