Page 29 of Lost and Stolen Gods
“You have been brought to this world because this is where you belong,” he continued. “This broken world houses your divine roots. Here you will find your true self. But it is also a world locked in a war that has raged for eons. A war against a threat that does not tire and cannot be killed.”
He stepped off the podium and walked up the steps toward us, and it was suddenly a little harder to breathe because his presence was so large, so potent it was almost oppressive.
He stopped a few steps below us, but even then, he was able to look us in the eye. How tall was he? He had to be the same height as a drohi. Was he a drohi too? No, he looked too human for that, if you discounted the glowing brown skin and hair that looked like hespent hundreds on luxury products. Shit, he was talking again.
“Svargana was once a peaceful world where gods and mortals could coexist,” he said. “But I scarcely recall that time now. War has raged for an eternity, it seems. A war between factions of gods. A war that forever shifted and changed. But there was always hope of peace, of resolution, until we unwittingly released a threat that none of us had anticipated. We call it the devouring force, and it comes from a place deep within the core of this world. A place that houses a primordial evil that has been incarcerated from the beginning of time.
“The devouring force belongs to the primordial evil, and it has infected the gods of this world with a malevolence that has altered them entirely, putting them in the control of the primordial evil.
“All factions of gods: Deva, Asura, and Danava, were affected. They have become revenants, like the ones who attacked you on your journey to Aakaash Sansaar. Over the centuries, these stolen gods have spawned many abominations to do their bidding, and our world has all but fallen.”
“The mortals of Svargana now live underground in the space between the earth and a place called Patala, the realm of the naga, because the land, sea, and air have become battlegrounds.”
“Svargana?” Remi said. “What’s that?”
His gaze darted to Umbra, and he frowned slightlybefore responding. “Svargana is this world. Our world. Tantric Umbra should have explained that much.”
Twin spots of colour appeared on Umbra’s cheeks, and I felt bad for her. She’d done her best considering we’d been attacked so soon after she’d picked us up. Her energies had probably been on keeping us safe not playing tour guide.
But she didn’t defend herself now, accepting the veiled reprimand in silence.
“Now, where was I?” Guru Chandra said. “Ah, yes, the devouring force…It cares not for the etiquette of war; it seeks only to grow, and if it succeeds, then the gates holding back the primordial evil will crumble, and all will be lost, not just for this world, but for every world in this multiverse.”
The multiverse had been a fictional concept found in graphic novels, movies, and books. But being here proved it was very real, and the concept of a force powerful enough to bring it all down was terrifying.
“Good…” Guru Chandra said. “I can see you understand the implications of what I speak of. Now let me enlighten you as to the importance ofyourpresence here.
“With gods being forcefully recruited to the enemy ranks, our numbers were falling. We were close to collapse, and so in a desperate attempt to swell our numbers, we recruited demigods from our world. The most promising were offered ascension to godhood. And through this we discovered a vital fact—thatalthoughborngods are susceptible to infection,ascendedgods are not.”
My mind worked to assimilate all the information, hurtling toward the conclusion he was meandering toward.
“Ascended are immune…” He continued, glowing with inner fervor. “Do you see now? This is where your existence is vital, because each of you is a demigod; therefore, each of you has the potential for ascension.” His smile was like the sun breaking cloud cover. “Each of you has thepotentialto become a god like me.”
Silence followedGuru Chandra’s declaration as we absorbed the fact that this guy was a god. A real life, in the flesh, god. And he was telling us that we could be gods too.
So that’s what Guru Mihir had meant about realizing our potential.
Potential tobecomegods.
“I am a born god from the Asura faction,” Guru Chandra said. “And if you ascend, you will meet more of my kind. They reside in Shahee Kshetra, the royal domain of Aakaash Sansaar. There are other demigods like you here. Mortals native to Svargana, born from divine seed. You will meet them soon. Befriend them. Unite with them, for there is power in unity, in workingas a team. Together you will train and take the tests that will prepare you for the labyrinth.” His gaze grew solemn. “The labyrinth is the final test and will determine whether you ascend. Scores on all tests leading up to it will decide whether you are fit to even walk the labyrinth. I will be there to guide you all. I have faith that you will embrace this greater purpose.”
The guy with the black eye, who I’d since learned was called Joe, raised his hand. He was sitting beside the weepy woman, whose name was Sylvie. She was looking at him with a mixture of awe and panic, as if she couldn’t believe he had the balls to ask a question.
Guru Chandra inclined his head in Joe’s direction. “Yes?”
Joe dropped his arm and cleared his throat. “What if…what if we don’t want this honor?” His gaze flicked briefly to Sylvie. “What if we just…just want to go home?”
Was that pity in the Asura’s eyes? “There is no going back for you. Only a god or a reaper and his vessel can move through the ether without being unmade.”
Eve raised a hand but didn’t wait to be called on before blurting out her question. “So, if we become gods we can leave?”
His gaze narrowed. “If you harbor that goal, then you willneverascend. It will reflect in your test scores, and when the time comes for the Shakti to determine whether you should take the labyrinth, the powers willrefuse you entry. Only those that pass the labyrinth can ascend.”
“So we’re stuck?” Her voice trembled as she continued. “I had a life...I was…was going to be married.”
He nodded slowly, an expression of compassion softening his aquiline features. “You worry that you will be missed. That your loved ones will search for you, mourn you? But fear not. Your existence has been wiped from your world. No one will remember you there.” He made it sound like a favor, and his gaze raked us over in anticipation of, what? Sighs of relief? Cheers?
He got the opposite.
