Page 31 of Lost and Stolen Gods
“Technically it would, but they do not qualify for ascension.”
“Why not?”
“They aren’t compatible with Amrit, the nectar that must be consumed to ascend. It would kill them. But theyareformidable warriors, and like I said, essential to our cause.” She smiled up at us. “I understand that all this information must feel overwhelming, but you are demigods, and your minds are sharper than you realise, able to assimilate knowledge quickly and efficiently. Relax, listen, and absorb. That is all you must do.” She stepped off the podium and headed for thedoor Guru Chandra had come in through earlier. “Come now. It’s time to meet Eben and learn about the pareekshan that you must take.”
“What’s a pareekshan?” someone asked.
“Tests,” she said. “Important tests.”
We trooped after her, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that what we were being told was only the tip of a very large iceberg. I would definitely be visiting the sage Bhoomika as soon as I got the chance.
Chapter 12
BLOOD, STONE, AND GLISTENING PECTORALS
Our next stop was a green, leafy garden hidden in the depths of the complex. The air smelled of nature, of earth and life, and sunshine bathed it in hues of gold, lending it a magical air.
A twelve-foot-high, six-foot-wide stone sat in the center of the courtyard surrounded by smaller ones in sizes ranging from two feet to five. These were covered in moss, but the big boy stone was smooth and clear of any flora.
There was no sign of anybody, though. Maybe this Eben person was meeting us here?
Umbra passed between the smaller stones to reach the large one and pressed her palm to its surface. “Eben, awaken. We have guests.”
What the?—
A rumbling vibration shook the earth and air, thenthe surface of the stone rippled and shifted until a face formed. Irises etched in stone moved side to side to take us in before settling on Umbra. The stone face smiled and spoke in a gravelly voice, filling the stunned silence with words that I didn’t understand.
“They are from the mortal realms,” Umbra said.
“Ah…I see,” Eben replied. “I will speak in all tongue then.”
Speak…the stone was speaking. It had a fucking face, and why was I surprised? This was a magical world with magical beings, after all. Still, my pulse continued to race with the awe of it all.
“Thank you.” Umbra smiled up at Eben. “We’ve come to enroll.”
“Of course. More potentials mean more gods. And the next wave of pareekshan are mere weeks away.”
“Indeed, there is much to be done.”
“Then let us not waste time.”
Umbra turned to us. “Eben is the score master. He, along with the ankh, keeps a record of your performance.”
“What are ankh?” Someone blurted out the question.
Umbra frowned, clearly irritated by the interruption, and it was Eben who answered.
“Ankh are the invisible eyes and ears of Aakaash Sansaar. They report to me and also to the Shakti. You will not see them, and you will not feel their presence, but rest assured, they will be watching you train.”
Creepy much?
The look on the other potentials’ faces echoed my feelings.
Umbra cleared her throat. “Eben, would you show the potentials the board?” She threw a reassuring smile at our group, probably hoping to dispel our disquiet following Eben’s explanation.
“With pleasure.” Eben said.
His face smoothed away, and fresh etchings appeared across his surface—horizontal lines, equally spaced, rising like a ladder. A thick divide bisected the ladder halfway up, and below it were dots. Wait, not dots,faces. Lots of tiny faces all at different heights.
