Blossoming Love

Daksh has been a senior in the Academy of the Mountain Sect and a fellow mayavi of Adara. His family was banished from Nirvanapura; a small northern province of Shrughna for his father the governor was loyal to Raja Vikaram Vedi. Daskh being five years older than Adara was already enrolled in the Adhyanalay (the Shrughnan Consortium). But he was dismissed from the academy due to his father's loyalty. They met first at the library of the Mountain Sect Academy. She forgot to bring her writing quill, and he was sitting across her in the next row. So she sked him if he has one. Being an overall gentleman he immediately lent his quill to her which she returned after taking a few scribbles of important note from vitomancy books. Vitomancy being her favorite subject she took extra lessons to know the magical art form. However the meeting was casual and nothing sort of special so they quickly forgot about the encounter until the High Council meeting a week later. The High Council holds meetings with its members to discuss the Community's running status right from agriculture, business and security. There are several dark creatures and entities in the mountains which sometimes create disturbance in the border area surrounding the walls of magical wards. Apart from that nefaries from all over the three kingdoms create extra trouble trying to find these three units of the Mountain Sect. Most of the people living as Pariahs are from aura families. The High Council holds three meetings a year; that is every four months to discuss the community affairs and once a year the Grand Council Meeting is held where Council Members and a few of the auras from the other kingdom units meet. The venue of the meeting keeps changing in a rotational basis between the kingdoms.

During the High Council meeting along with the elders a few best auras of the younger generations were allowed to attend so that they can input their ideas into the decision making. Both Adara and Daksh being the best of their respective batches were called to attend the meeting.

"Ohhh it's you right?? The quill girl back in the library?" Daksh asked surprisingly

"Ahhhh hahahah yes it's me. I guess we are the lucky ones this time to be allowed in the Council meeting" Adara said in her usual chirpy tone.

The meeting started with discussing about a new policy agreed on by the kings of the three Kingdoms to lead a search and crackdown on the Mountain Sect. There are reports according to the spies of the Mountain Sect that there has been a rise in the capture and execution of people suspected of being a Mountain Sect pariahs. This has made it difficult for the pariahs to carry out business in the outside world.

While the discussion was going on both Adara and Daksh found them, stealing glances at each other, and soon they both felt a connection. After the meeting was over Adara was about to head to Mongmit's greenhouse for a chat but soon Daksh caught up with her on the steps of the Council's building.

"Hey wait. We never finished our conversation. You didn't tell me your name", Daksh asked her with mixed emotions of curiosity, fondness, and shyness.

"Well, you didn't tell me yours either. So we are even", Adara replied in her usual witty way.

"Well ladies first", Daksh replied back smiling.

"I am Adara, nice to meet you", she said with a smile

"I am Daksh, nice to meet you too."

"Well then see you around. Goodbye", Adara left with a faint smile.

At Mongmit's she relayed everything point by point as they have always done with each other. Mongmit became excited and asked "Yaa I think what you know, he definitely likes you. Just give him a chance and see."

Adara replied, "Well yes, I mean I kinda like him too. He is a gentleman and probably caring too."

"Haaaaahhhh", Mongmit chuckled, "You always like the caring ones I know. So just give it a try. No harm in that I guess."

The two friends bickered and hung out for a long time before Adara returned to her home which was located beside the small mountain lake.

"There you are", Councilman Shera spoke from the study room peeking outside.

"Where have you been after the meeting?"

"I went to Mongmit's house Baba. It's been days since we met." Adara said entering the study place. It was more like the General's office where he carries out his duties both as a Council member and the Captain of the security forces of the Pariahs.

"Fine but next time be there even after the meeting is over there are lots of things for you to know as the aura masters share their experiences. You will learn a lot."

"Baba please I am already learning in the Academy and you know I get super bored in these meetings. Moreover, I can't practice vitomancy or spells at the Council meetings. So you see it's a waste of time", Adara indifferently said irritating Shera.

"Again with your nonsense? When will you grow up? In a few months, you will be twenty-four and still you act like a kid."

"Now go fresh up, have dinner and go to sleep. No funny business in practicing spells inside the house Ada I am warning you. I have some important work to do so you are excused."

"You are the best Baba. Even when you scold", Adara gave a sudden hug, like she always does out of habit, and chuckled.

"You brat!" Shera returned the hug and sent her off.

Back in her room Adara changed into her sleeping attire and came and sat by the window. A soothing breeze was blowing making her hair fly like thin strings in the air. The moon was shining bright in the sky. Her room overlooks the backyard garden onto the lake which is glistening under the moonlight as the breeze was creating ripples in the water reflecting it. Suddenly, a fire butterfly flew in front of her. It wasn't a real one but a kind of message spell. Adara caught it and threw it lightly in front of her which then shattered into a fiery writing. The message read,

"What are you doing? I thought if you are not too busy we can chat a little. We left our conversation incomplete at the Council Building."

Adara felt a combination of shyness and excitement within her. So she conjured a message butterfly, put a message spell on it, and blew it away in the wind. The conversation went on for a long time. She and Daksh almost chatted till dawn. The next day Adara went to the academy to practice and teach the newest batch of pariah mayavis. She practiced martial arts along with vitomancy and is an ace swordswoman. Recently, she took up kalarippayattu lessons from a master from a southern province of Shrughna, called Brahmapuram. Since she is already an ace in sword fighting, it became easier for her to understand the art as it requires a sword and a shield. As the deadliest martial arts technique in existence, this art form originated from a small community of martial arts practitioners or warrior caste of Brahmapuram called the sevakari. For thousands of years they served in the royal army by training them. But during the siege fifteen years ago the community was wiped out. Only a few remaining members were able to escape and fled into the Mountain Sect where they were recruited by the Council to train the auras. But it so happens that the deadly skill requires the highest skill of swordsmanship to learn and in that no one was even close to Adara. Also, the moves of this war art are complex in nature hence it is only Adara who trains with the master.

"Pranam Master Ji." Adara bowed with her hands folded before beginning her training. After an hour of training, she went to teach vitomancy to the young auras. When that was finished a kid came to her. The kid was Mongmit's neighbor.

"Adara Didi (refers to elder sister), Mongmit Didi told me to tell you that tonight there will be a night out with your friends."

"Ahh okk thanks Dazang." Adara said and headed off to Mongmit's house.

At Mongmit's two other friends were also there; Dilara and her twin sister Yanvi. They are a year junior to Adara at the Academy and they are more like soul sisters than a formal senior-junior relationship. Dilara and Yanvi have one younger sister and two other younger brothers. But it is Yanvi who is a mayavi, being born five minutes later than Dilara. And since they are twins Dilara, in spite of not being a mayavi has full access to Yanvi's mind and can to some extent feel her powers. This connection is exclusive to those who are twins. The four are a solid girl group who often spends nights hanging out in the nearby forest. Since it is within the community area there are no dangers of supernatural beings or animals. These four's favorite hangout area happens to be a spot near the border where the mountain took a Y shape bordering Tianxia and Yeoson. They never crossed the border before since it's dangerous and they are yet not ready to go out as its still six months left for Adara and Mongmit to finish their formal training education since they started at the age of seventeen. Their outside experiences were only in groups heavily supervised by the senior mayavies. Since it required them to actually face dangers to put their skills to use they are often taken on hunting excursions in groups. In most cases, Adara performs very well. Her vitomancy coupled with sword fighting and martial arts were a sight to behold. Five years ago she killed a demon called thu heln which is a malevolent spirit that takes a form of a huge man-eating snake. The snake was the last of its kind which had its lair in a complex cave in the mountain along the northeastern province of Saranyalaya of Shrughna.

Sometimes five years ago there was news of people disappearing from a small town of Saranyalaya province. The councilor of the town could do little to help. Every week someone or the other goes missing and families are being torn apart. Then one day a group of wood gathers came across the cave complex in the area and spotted a huge snake lying near the entrance slumbering in the sunshine; bones of humans and other animals scattered all around. The group ran for their lives and informed the counselor. But he did almost nothing laughing it off as a hoax. After that, the disappearances kept happening. Then one of Mangpo people from the Mountain Sect happened to stop by the town for delivering magical herbs to a magic distiller, who told him about the disappearances. He came back to the mountain sect and informed about the incident which prompted the Council to dispatch a group of auras to kill the demon. The Mountain sect always carries out their activities in secrecy to avoid being caught and persecuted by their respective governments. That was Adara's very first hunt outside the community so she was accompanied by the guidance of other senior auras.

They always chose their hunt time during the night to avoid public gaze as much as possible. If by any chance a Regular (common non-magic person) happens to witness any, which rarely happens, the auras with soul/mind control power wipe out their memories. After reaching the cave in the night the auras faced off the huge snake which was about to swallow a dead person whose soul it has already devoured. The auras attacked the snake, trying to bind it with their spells. The snake counter-attacked them by slashing its sting tail toward them. While doing that the sting came directly at Adara who swiftly dodged it and in the next split of a second she unsheathed Vayusaka (her sword's name lit. meaning 'friend of air' which normally denotes fire), leaped towards the wall stepping on it for support before flipping sideways flying in mid-air, towards the tail sting of the snake, and with one sharp blow cut it off from its body. With its tail cut off the snake withered in pain giving out a shrill bone-chilling roar. In the meantime, the auras had already bound it with several spell ropes before the leader of the group proceeded to chop its head off. Adara suddenly ran and stopped him.

"Wait, don't kill it yet," she said.

"Why?" the leader asked.

"Like seriously, you haven't read about the thu hlen demon? It has to be destroyed both physically and spiritually. If you just cut its head it will only die physically and the spirit will probably go find another snake to possess."

"So what do you suggest we do? Just let it go?" the leader asked

"Who said anything about letting it go? Just kill it all at once? Use your soul power." Adara suggested.

"Well, you do know we can't do that. Projecting soul power or any kind of power while using a sword can't be done simultaneously. And moreover, my power is wind control" the leader said.

"We have soul control auras here. Don't we?" Adara cockily asked

"Are you not listening or what? We can't use two things at once." The leader irritatingly said.

While they were bickering the snake somehow snapped and broke free of a few enchanted ropes that were binding it and attempted to charge at them.

Adara's instinct reacted spontaneously and she cast a soul to spell all while swinging her sword at the snake cutting off its head this act of her sent psychic ripples all around knocking off everyone and turning the snake into ash which also vanished in the thin air.

"What on earth just happened!!?" exclaimed one of the auras while picking himself up

"Did you just cast a mind spell and used your sword simultaneously?" asked another

"Oh wait first tell us how you even cast a mind spell when your power is fire control?" the leader asked.

Adara, dumbfounded at her own action couldn't wrap her head around what she did just now, let alone answer their bewildering questions.

"We need to report this back and you Adara, you need to seriously talk to Councilman Shera about this. What you just did is something the aura world knows to be impossible." the leader patted Adara's shoulders somehow managing to sink the shocking incident that unfolded.

"Search the cave. See if you find something or someone worth rescuing, though I don't think we should hope to find anything at all." The leader ordered.

Adara entered the cave. It has a strong pungent smell of the snake's excreta and bones. The auras entered the tunnels in the cave in separate groups while Adara went alone in one. After walking through heaps of excreta and bones she stopped shocked. It was the end of the tunnel and in the far, some kind of feathery heap was lying. Adara approached with extreme caution silently drawing out Vayusaka. After proceeding towards it and getting close enough she couldn't believe her eyes what she saw. A huge almost about fifty feet tall, shyenagaru lay dead in front of her. Shyenagarus is a rare species of eagle-like birds, fabled to be born in the volcanoes of the Celestials realms, and are impervious to any magic especially fire since fire magic runs in their blood. The only thing that can kill a shyenagaru is the venom of the thu heln demon snake. Their legs have super sharp talons and strong beaks; their feathers are yellow and red giving an impression of a blazing fire. It has feathers like a crown on its head and the tail has feathers on its tip like a bunch. The wings are mighty and are hugely spread out once they are open and while they are closed they look like an overcoat of fire. They have an incredible vision which can detect evil from a distance; their fastest speed is like a raging wind and they can go up above the clouds if necessary. Known to be fiercely loyal to the one they imprint on they can go up to any lengths to save their riders or keeper. Adara read about it in the history of mystifaunology. But it was recorded that shyenagarus have become extinct as they were killed by the present ruler with the help of the nefaris who used the thu heln venom to kill them. However, Adara has no idea how a shyenagaru ended up in this cave and why it was still intact while the thu heln supposedly consumes anything that enters its den.

Deep in thoughts about how the shyenagaru ended up here, it was irrupted suddenly with a strange cracking sound. Adara became alert once more and with caution proceeded to check the source of the sound still holding Vayusaka. Approaching a few steps closer to the belly of the dead sheynagaru she suddenly saw something wriggling out of it. To her utter shock, it was a half-hatched reddish-shelled egg of a size of a football and from the upper hatched part a small reddish-yellow head with crown-like feathers just like the dead shyenagaru emerged. It looked at Adara with a strange eagerness. The golden eyes met Adara's night black ones and a strange magical feeling swept both of them initiating an unexplainable sense of bonding between the two. The baby shyenagaru broke free of its shell and with stumbling baby steps and cutely flapping its small yet majestic reddish yellow wings, approached Adara's feet and kind of embraced it, looking with utter affection. Meantime Adara sheathed away her sword and with a big smile on her face, she scooped down and picked the baby shyenagaru up.

"So you like me huh? Well, I like you too. I am sorry about your mother. Do you want to come with me? I can set you free." Adara spoke. In response, it gave out a baby-like shrill indicating that it understood her.

"Where is Adara? She went alone right in the last tunnel?"

Everyone was looking for her when at that moment she emerged with the baby shyenagaru from the cave. The group was shocked and intrigued at the same time.

"I found it inside the cave. Its mother died but I have no idea how they even ended up here. I'll just set it free in the woods." Adara said.

The group kept chattering on their way back. One named Jiva said, "I had too many surprises, all on the same day and now my head is spinning".

"Yeah man, it was crazy I can't wait to hear what the Council has to say about this," said another.

The dawn was breaking and the group almost reached the hidden gates of the community when Adara went into the forest to set the baby free. She placed it down between a few rocks with dry grasses and was about to leave when the baby shyenagaru flew up a little and tumbled towards Adara's feet and embraced her legs again with its wings.

"Looks like it imprinted on you" the leader of the group approached.

"What do you mean 'imprinted'?" Adara asked.

"It happens with animals and birds. They imprint on the first person they see right after their birth. You said its mother was dead and you were there when it hatched out of its egg" the leader asked.

"Yes, I was. Actually, it was kind of weird. It looked directly at me." Adara answered.

"What?" Adara exclaimed "So what do I do? How am I supposed to keep it?"

"Well that is something for you to figure out but as far as I know these birds aren't evil so I guess you should have no problem in convincing the Council." Saying this he left.

Adara turned around and looked at it. Somehow she wasn't feeling to leaving behind the shyenagaru and now that there might be a chance to keep it she felt a sense of happiness. Smiling at it she picked it up and said,

"Let's go home, Yeongsin!"