The Last Rudra

It was said that Sukirta, one of the many disciples of Sushruta (the first healer), had founded Vasta and its shrine. Sukrita was a rare genius who had both powers - the art of healing and the skills of a warrior. 

The colossal statue of Sukrita was built by Yama, the great Arch-Druid who had unified Glassia and vanquished stone-giants and evil trees. 

It was believed that Sukrita had traded his prana (soul) for Yama. 

Despite its great lineage, Vasta had only a healer's shrine or so-called white-cloaked druids' shrine. 

You would rarely see a red-cloaked or blue cloaked druid here. Golden cloaked  Arch druids were mythical beings for the people of Vasta. 

Even white-cloaked druids didn't want to stay in this blackwater country more than they needed to.  The Elder Council of Avida had to forge a code to make it mandatory for a new white-cloaked to serve in such blackwater parts for three years. 

However, there were two white-cloaked druids who had declined royal invitations to stay in Vasta.

The first one was Apurva, a sixty years old healer, who had come to Vasta 30 years ago and had never left the white shrine since then. 

As for the second, he was a young man in his twenties, called Adard.

The young healer had come to the shrine four years ago as a new white-cloaked to serve the shrine for three years. However, the young healer decided to stay in Vasta for a few more years, after his three-year bond expired.

***

The white shrine was built in layers. The first was the forest of maple trees, and the second was a lake encircling a white castle. Beautiful lotus flowers and swans were floating inside the limpid blue lake. It reminded Ishit of the spirit shrine's pond in Minaak, as he walked over the wooden bridge. He missed his home, his mother, and even the strict face of his lord father. He didn't know when the trial would end, and he would be able to tease his elder sister again. 

What was more frustrating was that even after one month he hadn't found out anything about the trial.

Ishit decided once he informed the druids and saved the villagers he would go to Avida. Maybe the capital city of Glassia could give him the answers he needed. 

The boys led Ishit across the lake and into the white castle. The corridor was lined with marble statues of men and women -some with a smiling face and some with solemn looks. The morning sun rays, coming in through the arched windows, were basking the flagstones floor.

Except for one or two servants, scurrying here and there, the castle seemed empty. 

"Do you think he is a warrior apprentice?" whispered the blondie noticing that the statues had attracted  Ishit's attention.

"Or who has the guts and strength to throw an apprentice like a scarecrow," Maurya replied, eyeing the boy suspiciously. By the look of his attire, he didn't seem like one. In Jamaika he had seen red-cloak apprentices.  they always had a wild aura about them, the fierce aura that told you not to mess with them. 

However, the boy looked nothing like that. His mud-stained clothes, messy brown hair, and weary expressions told him he was a commoner, a rustic who had travelled a long distance to get their help. As the villagers always did when charlatans or so-called priests failed to cure them. 

However, the boy's sharp eyes were not of a rustic, they seemed to pierce his soul, not to speak of strength.

The way he lifted Ruchito up suggested it was not his first time. Not to mention, Ruchito was a bull himself, who could beat all of them easily. 

As much as he hated Ruchito, he had to agree Ruchito was the best apprentice Vasta's shrine had ever accepted. Since the day Apurva brought him in, he had shadowed Maurya in all respects. Ruchito's presence had snatched away his chance to go to Avida. He had shattered his dream to become a sage. 

***

"Wait here for a moment. Let me inform Master Adard first. " Maurya said when they reached before an arched door. 

Ishit nodded. 

The blondie waited with him while the redhead pushed the door with a fearful expression as if he was entering a lion's den. Ishit wondered what sort of person could make these bullies so afraid. Adard must have been like Bhadra, his own mentor. After coming here Ishit's curiosity about the flower had heightened. He had never known that the dark tower feared by all had something like this -- a chamber that could send you into a different world, like a dream.

Ishit had thought about the mysterious way he had gotten into Glassia, but couldn't get his head around it. 

He wondered if he died here would he die in Varta too? Bhadra had said if he couldn't bear the hardship of the trial, he could quit it in the middle. There was one more thing puzzling him greatly. Bhadra had said if he couldn't finish the trial before Inna's feast, the emblem would end the trial on its own. 

A month had gone by and the emblem was sitting on his chest as silently as ever. If he remembered correctly Inna's feast was just 8 days away when he entered the chamber. 

Did something go wrong with the emblem? Ishit wondered as subconsciously felt the medallion. 

"You  can come in." Maurya's voice jerked him back to reality. Ishit nodded gently and stepped into the chamber.

A heady herbal smell assaulted his nose, not the one you got from Nimohis of Varta. 

Ishit realised It was not a chamber but more of a common with three other wooden doors, and two windows- one arched with glass panel, through which morning rays were bringing in warmth. And the other was a skylight. 

The white stone walls were covered with strange maps and murals.

A young man, donned in a spotless white cloak, was standing with his back to him. The morning rays were playing on his shoulder-length golden hair. 

"You can leave, Maurya. And shut the door after you." the young man said without turning back. 

"Yes, master,'' Maurya said meekly; his face was the epitome of gentleness and politeness. Ishit rolled his eyes. The redhead hesitated a little before he asked, "Should I keep an eye on Ruchito, master?" 

"Do whatever you like just don't disturb me again? " the young man said, 

With an excited smile on his face, Maurya left. Ishit could guess what he was going to do. 

He wondered if the boy knew that his death had crossed the sea and was coming for him would he still smile? 

After watching these so-called apprentices and the deserted shrine his hope of getting help and saving Lamia was slowly turning into despair. 

"What news have you brought from Lamia?," as soon as the door shut behind Ishit, the golden-haired man asked.

"Defilers have invaded our land. They are butchering innocent villagers and coming for Vasta. Please do something before it's too late. "

Ishit said in a single breath, hoping the healer would not dwell on minute details and give priority to the approaching crisis instead. 

However, he was wrong. 

"Ah, defilers" the word startled Adarad, but it was not the start one usually got after hearing the word in Varta. It was more like you gave when you heard something unexpected 

"a unique word to call Moriyans." the young healer paused for a moment. 

Ishit mind reeled and an uneasy feeling rose in his heart. 

"If I'm not wrong you're a spirit wielder," 

Astonished, Ishit backed away. The spirit boiled inside him. 

It was not a complete surprise to him that the healer had guessed his identity. One, who had even a little bit of affinity with the spirit, could easily sense ripples around a wielder. 

It was the same reason a commoner shielded with a camouflaging shield was far more secure than a spirit wielder. 

The thing that startled him was the calmness with which he was acting after knowing the defilers were coming to Vasta. 

There was something wrong with the golden-haired man. 

"But how did you manage to reach here? " the man continued as though unaware of Ishit's sudden movement, 

"In the north  Okala's stone giants would never allow a spirit wilder to tread on their land, 

in the south, The Living Sea hates your kind to  death, and as for the Mayavan forest, Vrikshas haven't forgotten the great fire." 

The man slowly turned towards Ishit , who was at the door by now.Ishit knew he was in trouble again. His never-failing instinct told him to flee as far he could go from the man.

"So, tell me the spawn of spirit-worshipers ." the man's voice changed  as he added 

"How did you get here? " 

Ishit's eyes fell at the well-chiselled face before him as he tried to open the door. 

The face was unknown to him, but the predatory eyes were unforgettable to him. 

Ishit gave up all the pretence. He blasted the door open and ran...

A crisis at hand. the first battle to the death