

### Rajiv Tanwar

~~~

Smashwords Edition

Blue Whale Publishers

India

E-Book published by

Blue Whale Publishers in 2014

BLUE WHALE PUBLISHERS

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Sector 18 A, Plot 8

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Copyright © Rajiv Tanwar 2014

Rajiv Tanwar asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

All characters in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, and recording otherwise, without the prior written permission of the Publishers and Author.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

#  Dedicated To

My wife Dr. Manish for being the granite pillar against which I could lean and write this book, and to my dear sons Avdhesh and Akash for being the source of all joy in my life.

#  Disclaimer

This is a work of fiction written purely for entertainment and does not purport to endorse any religious ideology. All the underwater stunts are purely imagined and the readers are advised not to try any such thing. In case somebody attempts any such underwater adventure the Author and The Write India Publishers or anybody else connected with the book will not be responsible for the consequences.

#  Acknowledgements

The day was 2nd December 2011 when the idea of this story first struck me and I sat down to write down a few paragraphs about its outline. Ever since it has been a relentless mission to complete the story and let people read it.

It gives me immense pleasure and satisfaction to present this story, my maiden novel, into the hands of esteemed readers. This book is the first part of a proposed Trilogy and the remaining two books would soon follow.

It would not have been possible to write a work of this magnitude along with my regular practice of an Orthopaedic Surgeon without the help of many well-meaning and dear friends. I thank all of them.

I would like to make a special mention of my editor Ms. Ahalya Momaya Naidu of Literary Angels and her able team for having dipped their heart and soul into this work to make it a readable book out of all that I could manage to scribble. It gave me a tremendous opportunity to learn the craft of story writing during the process.

For the attractive cover I am really thankful to Mr. Sunill Kaushik.

I would also thank my friend Dr. Vivek Gupta for having spared enough time out of his busy practice and dared to read the initial drafts of the book and give his valuable suggestions.

I finally would also thank my wife Manish and sons Avdhesh and Akash for having supported this madness of mine called writing.

I sincerely hope my readers will enjoy reading this story and I would appreciate their honest reviews on the social media network sites and on the sites selling the book.

With warm regards

Rajiv Tanwar

# Table of Contents

Copyright

Dedicated To

Disclaimer

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Eleven Years Later...Part 2

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

#  Chapter 1

It wasn't the langurs and their unnatural stillness that bothered the men; or the vultures which were getting closer every minute, even though the men were constantly moving. Some men thought the air was too still, and some thought that the sky kept changing colours a little too often. But all the men agreed on one thing, there were too many shadows around them; shadows cast by nothing.

'I want to go home. I want to go home,' the youngest man in the group of diggers whimpered anxiously.

'Shamu, shut up! A few more hours and we will go home with more money than we've ever seen in a whole year,' pointed out Gamboo, their leader, and Shamu's uncle's friend.

The six men got on with their digging, and that's when it happened.

Gamboo's axe had hit something metallic and the sound resounded in the quiet forest. The sound kept echoing strangely, and didn't fade away. In fact, it seemed to get louder.

Within a second, the sky turned red, a wild breeze hurtled through the forest, setting the langurs off on a screaming riot, and the vultures took off. The shadows around the men vanished.

Shamu gulped audibly. His hands were shaking so badly, it seemed he was dancing.

'Call Sahebji now,' Gamboo's uncle's friend's brother Kandoo said softly. Shamu didn't need to be told that again, any reason to get away from the spot. The very ground was turning blue. Blue!

Sridhar Dev, an archaeologist, was swatting away mosquitoes. He was getting nowhere with his reports. The Bandhavgarh Fort Excavation Project was drawing to a close. He had found many ancient statues and coins there. And all the coins and statues seemed to show some kind of palace made of snow and some palace made of water. There were also strange symbols — a lotus, some kind of knot, some fishes, it was all very strange. The local men who worked there called it the 'Ashtamangala' and said that these symbols kept the whole world together. Sridhar did not believe in any of that, but he was happy that at least there was enough evidence to prove that about two thousand years ago, there had definitely been some kind of prosperous kingdom there. Where had the people gone? Nobody knew? What happened to the snow and the water palace? Nobody knew. But Sridhar felt that with his report, he could get more funds to get experts to study the site and find out what had happened here!

His wife, Gita was sleeping under the only mosquito net they had in the camp. Sridhar smiled at the paper in front of him. Very soon Gita would give birth to their first child. The midwife in the village had told them that the happy day was just two weeks away! Sridhar wanted to finish this report, so he could leave the jungles. Not that he did not like it here, inside this mysterious dark forest, even Gita loved how peaceful and beautiful it was. But their child would get all the best comforts in life. They could leave tomorrow when the monthly supply truck would come to the camp and everything would be wonderful.

Sridhar remembered he had to finish his report, before he left the site. He was stuck at the last page. Should he add that yesterday two labourers had disappeared or that a big boulder had rolled off its age-old perch and grazed past a labourer today morning; and the mysterious appearance of vultures — more than the locals had ever seen in the entire region; and those crazy shadows all the men had seen? And Gita had seen them too. Shadows cast by nothing.

No! That would just worry the Minister who was against archaeology anyway. He did think that he must mention something about the weird change in the weather they were experiencing. It was too cold sometimes, and sometimes the rain fell like a huge never-ending waterfall had just been set up above their archaeological site. Completely unnatural weather!

He was just about to sign his name at the end of the report when he heard heavy footsteps come running towards his tent.

'Sahib! Sahib!'

Sridhar recognised Shamu's voice and stepped outside the tent.

'What is it?'

'Sahib, they are calling you to the site right now. _Right now_ ,' he said, his eyes were open so wide Sridhar had to try hard to not say something funny.

'Urgent!'

Sridhar turned around, lifted the flap of the tent and checked on Gita. Still asleep. He was about to leave, but something caught the corner of his eye.

Was there a shadow inside the tent? Sridhar blinked. Gita turned to the other side and snored in her sleep. The cook, Ramdhari was away, buying fruits and vegetables in the market down the hill. But, he would be back soon.

Sridhar left for the site a short way uphill.

'Saheb, this way! Never seen anything like it! Never! Saheb, quickly Saheb!'

Gamboo led Sridhar to a newly dug up grave. Inside it was a very strange skeleton.

'Oh my God!'

Sridhar squatted at the edge of the grave and began examining the bones. It looked like a human skeleton. But, it was five times the size of the biggest human being and the bones were not white, they were black.

'Saheb,' Gamboo said as he pointed to a bone, 'it is very heavy and look how it glows. Look at the ground Saheb. The mud only has turned blue!'

'Never seen such a thing before,' said Sridhar softly...

'And the bones are warm! In all my experience, I've never seen a human this large. It seems to belong to some other species... an alien maybe.'

Sridhar started making notes in the record book while a torch lay beside them. He filled some of the soil in an evidence pouch and made notes about the location and the time of the day.

No one saw the huge army of scorpions rushing towards them. They did not even hear the whirring wings of the thousands of white winged ants that were gathering in a cloud over the unsuspecting men. And suddenly, it started raining.

'Quick! Get the sheets! Cover this! Cover this now!' Sridhar's orders were falling on deaf ears. The men had seen the scorpions and the ants and had realised that the rain that was falling down like stones was doing nothing to the strange creatures surrounding them. Within a second, Gamboo and his men had run away screaming.

Sridhar looked around desperately for the huge tarpaulin sheet that they used to cover the site at night. He started dragging it over this strange discovery when he noticed something red and glowing beside the skeleton. The red object looked like a silk pouch. There were some strange golden hieroglyphics embroidered on it. For a moment, it seemed the symbols moved, but Sridhar blinked and it looked like any other old purse again. He felt something heavy and metallic inside it and opened the purse. He was about to look inside it, when he had a very strange feeling. His skin was crawling with a sudden fear. He looked around him and there on a dead tree not too far away he saw two beady eyes watching him; then two more; and two more. The vultures were there.

He pulled the pouch out, and jumped back in shock as lightning hit the ground just a few inches away from him. He threw the sheet over the skeleton, shoved the red pouch into his pocket and waited under a tree.

On the ground, shadows moved; bodiless shadows. They moved towards Sridhar's tent. And some of them flew away, merging into the night's starless sky.

'Saheeb....saheeb...' a shrill voiced called out. Ramdhari, Sridhar's cook was running towards him. Ramdhari stumbled along the narrow path. He was a portly, short adivasi wearing only a mud-smeared dhoti wrapped around his waist. His large protruding belly and the volcanic crater-like belly button danced up and down as he ran up the hill barefoot. He was quite out of breath by the time he managed to reach the spot where Sridhar was standing under a tree.

'What's it Ramdhari?' asked Sridhar, worrying because only something really urgent would make the lazy Ramdhari even move out of the campsite.

'Bi...bi...ji... is... calling you,' Ramdhari managed to say as he panted.

'What happened...is everything alright?'

'Ji saheeb... Bibiji is calling out your name, she sounds like she is in pain,' huffed Ramdhari. 'I had to run a lot... so I ran, Saheb, through the shortcut on the hillside to call you.'

Sridhar had already forgotten everything about shadows without bodies and black skeletons and mysterious silk purses. He hoped his wife was all right. It would not be easy to find a good doctor close by. The baby was ahead of schedule and Sridhar hoped everything they required was at hand.

A storm was unleashed and rain spattered on the ground. In a few minutes it was very difficult to walk, let alone run in the slush with twigs and leaves falling from the trees that were lashing about in the wind.

Sridhar hurried back towards his tent, calling out to Ramdhari to cover the site with the tarpaulin sheets. Tomorrow, after everything was taken care of at home, he would come back with new helpers, Sridhar thought.

A soulless castle of ice, shrouded in eerie darkness, jutted from a mountain of ice into the horizon of a frozen continent. Steep cliffs of ice surrounded it, making it nearly impossible to enter. Icy cold gales that could freeze the blood in one's veins and suck the soul out of the body blew noisily, warning trespassers to keep away. None of the windows in the castle appeared open, nor did any light emerge from them, except for an occasional reddish glow in the central spire of the castle.

Elongated shadows emerged from the sky and seemed to knock on the main door. After a long time, with a loud, eardrum shattering creak, the door opened wide to reveal a hunchbacked man with a parrot beak like nose, and ratty eyes. He wore a long kurta and over his head was a really bulky moth-eaten turban. He held a long thick wooden staff, longer than him, at the end of which was carved a very menacing looking vulture's head.

'What brings you here at this hour?' his husky voice was louder than the storm.

'To serve the Samraat,' whispered a shadow.

'Leave! The great Samraat is in no mood to listen to anyone today. Come back after a few hundred years.'

'Do not act in haste Aurang!' whispered the second shadow, 'we bring him that which he has been waiting for.'

'The Endless Knot has been found,' whispered the third shadow.

'A Bhoomivasi has dug it out from a grave.'

'WHAT!' screamed Aurang. The anger in his eyes was so frightening the shadows moved back. They knew that Aurang was known to his victims as Dusht (another word for evil). Secretly, Aurang loved the name, he felt proud of the fear he could incite in everyone.

'Where? What? Oh ho, why am I asking such useless questions! Come on give it to me.'

'We don't have it. It's been taken away by the Bhoomivasi, he calls himself Sridhar Dev. He has it.'

'SRIDHAR? WHO'S HE?' Aurang spat out the words. 'FOOLS!

You come running to tell this? Get lost, before I reduce you to nothing! I'll deal with this.'

An icy gale swirled and the shadows vanished into the very darkness from where they had come. Aurang Dusht pushed the doors close and trudged through the atrium up the staircase.

'If only Samraat had searched Rajneesh's body that day, this could've been avoided,' he muttered.

Around him, the Ice Castle glowed in different colours depending upon the thoughts and moods of its creator. As Aurang climbed the long flight of stairs, the colour of the Castle changed from orange to red to inky blue and finally to red again as he reached the top.

Aurang suddenly realised that everything around him was red. Deep red. Aurang hesitated before he entered the private chambers of the Samraat. He hesitated to knock and pushed the doors in. He stopped and looked around. And when he saw the silhouette of his master glowing red like burning charcoal, shivers ran down his bent spine. _'He is very angry again,'_ thought Aurang, 'never before has this mood meant anything except bloodshed. I better avoid meeting him now. I'll fetch the Endless Knot. How difficult could it be?'

By the time Sridhar reached his tent, the rains lashed down like the world was ending and the incessant thunder and lightning seemed to shake the very ground. The midwife who used to come to the camp every evening to check on Gita had already arrived. She peeked out from under the tent flap and beamed at him, it was obvious she was expecting a huge tip. She held out an umbrella, although Sridhar was already soaked to the bone.

'It's a boy! You're a father now. Saheb, congachoolachun!'

Sridhar forgot about the rain, and everything else. He reached out for his wallet and took out almost all the notes in them and thrust them into her hands. 'For sweets! How's Gita?'

'Memsahib is good,' replied the midwife quickly pushing the money into a small cloth purse tucked inside her sari. 'Sahib, I want a sari... a baby boy from God.' She stood in the way, waiting for Sridhar to agree.

Sridhar smiled, nodded and gently nudged her aside. She nodded happily and said she would be back in the night with some nourishing food for the new mother and happy father.

Sridhar entered his tent and saw his wife looking calm and happy. Their baby son was fast asleep, swaddled in a colourful cotton blanket. His son had a mass of curly hair, and ears rather large like jug handles for his little face. Gita laughed as Sridhar hesitated to come closer and touch the baby.

'Come on, meet your son,' she said softly. The baby's eyes were shut tight. He seemed to be asleep, but when Sridhar touched his son's cheeks, the tiny baby slowly opened his eyes.

Suddenly, Sridhar felt an urge to gift his son something. Without thinking, Sridhar reached into his pocket and pulled out the old silk purse. Without taking his eyes off his son, he pulled out the metallic object. It was a locket hanging from a simple chain. Sridhar did not even stop to wonder how a locket buried for what seemed like hundreds of years could still shine like it was forged yesterday. He tied the chain around his baby's neck. Sridhar felt the baby was smiling at him, Gita too smiled, it was their son's first gift on his very first birthday.

No sooner did the locket touch the body of the boy, than the rain began lashing with increased vigour and the clouds thundered like the trumpets of a huge pack of mad elephants. 'The gods too are rejoicing the birth of our son,' said Gita and Sridhar sat beside her to hug her.

Gita and Sridhar watched their son fall asleep again. They looked at each other and spoke in unison, 'How about Vasu?' The fact that they had both chosen the same name, after months and months of arguing about good names for boys and girls, made them laugh out loud.

From the clouds emerged Aurang. Riding Kroor, a Porcugle, a giant eagle with the quills of a porcupine, Aurang the Dusht was followed by quick flashes of lightning that seemed to strike only Sridhar's tent. Kroor seemed as evil as his master. He was an ancient giant bird with the beak, head, eyes and claws of an eagle, but the wings and tail had quills like that of a porcupine, instead of feathers. When attacked, or generally angered, Kroor could shoot his sharp bamboo-like stippled quills that regenerated instantly. Kroor was cruel, true to his name, and had a tremendous appetite. Very often, he satisfied his hunger by preying on innocent elephants.

Aurang got off Kroor and leaning heavily on his staff, lurched into the tent. Now the hot, heavy, humid winds suddenly changed. The icy bone-numbing winds from the Ice Castle swept through the forest.

Sridhar was shocked at the sudden drop in the temperature. He got up to secure the flap of the tent. And that was the last thing he remembered. He suddenly hit the ground and fell into a deep sleep.

Gita looked up when she heard her husband fall, and suddenly she too fell into a sudden deep sleep, while her son fought energetically with the soft blankets that tied him in securely.

'Ha! What's this!' Aurang Dusht's husky voice filled the tent with bad vibes. 'Celebrating the birth of a mere child? With stolen gifts?' He looked at the locket hanging around the neck of the newborn. The Endless Knot glowed gently.

Aurang simply lifted his finger and pointed it at the baby, a big bolt of lightning emerged from his fingertip and hit the air around the baby. The baby was looking fixedly at its mother.

'What! What's going on here?' Aurang tried to remove the locket from around the neck of the unfazed baby who was now watching him without blinking. Aurang tugged at the locket and instantly a huge wave of electricity shot through the locket and threw Aurang to the ground.

The baby kept gazing at Aurang without any expression, unfazed by the huge bolts of lightning in the room.

'Oh... so... you won't give me the locket, will you?' Aurang was taken aback. _Stopped by a baby? Dusht stopped by a baby?_ 'Then I'll have to carry you with me!' Saying this, he lifted the newborn child who was merrily sucking his thumb and left the tent. 'He will be pleased to see you, little mongoose!'

Aurang sat astride Kroor and tied the baby to his back. 'You don't mind coming with me, do you? You need to deliver something to its rightful owner,' he sneered.

#  Chapter 2

Mountains of black clouds tumbled and flew across the sky; lightning and thunder crashed constantly. Icy cold winds whistled and blew this way and that; but it was in the oceans, deeper than the highest mountains that the storm was really raging.

The King of the Oceans was angrier than he had ever been in fifty thousand years. Something evil had just happened, he could feel it! The balance of power had suddenly shifted, and Maharaja Siddhivarun felt it before he knew what had happened. He may have become weaker than a small child, but his instincts were stronger than ever before. The problem, however was, he did not know whom to trust. Who could he send out into the oceans, to find out what was happening? Before this mysterious illness started taking over his body, he was stronger than all the blue whales together. Now, he couldn't rely upon his own army chief.

His new wife, Rani Roopmati, had set up an entirely new army and they were loyal to her. He no longer had spies, even his own soldiers were afraid of her. So, whom could he trust?

Maharaja Siddhivarun was tired of being unwell and anxious to do something. He wanted to step out now! But, he was too tired to even stand. Who would believe that he was the immortal ruler of the oceans? The Bhoomivasis, those who lived on land believed that Maharaja Siddhivarun was immortal; which he was not. Immortality was a gift he had given up when he had decided to get married and his daughter was born. Even then, this was unexpected. He could live for thousands of years more, but this illness was bringing his death closer. He was certainly the undisputed King of all Oceans, the Lord of all the Seas, the ruler of water and sky on this earth, but his daughter was missing; and his Raj-Vaidya had found no cure for his illness.

Nobody knew why or how the Maharaja had first fallen ill. Some said it started right after he heard the rumours that his first wife Indrani had disappeared. Few knew, but never could gather courage to speak aloud of the Maharaja's second wife Rani Roopmati who was actually the cause of all his troubles. The bravest, the most powerful men and women in the kingdom became speechless in front of her. If they felt like arguing with her, they would feel ill and weak. Those who were selfish and always lied, were becoming more powerful. Strange were the times in the Samudra Mahal.

Maharaja Siddhivarun's kingdom, unlike Bhoomi (the land) had no boundary, factions or divisions. All his subjects were free to swim anywhere they liked and enjoy their lives. His grandeur could not be matched singularly by anyone or even collectively by all the rulers of the land.

Sea creatures that swam in every corner of his empire were also extensions of his eyes as were the numerous stars in the sky that saw every part of earth and kept the Maharaja informed about what was happening in his boundless empire. When he had married the beautiful and kind Princess Indrani, the daughter of — Vanaspati Maharaja — the king of all vegetation — the oceans all over the world had bloomed in beautiful, colourful flowers. The flowers in the ocean are really a sight to see. Bright colours, unusual shapes, and the water currents making the flowers move as though an invisible breeze were playing with them.

Maharaja Siddhivarun's daughter, Aishwarya, had made the oceans and even more beautiful place than it had ever been. They had been so proud at the love she inspired in the creatures that lived deep in the oceans. Those were happier times. And then, something had happened. Try as he might, Maharaja Siddhivarun, could not remember anything about his life before he married Rani Roopmati. He had even forgotten all about his wife and daughter. Indrani and Aishwarya had disappeared, and his memories of them were taken away too.

He hadn't seen them, and nobody spoke about them.

His heart wasn't the same, and he certainly wasn't the same strong ruler he had been.

It had to be some really powerful dark magic that could affect him so much. But, Maharaja Siddhivarun was helpless.

It seemed he was the king only in name, since it was the Rani who presided over meetings, and made decisions, without even consulting him.

A large elaborately carved coral table occupied the centre of the room around which were sixteen coral chairs carved with intricate floral designs. Siddhivarun sat on a grandiose chair with his tired feet propped up on a small footstool. He had seen a lot of ups and downs as the King of the Oceans, but times were changing and with it was changing the world order, this made him very restless. The desire of the greedy Bhoomivasis to plunder the sea of its great resources and beauty made him remorseful of ever having consented to allow the making of Bhoomi. Hardly anyone now remembered that at the start of time, there was no land at all. The planet was covered with water. Oceans everywhere! Then his brothers, his Seven Giant half-brothers ganged up against him. They started the most terrible war. Innocent sea creatures were killed. And he had to relent. He gave them their own kingdoms to rule, but above water. He had hoped this would be the end of bad times, but who was he kidding? Of course, this was not enough. Where there are bad thoughts, can a super villain be far behind?

That apparently was Samraat Viraat Shatru.

Getting stronger by the day, even as Maharaha Siddhivarun was getting weaker. Even more stressful was the constant challenge of countering Samraat Viraat Shatru's immense dark powers and his greatly increasing group of followers everywhere, be it on land, water or air, eager to indulge in various vices and commit crimes with no repentance of any sort.

Dhartiputra Dhruddavrat, the lord of the world below the earth's surface, and his army of angry men were constantly battling it out with the Bhoomivasis, which also was a matter of great concern for Maharaja Siddhivarun. Dharti was ruled by Dhruddavrat who lived in the underworld — in the caves and cavities beneath the earth's surface. They guarded its resources with a missionary zeal. Diamonds and metals, precious stones and water, the Dhartiputras lived in a state of constant war with the people who lived above them. Dhruddavrat believed that the Bhoomivasis had turned unduly greedy in digging out the earth's treasures to create what they thought were wasteful things, and to stop them he kept on waging wars with them, inflicting heavy damage to their mines, dams, buildings, and other new structures.

For a valiant soldier, an able ruler, and a peace lover, it was difficult for Maharaja Siddhivarun to accept that he was becoming weak while the clique of Samraat Viraat Shatru and his followers were gaining the upper hand.

Siddhivarun's face radiated deep worry, not his earlier selfconfidence that easily rubbed on to the people who met him. His shapely beard that was always trimmed in the right proportions and places to give it a pointed end over the chin, now drooped. It used to neatly merge with his sideburns to highlight his prominent jaw line, now he just looked unwell. His thick, long, red moustache was no longer curved upwards and pointed at the ends. But, he still had on the centre of his broad forehead an elegant looking U-shaped mark drawn with sandalwood paste, the most fragrant luxury he could get from Bhoomi.

Suddenly Maharaja Siddhivarun heard a soft, musical voice telling him to come outside the Sea Palace to the coral mountain. Maharaja Siddhivarun snapped out of his thoughts. He knew exactly who was calling out to him, and he did not waste a moment. Sandy was the wisest and the most loyal whale he had ever known, and she was his most trusted ally. She kept an eye on the ocean's inhabitants and gave him all the news. She had looked everywhere for Rani Indrani when she had gone missing all those years ago. But ever since Siddhivarun had married again, Sandy had been unable to meet Maharaja Siddhivarun. Try as she might, some mysterious force kept repelling her. Today, she had used all her strength to breach the Samudra Mahal's impenetrable dome with her thoughts. She was waiting for him outside because she had something important to tell him and Maharaja could sense it.

Maharaja Siddhivarun felt a new power flood his veins. It was the desire to do something good that made him feel strong. He looked out of the window and saw the guards at the gate. He knew exactly what would happen if they spotted him— he wouldn't get to meet Sandy, and Rani Roopmati would find out about Sandy. Somehow, he felt that his new wife should never find out about this resourceful, helpful whale.

He opened up a trunk and took out an old over-sized cloak, a big black turban, and a huge stinking stole that he wrapped around his neck in coils. The cloak managed to hide his red silk kurta and his royal blue pajamas, the turban hid his long red hair, and the stole covered up his beard and moustache. He removed his rings and left his Water-sword on the trunk. Finally, with a battered old lamp in his hand, he shuffled out of the palace gates, in full sight of everyone, while the guards joked and ribbed each other with silly comments.

Maharaja Siddhivarun knew that Sandy would stay hidden till she was sure there was no one following him. Sure enough, a few minutes after he had left the palace behind, and stepped out of the dome that enclosed the palace, he felt the weight of the water shift, that same musical voice said, 'You don't look well, Maharaja.'

Siddhivarun turned and smiled, 'But you look as young and graceful as ever.'

Almost seventy feet long and bigger than any ship that had crossed the ocean, Sandy was huge but extremely graceful. She also loved Maharaja Siddhivarun a lot. He had done much to protect the sea creatures by ensuring that the Bhoomivasis did not find it easy to hunt down the helpless sea creatures. Before Rani Roopmati had taken over the kingdom, Maharaja Siddhivarun would himself patrol the waters with his huge army by his side, pushing away greedy fishermen and harpooning ships by summoning huge waves and storms.

By force of habit, Sandy was about to ask Maharaja about Aishwarya, but stopped herself in time. Another strange consequence of the King's second marriage was that he had forgotten everything about his first wife and his daughter — the daughter he had adored and pampered. Sandy and Aishwarya spent a lot of time together, but if you asked the King, he wouldn't even know he had a daughter.

Sandy didn't waste another moment and told him what she had just seen. The words just tumbled out. 'Dusht is carrying a baby, a Bhoomivasi baby. I saw him myself. He's on Kroor, and they're making their way to the Ice Palace. I think the baby has some power that's protecting him from Dusht till now. I caught a glimpse of a locket that was glowing like it had the purest light inside it. I think it is also the reason why Dusht hasn't disappeared already. I think the locket is preventing Dusht from using his evil, horrible magic. But once Samraat Viraat Shatru gets his hands on the child, I doubt he'll live. Locket, or no locket...'

Maharaja Siddhivarun lifted his hand, it used to be a powerful gesture when he was stronger. It stopped people in mid-sentence, it stopped enemies in mid-attack. Sandy waited.

'I'll get the child here. We need to know how the child has been keeping Aurang at bay. I'll gather some guards and be there.'

Sandy nodded and said, 'I'll be a thought away, if you need me, I'll be keeping an eye on Dusht's journey. Right now the rains and the wind have really slowed him down.'

Siddhivarun shuffled back to the palace. He could guess at whose behest this had happened. He had made up his mind to intervene and prevent Samraat Viraat Shatru from gaining more dark powers, but he was equally aware of his illness and dwindling strength. 'The brave and valiant die trying,' Siddhivarun's father had taught him and he had never learnt to find excuses after that. Even though illness had considerably weakened Maharaja, he was still a formidable opponent for Samraat Viraat Shatru or his protégé Aurang and they knew this fact very well.

What could be the purpose of kidnapping a Bhoomivasi baby, thought Siddhivarun, is that locket around its neck that important?

'Maharaja! You should not be out!' A nasal voice disturbed the chain of thoughts flooding the mind of the Maharaja. Tall and thin, the dhoticlad bearded, ponytail sporting figure who stood before him was the only man the Maharaja could trust in his entire kingdom. And the only man who cared enough to see through his disguise. Nagarjuna stood beside him. He always carried a cloth bag across his shoulders that held a collection of miracle herbs ready to use. Now, that was a healer to the core, someone who was always prepared to heal and cure!

Guru Nagarjuna, an exponent of medicines and herbs was the Raj Vaidya of the Sea Kingdom and had been focussing all his energies on restoring the Maharaja's health. He took the King's hand and led him to the private quarters. The healer thought that the king was feeling unwell, but it seemed Siddhivarun had something else on his mind.

'Maharaja is the skin still burning?' asked Guru Nagarjuna, 'Let me see.' He reached out to examine Siddhivarun's hand.

'I need your help Nagarjuna.'

'You don't need to ask for it, do you?'

'This world has become a dangerous place to live in. Life's no longer as good as it used to be.'

'What happened?'

'Samraat's up to something really evil this time! Aurang has kidnapped a newborn Bhoomivasi baby for some locket. I hope it isn't the fabled Ashtamangala... if it is, that child will not live. I must save the child.'

'Should I call Senapati Vajreshwar?'

'No! Not at all — I'd rather go myself,' snapped Maharaja Siddhivarun. 'You will come with me. Won't you?'

'You're not planning to go alone. Are you?'

'Only with my faithful soldiers,' said Maharaja, 'these treacherous times demand secrecy. The fewer know about this, the better.'

'What help could I possibly give in a war?' 'Your knowledge of healing, I'll need that!'

'Am I not giving all that I can? But your health doesn't allow this liberty,' pleaded Guru Nagarjuna. He opened his bag of medicines to apply a medicinal paste on the Maharaja's hands. 'Your skin is still thick, shiny, and scaly dry. Worries put you down. Simply drop them — they won't allow you to get well Maharaja. This world needs you and above all, the entire Sea Kingdom needs you!'

'I don't seek your help for me. I already have that unasked. The Sea Kingdom is lucky to have a physician of your calibre,' said Maharaja and he smiled at his faithful healer. 'Viraat is up to something very sinister and unholy. The time has come to unite and fight Viraat's growing evil powers so that the whole world can live in peace. Ironic, isn't it? But you've to fight for peace, even though most miseries of the world have been caused by wars. Simply praying won't help.'

Guru Nagarjuna beamed with pride as he heard the power in his King's voice. The Maharaja may be feeling unwell, but it was easy to see why he was such a great, feared, and respected ruler.

'How can I help?'

'Carry the whale milk potion with you, we'll need it.'

The whale milk potion was required for those who couldn't naturally breathe under water. And only those humans who could breathe naturally under water were allowed entry into the Samudra Mahal. The Samudra Mahal and the reefs around it gleamed under a dome-shaped bubble. It acted as a roof over which phosphorescent plants grew, giving light to the palace, replacing the Sun and effectively hiding the palace away from any prying pair of eyes. A serene and calm atmosphere pervaded the palace where no

Bhoomivasi mortal was ever permitted. Once inside, one could walk as though one was above the water, but no Bhoomivasi could breathe in this magically dry air. Bhoomivasis had long back lost the power to breathe under water when they had decided to leave the Sea and live on Bhoomi.

'Let's leave,' Maharaja Siddhivarun said immediately and got up from his chair, he was surprised he could even do that. Maybe he was getting better! The Raj Vaidya stood still, he had never been involved in anything violent before! He knew everything there was to know about healing broken bones, but he had never broken anybody's bones!

'Only being good is not enough, learn to be brave as well. Don't worry! Siddhivarun still has enough strength to tackle a hundred Aurangs,' said the Maharaja jovially.

Although he sounded as lion-like as he always had been, it was difficult for him to get off the throne and stand on his feet. His old guards helped him wear the armour that included a shiny coat of chainmail, a huge sword with a hilt of gold and blade of water and a helmet with a blue whale carved on the top. They nodded silently, knowing they had to keep this mission a secret.

Guru Nagarjuna hurried to pack the whale milk potion. Together they boarded the splendid water chariot. Nobody spoke.

#  Chapter 3

The sea was choppy and frightening as a violent storm raged around them. The incessant thunder and lightning made it difficult to speak or even look at a fixed point. The waves roared up to such a height that it seemed as if the clouds would be dragged into the ocean.

Guru Nagarjuna knew that this was all under Maharaja Siddhivarun's control, but he still felt scared. What if the waves lashed at that strange bird and hurt the baby? It wouldn't be able to breathe!

Meanwhile, Sandy knew Maharaja Siddhivarun had arrived. She sent him a thought, telling him that she was close by, marshalling all the dolphins and whales in the oceans to come together.

Communicating via one's thoughts was an ancient art and science that had been mostly forgotten by the Bhoomivasis. But, it was easy and simple and the ancient knowledge was used not only by the people and creatures living in the sea, under the earth's surface in caves, but also by the birds that flew. And the technique was so perfect that you could communicate with one or more people who were close by or even hundreds of miles away. This was how Sandy and Maharaja Siddhivarun devised their plan.

Sandy was a whale on an important mission. She ignored the powerful waves trying to push her away. She had to get somewhere and she was determined to fight the sea if she had to. Sandy was a colossal full grown blue whale. Usually, she loved the raging stormy seas. She enjoyed showing off her amazing skills such as racing around with her friends, but when Sandy had seen Aurang and Kroor flying above the waters, carrying a baby, she had forgotten everything else. She had a baby of her own, and she knew the power of love. She was a mother and her love for peace, kindness, and goodwill powered her.

Behind the pod of whales led by Sandy, the ocean parted and gave way to Maharaja Siddhivarun's chariot driven by gigantic seafoam-horses. The chariot, including its wheels and body, was made up of entirely of waves. A tall, muscular charioteer held the reins of the seahorses, steering the royal chariot through the rough sea. The soldiers who were riding seahorses, were also tall and well-built, but they were only half-human, their lower body was the body of a dolphin with the tail of a crocodile. The soldiers had crocodile skin covering them, tough with hard greenish scales.

Maharaja Siddhivarun stood behind the charioteer, while Guru Nagarjuna sat beside the Maharaja, clutching tightly his bag of medicines and holding on to the handrails of the chariot that rocked violently on the waves.

Maharaja Siddhivarun held his bow in his left hand with the other hand he pulled and shot an arrow of water that released a sound louder than thunder.

'Aurang!' roared the Maharaja.

Guru Nagarjuna felt a strange magical energy exuding from the Maharaja. 'War is the best rejuvenator for warriors,' thought Nagarjuna.

Aurang panicked when he saw Maharaja Siddhivarun charging towards him with his half-human soldiers. Before he could think about a counter-attack, Aurang slipped off Kroor. He managed to hold on to the strong quills on the bird's sides with the baby dangling from his back. He screamed at Kroor to fly faster.

Kroor began flapping its wings as quickly as it could, as Aurang Dusht tried to climb back up. The baby was swinging from side to side, but seemed strangely unafraid. Maharaja Siddhivarun and Guru Nagarjuna could now clearly see the locket, shining as bright as the sun. The soldiers of the Sea Kingdom spurred their seafoam-horses to gather speed and close upon Aurang.

'Catch him...' yelled Maharaja, 'bring down the fleeing thief,' he ordered the dark clouds. Instantly, the water rose, the waves transformed into even bigger waves, lifting Maharaja Siddhivarun's chariot high up in the sky.

The dark clouds rushed towards the sea to push down Kroor and his rider towards the raging sea while the chariot and soldiers rose on the giant waves towards them. Sandy and other whales, ready to help, followed them in the sea.

Aurang was cornered. He turned back to fling bolts of lightning from the tip of his finger towards those pursuing him, but the lightning did nothing more than sizzle in the water and the chase continued.

Aurang coaxed Kroor to fly through a gap in the clouds that was closing in. Kroor flapped his huge wings and entered a large gap in the shifting clouds. It would have been very shameful for the clouds if Aurang managed to escape. The angry clouds rushed towards him and began squeezing Kroor. The bird found that flapping his wings, an absolute necessity for flying, was now nearly impossible.

All of a sudden, Siddhivarun realised that the baby who was the reason for this rescue mission, had not cried at all. It looked like a newborn baby! But, this baby seemed to be made of sterner stuff! In fact, the baby seemed entirely unaffected by all the thunder and lightning around him, and beside him Guru Nagarjuna, a few thousand years old himself, was shaking and whimpering in fear.

Siddhivarun decided to launch a direct attack on Aurang and bombarded Kroor with bolts of thunder and lightning. The clouds tried to push Kroor down, and the lightning burnt away many quills. Aurang realized the futility of attempting an escape through the clouds and steered Kroor down towards the water hoping to make it through the narrow gap between the clouds and water.

The seafoam-horses grew wings — large and powerful. They gracefully rose above the water carrying the Maharaja's chariot easily into the sky. They chased Aurang with more speed and enthusiasm, because the catch was at hand. The sea waves were larger than before and nearly closed the gap between the clouds and sea making his escape an impossible task.

Aurang had only one dirty trick up his sleeve. He pulled out the baby from the harness on his back and tried to remove the locket once again.

This triggered a series of strong flashes of lightning from the locket.

'Oh heavens!' exclaimed Maharaja Siddhivarun as he saw this. 'Can't let him do that! Charge!'

He pulled out his sword. His most prized possession. The mighty sword had a gold hilt, but its blade was made of water. Only Maharaja Siddhivarun, or his named successor could command it. The water blade was sharper than any of the blades made of metal. It could cut through the toughest steel and made him invincible on the battlefield.

The soldiers began encircling Kroor and Aurang.

'I'll kill the baby,' Aurang shouted loud and clear. 'I'll do anything for my master.'

'Don't even dare!' warned Maharaja Siddhivarun, he glanced down and saw Sandy and the whales right below. 'You'll lose your life today. Take the baby from him,' he ordered the soldiers.

The soldiers advanced from all sides, encircling Aurang while the angry clouds kept pushing him from above towards the impatient waves eager to gulp him. Aurang Dusht hurled the baby far away, out into the open sea.

'No!' screamed Siddhivarun. The soldiers leapt to the rescue. One of them managed to catch the baby and quickly carried it to Maharaja Siddhivarun. Guru Nagarjuna rose from his seat now, on shaking legs, and held the little boy.

Aurang's trick had worked. While all eyes were busy watching the baby, he made a quick escape.

Siddhivarun regretted allowing Aurang to escape. He had missed a golden opportunity to get rid of one of the most evil men on this earth. Guru Nagarjuna couldn't take his eyes off the newborn. Although he had healed several children in his life, not a single baby had held his gaze steady like this little boy. His eyes were drawn to the pointy ears, so unlike the ears of most Bhoomivasi babies.

'Hmm...let me see,' mumbled Maharaja Siddhivarun as he examined the strange locket around the baby's neck. The symbol definitely looked like one of the Ashtamangalas. How had this baby found something so precious and so powerful? Especially since no one had found it in a thousand years! 'Feed him the whale milk potion — I want him safe inside my palace.'

No flashes of light or anything of the sort happened when Maharaja was examining the locket of the baby, unlike when Aurang tried to pull it off, and this did not escape the keenly observing eyes of the intelligent physician.

'Are you sure?' asked puzzled Guru Nagarjuna unable to comprehend this unprecedented relaxation in a rule no one was ever allowed to break. Ever since Maharaja Siddhivarun had allowed Bhoomi to be created out of the sea for his seven giant brothers to rule, he had forbidden the entry of any living Bhoomivasi or mortal earthling into his sea world and since that day, no living creature on the Bhoomi ever could manage to live under water. 'Are rules meant to be broken?'

'No! Certainly not, but they surely can have exceptions,' said Maharaja Siddhivarun with a smile, 'I mean it.'

Guru Nagarjuna pulled out the pouch of the whale milk potion and drop by drop let it fall into the baby's open mouth. It was obvious that the baby was very hungry indeed, and once the potion was drunk, the baby started gurgling happily.

Maharaja Siddhivarun ordered his soldiers, who wanted to pursue the fleeing fugitive, to return to the Sea Palace. The storm had abated and the huge waves had vanished. The rains stopped immediately and the clouds dispersed swiftly as if in a hurry to go elsewhere. Sandy and the other whales welcomed the baby's safe entry into the sea world by thumping their tails and swimming around the royal chariot in circles. The majestic chariot plunged into the ocean and the water parted to give way to its Maharaja who had valiantly fought, giving little consideration to his illness, to prevent the dark powers from becoming more powerful. The baby of the Bhoomivasi with a strange locket around his neck had been rescued and would also become the first Bhoomivasi to enter the Sea Palace alive.

Maharaja Siddhivarun entered the Diwaan-e-Khaas followed by Guru Nagarjuna who was carrying the baby. Then the soldiers, who had been part of the rescue team a short while ago, also entered. The news of the Maharaja's exploits had already spread within the Palace and the fact that he was to hold a meeting in the Diwaan-e-Khaas had all the ministers scurrying towards the main hall.

The Diwaan-e-Khaas was a majestic hall with intricately carved pillars of sea-rocks depicting paintings of Maharaja Siddhivarun's happy kingdom. All the meetings of great importance were held here. Its domeshaped transparent roof allowed light from the outer bubble that covered the whole Palace and its surrounding areas like an umbrella. Fluorescent weeds grew in the sea on the outer surface of the dome so that the Palace would always be illuminated, although it was dark deep inside the ocean. The hall had a large central pathway covered with a red carpet that led to the elevated platform on which was the most elaborately carved throne made with the most precious things found in the ocean — the Peacock Throne. The platform had an entrance behind the Peacock Throne, which was used exclusively by the Maharaja and his assistant to reach the throne, while a small staircase from the hall was built for the ministers to climb up to the throne and pay their respects to the king.

Guru Nagarjuna was holding the baby boy and the baby held on to the Guru's thumb oblivious to the din in the hall. It was strange how the baby was so unlike all the Bhoomivasi babies he had ever seen in the brief time he had spent on land, in the gurukul when he was a student. What was it about this baby that was so strange? Well, his entire appearance for one. Look at those ears! Did babies not have tiny, normal ears? This baby's jughandle-like ears reminded Guru of a face he revered.

Even though it was the Diwaan-e-Khaas, the commotion and excitement in the hall made it look like a Diwaan-e-Aam. The hall of Diwaan-e-Khaas was abuzz with what would happen now and the impending battle between Maharaja Siddhivarun and the dark powers of Samraat Viraat Shatru and his chamcha — Aurang Dusht. Some wondered if it was correct to break the wise age old tradition Siddhivarun himself had initiated of not allowing live mortal Bhoomivasis inside the Sea Palace, while a few others were apprehensive about the retaliatory actions that would be taken by the Shatru, as Aurang's master was also known.

The world is full of noble people who have healthy intentions, but fail to stand up and fight for their rights with the evil forces and then lament the atrocities heaped upon them as their 'fate'. Even the world in the ocean had plenty such people.

From the start, Maharaja Siddhivarun, despite his illness and contrary to the advice of his physician, had for the sake of instilling courage in his countrymen openly defied the shady doings of Samraat Viraat Shatru and his followers. While he protected the rights of the sea creatures and understood the fury the Dhartiputras felt, Samraat would ensure that the Bhoomivasis found ways to satisfy their greed. His defiance of the rules laid down by the King of the Oceans and the king of the underworld, was becoming very dangerous now. The Ruler of the Oceans had truly tried to change the tide of time and teach people to fight for their rights.

The Maharaja walked through the hall on the red carpet and climbed the stairs to reach his Peacock Throne instead of using the door behind the throne to enter the platform. Maharaja, who could not walk without support, now strode valiantly before his shocked courtesans.

Victory, howsoever small, invigorates everyone.

'We've gathered here today at this hour to discuss a strange event that happened today,' began Maharaja Siddhivarun as a hush muted the din in the hall, 'the dark powers of Viraat have risen remarkably, making life for all creatures big and small unsafe and full of fear.'

Everyone gathered there reacted as if this was all a surprise to them. Even though they knew what had happened today, hearing it said by their Maharaja seemed to make it more real and frightening than they were prepared to accept.

'The baby kidnapped by Aurang Dusht has been saved,' said Maharaja pointing towards the baby in Guru Nagarjuna's lap — all eyes turned towards the boy and the din became loud once again.

'Someone has given the baby a divine locket, as you can see. Not everyone knows what this symbol means, but trust me when I say that this locket holds within it a lot of power. Combined with others of its kind, those who have these symbols can really bring peace to this earth— absolute peace. When destiny chooses somebody for something, all we can do is to support it. This baby will need to be protected from powers who don't want him to live.'

Guru Nagarjuna looked around to find only puzzled and apprehensive faces, but nobody said anything to support Maharaja's actions.

'Don't you feel a serious breach of tradition has been committed in bringing this Bhoomivasi child inside the palace?' asked an elderly minister sitting across the hall, 'Is it not going to infuriate the Samraat?'

There was a sudden increase in the commotion and many feeble voices from feeble souls across the hall unable to voice their concern boldly in front of Maharaja could be heard supporting the minister.

'I'm peeved to know that my minister is more bothered about infuriating the great Samraat, than hoping this baby helps bring about absolute peace!' said Maharaja Siddhivarun losing his calm, 'Where has all valour evaporated? Being brave is necessary for being good!'

The echo of his words was drowned in a fresh round of outraged voices.

Guru Nagarjuna could feel the dejection in the Maharaja's heart. 'If only I could treat his illness, Maharaja would have the power to tackle Samraat single handedly,' he thought, 'for these ministers I should devise some potion to increase their valour.'

The doors to the hall opened with a bang and a dark silhouette stood there. The commotion within the hall stopped for a while, and then the collective whispering turned deafening. Maharaja Siddhivarun looked at the cause of the new commotion and his expression changed to one of subdued rejection when he saw the man at the doorway.

The man at the door entered the hall, his crocodile-like shoes tapping on the floor of the hall. He was a tall, dark, well-built muscular warrior. He had a strange swaying haughty stance, he looked like a drunken snake marching, and his skin gave a peculiar shiny and stretched appearance as if all his body parts, muscles and bones had been stuffed tightly inside a snake-skin.

'Maharaja, perhaps you've overlooked the folly that's been committed by bringing this Bhoomivasi baby into the Palace,' said Senapati Vajreshwar, his heavy voice sounding like rocks grating against each other. He walked haughtily towards the chair on which Guru Nagarjuna sat holding the baby. In the absolute silence all eyes followed him. 'I'm the Senapati and should've been entrusted the responsibility for any rescue mission by His Majesty.' He stopped behind Guru Nagarjuna's chair and held the knobs on the back of the chair with both his hands.

'What if you and your... innnntelligent physician don't care about your health! I do! We all do. Having this Bhoomivasi baby here has broken all the imposing traditions of this Palace... the Samraat now has a valid reason to attack the palace also because he loves to track erring Bhoomivasis down and kill them. You've risked everybody here. Might I be told why I was left out?'

Vajreshwar gripped the knobs on the chair even more tightly, as if he was throttling them and the veins on his bulging biceps became even more prominent.

'Vajreshwar!' shouted Maharaja Siddhivarun in rage, 'don't forget whom you're talking to! I decide who comes with me!'

'I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend you,' said Senapati Vajreshwar, as sweetly as he could, his arrogance seeming to melt away. 'I just wanted to say that you need to be more careful with your health — Rani Roopmati is worried about your health.'

As if that was the cue it was waiting for, the doors opened again. And a strange white light filled the hall. This time, not only did everyone stop talking, they stopped thinking. Maharaja Siddhivarun felt his strength drain away. His mind filled with a fog. He tried to hold on to his courage. But, he was powerless. Rani Roopmati had arrived.

#  Chapter 4

The woman who glided into the room was not just beautiful, although she was way too beautiful to be real, what caught one's eye (and hijacked it) was the fact that try as you might, you wouldn't be able to drag your eyes away from her. She wore a crimson sari, heavily decorated with embroidered colourful flowers. The sari's pallu was draped over her hair in such a way that it seemed to form a hood.

She radiated a bright light, so bright that it made everything else look dull and boring. She surveyed the room and smiled, a cold and creepy smile, she nodded as she realized that every single person in was looking at her and thinking about... nothing. It was a fact that when she was in a room, anyone in the same room as her could think nothing—no thoughts. The mind could just do nothing, but just watch her and obey her; and if you lived with her, like the Maharaja did, the effects of her mind-numbing lasted even when she wasn't around.

Her tiara was the source of the light. A diamond in its centre seemed to be as powerful as the sun. The only person, who wasn't looking at her, was someone who had a bright sun of his own. The baby.

'Maharaaaja! Don't you care for me anymore? How worried we all were for your safety!' Rani Roopmati gushed, her sweet, sultry voice echoing in the silent room.

Maharaja's shoulders slumped, as though he had given up holding himself together. Only a short while ago, he was a roaring lion, and now he looked like a guilty dog that had been caught stealing biscuits.

'I hear the Maharaja has saved a baby from being carried over into the dark and frozen land! Amazing, isn't it?' said Rani Roopmati admiringly, but it seemed she was mocking him. 'Let me look at the wonderful, important, valuable baaaaaaaby.'

Guru Nagarjuna couldn't even think about stopping her. Her hands pulled off the shawl he had used to cover the baby.

The boy held on to the Guru's thumb.

'How sweeeeet!' she exclaimed, although she did not sound cheerful, in fact she sounded annoyed. But, with that one look at the baby she froze. This was an unusual baby, indeed! She looked at the jug-handle-like ears and remembered someone else. Guru... Guru Vyomdutta? And what was that around the baby's neck? Surely, that wasn't possible? Was it? Samraat would have told her... She decided she needed some time alone with the baby to figure out if there was anything strange about this baby or not.

She flashed her 1000-watt smile at the man holding the baby. 'Here Guruji. I'll take care of the baby. You have enough trouble on your hands as it is. Still trying to find a cure for my husband, your mighty king, aren't you? Who knows how long it will take you to find out what to feed this tiny fellow.'

A warm glow emanated from a locket around her neck, just like the locket around the baby's neck. But there were so many necklaces and pendants around her slender neck, that no one could see which locket had glowed.

Roopmati lifted the baby off the Guru's lap. Nobody said anything. She walked out of the hall carrying the baby in her arms. 'Follow me,' she whispered to Senapati Vajreshwar.

The baby woke up suddenly in Rani Roopmati's arms and caught her thumb as he had earlier with Guru Nagarjuna. A storm of memories rose in her mind and Roopmati panicked. _A wise good old man stood under a tree reciting a shloka. A beautiful woman carried a baby and sang a song. A hundred snakes crept towards her. A dark monster grabbed her neck._ Rani Roopmati almost ran back to her room. Those strange feelings that had come over Guru Nagarjuna took over Rani Roopmati as well. The funny-looking baby seemed to be able to connect with a person when he held their thumb, and it seemed as if the baby did so in a manner strangely familiar to both of them.

The meeting in the Diwaan-e-Khaas came to an abrupt end the moment Rani left the room. Guru Nagarjuna helped the Maharaja return to his room, who was once again an old man struggling with a mysterious illness.

After feeding the king a potion of herbs that could make a person sleep, Guru Nagarjuna hurried after Senapati Vajreshwar. His gut instinct told him to take care and not be seen. But, he needn't have worried; most of the guards were busy gossiping.

The lights from the dome dimmed on their own as if the phosphorescent weeds knew that light was no longer needed inside the Diwaan-e-Khaas.

Rani Roopmati rushed into her room holding the baby in her arms. She ordered her maids to leave and they ran out. She waited till the massive doors were closed and then she turned her angry eyes on the Bhoomivasi baby. The baby did not cry, it did not move, it did not even blink.

A yellow cobra with large red eyes snapped into attention. The cobra's hiss drew Roopmati's eyes towards it. She smiled and the cobra returned the compliment by flicking its forked tongue out and hissing even louder. 'This... this thing has a strange locket around its neck,' she told the cobra.

The cobra hissed.

'No, you don't have to kill it,' said Rani, 'it's less trouble for me if it lives, than if we kill it. You'll be called if needed.' Suddenly, she turned around.

'How many times do you need to be taught to knock?' asked Roopmati, as Senapati Vajreshwar rushed into her room. The cobra slithered out without even being noticed.

'I'm sorry, but I thought it'd be wise to enter your room before somebody spots me,' Senapati apologized, he looked more like a little boy who was caught by the headmaster than the leader of an army. 'What are my orders?' he asked meekly.

'I want that locket. It looks like something Samraat once told me about. But this damned Samudra Mahal. I cannot talk with him when I am here. I am trying to break through the protection Siddhivarun has placed over this palace, but I cannot. Who knows, maybe Samraat was trying to let me know that this baby was coming here with the locket? Anyway, it's a good thing, we can take the locket off ourselves...' Roopmati said, 'but....' She snapped her head around, had that curtain fluttered? She realized the windows that led out of her room into the garden was open. She flicked her head towards it and Vajreshwar rushed to close the window.

If he had bothered to look behind the curtain, he would have seen Guru Nagarjuna there.

After securing the windows, Vajreshwar enthusiastically rushed towards the baby. 'Say no more, Rani!' he said trying to sound powerful. He pulled out his sword and tried to yank the locket off with it. What happened next wiped the silly grin off his face. One moment he was heroically brandishing his sword, the next moment he was lying on the floor seeing stars.

What had happened was that the moment his sword had touched the locket, a huge bolt of lightning travelled up the sword and paralysed Vajreshwar's arm.

He lay on the floor dazed and shaken up.

'Impressiiiive!' Rani Roopmati said. Her smile was cruel and scary. This confirmed her suspicions that the baby was indeed carrying something that her dear Samraat would love to have. She watched the baby for a while, the tiny boy thrust out his arms and legs as though fighting her off. She yelled at Vajreshwar without once taking her eyes off the baby. 'When will you stop being stupid?'

'Um...yes...yes,' replied Vajreshwar still unable to figure out what had just happened.

'Fetch me the scorpion fish broth and the Shrivellerra herb. The little monster is hungry. Do you understand?' she hissed, the diamond in her tiara flashed.

Guru Nagarjuna heard every word and flinched at the hostility in the Rani's voice. 'Could a woman be so crazy for a piece of jewelry?' he thought.

Senapati Vajreshwar left to fulfill her orders. 'The night is dark, baby, so very very dark, and the game, the game will kill you baby!' she hummed, her favourite song was not about all things nice and beautiful.

'I must try to speak with Samraat! I must tell him I have what he has been looking for! I bet it's that horrible Aurang who has stopped him from telling me about the baby! He is so jealous! Ha!' She stomped away into her inner chambers.

Guru Nagarjuna did not wait for a second more. He rushed towards the baby on the couch. He knew about the scorpion fish and what the Shrivellera herb could do to someone so young, and that too a Bhoomivasi. They were so fragile!

Nagarjuna's heart melted at once when the baby's small hands touched him. He wrapped the little boy in his shawl and quickly opening the window once again, fled from the room.

'Beti? Beti? Aishwarya?' called out Guru Nagarjuna in a hoarse whisper. He tapped twice on a thick door at the end of a dark passage in the basement of the Palace. His face was covered with the other end of the same shawl in which the baby was wrapped up. The baby, unlike other babies, did not cry, and had not even soiled the shawl once. He seemed to be enjoying all these happy and scary journeys he had been on since his birth. How strange was that!!!!

Somebody peeped out from the ventilator high up above a window beside the door and then after a short interval, the door opened very little, not more than a slit, just enough to let Guru Nagarjuna slip through and then it closed swiftly; everything was silent again in the passage where hardly anybody came anyway.

'You took too long,' Aishwarya said, her long red hair that Guru Nagarjuna had braided this morning, was tousled as though she had been sleeping. She was a little child, not more than five years old (in

Bhoomivasi terms) but she was wiser, more practical, and way more serious than other children in the kingdom.

She had been waiting for dinner ever since Guru Nagarjuna had left to give medicines to Maharaja Siddhivarun in his chamber. Her deep blue eyes looked at Guru Nagarjuna and noticed something different. What was it?

'Umm... a lot happened since then,' replied Guru Nagarjuna kindly, hugging the worried little girl. 'I'll quickly make some seaweed cakes for you, my dear. But... see what I have in here!' He revealed the baby who was now asleep.

'A baby!' Aishwarya exclaimed. 'Where did you find it? What's its name? It has black hair! Is it a Bhoomivasi? What's it doing here? Where are the parents? What's that around its neck?' The questions tumbled out, her weak with hunger voice turning even shriller with every word. Nagarjuna burst out laughing, but shushed her too. He couldn't help but smile at how happy the young girl looked.

The five-year-old girl standing in front of him, dressed in old tattered clothes, was the only daughter of Maharaja Siddhivarun and his first queen Indrani. Something strange had happened one night a year ago — Rani Indrani had disappeared, leaving behind her four-year-old daughter and her husband. Maharaja Siddhivarun had just returned after a long battle, and had brought home a new wife, and before he could even meet his first wife and daughter, something had happened that had made him forget about them. Forget about them entirely. What made it happen nobody ever dared to ask.

The little girl had been too confused to understand what was happening. She hid in different rooms of the Palace to avoid facing the evil creepy Rani Roopmati, but Roopmati often found her and ill-treated her. Once she gave her a smelly ladoo to eat. Aishwarya who couldn't abide hunger was just reaching out for it, when Guru Nagarjuna found her, and smelt the poison in the sweet. He took her into his chambers and had been caring for the Princess ever since. Nobody knew the princess was still well and alive, hiding inside the palace. Nobody looked for her.

The only thing that Aishwarya now possessed, despite her father's neglect and her stepmother's hatred, was a small golden ring bearing her father's seal etched on an emerald. Since her little hands were too tiny to wear the huge ring, Guru Nagarjuna had kept it away safely for her in a little shell he carried with him in his bag of herbs. Guru Nagarjuna had been so busy taking care of the little girl and treating Maharaja's mysterious illness that he could not even try to look for Rani Indrani, and the new queen was so mean and rude, that he could not even ask the old soldiers to help.

One of these days, Nagarjuna wanted to talk to the Maharaja about his daughter, but now with all the new events that had taken place he found himself saddled with one more responsibility — a newborn Bhoomivasi baby to look after.

He started making the seaweed cakes for Aishwarya while telling her about the adventures he had gone on. 'That locket is the root of all troubles. The poor child was kidnapped from his parents, but your father saved him. Rani Roopmati said she would take care of the baby, but... you know her. She wanted the locket, not the baby!'

'Baba saved the baby?' Aishwarya was curious, but her face beamed with pride. She did not know why her father never came to meet her. Nagarjuna had told her that the king was very busy and had asked Nagarjuna to take care of her. In his heart, the royal healer knew that it was a matter of time and soon the princess would realise what was happening.

The baby woke up and yawned. 'Hey there, baby! I'm Aishwarya. What's your name?'

'Aish! He can't talk. Hurry up! We don't have time, we've got to leave.'

'Where are we going?' asked Aishwarya, still pulling funny faces at the baby to make him smile.

'I'm taking you both to a safe place far away from here,'

Aishwarya looked away from the baby, the panic and pain in her eyes were heart wrenching. 'But... Baba! Is Baba coming also?'

'No beti. Don't worry about him. He's safe. You know how much work he has na! Come on, let's pack what we need, we're leaving now. There's hardly any time,'

'Can I go and meet Baba, before we leave?' she pleaded.

'Aish! I said we don't have time,' Nagarjuna said earnestly, stroking the Princess' head. 'Once things get better here I'll get you home.'

Aishwarya reluctantly helped her guardian pack their clothes in a bag. Once, Aishwarya had the finest clothes and robes that were made from the rarest ferns and plants found in the ocean. Now all she had were tattered pants and shirts that Guru Nagarjuna found for her. Aishwarya did not mind eating the simple nutritious food Guru Nagarjuna gave her, or the old clothes she was wearing, she knew she was safe and loved, but she missed being loved by her parents. She did not really understand what she would do in the future.

First, Guru Nagarjuna gave her a plate of seaweed cakes with herbs. Aishwarya ate all the cakes in one go and kept shaking her head to keep her long hair from falling over her eyes. One smile from her guardian and she slowed down immediately, grinning back at him and the baby. She wanted to ask Guru Nagarjuna a lot of questions, but waited as he was now feeding the baby. He had taken out a tiny multi-coloured jug of whale milk, and a tiny multi-coloured pouch that had some glittering powder in it. He waited till the powder had dissolved in the milk, and then he dipped a flower in the milk, and held it over the baby's lips, who started sucking the flower's petals with great hunger. Aishwarya ate and watched the baby, fascinated by the little boy's strength. Within a few minutes, the baby fell asleep while sucking the milk, and Guru Nagarjuna chuckled as he poured the rest of the milk in a bottle.

Suddenly feeling lighter and happier than she had all year, Aishwarya laughed, the unfamiliar sound filled the tiny room.

Out in the courtyard of the Palace, bathed in the twilight phosphorescence emitted by the herbs covering the bubble dome, a strange and chilly silence prevailed. Everything seemed surprisingly quiet as Guru Nagarjuna and Aishwarya emerged into the courtyard. The baby was asleep, being cleaned up and swaddled in a warm, soft shawl. Guru Nagarjuna pointed towards the fountain where three rivers met. The Triveni Fountain was at one end of the immense courtyard.

They walked carefully, merging with the shadows of the huge statues of herself that Rani Roopmati had installed in the courtyard. They reached a couple of huge pillar-like pedestals, breathless and hyper alert. Aishwarya looked at the fountain, closer now, it was an imposing structure, made up of different coloured corals and the various sea creatures sculpted along it. The waters were drawn straight from the Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati, the three holy rivers that merged at Sangam in Allahabad, which was on Bhoomi. The fountain was the centre of attraction in the Palace and the holy water was used to heal anyone who was unwell, including whales, fishes, and even the plants.

'Where are we going?' asked Aishwarya curiously, 'why are we carrying this baby with us?'

'Shhh...shhh... I don't want to alert the guards!' Guru Nagarjuna whispered.

No sooner had they shifted behind the pillars, than a huge commotion broke out in Rani Roopmati's chamber in the gallery above them. Rani and Senapati Vajreshwar could be heard shouting orders and warning the guards of the palace to be alert and find the baby and whoever had stolen it from Rani's chamber.

Vajreshwar was leading twenty guards and was heading to the courtyard. Rani Roopmati was interrogating her personal guards, and everyone else was just rushing around, trying to look busy and get away as far from her wrath as possible.

'Be alert. But let's hurry beti,' whispered Guru Nagarjuna, 'why don't you tie up your hair?' he asked when he saw her struggling with her hair trying to keep them away from her eyes.

'I love it this way,' she said, swishing her hair this way and that.

Why can't children be more receptive to the suggestions of elders? thought Guru Nagarjuna.

He held her hand tight and led her through the safest path to the fountain. Perhaps only the baby seemed to be oblivious of all the activity around him, he was busy sucking his thumb.

Leaping behind pillars, and keeping a keen eye on the guards who had now entered the courtyard, Guru Nagarjuna and Aishwarya managed to reach the fountain.

'Why have we come here?' asked Aishwarya, unable to hold back her questions anymore. 'Why are guards looking for this baby? What has he done?'

'He hasn't done anything,' replied Guru, 'but, maybe they don't want him to do something... someday! Jump into the fountain. Quick!'

'Into the fountain! But nobody is allowed, no? Nobody can play in the fountain!'

'My dear, we aren't playing, we are leaving. Please listen to me,'

'Who's there?' a stout voice called out. 'Stop!'

Their feet froze. They could hear the guard coming towards them.

'Hold the baby,' Guru Nagarjuna said, handing over the baby to Aishwarya, 'Jump into the fountain. I'll follow you.'

Aishwarya did not hesitate. She may not be recognised by anyone as a princess, but she knew all about bravery and presence of mind required by any responsible youngster. She jumped straight into the fountain holding the baby tight against her chest. There was not even so much as a soft splash to be heard. The baby opened his eyes and looked straight into Aishwarya's blue eyes. Aishwarya smiled, and the baby smiled back.

'Who's it?' the guard was now just a few feet away.

'It's me the Raj Vaid.'

'Oh, Guruji!' said the surprised Guard, 'I thought...'

'Don't worry, I've seen every corner here,' replied Guru Nagarjuna confidently, 'go look there, I think I heard something, but you can get there faster than me, young man.' Guru Nagarjuna pointed his finger in the exact opposite direction.

The guard sped off, his heavy armour and weapons making quite a clatter. After waiting for a few seconds, Guru Nagarjuna too slipped into the fountain and vanished.

The water in the fountain was several feet deep. Aishwarya, an expert swimmer, was waiting for directions. They both seemed to have no problems breathing underwater. Thanks to the whale milk potion, the baby could, like a whale, hold his breath underwater quite easily, but was on the verge of slipping out of Aishwarya's hold. Struggling to catch a foothold, Guru Nagarjuna rushed to the aid of Aishwarya and the baby.

There were eight tunnels at the bottom. Water gushed into the fountain from four tunnels, and was swept out from the other four. The tunnels through which the water entered, indicated the four major directions — east, west, north and south while the openings through which the water left the fountain was placed in the intermediate directions — north-east, north-west, south-east and south-west. Water thus entered and left through alternate tunnels.

Just in time, Guru Nagarjuna managed to grab the baby as it slipped out of Aishwarya's hold and was pulled towards a tunnel. Aishwarya seized the opportunity to cling on to Guru Nagarjuna.

Guru Nagarjuna began inching towards a tunnel through which water was entering the tank with great force. Aishwarya held on to

Guru's leg with one hand and used the other to keep off her long hair from covering her face and vision. Guru smiled because Aishwarya had learnt that day what he had learnt long ago — long hair was best kept tied up in a ponytail.

Having reached the mouth of the tunnel through which fresh and cold water gushed in, he grabbed and tugged at the end of a barely visible ropy weed dancing merrily in the water. He wondered whether the guard who had seen him would keep his mouth shut or reveal having met him to Senapati Vajreshwar. He would have to return before someone noticed him missing. He had to ensure the baby and Aishwarya were absolutely safe before anybody caught him.

A large turtle came out of the tunnel with the flowing water. Guru Nagarjuna was not the least surprised, unlike Aishwarya, who gaped at the huge turtle, her favourite of all the creatures living in the ocean. They grabbed the weedy sling stretching across the turtle's back and floated behind the large turtle that swam into the tunnel, against the current of water, seemingly in an effortless manner.

The water seemed to be guiding them across a network of tunnels. Finally, the water level began to fall, and they finally could wade and then walk into a rocky vault, where the roof was full of stalactites made up of fluorescent rocks emitting a powerful light illuminating the whole vault. The floor of the vault was densely punctuated with iridescent stalagmites and a few of them met their counterparts hanging from the roof, turning into light radiating pillars. Deep and shallow canals gurgling with water crisscrossed the vault as did the rocky paths on the banks of those canals.

Dwarfs dressed in armour scurried in every direction, pulling, carrying or dragging various weapons big and small, as if on their way to a war. Encouraging cries rang out and echoed in the underground cave.

'Welcome to the land of Dhartiputra,' greeted a rough authoritative voice, 'Has Maharaja Siddhivarun finally relented to support us in this war?' A stout dwarf dressed up elegantly like a warrior, stood before them. He held 'Parashu' — his favorite weapon shaped like a battle axe and a spear in one hand and a small sword that looked more like a big dagger hung from his side. He had a retinue of soldiers standing behind him.

'How are you Dhruddavrat?' Said Guru Nagarjuna as he released the sling that tied him to the turtle. He cradled the baby and stepped on the stone steps jutting out of the water and helped Aishwarya step on them. The baby was now merrily sucking his thumb, while Aishwarya gaped at this new world she had entered for the first time in her life. 'She's

Aishwarya — Maharaja Siddhivarun's daughter.'

'Oh! Dhruddavrat is honored to welcome the young Princess to the land of Dhartiputra.' Aishwarya giggled. Nobody had called her a princess in a long time.

'You're preparing for war once again?' asked Guru Nagarjuna, taking in the flurry of activity going on. 'Your singular purpose in life fascinates me.'

'Wretched Bhoomivasis!' grunted Dhruddavrat, 'They have this endless greed. Why do they keep digging into my world, to pull out our wealth, and make such silly, needless things with it? Why can't they be satisfied? Don't they have so much? The trees, the sun, the animals, the bees! What do we have? Only roots and metals! But that's all they want! All our metals and stones. That's all they think about! We don't go and steal their fruits and vegetables, why do they steal from us? And they always have some new technoooocology—they're travelling in snake like vehicles in my realm! Imagine! Whatever that is. I won't let this happen.

Dhruddavrat stopped in the middle of his rambling monologue. 'Young Princess brings some message from Maharaja Siddhivarun, I suppose?'

'Actually, the young Princess seeks help from Dhruddavrat — the noblest of all Dhartiputras,' said Guru Nagarjuna smiling at the older warrior.

'Mighty Maharaja Siddhivarun's daughter seeks help from Dhruddavrat! One who himself badly needs help at this hour...' Dhruddavrat seemed humbled and surprised at the same time.

'It's a long story... I'll tell you everything when I return from my mission,' Guru Nagarjuna said. 'I need your help to transport the young Princess and this baby to safety before it is too late.'

'Whose baby is this? Has Maharaja been blessed with a young Prince?' asked Dhruddavrat.

'This isn't a Prince, but he has a locket that means he is destined to be big. Can you help us reach Sangam before dawn? Your help will be rewarded.'

'You haven't told me what troubles force you to seek my help at this hour when I prepare for a war with Bhoomivasis. I can't spare my soldiers to escort you to Sangam, but I can surely transport you fast enough to Sangam before dawn.'

'That's what I seek from you my dear friend,' replied Guru with a sense of gratitude.

'Don't forget your words Guru Nagarjuna,' said Dhruddavrat, 'your knowledge of herbs is well known. Strengthen my soldiers with your medications. The nasty Bhoomivasis should be defeated. If only Guru

Aryadutta had agreed to be with me...'

'Let me return,' replied Guru, 'I'll fetch something for you.'

'Bring the royal sledge, our guests need to be carried away fast,' ordered Dhruddavrat. Four soldiers scurried deep into a cavern opening into the vault.

'I see a divine locket around his neck!' Dhruddavrat said and reached out to take a closer look at the golden locket. Once he saw the symbol, his thick eyebrows rose up instantly. He leaned in even closer to take a better look at the symbol. 'Is this what I think it is? How did this child get it? This hasn't been seen for at least a thousand years! This kid's life is in danger!'

The locket then flipped around by itself, and a golden glow lit up

Dhruddavrat's face. It travelled down his body, and rested at his feet. Dhruddavrat smiled. His huge beard moved up and the tips of his moustache nearly touched his eyebrows. 'Oh, no need to thank me. It was an honour serving you,' he told the locket.

Guru Nagarjuna was startled. Aishwarya was about to say something, but stopped herself. There were so many things she did not know, where should she start from?

Six huge rats, as large as overgrown fat pigs, emerged from the dark cavern into the vault. They squeaked merrily, and seemed to find Guru Nagarjuna a funny sight.

The dwarf in charge of the sledge was more muscular than anyone there. He had a long purple beard, and his purple hair was hidden under a huge hard hat.

Dhruddavrat led them to the sledge and Guru Nagarjuna boarded first, ignoring the rats as they tried to turn around to see him and squeak some more.

Aishwarya sat down, seeming quite comfortable on the not so comfortable seat. The baby watched everything with grave attention.

'Ulca,' said Dhruddavrat, 'is my finest sledge driver and he'll ensure that these rats will drive you to Sangam before dawn. We'll be waiting for your return.'

Ulca got off his perch and climbed on the rear seat and secured Guru Nagarjuna and Aishwarya with a leather leash to the back of seat. 'Falling off while I drive is forbidden,' he said gruffly. And off they went.

The front seat was small enough to fit the driver while the rear seat was barely enough to fit two people. The front seat had a bar behind it, for the riders in the rear to hold on to. The seats were made of some kind of metal and covered with some sort of material that felt like wool, but was not soft enough for the bottoms of the riders. Ulca sat in a stony silence, firmly saddled on his seat holding the reins in his right hand while he held a stout whip in his left hand. Of the six mice drawing the sledge, the front two appeared fully grown and dedicated to their jobs, while the rear four were young and allowed all the distractions that a young mind might allow. They would flutter their ears and clean their faces with their paws. The mice in the last row with sleepy eyes appeared to be the laziest.

'How long do we travel on this?' asked Aishwarya who found the seat too hard to sit on and kept shifting her weight from one side to the other.

'Like all bad things, this too will pass soon,' replied Guru Nagarjuna who was so overwhelmed by the purpose of his mission that the discomfort of sitting over metal bars camouflaged with some fluffy material failed to evoke any reaction. He held on to the baby with one hand while with the other he held on to the metal bar. 'Hold the bar tight and press your feet against the front seat,' he advised.

The pathway narrowed at many places and the gorge widened, leaving insufficient space to let the sledge pass; the rats pulled the sledge up the wall in a zigzag manner. The metal plates dragged against the stones emitted bright sparks and made the sledge appear like a rocket flying in the dark tunnel. The sudden swerves and bumps brought blood rushing to the head of both the riders. Aishwarya tried to fix her feet tightly beneath the front seat and abandoned all pretence of bravery and screamed.

The sound of gurgling water, deep in the gorge, drowned the noise of their approach.

More than two hours later, Aishwarya was still screaming and holding on to the handle bars, but now, to her own surprise she seemed to have begun enjoying the ride! Unfortunately, they seemed to be nearing the end of their underground rollercoaster-like ride. Ahead, a pinprick of light seemed to indicate they were reaching Bhoomi.

They reached a huge waterfall and Ulca stopped the sledge a little away from the edge.

Water gushed down with great force, from above the roof of the cave.

Ulca got off his seat and nonchalantly removed the leather straps that held Guru and Aishwarya securely to the seat. Wobbling on her unsteady feet, Aishwarya looked around her and was shocked at the beauty underground! The cave was spectacular and the waterfall roared like a thousand lions!

'Sangam is up, above the fall,' said Ulca, pointing towards the top of the waterfall, 'you'll have to climb up the fall and then through the tunnel and step out into the Sangam. Then you will have reached Bhoomi!'

'These two rivers carry water to the Triveni Fountain, isn't it?' asked Aishwarya.

'Three rivers,' Guru Nagarjuna corrected Aishwarya, 'Ganga and Yamuna unite above at Sangam, while Saraswati sends a stream to join together for Maharaja Siddhivarun's Triveni Fountain.'

'I'll wait here while the rats feed,' said Ulca as he removed the harness of his rats. They immediately scuttled off to look for food. 'Guruji, Dhartiputra Dhruddavrat wants you back as early as possible.'

'Thank you getting us here, Ulcaji,' said Aishwarya sweetly.

'Nobody can ever travel alone in Dhartiputra's empire without our help and desire, Princess,' said Ulca, 'These tunnels and caverns can be very dangerous for someone seeking to enter our empire without our permission.' And with that, he bowed low and turned away.

Guru Nagarjuna took out the bottle of whale milk potion and fed it to the baby who gulped it greedily. A quick clean up, and the baby was wrapped up in a new shawl. The squeaks of the hungry rats catching fish in the water bounced off the walls of the tunnel.

Nagarjuna tied the baby snuggly against his chest and caught hold of Aishwarya's hand.They walked towards the waterfall, carefully jumping over the boulders that had probably toppled off the roof and the surrounding walls of the cavern. Aishwarya had to be lifted over a few of them. The stones were covered with a slippery moss, making it difficult to maintain balance.

Under the waterfall, Guru Nagarjuna asked Aishwarya to climb on to his back. Holding on to boulders and shoving his fingers into crevices to get some kind of hold, Guru Nagarjuna, the peaceful, introvert healer did the bravest thing he had ever done in his life.

With the tremendous force of the waterfall pushing him one way, and the weight of two kids restricting his movements, Guru Nagarjuna tried to focus. His immense experience in climbing difficult places to fetch herbs for his medicines came to his rescue and after much panting and stopping, he finally managed to reach the top end of the waterfall with Aishwarya hanging to his back and the baby tied to his chest.

Guru Nagarjuna, Aishwarya, and the baby sat inside a huge cave full of water that was the source of the waterfall they had climbed up. The view was breathtaking. Aishwarya couldn't open her eyes wide enough to take in the sight of the world above the oceans. She looked at the underground mountains in the distance.

Guru Nagarjuna noticed a huge Shivlinga carved naturally out of the rocks, shaped by the flowing water. The natural idol shimmered majestically in the hollow surrounded by water that had numerous colorful fishes living in it. Some light glinted off the water and cast crazy shapes on the wall. Aishwarya looked fascinated at the spectacle she had never before seen in her life. Not willing to spend too much time here, Guru signaled Aishwarya to rise up.

Ascending from the depths of water along the Shivlinga they reached the surface of water near the Sangam at Allahabad.

#  Chapter 5

Thoroughly drenched and tired, the trio reached the shores of Sangam.

Except for some priests and monks meditating on the shores, it was too early for the city to rise from its slumber. The baby was awake, and shifting uneasily in the snug sling Guru Nagarjuna had fashioned. After being cleaned up and fed, the baby seemed comfortable and happy. Aishwarya skipped along trying to match her steps with Guru's long strides.

The baby could breathe now on land, quite easily. Aishwarya too had no troubles breathing on land. That was the beauty of Maharaja Siddhivarun's magic. While Bhoomivasis could not breathe under water, and therefore not enter the Samudra Mahal, the peace-loving denizens of the oceans could breathe on land if they wanted to. But, this too, was a gift that was fast disappearing as the waters became more and more polluted.

Aishwarya was once again too shocked and amazed at all that she saw around her to even think about what she was looking at. This was her first trip out of the oceans and she felt like an alien! A whole new world to explore! If Amma and Baba had not told her stories about how life was on land when she was a baby, Aishwarya would have screamed in horror at the sight of birds in the sky, dogs playfully fighting, and people standing half-in and half-out of the waters praying to the sun! Oh and the sun! It was just beginning to peek over the horizon and Aishwarya couldn't take her eyes off this celestial spectacle!

She tugged on Guru Nagarjuna's arm as she skipped along. 'Look! Look at that!' she kept whispering, but Guru Nagarjuna was lost in his own worries. Bhoomivasi babies were very fragile, he did not have any more spare dry clothes and the baby could fall sick. The breeze blowing in from the waters was cold and he did not know what to do. He remembered a useful herb he had recently found, and pulled it out of his bag. He gently squeezed the orange seeds, and tiny drops of a honey-like liquid fell to the baby's lips.

'What place is this?' asked Aishwarya, seeing boats for the first time. 'What're you feeding him?'

'This is Allahabad, we are at the Triveni Sangam. And to answer your second question, Bhoomivasis are not made the way you are. The baby needs protection from sickness after such a long and strenuous journey. I need to get back soon, and we shouldn't be spotted here.'

'Do you know any Bhoomivasi who will recognise you?'

'Shadows! My dear, don't forget them... they know everybody,' said Guru, 'It doesn't matter if you know them or not, they know you. Once the sun rises, they'll be everywhere.'

'This is strange,' said Aishwarya, who had never seen shadows before. 'Gujuji, what are these boxes made for?'

Guru Nagarjuna chuckled, 'Bhoomivasis live in them!'

Guru Nagarjuna knocked lightly on a wooden door. They had reached the Laxmi Naryana Temple close to the ghats. It was an ancient temple, home to the deities of Goddess Laxmi and that of her husband Naryana — the supreme God of the Hindus. On their way to the temple, Aishwarya had spotted the temple's pond that had many fishes swimming along briskly. Guru pointed at the central structure that housed the idols carved from stone. It was in the centre of a spacious courtyard surrounded by a row of quarters built along the outer compound wall. This was home to the priests and other staff.

The door Guru was knocking on was where Guru Aryadutta lived.

The door creaked open and a middle-aged lanky bald man stood there, raising his already upturned pointy bushy white eyebrows at Guru Nagarjuna, the baby, and Aishwarya. His fingers ran through his long beard that tapered near his navel. 'Is that you Nagarjuna!' said astonished Guru Aryadutta in a heavy whisper, 'what brings you at this hour... In this condition! Come. Come inside child.'

Guru Nagarjuna and Aishwarya stepped inside the small room, which had only a small lantern for light and a cot in one corner. Clothes hung on a nylon cord running across the room and a few utensils were piled up neatly in a corner.Some books filled the shelves on the wall, indicating the only worldly possessions of Guru Aryadutta, a bachelor who spent most of his time in the temple serving God.

'Why aren't our clothes drying as they would in the palace?' asked Aishwarya irritated by the wet clothes clinging to her body.

'It's because Maharaja Siddhivarun's command over water doesn't work on Bhoomi – you'll slowly learn many new things,' replied Guru Nagarjuna.

'Have you been banished from the Sea?' asked bewildered Guru Aryadutta.

'No...no...not at all,' replied Guru Nagarjuna taken aback at this remark, 'This is Aishwarya, Maharaja Siddhivarun's only daughter... what I—'and before he could say anything else, a loud wail cut him short. Since it was the baby's first cry, Guru Nagarjuna did not even realise it was the baby's voice. Everyone just looked at the bundle he was carrying, a bundle that was now thrusting its arms and legs about.

'Then, is that the little Prince?' asked Guru Aryadutta.

'No, it isn't,' said Guru Nagarjuna, 'he's a Bhoomivasi baby, who was kidnapped by Aurang and then saved by Maharaja himself.' As he spoke, he unwrapped the baby and took off the shawl that had become damp.

'But what brings you all to me?'

'Their safety,' replied Nagarjuna, 'only you can ensure this.'

Guru Aryadatta looked at the little girl looking up at him, and the tiny baby writhing around. He started to say something then thought better of it. He looked around the room, found a steel box and gave it to the girl. 'Here child, you must be hungry. Eat these laddoos, they are from the temple.'

He took off his own shawl and wrapped the baby in it and carrying it carefully indicated that Guru Nagarjuna should step outside with him. Aishwarya smelled the laddoos suspiciously, and pulled a face, she had never smelled ghee before. With an experimental poke, she pushed a laddoo and a few crumbs stuck to her finger. One lick, and she was hooked.

She held the laddoo in her hand and started nibbling at it, chewing noisily.

Guru Nagarjuna and Aryadatta stepped out. 'Perhaps you are not aware that I've given up this power struggle ever since I left the Dhartiputras and settled here. I spend my time praying... begging for peace and wisdom for these miserable Bhoomivasis. I can't get back into all that once again.'

'Things have changed radically after you settled here,' said Guru Nagarjuna, 'perhaps you're not aware that Maharaja Siddhivarun is very ill. He is losing his strength, he has forgotten his wife and daughter and married someone else. And she is not a good person, I am afraid. Some deep instinct moved the king to fight for this baby. We think it is this locket. He told me this was one of the eight Ashtamangala. Why else would Aurang be unable to harm the child? He tried his best, believe me.'

'Why can't Queen Indrani protect her little princess?'

'Ever since Rani Roopmati came inside the palace, Queen Indrani has disappeared,' said Guru Nagarjuna, 'there are many rumors about her, but no one's sure where she is.'

Guru Aryadutta stared into space for a while. 'What exactly is Maharaja Siddhivarun suffering from?'

'I have seen all kinds of illnesses in the thousands of years I have lived. Nothing like this. I have tried everything. Nothing changes his condition. And the strange thing is, no one in the palace can resist the strange charm of Rani Roopmati. There's something about her. Even I cannot clear my mind when she is around.'

The baby held on to Guru Aryadatta's fingers. For a moment, he seemed lost in a trance. His eyes seemed to see nothing but some nearly forgotten memories. Then the locket caught his eye.

'Hari Om!' exclaimed Guru Aryadutta, 'This is the divine sacred symbol of an Endless Knot. One from the Ashtamangala! Where did you find this?'

'He had this locket around his neck when Maharaja saved him from being kidnapped. There's something strange about it, because even Rani Roopmati wanted to kill the baby for it and Dhartiputra Dhruddavrat also said he had seen it somewhere,' said Guru Nagarjuna.

'Dhruddavarat! You met him!' cried Aryadutta in surprise, 'he knows about me being here?'

'No, he doesn't,' replied Nagarjuna coldly, 'How could I ever tell him about you? I want you to help me protect these kids from evil eyes till they are old enough to fight for themselves.'

'Hmm... go on.'

'You left these power struggles long back and no one is aware about your present life. No place could be safer than yours for these kids to grow up and there can't be a teacher better than you for them. You can help them grow up into worthy individuals and they'll help you realize your dreams.'

'Don't flatter me. You could've talked to me before coming here,' grumbled Guru Aryadutta still cuddling the baby.

'Yogic telepathy would not have convinced you, hence I chose to come with the kids. Seeing is believing. See how the baby is holding your thumb — does that remind you of someone?' said Guru Nagarjuna with a twinkle in his eyes.

Guru Aryadutta gently tried pulling his thumb free, but the baby had held his thumb in a peculiar grip. He examined the locket closely and then smiled at the baby.

'Maybe you're right... he does remind me of someone very dear to me ... he even has the same ears!' said Guru Aryadutta with a long sigh, 'What's his name?'

'I don't think he ever got a chance to be named.'

Without hesitating, Guru Aryadutta said, 'Vasu — I name him Vasu. He meets me for the first time in Laxmi Narayan temple of Allahabad... what better name could he have? Is it alright with you?'

Aishwarya stepped out hearing their happy voices. Her face was messy with laddoo crumbs, but she was too happy to care. 'Wow, what a nice name — Vasu!'

Strange are the ways Providence can make its presence felt. How else was the little boy given the same name twice, by his real parents first and then by his caretakers, separately of each other, within a few hours of his birth.

'Aurang must be after this divine symbol,' said Guru Aryadutta thoughtfully, 'nasty rogue... as you know this symbol and the seven others that form the Ashtamangala are pure power. The gods themselves derive their powers from these symbols. Just to see a tiny baby, a human baby wearing one.... I don't know what to say. And... Samraat will be after it, I am sure. Someone as evil, as violent as him can use this symbol to do what he wants. Power can be used for good or bad, and am afraid Samraat will definitely not be planning good deeds if he had this symbol...' Guru touched the locket of Vasu, but no flashes of light emerged and Guru Nagarjuna quietly observed it. The locket glowed a little and a wave of energy travelled through Guru Aryadutta.

Guru Aryadutta nodded and said, 'You know the funny thing Nagarjuna? If you find one symbol, you cannot stop till you find the others. The eight symbols together hold the earth in balance, in harmony... this child has a huge task ahead of him when he grows up...!'

'You're right,' said Nagarjuna, he pulled out his bag full of herbs and a large pouch full of whale milk potion, 'But, I have to go now. People will notice I am not in the palace and I cannot afford them to be suspicious of me. They will be looking for the baby. Aryadutta, you'll have to feed this potion to Vasu daily, so he develops the power to breathe underwater. I'll keep sending you the supplies. Aishwarya too should never forget how to swim. And, their identities are to be kept a secret.'

'You seem scared,' said Aryadutta deciding to remember old memories once he was alone again.

'Anybody would be,' replied Guru Nagarjuna, 'if they knew people might be looking for them after sunrise. I must take your leave Guruji.'

'I'm afraid you should,' said Guru Aryadutta and he pulled

Aishwarya close to him with one hand and carried Vasu with the other, 'I'll take care of them. They've stolen my heart. You take care of yourself. I'll be in touch with you about the children.'

Guru Nagarjuna kissed Aishwarya's forehead and caressed Vasu's cheek, bowed to Guru Aryadutta and left.

Aishwarya stood clutching Guru Aryadutta's hand. He had taken care of her as her father, but even though she wanted to go back with him, the fear of one day being caught by Rani Roopmati was way too strong.

#  Eleven Years Later...  
Part 2

#  Chapter 6

'Guruji... wake up. It's the time to get up. I'm going to the Sangam.'

'Are you sure it's the time to get up?' asked Guru Aryadutta with his face still hidden beneath the quilt, 'I've slept only for a few minutes, no?'

Aishwarya laughed, 'A few minutes _and_ eight hours.'

Guru Aryadatta woke up and stretched. 'Time moves too quickly when you get to my age.'

'Guruji, you're catching Vasu's laziness. Look at the way he's sleeping. As if he won't wake up for another eighteen hours!' Vasu was sleeping near Guruji curled up like a frightened millipede and snoring like a hippopotamus. Scattered all around him were a heap of comics that he got from his friend whose father was a raddiwala. Close to him was his best friend and partner in trouble, Mutthu G. As old as Vasu, Mutthu had come to Allahabad only two years ago. His parents had died during a pilgrimage, and he had been rescued by some devotees who were on their way to Allahabad. Mutthu now lived in the temple, and refused to wear anything other than a lungi and checked shirts, because that's how he remembered his father. Although a lot of kids made fun of him and his south Indian accent, Mutthu did not change himself for anyone. He got along with Vasu really well and being as naughty as Vasu, had managed to sneak into Guru Aryadutta's hut for a late night pajama party. 'I'll pour a bucket of water on those two trouble-makers once I'm back from Sangam,' Aishwarya vowed.

'He'll wake up before that, don't worry,' said Guruji, 'destiny wants him to rest for now.'

'Your blind love is spoiling him,' said Aishwarya shaking her head, as she shut the door behind her. She slipped on her chappals before leaving for her puja at the Sangam.

'How can love spoil somebody who is so loving?' said Guru

Aryadutta as he sat beside Vasu patting his curly hair. Guru Aryadutta had indeed become very close to the children. Especially Vasu who reminded him in every way of his older brother Vyomdutta. Vyomdutta had lived the chaotic life of a well-loved teacher in an old ashram, teaching Bhoomivasis the scriptures and till the day he was murdered... by his own student, the evil Viraat.

Guru Aryadutta shook his head, trying to shake off unpleasant memories and got ready for the morning's prayers. He glanced at Mutthu who was now stirring and mumbling that he was very hungry, hungry enough to eat all the laddoos in the temple followed by the whole year's supply of kheer!

Vasu stirred too and sleepily boasted he had already finished ten years' supply of kheer.

Eleven years had passed since Aishwarya and Vasu had come to stay with Guru Aryadutta. Aishwarya wore her beauty lightly, she was sixteen now, and wasn't proud of her looks, or haughty or even lazy. She was restless and filled her day with all kinds of work around the temple and in the orphange. Since there was a few months before she could go to college, Aishwarya helped the cook go shopping for vegetables at the market, she helped cook, clean, and sew clothes. She read for a few hours every day, and when Vasu came home from school, she would invent all kinds of crazy games.

What Aishwarya looked forward to the most, was her daily bath in the holy waters of the Sangam. She would swim in the cool waters and meet the fishes, dolphins, turtles and other creatures of the water and hear their news. The turtle who had helped them journey from the fountain to the Sangam all those years ago, was now her close friend. Takla, as Aishwarya called the turtle, delivered the whale milk potion Guru Nagarjuna would send for Vasu.

On most days, they had nothing much to report, except that Maharaja Siddhivarun was still quite unwell. Sometimes, he would not move for days. Sometimes, he would be well enough to travel along the coast, but this would really tire him out for months. Guru Nagarjuna would send her encouraging words, and Aishwarya, like most young people, was full to the brim with a bright, sunny energy.

As she walked to the Sangam, a little girl ran out of the temple courtyard to meet her.

'Alice baby!' Aishwarya called out. Alice, born mute, was the latest addition to Aishwarya's shadow since about a year. The little girl who had lost her parents in an accident had been sent to the Allahabad orphanage because she did not have any other family. Aishwarya, who often went to the orphanage to teach music and dance to the children there, found the little girl irresistibly cute, and she had quickly learned to communicate with the seven-year-old girl using a complex mix of sign language and talking slowly so Alice could read her lips.

'Oye! Didi, kii haal hai?' Sukhwinder called out. Aishwarya just smiled and waved back. Another of her star pupils, Sukhwinder walked beside the director of the orphanage. Dr. Sharad Karunakaran was explaining something to Sukhwinder. No doubt Sukhwinder was being asked once again to use his considerable knowledge of electronics to help the orphanage out in some way. Sukhwinder was only three years younger than Aishwarya, but he was already quite a genius. Nobody knew who his parents were, he was brought to the orphanage by passing pilgrims who had found a three-year-old boy wandering around a temple. They knew he belonged to a Sikh family because he wore around his neck the sacred symbol of the Sikhs, the tiny dagger called the kirpan, and his shirt collar had his name embroidered inside. But nobody had turned up looking for him. Besides having a natural talent for electronic gadgets, and a fondness for Punjabi music, Sukhwinder was also quite a prankster and had a natural talent to make people laugh. He adored Aishwarya and always escorted her whereever she went, proud to be beside the kindest, nicest person he had ever known. Vasu was like his younger brother, and Sukhwinder often took Vasu under his wing to show him how to repair everyday machines, or have long conversations about how birds fly or fish breathe in the water.

Aishwarya stopped by the orphanage to drop off two boxes of charcoal pencils for Nishant. The resident artists, these two orphans did really badly in maths and history, but were highly talented when it came to realistic portraits of people and animals. Although with Vasu and Mutthu urging him on, Nishant and Robin had now started drawing superheroes and supervillans as well.

Once they reached the shores of the Sangam, Alice and Aishwarya took off their clothes, they were wearing their bathing suits underneath, and jumped into the water. They swam for a few minutes, with Aishwarya encouraging little Alice to swim with all her strength. The little girl was proving to be quite a strong swimmer, and as her teacher Aishwarya felt proud that she had managed to coach a child. Feeling happy and excited, she decided she would ask Dr. Karunakaran if she could teach all the kids in the orphanage how to swim. It was a great exercise and would use up their excess energy that the kids now spent on playing pranks.

She prayed by the riverside as Alice joined her. She prayed for the well being of the people she had left behind and the people who had taken care of her on land. She prayed that the children she had been teaching, grew stronger and kinder as the days went by.

Then she walked with Alice back to the orphanage, checked on the breakfast preparations and went back to Guru Aryadutta's tiny quarters.

Both Aishwarya and Vasu had been introduced by Guru Aryadutta to the people living in the temple as the children of his distant cousin brother who had died leaving the orphans under his care.

'Get up you lazy bones,' shouted Aishwarya after she returned from Sangam and saw Vasu and Mutthu still asleep under a huge, warm quilt. She pulled the quilt off Vasu. 'Quickly, get ready for school.'

Guru Aryadutta had already left for the preparation of the morning aarti and the havan in the temple. 'Why don't you go to the temple and let me sleep peacefully?' cribbed Vasu.

'Hurry up!' Said Aishwarya, 'you'll be late today also. Do you go there to kneel outside the class or to study? And Mutthu, I am sure you did not ask for permission to be here!'

Mutthu grumbled and rolled over on to his stomach and snored.

'I don't want to learn those rotten tables,' grumbled Vasu, 'if I have to read, why they can't give comics in school. It's better to kneel outside the class and watch the birds, there's a nest on that tree now, and the ants carrying food...where do these ants stay, Didi?' He peeked at her angry face and buried himself under the quilt again.

'I just don't know why the teachers don't spank you! They love you too much, you charming cheeky brat,' said Aishwarya, 'get out and have a bath or else I'll pour a bucket of water on you right here.'

'Why do you want to increase your workload Didi? You'll only have to clean it up!' said Vasu grinning like the monkey Aishwarya thought he was. He poked Mutthu awake and as they got up they dodged a pillow flung at them, and ran towards the bathroom in the other end of the courtyard.

The pillow missed the boys and hit Guru Aryadutta who entered the room precisely at that moment.

'Guruji, look at that brat!'

'Don't worry about him,' chuckled Guru Aryadutta, 'we're late for the aarti come soon.'

Aishwarya grumbled all the way about the naughty tricks Vasu played on her aided by Mutthu's enthusiastic support, and protested against Guruji's nonchalance.

After the aarti, Aishwarya helped the cook make a tiffin box for Vasu. She sat by the cook, packing the hot rotis in a box. She thought about how much she missed the seaweed cakes. Living in a temple certainly had its benefits, namely ladoos and halwas. Aishwarya had started learning how to make these delicious sweets, and to her surprise she was quite talented. She decided to make some sheera today, and add extra in the box for all the other kids as well. Alice would definitely like some.

Lost in her thoughts, Aishwarya suddenly gasped, the fire from the stove was growing larger and larger. Aishwarya turned to call out to the cook, she wasn't there, the cook had just stepped out to scatter grains for the birds. Aishwarya watched speechless as the flames seemed to grow higher, and look like a... very handsome young man!

A young man, made of fire, grinning at her and bowing low like some hotshot gentleman! What on earth was happening? Aishwarya reacted instantly, she bravely, but softly said, 'Shhh! Go away!'

The cook called out, 'What happened Aish? I'm coming in a minute!'

The flames dropped down to their normal size, but leapt up every time her back was turned. Aishwarya found it disconcerting and exciting, the way the handsome young man would dart in and out of sight...

She realised that Vasu would be late than usual if she hung around the kitchen waiting to see the 'Fire Guy' again. Even as she sprinted towards Vasu, who was busy squinting at something up a tree, she wondered what she would tell the Fire Guy.

'Can I have some money?' Vasu asked as Aishwarya, breathless, tried to straighten his hair.

'What for?' surprised Aishwarya asked.

'Buddi ke Baal. All the kids buy it during the break. I'd buy one today.'

'My dear, we can't afford this luxury and you shouldn't be eating such things.'

'It isn't a luxury!' protested Vasu, 'Even beggars sitting outside the temple afford it.'

'But we don't stay with our parents like other kids do,' said Aishwarya gently, pulling his shirt collar out and rolling down his sleeves.

'Why don't we? What's so great about parents anyway! Where are our parents? Why don't they ever come to meet us?' shrieked Vasu as he stomped off.

Aishwarya couldn't stop herself. The tears were hot and unstoppable. They had tried telling Vasu about how they had found him, but he thought they were lying. Aishwarya wasn't just upset that he didn't believe her, she was heartbroken because she had nobody to share her sadness with. Just as he did not believe what she said about how he came into her life, he did not believe that she was really a Princess and that her father was the Ruler of the Oceans. And why would he believe her?

Who else could she speak with?

Aishwarya stood frozen in the doorway, as she remembered playing with her mother and her father, the courtyard where the soldiers would follow her around as she played catch with various sea creatures, all the dresses that she would try on and toss away, the food... all the food that comforted her...

She stopped herself from thinking this thought every time, but today she did not have the strength... Why had her father never cared to look for her all these years? Eleven years? Had he forgotten her completely? Would she never meet him? Why did the news she get from the oceans contain nothing about her mother? Where was she? Had she... died?

After a good cry, Aishwarya wiped away her tears and went looking for Guru Aryadutta to help him in the Havan Yagya being performed in the temple.

Vasu did not go to school. Mutthu had to go back to the orphanage to pick up his books, and Vasu was quite alone. His feet took him to the edge of the pond, his favourite place. He sat there, just brooding and sulking for a while. But, the fishes were so entertaining that he forgot all about being unhappy. He leaned forward and made a clicking sound as he admired at his own reflection in the water. He tried to smoothen down his curly black hair. All the fish in the pond collected near him. 'I'm sorry I couldn't bring anything new for you to eat. Didi says we're poor, you see.' He opened his tiffin box, pulled out a chapatti, tore it into small pieces and fed them to the hungry fish.

Vasu had grown up to be a thin skinny boy, not cute at all, his buckteeth, pointy ears and crazy wild hair provided great enjoyment to the bullies in school, but Vasu's friends loved him because of his sense of humour, generosity and the strange charm he employed to make birds and fishes his friends.

Guru Aryadutta insisted that Vasu attend school because he felt it was the best and only way Vasu could learn to lead an organised life instead of wasting time talking to birds or feeding fishes or swimming aimlessly for hours in the river.

On the other hand, Vasu never enjoyed the idea of formal education imparted in a dull classroom. He was always looking for ways to stay out of the class and he actually wanted to be punished by the teacher so he could kneel outside the class. Plenty of things to watch and do, he thought. All he had to do was to irritate the teacher, which he always managed to do either by reaching late or by setting free a big frog in the class.

Vasu and Aishwarya both enjoyed and looked forward to evenings when Guru Aryadutta would be free and took them on a leisurely stroll along the banks of the Sangam as he told them interesting stories from the ancient scriptures or about his early life and the struggles of Bhoomivasis, Dhartiputras, the Rakshash Giants and even the souls of dead.

Guru Aryadutta was also quite good with a sword! They had once seen him sparring for fun with a few youngsters from the village. They were so excited and proud that they wouldn't let him sit quietly till he promised them that he would teach them how to fight too! He had procured special wooden swords for the purpose. Aishwarya often disliked the idea of learning a duel with a sword instead of supervising work in the temple kitchen or assisting Guruji in a Havan yagya, but Guruji would not allow her to miss any of his classes organized on the temple roof away from the prying eyes of temple visitors.

'As a Princess, learning the art of war is mandatory for you. Learning the art of self defence is all the more necessary because you will one day be responsible for the safety of all your subjects,' Guruji explained to her patiently.

Vasu enjoyed the dueling under Guruji's directions, because it was a very valid reason to keep away from school books and he had read comics about many war heroes and loved to emulate them. Mutthu and Ramzan, another boy in the orphanage, were often soldiers in his army, attacking bushes and drums with great gusto when everyone else was busy in the temple.

For the past few years, as Aishwarya and Vasu had grown more and more curious about their past and their future, their favourite mystery was what the locket meant.

But Guruji would always avoid saying anything about it, except that it was a divine symbol and that destiny had chosen Vasu and Aishwarya for something special that would change the world forever. 'Let time tell you all about it,' was all he would say. When Vasu was smaller, he would ask when time would talk to him, and if he could talk to the clock tower in the Town Hall and find out the story right now.

Guru Aryadutta wasn't sure he should even allow Vasu to keep the locket, especially since it was made of pure gold. There was never any shortage of thieves around a temple and although Vasu kept the locket hidden inside his shirt, if anyone glimpsed it they could easily harm the eleven-year-old boy and try to take it from him. But, try as they might, the locket refused to be parted from Vasu. One night Vasu had taken it off, to just keep Guru Aryadutta from worrying about it and going on and on about how that locket was too precious to wear to school everyday, but when he woke up in the morning, the locket was back on around his neck! How had the locket managed to come out of a tin box and fastened itself around his neck, no one knew...

Vasu slipped into the water and lazily swam a few laps around the pond. He dived in now and then and waved at the fishes swimming by. He had once seen a dolphin right here, he glimpsed it now and then, but he wasn't sure. Aishwarya didi loved dolphins, but she loved every living sea creature anyway. She had once told him she was the Sea Princess and Vasu had laughed and laughed so much. He had not been able to stop even when she had started crying.

But when he thought about it, she was definitely not like other Bhoomivasi girls. Take her red hair for example, and those deep blue eyes! Who had red hair like that? Nobody! Even the foreign people, their hair was definitely as red as Didi's. And the way she swam, she barely had to paddle her arms and legs, the water seemed to carry her!

Vasu wished he could swim like her, and hold his breath underwater for as long as she could! Now that was a skill he envied! Although he admitted proudly, he definitely could hold his breath longer than Mutthu, or Sukhwinder, or Alice, Sonali, Ramzan, Robin, Nishant, and even David, who barely swam at all!

'Oi Hippo! When are you coming out of the water? Haven't you got school?' a voice called out. Vasu raised his head and saw a skinny arm waving at him, but he knew whose voice it was! Sonali! She was as old as Vasu, but much taller than him. Her hair was as curly as Vasu's, but shorter. In fact, if it weren't for her artistic eyebrows and big smile, she would look exactly like a boy. And she was often taken to be a boy, she could climb trees faster than them, run faster, and her voice could be heard from one end of the playground to the other.

Beside her was Ramzan, looking hungry as usual, although he seemed to be eating his favourite fruit, the banana. He always carried his own supply of food, although he did share his food quite happily too. He waved at Vasu. Nishant, the quietest, and most artistic in the group, was standing under a tree watching a couple of squirrels and drawing them in the notebooks he always carried around.

'Come on, I heard there's a fight going on in the playground,' Sonali called out.

Ramzan shook his head, 'There's no fight-fight! Sonali wants you to come out, so we can go to school. She told me!'

Sonali glared at Ramzan. It was true. Sonali loved having fun, but she hated missing school. In the orphanage, she was the only one who loved studying, and had already declared that she would become a teacher and keep her friends studying under her if they didn't study hard and pass all their exams!

Vasu laughed, 'So? You go!'

Sonali was angry now. 'Vasu, you barely cleared all the subjects. Come on I'll help you with Maths today.'

Vasu pulled a face and Ramzan shook his head. The water wasn't too deep, so Vasu could stand in the pond and wade out. He reached the edge of the pond and took Ramzan's hand to haul himself out. He never refused to do as Sonali said, because he knew that she, like his other friends, genuinely cared about him. They all wanted him to study and do well in exams because all of them wanted to get into good colleges so they could be independent soon. And find their parents, and earn money and help out other kids like them.

'Ok fine, let's go. And Nishant has all my notebooks. My bag broke, so he took my books that day. Where's David? Is he still in the boxing class?'

David was only a year older than them, but he was the strongest in the group. He was like their bodyguard and everyone felt better about having him as their friend.

'Oi, how much you people talk!' David said. He had just climbed up the pool steps. 'Come on, who wants to race me? Come on!'

Ramzan just rolled his eyes and started peeling another banana; Sonali winked at Vasu.

'David, what's that in the water? Is it a mermaid waiting for you?' Vasu cried out, pointing at the water. David turned around so fast, he nearly lost his balance. He scanned the horizon. 'Where!

What!' and the sound of both his friends running away, made him turn back again.

'Cheaters!' he screamed, taking off too. Ramzan ate the banana, carefully put away the peel in the cloth bag he always carried around and ambled after them.

Once they reached school, they were all punished because they were more than two hours late.

Sonali grumbled and nagged at them to get ready earlier. Nishant happily sat down with his drawing pad and drew Sonali looking like an angry elephant. He made Vasu look like a monkey, which was not difficult at all. Ramzan who was feeling a little hungry described the best biryani he had ever had. Vasu and Mutthu argued about which superhero was uglier than the others. And Sukhwinder (who wasn't punished, but was repairing the school's loudspeakers) sat with them and commanded them to hand him screwdrivers, nuts and bolts.

After merrily spending two more hours in the 'punishment' room, the kids were all sent home.

It was the last day of the Rigveda recitation and a Havan Yagya was being performed in the central hall of the temple. A colourful tent was pitched to demarcate the area where the fire would be built, and several heavy garlands of marigolds hung all around the temple. The air was thick with the scent of sweets and incense sticks. The yagya was sponsored by rich devotees, but the whole city had been invited to participate.

A havan kund had been created in the centre of the hall, around which Guru Aryadutta and other priests sat, while the sponsoring devotees and their immediate family members sat together to pour ghee and samagri into the havan fire. Sitting close to the havan kund signified their importance in society and was supposed to fetch them the highest divine blessings.

Except for the priests, nobody else understood the meaning of Sanskrit shlokas from the Rigveda that were being recited one after the other, but everyone swayed in the belief that something good was being told to God and no harm could come their way if they continued to clap and sway their head.

Aishwarya sat beside Guru Aryadutta and began assisting him, she had been doing this for years now, and she let her mind wander as she mechanically handed him the things he needed.

A few minutes later, Aishwarya snapped to attention. Was that the face she had seen this morning? The face in the fire? She narrowed her eyes and tried to look right into the flames.

Yes, there he was again....

Had anyone else seen him?

She looked at the people in the crowd. The priests had their eyes closed, and the people were all busy looking at each other's jewellery.

With every 'Om Swaha' the priests uttered, people were mechanically pouring ghee into the fire. As she watched, the fire began to grow in size and leapt dancing towards the frenzied crowd. With every 'Om Swaha' now, the fire grew even bigger than anyone had expected.

And now Guruji had seen the face too, he looked at Aishwarya and saw the strange look on her face. Just then the face in the flames grew bigger and leapt closer to her. The face smiled and began swaying towards her, the heat from the rising flames made everybody uncomfortable and forced them to shuffle backwards. Everyone, except Aishwarya who kept sitting comfortably without flinching a bit. The priests couldn't stop chanting, the havan was reaching its end anyway, and Guru Aryadutta indicated with his hands that they should say the shlokas faster, but part of the ritual was that ghee had to be poured into the fire with each 'Om Swaha'. And that made the fire just grow even more.

Unfazed by the fire, Aishwarya kept pouring ghee and samagri into the fire, while Guru Aryadutta and the priests continued the recitation. But the people around them became more and more anxious, watching the yagya being performed and the blaze creeping towards the young girl. Nothing could be more inauspicious than allowing a young girl to be devoured by the havan kund fire while performing a yagya within the Laxmi Naryan temple.

Suddenly, the cloth canopy above the yagya caught fire. People ran away screaming. Aishwarya stood in the centre of it all, engulfed by the flames, but feeling nothing, and from all around her she could see the handsome young man, looking at her, admiring her with his eyes and his smile. She tried to look calm, but although she wouldn't admit it to herself, she was quite flattered, and was trying to show off how cool she was.

People tried to douse the fire with water, but the priests stopped them, how could one douse a holy fire before the havan was over! Guru Aryadutta kept reciting the shlokas, even as most other priests deserted their post. Finally, Guru Aryadutta finished reciting the last shloka.

'Enough of your antics! Stop!' commanded Aishwarya looking straight at the young guy's face. She picked up a glass of water and poured out a little in the hollow of her palm. She threw it into the centre of the Havan Kund.

Instantly, the huge blaze shrank to almost nothing. Aishwarya remained standing so everyone could see she was unharmed. Even the canopy that had definitely caught fire was actually undamaged. Nobody knew what to make of this.

It was all too much for them.

Guru Aryadutta hugged Aishwarya who was no less confused than the people there. 'Hope you're unharmed?' Guruji whispered.

'Guruji, what was all this?' Aishwarya asked, not quite understanding what she really felt about that handsome young man.

Before Guru Aryadutta could reply, the other priests who had run away to save their lives, as well as the people there, began raising slogans, hailing her as 'Agni-Vijayi' (the conqueror of fire). Since shouting slogans is a highly contagious activity, it spread all over the temple and in a few minutes the whole crowd was ecstatic at having seen a miracle. AgniVijayi...Mata Agni-Vijayi, they chanted. Some enterprising ladies in the crowd draped garlands over Aishwarya and touched her feet, and this started some sort of competition of who would touch her feet first.

Guru Aryadutta sensed the brewing trouble and shouted, 'Mata Agni- Vijayi wants rest... move aside... move aside.' The crowd parted automatically and Guru Aryadutta pulled Aishwarya along with him to the safety of a room in the back of the temple. Even though the people left eventually, Aishwarya knew she had become a celebrity that day.

'How... why... what... how? How did the fire grow so big and why didn't it burn me?' spluttered Aishwarya.

'Has this ever happened before?' asked Guru Aryadutta.

'Not really,' said Aishwarya, 'well... today while cooking, the kitchen fire did grow a little and shrink on its own... and there was a face... but never like this!'

'Hmm... you should've told me that. If you had, this would not have happened. Worst of all, it happened before such a large crowd. That worries me.'

'You aren't shocked!' asked Aishwarya even more surprised at

Guruji's words. Nothing could have surprised her more than the fact that Guruji knew something about all that had happened that day. 'How could a little water put off fire as large as that?'

'No fire can ever harm you', revealed Guru with a smile, 'you're the daughter of Maharaja Siddhivarun, the Lord of Ocean, water and air! How can fire ever burn water?'

'Is it that simple?' asked Aishwarya.

'It is!' Said Aryadutta, 'fire was invented by Bhoomivasis after they left the sea to lead a life on land... it never existed in the ocean and never can.'

'Why did it turn so large and who was the youth in it?'

'He was Agni Putra Aryan, said Guru Aryadutta, 'the son of Agni.'

'Agni Putra Aryan!' Repeated Aishwarya, 'what does he want?'

'Time alone will tell,' Said Guru Aryadutta, 'though I can make some guesses, but won't dwell upon them.'

'You want to say that he'll come again. Isn't it?' asked Aishwarya uneasily in a soft thoughtful voice.

'Maybe! It shouldn't have happened out there in front of so many people. It makes me worry. But where's Vasu? He should've come back from school. Shouldn't he? I'd better go and look for him.'

After school, the others had to go back to the orphanage and Vasu started walking back towards home. He walked through the weekly market and strolled around, stopping before shops selling toys and eatables. But each time he liked something, he remembered Aishwarya's words, 'We can't afford this luxury.... We don't live with our parents.' This forced him to move ahead.

He saw kids point at what they wanted, and their parents encouraged them or grumbled loudly, but bought it eventually. Why I'm so poor? Why can't I have some money? He thought about the unfairness of this all. Engrossed in his dark thoughts, he passed a fisherman's shop. There were fishes there displayed on inverted baskets, and for a moment Vasu thought he would never be able to breathe again. Nothing else could be more painful for him than to see his dear fishes killed, chopped and sold off.

Unable to control his feelings, Vasu approached the fisherman and asked, 'Why do you kill the fish?'

'It's my livelihood,' said the fisherman, a jolly old man, he smiled at what he thought was a curious small kid. 'I've a family to support.'

'To support your family, you destroy their family,' said Vasu innocently, 'don't you love these fish?'

'If I don't catch fish, how will I earn money to feed my family?' asked the bemused fisherman.

'In that case if I give you money will you stop killing fish?' asked Vasu.

'Oh! Sure hahaha...hahahaha... Why not? I will do as you please, Sir,' replied the fisherman laughing loudly.

Earning money had suddenly become Vasu's most important mission in life. As he walked around he began thinking of ways to get money. Maybe he and Sukhwinder should advertise in the paper that they could loudspeakers? How many people had loudspeakers that needed repairing though? He couldn't draw as well as Nishant, or else he would paint movie posters all day. Maybe Ramzan and I should start a restaurant! But that day when I by mistake picked up that vessel with hot milk in it and dropped it, and burnt my fingers, what if that happened again? Ouch, no way! If I have enough money, I can buy tasty sweets from those shops and stop this fisherman from killing my dear fishes, thought Vasu, but where can I get money? Now, if I were a superhero... Unable to think of a plan, he left the market and began walking towards his favourite place for deep concentration, the Ghats.

As he drew closer, he saw a group of people dressed in fine clothes, toss flowers, coconuts and coins into the river. They must have just come out of the yagya at the temple, Vasu thought. But, why did people drop so much of that precious money in the temple and into the water? Why didn't they give it to the fisherman who needed it so he could take care of his family?

Vasu knew Guruji would never allow him to use the temple money, even for such a noble purpose. He sat on the steps of the ghats and watched a puja underway. Even those people threw coins into the river. Why do they throw money into the water? Nobody needs it there, he thought.

In the distance, a group of boys jumped into the river and swam back to the shores clutching a handful of coins.

How stupid of me, thought Vasu, if these boys can fetch that money, I can do it better than any of them. No need to ask anybody. Without hesitation, he jumped right into the river.

Swimming like a whale, he could stay under water for very long periods of time, he scoured the riverbed for coins. He managed to grab a lot of money before any other boy could manage to touch them. For the first time in his life, he realised how advantageous it was for him to be able to swim like that. After having spent a couple of hours in the water he managed to collect more coins than he could carry. His pockets bulged with coins, before he decided to pull out of the water. Takla turtle emerged from the deep water and began swimming beside Vasu. Around his neck hung a velvety weed with a gold ring dangling from it. The turtle kept swimming alongside Vasu. 'Hey, you are the turtle who waits for Aishwarya Didi every morning! How are you! Pleased to meet you,' Vasu gabbled happily. The turtle did not reply, but looked at him. It felt like the turtle was trying to tell him something. Vasu pulled out the ring from the weed and before he could stop it, the turtle had started swimming back into the depths of the river. Vasu kept the ring in the pocket of his shirt and pulled back his divine locket, which he saw had slipped out of his shirt.

Meanwhile, the boys who jumped into the river to retrieve coins, found that there was no easy money to be made that day. Vasu had snatched their catch and they were not ready to accept this as a defeat, for it meant losing all their money, every day from that day on. While nobody could think about surpassing Vasu's swimming skills, they were all united against their common foe under the leadership of a boy whom they all were afraid of because he was a bully.

Vasu rested at the ghat's steps for a while wondering what we would say to the fisherman. He completely intended to give him all the money, so that the fisherman would stop harming the lovely fish here. But before that, he planned to enjoy his favourite cotton candy, Buddi ke Baal for all his friends. He'd have to buy an extra one just for Ramzan, that everhungry fellow.

'You made a hellofa money. Didn't you?' a gruff voice broke his chain of thoughts. Here he was, the bully. The boys who retrieved the coins every day, had been waiting for their new competitor.

'Eh...y..y..yes?' Vasu stuttered. He was surprised to see a bunch of six rough looking, ill clad boys standing on the steps above him. He had seen them before, and even David did not like walking past that rowdy group. Gripped with uneasiness about having them around he tried looking the other way to avoid eye contact.

'Not happy to see us eh...you dried fish,' said the meanest looking guy there. 'But we're pleased to see you.... Who wouldn't be, after all the money you collected for us.'

'I...d...d... didn't collect anything for you,' replied Vasu, panicking now.

'Oh! Really! Boys, he didn't collect it for us.'

'Hahahaa....hahahaaa...hooahhooaahha...' the other boys howled merrily.

'Come on! Be a good boy and hand over the money to me,' the bully ordered.

'I will NOT!' Vasu cried out as he got up and tried to run towards the Laxmi Narayan Temple. Strangely, nobody noticed the dolphins collecting in the river near the steps. A few of the more curious ones jumped out to look at the scuffle.

Before long, the devotees noticed this congregation of dolphins near the shore and began collecting on the last steps of the ghat to enjoy a free aquatic show.

The ruffians overpowered and pinned Vasu down. They tried to pull out the coins from his pockets. Vasu did his best to protect the money, but they were too many and too strong. For the first time, Vasu wished he wasn't skinny and weak. Wished with all his might that he was strong enough, like David, to beat the bully.

Robbed of his money, Vasu watched them share the loot. Not just his face, his whole body seemed be on fire, especially his chest.

No! Wait a minute, his chest really was on fire! As he watched in shock, his locket seemed to glow so bright it seemed to have burned a hole in his shirt. It was enough to catch the bully's eye.

'Gimme that also!' he ordered in his gruff voice, pointing his finger towards the locket.

'Never!' yelled Vasu and sped towards the temple. If he reached the orphanage first, which was just beside the temple, he could call out to Sukhwinder and David, and all his friends.

'Catch him!' the bully shouted, thrusting into his pockets all the coins in front of him. His gang immediately obeyed and followed Vasu, pushing aside people and kids to reach him before he entered any other place.

They caught him and pushed him to the ground again. Two of them tried to snatch the locket. The big bully was upset to see that his gang had not overpowered that thin kid yet. He scowled and rushed to help them. Meanwhile, very close to where Vasu was being beaten up, Guru Aryadutta was looking for Vasu.

It was getting to be twilight, and the shadows were increasing his anxiety. He saw a tall man selling cotton candy and scanned the faces of the children milling around him. No signs of Vasu. A group of boys was yelling and beating up someone, but Guruji ignored them. He turned to look at the people swimming in the river. Was that boy Vasu? No... where was that boy?

And suddenly, he heard it, a familiar voice screaming, no, no no!!!

The bully had hit Vasu on the head. A blow on his head of that intensity proved more than Vasu could tolerate, he felt as if everything had begun spinning quickly. Unable to maintain his balance, Vasu fell to the ground. The last thing he saw was Guru Aryadutta, running towards him.

The bully decided to grab the locket and run. No sooner did his fingers touch the locket than a flash of lightning struck him, the impact throwing him ten feet away. The bully landed like a log into the river between the dolphins who thrashed him with their tails.

The rest of the bully's gang ran away when they saw the dolphins attack their leader and the angry looking old man rushing towards them. Guru Aryadutta called out to the boys to stop and help, but then he saw something that froze his blood. Shadows. Bodiless shadows gliding towards the unconscious Vasu.

His locket had been spotted not only by thugs, but by those horrible shadows too.

Guru Aryadutta knew the dangers that lay ahead.

Vasu was lost in some other world. He saw things he had never seen before. An old man, who seemed to look like a Guru was teaching shlokas to kids in a Gurukul. Vasu liked him immediately because the older man also had the same jug-handle type ears like he did, and the same unruly hair and sharp buckteeth! Here was someone who would scare away all the kids who made fun of Vasu's appearance!

The students were floundering miserably, but the Guru patiently asked them to repeat the shloka after him. Vasu too joined in the chorus, mumbling the words though he did not understand what they meant.

Guru Aryadutta who was checking Vasu's pulse was flummoxed. He had never taught Vasu this shloka, and the school had barely taught him how to spell his name. And this shloka... wasn't it something that he had heard many years ago... something his older brother would insist all young children were taught? Guru Vyomdutta had been killed many years before Vasu was born, so how did....

First the fire, then this... there were way too many strange things happening all around them, Guru Aryadutta did not want to be taken by surprise again. He quickly carried Vasu back to the safety of the Temple.

#  Chapter 7

Guru Aryadutta fumbled with the door knob, and called out, 'Aishwarya, beti!'

The door was flung open, Aishwarya was already pallor stricken, it seemed like she had already expected something horrible to happen today.

'What! Who did this to him?'

Guru Aryadutta shook his head and entered the room. 'Close the door,' he said as he lay Vasu down on the cot.

'Tell me! Who did this?' asked Aishwarya as she began rubbing Vasu's feet with her palms to warm him up a little.

'First, feed him Nagarjuna's herbal potion,' Guru Aryadutta said, looking preoccupied with some other thoughts. 'He was hit on the head during a fight with some stupid boys at the ghats. Heat up the milk, heat up some ghee and add a generous pinch of turmeric, mix it. I'll change his clothes, they are so dirty.'

Aishwarya rushed to get the milk, the turmeric and ghee — a potent anti-inflammatory and painkiller of proven value in Ayurveda.

By the time she got back, Vasu had opened his eyes, but he looked dazed.

Aishwarya sat on the cot with his head in her lap and Guruji dropped a little of the herbal potion on his tongue.

'They robbed my money,' mumbled Vasu, trying to sit up.

'What money?' Aishwarya asked.

'Don't worry, my boy,' said Guru, 'drink this and then tell us what happened.'

Vasu drank the milk and just sat there breathing slowly for a while. He told them about the fisherman and the coins and finally the fight with the hooligans.

'Who taught you the shloka?' Guru Aryadutta asked.

'What shloka?'

'The one you uttered after that boy hit you on the head,' Guruji said.

'I don't know. I don't know any shloka. He hit me, and I felt so dizzy... but wait... there was a Guruji, just like you... he was teaching some kids a shloka. But...I've never been to that place, or even seen that Guru before... he looked a little like you Guruji, he had large ears like mine... this doesn't make any sense!'

'He did? In what way?' asked Guru Aryadutta. Was his suspicion true? His heart wanted to believe something his mind would not allow.

'Not very old, handsome, he had darker hair than you, it was neatly parted,' said Vasu, straining to recall, 'he wore a white dhoti and white thread across the chest like you. He was teaching some students under a tree and a little girl was holding his hand. I can't recall any more.' 'Can you say that shloka once again?' Guru Aryadutta asked.

'I hardly remember it', replied Vasu.

'Unbelievable! He recites a shloka in Sanskrit after listening to it in a dream, which makes those dolphins beat up your tormentor. And I am sure you met my brother Guru Vyomdutta, in that dream. He taught you that shloka!'

'I don't understand a word of this,' Aishwarya broke in.

'Who gave you this?' asked Guru Aryadutta, showing him a gold ring with a large sapphire, 'I found it in your pocket.'

'Oh! Lucky! They didn't take it,' Vasu said, relieved to see it safe, 'A turtle gave me that ring. I think it's the one you meet every morning

Didi. It went away before I could—'

'Takla gave it to you!' shrieked Aishwarya, 'It's my ring! Baba had given it to me. I had to leave it in the Palace.'

'Maharaja Siddhivarun's ring,' said Guru Aryadutta, 'how did the turtle get it?'

'This can only mean one thing. All's not well with him,' realised Aishwarya, she couldn't help her tears. 'He's in grave trouble and needs help.'

'Nagarjuna would've informed me, if there were something big happening!' Guru Aryadutta pointed out. 'It's been a deluge of worries today.'

He got up and paced around the small room trying to decide what to do next.

Vasu tried to comfort Aishwarya, while realising that all Aishwarya had told him about her father, could actually be true. Maharaja Siddhivarun! Her father was truly a king, if he had a ring such as this. So was she telling him the truth about how they had found him?

Guru Aryadutta tried to make some sense of all that had happened in one day. Agni Putra Aryan had flirted with Aishwarya in public! During a Havan Yagya inside the temple! Guru Aryadutta was not sure what his intentions were; but, thanks to that fool the whole town was now talking about Aishwarya. What kind of unwelcome attention would the child get now?

Vasu had been beaten up and someone had tried to take away that locket. Those shadows had appeared again. After so many years, and those shadows always meant bad news was around the corner.

And the biggest shock of all! Vasu had seen his brother, Guru Vyomdutta, and learned a shloka for self-protection.

Maharaja Siddhivarun's ring had turned up and Aishwarya was now just waiting for a chance to get back to her father. That poor girl had been through a lot.

Guru Aryadutta excused himself and settled down for meditation in a corner of the room, because he knew this would help him make the right decision. Aishwarya could not stop crying, and Vasu brooded about how he could get more money to pay the fisherman.

'The protection I could give you children is now weakening,' said Guru Aryadutta after he opened his eyes. 'Over the years, the dark powers of Samraat Viraat Shatru have just grown, while I've grown older and weaker. Even if I want to, I may not be able to help you.'

He sighed as he saw the worried faces of the children who had brought such joy into his life.'It has always been like that, children. The evil constantly endeavor to increase their powers while the good ones like us sleep on our past laurels. You both need more protection and I can't give you that.'

'Guruji, I want to go back to my father,' Aishwarya said, 'he needs my help.'

She looked at Vasu. Vasu did not hesitate for a moment. He stood up slowly. 'Didi, I am sorry, I did not believe you. I will listen to you now.'

Vasu turned to Guru Aryadutta and said, 'I'll go with her, but can you teach me that shloka? I'll use it for protecting us all.'

'But how can I send you away, without ensuring that you get there safely?'asked Guru Aryadutta. 'They might not be able to attack you inside the temple, but outside, they can harm you.'

Guru Aryadutta did not want to send the children away; they weren't ready to face the world. But then, who was?

He wondered why Guru Nagarjuna had not contacted him yet. Over the last eleven years, they had perfected a very simple method of communicating — telepathy. They would each meditate and focus on the message that needed to be conveyed. Only people with deep knowledge of the power of the mind understood how that worked.

Guru Aryadutta felt that with all the strange things that had been happening, it could be possible that Maharaja Siddhivarun's ring was just a bait. It could be the work of those nasty shadows; but, Aishwarya would not listen to reason now. Who could blame her?

Guru Aryadutta decided to communicate with Guru Nagarjuna. He asked the kids to eat dinner while he thought of a solution.

Vasu tried to remember the shloka, but his mind kept going blank. He tried to knock himself out by punching his cheek, but that was a stupid idea, and thankfully he knew it.

Aishwarya barely ate; she played with the ring and remembered all the happy memories she had of her parents and her true home. She couldn't stop talking!

'Don't worry Vasu, I will take care of you. It is good that you can swim, but you won't need to swim. The Samudra Mahal is covered by this dome, right, and there's no water inside it, so you can walk. I hope you like the food, no you won't like the food, but I'll make something. There's this kind of seaweed. Oh you will meet Sandy! And Taklu told me she has a baby now, Sandy is a blue whale, they're the largest on the whole planet! Oh I am going home! Home! HOME!'

Vasu burst out laughing, he had never seen Aishwarya so happy and so passionate about anything. She was always like a little queen, calm and in control. To watch her gabble like he did sometimes, talking nonstop without even taking a breath, made him laugh despite the pain his body was feeling.

Aishwarya did not even notice Vasu laughing at her, she kept on, 'Oh and, and, Guru Nagarjuna, you remember I told you about him! He is the kindest person you will ever meet! Except for Guru Aryadutta of course! Oh he took such good care of me! Once I had a toothache and I did not like the smell of the medicine, and then he sang this song, it was so funny! The song, not his singing, he has a very good voice! So, then, I... I... I forgot! Oh there's too much to tell you! Have I told you about that horrible Rani Roopmati, she still comes in my nightmares; and my mom, my dad! Ohhhhh! Uff! I wish you could just go inside my head and watch all my memories, like it was on TV or something!'

Guru Aryadutta continued his meditative conference with Guru Nagarjuna, undisturbed by Aishwarya's loud whispers or Vasu's bursts of chuckles. Finally, hours later, when Guru Ayradutta opened his eyes, the kids were asleep.

He woke up Aishwarya and Vasu told them to pack whatever they needed, as Guru Nagarjuna would be there soon to take them home.

Vasu sped towards his horde of comics, if what Aishwarya said was true, he would have plenty of time to read his comics. She had never once mentioned a school in the cool Samudra Mahal! Ha!

Aishwarya stopped him, and pointed at his clothes. 'You will need those! Everything else is not necessary!' She raised her hand to cut off his protests. 'Vasu, in a few days, you will be writing and drawing your own comic books! There's so much adventure there, you won't have time to read! Just to imagine!'

Vasu smiled, this sounded wonderful! But wait! 'Oi, Didi, what about Mutthu, and Alice, and Sonali! And everyone!' Vasu blurted, sounding very dismayed.

Aishwarya nodded. She thought for a minute. Ever since the orphanage had been set up in Allahabad, these kids had been their only friends. 'Don't you worry Vasu, let me talk to my father. We'll find a home for them in the palace itself. That way we can always be together!

Vasu punched the air with his fists. 'Wow Didi! That is so cool!'

They quickly set about packing their bags with clothes, a first aid kit, although Aishwarya insisted Guru Nagarjuna was more than just a normal doctor, they also tried to fit in the big box of ladoos, barfi, halwa and jalebi, because that was absolutely essential after a meal, according to the sweettoothed Vasu. Aishwarya sneaked into the kitchen and looked at the fireplace. It was cold. She couldn't bear the thought of never seeing that handsome young guy again. Within a heartbeat, she quickly grabbed a matchbox and put it in her pocket and ran out again.

Even before the first bag was packed, they heard a knock on the door. A dull thud reverberated in the tiny room. They all exchanged glances, not knowing how Guru Nagarjuna could have gotten there so quickly.

Vasu puffed up his chest, trying to feel brave and ready for a new life. Guru Aryadutta opened the door cautiously.

'Are they ready?' asked Guru Nagarjuna even before Guru Aryadutta could welcome him inside.

'Come inside Nagarjuna,' said Guru Aryadutta, feeling relieved to see his friend after so long. 'You've had a long journey and before you leave once again rest for a while.'

'Journeys don't tire me,' came the curt reply, there was no smile either. 'Get them ready.'

'Oh! My bones would've creaked after such a journey,' Guru Aryadutta continued, trying to smoothen the rough edges in Nagarjuna's voice, 'They're getting ready, do step inside.'

Guru Nagarjuna stepped in reluctantly, Aishwarya waved at him enthusiastically, but he did not react. In fact, his eyes were so devoid of any expression, it was hard to know what he was feeling.

Guru Aryadutta frowned, but then felt that perhaps there was something worrying the royal vaidya.

'Is Maharaja Siddhivarun very ill?' whispered Guru Aryadutta.

'Maharaja has lost all his strength and is completely bedridden,' came the emotionless reply. 'No medicine works on him. Samraat Viraat Shatru has become very powerful and might invade the sea. I'd like to reach the Palace before any of his spies finds us.'

'Hurry up kids, hurry up. I will meet you soon,' Guru Aryadutta said softly.

Within seconds, Vasu and Aishwarya were already hurrying out of the temple. This was not the goodbye they had imagined. Guru Aryadutta had been their father, their guide, their best friend. But Guru Nagarjuna had given them not a second to hug or hold hands.

Once they left the temple premises, Guru Nagarjuna walked noiselessly, but with a strange limp. Aishwarya kept looking at him, her heart was bursting with happiness. She was so happy to see him. Eleven years! She had grown so much, she remembered how he used to make those amazing seaweed cakes for her, and those stories at night. She had missed being pampered by him; but, why wasn't he looking at her? Why hadn't he even said anything about how much she had grown!

She decided to put her feelings aside for a while and just focus on getting home. It would be fun to show Vasu where she was born, and — suddenly, five angry dogs ran towards them. They were snarling and barking and growling. Aishwarya and Vasu were not afraid, they were shocked. These dogs knew them, and always wagged whenever they passed by. Why were they so angry now?

Vasu called out to them. 'Oi, Tommy, Sheru, Darponk, what is it? It's me! I gave you biscuits yesterday, didn't I?'

But the dogs ignored him, they seemed to be barking only at Guru Nagarjuna.

'Arre! Why are the dogs barking at Guruji?'

Guru Nagarjuna seemed annoyed, but not concerned. He kept walking, although the dogs were circling them, snarling in a very dangerous way.

One of the big black dogs, Sheru, rushed towards Guru Nagarjuna and went for his leg, but the canine had barely touched his dhoti than Guru Nagarjuna pointed his finger towards Sheru and a huge bolt of real lightning struck the dog. It lay down instantly, whimpering and howling in pain.

'That'll teach you how to behave. Next time you mess around with me, you'll live no longer,' snarled Guru Nagarjuna at the other dogs, who whined too, tails hanging low. Aishwarya could not believe her eyes. What had happened that the royal vaidya had become so cruel? Her heart was filled with dread now. Something was terribly wrong here.

'Come on! Can't you walk faster? Don't stand there gaping like that,' he grumbled.

#  Chapter 8

All Vasu could think about was poor Sheru. Sheru was a good dog, he had never barked at anyone. And those ruffians who beat him up today were always being horrible to the dogs, but Sheru had never bitten them! So what had made Sheru so angry? Alice and David really loved the dogs, would they be able to take care of the dogs? Could they bring the dogs to the Samudra Mahal? Was this the Guru Nagarjuna who had rescued him and brought him here? Aishwarya had told him so much about this lovely, kind man. But then, who was this? He didn't seem lovely or kind! Didi had promised him that their friends could come live with them, but if the people there were so rude, he didn't want to call his friends there.

Of the two, Aishwarya was the one who was more upset. What had happened? If Guru Nagarjuna had changed so much, how much would her father have changed? And since when did he have the power to make magic? All he had known was about herbs, right? So, the lightning? When had he acquired those skills?

'I've not had whale milk potion for many days now, Guruji,' said

Vasu, 'could you give me some? I won't be able to breathe without it.'

'You'll never need it,' said Guru Nagarjuna, 'we have a boat.'

'Wow.'

'A boat can't go to the Samudra Mahal, can it?' asked Aishwarya.

'This one will,' replied Guru Nagarjuna as they reached the Sangam.

Now Aishwarya was sure that everything she ever knew had changed completely. A boat to the Sea Palace? She checked her pocket. Yup, the matchbox she had managed to hide away was with her. She wasn't sure what had prompted her to take it, but a voice told her it would be better to take it along. Now she closed her hand around the matchbox and felt better.

A huge boat in the shape of a giant eagle rocked in the gentle waters of Sangam, a rope tied to a thick staff with a vulture-head atop it anchored the boat to the shore.

Guru Nagarjuna boarded the boat, followed by Vasu and Aishwarya. Guru Nagarjuna steered the boat into the river by pulling on two reins tied to the neck of the eagle, as the boat moved, the wings of the eagle flapped.

Fascinated by the peculiar design of the strange boat they were travelling in, Aishwarya and Vasu ventured to ask another question.

'How soon will we reach the Palace?'

Guru Nagarjuna did not reply for a while. He was busy scanning the sky for something. 'Very soon,' he finally said.

Vasu spotted a dolphin, with the clicking-sound that he had learned, he called the friendly dolphin. Soon enough at least seven dolphins swam alongside the boat. To show off, they jumped out of the water, high up, splashing loudly, spattering the kids with water.

'Stop it!' screamed Guru Nagarjuna, 'Else I'll have to teach you to be disciplined.' He raised his finger at the dolphin.

'No! Please don't do it,' Vasu cried out. He pushed Guru Nagarjuna's finger away just in time, as the bolt of lightning crackled towards the sky, away from the dolphins.

'Listen you brats, I am not Aryadutta who'll tolerate all your nonsense!' Guru Nagarjuna sneered.

Aishwarya gasped. Guru Nagarjuna's ponytail was brown! Whoever this man was, he was certainly not Guru Nagarjuna.

Guru Aryadutta paced around the hut, restless and unsettled. Something felt terribly wrong. Was he worrying needlessly? After all he had summoned Guru Nagarjuna just so the kids would be safe. So, why wasn't he able to breathe normally?

'Can't you be silent for some time?' he had often scolded them, but they would never listen, and now the room was as silent as he had always wanted it to be, but it was upsetting him.

'I shouldn't have sent them away like this,' he thought. 'Even

Nagarjuna seemed so different, will he make the kids happy? With the Maharaja being sick and Rani Roopmati being such a tyrant, Aishwarya and Vasu would certainly not have an easy time. What have I done?'

Just then, he heard someone walking up to the door, and a moment later someone knocked on the door. Guru Aryadutta felt relieved suddenly, perhaps Guru Nagarjuna had realised the same thing, and had decided to bring the kids back after all. They could plan some other way of keeping the children safe here.

'Ah! Hope I'm not very late. Am I?' said the man at the door.

'Nagarjuna!' exclaimed Guru Aryadutta as his worried eyes took in the smiling man, dripping with water and carrying his familiar bag full of herbs

'Where are the kids?'

'Aing? The kids? Well, I've come to take them along. You just asked me to come...' said Nagarjuna, frowning immediately.

'But _you_ left with the kids!'

'You must be kidding. Don't you see I've just come straight from the Sangam. Don't play games. Did Aishwarya ask you to fool me? Where is that beautiful child? I've been longing to see her? Are they ready? We've to leave early. I'm already very late.'

'Wait... wait... I saw you all off. I didn't sleep after that and I'm not dreaming. Am I?'

'I am not dreaming either. This is ridiculous!'

'If you're Nagarjuna,' said Guru Aryadutta, 'then who took the kids?'

'An impostor, of course! Aryadutta! How could you just give the kids away?' Guru Nagarjuna was shaking with anger.

'Oh no, oh no, oh nooooooo! Age seems to have ruined my mind...' muttered Guru Aryadutta worriedly. 'He was so curt and unfriendly, but since we had just communicated I did not for a moment imagine anyone else would be ready to take your place. And the things that have happened today, you would never believe it...Wait! We communicated telepathically, so how did the impostor know when to come?'

'Only someone very powerful could do that,' Guru Nagarjuna concluded.

'And that can mean only one person. We must find the children. Come on,' Guru Aryadutta said.

Guru Nagarjuna ran first, Guru Aryadutta, followed him, walking as fast as he could.

On the way, they came across a big black dog, breathing heavily, seriously injured and surrounded by other dogs, who kept licking its face.

Guru Aryadutta exclaimed, 'That's Sheru! David's favourite dog!' Nagarjuna quickly stopped to take a look at the dog. It seemed to have been burned!

The other dogs sniffed Nagarjuna and wagged their tails hopefully. 'Let me see if these herbs help your friend,' he said to the dogs. He pulled out some herbs from his bag, crushed a mixture of leaves and weeds with a stone and put that mixture into the dog's mouth.

'This doesn't seem to be a normal wound. Vasu often plays with this dog and the others here,' Guru Aryadutta said.

'The poor animal can't talk, otherwise it would've told us what had happened,' said Nagarjuna and they moved towards the Sangam again. As they watched they saw a bolt of lightning arc towards the sky, and in that brief moment, a boat was illuminated. It was a strange boat, shaped like an eerie eagle, and in the boat were two kids and one man who looked exactly like Guru Nagarjuna.

The kids watched in horror as Guru Nagarjuna's eyes began glowing red like smoldering coal. They clung to each other with fear.

'One more word from any one of you,' the impostor said, 'I'll change you into eels and throw you into the river.' He moved his staff in the air and muttered some strange-sounding words. The eagle-shaped boat began rising in air and in a few moments, the eagle-shaped boat changed into a giant flying porcupine-like bird.

As the boat changed shape, so did Guru Nagarjuna. His form seemed to melt into a weird mass that then in its place stood a nasty-looking humpback man. He sneered at them, looking down his crooked parrotbeaklike nose. Vasu started shaking in fear, his locket turning brighter as a reaction to his feelings. Aishwarya held Vasu's hand tighter, he turned to look at her, she shook her head and gave him a grim smile.

'Oh! Oh! Oh! Master will be so pleased today!' he chuckled.

Aishwarya did not see any saviour in sight. She knew she had to be brave and take a chance. It's now or never! She thought.

She pulled out the matchbox from a pocket. She pulled out a matchstick, and lit it.

'What're you doing?' the horrible man said, but before he could do anything, Aishwarya had held the lit matchstick against the back of the bird they were airborne on. The wind did its best to extinguish the little flame, but it was no ordinary flame... A young man's face blazed out of the matchstick, smiled grimly at Aishwarya and Vasu and bit into the bird with fiery teeth.

The bird emitted a loud shriek and flapped its wings vigorously to get rid of the pain. Aishwarya lit one more matchstick and pressed it hard against the bird's back. Unable to bear the pain, the poor bird tried to shake off its troublesome passengers.

Vasu seized the opportunity and bit the hand of the man who was trying to get hold of Aishwarya's hair.

Suddenly, they were free, but they were also dropping from a great height, straight into the river!

It was all over in a few seconds. Guru Nagarjuna and Aryadutta stood on the steps of the ghats watching the boat turn into a bird that flew away with the kids, and then the kids fell off the bird into the water.

'Aishwarya beti! Thank god for the Agni Putra!'

'It's Aurang on Kroor,' Said Guru Nagarjuna, 'the kids have escaped, but they need my help.' He turned to look at Guru Aryadutta and assured him he would send word soon that the kids were safe with him.

As he entered the water, Guru Nagarjuna made the same clicking sounds Vasu had made. The dolphins appeared again, and he held on to them as they took him as quickly as they could to where the children had fallen.

Guru Aryadutta could not move. This all was his fault! All the years he had taken care of the children. And today, he had happily handed them over to the evil people he had been protecting them from. The children had trusted _him_. Guru Aryadutta couldn't help it. He burst out crying.

'My dear boy and girl, be safe. Oh Gods, please, please, bring them home safely....I will... I will thank you with all my heart...' Guru Aryadutta knelt on the ground and sobbed.

A small hand touched his shoulder. Guru Aryadutta turned around. His eyes filled with tears saw a small child standing beside him. Too short to be Vasu, no?

'Vasu?'

He wiped away his tears, and saw a small face as sad as his own.

'Alice beti! Oh beti, what are you doing out of the orphanage? My Vasu and Aishwarya.... they... someone.... took them away....'

Alice hugged him, although she couldn't speak a word, she wanted to make the Guruji stop crying. Aishwarya Didi was the only one who had ever taken care of her. She understood her sign language. Once again, the little girl was alone. Alice began crying to.

They heard the pounding of a lot of feet behind them. A group of boys and a girl burst into the street.

They all started speaking at once.

'Rama! Rama! What happened?' Mutthu shouted.

'Something is wrong isn't it? We all felt it.' Sonali said.

'I saw lightning! And a very big bird!' Nishant said.

'Oye! What's happened Guruji! Oh no, why are you crying?' Sukhwinder said, helping Guru Aryadutta get on his feet.

'Aiaiyo! Where's Didi and Vasu ji?' Mutthu asked.

'Alice, did you see anything?' David asked.

'Guruji, how can we help, tell us! Please!' Ramzan said, huffing and puffing.

David said, 'I heard Sheru yelp!'

Nishant said, 'What's that in the water there?'

A new boy stood back, shuffling his feet. 'Arre Ponty, come here da. First day here at the orphanage and yaaall this drama to welcome you,' Mutthu grumbled.

Taking a deep breath, Guru Aryadutta told the kids all that had happened a few minutes ago, and who Vasu and Aishwarya really were. The kids all started speaking at once, again. Alice spoke with her eyes and hands as excitedly as everyone else.

'What!' Ramzan exclaimed.

'No wonder, I did always call Didi a queen, she really is one!' Nishant said.

'Vasu's locket has to be super powerful, you remember how it glowed that day he was angry?'Sonali said.

'Waahe Guru! I can't swim well!' Sukhwinder added, looking scared.

'We are wasting time ji, we are wasting rhumba time!' Mutthu grumbled.

'I will beat them up so bad, they will run away to another planet.' David declared.

'And I will help you, David!' Nishant added excitedly.

'Ok, yebribody, let's quickly make a plan and go help Vasu and Didi!' Mutthu shouted.

Ponty who had joined the group, looked excited and scared at the same time. He put up his hand. 'Erm, who are Vasu and Didi?' Everyone stopped talking, and then burst out again.

'Arre popat!' Ramzan exclaimed.

'After the Ramayana is over, he is asking who Ram and Sita are!' Nishant said.

'Aiyya, somebody please give him the CID file of Vasu and Aishwarya, please,' Mutthu grumbled.

'Shouldn't we leave him behind, he just came here today!' David asked.

'No no, I'll come. It's ok, I don't need to know who they are!'Ponty said quickly.

He saw David and Sukhwinder glare at him and corrected himself, 'I mean, they are your friends, we will save them! I am good at swimming! I can help!'

Ponty had another reason why he wanted to go along with the kids, he had just moved to the orphanage, Ponty had no family left after the recent bomb blasts, he couldn't think about being alone in the orphanage now, without his new friends.

Sonali must have understood why the new boy was so desperate to join them. 'Ok, come on, we'll take care of you, and look to you for help, all right?'

Ponty nodded happily.

Little did she know she was making the biggest mistake of her life.

After a loud and quick conference, the kids decided they had to follow Vasu and Didi and rely on each other's wits to find the Samudra Mahal. For a moment, Guru Aryadutta wondered what he was doing sending more kids into danger. Sonali and Sukhwinder spoke to him softly, as the others made their plans, 'Guruji, we'll get them back. You know us, we think on our feet, and have always gotten out of tight spots. Vasu and Didi are the family we have. We can't sit around doing nothing. Just help us, and we'll make sure they return safely to you. Don't worry, we are doing this for ourselves as much as we are doing this for you.'

Guru Aryadutta smiled, 'Children, I have full faith in your abilities, but no, you cannot possibly follow them. I will have to speak to some people at the temple. This is a very dangerous time. It's dark and you have no idea what can happen here if you aren't careful. Even the shadows here can hurt you. Guru Nagarjuna will find them, and he will do whatever is necessary to help them.'

'No...nooooo Guruji, please!' they all cried out.

Guru Aryadutta needed go back to the temple and try to communicate with Guru Nagarjuna. 'Now come on, be good and I'll take you back to the hostel. Come.'

Softly grumbling all the way back, planning a quick getaway as soon as Guru Aryadutta was out of hearing, the kids reluctantly followed him.

On the way back they saw Sheru, Nagarjuna had treated him well and the black dog had nearly recovered and was on his feet. The dogs followed Guru Aryadutta and the kids all the way to the temple gates as if it was a thanksgiving rally. 'If Maharaja Siddhivarun hasn't recovered with

Nagarjuna's treatment then he's not suffering from a disease,' thought Guru Aryadutta.

Once inside, Sukhwinder marshalled all the kids together. 'Oye, listen, we all have to focus on getting Aish Didi and Vasu back safely. We'll figure out the story about the locket later. But it looks like there's some weird magic-shagic involved. We don't know anything about that, so let's just use our brains ok?'

'Abba! No point in taking David along with all of yus!' Mutthu said.

'Oi shuttttup!' David growled.

'And definitely no fighting!' Sonali said firmly.

'The first thing we have to do, is get a boat or something. Arre! Nishant, remember you went on a boat ride that day?'

'Yes! Yes! I know where it is!' Nishant said jumping up and down.

Ramzan added, 'And let's not forget, we also need to know where we are going!'

Sonali said, 'Guru Aryadutta has been teaching me meditation because I get a lot of bad dreams. If I can use the power of meditation to search the directions!'

'Wow Sonali!' Sukhwinder shouted, 'Balle balley!'

Without waking up anybody else, the kids scaled the wall and made their way back, as fast as they could to the Triveni-Sangam.

At the Sangam, Nishant led them to the boat and with some yelping and some pushing, they all finally got into the boat safely.

Would they be able to save Vasu and Aishwarya? Who had the time and inclination to make a plan? Enthusiasm had overtaken prudence.

Vasu and Aishwarya landed with a huge splash and quickly ducked underwater. They had no intention of being found by that horrible man who had tried kidnapping them.

Aishwarya pulled Vasu deeper into the dark waters trying to find the tunnel that led to the Tri-Veni fountain in the courtyard of the Sea Palace. 'It's been so long, I won't be able to travel back to the Palace without Guru

Nagarjuna's help,' Aishwarya despaired. 'I should go back to Guru Aryadutta and find out what has happened.'

Vasu was in trouble. His body was still sore after the beating up he had gone through and he had not had his dose of the whale milk potion that would help him breathe under water. He began to lose consciousness. He tugged on Aishwarya's hand. She saw the desperate fear in his eyes and decided to get back to the surface.

They took huge gulps of air just as a dolphin sped towards them. Holding on to the dolphin was Guru Nagarjuna. They knew he was the real Guru, because his eyes were warm, his ponytail was red, and his touch was friendly. He gave Vasu the pouch of whale milk and waited till Vasu had drunk the whole pouch till he turned to look at Aishwarya.

Their smile told each other all they had to know. Although eleven years had gone by since they had last seen each other, they knew that the bond they had shared, of a little child and her guardian had always been strong.

The dolphins danced around them, making clicking sounds to express their delight.

They all bobbed on the surface of the water, scanning the skies, looking for their tormentor. But the sky was clear and full of stars.

'Looking for the big bird, aren't you?' asked Guru Nagarjuna, as he hugged Aishwarya with one arm and Vasu with the other. 'The wily old skunk ran away. He can't do anything without his bird. Lucky you escaped, it would've been difficult for me to find you. I can swim like a fish, but can't fly you know.'

'Better learn to fly if he's our enemy,' said Vasu looking towards the sky, trying to hide his fear behind laughter. Guru Nagarjuna and Aishwarya laughed along.

'Hello, young man,' Guru Nagarjuna said, the corner of his eyes crinkling with a smile. 'It's been so long since I first saw you. It's good to see you've become such a fine young man!' Aishwarya snapped her head around to look at Vasu. What she saw was a thoroughly wet brat, whose jughandle ears and buckteeth stuck out at weird angles, as did his bushy strange hair. She chuckled, and splashed water on Vasu, to deflate his puffed up chest.

'Let's not wait, we've got to go a long way,' said Guru Nagarjuna before a fight broke out. 'Our dolphin friends will take us to the tunnel down into Dharti and then we can go to the Samudra Mahal.'

Vasu wished Mutthu were with him to hear all this. This was total superhero stuff!

Holding on to the dolphins, the trio reached the tunnel that would take them to the Kingdom of Dhartiputra. Once they got there, the dolphins waved goodbye and the children and the healer trekked down the waterfall.

Aishwarya remembered parts of the journey, but all this was new to Vasu. Aishwarya kept insisting that he should remember something, especially since the journey had been so strange. But Vasu kept on shaking his head, and regretting that he had been so small that he did not remember a single thing.

They turned a corner, and met an old friend. Ulca!

The rats were as big as ever, and Ulca shouted out a short command to get them in line. Vasu forced his eyes to stay open and not blink. If Ramzan saw this, he would freak! Ramzan was so, so, so scared of rats, he would scream if he even thought of a rat!

'On behalf of King Dhruddavrat, I welcome the young Princess into the land of Dhartiputra,' said Ulca. He limped as he walked, and the kids gaped at the long scar on his right arm, which he could barely lift. Aishwarya smiled graciously while Vasu, hiding behind her, looked doubtfully at the strange figure of Ulca. To him, Ulca looked like Aurang's agent.

'It might be a bit too cramped up for the three of you. Little master can squeeze in between both of you,' said Ulca as he led them to the sledge.

'Squeeeeekkk.....squeeeekkky....chuuukkkk....chuuukkkky..squee ekkkky,' he began making strange noises and the rats, as big as fat overgrown pigs, patiently stood still, whiskers aquiver.

'What do you give them to eat?' Vasu asked, fascinated and scared at the same time.

Ulca laughed and did not reply. 'Little master should hold on tightly. Very tight indeed.' He turned around to smile at Vasu, and his eyes were drawn to the locket. 'Oh wow! Little master is indeed blessed,' he said with a twinkle in his eyes, and turned back to do his job.

'Get ready for the most thrilling and dangerous ride of your life,' said Guru Nagarjuna, 'Vasu you had been on this ride when you were a couple of hours old and Aishwarya might have some faint memories of this ride. Either way, there's no way to prepare you for this. Hold tight and don't panic. Shriek, you may, as loudly as you can, but don't fall off.'

'Falling off my sledge is forbidden', added Ulca in his gruff voice.

Ulca tugged on the reins and the sledge took off. They sped over narrow rocky paths with a deep gorge on one side with a steep mountain on the other. Plenty of stalactites and stalagmites punctuated their path, which Ulca negotiated with the deftness of an experienced jockey. Vasu was sandwiched tightly between Aishwarya and Guru Nagarjuna and held the bar of the seat ahead of him. He saw what Aishwarya was doing and did the same. Aishwarya remembered tucking her feet under the seat ahead, and she did so, screaming as much as she could.

At times the sledge flew over rocks and banged against the wall, making it look like the wildest roller coaster that ever rolled. The rats never flinched nor did they do anything naughty while at work.

The first thing that Aishwarya and Vasu noticed was that time had lost all meaning under the earth. With no sun or moon to look at, there was no concept of time under the earth's surface. In fact, the only source of light there the luminescence of the rocks that lit up the Dhartiputra kingdom. The people who lived there were the true sons of this Dharti, independent of any other affiliations or afflictions. For them the Earth or Dharti was their mother that provided for everything they needed and it was their duty to safeguard its treasures.

The journey finally brought them into the vault, a huge cavity under the earth, beneath the Tri-Veni Fountain in the centre of the Sea Palace.

Ulca stopped the sledge and got off. Guru Nagarjuna stepped down too, but Vasu and Aishwarya took some time to get their legs to function properly. Many other sledges were entering the vault from different tunnels and brought in soldiers or carried away soldiers or supplies. Vasu had never even imagined there could be a place like this, let alone a place like this under the earth. This was better than any comic book!

Aishwarya remembered this place being full of weapons and armour, now, it seemed busy, but peaceful. Ten guards emerged from a tunnel to their left and stopped a couple of feet away from them. Their leader stepped forward and saluted Guru Nagarjuna. 'Welcome back Guruji,' he said respectfully, 'Dhartiputra Dhruddavrat expects you in the royal foundry. You may follow me.'

They followed the guards into the royal foundry, which was huge and buzzing with activity. The Dhartiputra blacksmiths were busy making weapons out of red hot metal, swords, shields, spears and clubs. The finished Parashu were being carried off in wheel barrows.

'The land of Dhartiputra welcomes the Sea Princess,' said Dhruddavrat gruffly, from his perch atop a flattened stalactite, 'The blessed boy! I see you have grown up well.' He got off his perch and walked in warrior-like confident steps towards them still holding a plate full of something that looked like sausages.

'Busy preparing for another fight I suppose?' said Guru Nagarjuna eyeing the work in progress.

'How can I not? The wretched Bhoomivasis will never let us live in peace. Their desires have outgrown their needs and I will never tolerate this wanton theft of treasures from us. Treasures we've been safeguarding for ages can't be depleted because of their greed. I seek the help of Maharaja Siddhivarun and request the young lady to plead support for us from her father. Have some.' He offered them his plate.

'Maharaja is unwell,' replied Aishwarya, 'what's this?'

'I know. He needs a new physician I suppose. This one's no good,' Dhruddavrat said with an oblique smile towards Guru Nagarjuna, 'Snakes! I love to eat them. Very delicious.' He said smacking his lips.

'Eeek!' said Aishwarya, pinching her nose and closing her eyes.

'How can you eat snakes?' asked Vasu trying to stop himself from throwing up.

'Dhartiputras love it and would pay any price to have that delicacy,' said Nagarjuna. 'You can say that. Anybody would, but nothing seems to be working on him. His malady is beyond sane powers.'

'This boy will go beyond that,' said Dhruddavrat looking at the penetrating gaze of Vasu, 'that locket will make him do it someday.'

'I think you know something more than anyone of us about that locket,' said Guru Nagarjuna, 'all his troubles were because of that locket; he was also saved because of it. What is it that you know?'

'Well, after I saw it for the first time around the neck of this boy who was then a baby, I felt I had known it for a long time, but couldn't recall the exact details,' said Dhruddavrat, he showed them a comfortable looking cave where they all could sit down easily. Some younger Dhartiputras appeared with water in a jug, and hollowed out rocks that were supposed to be glasses for the water. Vasu was too curious to even look at the water, but Aishwarya held the glass under his chin till he took a few thirsty gulps of it.

Dhruddavrat continued his story, 'A few years later, I remembered. This locket was preserved by our guards in a grave, but some Bhoomivasi dug it out and we lost it. The very night I met this baby. It is one of the eight divine symbols blessed by the Matsya Lord. Each symbol will endow the one who wears it with special powers, and the superpower to control all desires. The Endless Knot, which is the symbol around this young fellow's neck, endows him with control over the endless desires Bhoomivasis have. Anybody who has this one and all of the other symbols, will possess extraordinary qualities and abilities to control evil. Dark powers cannot rule over the possessor of these eight divine symbols. My father spent his entire lifetime searching for the remaining seven symbols. Some people tell me Samraat already has all of them except this one, some say that he only has three. I don't know. If destiny has brought this kid to possess the first one, then it means something divine.'

Vasu's jaw dropped open. This was big big trouble. Just today, he had been beaten up by a group of boys, and now he had been told that dark powers wanted his locket. His story was like that of a superhero, except for the fact that he did not have any super powers! He did not even have a powerful friend like Didi's Agni Putra!

Aishwarya just shook her head at her dismayed younger brother, and said, 'We'll figure it out, hero. Stop getting scared!'

'Whose grave was it?' asked Guru Nagarjuna.

'I'm not aware about whose grave it was, because we were only meant to guard it. All I can say is that the other symbols are not in my kingdom; if I know anything about it, I'll share it with you. The Bhoomivaasis have scant regard for anybody else and they'll plunder whatever they can. They've built tunnels inside my kingdom to dig out treasures and I've ordered my forces to close it. That's what we are doing right now.'

'You're being aggressive. Aggression never is constructive. I fear you are going the wrong path.'

'I've lost many of my brave soldiers fighting Bhoomivaasis. Haven't you seen Ulca and his scars? It's time for them to pay. Their mines will be flooded with water to prevent them from entering it. If they can terrorize us, so can we!

'Wanton destruction... why is everybody bent upon it? Peace will pervade only by treading peaceful paths. Won't it?'

'Dhartivaasis are not in need of your philosophy. We've waited far too long for some action from you. No more can we wait.'

'Can you not wait for. . .'

'Guards,' called out Dhruddavrat abruptly ending Guru Nagarjuna's peace talk, 'get the soldiers ready. We're leaving. Ulca is waiting for you Guruji — please leave, else you will be late getting into the safe confines of your Samudra Mahal.'

Snubbed and dejected at not being able to make Dhruddavrat see his point, Guru Nagarjuna left for the Mahal. The journey took them back through the water channels beneath the Tri-Veni Fountain.

#  Chapter 9

The palace appeared desolated and engulfed in silence with no sign of activity of any kind when Vasu emerged from the water of the Tri-Veni Fountain. Once again, his eyes tried to take in as many details as he could. This was like stepping on another planet! Right above him instead of the sky, was a huge dome, made of some strange material, It was almost like as if he was back on Bhoomi again, except for the fact that he had never seen these plants before, nor had he seen statues representing so many sea creatures! The air smelt different too. No, not like fish, but like water... like...he ducked back into the water when he saw a guard walking towards the fountain.

Guru Nagarjuna surfaced soon after and realised why Vasu had ducked. He too disappeared from sight. All the plops and splashes in the fountain drew the attention of the guard, he walked to the fountain to take a look.

Why were the guards keeping watch at the fountain, wondered Guru Nagarjuna.

He needed to act fast, because they couldn't keep hiding for long in the fountain and if the guards were placed there by Rani Roopmati then she might be looking for Guru Nagarjuna inside the palace as well. Had she finally found out about his secret errand?

Eleven years ago, after Vasu had disappeared from Rani Roopmati's chambers, Guru Nagarjuna had been arrested and tortured by Senapati Vajreshwar. Guru Nagarjuna had managed to eat a wild sea-berry that made him lie. All kinds of wild tales and lies were all that Nagarjuna could tell them. They finally gave up, but Rani Roopmati had never forgiven him. She always had him followed.

The shock of hearing that the baby he had rescued had disappeared was too much for Maharaja Siddhivarun. He had lost consciousness that night, and he had not yet woken up. Guru

Nagarjuna, however, always an optimist, sent messages to Aishwarya via Takla, that her father was fine but weak.

The water flowed into the fountain constantly, making it very difficult to stay hiding for long at its bottom. Guru Nagarjuna signaled to Aishwarya and Vasu that they should follow him into a tunnel that took the water out of the tank. Water gushed out at tremendous speed sucking the three of them into it. Swirling through a narrow channel they slid into a pool of water.

Aishwarya, Vasu and Guru Nagarjuna found themselves in a large lake formed in a large hollow somewhere deep under the Samudra Mahal. The lake was bound on one side with steep walls and rocky, uneven collapsed stalactites, stalagmites and rocks that probably had fallen off the roof.

The cave was full of precious rare stones — rubies and diamonds. They were intensely luminescent and brilliantly bright, filling the whole cave with dancing points of light. Guru Nagarjuna waded carefully to reach the bank after finding a suitable foothold, then he helped Aishwarya and Vasu get out of the water. Their clothes dried immediately as they stepped on the rocks! Vasu exclaimed, one moment ago he had been wet and shivering and now he was warm as toast. Aishwarya laughed at the look on his face. 'Ha! That's because of my father, you know. Water cannot leave the lakes and fountains, and enter the Samudra Mahal. He really is the ruler of the oceans. Now do you believe me?'

Vasu just nodded, too dazed to even think about talking.

Uneven rocks at the bank led to an elevated floor that was fairly even. The whole giant cave looked like a wedding hall, created by nature. There was a spectacular roof over the hall, encrusted with precious stones and shining like the night sky. But what was truly even more spectacular than the roof was the party. Yes, a party!

The hall was full of strange Bhoomivasi-looking people, gleaming like as though they had bathed in some strange oil. And they were dressed in the most bizarre costumes, it looked like the national dress day party with representatives from different parts of the world. But where was the food, Vasu wondered, touching his hungry stomach that was growling in anticipation.

Vasu and Aishwarya looked at Guru Nagarjuna, were they allowed to show themselves to this strange group of people? Before they could tap his shoulder, a stocky, burly man glided up to them. Not walked, glided!

The children could make out at once that he wasn't 'normal'. His hair was too red, and of course with his long matted hair and beard that covered his entire face and fell to his shoulders would've been hard to live within the real world.

Vasu stared at him as the man started talking to them. 'Good to have you all here. I've been desperately waiting to meet someone. Do you have a matchbox? Got to light my cigar. What a strange place to be in! Nobody has a matchbox. Slimy squids, smelly eels!'

Guru Nagarjuna avoided any eye contact with the man, shook his head and motioned at the kids to follow him.

Aishwarya who was about to take out her precious matchbox, ran to keep up with Guru Nagarjuna 'Where are we, I've never been here Guru ji! Shouldn't we help him? I have a matchbox, look! And who are these people dressed up like they're here for some party?'

'Bhoomivaasis who died at sea,' Guru Nagarjuna said. 'Their souls stay under the care of Maharaja Siddhivarun. Don't talk to them.'

'You mean these are _souls_! They aren't people? They are _ghosts_!' squeaked Aishwarya, looking at the crowd, her eyes wide open in disbelief.

Vasu decided to just stay quiet till they got to some place where at least one thing was normal.

'Yes, they are. Don't respond to them and keep walking,' Guru Nagarjuna said, 'if you talk to them they've got a whole lot of stories to keep you busy for days. You will feel sad and lose all hope. And that's the worst thing that could ever happen to anyone! Losing all hope! We don't have time to listen to all that.'

'What if they follow us?' asked Aishwarya.

'No, they won't. Maharaja Siddhivarun's powers still do not allow them into the Palace. Your father may have become weak in body, but his mind is still quite strong, all his protective methods are still in place. It's why I haven't lost my head yet!' said Nagarjuna.

Winding between navy sailors practicing a drill, pirates arguing, fishermen repairing their nets, rich people talking garrulously, cheering with imaginary toasts, they briskly walked away from the hall of souls and all the noise died away. Ahead of them, lay a tunnel.

All they could hear was the sound of their footsteps. Guru Nagarjuna led them through the tunnel, to a big gate with a smaller gate within it. Guru Nagarjuna took out a key and opened it.

They stepped into the largest armory they had ever imagined.

Vasu turned to look at Aishwarya, but she shook her head. She had never seen this place before!

'It'll be a safe place for you both. Guards normally do not come here. The Maharaja is ill hence no chance of going to war. Besides, they don't need weapons, they have Rani Roopmati and her horrible powers to bank on,' Guru Nagarjuna said. 'The guards hardly ever go to the hall of souls as well, but it's too noisy for you there.'

'And spooky,' Vasu added quickly.

'Can we go see Baba now?' Aishwarya asked. 'Let me check if it's safe outside, before we go there.' 'Is he very ill?' asked Vasu.

'Yes, Vasu, he is. The medicines aren't working at all.'

'Who was that man, who kidnapped us?' asked Aishwarya.

'Aurang... He is the one who had kidnapped Vasu soon after his birth when Maharaja saved him,' revealed Guru Nagarjuna.

'He's the one who took me away from my parents? I want to kill him!' Vasu said wildly.

After pleading with Vasu and Aishwarya to be patient and alert, Guru Nagarjuna slipped out of the armory and walked into the palace to assess whether he could risk to smuggle the children in.

It was a full moon night and Rani Roopmati was inside her private room, performing secret rituals. She told everyone that she was performing a ritual for her dear husband, but the truth was that it was not for him. No! She needed to perform this ritual in secret, for herself. Every full moon night, Rani Roopmati took off the diamond in her hood and the locket from around her neck and became young again. Although she was at least seventy years old, she could make herself look and feel like a twenty-yearold woman. And that was just some of what her magical powers could do.

No one had the permission to go near her chambers and hence the guards kept a tight vigil throughout the palace, just to look busy. Satisfied that the guards were preoccupied with Rani Roopmati's security and that all the other corridors were abandoned, Guru Nagarjuna returned to the armory and led Aishwarya and Vasu to the chambers of Maharaja Siddhivarun.

Aishwarya was happy to be back home. She scowled at all the new statues of Rani Roopmati, and ran her hands along the statues depicting her father, and other creatures that lived in the oceans. She was upset to find that there were no longer any statues or paintings of her mother or of herself. I will get them back, Aishwarya vowed to herself. Vasu held her hand tight.

Guru Nagarjuna led them through a passage that was decorated with sculptures of tiny sea creatures. He looked for something in the mural, smiled and pressed the tail of a regal-looking seahorse on the wall. Instantly, the wall sank into the floor revealing an open door. They stepped into the passage, the walls were filled with paintings of various sea animals showing their obedience to Maharaja Siddhivarun. Fluorescent paints illuminated a winding passage that was desolate and appeared unused. Guru Nagarjuna, Aishwarya and Vasu tip-toed past at least fifty doors, trying to not make any sound that could alert the guards. They reached a dead end, and faced two inverted leaves, Yab and Yam, sculpted into a giant rock archway.

Guru Nagarjuna placed his hand over one of the leaves, and using his palm, rotated it till it fit into the other leaf and the whole wall at the end of the passage turned like a turnstile giving way to the inside of Maharaja Siddhivarun's private chambers. Vasu was fascinated by the secret and complicated manner of opening and locking doors here.

'Sukhwinder would love this place!' he whispered to Aishwarya.

Aishwarya giggled, 'Yup, he'd love to figure out how these locks and doors work!'

Guru Nagarjuna walked into the chamber that was a dimly lit large hall with exotic furniture made from coral, amethyst and other precious stones. Aishwarya sprinted across the hall to look for her father.

She found him lying in bed. He had lost a lot of weight, and his red hair looked paler too. Fresh flowers and herbs all around him cleaned the air that he breathed in, but there was no mistaking the fact that he was very unwell.

He was breathing heavily and his body seemed to have become shriveled and discolored beyond recognition.

Aishwarya held her father's hand and caressed his skin, trying to fight back the tears. She flinched at his scaly cold snake-like skin. Guru Nagarjuna tried to console her.

'What's wrong with him?' she asked, choking on her tears.

Vasu shuffled his feet uncomfortably. So this was her father. He felt sad. He knew how she must be feeling. 'Why doesn't he open his eyes and talk to me? Baba, Baba! Look. Open your eyes. Look!' she cried.

'He isn't awake. He is in a deep sleep and his illness keeps him like that,' Guru Nagarjuna told her gently. 'He's been like this for a long time and perhaps will remain so till he recovers.' The healer couldn't help himself, he cried too. 'All my medicines have failed to bring about an improvement. Never before have had I heard of any such illness.'

'Can I stay back to look after him?' Asked Aishwarya.

Before he could answer, they heard the distinct sound of clinking armour. The guards! Why were they coming here?

The trio looked at each other in alarm. Guru Nagarjuna was the first to recover from the shock.

'Come on, we have to leave before the guards enter.'

They rushed back into the secret passage, and did not stop running till they reached the armory.

After a few minutes of huffing and puffing Aishwarya asked, 'What sort of disease is he suffering from?'

'Haven't seen anything like this before. I've tried all kinds of medicines. All kinds. This feels like magic, a curse of some kind. I do think someone has been doing something to him...'

'How could this be possible?'

'If they could enter the Laxmi Narayan Temple at Allahabad to kidnap you then even this is possible. Over the years, there's been an immense increase in the dark powers of Samrat Viraat Shatru.'

'Is there nothing we can do to save him?'

'Just yesterday, a mermaid brought news from an old teacher,

Gurumata Divya Drishti, that I should try finding a herb that grows on Mount Sumeru. It is supposed to boost his immunity. I've never been there before.'

'Then we should go there. Why waste time?'

'Mount Sumeru is far away in the seas from the palace. I would've gone to fetch the herb, but Guru Aryadutta's message made me change the plan and I had to fetch you both before I could go. It's not safe to leave you behind in the palace; even more dangerous would be to take you along to Mount Sumeru. Allow me to find some safe place for you both before anything else.'

Something shifted inside Aishwarya's mind. Part of her wanted Guru Nagarjuna to take care of them. This place was home, but also home to someone who wanted her dead. On the other hand, her father was dying, and he was the king, if she did not take charge, how would she ever help him. When Aishwarya spoke it was with grave authority and maturity. 'Can't keep worrying about my safety, while my father needs help. I'll take care of the two of us. But please leave now for Mount Sumeru.'

'Let me plan it. Aishwarya, Rani Roopmati has gained immense power after Maharaja lost consciousness, now she controls the palace with an iron hand, fist, arm, whatever! She's become more cruel, acts on mere suspicions. No one dares challenge her anymore.'

'We can't keep hiding and wait for some miracle to happen, can we?' asked Aishwarya.

'I think she cares a lot for the Maharaja's well being,' Guruji said innocently. Aishwarya, she's been performing a yagya every full moon night, it obviously means she is praying for him! Yesterday night she was busy with the preparations for this ritual, which is why I could slip out.'

'How will the guards know we are not from here?' asked Vasu, 'I mean, we could just wear a disguise, na!' Vasu fervently wished Guruji would agree. Wasn't every hero in a comic-book allowed some kind of costume? Well, this adventure was certainly like a comicbook, so why couldn't he also be allowed that ultimate glory — the fantastic costume! He imagined himself wearing a costume like the guards! Armour and some fish-scale like shimmering vest and pants. Could he have a cape? And he needed red hair. Everyone here had red hair.

Guru Nagarjuna just shook his head and rolled his eyes. This little boy was clearly something of a joker. He said, 'Every month after the full moon, she holds a durbar. Today she'll be addressing the general council and I'll have to mark my attendance.'

'Can't we come with you? I want to see this Rani!' Vasu pleaded, hoping he would get a chance to slay some dragons and be made the Maharaja's army general.

'No you can't. Do not venture anywhere, _anywhere_ , _anywhere_ on your own while I'm away.'

Guru Nagarjuna left for the meeting in the Darbar hall after giving solemn advice to Vasu and Aishwarya.

'He is scared, isn't he?' Aishwarya thought aloud. 'The palace is suffering from a disease called Rani Roopmati. Father is her victim and Guruji thinks she is praying for his recovery.'

'You don't believe in what Guru Nagarjuna said, do you?' asked Vasu.

'Haven't you seen how bad father is? Inspite of all that Guruji is doing for him all these years, he's clinging to life. I do not think anybody here wants him to recover.'

'Shouldn't we go and have a look at your father once again before Guruji returns from his meeting?' asked Vasu.

'I was hoping to do that. Come on, let's go.'

Without wasting a single moment, together they entered the secret passage and re-entered the Maharaja's chamber. They carefully checked the room for guards and finally with a sigh of relief they approached the Maharaja's bed. The room was the same as before, desolate and miserable, surrounded by luxury and fragrance. Aishwarya's father, the ruler of the oceans, lay comatose, his breathing shallow and his skin pale and scaly.

Vasu sneaked a look at Aishwarya. He could not bear the grief he saw on her face. He wished there was something he could do. Hadn't she taken care of him all these years? Though a child herself, she had always shared her toys, her food, even her dreams with Vasu.

She was like the mother and sister Vasu never had the joy of knowing. He wished she would stop crying.

Aishwarya sobbed by her father's bedside, rubbing his cold hands with her own warm palms. He did not stir, except for the hiss of his odorous breath that filled the room with strange acrid invisible fumes that had not been there when they had visited him earlier.

'Uff...aahh...what is this choking smell?' Vasu cried out, pinching his nose shut. 'It was not there some time back.'

'Ewww, yes, you're right, and it's getting worse,' Aishwarya said, coughing as she wiped her eyes and blew her nose with the sleeve of her dress. 'The smell makes my throat and chest burn.'

Vasu ran around the room flipping over cushions, lifting pillows, sneaking behind the couches and peeping behind the curtains,in the flowerpots, but the source of that smell was nowhere to be found.

Unable to find anything that could possibly be the cause of the sick smell, Vasu remembered suddenly how Guru Aryadutta would hide Vasu's comics under the bed. That thought sent him flat on the floor, he slid under the bed. Vasu found nothing smelly there, but the acrid smell vanished suddenly and the air became clear and fragrant once again. Before he could understand anything, he heard footsteps outside the room that made his heart miss a few beats. Someone was at the door and perhaps ready to enter the room. 'Nothing worse than this could happen,' thought Vasu, 'we'll be caught inside Maharaja's room on our very first day in the palace.'

'Vasu, come out,' whispered Aishwarya. She too had heard the footsteps. 'There's someone at the door, let's leave.'

'Somebody will be inside in a moment, Didi. They'll see us if we try to open the passage now. Come under the bed over here.'

Aishwarya slipped under the bed with Vasu and held her breath, signaling him with a finger over her mouth to keep quiet.

The door opened. Vasu felt as if his heart had stopped and all his blood had collected in his head trying to rush out from his red hotears. He slowly moved his head and saw Aishwarya biting the palm of her hand.

Vasu wished he could flap his ears to cool himself.

Rani Roopmati, the tormentor, stepped into the room followed by Senapati Vajreshwar. They couldn't see her face, but they could feel her strong aura try to take down their defenses. Vajreshwar stood close to her. The children stared at their feet.

'Hmm...how much I miss my daaaaaaaaaarling. When will this eternal wait end?' she whispered in a hoarse voice, but she did not sound as if she meant what she was saying. In fact, it sounded as if she meant the exact opposite. Like when Sonali would tell Nishant, 'Oh Nishant, I can't wait to be in your team when we play cricket with the rest of the school.' Everyone knew Nishant was the worst player ever.

A wild fragrance emanated from Rani Roopmati. 'How's his trrreeatmenttt progressing, Vajreshwar?' she asked. 'Is that healer doing his job well?'

'Very well, Raniji,' Vajreshwar replied in his oily voice. 'I've ensured his treatment proceeds uninterrupted, as per your valuable instructions. And the air vents have been cleared just this evening, by my most trusted guards.'

'Interesting! Being eager for the end, makes the wait endless, isn't it? But wait... why do I feel that someone has been here?' Vasu and Aishwarya saw Rani Roopmati's feet move around the bed.

'Raniji, you need not worry. I have my men here all the time. The security is impregnable. Not even thoughts enter here without my permission. You're just worried. And, we're late for the meeting. Let's go.'

'Ah yes, the meeting... we have to go.'

Rani Roopmati left the room, and a few seconds later Senapati Vajreshwar followed. They could hear him barking orders to the guards outside the door.

Aishwarya counted to two hundred and then nodded. Vasu slid out first, and helped her up.

'A narrow escape,' she said straightening the creases of her messed up clothes.

Vasu looked relieved, 'It's good she isn't a teacher in a school.The kids would've had a hard time.'

'Vasu! Stop thinking about your school. We need to get back to the armory before any of the guards out there decides to peep in. We'll come back again.'

Vasu walked towards the wall that contained the secret door, he watched patiently as Aishwarya whispered something to her father. She finally turned away and the same thought struck them both.

'How do we open this door?'

'Guruji had opened it last time. Let me try,' Aishwarya said.

'Now, we are in real trouble.'

The Diwaan-e-Khaas was packed with people from all over the ocean. The seven oceans were represented, as were the seas, rivers, and every natural water body from all over the earth. A huge group of mermaids were escorted into the hall. They seemed be be gliding in, even though there was no water for them to move in. They carried food from the sea farms and were the only creatures of the sea allowed entry within the Palace. Behind them stood the servants and other helpers. Guru Nagarjuna stood last in the line of the Chief Ministers looking diminutive, lonely, and apprehensive.

Though the hall was full, there was plenty of silence. The silence of fear, the silence of apprehension, and the silence of gloom filled the hall. None of the faces looked cheerful. Nobody seemed to be looking forward to the meeting, considering it was a royal event, in the splendid Samudra Mahal.

The most striking feature of the hall was the complete absence of any chair or couch. Everybody was standing and was expected to stand all through the meeting, because of Rani Roopmati's strange desire to see people standing before her. She could never tolerate anybody sitting down while she was conducting a meeting. It was a royal perk she enjoyed the most while conducting matters of the oceans.

In the centre of the room was the Peacock Throne, a throne like no other.

The Grand Peacock Throne was made of gold, with legs that were carved to look like waves. It stood two feet from the ground and steps made from silver were placed close by. Two thick posts supported the gold canopy over the majestic seat. The backrest comprised precious stones and metals fashioned to look like a peacock's fanned out splendid tail-coverts. It was beautiful, but it was also very clever. For nobody could claim the throne if he or she weren't worthy for the post.

For fifty-thousand years, Maharaja Siddhivarun had presided over all meetings, while sitting on that throne. He was all too aware of the value of the throne, and most importantly what it symbolised. What most people did not know was that the throne had its own special powers. It helped form clear thoughts, it gave advice, it listened to doubts, and infused one with strength. He had taken numerous decisions during his rule sitting on that throne.

Only because of his incapacitating illness had Rani Roopmati taken over the reins of the kingdom. She enjoyed the job as much as she relished conducting the Durbar sitting on the Peacock throne much to the dislike of the whole kingdom, but no one had the power and grit to oppose her decisions. It was impossible to do so. During each meeting, each and every single person in the hall, had to meet Rani Roopmati for at least five minutes. It was during these face-to-face interviews that she managed to quell any arguments the ministers may have, and literally brainwash them with her powers.

But, there was a secret the Rani had not confessed to anyone. The Peacock Throne did not talk to her. It did not give her advice or help her think. In fact, the throne made itself extremely uncomfortable while she sat on it. But Rani Roopmati was all about appearances. And she appeared to be having a great time.

Conch-shells sounded the arrival of Rani Roopmati and a wave of hush swept the hall that was already moaning with silence, except for the sound of shuffling restless feet indicating the restlessness of the minds that owned them.

Guru Nagarjuna tried to breathe normally. His heart was thudding in his chest; he felt it was banging against his rib cage. He was the only person there who knew that not only was the boy with the Ashtamangala locket back in the palace, but so was the daughter of the Maharaja. 'Perhaps the legacy of the Peacock Throne is at work once again,' thought Guru Nagarjuna, 'but how will it throw Rani Roopmati out?'

Rani Roopmati entered the hall through the gate near the Peacock Throne on the elevated platform, followed by Senapati Vajreshwar and a small retinue.

Everybody froze like statues with their faces turned towards her. It was her explicit command that everyone should look her straight in her eyes. Anybody found disobeying would either spend some time in prison or be put to death, depending on how much the Rani felt offended. Anybody who talked or listened to her by looking into her eyes would find that he or she could not resist or deny anything she suggested or demanded.

She climbed the silver stairs of the throne, like a movie star, and sat gracefully as though posing for photographers. Everybody in the hall watched her every move.

'Begin the proceedings,' she ordered Senapati Vajreshwar, who stood near the throne in her attendance.

'The sabha opens for today's work. First, the Chief Ministers will present their problems,' announced Vajreshwar in a loud and clear voice that echoed all over the hall.

'Raniji, today we have all the Chief Ministers from the seven oceans and the other ministers in-charge of different seas and lakes. They all have similar complaints and expect you to take suitable action,' said an elderly, tall, and well-built minister standing beside Guru Nagarjuna.

'What is it?'

'Bhoomivaasis have begun invading the seas and oceans like never before and not only are they robbing all the fish and oil, but they are also dumping their poisonous waste into the oceans. They are installing big machines in the ocean bed and rivers, the fish are dying. If the fish do not live long to reproduce how will our population survive? We do not have anything to eat, our waters are too polluted and the little children are all unwell...'

The Rani smiled, but then the smile was replaced by a stony expression, 'Well. I'll look into the matter. You all need not worry.'

'I'll investigate,' said Vajreshwar.

Guru Nagarjuna had noted the smile. Unlike others in the hall, he had fixed his gaze at a point just below the Rani's eyes, so although it seemed as if he was looking into her eyes, he was in fact not as affected by her power as the others were.

She is actually excited about the destruction made by the Bhoomivaasis, realised Nagarjuna, will she do anything to help the sea dwellers? Or does she want us to continue to face problems? Maharaja would have immediately thought of a solution and sent a team to make sure it is carried out!

'Raniji, this is a serious issue, it is a menace for us sea-dwellers. Urgent measures need to be taken to contain its spread,' the elderly Chief Minister protested after he sensed that his concern had not been taken seriously.

'Do not try to teach me how to govern,' warned Rani Roopmati in a dangerously soft voice, 'indiscipline of any sort will not be tolerated.' Her eyes turned red with anger and her hands trembled. The poor Chief Minister couldn't understand why she had felt so offended. Guru Nagarjuna patted him on his back and whispered, 'Please keep quiet.' He then looked at Rani Roopmati and pleaded, 'Please, your highness, pardon his vanity. It will not be repeated.'

'Oh...oho...look who is pleading for mercy! One who has been an utter failure as a healer!' scoffed Rani Roopmati. 'Can you tell me who'll plead for you? For being such a letdown? You're the Raj Vaidya. Don't you owe us an explanation, why does Maharaja fail to recover from his illness? Instead his health has been deteriorating every day ever since you started his treatment. I think it's time for us to have a new Raj Vaidya. Don't you?'

Senapati Vajreshwar tried in vain to suppress his smile. Everyone else in the hall, irrespective of whether they had ever been treated by him or not, felt sorry for Guru Nagarjuna, but none had the courage to plead for him in front of Rani Roopmati who appeared to be in a very foul mood that day.

'Raniji, I'm sorry for Maharaja's illness and that I've not been able to find a suitable medicine that would cure him, but I've been trying my level best and promise to do whatever I can for Maharaja Siddhivarun.'

'That's what the Sea Kingdom expects from you, but why do I feel that your medicines are doing more harm than good. Maharaja's condition has become worse. I have complaints that you are often absent from your duty. Where were you last night?'

'I was on duty, but I was out, collecting herbs from the sea.'

'I only hope you are busy treating the Maharaja and not wasting your time on anything else. Don't forget treason is a very serious offence in my kingdom.'

'Yes, Raniji,' replied Guru Nagarjuna meekly.

It was now the turn of the elderly Chief Minister standing beside him to pat his back consolingly.

'Raniji, I seek your permission,' Guru Nagarjuna said, with his head held high.

'Why?'

'For going to Mount Sumeru for collecting some special herbs for Maharaja's treatment, I'll be away for some time.'

'Well, isn't that nice! You never accept failure and keep trying for a bigger mistake. You may go.' She then turned towards Senapati Vajreshwar and asked softly, 'Mount Sumeru? Is that what he said?' Vajreshwar nodded. Rani Roopmati sat quietly for a moment.

'Is there anything else for today?' she asked Vajreshwar.

'There's been a theft in the kitchen. Many articles have gone missing.'

'Who's the culprit? Find him and behead him. It's enough for today. The meeting is over,' she sounded bored. She got off the Peacock Throne. Vajreshwar followed her and the crowd stood there disheartened and dejected.

Guru Nagarjuna spoke with the Ministers who were worried about Maharaja's health. They begged him to make their wise, kind king well again so they could be freed of this uncaring tyrant.

After assuring them that the King would be well soon, he hurried to his room to prepare for the journey to Mount Sumeru.

He was alert all the way there, noting where all the guards were. Only when he was sure there was no one watching him, did he go to his room.He rushed through the hidden passage behind the almirah that led him to the armory.

When he did not see the children there, he panicked. _'_ Aishwarya...Vasu....where are you?' he called out. Where have they gone? Has someone taken them, or have they gone exploring? Wondered Guru Nagarjuna. He looked in every possible nook and corner, under the furniture and the chariots, but could not find them.

'Guruji! Guruji...' someone was whispering. A distraught and disheveled Vasu stumbled into the armory followed by Aishwarya.

'Where were you?'

'Maharaja... his room,' said Aishwarya, trying to stop her knees from wobbling.

Vasu too was panting like a dog, wiping off sweat from his brow with his shirt sleeve

'Didn't I tell you to stay here? Do you understand how this could've ruined everything!'

'We're sorry, but I couldn't control myself,' said Aishwarya as Vasu too pleaded guilty with his eyes.

'Sorry! No amount of apologies can turn back time!' said Guru Nagarjuna, 'Now calm down, and tell me everything.'

Aishwarya was more breathless than Vasu, but that did not stop her from punctuating everything Vasu said with her own opinions.

'How did you manage to come out of the room?' asked Guru Nagarjuna.

'It was a struggle I'll never forget,' Said Aishwarya, 'there were guards outside the room more alert than ever before and the door did not have any visible handle inside the chamber. We tried everything we could think of, but the door wouldn't open.'

'Out of frustration and the fear of getting caught I kicked the wall and hurt my foot. I bent to massage it, and I saw a small lever near the floor. Presto! The wall moved and the door opened,' said Vasu.

'And then, because Vasu was hungry, and it's been so long since I ate your seaweed cakes, we sneaked into the kitchen and took a few things. Very few things—' Aishwarya said.

'Oh god! That means they'll be looking for you now!' Guru Nagarjuna said.

'But we are certain now, the Maharaja's illness has something to do with that smell that filled his room. The smell disappeared just before Rani and Vajreshwar entered. We need to find out what this smell is,' said Aishwarya.

'There are far greater worries,' said Nagarjuna, 'than worrying about that imaginary smell.'

'But the smell was real,' said Vasu, 'isn't it Didi?'

'Children, the Maharaja's life is in danger. His heart isn't beating properly and is losing strength pumping blood, his eyes are turning yellow and he is not eating enough. He won't be able to live for long. I've decided to go to Mount Sumeru to fetch some rare herbs that should improve his heart and give him enough strength,' said Guru Nagarjuna.

'Do you leave tomorrow?' asked Vasu.

'We leave now,' replied Guru Nagarjuna.

'We! You mean we're going to Mount Sumeru. You are serious. Aren't you?' said Vasu.

'Don't you feel I should stay back and take care of him?' asked Aishwarya.

'No, I can't risk leaving you behind. The Queen has been keeping an eye on me, she'll have her spies following me. I've taken her permission to go to Mount Sumeru, but instead of leaving tomorrow we leave now.'

'Incredible! We're going to Mount Sumeru. But what is Mount Sumeru?' asked Vasu.

'It's a volcano in the ocean, a lot of rare herbs grow there, and they all have some magical properties or the other, because of the volcanic heat and hot mineral rich water all around. We'll pack your whale milk potion. It's a long journey, much longer than any of the other journeys you've undertaken before,' said Guru Nagarjuna, 'I didn't get time to teach you yogic telepathy. It is a way to communicate without talking. You just transfer your thoughts, it's very useful for underwater travel when one cannot talk.'

'All thoughts or some thoughts?' asked Aishwarya, her hand seeking out the matchbox in her pocket, wondering if she would be able to hide what she felt about the Agni Putra.

'Just keep your minds open and I'll send thoughts to you, accept them and I'll try to judge your thoughts during the travel. This will also test your breathing skills too.'

'How do we go out into the sea from this armory? Is it through the Tri-Veni Fountain once again?' said Vasu.

'You'll see. Let's go,' replied Guru Nagarjuna with a wink and a smile.

#  Chapter 10

The armory housed numerous weapons and chariots that Maharaja Siddhivarun had used in the many wars he had fought in and won. But they all lay idle, rusty and blunt now.

Vasu and Aishwarya explored the place while Guru Nagarjuna went back to his room to pack what was needed. Aishwarya had not been here when she was a child, so Vasu and Aishwarya carefully picked their way across the room. They found that there were many big doors that led through tunnel-like passages out into ocean, through which warriors travelled in their chariots.

Water separated Bhoomi (land) and it's Vaasis (the inhabitants, the mortal earthlings) from the Sea Kingdom, but it had no entry inside the Sea Palace since a big magical dome encased it. The souls that they had met in the cave, were temporary dwellers in the sea. All those who lost their lives in the sea spent some time in the watery afterlife till they could gain a chance for rebirth on Bhoomi. Maharaja Siddhivarun wanted to prevent Bhoomivasis from entering his kingdom, and had ensured this separation when the new palace was made, after he gave away Bhoomi, which was until then a part of his kingdom to his seven giant halfbrothers.They had waged war for a separate kingdom of their own to rule, and this was why no Bhoomivaasi had ever been able to live underwater and visit the Sea Palace.

It was only because of Maharaja Siddhivarun's intervention and blessings that Vasu, then just a baby, had become the first Bhoomivaasi to enter the Sea Palace and this had only been possible because of the whale milk potion that Raj Vaidya Guru Nagarjuna had made.

Guru Nagarjuna took them to one end of the armory where a small door was set within a large black door. Through a glasslike window, shaped like a porthole, Vasu saw the mighty ocean at the threshold, holding back all its water. They were at the edge of the dome that encased the Sea Palace. It was a breathtaking sight.

The ocean was dark as night, or extremely deep blue, and so serene. Vasu and Aishwarya felt a wave of excitement run down their spine. They couldn't help it, they were excited about their journey, although they knew too well that their lives were in danger.

Wordlessly Guru Nagarjuna gave Vasu the pouch of whale milk potion. Vasu took a generous gulp of the potion and secured the bottle tightly around his waist. He smiled and flashed the thumbs up sign at Guru Nagarjuna and Aishwarya.

Guru Nagarjuna smiled and held their hand. He closed his eyes and Vasu and Aishwarya saw that the part of the dome they were facing was beginning to shake and glow. Suddenly, a warm glow enveloped them. A small door had opened in the dome. They did not hesitate.

This was the first time Vasu had experienced being deep inside the ocean. He was thrilled at the feeling of freedom it gave. His body was weightless and he began swimming effortlessly. Aishwarya and Guru Nagarjuna were thrilled to see Vasu, a Bhoomivasi, enjoying somersaults, swimming in circles around them. The deep dark blue water was a wall of silence, there were no boundaries, no restrictions, no end to the kind of movements the body seemed capable of.

'Click...cluckkk...clickkk,' Guru Nagarjuna called to the dolphins.

Vasu stopped his antics and swam towards them. Aishwarya was also making those clicking sounds now, and looking expectantly all around her.

Vasu was happy that at least they weren't warning him to stop playing the fool.

Just then, he heard the reply.

It began as little more than an indistinct patter and grew more intense and quick in succession. The sound was intermittently joined in with a distinctly different high pitched click.

The clicking sounds became louder and nearer. Suddenly out of the distant darkness of the ocean a huge monstrous shadow appeared out of nowhere and drew closer. Aishwarya was thrilled to see it, so was Guru Nagarjuna, but Vasu was frightened to the core. He had never seen such a huge two headed creature that he thought was even bigger than any creature he could imagine in his wildest dreams. Swimming along was a mermaid looking like a small fly beside an elephant.

Vasu tried to swim away, but he seemed to have lost all control over his body. It was then that he realised that the creature swimming towards them was not two-headed! It was a whale calf swimming alongside her mother the giant blue whale.

The mother blue whale glided towards Guru Nagarjuna and Aishwarya while the calf chose Vasu for some strange reason. Vasu was terrified at first, but one look at its pearly shiny little eyes, which seemed too small for a creature of that size, and Vasu thought this whale baby was exactly like a curious and lively baby monkey. Vasu watched as it glided beside him, and drifted around him in circles. It had a smooth, light-toned, unscarred, slippery skin. Vasu estimated that if all his friends could lie down with toes of one touching the head of the other only then could they match its length and while he tried to imagine the number of kids it would take to span the mother whale's size, even his incredible imagination failed him.

The Mother Whale looked at Vasu and began making low sounds that sounded like an adult cuddling and cuckooing a kid. Then it turned towards Guru Nagarjuna and made louder sounds to which he replied with cheerful sounds while Aishwarya patted what seemed to be the whale's cheeks.

Eaten up with curiosity, but being unable to talk, Vasu just raised his eyebrows at Guru Nagarjuna. Immediately, he felt as if some energy from somewhere had knocked on his brain and entered it. The next moment he felt as if Guruji were speaking with him. 'Don't be afraid. This is Sandy and her calf. They'll take us to Mount Sumeru and she is Rupali, the daughter of Chitragandha, the mermaid who served Maharaja Siddhivarun and was a witness the night Maharaja set out to save you from the clutches of Aurang. She has been waiting to meet you.'

Vasu turned to look at Rupali, she was a kind and wise looking mermaid, it was so strange to see her carrying a backpack. Feeling all gentleman-like, Vasu gestured to her and asked her if he could carry it for her. Rupali grinned and shook her head, and bowed as if to say thank you.

The baby whale and Rupali now turned to meet Aishwarya. Rupali helped Aishwarya and Vasu climb astride the blue whale calf. Although Aishwarya seemed to have done this before, for Vasu it was an absolutely strange experience. He caught hold of its dorsal fin tightly. He had for the first time touched a whale and was surprised to find that its body had hair like him. The calf did not seem troubled by their weight and continued playing around, just like Vasu had been doing a while ago.

A strange song spread all around them. The baby whale slowed down and swam towards its mother. It was the call of a mother whale to her naughty child. Forgetting about the people astride its back, the baby whale swam to its mother and started suckling milk. Vasu and Aishwarya slipped off the whale's back and watched the baby and mother bond.

Vasu chuckled at how vigorously the calf drank the milk. Vasu had been drinking the potion made of whale milk and sea herbs to enable him remain underwater very much like a whale. The mother blue whale was a huge giant with enormous side flippers and the caudal fin looked more like a small boat. Sandy was bluish-grey on the upper part and very badly mottled with brown on the lower half. She had deep scars all over her mouth and head. She had spotted Vasu being carried away by Aurang Dusht when he was a baby and had actively assisted in the ensuing fight by Maharaja Siddhivarun.

The baby calf was full now and once again started playing around.

'We're getting late. It's time to leave. Vasu you ride the calf and I'll ride Sandy with Aishwarya,' Guru Nagarjuna's voice said.

Rupali handed over the backpack to Guru Nagarjuna and bid them goodbye before leaving. It was then that Vasu realised communicating via one's thoughts was an art he had to learn. Guru Nagarjuna was able to transfer his thoughts selectively, into anybody's mind he wanted to talk to, including Sandy and her baby.

Guru Nagarjuna and Aishwarya sat astride Sandy while Vasu climbed atop the calf. They began ascending to the surface.

A dark shadow emerged in front of them. For a few moments, Vasu assumed this would be another friendly creature accompanying them on their long journey.

But then, the shadow suddenly turned luminescent, it looked like thunder and lightning playing havoc inside a cloud.

The glassy bluish grey sea it seemed had suddenly decided to celebrate Diwali. Millions of tiny crustaceans had collected together, their group expanded and contracted, like the puffing bellows of a blacksmith. They were guided by their survival instinct to escape some unseen predator. Their only goal was to swim away to escape being devoured. Their fear and the excitement of mating had turned them luminescent. It looked like a marriage procession of tiny stars deep within the ocean.

'Why are these tiny creatures so afraid, who is hunting them?' thought Vasu.

Sandy who was following the calf, on which Vasu sat, increased her speed and overtook Vasu. Her mouth was wide open. Vasu had never seen an open mouth this wide, it looked like it was at least ten feet wide, her huge muscular tongue was at least the size of an adult elephant. She lunged at the sparkling cloud and gulped it down. The baby calf too, lunged at the cloud and gulped in whatever had escaped his mother's attack. Vasu was hit with crustaceans like hailstones; he tried to shield his body by hiding behind the broad and thick dorsal fin of the calf. A lot of water was squeezed out of the whale's mouth, because as Guru Nagarjuna explained telepathically, even though the mouth of the whale is very large, it has a very small gullet and cannot swallow anything bigger than a beach ball. The blue whale is the largest creature on this planet, but it loves to eat some of the smallest creatures in the ocean.

After mom and baby whale had breakfasted, they embarked on their journey.

They seemed to know where to go, no doubt having briefed by Guru Nagarjuna. They began ascending and soon broke through the surface, and instantly released air via the twin breathing blowholes on the top of the head.

The power packed spout reflected the rainbow colours of the early morning sun. The refreshing salty breeze filled their nostrils and thousands of Cory's shearwater filled the skyline and the space with their noise. In the distance, shearwaters were circling over the water, looking for food.

Battered and bruised by the hailstorm of krill, Vasu was sitting on the calf that sailed like a small luxury yacht followed by Sandy, its mother which sailed like a huge luxury cruise liner tearing through the water with little effort. Guru and Aishwarya too had been beaten up by the krill cloud, but not as much as Vasu.

'We're going to travel all the way like this?' shouted Vasu, quite indignant at the battering he had received.

'Drink your potion, your tiny wounds will heal. They're our friends, not slaves who'll follow only our commands. If food is around, nothing can stop them; it's alimentary instinct!' Guru Nagarjuna replied. He believed that some lessons in life can't be taught, they've to be learnt! 'Don't you like your new friend?'

Vasu had to admit it had been an awesome experience. 'He's awesome. Can I call him Babloo?'

'Ask him. Try to make him understand your likes and dislikes now, and you must try to understand his. He will be a friend for life.'

Their journey that had begun in the bluish dark depths of ocean inside the Samudra Mahal now continued close to the surface, in the midst of the boundless ocean, under the bright sun. After a few hours, they reached a place where thousands of Cory's Shearwaters hovered in the sky making a noise that made the ears go numb. The surface of the ocean was alive with millions of small fish trying to flee the oceans, as if learning to fly. Startled by this sudden commotion in the water, Vasu tried standing up slowly to see what was happening. Out sprang numerous dolphins as well as Albacore Tunas making a feast out of the school of horse mackerel, which was a small fish that was ready to jump into the air to save its dear life. Perhaps the large number of Cory's Shearwaters flying up in the air had been waiting for this moment. A wild sky diving match ensued amongst the birds and they started plunging into the swirling cauldron of the ocean with their wings spread, legs pointing up and the beaks focused on the target.

This unexpected tornado of birds in air and flying fishes disturbed the whales and they too decided to plunge into the ocean to have a look at the goings on.

It seemed to Vasu as if they had been sucked inside a living whirlpool, millions of horse mackerel were being chased by scores of albacore tuna, a large school of bottle-nosed dolphins and the hundreds of shearwaters. A big feast in the ocean was in progress. The shearwaters were busy gulping the mackerels inside water as if it was air. They could hold their breath sufficiently long and even after gobbling their fill they were in no rush to the surface or breathe. Shearwaters let themselves rise slowly to the surface with their wings stretched out as if nailed on a cross. The poor horse mackerel's plight was un-imaginable, it was a double assault from the water and from the sky. Vasu tried catching a shearwater floating nearby, but the bird was smart enough and gracefully slipped out of his small grip.

Witnessing the ruthless laws of nature shook Vasu up and he tugged at the calf's fin vigorously. He thanked his stars, because the whales seemed to be in no mood to try their luck at gulping some horse mackerels. Instead they flapped their caudal fins vigorously in an attempt to get away from the scene. After having been underwater for a while the whales broke the surface of water and Vasu found that they were now surrounded by the school of bottle-nose dolphins who wanted to oust the whales in a swimming race.

Sandy had been a racing enthusiast from a very early age and she had a reputation of never having lost in a race. She was swimming a race with other whales on the night Maharaja Siddhivarun had saved Vasu from being kidnapped; but Sandy had never raced against dolphins and never before had dolphins been so courageous as to show off like that before a giant blue whale like Sandy.

Vasu already knew that the dolphins are the most intelligent animals out there in the sea. Closely related to whales they too are mammals and live in groups. Aishwarya had once told him that their friendly appearance and playful attitude have endeared them to seafarers. Unlike whales, their bodies do not have hair. Like whales they too breathe through a blowhole on top of their head. Guru Nagarjuna added telepathically that dolphins are known to have a tremendous healing process; they can tolerate deep wounds sustained during shark attacks and heal very quickly. Large gaping wounds do not lead to excessive hemorrhage and heal with complete restoration of anatomical contours. Infection in such wounds is also very rare. He also added that altruism is their most remarkable characteristic. Be it a whale or a human, if anyone is in trouble they are known to help drowning swimmers by bringing them to surface and chasing away hungry sharks.

'Have you called these dolphins?' shouted Vasu.

'No, I didn't. Maybe Rupali informed them,' replied Guru Nagarjuna, 'anyway it's better to travel with many friends than going alone, isn't it?'

The glassy, smooth, and empty ocean had once again turned turbulent with life. The entire sea appeared to be covered with the backs, rostrums, and fins of dolphins surfacing for breath and diving again. Their water spouts filled the air. Unable to withstand the interference of dolphins, Sandy dived deep, taking Guru and Aishwarya with her into the depths. Babloo followed Sandy. Underwater, there were ten times as many dolphins, a sight that turned the whales and their riders more uncomfortable.

Beneath the surface another war was taking place. Innumerable dolphins, yellow fin tuna and manta rays, large mobula rays, and sail fish were charging at clouds of smaller fish.

Once again, the fish tried to escape the clutches of both the predators in the water and in the air, and the battle that ensued was colourful and exciting. Vasu watched horrified as thousands of Cape Gannets, frigate birds, and petrels dived up to 50 feet in the water to get their share of the feast.

Aishwarya's heartbeat trebled when she saw the calm waters turn into a greenish froth dotted with fish scales. This was her father's kingdom!

Strong wings beat in the water, tender flesh was ripped apart with teeth, slender creatures charged at each other at great speed.

Sandy and her baby continued their journey with their passengers. Vasu felt that they were like a large ship plodding thorough a swarm of speedboats.

The dolphins, meanwhile, were all over the place, springing out of the water like a rocket. Another one soared into the sky, spinning like a top, the pearly spray of whirling water wrapped around it like an embroidered sparkling chiffon dress.

Their enthusiasm was contagious. A manta ray sailing between the crazy and gregarious dolphins breached the water and began gliding in the air over Sandy and her riders. It looked like an enormous kite flying with no thread to reel it back to land, or water.

Vasu hurrahed as the manta flipped in mid-air to land in the water on the other dolphins. The manta ray is not a tiny fellow, Guru Nagarjuna pointed out. It weighs more than a tonne, and its fins seemed to be at least 16-20 feet across. It is as graceful as an albatross, as clever as a swallow and as majestic as a golden eagle. It can glide over reefs without even flapping its wings. No other fish embodies the concept of weightlessness better than a manta ray. It feeds by lunging on its prey with its mouth wide open beyond what seems physically possible and takes in everything as if trying to swallow up the sea. Nothing escapes it — the small crustaceans, the salps, and the jellyfish — whatever it assaults with stunning acceleration.

Guru Nagarjuna and Aishwarya were so lost in this rare acrobatic display that they didn't realise that Sandy too had been infected with this mid-sea craziness and she suddenly took off into the air with a tremendous jerk of her huge tail. They both clung precariously on it like two monkeys clinging to a space ship that had been launched from the ocean.

Vasu looked around for something to lasso them with. 'Hope she doesn't perform a spinning trick like the dolphins, else both riders will crash into the water.' He tried steering Babloo with his mind, so that they were close enough to help, if need arose.

The colossus was in the air for a short while and then came down crashing into the water with a splash so large that it seemed that all the water of the ocean would spill out; the dolphins around rushed away for safety. The Mighty had proven her supremacy. Before Vasu could realize Babloo too decided to be weird as his mother and he also attempted to be airborne, forcing Vasu to cling on like a frightened lizard. The calf attempted a jump with a push of its tail, but failed to generate enough force to propel his body. His torso barely lifted off the water and then splashed back into the water. Vasu heaved a sigh of relief.

The results were out in the open and the race had ended. Sandy and Babloo were leading a large pack of dolphins in the quiet waters of the open sea. The addition to their retinue was that one manta ray, gliding like a large kite beneath the water's surface.

It flapped its long spread out flippers and created a strong thrust for it to travel with them. Vasu was enjoying the peaceful ride, as did Aishwarya. Guru Nagarjuna spoke to Sandy about the direction and distance to Mount Sumeru.

The sun was setting in the distant horizon. Everything was quiet, forgiven and forgotten.

Suddenly one dolphin from the lot decided to salute the setting sun. It rose high up in the light of the setting sun. For a few seconds more the silhouetted dolphin cast its shadow over the silver and gold sea. A beautiful day had ended in hope.

Babloo was hungry once again and dived in to suckle. Vasu slid off from his back and was pulled up by Guru Nagarjuna to Sandy's back. The three of them sat together gazing at the stars, eating dried seaweed cakes that Guru had in his backpack. Sandy was tired and had drifted into a kind of half sleep, where only half the brain sleeps at any time while the other half carries out its breathing and beating of the tail intermittently to keep itself afloat. The blowhole kept blowing off jets of vapor as if keeping time in that oceanic wilderness.

It's the hope of waking up refreshed the next morning that moves all living beings to undertake a journey called sleep, where the body rests and the mind dreams.

#  Chapter 11

'I don't want to go to school today,' Vasu whined.

Guru Nagarjuna had been trying to shake Vasu awake, but the little boy just held on to Sandy's fin even tighter.

As the sun slowly peeked over the horizon, there were no birds to announce its arrival, but the soft sounds made by Sandy and Babloo, and the gentle splish-splash sounds of scores of dolphins lazing around them in the calm waters.

Guru Nagarjuna was worried because Rani Roopmati might have dispatched her spies after him by now. Although he had a day's headstart, who knew what powers she had?

'No! I won't. It's a holiday today,' Vasu argued, blinking his sleepy eyes, and turning to face the otherside.

SPLASH!

He had slipped off his perch atop Sandy, and fell straight into the warm ocean.

'Ha...haa...ha...' Aishwarya burst out laughing as Vasu struggled to keep afloat and scampered to get back on Sandy, 'what a way to get up. Hahaaha! Good morning! Lazy bone. You just can't wake up without my bucket of water, huh?' she teased him.

A dolphin pushed up against him, helping him get a grip on Sandy, and Guru Nagarjuna lent a hand. 'When in sea, sleep like a whale. Don't lose your senses,' he admonished Vasu.

Sheepishly Vasu climbed up, wiping water off his eyes, and completely awake.

'Nobody can escape attending the school of life. Those who avoid it, do so at their own peril,' Guru Nagarjuna advised both of them. 'Get ready for the next part of the journey. We're very close to Mount Sumeru. Let's hope Rani Roopmati hasn't sent any guards on our trail, I found her very suspicious of me that day in the darbar.'

'Is there no way of knowing whether we have guards from the palace trailing us?' asked Aishwarya.

'Can't this divine locket tell us something about them? I mean, it must do something, right? So far we haven't tried using it at all,' said Vasu pulling out the locket.

'Keep it safe and hidden underneath your shirt. Let's not invite trouble if there's none. Rupali just spoke to me, she assured me that no guards have left the palace since we departed.'

'This is so different from where we were, isn't it Aishwarya?' asked Vasu, indicating with a sweep of his hand the vastness of the ocean and the beauty of the creatures accompanying them.

'Don't get carried away. Be alert and stick together and seek my directions. I want the job done as quickly as possible and we've to hurry back to the Palace. Aishwarya's father is in urgent need of the medicines. Now get ready for the real work.'

Vasu took out the whale milk potion pouch and drank a few mouthfuls.

'The coast appears clear,' said Guru Nagarjuna. 'Listen carefully. Mount Sumeru is an undersea mountain that spews fire from its top. It hasn't given out any fire of late, hence I expect it to be safe to collect herbs near it. But you'll encounter a number of hot water vents around it that still continue to release extremely hot water,so be careful. Look for large boulders, that's usually where the herbs I need for Maharaja Siddhivarun's treatment grow.'

Vasu and Aishwarya turned around and saw the dolphins, Sandy and Babloo listening intently. 'Vasu you remain with us on Sandy and let Babloo follow us for this part of the mission.'

'What is so special about Mount Sumeru?' asked Vasu.

'Alright, a quick history lesson; Many, many, many, many years ago Maharaja Siddhivarun created land out of the ocean so he could stop fights with his seven half-brothers who are giants, and this mountain was created. It was the tallest mountain in all of Bhoomi and all the great Bhoomivasi conquerors climbed Mount Sumeru to engrave their name for posterity. The higher the name was engraved, the longer it remained and the farther away it could be seen from. But one had to be a very powerful emperor to reach that high up. This started a mad scramble to become more powerful to get to the highest place on the mountain.'

'Amazing!' said Aishwarya.

'How could the Bhoomivasis be so selfish? Imagine starting wars, killing people simply to have their name written on top of Mount Sumeru. Isn't it foolish?' asked Vasu.

'When rational thinking is overtaken by selfish desires, that's when disasters strike,' said Guru Nagarjuna. 'The people began losing integrity. Treachery, greed, and other horrible desires overtook their mind. As the years went by, Mount Sumeru was covered with names. There was no place left for new names. But, you know what they did? The haughty Bhoomivasis began writing over the old names! Do you know what that means?'

'Hmm... no!' Vasu and Aishwarya said together.

'It means that Time will erase from history even the greatest achievers, because new achievers will keep coming with even greater achievements, or a sharper tool. But such a simple fact never struck the Bhoomivasis. Their greed made them good candidates for Samraat Viraat Shatru who could easily entice them with more vices and make them his followers.'

'Samraat Viraat Shatru...uhmm...is he the same who wants this locket from me?'

'Clever... now you're getting brighter. Yes, he's the same Samraat', said Guru Nagarjuna. 'Fed up with the continuous wars and resulting misery some sane and learned Bhoomivasis met Maharaja Siddhivarun and requested him to remove Mount Sumeru from Bhoomi. They thought that it was the desire to have one's name written on it that lead to all the wars. Maharaja being kind-hearted and a lover of peace on this earth readily agreed to their request.As a result, a big volcano erupted on Mount Sumeru that destroyed all the stones and the upper part of the mountain. The lower half still is under the sea and all the stones you'll see thrown everywhere are those stones on which warmongers wrote their names. Only to be erased by sea water.'

'Did it bring peace?' asked Vasu curiously.

'Haa...ha...haa... peace? The elusive peace! No, it didn't,' replied Guru Nagarjuna regretfully, 'Samraat Viraat Shatru fuelled their desires with more vices and the wretched Bhoomivasis lapped up whatever he served. Insane greed spread all over and ignited insatiable desires. Nothing could quench their thirst for worldly pleasures. Wars are waged even now — the only difference is, they've become more brutal, more destructive and more accepted than ever before. Things become worse when bad ideas are accepted as the norm and people learn to ignore everything rather than to protest. Maharaja Siddhivarun has always desired peace for everyone — the Bhoomivasis, the Dhartiputras, even his own ocean dwellers. His biggest, biggest, mistake was to carve Bhoomi into seven kingdoms for his brothers. And each brother wanted more than his share... that has never stopped. Samraat Viraat Shatru gained immense power and had the following of most Bhoomivasis. Someday, this will lead to total anarchy and chaos of the whole world order. Only Maharaja can save us from all this and we can only contribute by helping him regain his strength.' And his memory, he added in his mind.

'Oh! Heavens, I'm on such an important mission. Am I? Then let's hurry up,' said Vasu. 'Did Maharaja ever tell you the importance of this divine locket on my neck that everybody wants to snatch from me?'

'No, he never talked about it and I didn't dare to ask him; I was afraid he might ask where you are and I couldn't have lied to him. You see, Vasu, Aishwarya, it isn't just his body that has been affected by this terrible curse he is under. It's his mind. He.... he.... has forgotten... he has been made to forget those who love him. You, Aishwarya, and your lovely, kind mother, and you Vasu, for whom he put his life at risk... ' a tear escaped the kind healer's eyes, and the children couldn't hold themselves back either. What was so wonderful about power that the greedy people could make people suffer, without a thought about how much pain they were causing?

Vasu and Aishwarya tried to console Guru Nagarjuna, but years of hiding his worry and sadness had taken a toll on the tireless and loyal man. Together they vowed to fight for what was good and right, and make everything as pure as it was.

Sandy blew out air and so did Babloo. The dolphins seemed to be sympathetic too. Manta Ray, who had until then stayed away from the group, was back again.

Once again, the tiny, determined caravan resumed its oceanic journey. Vasu stood behind Sandy's fin, larger and stouter than Babloo's. He felt quite adventurous and heroic. The dolphins began their favourite racing game, they seemed to be bursting with optimism all the time! Manta Ray, the strong, silent, hero, glided behind Babloo.

The golden glow on the horizon grew brighter and sharper. The sun made its grand appearance. Guru Nagarjuna said something to Sandy, with a series of clicks, and Sandy dived into the ocean with a gigantic splash.

And there it was... Mount Sumeru.

Vasu and Aishwarya felt the presence of the huge mountain before they saw it. A deep blue haze wrapped itself around the mountain, but what gave it away was the water fizzing around it, like it does in a newly opened cola bottle. As they drew closer, the water turned warmer and warmer.

Sandy slowed down as did the dolphins and the Manta Ray.

Guru Nagarjuna slipped off Sandy, and swam gracefully alongside. He signaled at them to follow him. Before Vasu and Aishwarya could nod, they felt Guru Nagarjuna talking to them. 'The whales, dolphins and Manta Ray are reluctant to go near Mount

Sumeru because of the heat,' Guruji thought, and Vasu and Aishwarya nodded.

They swam together for a short distance and reached a mound of large pillow shaped rocks that formed a hillock some distance away from Mount Sumeru. Guru Nagarjuna asked them to wait while he collected the herbs. Vasu, who had had his fill of whale's milk potion, sat on a rock, as though he were casually waiting for a friend, and Aishwarya, being the indefatigable detective, began reading the names on the rocks. A group of small shrimps caught Vasu's eye and he swiveled around to watch them swim past. The shrimps were busy snipping off something attached to the rocks and eating it. Even though the hot water around him made him uncomfortable, he knew that this journey was very important. He knew he had to cooperate and adjust and help, no matter what the circumstances were.

As he continued to observe the shrimps, he saw that there were many tall chimney-like structures attached to the rocks, and these chimneys seemed to be emitting dark sooty water. Vasu made up his mind to explore it.

Meanwhile, Guru Nagarjuna had swum up the mountain, and reached the summit. He immediately found what he was looking for and several other herbs that would be of use. He deftly began collecting the strangecoloured fronds floating around the rocks.

Aishwarya who was delighted with her find, was busy trying to read as many names as possible. She had heard about some of these legendary warriors. She had taken her eyes and mind off Vasu.

Vasu swam towards the chimney spouts.The water was now unbearably hot, as he got very close to the spouts and visibility reduced significantly because of the dark water. The spouts were of various colours because of the deposits of chemicals that precipitated from the very hot water as soon as it came in contact with the relatively cool water outside. The continuous process over a period of time had built tall pipes in the area that resembled a brush lying bristles-side up.

What could be under these huge pipes? _T_ hought Vasu.

Don't go beyond that point. You'll get lost in the dark waters, Guru Nagarjuna warned telepathically. He had spotted Vasu drifting towards the sooty spouts. Keep off those spouts, you'll get burnt by the heat there. Vasu tried peering through the blackness, but was unable to see anything. In fact, Vasu realised with a start, he could not see Guruji either.

How does Guruji see me when I can't see him? Vasu thought.

That's why I'm Guruji. Now stop fooling around and come back to Aishwarya. I had warned you to stay together, he felt Guru Nagarjuna speak in his mind.

Vasu decided he should listen to Guru Nagarjuna, so he turned back to where he had seen Aishwarya. He was almost there when he saw Aishwarya, she looked like she had seen a very huge ghost. Her eyes were wide open and she was trying to scream, but of course, the water wouldn't let any sound emerge. Look behind you! Save yourself! Aishwarya's thoughts broke into Vasu's mind.

Vasu glanced back and his heart skipped a few beats.

A great white shark was lunging towards him. Its wide open mouth gave him an excellent view of its many rows of menacingly sharp pointy teeth. Its huge tail moved sideways and its shiny eyes were focused on its target — Vasu. The attacker was formidable, fearsome, and ruthless.

It was a strange situation, Vasu was frozen to the spot, but he was deep inside the ocean swimming in extremely hot water, and there was a blood thirsty beast heading straight for him. Vasu's young mind made some very fast calculations. _A huge beast such as this can easily out swim me,_ he thought, _but it is, after all, a fish with a fish-brain that can only react to me, but cannot act for itself._

He decided to use the one resource he had which was more than what the shark had — his brain.

The Great White's slate grey outline was full of very well-honed muscles. It swam rapidly, straight towards Vasu with a perfectly aligned head that didn't sway sideways like that of small sharks. It had deep scars around its head indicating its maturity and endurance during fights. It charged like a bullet from a gun. The 'monster' was upon him.

Aishwarya's instinct was to scream, but there was no sound. Guru Nagarjuna had no idea what he could do!

'Let not fear take me over. I'll not budge. I won't be intimidated,' Vasu kept repeating in his mind, while his hands and legs shivered.

At the last moment, the shark called off the attack and changed the course. Its black eyes peered at Vasu from an arm's length. They both exchanged meaningful glances. The shark circled Vasu trying to assess him with its fish brain. Why did the stranger on its turf not flee its assault? It rose up slowly above Vasu, exposing its white belly as if it wanted to show him its dominance by dwarfing him. Barely having given him a moment of relaxation, it again turned upon him, but this time its huge pectoral fins were horizontal, signalling reassurance. A majestic show of trust was exchanged by both of them as they swam shoulder to fin in a respectful harmonious way. Vasu's first encounter with the famed untamed savage of the underwater world had left him wonderstruck at the regard nature had for courage.

Those who flee are relentlessly persecuted, while the brave who courageously face the tormentor are respected, Guru Nagarjuna explained.

Guru Nagarjuna and Aishwarya breathed slow breaths. Vasu and the shark drew closer now, and Aishwarya hid in a cavity under the rocks. The shark swam away and Vasu stopped beside Aishwarya. She checked the waters a hundred times, before she extended her foot out and then she quickly hugged Vasu. Guru Nagarjuna stashed all the herbs he had harvested into his backpack and clicked his message to call Sandy and Babloo.

This place feels cursed, Guru Nagarjuna thought. Aishwarya and Vasu looked shocked.

I've collected enough herbs, and all my instincts urge me to leave this place as soon as possible. I do not find myself at ease over here.

After the shark, Aishwarya too didn't find the place enjoyable. Numerous ifs crowded her mind. What if the shark had charged at Vasu and...and...

On the contrary, Vasu simply did not want to leave this magical place. This was enough excitement to keep him happy forever. It had been a great experience and instead of praising him, they wanted to go back!

Sandy and Babloo had been on a feeding spree enjoying the delicacy of shrimps. On hearing the call, they began a long clicking song. Guru Nagarjuna laughed and explained that the whales were describing their tasty and sumptuous meal.

Sandy is back, let's go, Guru Nagarjuna thought. Victorious Vasu left the battlefield with a heavy heart.

Barely had they covered a short distance, when they saw an army of hammerhead sharks, common sharks, narwhals, and giant iguanas blocking their path. Never before had Guru Nagarjuna ever seen such an oceanic army of wild creatures working together in an organized manner under the commands of an unseen commander.

Guru Nagarjuna put up his hand to stop Vasu and Aishwarya. He had no idea about dealing with so many wild and dangerous creatures. He was a healer, not a warrior who had an action plan ready for such situations.

A long time had elapsed since Vasu had been under water and now his capacity to hold breath was exhausting. He was beginning to show signs of breath hunger or asphyxia —his face was flushed, his eyes were bulging, and he seemed to be getting weak, physically and mentally.

Guru Nagarjuna rushed forward to hold Vasu and clicked loudly and rapidly. He asked Aishwarya to do the same. The circle of predators grew tighter around them. Guru Nagarjuna could see no way out, but he continued clicking, as did Aishwarya. Vasu's condition was not good, he was conscious, but fast becoming weaker.

The smaller sharks lunged forward while the iguanas backed them, followed by the herd of hammerhead sharks.

A large shadow appeared above them. Now, the frenzy reached fever pitch. The small sharks were bolder now, they moved straight to attack Guru Nagarjuna, Vasu and Aishwarya.

And suddenly, it felt as if a tornado had hit them. The dark cloud closed upon them. Water was gushing at them with a force so strong, it felt like a dam had broken over their head. The army of sharks were swept away and Sandy, the huge whale tumbled in the water. Guru Nagarjuna struggled to lift up Vasu and pushed him up the back of Sandy. Aishwarya too climbed up and Sandy swam towards the surface. Vasu took a deep breath and so did the others. The Manta Ray and Babloo joined them.

One moment, the bright sun warmed their shivering bodies, the next moment, everything blacked out, as if a total solar eclipse had occurred. Guru Nagarjuna felt uneasy because no eclipse was scheduled to occur according to his calculations.

'Look!' shouted Vasu, 'a huge bird.'

Guru Nagarjuna and Aishwarya looked up too.

#  Chapter 12

Aurang was hovering high above them astride his nasty Porcugle, Kroor. 'Give the boy to me,' he growled.

'Go away. I'll drive you away like a crow,' Guru Nagarjuna replied.

'Oh... so _you'll_ drive _me_ away eh! The frogs have turned warriors.'

'Pests like you dread frogs.'

'Pests...ehhh...pessstsss... save the boy if you can. My sting has no cure.'

Aurang swooped upon Vasu. Guru Nagarjuna was prepared and he pushed Vasu and Aishwarya off Sandy. Vasu did not waste a moment, he quickly swam under Sandy's cover. Irritated, Aurang conjured a deadly fireball and hurled it at Guru Nagarjuna.

The odd fireball began decreasing in size from the moment it was launched.

Sandy was smart and this was not her first time against the cunning Aurang. Sandy dived underwater and the fireball that barely looked like a lit matchstick spluttered without a whimper.

Sandy's tail fin flip created a swirling whirlpool that sent Vasu rolling. The Manta Ray floating behind Sandy performed its favorite backflip so Vasu landed on its back.

This was Vasu's first time astride the Manta Ray and he found the creature very friendly, but massive. What made the Manta accompany them, Vasu couldn't fathom, but he felt that Manta shared some special friendship with Sandy and her calf Babloo, because it followed them faithfully whichever way they went. The ease with which it had allowed Vasu to ride on its back and the manner in which it had come to his rescue indicated its willingness to befriend him. Soon Vasu was communicating with the Manta Ray as it swam faster than ever before helping him flee Aurang's assault.

Sandy surfaced once again with Guru Nagarjuna and Aishwarya on its back while the calf Babloo, although a bit confused, followed her. Guru Nagarjuna saw what lay ahead and paled, Aishwarya saw it too and nearly fainted. Vasu who was having another great experience had no idea about what was happening around him.

The sky was filled with dark magic.

A swirling tornado-like dark cloud was spinning in the sky. Its elongated tail began drawing water into it. On its flat top stood a figure engulfed in dark smoke that intermittently glowed orange and red within — as if thunder and lightning were trapped inside the cloud.

Samraat Viraat Shatru — the epicenter of all dark powers had finally arrived to claim that which had eluded him for so long. He had never waited for anything. Aurang's constant failure had angered him.

The water, the cloud had drawn in, now gushed out. But, it didn't fall straight down, like normal rain would. It stopped just above their head. Vasu and Aishwarya marvelled at the use of magic to control something so natural as rain. Guru Nagarjuna scowled darkly, and tried to think of something other than how scared he was for the children in his care. Being the only one who knows you are scared makes you look courageous.

On top of the whirling water spout stood Samraat Viraat Shatru, the one who wanted to rule the earth. He was very tall, at least fifteen feet tall, and very muscular, every inch of his body was covered in tattoos, alive tattoos. Sharks and iguanas, and red crocodiles writhed and moved all across his huge arms and wide chest. He glowed, but not with a kindly light, he glowed red and orange, and the light burned your eyes if you looked at him. His body flashed and the armour and robe he wore rippled as if thunder and lightning were being created on him.

From high up in the sky, the evil ruler spoke.

'How are you my friend?' Samraat asked, his voice soft, but firm.

'Why do you threaten us? Why are you here with your stupid servant?' Guru Nagarjuna shouted to be heard above the thunder. He was shaking with fear and anger. All these years spent taking care of Maharaja Siddhivarun would come to nothing, if he died here today.

It was almost as if Samraat Viraat could read his thoughts.

'Is my dear friend so ignorant?' laughed Samraat Viraat Shatru, 'Why don't you change sides and join me. The Sea Kingdom will soon be under my rule. I'll be the new Maharaja! Changing sides before its fall will bring you rewards you can't imagine; because I'm a very kind person.'

'Mend your ways Samraat, before Maharaja recovers — he'll destroy your empire forever. Join him, learn from him, and use your powers for the welfare of the world.'

'Ha...haa...ha...' his laughter made huge waves roll across the ocean. 'Nagarjuna, you were an idiot and will always be one. If your Maharaja is ill — it's because of my powers.You may try all your silly medicines, I'll keep the cure away from him.'

Aishwarya howled. This was more than she could take! 'How dare you! You coward, you killer! It's because of you my father doesn't even know me! What do you get from this!' she spat and howled in anger.

Samraat Viraat Shatru sneered and flicked his hand as if to swat her away like a fly. He looked at Vasu and said, 'So here is the boy with the locket. Give me that locket and I'll spare you, boy. I'm very kind.'

'Do you even know what kindness means?' asked Nagarjuna, 'I haven't seen one of your kind.'

'Haa...ha...haaa... I like your sense of humour. How could your God make another one like me? Who else, other than me, could be so loving, so benevolent? Join me Nagarjuna and enjoy the never-ending pleasure I'll bestow upon you. I'm very kind.'

'Dive deep into the ocean and try to reach the Sea Palace. Don't worry about me — save yourself,' Guru Nagarjuna's thoughts reached Vasu and Aishwarya, the Manta Ray immediately dived under the water.

Samraat Viraat Shatru intercepted the thought and smiled, 'So my friend betrays me. You underestimate my powers Nagarjuna. I can go under water as well. Now I will have that locket. Don't blame me. The boy will be no more and no one can stop me, can you?'

Samraat Viraat Shatru made a gesture with both his hands as if he was calling somebody. A giant crocodile emerged out of the water and Samraat jumped off his perch and disappeared under water. Aurang kept hovering in the sky on his Porcugle.

Guru Nagarjuna asked Sandy to follow Samraat. Sandy had her misgivings, but only because the children were with her. But, she knew that with the locket, Vasu had more powers than the humans knew.

Aishwarya was feeling a mix of emotions. On the one hand, she was worried that with all his dark magic and powers, Samraat Viraat could very easily kill them all. While they... they had nothing. And on the other hand, she had to do something to this evil being who had admitted to slowly killing her father!

Manta flapped his broad wing-like flippers vigorously. Samraat commanded his crocodile to swim faster. The crocodile, who seemed badtempered anyway, lashed its tail angrily and lunged at Manta with its mouth wide open, as if ready to swallow the ocean.

Vasu kept looking back, he did not know the way to the Samudra Mahal and he did not know if Manta Ray knew the way either. And the very sight of Samraat Viraat Shatru astride a gigantic crocodile was enough to make him forget everything else.

'Do not look back... keep going,' Guru Nagarjuna spoke in Vasu's mind.

Guru Nagarjuna was shocked not only because of the strange turn of events, but because he could not understand why someone as violent and devoid of any conscience would bother chasing a child for something he wanted.

'Why is Samraat not using any weapons against Vasu? Is it because of the divine locket?'

Sandy swum furiously, but yet, the gap between them began to close. Samraat sensed the thoughts of Guru Nagarjuna and turned around to glare at him. If looks could kill, Guru Nagarjuna would have been a dead man. Samraat Viraat Shatru pointed his finger at Guru Nagarjuna and lightning shot towards him. But Guruji was prepared. Sandy dove and the deadly ray of electricity missed its target. This only made Samraat angrier.

Astride Manta, Vasu turned to look at Samraat Viraat Shatru. He saw Guru Nagarjuna dodge the bolt of lightning. He grinned. Watching the evil Samraat be defeated made Vasu happy. A moment ago, he would not have believed that they had even half a chance against such a powerful bad guy. Now, he knew that they had to stay calm, and focused and use their brain!

However, he couldn't help but let Samraat know how he felt. Vasu rolled his tongue and pushed it out of his mouth, while triumphantly waving his fists in the air with the thumbs held up.

Like ghee makes fire wilder, this had the same effect on Samraat. The great wannabe ruler of the entire planet was highly irritated at being ridiculed by a small child, helpless and ignorant like Vasu. The anger that ordinarily would have struck terror in his opponents and followers alike, started building up, and the first sign of danger was that the red fire within him, became blinding white! Samraat forgot all the sane reasons he had against using weapons against Vasu. He stretched out his right hand and his fingers fanned out as if he was holding something.

His crocodile swam faster, keen to get done with this job, so that Samraat would get off him.

Samraat's hand now held a ball of fire. The fire was not just red, but also blue, and green, and black.

Guru Nagarjuna saw it and nearly stopped breathing. This was the infamous Fire of death — Sarvanash.

He quickly tried to communicate with Vasu. Vasu be careful. Do not tease him, try to reach the Palace, thought Guru Nagarjuna desperately.

Samraat being the master of dark powers, intercepted Guru's message and stopped his thoughts from reaching Vasu. And before anyone could react, Samraat Viraat Shatru released the ball of fire.

Sandy swam with all her strength to try and save Vasu. Time stopped. Aishwarya screamed.

Vasu panicked at the sight of the fire speeding towards him. He looked at Guru Nagarjuna, he was sure Guruji was trying to tell him something, but he could feel a wall in his own mind. His face turned white with fear and shook in fear. Water had no effect on the ball of fire at all. Before Vasu could even think another thought, it hit him on the chest.

Aishwarya couldn't believe her eyes! Vasu had been hit by Samraat's weapon. She grabbed Guru Nagarjuna's shoulder. He was watching the disaster unfold in utter disbelief.

Vasu was thrown off Manta's back and began sinking deep into the ocean. He looked lifeless.

Manta Ray flipped over and came from under Vasu to catch him on his back.

Something strange happened, something that neither Samraat Viraat Shatru nor Guru Nagarjuna had imagined.

The ball of fire knocked Vasu off, grew in size till it was four times its original size and sped back towards Samraat Viraat Shatru with increased speed.

As abrupt as the attack on Vasu had been, that's how abrupt the fireball's next attack was. Before Samraat could react, the fireball he had set loose, hit him in the chest, but now it was four times the size it had been.

The next second Samraat Viraat Shatru was sinking into the ocean, but now he was half his size. The impact had blown a hole into his chest and the fire had charred him so much that he looked like a coal block. He began sinking into the ocean as well. His crocodile dived right after him, and caught hold of his limp body in his strong jaws and carried him away to safety.

Guru Nagarjuna and Aishwarya saw everything without blinking. This had all taken less than a few seconds, but the havoc caused by the fireball was not over yet. The fireball had now become smaller, and dropped once again towards the earth. This time, it sped towards Aishwarya and Guru Nagarjuna. Before, either of them had the time to react. Sandy lunged upwards with all her might. Aishwarya and Guru Nagarjuna were thrown off, and Sandy met the fireball with tragic consequences.

Her lifeless body began sinking to the bottom of the ocean, and a stream of blood flowed out of her chest, staining the ocean around her.

Aishwarya screamed and couldn't stop screaming, she dived after Sandy. Guru Nagarjuna threw away his bag of herbs and dived too. What use were his herbs now, that Sandy had sacrificed her life for them.

Sandy's body kept sinking and even Aishwarya, the daughter of the ruler of the oceans, couldn't go deeper. She turned to look at Guruji. Baba, Vasu, Sandy... what is going on?

Guru Nagarjuna used his yogic powers to calm Aishwarya down, he chanted a shloka that was used to calm down motherless babies and Aishwarya's sobbing turned into hiccups. He hugged her and then turned his thoughts to wards Vasu and Babloo.

Manta Ray had carried Vasu on his back and was waiting for Guru Nagarjuna and Aishwarya near a huge boulder. Aishwarya stepped on Manta's back and sat beside Vasu, she picked up his head gently, and placed it on her lap. Guru Nagarjuna examined his pulse. Finally, a smile broke out on his worried face.

His smile reassured Aishwarya and she affectionately kissed Vasu's forehead. She had watched him grow from a tiny baby to this mischievous eleven-year-old boy. She smiled at her little brother.

Guru Nagarjuna quickly picked up his medicine bag from where he had flung it a moment ago, and pulled out some herbs. He rubbed them together in his hand and then made Vasu open his mouth.

Vivid rays of light and halos began flashing in Vasu's mind. He felt as if he was getting up from a deep sleep in a vast lawn with neatly mowed green grass for as far as the eye could see. He felt he was standing very close to someone. Someone much older, someone who was wearing a white dhoti and a white ja-ne-iu (a white thread worn across the chest by devout Hindus). He was teaching something to children while sitting under the shade of a neem tree. There were some thatched huts and cottages on the far side of the lawn and a few deer were walking around, unafraid.

Who was this man? Hadn't he seen him before? That day! The Gurukul! How did he get here?

Before he could answer his own question, a skinny boy wearing just a saffron dhoti got up and asked, 'Guruji, where can I find Sanjeevani Booti?' The boy had the same thin, lanky frame and ponytail like Guru Nagarjuna.

Before the Guru could speak, a commotion broke out at the back of the class. Somebody had let loose a scorpion. Everybody panicked, screamed, and made a loud ruckus. Vasu looked around, wondering what would happen next. The Guru shouted in a voice as strong as thunder, 'Quiet!'

Two boys still sitting under the neem tree were giggling uncontrollably.

'Aurang...' the Guru said angrily.

Meanwhile, Guru Nagarjuna heard Vasu mumbling.

'Aaauuraanggg...' and looked around. Vasu was trying to speak under water that could make his lungs collapse. Guru Nagarjuna concentrated and made an air bubble appear around Vasu's head to protect him.

In his dream-like state, Vasu felt as if someone had pulled a soft shawl over his head. He felt good. The gurukul slowly disappeared and Vasu opened his eyes.He was dazed and amazed that he was still alive. The memory of the fireball rushed into his mind and he automatically looked for the locket and kissed it. Aishwarya and Guru Nagarjuna helped Vasu sit up and gently pulled him up to his feet. It took Vasu a minute to understand that the air bubble he now carried around his head was not an after-effect of the fireball, but something Guru Nagarjuna had created for him.

Guruji spoke to them, helping them understand what had just happened. 'Vasu, it was never my intention to put you in the path of such trouble. Aishwarya beti... I wish I could protect you more... Vasu when you were struck by the fireball... it hit Samraat too. And, it didn't stop there, it... it killed Sandy—' 'No!!!!' Vasu screamed. 'No! No! No!' he kept screaming, Aishwarya tried to hug him but he kept pulling away, turning this way and that to look for Sandy. 'Where's Babloo?' he asked.

'I have sent Manta Ray to get Babloo. Babloo was watching us all from a distance and I do not know if he saw... saw his mother...'

Aishwarya interrupted, 'I can speak with Babloo. He is very sad and angry. He cannot understand what has happened...'

'Let's go find him!' Vasu said urgently.

'There he is,' Guru Nagarjuna said, sounding very relieved. 'There he comes.'

Manta Ray swan alongside a very sad baby whale. Babloo's eyes seemed duller, all the mischief and hope seemed to have been knocked out of him.

Vasu and Aishwarya hugged Babloo, they communicated with the baby telepathically. 'We know what you are feeling, we have gone through this too. You have us, you are not alone. You can always, always, always, depend on us.' Aishwarya said. Vasu added, 'And, I will make sure that that evil man begs for your forgiveness, Babloo.'

Barely had they managed to reassure Babloo, when a huge boom and screams reached their ears. The next moment, something huge plunged into the water and sped towards them.

It took Aishwarya a fraction of a second to believe what she was seeing. A boat!

#  Chapter 13

The boat wasn't empty. As they craned their necks and looked up, parts of a boat sank into the ocean, moving quickly past them. Vasu and Aishwarya were struck dumb when they saw one familiar face, then eight familiar faces sinking with the pieces of the destroyed boat!

Mutthu! Sukhi! Sonali! Alice! David! Robin! Nishant! Ramzan! Oh no! What on earth, or in the ocean are they doing here! Aishwarya gasped, rushing towards her friends. And who is this new boy _!?_ Vasu wondered, looking at a new face. All the kids seemed to be unconscious, but unhurt.

Guru Nagarjuna realised what had happened before anyone else. It was the fireball that had hit the boat, and caused this horrible accident. Babloo put aside his heartache and rushed to help his new family of friends. Manta Ray and Guru Nagarjuna too rushed to grab hold of the children before they fell deeper into the ocean.

Aishwarya grabbed hold of Alice and Sonali, tucking her arms under their shoulders to carry them along with her as she swam towards a huge rocky formation undersea. Vasu, always a strong swimmer, found it was easy to carry Mutthu along as he swam towards the same rock, Guru Nagarjuna grabbed hold of the tall Sikh boy Sukhwinder, and Babloo managed to cushion the fall of David and Ramzan. Manta Ray swam under, Nishant and the new boy, Ponty.

Once the motley group was safe on the rock, Guru Nagarjuna conjured a huge air bubble that enclosed all of them in it. They could now speak normally. He cleared his throat and said, 'Vasu, Aishwarya, you know these children?' They nodded. 'Well, I understand that you need to save them, I think they were on their way to help you, it must've been that fireball that destroyed their boat.... However, how do they go back? I don't have the time to take them back to Allahabad—'

'They'll come with us, of course!' Aishwarya said immediately. Guru Nagarjuna hesitated. How could he get all these children unnoticed into the Samudra Mahal? Wasn't it his priority to get Vasu and Aishwarya safe, before Samraat re-merged? And of course, the whole reason for their adventure was that they needed to get the herbs they had collected from Mount Sumeru to cure Maharaja Siddhivarun. Only if they did so, would they have a fighting chance against the evil forces commanded by Samraat Viraat Shatru.

'Maharaja Siddhivarun has always ensured that no living Bhoomivaasi be allowed inside the Palace, this can't be disobeyed,' Guru Nagarjuna pointed out gently.

'Maharaja himself would've never allowed these innocent kids to perish like that,' protested Vasu. The urgency of the situation and the huge mountain of frustration Vasu was feeling made him angry. Vasu had always felt unlucky because he did not know who his parents were or why they had allowed him to be kidnapped. It was only in the bottom of the ocean that he finally realised that he was lucky enough to have Aishwarya, a caring and wise older sister-like figure, and all his friends and Guru Aryadutta and Nagarjuna to guide him and protect him. Now, with Babloo as alone as he felt, Vasu suddenly felt like a protector himself. With his friends in trouble, indirectly because of him, he felt he must start being more responsible and strong for their sake at least.

It is true, necessity teaches many things.

Aishwarya decided to speak up. 'The Maharaja himself broke that rule when he saved Vasu all those years ago and brought him into the Sea Palace.' She spoke calmly and confidently, like a true princess. It's easy to speak against somebody, but to stand up and speak _for_ somebody isn't.

'Had my father, Maharaja, been here at this moment, I'm sure he would've reconsidered his rule — if at all I know my father,' said Aishwarya. 'Since he is unwell, on his behalf I allow you to save my friends who are drowning and after we reach the Palace we'll decide what to do with them. If Maharaja disapproves of this decision—let the onus be on my shoulders. I'll happily undergo any punishment he decides.'

Guru Nagarjuna was about to protest, when he suddenly felt as if they were being watched. He cast an eye around them, and tried to use his yogic powers to figure out, if what he was feeling was the presence of a spy around them.

From the corner of his eye he saw something glow brightly and pulsate quickly. He whipped his head around to look. Vasu's locket! At times of trouble it really seemed to come alive. Vasu also must have felt something strange, because he suddenly pulled out the locket and cupped it in his palm. The endless knot was glowing, and then as if Vasu's touch gave it more power, it began shining brightly and seemed to tingle with some kind of energy. The glow suddenly became so bright that it felt like the sun had paid a visit to the ocean. The warmth was enough to snap the children out of the sleep they were in. One by one, they groaned and moaned. Alice was the first to open her eyes. She sat up in shock. All around her was water, deep dark water, and something strange seemed to be all around her head, keeping the water away. She reached out fascinated and touched the water with her finger and sprang back in fear.

'Alice! Baby! I am here! Don't worry! I am here!'

At the sound of Aishwarya's voice, Sukhwinder also opened his eyes. He also was shocked to see a strange bubble protecting him from the ocean. How were they breathing under water? To the ever curious scientist, Sukhwinder was more fascinated than scared.

Mutthu yelped, 'Aiaiyo! We're dead!'

'You moron!' Vasu greeted him happily.

'Stop talking fools! In another minute we will all drown! Look!' Ramzan cried out, pointing upwards.

'Um, we have all already drowned baba,' Sonali pointed out, smiling at and hugging Aishwarya and Vasu. She nodded politely at Guru Nagarjuna and respectfully folded her hands and said, 'Namaste.' Aishwarya patted her proudly.

Alice quickly did the same, bowing like a ballerina as she folded her hands. Guru Nagarjuna laughed and patted Alice's shoulder and nodded.

'How did you guys get here? Who's boat was it? What happened?' Vasu asked.

'Well, Nishant managed to find us a boat big enough for all of us. And Sonali claimed that she would be able to help us navigate by using her awesome, wonderful, super powers of meditation...' Sukhwinder said, and Sonali pulled out her tongue.

'Anyway, we were all lost, we tried navigating with the stars through the night, and we had no idea what to do, when out of nowhere this huge flying porcupine and one horribly ugly man who was riding it just swooped us up! Mutthu screamed so much we nearly lost our hearing,' Robin said.

'Ayyo! Whaaat screamed! I nearly went to heaven wonly! That crazy bard lifted our boat into the sky!' Mutthu added.

'I think we all fainted or something, and suddenly, we woke up because we were falling! The bird let go, I don't know why,' Sonali said.

'Then suddenly this fireball hit us, out of nowhere! And the whole boat flew up in the air with us, the next thing we knew was that we were sinking into the deep ocean and well....' David said.

One boy seemed to be still unconscious. Vasu crept closer to him. 'Who's he, Mutthu? New boy?'

Mutthu nodded. 'Yup, Ponty is his name. Funny name, na!'

'Funnier than Mutthu?' Vasu asked, giggling.

Sukhwinder said, 'He's a strange boy. When we were in the boat he kept saying he could see something in the sky, we couldn't see anything. And then just before some fireball hit the boat, he said something strange... what was it, Nishant?'

'Something that sounded like Kroor, or something!' Nishant said, trying to scratch his head and finding that the bubble didn't let him.

'Kroor! That's the name of Aurang's pet!' Guru Nagarjuna exclaimed.

'What! That horrible bird? Perfect name for that monster that tried to kill us!' Aishwarya said.

Vasu looked at the boy carefully. 'How could he know Kroor though!

And why isn't he waking up?'

Guru Nagarjuna gently pushed the kids aside and leaned closer to Ponty. 'He has some strange blue mark around his neck. I will try giving him this new herb...' he said, pulling out a blue bunch of roots and quickly rubbing them in his palms to create some kind of powder. He opened Ponty's mouth and cupped some of the powder in.

The boy immediately spluttered and woke up. 'Where! Who! What!' he said, looking around wildly...

'Where, who, what, you!' David said. 'How do you know Kroor!'

'What's..what's Kroor!' Ponty asked.

Vasu looked at his friends. 'Maybe he said something else?' Nishant shrugged.

"Ummm... I don't know if this is a good time to bring this up, but I can't swim,' said Ramzan, clearing his throat nervously.

'How long can this bubble keep us safe?' asked Sukhwinder.

'I can swim, but can't breathe underwater,'Sonali said.

'What I want to know is, who attacked us?' David said, clenching his fists as though waiting to punch someone.

'We were coming to rescue you, and you rescued us, da!' Mutthu said sadly.

Vasu and Aishwarya laughed.

Using her wide vocabulary of signs, Alice asked Aishwarya if the baby blue whale and Manta Ray were friends. Aishwarya nodded and Alice's face lit up with a huge smile.

Aishwarya assessed the situation and realised that their first job was to get everyone to calm down and listen to instructions. She told them firmly, 'Look, you may not understand everything that is happening here, but we cannot waste another minute here. We have some powers that can be used to make you swim or breathe underwater. Don't ask too many questions now. Trust us. We'll get you to a safe place, and then we will answer all your questions.'

Vasu pulled out his pouch of whale milk, realising sadly that without Sandy, there would be no more potion for him, or his friends. He turned to look at Aishwarya who understood what he was feeling.

Guru Nagarjuna said, 'I will make air bubbles for each one of you that will protect you, but you need the whale milk for entering the Sea Palace. I have some more milk in reserve. Let all of them have at least a sip, but be quick. I feel something watching us.'

Ponty blushed and looked away, but nobody noticed.

Vasu offered the potion to Alice first. She took some of it in her mouth and contorted her face. She didn't make a sound, but her expression spoke volumes. The potion tasted funny, and she wouldn't have another sip. Aishwarya stroked her hair and tried to make her take another sip, but Alice shook her head wildly, and gestured that she would throw up if she had another sip.

This did not reassure the other kids next in line.

'Hold on...try to gulp it down,' said Guru Nagarjuna soothingly, 'only this can save your life. Don't bother about the taste.'

'Well, it does taste like you are only drinking the top part of the milk, the cream,' Vasu said. 'But, I am just like you and you saw me swim outside, I can only do that because of this. Take it like you'd take any medicine.'

Sonali managed to gulp down the potion, but with great difficulty, 'yuksss... it tastes like sweet toothpaste'.

As the queue inched forward, each kid made his/her own contorted face, funnier than the one before them. Most of the boys performed all sorts of antics while drinking the potion, like pinching their nose or making a retching sound and sticking out their tongue after they had drunk the potion. Ponty was the exception, he drank the potion like he was enjoying it. And despite the horrible faces he made while drinking the potion, the ever hungry Ramzan asked for more anyway. Vasu found their reaction to the potion quite strange, because he had never felt anything distasteful about the potion. He'd rather enjoyed drinking large quantities of it in a single go. 'Maybe the locket is the reason,' he thought.

'Listen carefully...all of you. We have to go to the Samudra Mahal now. You cannot enter it if you have the air bubbles around you. So, the potion you just had will help you breathe. Remember, it isn't safe out here, and we cannot turn back now. You all will dive into the water after exhaling completely inside this air bubble. Keep your lungs and chest empty and do not attempt to breathe inside the water. If anybody faces any difficulty he or she can let me know. Just raise your index finger to signal any difficulty. I can read the problem in your mind — you just have to think about it — do not try to talk once you are out of this airbubble. Understood? Is it clear?' He then demonstrated how to exhale all the air out of the lungs.

Aishwarya held Alice's hand and Vasu helped her get all the kids ready. One after the other they followed Guru Nagarjuna. Vasu called out to Babloo with his thoughts and hugged the baby whale.

Manta Ray also followed close behind. Manta Ray seemed to be their strong and silent bodyguard, now in-charge of taking care of Babloo too. Guru Nagarjuna asked Vasu and Aishwarya to ride

Manta along with the two girls in the group, while he and the boys would ride Babloo.

Guru Nagarjuna showed the boys how to beat their legs like flippers to rise up in water and reach the back of Babloo. But, the boys were quite unable to understand how to do this. Mutthu who had always insisted on wearing a lungi in imitation of his favourite south Indian filmstar was the only boy in the most unusual attire for such an undersea rescue operation. He lost his lungi while wading out in the swift current of water. Lucky for him he wore funny looking stripped underpants. Out in the ocean he looked like a giant frog attired in stripped costume trying to ride a whale. After many failed attempts, Guru Nagarjuna decided to save them a lot of time, and just lifted up each boy to help them atop Babloo's back. Guru Nagarjuna lifted Sukhwinder first, then the others, one after the other. Once again, Guru Nagarjuna felt as if someone evil was watching them.

The kids were familiar with each other, except for the new boy...

Guru Nagarjuna got off Babloo and tried to read Ponty's thoughts, but couldn't do so. How could a kid like him block his mind to me? he thought.

Ponty suddenly turned breathless and his eyes bulged out. Guru Nagarjuna rushed to give him the leafy herb and quickly created a bubble around his head. He was then lifted up on to the back of Babloo where the other boys were huddled together, ready for the Samudra Mahal.

Guru Nagarjuna and the boys settled on the back of Babloo balancing precariously and holding on to each other as firmly as possible. Manta with Vasu, Aishwarya and two girls followed Babloo's trail. Guru Nagarjuna could peek into the children's thoughts as they were completely absorbed in this new experience.

The girls, with their own air bubble were no less amazed at the kitelike fish they were on. Also, riding on Manta was not as bumpy an experience as compared to riding Babloo that felt more like riding a drunken camel running away in a desert. Babloo would often go around in circles as if he had lost his path while Manta proceeded in a determined straight path as if giving Babloo a leader to follow. One reason why this was happening was that there was some kind of oil drilling machinery in the vicinity that the Bhoomivasis had set up. Its thrumming noise seemed to be affecting Babloo, who anyway was quite lost without his mom to guide him.

_Greenhorn_ , someone spoke in Guru Nagarjuna's mind. He turned around to look at the boys behind him. That voice hadn't sounded like Vasu. He had hardly heard anybody else talking in that commotion. Guru Nagarjuna glared at the kids around him and found only Ponty staring at him while all other kids were engrossed in surrounding ocean, its numerous small and large fishes around them and the colossal giant Babloo they were all seated upon. Greenhorn meant that Babloo was too young to know how to swim, and this insult was not only unnecessary, but rather silly coming from a Bhoomivasi kid!

To top it, Ponty saw Guru Nagarjuna looking at him and grinned. The cheek of the young fellow! One of those brats I must watch over, Guru Nagarjuna thought angrily.

Vasu tried reading Guru Nagarjuna's thoughts and understood the problem Babloo was facing. Guru Nagarjuna asked Vasu to keep an eye on the new boy. Be careful he can read your thoughts as well, Guruji warned Vasu, looking at Ponty and found to his utter dismay that the boy was grinning at him.

Babloo kept losing his way and Manta kept coming to its rescue. Guru Nagarjuna decided to leave the depths in water and rise up to the surface. We've travelled sufficient distance and since its dark, there shouldn't be any danger of being discovered by Samraat Viraat Shatru's agents _,_ thought Guru Nagarjuna. 'Once the zone of this noise disturbance created by the undersea machines of Bhoomivaasis is behind us, Babloo won't find it difficult to find his way back.'

Guru asked Babloo to rise up to the surface, and he instantly complied. Vasu signaled Manta to follow Babloo and soon they all were up on the surface out in the air. Everybody felt refreshed at the smell of the salty cool breeze that blew over the surface. The sun had already set and it was a dark moonless starry night. Babloo seemed to be better now and was not facing any difficulty maintaining a straight route.

Kids do need time to grow up and they do so fast when left on their own.

A middle-aged man, dark circles under his eyes, sat on a sofa watching the news in the drawing room of the government quarters he lived in.

Sridhar Dev, the Chief Archeologist of the Archeology Department watched the TV, his coffee forgotten and cold by his side. The top headline was breaking his battered heart. He turned up the volume to hear the news anchor announce,

'A boat carrying children who lived in an orphanage in Allahabad has gone missing. About nine kids from the Allahabad orphanage boarded the boat late night and ventured out into the Triveni-Sangam to look for their friends who had gone to the river. There is no trace of the boat anywhere downstream nor have the bodies of the kids been found. Divers of the Navy have been pressed into search operations without any success. It is not clear how the whole boat vanished into nowhere. The Prime Minister has expressed grief and deep sorrow at the incident and has assured the case will be thoroughly investigated and the culprits will be rapidly and severely punished. Here we have the owner of the boat—'

'Damned wizards ...someone should beat the shit out of them,' Sridhar cried out, 'All humanity has vanished from this planet. They don't even leave small kids... my innocent kid...my baby...I cannot even find him....'

He buried his head in his hands and cried.

Sridhar had never been able to get over the fact that his newborn baby had been kidnapped from inside his house by some magician. Nobody ever believed his story and his colleagues thought

Sridhar had drunk too much alcohol and that some local servant had kidnapped the child. The police had failed to trace the child and nobody had any explanation.

Sridhar had been awarded for the pioneering research he had done in the excavations at the Bandhavgarh Fort, but the loss of his child had left him devastated. He always carried the small red silk bag with strange hieroglyphics on it. All his efforts to decipher the script on the bag had never met with any success, but he had an unflinching belief that the secret to find his lost son was hidden in the designs on the bag.

He pulled out the red silk bag from his pocket and looked at it intently.

'Look everybody,' said Mutthu excitedly, getting up from his perch having spotted a procession of lights floating in the sea ahead.

'Oye...terrrriki! Anna, yaar, what is this?' Sukhwinder asked. Everybody, except Ponty, stood up to have a better view of one of the rarest natural wonder in the sea. Ponty was more interested in staring at Vasu.

Guru Nagarjuna saw this and found it very strange. He was developing a strong feeling that Ponty was not what he said he was. He decided to find a way to send these kids back again to Allahabad so he did not have to run after this bunch of kids in the Samudra Mahal.

It appeared as if the whole sea was playing host to a wedding and had invited all the luminescent creatures. The water ahead glowed in bright bluish spots because of the phosphorescence of the tiny sea creatures — the squids. A massive collection of luminescent squids had created a mirror world, by making the ocean look like the Ganga at Allahabad when people lit diyas made of woven leaves and dropped them in Ganga to float upon the river. Thousands of such diyas floated on the river during festivals, making it appear as though all the stars from the sky had descended on the river.

Babloo thought otherwise. For him it was a feast laid out in the open after a tiring journey and he couldn't be blamed for thinking about his huge stomach. Babloo lunged forward suddenly, and the boys who were too awestruck to hold on to Babloo carefully, were instantly thrown off!

Without waiting for a second thought, Vasu, Guru Nagarjuna and Aishwarya dived into the water to rescue the boys.

#  Chapter 14

Ponty had been holding Babloo's caudal fin very tightly and unlike others had not been engrossed in adoring the sight of a starry sea when Babloo lunged forward, so he was not thrown into the water. He kept clinging on to Babloo. Sonali and Alice held on to their perch on the back of Manta and watched the second rescue mission in progress like spectators watching a cricket match.

Hunger brings out the animal inside every living being and it had turned Babloo into a squid devouring machine. He had not forgotten the lessons taught by Sandy. Babloo began swimming in a circle that enclosed a large area with plenty of squid. He then took a deep dive with Ponty clinging like a monkey on a rocket. After reaching a sufficient depth Babloo turned his head up and rose with the force of a missile with its mouth wide open — gulping enormous amounts of his favorite delicacy — the squids.

The churning of water had resulted in rubbing of the phosphorescent pigments of the squids onto the bodies of Babloo and everyone else. They all had turned luminescent and looked like aliens frolicking in the ocean. The whale milk potion they had consumed had taken its effect and none of them now had any difficulty holding breath inside the water. Manta, Babloo and many other fish that had flocked there to enjoy the feast had all turned luminescent.

After a sufficient hassle, everyone was rescued, they all clambered atop Manta — their only means of transport now. Guru Nagarjuna tried to stop Babloo from over-eating. Babloo kept going around the squids in big circles and then diving only to come right up and gobble huge quantities of squids. Vasu felt Babloo was trying to make up for the loss of milk from his daily diet because of Sandy's death. Ponty was still holding on to Babloo who showed no signs of being full.

Manta's back was crowded with so many people sitting on it, glowing in that dark ocean.

They rose to the water's surface and just sat there without talking for a while. After a silence of few minutes, Guru Nagarjuna, unable to control his feelings, stood up. 'These innocent kids have been saved from the wreck as you desired, Aishwarya and Vasu,' he said loudly, 'they've even been saved a second time just now, but I cannot allow them inside the Samudra Mahal. I cannot disobey Maharaja Siddhivarun's orders.'

The smiles were wiped off all the cheerful faces. For the first time in their lives perhaps the kids had forgotten all about the past and were beginning to like whatever the future had in store for them. The very thought of not being taken any further on that marvelous journey had sent their dreams crashing like sand castles on the beaches. 'Oh no!' they whispered as a group.

'I'm afraid these kids will have to be sent back,' said Guru Nagarjuna without any consideration to the mild protest he had heard. Vasu looked towards Aishwarya for her support. He knew that only she had the powers to change Guruji's decision.

'But, Guruji, firstly, how can we leave Aishwarya didi and Vasu—'

'—when they need all the help they can get?'

'—we'll be worried and besides, we do not have anyone.'

'—they are our family, our friends.'

Vasu and Aishwarya looked at their friends, their hearts brimming with love. Even though Aishwarya was all but forgotten by her father, she still considered the Samudra Mahal her home. And Vasu knew that Guru Aryadutta's little hut was as much his home as any kid who grew up with their parents would consider that place his or her home.

Babloo had eaten enough and now came to float lazily near the Manta. Ponty was still clinging comfortably on its back and was now trying to hear the conversation going on atop Manta.

The gentle breeze that had been blowing since evening began getting stronger and desired to become a storm. The sea was becoming more restless as large waves built up and churned the sea. The sea became darker. Babloo was now satiated for the time being. Ponty was still sitting on Babloo, and did not seem any worse for the wear. Guruji eyed the weather and then Ponty riding Babloo.

'The weather changes when someone tells lies,' Nishant said. 'The teachers at the orphanage told us.'

'Stop this emotional blackmailing,' said Guru Nagarjuna, 'nobody is telling lies, but the weather is getting worse and it isn't safe to be here nor will it be safe for you all to be at the Samudra Mahal.' Guru Nagarjuna had a suspicion that Ponty was not a Bhoomivasi like the other kids, but he had no way of knowing for sure. And the feeling that something sinister was following them was only getting stronger.

Guru Nagarjuna decided to turn a blind eye towards it. He summoned Babloo and ordered all of them to ride it. The children reluctantly began moving on to Babloo while Guruji tried to help them whereas Aishwarya and Vasu preferred not to.

'Are we going to drop them back to Bhoomi?' Vasu asked.

'No, we aren't. Babloo will do the job. Can't let all this continue any further. We have to reach the Palace as soon as possible.'

As the kids settled on the back of Babloo, Nishant got up and struggled to reach for a place near Ponty.

'Oye! How could you cling on to this whale all the time,' he asked curiously, 'never knew you were so good at riding whales.'

The winds had increased and the storm was making its presence felt.

'Keep off. Do not come near me,' warned Ponty as Nishant approached, 'I want to go to the Mahal.' He said in a dry growling tone, sounding like a hyena and looking equally ugly.

'Guruji, please listen to me. Neither Babloo nor our friends can be left alone. May we please come to the Mahal? I promise we'll take care and be as invisible as possible. Once Baba is better, let him decide,' Aishwarya said as gently as she could.

Reluctantly, Guru Nagarjuna had to agree. He nodded and Manta led the way. 'Without Sandy making whale milk potion to feed these kids is going to be an uphill task,' thought Guru Nagarjuna as he offered all of them another dose of whale milk potion.

#  Chapter 15

After a few hours, everyone was feeling relaxed. Ponty spoke little, but it was evident that he could survive under water without any need for magic or herbs and was a subject of intrigue for everybody else. The other kids had the bubble around them, just in case. A severe storm had ravaged the ocean, but everything was calm and serene under the water.

Suddenly, a familiar shape emerged in front of them and Vasu recognised Rupali the mermaid. He signaled her presence to Guru Nagarjuna and Aishwarya. All the kids gaped at this young lady who was a beautiful and strong fish as well as a beautiful strong woman. Everyone, including Ponty. Vasu could see the curiosity in Ponty's eyes.

Aishwarya had told Vasu that Rupali was one of the youngest members of the tribe of Gold Mermaids who had the exclusive responsibility of being Maharaja's personal bodyguards and caretakers. Guruji must've informed her of our arrival _,_ thought Vasu.

Rupali hugged Vasu and Aishwarya. Vasu was surprised at the kindness and genuine happiness that Rupali's large almond-shaped eyes expressed. She did not even seem too worried at the arrival of so many children. She swam gracefully towards Guru Nagarjuna and using just her thoughts she asked him, 'Where is Sandy and from where did you meet this Manta Ray? From where is this herd of Bhoomivaasi kids?'

Guru Nagarjuna was more interested in knowing something else. 'How is Maharaja?' he asked Rupali.

'As bad as he was when you left,' she replied, 'let's not be out here, someone might spot us. Let's go in.' Babloo emerged from the back and shyly nudged her, Rupali kissed him and felt instinctively that something was wrong.

'You're planning to take these kids inside the Palace, aren't you?' Rupali asked Nagarjuna and he nodded, 'Why do you want to risk their lives? If Rani Roopmati gets even a whiff of them you can't imagine the extent to which she'll go to express her anger.'

'This trip had many disasters. We can talk about it later,' replied Guru Nagarjuna, 'I'll send the kids back to their homes on Bhoomi, but not before I've given my new medicine to Maharaja Siddhivarun. He is my first priority.'

Where's the Sea Palace? a new voice entered their mind. Guru Nagarjuna and Vasu realised it was Alice who had spoken to them through her mind, and yet they were surprised out of their wits. A girl as young as Alice was able to transfer her thoughts without any training with the ease of an expert. This bunch of kids is an amazing lot _,_ Nagarjuna thought privately and then replied through his thoughts, we're very close to the Palace and Rupali will guide us all inside.

Where was the Palace? The children looked around them and other than a huge undersea mountain covered with weeds, there was nothing around for as far as they could see. Rupali, however, seemed to be heading straight at the mountain. Aishwarya too seemed to be looking at nothing, but that unimpressive mountain. Vasu wondered where that fantastic dome was that Aishwarya used to tell him about.

'Get down,' signaled Rupali at a spot that appeared to be covered with dense foliage. Guru Nagarjuna and the children slid off the Manta, swimming around Rupali.

Rupali pulled apart some weeds, uncovering a shining dome made of some strange material, and then pressed a lever. A big door began sliding away revealing a long passage. It was brightly illuminated and looked immaculately clean. Ponty was more at ease now and had stopped following Vasu.

Vasu was the first to step inside and then Aishwarya. Guru Nagarjuna then signaled the apprehensive kids to step inside one after the other. Ponty was the only one who was least fearful and on the contrary, seemed eager to get inside. The moment they stepped inside the passage, their clothes dried in a flash, setting off ooohs and aaaaaahs of surprise. Ponty looked most impressed.

Guru Nagarjuna then instructed Rupali to look after Babloo and ask the whales to help take care of Babloo's need for milk, as well as the milk that would be required for making the potion for the kids.

'Where is Sandy?' asked Rupali anxiously. She had been looking for Sandy, and could not even connect to her through her thoughts.

'She's dead!' Guru Nagarjuna said softly, trying to hide the pain in his voice. 'We lost her while saving Vasu from Samraat. Take Babloo away, he needs care, he is too young to have seen all that.'

Shell shocked Rupali went numb, she left with Babloo and Manta Ray followed her. Finally, Guru Nagarjuna also stepped inside the passage of the Samudra Mahal and the door closed behind him.

'Water doesn't enter the palace and your clothes dry off as you step inside – amazing!' said Sonali.

'Oye! Oye! It's magic...its magic!' Sukhwinder said over and over again.

Guru Nagarjuna found him amusing and couldn't control his smile. Aishwarya, feeling like the official tour guide, explained, 'According to Maharaja's orders the Sea cannot enter the Palace without his permission, hence the water from your wet clothes also dries off as soon as you enter the palace.'

'I'm thirsty,' said Nishant, 'how will I get water to drink?'

Vasu couldn't control his laughter he said, 'Nobody drinks water inside the palace.'

Nishant looked extremely worried, so did Ramzan.

'Vasu!!! Don't worry guys, he's kidding,' said Aishwarya.

'You can have water at certain designated places within the palace,' Guru Nagarjuna explained. 'Come on...let's move. This was an unguarded entrance, but we can't wait here for someone to find us. Nobody uses this passage anymore, but do not make noise, keep your voice down, and your thoughts to yourself!'

Despite the stern warning, Ponty demanded, 'Where's the mermaid?' Nobody replied, and they kept walking down the passage.

'We all will be staying for some time over here,' said Guru Nagarjuna, standing in front of a low door. 'It's the old armory, most of the weapons here are old and Rani Roopmati has no need for weapons, her own power is enough to vanquish whole armies... Nobody will leave this room without my permission. This is for your own good! Moving about anywhere else within the palace is forbidden for you all and it could be dangerous as well. Aishwarya knows the place well, so ask her for what you need.'

Guru Nagarjuna stepped aside and let the kids in, and quickly shut the door. He started gathering all the herbs he had collected from Mount Sumeru.

It was a large hall with many side-rooms for the manufacture, storage and upkeep of the royal arms and ammunition of the Sea Kingdom. The armory, once the epicenter of bustling activity fulfilling the requirements of the army, had been ignored after Maharaja Siddhivarun had become unwell. Hardly anybody came there. But that wasn't the only reason why the children could hide there, it was right below the royal kitchen, as Vasu and Aishwarya had discovered earlier, which made it easy for Rupali to arrange for their food, which is of the utmost importance for growing children.

The children were busy taking in the new sights. On the walls hung numerous weapons of various kinds like daggers, swords, spears, axes and arrows of different shapes in quills of enormous sizes. There were many gifts that the Maharaja and his ancestors had received from the Dhartiputras, Bhoomivaasis, the Vanaspati kingdom, and others that were displayed inside strangely luminiscent cases. The hilts of swords, daggers and other piercing weapons were made of precious metals, and precious stones. There were numerous shields made of giant shells that were carved with images of whales, sharks, and orcas. Many canons shaped like sharks stood in a corner. Body armors and helmets took up a lot of space, there was enough here to equip a huge army. But, what was most fascinating was the ceiling of the armory decorated with beautiful paintings depicting various battles. Aishwarya gave the children a short history lesson about all that she could remember about her father's many battles and how things had fallen into ruins because of Rani Roopmati.

As the children milled about, almost everyone avoided coming too close to Ponty.

Vasu and Aishwarya noticed this and beckoned Sukhwinder to come closer.

'Yaar, why did you have to get this new boy along. He just seems to strange. How can we trust him?'

Sukhwinder nodded, 'I agree. But honestly, I think he is just shocked. He was such a polite, well-mannered boy when he came into the orphanage today. He has just recently lost his parents. I think the shock of the boat accident has changed him. Even Sonali thinks we should just give him time. But, I will keep an eye on him, don't worry.' Aishwarya and Vasu agreed.

'I want to meet Baba.' Aishwarya said firmly, as she came close to

Guru Nagarjuna who was sorting his collection of herbs into small groups.

'I can understand your eagerness to meet your father,' said Nagarjuna, 'but you insisted on bringing these kids and they can't be left alone in here. Even if one of them leaves the armory and walks somewhere — you can imagine the trouble he can create for all of us. You'll have to guard them here while I'll go and check. If all's well, then I'll come to take you too.'

Aishwarya did not like the idea of staying back, but Guru had left her with no other option. She sat with the children listening to Vasu who was regaling them with stories about how the shark had tried to attack him five times, and he had just held up his palm and made a face like James Bond. Sonali seemed to find everything funny, while Alice who was given a running commentary of Vasu's escapades via sign language, did nothing more than smile politely. Only the boys seemed stupid enough to fall for Vasu's tall tales.

Vasu told them about how Samraat Viraat Shatru had attacked him, only that morning, and showed the kids how the divine locket saved his life. Ponty was eager to touch the locket, but the boys ahead did not allow him to do so. Ponty couldn't control his laughter when Vasu related the scene of being hit by Samraat's weapon. Everyone just glared at him.

'Come on kids! You must be hungry. I've got you something to eat!' Rupali called out as she entered the hall carrying, or rather dragging, a big bag. The sound of an offer to eat attracted every ear in the hall and disrupted the story telling session.

Ramzan was the first to react at the mention of word 'food'. 'You're coming. Aren't you?' he asked Ponty and Alice.

'What's the hurry?' said Ponty.

'If there is food around, I'm always in a hurry,' said Ramzan as he got up and rushed towards Rupali.

Sukhwinder, Mutthu G, Vasu, Sonali and Alice sat with Guru Nagarjuna and hungrily wolfed down the food. Except for Ponty, none of the kids found it tasty though. Even Mutthu complained about its strange rubbery texture and fishy smell, but continued to eat it.

'Shucks! No salt, no spice, nothing nice!' grumbled Sonali.

Guru Nagarjuna saw the funny faces the kids were making. 'I think my young friends have not liked the taste of this food. It's called Sfurti and is a mandatory to make your body and skin adapt to the sea. It protects the delicate Bhoomivaasi bodies and skin from the excessive salt in sea water. I'm afraid if you can't eat plenty of this weed you won't be able to stay in the sea long enough. In that case I have no other option but to drop you all, back on the shore.'

No sooner had Guru Nagarjuna finished these words than all the kids without exception, including Alice, began stuffing Sfurti into their mouth.

The reluctance the kids displayed to go back could then not only be felt, but seen. The whole bag of Sfurti was over in five minutes.

'How could someone be so averse to going back home?' asked Rupali.

'Because none of us have a home to go back to,' replied Sukhwinder. 'All of us come from orphanages and we don't intend going back there.' Alice made some gestures with her hands.

'She doesn't want to go back either,' said Sonali Pandey acting as an interpreter.

'Is she...I mean...umm...' said Rupali, 'who are you all? And why are none of you ready to go back to the orphanage? Are they so bad?'

'No freedom, yebrebody after our lives — lat of work ji,' said Mutthu G.

'Nobody really loved any of us,' said Nishant softly, 'we were just a face they could show to get donations.'

'Boring schools and intimidating teachers,' said Sonali.

'For some strange reason we were always singled out of the whole lot of students to punish,' Ramzan said.

'Most kids always had something special to eat in their lunch boxes and travelled so much,'added David sadly.

'I was never hugged like you hugged me Aishwarya Didi,' Alice's voice whispered in Aishwarya's mind.

'They never made biryani for us,' Ramzan said sadly, 'there are rats all over the orphanage.'

'Those rats must be frightened to see you! Weren't they?' Ponty said rudely.

'No they weren't, but I was,' replied Ramzan innocently and there was a burst of giggles.

'Don't worry there are no rats inside the Palace,' said Vasu to reassure him and he tactfully ignored the sarcasm of Ponty.

'You won't be getting such things to eat in here,' said Aishwarya, 'then what will you do?'

'Oh...oye-ji I can adjust with your fishy bread — no problem,' Sukhi said.

Adversity has not yet withered away the liveliness of these kids – the very essence of childhood, Guru Nagarjuna communicated to Rupali.

'Where is my bed?' said Ponty in a deep hoarse voice, 'I'm very sleepy.'

'What happened to your voice?' asked Nishant.

'Where are you from?' asked Rupali.

'One day the whole world will know about me and I promise you all will never forget me. Where's my bed? Is it ready?' Ponty declared haughtily.

Nobody said anything. They all secretly felt that getting Ponty here had been a big mistake.

Everybody in the hall for a moment stood still because of the sudden show of rudeness, but then the variety of war machinery and the wall paintings couldn't hold them still anymore. How could little minds sleep with so much all around to see and experience.

Guru Nagajuna once again reminded Aishwarya about taking care of the children and left to meet the Maharaja.

Vasu and Sonali walked around the royal armory. Vasu began making up stories about the weapons, drawing on his huge memory of comic books. Ramzan and Mutthu G, always around to crack a few jokes, especially about each other, seized the opportunity to walk around too.

Aishwarya and Rupali sat with Alice. Through her sign language Alice was trying to explain the importance of the cross around her neck. Rupali found it interesting to learn that Alice also had a divine symbol like Vasu and it fulfilled all her desires.

While they fussed over an interesting looking catapult, Vasu heard Rupali and Aishwarya talking, 'It will be a difficult job arranging food for so many of them inside this armory. Rani Roopmati is becoming crueler than before and if any of these kids happens to be caught by the ever vigilant guards heavens might turn upside down.'

'Don't worry,' assured Aishwarya, 'they all seem to be sensible and I don't think they'll do any such thing once I explain it to them. Let's talk to them right now.'

Vasu ended his guided tour and everybody joined Aishwarya as she gave them a quick rundown about Rani Roopmati and her dangerous guards. She tried to explain to them why it was important that nobody strayed out of sight.

Vasu's locket was now glowing faintly. The fascinated kids held his locket and examined it closely. They all had a different experience when they touched it. Sukhi felt he was in the Gurudwara near his Amritsar orphanage and was listening to the sacred hymns being sung by the Granthi. Sonali felt she was on top of a tree that was laden with ripe mangoes and tamarinds. She was relishing the taste of sweet mangoes and the tamarinds. Ramzan was cooking the most fragrant biryani for his loved ones. Nishant was watching his painting being carried into a huge museum. Mutthu could imagine the crowd of the whole world, wearing a lungi, bowing before him as he stood atop a high mountain dressed up in a tuxedo while the crowd chanted Mutthu G...Mutthu G...!

Soon everybody lay down on the rugs that Vasu felt was unusually soft and comfortable, unlike its looks. The kids had never before experienced such a wild adventure and their minds simply slipped into dreams still thinking about it. Vasu's mind wandered from one thing to another, trying to remember all the crazy stuff that had taken place in the last few hours. He never realized when his little tired mind dozed off.

Barely had he fallen asleep when he began dreaming. This time he saw the Guru sitting in the courtyard of a small hut. A shadow appeared — Vasu was unable to recognise the person — and a fiery ball sped towards the Guru. It hit him on his chest.... Vasu wished he could shout out and keep the Guru safe, but strangely his voice choked somewhere deep in his chest.

Vasu woke up panting for breath. The fireball had hit the Guru in his dream at exactly the same spot on the chest where Vasu had been hit by Samraat Viraat Shatru's weapon near Mount Sumeru. He was wet with sweat, his heart was pounding heavily against his chest, and his mind had gone blank. He still felt the intense burning sensation of being hit on the chest.

He looked around and found everybody fast asleep except Aishwarya, who was tossing from side to side. 'You're awake. Aren't you?' he whispered and touched her hand softly.

'I want to meet Baba,' she replied with her eyes still closed.

'Didi, I saw the Guru again in my dream,' said Vasu fearfully, 'he was hit on the chest by the same weapon that hit me at Mount Sumeru.'

'You're getting those horrible dreams again.' Said Aishawarya, 'Relax. We are safe here, Guru Nagarjuna will take care of us. Baba will get better...'

'Maybe you're right,' said Vasu thoughtfully, 'Come, let's go to your father's chamber and see how he is doing.' Aishwarya was sick with worry. She just needed to know. Vasu looked around to check if anybody was awake.

'Are you crazy?' asked Aishwarya, surprised at the suggestion even though it meant fulfilling her desire to meet her father, but she was no more an impulsive child and had developed the judgment to control her wild flights of imagination.

'Look, we are not sleeping, right?' pointed out Vasu, 'And you won't sleep till you know if he is all right? Nobody will ever know. Get up and let's go.'

Aishwarya thought for a second. Everything was still and nothing moved. No sound of any guards. Perhaps Vasu is right, just a quick peek, that's all, she thought.

'Didi, I will also come with you,' whispered Sukhwinder, getting up, even before Aishwarya could reply.

Aishwarya and Vasu froze. They had not expected company. 'Lie down and keep quiet. We aren't going anywhere,' she admonished him.

'Oye...one sardar can equal a hundred elephants,' said Sukhi confidently.

'We don't need elephants in the sea,' said Vasu with a smile.

'But an elephant can protect you both,' said Sukhi. He was feeling extremely grateful for being reunited with his friends. After hearing about Rani Roopmati, he had decided that come what he may would go to see her at least once before he was forced to leave the Samudra Mahal. Unfortunately, as he stood up, he kicked the leg of the fellow sleeping beside him.

'Yebrybody is going eh...aaii will also come!' Mutthu G said, getting on to his knees before standing up. 'Aaiiyaiyooji, one sardar will equal a hundred yelliphants, but one anna is necessary ji to save you from that sardar!'

'No, we don't want to go,' said Aishwarya quickly, 'get back into your bed and go to sleep.'

'Mutthu G caan't be fooled. Aaii should wake up Sonali.'

'O...O...OK,' said Vasu quickly, before Anna could act on his threat. 'It's better to have small troubles than to have one Sonali.' Aishwarya's desire to meet her father had now become intense, so keeping her prudent sense aside, she decided to accept Vasu's decision.

As they sneaked out of the room, they did not see Ponty watching them. And Ponty did not see Ramzan watching him. Ponty slid his hand inside his shirt pocket and took out something tiny. He cupped his hand and took it close to his mouth and he whispered something. Ramzan opened his eyes, but didn't move.

Something dark and shiny scuttled across the floor, setting out after the children who had just left. Ramzan saw Ponty's nasty smile and closed his eyes before he was discovered wondering what Ponty was up to.

#  Chapter 16

Vasu, Suhki and Mutthu G, lead by Aishwarya, tiptoed out of the armory taking extra care of not waking up any other overly enthusiastic kid.

'Which door do we go through?' asked Vasu, 'they all look the same.' He regretted having forgotten the door they had used. There were so many doors in the hall, it was good enough to confuse anybody.

'I think that was the one,' Aishwarya pointed at a door, but did not sound sure at all.

'Yebrebody cunphused ji,' said Mutthu G looking the most confused among them all.

'Guru brought us in from that door,' she said, thinking hard to remember any important detail. 'Or was it the next one?'

'Perhaps the next one,' said Vasu.

'Be sure before stepping out,' said Sukhi, 'else we will find ourselves in Rani's prison... maybe her guards would be pleased to chop our heads off.'

'Then why do we have you with us?' replied Vasu in a mock-serious voice, 'You can kill a hundred guards before they get us... like an elephant!'

'Ehey...umm...I mean...that doesn't mean we shouldn't be cautious,' Sukhi gulped. He steadied himself and placed his hand on his kirpan — a small dagger that Sikhs carry all the time. He touched it and felt better, but his heart continued to pound heavily against his chest, because he knew that he was carrying too small a weapon for killing any such fancy number of guards. His hands also felt the small catapult he had with him inside his pocket. It was safe.

'Don't depend upon me,' said Mutthu G, 'I yum not that warrior kiind — I love peace.'

'Will you both stop babbling and let me think,'whispered Vasu angrily. Unable to recall the correct door, Aishwarya and Vasu decided to enter through the one she had chosen earlier. Vasu opened the door slowly and was relieved to find no weapons pointing at them. They entered the brightly lit passage.

'This looks familiar,' Vasu said, trying to sound optimistic.

'But where is the seahorse statue we had to turn to enter Baba's chamber?' Aishwarya asked.

'It's missing,' Vasu stated the obvious, 'instead we have empty pedestals that perhaps had some statue on it. We're for sure in a different passage unless someone has removed the statues.' They tried to tiptoe, but they could still hear their own scraping footsteps.

Sukhi and Mutthu G were following them quietly after being rebuked by Vasu, but their curiosity had not diminished. They reached a door at the end of the passage. 'A dead end!' said Vasu, 'should we go back and choose some other door?'

'Going back could mean waking up the others,' said Aishwarya obviously unhappy at the accompanying baggage in the form of Sukhi and Mutthu.

'Then I'm opening this door,' said Vasu.

'Don't! Wait!' said Aishwarya doubtfully, 'in case somebody has removed the statues, then let's try that pedestal.'

Vasu agreed, they returned to the third pedestal, which Vasu felt had once supported the seahorse statue.

'We pressed the statue to open the door in the wall,' said Vasu, 'now what should be pressed to open the door?' Vasu struggled with the pedestal, while Sukhi and Mutthu G kneeled down trying to find some lever or knob that would open the door, but there was no such thing.

Mutthu even tried to move the pedestal, but it didn't budge an inch. Vasu looked at Aishwarya, shrugging and trying not to look dejected. She shuffled her feet impatiently.

'We should go byack to the haall,'muttered Mutthu G.

'Oye! This sardar will not retreat,' said Sukhi defiantly, he could understand how Aishwarya was feeling. He saw immense frustration in her impatience, and knew he had to help her.

'We've messed up everything,' said Aishwarya, 'l think we should go through that door at the end of the passage. But wait, who knows it could even lead us right into Rani Roopmati's chamber?'

Vasu's eyes gleamed with the excitement of an explorer who was about to find the greatest discovery of his life. Just the idea of meeting the Rani again made him eager for taking on danger.

The spirit of an explorer had descended upon all of them and they decided to explore the passage behind the door. Aishwarya had also forgotten all about the promise she had made to Guru Nagarjuna. They left the pedestal that wouldn't budge and came back to the door at the end of the passage. An unknown fear fluttered took over Vasu and he suddenly felt that he was being followed. He turned around and looked hard at the passage behind them, but failed to see anything. He kept turning around and the only thing he saw was the spotless granite floor and a well-lit passage.

'Are you expecting somebody?' asked Aishwarya after she had seen Vasu turn back many times.

'Who's coming?' asked Sukhi.

'No not really, just being cautious,' Vasu replied trying to look as normal as possible and attempting to hide his apprehension.

Vasu walked ahead to avoid any more questions and to shake off that feeling. He led everybody to the door. It had the familiar 'Yab-Yam' symbols etched on movable plates. Vasu rotated one plate while Aishwarya rotated the other and the moment they united to form one symbol the door slid open smoothly.

Vasu peeped into a dark and dank room. He cautiously put a foot forward, motioning the others to follow him. The moment they all were inside the room, the light, from some unseen source, began increasing in luminosity on its own and soon everything was brightly lit.

What lay around them defied all explanation. 'Why is this room full of so many mirrors?' asked Vasu.

'Maybe it's a storehouse of mirrors in the Palace,' deduced Sukhi.

'But, nobody stores mirrors,' commented Mutthu G. 'And this room is smelly....uuhh!' said Sukhwinder. 'Oye...sambar vadaae it's you who is smelly and making this whole room smell. Have a bath,' said Sukhi.

'Or is it you — Sardarji who has eaten a mooli parotha recently?' replied Mutthu angrily.

'Why would one keep the mirrors here?' asked Vasu, 'All of them are so well-decorated, they look so important. It seems as though they've been removed from somewhere.'

'Precisely!' said Aishwarya as she stood examining closely a few of the elaborately decorated frames of huge mirrors, 'these mirrors adorned the Palace walls inside its rooms. This large one I remember was on the wall inside Maharaja's chamber while that one over there with flowers on its frame was inside my mother's chamber.'

'Oye is this pure gold? Wow!' said Sukhi as he touched the frame of the mirror that had large marigolds sculpted in gold. Sukhi noticed his dastar had become loose so he seized the opportunity to tie his dastar while admiring himself in the mirror, while the others picked their way through the room, examining the fabulous and artistic mirrors of various sizes and shapes. Sukhi pulled out his kirpan and examined it before replacing it in the pouch hanging by his side. Sukhi pulled out a catapult and while looking at his image in the mirror pretended to be aiming for a shot.

Vasu once again felt the sensation of being followed. He tiptoed to the door and peeked outside. The passage was as desolate and silent as it ever was. Aishwarya was feeling nostalgic; she had found a mirror that had her memories all over it.

'This is the mirror that used to be in my room,' said Aishwarya softly.

'Is it?' said Vasu and he also began examining it. Finally, something that he could see and touch which was part of his sister's childhood.

'I have some faint memories of getting dressed in front of this mirror... lots of shiny dresses would be made for me...' said Aishwarya, 'I'd settle for one after rejecting tens of dresses'.

'But who has dumped all these mirrors over here and why?' asked Vasu.

'Lots of mysteries have seeped deep inside the palace and we've a lot to explore,' replied Aishwarya.

'We will find the truth, Didi,' said Vasu.

Mutthu was checking all the mirrors that seemed to have gold frames. 'Aaii yum impressed so much gold. Aaii thinke these mirrors are magical and can lead us to some secret treasure hidden under the Palace ji.' Without waiting for the others to react he started gently pushing at the glass to see if a secret pathway opened up for him.

'Aaii think aaii have found out the door to hidden treasure aaii aaii yo ji,' shouted Mutthu G and began swinging his waist like as though he had a hula-hoop around him.

'What treasure oye?' asked Sukhi.

Mutthu began moving the mirrors. Vasu helped him out as he realized that Mutthu had spotted something behind the mirrors. Aishwarya also lent them a helping hand while Sukhi kept a watch. He wondered why only he could smell the horrible stench and the others just ignored it.

Behind twenty mirrors was a door. Muthhu did his hula-hoop dance again. He was convinced there would be some hidden treasure behind the door. Vasu and Aishwarya looked at each other, they had not expected this. And now suddenly, a sick smell wafted at them from below the door.

The door opened after some heaving and yanking. There was a staircase and an odor so sick that everyone's nose just choked up. Sukhi, the possessor of the most efficient sense of smell in the group, punched the air in triump. 'I told you there was a wicked smell! I smelt it first!'

'Eeekkksss...rotten smell...does this passage lead to the sewage of the Sea Palace?' asked Mutthu as he pulled out his shirt and covered his nose.

'Where is this smell coming from?'asked Vasu, 'its assault on my nose has shriveled the hair inside.'

'Let's find out,' suggested Aishwarya, 'brave the smell.'

'We'll have to be really brave,' taunted Sukhi in a nasal twang pinching his nose, 'facing this smell is no child's play.'

Vasu began climbing the stairs and Aishwarya followed him. Mutthu G also followed her and Sukhi left with no other option, began the climb most unwillingly.

The stairs were slippery and the enclosing walls were damp and rough. The smooth and polished granite of the passages below had given way to raw, roughly chiseled out stony granite on the staircase. It was dark and very little reflected light that could travel from the room of mirrors guided them. The stairs were steep and uneven, making the climb difficult and tiring.

They reached the top panting but the stench made it difficult to breathe. 'Pity we have to breathe air laced with this gangrenous smell,' said Aishwarya. Although everybody agreed with her no one opened his mouth because of the fear of letting in some more foul air.

The top was a rocky platform cut inside a giant cave. The sound of a stream somewhere down below, reached them. After spending a few moments in total darkness, their eyes got used to it and they began to look around.

'Have we reached the burial grounds of the Mahal,' asked Vasu straining his eyes in the dark, 'look, the whole area is strewn over with carcasses of dead creatures from the sea.'

'Disgusting!' said Aishwarya, 'the odor inside Baba's chamber is because of this, I can bet upon it.'

'Perhaps he's ill because of all this filth beneath his palace,' observed Vasu thoughtfully. He began looking around in the dark because his instincts made him feel once again that they were watched.

'But who's killing these animals and for what?' asked Sukhi trying to close his sensitive nostrils with his sleeve.

'The treasure has been stolen and these animals died trying to protect it,' observed Mutthu G, 'aaii have understood yebrything ji.'

Decaying flesh lay strewn all over. 'The animals here are in different stages of decay. Some are just bones, while the others look freshly killed. Had they been killed trying to protect some treasure, as Mutthu feels, then they all should have been killed at the same time and their bodies should be in the same stage of decay, which is not the case,' said Aishwarya. The stream continued to tinkle somewhere close by.

Aishwarya walked around. Vasu and Sukhi followed her. There were body parts of whales, sharks and orcas that could be identified with little difficulty, while many more small and large dead fishes lay rotting that could not be identified howsoever hard one tried. Mutthu stood like a pole driven into the ground – watching them, unable to assimilate the fact that there was no treasure there.

Now the feeling that someone was watching them became too powerful to ignore. Vasu turned around and this time he felt that the light from the room downstairs had just increased. He walked towards the door to investigate and Mutthu G followed him. Aishwarya and Sukhi turned to see where Vasu was going and they also realized the light in the otherwise dark cavern was increasing.

Vasu reached the door and froze.A sound of heavy feet pounding up the stairs grew louder and clearer as Mutthu reached the gate. Vasu screamed, 'RUN!' Mutthu froze where he was, so Vasu had to pull him by his elbow.

'What is it?' asked Sukhi.

Mutthu G, who was being pulled, had no control over his own legs, collided with Sukhi and both of them crashed to the floor like bowling pins.

'What happened?' asked Aishwarya unable to understand the cause of panic.

The bluish white light increased so much in intensity that the whole area was bathed in its fluorescence. The clamor of thumping feet became louder now. It sounded as if a battleship with feet was coming up the stairs and was using powerful lights to guide itself. Mutthu tried to get up but the tremors in his legs caused him to slip once again and he fell over Sukhi. Vasu pulled up Mutthu and Sukhi sprang up with the agility of an athlete.

'Get up quickly you bum, and run as fast as you can,' shouted Vasu trying to pull up Mutthu.

He tried getting up, but he felt a sharp pain in his knee that perhaps had hit the floor when he fell like a log. 'Aahh!' Mutthu cried out in agony, 'aaii have a broken knee.'

Vasu sat down to have a look at Mutthu's injured knee and Aishwarya rushed to help him out. Through the corner of his eye, Vasu saw Sukhi running towards the door to investigate the source of the sound and light show. Vasu felt the area around Mutthu's knee and found it swollen and bruised, but fortunately the bones were intact and all he needed was a little courage to use it again and bear the pain.

'Try to get up Mutthu,' said Aishwarya, patting his back encouragingly and supporting his back, 'come on be brave.'

'If you want to be alive,' said Vasu, 'get up and run.' If fear can make you fumble then it surely can make your limbs act fast and so it did. Mutthu got up groaning. Aishwarya's encouraging pat had given him enough mental strength to bear the pain with a feeble but strongly forced smile. No man howsoever young wants himself to be seen lying helpless and injured in front of a lady. The thumping of feet had reached a deafening proportions and the cavern had lit up like the sun had risen there.

Sukhi's vision and reflexes were singed! It took more than a few moments for him to regain his lost reflexes, before deciding to run for his life. As Vasu and Aishwarya helped Mutthu, Sukhi came back running and shouting at the top of his voice, 'Oye...save your life...run. Get up and run Mutthu G. Men do not feel any pain-shain.' He helped Vasu and Aishwarya get Mutthu on his feet.

Vasu looked back and saw giant pincer claws enter the room, followed by a large head and red eyes. 'What creature is this!' Vasu exclaimed and Aishwarya shrieked. Vasu began dragging Mutthu as fast as he could manage and kept one of his eyes on the menace that followed.

A giant fluorescent scorpion stood there, its eight legs as thick as pillars, its massive pincer claws looked like they could crush a building, and its huge red sting sitting atop its multi-segmented tail was curved forwards. They could feel its nasty breath that was as foul as the surrounding corpses. Its fluorescence lit up the whole cavern and for the first time Vasu could see the details of the place they were in.

'How could we not realise we were being followed by such a big monster?' thought Vasu as he and Aishwarya pulled Mutthu G and looked for some kind of cover. From the very beginning of their mission, Vasu had felt they had been followed, but he could not have missed such a huge creature behind them!

'How did it appear so suddenly?' he thought, but there was hardly any time to think of an answer. Preserving their own life was their immediate priority.

The scorpion increased its lumiscence, turned its head and looked at its fleeing prey. It moved towards them, gathering speed and opened its claws, ready to pounce upon them.

With the outlandish luminescent scorpion on their trail, Vasu realized they would not be able to outrun the monster. They were on a flat rocky surface and the roof was very high. There were rocks protruding from the walls of the cave, but there was nothing big enough to hide behind. Sukhwinder had gained a lead and was looking for some kind of weapon.

The sound of the stream seemed to have gotten louder too, and Vasu saw the cave ended at the edge of a gorge. The sound of the stream rose up the gorge...

If we can make it to the stream and jump into it, maybe we can escape, thought Vasu and he began running towards the gorge. How deep could a gorge be?

Mutthu G tried to appear manly while running, but it was the fear of being attacked by the pursuing scorpion that forced him to forget about his pain and run with Sukhi, Vasu and Aishwarya.

Suddenly, Vasu, Aishwarya, and Mutthu felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck them. They found themselves entrapped and encircled by the giant pincer claws of the fluorescent scorpion and their eyes were blinded by the excessive light. Mutthu slipped out and fell with a thud on the ground and screamed in terror. Aishwarya and Vasu held each other's hands tightly. Vasu could feel the foul breath of the beast and felt his skin would shrivel and peel off if he had to endure it for some more time. He wished he had brought some kind of a weapon from the armory to fight.

Helpless, Aishwarya adopted the last resort and began screaming as loud as she could hoping to scare off the scorpion. She wished that she could reach for the matchbox and call Agni Putra to help them. Mutthu G followed her cue and began crying as loudly as he could. A screaming match ensued. The creature stood motionless for a moment and Vasu felt that their screams had scared it, but instead it was meticulously choosing its victim as it aimed its sting.

Sukhi pulled out his catapult and shot a large pebble at the creature.

Vasu opened his eye and saw the reddish glow of the scorpion sting heading straight towards him and he closed his eyes. _If I could recall one of those shlokas and kill this monster..._ thought Vasu.

Sukhi's shot hit the creature in the eye. Sparks errupted and the agony made its whole body wriggle. The sting missed Vasu, but the tail hit the wall causing a huge blast that melted the rock. Surrounded by the protective ring of the pincer claws of the creature they were saved from the molten rock.

Success breeds confidence. Sukhi confidently loaded his catapult once again with a larger stone and took his second shot that found its target in the second eye of the scorpion. The wiggling scorpion loosened its pincers, and staggered towards Sukhi.

Now they were free, but Sukhi was in deep trouble. Vasu, grabbed Mutthu's hand and Aishwarya grabbed the other and they stumbled once again towards the gorge. 'Sukhi! Run towards the gorge,' called out Vasu. Early success breeds overconfidence.

Vasu feared Sukhi had been overtaken by overconfidence when he saw him standing unfazed aiming a third shot at the creature. 'Don't be silly – run – save your life,' shouted Vasu. When Sukhi did not even blink, Vasu looked at Aishwarya, 'Could you pull Mutthu along. I must help Sukhi.' Vasu left them and ran towards Sukhwinder. Aishwarya and Mutthu ran towards the gorge as fast as they could.

Sukhi's third shot hit the tip of the sting of the creature that made the creature mad with rage. It swayed its tail menacingly and advanced quickly towards Sukhi determined to avenge the indignation it had suffered.

Sukhi saw that Vasu was coming back to save him, but this altruism could prove costly for him because the creature could anytime turn back to attack following Vasu. Because of the threat to Vasu's life Sukhi reconsidered his decision to teach the creature a lesson.

'Vasu — go and save Aishwarya and Mutthu,' he shouted, 'don't worry about me. This monster shall not catch me.' Sukhi started running towards the gorge with the scorpion in hot pursuit. After being hit in each eye, the scorpion was unable to stay on the path, it tripped over the rotten carcasses and attacked rocks, mistaking it to be Sukhi or Vasu.

Panting for breath, they all reached the edge of the gorge and hugged each other hoping that the scorpion didn't find them, but the creature still had other senses functioning, apart from the lost vision and was heading towards them.

'Jump!' Vasu called out.

'From the frying pan to the fire! From the boat into the deep sea! Nothing could be worse than this,' said Aishwarya.

'Aaaiii yum not jumping ji,' said Mutthu G.

'Oye jump — else the monster will finish you off!' said Sukhi and he held Vasu's hand and Aishwarya's. They were holding Mutthu. 'BoleSo-Nihaal!' shouted Sukhi and dragged all of them with him to the edge of the gorge. The scorpion swung at them with the sting glowing red. Sukhi jumped off pulling everybody along with him. The echo of Sukhi's war cry rang out for a long time.

#  Chapter 17

Badly battered Aishwarya, Vasu, Sukhwinder, and Mutthu G walked back to the armory four hours after they had left.

Aishwarya was upset at having failed to meet her father, Mutthu limped, his bruises had dampened his enthusiasm about looking for treasure, Sukhi was still elated that he had managed to fight away the scorpion and save his friends. Vasu felt humbled that he had friends who would die to protect him.

Vasu had not got over the horror of having lived through a nightmare. Once they had jumped into the river, he had struggled hard to pull them along against the rapid current of the river. Thankfully, the river was deep enough to save them from a painful sudden death after such a high fall.The swift waters took them rapidly away from the cave and they reached the Tri-Veni fountain. From there Aishwarya and Vasu managed to reach the armory without being spotted by any of the guards.

Aishwarya and Vasu sneaked into the armory followed by Sukhi and Mutthu only to find Guru Nagarjuna comforting Alice. Alice was sobbing, and Guru Nagarjuna was patting her to sleep.

'Where have you all been?' snapped Guru Nagarjuna, 'Aishwarya! I thought you were more responsible! You've led a pack of adventure seeking kids into the Palace. Do you realise how serious such a misadventure could prove for these kids? Alice woke up crying, and there was nobody around to calm her. What if someone had heard her?'

Vasu stood beside Aishwarya facing Guru Nagaruna's wrath. Sukhi shuffled his feet to hide behind Mutthu G while Mutthu hid behind Vasu. Alice had stopped crying and only an occasional snort of her choked nose could be heard. Vasu had never seen Guru Nagarjuna in such a foul mood. He studied the frown on Guru's forehead and the way his beard moved as he thought, 'Why do Gurus have a long beard? And where is the den of that scorpion?'

He felt envious of the other kids who were sleeping peacefully and fond memories of the way he used to sleep without a care in the world, in the Laxmi Narayan Temple at Allahabad took over his mind. Guru Nagarjuna continued his discourse on what he expected from them and how their conduct should be. Alice sat quietly beside him for some time waiting probably for a few more soothing words from Guru Nagarjuna, but got none. She then got up and hugged Aishwarya close to her waist and in return got the loving caress she needed so badly.

To preach discipline in a dry and harsh manner is easy, but it is the friendly and loving reproach that melts the ice of stubborn indiscipline.

'Off to your beds now,' said Guru Nagarjuna loudly and the words managed to reach Vasu making him aware of where he was, 'I don't want any one of you roaming around like insomniacs in the corridors of the Palace.'

Vasu felt relieved and saw it reflected on Sukhi and Mutthu G's faces. Aishwarya and Alice trudged towards the other sleeping kids. Vasu nodded at Sukhi and Mutthu to be replied with a wink from Mutthu and Sukhwinder. Vasu controlled his smile with difficulty and they all were back into their bed trying hard to stay awake, but tiredness swept all of them into the depths of sleep.

Guru Nagarjuna left the armory for his room and a familiar scorpion, no longer fluorescent, but hurt and battered, normal in size, sneaked in between his feet into the armory. It crawled back into Ponty's pocket.

Thoughts of all kinds invaded Vasu's mind. He was unable to understand why Guru Nagarjuna had not bothered to take Aishwarya with him, it was obvious she would want to see her Baba. And now instead of being compassionate, he had been so angry. What was with the adults? 'They can do anything they want and go anywhere they want, but us kids can't,' thought Vasu. He recalled the escape from the scorpion. Sleep overtook Vasu, but the flow of his endless thoughts continued in his dreams. To imagine the travails of an adult were beyond the scope of Vasu's little mind to understand.

Vasu could see himself walking along the banks of the river Ganga at Allahabad. His pockets were full of coins that he had retrieved from the depths of water. Street ruffians accosted him and demanded the money he had in his pockets. Vasu protested and refused to part with his hard-earned money. The ruffians were more than glad to pick up a fight. One of the biggest boys hit him on the side of the head and tried to snatch the locket. Vasu fell on the ground pinned under the boys. Helpless, Vasu mumbled a Sanskrit sholka which had a dramatic effect! The bully was thrown off into the river, but by whom? The dolphins there proceeded to beat the bully with their tail. A large crowd of curious onlookers collected near the bank to enjoy the scene.

Vasu mumbled the Sanskrit shloka and once again it had a magical effect. This time it was Ponty who woke up from his sleep. Trembling like a leaf in the storm he stood up drenched in his sweat. Everybody else around him was fast asleep and Ponty didn't know what hell had struck him. Suddenly the dark scorpion climbed out of his pocket and fell on the ground shaking violently as if it had been struck by an epileptic fit.

Vasu slept like a dead hog unaware of Ponty's plight. His dream took him once again into an ashram where a bearded Guru, bearing a peaceful countenance, sat performing a havan yagya inside his cottage beside a large meadow with grazing deer at distance. A young lad peeped into the cottage and after having reassured himself that the Guru was all alone, stood at the threshold of the cottage gate.

Vasu stood beside the Guru and all he could see was a silhouette against the bright sunlight outside. Guru continued with his havan yagya adding ahuti to the yagya fire and chanting shlokas in Sanskrit. The dark figure stood for a while observing the Guru. He then moved his left hand in a circular movement like a classical dancer trying to perfect some hand movements and conjured a fireball out of nowhere and hurled it towards the Guru. The unprovoked sudden attack took the Guru by surprise and he hardly had any time to defend himself. Vasu saw the fireball hit him on his chest. He fell to the floor yelling in agony. As death seemed imminent, the Guru uttered the same Sanskrit shloka and Vasu mumbled a repetition of those words in his sleep.

Ponty who had overcome the shaking, trembling and sweating fit until then was once again struck with a more severe attack of crippling pain and he writhed in pain. The scorpion curled up twisted like a spring and rolled in agony. Ponty unable to bear the torture began screaming his lungs out. The other kids snapped out of their slumber and screamed before trying to understand what was happening.

Vasu got up and jumped out of his skin at the sight of poor Ponty screaming, shaking and rolling in pain. He rushed to help him. Sukhi woke up and thought Ponty was playing a joke on them. He laughed as Ponty shuddered and trembled.

Ramzan woke up and saw Ponty shaking like a leaf in a storm. He felt somewhere deep inside that the mischief Ponty had indulged in before going to sleep had some wild connection with all his suffering, though he preferred to keep quiet.

'Aaii aaii yo... this ij epilepsy ji...aaii have seen this in the orphanage,' Mutthu G couldn't keep quiet. He got up and offered his confident diagnosis of Ponty's malady, 'this will make him better.' He picked up his shoe from beside the mattress and rushed to keep it over Ponty's nose– a sure shot indigenous remedy for all epilepsy patients in India!

Unable to understand much, Alice woke up Aishwarya, the eldest amongst them all. Ramzan, Nishant, Sonali, David stood around Ponty while Mutthu G tried desperately to make Ponty sniff his shoes. Nishant tried to take away Sonali's shoes, because he felt that Ponty could only be revived if he sniffed a girl's shoe. Vasu sat beside Ponty and was rubbing his hands to give some warmth.

'What happened?' asked Aishwarya, but nobody seemed to be free to reply to her.

She bent close to Vasu and repeated her question.

'No idea,' said Vasu, 'got up to find him shaking and screaming.'

'Leave him alone,' said Aishwarya, but her command failed to evoke any response. Everybody was busy trying to heal Ponty.

Nishant was trying to shove Sonali's shoes below Ponty's nose and if at all Ponty had opened his mouth the shoe in all probability would have been shoved inside his mouth. Mutthu G without bothering about his swollen knee was babbling about the harmful effects of uncontrolled epilepsy and declared that Ponty would soon be dead. Sonali was struggling to get her shoe back from Sukhi.

'I said leave him alone,' shouted Aishwarya at the top of her voice and it had the desired effect.

The shouting and wild suggestions stopped suddenly and silence fell. Ponty stopped screaming, but groaned. Nishant stood frozen in his place and Sonali pulled her shoe back from his hand. Disgruntled, Mutthu G stopped his epilepsy therapy discourse and moved aside making space for Aishwarya.

'You are feeling OK. Aren't you?' asked Aishwarya as Ponty opened his eyes. 'Did anybody trouble you Ponty?'

Ponty peeped through the slit of his eyelids and saw anxious eyes and puzzled faces all around. He nodded his head in reply to Aishwarya's first question and kept quiet.

'Did any one of you play a trick on him?' asked Aishwarya angrily, trying to pick out the culprit with her eyes.

'No Didi,' said Sonali, 'his screams woke us up —nobody did anything.'

Vasu still sat holding Ponty's hand thinking about the dreams he had seen. The skin over his chest still ached and burned as if he had been hit by something hot. 'Who could be the Guru in the dream? I've seen him hit the second time. Why do I feel the pain in my chest?'

'Are you alright?' asked Aiswarya and that broke Vasu's stream of puzzling thoughts.

'Ah...oh yes I'm fine.'

'Come on kids. Let's not trouble Ponty anymore. Everybody, back into your place and sleep well,' said Aishwarya.

Everybody returned to their respective places on the weed mats. Vasu also lay down quietly. Sukhi and Mutthu made themselves comfortable on either side of Vasu and soon nobody was awake except Ponty.

Never before had Ponty had ever suffered from such severe agony and humiliation. He lay brooding about the possible cause of such a fit, but could not understand anything. He remembered something and began looking for it inside his pocket. The pocket was empty and checked in the other pockets too. He checked the mattress as well. Finally, his hands closed around something on the floor. He lifted it and touched it all over. The scorpion was dead.

The poor creature, battered as it was, didn't have enough strength to bear the brunt of the shlokas Vasu had uttered in his sleep. Ponty managed to survive by the skin of his teeth because Vasu woke up and couldn't complete the shloka. Ponty looked towards Vasu and sneered. He placed the dead scorpion on his open palm and blew on it. The body of the dead scorpion turned into dust that blew away into the darkness of the armory.

Next morning Alice was the first to get up, she hurried to Ponty. She placed her little warm hand of concern on his forearm and felt the comfort his troubled face reflected. Ponty, already awake, tired of keeping his eyes shut, opened them and sneered. Alice sprang away.

The rustling sound of the weed mattresses caused by Alice woke up everyone and the others lying in various shapes and postures began moving and stretching themselves. David banged his leg on Mutthu's chest kickstarting his day. Mutthu jumped out of his sleep screaming in fear, which rattled all others out of their slumber except Vasu who still lay rolled up like a millipede snoring lightly with a smile. Aishwarya poked Vasu to get up and looked at Mutthu G.

Vasu rubbed his eyes and stretched. Ramzan, David, Mutthu and Alice sat beside Ponty; Sonali got up with a wide but quickly curtailed yawn. Nishant sat quietly watching Ponty intently searching answers to many questions floating in his eyes.

'Oye Vasu! You went for a hike inside the Palace and didn't bother to take me along,' said Sonali as soon as her eyes picked out Vasu. 'Thank your stars that you weren't with us,' replied Sukhi. 'Ask

Mutthu G and look at his knee. Imagine having a knee swollen like that.'

Vasu sensed her eagerness to be with them as much as he could feel the regret she portrayed at having been left behind.

'Aaaii yo ji the Scorpion would've eaten you up,' said Mutthu, 'I managed to save all of them.' He boasted shamelessly and blew air on his inflamed knee.

'We were on no hike,' interrupted Vasu trying to instill some seriousness into the purpose of a midnight sortie inside the Palace, 'Didi wanted to see Maharaja and we accompanied her.' Vasu looked at Mutthu's bruised knee and felt sorry for all the agony he was suffering. 'Could you give him some medicine to soothe the pain?' he asked Aishwarya.

'I suppose he is a doctor himself,' said Sonali, 'he should try his own medicine – maybe it's the only thing that'll work on him.' She pulled out her shoe and got up to make him smell it.

'Stop it! I said stop it,' said Vasu angrily, 'he's injured his knee badly and you're behaving in such a reckless manner.' His words had the desired impact and Sonali dropped the shoe and wiggled out her tongue at Mutthu. 'He tried this treatment last night on Ponty, but there is a difference between helping innocently and deliberate humiliation, isn't there?'

Sonali slumped like a melting ice-cream and sat beside Ramzan. Mutthu stopped contorting his face and fixed his gaze on Vasu.

'Had it not been for the sheer presence of mind of my brave friend Sukhwinder,' continued Vasu in a style befitting that of the commander of a ship, he patted Sukhi's, 'None of us would have returned alive.' Flattered, Sukhi took a deep breath and with a swollen chest already bursting full of pride looked around seeking more flattery but instead met with an upturned nose and a wriggling tongue. Sonali and Alice were not impressed. Ponty's frustrated sneer largely remained unnoticed, but Vasu sensed it. 'I also feel sorry for the inconvenience caused to Ponty.' Ponty ignored the apology. His mind was weaving up something else.

'We mustn't forget the untold danger we all live under at this moment,' said Aishwarya, 'Sukhwinder is brave, but bravery without restraint is perilous. Had it not been for his shooting skills the deadly scorpion would have killed all of us.'

Ponty's ears went crimson with anger when he learnt that it was Sukhi's shots that had blinded his dear scorpion. No one noticed when Guru Nagarjuna slipped into the armory.

Guru Nagarjuna called out and took everybody with surprise, 'Rupali will be coming with food and then I have some great plans for you all.'

Guru Nagarjuna looked refreshed. His beard had been neatly combed and he had probably forgotten everything about the night before. Rupali arrived a little later and brought with her a bag full of something like looked like cake. This also tasted like seaweeds, but nobody was complaining. Was it because they were getting used to the taste, or because of the intense hunger, Vasu couldn't really understand. Ponty, unable to control his hunger as well as his ego, decided to give up his ego at least for some time and joined the group. Hunger brings out the animal in everybody.

'Are you guys not hungry?' Guru Nagarjuna asked Vasu, 'or do you need some special invitation for having your food?'

'Mutthu G is hurt,' replied Vasu.

Guru Nagarjuna and Rupali examined Mutthu's knee and made him a special herb mixture. 'You still don't look at ease,' Guru Nagarjuna observed.

Vasu nodded, 'Once again I saw the same old dream I saw earlier when those boys beat me up in Allahabad. I saw the same Guru performing a havan-yagya, but this time I also saw a young boy attack him with a weapon very similar to the one with which Samraat had attacked me. It hit the Guru on his chest and I could feel his agony in my chest. How could it be possible to feel somebody else's pain? I know I said the same shloka, and this time it was Ponty who suffered because of it. Why do I utter such shlokas in my sleep and do not remember a word of it when I get up?'

'So that was the reason why Ponty was sulking...Now, tell me Vasu, did you really see a Guru with a beard and wearing a white dhoti being hit by the Sarvanash — are you sure?' asked Guru Nagarjuna. 'Why would the shloka uttered by Vasu have such an effect upon Ponty?' pondered Guru Nagarjuna in his thoughts.

'You know that I don't lie,' said Vasu, 'What a name! Sarvanash! It certainly lives up to its name.'

'Oh! It's very strange for you to see the Guru in your dreams, somebody you don't know and then to feel his pain in your chest.'

'It's the result of having read too many comics,' Remarked Aishwarya with a smile.

'It's no joke! I'm serious,' said Vasu in a protest, 'why do I not remember that Sanskrit shloka when I wake up? In Allahabad, the bully got thrown into the river and was thrashed by dolphins, but why did Ponty suffer last night because I mumbled the same shloka in my sleep?'

'Don't tell me that the shloka troubled Ponty. When did it happen?'

'Last night,' replied Vasu, 'he had a fit because of my shloka. Why should I be causing all this trouble for others?'

'How is it that you recall the shloka only while you are asleep?' asked Sukhwinder, 'you should've recalled it when that scorpion was after us.'

'I don't know, but whenever I see that Guru saying that Shloka, I start mumbling it after him and can't remember it once I wake up.'

'The fireball is called Sarvanash and it is Samraat Viraat Shatru's favorite weapon. It's infallible and as a rule always kills once he shoots it. You are the first one ever to survive that weapon and it's the power of the divine locket hanging on your chest that saved you. It not only saved your life but also doubled the strength of Sarvanash before sending it back towards Samraat Viraat Shatru.'

Mutthu G had finished eating the herbs and his knee had stopped hurting. Vasu, like all others, was engrossed in listening to Guru Nagarjuna's revelation when he felt Mutthu's hand over his chest trying to feel the locket under it. 'Don't you touch it; who knows what all it can do? Don't blame me if it shoots off some lightning!' said Vasu scaring off Mutthu.

'Oye! Then why didn't you fire this on that scorpion?' asked Sukhi.

'Scorpion! Inside the Samudra Mahal – unbelievable,' said Guru Nagarjuna, 'how is it possible? I think you all are dreaming a lot these days. Have some rest and let your mind attain peace so that you are not plagued by such nightmares. That holds for your friends as well.'

'But Guruji....' Began Sukhwinder, but Vasu pinched his toe and winked at him. Mutthu also saw this and understood the implied meaning.

'Then could I ask something else?' asked Vasu before Aishwarya could say anything, 'Why did Sarvanash injure Samraat and then kill Sandy and later hit the boat?' Vasu had realised there was no point in telling the whole story of the scorpion attack because Guru Nagarjuna wouldn't believe it or would be very angry at them if he did.

'After the divine locket touched Sarvanash and doubled its strength, it went and hit Samraat who had enough powers only to survive its onslaught. He could absorb only half of its energy while the remaining half injured him badly and then it proceeded to kill the Sandy, but even after that it had enough energy to destroy the boat.'

'Oye khotya...' exclaimed Sukhi and smacked Mutthu's injured knee, making him yell, 'didn't I tell you our boat had been hit by an underwater missile.'

'Sukhi, be careful with his leg. Poor Mutthu! Are you OK?' said Guru Nagarjuna.

'Go and have your food before nothing remains and soon after that we'll be leaving for the sea,' said Guru Nagarjuna, 'Hurry up we don't have much time.' As they all got up to leave Guru Nagarjuna asked Aishwarya to stay behind for a while. Vasu also wanted to stay behind and listen, but Guru Nagarjuna didn't ask him to stop. He felt a little let down in front of his friends, but walked away feigning a smile.

'I saw Maharaja this morning before I came here. His health is deteriorating fast. I have applied the medication from Mount Sumeru, but it can only delay the inevitable and not cure the malady,' said Guru Nagajuna softly, 'Samraat was right. It's his dark power that makes Maharaja sick.'

'Can I see him tonight,' asked Aishwarya. 'Perhaps is that the reason why none of your medication worked on him? Isn't there anything we could do to cure him?'

'I think the Matsya Temple is our last hope. It is deep inside the ocean, far away from the Mahal.'

'Is the deity there known to cure illnesses of these sort?

'Not really! A fabled divine herb is said to grow there.'

'Oh! No. Not again. Herbs are doing no good to him. Try to fetch some wizard exponent of dark magic who could break Viraat Shatru's charm.'

'It's not one more herb, Aishwarya. It is the Sanjeevani Booti!'

'What Booti?'

'Sanjeevani Booti. Shri Hanuman had brought that booti to cure Lakshman when he was hit by a dark weapon thrown at him by Ravan in the great epic battle of Ramayan.'

'Was Lakshman cured?'

'He was cured and went on to win the war with Ravan. It's the same booti that grows in the Matsya temple.'

'Did Sri Hanuman get it from the Matsya Temple?'

'No, in those olden days it grew in the Himalayas. Hanuman could not identify the Booti hence he carried the whole mountain to Lanka.'

'How could he carry the whole mountain? How come now the Booti grows in the Matsya Temple under the sea?'

'While the mountain with the Booti was being carried by Shri Hanuman to Lanka, some of it fell into the ocean and the Matsya Lord gave it a place inside his temple. It grows there since then. The original Booti atop that mountain was destroyed once it reached Lanka from the Himalayas.'

'Do you really think it will work?'

'Why should it not? When it could cure Lakshman from a dark charm of Ravan, so will it cure our Maharaja Siddhivarun from the dark charm of Viraat Shatru', said Guru Nagarjuna.

'Then let's leave for the Matsya Temple tonight.'

'It's a long journey and needs lots of preparation.I do not know anyone who has undertaken this journey, especially not with so many dangers around. I need to provide for these kids as well. We can't leave them behind in the Palace and to take them along also means preparing them for this arduous exercise. That I want to do in right earnest.'

'Before we leave, when can I get to meet Baba?'

'He's guarded and nobody is allowed inside his chambers without Rani Roopmati's permission. Maybe in a day or two I should be able to manage it.'

'Guruji, why aren't there any mirrors anywhere?' asked Aishwarya.

'Rani Roopmati had long ago ordered that all the mirrors in the Palace be removed. Nobody is allowed to bring mirrors inside the Palace and offenders are condemned to death. Don't you try to get any mirror,' he warned. 'Now listen, I didn't let Vasu listen to us now, because he has developed a habit of bragging before his friends, and I suspect there is something fishy about that boy Ponty. Keep a watch on him and don't let out this plan till the last moment.'

Vasu tucked into a good breakfast, but his mind was on Guru Nagarjuna and Aishwarya's conversation. By looking at them, he tried to guess what they were talking about. Why wasn't he allowed to be a part of it? 'Have I become an outcast?' Vasu thought.

'Listen all of you; I want you to change your clothes. Rupali has some suits that will protect you from the salt water. I'll show you how to remain underwater for a prolonged period. Don't forget your whale milk potion dose and carry a pouch full of it with you.'

A flurry of excitement swept the kids and it was received enthusiastically by everyone except Vasu who was sore about not being considered close enough by Guru Nagarjuna.

#  Chapter 18

The kids were so excited the whole day that it was impossible to do anything. Aishwarya had imagined having a sort of quick workshop on telepathy, so they could all be in touch. But what with figuring out how to have a bath without being caught by palace guards, and a rapidfire round of questions about who was who and what had happened when, the only thing that got done by the end of the day was that Aishwarya and Vasu had hoarse throats.

Another day drew to a close and it was with dire threats that the children agreed to at least lie down on the mattress if not sleep. So much had happened ever since the kids had left Allahabad that they had more questions than information. Vasu was so busy explaining things in his own superhero style that he only remembered late at night that he had not seen Ponty through the day. But when he looked, there he was, sleeping on the mattress buried under a heap of weeds to keep him warm... maybe he wasn't well, Vasu thought, feeling guilty about the fit that Ponty had suffered, and left it at that.

Aishwarya was not getting any sleep. She was afraid she wasn't really taking good care of her young friends. And the worry that her father was so close by and yet she was unable to help him, made her feel so bad that she was really not able to even close her eyes.

She turned her head and saw Vasu was awake as well.

Through their mind they had a quick conversation. They would try to see the Maharaja again. They slowly got up and found that David, Ramzan, Nishant, Sonali, Sukhi and Mutthu G were awake too. They took this to be some kind of signal and got up too. Aishwarya spoke in Vasu's mind, 'Listen, we had better abandon this idea again.'

Vasu replied, 'Didi, we needed help yesterday, believe it or not.' Aishwarya nodded.

Except for Alice, they all set off very silently this time. They completely forgot all about Ponty. But their luck did not change for the better. They stood in the passage unable to figure out which door led where. Mutthu decided to try all the doors one by one and rule out once and for all those that led to dead ends.

Sukhwinder, the brains, couldn't think of a better idea, so that's what they had to do. After two hours, they were exhausted, cranky, and absolutely frustrated.

Finally, they entered what they promised each other would be the last door for the night. The first thing they noticed was two holes of light at eye-level emanating from a wall. Vasu crept closer, while Sukhi kept an eye on the door and the passage.

Vasu peeped into the holes and nearly shouted. There was Guru Nagarjuna sitting with Rani Roopmati! He blinked hard, shook his head, pinched himself and tried again! No, his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. He looked at Aishwarya and beckoned her closer. 'Don't make a sound,' he warned her in her mind.

That made Aishwarya more apprehensive. What would she see?

She watched Rani Roopmati and Guru Nagarjuna were arguing about something. Rani Roopmati walked around the room, saying something, and Guru Nagarjuna did not take his eyes off her! Vasu and Mutthu tried to lean against the wall to at least hear what was going on.

Very faintly the voices reached them. And it seemed to be the worst thing that had ever happened yet.

Guru Nagarjuna was telling Rani Roopmati where the children were. He did not lie, he did not even try to protect the kids, he seemed to be boasting about the fact the kids were unaware of what was happening, and that they were 'safe' in the armory.

'That's brilliant,' Rani Roopmati said, her voice as sugary as ever.

'Let's go pay them a visit shall we? Or, should I send for them? After all, they are kids, they should come visit their elders, no?'

Aishwarya did not wait for another moment. She turned and ran down the passage, followed closely by the boys. They burst into the armory and called out, 'Ponty! Alice! Come on! Come on! Not a moment to lose! Come on!!!'

Alice snapped awake and jumped to her feet. Ponty's bed was empty. A heap of blankets and rugs were all they could find. The fear on Vasu's face as well as Mutthu's made all the children hyper. 'Don't ask questions. Quick. We will get caught. They know! Let's go!' Vasu kept repeating.

The children had no bags, no belongings, they were ready to run.

#  Chapter 19

Vasu and Aishwarya stood at the door of the armory trying to focus on Rupali. She was the only one who could help them now.

'What is it Princess? Is something the matter?' Rupali's voice spoke in Aishwarya's mind.

'Yes! We are in trouble! Hurry!' Aishwarya said.

Vasu added, 'Do not communicate with Guru Nagarjuna, he told Rani Roopmati where we are. Don't trust him!' 'I'll be there in a second,' Rupali said quickly.

'Where do we go, Aish?' Vasu asked.

'To the Matsya Temple, Vasu, we need to go there. Find that herb, and make sure that my father is strong again. Once he is, we have nothing to fear. If we run away now, we will keep running.' Vasu nodded.

The other children heard all this and nodded. They desperately wanted to rest, settle down, take stock of their new surroundings and make new friends, but this was just one adventure after the other. What could they do, but tag along, and hope they were of help. They stood near the door, miserable but brave.

'Oye, where's that Ponty again? Why does he keep disappearing?' Sukhi muttered.

'He was sleeping under that heap of weeds. Go fetch him,' said Vasu.

The search party found their target quickly. Instead of being under the heap of seaweed as Vasu had said, Ponty was found sitting behind a pillar in the darkest corner of the armory. 'Arre! You want to work here as a guard? Come on! Can't you hear us yelling and screaming? We are not safe here!' Sukhi grumbled.

'You go, am not coming!' Ponty said.

'What do you mean, Ponty?' Vasu asked.

Ponty took one look at Vasu and hesitated. If he went with him, then the locket... that damned locket... 'Ok fine, I am coming.' 'We are honoured ji,' Mutthu G muttered.

'Didi who told you about this Matsya temple?' asked Vasu.

'We're going to the Matsya Temple. Aren't we?' asked Ponty with great curiosity.

Suddenly Aishwarya recalled Guru Nagarjuna's warning. She didn't understand why Guruji was double-crossing them. But under the given circumstances there was no point staying back and getting arrested. It was better to run away and try something at the Matsya Temple and hope everything turns out fine. With these thoughts filling her mind she said, 'Don't ask too many questions. I have explained everything to Rupali and depend on her for all the help.'

'Vasu, listen, I know you do not know how to get to the Matsya Temple, but you must go there. Rupali will give Manta and Babloo directions. I will stay here, someone has to keep an eye on my father. Send me your thoughts, I know I am asking you to do a lot for me. But, as my father's daughter and the righteous heir of the kingdom, I must be responsible for its welfare. Hurry now, and be safe.'

Vasu felt tears well up in his eyes, 'Aish Didi, you have taken care of me with such love, you need not ask me. I would do anything to make you happy, and your father's health is my concern too. Do not worry, we have so many brave friends. I will return soon. You take care, but I have one request, please keep Alice with you. She loves you and I do not know how to take care of someone so young and fragile.'

Aishwarya nodded. Alice made a face. She wanted to go on that mission for Aishwarya, but staying back with her inside the Palace and caring for her father was equally fulfilling.

Rupali glided into the armory, 'Come on everyone, we cannot waste a moment. Aishwarya, you and Alice will come with me.'

Merely twenty minutes later, Guru Nagarjuna rushed into the armory and was shocked to see it completely empty. The mattresses had disappeared, as had the slippers and the odds and ends that the kids had left lying around.

'Vasu! Aishwarya! Mutthu!? Where are you all now! Come on out! Vasu? Aishwarya?' Guru Nagarjuna ran from one end of the armory to the other, trying to find the children, or at least some sign of the children.

'Well! Well! Well! Look who we have here! Fancy meeting you here, oh great and loyal healer! And who is Vasu? Aishwarya? That wouldn't be the long-lost princess would it? So you hid that Bhoomivaasi boy here all these years ehh...'

Guru Nagarjuna turned around and saw the man who had always wanted to get him locked up. Senapati Vajreshwar!

'As I was saying Guru Nagarjuna, I have a lot of questions to ask you, and if it so turns out that you do not have the answers, I also have ways to make you talk! Come on now, _Guru_ Nagarjuna! The Royal Rascal.'

Even as Guru Nagarjuna was being led to prison, the children had made their way outside the palace. Rupali was truly a very resourceful guide. She knew all the nooks and crannies and where they could hide, she knew the most secret passageways, and that is how the children managed to get out of the dome without being detected by the palace guards!

Vasu was now feeling much better. Aishwarya had just communicated with him and told him that she was now hiding in Rupali's quarters just beside the kitchen. Vasu was looking forward to the next adventure.

Back in the Palace, Aishwarya sat hidden with Alice wondering whether she had done the right thing by sending away Vasu with the kids to fetch the Sanjeevani Booti from the Matsya Temple. Guru Nagarjuna who had suggested that option had double crossed them. Was it prudent to risk all of them on the words of a traitor? Was he really a traitor or was it one of those illusions of Viraat Shatru's dark powers? Her tired mind had no answers.

Rupali was gliding along gracefully, leading the children away from the dome. She turned around and beckoned them to swim towards her.

'Come on Sukhi and Ponty, swim a little faster now! We're almost home.'

Vasu and Mutthu G looked at the wonder that lay in front of them. About half the size of the palace, was what looked like a cluster of farms, small and neat, like a picture out of a book. As they drew closer Rupali started waving to other merpeople there. 'Look, there's my grandfather,' she said, waving at a merman who looked as young as Rupali. 'And there's my uncle, my brothers, my great-great-grandmother, my sister, and that's my mother,' Rupali pointed out. Not one of the mermen and mermaids she pointed out looked older than Rupali. They were all merrily working on an undersea farm.

It was more than Mutthu could process. He could not hold back the question. 'Yexcuse me Ma'am, but why yebrybody is young-young? You don't have old-old people here?'

Rupali laughed, 'Oh, we never age, and we can die when we like.'

'Wow,' Vasu said. Imagine that, never age and die when you want to! That must be amazing, he thought.

'Look who's there! Hey! Hey!' David called out. Everyone turned to look at what he was pointing at. Babloo and Manta were frolicking around in one corner of the fields. As soon as Sukhi called out, Babloo sped towards them, and then stopped himself near Rupali, shyly waiting to be summoned forward.

Vasu would have none of that! 'Babloo! Hey Babloo! I missed you my friend! Manta! Manta, you clever fellow! What would we have done without you! How have you been? Aishwarya sends her love!'

Manta too flipped over a couple of times to show his happiness.

Rupali said, 'Just wait here a while, the dolphins are here with some news, I need to hear them out.' As they watched, a pod of dolphins approached Rupali and followed her to a raised platform where some other merpeople were waiting. Nishant said, 'These dolphins are really very intelligent, I heard they even communicate like us humans!'

Vasu replied, 'That is true, I always have had great respect for these beautiful creatures. They help us when we are in trouble, and they are very playful. They taught me how to swim! They all have different names like us people.'

Mutthu G exclaimed, 'No wonder you are so graceful yunder waater.'

'Bet you cannot swim faster than me though!'

Vasu turned around. Ponty was sneering at him.

'What was that? Are you challenging me?'

'Yes, I am, Vaaaaasu!' Ponty laughed.

Nishant looked uncomfortable. 'Ponty, what are you doing? Why are you being so rude?' he said.

Ponty shrugged and didn't take his eyes off Vasu. 'So? How about it? You're a great swimmer. Aren't you?'

'Oye khotya! He is a great swimmer. Haanji,' pitched in Sukhwinder.

'Vaasuu can feenish all swimmers eh...' said Mutthu G, 'show him ji. What are you talking. Just now he will show you ji.' Mutthu had inverdently added ghee to fire.

Vasu was angry, all this time this Ponty fellow had done nothing but cause more trouble. He never thanked anyone, didn't help anyone, had nothing kind to say or do. Vasu was fed up with him, and decided to shut him up once and for all.

'Sure Ponty. But right after you lose, and you will lose, you have to apologise to everyone here for being so silly and unhelpful,' Vasu shot back.

Ponty laughed. 'Whatever...'

'Don't be crazy Ponty yaar!' Nishant pleaded, 'he was the one who saved us all from sure death in that boat. Have you forgotten.'

'Tell him! When he loses, he'll give his beautiful locket to me.'

'Oye terri kii! Frog has developed wings. Show him ji. We are Wahe Guru ji ke people,' said Sukhwinder.

The race was on!

Rupali suddenly appeared in front of them. 'Vasu, Ponty! Don't you have better things to do? How dare you indulge in these foolish games?'

'Rupali, please allow me to do this. This fellow has been breaking up the team with all his nonsense. We have a long journey ahead of us, I must win the challenge before anything else,' Vasu pleaded.

'I understand Vasu, but if anything should happen... you are under my care!'

'Don't worry Rupali, I will be back in a moment!'

'Vasu...vasssuuu.....vvvaaasssuuu!' Sonali was cheering.

Rupali floated around helpless. Handling boys was not her cup of tea.

Ponty was already waiting at the imaginary start line. 'Here you are finally, Vasu the great.'

'Ponty, I really think you need a lesson in manners.'

'Sure, I am dying to learn from you, oh great one.'

'One, two, three!'

The children cheered as Ponty and Vasu set off. The boys swam gracefully, but Ponty kept looking at Vasu and shouting rude thoughts at him.

'I shouldn't have wasted the whale milk potion on him,' Vasu thought.

Vasu put on a burst of speed and overtook Ponty. Ponty looked shocked, then angry. He suddenly veered to the left, and Vasu followed. Ponty looked back and grinned. All the while Vasu felt his energies draining out. The harder Vasu tried, Ponty managed to maintain lead, and Vasu felt weaker. Vasu also lost contact with Rupali and Aishwarya.

Abruptly Ponty disappeared. And suddenly, Vasu felt a strange power pulling him downwards.

He tried to scream, but he was so shocked that it took all his strength to just keep kicking!

Back at the start line the children were getting restless, they couldn't see anything beyond a point. Rupali tried to communicate with Vasu, but all she could feel was some kind of terror. What was happening?

Vasu was being sucked into a pool inside the ocean. The water in the pool was pure brine. Brine was actually just salt water, but the salt content in that water was so high that no living creature could survive for even a few seconds in it. Vasu finally screamed, and Rupali felt the shockwave. She probed the depths of the ocean with her mind and communicated with Vasu.

'Am here Vasu, tell me where you are!'

'Rupali! I don't know! Help! Help, I am being sucked into some water, it is eating my flesh...!'

'Oh Vasu! That sounds like the brine pool! How did you get there!

Don't worry, I am on my way!'

Rupali called out to the merpeople around her and sped into the dark waters. The children had no idea what was happening, but Babloo and Manta understood that something horrible was happening to their beloved Vasu.

They followed Rupali.

'What can we do?' Sonali asked.

'It's that Ponty. What sort of funny guy is he? What's he up to haan?' Sukhwinder asked no one in particular.

Nishant who had first met Ponty in the orphanage said, 'I don't know what's come over him. He has changed so much since the boat accident! Hardly talks to me.'

'Oh aaii feel like boiling this Ponty in sambar ji and eating him up with dosa!' Mutthu G cried.

'Do whatever you want with him,' said Sukhi.

Rupali saw Vasu struggling against the pull of the brine and she immediately communicated with Aishwarya.

'Aishwarya, Vasu is in trouble. I can't help him. The brine water is sucking him in!'

Aishwarya, who had until then been combing Alice's hair, immediately dropped the comb and concentrated. 'Rupali, tell me what I can do.'

'You are the princess,' came Rupali's quick reply. 'Command the sea to do your bidding.'

Aishwarya had no idea how she could command something like water, but she knew she had to try. 'Ummm... water...er....'

Alice looked at her and asked her a question with her mind. 'What's happening?'

Aishwarya said, 'I don't know what to do!'

Alice smiled. 'Just breathe, and try to imagine the pool and Vasu. Then speak to the water.' Alice seemed to be able to communicate effortlessly with Aishwarya. She had very quickly mastered a rare skill. She indeed was differently abled.

Aishwarya nodded, and she did just that. She imagined Vasu being sucked into a pool. She looked at the water and spoke, 'Leave him. Right away.' She imagined Vasu swimming away freely.

Then Vasu spoke in her mind, 'Aish Didi, how did you do that! I heard your voice. It echoed in the ocean. Wow! Thank you, Aish Didi!'

'Where's Ponty now?' Aishwarya asked Vasu.

'Wherever he is, I will make sure he pays for this. He deliberately led me here. But, how could he have known?'

'Be careful Vasu, you know how people have been after you for the locket!'

'Don't worry Didi, and you take care. I'll be back soon.'

Back at the start line, the children were going crazy with worry. Finally Mutthu and Nishant spotted Rupali swimming towards them, supporting someone else beside her. Babloo and Manta followed close behind. Babloo kept nudging Vasu's shoulder lovingly.

'Is that Vasu?' Sonali asked.

'Yes! Thank gods it is!' Nishant said.

They rushed towards Vasu and started fussing over him.

'Hey, its ok, am all right! I am all right!' Vasu was quite happy to see his friends, and was even happier that they were so concerned about him.

'I will beat up that boy,' David declared, trying to flex his nonexistent muscles.

Mutthu added, 'You watch me beat him up like dosa batter!'

Ponty finally appeared a few minutes later, everyone rushed towards him, fists clenched, abuses spewing forth.

Vasu called out, 'Stop, stop! Let's wait to hear his apology.'

Ponty sneered, 'Apologise for what? You lost! I swam a few miles at least, and here you are, resting!'

'You fool! You could've killed him,' Rupali yelled. She did not like Ponty much.

'Didn't, did I? Ask him to hand over my gift...' Whatever else he wanted to say was lost in the screams that ensued as Sonali, Mutthu G, David, Ramzan, Nishant and Sukhi launched themselves upon Ponty 'Here's your gift...take this...here...uhhh...'

Vasu dragged them off and said, 'We have better things to worry about.'

Rupali said, 'We have to leave. I have spoken to Babloo and Manta, they know where to go. We must leave now, and come back victorious. We will deal with the people who are our enemies, as soon as the Maharaja's health is restored.' As she said this she looked at Ponty, and he took a step back.

Travelling through the night, in the open seas, might have been physically exhausting for the kids, but their enthusiasm didn't ebb a bit. The children followed Vasu on Babloo. Ponty wanted to ride Babloo with Vasu, but nobody allowed him. Manta had created quite a fuss when

Ponty had climbed on him, a dolphin, on Rupali's request, agreed to take Ponty aboard, but did not tolerate him much.

The heavy salt water rushed past as Babloo swam as quickly as he could. To overcome the weariness that was beginning to creep in, Vasu pulled out his pouch of whale milk potion and gulped a mouthful. He instantly felt refreshed. The other kids took a cue from this and began pulling out their bottles of whale milk potion and Sfurti. The special suits they were wearing and the herbs they were eating had been effective in protecting their skin from the damage of salt water.

The sea around them was strangely quiet and empty. No small fish or squids were visible. There were no sea flowers or corals around either. It looked like a wasteland under the ocean.

The kids were as quiet as the ocean itself and no thoughts had been exchanged for a pretty long time. They were following Vasu trying to gather their own thoughts. After a long time they all had got time to ponder on the events that had taken place in their lives during last few days. Ponty seemed to be lost in his thoughts.

'Oye, hope Babloo knows his way,' Ramzan said suddenly in Vasu's mind, 'what if he forgets his way and takes us to America!'

Before anybody could reply, Babloo suddenly dived deeper and Vasu held on with great difficulty. The dolphins and Manta also followed Babloo, everyone held on, excited and thrilled!

The free dive lasted a few minutes and the kids felt butterflies flutter inside their stomach, just like when the bucket of the giant wheel plunges towards earth.

A strange bluish green glow appeared deep down. Vasu narrowed his eyes to see it better, but it was too far away. It appeared as if an undersea cricket stadium was floodlit with bluish green lights and Babloo was heading straight towards it with the speed of a missile. The heavy water nearly pushed the children off their rides.

The light increased in intensity and suddenly everything around them was clearly visible. They had reached the bottom of the ocean and the sea bed was a vast flat plane devoid of any vegetation and riddled with rocks that emitted the bluish green light. Babloo slowed down and so did Manta and the dolphins. The water had become warmer than it was a few miles above. The increased depth and warmer water surprised Vasu. There were no water spouts in sight and Vasu wondered about the cause of warm water at those depths. The light was mysteriously attractive, and hauntingly fearsome.

As they moved closer to the source of light the kids were awestruck to see a magnificent pyramid about the size of a twenty-storey building standing on a massive granite platform. The pyramid was also emitting that bluish green light. The octagonal platform had a minaret at each of the corners. None of the minarets was intact and only a small stump remained instead. The rest was smashed up and its pieces lay strewn over the platform as well as the seabed around the platform as debris. A swarm of large fish, about a dozen or more, seen as dark spots against the light of the pyramid swooped upon them out of nowhere.

Babloo halted abruptly as did the Manta and dolphins following it. They had been stopped by a group of strange looking fish, in fact, they weren't really fish, and they looked like merpeople, except their faces looked like fish too....

The leader looked like an old bald man with large protruding eyes on a bulging forehead and the lips were swollen and pouty like a fish.

'Looks like a check-post like the one outside the military camp at Allahabad Triveni Sangam Fort,' thought Vasu. The old-man-like fish stood guard, he held a strange looking weapon, half-gun, half spear and glared at Babloo. Vasu felt as if the fish-people were talking with Babloo in their own language. Rupali nodded, she asked the other kids to be calm while she swam towards the fishes to sort out the matter.

'Sheepshead Wrasse! I've read about them in the orphanage library,' Sonali shared her thought with all the children there. Vasu warned everyone to look serious and not laugh. The warning was unnecessary as everyone was quite scared and laughing at guards holding strange guns was the last thing on their mind.

'Perhaps they're the guards here,' Sonali guessed, 'we are at the Matsya temple, aren't we?'

'No, we're at the Sabji Mandi in Patna! The funny fish is the offspring of the old watchman at the Shimla orphanage,' retorted David. Ramzan giggled. Mutthu glared at them. Ponty gave a crooked sneer. Time and again he would turn around and look around him as though he was expecting to meet someone there.

'Not being aware about something is easier to accept than accepting that the other person knows more than you,' retorted Sonali.

'How can these poor fish be the guards?' asked David.

'Guards have always been poor,' pointed out Sukhi, 'unless they steal what they're meant to be guarding.'

'"Poor" doesn't mean without money,' said Nishant, 'I meant they look so pathetically old and worn out, how could they be the guards?'

Rupali was talking to the guard fish and now she pointed at Vasu. They turned towards him, their dour faces taking in Vasu and all the kids with him. After a long time, they finally stepped back, allowing them to enter the temple. Just as Vasu passed by the leader, the locket flashed a yellow light, and the leader bowed low. Vasu felt flattered.

'Is this the Matsya Temple?' Vasu asked as he saw the ruins the temple was in. He was looking for the Sanjeevani Booti that Aishwarya had promised him would be there. There was no trace of any vegetation — leave alone the elusive Sanjeevani Booti.

'Yes, it is,' replied Rupali, 'those were the ancient guards. They have been here for thousands of years.'

Vasu glared at everyone, warning them to not crack a joke about the guards. Sukhi and Mutthu were about to say something, but they saw the look on Vasu's face and decided otherwise.

They finally reached the platform over which the majestic Matsya Temple stood.

Vasu slid off Babloo and gave the baby whale a loving pat on its snout and all the kids followed Vasu, except Ponty. Babloo and the dolphins swam away looking for food. Manta had left with the Sheepshead Wrasse. Ponty rode his dolphin around the pyramid, examining it on all sides.

The huge pyramid had no visible door or any kind of window. The walls were of solid granite built on an octagonal platform that was littered with pieces of granite and many cylindrical pieces that appeared to have broken off the minarets at each of the corners.

'It appears as if somebody has knocked down these minarets,' thought Vasu looking at the stumps of the minarets that stood as mute testimony to the senseless destruction.

'Perhaps they fell on their own,' said Ramzan.

'No, they couldn't have,' said Vasu, 'look at the stumps of the minarets. How could all of them break off on their own from the same level?'

'Oye!!' Sonali admired Vasu's observation.

Looking sideways over his shoulder, Vasu saw Ponty sitting alone near a minaret close to the edge of the octagonal platform. Vasu proceeded to examine the glowing pyramid.

'Why do I feel that we're being followed?' asked Vasu.

'Do you?' asked Nishant trying to locate the spy in the dark sea, at first he tried to hide he was afraid, then he just swam faster to be with the rest of the group. Yes, there was definitely something creepy around.

'Sanjeevani Booti! Is it a plant or some kind of stone? Can't see any plants anywhere around, only plenty of stones,' said Mutthu.

'Why would Guru Nagarjuna collect stones?' said Robin, 'can't be anything, but a plant.'

'But there aren't any plants here,' said Sonali, 'the site looks like a Stone Plant.'

'Neither does this temple have any door,' said Vasu as they swam around it.

'What are we supposed to do then?' grumbled Sonali, 'you should've asked Guru Nagarjuna before rushing in here.'

'Who knew Guru would turn sides and plot against us?' asked Vasu, defending himself.

'There's no trace of any Booti and I have a weird feeling we are being followed. Will I be able to save Maharaja?' thought Vasu.

Vasu did not want to give up, he swam around the pyramid again. Mutthu, Sukhi, and Sonali accompanied him. David and Ramzan explored the minarets for clues, while Nishant sat listlessly, looking exhausted, on a piece of stone all alone.

The leader Sheepshead Wrasse swam close by. Rupali was swimming beside him, they were still talking.

Tired and exhausted after three more rounds around the pyramid, blaming their fate, frustration writ large on their faces, Vasu and his friends came back to relax at the starting point once again. Sonali pulled out a few herbs Rupali had given her to munch on. Looking at her, everyone keenly felt hunger pangs. They also pulled out the sea-vegetables and fruits Rupali had packed for them, and started nibbling.

Vasu stared at the pyramid, after a few moments his eyes detected a faint symbol glowing in the wall of the temple. It looked like the symbol for 'Om'. His nerves jumped in excitement. Had he found a clue to the door of the temple? Vasu gulped the rest of the root and swam up to the symbol. Sonali, Nishant, Mutthu and Sukhi quickly followed him. David kept an eye on Ponty.

He tried finding the symbol, but neither him, nor his friends managed to find it. Wondering where the symbol had vanished they returned to the spot where they had been sitting. Once again they saw the 'Om' symbol glowing on the wall. Sukhi once again swam up to the wall and the symbol disappeared while the others sitting could still see it. The boys sat pondering why it was so.

'Why don't you ask these guards,' Vasu asked Rupali.

'I've already asked them,' replied Rupali, 'many of their generations have never seen the doors being opened. They have no idea about it.'

Time was running out back home for Maharaja Siddhivarun and Aishwarya was eagerly waiting for their return with the Sanjeevani Booti.

Vasu once again wondered if Guru Nagarjuna had given them incorrect information.

He looked at the wall again. A beam of light from the 'Om' symbol was directed on the platform at a spot completely covered with rubble and boulders from the fallen minarets. 'Could it be pointing at something underneath?' thought Vasu, maybe the entrance lies underneath the rubble.

Vasu tried to clear the spot, but he found the rubble too heavy for his small hands. David started heaving the rocks away, Mutthu, Nishant, Sukhi, Sonali added their might to the effort, but even their combined force was not enough to lift the large pieces of the minaret. Rupali started helping too. Ponty did not budge from his perch and kept looking out into the dark depths of ocean as if he had been appointed the night watchman of the temple.

After clearing the site, they saw a small statue of Nandi — the divine bull — facing away from the pyramid, and the beam of light from the symbol fell on its back.

'What does this signify and why should the Nandi face the ocean and not the temple?' thought Vasu. None of his friends had any answer. If Nandi is here, then where is the Shiva Linga? thought Vasu. He had learnt from Guru Aryadutta that the statue of Nandi is placed before the Shiva Linga. They looked for a Shiva Linga on the platform, but even after scouring the area they did not find a lingam.

On the statue's head was a diamond, the bull was facing the open sea in the opposite direction of the Matsya Temple. Vasu looked around for a reason for this. The kids had exhausted every possibility of finding a Shiva Linga on the platform. The beam of light from the 'Om' symbol was bathing the statue of Nandi. Vasu had no clue what it meant.

Exhausted after having done enough manual labor by lifting the debris from around the statue, the kids sat around the Nandi. Ramzan had finished his supply of food and was feeling keenly the pangs of hunger.

Rupali was swimming around the temple, she was at a minaret stump on the edge of the platform, when Vasu felt a heavy wave coming their way. Rupali shouted in his mind, 'Look out!'

Vasu turned to his right and saw a huge great white shark lunging at them. Its mouth was so wide that it could easily gulp down all the kids in one go. The old guards had vanished.

Before anybody could even blink, Vasu had pulled Mutthu, Sukhi and Sonali and used his leg to force Ramzan, David and Nishant on to the floor behind the statue of Nandi. The great white shark missed its prey and went past them dashing its tail against the Nandi statue.

Fortunately, the enormous force of the shark's flipper as it swam by, made the statue turn 180 degrees and its head now faced the temple. And that resulted in something unexpected, something they all had been trying to do for long. No sooner did the statue of Nandi face the pyramid, the beam of light from the symbol struck the diamond on its head, which reflected and hit the wall beneath 'Om'. As soon as that happened, that portion of the wall began sinking under the platform. The door into the temple had opened.

Rupali called out once again, 'Look out! The shark is coming back. Rush into the temple.'

Vasu communicated with his friends quickly, 'Rush into the temple! Fast!'

The children kicked with all their strength and swam like never before. Rupali also came out from behind the minaret and glided towards the temple door. Nishant tried to go back and pull Ponty along, but Vasu held on to his hand and didn't let go even when they were inside the Matsya Temple.

Ponty saw that the temple door had opened and all the kids were rushing into the temple. Ponty got up and tried to follow them. None of them stopped for him; why would they? Nobody stopped for anything if they had a great white shark chasing them. Vasu looked around and wondered whether Ponty was being brave or foolish. Vasu signalled Ponty to hurry up and get inside with them.

#  Chapter 20

Vasu, his friends and Rupali stood inside the temple, perfectly dry. Water had to wait at the door. This was the same magic like the Samudra Mahal. They all had been lucky once again. The shark had struck against the wall and missed them by mere millimeters.

Now that they were inside, they saw that the walls of the temple emitted a light that illuminated the inside. In the center was a massive pedestal made of white granite, decorated with flowers etched in gold. On the pedestal stood a majestic statue of the Matsya Bhagwan. It looked like a fish that radiated the entire spectrum of colors. The fish appeared to be leaping up with the thrust of its tail against the pedestal and held its head high. Its large beautiful eyes looked at the kids who stood under it staring with mouths wide open.

Vasu quickly looked around for the red leaves of the Sanjeevani Booti, but there wasn't any. The inside of the Temple was spotless, clean and shining. There was no vegetation there.

There was a Shiva Linga under the platform near the main entrance receiving the light reflected from the head of the statue of Nandi. A wall of water guarded the entrance and Ponty stood at the threshold out in the water calling them out of the temple.

'Come inside,' called out David when he saw Ponty still standing out.

'Why is this foolish boy standing outside?' thought Vasu and he rushed towards the door to bring Ponty inside.

'Vasu don't go out,' cried Rupali, 'it's dangerous!'

Vasu put out his hand through the water curtain and tried to pull in Ponty. Nishant also rushed to help Vasu.

Ponty held firmly on to Vasu's wrist and began pulling him out of the temple into the water. Meanwhile Nishant thought that Ponty was stuck for some reason and Vasu did not have enough strength to pull him in, so he circled his arms around Vasu's waist and pulled him in as well as called all others for help.

The other kids rushed to help as well. Circling their arms around each other's waist, they formed a chain, and everyone pulled with all their might.

'Why can't we all pull him inside?' asked David, the strongest hunk amongst them all, as he tugged at the human chain of kids.

'Because he doesn't want to come inside,' said Vasu, 'he's pulling at me with the strength of an elephant!'

'An elephant!' shouted Mutthu G, 'how could it be?'

'But why?' shouted David.

'God knows,' said Vasu, 'he's always been doing silly things.' Vasu struggled to free his wrist from Ponty's grip and then he saw the most spine-chilling vision. Babloo and Manta were tied up in some kind of glittering net. And right behind Ponty waited an army of great white sharks and astride a giant iguana was none other than Samraat Viraat Shatru.

A hundred thoughts raced around Vasu's mind. 'Guru Nagarjuna has done this,' Vasu thought. He felt very angry, what had tempted Guru Nagarjuna to switch sides? Had he always been on the side of evil? But, Aishwarya had such good things to say about him and the way he had lovingly taken care of Aishwarya did not indicate that he was an evil man.

As Vasu tried to figure out what was happening, his focus slipped and Ponty got the upper hand in the tug of war and he was smart enough not to let it slip by. Ponty managed to drag out Vasu into the water. The rest of the gang stepped up their combined might to pull Vasu back, because they had also seen the sharks and the terrible sight of Samraat astride an iguana.

Ponty growled and gnashed his teeth but he failed to pull Vasu out any further. Vasu concentrated on getting his wrist free. Ponty realized that it would not be possible to pull out Vasu, that is when he did something he would regret forever.

Ponty stretched out his other hand to pull the locket off Vasu's neck. A bolt of lightning shot out and hit Ponty in the chest. Vasu and his friends fell back inside the temple, one over the other.

Ponty, his hands still limp after the lightning attack, looked at Samraat and got ready to feel his master's anger.

Ponty changed his form into Guru Nagarjuna and tried to get up. He looked exactly like the royal healer, down to the cloth bag in which he carried all the herbs. And then a black staff with a vulture's head appeared in his hand and then he transformed finally into Aurang Dusht.

Vasu suddenly realized that the Guru Nagarjuna he had seen sitting with Rani Roopmati inside her chamber had been Aurang Dusht in disguise. He had used the same disguise to kidnap them from Guru Aryadutta's place in Allahabad. Vasu felt horrible. He had been fooled by the disguised Aurang Dusht. He had been staying with them as Ponty inside the armory. Now Vasu understood why his shloka had hurt Ponty that night.

'I always felt he was not Ponty!'Nishant muttered.

'Oye teri ki!' said Sukhi, 'if this was Aurang, then where is Ponty?' All the while we had an impostor amongst us, and now we don't even know where Ponty is!'

'He must've done this when that bird of his was carrying us in the boat! When we were knocked unconscious!' said Sonali.

The realization that Ponty was lost somewhere after the boat accident made their hearts sink. What poor friends they had proved to be.

Before anybody else could react, a loud roar echoed inside the temple.

'You incompetent fool,' said Viraat Shatru. His eyes spewed fire and his body burned.

'Forgive me Samraat,' begged Aurang Dusht as he knelt before his master with a bowed head, 'I tried my best.'

'If this was your best then what could be your worst?' growled

Samraat Viraat Shatru, 'I'm benevolent, but not foolish.'

'Master, I took the form of a kid. So I couldn't do much magic. If I had been a soldier instead... actually—'

'Lame excuses. I hate losers. Be off, I'll deal with you later,' said Samraat and Aurang fled from the scene.

'Boy! Enough of your antics,' growled Samraat as he addressed Vasu, 'step out, hand me the locket and I'll pardon all your follies; for I am benevolent.'

Vasu stood up to face the new problem, far bigger and more difficult to escape from.

Vasu had faced Viraat before by trying to run away and this had always troubled him. 'Why didn't I stop and face him?' he thought, 'like I faced that shark at the Mount Sumeru.'

The other kids huddled behind him. Vasu did not understand whether they were supporting him or hiding behind him. He did not blame them for wanting to hide. This was not their fight.

He had very little time if he was to save Maharaja Siddhivarun and he had not yet found any trace of the Sanjeevani Booti, in spite of being inside the Matsya Temple. But he now knew that Guru Nagarjuna was innocent and had never changed sides, this weighed on Vasu's consciousness.

'Boy! Come out. My friends here are hungry,' said Samraat referring to the eager army of sharks waiting to be fed.

'I ain't Boy. I'm Vasu!'

'The boy speaks! I like it,' said Viraat Shatru.

'Do not harm my friends.'

'Friendly indeed!' said Viraat Shatru, 'give me the locket and save them. Enjoy my benevolence!'

Vasu stepped forward. Mutthu and Sukhi tugged at him and tried to stop him, but Vasu pulled his elbow free and walked a few steps before stopping and said, 'Instead, why don't you come inside and have this locket?'

'BOY!' roared Viraat Shatru glowing fiery red and his iguana lashed its tail while the sharks darted around him.

'All of you down on the floor,'whispered Vasu, 'like Aurang even he will not come in. We've to survive any weapon he attacks us with and find a way to escape.'

'We haven't found the Sanjeevani Booti as yet!' said Sukhi and Sonali nodded lying on the floor, 'there's nothing inside this temple except for this statue of a fish.'

'But why are we all lying on the floor?' asked Mutthu G, 'does he have any guns to shoot us with?'

Vasu sheepishly realized his folly and slowly got up as did the other kids. He realised he had been trying to imitate what he had read in comic books.

'Look out!' shouted Sonali pointing out in the direction of Viraat Shatru.

Several snakes were gliding through the water towards them, as did the army of sharks. The children screamed, they all fell back on the floor, but the snakes and sharks dashed against the wall of water at the temple door and retreated.

The kids realized they were safe. Vasu got to his feet quickly and ran to the pedestal of the Matsya Lord's statue to examine it for any answer to his current problem. He tried in vain searching for some hidden lever.

Samraat Viraat Shatru waited outside, a broad grin writ large on his face. Nobody could save Vasu from his wrath that day and he was soon to have his most coveted possession — the divine locket around Vasu's neck. He already had two, this would make his medal count three! Ha! The kids had no other way out anyway. They all were like helpless goats awaiting slaughter.

The children huddled near the door and tried to figure out what Samraat was planning. Guru Aryadutta and Guru Nagarjuna suddenly spoke in his mind, 'Vasu, remember that bhajan we sing during the evening aarti. Sing it, child!'

Vasu recalled every word of the bhajan Guru Aryadutta sang during the satsang in the Laxmi Narayan Temple. Vasu folded his hands and closed his eyes and sang. The children stole a glance at the statue to see of anything was happening. Nothing stirred.

'Oye terri ki!' panicked Sukhi. Samraat Viraat Shatru, having outrun his patience, had lifted a large cylindrical broken minaret with the power of his eyes and it had become fiery hot, it looked like molten rock. Viraat Shatru launched it like a torpedo towards the temple.

Vasu opened his eyes and saw the fiery missile shooting towards them. The end had come and nothing could save them. The wall of water was good enough to prevent the entry of any living being, but would it be able to resist the missile?

Vasu pushed everyone down. Vasu knew he had been hit on the chest once by Samraat's weapon and the divine locket had saved his life, but what would happen when all the children were under threat? Would his divine locket be able to save them? It was far too risky to test the power of the divine locket now.

The torpedo flashed and whirled in water splattering molten drops of stone as it hit the wall of water at the door of the Matsya Temple. 'BOOM!' the torpedo pierced the wall and Vasu could see ecstasy on Viraat Shatru's face. Evil had managed to enter the Matsya Temple for the first time.

'Nothing can save us now,' thought Vasu.

But, something extraordinary was happening right behind them. The very moment the torpedo burst into the temple, the statue of

Matsya Bhagwan grew to many times its original size and by the time Vasu turned around, it had become as big as Babloo, and the fish idol had opened its mouth.

'Look!' shouted Rupali and the kids turned to see the spectacle of a lifetime.

The whirling fiery torpedo after piercing the divine water wall, entered the temple and flew straight at the statue, the fish opened its mouth and swallowed the missile.

Everything turned quiet once again as if nothing ever had happened. The dazed kids shook their head to clear their mind, were they hallucinating? Viraat Shatru was the most shocked of them all. For him it was hard to believe that his magic had failed. Viraat's wizardry had acquired many new powers recently and this weapon was to prove his dominance. His vanity had been blown up instead.

The giant statue of the Matsya Bhagwan began shaking and rocking on its pedestal. The whole temple vibrated. Its mouth opened again, and out shot the same missile, but faster now. It shot out of the temple back through the divine water wall leaving a trail of fire in the water, and headed straight towards Viraat Shatru. The sharks were the first to swim away, then the snakes fled, the iguana with its master turned around and swam away as fast as it could. The rocket disappeared into the depths of the ocean.

Before the kids even had the time to jump with happiness, the whole ocean shook. The temple seemed to be moving.

'The temple will collapse,' said Sonali, 'water will enter it then, right?' she asked looking worried like all others.

The rainbow colors of the Matsya statue began glowing brighter and cracks appeared in the walls. Water from the ocean began seeping into the temple.

Vasu and the kids began looking for means of escape. Should they exit the temple from the door? They had not found the Sanjeevani Booti, but saving their lives was higher up on Vasu's priority list. 'Dead people are not good at finding things!' thought Vasu. Suddenly a bluish beam of light emerged from the mouth of the Matsya Bhagwan's statue, which caught Vasu's eyes.

The light fell upon Rupali who happened to be standing in front of the statue. She began to float up in the air rising towards the open mouth of the statue. Vasu panicked at the thought of the statue trying to gulp Rupali.

'Don't worry, I'm coming,' said Vasu as he rushed to help her, 'the statue is trying to eat her up,' he warned everyone. The kids rushed to help Vasu and Rupali. This brought all of them under the beam of light emerging from the statue's mouth.

Vasu felt as if he had become weightless, he was floating in the air. Even the other kids were floating in the air beside him, being pulled towards the belly of the statue through its mouth. There was nothing they could do to prevent it. Strangely, none of them felt scared. A strange calming music soothed them. One after the other everyone entered the mouth of the Matsya Bhagwan's statue. As the last kid entered the statue, the temple walls collapsed and water rushed in.

The huge statue broke off the pedestal it was perched on and glided through the ocean. The earth was shaking violently and the sea was filled with rage. Giant tsunami waves appeared.

26, December 2004

Sridhar Dev and his wife Geeta were watching the news on TV.

The news anchor who was describing the effects of a recent oil spill, suddenly announced.

' _A tsunami has battered the southern coastline a few minutes ago._

Thousands of people are feared dead. An earthquake of about 9 on the Richter scale with its epicenter near Indonesia on the bottom of Indian Ocean is supposed to be the cause for the tsunami.

' _Reports say that strange events took place this morning, when fishermen preparing to set out for the day saw the ocean water receding rapidly and laying bare the bottom of the ocean. Those who rushed to catch the fish left behind by the receding water lost their lives when after a few moments the water came rushing at them with waves as high as a tenstorey building.'_

The news kept showing horrible images of the destruction as Sridhar and Geeta slumped in despair watching the disaster, and untold human misery flash on the TV screen.

#  Chapter 21

Feeling like they were in some kind of special submarine, the children and Rupali tried their best to stay calm and think of a plan. They had banged against the walls of the statue's stomach, but nothing had happened. The one good thing was that the statue's eyes had turned glassy allowing them to look at their surroundings. So they saw Babloo and Manta beside them. Rupali told Vasu that when Samraat vanished, the force holding them hostage had vanished too. But they had no idea where they were going.

They had arrived in an altogether different world. It was hard to believe they were inside the belly of a statue of a fish. Lush green fields were all around and a fresh breeze heavy with the fragrance of flowers invigorated them. None of them had enjoyed the feel of a cool breeze for a very long time. The joy of having escaped the attack of Viraat Shatru made them ecstatic.

Sonali jumped into a pond of fresh water and set out splashing it on the other kids and started singing.

Buds and flowers, a sight to see

Nature's delight, in fright we see

Sukhi broke out dancing to the song and Mutthu G also joined him.

Uhhunn Yahoo Yahoo..............Uhhunn Yahoo Yahoo

Mutthu G continued the song...

Aurang the Dusht, Changed his looks

All other kids danced and splashed water sang in chorus...

Tut, tut, tut

Mutthu G continued...

Riding a Porcugle, spikey and spooky

Tut, tut, tut

A crook to book, rooky and hooky

Tut, tut, tut

Uhhunn Yahoo Yahoo............... Uhhunn Yahoo Yahoo

Ramzan and David jumped in and began singing....

Baraat – e – Viraat, Soupy Sharky n Shatruiii

Missile – e – Viraat, Masta Matsya n Munchuiii

Temple – e – Barbaad, Boom Dhadam n Collapsuiii

Sukhi and all others in chorus...

Uhhunn Yahoo Yahoo............... Uhhunn Yahoo Yahoo

Vasu who was standing and observing all his friends frolicking in fun also joined in.

Sanjeevani not foundum, is the Booti tootti-frootti

The Booti if not foundum, Maharaja's health be tootti-frootti

Blastum occurum insidum Oceanum, will the world be tootti-frootti

Uhhunn Yahoo Yahoo.............. Uhhunn Yahoo Yahoo

Sukhi suddenly shouted, 'Oye... new trouble it seems, your locket is red.'

The locket was indeed glowing bright red as Vasu held it in his hand trying to make some sense of its glow.

'Where are we?' asked Sonali, 'Let's ask that old man sitting under the tree.'

'Old man?' they all said in unison. There was indeed an old man with white hair and a flowing white beard who sat under a tree at the edge of the pond they all were dancing in. Vasu was sure as were most others that there was no old man when they had entered the Matsya statue. Had their ecstasy made them blind to his presence?

'Was this old man there when I entered?' thought Vasu.

Vasu and his friends came out of the pond and walked up to the frail old man sitting under the tree meditating. They all stood in front of him, silent, trying to appear as decent as they possibly could, expecting him to open his eyes and talk to them, but the old man did not open his eyes. His golden dhoti wrapped all around him made him look like a statue.

After waiting sufficiently, their patience gave away and the kids began shuffling their feet and clearing their throat to draw the old man's attention. The old man still did not open his eyes.

'Ahem ahem,' Vasu cleared his throat.

'Ahem....aahemm...ahem....' a chorus ensued.

'So you've arrived. You're Vasu, aren't you?' said the old man as he suddenly opened his eyes and caught the kids unaware, 'I was waiting for you.'

'Yes I am,' replied Vasu and he stepped forward from the group to introduce himself even though he and the other kids were wonder struck at the old man's words.

'How does he know he's Vasu?' whispered Sukhi.

'I'm the caretaker of this divine garden,' said the old man as he smiled and looked towards Vasu and then Sukhi, 'I know everything.

You're Suhki hmm... aren't you?'

The kids were shocked out of their wits at this. The old man knew their names as well.

'In that case could you please help us find the Sanjeevani Booti,' said Vasu not losing an opportunity to seek help.

'Why not?' said the old man, 'I help all those who come my way, but hardly any do come this way. The Sanjeevani Booti you seek is growing in the farm there behind the waterfall and you can have as much as you want; but there's a price for it. I want the locket around your neck as a price for my labor.'

Vasu felt his heart sink. Vasu had developed a sort of attachment with the locket around his neck especially since it had saved his life. But, Maharaja Siddhivarun had saved him from Aurang Dusht. So, he needed to save him too. And then again Aishwarya was counting on him to help. Maharaja Siddhivarun and Aishwarya had done so much for him without hesitation, if he gave away his locket for his sake he could start repaying his debts. 'Why does everybody want only this?' he thought and removed his locket.

'Vasu! You can't do this,' said Mutthu G pulling Vasu back, 'this is your precious birthday gift. How can you part with it?' The old man unmoved, stared intently at Vasu. The other kids appeared worried at his decision.

'If it can save Maharaja's life then so be it. I don't want it.' Vasu removed the locket and it began to glow very bright and with a 'Boom!' the old man transformed into a golden locket with the image of two golden fish forming a circle. Like as if it were attracted by a magnet, the new locket attached itself to the locket in Vasu's hand. Awestruck Vasu and his friends stood spellbound like pillars.

'Oye! Magic,' said Sukhi, the first to recover from the shock of an old man turning into a new locket.

'Don't panic my dear Vasu,' said a voice out of nowhere.

'Akashwani!' said Sonali looking for the owner of the voice.

'I bet there's somebody up the tree,' said Mutthu G, 'hidden in the leaves.'

'Shhh...be quiet,' said Vasu, 'listen.'

The voice of the old man spoke, 'You have overcome the endless desire to possess things that all Bhoomivasis suffer from throughout their lives. Now I bestow upon you the second divine symbol of 'Suvarna-Matsya'. I believe it will be safe in your hands.Wear it with pride and don't lose it.'

Vasu hurried to put both the lockets around his neck. Mutthu G hugged Vasu out of sheer affection. 'What do these divine symbols mean?' asked Vasu. His little mind had always been troubled and inquisitive to know more about the symbol. All Gurus had said it was divine, but nothing beyond that. 'Why should I wear them?'

'Be not impatient dear Vasu,' said the voice, 'time itself will reveal the answers. These symbols have chosen you to make their grace felt for this Bhoomi and its vaasis. Carry them with pride and all vices will leave you forever.'

'But I don't have any vices, do I?' said Vasu.

'Water never feels that it is wet neither does the sun ever feel its heat. You will understand with the passage of time,' said the voice, 'you're the chosen one. Go and find the remaining six symbols. Together they make Ashtamangala and only then you'll get answers for all your questions.'

'Eight!' said Vasu, 'where do I find the other six?'

'Do not waste time seeking direct answers to the riddles of life. Toil hard and be rewarded with glory of all that you seek. Go and collect the Sanjeevani Booti. Even the symbols are eager to find you and they'll find you out. But remember you will be able to use the Sanjeevani Booti only once for the purpose you collect it. After that purpose is achieved it will wither and vanish.'

Vasu could not make much of the strange conversation. He looked towards his friends and even they looked flummoxed. He glanced at the farm on the other end of the pool with swaying plants and luminescent leaves with red iridescence. The plants swayed and waved in the breeze welcoming Vasu and the kids. They all rushed towards the plants and carefully broke off plenty of red leaves and tied them together to carry them in the backpack.

As soon as Vasu had the Sanjeevani Booti on his back it began to get dark and an invisible force began pushing them out towards the mouth of the fish, which was beginning to open again. They all peeped out of the eyes of the fish and found themselves floating inside the Samudra Mahal. It looked as if an airplane was getting ready to touch down.

A sudden jerk jolted them upwards and the mouth of the fish opened wide as it had done inside the Matsya Temple. A bluish light pulled all of them out of the mouth and Vasu as well as all his friends were inside Maharaja Siddhivarun's chambers. The Matsya statue had planted itself over the coral table in the middle of the big chamber.

Vasu smiled. They all were safe.

Comatose Maharaja Siddhivarun lay ill, very ill on his bed. His skin was cold and scaly. His shrivelled up body looked like a snake with a spectacle mark over his neck that extended up to his chest. The room was filled with acrid foul smelling fumes of his breath making it difficult for others to breathe. His breath was laboured and slow and with every breath he took life slipped a little away.

The kids coughed and coughed, the acrid fumes choking them.

'I'll fall dead with this smell,' said Sonali, 'it's suffocating.'

'Keep quiet. There are guards outside,' said Vasu. He had been inside the chamber before and was aware of the security arrangements Rani Roopmati had made. He had faced that suffocating smell.

Vasu pulled out the Sanjeevani Booti from his backpack and plucked out some leaves. He tried to put some leaves into Maharaja's mouth, but he wouldn't open his mouth to eat those leaves. There was a flicker of movement in the Maharaja's body and he became still again.

'Guru Nagarjuna never taught me how to apply these leaves,' said Vasu.

'Wait a minute! I often saw him beating his herbs with a pestle in a mortar,' said Sukhi.

'But we don't have it here. Do we?' said David.

'If this royal mark could serve the purpose,' said Sukhi as he picked up a Royal Seal from the table on which the Matsya Statue had stationed itself.

'Don't tell me marking the leaves of the Booti with Royal Seal is going to make them work,' said Ramzan.

'Holy Bull! You should've asked for some wisdom from that old man in the statue,' said Sukhi, 'I meant to use this seal to grind the leaves on this table top and feed the paste to Maharaja.'

'Not a bad idea,' said Vasu and he put some leaves on the table.David ground them with the seal. The grinding caused the Booti to emit light sparks similar to the ones when a knife is sharpened against a flint stone. In a short while a thick sparkly red paste was ready. Vasu picked up the paste in a spatula lying on the bedside table and placed it on Maharaja's lips.

For a few seconds they all stood, holding their breath, waiting for him to wake up in a dazed state inquiring where he was, like a Bollywood movie. Nothing happened. Sukhi glanced at Mutthu G and shrugged.

'Guru Nagarjuna and the old man were not wrong,' Vasu thought, 'but did I choose the right Booti?'

'Oye look,' said Sonali pulling at Sukhi's elbow, 'Maharaja's hands are moving.'

'The smell in the room is disappearing,' Ramzan reported.

Mutthu G pointed out, 'His skin is becoming normal again.'

'The mark on his body is fading,' said Rupali.

'Even the scales are falling off,' said David.

'Give him some more Booti,' said Sonali, 'he'll recover faster.'

Sukhi rushed to grind some more leaves. Vasu began rubbing the Maharaja's hands and Mutthu G rubbed his feet. Vasu recalled having received a similar treatment by Guru Aryadutta in Allahabad after he was beaten up by the ruffians.

'Wait, I'm not sure if we should give more of the Booti,' said Vasu as Sukhi tried to feed some more of the Booti to Maharaja, 'Guruji never told how much to give.'

'Nor did the old man,' said Ramzan.

'I don't think it can harm him,' said Rupali, 'he's been ill for a very long time. The medication should also be given accordingly.'

'She's right,' said Sukhi and placed the second dose of the Sanjeevani Booti in Maharaja's mouth, 'as such the Booti will vanish soon after, better to give it all to Maharaja.'

'Should we tell Aishwarya we are back?' asked Vasu to Rupali.

'Aiaiyo! Wait! Let him recaaver completely, no. We need his support to survive in this huuuuuge Palace. Imagine if someone eavesdropped on avver message for Aishwarya. Let's wait,' Mutthu G expressed his concern.

'Perhaps he is right,' said Vasu, 'let's wait for him to recover completely. Only he can protect us from the guards outside.'

They all stood around him and observed his illness disappear. After an hour or a little more than that Maharaja had nearly recovered and looked as fresh as never before. He sat on his bed looking surprised and at a loss to understand the presence of so many smiling kids around his bed. Vasu had no words to express his happiness.

'Maharaja Siddhivarun, the greatest king on this earth, we all bow before you,' said Rupali and all the other kids dutifully followed her lead. 'Rupali saved the day,' thought Vasu.

Maharaja graciously accepted the greetings as he recognized Rupali.

'Who are these kids and what are they doing in my room?' he asked gently.

'I am Vasu,' said Vasu stepping forward and bowing a little once again.

'Vasu!' said Maharaja straining his memory and his eyes saw the glowing divine lockets hanging around his neck. 'AAhha... Vasu!' he had recognized the kid he had saved once. 'You've grown up too fast,' he said and then turned towards Rupali, 'Isn't it? How can he grow up so big in one day?'

Rupali realized that Maharaja had no memory of being ill. She quickly summarised all that had happened after he fell ill.

Maharaja got off the bed after many years of misery and walked up to the Matsya Statue majestically perched on top of the coral table inside his room and bowed low. 'I will make a grand temple for Matsya Bhagwan inside the Samudra Mahal.'

Suddenly, a door that looked like a painting moved aside and there was — 'Aishwarya! Alice!' exclaimed all the kids in unison. Vasu rushed to greet Alice, and Aishwarya ran to her father. Maharaja did not recognise her at first, but he saw her long red hair and blue eyes and knew who she was.

Of course, with all the joyful sounds of their reunion, the guards had to enter to see why a room that had been silent as a grave for eleven years would suddenly erupt into a party. Before they could even understand what they were seeing, the Maharaja ordered them to make arrangements for the royal guests. The news of Maharaja's recovery spread inside the Palace like a tsunami.

Rani Roopmati was busy again with her rituals. It had been accepted as a custom inside the Palace for many years and nobody was ever allowed near her chamber. Thus the news of Maharaja Siddhivarun's recovery had to wait before it could reach her ears.

'Where is Guru Nagarjuna, beti?' Maharaja asked Aishwarya. 'Isn't he the one who healed me?'

'No, Baba, little Vasu here has brought the Sanjeevani Booti for you!' Aishwarya said proudly.

'Oh ho! Come here young man, let me thank you properly for undertaking such a perilous journey!'

'Not at all...er...' Vasu stammered. Maharaja Siddhivarun was an extremely powerful man, his deep voice, his firm gaze and the twinkle in his eyes made him the most charismatic man Vasu had ever met. He also could not take his eyes off Maharaja Siddhivarun's fantastic beard. When he grew up, he too must have a beard like that, Vasu decided.

'Baba, Guru Nagarjuna has been arrested, for no fault of his own,' Aishwarya said.

'What! That will not do! Guards! Guards,' Maharaja Siddhivarun called out. A burly guard ran into the room. 'Yes, your Highness!'

'Get me my royal healer, and he better be in a good mood. If I hear that you haven't taken care of my vaidya...'

'Yes, Your Highness, I mean, no, nooo!' The guard bowed low and backed out of the room.

Sonali was busy telling Alice everything that happened via sign language while Mutthu G added his own made up signs to the conversation.

Maharaja Siddhivarun laughed, his laughter boomed in the room.

'Come on children, tell me about yourselves,' Maharaja Siddhivarun said, perching on the armrest of a chair. He indicated that Aishwarya should sit on the chair, and he pulled Vasu towards him to ruffle his hair.

Everyone was delighted. As each child started to tell the Maharaja his and her story, the cacophony reached unprecedented levels.

Aishwarya laughed. She looked at Vasu and held his hand. 'Thank you,' she said. 'Give me some time with Baba, have I got news for you! I've been all over the palace, and I have found some very interesting things!'

Just then Senapati Vajreswar burst into the room. 'Maharaja!

Maharaja! I cannot believe it! I simply cannot trust my eyes today! Oh Vasu and Aishwarya! Thank you, and can you ever forgive me?'

Vasu and Aishwarya looked at the Senapati and couldn't believe their ears. Was he the same person? Had he changed?

'A group of children have shown us what great things can be accomplished by simply having faith in oneself, and doing the right thing,' Maharaja Siddhivarun said as his chest puffed up in pride and so did the chest of all the kids with the praises being heaped upon them by none other than Maharaja Siddhivarun.

'I am hungry,' Ramzan spoke up.

'Even after having gobbled up that big bunch of sea grapes?' asked Mutthu G.

'Which grapes? I haven't seen any for many years,' Ramzan bluffed as usual and the room burst into laughter.

Maharaja Siddhivarun laughed loudly. The room echoed with his hearty laugh after many years and Aishwarya beamed proudly.

'And so it shall be that we shall all have the best feast ever! Guards... arrange for a big feast. I will attend the Darbar as well,' announced Maharaja.

As the happy and tired kids were escorted in a royal fashion by Senapati Vajreshwar away to their rooms, Vasu and Aishwarya hugged each other.

'Family, friends, new adventures, and new skills, it's been a great experience Vasu!' Aishwarya said.

'Can't wait to now find the six other symbols, Didi!' Vasu said.

'Six! Oh you have a lot to tell me too! And yes, we will figure out how to get started on our new adventure! Now, let's eat!'

'Oye! Come on ji!'

'Yebribody is hungry and waiting ji!' Sukhi and Mutthu G had come back and pulled them along!

Lost in the party with his friends and family, Vasu did not see both the lockets burn red. Was another Ashtamangala symbol somewhere close?

The author can be followed on Twitter @rajatan27

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