Yamlok: The Realm Of The Dead

Chapter 5

Anamika swung her legs back and forth as she listened to the waters. They were still up there, on the tower overlooking the Mother. 

While Laksh sat there, he tried to balance a khanjar on his index finger. 

The silence was a comfortable one. There was nothing much that they could see, just blank red hills. To Anamika, they looked grey. She looked up at the sky and all shades of black and white stared back at her. She huffed, wishing she could see colours and appreciate the beauty around her. She looked at her brother-in-arms, 'Laksh?'

'Hmm?' He responded but concentrated on the blade.

She looked back at the sky, 'How does the sky look today?'

He flipped the blade between his fingers and rested it next to him. He glanced at her and then at the sky. He took some time to take in the colours he could see. He wanted to do his best to describe the sky for Anamika, though he knew that it would never change. 

She watched as he squinted his eyes, an action that told her he was analyzing his thoughts. 

She waited patiently.

After a few moments of silence, Laksh started to speak. 'You see there,' he hand swept across the horizon. She nodded and leaned closer to him.

'There is black along the horizon.
The colour that stretches from there, 
Is the colour that resembles that darkest of the Mother's.
From there, limbs of fiery red and tamarind yellow, 
Are splattered across the sky.

Some parts like sindur, 
Some parts like blood.
Some parts like fire;
some parts like the dark desires.
Some golden specks of golden like our tears,
But they are few and free like they have nothing to fear.'
 He looked around, to see if he had missed any of the details. When he was satisfied, he grinned at her, 'What do you think?'

'I think it sounds beautiful,' she spoke, truthfully. 

He caught the awe in her tone. He chuckled, 'You always say that.'

'What else can I say?' She shrugged, 'It's the truth.'

'It's always the same, Anamika,' he said. She raised a brow at his words and he laughed, 'But don't stop asking me. It's the only time I may be able to brush up on my poetry.'

She joined him. When their laughter died down, she looked at her brother-in-arms with a big smile on her face, 'Don't worry, I like your poetry.'

Laksh lovingly pinched her nose, 'You're my sister-in-arms, you should love my poetry.'

***

Keval witnessed the entire ordeal. He watched as Ainas devoured the Rakshaks. They were helpless. He desperately wanted her to stop. He wished he had the courage to give up his dream and save them. 

He didn't. 

Closing his eyes, he turned away but couldn't block the screams. There were thirteen of them including the Rakshak Guru. None of them saw him but that didn't make it any better for Keval.

He found himself wondering if it was a mistake, joining hands with the Daanavraj but he immediately pushed the thought away. All this wouldn't matter when he would achieve his freedom. 

Sacrifices have to be made.

This was his sacrifice.

'You know what to do,' Ainas glided toward him. They were still in the Astha station. There was no sound except that of a few petty daanavas enjoying their tiny victory. He hated those dim-witted creatures with a passion. The Daanavraj had told him a story when he was recruited. It was of the King Prahlad. He was the greatest King of the Daanavas and a devout follower of Lord Vishnu. The Daanavraj convinced him that he had the same spirit in him.