I let that one slide for now. “What were you and your master working on?”
“I can’t tell you.” Kajur replied.
I looked at the bottle meaningfully. Kajur answered “I am bound by my vow to my, hic, master. I cannot break it, it is in my nature. I cannot reveal what he has told me not to, hic. Even if you were to destroy me, hic”.
Interesting. “Can you reveal it to your next master?”
“No. I cannot.”
I considered setting him free. But it was dangerous. He had millennia worth of knowledge. If someone else got hold of him, stuff like that could cause damage on an incalculable scale. So I was thinking of a way to bind him to me and become his master. It wasn’t strictly the right thing to do. The decent thing to do would be to set him free. But a magical assistant like that would be priceless. So I decided to trick him into my service, his being drunk should work in my favour. What can I say? My ethics are lower than a snake’s belly.
First a little flattery, “Well, if you’re a knowledge yaksa, what are the things you know?”
“Everything great and small. I was helper to the gods before my previous master. I know the vedas, the Mahabharata, the Ramayana. I have advised the king of Devas, and the ruler of Raksahsas [S7] . I have friends in the nether worlds. I have seen heaven and Yama’s hell. I know rituals to bring kingdoms to heel, and yagnas to shake deva loka. All rituals, spells and yagnas are known to me.”
“Wow. Impressive.” I said making my eyes big. “You must be very powerful.”
“I am, Wizard.”
“Your master was very lucky to have you.”
“He was.”
“You must be the greatest knowledge yaksa, huh?”
“Yes.”
“Isn’t it a pity that your master faced a sad end?”
“Yes.”
“Well, if this got out that you were unable to save your master, that would also be embarrassing, wouldn’t it?”
“Yes”
His head was starting to droop.
“That would be a blemish on your long and illustrious life, wouldn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“It would have been so good, if this had never happened huh?”
“Yes.”
“If there was a way to prevent this, you would do it, wouldn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Can I be your master?”
“Yes.”
His head shot right back up when he realized what he said. He was staring back at me in horror.
“Wait. You tricked me, hic. You cannot hold me to this agreement. Release me.”
“Kajur” I smirked at him. Kajur actually means stupid.
“This is unfair, I do not want to serve you.”
“Relax. It’ll be like a vacation.”
“No, no, no. Curse you wizard, hic.” He stood and was jumping up and down in the circle his dreadlocks flying in every which way.
“You might want to show a little more respect to your master,” I said seriously.
He looked up with big eyes pleadingly. I ignored him.
“So some ground rules. You should only be visible and audible to me. You will obey all my commands. You will not use any knowledge you possess to harm anyone directly or indirectly without my saying so.”
His smooth face was in despair, it was kinda comic. He would get over it eventually.
Kajur’s home, when he was with Suryaprakash, was a conch shell. I asked him to return back to it and was having lunch considering my failure to find more information about what Prajwal’s and Suryaprakash were planning, when I received a call from Palak.
“Shiva? My husband has taken a turn for the worse. The doctors have given up hope, please come back and do the thing you wanted to do.”
Chapter 6: The Kick
The mood back at Palak’s home was grim, the room was dimly lit. The sun was setting and I was standing at the foot of Prajwal’s bed, looking at him. He looked pale, like he had given up. The instruments had been unplugged and silence was deep. The room was empty, but for me and Prajwal. I had taken the stuff I needed from my apartment.
There was a bathtub next to the bed. It was filled with warm water and a setup had been made to keep the water warm. I had calculated the amount of water in the tub and poured in Epsom salts, the salts would make the water buoyant and with enough salt, I could make my body float over the water so I don’t drown. I quickly stripped down to my underwear and took a deep breath and looked at everything to make sure I didn’t miss anything. I had drawn a huge circle with more symbols inside it to ensure that my body would be undisturbed when I leave it.
I took the syringe from the bag and the vial of green liquid. The vial contained a cocktail of the most potent hallucinogens to put me in a deep trance during the procedure. Interlinking minds is not a simple thing. I filled the syringe with the cocktail and injected it into my body. The trance would ensure that I remain focused on my task and don’t get awakened by any disturbance. I stepped into the bathtub carefully making sure I didn’t step over any of my symbols and ensuring no water spilt. The water was delightfully warm, I slowly lowered myself and found my body to be floating just above the surface and my nose was above water making sure I could breathe.
The ear plugs made sure that no water could get in my ear, a rough cover had been made at my request so it could cover the tank. Prajwal and I were linked by a cloth rope which at one end was tied around his wrist and the other end, it was tied to mine. As I pulled the cover over my head, complete isolation descended. This was a crude imitation of a floatation tank used by researchers all over the world to study the mind by isolating it from the senses. I was completely cut off from sight, smell, taste or touch. I then uttered the words that would hopefully link my mind to Prajwal’s.
The cocktail of hallucinogens kicked in faster than I expected. I felt a rush at first and then nothing. All was bliss, there was no time, place, light or anything. Just peace. I longed to stay like this forever.
But then I sensed something. I could see in my mind a mountain with snow-capped peaks, it was magnificent. Since this was all happening in my mind, I could move with the speed of thought and my thoughts told me there was something at the top of the mountain. I raced to the top like a missile and reached the peak in seconds and suddenly stopped. I didn’t want to go any further. There was a creature on top of the mountain. It looked like a man. But I don’t think it was human, its eyes were glowing red and something like smoke was coming out of them. He turned and suddenly saw me. BAM.
I woke up in a hospital. In the reception area. I forgot all about the other dream, my memories were still a bit unclear. The people around me were all in a hurry doing this or that. I stood up and walked over to the receptionist and asked her, “How did I get here?”
She looked up at me with a puzzled expression. “I’m sorry sir, we’re very busy. Could you come back later?”
There was something strange going on here. All of them were dressed the same and too perfectly. The strangest thing was that there seemed to be no other patients, except for a man in a grey suit. He was sitting cross legged with his elbow resting on the arm rest of the chair and his hand on his chin looking down. His hat covered his face. Then I looked around and saw a huge painting of Prajwal over the entrance.
I turned around and asked the receptionist, “Who is that?”
She looked at me like I was retarded and said, “Our benefactor, of course. May be you should take a seat sir. I’ll get someone to take a look at you soon”.
It then hit me that we were in Prajwal’s mind. Prajwal was in coma and people in coma are in hospitals. His mind or mine must have created this place as an interface between us. So he must be the only patient here. So who were all these people, his antibodies or something? I stopped thinking about that and asked the receptionist “How is the patient? How is Prajwal?”
She looked afraid as she said, “not doing well”.
“I need to see him
right away. I am here to help him.” I said.
“He is being looked at by the best, you don’t need to worry sir. We’re doing everything we can.”
“No, no, I need to speak to him,” I insisted.
My insistence annoyed her and she put on a fake smile and said, “Of course. Give me a minute” picking up the phone.
I had no doubt that she was calling security. So I just walked away following a doctor who looked worried. He was headed to the elevator and I followed him. “He’s over there. He is going to the elevator.” I heard the receptionist shout out. But the elevator doors were already closing. There was only one red button side the elevator, I pushed it. The worried doctor was looking at me in suspicion. I nodded at him with a meek smile and said, “special delivery for the patient”. He looked unconvinced.
The elevator doors opened and there were huge unfriendly looking guards, all looking down at me. Their leader spoke. “Sir, I’m afraid I’m gonna have to escort you downstairs.”
I didn’t want to hurt anyone because that would the same as hurting Prajwal. In his weakened state, I doubted if his mind could take any more abuse. I said “Listen fellas, we’re all on the same side. I’m here to help”. As I was saying this, two guards lifted me up under the arms and were taking me towards an emergency exit. “I don’t want to hurt any of you”. One of the guards snickered.
They opened the door and were about to enter when I shouted “Palak sent me”. All of them went quiet. Their leader said, “You’re lying”.
“I can prove it. I know of a phrase that only Prajwal and Palak knew about. Palak told me so I could identify myself when I see him. Sort of like a password. And I’m not telling you what it was. It’s highly personal.”
“Hold him,” said the leader and went away. He returned after a few minutes and said, “Ok, you are allowed to see him. This way”.
The room he led me to was almost an exact copy of the one we were in. Several tubes were going in and out of his body and a bunch of doctors were fussing over him. Except here he was awake, he was sitting up on a bunch of pillows. He was looking at me steadily, even though his breathing was laboured. This must be his deep subconscious, where he was aware even though his body was not.
“Who are you?” His voice was soft and clear.
“I’m Shiva. Your wife hired me to investigate what happened to you.”
“How are you here, in my mind, when I’m in coma?” Interesting, he knew what was happening to him.
“I’m also a wizard. I entered your mind to know what you and Suryaprakash were planning.”
His eyes lit up with alarm. But his face was passive.
“How do I know you are telling the truth?” He was on guard now. I tend to have that effect on people.
I told him the phrase his wife told me. His face relaxed and he let out a long laboured breath of pain and adjusted himself on the bed.
“How is she?”
“Worried. The sooner you tell me what happened, the sooner I can fix this and heal you.” He was avoiding my eyes and looked hesitant to talk.
“Look. I’m here to help you. I can see that you were badly tortured using magic. That’s just wrong. Magic should not be used to hurt. The police cannot bring them to justice. Only I can.” I said. And that was true, even if the police caught the ones responsible, they had no way to prove the crime. The Guardians are the first and only line of defence against rogue wizards.
He started slowly “I came into contact with Suryaprakash when I was collecting antiques. He showed me incredible things. I was amazed, and wanted to learn more. He taught me and I sponsored him. With my financial help he was able to work in peace, and he soon uncovered an amazing yagna, a very ancient and powerful one, which can only be performed when the stars are in correct positions. So we prepared, some part of me knew it wouldn’t turn out well, but my curiosity led me on. If this spell worked, then oh my god…”
“We started preparing, collecting the things required for the yagna. I had acquired the most important item required for the yagna, and it cost me a fortune. But I had just secured it and hid it away that night. They just appeared in my room without warning. Of the two people that came calling, one was very tall, around 6’6 and looked like a bodyguard. The other one, well, he was different.”
Once he had started it all came pouring out of him. I didn’t say a word but just sat next to him nodding here and there.
“The other one, he was dressed well, in a suit. He looked old, but his skin was smooth, he had white hair and white beard. He was regal. Overall he was like a rich and kindly gentleman. He asked about the item nicely at first but then when I refused, his face changed so abrubtly, so nasty. His bodyguard held me down, and …”
He started to choke and writhe on the bed. He twisted this way and that way, but he wasn’t able to breathe. The doctors all rushed and pushed me out of the way. They were talking among themselves about moving the patient to the operating theatre. A couple of nurses came in and moved the still choking Prajwal to a movable stretcher bed and started carting him away. As he passed me, he caught my jacket, and wouldn’t let go. So I just tagged along watching him mime something at me. His eyes were bulging out like he was being choked out, but no one was touching him.
As we were careening towards the operation theatre at a high speed, we passed a sunlit window, and as the sunlight fell on Prajwal, I saw something that shocked me. Within an arm’s distance of me there was a man sitting atop Prajwal, his hands on his throat choking him. He was the same man I saw in the grey suit downstairs with the hat. It was only for a fleeting second and only as a ghostly image. As we passed the sunlit window in to the incandescent lights of the hospital, the the man disappeared.
But I was staring at him in horror, Prajwal clawed at me pointing into the air, where nothing was visible. But there was someone there and he would kill Prajwal if I didn’t stop him. I whispered “Hatha” and formed a ball of pure will and force. My arm was in full swing as I thrust that force straight into where the grey man’s chest would have been if I could see him. I hit something. It must have had some impact because I heard something fall on a nurse on the other side. I assumed that the man in the grey suit must have hit the nurse propelled by my force and fallen off. Prajwal was catching his breath, but it was no use. The cart stopped and a doctor examining him said, “His windpipe must be damaged”.
But Prajwal grabbed hold of my hand and pulled me close, his voice was raspy when he told me about the item he acquired and where he had hidden it. Despite all the pain, he hadn’t given up its location and it was hidden away in plain sight. What he told me awed me. But the doctors pried his hands away and said, “Later, you can talk to him later and wheeled him away”. I was too stunned to follow. I had to get back and secure the item. It was divine and yet deadly.
I was still looking at the doctors wheeling Prajwal away when I felt another presence. I turned around and saw the man in the grey suit looking at me. His hat still covered his face. It looked like he was sizing me up.
“Who are you?” He asked in a voice like a hissing snake.
“A traveller, just passing through. What are you?” I think he perceived the insult in my question. I did not like giving my name to this creature. He was sending out bad vibes even when he was silent. Whatever it was, I could sense it wasn’t natural and had no place to be here. Maybe I should ask it politely to leave. Maybe he would agree. And maybe there are seven virgins waiting for me back at my apartment.
“I am the Rakshasa Narimbu.” As he said this, he raised his face into the light. He was black as coal with red eyes, like completely red. No iris or retina or anything, just burning lava red. His two canine teeth had grown past his lower lip and just stopped short of his chin. They had cruelly curved outwards. His skin was swarthy. Even clean shaven, he looked coarse. He smiled showing me his teeth. They were all pointed and sharp.
Crap, that was terrifying. Rakshasas are incredibly strong demons and very destruct
ive. And that too in a suit … times were changing. This was some run of the mill Rakshasa, a top-tier one if he could penetrate a mind like this. Fighting him would be extremely foolish. I was without sleep for two days and my body was tired. But I wasn’t in my body. I was pure mind. And the mind knows no limits. I immediately stepped back and prepared a spell.
“What is your purpose here? And don’t play word games with me.” I said sharply
His craptastic smile didn’t leave his face. “Thou art a wizard, I see.” His blood red eyes were looking at my hand, holding the spell. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a fire spell. I would have to hold back here, since this was Prajwal’s mind. Throwing fire around here would damage his psyche more and leave scars no one can heal.
“Purpose? I have no purpose, but that of serving my master. Hence my presence here. I, Narimbu who have killed a hundred Devas, here in a worm’s mind, keeping a mortal in deep sleep as my master instructed,” he spat on the floor.
“Thou art cribbing about thy job, I see. Dost thou receive overtime for this? Or are you having a few performance issues?” My mocking use of the ‘thous’ and ‘thys’ upset him, and I could see his eyes getting redder. I had to find out more about his master, so I kept talking.
“If you were only trying to keep him in coma and not kill him, why were you choking him just now?”
“To stop him from divulging our intentions to you, Wizard. I would have stopped before killing him though it would have taken a lot of restraint on my part.”
“How did you know where he was?”
“I saw you downstairs and knew you were not a part of this mortal’s mind. So I followed you from a distance. Once I saw he was close to telling you about my master, I intervened.”
“What now? He did tell me what you were after.”
“So? That is just the beginning and you will not depart this pIace. I haven’t had anything to eat in this mortal mind for days and now I see a tasty morsel. I shall devour your mind and leave your body to rot.”
The Weapon of the Devas Page 5