The Warrior Of The Magic

Chapter 21

Maya had taken them down the slope through the winding road after a peaceful and light dinner to the training camp. The overlapping grunts and heavy breathing were heard at the silent night. There were military tents of strange fabric tied to strong rooted trees scattered around the ground. Sturdy and young soldiers in formal clothing were marching in discipline while other batch had weapon training and the others were battling against each other with their own magical tricks and it was all supervised by the ever admiring son of Triratna, Avyaan. He briskly joined Ishya and Pari in the chilling weather below the starring night sky. They walked into a tent and warmed themselves with their fire ignited on the wood. Avyaan looked around, "Hope the dinner was grant."

Pari bawled, "Tummy filling!"

Ishya rose her head, staring at Avyaan, "What will I have to do?" She hit straight forward and Avyaan cracked his knuckles, "You ought to fight the heir of third realm."

Pari felt a heavy stone over her, "Will she survive?"

She leaned back hearing Avyaan. He didn't have a definite answer, "I oblige to render service to the bond... Alliance we make, even if something wrong happens."

Pari was haunted by the horrors of the politics, "What will you do for her? For your... Ally even if something happens?"

Even if she dies.

Ishya had her own conditions, "I am ready to sacrifice anything," myself, "on one condition... Nothing happens to anyone... in home."

"We are trying for that," he bolded himself, "You will be playing sorcery, magic and mind games with him alone, Tanvik, the immortal heir of the third realm who has enormous slaves outside his closed realm, the shape shifting, magic absorbing soul hunters, the survivors will be there in his defense unwillingly... We will train you."

"Who?"

"Myself, Aarav, Akesh, Gautam and of course the soil magician and the snow queen."

"Aira?" Ishya felt she do better convict herself to the third heir for he wouldn't have another master plan to rule people.

She wished she could curl onto her parents' arms and be unaware of this land.

"What you seek is..." Avyaan answered as if he read her thoughts, "Is far away."

Ishya shivered, "How... How do you know?"

Pari turned her face at Avyaan then at Ishya and this continued as if forever for she couldn't understand them until Avyaan replied, "Your parents might be in the third realm if they were brought by Tanvik. They might be either imprisoned their or wandering outside under his control."

She couldn't broke down again because she had already shattered at a younger age when she was made to believe that they were captivated by evils above.

"What if this realm had brought my parents?" She wanted a piece of hope to rely on but it cracked on the stressed response, "We don't bring one... But I can help... If you know their work. May be I can find why they were taken. Of course! Their names would help."

Gautam had just raised the cloth over the entry, "Avyaan! Your parents are here from the second realm. They have an important matter for you."

"What is it?" Avyaan stood up turning to Ishya, "Can we catch up a little later?"

Ishya nodded, "Nothing is important than them."

Avyaan had never told about his parents but if he had such inborn qualities of goodness then it must be from his parents.

***

The palace hall was silent. No comments. No sighs. Just nervousness.

Ridhi and Rithvik seemed tensed till Avyaan had arrived with Ishya, Pari and Gautam following him. Aira and Zyan stood there as if chanting, all is well. On the high couch at the center was an elegant couple holding on to each other, elderly but winsome. Avyaan walked to them softly and sat down near their legs, holding their knees, looking into their appealing eyes. The slender woman of leafy green eyes in a long gown with an emerald cloak had her hair flying without the air and the sturdy man had his grey cloak in his arms and he was cold as snow. Avyaan didn't want to read their minds but explain their worries to him. Gautam called out, "Please tell us, high lords — Aadarsh and Aakruthi, what is the matter?"

"Chief alchemist," Aakruthi broke the silence gently and Aadarsh moved on, "Who had assisted the headman has found missing since the last two to three days."

Avyaan stood up and Rithvik stressed, "Trithi is not in the Triratna."

Pari looked around just like Ishya at all the shocked and daunting faces. Few queries erupted behind them, "Did Tanvik take her?"

"Is she enslaved as a magic absorber?"

"Did she leave the realm in fear?"

"What will the headman do?"

"She had betrayed every one of her realm."

Betrayed stuck Ishya who immediately turned around and found the man who had just said that, "How can you ever say that the chief alchemist had betrayed?" She continued staring at that delegate, "Had she ever committed any such thing? Don't speak without an evidence either a reason because she may be somewhere fighting for her, for you, for all. If she hadn't betrayed, then you will die out of guilt so before speaking think twice. Do you get it?" The delegate had been trembling all the time, his throat raised up as if in suffocation and when Ishya had completed. He coughed, holding on to his neck, he seemed relaxed then. Pari guessed what was happening until Avyaan turned back, "Order a search for the chief alchemist. She is very important to us just like the realm being important to her."

He walked past the assembled crowd in distress while the royals got back into discussion and Gautam left for the headquarters. Ishya and Pari headed back to the camp, slowly counting the stars.

***

The little girl had been playing with ring in her finger, adoring the red charm. "Ishi! That must be safe. It's a present to your elder self."

"When will I use it, mother?"

"When time comes, as you walk alone."

"Will you leave me behind?"

Her mother hugged her, "We will have to go meet your cousins."

Ishya pulled herself back, "Why don't they come here?"

"Then how will you get a chance to find us. How will you get a chance to win?"

"I don't want to win."

"No one says like that," her father had been back with wrinkles in his shirt, stiffness in his voice, "You are born to win... All of us are."

"But how do I find you?"

"The universe will lead you, my magic."

Her mother added, "Never step back when you become low because you have many tests coming."

"Why should I pass it all, mother?"

"Because you are born to be so... Born to challenge challenges because you are a gem of magic."

"Will that magic help me up the mountain or to win a dragon like our Avan?"

"Would you like to go to that land? You make up a decision, yes or no for its a big place that can cause huge difference."

"My fire! To make heavier choices you require stronger will," Arhaan patted the little one's braided hair.

***