"Arvind. It's time." I opened my eyes to see Divyani standing at the entrance of my muddy hut. I stood up, stretching my body, which doesn't seem to change even after all the years I've spent here.
Being born in Alik as the heir of the Sapta family and then sent to live in that secluded dimension by my parents, this is now the fourth dimension I have found myself in during this life, counting Satya and the personal dimension as two different spaces.
This Tal-atala Loka, the fourth down from our Satya+Alik dimension, is the abode of an Asura named Maya, who's exceptional in using the energy with the same name. Guru Shukracharya seems to have also settled here and has been training me, Divyani, and a few other talented orphans that the Asuras had picked up from Satya in the last few years.
We have bonded quite a bit, but with each passing day, everyone except me seemed to be growing older and taller, making things awkward.
Divya also looked about several months older than me since she was born in Satya.
The five of us stood before Guru Shukracharya, awaiting his instructions. We have been assigned a critical mission in a hurry. If I remember well, something like this didn't happen last time.
In my previous run, I had about seven years to prepare after joining the Ashrama, collecting the artifacts that Kalpa wanted and the ones related to the previous Avatars of Lord Vishnu.
I'll also need to reclaim the artifacts exclusive to the Kalki Avatar.
These consisted of the materials I needed to collect for forging Ratnamala, the only Artifact in the whole Brahmand that can manipulate Para-Braham: the fundamental unit of creation; and my best friend Devadatta, the celestial white horse that is currently a statue in a remote temple somewhere in Satya.
I know where they are currently, but Shukracharya isn't ready to send me out yet.
It's a relief that only the Avatar can find and access these sacred sites. Otherwise, Kalpa might have already destroyed those places.
Coming back to why we were gathered here, we have to go stop the underlings of Kalpa, who'll supposedly get stronger with the Blessings of the Gods that support her.
Once they get stronger, our fight to keep the temples under our control will get increasingly difficult. Until we are ready enough to represent the Asuras, we can't let go of the advantage we already have.
Last time, these Rakshaks were the ones who were on my side. It felt terrible now that I was tasked with removing them from Satya.
We'll need to destroy the central Banyan tree where Ashwatthama resides to make sure that they can't be resurrected back in Satya after getting killed by us, thus forcing Kalpa to send them back to Alik forever, sacrificing her vessels within them.
They need to become Forgotten directly and get isolated in Alik. Only then they'll be safe from all the destruction that is going to ensue in the next few years. It's better to just fade away into nothingness than to experience all the pain and loss firsthand.
If things get even worse than last time, only despair and helplessness will await them.
Moreover, there was another use of those Rakshaks that I didn't know of before. Mostly because, in all my previous runs, this is the first time I have actually sided with the Asuras.
I had seen the Asuras killing and gathering the bodies of their vanquished enemies before, but I never got to know what they used them for.
Once I visited Mayapuri, the illusive floating city of the demon Maya, many things fell into place. The fate that awaited the Rakshaks only horrified me. Even the cattle back at Satya might be more fortunate than them.
Staying here for the last few years, I have come to realize something. The Asuras imprisoned in this dimension are illogical beings. They only believe what they perceive as their absolute truth and refuse to entertain the viewpoints of others.
Their opinion, thoughts, and views are the only things that matter to them. Everyone else's is invalid.
Fights and arguments are a daily occurrence here. It's like everyone is fighting against the whole world. As if all the people other than you are living to invalidate you and your experiences.
It had been really difficult to cooperate with the Asuras of this dimension. Unless Shukracharya himself stepped in, getting favors from them was nigh impossible. It was even worse in the Mayapuri floating above.
It is a luxurious city, unlike the non-materialistic Mayaprastha on the ground, but it also reminded me of the stories my sister used to tell me about the other dimensions where she lived: Alik and Satya.
There also, people are apathetic and self-serving.
The fact that the Manavas who are supposed to be neutral and the demons, who are supposed to be riddled with sins, no longer have any behavioral differences other than a few physical characteristics, makes it even more hopeless.
No wonder it's time for their cleansing.
"As I have said before..." Guru Shukracharya glanced at me, "Your lives are important. At the end of every Yuga, an Avatar of Lord Vishnu appears and sides with the neutral species to bring back balance. Now that his vessel has joined our side without any obstruction from his end, itself means how hopeless it is for the Manavas. He also decided to create a vessel he could descend to, instead of creating an incarnation like previous occurrences. The Corruption in this Kali Yuga seems to have the power to even taint the Deities. So until you're ready to host His Divinity, he won't help you that much other than keeping you alive. Who knows, there might be more such vessels like you moving about. So take care of your lives. We can't afford to find and bring a new vessel to our side."
It's wild how we can't even move when he talks as if we are spellbound to do so. And his speeches go super long...
"Since the eighth graders are also there in the Temple battlefields, the only Rakshaks who can obstruct our mission are the sixth and seventh graders." He again started, "I have asked some elite Asuras to attack the other two sections as a distraction so that you can concentrate on your mission. I could have sent more people, but the smaller the crack, the better. The waves of Maya disruption to transfer only this many people won't be that perceptible. And being Manavas, you all might pass through the security of the Ashrama's protection domes without triggering their alarms. Until now, the scouts we had sent were all slaughtered by Ashwatthama before the Rakshaks even got to face them. You five are finally in some shape to carry out a minor surgical strike."
His info dump ended, and he sat before the vast teleportation Chitram, igniting the dormant lines that were supposed to carry Kundalini at high speeds.
"Divya, Omkar, Tejas, and Nanditha. Stay safe." I shared nods with each one of them, confirming that they were ready. "Don't engage the sages directly, stall them. Tejas, Omkar, and Nanditha, you three will be responsible for that. I will use my magic to create barriers to isolate the Rakshaks and Divya inside. She can take care of the rest."
"You sure are getting comfortable calling me Divya. Say my full name from next time." She brought out her huge two-handed, sinister-looking sword, made from a fang of an ancient Naga.
"Let's see how much I've improved in the last eight years." Nanditha prepared her bow, picking the bowstring made of energy with her fingers.
"Eight years is nothing." I murmured, "We will be much more powerful than the fifth-grade Rakshaks but severely lacking when compared to the sages. Our mission is to disrupt the Blessing Rituals before the Gods choose their Sambadhinas. Gather as many energy sources as possible and return. We have to get strong enough before the barrier gets lifted again... So don't engage in useless fights and lose precious lives and experience."
Omkar brought out his staff, made from the twirling branches of a golden tree from Mayapuri called Suvarna Vrikshya. "Then leave restraining the sages to me. It will be fun to witness their magic. I wonder how they utilize theirs."
Tejas kept standing with his arms crossed without reacting as usual. "You're not going there to have fun." He mumbled, "We are going there to kill people who don't even know what they did wrong. I hope you understand what we are trying to do is a necessary evil. At least look the part and feel a bit of remorse if you still want to maintain a bit of your humanity."
Nanditha sighed loudly. "Even the Manavas have sacrificed their humanity. Give this lecture to the family who made me and my friends from the orphanage go through hell. Tell that to the Orphanage Mother who sold us without a second thought. Tell that to the king who sent soldiers to my town just because he was greedy."
"The people you're describing are just a tiny percentage of the total population. I don't think any of our targets have anything to do with them. I knew what I was getting into and steeled my heart accordingly—but seeing you guys take this as a game makes me hurl. You became the very people you despise. Good job." Tejas replied with a force in his voice, making Nanditha flinch.
"Yes. If I don't become like them, I won't be able to take their life when the situation calls for it. I might just let them go like those heroes of justice from the stories, who won't shoulder the burden of having blood on their hands, destroying more lives in the future as a consequence. This is how I've decided to cope, so keep your ideals locked in your own head." Nanditha debated back in a harsh tone, "No one is going to be glad to receive your mercy. Nor are they going to change their ways. Some people will keep hurting others as long as they are alive. There's no use having them around."
"Sorry Tejas. I'll make sure to be serious while slaughtering my enemies." Omkar smiled, exuding a cold demeanor. It sent shivers down my spine.
Tejas clicked his tongue but didn't say anything. Considering Omkar's past, it was hard for him to maintain his sanity. We can't even have a proper conversation with him most of the time.
If we have to stall for time from the sages, Omkar needs to come with us, whether we like it or not. His broken mind has given rise to powerful sin-based skills even the powerful Asuras have trouble keeping in check.
"Get ready." Shukracharya opened his eyes when the whole chitram started humming and shining with energy. It felt as if a colossal machine was clawing its way up from underground.
The coordinates to the Ashrama were already known to me, being an alumnus in my previous life.
Shouldering our supplies and double-checking our weapons and armor, we walked into the portal, nausea hitting me like a truck at full speed.
The scene changed after two minutes of darkness.
I took a second to compose myself from the backlash of dimensional transfer across four Lokas.
Ahh, this scene. I remember it from my previous life. The foggy sky, the mountains surrounding us with icy peaks. A waterfall on the other side...
"Look at them living such a carefree life." Omkar chuckled and walked towards the central Banyan tree.
The Rakshaks must be primarily gathered within that long arena.
I signaled to Divyani, pointing at her target. She nodded and ran towards the south.
A few Rakshaks were still walking around.
"Are they seniors? He looks even younger than us." I heard them saying.
I used to love this place so much. So many memories with my friends and Avanti were created here.
But that was all in a different life. This is enemy territory now. And I needed to weaken Kalpa. I remembered what Tejas was trying to say.
What we are doing is a necessary evil. There's nothing heroic about this. There's very little to gain or achieve—nothing to celebrate. We will only be losing our humanity through this. Just to get back at a single being, so many other beings need to be sacrificed.
It has always been like this... Hasn't it?
From mad kings to greedy renowned families, every time they made a selfish decision, so many people would suffer.
More people would then suffer trying to fight or protect that evil person. On both sides.
It's just a never-ending cycle...
I looked up, taking a deep breath to put up walls around my heart. I can't falter after coming here. Whoa, there are those numbers in the sky that the Asuras who died in the temple defense were talking about. 95.6... The number of years left in the timeline of Satya until the barriers over the temples dissipate. It appeared the moment mysterious barriers were deployed over the temples. It started with 96 and 0.4 years have already passed here.
Why are we still fighting then? Who knows what will happen when the barrier gets lifted? We need to maintain control over it at all times. We can't allow a single Rakshak to pass through the gates when it's time.
I looked around, thinking something was amiss.
I thought Ashwatthama would jump us as soon as we arrived here. Did his senses get dull for some reason? Or did we really manage to trick the Ashrama defense systems?
Tejas patted my shoulder once, making his way toward the Banyan where Omkar had headed. He will be starting soon enough. Let's start with my Will first.
Motive: Trap; Design: Dome. Alternating rotation every 2 seconds. Stacks of individual Regenerative strips; Base Energy: Maya 65%, Kundalini 35%; Entry: People having a single chakra; Exit: No one. Not even teleportation allowed; and lastly, Sin: Wrath. This will be enough.
Doing this with Kalpa's vessels would have been impossible. Without Shukracharya's vessels, which had been tempered for hundreds and thousands of years in his divine body, getting such efficiency and conversion rate is insurmountable.
I ran my fingers through the air, drawing blood-red Asuran symbols with my Kundalini. It had all the necessary parameters for the dome, like its radius, speed of rotation, duration, and energy source: people within the dome.
I felt my body vibrating under the pressure of the Spell I had designed. Setting energy source to someone else takes a lot of steps, but I have been preparing for this moment for quite a while.
Asuras have a single chakra within their bodies, which is much more efficient and larger than those found in Manavas.
Having inherited Guru Shukracharya's vessels, I had to design my vessels using the Asuran way, combining all seven of my chakras into one. I felt it emptying halfway as soon as the design was completed.
His divine vessels automatically enabled me to manipulate Maya and use an extra attribute of Sin along with my Will to augment my spells, making them much more potent than their usual variants. But it required tenacious practice for the last eight years if Nanditha was correct in her counting. I'm still nowhere near the point I want myself to reach.
The energy around the Ashrama gathered around the floating letters and started vibrating. The commands within the letters had my Will and my Wrath.
Somewhere here were the descendants of the six families who conspired with Kalpa to turn my father into a puppet.
I lost my mother, my sister, my home, and my family. And they are here having the time of their lives, waiting for the Gods to find and Bless them.
After their children are turned into brainless energy generators, I'll come for the heads of those families next.
"Maya. Heed to my wishes and shatter the rules that bind this world. My Will may henceforth be the new Reality. Jalakaksha." As soon as I completed the chant, the air around the arena started vibrating.
Starting from the bottom surrounding the arena, a misty-watery wall started swirling and rising into the air, curving and encircling the arena to meet itself at a point up above.
By the time the Rakshaks noticed, the dome was already half completed, imprisoning everybody within the hemisphere.
Divyani must have already infiltrated the crowd and will soon be starting her slaughter.
We need their bodies and the chakras within. Sending them to Alik is a bonus.
Fifth graders usually have all three of their lives. If we can't stop the resurrection process, we might have to fight quite a number of enemies.
Let's also put a barrier over the Banyan tree. Even if there's a dedicated sage inside responsible for resurrecting the kids, they won't be able to come out of the Banyan to help their friends.
Meanwhile, cries and panic erupted within the arena.
Divyani had started her crazy Manava slaughter.
An enormous purple fireball manifested in front of the Banyan. It rolled forward, crashing into the ancient tree.
The 'one-way entry from outside' barrier allowed the magic to pass through successfully, spreading smoke and dust as it met its target.
Let's end this fast. The cold, rigid walls of my heart can't keep standing up for long.
Suddenly, Tejas came running towards me. His hands and sleeves were already stained with blood.
"The Banyan has another barrier within the one you created; nothing is going in from outside. Ashwatthama is probably cooped up in there." He notified. "Some stray Rakshaks started attacking Omkar when he summoned the fire. But there are no sages around except three. I think Divyani is in trouble..."
I turned around to stare at the arena that was built for the Blessing Ritual.
"This should be the sixth day. Did one day already pass by the time we reached here from Tal-atala?" I wondered. "If this is the seventh day, most of the sages should be inside the arena itself. Where is Nanditha?"
"Wait... I didn't see her after we reached. What is happening??" Tejas now looked really worried. The silvery gauntlets that he used as a shield itself trembled a bit.
"Go help Divya for now. I'll check on Omkar and decide what to do next." Both of us ran in opposite directions.
Did Nanditha fall off in a different Loka during the teleportation process? Shukracharya's spell shouldn't be like that. Where the hell did she run off to?
The area in front of the barrier was brutal. The Rakshaks that were still alive there were gouging out their eyes and pulling out their hair. Without curse resistance, Omkar's spell can be torturous.
Multiple dead bodies already littered Omkar's surroundings.
Only three sages were protecting the rest of the Rakshaks that huddled behind them.
"Let go of the burden behind you. Show me how you use your magic. I'll be sure to learn it well. Aren't you supposed to teach young children anyway?" Omkar laughed, his whole body bouncing rhythmically.
The sages' expressions changed as soon as I appeared beside Omkar.
"Where are you two from? Sending such young children to commit atrocities like this... Who trained and sent you?" One of the sages asked, their voice trembling with pity and sympathy for us.
"Instead of us, think about your actual Shishyas. Omkar, gather the bodies here. Divya and Tejas need help. The Banyan can't be destroyed, it seems." I commanded him.
"I want to fight the sages." He argued adamantly.
"They don't want to fight us. There are only three here. But where I'll be taking you next will have many more. There, they won't have a choice other than fighting you."
He gave one final glare at the sages before turning around.
"Go back. There is still hope for you. You'll only be straying away from the path of Dharma like this... Leave this place, or it will be too late otherwise." One of the sages advised while glancing at the dead bodies around him with a sorrowful expression.
"Omkar! I told you to gather the bodies!!"
Before he could extend his staff and use his spell to store the bodies around us within his personal dimension, they disappeared in a flash.
One of the sages ushered the Rakshaks behind him into the barrier over the Banyan.
I was too naive. But how many people are they even going to put inside? What if we went inside... No, the barrier from the sages inside ours might have already adapted to keep us outside.
We should have planned more. The problem is the time difference. By the time we got the news and reached here, multiple days might have already passed in this Ashrama.
"Leave it. We need to go back and provide support to Tejas and Divya." I pulled Omkar, who sent more fire-based spells toward the Rakshaks gathering at the Banyan.
They might have already been alerted about us and prompted to come to the Banyan for safety.
One of the sages chanted Mantras, covering the appearing Rakshaks in a golden Kavach, deflecting Omkar's attacks. He grunted in frustration and followed me, cursing himself.
"I thought I had gained even a little bit of power. How am I supposed to destroy my enemies if I'm still a pathetic child like this!!!!" He shouted a guttural cry behind me.
"Shut up and follow me. You'll get more chances."
The arena's barrier that I'd put over it didn't stop us, but there was another barrier inside ours, set up by the sages again.
I touched the wall that separated us from the inner Arena to get a whiff of the Will that generated it, only to find Divya and Tejas being bound by indigo-colored chains as they struggled in vain to free themselves.
There were 12 sages inside. Seven of them were carrying out a Yagna while chanting Mantras to provide the Gods with offerings of ghee and special herbs that would allow them to perform miracles, aka the blessings to be bestowed on the Rakshaks.
They weren't even bothered with what was going on just beside them.
The other five sages were imprisoning my friends with their spells while trying to interrogate them.
Things were not in our hands anymore. How were they this prepared? Did someone already let them know that we were coming?
What do I even have in my current arsenal to break through this situation?
The two barriers I had created like an idiot had also depleted most of my energy...
In my last life, Avanti was responsible for barrier-making. She knew how to create different barriers under various circumstances and how they can be negated, having dedicated enough time to researching them. But in this life, I haven't gotten enough time to learn anything properly.
I remembered how I had argued with Guru Shukracharya regarding going back to Satya to retrieve my artifacts.
"Maybe losing a few lives will make you aware of how powerless you truly are..." I remembered his words to my despair.
Is this what it is?
Just a really expensive lesson?
How many lives do my friends have left?
Worries barraged my mind one after another. Calm down. This is nothing compared to what I've gone through in my last life.
I tried to grasp any clues from my experience. Some pattern... Something strong enough that can help me.
I remembered the hate I had for Kalpa and the six families who destroyed us... My father, whose body was used by Kalpa to descend to Satya and murder his own family.
I remembered how helpless I was when Lord Vishnu had descended into my body. I could only see myself doing what I never wanted. My body didn't even flinch when my friends died, nor did it do what it had set out to: keeping Kalpa safe.
I imagined my father witnessing everything helplessly from within his body... She wanted to hurt me in the worst way possible.
Considering her own Rakshak had destroyed her last time, it is no wonder she thinks that I had betrayed her. If I saw someone killing me in a parallel world, the chance that it would happen again also remained. I would try to get rid of them right after getting the information.
Kalpa had descended to my father's body...
Lord Vishnu had also descended into my body only after he had blessed me when I had visited his abode, Vaikuntha.
Did his blessing change the nature of my vessels?
If the vessels of Kalpa in someone's body allowed her to descend, wouldn't the same happen for any divine being who shared their vessels with someone else?
"Ten minutes. That's all I can manage from here." A familiar voice vibrated within me, "The backlash will be enormous. Be ready to rest and train in Tal-atala for the next three hundred years..."
"I will." I accepted, giving consent to Shukracharya, allowing him to take over my body.
It was all part of his cunning plan. He showed me the reality and bound me to his training regimen. I won't be able to complain after this...
The familiar sensation of losing control over my body swept across my senses. They dulled until the only things left were my sight and hearing.
Power rushed into my frame from within, covering my body in a dark red aura... A lot like the one I had seen before in my last life, from the assailant who had invaded Kalpa's dimension. The aura of the demon Kali.
This aura is a signature of the highest level Asuras, a symbol of absolute domination.
Maya, when I had met him, also had this sinister aura around him.
My hands only drew two symbols, filling them up with Kundalini.
A huge sonic wave emanated when the letters dissipated, shattering the barrier before me like a glass house.
Finally, the sages who were conducting the Yagna looked up in panic.
With another swipe of my hands, the chains binding my friends disappeared like flowing sand.
I knew what Shukracharya was showing me. This is the minimum level I needed to attain before I could even hope to get out into the world.
My sight, now controlled by Shukracharya, glanced at the Rakshaks, who were now starting to realize their current condition.
"This will also be a warning to Kalpa. It will remind her not to get ahead of herself." Shukracharya's voice vibrated inside my brain again.
Several groups of Rakshaks now huddled together, taking up battle positions, while the rest went to the back, making way for the ones who stepped forward.
It reminded me of the times when everyone in the Ashrama used to depend on me, being an Avatar of The Preserver.
These groups must also be centered around the special Rakshaks who were selected just like my older sister: The heirs of the six families who are responsible for my current condition...
My soul seethed in anger.
My wrath became one with the Will of Shukracharya.
High-level Asuran symbols for destruction, Prana absorption, bindings, and curses started swirling around me, absorbing the Maya present in the Arena.
Divyani's greatsword started exuding a poisonous purple aura, and Tejas' gauntlets burst into flames. Both of them were now freed and ready to fight back.
Dozens of purple fiery snakes appeared around Omkar as he waved his staff. The snakes opened their majestic hoods, their tongue lashing out like whips of flames.
The Rakshaks also assumed battle stances, Kundalini covering their minuscule forms.
"Seven minutes." Guru Shukracharya used my vocal cords to communicate with my friends. "Take care of the Rakshaks within that time. I'll ensure that the sages won't interfere."
As soon as he stopped talking, everyone burst into action.