Haima let out a sigh, her lips parted. A streak of blood spilled out from the sides of her mouth. I cringed, now coming out of a trance-like state, and watched her quickly wipe the blood with the back of her hand. Dark blood smeared across her chin. The backside of her cheeks and the portion underneath her chin were swollen. There were bruise-like marks on her neck shaped like a human hand giving me the impression that she had been strangle-choked to death before coming here.
"Milady," said Matsyasvi, leaning forward and looking at Haima's mouth. "Do you need...?"
Haima raised her hand and shook her head. Matsyasvi held back with a glum expression on her face that made her lips form a straight line and her eyes frown. So, I could hear their voices too. Good. And it struck me that Matsyasvi was on good terms with Haima, her disposition quite in contrast to the accusatory tone of voice she had used during our conversation months ago.
Haima looked up, right through me, her gaze endearing and irksome at equal measure. Her dark brown eyes narrowed as her otherworldly face hardened. For a moment I thought she was going to lose it, all her composure, all at once, just might burst into tears before me and confess that... but no, she wasn't going to do that now. Haima straightened herself again and relaxed her features. She had to be strong, and why not? - she had come here to be the biggest anchor of the country who would only receive hatred in return for the centuries to come.
The three of them then walked together toward the wall on the far-left side of the room.
A quick sigh escaped my mouth, as though I had been holding my breath for a couple of minutes. The world had suddenly become a shrieking, blinding whirl of unfamiliar senses. I realized that I was getting too anxious with a longing pulsing at the pit of my gut, an inexplicable urge, the absurd, borderline meaningless longing that cannot be read at any number of levels.
My stone burned like acid fire. I know. Keep cool. I'm still me.
I followed them quietly, trusting in the powers of this magical room to lead me to where I needed to go. I had an ultra-close-up view of the wall. Two walls per se. One in the present, and another in a different time dimension. There were dark intricate designs with illustrations of ancient stories, portraits, and floral patterns, presently hidden behind the cluster of dusty cobwebs and badly corroded stones. Haima lifted her hand and touched the wall, placing her full palm over it. She exerted pressure and the portion of the wall that her hand had covered slid inside. A great deal of the wall jerked and rolled only to disappear inside the successive wall. A muffled noise of the rolling rocks made me flinch and the door stopped moving with a bang.
Lady Chandrika seemed to have had strong artistic and creative inclinations. The designs on the wall were only an impression that concealed the latch of the room behind it.
Now that Haima had shown me the way into Molten Vault. This was going to be easy. Just follow her, I told myself. She, with her two companions, was already furthering inside. I hurriedly placed my hand at the same spot and put everything I had into lunging at it. Nothing happened at first. The door was jammed shut. I exerted more pressure, grunting with effort. After many pushes and pulls, and a good deal of wriggles the wall slid inside...as slowly as a million miles per hour.
I stood there cracking my knuckles feeling my stomach gently knot and unknot with impatience. As soon as the door separated from the rest of the wall lending me enough space to gain access, hot wind with golden dust blustered up my track. I went in with a curious, shambling gait, trying not to get too spellbound with this place hidden within Selvyn Hill.
I'd entered a closed island of searing fire with about a hundred-foot chasm that bisected all the way through. I was walking above the fortress of lava. The realm of flames shattered and destroyed by innumerable explosions. It could easily be called the heart of the flowing magma which was being enormously destructive to property in its path. The more I walked on the strong stone bridge, leading to the other side of the chasm, the warmer the air turned, giving me the sensation of being in the middle of a desert heat wave. In contrast to the savage magma below, the giant dark abyss stretched for as far as the eye could see. It was bathed in a warm yellow and orange glow reminding me of aurora lights.
A faint shimmer made me focus back on the three guests from a different dimension. A ripple-pattering sound came from the middle of the island. I ran quickly to finish my journey over the bridge. Then, with my eyes slit against the abrasive hot wind, I saw the transparent frame of hers, facing something large, brown, and peculiar. Her companions were standing at a distance, staring fixedly up. On taking a few more steps forward, my vision cleared, and I halted at the spot, having my breath once again caught in my throat.
There was a huge cylindrical dome-like upstanding casket, certainly made of glass. I thought it was a casket, anyway. Inside it was filled with brown swirling smoke, with two sets of spooky, creepy, glowing eyes of a woman staring out like laser beams, heavily lit only by pinpricks of desperation.
My heart began to pound, and I swallowed hard to relieve the dryness in my throat. Although, I tried to stay reluctant to get bothered by the presence of the High Demoness, the mage who carried a legacy that was beyond Haimavathi and Lady Chandrika. I refused to give weight to the immense power she had over the country's mages.
You're here for the stone of the Breaking Samagraha. Just gather them quickly and get the hell out. My conscience screamed to me again and again before getting too absorbed staring at the spirit of the woman that creeped me more than the pitch-black bulbous eyes of Almourah had.
I trotted and stood beside Haima, quickly trying to search for the stones. A short brick wall encircling the dome served the main purpose. The ripples ran rapidly across the water filled inside the wall, momentarily distorting the figures. I crouched down and touched the water. As assumed, I did not feel the wetness, but a chill of sudden awareness seeped into my bones. It reminded me of the water from the pool at the academy. Yajna was performed right here.
There was a sudden shift and I stood back up watching Haima opening her pouch. From it, she took out items one after the other and dropped them into the water. The Maiden's Cup, The Shaatrumani Stone, the Emerald, and the Pride- all translucent and displaying an alternative luster. The four Third-Eyes undulated over the ripples, then slowly got consumed by the water and landed on the base. The series of blip-plock-popping sounds made me aware the ritual that had been performed thousands of years ago by Lady Chandrika to have the abilities passed down to us was being completed by Haima now.
There was just one more to go. One last Third Eye. Haima did not move for a while. She stood still, staring at the water. Her eyes, in the glowing orange hue of the lava, shone with immense pain and sadness. Her blood-smeared jaw clenched tight. She slowly looked aside at her companions and held both her hands up. Matsyasvi and Pizaca glanced at each other before all knowingly taking a step forward to hold each of her hands.
"You know what to do." Haima's voice boomed inside my head. The voice was loud but there was a nervous restless manner to it.
"Khatanjar will be distributed among the three of us as per your last wish," said Matsyasvi, having the same old and odd lilt to her accent. "Almourah will have his portion back. And when the time comes, we will happily lend ours to the Cornelian user if he arrives of his own volition."
Haima gave a single nod and looked further down at Pizaca. "I'll create scenarios to ensure the future Cornelian Users keeps his distance from you," he said. "Anyhow and by any means, the Samagraha of the future generation shall not have any association with you. You have my word."
I've got to give props to you, Pizaca. You almost did a good job there.
Haima turned back; her gaze carefully directed at the water. She let out a huge resigned sigh, eyes steely, and took out a last piece of artifact from her pouch before dropping it aside- a small and sharp-edged iron blade. Her hands slightly shivering, she brought it up and placed it against the wrist of her other hand. Her lips gently moved. "Singh, I hope you never choose a Cornelian User naïve enough to trust me," she murmured, staring hard and cold at the water. Murmer it was, but her voice was crystal clear in my mind and aflame with such vehement hatred. "Because I don't intend to be a pretty piece for their arms nor a brainless lady of the night. Parthiva, you've predestined the fate of the Cornelian users by making me the third eye. Know this, I'll never forgive you."
Every muscle in my body tightened. The feeling of hostility grew inside me, and I knew from where this feeling was coming. I glanced back at her, my lips breaking into a small smile, hoping she could see me and challenge me head-on. Haima's face was a look of seriousness, her brows drawn together features contorted into an intimidating stare-down tinged with contempt. And those eyes, devoid of all warmth, were a subtle form of emotional warfare, yet from her perspective, it was all fair and obvious. She isn't my Nazira, I told myself suppressing the thoughts of animosity that did not matter at all. This person was someone else.
Haima's hand then moved, I readied myself, and unflinchingly she slit her wrist. The spectacle of the pain she emanated made me feel as though my own vein had slit off. I pressed my eyes shut hearing her scream and cries in my mind. Haima dropped off on her knee, and then completely down on her side flinging her slashed hand into the water. The stream of blood flowed out of her freshly cut vein. She writhed at the spot, bleeding hand balled in a tight resisting fist until death was nigh unto her.
Matsyasvi and Pizaca wept silently, helpless.
The smoke inside the dome, from another dimension, began to swirl fiercely. Lady Drishtika's spirit was getting locked forever and the powers of the Third Eyes were ready to pass down to succeeding generations.
My throat constricted as I felt sorry for Haima. Her death was such a pitiful sight to witness. Haima, you displayed the courage and markings of a true queen until the end. But that was exactly the problem. You were always only the queen in every sense of the word. You were born and trained to be a queen, have performed your duties as a queen, and sacrificed your life for the betterment of the country - again- only as a queen. Perhaps that wasn't sufficient.
I grinned inwardly and sheepishly, realizing what the one thing was that Haima lacked in her life. This event from the past made me learn a lesson that needed no reteaching throughout the future arduousness of my life as a king.
I crouched down, studying her very closely now. Keeping the bitterness aside, I still thanked her deeply, for giving me the second heart and keeping her voice alive. She stopped moving, her cries ended and her lifeless eyes closed. She did not seem peaceful even after the death claimed her. Haima lay there, sullen. Diminished. Gone.
Her two companions walked over to proceed with their aftermath duties, but I did not pay heed. The blood that still oozed from Haima's wrist grabbed my attention. The way it coursed through the water, as though willingly flowing to reach a specific place. I crouched walk with the movement of the blood that flowed unnaturally towards the backside of the dome.
Instinctively, I looked up. The glowing eyes flashed in front of me. I gasped. Despite it being a sudden heart-stopping moment, the intimidation did not stay for long. The spirit was only watching my every move, floating and moving around the dome along with me but she seemed harmless. You're locked, lady. I'm sorry for your misfortune, but I will make sure that you stay locked forever.
I refocused and watched the movement of the blood which seemed to be getting lost inside the glass dome. Focusing on the bricks from the other dimension, and mentally visualizing the difference between the walls then and now, I realized the small portion at the bottom was glued awkwardly, giving me the impression that this support system for the dome was reconstructed. Without giving it much thought, I hit and pounded on one of the bricks, then collected all the crumbled portions and put them aside. I did everything I could only methodically without causing any disturbance in the foundation of the dome. A silver shining lid came into the picture. Feeling positive and a thrill coursing through my veins, I dug out the seven Samavek hidden inside the wall. I pulled them out and quickly removed the lids of the boxes. The stone disappeared with astonishing haste.
"Nazira, gosh! I'm glad you had the right information." I said and waited for an answer. None came. My heart skipped a beat and I looked up, searching for her. She was nowhere to be found. I staggered back to my feet and dashed towards the other side of the dome. From the corner of my eyes, I noticed Haima's existence fading away. Matsyasvi and Pizaca sat by the dome, one collecting the Pride and the other brooding down over the dead guardian parent. Slowly, they vanished into thin air. That was all I wanted to see anyway. That was all I wanted to know about Haimavati Roksana. Goodbye to her.
I resumed my stride and then I saw her. My Nazira, standing near the bridge, hands folded and staring disappointingly but unsurprised.
"Oh, man!" I whispered and ran up to her, chiding myself for leaving her behind. "I'm really, really, really sorry..."
"Nothing can do us apart, huh?" she asked, eyes now glaring, but a playful smile dancing at her lips.
I rubbed my nape, feeling the hair at the back drenched with sweat, and tried to find an apologetic tone. "Can we just forget this ever happened given the fact that curiosity got the best of me? Oh, and also because I'm an idiot? Bless this country, it chose an idiot for a king."
She burst out laughing. "Forgotten." Wiping her sweat off her face, she contained herself and asked. "Did you see?"
I nodded. "I might have kinda sorta wanted to see how Haima died, but tell me honestly, wasn't it your intention to let me see this?"
She stared into my eyes for a moment, twinkling with personal satisfaction. "No more secrets between us, right?"
"Right," I smiled. "We will talk more about this later. Especially about Haima's last wish and if she still holds a grudge against the First." Nazira started to speak, but I shook my head, indicating my disinterred in the topic at the moment, and took her hand instead. "Later. For now, come with me. There is one last thing we need to do before we get out of here."
The magma below the base of the chasm, surged as we walked back to the dome of Lady Drishtika. Black plumes of smoke, volcanic ash, and glittering sparks flew around in abundance. I let Nazira's hand go and she hugged herself, eye fixed firmly, looking straight ahead, and getting more and more agitated as we got into the near vicinity of the dome.
Lady Drishtika's bright eyes watched us walk closer. The growling sounds expelled off the dome, as though the woman inside was screaming with anger. Despite being a dark grisly smoke stuck in the glassy dome, her presence yet made me feel darned uncomfortable. There was anticipation in her stare as though waiting for us to release her from her terrible state. Not going to happen, woman. There's no need to look at me like that.
When I didn't speak for some time Nazira turned towards me, watching me stare continuously at the spirit. "What are you thinking?" she asked softly.
"Just that...how everything had started with her and is probably going to end with her too," I said and caught Nazira's glistening eyes. "Whatever I want you to do now, should have been done centuries ago. Anything can happen in the country, and it is beyond me why anyone has ever guessed that people as strong as Shashi might try to take advantage of this vault and finish the task Lady Drishtika started. This only speaks of more dark magic users coming forth to accomplish unprecedented tasks. It's better to put a full stop to it. Right here, right now."
She frowned. "We can't release her spirit and we can't let her die. It is not right for the mages. They are part of this country too."
"I realize that. That's why, you need to put this dome in a way that no soul can find her. This Molten Vault especially needs to be sealed... forever."
"Me? Hayden, every step we take from now on must be according to the law. This place is famous. What about Panchayat? They play a role which cannot be neglected."
"You're the only High Priestess of this country. If not you then who? If not now, then when? After Shashi releases her spirit?" I scoffed and shook my head. "Nazira, I cannot promise to have this title of yours restored officially. But not even Panchayat could deny that you're the future queen of the dynasty this Molten Vault belongs to. You have the full rights as much as I do. Do your thing, and put the damn thing out of sight. Humans, mages, creatures, giants...any living being shall not perceive the presence of the spirit. Lady Drishtika deserves peace too. Let us give her peace in the right way that even she doesn't know."
She gave a single nod, but there was still dissatisfaction written on her face. "But what's your point about here? Now that Agnidaanav's dead, and after Shashi dies, do you worry that someone else might exploit this place?"
I bit my lip, forcing myself to ensure what I was going to say. "These basements and temples and everything related to these hills are beautiful, I admit. And I think everyone must enjoy it. Nazira, I want to restart the thing that had once been this country's lifebelt. Tourism."
She gawked.
"I stand by my statement," I said. "I don't intend to follow King Harsh's ideology. But these caves belong to Rawat Dynasty. I think I want the respect this tradition that once contributed to making this country great. Yes, I do want to start tourism, with regulations intact." I then had to add this, seeing the slightly worried expression crossing her face. "Not right away though. I know I have a lot on my plate already."
Her face was worn and weather-beaten, but the smile that spread across her face gave me the reassurance I needed. "Duly noted, your majesty," she said and turned around to look thoroughly back up at the spirit. Then she took a deep sigh and closed her eyes.
The huge dome jerked at the spot, the sound accompanying the shift was remarkable for its extraordinary movement. It then began getting pushed away, traveling by itself further and further away from us. Then taking a gentle plunge, it wended its way down the chasm. The base of the dome hovered over the flowing lava, the whiteness of the spirit verging toward the hue of a blood orange, and again gleaming with far deeper shades. It stopped suddenly with an immense shake. For a moment nothing happened, then the wave of lava rushed over it and concealed the entire frame, like the flood sweeping over an inhabited area.
I gasped, startled. "That wasn't necessary."
"It's only Fabrication," she replied hastily. "The real dome is still in its place. I'm just making it disappear from the human eye."
But it looks so real, I thought looking down at the magma rising. Impressed, I smiled at Nazira and took a step closer to her.
However, I had to stop dead when the ground beneath my feet gave a sudden shudder. Nazira and I momentarily looked down. There was silence between us for a couple of seconds. Everything stilted. Then the ground trembled more violently. Having my heart in my mouth, I looked down the chasm once again. The magma was rising up and beyond.
"What's happening?" Nazira said, the confusion in her voice clear.
"Please tell me that's Fabrication too," I said, pointing down at the magma, my heart pounding like triphammer and wishing for her to say yes.
"No," she gasped, looking down to follow my sight. Her eyes widened with horror. "That's not me. Hayden, perhaps this place disapproves of my magic. Something went wrong, I'm not sure!"
"We must get out! Now!"
The rocks behind the original place of the dome collapsed and tumbled down the cliff. A loud splash of lava and a terrible scream with an unnatural, glass-shattering frequency reverberated throughout the chamber. The deep, heart-rending animal-like scream that was neither growl nor roar nor rumble nor bellow. Pain tore through my head like knives. My blood curdled. I screamed and fell on my knees. Nazira dropped down beside me, holding me by my shoulder. Her eyes were full of worry. Her lips were moving, she spoke something but it sounded too muffled against the loud scream. This was how Celina must have felt when she faced the noises of this indescribable magic. I was on my knees, my upper body bent low, and my ears covered thoroughly with my hands.
The ground gave another sudden shake. The scream came to an abrupt stop. Nazira and I shivered at the sudden stoppage. For once I thought Nazira had stopped the time, but I was proven wrong.
"Oh no," she gasped, peering down the cliff, sweat trickling down her forehead.
I followed her sight. The flow of the magma seemed to have increased its momentum, the rush of the waves thrashing against the walls of the giant hills. The chasm shimmered with hues of golden orange. Bubbles expanded and blasted, the particles of lava sprinkling in all directions. The magma was in a towering rage. At me? The tremendous heat began to give me cramps affecting every muscle in my body.
Fear took over me. Without succumbing to my nervous anticipation and curiosity, I staggered back up on my feet, and quickly covered both of us with my Formation, having it work like a protective shield.
"I'm stopping the time," she said hurriedly.
"That will not stop a volcano from bursting, will it?"
"I'm afraid not."
And at this stage, I remembered the Samagraha best fit in the scenario. I called him twice, thrice. He did not answer.
"I don't think mind connection will work," Nazira said. "You're not in the right state of mind."
"Alright then. Stop the time when I tell you to," I said and held her hand firmly. "Run!"
We bolted toward the direction of the entrance of this hellacious hell.
Hot gases began to escape from the vents amidst the rock-filled ground, the very air tensing up and then releasing with a loud burst of sigh. An unpleasant sense of foreboding gripped my heart and then, as anticipated, there was an earth-shattering loud bang. A frustrated grunt escaped my throat. The volcano must have erupted. I did not dare to look back, but only felt the continuous catastrophic shake of the ground. The beats of rolling thunder and flashes of lighting echoed throughout the chamber. A picture of us being swept away and melting in the bubbling angry lava conjured in my mind. I was scared out of my wits and scared for the people living above this basement. Did I just cause something utterly unprecedented that Nazira and I had attempted to avoid? Was it my fault that the volcano that had been dormant for centuries was erupting now?
A lot of hot ash and rocks spurted into the air. I physically felt the bam! bam! bam! sounds against my body, the powerful push that was shoving us forward. We were almost reaching the door. I tried to relax and quickly mind-connected. "Pruthvi!" I yelled, concentrating hard, the sweat on my skin crawling like creepers.
"I hear yah!" he finally replied, his voice however labored with fear. "Hayden! What the hell! What did you do?"
"Whatever is happening outside, just stop it! I'll explain everything later. Do not let the volcano barrel down on the villages."
Huffing and puffing, we barged inside the magical room which appeared on the verge of collapse but at least we were out of danger.
And with my nod, Nazira stopped the time.
---------END OF PART 3--------