The Last Rudra

"In the depth of the howling desert, even beyond the ghost village, Agdam lies the golden city Niya. In this fabled city, once lived a lord with his three daughters. Diva, Usha, and Suchi.

The city lord married his two daughters to the oasis Timra, and as for the youngest one he decided to give her to the ghost king Empyr for he had threatened him to ravage his city with yellow storms. Poor Suchi cried her heart out during his wedding, feeling despair.

As no girl would ever want her husband to be wispy like smoke, and cold like ice. The poor girl left with the gloating ghost, in his chariot pulled by four phantom horses, feeling already dead in her wedding gown.

When Empyr got to his fabled Glass Castle, he threw a grand feast inviting all his friends from all across the howling desert. And they came with their best gifts for the new bride. Winged sandals of Jinn Kuncha, Never-empty water ewer of Oasis Timra, chameleon cloak of great chameleon Gripit, and so on and so forth.

The ghost king was so pleased with himself, that he took out his treasured wine inari, and let it run like a stream. They drank till they forgot even their names, and by the wee hours, the shivering maiden found herself alone amidst the huddles of all the dark creatures she had dreaded the most.

The fabled green wine had done its work; even the legendary basilisk  Riga was hissing in his sleep. Suchi was not dumb to miss such a god-sent opportunity. She picked the chameleon cloak, and winged sandals from the large pile of her wedding gifts, and slipped out of the floating Glass Castle, riding on the sandy storms.

Only the all-seeing moon knows what had transpired that night and how the poor girl evaded all the dark creatures, which haunt the golden sand.  As even if Gripit's cloak could blend you in the surroundings, it wouldn't make you invisible or transparent."

Esha stopped to feed her dove the gleaming white pearls from her spatial bag while Onish wondered if the tale was even true. Ghost king, basilisk, and jinn feasting together in some floating Glass castle all seemed a part of some fairy tale. But then, the description of the chameleon cloak was similar to what he had seen today. 

"Anyway, all you have to know is  when Suchi stepped out of the whirling storm her white wedding dress had dyed red and her rosy face was as blue as the death-fairy's lips. After giving a despairing look to the campsite with crude lean to, she collapsed on the stony ground." 

Esha stroked the cooing bird and resumed, 

"People say It was Empyr's kiss that kept the death fairies away. 

And the chameleon cloak of Gripit hid off her sweet scent, thus making it impossible for the sand dwellers, who lived in the nearby caves, to trace her down.

  So tormented from the fire wrecking her heart, she sprawled there barely alive, her ears longing for the sweetest lament." 

"What are these sand dwellers?" Onish cut in, at the same time musing the fact that the magical cloak could also hide the wearer's scent. 

"The bloodthirsty creatures of the howling desert. In appearance, you would mistake them for a sandy rock cut into human shape. They track down their prey with its smell. 

Anyway, you would never encounter them unless you decide to venture into the howling desert, which no sane person will ever do." replied Esha, feeding more pearls to her dove.

"Coming back to our story,he came with the crack of dawn, bruised, his tattered clothes fluttering in the moaning breeze."

"Who ?" Onish cut her off again.

Esha gave him a "you're too impatient" look. 

"Just listen, you will know soon." all she said and continued with her story, 

"So, humming some ancient song, he came with the blush of the east, his large black sack slung over his muscular shoulder. Sand dwellers shivered in their dark holes, sniffing his sweaty smell.

Trudging unmindful, the black-bearded man picked his way through the jagged stones to his crude lean-to. He might have tripped over the camouflaged maiden if he hadn't heard the whispers of the passing wind. He looked down. His weary eyes glowed like embers." Esha looked at Onish, smiling. 

"Have you guessed the identity of the newcomer now?" she asked. 

"No," replied Onish wondering when the story turned into a quiz.

"Come on! I have put all the clues." She said, giving Onish an encouraging look. 

"I can't. You know I have forgotten everything." Onish said, looking helpless. 

"Ok, Ok.. I got you." She said, looking offended. Onish didn't know what she was getting at. 

"He was werehyena, exiled from his village. Hyde was his name. Please don't ask why he was exiled from Everton. It is a story for another time. You just have to know that Hyde was the best healer and blacksmith of all the werehyena of his time. So just one look, and he knew what ailed the golden-haired girl. Hyde didn't waste any time as he started the treatment. His coarse hands washed the blood-stained maiden's body and put her on his makeshift bed. He called forth the quivering sand-dwellers and threatened them to hand over their precious bezoar. Before the powerful magic of Hyde, the blabbering creatures had no choice other than to take out their treasured possession.  Hyde used all the herbs and bezoars he had in his crude home.

However, the ghost curse was not easy to placate. It was said after trying everything, on the third day, the young werehyena had no choice but to use his magic core. Of course, it was foolish as the girl was nothing to him. But then, if he were not like this, he wouldn't have been banished from his ancient village. 

They said when Suchi opened her eyes again. The sight of a bloodied hyena whimpering in the corner of the little sack left her so frightened that she sat bolt upright, breaking her new stitches. The pain paralyzed her, and she collapsed on the straw bed. And after a while, when she regained her senses, the realization dawned on her. As she was not unaware of the werehyenas and their unparalleled healing powers. It didn't make her relieved, for she also knew the ways of ancient beasts. All the frightening tales she had heard from magsmen came rushing through her mind. Despair and fear seized her. Thinking of her wretched fate, she cried a river of tears. 

Hyde, who was battling against Empyr's curse all the time, came around the next day. Pale-faced, tired like a worn-out shoe, he mended the bleeding stitches again with his shaky hand while chiding the young maiden for being reckless. 

It took a whole month for Suchi to get on her feet again. During her stay with grim-faced Hyde, she realized her savior was not a bit like the way magsmen had portrayed his kind. He didn't make her wear any talisman, nor did he force himself on her. She didn't see any mysterious altar around the jagged hill. 

Either Hyde was an oddity, or the magsmen had lied; She had no intention to find out. So she fled off riding the western wind while the werehyena was away. The silly girl!" Esha shook her hate, looking disappointed.

"Why? I think she did the right thing. Never trust your life to someone else. Maybe the werehyena was just waiting for her to be well." Onish said. 

"You know nothing. Because of  this mistake she would have to suffer in the dungeon of Tyrant Theo till her eyes grew dim, and rosy cheeks went hollow. Sometimes, trust can save you a lot of trouble,Big boy." She said, tousling her hair. Onish didn't know what he should say now. The girl had coined a new name for him.

"Do you want me to continue?" Esha asked, smiling.

"Ah, just tell me what happened to that chameleon cloak of hers? And how many of them are present in this world?" Onish asked. The tale was clearly a saga to kill idle time, which he lacked the most right now. If his sixth sense was not fooling him, some major crisis was at hand. He must prepare himself for anything.

"Oh! So you didn't like the story."

"No! I loved it, but I have to practice the spirit paths for tomorrow's lesson." Onish hurriedly replied. 

"Oh! Then let me know if you ever want to hear it." Esha said, "As for what happened to the chameleon cloak, it was passed down to the descendants of Hyde and Suchi with many other magical treasures they gathered or forged during their lives. After killing Theo, the tyrant, Hyde and Suchi founded a new empire known as Kemet. Hyde also defeated  Empyr and forced him to sign the fabled treaty of the Glass Castle. They ruled for centuries peacefully, and when they got bored with this world they left for the city of death-fairies, Nyasa. The chameleon cloak, winged sandals were left with their son Limiri, who established the first wizarding academy in Kemet, and thus made it one of the greatest empires of his time. However, his sons were not so good. As millenia passed, Kemet, like other empires, underwent many turmoils. The lineage of Hyde lost somewhere in these ups and downs, so did the chameleon cloak, the gift of Gripit. As for your second question, nobody knows. As only a legendary chameleon who has achieved its final transformation can weave it. So, these chameleon cloaks are hard to find, especially these days. With the destruction of Kemet, mankind  lost contact with Niya, the only place where one could see such things." 

Onish's mind raced up. So either it was something else, or the spy had a great background.

"Do you know who Jora is?" he asked, recalling the name that had made the female spy startled. 

"No. You do have a lot of weird queries. Tell me what you are cooking, Big Boy." Esha said, giving him a quizzing look. 

"Nothing. Just read it in the library. See you again. Big Girl." Onish rose to his feet and left.

"Hey! you said you would call me Big sister.." Esha's shouts reverberated through the high walls.