The Destiny of Shaitan Page 20

  “Uh!” There is a surprised silence and then his voice crackles again. “What did not hurt too much?”

  “You know, when Shaitan’s demons ran over you.”

  “Mercifully Mimir took both me and Lion Man out of there before it became too agonising. I did get a taste of it, though.” Rai pauses, and then continues, “And I don’t want to repeat it again.”

  “Was it painful?” she asks again.

  “It was,” he replies, “but it was mercifully short and I was gone before it could hurt me much more.”

  “So what do you want us to do now?” asks Yudi.

  “Raven will show you the way. It is not going to be easy. But the good news is that you are on the last mile of the journey.”

  “Oh, great,” exclaims Yudi. “That’s good? So what’s the bad news?”

  “The bad news is that Tiina is right.”

  “Oh yeah? How?”

  “Shaitan is preparing a huge army. He is pulling out all the stops.”

  “What else?” says Yudi.

  “He is planning to attack Arkana,” says Rai, “and you are going to need all the help you can get to hold him back.”

  “But isn’t that why Raven is here?” asks Tiina.

  “You need more than Raven. This time you need all the Half Lives in the galaxy to come together so you have enough manpower to defeat Shaitan,” replies Rai’s voice.

  “Is that possible?” asks Tiina.

  “It is probable,” says Rai, “But you have to move fast. Follow Raven …” His voice fades off. Raven closes her eyes; the expressions on Raven’s face, which had made her look so much like Rai, smooth away to reveal her original, unworried, emotionless visage. When she opens them, it is clear that Raven is back.

  She looks at them and raises an eyebrow quizzically.

  “Guess we had better get back to Arkana real fast,” says Tiina.

  Raven nods. She proceeds to the driver’s seat, just vacated by Yudi, and starts fiddling around with Artemis’ control panels.

  “Hang on,” says Yudi. “I am driving.”

  “Correction,” she says, smiling for the first time, “I am now. And Artemis and I understand each other much better, don’t we now, Artemis?” she asks, patting the console.

  The lights dim considerably before they come back on again, and this time they are all a shade of red.

  “Uh oh!” says Yudi “Don’t think she’s happy about that, either.”

  “You know what? None of you has a choice in this. So can we get on with it?” Raven says. “Just accept that you are going to need me when we come face to face with Shaitan.”

  “Personal quarrel?” asks Yudi with interest.

  “An understatement,” she says, baring her teeth and looking capable right then of tearing Shaitan apart with her bare hands.

  “What did he do to you?”

  “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

  “We share a common enemy. Guess you’re not all that bad, after all,” says Tiina making up her mind. “Let her take the lead.” She walks up to Artemis’ panel on the far end and whispers, “Artemis, just fall in with the plan for the time being, OK?” So saying, she pats Artemis and lays her cheek against the wall. The lights change colour back to the original warm yellow. The low purr of Artemis’ engines starting underfoot echo through the room.

  Yudi slips into the co-pilot’s seat.

  Tiina takes her position in the last seat behind the two of them. They set course one final time for Arkana. Raven gets them to their destination in double quick time.

  As she steers Artemis to the landing place in the dock, Yudi says admiringly, “You were not kidding about understanding Artemis.”

  “Yeah. Though it was a little more than just that,” she says.

  “Really? So it wasn’t just your prowess with Artemis?”

  “That as well that I managed to bend time. An L-shaped experience, if you know what I mean. Fast-forwarded it so that we could skip some of the boring preliminaries and come straight to the end of the journey.”

  Both Yudi and Tiina look at her open-mouthed with surprise. “Oh!” exclaims Tiina. “That’s incredible. Is that really possible?”

  “No, I am just kidding.” Raven laughs at them as she gets out of the driving seat, pausing only to lay her hands softly on the console as she slips out. “Once Artemis and I had a heart to heart we found a mutual understanding and even a grudging admiration for each other.”

  “The two ice queens in conversation,” exclaims Yudi. “Now that would have been a sight to behold.”

  Raven merely smiles at his comment and nods. “It was … not easy,” she says. “But once I had her trust, Artemis agreed to let me set an extra fast course. And even let me in on a few secrets of her own.”

  “Secrets?” Yudi asks, intrigued. “What secrets?”

  “Ah!” Raven laughs. “If I told you then they would not be secrets anymore now, would they?”

  “I am not sure what she said to you, but it has put you in rare good form,” comments Tiina.

  “There’s nothing to be surprised about,” says Raven. “I always appreciate a professional at work.” Then adds, “Just like you, Tiina.”

  “Now I am not sure if you meant that as a compliment or not. But I’ll take it as one.”

  Raven pats Tiina on her shoulder. “Come,” she smiles, “we should not keep Mimir waiting too long.”

  “Looks like she took a shine to you after all,” says Yudi.

  “Hmm! I am quite overwhelmed by her show of affection,” says Tiina, spelling out each world slowly through gritted teeth “Wonder what she is really thinking”

  “We’ll just have to follow her for now to find out,” says Yudi.

  They follow Raven into the academy of Half Lives and are ushered straight into the hall of the great mirrors.

  “Is it not strange that Mimir wants to meet us in the great hall?” asks Tiina.

  “Is it? I thought it was because he wanted to welcome Raven in a formal manner,” replies Yudi.

  “He would normally meet us in his own room,” says Tiina. “This place is only for formal announcements … I wonder what this is about.”

  Raven strides ahead and the two have to run to keep pace with her. They reach the hall and the three of them walk in to find Mimir in uncharacteristic formal robes.

  “He does look rather official,” Yudi whispers to Tiina.

  “Yes. Those are the clothes which declare his position as the adviser to the premier of Arkana,” Tiina whispers back. “I’ve seen him in this only once earlier.”

  “Yes, at our graduation, if I remember correctly,” Yudi replies.

  Tiina nods.

  “And that funny looking person with the cauliflower ears …” Yudi let the sentence drop.

  Tiina glances at the man. He is sitting upright on the formal throne-like structure at the end of the room. She has to stifle a chuckle, for Yudi’s description is quite accurate. He is large, with broad shoulders, a very long, pointed nose and very large ears, slightly frayed on the edges, which twitch occasionally. He has small eyes, but which twinkle with an inner light, and seems to follow their every footstep into the room and across the distance which separates them. He wears a formal tunic in red colour shot through with gold.

  “Who is he?” asks Yudi again.

  “The premier of Arkana,” replies Tiina.

  “Really!” replies Yudi interestedly. “I did not know that Arkana had a ruler.”

  “Oh, he is not the ruler. More a leader. Someone who can make decisions,” says Tiina.

  “You mean pull the trigger? Press the red button?” asks Yudi. “What is he?”

  “You mean where does he belong?”

  “Yes. He is Half Life too, correct?”

  “Of course, everyone here is Half Life.”

  “Yes,” replies Tiina. “Wonder what they want with us though.” They walk into the grand hall and bow to the Mimir and the premier.

  Mimir w
alks forward and, disregarding the formal setting, hugs Yudi and Tiina firmly. “It is good to see you both back safe.”

  Then, without giving Yudi or Tiina a chance to respond to his greeting, he says, “Tiina, you have a visitor.”

  Mimir gestures to the far end of the room. An elegant figure dressed in blue, with long flowing blonde hair, is standing there. She is turned slightly away from them so that they can only see her profile. Mimir looks to her and nods at them.

  They walk towards the figure, followed by Raven. Tiina gazes at the figure wondering who it could be. They are almost upon the woman when something about the shape of her face sets off alarm bells ringing in her head.

  Her fears are confirmed when the woman turns to them and smiles. Yudi feels like he is looking at a two-way mirror. For, reflected there, is a photocopy of Tiina. Or almost. She is blonde, her face shows more angular planes than Tiina’s, and where Tiina’s eyes are a soft brown, hers are green. She is similar, but yet different.

  It is the eyes; Yudi realises, where they differ completely. Where Tiina’s are warm and expressive, a mirror to her emotions, the eyes of the figure in front are vacant. He feels the slight chill of an empty grave looking, into those empty eyes.

  Tiina stares as if hypnotised. “Maya?” she says, eventually.

  At the sound of Tiina’s voice Maya springs into action. She bares her teeth and without saying a word, takes out her sword and leaps at them.

  Before Tiina or Yudi react, Raven has pulled out her trident and jumped into the fray. They clash in mid-air. The energy from the collision rolls out in solid sound waves, flooring everyone around and temporarily rendering them unconscious.

  When they recover, the two have disappeared. Tiina opens her eyes and instantly knows something is horribly wrong. Then the events of the last few minutes come flooding back. She runs out of the academy and into the massive gardens overlooking the city.

  As she steps out, something prompts her to look behind. She gasps at the scene that meets her eyes. Raven and Maya are engaged in a clash high above the palace. It is an impressive sight, for it is as if each has trained her entire life for this epic battle. For a moment, Tiina is lost in the display of pure power mixed with feminine elegance. The scene would have almost been hauntingly beautiful, if the situation had not been so macabre. The contrast between the two figures only serves to heighten how special the moment is.

  Maya, with the long blonde hair moving in her wake with every move, and a rather full, feminine figure. Raven, with her black curly hair sweeping gracefully through the air, complimenting her long, lean figure, clad in black. They are on the highest point in Arkana, on the tallest structure in the planet, soaring above the city below. For a moment, the two figures are silhouetted against the setting sun. Then, as Tiina watches, horrified, Raven’s trident lifts in the air.

  The sunset reflecting off the blade blinds Tiina momentarily. When she opens her eyes, the figures are both tumbling through the air. Maya crashes at Tiina’s feet. Raven is not far behind. She sails through the air gracefully and lands soundlessly on her feet. She places her trident against the neck of the fallen figure, as if measuring it for a clear fit, then raises her trident and is about to strike a fatal blow to the figure on the ground.

  Tiina suddenly recovers and, putting out both her hands grasps Raven’s trident, holding her back. “No, don’t!” she exclaims. Raven tries to shake her off. She is still trapped in the fever of the fight and turns on Tiina, who instinctively puts up her hand and Raven freezes in mid-action.

  Yudi looks on in amazement, not realising what has happened. Then it hits him. The Elixir’s power is probably manifesting for Tiina. It is interesting that it reveals itself now, in the climax of the situation he thinks.

  Meanwhile, unaware of the thoughts running through Yudi’s mind and completely ignorant of the spectacle unfolding around her, Tiina walks up to the writhing figure on the ground.

  “Maya?” she asks tentatively. A gamut of contradictory emotions well up in her.

  She is dizzy with expectation, hoping that this is her long lost twin. Yet worried at how much the years would have changed her.

  The figure continues to thrash about on the ground. The face is partially covered by locks of blonde hair, which have untidily fallen over the brow. Tiina is unable to make out the features clearly. She drops to her knees and reaches out to brush the hair from the face of the person. She pulls back and then, making up her mind, reaches out once more, completing the gesture she has earlier started.

  Maya looks back at her with hate-filled eyes. Tiina shrinks back at the loathing. The pure hate rolls off Maya in waves and flows over Tiina, physically pushing her so that she is forced to take a step away, her eyes still fascinated by what she has uncovered.

  “I tried to find you,” she tells Maya. “I looked everywhere”

  “A … likely … story,” the figure on the ground says, haltingly, her voice gravelly, as if unused to speaking. “You wanted to … to have all of Ka Surya for yourself, so that you could be the … future queen …” Maya bursts out laughing.

  “No, no. Maya.” she protests, “that is not true. I searched for you. But …”

  “But you were more worried about yourself. Too busy making your own life.”

  Tiina hangs her head. “Yes,” she says, “I had to survive.”

  “That’s you, dear sister. Ever the practical one.”

  “I missed you,” she tells Maya softly, tears pricking at her eyelids.

  “I did not miss you,” Maya hisses back at Tiina, venom dripping from her gaze. “I hate you. At least Shaitan told me the truth about you and Ka Surya. I was better off without you.”

  Tiina feels the emotions overcoming her. She sinks to the ground on her knees, hanging her head. Despite the untruth of the words, she is wracked with guilt, that perhaps she should have tried harder in some form to rescue Maya from this fate.

  Maya recovers her energy slowly and, clutching the sword, uses it as a crutch to rise to her feet. She looks at Tiina with revulsion, pity, and something else almost akin to adoration. Then, slowly raising her sword she prepares to bring it down on Tiina’s neck.

  Tiina’s eyes are downcast. She looks up, blinded by the tears pouring down her cheeks, releasing Raven, from her earlier frozen position. Raven rushes towards them and raising her sword and brings it down.

  Tiina closes her eyes.

  She opens them to see Maya’s head roll by her, and over the edge. The world sways and she slides to the ground.

  Yudi is worried. He has seen the sequence of events unfold. It is clear that it had to be this way for Tiina’s powers to unfurl. Yet the knowledge does not make the pain any less.

  Tiina does not wail out loud, yet her suffering is audible to his ears. He can hear her tortured voice. He can sense her consider giving up all hope of life. The death of Maya has opened the floodgates of suffering.

  Yama, the God of Death, waits there patiently. His favoured communication device is the death-noose, in this instance wrapped neatly around the collar of his Seville Row suit, substituting for a tie.

  He is spotless. His briefcase is by his side. His patent leather shoes sparkle in the sun. He pulls out the paper from the inner breast pocket of his suit and checks it for details. Then, apparently satisfied, he assumes a waiting stance. Feet slightly apart, perfectly balanced, moving back on the balls of his feet. Arms folded over his chest.

  Yudi realises he is waiting for Tiina. And Yama has time. The End is infinite.

  Yudi walks up to Yama. “You can wait as much as you want, but you are not getting her,” he says, defiantly.

  Yama merely glances at Yudi. It is just a casual flick of his eyes. Upwards and back. He goes back to observing Tiina’s silent form prone on the ground. He prepares to take out the noose, unwinding it from around his own neck.

  “Didn’t you hear me, old man? It is not her time yet.”

  Yama is amused. “And who decides that?”
>
  “I do, of course,” Yudi blusters.

  “Young man, I face thousands like you every day. It used to be just humans. But since the Half Lives began taking shape, my workload has doubled.”

  “So get help,” shrugs Yudi, wondering if the God of Death is not as calm and composed as he had first appeared to be.

  Yama’s brow is now furrowed. “I am afraid it is not that easy. He wants us to keep doing double our jobs with the same resources.”

  “He?” asks Yudi.

  Yama nods. “He, the supreme power, the source of all energy.”

  “So it is a he, after all.”

  Yama hesitates. “As far as I can tell, yes,” he says.

  “You have met him?”

  “Not personally, no, but I do feel him all the time.”

  “So you feel him now?”

  “Sure!” exclaims Yama.

  “And he can’t get you extra help?”

  “Not that he can’t. Of course, anything is possible for him, as you can well imagine. It’s just that … well; let us just say that he hasn’t approved it yet.”

  “The divine have such problems too?” marvels Yudi.

  “Yudi, you already know that we are not that different from you mortals.”

  “I’ve heard so, but it’s difficult to believe, as you may well understand,” says Yudi. Then on a brainwave says, “Let’s negotiate.”

  “You learn fast,” smiles Yama.

  “It’s been a long journey.”

  “No kidding!” replies Yama.

  “And I’ve met enough doyens of your spiritual world to know how hungry you are for what we Half Lives have.”

  “You have it all figured out?” says Yama.

  “So what is it you want?” asks Yudi again. “I know that much as you enjoy my company, it is not just small talk.”

  “Actually, it is refreshing to speak with someone like you," says Yama.

  “Surely you don’t lack for company? I am sure you get the best young brains from various dimensions wanting to join you.”

  “It’s not what it used to be. There has been a massive brain drain.”

  “Oh, really? Why would anyone want to ever leave the heavens?”

  “For the mortal life,” says Yama, in a defeated tone.