Chapter Sixteen

The Princess and the Cars

All great legacies are built on sacrifices

No opportunity comes without obstacles

Antionne

Bliss (Mount Bloom) EarthYear 989

Antionne looked at the grim faces in front of him. He could listen to what they were thinking. They all had different perspectives. While one of them looked at this offer as a duty towards mankind, another thought of it as an unnecessary diversion but there was someone who knew it was a huge opportunity. Antionne had to make them understand this aspect. He didn't have time to look for other options. These five were his best bet.

"I know you will have to face numerous challenges. Preparing an army will not be easy. Coming to terms with your powers will take time and their backlash might be severe. You may have to stare into the face of annihilation and even make some sacrifices, but remember all great legacies are built on sacrifices. No opportunity comes without obstacles. Once you cross these hurdles you all will start a new legacy. Your Scions, generations after generations, will not just ascend to Bliss but will inherit the Seats of Holy Five in the Chamber of Bliss. People on Earth will worship you. Your children will rule the Earth and no harm will ever befall them."

Antionne paused to gauge the mood. Most of them were almost there, one step away from accepting his offer. "You all will be the saviors of the human race. Mankind will remain indebted to you forever, and so will the Malaks of Bliss. So do you want to save these worlds or still wish for a quiet passage to Bliss?"

Vasilias was the first to respond. He stepped down from his chair and bowed in front of Antionne. "Your Holiness, I am ready to serve the Creator and the Supremes. I am willing to sacrifice for the sake of these worlds."

Antionne gave a tight-lipped smile. He knew Vasilias would be the first to come around. He had read him inside out and hence targeted all his points of interest during his speech.

It was Theoreous that worried him. He was very smart and hard to crack but he was also indispensable for this cause. However, he and Vasilias were inseparable, like one soul in two bodies, if one was reeled in the other would follow suit. In fact, it only took a moment for Theoreous to bend his knee and kneel beside his dearest friend.

Sherwin had blind faith in Vasilias so he was the next to bow. Gilbert weighed his options. There were lots of ifs and buts and many unanswered questions. Baelor, on the other hand, kept switching his gaze between Gilbert and his other three friends.

Antionne realized that they needed a final push. "Many influential people present in the valley will grab this chance without a second thought, but I think you five are the best. You have the essential qualities but above that, you are old friends. You can trust each other with your lives, and believe me, this close bond will be very handy when you have to fight as the One."

Baelor shut his eyes, muttered a few words under his breath, and then dropped to his knees. He slowly repeated Vasilias's words. Gilbert sighed. What was he supposed to do alone in Bliss without his dear friends? At last, he too joined the fold.

Antionne smiled. "Rise my dear friends. Tomorrow you will become the Pente Potens. And once you have defeated the enemy you will return to Bliss as the Holy Five, The Blessed Pieteous of Bliss and Earth, Holy be your name."

The fortunes of these men were about to take a massive leap.

And with them, the fates of the three worlds were going to take a drastic turn.

***

Brendon

Earth (India) EarthYear 1998

Mysha was once again having a hard time with Harbux. He had become more and more annoying, if that was even possible since the day Olivia had made her grand entry.

"For God's sake Harbux, you will have to turn into something smaller. Tri is with us now and you won't fit in the car in your human form."

"There is another Soulment here who can change into something smaller. Harbux won't change until she changes."

"The grumpy stubborn Harbux has finally made his daily appearance," Max quipped.

"Harbux, we are kind of late and tired. The sun is already down and we need to reach Delhi as soon as possible. Please, I beg of you."

"Holy Angels! You don't need to beg. Give him a binding command and he can't refuse," Ryan whispered.

James Harbux Anderson folded his hands in front of his chest. "Yes, go on. Become that tyrannical oppressive master of Souls and give Harbux a binding command. He is waiting for it."

"Mister I-love-doing-tantrums-at-critical-moments, you know I don't like giving a command but now you are testing my limits."

"Yes, go on. After all, who is Harbux? A mighty Soul shackled in chains of duty so that people can treat him like an ignominious slave. Insult him, humiliate him, make him do things against his will. Go on my lady, treat him as filth just like your friend suggested."

"God! the melodrama queen. Let him be. I don't mind changing." Olivia turned into a red Gucci handbag.

"See, the melodrama works," Harbux whispered to Brendon. "Someday give it a try with Tri."

"Guys let us split up and get going," Swati said to the group.

Tri was standing near Swati. "I will come with you. Mysha told me your cousin is too slow."

Brendon quickly picked his side. "I'm goin' with my sis. I've gotta learn a lot from'er. We'll spend every second of this long journey on learning."

Swati smiled. "But brother, I don't think you will be able to concentrate on what I say."

"Okay, okay. I have a few things to discuss with Tri so I will go with her." Max announced.

"That leaves the three of us and the melodrama queen for the second car," Arun said. "Swati, fly carefully and bring them to Delhi in one piece please."

"Don't worry Arun. I promise I will protect them till my last breath." Swati tried mimicking a soldier in Harbux's hoarse voice but the joke fell flat.

Tri hopped in the back seat of Swati's car and Brendon jumped beside her.

"Someone wanted to talk with Swati and for his information, she is not driving from the back seat."

"There's no rule ya can't talk to the driver from the back."

Max gave an exasperated sigh and settled in the front.

"He is a wicked guy, my brother," Swati whispered to Max.

"Honestly Swati, I think your father should officially adopt him," Tri quipped. "Believe me, you two would make the most spectacular pair of siblings in the three worlds, an Angel and a Demon,"

Swati chuckled. "Don't worry Tri, I will turn him into a respectable young man. Just the way you like."

"It is going to be a futile exercise. Seriously Brendon? Keep your hand in check. Next time it hovers anywhere around my thighs I will break your wrist."

Brendon quietly retreated. Swati pressed down the accelerator. Their car zoomed down the highway and swiftly took off in the night sky.

An hour into the journey Brendon was snoring in the back seat. Tri had dozed off as well, her head resting on Brendon's shoulders and his hand placed around her waist.

Swati looked at them through the rear-view mirror. "They look cute. If only my brother could behave a little."

Max was helping Swati stay alert through his chit-chat. They hadn't slept since the last night and the long trek had drained them. "Let me tell you that is the tricky part and you will have to work really hard on Brendon. But he adores you. No one can tell you guys just met a few days ago." Although there was no chance of an accident on this designated corridor for government AirCars, Max didn't want to take any chance.

"I always wanted a brother but didn't imagine I would get one when I was twenty-two."

"And someone badly needed a sister to remove that ugly imprint his mother had left on him. Let me tell you, there is a sweet guy hiding behind all those trash talks."

"Don't worry, I will bring that sweet guy to the fore. He just needs a little fine-tuning. Damn. What the hell." Swati cursed and jerked her joystick as an AirCar came straight at them. Their car swerved wildly as Swati struggled to bring it under control.

Brendon woke up with a start due to this sudden wild movement. "Strewth sis, did ya doze off as well?"

"No Brother. A moron was flying in the wrong lane. I wonder who gave him the license?"

Swati had barely stabilized the car when another AirCar came at them. Swati pushed her stick to the left to get them out of harm's way but this one hit the bonnet. Their car started spinning in the air like a top.

By now Max had guessed what was happening. "Swati, we are under attack."

The first car took a turn and charged back. Before Swati could straighten her swiveling vehicle, the first attacker bumped them from behind. Once again Swati's car spiraled out of control. She did her best to hold on but the second car was now speeding toward them.

"Max use your teleporting," She shouted.

"What? But I can't teleport blindly. I need to see the landing ground."

Swati's heart sank when she saw a third car heading toward them. "Max, I will zoom down. The moment you see the land you do what you must."

A golden hue was already emanating from Max. Brendon and Tri got ready to leap. Thankfully they had three powerful Soulments in the car. Stokes, Olivia, and Sia turned to their smoky forms. Swati tilted her joystick and their car dashed toward the ground. Fortunately, a few street lights below had kept the ground dimly illuminated. Max first teleported to the back seat between Tri and Brendon. He put his arms around them and whistled with all his might. They whooshed from the AirCar and landed on a field.

Swati tried to pull up but the AirCar was going too fast. The attackers were on her heels. There was only one way out. Swati closed her eyes and made the choice.

***

Brendon was still lying on the ground when he saw Swati's car crash a few meters away from him and explode into a ball of fire. "Where's Swa...."

His sentence was left incomplete as a body fell from the sky and hit the ground with a thud. Brendon ran towards it. Max and Tri followed him. Swati was sprawled on the grass in a pool of her blood. Her lips were curled into a faint smile. Her green eyes were still twinkling, but the spark of life had deserted her.

Brendon fell on the ground beside her. He grabbed her body and started shaking her. "Swati look at me. Sis, say somethin'. Please, look at me."

Tri put a hand around his shoulder.

"Tri, ya're the healer. Do somethin'. Get'er up."

"She is gone, Brendon."

"What do ya mean by she's gone?" Brendon shouted. "What's ya use if ya can't revive'er? Do somethin'."

Tri held Brendon's face in her palms. "Brendon look at me. Look into my eyes."

Brendon lost himself in the vast ocean of those green eyes. "Brendon, her soul is gone. I can't revive the dead. Believe me, we can do nothing now. Please get hold of yourself. Don't let her sacrifice go in vain."

"Let me tell you this is not over. They are coming for us." Max said pointing to the three cars zeroing in towards them from different directions in the sky. "Brendon, you need to get hold of yourself."

Brendon came back from the abyss and stamped his foot. He was glowing into a shade of red that others had never seen before. His rage was burning brighter than his powers. The three AirCars stalled in the air, just a few meters above them. Max grabbed Tri's arm, while he held Swati's body in his other hand and moved them to the far end of the field. The princess, who sacrificed herself to save them, deserved a better funeral than getting crushed under the cars.

"Jeez mate, hurry up. I can't hold this for long." Brendon cried. Olivia's red form behind him was flickering. She didn't have her Army of Unseens to amplify Brendon's powers, but she was doing her best.

"Sia, help your friend," Tri asked her Guardian to join the battle.

The red and pink smoky forms mingled into one another. Sia's interference stabilized Olivia and gave Max a few extra moments of no-time.

Max took out his pocket blades, small but lethal. "Let's go, Stokes."

Stokes was glowing like a golden statue sparkling under the sunlight. Max teleported into the first car and swiftly drove his palm-sized blade into the heart of the shadowy figure on the driving seat. Even in that frozen moment, a deafening wail pierced the atmosphere.

A whistle later, Max was in the next car and the second Soulment suffered the same fate. But before Max could enter the last car Brendon's time freeze slipped. All the cars moved and they were a millisecond away from crushing Brendon

Mysha miraculously appeared beside Brendon and grabbed his hand. The ominous dark form of Harbux joined Olivia's red and Sia's pink and the falling cars froze inches above them. Brendon survived by the skin of his teeth.

Max jumped into the third car and there he was. Hubbert, straining against the freeze to break free. He had already broken Brendon's grip once. Their eyes met and Max saw the gloom that Tri had described a day ago.

Hubbert let out a gut-wrenching howl as he used all his might to try and teleport out of the car, but Max had guessed what he was about to do. He quickly drove a blade into his enemy's chest. Hubbert was pinned to the seat and the humungous effort to break free splintered his form into two. Max cold-bloodedly stabbed both his halves to end his misery.

Hubbert was never the one to give his enemy the satisfaction of a victory. He didn't whine or whimper. He just stared into the eyes of his vanquisher as his form annihilated into nothing.

Max whooshed out of the car, grabbed Mysha and Brendon, and teleported near Tri. The time moved and the three cars crashed on the ground one after another. Three deafening explosions shook the world.

"Crikey Mysha, ya've got some timin'. A second here or there n that bugger would've crushed me."

"Well, we were passing from above when I noticed the freeze. Arun got the car to nose dive and we just reached you in time."

Max was on his hunches, still panting from all the dashes he had made. "Let me tell you all, our friend Hubbert was in the third car. So now we have one less Hubbert to worry about."

An AirCar screeched to a halt near them and Arun jumped out of it. "I almost crashed trying to help Mysha teleport. Thankfully you guys are alright. Where is Swati?"

Brendon and Max quietly stepped aside as Arun finally saw the scene behind them. Tri was sitting on the ground, meditating with her eyes closed. Swati's head was in her lap and her clothes were drenched in Swati's blood. Arun sank to his knees. Tears welled up in his eyes. This was too much even for the guy who never showed any emotions. "This can't be true. How did this happen?" Arun was mostly blabbering to himself. "Swati didn't deserve this. How am I going to face Mahendra? What will I say to him?"

Brendon was still unable to digest what just happened. His mind was racing in all directions. He turned to Max. "Why didn't ya bring Swati with us when we teleported?"

"For someone's information that was not possible without my other Soulments. All I could do was grab a person in each of my arms and get out."

"Ya should've told me. I would've frozen time for ya to fetch Swati from the car as well."

"I thought about that but Swati had already fallen before I could tell you."

"Ya could've acted faster. Used ya damn brain a little better," Brendon said pointing a finger at Max.

"Let me remind someone that I did my job and saved his life. And why should I always tell you what to do? Don't you have a brain? This wouldn't have happened if someone would have used his pea-sized brain."

"Don't ya dare blame me for this," Brendon shouted, moving angrily towards Max.

"This is squarely on you, you know. Don't try and appease your conscience. You failed your sister."

Brendon leaped at Max and punched him in the face. Max was in no mood to hold back either. They both started landing blows on each other before Ryan and Arun pulled them apart. "For God's sake," Mysha screamed. "Stop it you two. Have you both lost it? This is no one's fault. We weren't prepared for this."

"Try and explain that to her father." Harbux's cold words felt like daggers. "Or her, if you ever meet her suffering Soul in Inferna. Death on Earth is not an end, it is the start of an unending misery."

"Harbux, you convinced us to travel tonight. I told you it wasn't a good idea." Max diverted his frustration towards Harbux.

"Bless the Souls! Guys, we must stop the blame game and get the hell out of here. If there are more Hubberts in India they will surely come after us."

Arun took out a phone from his pocket. He had to take others to safety before any other incident. "Hello! Send me some AirCars, an Air Ambulance, and a backup of ten Soulment units on Flyway nine, block thirty. And a company of Warden Guards. We have a soulment situation here. Yes, you heard it right. Damn put down the phone and get to work, you idiot, we don't have time."

Fifteen minutes later a fleet of a dozen cars landed on the highway. Swati was carried into an Air Ambulance and the others were seated in separate cars, with two Warden Guards protecting them each.

"I must call Mahendra. I don't know what to tell him or how to tell him." Arun said fidgeting with his phone. He looked like a different person. He was mumbling to himself and getting startled by the tiniest of noises. He kept checking the sky, expecting something to fall out of it anytime. He had never seen death in his life, and to see that happen to someone so full of life had shattered his impeccable demeanor.

The convoy took off. They landed outside Delhi and entered the AirCar garage. Mahendra, the whole Sunborne family, and every other prominent person in the capital were there waiting for them.

Swati's body was taken out of the ambulance. Her mother was no Sunborne, she was no good at suppressing her feelings. She let out a loud shriek and ran toward her daughter. Mahendra quietly walked toward Swati and put a hand over her head. He stood there for a couple of minutes, said a silent prayer with his eyes closed and then ordered his men to make arrangements for her final rites.

Mysha silently came near Mahendra. "Well, I don't know what to say, but we are extremely sorry for your loss. We are with you in your grief."

Mahendra's gaze remained fixed on her daughter's dead body. "You and your friends will leave right now for Mumbai. I have arranged for a special ship to take you back to the Mainland."

"Well, I can understand what you are going through, but there are some urgent things we need to talk about."

"Your sick friend looks better and I can see that you found the missing link. You got what you wanted but we got what we didn't deserve."

"Mahendra, you must understand the situation. There are rogue Soulments in India and they are kind of very dangerous."

Mahendra turned to Mysha and this time he didn't bother faking any composure. His glare wanted to scorch her, his hands twitched to strangulate her. He no longer spoke in the calm voice that everyone was used to. "There hadn't been a single demon attack in India in the last thousand years but it happened right after you arrived. It isn't hard to guess the cause of this attack."

"For God's sake, we didn't smuggle any Soulments here. Arun made sure of that. This attack was carried out by a Hubbert. They have already tried to kill us multiple times."

"That is what I am saying." Mahendra's voice kept rising with every word. "They were after you. This is your war and you will not fight your bloody battles in my land."

"This is not my war. This is the war of this whole world. I don't have to tell you what will happen if the demons take over the Earth."

"Let them take over the whole of that doomed Mainland. I don't give a damn. We will not shed our blood for you. My ancestors have protected India against the demons and I will ensure that they never enter India."

"Don't you see they have already penetrated your defenses?" Mysha said gesturing towards Swati's body. "Well, isn't this enough proof for you?"

"Keep your evil eyes away from my daughter," Mahendra shouted at the top of his voice and everyone in the garage was now looking at them. "I don't know how they managed it but this has to be connected to your cursed arrival on our shores. I should have never let you in. This would have never happened if I would have turned you away right then."

Mysha took a deep breath. She had to persist. She had to make Mahendra understand the consequences of ignoring Hubbert's threat. "You don't know Hubberts. They won't stop till they bring you down. We must work together to find out how they got in and what they are up to."

"I will have no further association with you or your friends."

"You are not thinking straight."

"Yes, I am not," Mahendra roared and his voice echoed around the ground. "But tell me what were you thinking when you decided to travel on the Dark Night despite knowing that an army of demons was after you? You want to save the world but let me tell you that you are a bunch of utterly hopeless teenagers who are good for nothing."

Mahendra's outburst made Mysha take a step back. "We made a mistake. We just wanted to reach you as quickly as possible."

Mahendra hugged his daughter's body and tears started to stream down his cheeks. "Your little mistake cost me what was dearer to me than my life. Swati was the apple of my eye, she meant the world to me. She would become the next Warden and fill this land with happiness, but look what you have done to her. Her lifeless body lies here, and her fractured soul will be suffering in the hell of Inferna. Don't test my patience. Leave before I do something which I regret." The chill in that last sentence made Mysha's hair stand on its end.

Brendon came forward but before he could say something a severe bout of cough engulfed him. He covered his mouth with a handkerchief and instantly few blood stains formed on them. Brendon fell at Mahendra's knees. "Can I stay for'er funeral n bid farewell to my sister? I promise we'll do whatever ya say after that."

Mahendra looked at his blood-stained hanky. After a long pause, he nodded. "You all will leave immediately after the funeral."

***

Indians were used to seeing off their elders on their journey to Bliss. They rarely witnessed death, so when it struck, it shook them to the core. Thousands of people gathered to share their dearest Warden's grief. Swati had touched many lives with her warmth and they still couldn't believe that such a tragic fate had fallen upon their beloved princess.

Swati was draped in a bright red bridal saree that her mother had chosen for her wedding. Brendon came near her pyre, gently stroked her head with his right hand, and whispered to her. "Goodbye, sister. Neve' thought I'd care for a girl like this. Neve' thought I'd cry for someone. I promise I'll not let ya sacrifice go to waste. Rest in peace, sis."

Mahendra's hand shook when he lit the pyre, and for the first time, Indians saw the vulnerable side of their Warden. For them, he was always like a rock, steadfast and immovable, a pillar of strength, but fate brings the mightiest to their knees.

Mysha and her friends quietly left the funeral. Arun escorted them to the Mumbai port where a small ship was waiting for them.

"Your other Soulments are already on board," Arun said shaking Mysha's hand. "Wish we didn't have to part ways under such tragic circumstances."

"Well, this is not the end. We will meet soon."

Raksha had also come to see them off. She first hugged Mysha and then embraced Tri in a tight hug. "I knew you were special. Take care and be safe."

Tri held onto her for a little longer and quietly whispered into her ears. "Raksha, you understand things that others don't. A time may come when you might need us. Your husband knows how to reach me. Remember, you are not alone and we are just a call away. All of us are in this together. Goodbye. See you."

Raksha didn't understand what Tri meant but she had no idea that Mind-Benders were blessed with intuition.