As the night grew deeper, the weather changed dramatically. A storm was coming in from the northern horizon. Slowly thunderclouds covered the night sky. The violent winds from earlier had now grown in intensity, sweeping through the mountains, obscuring the landscape. As if the night vibrated in anticipation.
And yet, in that infernal weather, two figures walked along a narrow path. Dressed only in bellowing pieces of saffron cloth, the thin shawls over their shoulders were all that kept the elements from ravaging their bodies. But the harsh climate didn't seem to bother them.
"We wait here, for now," said the man in front, stopping abruptly.
"Are we close, Subhankor?" asked his companion.
"Yes. He's inside a cave, there," Shubhankor said, pointing toward the great black silhouette of a mountain that stood in front of them.
Looking around, the two finally sat on a large rock facing the mountain and waited. It hadn't been too long when Shubhankor, even with his eyes closed, felt his companion fidgeting impatiently.
"But why are you waiting?" his companion asked finally.
"Because Korno is still with him. But he will be leaving soon," Subhankar replied, without opening his eyes.
"And you would let him?" He could feel his companion stare at him, in the darkness, with wide incredulous eyes.
"I am here at the invitation of my former master, Gargi. When the right moment approaches, he will send for me."
Gargi was about to protest but something startled her and she gave out an involuntary gasp, "Shubhankor! I am sure I saw a light of passage."
Slightly surprised, Subhankar turned to follow Gargi's line of vision, but saw nothing.
"You know Master is old school, Gargi. He will not cross over without having a witness," Shubhankor said. He stood up with a jolt. Frowning, he muttered under his breath, "Unless he has changed his mind and made Korno his witness..."
"The light was blue, not white, Shubhankor. Over the ages, I have been witness to quite a few such ascension to know what I am saying. This was not an ascension but a passage," Gargi said reassuringly.
"If it is not master, then it must be...Korno!"
Shubhankor went very still. Then abruptly, he spoke up again, "Master is calling me. You stay here Gargi. This is only between the two of us."
******
Alone once more, Yagyavalkya went back to his silent contemplation. He realised, after the longest time, he knew, with near absolute certainty, what was going to happen in the next few moments to come. It felt strange, yet comforting. It was comforting to be presented with some sort of an order, in the chaos that he was leaving behind.
Then the old man heard footsteps approaching. The one he was waiting for had finally arrived. It was almost time.
"May I come in, Master?"
A voice from the night beyond echoed within the cave.
"Come in, Shubhankor," Yagyavalkya replied in his feeble voice.
The man who walked in, wrapped in a saffron cloth looked almost identical to the one who had left moments ago. The only discernible difference was that Shubhankor was slightly taller and his hair was greyer than his brother's. Walking over and touching the feet of the old man, Shubhankor sat almost in the exact same spot that his brother had vacated.
The old man looked at him through the dying lights of the fire between them. Subhankar's hazel eyes were fixed on Yagyavalkya as they sat there in heavy silence.
"It has been a while, Master." Shubhankor finally said, almost as if he was meeting an old acquaintance after a while.
"It has, indeed." The old man replied.
"I sense my brother was here too." Shubhankor breathed in deeply.
"You just missed him."
"Yes, it would appear so," Shubhankor said, touching the ground next to him, "Did you tell him I was coming, Master?"
"I did."
"Did he offer to stay?"
"He did."
"Always the dutiful General; never hesitating to go down fighting for the cause," Shubhankor muttered, a rueful smile playing on his lips. "But Gargi, outside, is convinced she saw a light of passage. She was not mistaken, was she Master?"
Yagyavalkya didn't reply. But he didn't have to. Shubhankor gazed at the old man with his penetrating hazel eyes, betraying no emotions.
"You told him to be reborn, didn't you? You gave him the knowledge."
The old man kept his silence for a while before asking, "So you won this war Shubhankor. Now what?"
"You already know what comes next, Master," Shubhankor replied, "However I must admit, that weapon....I almost didn't see it coming."
"I will never forgive myself for that."
"But you do not regret doing it. From where you stand, I gave you very little choice." the former disciple said in a gentle voice.
"There's always a choice Shubhankor. I could have chosen to lie all those years ago or let Gargi win," Yagyavalkya answered, "I chose not to." For the first time, he looked away.
"And today, my own brother chose to carry on the fight from where you left," Shubhankor said with a bitter smile.
The old man looked at his former disciple in pure desperation. He was never more certain of Shubhankor's commitment to his quest, than he was in that moment.
"Yes, Korno has the knowledge. He will stop you," Yagyavalkya replied, enraged.
Shubhankor's eyes glowed as he looked at his father through the fire that separated them.
"Like you, he will also try. But nothing has changed, Master," Shubhankor said introspectively, "All will be...the way it has to be. We both know that."
As a vicious storm swept through the mountain, a gust of wind entered the cave, extinguishing the fire. The former Master and disciple still sat there in the dark, in silence.
"Master, allow me to share something with you." A calm voice broke the silence, "I once met a being, who told me something very interesting. He had a theory about sentient lives across the universe, who have crossed a certain threshold of intelligence. The being argued that the reason most of our evolutionary history has a similar pattern is because at some point they all looked up at the stars. Upon understanding what they are and what they represent, they developed in themselves the absolute certainty of conviction that it is those stars that they are destined to reach."
"I would say, the being was wise," replied the old man.
"I believe so too. But here is what I do not understand. After reaching that last star, at the very edge of the universe when they found nothing but darkness, why did they stop and not press further to explore what lay beyond? Why did that darkness make them afraid?"
"What you ask, Shubhankor, is heresy." the old man exclaimed.
"What I ask, Master, is for my knowledge to be complete. And in time, I believe I will find all the answers; just like the Heeruuns did."
"I was afraid you'd say that," the old man sighed, "Thankfully I will not be there to see it."
"Oh but you will, and you will also understand ... father," There was kindness in Shubhankor's eyes, "when you are one with One."
"Then you still believe you are right." whispered Yagyavalkya.
"Yes I do," Shubhankor replied calmly. "Why do you think your great weapon failed?"
"Because you stopped it."
"And how did my will or your will matter in unleashing or terminating an event of such cosmic significance, when we all know the overriding will is that of One? The One who knows all that was, all that is and all that..."
"Must be...." the old man finished, "You cannot sit there and tell me that you were..."
"I won't. But once you cross the threshold, it will all be clear to you, Master. Nothing is as it seems. Creation is the greatest illusion One had ever conjured up. You'll understand soon enough. You have my word."
Yagyavalkya did not reply. Perhaps neither of them knew how long they sat there, in the darkness of the cave, as the storm ravaged everything outside. At last Shubhankor heard a voice. The old man was whispering something, something he knew very well. Subhankor closed his eyes and waited.
The dead fire burned up again. In that light Shubhankor saw his father stand upright. He looked at Shubhankor for one last time, then looked into the fire.
The orange fire suddenly turned white. The light engulfed the entire cave. Slowly, the flames raced up his body. For the last time the old man uttered-"Oom." In an instance, his body disappeared into the light, and then there was nothing but ashes. Shubhankar sat there alone for a while after his father's body exploded into flames. Getting up Shubhankor took a handful of that ash and rubbed it on his right cheek and forehead.
When he came out the storm had passed. For the first time in his life, there was no one to stop Shubhankor. He held the robe that had belonged to his master.
As he walked out into the open, for once, he looked up to the sky, and for once he smiled.
"Farewell, Master...for now. I will wait for the time when we are one again."
He stooped down to touch the ground where Korno had stood for the last time. His lifeless body lying at the very spot where he had been standing not so long ago.
Touching the dead body of his brother he started praying. Soon Korno's body too was set ablaze, before turning to ash. Again picking a handful of ash he rubbed it on his left cheek and forehead.
Shubhankar looked up into the sky and spoke, "If you can hear me, brother, I know you will prove to be a worthy adversary. But I have to do what I must. If I am to prevail, which I know I will, then it will be up to you to save Creation itself. If you can. I wish you luck. But in the end it will be how it has to be."
*******
Life exists for a purpose. In its origin, life was the most incredible phenomenon in the long saga of Creation. A spark, that is neither matter nor energy, but has the essence of both. It is random, its path cannot be traced. It is unique. It is the only element of the entire cosmic fabric that is not satisfied with changing or altering itself. Life wants to grow. That is what separates it from the rest of Creation. In the beginning, in ways more than one, life restricts itself, it restrains and limits its abilities. Then, one by one, it frees itself till there is nothing to hold it back. When it reaches its ultimate stage, when it is completely free from all physical and mental constraints, then that life, that spark of light rejoins the cosmic fabric in totality. It goes back to the very source from where it started its journey. It becomes one with me. That cycle is evolution.
What makes life more unique is its willingness to grow, each in its own individual way. But the cosmic saga has more to it than just that. Nothing is eternal, nothing can go on forever. Not even I. The cosmic cycle of life will only continue till it comes to an end. When and how that will be, even I do not know for certain.
In this great cycle of cosmic life, Shubhankar is perhaps the only one who will outgrow the cycle itself. As he stands there on that remote planet, he is helpless in the hands of a greater destiny that transcends even that which I embody. Destiny gave him the wisdom, the knowledge and thus the compulsion to act. However impossible the task may be for him, he, a single life form, had to alter Creation; while I, the all powerful, the all embodying, am compelled by the same destiny to stand by and do nothing.
So I will wait and watch. For I am One. And this is the story of what happened next.
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Author's Note: Did you know, these people currently populating my chapter were real scholars and yogis of ancient India? It's a part of lesser known, but well recorded history. For more such fun information, keep reading. You might consider voting too. Any feedback or comments are more than welcomed. Your engagement with my creation will help more people find the story on Wattpad. TIA