A golden streak cut through the dark clouds . He observed the ground below, the golden forests with charred black patches ruining their uniform majestic presence and beauty. Not to explain, it looked pitiful. It seemed that the once glorious golden robe of the mountain now had holes in it. Sharv pondered as he took the sight in.
True to its name, Swàrnā(Swarnaa) mountain ranges, were truly a golden haven. With a gold rich land, the trees of these mountains evaporated gold dust. Though it was in miniscule amounts, it still painted the leaves and thus the forests and mountains in a golden hue. It had famous golden sunrises and sunsets and even the rainbows here had a gold tint.
But beauty is bound by curse. Two decades ago, a volcano erupted in one of the northern peaks of the range. Sharv could not see the volcano itself but he sure could see what the poisonous gasses leaking from it had done to the environment. The dark clouds filled with acidic liquid and the charred ground from the acid rain was immemorial proof of it.
Thunder roared as if trying to intimidate the tresspassers, but neither Sharv did not bat an eye. Even the bird was unaffected. How could it be? It was a majestic king of skies with a wingspan of five meters. It has a complete golden body with some of the feathers having a glossy black tint . Its mighty wings pushed back the clouds, leaving a clear path behind, through which the light shone down. It was as if a curtain was lifted, letting the people admire the magnanimity of a clear sky and sun.
Sharv himself donned a black draped pants of dhoti style, and a white silk tunic. His pants had golden lotus embroidery and the white tunic had blue lotus embroidery. Though the bird was flying at speeds nearing the sound barrier, the shoulder length wavy hair of the young flowed gently and slowly, as if he was in a cool and calm breeze. His presence was regal, his body steady and his gaze deep.
As he neared the peak and the city near it, Sharv leisurely took out a scroll made of red silk from a leather pouch on his hip. His father had given it when he had tasked Sharv with this mission. Since he knew what the mission was about Sharv planned about the possible scenarios which might happen at his entry in the city here. Only now did he take the scroll out to read the official decree.
As his eyes observed the letter they shimmered momentarily. His eyes were so unique, one couldn't obtain even if he paid the whole Swàrnaa mountain range as collateral to whichever 'God' he worshiped. They were ember at the center and ashen towards the edges, with a ring of black marking the boundary with rest, white of the eye. Their presence was like the morning sun which was unsuccessfully covered by clouds, surrounded by them.
Golden letters were inscribed on the letter describing a mission. The golden writing itself that radiated power, a commanding presence which the reader could feel.
10th MISSION
By THE LIGHTBRINGER
REQUIREMENTS : AT LEAST TEN SUPREME
CHÀKRÀ MASTERS
TYPE : INVESTIGATION
SUBJECT : THE INCREASED
DISAPPEARANCES OF SWÀRNĀ
MOUNTAINS
OBJECTIVE : UNVEIL THE FORCE BEHIND THE
MYSTERY AND DESTROY IT
The young man read the mission and took a deep breath. There were many other details alongside the streamlined buraeucratic main content. He folded the letter in a roll and then put it above a leather pouch tied on his waist. The letter disappeared into the wooden plaque attached to the pouch.
His gaze turned distant as he reminisced about his recent latest meeting with his father which had gotten him this mission.
~~~~~~~~
"So you completed your attunement process, Sharv?"
A man with deep brown eyes and deep brown hair spoke calmly. He had very sharp features with high cheekbones and straight noses. His long rectangular face looked regal and commanding. Sitting on a wooden chair, in a room made of red sandalwood, surrounded by different kinds of carvings on the walls one would assume he was a saint.
"Yes, Father." answered the young man sitting in front of him. He looked almost the same as his father except for the black hair and ember ashen eyes.
"This was the final, fifth Ādi Mārgà, wasn't it?"
"Yes, Father."
"Good. As a father I am proud of you. You have achieved what nobody in my personal knowledge has - A Penta-Attunement."
This time the man's calm voice was laced with a little excitement, which faded even before he finished his sentence.
"You came here, the first thing after a long cultivation period of solitude. There must be a reason behind it?" He asked as if intrigued by the unknown.
"Father, I have attuned myself to a new path every year and, still, failed every time in obtaining my Ātmà Grànthà. Now I have attuned myself to all the five Ādì Mārgà. I know if I fail this time, I won't get another chance to go through the ritual. That would mean I will not have the very path I need to walk on. Am I right?"
"Yes, You are." The man answered, still as calm as one can be. It was as if it wasn't his son who was concerned.
"That's why I wanted to reveal something. I have a dual soul." Sharv spoke in a serious tone and this time he got a look of both intrigue and concern from his father.
"A dual soul? Can you elaborate clearly?"
"It's actually not two separate souls but a single entity. And I am one half which completes the entity and the second soul is the other half. And I," Sharv paused a little, " We know for certain that our existence is only possible and complete if we are one as an entity. Our souls are bound to each other."
"And how do you know that?"
"It's just we know and feel this inherently. We can't be sure of it by other means or experiments?"
"That is a very peculiar situation. " Sharv's father showed a troubled expression for the first time.
"Soul is you and you are soul. It's the very core of your existence, cultivation and everything you do. Not having a singular unique soul but existing as an entity of two souls. That's troublesome. Especially for something as Ātmà Grànthà. Something which is unique for each soul and is soul bound."
"And that's why we have come to a conclusion. If the concentration and quantity of the Prānà pool and mirror is increased significantly, we can get the Ātmà Grànthà." Sharv voiced his request.
His father pondered for a while, his expression unreadable. After a while he spoke in a voice so calm that it could put a child to sleep.
"Sharv, my son, I can give you the world as a gift if you ask but as a leader I can't favour you."
A normal son would have grimaced and cursed his father for not helping him out, but not Sharv. He knew his father. A staunch believer of equality and opposer of grants and favours. But someone who equally believed in giving people their opportunity.
"What I can do is give a mission. Complete it and get what you want. But remember it will be dangerous. The only mission available is for Supreme Chàkrà masters.
And you aren't one."
"Don't worry, Father. I will do it."
" Just make sure to come back in fifteen days, before the Prashasti Tithi."
Sharv clasped both hands together and bowed slightly, "PRÀNĀM"
"May PĀLÀNHĀR( THE PRESERVER) protects your being."
~~~~~~~
Sharv was enjoying the view from the falcon's back, reminiscing and smiling.
"Garuda," He commanded, " Land in a clearing nearby."
He could see the city far ahead and also the rain - the culprit behind the charred forests.
"Don't you think the presence of these mountains is still magnificent and magnanimous, Ādyā," he spoke softly, "Even with these charred forests."
A mild amused laughter echoed in his head. It was feminine, ethereal and sounded as if thousands of glass shards were falling and breaking. Then a voice, like a strummed harp, spoke in a jovial tone.
'Nice wording, My Lord. Indeed the mountain is still magnificent. After all, greatness is not sullied by appearances.'