I realized my role in this damned world. I wasn't someone who's skilled in martial arts or not someone who could do magic professionally and perfectly. I lacked the skill to do neither of them. But from what I remembered of my past — that is in the 31st century, I used to play chess in the orphanage and nobody was able to beat me in it. When I was first put into this world of mysticism, I thought I wasn't fit for this. But it turned out, even in a world where magic and fighting skills were the most sought out powers, knowledge was the supreme power.
"Velan?", Anya called. "What are you gazing at?", she sat next to me on the grassy ground.
I was lost in thoughts staring up at the night sky. It was beautiful, more beautiful than the pitch black boring skies I used to see in my original timeline. "The sky. It has no pollution and the number of stars I could see is marvelous!", I amazed.
We were sitting on the edge of a large cliff. It had been 7 days since the rescue of Kandan and Neelan and they came along with us.
"Velan. Thanks to you we were able to come this far. I truly feel safe when you're around you know. You always seem to know the right thing to do. Your plan to bribe the pirates with a non-existing treasure in Kaalam is great, but how would you deal with them after we reach Kaalam?", she asked.
I turned away from the stars, looking into her eyes. It was shining brighter than those celestial stars. I said, "Anya. We'll think about that later. For now, we have time. So, tell me anything you didn't — in the rush of things. And I will be able to think of better plans."
Anya stood up and faced me with her right arm extended — a gesture to summon her weapons. Then summoning a sickle — a semicircular blade with small handle — she began, "First, let me tell you about the powers we were given by master. My power is called 'Asthrākar', which means hands that summon weapons. I can summon a weapon of my choice from a collection of 1289 different weapons stored in Kaalam. Those all are not ordinary weapons but with magical abilities that sometimes increase my normal strength and skills".
She was waving and dancing around with her weapon while talking about her power 'Asthrākar'. I just looked at her in amazement as she did all of that effortlessly. "And as for your power, … I don't really know what it is. Do you know anything special about it?", she asked.
"It's just a set of mantras written on a scroll that Yali had given me in Kaalam as instructed to him by master. I just have to memorize the mantra and the procedure to perform it", I said simply. But it was never easy. If I misspelled a single word, then poof nothing happened.
She insisted me to tell more about the things I knew, but I tried to keep the topic on things I needed to know. For we had such free time not quite often and I wanted it to speak of some useful things, not the ones I already knew. Annoyed, Anya continued, "Alright. I didn't really hide much of anything else. But, wait. There is something. The king, Veer Bāndha. As you already know he is considered an abnormality — someone the Kaalam wants removed from the timeline. I had killed a number of abnormalities before, like I already said. And each of them had a unique ability as him along with a disability. Every one of those abnormalities were like that. One in particular had amazing skills in smelling, that I couldn't sneak closer to her even in the middle of the night. But…"
She paused.
I pressed, "But?"
"But I never seen one with powers scaling to the level of souls. Veer Bāndha is a unique abnormality I think", she said.
"Hmm", I pondered in the statement for a moment.
"More importantly, he's the only one with as much power politically as a king when compared to other abnormalities who, sometimes, were even sleeping on the streets for me to kill easily", she added in a bitter tone.
"I'm sure there is something his multiple personalities have to do with his power in a way", I said, trying to change the topic from her bitter memories.
"Maybe", she said without returning to her usual charismatic tone. "Velan. I asked him to come in person. What do you intend to ask out of him?", she asked curiously.
"Everything", I simply said, turning back to the tents we built, where all our companions already fell asleep.
"And Velan. Don't get angry with him for how he behaved in your dream. It wasn't an ordinary dream. He brought you to the souls garden where even he wouldn't be his usual self. That was why he spoke with you in a dreamy, care-free voice", Anya rushed to me.
I turned to her, her face was worried if I would pick a fight with Dalāy the next day. I smiled assuring her that I wasn't angry with him. She smiled back, unsure if I was truly not angry. At last we went to sleep just three hours before sunrise.
I fell asleep thinking of matters to be considered after speaking with Dalāy. The first thing to do was to get to meet the pirate crew of Kandan and Neelan. And through see route we would easily enter into the Shoalian Empire. It was a simple task I thought. But would that king be willing to raise an all out war on Bāndhan kingdom. Even if his hatred was that strong, he wouldn't risk losing.
And what was wrong with Elil, the wife of Veer Bāndha. I remembered the king accusing her being a witch and her craving for the throne. I didn't really know why we had to help the king — an abnormality that we came to kill. But even so, it felt right. And I pledged to myself to protect him at all costs. My plan would be soon set sail after the encounter with Dalāy the next day.