2 The Mystic Capital [Sachi]

Sachi had been to the capital city of Amravati only twice, the first time when he accompanied his late father. It was so long ago he barely remembered. The second time was more recent when he returned to the city searching for Sage Parasu and offered to be his pupil.

Parasu had been an eminent teacher of Tantra, Mantra, and Yantra, the three forms of magic that sustained the OneRealm. Before Sachi's father passed away, he revealed that the renowned sage owed him a considerable favor, and in return, Sachi must find him and seek training.

So, a year ago, Sachi traveled to the city in search of the famous sage and found him living outside of the city, near the forest. The sixteen-year-old Sachi was an ordinary human youth with little spiritual power. So, he had no hope that the old man would accept him, but to his pleasant surprise, the man welcomed Sachi to his gurukul.

Since then, the youth had been sweating and laboring in the old man's household, carrying out his every order, but in return, he had only learned no more than six mantra chants and no tantra or yantra whatsoever.

"Do not fall behind, child. Keep up!" Sage Parasu barked, and Sachi begrudgingly hastened his pace.

The sage was striding down the crowded street like a crane with his long legs and tall, gaunt body covered in a thin white shawl. His long, gray hair looked like waves of molten silver, covering his back; he had a matching beard that fell to his belly and made him look thousands of years old, even though he was no more than sixty.

Sachi wished his guru slowed down, so he could admire the bustling city life. The high shops flashed the most extravagant clothes and jewels and beckoned the wealthy customers a mile away. Both children and adults flocked the confectionaries, drawn by the tasty-looking sweets in glass displays and the fragrant, delicious smell of the freshly boiling syrup in big pots.

Immortal creatures roamed the streets alongside the mortals. The beautiful goddesses and apsaras were dressed in the finest robes, trimmed with gold threads, and the most colorful and fragrant flowers adorned the braids on their hair.

Men and gods and asuras shared benches in front of the inns, exchanging gossips and debating over the weather. Songs of mid-day prayers and sounds of handbells and conch shells floated out from the sandstone temple, where a group of devotees was crowded and praying to the higher lord, Shiva.

On the sidewalk, two boys, one asura and one human, were sparring with wooden mace. Divine beings populated all seven regions of OneRealm, but they were largest in number in the Suvarna region and even more in its capital city, Amravati.

Many called it the Golden city of OneRealm, from all the gold that walled the palaces and buildings where the immortals resided. The homes of the mortals were not as extravagant but they, too, were lavishly built and beautifully painted. The entire city was enveloped in a golden aura that scattered up to the sky and challenged even the sun.

"Three bananas for one coin," a hawker shouted from the sidewalk.

It was a fruit wagon with very unusual fruits. Each grape was the size of a fist, and the bananas must be at least a foot long. The pineapples were square, and the watermelon could fill an entire room. Suddenly, Sachi felt very ravenous. At the end of all the fruits and vegetable carts, a meat vendor had opened shop, with some unusual fowls on display.

But the most unusual was the vendor herself, a six-armed goddess, two arms busily cutting the poultry meat, the other two weighing and wrapping the chunks of meat for customers, and the rest two counting coins.

In his distraction, Sachi knocked against a person and turned to find it was a Mahishasura, half buffalo half human asura. Alarmed, Sachi began to apologize, but the demon nodded courteously and walked away. When he turned back, the sage had marched further down the street, and Sachi had to dash to catch up with his guru.

Scent of herbs and aromatic oils filled Sachi's nose, and he turned to his right to spy an herbal shop, only a few shops down the street. "Guruji, since we are here, we must buy some medicinal herbs. We are running out."

"We have not come here on an excursion," Sage Parasu sent him a strict reminder, "we have an urgent purpose. Do not slow me down with your banalities."

The city's streets were straight as an arrow and smooth as a breeze. The two men took a sharp left turn, and at the very end of the street, Sachi saw the palace of the king of OneRealm, Asura Digvi. It was a magnificent golden beast, sprawling for acres, with another acre of palace ground contained in its walls.

The Mayasuras built the Gold Palace as a gift to the Asura King Digvi when he ascended the throne of the OneRealm, to rule over the asuras, gods, and humans. The Mayasuras were said to be masters of illusionary magic and the greatest architects to walk the OneRealm. So, Sachi could hardly wait to see the architectural marvel they had built for the asura king.

The royal street was paved by large cobblestones. Gemstones as large as cabbage heads lined the street, spilling it in colors of red, green, and blue. Sentries, armored in red and black and covered in a red hawk beak helmet, stood tall with a spear, guarding the path.

Unlike the busy main street, there were few commoners in the royal street; only courtiers, petitioners, and rare visitors were allowed to enter the area. The royal gates were a giant affair of their own, so tall it hurt the neck to look up, and atop the ramparts, there were more guards with their bows and arrows pointed at the entryway.

The sentries standing in front of the gates crossed their spears when the Sage Parasu and Sachi approached.

"What is your purpose?" One of the sentries asked, hard eyes peering through the hawk beak.

"My purpose is to save the realm," Sage Parasu answered in a cautionary tone.

Sachi's heart was pounding like drums at the way the sentries were scowling at them, but the sage did not hesitate and stood fearlessly in front of the gate. The two sentries exchanged a knowing glance and removed their spears. There was no judder or screeching of the gate moving, and for a moment, Sachi stood there looking confused.

Then, his guru stepped up to the gate, and like a spell, the gate melted away into thin air, letting the sage pass. The illusory technique of the Mayasuras, Sachi reminded himself wordlessly.