The Last Rudra

looked at the long list of pending orders.  Thye all needed to be finished before Inna's feast which was just four days away. His face turned grim as he counted different kinds of astras- five bows, two swords, three whips, and two clubs, one lance. How the hell he was going to forge all these within four days. He had other chores to finish,--like this evening, he needed to visit his old friend Guha, and the next day at noon, he had to welcome Kaling Princess, Divya at the airfield with his family. Moreover, he needed to forge his own Astra. Then his lessons with Udlof.

"So, I think everything settled then. You can now work in your forge. If you need any material just inform me. " Lucas said with a smug smile. He hadn't excepted the boy to bend his knees so easily. but then again what choice did he have? 

Accepting Viswa as an apprentice was way better than taking a rookie in the forge. Besides, Viswa would be present in the forge all the time anyway.

"Ok! I will, Master Lucas." All Ishit said as he tried to pick up his newly forged dragon-slaying blade. He couldn't stand the Altantian's smug smile any longer.

"You can't take this, Master Ishit. It will be a souvenir. An inspiration to all apprentices and us that a royal society member once worked here.  " Lucas hurriedly said, 

Ishit gave a long look to Lucas and walked out of the public forge. 

"Ah, Master, wait for me," Viswa said as he rushed behind him, grinning like a fool. The crowd was dumbfounded at the turn of the event. This was called the turn of fate--the once renowned smith had turned into a lowly apprentice within two days.

Other smiths shook their heads and left for their forges, leaving behind Lucas and his two pupils Durjya, and Vira alone. 

"Have recorded everything in the smirit darparn (memory mirror)" As soon as everyone left, Lucas asked Durjaya. 

"Yes, Master. Here it is " Durjaya dissolved the shield and a mirror with a silver frame appeared in his hand. 

"Good, good! "Lucas said, as he checked the mirror. 

"let's talk inside the office. I have a task for you both," Lucas said. The two boys nodded and followed him excitedly. 

After the death of Upin, the head smith of Minaak's guild, the office had fallen into Lucas's hands. And the Atlantian was using it with no scruple. He had broken all the seals and confiscated all the designs, generals, and letters of Upin, the late head smith. 

The head's office was on the seventh floor of the tower, a large chamber with all the luxury, rare even to Oman, Lord of Garuna. 

****

"So, Vira, what delayed you?" Lucas asked as the door shut behind them on its own. From the red carpet underfoot to the murals on the walls everything in the office was so exquisite that the two boys left dazed for a moment.

Noticing their expressions, Lucas smirked. Southerners were all boorish, with no grace. Just a little bit of interior designing had surprised them. But again, he couldn't blame them. With a ruler like Oman, the butcher, who didn't even know how to dine, how his people could be better.

"Ah, It was Sakha, the merchant you told me to pay a visit," Vira said, pulling away from his eyes from the life-like statue of alluring beauty.

"What about him?"  Lucas halted in his track. 

"He had been detained by City Guards for some reason. So I had to wait for his release. He said to tell you that the sun has set in the west." Viru said. 

"Oh! It's good then.  " Lucas's tensed face eased up. 

"Durjya, you should visit the phantom tower again. And if he the hag still refuse to reveal the secret, then... " Lucas paused for a moment, "Then don't say anything to her, we will have plenty of time after Inna's feast. "

"Okey, Master Lucas. But what about Ishit? I can take a spirit oath, he was a cripple.  " Durjaya said, 

"Yes, I know. I confirmed it with Oman's Nimohi." You shouldn't worry about it too much, he will die anyway in a few days. Just tell your father to finish his task without fail. "

"Ok, that's enough. Vira, take this mirror and give it to Saka." Lucas said as he sealed the wooden box with a spell. 

"And you, Durjya, tell your sister to visit me in the night. and yes don't forget to visit Falconery guild too ." Lucas said.,

"Yes, master," Durjaya said.  His fist clenched slightly.  The boy's reaction hadn't escaped Lucas' eyes. But he couldn't care less. The lad couldn't do anything but obey him and cater to his desires. Lucas didn't see it as unfair. One needed to pay some price if they wanted to achieve something.

Besides, it was an honor for them that their lass was serving a royal member. 

Lucas handed over the box to Vira, who put it in his spatial bag. And the two boys left, leaving the Atlantian alone.

Lucas walked over to the window looking over the forges. He stared into the distance as if he could see Atlantia from here; its floating castle; its glorious balls in the grand halls. Just a few more days, and he would leave this damn place.

Lucas really couldn't make what so great about this black water country, for which king Aslan had deployed his black-cloaked ones (especial nine courtiers of Aslan- called nine royal ravens), going as far as creating false rumors of Moriyan's attacks. 

Earlier Lucas had thought that this mission was a mere King Aslan's whim, but the presence of so many defilers proved him wrong. 

Maybe Minaak had something that King Aslan and Moriyan both wanted to acquire, and Oman was an obstacle in their paths. 

What could it be? Lucas wondered again. It couldn't be an ordinary thing or King Aslan could just ask Oman to hand over it. 

Lucas shook his head. He couldn't think of anything worthy of this trouble here in the third world country, where they still used bears and dragons in the smithy. 

*****

As soon as Ishit stepped into the forge, along with Viswa, he realized the true meaning of being one with the forge.  He felt as if Viswa's eyes were watching him from every direction. Their chairs, tables, scrolls, everything came alive as Viswa walked in. 

Viswa's forge was built differently. The whole building was divided into four parts. 

A hall had four tables littered with scrolls, and tomes, then there was a storeroom filled with all sorts of precious metals and forging materials. 

After that, there was a hearth chamber filled with boiling lava. There was no dragon or bears working inside. A large blue blazing egg was floating in the lava lake. 

The walls of the whole building were covered with yantra's designs.  As Ishit went in, his eyes fell on shielded trident glowing with faint golden light with a hue. 

At a single glance, and he recognized it, it was Pashu Astra. 

The Pashu Astra had sentience-like animals. 

"So how you like the forge, master?" Viswa asked, breaking the silence. 

"It's okay. " But else Ishit could say. He didn't want their relationship to go down further. after all, he needed the man's help if ever wanted to complete the orders. 

"Just okay?" Viswa seemed to be offended by Ishit's answer. 

Ishit ignored him and continued to examine the different tools. They were all of the top-notch quality. 

"Master, If you don't mind I have a deal for you." Suddenly, Viswa said. 

"What deal? You've already tricked me into this mess. Do you really think I would make a deal with you?" Ishit replied. He still couldn't figure out a way out. 

"Master, you're blaming me for no reason. It was you who came and challenged me out of nothing. " Viswa said, "As for the deal, you need it if you want to leave this forge as soon as possible."

"Tell me what it is," Ishit asked, giving the smith an uninterested look. 

"I can help you out with the Atlantian punk, and with orders too, but in return, you have to accompany me somewhere. I can promise you there will no danger in your life.  "

Viswa said looking at Ishit expectantly. 

Ishit gave the man a scrutinizing look. 

"Where?" He asked.

"I can't disclose the name. "

Ishit pondered a bit and replied 

"Ok! But you have to take a spirit oath that no harm will befall on me."

"Thanks! Master Ishit." Viswa appeared not to care about the oath part. 

"You're welcome. Now help me with the orders, you just have control hammer and all. I will do the rest"

With this Ishit began to develop his own Astra. As for trusting Viswa, there was no way he was going to trust the old man so soon. 

He accepted him as his apprentice for a very simple reason.. It was Viswa's forge so the smith would do anything to get it back.