Ajitha's eyes widened in recognition. The name alone carried a weight of ancient lore and spiritual significance. Mount Kailash, revered by countless generations as a sacred place, was believed by many to be the abode of divine beings—a place where the mortal and the celestial converged. But it was also a place of great mystery, rumored to be impenetrable by those not chosen to ascend its heights.
"Mount Kailash…" Ajitha murmured, his gaze turning towards the direction of the mountain, hidden behind the snow-capped peaks. "Of course. It makes sense that such a place would hold a power beyond the understanding of most. No wonder those who tried to reach it were lost in illusions."
He felt a pull, an unexplainable urge to go there himself, to see what lay hidden within the mountain's sacred and enigmatic embrace. Could it be that this was the source of the energy he had felt? Was Mount Kailash the key to understanding the mysteries of Earth's displacement?
"We're going there," Ajitha declared, his voice resolute. "If there's any place on this planet that holds the answers we seek, it's Mount Kailash."
The Android nodded, ready to follow its master's command. Together, they began their journey toward the mountain, the landscape growing increasingly harsh and unforgiving as they neared their destination. The air grew thinner, the temperature dropped, and the wind howled around them like a living entity, but Ajitha pressed on, undeterred.
Ajitha and the Android reached a vantage point from which Mount Kailash stood clearly visible. The mountain, unlike its neighbors, seemed entirely untouched by the catastrophic events that had ravaged Earth. It loomed above the surrounding peaks, majestic and serene, as if defying the very passage of time. A soft, otherworldly glow radiated from its summit, casting an ethereal light that seemed to pierce through the bleak atmosphere. Ajitha, caught in the moment, sighed with a mixture of reverence and nostalgia. He couldn't help but smile at the sight, a rare expression of genuine emotion.
He then began to walk, his steps deliberate and measured. Despite his celestial abilities that could have easily allowed him to fly, he chose to walk toward the sacred mountain. The Android, who was being carried by Ajitha's power, found himself descending to the ground as well. His face betrayed a hint of confusion. Why walk when they could soar through the air and reach their destination in mere moments? But he kept his thoughts to himself, silently following his Lord.
Ajitha, noticing the Android's puzzled expression, smiled knowingly. "Are you wondering why we're walking instead of flying?" he asked, his voice carrying a calm, almost serene quality.
The Android simply nodded, his circuits buzzing with curiosity.
Ajitha turned his gaze back to Mount Kailash, the ancient peak towering above them like a sentinel of forgotten times. "There is something here," Ajitha began, his voice quiet yet filled with awe. "Something you cannot sense, but I can. My soul power, honed to the level of a Monarch, allows me to feel it. There is a presence—no, a remnant of a power far beyond anything I've ever encountered. Even I, who have stood before an Omniscient Overlord, am humbled by it. This power… it feels as though I am but a grain of sand before the vastness of the universe. I wish to study it, to understand it, and to do that, I must approach it with the respect it deserves. That's why we walk."
The Android processed Ajitha's words, shock filtering through his system. According to all known data, an Omniscient Overlord was the pinnacle of power in the universe. To hear that there existed a force even greater was beyond his comprehension. However, his thoughts were interrupted as Ajitha continued.
"But that's not the only reason we are walking." Ajitha's voice held a deeper, more solemn tone now.
By then, they had reached the base of Mount Kailash. The Android watched in astonishment as Ajitha, a being of unimaginable power, fell to his knees and kowtowed before the mountain. The sight was humbling. Ajitha, this god-like figure, was showing reverence, something the Android had never seen him do.
Ajitha then rose slowly, bringing his hands together in a gesture of prayer, bowing his head with profound respect. When he finally lowered his hands, he turned to the Android, who was still in a state of shock, and explained, "The second reason we walk is to pay respect to the God who once resided here."
The Android's processors whirred as he searched through his vast database, quickly pulling up the relevant information. Mount Kailash, known as the abode of Lord Shiva, the Destroyer and Transformer within the Hindu trinity. The connection between the ancient myths and the power Ajitha had sensed suddenly became clearer, but no less awe-inspiring.
"I don't know who tried to fly here in an attempt to uncover the secrets of Mount Kailash," Ajitha continued, his voice steady and filled with a quiet intensity, "but I wasn't on Earth at that time. As one of humanity's strongest warriors, I had been sent into space to gather resources and conduct research. Had I been here, I too would have sought out this place, but I would have done so by walking."
With that, Ajitha resumed his walk, the Android following closely, now understanding the gravity of the situation. The two figures, one mortal-made and the other a celestial being, advanced toward the mountain, their steps slow and reverent. The glow from Mount Kailash seemed to grow stronger, as if acknowledging their approach, or perhaps simply existing beyond the comprehension of even the mightiest beings.
In the stillness of that desolate land, they walked, each step drawing them closer to the ancient mysteries that lay hidden within the heart of the sacred mountain.
As Ajitha and the Android continued their trek toward Mount Kailash, a thought crossed Ajitha's mind. *We've been walking for quite some time now. We should have covered at least half the distance.* He glanced up at the peak, expecting it to appear closer, but to his surprise, it seemed just as distant as when they had first set out. A sense of unease crept over him, and he turned to look back, only to find himself shocked by what he saw—they had barely moved at all, just a few meters from where they had started.
The Android, noticing Ajitha's sudden halt and his gaze back toward the starting point, turned as well. His eyes widened in disbelief as he quickly accessed his internal systems. "My data shows we've covered a distance of three kilometers," he reported, his voice tinged with confusion. "But according to what we're seeing, we're only thirty meters away from where we began."
Ajitha nodded, a calm yet serious expression on his face. "It seems we've already fallen into an illusion," he said.
"But how can this be?" the Android questioned, his mind struggling to reconcile the contradiction. "My numerical data can't be wrong."
Ajitha gave him a knowing look. "There are many things in this universe that defy logic, things that lie beyond the reach of our most advanced technologies. We've encountered plenty of them before. This is just another one of those mysteries." He paused, scanning the surroundings. "But let's not dwell on it. The important thing is that we *have* moved, even if not as far as we expected. If we were truly stuck, we would have found ourselves back at the starting point. This means we can break through the illusion by continuing forward."
Without waiting for a response, Ajitha resumed his stride, his steps steady and determined. The Android, though still perplexed, followed closely behind.
Time passed, and after what felt like half an hour, Ajitha noted a subtle but significant change. They had traveled ten kilometers according to the Android's data, yet they were now only one hundred meters further along than before. His conjecture had been correct—the illusion was gradually yielding to their persistence.
Both Ajitha and the Android pressed on, their movements purposeful and unwavering. Each step felt heavier, as if the very ground beneath them resisted their progress. But with every meter gained, the illusion weakened, and the path ahead seemed to open up just a bit more.
The landscape around them shifted subtly, the ethereal glow from Mount Kailash growing brighter, as though acknowledging their resolve. The air grew denser, humming with an ancient energy that buzzed at the edge of their consciousness, filling them with both trepidation and anticipation.
Ajitha's eyes remained focused on the towering peak, its presence a constant reminder of the power they approached. He could feel the pressure building, the weight of something immense pressing down on him. Yet, instead of fear, a sense of reverence filled his heart—a deep respect for the force that resided in this sacred place.
As they moved forward, the path ahead seemed to stretch out endlessly, yet with each step, they knew they were closer to the truth, closer to uncovering the secrets that Mount Kailash held. Whatever lay ahead, Ajitha was determined to face it, his will unshaken, his mind focused on the journey and the unknown that awaited them at the mountain's peak.
Ajitha and the Android paused to take in the transformed landscape. It was as if they had stepped into another world entirely—one untouched by the devastation that had rendered the rest of Earth a barren wasteland. The terrain around them glowed softly, suffused with an ethereal light that bathed the surroundings in an otherworldly radiance. The contrast was striking: in a world where life had long been extinguished, this place flourished with a beauty so profound that it seemed almost impossible.
The Android, glancing at his internal map, noted, "We've covered half the distance. Only half remains to reach the peak. But is that where we're truly meant to go?"
Ajitha shook his head slowly, his gaze fixed ahead. "I don't know," he admitted, a hint of uncertainty in his voice. "But we haven't found anything yet, so we must keep moving. I don't know where the answers will be, but if they're at the peak, I'm prepared to climb it."
With that, the two of them resumed their ascent. They hadn't gone far before Ajitha suddenly halted, his eyes narrowing as he stared ahead. A thick fog had materialized in their path, dense and impenetrable, as if it had appeared from nowhere.
The Android, noticing Ajitha's change in demeanor, asked, "Is something the matter, Lord? Did you sense any danger?"
Ajitha's expression was grim as he replied, "That's the problem—I didn't sense anything. But my instincts are screaming at me, warning me that there's a life-threatening danger ahead."
He stood there for a moment, deep in thought, weighing his options. Then, turning to the Android, he said, "You wait here. I'll continue alone from this point. If I don't return soon, head back down and inform the others that I've ventured into this fog. It may take me some time to return."
The Android opened his mouth to protest, intending to remind Ajitha that he was there to aid him, but Ajitha cut him off. "I know you were sent here to look after me, but the danger ahead is something beyond your capabilities. If you come with me, I'll be forced to divide my attention to protect you, which could be fatal for both of us. So stay here and wait. I'll do my best to return as soon as possible."
With that, Ajitha prepared to step into the fog. But before he did, he looked back at the Android one last time, his expression stern. "If I don't come back in ten days, return down the mountain and try to contact the others. They'll need to know what happened."
The Android nodded reluctantly, understanding the gravity of the situation. He watched as Ajitha turned and walked into the fog, his figure gradually fading into the thick, swirling mist until he was completely out of sight.
As Ajitha entered the fog, a profound silence enveloped him, broken only by the sound of his own footsteps. The air grew colder, and the light around him dimmed, the vibrant glow of the landscape now replaced by an eerie, muted gray. Every step felt heavier, as if the fog itself was trying to pull him back, to prevent him from moving forward.
Ajitha's instincts continued to scream at him, but he pushed on, his will resolute. He knew the path ahead was fraught with danger, but he also knew that whatever lay beyond this fog held the answers he sought. Whether it was the key to understanding Mount Kailash or something else entirely, he would face it head-on. The unknown loomed before him, but Ajitha was no stranger to the mysteries of the universe. He would uncover the truth, no matter the cost.
As he ventured deeper into the fog, the world around him seemed to blur and twist, the boundaries between reality and illusion growing thin. The further he walked, the more the fog seemed to come alive, shifting and moving as if it were a living entity, watching him, waiting.
Ajitha's heart pounded in his chest, not from fear but from the anticipation of what lay ahead. He had faced many trials in his life, had stood against impossible odds, but this felt different. This was not a battle of strength, but of will, of spirit. And Ajitha was determined to prevail.
With each step, he felt the weight of the world pressing down on him, but he did not waver. He continued forward, his mind focused, his resolve unbroken. Whatever awaited him in the depths of the fog, he would confront it. He was Ajitha, the Divine Lord, and he would not be deterred by the unknown.
As Ajitha stepped into the dense fog, an overwhelming silence enveloped him, muting even the faintest echo of his footsteps. The world beyond the fog vanished from his senses, leaving him alone with his thoughts and the pulsating energy of Mount Kailash. Yet, far beyond this mystic barrier, an unseen presence was still tracking his every move.
This presence took the form of a man, ancient and powerful, who emerged from the void, his gaze piercing through the cosmos. He stood light-years away, yet his connection to Ajitha was so profound that he could sense his every action, every decision. But now, as Ajitha ventured into the fog, the man could no longer sense him. This realization caused the man's brow to furrow in concern.
Without hesitation, he began to walk, each step traversing vast stretches of the cosmos. Stars and planets blurred by, insignificant in the face of his purpose. Within moments, he reached the edge of the solar system. The sun's light glinted off his form as he paused, his gaze fixed on the small brown dot that was Earth.
A flicker of emotion passed through his eyes, a memory long buried stirring within him. He hesitated, recalling a time when he had a chance to reverse everything but in his greed he choosed strength. He had chosen his path long ago, abandoning Earth and its people to their fate. The guilt of that decision had weighed heavily on him, keeping him from ever returning to the planet. Yet now, something compelled him to break that self-imposed exile.
As he prepared to descend to Earth, a sudden force slammed into him—a colossal, oppressive aura that made even his cosmic might seem insignificant. It was as if the entire universe was bearing down on him, a crushing weight that forced him to retreat from the planet's atmosphere. He hovered above Earth, staring down with a mixture of awe and dread.
His voice trembled slightly as he muttered to himself, "I never returned to Earth after making my decision… The guilt, the burden of my choice, kept me away. I thought that perhaps, with a excuse to look for him, I could finally set foot on the soil of my birth once more."
He paused, his tone growing solemn as he continued, "But this… this presence I feel… Is it truly the weight of my guilt, or is it him?"
The man knew, deep in his heart, that this aura could only belong to one being—a presence so ancient, so powerful, that even he felt insignificant in comparison. The idea that this being was on Earth, waiting, filled him with both fear and reverence.
"I cannot face him" the man whispered. "Not with Ajitha this guilt."
He made his decision. Instead of searching for Ajitha, he chose to remain on the fringes of the solar system, watching, waiting. For with that being on Earth, there was no safer place in the universe than right where he was. And so, the man kept his vigil, knowing that whatever was to come, it would be beyond anything the universe had ever witnessed.