witch slayer

  But for Hark, It was an unknown feeling which was tearing him inside. He stared at the statue and asked –

  “Who is this gentle lady?

  Lady Miranda answered in a slow soft voice-

  She is Alice, my loving maid; I liked her most for her kind heart. Even birds also favored her. She had a baby but….. I don’t know the happenings.

  She nods her head, murmurs something with her quivering lips. She is visibly disturbed. Hark seemed also worried and soon they both fall silent.

  Suddenly Miranda said, I must read the book to reveal the mystery. Hark exclaimed with shock-

  Will you not be turned to stone!

  Yes, I will be but I have no other option left.

  No, lady, no …

  But Miranda replied firmly-

  If my sacrifice can bring justice to all, let it be so.

  She goes to the holy chronicle and touched the book of knowledge. As it got a human touch, the book began to laugh.

  “Welcome Miranda at the door of knowledge. Ask what you want but remember the answer will turn you into stone for ever”.

 

  Miranda began in a sound voice- you the book of knowledge, treasure of wisdom tell me everything of the past happenings.

  The great chronicle stopped laughing and began-

  I am the book of knowledge and I have the secret of the universe. For ages after ages I had been safely kept in the hand of dwarfs. But Scissiro’s over ambition and Picarro’s plot brought me here in the castle. Miranda was captivated; the one eyed guard was transformed into a giant and the kind maid of Miranda was forced to read me. Her refusal would turn her child into sub-human.

  To save her child she sacrificed herself asking me question. As she went on asking me, she turned to stone and ambitious scissiro came to know the secrets of the fiery balls which could arrange the universe in a new way.

  Now picarro and scissiro came to know the secret of 4 fiery balls. They threw the baby from castle but a golden eagle snatched the baby out and dropped him in a child–less parents’ lap.

  Today after 20 years, the child is none but you Hark, you.

  It was a thunder shock for hark.

  What!

  Oh mother!

  A tear dropped on the ground.

  Lady Miranda’s legs turned into stone.

  She asked the chronicle again -tell me the secret of four fiery balls?

  The chronicle began –

  The secret of fiery balls can change the design of the universe. If 4 fiery balls- the ball of beauty, the ball of innocent, the ball of knowledge and the ball of wealth are achieved by any evil hand.

  Nothing will remain except the evil will of magical creatures. Remember, Scissiro and Picarro are the greatest threat of the world. Now Miranda’s neck turned to stone. Miranda felt extreme pain yet she asked her last question-

  How can it be solved?

  The chronicle said, - the evil design is so ripen in the hand of piccarro and scissiro, that it will take thousand more years for justice; But never forget, you are the last hope .

  As the prediction ended, Miranda began to turn into stone and soon she turned to a stone statue.

  In one side, lady Miranda and on the other his own mother-Hark felt crying in heart. The book in the middle remained heartless like dead. Hark’s eyes filled with tear.

  HARK’S COMBAT WITH SCISSIRO

  Hark came out from the chamber and stepped in the stony corridor. He had the witch killing sword in hand. Suddenly his eye caught Scissiro who had burnt Hark inside.

  But Scissiro was no longer an ugly witch; rather she was the most beautiful lady of the universe. Forget about killing, her fatal beauty could stop the heart beat of mankind.

  So, her venomous beauty soon infected the brave hero Hark.

  She said in a sensuous voice-

  Oh Hark…dear Hark…then the sword is in your hand…

  …But can you kill me…?

  She came close with a seductive pose. Hark looked at her. She seemed more beautiful than a fairy. Now she had the beauty of thousands beauties. Her crystal green ball began to shine.

  Oh! This ball of beauty was beyond expression.

  As she was getting close and Hark was getting weak. There was a monstrous fight inside Hark’s heart.

  How, How can I kill this lady? She is so beautiful…

  The attraction is so fatal that Hark’s psyche had a great combat inside. Gradually Hark kneeled down. She came close with her scythe in back. Hark struggled inside. He was torn between infatuation and duty. She came very close to him. She brought out her scythe from her back. Hark was still struggling and in this struggle the nearby soul cauldron was dropped.

  There was the confined human soul mixed with fog and dew. The soul water came rolling on the ground. On the other side Hark had dropped the sword and succumbed to her fatal beauty.

  She was about to behead the hero, and then a miracle happened. Hark suddenly saw the real reflection of the witch in the soul smoke.

  It was more than horrible. A thousand years old scary lined face .He immediately came out from her infatuation and drove the sword on her throat.

 

  For a moment she cried out and then everything was merged in silence. Her beheaded body dropped on the ground with a thud. Her cut head was thrown away. The ball of beauty which she clutched in hand rolled round in the darkness of the castle.

  Hark stood up with effort and said scornfully -

  You are rightly served, horrible Witch…

  And then the worst betrayal happened. Evil Picarro stabbed Hark from back and it brought a tragic end to the great warrior.

  Later it was aired in jungle that Hark could see the face of the betrayer at the last moment and tried to cut his head before death but the devil did not die. Hark’s soul left the body and his pure blood mixed the soul of the cauldron

 

  Ray, the chosen seed

  What happen after that? Asks Ray.

  The old dwarf replies, master, the task is still undone, only you can do it. Now it is a thunder shock for Ray.

  What a Valliant warrior failed to do, how, how can a ten-year boy do!

  Ray says in a slow stammering voice,” how! How can me!

  I m just a ten years boy and I know nothing.”

  The dwarf comes close and says master faith on me, only you can do it, you are the chosen seed. Now Ray asks excitedly but what make you think that I am the chosen seed?

  The old dwarf says master show me your hand. Ray stretches out his hand and he touches it with his wand which emerges a black tattoo in the hand. It was the same symbol what Hark had once. Ray is surprised and speechless at the revelation. s

  Master believe me, you are the witch slayer Hark, born with a new body.

 

  Ray meets dwarfs:-

  Dark evening has begun to spread its dark hand over every thing yet they two are stepping ceaselessly. Their sound-less walk on the grassy path of the endless jungle seemed endless but ultimately they reached in the heart of the jungle. Ray feels some sort of secret spying behind him. Ray turns round but finds none except the century old mossy giant trees. Suddenly the old Leprechaun stops near a sky kissing thorny tree and says, Master, we have reached our destination; allow me to voice our people.

  Ray nods his head silently.

  The dwarf makes a distance and loudly cried-

  Dwarfs, meet your savior.

  The sound echoes in air. For a moment, everything is silent but then an unusual event happens. From the branches from the bough, from the sky kissing trees to toe and from wild flowers to flow, from every where thousands and thousands, little dwarfs come out in slow steps.

  Who is not there- old, child, young, beardy, bald, every one! They are looking at their hero.


  Ray asks the old Leprechaun in utter - astonishment they are your people!

  The old Leprechaun replies-

  No, they are your and they have been waiting for you for years after years. Ray falls silent but the sky is covered with the joyous yell of Leprechauns.

 

 

  Ray and the world of the Dwarfs:-

 

  Following the old little creature, Ray enters in to the world of little Dwarfs.

  It is a nice world. They have beautifully carved the inside part for their usage.

  From stair to lantern, every thing is there.

  Oh! Then you live here.

  Yes, master, we have been living here since the beginning. It is the secret world of dwarfs: we collect dew drops, honey, wild roots for survival. Ray notices working dwarfs with big pots on their shoulder.

  We believe in collection not in wastage like human.

  Now they enter into another giant tree. It is nicely furnished, well-aired chamber inside the heart of the tree. The main hall is full of little dwarfs, but for Ray it is like a small store room, gorgeously decorated with natural wealth.

  The Dwarfs offer him dew, honey, fruits and burnt rabbit.

  Master, please have your food.

  Ray really felt hungry, so, without caring much manner he readily accepts the food and began to gobble like a little giant.

  Oh! What a delicious food it was!

  He began to have the food like a hungrily animal. Soon he feels sleepy and jumps on the flowery bed at the first offer. Ray sleeps like a dead.

  .

  Next morning when the sun light comes through the pore of the leaves, he wakes up and opens his fresh eyes.

  Oh, what a beautiful scene it is!

  The dinning chamber is covered with a mysterious reflection of light and shadow. Suddenly, his eye catches two gorgeous golden doors which are attached with the last wooden wall.

  I have not seen it last night- Ray murmurs.

  He stands up and steps to it. He comes close to it.

  Wow! Wonderful!

  But the golden carving seems very horrible. He is about to open the first one and then from back-

  Master…

  Ray turns back.

  Oh it is the old Dwarf who met him first. The Little creature says-

  Master, please come here.

  Ray goes to him near the second door. It is a door gorgeously decorated with gold. There is a golden tree carved on it. The Dwarf gives a push with his wand and it opens with a sound. They take stair and soon enter in a hall.

  What Ray sees, is impossible to his eye.

  It is brightly illuminated giant hall under the ground. Hundreds monsters’ wealth can be kept here. Its walls are golden and the floor is made of diamond. It seems the wealth of the world is kept hoarding here. Every where there is gold gold and gold. The Leprechaun says-

  Come master…

  Ray follows him silently. Now they reach to a tree in the hall.

  It is unbelievable! Murmurs Ray.

  The most amazing scene that he witnesses here….

  A living golden banyan tree is bearing golden fruits and flowers. In every moment the golden fruits are dropping and new flowers are taking the empty place, again the flowers are turning into golden fruits. Five dwarfs are tirelessly laboring to gather gold.

  The old Dwarf goes to the tree and puts his hand in the wood hole.

  For a moment every thing is stopped. He brings out a fiery ball from the heart of it. Instantly the tree turns to a normal one. Ray feels, this is the ball that is illuminating the hall.

  He comes close to Ray and stretching the fiery ball-

  Master, this is the ball of wealth;

  It should be handed to its right master long ago but we could not but today it is in safe hand.

  Ray stretches his hand and the ball of wealth is handed over to a boy of ten.

  JOURNEY TO THE CASTLE

  The sky has turned red, clearly indicating an ominous happening. Two warriors from two different worlds have set their perilous journey to the infinity. A day’s magical experience has turned Ray braver. Like all other magical creatures, Ray has also begun to believe, the answer is buried in that cursed castle of Scissiro.

  After a long journey, when the redden sky has engulfed the last radiance of the day, they reach to the castle gate.

  It is a dark, deep, doom deserted castle. Darkness perpetually prevails here. No living heart dares to visit this cursed castle.

  Master we have reached our destination, the old dwarfs says silently. Now I will hope best for your valiant journey.…

  What! Asks Ray in curious eyes.

  The dwarf says; forgive me master, but my journey is over. I can step no more, we Dwarfs are prohibited here.

  It shocks Ray.

  But why? Asks Ray excitedly.

  The little dwarf sighs and replies-

  When Hark was killed with betrayal, his holy blood got mixed with the suffering souls of the magic cauldron. It created four dagger handed Appricastus who sleeplessly guard the castle.

  Many times we tried to enter but we got nothing except tragic end. Many brave dwarfs’ skulls are still found there.

  Um! So they are the guards of the castle.

  Yes master.

  Can’t we kill them?

  No, never… they can neither be killed nor injured … They are beyond any magical power. Only Hark can tame them.

  Hark!

  Yes, only Hark.

  But I am not Hark, I am Ray, replies the ten year boy.

  Now the Dwarf says -Master, you might be born in a new body but your soul is the same. The Appricastus will smell you pulse.

  What! They will smell me! No I will not go alone, I am afraid of dark.

  Little Ray is determined not to go alone in the castle.

  The old creature tries to convince but all in vain. Ray will not move alone.

  At last, after a thought, the old little dwarf suggests-

  If you can carry me in your back, then I shall go with you, master.

  Ray readily accepts the proposal.

 

 

  Many of our dwarf warriors dared to step in the castle but alas!

  MEETING THE APPRICASTUS

  Crossing the skulls of the unfortunate dwarfs, Ray steps in the stony corridor where Hark was stabbed with betrayal. Ray was expecting a thrilling welcome in the dark room but nothing happens.

  I think, Appricastus are gone…

  Even the words are not completed, all of sudden, four immortal knights come jumping in a blink and drive their dagger to Ray’s neck. Their dagger would behead this young warrior with the century old dwarf but they seized their dagger at the last moment. When they notice the tattoo of Ray, they seize their sharp blade at the throat and vanish in the dark.

  Ray is under utter confusion. He, himself is shivering in fear; cold perspiration has covered his forehead and the dwarf is groaning at back. If it were death, it would be different but when the death comes from the red eyed dagger lifting burning skeleton, it is worse than death. Everything is silent again.

  But again the four warriors come tearing the thick dark of the castle and kneel down to Ray. They stretch their lean white bony hand and a green ball of fire is seen.

  Now Ray looks at the faces. Their cracked white skull, fiery red eyes and skinless bones look really horrible. No human heart will dare to look into the eyes but Ray dares. Suddenly the Dwarf says Ray murmuring from the back-

  Master; please receive the ball of beauty.

  Ray doubtfully stretches out his hand and in a moment the ball of beauty is given in the hand of an innocent warrior.

 


 

  RAY AND HIS PAST

  As Ray walks down the chamber, his dead memories come alive from the tomb of oblivion.

  Oh! This is the place I was killed…

  But why, why my thousand efforts fall flat to remember his face. ..Oh!

  He crosses one by one and now he is in the chamber of sub-human creatures.

  It is that giant gate which was once opened by the hand of Hark, the slayer of scissiro. Ray enters with the ball of beauty. In green light he dares to look into the hole.

  Oh my God! The suffering souls are still lamenting in the hole. Their endless suffering drew tear in Ray’s eyes.

  He comes out from there and enters in the next chamber of giant. It was the place where he killed the one eyed demon. The stones are still left there. All these remind Ray the episodes of his past life but still the betrayer is missing.

  Now Ray enters in the last chamber, the chamber of Lost Chronicle. The chronicle is kept in the same place and the stone statues are also unmoved. Now the dwarf has come down from his back. Ray comes close to them and looks at the tears of the statues. It flashes every thing like that of a thunder. He murmurs...

  Mother….

  Tear rolls round from his innocent eyes.

  The Dwarf says from the back, master, you can not be weak like this. Picarro will destroy all.

  Ray controls himself. Cleaning his eyes Ray stood up., I must punish the betrayer.

  The dwarf says, we have the ball of wealth and the ball of beauty. Two more balls are needed to save this universe.

  Master if you can appeal this chronicle, then the chronicle will offer you its soul which is the ball of knowledge. But if you fail, it will turn you into ash.