NOVEL WEB Chapter 19: The Prince Finds His New Guru But Faces a Test
Svetavastra sealed the rogue pretas in the pretabandana. The undead corpsed had turned to dust once the daityahan asi pierced through them. At once, the night that was lit red by the demonic energy of the pretas fell into darkness. The celestial sword went back to its nondescript form and looked ordinary in Svetavastra’s hand.
“Phew!” said the preta in the bracer. “Finally, it’s done!”
Svetavastra remained quiet. He assessed his spiritual powers, they were depleted again. Good thing I’m near a ley line, he thought to himself. I can start cultivating immediately.
Svetavastra waved his hand and a tiny ball of spiritual energy floated near him acting as a torch in the night, lighting up a small area in Svetavastra’s near surroundings. He paced around to look for a suitable spot to meditate for the rest of the night. Just as he found a spot that was conveniently hidden, he heard footsteps behind him.
Aryaman approached the blind man in white with nervousness. What should I say? How should I address him? How do I convince him to take me as his disciple?
Svetavastra turned to face the young man in front of him. His blindfolded face was lit golden from the orb of energy floating by his side.
“This is that prince!” said the preta in excitement. “The prince who saved you when you fell unconscious in Dandakaranya. No wonder that celestial sword was found here. It belongs to him.”
“I see,” said Svetavastra, taking in this new piece of information. From his mind’s eye, he could see the faint cosmic aura surrounding the prince. A demigod? He thought. Interesting.
“Arya!” addressed the prince referring to Svetavastra in a polite and formal manner. “Allow me to introduce myself - I’m Aryaman, crown prince of the Dayita kingdom. The sword you hold in your hands is mine.”
Svetavastra looked at the sword he was holding and offered it to Aryaman. The prince bowed to Svetavastra and took it from him.
“Why did you return it?” protested the preta, whose voice was only audible to Svetavastra who ignored it.
“Thank you for returning it,” said Aryaman. “I have not seen its true form till now.” He touched the steel of his blade lightly.
“Your cosmic power is not enough to activate it,” said Svetavastra.
“Ohh!” said the prince. “I didn’t know it needed cosmic power. Does your esteemed self possess cosmic powers as well?”
“I cannot answer that at the moment,” said Svetavastra.
Tch tch! Did I ask something I shouldn’t have? Aryaman chided himself in his thoughts.
“May I know who you are, esteemed guest?” asked Aryaman politely.
“I’m just a cultivator,” said Svetavastra. “I go by Svetavastra.”
A cultivator? Thought Aryaman. He must have immense spiritual powers then!
“Cultivator Svetavastra,” said Aryaman bending on his knee. “Please help us, the people of Dayita kingdom.”
“Help the people of Dayita?” repeated Svetavastra.
“Yes,” said Aryaman. “We have had the undead corpse situation for a while. We had to close the main gateways to the city of Arang and restrict trade severely to keep the people safe. I myself tried to investigate the situation but to no avail. Then, we had to take care of a bandit threat. I fought the bandits right here in the Northern Mines and now I see that the fallen ones have become the undead.”
“If not for your timely presence right now,” he continued. “The undead would have spread across the Dayita kingdom. I’m not sure if the threat is completely gone. Therefore, I beseech you to take me as your disciple and let me learn how to defeat these undead. That’s the only way I can protect my people!”
Aryaman folded his hand in a plea, bowed his head and waited for Svetavastra to respond.
“Hmm,” said Svetavastra. He thought, For saving me alone, I would return the favour and keep your kingdom safe. But you wish to learn how to defend it against these rouge elements. Commendable ambition for a lad of your age.
“You wish to be my disciple?” asked Svetavastra.
“Yes,” replied Aryaman with a determined tone.
“As you wish,” said Svetavastra. “But first, I must assess if you are a good fit to be my disciple.”
“Tell me what I need to do, esteemed cultivator,” said Aryaman.
Svetavastra asked him to get up and showed him the place where he initially wanted to meditate.
“You want me to meditate?!” Aryaman asked puzzled. He was expecting, to slay the undead with a normal sword or capture them at the very least. But meditation?!
“Yes, indeed,” Svetavastra sat down on the ground with a huge boulder to his back. He patted the ground beside him for Aryaman to do the same. Aryaman lay his sword beside him and sat on the ground in a cross-legged position similar to Svetavastra.
“I don’t know anything about meditation,” blurted Aryaman.
“That’s fine,” said Svetavastra. “You don’t need to know much. Keep your hands together with thumbs touching each other.”
Aryaman did as he was told. Svetavastra waved his hand and a lotus bud with soft light emanating from it appeared in the air. He motioned it to float on top of Aryaman’s joined hands.
“You simply have to close your eyes and focus on your breath,” said Svetavastra. “It’s simple but it’s not easy. If you get distracted too much, the lotus will not bloom, if you open your eyes, it will wilt. But if you can simply focus on your breathing, just focus on your breathing alone - the lotus will bloom.”
Aryaman looked at the lotus bud floating above his hands and wondered if he could make it bloom.
“How long would it take, esteemed cultivator?” asked Aryaman.
Svetavastra lips curled to the side.
“As long as it needs to take, young prince,” said Svetavastra. “Quell all your doubts, close your eyes and focus on your breath.”
Aryaman took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He focused on his breath, he observed the air he was breathing going in and coming out from the entrance of his nostrils.
Svetavastra looked at the prince meditating as he had guided for a while, he watched as the breath of the prince slowed down to a good rhythm. Not bad, he thought. And closed his eyes to meditate himself.
“I guess, this is my cue to meditate as well,” the preta murmured and followed suit in the bracer where it was held.
Lord Purandhara moved from one end of the empty heavenly court to the other end in a loop with long strides and a fast pace. Lord Vaiswa observed it for a while and finally decided to interject the heavenly emperor’s agitated perambulation.
“My lord,” Lord Vaiswa. “Why don’t you sit down and think calmly?”
“I am calm, Vaiswa,” said Lord Purandhara almost in a bark. He checked himself and finally sat down on the heavenly throne.
“She wants her cosmic weapons!” He said. “I’m not ready for that, Vaiswa.”
“I already promised her the cosmic weapons,” reminded Lord Vaiswa. “Just because she lost her memories, we cannot go back on our word.”
“Why not?” asked Lord Purandhara seeing it as a perfectly acceptable solution. “She can cultivate her spiritual powers and take care of the situation on Bhu-loka. I don’t think it will be a big deal.”
“You are underestimating what’s happening on Bhu-loka, my lord,” said Lord Vaiswa concerned.
“I don’t know!” said Lord Purandhara, clearly not convinced. “Just the thought of her getting back her cosmic weapons is driving me insane. The kind of power she can wield with them! It’s too much power for one person!”
“What if we can keep it in check?” said Lord Vaiswa.
Lord Purandhara looked at him incredulously, his eyes clearly stating, is that even possible?
“I can go to Bhu-loka in my shadow form,” said Lord Vaiswa. “My shadow can act as a failsafe if things go out of control.”
Lord Purandhara considered the possibility.
“Are you sure?” He asked.
“This is for the good of all,” said Lord Vaiswa.
Lord Purandhara got up with renewed strength, confidence replacing his anxiety. He put his hands on Lord Vaiswa’s shoulders.
“Well thought of, Vaiswa,” he smiled with ease now. “Well thought of!”
Lord Vaiswa smiled gently in return and sighed internally. He could go to Bhu-loka now.