Malgeen didn't know where his mother wanted him to take the girl. He had asked her countless times and all she would say was that it was going to be a place he already knew. He was absolutely not pleased with the answer. His mother had this mysterious quality, which he had learned to admire in these 13 years of his life, but he still finds it a bit exasperating. But there wasn't much he could do to change the ways of his mother, could he? He was powerless next to her.
And he felt just as powerless as the darkness swallowed him and the girl, so that they could go to wherever his mother had intended them to be, like always.
The girl. She was his responsibility now. Well atleast that's what his mother said. She looked about his sister's age, maybe younger by a year or two than him. Malgeen almost mistook her for a baklar because she looked so horrible. He didn't even realise she was a girl until his mother cleaned her off and replaced her shredded rags with one of his sister's dresses. He had no idea who she was or what she was. She certainly wasn't a narang. She couldn't be, as the narangs were marked by the creator himself with orange eyes. He was a narang too, hence why he had orange eyes. And so did his sisters and his father. His mother though, was different. He did not know much about her past, and she would always shut him out when he tried to ask her about it. But this girl did not have orange eyes. Her's were dark, almost black, just like her hair. She must be from another javi.
It was believed that when the creator walked upon this land, he observed that the people had different capabilities and the degree of their powers varied substantially. He had thought of this as a flaw, for he feared that if the more powerful mingled with the less powerful, the weaker ones would perish, and so would the strong, as they both depend on eachother for survival. This would eventually lead to the doom of them all and put an end to his own creation.
So to prevent his creation from destroying itself, he divided them into seven javis. The strong placed at the top and the weak placed at the bottom. He marked them in the eye so that their eyes defined their identity, their purpose. He had then assigned each javi a set of responsibilities which they would have to take care of throughout their lives, and ensure that the generation after them must do the same as well. This was done to isolate the javis and avoid conflicts, so that they may live in peace and harmony.
That was the story Malgeen's father used to tell him every night before he went to sleep till he was ten. So obviously he knew it by heart. He had not seen any person of a different javi before. Only the elders were permitted to meet them once a month, when they sold their harvests to them. That was the day when they would be the most happy, because it was when his father would let them eat whatever they want and buy any toy they wished to buy.
But those days are long gone. Malgeen had responsibilities now. And the strange girl was one of them.
He snapped out of his reverie only to find that he was still swallowed by darkness. He could not see anything. His head was starting to get dizzy, like it usually did when her mother used her magic for teleportation. Since his vision failed him he turned to his ears, trying to detect any sound that might resemble the girl's.
Nothing. He heard absolutely nothing. Not even the movement of air. It was as if he was floating in vaccuum, yet he was falling at the same time. It did not make sense at all, but he was used to things not making sense when it came to his mother.
Malgeen was beginning to think that his mother's magic had failed and that he was going to fall forever.
He was about to give up and take a nap when the swirls of ebony darkness around him started to fade away to reveal clear blue sky.
Oh, how one takes experiencing daylight for granted, he thought.
He heard a scream near him. He turned his neck to the source, and was grateful his new responsibility falling with him.
"Hello there! How are you doing?"
"LAKE!!" the strange girl was screaming at the top of her lungs now.
Malgeen looked confused, "Well I have never heard someone acknowledge their well being with that word before, but I must say, it is never to late to hop onto trends-"
"No, look beneath you! We're falling in the lake!"
He quickly looked down and his eyes widened at the sight of the huge lake they were about to fall in.
He was not at all excited for the next few minutes of his life.
He turned to look at the girl again, thinking of something to say that would reassure her, but mostly to reassure himself, "Don't worry!" He exclaimed, "As per my calculations we are very much likely to not die!"
He did not find that reassuring after saying that out loud. But it was not his fault. He was panicking and he found it hard to think when he was stuck in situations like this one.
Fortunately, the girl, though young, was wise enough to understand what he was going through.
"Can you swim?" She asked.
"A little, yes." He replied, his forehead creasing in worry.
"I don't remember if I can swim. In case I don't know how to swim and begin to drown, I want you to get me out of there."
Malgeen found her annoying now. Does she she think he is so dumb that he does not even have the sense to know what she just said? Of course he would save her. It was his responsibility. And he was the older one here. He should be the one giving the orders, not her.
He reached for her and grabbed her hand firmly. They would hit the surface of the lake any second now. Without looking at her he said, "Hold your breath."
Then they were underwater.