Chapter 5: Will you hold my hand forever

Agony, what exactly is it? Defining it as mere pain, would be an underwhelming statement. Agony grows to grudge, and grudges grow to revenge. Is agony the drive that encourages human behavior to develop avenging intents? Or is it that feeling where one loose itself to everything and wants to give it all up? What determines the agony? What is its foundation? It is attachment, invested love and the bonds. Physical agony can sometimes be cured but the scar never fades. However, mental agony can never be aided, and there is no visible proof of it. 

At Saumya-van

Aadya, the most skilled archer, hailed from a long line of witches and sorcerers who performed and developed witchcraft and sorcery. And once known for their courageous warriors who honed using spells, alongside their weapons, in the era of war. Even in modern times, they’ve continued their legacy to produce a wide range of spells for daily use. 

“How was it, Aadya? Weren’t you’ve been training with clan’s elders.” I was intrigued.

“Indeed, I was. And it was tiresome as hell.” She replied. And continues, “How come you end up winning every time? What are you made of?”

“Just some ordinary flesh and bones. I guess.” I chuckled. 

“Yeah sure, some super strong bones and some extremely flexible flesh.” Said Aadya. She flattered me. 

“How was the training?” I asked. 

“It was tough. I had been going through hell, from the past 30 days.” Said frustrated Aadya. 

“How were your days? Akshar.” She looked worried. 

Pretty complicated if I say so myself. Don’t even know who or where I am. Travelling back and forth in two different realms. 

“My days! Getting my butt kicked by Yudh is the only thing I did. And the usual things, like accompanying Yudh with his tours.” I said thinking. 

And suddenly she embraced me and said in her soft and soothing voice, “I missed you. You know”

“I did too, Aadya.” I replied, with a sigh. 

“Let’s get back to Yudh, should we?” I requested. 

She nodded, “Let’s go.” A glimmer of happiness in her eyes as she wiped away a tear. Her sensitivity and care for others were some of the qualities I admired most about her. 

She said “They were very harsh, Akshar. Despite, what they threw at me I faced. It helped me a lot.” 

“I really wished I could’ve joined you.” I told her, enthusiasm.

 We chit chatted for the remaining course, about the highs and lows, bonding over our respective journeys. 

“So, where were you? I mean the name of the place you went to train.” My curious butt. 

“Oh, It’s a nearby village. Its secrecy is unmatched. I was taken blindfolded from here and wasn’t allowed to remove my blindfold until we’ve reached. I am unaware of the name however, somewhere in that village I overheard someone stating about us and praising for the aid we deliver. And even at the return we were all distributed to different parts of the ‘Van’ blindfolded.” Aadya clarified. And we continued. 

We are in ‘Saumya-van,’ which is a forest full of mysteries of its own. And we are headed towards our village, known ‘Shram’, which is a part of a glorified town, ‘Swarnim’. The town is a small piece of guarded land, in the kingdom ‘Koti,’ our town is hidden in the collection of densest forests of ‘Kalp.’ 

There are only selected ‘Kuls’ which are permitted to travel these enigmatic woods. Swarnim, has nurtured many ‘veers’ in the heat of battles, that were fought in past. Yudh is among them. He is not only an ordinary merchant but also a former defense minister in the ‘Swarn-Sena.’ This is the reason behind his strength however, he lacks discipline, which makes me doubt him sometimes. 

Kalp, this forest almost envelops the entire Swarnim’s borders. There are many rumors about these dense woods. Passengers getting lost, commoners found dead nearly shredded, not only human but also the domestic animals avoid entering these forests at night. Saumya-van itself is a part of Kalp, many people form the village believe that a person who holds fear and terror in his heart should never enter the van at night. This might be just a superstition according to me. However, there are cannibals in Kalp. 

Once a hermit, with no fear in his heart came from other side of the Kalp, he defines that he met some oddly creatures. They were visible yet had no physical bodies, they possessed a spiritual body. 

Some, traveler say there are different dangerous creatures all around the forests. We ourselves have never once experienced something this absurd in the forests, however we have found some terrified and confused traders, who lost their way in these woods.  The only scary creature, I know that resides in here are those freaking bees. 

Many of the peasants and commoners even have crazy ideas like royalty performing some rituals to always be on the throne. Some even suspect that these woods have a hidden treasure within them. People even tried going in groups to find it but there was no luck. 

But for us, who only have trades and markets as our only source of income, are not scared at all. And for me, it’s just more than trade or an earning, it’s about the answers I need. Why here, and only here?

As we approached Yudh, he remained motionless in the same position, gazing at the grass. We walked up to him, curiosity piqued. 

“Sir, what’s with the grass straw. Do you see anything?” Aadya inquired. 

“Is something bothering you?” I began to feel a tinge of concern now. His aura seemed usual.

“*Snoring*,” he was snoozing, turning onto his back, mumbling, “Oh! I’m going to whoop your sorry butt.”

“Who are you even talking about?” I found it quiet annoying.

Aadya possesses a mischievous side to her personality, one that not many are aware of. However, I can discern it in her eyes. Furthermore, there was a sudden shift to her aura, tinged with a wicked shade of violet. She was onto something, that was evident in her determined gaze. 

All of a sudden, she conjured a rope out of thin air and swiftly bound Yudh, who stood at an imposing height of nearly eight feet. It was an impressive display of her magical abilities. And, as if a forgotten detail resurfaced in my mind, I recalled that Yudh had a ticklish side. 

I couldn’t help but smile, anticipating what Aadya had in store for our unsuspecting companion. Somewhere, inside me there was a fear of his ferociousness, he could behead us both in a single blow. His power is undeniable and added a layer of danger in this situation. 

As I suspected, suddenly there was a feather in her hand. With a mischievous glow in her eyes, she closes in towards Yudh’s ear. I couldn’t but warn her, “Be careful! You know his strengths, don’t you!” She gestured me to keep myself down, confident in her plan. 

She slightly brushed the feather in one of Yudh’s ears, but it had no effect on his massive body. Stopping, she swiftly moved towards his foot and began tickling him. The unexpected attack seemed to have an impact, as Yudh’s body jolted, and he let out a heaty laugh. It was a sight to witness. Watching this formidable warrior getting defeated by a feather, to simple pleasure of tickling. 

But now, play time was over, Yudh was abrupted from his sleep, he was awake but not conscious. And his aura transformed from calm and neutral state to a swirling, intense red pure of anger. The peaceful atmosphere around us became charged with tension, as his fury radiated from him. His formidable presence filled the air, and it was clear that his rage was not to be taken lightly.  

The ropes were no match for those massive arms and that highly air-filled chest. With a powerful burst of energy ropes were shredded to motes like dust, effortlessly. And he was about go on a rampage, I guess. At the very moment, Aadya backtracked, grabbed my hand we vanished in thin air. She teleported us back to Saumya-van. 

“You shouldn’t have done it, you know.” I spoke.

“We are safe now, that is all is to it. And what a problem in having a little fun.” She answered.

“Don’t you think you went overboard.” I asked her.

“No, not at all” with a simple smile. 

*Back to Yudh, he woke up, shreds the ropes, and looked arround, just to find no one near him. By the way there was no rampage. He just had a gaze and went back to his snooze. *

“I need to go get honey back, Yudh left it somewhere around here.” My responsibilities. 

“Can I tag along, I think I’ve seen it, at my return.” Aadya offered. 

She teleported us once again, this time to the pot of honey. As I went on, to retrieve the pot, I sensed something ominous around us. The gloomiest presence I could have sensed, the entire place was now surrounded with foul aroma. It was visible that Aadya, was getting anxious. 

“What happened?” I asked her. 

“I can smell something rotting.”  She was getting a whiff of a foul aroma. Her nostrils flaring with disgust.

It was weird there was nothing visible, despite both of us could sense somethings presence. 

“What is it, Akshar? Do you sense something.” She was concerned. 

“Yes, and something is definitely… of here.” I replied, my voice barely above a whisper, we should move with caution.”

 As I retrieved the pot, we heard a rustling among the bushes, which caught our attention. Our eyes, as fast as lightning, shifted and were stuck on the bushes. There, I felt no presence, however Aadya continued glaring at the bushes. 

“What is it, is there something wrong, Aadya?” I asked her.

“I can smell something terrible but cannot see it,” she replied, worried. 

This time no playing a hero, we don’t know who or what we are dealing with, and it felt it was more than capable of killing us, as I could sense its killing intents. I gestured Aadya to get ready for the teleportation, I grappled the pot, making a run for it. She did what she could do, the best. Thankfully, we were out of there. Aadya who seemed to have reached her limits. Wasn’t able to move on her own. 

With these powers, you need greater strengths, as it exerts a pressure on the body and limit the use of sorcery spell. And because of her, hasten thinking we were transported even further from the exit, where we left Yudh.

I took a piece of cloth, from my waist that I used as a belt, strapped it around the pot and carried it on my back, and carried Aadya in my arms, like a price taking a princess. 

She wore a radiant smile on her face, a reflection of the joy she felt despite her exhaustion. I cannot afford to have a look in her eyes, the death and passion in them, had the power to engulf me completely. It was a gaze that held the potential to make me lose myself in its depths, to sacrifice everything for it.

"Stop right here," Aadya commanded abruptly, her voice carrying a sense of urgency.

Perplexed by her sudden request, "What is it, Aadya?" I was confused. 

"Please, put me down, Akshar," she pleaded with desperation. 

Without hesitation, I followed her request and gently released my hold on her.  She ventured deeper into the van, I saw her aura change, it was getting to a shade of grey gradually, her heart was getting heavier she felt the agonizing pain, it was visible in her eyes. Step by step she was headed forward to a place, where her memories will be resurfaced, of him.  

She grasped my hand, as she moved ahead, seeking support. I could sense her heart throb. I couldn’t help myself but to say something like, “Don’t force yourself Aadya. It wasn’t your fault.” 

She neglected the words as if they were never spoken. She focused solely on the path ahead. Her grasp was getting tighter, and her face was now filled with fear, despite all of this, she was determined. The closer we got there where it all took place eight years the more dread the environment became. 

She already was exhausted, her physical and emotional strains were overwhelming her, consuming her energy. The eerie sight she wanted to confront with again, held no promise to provide her any sense of comfort. It was a haunting memory, which was deep scar to her heart, and revisiting it will stir her up emotions. 

She knew, what was waiting for her, yet she wanted to face it, she pressed on. Her steps faltered slightly her body seemingly weighed down by the burdens of the past. Yet her determination stated a resolve to face the demons head-on.

I was unsure to let her or not, despite the fact I knew what happened. But I knew this was necessary, for her to walk this path, for her wounds to heal. I couldn’t bear to see her suffer, yet I walked beside her, lending her a silent support. Sometimes it’s better to face your darkest moments of life again. Not for the purpose of reliving the pain but for finding closure and the strength to move forward.

As we approached the place where her heartache began, a heavy silence enveloped us. It was as if the atmosphere itself held its breath, expecting a flood of emotions that was about to be unleashed. 

It was a dainty open space in the van. Completely, adorned with flowers. With a Bastard teak tree in the center. Its saffron flowers were all around the place, making it a sight to capture. However, near the trunk of the tree lay an engraved stone. Telling a name ‘Aadhish.’

“It all happened here, Akshar.” In a quavering voice, she said, “I lost him… we all lost him.” 

“Yes, Aadya, we all lost him.” Trying to console her.

“Do you remember, Akshar. He used to say, ‘nothing ever ends, with an end comes a new start’.” Sorrow in her voice was audible, her words trembled and her eyes welling up with tears.

She kept her head on my chest, weeping. I encircled my arms around her, in attempt to provide her the warmth, that she needed at the moment. We stayed like that for a while, until she said, “I saw him die here. He sacrificed himself in order to save me.”  

“I know everything, Aadya. Please don’t push yourself.” By now she was all tears.

“Will you too leave me like he did?” She questioned me, this echoed in my head.

I was speechless, as I don’t know who I really am. Akshar or Aksh. Can I decide it will I leave her or not? 

Couldn’t be able to answer it, so I remained quiet. 

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