Page 69 of Lost and Stolen Gods
“One of marriage between the two royal houses. Shocking, you see, because the royal houses have never intermarried. The Asura royals have Deva blood in their veins. It is believed that the Deva blood gave the royal Asura the unique affinity of fire.
“The Danava royals are believed to be descended from Vritra, a being who caused much chaos when he turned to evil.”
“Vritra was an evil god then?”
“So the stories say. So powerful that the Deva, Indra, was forced to forge a weapon specifically to kill him.”
“What kind of weapon?” Dharma asked.
“One made from the bones of the most dedicated and powerful sage. This sage’s sacrifice gave the weapon great power. They called it the vajra. And Indra was able to use it to stop Vritra once and for all.”
“Wait, is this Vritra guy connected to the primordial evil?” Dharma asked.
“He may have been at one time,” Bhoomika said. “The primordial evil has touched many lives. It grows in strength ever since the walls of its prison have become compromised.”
Guru Chandra had said that the devouring force infected gods, and Ima had said the gods now referredto the stolen god army as the devouring force, but what was it exactly? “What is the devouring force? An infection, an army or…a person?”
Bhoomika’s eyes lit up. “No one knows. No one who has ever seen it has returned to tell the tale. It hides behind the army that carries its name.”
“If no one has seen it, then how do you know it exists?” Dharma asked.
“You cannot see the wind and yet you know it exists because you feel it and you see its effects in the world around you.”
“Good point.” Dharma sighed. “So there is no way to kill the devouring force?”
“There is no known way. All we can do is weaken it and hope that the gates of the primordial evil’s prison heal. If that happens, then the source it is drawing its power from will be cut off and maybe…maybe we can end it once and for all.”
But they’d had a weapon once. “Won’t the vajra thing work on it?”
“It may have,” Bhoomika said. “If it had not been destroyed in the battle between Indra and Vritra.”
We fell silent, absorbing everything that we’d just learned.
Bhoomika slapped her palms on her thighs. “And that is why the royal houses did not intermarry.”
I was momentarily thrown, then realized she’d reverted to the topic we’d been discussing before we’d gotten sidetracked.
“The Asura royals, carrying Deva blood, did not want to pollute their bloodline with a house descended from evil.”
“But you said there were rumors of an alliance,” Chaya pointed out.
“Yes, preposterous really.” She laughed a little, but it sounded brittle. “I suppose the rumors began because of the increased visits between the Danava king and the Asura king. It was also on one of these visits that the unthinkable occurred.”
She pressed her lips together, exhaling through her nose, and for a moment, I thought she was going to leave us hanging, but thankfully she continued.
“The Asura royals had their annual meet. The family gathered in its entirety for the event, all under one roof. It was at this meet that the Danava king struck. He used an eternal flame to set fire to the ballroom, killing everyone. Guru Chandra was the only survivor. Hehadbeen summoned by the Asura king that night but was delayed, which saved his life, but left it too late for him to stop the massacre. He was able to apprehend and kill the Danava king for his atrocious crime, but that night, the royal bloodline was all but wiped out. Guru Chandra, a distant cousin several times removed, is the only Asura with royal blood left to take the throne; however…” She paused and licked her lips. “The throne refuses to accept him.”
“What does that mean?” Dharma asked. “Thethronerefuses? How can a throne refuse?”
“The Asura throne is a sentient artefact attuned to the blood of the royals. Only the rightful heir can claim it.”
“But everyone is dead, right?”
“Everyone except the Regent Chandra. But the throne denies him.”
“What does that mean?” I sat forward. “If he’s the only one left from the bloodline, then surely the throne should accept him, right?”
She tipped her head to the side. “One would believe so. Yes.”
