The moment I was swallowed a surge of pain coursed through my body. I curled into a ball with my eyes closed. The bright red flames didn't feel painful nor did it burn me, I just felt immense pain on my wrist.
A second later I fell down with a splash and a muffled thud, straight out of the body of the bird and onto the marsh.
So it was not you who was evil, but what was inside you. Also, what is beside you, but I shall destroy them.
My hand began to hurt the same as before when I was incapacitated. Three small spots appeared on my skin where that dragonfly had stung me in the past and three purple drops of some fluid oozed out. As soon as the drops came out, the pain in my wrist ended.
You were poisoned by this, mayhap that is why you seemed evil to I
I said, "That's where the dragonfly bit me."
The one you carry in your pockets?
"What?" I asked as I stood up and caught my breath.
I felt something flitting about in my pockets. As I reached into my pocket the dragonfly, that had bitten me earlier shot out of my pocket and tried to fly off. It carried in its limbs the green ring that Mary was examining.
The raven breathed fire and engulfed the insect in its flames. As the smoke cleared, the dragonfly was intact. A second blast of smoke and flames engulfed the insect. This time as the puff of smoke mushroomed out and dissipated, the insect was seen at a distance trying to flee.
Ah, I understand my folly now. I cannot kill living beings, just as I could not kill you or even the pest that was hidden in your robe.
"Oh, that's why I survived, good for me. But if you can't kill this thing, do we just let it escape?" I asked.
I can't kill the living, but you can.
The cloud of smoke around the Raven began spinning into a black tornado with red flames inside peeking through. The beak was hidden. The smoke rushed towards me. I could see nothing but black and red. The pungent odour of smoke made me cough uncontrollably.
The smoke began to feel denser and more potent making me cough uncontrollably. All the smoke forced its way into my nostrils and mouth. Inside me now was all the voluminous smoke compressed dense, flowing through my veins. My view cleared and I could see again. I saw a faint ultraviolet gleam at a distance. My eyes were able to see through the whole spectrum of light, ultraviolet and infrared, with the smallest specks of dust and movements of air also visible. The dragonfly was trying to escape. I ran towards it and I could run a great deal faster than usual. With each step a ripple of smoke emanated from where my feet fell. My black robe was draped in a layer of smoke. I felt stronger, faster and more agile than before.
I came close to the dragonfly who was urgently trying to flee with the transparent green ring. Fortunately for me, the ring made it unmanageable for it to fly fast enough. I grabbed it with an outstretched hand and its body just crumbled into a mass of broken limbs and gooey stuff while the hard cold stone of the green ring remained intact. I stopped to catch my breath, but I felt only the slightest bit of weariness.
You did well Guardian, now shall we go and stop the others?
"Who? What? Wait, at least tell me who you are who we are going to stop?" I asked.
I am Krodhaksh, overseer of the Mitrahs.
"Yes, I know that, but I meant who, or rather, what are you?" I asked him inquisitively.
I am another being that came into existence in this cosmos on my own.
His explanation confused me more than it helped.
You don't think that your overseer, Brahman was the only one who came into existence on his own. Although, he was the first.
"Are you also a God?" I asked.
I am like him, but so much lesser. I was a being born without a purpose; it was Brahman that gave me meaning. When I was born, I was alone. I could see the creations at a distance but I couldn't create anything on my own, all I could do was exist. So I continued to do this while trying to reach out to others. When the Brahman sensed me, he came looking for me. He took me under his wing and nurtured me. He taught me the ways of creation and ideals. Once I could control matter and not just conscience, I created this body of smoke for myself. For eons I lived with the Brahman and grew stronger. Because the Lord confined himself to his hermitage, I acted as his eyes and ears. I travelled across the creations and all its dimensions passing through the membranes that separate us and informed Brahman about everything that happened. Since he divided his body into so many parts, he no longer has the ability to be omniscient.
"Oh, I did not know of that," I said.
There is so much you don't know. You are just a puny human, you have barely seen or experienced anything in comparison to us who have lived through civilisations.
"Did the Brahman send you here?" I asked.
No, I no longer work under the Lord's tutelage. He has deemed me fit to be on my own once I grew stronger. So I travel across the multi-verse trying to learn and grow. During my travels I came across a civilisation of beings that had wisdom far superior to humans, but they lacked the emotional bonds of love. These were the Mitrahs. They had the bonds of brotherhood and I decided to stay there as their overseer and guided them into prosperity and development.
"The Mitrahs?" I asked.
Yes, that was clearly what I said. They possessed the wisdom but were not as developed as the humans here, hence I gave them knowledge from all the places that I had travelled and raised them to be on par with the humans. Finally, just as Brahman did with I, I did the same with them. Once they were wise enough to look after themselves, I left them to continue my travels and to grow stronger. Every 1000 sun's I travel back there to watch over how my creations are doing and to reorient them towards growth and civilisation.
"That seems amazing; would it be possible for me to come along? It seems super interesting," I asked eagerly, "Also, it would not be my first time with space travel since lord Ishrafil brought me to Earth from Alkapuri the same way. Though this would not just be space travel, this would be travelling through dimensions."
I refuse, besides I couldn't, even if I wanted to. We are both stuck here in this adholok.
"Adholok?" I asked.
Yes, adholok is a minor dimension created by the strongest watchers. It exists only in a small space and is not connected to our normal world as far as time is concerned. Some have faster time lines, some slower and some exist in the past, while some in the future. This is one of those. It only extends as far as its inhabitants are, no more, but never less. As we move in a certain direction, the dimension will extend there. The only way to get out of it is by vanquishing the evil that created it.
"Vanquishing sounds too dramatic, doesn't it? Let's just use an Ethereal gate and scoot the heck out of here if we want," I reasoned.
Scoot the heck? What strange way of speaking you have child. Good thing I am a telepath, otherwise I would never have understood what you said. Now we can't get out of here with an Ethereal gate because there are barriers protecting this dimension, you tried it once and failed, remember? You can only come in, but you can never leave. I sensed evil and came here looking for it, unfortunately I got trapped inside. Since I can't stop the living, I have no power against that person.
"And that's where I come in? I'm going to be your body and kick some rear bumpers," I chided the creature with some more slang.
Yes, and I notice that you are just trying to annoy me Child.
"Is it working?" I asked.
Would you stop if I said yes?
"Probably not," I replied, "So If we have to defeat this person let's get on with it shall we?"
It is not as easy, you weren't even able to stop three of these mindless dead ones.
"Deadies," I corrected.
Deadies?
"Yeah, let's call them that, the reanimated folks," I replied.
Yes, them, you were unable to stop them with minor wrist pain and you expect to stop her. You are not strong enough, but with me by your side, you just might be. We just have to make sure we don't end up in a trap.
"What do you mean by a trap?" I asked.
This whole forest, it is connected to her. Even the beings that you fought were connected to Nyx. She might not have seen me initially, but now that she sees my strength inside you. She will know of you. Every person hanging from these vines are connected to her, she can control them as per her will.
"She can? That is very cruel though. The dead should be left to rest. Forcing their bodies to work like this is wrong," I interjected.
The bodies and limbs that you see strewn about belong to souls who had killed themselves. Forsaking the gift of life is one of the greatest evils that one can ever do. Each time someone does so; Nyx steals their souls before it is recycled by Metatronas. Then their bodies live here eternally restless while she consumes their souls to get stronger.
"I wonder how souls taste?" I said.
Mine tastes like burnt apricots and earwax.
"How do you know what earwax tastes like? Never mind, don't answer," I said.
Just as I mentioned things being gross, it got far more disgusting. The entire forest began to rustle. Suddenly a strong wind coursed through the trees and shook all the hanging vines.
We have been made.
Decomposed bodies, severed limbs, broken bones and flecks of blood soaked tissue rained from the canopy. I was getting pounded by this barrage. I covered my head with my arms instinctively but it made little difference. A large human body fell on top of me and I was floored. This torrent of human remains continued as I slipped in and out of consciousness.
Wake up, we don't have time for your dillydallying!
"Mhm," I mumbled.
Wake up you buffoon, the rain has stopped!
Being called a buffoon by a lesser God in anger wakes one out of one's stupor effectively. I woke up to feel an immense burden on me. I must have been under a few feet of human debris. Being pinned down under this heavy weight with all the mud and stench felt horrible. I began to claw and thrash my way out. Slowly and steadily I crawled upwards till my hands came out of the pile of dead bodies.
Once my hand hit the open air, I found a renewed vigour. I climbed my way out and stood atop this mushy layer of detritus.
"That was a lousy attempt at stopping us," I said.
You think that was it? It's just the beginning.
"What?" I asked.
I can't release the full extent of my power while I am inside you. Run! Make some distance between you and them.
"Between me and whom?" I asked.
Them!
As soon as I heard him say that, the ground under me began to shake. All of what had fallen on me began to move. The limbs strewn around began to grab and kick their way towards me. The few bodies of people that were intact dug their way out of the debris and began to walk towards me. By now I was so used to seeing these Deadies 'alive and kicking' (pun intended) that it didn't fret me.
I looked around and found a small gap in between two of them and made a break for it. As I ran, I felt hands trying to grab my legs and random limbs kicking, those were promptly shaken away.
I put some gap between me and the Deadies. Although more of them were coming out of the ground as we spoke. I could not keep running this way and I had to figure out a way to fight back.
This is enough, stop. Turn around.
I did as he said. All of them limping, walking and crawling towards me. A small mound of hands was grabbing on to either of my legs and growing taller and taller. Within seconds I was engulfed entirely by hands gnawing me.
"This was your bright idea?" I asked in between my screams of pain and my feeble attempts at shaking them off.
Just a bit more. I have but the strength to do this once. I must get them all.
"Hurry up already, they have started grabbing at places that I don't want to be grabbed at for God's sake," I barked.
I am ready.
Thick plumes of smoke began to ooze out of the pores on my skin rendering the beings that touched the smoke motionless. Inside the dark ball of smoke, I could not see much, but I could sense the grip from all those hands loosening up. I felt relieved.
The smoke began to swirl into a spiral growing taller and faster by the second. In a matter of seconds, I was in the centre of a tornado made of the smoke, pulling all the Deadies, limbs and other debris into it.
Open wide and breathe out.
I did as he said, and blood red flames erupted from my mouth and filled the tornado with the flames. I could hear the groaning of the deadies as they were burnt to crisp.
Don't just look around, concentrate. The more you focus, the stronger the flames will get.
"OK sure," I said.
I took a deep breath and cleared all the thoughts in my mind. Noticeably, the flames grew brighter and the colour changed into white flames. The tornado also gusted more aggressively.
That's it Guardian. Now focus on the energy. Envision the flames are growing stronger. I didn't think you could handle the strength, but it seems like you can. Now I will channel all my energy into you in one go. At that moment imagine the flames are expanding outwards like a ripple.
"OK, I will try," I said as earnestly as I could.
Ready?
"Yes," I replied.
I felt an intense burning feeling inside my chest. Slowly the feeling spread through my body. This was a good feeling, I felt energised. Incredible!
I felt great, but I noticed my body didn't feel the same. My legs had begun shaking as the energy coursed through my veins and nerves. I let out a loud scream that echoed as far as the eye can see.
The white hot flames surged through my body outwards and engulfed everything. It spread outwards with great speed and covered the whole dimension. In repetitive waves, more pulses of energy rushed from my body until I couldn't do anymore. Exhausted from pushing my body so much I fell down on my knees.
The light dimmed and my eyes were greeted to a vast emptiness: the ground, the sky everything had disappeared, just me. When I looked around, I saw a large tree at a distance. It was as white as it could be. Broken vines and branches were floating around the tree.
This is good, you showed better control than I expected. In fact I feel I would not have been able to achieve this if it wasn't for your combined control.
"So long as the job gets done," I said.
I am exhausted, now I must rest and recuperate my energy so that I can be of some help to you. I sense some more trouble, buy me some time, will you?
"Sure, I will," I said.
As I was drifting about in zero gravity, my eyes were fastened on the island tumbling in space. The giant tree on it was the same colour as all the vines scattered throughout the dimension, so that must have been the tree that covered the entire dimension. The tree was gigantic with a root structure so strong and wide spread that it held with it the large chunk of ground which made up the island. By the looks of it, it must have been at least a few kilometres wide. The tree had a menacing bearing about it, all sharp ends and angular twists on the branches.
This happened to be the largest solid body floating about and its gravity had already started to shape the things surrounding it. The bits of human limbs, mud, water and detritus began to form elliptical rings around it with different axis. The rest of it which was close enough to get sucked towards the island where it rained down from all sides making the bit of land gradually larger.
Another chunk of land about a one-tenth of its size hurtled across getting pulled by the gravity and came close to the island. Before it hit the tree, a blast of purple lightening spread out just above the tree forming a barrier of purple electrified webbing. The smaller piece of land got shredded into pieces and rained down on the island.
I took Cherry out of my finger and she promptly opened up into her translucent honeycomb pattern. When I placed my feet on her she began to align me with the patch of land and started moving towards it.
"Let's move a bit slowly Cherry, we need to be cautious," I spoke.
"As you say Sir. Minimum speed mode activated," Cherry replied.
Slowly we drifted towards the Island and I could see the tree more distinctly. We flew through the space avoiding any obstacle, and dodged in between the rings of human remains to reach close to the island.
As I reached closer my restiveness grew more and more. I saw four people climbing out of the surface of the floating island. They looked in my direction.
"So we meet again," one of the four said.
"Arshad?" I asked surprised to see someone I had killed, with my own hands.