With a strong tug, I escaped its grasp. But to my horror, its skin peeled off and stuck to my wrist. I screamed and flung my arm about, trying to dislodge the fluttering gray epidermis. Calmly, Ren took my arm and peeled off the glove of skin that had slipped cleanly from the gleaming white bones of the corpse’s hand.
I, for one, had had enough. With Fanindra’s eyes aglow, I turned and ran. I heard Kishan and Ren following behind me, and we quickly distanced ourselves from our pursuer.
As we moved through the cavern, we found other bodies in various states of decomposition. A woman lay over the rocks as if she had fallen in a swoon. Moist flesh still clung to her bones, and her liquefied brains were oozing from her ears and nose. The syrupy smell of musty blood and rotting flesh stayed with us long after we left her behind. We found bleached skeletons with some sort of vegetation growing in the bones and a skull that had had some kind of rodent gnawing on it.
Most of the bodies weren’t moving enough to bother me too much, though every once in a while we came across one with rupturing cells, sloughing skin, and the smell of ammonia. When we saw them, we skirted them widely. Still, their heads, when able, turned to watch us.
After passing one particularly ghastly looking fellow, I asked, “What do you think they want?”
Ren answered, “They seem interested in Fanindra. Perhaps they crave the light she casts.”
I shivered and clung to his arm as we made our way through the cavern.
Kishan mused thoughtfully, “The Phoenix said this was the Cave of Sleep and Death.”
“I’ll have to thank him for his literal translation,” I remarked.
We skirted another woman who was reaching toward us with an almost motherly expression on what was left of her face. As we moved past, she lowered her arms and her long hair covered her ghostly countenance.
“I’m not afraid of them anymore,” Ren said.
“What? Why not?” I asked.
“I think . . . I think they could be us.”
Kishan replied, “What do you mean?”
“When the two of you fell asleep, your skin turned gray. If you had never awakened, perhaps either one of you might’ve shared their fate. They can’t help what is happening to them. I feel sad that they are somehow aware enough to experience the decay of their own bodies.”
I added softly, “If I was trapped in the dark for years, I’d want some light too.”
“Perhaps it is better for them to be spared from seeing their flate,” Kishan said.
We moved through the cave quietly. The once frightening feeling of being surrounded by decaying zombies had been replaced with a somber melancholy, and as I passed around the gray bodies, I whispered the quiet words of respect I would have said in the cemetery where my parents were buried, knowing every moment that the difference between one of them and me was simply the slight gesture of closing my eyes.
18
rakshasa
A small light appeared far ahead of us and, for a time, I thought it was an illusion. The brothers headed in that direction though, so I assumed they could see it too. Fanindra had decided to remain safely wrapped upon my arm and only gave us the eerie viridian-green light from her eyes, muting her golden luminosity after it had attracted too much cave-of-death-zombie attention. Without her bright glow, we stumbled on our way through the blackness a bit more, but we also remained blissfully ignorant of our surroundings.
Despite the creepy knowledge that I was surrounded by death, and that the smell of rotting corpses had permeated my clothes, hair, and skin, I became numb enough from my exhaustion to not only ignore it, but also to start thinking that laying down next to a rotting skeleton for a brief snooze was a pretty good idea. Ren caught me closing my eyes as I walked, took my hand, and began pulling me along. Kishan moved into a position behind me and gave me a pushy nudge on my back every time I started to slow.
We finally neared the cave opening and peered through to the other side. Thick fire trees stretched ahead of us as far as I could see. Ren and Kishan scanned the fire forest for movement while keeping us hidden in the darkness.
“What is it?” I whispered. “Why aren’t we headed for a long nap in the forest?”
Kishan answered, “We have to look out for the Rakshasa. The Phoenix warned us. Remember?”
I glanced out at the trees, looking for scary demons. “I don’t see anything.”
“That’s what worries me,” Ren answered.
“Well, what’s the big deal? We’ve faced demons before and survived. They can’t be worse than the Kappa, can they?”
“Rakshasas are hunters,” Ren explained. “They’re night-walkers, blood drinkers. Their hunger is insatiable.”
Kishan added, “They’re demons from Indian mythology. It’s said that they were vile, evil humans cursed to live for eternity as monsters. They can only be destroyed by using special weapons or with a wooden arrow through the heart. They’re tricky and use mental powers to confuse their victims and draw them out of their homes.”
I blinked and said quietly, “You’re talking about vampires.”
Ren nodded. “They are much like the European version of vampires.”
Kishan snorted. “Kelsey convinced me to watch a vampire movie with her fairly recently, and I have to say that Rakshasas are about as much like the brooding American vampires as the Kraken is like an octopus. These vampires not only drink blood, but also consume flesh, especially rotting flesh.”
“Oh,” I stammered lamely. “And right now we smell particularly . . . fragrant.”
Ren dipped his head slightly in agreement, his concentration still focused on the forest. “It seems safe enough for now, but I suggest we take turns sleeping and travel through the forest as quickly as possible.”
We stepped through the cave opening into the fire forest, and it was like stepping from an igloo onto a balmy tropical island. I felt the warmth of the fire trees almost immediately. They stretched out long vines to brush against my arms and clothes as we passed.
I stopped underneath a large tree, and a leafy tendril wrapped around my finger.
As I examined a particularly beautiful fire flower, Ren cautioned, “We have to address our problem. We stink like the dead.”
Kishan sighed, “We’re leaving a trail.”
“I think I can help with that,” I said.
“What do you mean?” Ren asked.
“The trees can burn the smell off of us. It’s something the Phoenix mentioned when I asked how I healed from being so badly burned. They can’t do anything about our clothes but we can make more.”
“What do we do?”
“Put your hands on a tree and concentrate on its energy. The heat will be drawn from its roots. Allow it to cycle around you and cleanse your body. It will burn your clothes away and might sting a little, but the warmth will also heal you. You two go into the clearing over there and I’ll stay here.”
Kishan and Ren reluctantly left their weapons with me and headed to the clearing. The fact that they were willing to leave their weapons behind showed just how tired they were. We all are, I amended. I set Fanindra down next to their weapons and backpacks and placed my palms on the tree.
The limbs of the surrounding trees began to quiver and shake, and I heard a hum reverberate in the air. The glowing leaves grew brighter and brighter and the air sizzled. Then with a burst of light, the leaves turned so white hot I had to close my eyes. The blue ribbon I’d tied my hair with disintegrated, along with my clothing. A searing tickling vibration moved from my toes all the way up my body. Then a sudden wind blew my loose hair straight up into the air and caressed my bare skin as it whisked away the smell of death.
I heard a distant yelp and knew the boys were being cleansed in a similar manner and wondered briefly if it burned their skin. To me it felt like a tingle. Finally the strong wind disappeared, and I felt more than warm. I felt . . . flushed. I was relaxed and sleepy, as if I’d been languishing in a hot tub and then placed
under a blow dryer while someone massaged my shoulders and brushed out my hair.
I picked up the Divine Scarf and lifted it to my nose. It was mimicking the glowing pattern on the leaves of the fire trees, which had faded again to orange and yellow. The Scarf smelled clean and fresh, retaining no odor from the caves. I wished for new clothes for myself and quickly dressed.
Ren and Kishan made an appearance soon after in the white and black clothing that always appeared after they became tigers. They debated the merits of hiking farther. Ren felt our previous smell was strong enough to be easily tracked, but Kishan argued that it would be just as easy to track our new smell when the old one disappeared. I figured we were safe since we no longer smelled like prey and sided with Kishan mostly because I wanted to sleep. We compromised by hiking just a bit farther before striking camp.
Kishan used the Scarf to create a tent and bedding while Ren replaced the backpacks that had been melted away with our clothing. With my white and black tigers positioned on either side of me, I was unconscious as soon as my head hit the pillow.
This time I dreamed about Lokesh as a young boy. An older man who I soon realized was his flather, the emperor, was tutoring him.
Shifting his hands in the air, Lokesh’s father instructed, “To control the movement of air, use your mind. Imagine the wind swirling between your fingers or around your body, and it will happen. Once you have practiced and have more control, you can summon something as powerful as a cyclone or simply lift a leaf on the wind.”
The emperor showed his young son how to manipulate the air to lift a kite into the sky. He flicked his fingers, and the kite bucked and wove in the air. When it was the boy’s turn, the emperor placed the amulet around his son’s neck, and the kite plummeted. With a determined expression, the boy lifted his hands, and at the last moment, the kite circled around the two of them and rose again.
“Good,” the father said. “Now try calling your falcon.”
The boy closed his eyes and soon a bird screeched high overhead.
His father explained, “All creatures of the air are subject to you but you must learn control.”
Soberly the boy nodded.
Someone touched my arm, and I jerked awake. “There’s movement in the trees,” Kishan hissed desperately.
Immediately alert, Ren and Kishan moved silently through the tent, collecting weapons. They gestured for me to remain quiet before the two of them crawled out of the tent and disappeared into the forest. It was completely dark outside, which meant the night comet had passed.
After waiting for what seemed like too long, I decided to risk looking for Ren and Kishan. Fanindra led me to them. They had backtracked and were crouched behind a rock, watching the opening to the cave.
As I approached, I accidentally stepped on a twig and both Ren and Kishan whipped around, saw me, and yanked me down next to them in a matter of seconds. At the same time, what looked like torches flared to life ahead of us in the forest. The flickering lights bobbed and converged in one spot. I heard hissing, clicking noises that moved closer to us.
I sucked in a breath as the lights grew brighter and saw a mob of dark-skinned demons with glowing tattoos covering their bodies. Their long locks of hair flickered in the darkness like small campfires. The radiant strands were brushed back from their foreheads and fire leaves were braided through them.
The male demons were large with powerful arms and bare chests. Two sets of horns grew out from their foreheads—the longer set on the outside. A female approached the largest male and lifted her hand to his shoulder. With a fast swipe, she raked wicked claws down his chest and hissed at him. He stood mutely by as she licked wet droplets from her claws, and I noticed that her tattoos glowed brighter red while his faded to a dull orange.
As she spoke to him in harsh tones, the inside of her mouth glowed yellow as if her throat burned with an inner flame. I sucked in a breath, and she turned quickly toward our hiding place. Her shrewd eyes gleamed, and with an abrupt whisper, all the lights, including their hair, eyes, and tattoos, quickly extinguished.
We sat quietly for a long time, taking shallow breaths and not daring to move. I could sense their presence around us. It was as if they were waiting for us to bolt, wanting to flush us out from our hiding place.
Soon, we heard a familiar shuffling noise, and we peeked out through the darkened leaves toward the cave opening. A stumbling zombie, bald and thin, with wrinkled mummified skin, staggered into the jungle. He stopped as if confused, and I heard a slight hissing. Glowing hair and tattoos flared to life as the Rakshasas surroundedt he zombie. Moving as one, they attacked, wrapped it in vines, and carried it off.
It was a long time before Ren and Kishan allowed me to stand. My knees felt locked into place as we made our way quietly back to camp. Without a word, we packed up and hiked in the exact opposite direction in which the Rakshasas had carried off their dinner.
On the way, the three of us reviewed all the visions I’d had. I told them that I now knew for sure that Lokesh had the power to manipulate water, air, earth, and space, thanks to Mr. Kadam’s piece, and could also call forth creatures from each of the realms. Lokesh had four segments of the Damon Amulet now, and all he needed was the one hanging around my neck. We finally had all the pieces of the puzzle. It was time to begin putting the picture together.
When the morning comet flew overhead, the trees lit up and touched my cheeks in feather-light strokes. Kishan was worried but said that according to stories the Rakshasa typically hunted at night though they’d been known to venture out during the day if they were very hungry.
Ren wanted to get as far away from the demons as possible, so we hiked all day and only stopped when the evening comet flew overhead. Ren found a secluded place to camp and was keeping watch with Kishan so I decided to head to a nearby clearing with the Scarf for a fire bath.
“Just make sure you’re back soon, or I’ll come looking for you,” Kishan warned as I kissed him on the cheek. “And if I happen to catch you undressed, then that’s just too bad.”
He grinned while Ren frowned. “Be careful, Kells,” he added.
“I will. You won’t even miss me.”
I gave a good jolt of my fire power to a young tree to compensate for the energy it would soon expend, and it returned the favor by giving me a gentle fire bath. After I dressed, I sat on a nearby rock and brushed out my newly cleansed hair as the little tree went back to its normal mode. The fire baths included the added benefit of straightening my hair, and I liked the soft feel of it hanging down my back.
Refreshed, I took the Scarf and Fanindra and returned to our little tent only to find the fabric ripped apart and our belongings strewn about. Ren and Kishan were missing along with all of our weapons. I turned in a slow circle and listened carefully to the dark forest. I heard nothing. Despairing, I headed back to the rock near the young tree and paced the ground.
“Well, we’ve got to save them. There’s no question about that,” I mumbled to Fanindra. “But how?”
Fanindra’s golden scales shimmered to life, and she led me through the forest. Her eyes only glowed enough so that I didn’t trip over rocks or tree roots. After a good hour’s hike, I made out the glowing light of the demon camp.
Untying the Scarf from my waist, I shook it out, wrapped it around my body, and said, “Disguise. Rakshasi queen.”
My body tingled as the Scarf did its magic and when I lifted it away, I pulled my long fiery hair over my shoulder and ran my hand through it. It was thick and coarse, and when I reached up to touch my head, I found a circlet of fire leaves. My dark arms glowed with red tattoos, and I ran my tongue over my teeth. The canines were pointed and sharp. I wore a dress of burnished orange that seemed to smolder when I walked.
With my head held high and Fanindra showcased in all her gleaming glory on my arm, we walked toward the camp. Sentries spotted me almost instantly and called out in low hoots. I was soon surrounded by the clan, but before long, the throng pa
rted and a female sauntered toward me. I’d correctly guessed this was a matriarchal society and that she was the queen.
She was beautiful for a demon. Her dress, though not as fine as mine, was long and of better quality than the clothing of those around her. An orange spark lit her eyes when she saw me, and when she blinked, I saw her pupils were elongated like a cat’s. Boldly, I withstood her inspection and took my own time appraising her. She wore a necklace of little silver interlocking wishbones. Thin bone earrings pierced her ears and hanging below dangled the tiny claws of some small raptor.
A silver circlet with a veil of fire leaves adorned her flaming tresses. Hanging from it was a crescent-shaped bone that rested in the middle of her forehead. Red tattoos that looked like clawed hands covered her eyes and cheeks. Her ears were long and pointed like an elf, and her horns were much thinner and more delicate than the males surrounding her. There were no other females in sight.
Her painted orange lips parted, and her cheeks glowed as if lit under the skin by a flashlight. She ran her tongue across her pointed teeth before speaking.
“Worthy wanderer. Carcass of contamination. How shall I address you?” she asked.
“You may call me . . . Malevolence,” I answered.
The group surrounding me shifted in surprise, and the queen smiled at me dangerously and responded. “Are you a vanquisher or are you our prey?” She tilted her head. “I wonder why you are here alone. Could this be some kind of a clever trick?”
She gave a sign, and some of the warriors took up arms and surrounded me while others disappeared into forest. Slowly, she circled me and plucked at the fabric of my dress, peering at it with obvious covetousness. When she dared to touch Fanindra, the cobra came alive and hissed at her. The queen stepped away but showed no surprise or fear of the snake.