Page 120 of The Burning Mountain
“Draw your blade,” she said grimly as she took a stance, tucking the lotus into her robes, her meaning clear.
“I don’t want to fight,” he said, his eyes moving slowly from the weapon to her.
“Youwillfight me, and you will not hold back. Not this time, Veer. We’re destined to clash, that’s who we are.”
He unsheathed his own weapon, accepting the challenge in her eyes. If this was the only way to engage, then so be it.
They circled each other like a pair of feral wolves.
The clang of their swords resounded off the pillars, which lined the courtyard.
“I said those things to make you leave. It was better than admitting I was scared.” Veer swerved another close shave, the blow glancing off his scarred shoulder.
He wiped the sweat rolling down his temples, his teeth bared in a grin. Hot blood pumped through his veins, he felt lightheaded, consumed in the rush of the battle.
She seemed similarly affected. The expressionless face he hated to see had dropped altogether.
“What are the limits on Virat’s power?” she asked.
He rotated his shoulder and switched his weapon to the right, his dominant hand. She had improved, too much for him to fight her with his weaker hand if he wanted to win this. Veer wondered if it was because of their sessions or the goddess powers or perhaps, her own confidence.
“He can’t control more than one person at a time. But this was before he died. I don’t know if his abilities have changed since then. I can’t be reasonably sure, though I think it’s unlikely.”
“Why?”
“Because of the difficulty. When I control animals, it goes much better when the said being doesn’t mind my presence. When it actively fights me, I have to grip its mind in a choke hold. And as I have always told you, the more evolved the being, the more its instinctual need to fight. For Virat, who can’t control another human without force, it’ll be difficult to maintain control of more than one such mind.”
“Have you truly found no one who is resistant to his mind control?” she asked, brows pleated with concentration. “I mean, you’ve come across several animals who were able to withstand your magic.”
Veer shook his head. “No. But then, I wasn’t researching into it. I’m immune because we grew up together, perhaps because we developed our magic together. I know that Shota is somewhat resistant too.”
“Somewhat? How so?”
“We could never pin down the details, but most magic slips off Shota. It doesn’t seem to stick to him or affect him very much. But, there are limits to it too. If the power is strong enough, it can overcome his natural resistance. I don’t dare take Shota because of this. If I don’t make it out alive, I would want him to assist the kingdom in any way he can.”
She chewed on her lip as if thinking over that. Veer pressed his advantage, and she parried his attack, her eyes focused once again on the fight between them. “What happens when the person Virat controls loses consciousness? What happens then?”
“Loses consciousness?”
“Yes. Say from an arrow laced with a strong sedative.”
“That might end his control.”
“What if someone else was controlling a person? For example, if I was sharing my consciousness with Vihari. Will his immunity extend to me?”
Veer stopped, his eyes gleaming. He understood where she was going with this questioning.
“How do you detect animals?” she asked next.
“I actively search for them.”
“So, say, if some were in hiding, you won’t be able to find them?”
“Not unless I actively search for an animal.”
“Do you think Virat’s magic does the same? Do you think if someone is in hiding, he won’t be able to spot them and therefore control them until they make themselves known?”
Time passed. Veer answered Chandra’s questions and with each answer, he understood just how much this mattered to his wife. And as frustrated as he was with her for her continued obstinacy, he was grateful for her questions, as they provided a better insight into how he might be able to defeat Virat.
