Bab 3: 3. EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
Kingdom of Kadamba (modern Karnataka), Dwapara Yuga
Blood. Blood everywhere. Air became pungent with a metallic smell and the land was dyed red. Millions of bodies are lying on the ground. Bitter cries of widows echoed through the place.
Amidst of this, a tall and lean figure was standing. He has a a quiver slinging on his shoulder and was drenched in blood. He was holding an arrow dripping with blood in a palm and bow by its string on the other. It's dark and gloomy around but he was shining brighter than thousand suns.
He turned around and said, "will you save me and everyone from this fate?", in a deep and imploring voice which sent shivers through the listener's spine.
Ahyan woke from the nightmare, unsettled, beads of sweat pooling on his forehead.
"Where the heck am I?" he pondered, dazed.
He took in the details of the place he was now.
The bed he's lying on felt like a cloud. The sheets and pillows are of the rarest silk. There is a small desk beside his bed with drawers. The design is delicate and intricate, like those sculptures in the Ellora caves.
There's a tall mirror with gold (?) frame in a corner with a dressing table. A gold vase filled with strange coral coloured flowers is there in a corner.
Everything screamed extravagance. "Why does the heaven look like a Sanjay Leela Bhansali's set?" he mused.
"Wait, can we get nightmares even after dying?" he wondered.
"Oh shit, I died! No more Netflix marathons, 3 am Maggi, making out with my boyfriend, no, ex-boyfriend, fuck him! I died because of that fucker! Why did he even get into a relationship with me when he wanted a perfect little Indian family? I can't talk to my parents anymore. I just got my dream job as a comic artist. Why the heck did I die?" he thought as sobs wracked his body.
So many thoughts ran through his head, overwhelming him. His breaths became short, and the room sank. He registered someone screaming at a distance before his world became black.
He regained consciousness as he felt water on his face.
He opened his eyes and saw an elegant middle-aged couple clad in gold and bourgeois Indian traditional clothing looking at him concernedly.
There's a young woman, maybe in her early 20s, standing a few feet away from them with a brass tumbler in her hand. Head slightly bowed, she was peeking through her long eyelashes.
He came back to reality when he heard the girl's voice.
"Yes, Maharani," the girl bowed and gave him the glass. He drank it as if his life depended on it.
"Do you feel thirst and hunger after death? And do you get an in-built translator too? Cool! Maybe dying isn't that bad," he thought.
"Which godly couple are you? And you girl, are you an Apsara?"
The lady chuckled, and the man grinned boisterously, whereas as the said girl went beet red, bowing her head to hide her flushed cheeks.
He just stared at them, perplexed, thinking what was so hilarious about what he asked.
After laughing his heart out, the man replied, "Putra, you are very much alive, and this is Vijayaprastha, the capital of Kadamba Rajya in aryavarta. We found you unconscious on the Sudakshina shore, when we were performing yagna. We are the King and Queen of this kingdom. I'm Mayuravarma and this is my wife, Suravarchssa. Our Kulaguru, Sage Vashistha came 2 days ago and said that you're from Kali Yuga and you came to Dwapara Yuga for a reason," he clarified.
Ahyan's mind went blank. "Um... what?!?! Either they're good con artists and part time serial killers or they need a ticket to Erragadda. What the fuck this crazy dude is babbling about?" he thought.
The lady must have noticed the shocked expression on his face, has put a hand on cheek lovingly, making him flinch. She hastily withdrew her hand, masking the hurt.
"Putra, this is indeed dwapara yuga and the rulers of Kadamba Rajya. You're indeed alive," she reassured.
"Okay, lady let's assume you're not lying. What's the proof?" he fired back. He will not believe some crazy lunatics. No way, Jose!
"Guruvarya has predicted your doubts and prepared this for you," fake king said as he gave him a crystal ball.
When he touched it, it felt as if he got sucked into it. He can see 'him' lying on a beach, a group of people, including these crazies, rushing towards him, carrying him in a chariot, a priest(?) treating him, an Albus Dumbledore in dhoti pressing his palm on his forehead. He gasped as he completed the vision. It was so surreal and felt so real, although he couldn't hear anything.
He noticed the maid is nowhere to be seen. Maybe she was sent away before dropping the nuclear bomb on him.
"How come I can speak and understand your language?" he questioned the now actual king.
"Guruvarya blessed you to be literate in all the languages spoken in aryavartha," he replied with a smile.
"We do not know when and how you can return to your own time. Till that time, we want you to stay here comfortably and let us take care of you as this is the will of Mahadev. In order to protect you from any harm, we want to officially adopt you. Do not reveal your origin to anyone. Do you agree with this?" she asked.
This is a lot to take in for the kaliyugi. He somehow time travelled to an era in the past and now he's getting another set of parents? His instincts are telling him they're the safest option for him. He doesn't know why, but he trusts him now.
"I agree with your suggestion. However, I can't completely accept you as my parents because it's an insult for my still alive, mourning my death," he gave his answer to the waiting couple.
"We understand, putra! Thank you for giving us an opportunity," the couple said excitedly.
He has to confirm one thing. How far is he from the whole Mahabharat thing? He didn't want to become part of that mess, especially after that horrifying dream.
"Who is the ruler of Indraprastha?" he asked. "Indraprastha? There's no such kingdom in the Aryavartha," he responded, shaking his head.
"Then what about the Pandavas and the Kauravas?" the kaliyugi inquired.
"The Kuru princes are learning Shaasthras and Shastras under the tutelage of a great brahmin, Dronacharya. I think that's ending," the Maharaja replied.
Oh shit, he's right in the time of epic war, Jaya, now known as the Mahabharat, and he'll do anything to avoid it, he thought, determined
"Why do you want to know about that cursed clan, putra? Nothing good comes from associating with them," the king said.
"Oh, I'm just curious because I've heard of them before," Ahyan said.
"Beware of whom you reveal you know the future, son," the queen cautioned him.
"Yes, I'll keep that in mind, your majesty," he said.
"Take rest son, we know it's a lot to take in, but we promise you we'll be there for you," said the king.
Their affection touched Ahyan. They don't need to be kind to a stranger, but they showed nothing but love for him.
His eyes watered and he replied in a tight voice, "Thank you so much for your generosity, your majesties."
"It's our duty, son. We know you need rest and you're grieving, but remember, you're not alone," the queen replied, stroking his cheeks, wiping the tears away.
"We will leave now and if you need anything, you can call the servants. They'll attend to you," the king said, and they left his chamber.
Ahyan is alone now in this beautiful chamber, and the grief has hit him like a freight train. Images of his mom sobbing and his dad weeping flashed in his mind, breaking his heart. He lay down on the bed in the fetal position and cried his heart out, soaking the pillow with his tears of sadness.
After a lot of crying sessions and dehydration, he closed his eyes, sleep lulling him into a gentle embrace.
GLOSSARY
• Maharaja - king
• Maharani - queen
• Brahmin - Brahmin (/ˈbrɑːmɪn/; Sanskrit: ब्राह्मण, romanized: brāhmaṇa) is a varna within the Hindu society. In Vedic- and post-Vedic Indian subcontinent, Brahmins were designated as the priestly class as they served as priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari) and spiritual teachers (guru or acharya). The other three varnas are the Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra.
• Kulaguru - a family priest or teacher.
• Guruvarya - respectful addressing of one's teacher
• Apsara - celestial nymph who are said to be in heaven. They're known for their ethereal beauty.
• Kaliyugi - one who belongs to the Kali Yuga.
• Putra - son
• Vathsa - also son, but usually used to address young men and boys by the elders they're not related to.
• Dasi - maid/servant
• Aryavartha - an old name of India.
• Errgadda - a place in Hyderabad, India which is known for a famous mental asylum of the same name.
• Albus Dumbledore - a fictional character in the Harry Potter series.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
philautiia
philautiia My poor baby just misses home *hugs him* Guess who's gonna make their grand entrance in the next chapter? Like it? Add to the library！
ᅳ Your friendly neighbourhood daydreamer, Sayauvana
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