"What goes around always comes around. And if you give only love and kindness, you'll get it back someday."

🖤🖤🖤

The darkness grew even darker as I moved ahead. The only relief was that the predators weren't after me anymore. But the little spark of hope that had saved me at the last possible moment was nowhere to be seen.

The spot on my neck where he had bitten me was throbbing and as I placed my fingers on the tender wound, I felt warm blood coat them. God knows if their teeth had poison. The night just got deeper and deeper until I couldn't see my own hand. I just trusted my feet to take me somewhere. This cave differed from the other caves I had been to. The rock was bone dry, and the cavern was warm, like a dying furnace. What if this was a route into the sleeping volcano? What if it erupted suddenly?

My thoughts stopped abruptly as something scaly brushed against my feet. I almost screamed. I was dead scared of snakes and what else could stay in caves like this? There was a rustling sound near my feet and something scraped against me again, something the size of a cat, but fluffy and warm, very warm. I looked down, but nothing was visible in the dark.

"What are you?" I asked.

My voice seemed to have catalyzed a chemical reaction because little scintillating lights suddenly lit up the entire cave. Little glowing moths were resting on the walls all around me, silently spreading out their wings, which shimmered in an eerie iridescent blue, like the edges of a gas flame. The lights came and went like dancing stars.

But what caught my attention was the creature nuzzling against my legs. I was wearing one of Holika's baggy clothes and had wrapped it around tightly for comfort. Mrithun's dresses were gorgeous, but not practical. My legs were bare from knee down and a furry bird was rubbing its body against me. It was a ball of butterscotch yellow, with little brown legs and a small curved beak. It looked like a round pompom with accessories sewn on it. And though it seemed like a baby, it was as large as a cat. 

I sunk to the ground, scooping up the little thing in my arms. It was light as a feather. The bird crooned. I realised it was trying to communicate something to me. I put it down on the ground, but it refused to move. I nudged it slowly when it took two limping steps ahead.

"Are you hurt?" I asked.

The creature craned its neck to peer at me, its glassy brown eyes giving me a needy look. I picked it up again, surveying its thin legs in the scant light of the glowing moths. As if reading my mind, the moths started changing colour till they were bright white, making a cave ten times lighter.

"Thank you," I whispered to no one, concentrating on the task at hand.

There was a little bump midway of its right leg. It must have got hurt on the rocks. I opened the cloth belt, which was holding my dress tight. And then tore a little portion from the edges. I secured the rest of the belt around my waist again and proceeded to work on the tiny leg, wrapping the cloth round and round like a bandage. I tugged and pulled to see if it was too tight. Finally, I tore the end into two again and tied a knot. Then I put it down. It screeched, flapping its tiny wings.

"Go," I urged. It took two faltering steps but fell again like a little glob.

"Come here." I lifted it up into my arms, not caring what creature it was. It was a baby, and it needed help. That is all that mattered.

"Let's find your momma," I crooned to the little round feather ball. It made a happy sound. The moths responded by turning honey yellow, throwing a welcome aura of light all around the cave, as I moved forward with the baby bird held firmly against my chest. The luminescent moths were like a road map, guiding me deeper and deeper into the unknown.

The caves grew warmer and warmer, and soon I was drenched in sweat from the heat. The trail of moths had disappeared, and the rocks were glowing a mellow orange by themselves. Suddenly the little bird jumped from my lap and scuttled off fast.

I sprinted after it, afraid of losing it. The narrow passage widened into a vast cave with a domed roof. I stopped short, my breath coming shallow. At the centre of that space was an enormous bird. Its face was on the ground, eyes closed. Its body rose and fell with its soft breathing. It looked like a queen in a golden gown. Its goldfinch yellow feathers were edged with saffron, making it appear like a giant ball of flames as they shook with its chest heaving up and down. It was in deep slumber.

I started backing away slowly. There was no way I could afford to wake up that creature, whatever it was. But that space felt familiar like I've known it from some other life. It was serene, and the fear evaporated as fast as it had come. My feet refused to move. I lost myself in the gorgeousness of the animal before me.

A tiny raucous cry sounded from somewhere beneath its wings. The little furry chick emerged from the shelter and went straight to her face, pecking at her eyelids.

"No, don't wake her up," I whispered to the chick, afraid that the big bird would eat it. Eagle like birds definitely prey on small chicks. But the baby didn't seem afraid at all. It continued to nuzzle happily against her face.

The big bird stirred and fluffed up its feathers. Then it opened one eye and looked at the chick. The expression in her eyes was soft, almost motherly. Her golden irises moved lazily towards me, and suddenly her eyes lit up like balls of flames.

She rose from her posture and spread her majestic wings; her feather swaying like dancing flames. She opened her coppery beak and screeched, making my heart jump in my throat. Gone was the earlier expression of love. The giant bird was towering over me with hostility in her eyes. I shuddered and slowly edged backwards. Her entire body was glowing with an unearthly aura, and the temperature suddenly shot up. I was melting into a puddle of sweat.

A tinny little cry sounded from somewhere between her black talons. Baby fluff ball was trying to draw her attention. She paused for a while, cocking her head to one side as if listening. Finally, she folded her wings back and settled down, the surrounding temperatures dropping.

"Who are you?" A voice asked in my head. The tone was calm and singsong. It reminded me of the same ancient tunes of the universe that rang in my head the other night when I was pushed to safety.

"Are you speaking to me?" I asked because there was no one around.

"I am, young human. How did you come here?"

"I got lost," I said honestly, not bothering to correct her on the human part. I was beginning to embrace my identity as a human in the underworld more and more.

"You helped my baby. Why?" the melodious voice sang.

"Because it was hurt and couldn't walk," I replied out loud.

"Do you know who I am?" she asked again. There was amusement in her expression.

I shook my head.

"I owe you a favour for helping my little one," she said kindly.

My cheeks flamed. "It was my duty, but thank you," I replied. I was not used to accepting favours. "If you could just guide me on the way forward from here..."

The voice in my head laughed. "So you really don't know who I am."

The bird shifted slightly, revealing another passage behind her. This one shone in a milky white light.

"Where does it lead to?" I asked, scared of not knowing where I was going in this foreign realm.

"This is icchapath, the road of your desires. It'll take you where you want to go. Just think about it and it'll take you there, anywhere and to anyone."

My heart fluttered. It could take me home, back to the human world. But was the mortal world my home anymore? I had nothing to go back for. But I really knew someplace to move forward to.

"Maya's palace is it?" The voice in my head chuckled. "Good luck trying to converse with the queen of moods."

"Can you read my mind?" I asked shocked.

"You poor thing, you literally don't know who I am." The bird dropped its neck, its amber eyes boring into me. "People have been searching me for aeons. They never found me. You did, and now, I'll give you a gift. You can call upon my help when you genuinely need me. I'll come, once. Be warned though, you'll never see me again in life."

"So who are you?" I gulped. "I need to know your name before I call you."

"I'm Matarisvan." The words rang through my head like the gong of a bell tower. Every nerve of my body seemed to be set alight at the name. Matarisvan- the Vedic firebird of the legends.

"I, I'm so sorry, I disturbed your sleep. I...I didn't..."

"Shh," she raised one wing, shushing my mumbling. "Are all humans like you, always so flustered?"

I must have blushed. She laughed.

"Go seize your future and remember me in danger," she whispered in my ears, nodding her head towards the icchapath.

My throat choked up. I could barely croak a thank you before a big wing ushered me to the road of my desires.

🖤🖤🖤

Author's Note : Where do you think Tora would go next?