The Lady of Light - Part XVII

The Story So Far: I turned 18 and waited to know what my power would be. But all I did was swoon when the enemy was at the gate. I was ashamed but I was shocked to know that I had saved the world and I didn't know a thing about it! Now I do. But I still don't know how to call that power when I need it. And now we are facing our formidable foes, the Daits.

Read from the beginning, click here
Read the previous chapter, click here

Going to Mars on my own without informing anyone on an impulse seemed a little foolish. Even if no one could help me once I was there, if something were to happen to me, no one would miss me in this tense war situation.

Also, I needed to bring back the prince and the Sacred Shell. Whatever my capabilities, I still only had to hands. Carrying the prince and the Sacred Shell could prove challenging. I would get only one shot at it and I didn't even know how big or small the Shell was.

I had only my parents by my side, and as everyone knows, they are the worst people to share adventurous ideas with. But since I had no choice, I just had to take their help. "Ma, pa, you both have to come with me."

They were in armour, ready to return to the fight. They noticed my golden rod and the platinum crown. "Where to?"

"You have to trust me," I said and clutched them, dragging them with me to Mars. The poor, trusting souls, just did as bid till the heat from Mars started bothering my father who blew hot winds to cool us. My mother bore it a little better but only just. At a point where it looked as if my father could go no farther, I told them to wait. I carefully spied the land and found prince Ajat nominally guarded. As I had thought, the Daits had not expected me to come to Mars at such a time and nobody else was going to venture this far.     

Since the guards did not expect me, it was easy to summarily dismiss them and hand the prince to my father safely. "Take him back. Ma, you wait," I told her and made my way back warily. Somebody may have raised an alarm since my rescuing the prince or there could be other protective charms around the Sacred Shell. 

But, whoa! What was happening to me? The pull of the Shell this time was very strong and beyond my comprehension until I realised that my new friends were responsible for this. I didn't have to look for it, I was directly ported to it. But as I had expected, there was no way I could reach out without sending alarm bells ringing. It was protected and a red glow surrounded it. The rod seemed impatient to be united with its old friend, unmindful of the danger. My Tiara was a little more intelligent and seemed to be able to bind it. 

"Looking for something?" a voice in my ear startled me. I was appalled to see the Dait king standing there, his eyes on me. I started to blabber something as he neared me. I felt the heat rising around me but stood frozen. He was in front of me now and towering over me. It took me a minute to realise that this was just a trick. The king had left behind a menacing projection of his self to intimidate anyone trying to illegally enter this enclosure but that he hadn't expected anyone to was evident from the fact that this did not seem to trigger any alarms.

But this was the kind of wishful thinking that could be my downfall. I had no way of knowing if this projection was communicating with the king on earth and so I couldn't linger. But there was something I had to do, create an impression which would help me later. For an idea was forming in my head when he probed it again. I took my Tiara and flung it in his direction. His image dissipated into nothingness.

I wondered if any of the three devices at my disposal could help me. The gold rod was raring to go but the platinum crown had a strange glow about it. I gently let it near the red light and felt it being absorbed by the ring. I ventured a little closer and the platinum just consumed all the red aura, leaving the Shell exposed fully. I rushed in, picked up the Shell, which was definitely humming, and rushed out. I handed it to my mother and sent her back. 

I was not done here. I wanted to let the Dait king know that he had underestimated his enemy. Why I felt so strongly about it, I don't know. 

I went to where the Dait prince was still writhing. The healer was also with him, trying his best to make the prince warm. He saw me and his face registered pure terror. He was no warrior. I looked him in the eye and said, "I am Shakti, a Prabhas from earth. Tell your king what you saw."

I withdrew the cold from the prince, leaving just enough to let him feel uncomfortable and weak, but not suffer as he did. When I looked at the prince, I felt pity surging through me, but I steeled my heart and left.

(Continued here)