The Sage's Secret

by Abhinav Menon

  Anirudh’s heartbeat quickened—this would be the ultimate find! He had been obsessing about the locket ever since he’d seen it in his dreams. Anirudh tousled his hair, eager yet nervous. He had to steady his nerves before trying anything.

  Finally calm and ready, he placed the two lockets in the two gaping holes while Sage Dweepa inserted the flute into the third, smaller, one. Unlike the two others, the third hole wasn’t blocked on the inside—there was no button, and it was a clear passage. And they were both surprised when Dweepa thrust the flute inside with ease. At least a quarter of its length was in the hole. Now Anirudh pushed the lockets inside without applying much pressure, but he met a wall inside both the holes, which, with force, was not difficult to break through. The marble slab above finally jutted out. It was square-shaped and about five inches to a side.

  Dweepa shone the torch beam at the slab, but it was a flat block of stone. There was no compartment there. Anirudh observed the thickness of the tile—about three inches.

  ‘The locket is inside the slab.’ He was certain of this.

  Dweepa studied the slab, but he was met with disappointment. Then he flashed the light behind the marble block, straight at the cavity that lay behind it. The sage noticed that it was a wall instead of a cavity, with a small hole in its centre. He brought this to Anirudh’s attention.

  Anirudh looked at the hole. It was the same girth as the flute, but there was no way they could fit the instrument there. The slab was in the way. Intrigued by the inexplicable presence of that hole, Anirudh reached in and touched the back of the slab. His hunch proven correct, he felt a gap there, corresponding to the hole in the wall.

  ‘Even the slab has a hole. It’s directly in front of the one in the wall,’ Anirudh told Dweepa.

  Dweepa’s eyes widened. ‘Are you sure?’ he asked a little too loudly.

  Anirudh was surprised to see the sage so eager. He nodded a yes.

  Dweepa motioned Anirudh to approach the flute. ‘You remember the dreams in which you were playing the flute?’

  Anirudh snorted. ‘How can I forget? I’ve had many such dreams … I’ve seen the dream so many times that now I even know how to play the melody!’

  ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘Of course, yes,’ he said simply.

  ‘Play it on the flute then.’

  Anirudh looked at the flute and then at Dweepa. ‘What? Why? But it’s still inside the wall!’ He pointed to the instrument jutting out of the hole.

  ‘Just play it.’

  Abandoning all his questions, Anirudh dropped to his knees, so that his face was on level with the flute, and brought his lips close to the instrument. Shutting his eyes, he recalled the movement of his fingers on the holes of the flute and copied the same sequence while blowing air into the tube. The sound that came out was captivating, emanating shrilly and reverberating behind the marble walls. It was as if time itself had stopped. The melody was like a lullaby, and Sage Dweepa’s heart ached just listening to it.

  After a few glorious moments, they heard a distinct click from the marble slab. Anirudh’s eyes snapped open, and he instantly stopped playing. A lid had sprung ajar on the slab. He got to his feet and looked inside by the steady torchlight.

  A circular locket, dazzlingly white. It was glowing bright and looked absolutely magnificent, like it were the most beautiful and precious jewel in the whole world!

  Anirudh took out the pendant and placed it on his palm; it was pleasantly heavy. He glanced at Dweepa, who was leaning in with a hand to his mouth, his eyes fixed on the locket. Anirudh now noticed something else inside the slab, and fished out a folded palm leaf. He straightened it gingerly to see a few Sanskrit words written in an elegant hand:

  Greetings, O Kalki!

  If you are reading this, then I suppose you have met Sage Dweepa and the plan is proceeding as I have devised it.

  Kalki, the locket you hold in your hands is no ordinary jewel. It is the Kaustubha ratna! And it is your key to unlock the biggest weapon in the whole universe. Protect this locket at all costs, and make sure it never leaves you.

  You have done well.

  Yours,

  Krishna

  Anirudh and Dweepa were shaken to their core by what they had just read. The sage’s eyes were brimming with tears as he regarded Anirudh with nothing short of awe. Finally, their quest was complete. With the help of age-old instructions, they had found what they had been searching for! Anirudh looked at the locket. The mystical object was shining as brightly as the silvery moon. He offered it to Dweepa, who touched it to his forehead and put it inside the bag.

  Speechlessly, Anirudh pushed the marble slab back into the wall, caught the two lockets that emerged from their holes, retrieved the flute and handed them all to Dweepa. The sage carefully kept each item inside his bag.

  Anirudh smiled. ‘Shall we leave now?’

  THIRTY-THREE

  Anirudh and Dweepa were back in the woods, making their way to the hut. Their soaking wet clothes were drying on their backs by the rays of the blistering sun.

  When Anirudh had pulled open the large stone door of the underground chamber, the river water had gushed back in, drenching them. He had got out first and then helped Dweepa up. They’d headed to the tree, and Anirudh had pressed the bark behind the big circle to close the crater in the middle of the river, before wading to the opposite shore. Once they had crossed over, Dweepa had restored the force of the water.

  Exhausted from their adventure, they decided to eat before discussing the events of the day. But as they turned to the house, they found a surprise waiting for them. A strapping man, wearing long black robes and holding a staff in his hand with the miniature skull of a bull at its tip, greeted them.

  Before Dweepa even had the time to react, the man sneered broadly and tossed Dweepa in the air. The sage landed heavily on the ground, groaning in pain.

  The robed man now looked at an alarmed Anirudh. ‘Kalki! Finally we meet! By Goddess Kali’s grace, I shall finish you today!’

  Fear gripped Anirudh’s heart, paralysing him. How does this man know that I am Kalki?

  The man in black waved his staff at Anirudh, and a strong gust of wind hit him. Anirudh was knocked off his feet, and he crashed into a tree. He slumped face down on to the ground, too tired and shocked to move.

  But before he could strike again, Dweepa had recovered, and he stood up to face their attacker. The sage recognized him now. He was the same man who had attacked him in Tamil Nadu!

  ‘Kalanayaka!’

  The sorcerer cracked an evil smile, ready to brandish his staff again. Dweepa took a couple of steps towards Kalanayaka, studying his enemy. ‘You seem to have grown more powerful,’ the sage commented, buying some time for Anirudh to get to his feet. He glanced at the boy, who was slowly hoisting himself up. ‘What do you want, Kalanayaka?’ Dweepa went on.

  ‘I want the lives of Kalki and you, Dweepa!’

  The sage let out a cold laugh and sent out a series of attacks, hurling balls of fire and water at him. Kalanayaka calmly deflected them all with a mere flick of his hand, and launched powerful counter-attacks—strong jets of fire and sand headed towards Dweepa from the left and the right respectively. Dweepa was surprised by the technique and speed of the attacks, as during their previous encounter the sorcerer had not seemed as mighty. Dweepa conjured up waves of fire to devour the jets.

  Anirudh was watching the duel through half-closed eyes. But something was changing in him, compelling him to move. He felt all his senses tingling. He felt anger. Dweepa needs me! A strange energy coursed through his body.

  Anirudh got up suddenly, and summoned all his strength to launch an offensive against Kalanayaka. But the sorcerer spotted him from the corner of his eye. Even as the two attacked him, the robed man successfully dodged both spells and hurled a blow towards Kalki.

  Anirudh fell to his knees within a fraction of a second.

  This gave Kalanayaka enough time to focus on Dweepa. The sag
e and the sorcerer exchanged a fierce volley of fire, earth and sand, aggressively fighting one another. Both seemed to have met their match, as they escaped each other’s attacks with minor scratches and burns and neither gave up. He is well trained! Kalanayaka acknowledged his worthy opponent.

  Meanwhile, Anirudh recovered and, getting up, launched a series of air punches aimed at Kalanayaka’s gut. With a seething glare, the sorcerer waved them off and punched Kalki squarely in the chest. Anirudh was pushed back a few feet. Taking advantage of the distraction provided by Anirudh, Dweepa aimed a torrent of fiery energy at Kalanayaka, who reeled from this unexpected attack.

  Not to be thwarted, though, the robed man took a step back and prepared himself for the next onslaught from Dweepa, who now had an exultant air about him for he thought he had finally overpowered his opponent. However, a sudden change came over the sorcerer. He calmly deflected all attacks as if they were child’s play, startling Dweepa. He then focused on his own assault, hurling spears made of earth at the sage. But Dweepa was putting up a tough fight, simultaneously evading the spears and conjuring boulders to launch at the sorcerer.

  Several feet away, Anirudh shook off his shock and steadied himself. He was seething with rage at himself for not being able to perform energy conversions and assist his teacher. He gaped at the two enemies fighting, but it was impossible to guess who would win. Fire, water, earth, air—he saw boulders and spears of all elements being exchanged between the skilled opponents. It looked like a divine dance of destruction! The forest floor was charred as well as flooded, the bark of the surrounding trees was smouldering lightly, leaves were burnt to a crisp, rocks were piled up and mounds of sand lay scattered like sunlight.

  As he watched their combat, awestruck, he heard a voice that broke his trance. ‘Anirudh, you can defeat him!’

  He looked around for the source of the sound and saw a familiar figure standing near a tree to his left. The grey eyes, the broken and wounded skin, the tattered green saree …

  ‘Bhoomidevi!’ Anirudh whispered.

  He quickly turned to Dweepa and Kalanayaka, but they seemed oblivious to her presence.

  ‘All you need to do is believe. Believe that you can perform energy conversion, and you will be able to do it,’ said Bhoomidevi, determination in her eyes.

  Anirudh looked at her and back at the duelling figures. He took a deep breath and stepped forward.

  ‘You can do it, Anirudh!’ Bhoomidevi whispered.

  Inching closer to Kalanayaka, Anirudh conjured up a gust of energy and imagined it was a blaze. But the fire failed to appear. He stared at Bhoomidevi helplessly.

  ‘Believe!’ she breathed yet again.

  Anirudh glanced back at the fighters, their arms and faces streaked with bleeding wounds and deep gashes. He saw Kalanayaka launching a gigantic ball of energy towards Dweepa. The pulsating ball, fuelled by the sorcerer’s rage, hurtled towards its target. The sage braced himself and met the attack with open palms. He had collected energy in his hands, and pushed back. But he found the ball to be so forceful that it pressed down on him, making him stagger. As he skidded backwards, he tripped on a stone and fell to his knees. But refusing to relent, with all the power he could summon, he turned the mass of energy upwards and launched it into the sky, where it shattered among the purple clouds. With ragged breaths, Dweepa kept himself upright. All his energy had drained out of him.

  Kalanayaka waved his staff as he yelled, ‘You think you can defeat a Kalabakshaka? A small, insignificant man like you cannot kill me, Dweepa!’ He jerked his staff towards the sage and out came three towering waves: air, earth and fire.

  Anirudh stared at the terrible formation, horrified. The sage, still on his knees after fending off the gigantic ball, was trying to get to his feet while deflecting the oncoming assault. Anirudh couldn’t bear it any longer. His teacher was completely battered—he was too weak to go on! He knew this was the end. That Kalanayaka’s attack was going to kill Dweepa.

  ‘You can defeat Kalanayaka! Believe it! Believe that you can convert energy!’ Bhoomidevi pleaded, her grey eyes now shimmering with unshed tears.

  I cannot let Sage Dweepa die! The sage had taught him so much. Dweepa was his friend, his guide and ally. Anirudh couldn’t let Dweepa’s efforts turn to dust. Vengeance filled Anirudh’s body, stirring him into action.

  ‘You can save Dweepa, Anirudh!’ Bhoomidevi cried.

  As if triggered by her voice, Anirudh dashed to Dweepa’s side while conjuring up two walls of energy between themselves and the sorcerer. Kalanayaka’s oncoming projectiles bounced off the sturdy screen.

  Kalanayaka was astonished.

  No, not walls of energy … These are walls of earth and water! Anirudh willed firmly.

  As he shielded his teacher, he saw his walls turn into sheets of earth and water. He had believed in the transformation, and it had happened! As if he was meant to achieve this all along!

  The sage, who had collapsed to the ground, opened his eyes slightly and saw the most heart-stopping spectacle. Anirudh’s wall of earth and water hit Kalanayaka’s shield of air and pushed back. An eerie silence fell over them before the walls collided and the sorcerer’s sheet of air noisily burst into invisible smithereens, shattering the stillness. The barrage of earth sent by Kalanayaka also met its end when it crashed against Anirudh’s. Now Anirudh’s wall of earth, having spent its energy in breaking two walls, melted away. The screen of fire, conjured up by Kalanayaka, and Anirudh’s wall of water slammed into each other and dissolved into thin air, clouds of vapour obscuring everyone’s vision.

  Anirudh turned to Dweepa and, panicking, saw blood oozing from his teacher’s mouth. His eyes were now shut, and his face was pale. The student placed his palm on the sage’s chest to confirm that his heart was still beating. Yes … he was still alive! Assured about Dweepa’s safety, Anirudh faced Kalanayaka again. The air had cleared.

  He stood up and walked through the thin, dwindling mist. The sorcerer took a step back, suddenly unsure. He saw Anirudh’s flaming red eyes, which looked like churning oceans of blood. He was focused on his enemy’s defeat and infused with energy and anger. Afraid but unwilling to give up, Kalanayaka brought down a sizzling ball of fire, but Anirudh waved it aside as if it were nothing. The Kalki avatar had finally realized his powers of belief—that he could will anything into being! He had imagined the ball of fire to be a mere wisp of energy and, believing so, had brushed it away.

  The sorcerer was stunned, but he recovered quickly to air-punch Kalki in the gut, which sent him back a few steps. But Anirudh dug his heels in to stop his fall. If it were at all possible, he became even more enraged. Bellowing a deep cry of fury, Anirudh stepped forward. Channelling the energy of the woods, he diverted it at Kalanayaka’s abdomen and face. The robed figure doubled up with pain.

  Now great fear reflected in Kalanayaka’s eyes as he saw Kalki approaching him. Gathering a huge mass of energy in his right fist, Kalki propelled it into the air with a roar. The blast of wind knocked Kalanayaka off his feet, and he landed on his back, several feet away, groaning in misery. But he wasn’t going to let the pain win. He had to finish Kalki, even though he had been caught off guard by the avatar’s strength and skill.

  Kalanayaka saw Kalki still gaining on him with every stride, his eyes fearfully bloody. He calmed himself down before brutally striking Kalki with his staff. But it seemed like nothing affected the man facing him, who deflected the onslaught with a flick of his fingers. Now the sorcerer’s fright was replaced by anger as he grew furious upon seeing Kalki defend his best attacks so easily. So he decided to use his special weapon once again; this time, against Kalki himself.

  Kalanayaka summoned his fury and launched pellets of air, fire and earth against Kalki. Deftly dodging the hailstorm of the elements, Anirudh joined his hands together, pointed them to Kalanayaka’s feet and then pulled his palms apart. The earth shook and finally split open under Kalanayaka’s feet, and he fell right in.

 
Trapped in the crack, he screamed as he tried to wriggle out, ‘No, Kalki! You cannot defeat me! I have offered many an animal sacrifice to Goddess Kali. She’s with me … With her by my side, you can NEVER defeat me!’ Saying so, Kalanayaka levitated in the air, balancing on the tip of his staff. He laughed menacingly.

  But Anirudh’s mind stayed on Kalanayaka’s words. Animal sacrifices? This man has sacrificed innocent animals?

  Enraged, Anirudh recalled Dweepa’s lesson on energy moulding, during which he had shaped a ball of energy above his palm using an invisible hand. He inhaled deeply and imagined an invisible hand above Kalanayaka. With his intent infused with rage, he raised his own hand and brought it down with full force.

  Kalanayaka was shoved, as if by the innocent air, right into the ground, like a nail that had been hammered down! His staff fell from his grip and rolled away from the sorcerer, who was now buried waist-deep in earth, a dumbfounded look on his face.

  Anirudh stomped forward and picked up Kalanayaka’s staff. ‘Your power lies in this staff, right?’

  Kalanayaka’s face showed nothing but terror. ‘Please, no! No … no … no …!’

  He watched as Kalki held out the staff in front of him with both hands. Then, raising his right leg, he brought down the staff on his thigh with all his might and broke it in two.

  ‘Noooo …!’ Kalanayaka felt as though someone had ripped out his heart and sucked out the life from his body.

  Anirudh tossed the splintered pieces to one side and turned away.

  ‘I have been betrayed by you … the gods once again!’ Kalanayaka screamed through his tears.

  These words caught Anirudh’s attention. He stepped back, and his eyes fell on a large boulder that lay a few feet away from him. Pulling it towards him, effortlessly through the air, he perched on it, facing Kalanayaka.

  ‘We are going to have a little chat.’

  At that moment, he had stopped thinking like a man. He had started acting like the god that he was.