Rain (The Quest Trilogy-Book Two) (20 page)

“Nothing, really. Same dry desert as always.”

“I’ve spent a whole year without collecting any wisdoms. I’ve been here in Quniverse three years now. When do you think my next Quest is going to take place?”

“I have no idea. Your chain has been glowing for the past month now. This is most befuddling.”

“You’re telling me! Maybe it’s malfunctioning or something. It’s never glowed this long before.”

“Rain, look! Over there …”

Rain looked in the direction pointed out by his Geeya. The sands in front of them seemed to be shifting left and right in a zigzagging manner, as though something rather large was burrowing a hole towards them.

“What is it?” asked Rain.

His Geeya didn’t answer.

“Whatever it is, it looks huge, doesn’t it?” said Rain.

The burrowing stopped a few feet away from Rain, and then out of the sands rose the head of an enormous silver cobra with a glittering green jewel embedded in its forehead.

“Rain …” said his Geeya, “I know now why you haven’t been pulled into a Quest for the past month.”

“Why?” breathed Rain, not taking his eyes off the enormous snake.

“Because your Quest was coming to you!”

“Amen to that.” said Rain, moistening his lips nervously.

The snake dunked forward and Rain jumped to the side. It opened its mouth to bare its fangs and then let out a gust of venomous steam through its nostrils.

“You are Rain?” it said in a clear male voice.

“I … yes.”

“I am Naaga, firstborn of the Queen Mother. You had taken the Nahla from my mother, promised to return it, and failed.”

“It was an accident. Honest!”

The snake hissed furiously. “Fool! The Queen cannot survive without the Nahla. My mother is now dead! All because of you!”

“Dead …?” said Rain, feeling sadness and dread fill his heart. Did this word also describe his coming fate?

“This is how you repay her kindness towards you? She even gifted you her skin! And now, because of you, the Island of Bana is teeming with evil elements that mean nothing but harm to all who live there. I should kill you for this betrayal!”

“No! Please believe me … I had no hand in this. I fully intended to return the Nahla to your mother but I got pulled out of my Quest and the Nahla came back with me, too. You can have the Nahla back. I don’t want it, I swear! Here …” said Rain, frantically pulling out the milky white stone from his pocket and putting it on the ground with a shaking hand. “Please spare my life. I am truly sorry about your mother.”

The snake reared its silver head.

“Your apologies will not bring my mother back. Prepare to die for you treachery!”

“No, no. Have mercy! I’ll do anything you ask me to. Just don’t kill me!”

Unexpectedly, the cobra paused, seeming to mull over Rain’s offer.

“Listen carefully … Rain.” began Naaga, “My mother made a prophecy before she died. She said I would never be able to find my mate on my own; that a sequestor would help me find my mate. But she did not name the person. Maybe because she knew who it was and realized that in my blinded state of seeking retribution, I would not listen to reason and kill you on sight. She did not even name the human who took the Nahla from her. I picked up your scent from the cave and followed that to find you here. In the time it has taken for me to search you out, Rain, my temper has cooled considerably.”

Rain blanched some more at that bit of information. If this was Naaga in a substantially cooler state of mind, then he dreaded ever seeing, or being the target of, this magnificent creature’s actual wrath. Naaga continued;

“Now, if you will find for me the next Queen, my mate, I will spare your life.”

“Anything!” said Rain.

Naaga gave another hiss, this time, however, not of displeasure.

“Start at the forest of Ahura. From there, figure a way to find the egg of the new Queen. When you have done so, find me.”

“I will go at once!”

“Very well. You may keep the Nahla for the time being. You will need it to find the Queen. I am giving you one month to find her, after which, if you fail, I will return and swallow you whole.”

Naaga then disappeared into the sands with a low rumble.

Rain watched the sands swallow its silver head.

“I will need less than that …” he promised himself softly.

*****

CHAPTER 16

“Which horse should I take with me?” asked Rain.

His Geeya floated over to the biggest one. It was dark as the night with a single white hind leg.

“Take Storm. He is all muscle and raw power waiting to be unleashed. He was made for this journey.”

Rain began saddling up the horse.

“You’re sure you know the way to the forest of Ahura?” Rain asked his Geeya for the fourth time. She nodded, showing no signs of impatience.

“But it is very far from where we are now. That is why I want you to take the strongest and fastest of the horses.”

“I’m done packing all the supplies I’ll need. I’ll go say goodbye to Heart and Subodh now.”

Rain bid his two companions goodbye and then rode off.

The deadline of thirty days hung heavy on his head, though he would not admit to it. In order to make the most of the time he had, Rain had set out that very night. Heart and Subodh had been of immense help in getting everything set and ready for the long journey. Since he had no idea how long it would take him to bring back the Queen’s egg, they had sent him off with enough supplies to last him for a month. He had saddled an extra horse just to carry all the supplies he would need.

Rain rode like the wind through the desert, crossing miles and miles every night. But the days disappeared like snowflakes on a fingertip and Rain still saw no end to the desert. Twenty-five days passed and he had not even reached the border of the forest of Ahura. That night, he began to panic.

“What do I do? I have only five days left and I haven’t even reached the forest of Ahura yet. How am I supposed to find the Queen’s egg and bring her back … all in the span of five days? It’s over … I’ll never make it.”

“Rain, do not lose hope. If you lose hope, then it will end today … right now. Instead, think. There has to be some way to reach there before dawn today.”

Rain paced back and forth between his horse and his Geeya. In his desperation to find a solution, he took the Nahla out of his pocket and looked at the pale white stone in his hand.

“It’s your owner I am searching for.” he implored to the stone. “Do something! Help me get to the Forest of Ahura before dawn today.”

The stone sat lifelessly in his palm. Rain kicked some sand in frustration and put the stone back in his pocket. What had he been thinking, speaking to a stone? He must be crazier than he had given himself credit for. He looked morosely at his Geeya.

“What now? I can’t think of a single thing.”

“Rain …” she said softly.

Something about the tone of her voice made Rain stop and listen.

“The energies … they are changing. I can feel it. Get on your horse. The Nahla is helping you!”

Rain jumped onto Storm’s back. The horses reared up on their hind legs and neighed vigorously, as if responding in unison to a silent command. The next thing Rain knew, they were tearing through the night, going so fast that Rain couldn’t even hold his eyes open. Beneath them, the ground seemed to be disappearing faster than Rain had ever seen. They rode all night, the horses led by some unknown force, never tiring, stopping for a breath of air, or a sip of water.

At the crack of dawn when the first rays of the sun emerged out of the horizon, Rain saw what he had not thought possible just hours ago: the beginning of the Forest of Ahura.

The horses continued onwards, until they had entered the forest. Then, they slowed down to a trot, coming to a halt at a shady spot.

Rain got off Storm’s back, tired and bleary eyed but extremely relieved. He thanked his horse profusely, and then poured water down its throat, doing the same for its companion. Rain didn’t bother tethering the horses to a tree.

“Wait for me here for four days.” He said to the horses. “If I am not back by then, leave. Okay?”

Storm nuzzled Rain and neighed in response. Rain patted it’s broad, warm neck.

“Good boy.” said Rain, placing a pile of carrots at its feet which the horse settled down to eat. “Take care of Breeze, too, okay?” he instructed his horse, and then placed a pile of carrots near the other horse also.

Rain turned to address his Geeya. “What should I do now?”

“First you need to find a way to cross the River of Reptiles. On the other side of its shore is Ruby Mountain. You will find the new Queen’s egg at its peak.”

“Let’s go! We don’t have a minute to waste.”

The forest of Ahura consisted mainly of shrubs of every shape and size, mostly of a strange purple hue. Rain ran through the forest for the better part of the day. When it was late afternoon, he stopped for lunch and then lay down in the shade cast by a large purple bush for a nap.

He woke up some time later, ready to move on. He had only taken a few short steps when he found, to his amazement, the purple bush following him, dragging itself through the ground.

He took a few more steps. It followed, leaving deep tracks on the ground below in its wake.

“It’s following me.” whispered Rain to his Geeya.

“Seems that way.”

“Why? Is it living or something?”

“Very much. The ‘shrub’ you slept under is actually a young demon in disguise. And it appears that she has taken a fancy to you.”

Rain gasped.

‘You’re kidding. Tell me you’re kidding!’

The bush edged closer. Rain took a step back.

‘Should I kill her?’

‘Not advisable. She is not the only demon in the forest.’

Rain looked around. There were hundreds of similar purple colored bushes.

‘Did you say she likes me?’

‘More than would please you to know.’

Rain looked at the bush. It was nearly touching him. The demon had shifted closer, silently this time, so he wouldn’t step away from her.

Rain bent down, addressing the demon directly.

“I need to get to the River of Reptiles. Could you possibly help me get there?”

Rain felt the slightest sensation of being pulled towards the bush and then being released.

‘What is she doing?’

‘Taking in your scent.’

Rain frowned. This was truly bizarre.

‘Ew. And?’

‘She likes it.’

‘Double ew!’

The bush began to move forward.

‘Am I supposed to follow her?’

“Yes. She is showing you the shortest route to the River of Reptiles.”

Rain followed the bush and in no time at all, they were at the edge of a dirty green river flowing strongly downwards. The surface of the river was unnaturally colorful. Rain realized the color came from the hundreds of snakes, lizards and crocodiles that were swimming in it, along with the flow of the current.

“I’ll never be able to make it across alive.” said Rain.

The bush edged near his legs and Rain felt a slight pull again. He looked down at the infatuated demon sniffing him up.

“Can you help me get across safely?” he asked the bush.

The bush opened up in the middle, as though yawning.

“You want me to get inside?”

The bush rustled and shook.

Rain looked at his Geeya.

‘What do you think? Is it safe?’

‘Yes. But be careful, Rain. This is a demon you are asking a favor from. There will be consequences.’

‘It’s the only way I have to cross this river. I’ll take my chances.’

Rain gingerly stepped inside the large gap in the middle of the bush and folded his long legs under himself, curling up into a tight ball. The bush closed itself around him and floated out into the river. The reptiles scurried away from it. This was their predator, not their prey. The bush floated serenely across the river with Rain safely ensconced within. Once they reached the other bank the bush opened up again, letting Rain out. It took another deep whiff of Rain before shutting close again.

“How can I thank you for all your help?” said Rain to the demon.

A pale green hand with long black claws shot out of the bush. It drew two circles entwined together on the wet mud of the river bank.

‘Does she mean what I think she means?’

“She does.”

Rain groaned inwardly.
‘Oh, no!’

“See,” said Rain, addressing the demon, “I am on a Quest. I cannot commit myself to you…”

The bush remained immobile. “It could take me years to complete my Quest.” continued Rain. “And then, I … I …”

He was at a loss for words.

The pale green hand shot out again, drawing a circle with an ‘X’ in it.

‘What is she saying?’

“Finish your Quest. But once you’re done, come back to her or she’ll kill you.”

‘Why on Earth…?!’

“This is a demon, Rain. Their ideas of love are somewhat … different. Tread with caution.”

Rain closed his eyes and took a deep breath, and then bent down to address the demon once more.

“I have to go up Ruby Mountain and collect an egg. Once I’m done with that, I’ll come back to you. Is that all right?”

The demon drew a circle with a single line traveling through its centre and extending beyond.

‘Now what is she saying?’

“She says she will be at your side throughout your life and beyond.”

Rain let out a worried breath. His troubles only seemed to be piling up for some reason and he had no idea how to put an end to this without losing his own life. He got up and started to walk forward. The bush followed in his wake.

“No.” said Rain, holding a finger up. “Stay here. Wait for me here, at the bottom of Ruby Mountain, okay?”