𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 04. 𝕴𝖓 𝖂𝖍𝖎𝖈𝖍 𝕿𝖍𝖊𝖞 𝕾𝖍𝖔𝖜 '𝕹𝖔𝖗𝖒𝖆𝖑𝖎𝖙𝖞' 𝕬𝖓𝖉 𝕴𝖓 𝕽𝖊𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖓, 𝕾𝖞𝖑𝖛𝖎𝖊 𝕾𝖍𝖔𝖜𝖘 𝕿𝖍𝖊𝖒 𝕻𝖔𝖜𝖊𝖗𝖘

"Why are you bound in chains?" Blaze dared to ask Sylvie. He had a very bad feeling about Sylvie because of the reaction she could achieve from the young church lady.

To his surprise, Sylvie threw her head back and laughed.

"Why I am bound, you ask? Why aren't you bound? Don't you realize the abnormalities of this place?" Sylvie asked between her laughs.

To this... Blaze had no answer. He knew "The Sanctuary" was no place to joke about. But, this girl was way too lively for this place.

"Lively"... He thought he had forgotten about the word. But, he remembered it well. After all, everything around him was always 'lively'. His family had always loved him unconditionally. They had a tendency to celebrate everything the life had to offer. Then, there was Mavis, his fiance, who didn't even wait for occasions to celebrate. She would just throw her hands in air and hug everything nature had to offer. Everyday... No... Every moment was 'lively' with her.

But, 'The Sanctuary' was lifeless, and he had come to accept that. Then, why was anything 'lively' here... Why? He couldn't understand.

"This place is abnormal and you two look normal. So, I am asking again... Why are you here?" Sylvie asked again. She had stopped laughing and looked curious now.

"We came here to confess..." Rhys answered in a low voice.

"Pardon?" Sylvie looked quizzically towards them. She couldn't understand what they were trying to say. Why would anyone go to such lengths just to confess?

"It's a long story..." Blaze replied while gazing towards the ceiling. His eyes held a longing in their depths. Realizing that their story is an interesting one to hear, Sylvie hummed in response.

Her free hand went towards the box of cigarettes and she took one out.

"Can you hold this one for me?" Sylvie asked while showing them the cigarette. Rhys nodded and held the cigarette.

"Do you mind if I smoke?" Sylvie asked again. After all, she was having companions after two years of solitude. She needed to make sure they were comfortable enough around her.

"But, there's no lighter here. How will you use it?" Blaze asked looking near her chains, where boxes of cigarettes were thrown but, not a single lighter or matchstick was in sight.

To his question, Sylvie once again laughed. Even she couldn't remember when was the last time someone made her laugh so much. "Laughter is the best medicine." She had heard when she was a child... Up until now, she had forgotten how it was to laugh. It’s true: laughter is strong medicine. She thought.

After all, it draws people together in ways that trigger healthy physical and emotional changes in the body. Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good laugh. Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hope, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused, and alert. It also helps you release anger and forgive sooner.

With so much power to heal and renew, the ability to laugh easily and frequently is a tremendous resource for surmounting problems, enhancing your relationships, and supporting both physical and emotional health. Best of all, this priceless medicine is fun, free, and easy to use.

As a child, she used to laugh hundreds of times a day, but as soon as she became an adult, life around her turned to be more serious and laughter became more infrequent. But, by seeking out more opportunities for humor and laughter, she thought she can improve her emotional health, strengthen herself, find greater happiness—and even add years to her life. In her mind, she thanked God to bring 'normal' people to this abnormal place. And promised herself to laugh more. Now, that she had acquired acquaintances.

"I have my ways. Would you like to see?" She offered. Her laughter had stopped and she wanted to show off her abilities now.

They nodded their heads. With their approval, Sylvie brought her free hand near the cigarette and soon enough, the cigarette started to burn with some smoke coming from the tip.

She took the cigarette back from Rhys and kept it near her mouth to smoke but, seeing their amazed expressions, she couldn't make herself smoke. There was something telling her that it was wrong to do it now. So, she stopped and took the cigarette away from her mouth. Bluish white flames started to emerge from her hands and, the cigarette was now, long gone. She didn't even leave ashes behind.

"What... How..." Blaze just kept asking his monosyllabic questions. But, Rhys was quick to recover. After all, coming to this church had made him believe in more than one abnormal thing.

"You can use flames..." He said. Sylvie didn't understand if that was a question or not. Nevertheless, she nodded.

"Flames, yes. I can use that. But, I assure you that it's not the only thing I use, or can use."

"Then, you can take us out. Right?" Blaze asked without letting her properly finish.

"I can... But, I can't. At least, not now." She replied looking towards the ceiling.

"But, you've got powers. You can help us escape. Then, why not?" Blaze asked rather impatiently. He wanted to know if Sylvie had powers then, why can't she get them out.

"Relax Blaze... " Rhys placed his hands on Blaze's shoulders to help him relax and calm down. He, kind of understood everyone's situation now.

"If she could get us out... Don't you think she were already out?" Rhys asked, more like, tried to reason with Blaze that blaming Sylvie was not going to help.

Sylvie just shook her head. Someone who wasn't able to help herself had no chance of helping other people. But, she was ready to take a risk. After all, freedom was something she not only wanted but also, needed. There's a big difference between 'wanting' and 'needing' something. A want is something that an individual desires, but would be able to live without. A need is something that is needed to survive. The primary distinguishing feature of a need is that it is necessary to sustain life.

One of the problems in understanding wants and needs is realizing that sometimes our needs can cause us to spend more than we should, meaning needs can turn into wants. There are several examples of our basic needs turning into wants and vise versa.

But, once your want turns into need, you can simply not imagine your life without it. And freedom was something, she wasn't ready to trade or loose to someone who lives with the likes of 'The Sanctuary'. Not a person. Not an emotion or feeling. But, a mere building.

"Why though?" Blaze asked in a weak voice. His chances of going back to his 'normal' days were becoming thinner by every passing moment.

"Why? You ask... I have a tragic story to tell and you've a long story to tell. Why don't we first exchange stories and then, we'll figure why I can't take you out... For now." Sylvie's voice held authorization yet, a friendly aura.

With that said, Sylvie raised her open hands and bluish white flames started to emerge... Just like her hair. Those flames were illuminating the whole room without radiating heat or warmth. It was a strange fire after all...

Both of them could not understand her character well...

For now...

𝐵𝑢𝑡, 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑢𝑝. 𝑁𝑜𝑡 𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟, 𝑆𝑦𝑙𝑣𝑖𝑒 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 ℎ𝑜𝑝𝑒...

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Number of words (Excluding Author's Note) :- 1260

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Author's Note :-

I obviously didn't know what to write. I mean, I know how to end the story and what to include in a chapter but, I just can't make myself to write it. It's so frustrating. I hope I am doing good with the 'supernatural' thing till now. I honestly, don't know. After all, I know that I am not putting much effort into writing my best.

Once again, I don't even know how many 'knows' I have used till now. I am just repeating words now... And it's silly and irritating. I understand that.

Anyways, so today was Holi in India... A festival of colours (For anyone who doesn't know about this). Holi heralds the arrival of spring after winter. It signifies the victory of good over evil (Like any other festival of India) and is celebrated as a day of spreading happiness and love. The festival is also celebrated as thanksgiving for good harvest.

There's a good legend behind it too. It's more of a folklore though. I think I should definitely mention it here.

According to Bhagvata Purana (A very holy book related to Lord Krishna), King Hiranyakashipu-the king of demonic Asuras, who could neither be killed by a man or an animal-grew arrogant and demanded that everybody should worship him as god.

Hiranyakashipu's elder brother, Hiranyaksha was slain by Varaha avatar of Lord Vishnu. Angered by this, Hiranyakashipu decided to gain magical powers by performing a penance for Lord Brahma. His tale depicts the futility of desiring power over others and the strength of God's protection over his fully surrendered devotees (in the case of his son Prahlada).

Hiranyakashipu, according to legend, earned a boon from Lord Brahma that made him virtually indestructible. He decides to kill Lord Vishnu by gaining mystical powers, which he believes Brahma, the chief among the devas, will award to him if he undergoes many years of great austerity and penance, just as Brahma awarded powers to other Rakshasas.

This initially seemed to work as planned, with Brahma becoming pleased by Hiranyakashipu's austerities. Brahma appears before Hiranyakashipu and offers him a boon of his choice. But when Hiranyakashipu asks for immortality, Brahma refuses. Hiranyakashipu then makes the following request:

"O my lord, O best of the givers of benediction, if you will kindly grant me the benediction I desire, please let me not meet death from any of the living entities created by you.

Grant me that I not die within any residence or outside any residence, during the daytime or at night, nor on the ground or in the sky. Grant me that my death not be brought by any being other than those created by you, nor by any weapon, nor by any human being or animal.

Grant me that I not meet the death from any entity, living or nonliving. Grant me, further, that I not be killed by any demigod or demon or by any great snake from the lower planets. Since no one can kill you in the battlefield, you have no competitor. Therefore, grant me the benediction that I too may have no rival. Give me sole lordship over all the living entities and presiding deities, and give me all the glories obtained by that position. Furthermore, give me all the mystic powers attained by long austerities and the practice of yoga, for these cannot be lost at any time."

So, yeah... He was kinda immortal. If you clearly read his wish though, you will understand that there are various loopholes in his wishes... But whatever. Let's continue.

Whilst Hiranyakashipu was performing the penance to be granted this boon, Indra and the other devas attack his home, seizing the opportunity in his absence. At this point the divine sage Narada intervenes to protect Hiranyakashipu's wife Kayadhu, whom he describes as 'sinless'. Narada takes Kayadhu into his care, and while she is under his guidance, her unborn child (Hiranyakashipu's son) Prahlada becomes affected by the transcendental instructions of the sage even in the womb. Later, growing as a child, Prahlada begins to show symptoms of Narada's prenatal training and gradually becomes recognised as a devoted follower of Vishnu, much to his father's disappointment.

Hiranyakashipu eventually becomes so angry and upset at his son's devotion to Vishnu (whom he sees as his mortal enemy) that he decides he must kill him but each time he attempts to kill the boy, Prahlada is protected by Vishnu's mystical power. When asked, Prahlada refuses to acknowledge his father as the supreme lord of the universe and claims that Vishnu is all-pervading and omnipresent. To which Hiranyakashipu points to a nearby pillar and asks if 'his Vishnu' is in it.

His exact words were :- (Not really in English. He talked in Sanskrit... Maybe?)

"O most unfortunate Prahlada, you have always described a supreme being other than me, a supreme being who is above everything, who is the controller of everyone, and who is all-pervading. But where is He? If He is everywhere, then why is He not present before me in this pillar?"

He was so overconfident... I guess.

Prahlada then answers, He was, He is and He will be. Of course, Hiranyakashipu, unable to control his anger, smashes the pillar with his mace. A tumultuous sound is heard, and Vishnu in the form of Narasimha appears from the broken pillar and moves to attack Hiranyakashipu in defence of Prahlada.

Vishnu has chosen here to appear in the form of Narasimha in order to be able to kill Hiranyakashipu without violating the boon given by Brahma. Hiranyakashipu cannot be killed by human, deva or animal, but Narasimha is none of these, as he is a form of Vishnu (a deva) incarnate as part human, part animal. He comes upon Hiranyakashipu at twilight (when it is neither day nor night) on the threshold of a courtyard (neither indoors nor out), and puts the demon on his thighs (neither earth nor space). Using his nails (neither animate nor inanimate) as weapons, he disembowels and kills the demon.

Even after Hiranyakashipu's death, none of the gods and demigods present are able to calm Narasimha's fury. So all the gods and goddesses call His consort, the goddess Lakshmi, but she is also unable to do so. Then, at the request of Brahma, Prahlada is presented to Narasimha, who is finally calmed by the prayers of his devotee.

One of Hiranyakashipu's attempts to kill his son Prahlada was to have him sit on a burning pyre with his aunt Holika. Holika had a special boon that prevented her from being harmed by fire. Prahlada chanted Vishnu's name and in the battle of good against evil, Holika was burnt down but nothing happened to Prahlad. The burning of Holika is celebrated in Hinduism as the festival of Holi.

Of course, there are other tales too.

According to another legend, Lord Krishna had developed a characteristic blue skin colour after Putana, a demon, poisoned him with her breast milk. Krishna worried if the fair-skinned Radha and her companions would ever like him because of his skin colour. Krishna's mother then asked him to approach Radha and smear her face with any colour he wanted. The playful colouring gradually evolved as a tradition and later, as a festival observed as Holi, in the Braj region of India. (I find it rather cute...)

BTW have I ever told you that I love God Krishna and Shiva and Hanuman the most. They are my favorites. Their morals and everything about them is too good to be true.

Sorry, it took so long to narrate the story. Hope you liked it.

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Pictures :-

Lord Narasimha is the fourth reincarnation of Lord Vishnu. And he's holding Hiranyakashipu. Prahlada is standing close to his God and trying to calm him down.

Lord Brahma. Brahma is the first god in the Hindu triumvirate, or trimurti. The triumvirate consists of three gods who are responsible for the creation, upkeep and destruction of the world. The other two gods are Vishnu and Shiva. Vishnu is the preserver of the universe, while Shiva's role is to destroy it in order to re-create.

Goddess Laxmi. Lakshmi is the consort of the god Vishnu. She is one of the most popular goddesses of Hindu mythology and is known as the goddess of wealth and purity. Lakshmi is the divine power that transforms dreams into reality. She is one of the 'perfect creations' to ever exist.

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Till then... Let me know if you liked the story and what do expect to happen next.