25
Saving Ren
My mouth went dry as I swallowed the fish. I coughed, and Kishan slid a glass of water in my direction. I sipped the cold liquid, cleared my throat, and said nervously, “What news?”
“We’ve found the Baiga tribe, and something is wrong. The tribe is located in a jungle area far away from other villages. Farther than they’ve been in the last hundred years. Farther, in fact, than the law allows them to travel. But what’s even more strange is that the satellite images show technology nearby.”
Kishan asked, “What kind of technology?”
“They have some large vehicles parked near the settlement, and the Baiga don’t use cars. A sizeable structure has been built near their village as well. It’s much larger than anything the Baiga have traditionally constructed. I believe it is a military compound.”
He pushed aside his plate. “Reports show that there are also guards with weapons watching the forest. It looks as if they are defending the Baiga from attack.”
“But who would attack the Baiga from the jungle?” I asked.
Mr. Kadam replied, “Who indeed? There are no skirmishes happening between the Baiga and any other group. The Baiga have no warriors and own nothing of value to the outside world. There is no reason for them to fear attack. Unless they expect it to come in the form of . . .” He looked at Kishan. “A tiger.”
Kishan grunted. “Sounds like you found something alright.”
“But why the Baiga?” I asked. “Why not keep Ren in the city or in a regular military compound?”
Mr. Kadam pulled out some papers. “I think I may know. I placed a call to a friend who is a professor of ancient history at Bangalore University. We’ve had many a great discussion on the kingdoms of ancient India. He is always fascinated by my . . . insights. He has studied the Baiga in great detail and has shared some interesting facts with me. First, they are extremely afraid of evil spirits and witches. They believe that any bad events—sickness, a lost crop, a death—are all caused by evil spirits.
“They believe in magic and honor their gunia, or medicine man, above all others. If Lokesh had demonstrated magic of some kind, it is likely the people would do anything he asked. They consider themselves guardians or caretakers of the forests. It’s very possible that Lokesh persuaded them to move by convincing them that the forest was in danger and that he has placed guards there to protect it. The other thing he mentioned, and what I found most interesting, is that the gunia of the Baiga are rumored to be able to control tigers.”
I gasped, “What? How is that possible?”
“I’m not entirely sure, but they are somehow able to protect their villages from tiger attacks. Perhaps Lokesh has found truth in the myth.”
“You think they’re using some kind of magic to keep Ren there?”
“I don’t know, but it surely seems it would be worth our time to investigate, or perhaps infiltrate would be a better word.”
“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!”
“I need a little time to come up with a plan, Miss Kelsey. Our goal is to get everyone out of there alive. Speaking of which, I feel I should share with you two that my informants have disappeared. The men I’ve sent to investigate the penthouse office of the tallest building in Mumbai are gone. They haven’t contacted me, and I fear the worst.”
“Do you mean they’re dead?”
He replied soberly, “They aren’t the type of men to allow themselves to be taken alive. I won’t allow any more men to die in this cause. From now on, we’re on our own.” He looked at Kishan. “We’re at war with Lokesh again in a new century.”
Kishan clenched his fist. “This time, we won’t run away with our tails between our legs.”
“Indeed.”
Clearing my throat, I said, “That’s great for you two, but I’m not a warrior. How can we possibly win? Especially when it’s just the three of us against all of his men?”
Kishan put his hand over mine. “You’re as fine a warrior as any I’ve fought with, Kells. Braver even than many I’ve known. Mr. Kadam has been known to come up with strategies when we’ve been outnumbered before that won a battle with ease.”
“If there is one thing I’ve learned in my many years, Miss Kelsey, it’s that careful planning can almost always create a positive outcome.”
Kishan interjected, “And don’t forget, we have many weapons at our disposal.”
“So does Lokesh.”
Mr. Kadam patted my hand. “We have more.”
He pulled out a satellite photo and a red pen and began circling items of interest. Then he handed me a piece of paper and a pen. “Shall we get started?”
First, we made a column of our assets, brainstorming how each could be used. Some of the ideas were silly and some had merit. I recorded everything we came up with, not knowing what might turn out to be handy.
Mr. Kadam made a star on the map where he thought Ren might be found. He felt the simplest plans were the easiest to follow, and our plan was pretty straightforward: Sneak in. Find Ren. Get out. Even so, Mr. Kadam made sure to analyze the plan from several different viewpoints.
He prepared for every contingency. He asked dozens of what if questions. What if Kishan can’t enter the compound because he’s a tiger? What if there are tiger traps in the jungle? What if there are more soldiers than we thought? What if we can’t enter from the jungle? What if Ren isn’t there?
He made a separate plan to overcome each problem and still have a successful outcome. Then, he combined problems and drilled Kishan and me on our roles. We had to remember how our roles would switch depending on what problems came up. I felt like I was memorizing every possible ending in a Choose Your Own Adventure book.
Mr. Kadam also organized practice runs. We had to test the limits of the Golden Fruit and the Divine Scarf as well as several complicated moves using our weapons. He made us train most of the day in hand-to-hand combat and practice several techniques simultaneously. By the time he let us quit on the first day, I was exhausted. Every muscle hurt, my brain was tired, and I was covered in maple syrup and cotton fluff—a Fruit and Scarf combo test that backfired.
When I said goodnight, I wearily climbed the stairs, took Fanindra off my arm, and set her on the pillow. Mr. Kadam had a plan for her, but she didn’t move when he’d explained it.
We didn’t know if she would do anything, but I was going to bring her along anyway. She’d saved my life enough times to deserve to be in on the action, if nothing else. I watched her golden coils shift and twist until she settled in a circular position with her head resting on the top coil. Her emerald eyes gleamed for a moment and then went dark.
Something fluttered outside the window. My fairy clothes! It seemed there weren’t any fairies here. The clothes still seemed solid enough, but now they just needed a spin in the washing machine. I threw them into my hamper before stepping into a hot shower. As my sore muscles relaxed, I let my thoughts dwell on trivial things, such as wondering if I should wash the fairy clothes in cold or hot water. The shower soothed me until I almost fell asleep on my feet.
Mr. Kadam drilled us for a week before he felt we were ready to seek out the Baiga village.
The three of us stood at the base of a large tree in the dark jungle. We passed around the Divine Scarf and assumed the appearance we had each been assigned to mimic.
Right before Mr. Kadam changed, he whispered, “You know what to do. Good luck.”
I wrapped the Divine Scarf around his neck, tied it, and whispered, “Don’t get caught in a trap.”
He quietly slipped off toward the jungle.
Kishan hugged me briefly and departed as well. His steps were quiet. Soon, I was left in the dark jungle by myself. I strung my bow and slid Fanindra up my arm as I waited for the signal.
A loud roar echoed through the jungle followed by the shouts of several men. That was the signal I’d been waiting for. I made my way through the trees toward the encampment about a quarter mile away. When I neared, I pulled out the Golden Fruit and murmured directions. My assignment was to take out the two watchtowers on the outskirts of the camp and the floodlights.
Lights first. I scanned the area and recognized the various buildings. We’d studied the satellite images until all of us had the layout memorized. The Baiga huts were arranged in a semicircle closer to the edge of the jungle. They were behind the military bunkers and an assortment of M-ATVs. Mr. Kadam had said the M stood for MRAP, or Mine Resistant Ambush Protected, which meant that they were awfully difficult to take out.
The Baiga huts were made of woven grasses and were big enough for only one or possibly two families to live in. I didn’t want to hit those. They’d go up in a ball of fire easily.
The command center had four compartments, each about the length of a semitrailer but twice as tall. They were attached in pairs and were made of some type of alloy. They looked sturdy. Two watchtowers stood, one on each side of the camp. Three guards watched the area from the top of each tower, while two men stood guard below. Next to the southern tower, I saw a tall post with a large satellite dish at the top. I counted four floodlights, not including the two spotlights attached to the watchtowers.
I was supposed to find the generator, but I didn’t see it. Maybe it is hidden in one of the Baiga huts? I decided I’d just have to take out the lights one by one. I held up my hand and aimed. Warmth flooded down my arm until my hand glowed red in the dark. Energy shot out in a long white burst. First one and then the other three floodlights popped and exploded when my lightning power hit.
Someone got into one of the vehicles and turned on the lights. The ATV sputtered and choked. The gas had probably all been absorbed by the sponge cake I’d used the Fruit to fill the tanks with. The electricity still worked, though, and powerful headlights and spotlights scanned the trees for me. I turned my lightning power on the vehicle full blast because I knew it would be hard to destroy, sending an extra-thick pulse of energy through my palm.
My lightning hit the car with a thunderous boom that shot the ATV thirty feet into the air. It exploded in a fiery ball and slammed down on top of another one, landing with a screeching of twisted metal. I shot another one with a blast; this time, the vehicle rolled. It flipped over three times and landed on its side against a huge tree. It only took me a few seconds to extinguish the other spotlights.
Next, I needed to take out the two towers. The towers were simply made compared to the other buildings. Four wooden supports, one level taller than the command post, were topped with a boxy structure and armed with three men and a spotlight. The only way up was a simple wooden ladder, probably created by the Baiga.
By now, soldiers had located my position. Flashlights were bobbing in my direction, seeking me out. I let loose a few golden arrows and heard a grunt and a thud as a body hit the ground. I had to move. I heard a ping as darts flew through the bushes I was hiding in. They must have instructions to take us alive.
I ran in the darkness. Fanindra’s eyes glowed softly, giving me just enough light to reach my next location. Crouching behind a bush, I summoned my lightning power again and took out the closest tower. It exploded in a giant, fiery bomb that lit up the area. Frightened people ran in every direction.
I made my way to the other tower, running openly amidst the crowd. I hid between two buildings as a group of soldiers ran past and took out a couple of them from behind. Mr. Kadam was shouting at the people, rallying them, and asking for their aid in the battle. His theatrics made me smile briefly. I planted the gada where he would find it and moved on.
Back to business. I slunk around the shadowed part of a building and scoped out the other tower. I needed to destroy the satellite too. I nocked an arrow, infused it with lighting power, and let it fly. It thunked into the satellite and fizzed and crackled with electricity before it exploded. By this time, the soldiers in the second tower had figured out that I was their target. I leapt behind some boxes as they turned their weapons on me. I heard the thwap, thwap of several darts plugging the area where I had just been.
My heart pounded with fear. If they hit me with a dart, I’d be done. I wouldn’t be able to help Kishan or find Ren. Hearing shouts of men searching for me, I gathered my courage and nocked another arrow. The golden arrow twinkled in the moonlight and shimmered as I infused it with lightning power. This time, I was too close to my target, and as the explosion of the tower rocked the complex, the blast lifted me into the air. My head slammed against the building on the landing. Heavy wood chunks from the destroyed tower rained down and several of the flaming fragments hit me as I stood up. Gingerly I touched the back of my skull. I was bleeding.
A soldier jumped out to attack me. We rolled across the dirt. I punched him in the gut and leapt up. When he started to rise too, I jumped on his back as Ren had taught and tried to cut off his air. He struggled only briefly before twisting and slamming me against a rock. I cracked my head sharply and felt a wet trickle of blood drip from my temple down my cheek.
I lay still against the rock panting, exhausted, dizzy, and bloody. The soldier stood, grinned, and stretched out his hands to strangle me. I raised my hand, narrowed my eyes at his soot-blackened face, and shot him in the chest with a lightning bolt. He flew back several feet, hit the command center, and slumped to the ground in a sitting position, with his head drooping heavily on his chest.
Now I had to find Ren. I ran unsteadily between some huts, and when another soldier came after me, I ducked to the side, dropped and rolled. When he shot a tranquilizer, I came up on one knee and took him out with a quick jolt. The door to the main building was being guarded by two soldiers standing at battle alert. When I approached, they spoke several words in a different language. I nodded briefly, and one of them used his key to let me in. I got off easily that time. I was a familiar face, and they hadn’t seen me in action.
I stepped between them and quietly slipped inside. Unfortunately, the door shut behind me and locked itself automatically. I ignored the problem, figuring I’d just zap my way out later. My head throbbed at my temple, but other than that I’d been lucky. I had several wicked scrapes and cuts on my limbs, a major bump on the head, and I would be bruised all over my body, but nothing life-threatening. I hoped that Mr. Kadam and Kishan were faring as well.
The inside of the command center was dark. I was in a storage area full of boxes and supplies. I crept through another section and found the barracks for the soldiers. An awkward moment came when I turned a corner and ran into the person I was imitating. The amazed expression quickly changed as I struck. A brief burst of light lit the room, and the individual sank to the floor.
Despite the building being sparsely furnished, I stumbled over boxes in the dark while checking room after room. Finally, Fanindra’s green eyes glowed so I could see my environment more clearly. The area was lit with her special night vision, and I could make out nearly everything. I heard Lokesh and Kishan in another room. The situation there was escalating. Time was running out. According to our drills, I should have found Ren by now.
If I had taken out the generator, I could have saved time; but, instead, I had to take out the lights one by one and fight more soldiers than I’d expected. The plan needed to be modified. I needed to get to Kishan first. Luckily, Mr. Kadam had prepared us for this contingency. Reluctantly, I left off my search for Ren and went to find Kishan instead.
I made my way into the rear part of the command center and climbed several boxes until I was perched high above. It was a large room, almost as big as a warehouse. Metal shelves held weapons and supplies of every kind. A heap of soldiers’ bodies indicated that Kishan had been successful in disabling Lokesh’s guards. But, now, Lokesh had him cornered in his private office.
It was luxurious by military standards. Thick carpet covered the floor. An opulent desk sat in the corner, and on one wall several television monitors flashed scenes of the chaos going on outside the compound. One wall was full of electronic equipment and gadgets. It looked like the inside of a submarine. The wall was covered with switches and monitors. Several red lights were blinking quietly, which I imagined were alarms of some kind.
Three hanging lights buzzed overhead, flickering occasionally as if the compound was losing its power. A glass case near the desk held several gleaming weapons, some from every era of battle. Kishan was playing his part well. I nocked an arrow and waited for him to move back so I’d have a clear shot. Supercilious and overconfident, Lokesh kept on, trying to intimidate Kishan into doing what he wanted.
Lokesh wasn’t wearing fatigues like his soldiers. He wore a black suit and a blue silk shirt. He looked younger than Mr. Kadam, but his hair was graying at the temples and was slickly combed away from his face in a modern mob-boss style. I noticed again that he wore rings on each finger that he twisted casually as he spoke. An invidious remark caught my attention.
“I can rip you apart with a mere word, but I enjoy watching people suffer. And having you here is a special treat I’ve been waiting for, for a long time. I can’t imagine what you were trying to accomplish. There’s no way for you to win. But, I must say, I’m impressed with the way you dealt with my special guards. They were highly trained.”
Kishan grinned wickedly as they circled. “Not highly trained enough, it seems.”
“Yes.” Lokesh chuckled warmly. “Perhaps I could interest you in working for me. You are obviously resourceful, and I am a man who well rewards those who serve me. Of course, I should also warn you that I mortally punish those who defy me.”
“I’m not looking for a job right now, and something tells me your employee-satisfaction rating is pretty low.”
Kishan ran at Lokesh, flipped into the air, and round-house kicked him across the face.
Lokesh spat blood. He smiled as a line of crimson trickled from his mouth. Wiping it delicately with a finger, he rubbed it across his bottom lip, licked it, and laughed. He actually seemed to enjoy the pain. I shivered with revulsion.
He continued, “This has been a pleasant enough diversion, but enough of this banter. You have one amulet; I hold the power of the other three. Give it to me, and you can take the tiger and leave. Not that I’ll let you get far, mind you, but I’ll give you a sporting chance anyway. It will make the hunt that much more enjoyable.”
“I think I’ll leave with the tiger and the amulet. And while I’m at it, I think I’ll kill you and take yours as well.”
Lokesh cackled madly. “You will give me what I want. In fact, you’ll soon regret snubbing my generous offer. In a matter of moments, you’ll offer me anything I want just to stop the pain.”
“If you want the amulet that badly, then why don’t you come over here and try to take it? Let’s see if you can fight as well as you threaten. Or, do you just leave all the fighting to other people now . . . Old Man?”
The smile fell away from Lokesh’s mouth, and he raised his hands. Electricity sparkled between his fingers.
Kishan leapt toward Lokesh again, but he was stopped by an invisible barrier. Lokesh began muttering enchantments, opened his palms, and lifted his arms. Loose materials in the room rose in the air and began swirling in a whirlwind, moving faster and faster. Lokesh slowly brought his hands together, and the whirlwind moved closer to Kishan. Objects revolved around him and began to hit him. A pair of scissors ripped open a gash in his forehead, but he began to heal immediately.
Lokesh saw him heal and stared at the amulet greedily. “Give it to me! It’s my destiny to unite all the pieces!”
Kishan began capturing the larger items and crushing them between his palms. “Why don’t you try to take it from my dead body?” he shouted.
Lokesh laughed—a terrible sound of sheer delight. “As you wish.”
He clapped his hands together and rubbed them. The ground started shaking. The boxes I was sitting on swayed precariously. Kishan had fallen to the ground and was being bombarded by a hail of objects, including lethal items like staplers, scissors, and pens, as well as larger things like loose file drawers, books, and computer monitors.
I shook with fear. This man frightened me more than anything else I’d ever faced. I’d rather be running from a horde of Kappa than look into this man’s eyes. Evil dripped off him in waves. It blackened everything around him. His darkness choked me. Even though he wasn’t aware of me yet, I felt like black, misty fingers were making their way toward me, seeking me to strangle the life from my body.
I raised my trembling hand and shot out a bolt of lightning. It missed him by about a foot, and he was so intent on Kishan that he didn’t even see the streak of light pass behind his body. He did notice the impact of it on his weapon display case and probably assumed it was his earthquake that had done it. The glass exploded outward. The pieces joined the whirlwind and began slicing Kishan. They were soon joined by a lethal barrage of weapons. Lokesh laughed in delight as he watched Kishan torn apart by sharp glass and then heal. A large piece flew into Kishan’s arm. He yanked it out. Blood streamed down his arm and joined the spinning miasma of the whirlwind.
I was mortally afraid. My hands shook. I can do this! I’ve got to get a grip! Kishan needs me! I lifted the arrow and aimed for Lokesh’s heart.
Meanwhile, I heard people shouting outside. I assumed it was the villagers and things were going according to plan. If not, then Kishan and I were in for worse trouble and soon. A huge bang sounded, and I smiled in relief. I knew it was Mr. Kadam. Nothing could pound like the gada. The building shook on its foundation. Time was of the essence. If they were attacking the building that meant the soldiers had all been rounded up and taken care of. Mr. Kadam was indeed efficient. Either that or Lokesh had abused these poor people sufficiently enough that they were on the verge of rebellion already.
I shot my arrow straight at Lokesh’s heart, but he turned at the last moment as he finally heard the bang of the gada and the arrow sunk deeply into his shoulder instead. The whirlwind surrounding Kishan suddenly halted, and all the items dropped to the floor in a treacherous shower. A heavy metal safe landed on Kishan’s foot; he grunted and shoved off the bulky object. I was sure his foot was broken.
Lokesh spun with thunderous rage and found me. Electricity shot out of his fingertips, and his breath froze the air, sending an icy gust up toward me. I froze and felt the blood congeal in my body thickly. I panted, more terrified than I’d ever been in my life.
“You!”
My skin broke out in goose bumps. Spitting castigating commands in what he assumed was my language, he yanked out the bloody arrow and began chanting. The arrow suddenly flew back at me. In an unconscious move of self-preservation my inner fire warmed me enough so I could move. My hands darted up to cover my face, but the arrow stopped in midair inches from my nose. I held out my hand, and it dropped slowly into my palm. Frustrated, Lokesh clapped his hands together and rubbed them viciously to make the box I was on teeter. I tumbled to the floor, painfully hitting several sharp corners along the journey. I groaned and shoved boxes off my body. My ankle was twisted sharply and pinned under a box, and my shoulder was badly bruised.
Kishan took out his chakram, which he had hidden in his shirt, and flung it toward the overhead lights. The room sank into blackness as I heard the metallic whir of the weapon move through the room. He threw the chakram a few more times but he couldn’t hit Lokesh with it because sudden winds whipped through the room, causing the disc to change direction. I crawled with difficulty to a new hiding place. Kishan caught the chakram and leapt on Lokesh. The two men fell to the floor in a mighty struggle.
Lokesh shouted to his soldiers; his voice was loud and augmented as if carried by the wind to the outside camp. I could hear it amplified as if he was speaking into a microphone, but all his soldiers were now contained. No one came to his rescue. The two men rolled toward me. Lokesh mumbled some words until a cushion of air bubbled between the men. It shoved Kishan back until Lokesh could stand again.
I stood and raised my hand. My entire arm shook as I tried to gather the courage. The fire wouldn’t come. My gut felt cold, like the fire inside me had been tamped out. Lokesh flicked his head instantly when he saw my gesture. He laughed at my pathetic effort and began muttering anew. I became stiff. I couldn’t move. A tear rolled down my cheek and froze.
Kishan took advantage of Lokesh’s distraction and grabbed an arm, twisting it behind Lokesh’s back. In an instant, he had the chakram pressed against Lokesh’s throat. The gleaming blade slid into the tender flesh, releasing trickles of blood to stream down the blade and drip on Lokesh’s blue silk shirt.
Lokesh grunted and muttered softly, “Do you wish him to die? I can kill him in an instant. I can freeze his blood so his heart stops beating.”
Kishan looked at me and stopped. He could have decapitated Lokesh with the flick of a wrist, but he paused, and I saw emotions cross his face. He was holding back for my sake. Lokesh cackled in a rasping voice, breathing heavily at his exertions. A deep thump and the walls shook as Mr. Kadam and the villagers continued to beat on the building, trying to knock it off its foundation.
Lokesh threatened again, “If you don’t unhand me, I will kill him. Choose now!” The glint of anger burned in his eyes, a smoldering fire that could never be quenched.
Kishan let him go. I groaned inwardly because I couldn’t move. We had almost won. Now we were at the mercy of a monster.
Lokesh quickly murmured again, and Kishan was soon held in the same immovable grip as I was. Lokesh straightened and ceremoniously dusted off his jacket lapels. He pressed a clean white handkerchief to his bleeding throat. Then he laughed, approached Kishan, and patted his cheek fondly.
“There, now. It’s always better to cooperate, isn’t it? Do you see how feeble and useless it is for you to grapple with me? Perhaps I slightly underestimated you. You certainly put up a better fight than I’ve had in centuries. I look forward to the challenge of breaking your spirit.”
He pulled a very old, wicked-looking knife from inside his jacket and waved it almost lovingly in Kishan’s face. He moved closer and trailed the blunt edge down Kishan’s cheek. “This blade is the same one I used so many years ago on your prince. See how I’ve kept it in such good condition for all of these years? You could call me a sentimental old fool, I suppose. I’ve been secretly hoping that I’d get to use it again and finish what I’d begun many years ago. Isn’t it fitting that I should also use it on you? Perhaps it was saved for just that purpose.
“Now, where should I begin? A nice scar would make your face a bit less attractive, wouldn’t it? Of course, I’ll have to remove the amulet first. I’ve seen how it heals you. I’ve waited so long for this piece. You have no idea how I’ve yearned to feel the power it possesses. It’s sad that you won’t be around to appreciate what it does for me.”
He pouted briefly. “Too bad I don’t have time for a little experimental surgery. I would so enjoy teaching you some lessons in discipline. The only thing that would give me more pleasure than running my knife across your skin would be to disfigure you in front of your prince. Still, he will appreciate my handiwork, regardless.”
I was afraid. If I wasn’t already stiff, I would have been scared stiff anyway. It didn’t matter how prepared I was. Fighting someone who was truly evil was not an easy thing to do. The birds, the monkeys, and the Kappa were all just doing their jobs. They protected the magical gifts, and I was okay with that. But, facing Lokesh and watching him brandish that knife against Kishan’s throat was horrifying.
I tuned him out when he started speaking of dismembering Kishan piece by piece. It was nauseating. If I could have vomited, I would have. I just couldn’t conceive of someone that cruel. I wished that I could have covered my ears. My poor Ren had been abused by this psychotic fiend for months. My heart broke at the thought.
Lokesh had the conniving persona of Emperor Palpatine mixed with the sadistic cruelty of Hannibal Lecter. He craved power at any price, like Lord Voldemort, and he displayed the pitiless brutality of Ming the Merciless who, like him, had killed his own daughter. My frame shook with terror. I couldn’t watch him hurt Kishan. I couldn’t bear it.
He gripped Kishan’s chin and was just about to cut his face when I realized that, even if I couldn’t move, the Golden Fruit would still work. I wished for the first thing that crossed my mind: jawbreakers. And jawbreakers I got. A storm of them. They broke monitors and one of the glass windows. The booming roar of them buffeted my eardrums as they fell in the command center. It sounded like thousands of marbles dropped in a lake of glass, and everything shattered and broke around us. Kishan and I wobbled and fell as we were pelted with a hail of the hard, round candy. My backpack was what saved me from breaking my neck. I was sure Kishan was hurt again. Luckily, he’d heal quickly. I would be grateful if even just one of us got out of this alive.
Soon, every inch of the floor was covered with the colorful candy about a foot deep. Lokesh was pummeled and hit hard enough that he lost his balance and went down. He spat out several expletives in his language as he tried to regain his footing and figure out where the storm was coming from. Then, he realized the knife was missing and began combing through the candy to find it. Kishan and I were almost buried by that point.
The building shook and a segment of wall crashed in the partition next to us. Lokesh scrambled to his feet after finding his knife, grabbed the amulet around Kishan’s neck, and yanked until the chain broke, leaving a red welt behind.
He bent over him briefly and touched Kishan’s face with the knife. “We’ll meet again,” he smiled horribly, “soon.” He trailed the knife from Kishan’s cheek down to his throat, leaving a trail of blood that would terribly scar but not kill. Then with a pained noise, Lokesh wrenched himself away. He waded through the jawbreakers to a hidden button in the wall. A panel opened, and he disappeared.
A few villagers accompanied Mr. Kadam into the office, and they hurried to help us into standing positions. Kishan was already healing, but his shirt was spattered with blood. The cut had been deep. I heard the roar of an engine and a ripping sound as a vehicle tore itself from under the building and sped off on the dirt road leading away from the village. I could have used the Golden Fruit to stop up his engine, but I chose not to.
I was ashamed, but I didn’t want to face him again. I wanted him to escape. I never wanted to see him again. I stood stiffly, berating myself for being a coward. I was weak. If I could have moved, I would have whimpered in the corner of the room, hiding. Lokesh was too powerful. We couldn’t win.
The best thing we could hope for would be to avoid him. I knew Kishan and Mr. Kadam would be disappointed with me. Some warrior I turned out to be. Giant iron birds? No problem. Kappa? I had Fanindra and Ren. Monkeys? A few bites and bruises wouldn’t kill me. But Lokesh? I turned tail and ran in the face of the enemy. I wished I could understand why I was reacting this way. He was a monster. That was all. Just another thing for me to fight. But, this monster had a human face. It seemed worse somehow.
After a few moments, the spell Lokesh had used on Kishan and me faded. We tried to rub our stiff limbs awake. When Kishan had recovered sufficiently, he waded through the jawbreakers to help me. Mr. Kadam gave the villagers instructions while Kishan supported me on my sprained ankle and helped me search for Ren. Fanindra decided to wake and help in the search. She shifted and grew.
I lowered my arm so she could slide to the floor, and she wound her way between boxes of weapons and bags of supplies. She stopped and tasted the air near a section that looked like a dead end. Smoothly, she slid under some boxes, and Kishan inspected the arrangement more closely. He found they were a fake display and shoved them aside. Behind it was a locked door. We were just in time to glimpse Fanindra’s golden tail disappearing under it. Kishan struggled to pry it open. I ended up using my lightning power to blow the lock. It took me several seconds to build up the capacity to use it again. Thinking of Ren still suffering was what finally got me past my internal freeze.
The door swung open, and Kishan’s nostrils widened. Inside, the dank, sweet smell of blood and human sweat permeated everything. I knew where I was. I’d been here before. It was the chamber where Lokesh had tortured Ren. Terrible tools hung on the walls and were laid out on gleaming surgical tables. I froze in horror as I looked at all the instruments and imagined the pain Lokesh had brought upon the man I loved.
Modern surgical tools were spread out upon the utility trays while the older items were stacked in corners and hung on pegs. I couldn’t help myself. I reached out and touched the frayed ends of a whip. Next, I rubbed the handle of a large mallet and began to shiver as I imagined it breaking Ren’s bones. Various knives of different lengths and sizes hung in a row.
I saw wood, screws, nails, pliers, ice picks, leather straps, an iron muzzle, a modern drill, nail-studded collars, a vice that could be used to crush whatever limb was placed in it, and even a blow torch. I touched the items briefly as I passed and wept bitterly. Somehow, touching them was the only thing I could do to truly empathize and try to understand what this experience must have been like for him.
Kishan gently took my arm. “Don’t look at them, Kelsey. Just look at me or keep your eyes down and look at the floor. You don’t have to do this. It would be better for you to wait outside.”
“No. I need to be here for him. I need to do this.”
“Okay. Just stay by me.”
Ren’s cage stood in the far corner, and I could just make out a broken form inside and a gleaming snake coiled nearby. After retrieving Fanindra and thanking her, I stood back and blew the lock off. Then I approached and swung open the door.
I called softly, “Ren?”
He didn’t respond.
“Ren? Are you . . . awake?”
The form moved slightly, and a pale, wan face turned to me. His blue eyes narrowed. He looked at Kishan. His eyes widened, and he shifted closer to the opening. Kishan beckoned him and reached out a hand to help.
Carefully, he stretched out a shaky hand to grasp the bar on the edge of the cage. His fingers were newly broken and bloody. My eyes filled with tears, and my vision blurred as I took a step backward to give him room. Kishan stepped forward to assist him. When Ren finally stood, I gasped. He’d recently been beaten. I’d expected that. He was already healing from his wounds, in fact.
What shocked me was that he was so gaunt. Lokesh had been starving him. He was likely dehydrated too. His strong frame was thin, much thinner than I’d imagined he would be. His bright blue eyes were circled with dark hollows. His cheekbones were sharp and pronounced, and his silky dark hair hung lifeless and dank. He took a step closer to me.
“Ren?” I said and held out a hand.
He narrowed his eyes at me, clenched his fist, and swung with a burst of energy I didn’t expect he had. I felt a sharp pain in my jaw and then nothing as my body slumped to the ground.