MAYAWOOD

It was second day of Nameless's escape from Sagewick. The copper canoe riding on wave-horses of the holy Brahmani river was rushing forward like an enchanted arrow that would only stop if it pierced its aim. The rays of the departing sun were dying the river red making it a dazzling carpet rippling down into the forest. Nameless with grim face, sitting in the boat, was gazing ahead. The magical wood, sentry of Sagewick that was warding off the worldly filth since dateless time, a mysterious forest that knew everyone's tale, was before him laying silently as if stunned at his untimely arrival. He had heard myriad tales of this legendary forest, appalling but thrilling. He never dared, not even in his horrific dreams, to visit this enchanted wood. Each sage in Sagewick had their own descriptions of the wood, for some it was divine abode of apsaras full of never-waning youth, slaving warriors with each graceful step, giggling and dancing on soul-entrapping songs of gandhravas. And for some full of all the luxuries and pleasures one could ever wish for. But the white-robeds had coined a word for it "Mayajaal" in the divine language Sanskrit that means a net of illusions. And so, it was, a net of illusions that hooked the deep hidden sorrows, desires, and wishes of human hearts. It didn't mean there was nothing good about the wood, if it were so It wouldn't be the sacred forest of Parthians. Parthians, dwellers of forest and children of earth, would revere this wood as their ancestors' land. It was said the fabled divine kalp tree (wishing-fulling tree) was also in this wood. But Nameless knew for a boy like him Mayawood was a nightmare, a forbidden land where he should have never trudged. Toshi had warned him again and again of the treacherous ways of the wood. He told him not to leave the small boat no matter what he would hear or see. But Nameless had heard many spine-chilling lore in the village from sages who had crossed the wood in recent years. So, he was well aware it wouldn't be that simple. Yet what choices he had he couldn't go back to Sagewick. The sages would never accept him. If Toshi were not Mahant he would have never able to live in Sagewick. He was still unaware how and why Toshi had bring him in Sagewick a village full of old white-robeds. He had no memory of his parents and Toshi had never taken trouble to tell him. For him everything had their own reasons and destinies. For him if he had no memory of his parents, it was serving its delegated purpose. So, he had told him not to ponder over meaningless questions and just accept the life as it was. He advised him to be watcher and watch the great play of life, which now seemed to be great remedy when he had to witness the doom his only kin and had to leave his home in search of a place, of which he had only heard in stories.

As his boat crossed the first tree of the wood, Nameless felt an uncanny feeling as though many eyes were staring at him. He felt like looking around himself, but he stifled his urge and kept sitting in the boat shutting his eyes. He knew who was out there. Everything in the Mayawood was alive whether those were sky-touching trees or mere a pebble on the bank. They all had conscious and awareness. The boat had slowed down as if take a look on the scenic sight. The gentle breeze imbued in intoxicating fragrance of ever-blossom flowers rubbed his grief and hunger-stricken face and tired body. All of sudden he felt invigorated. His exhausted body and sleepy eyes enlivened. His gloomy heart broken from the loss of Toshi began to mended and the dark clouds that had enshrouded his mood started to drifted away leaving behind the pristine blue sky. His withered face brightened up and a rare smile bloomed on his thin lips as he heard a whisper as gentle as jingle of silver bell of the old shrine Meru in Sagewick." Welcome to sweet home, Ozas". His heart beats became faster. All his sorrows vanished as darkness disappears when the sun rises in the east. "open your eyes, my little moon, don't you want to see your Maa?" the melodious voice rang into his ears making his entire body relax. His eyes lids quiver a little as they slowly opened like two pieces of Mango. A wondrous sight was laid ahead of him. Numerous flowers, some as small as distant stars and some as big as silvery moon, were glowing effusing white light. Their green stems and leaves were radiating green glow whereas blue vines of creepers were meandering all over the trees. Here and there, many glittering butterflies were fluttering leaving behind a trails of star dust in the air. Spell-bounded Nameless stood up and he didn't even notice the rippling water of the river stilled freezing the small copper boat. Surprisingly, there was no cold. "my child, how many years had slipped by since I kissed you. Come, let your mother give you a warm hug" the voice filled with grief resounded into his ears and Nameless stepped out of the boat onto the stilled river water. As he toddled step by step bearing the happiest smile, the glistening shrubs and vines moved aside leaving a mossy green carpet like path snaked through glowing flowers and sky soaring deodar trees. Bewitched Nameless even forget his bag behind in the stuck boat. Tottering like drunkard he walked down the path with looking around himself, his eyes welled up. His hear was aching. It was divine voice for him, only he knew how many nights he had longed for it. He knew it was an illusion of the wood, a trickery of net and he had been hooked. But he didn't resist. He let the whisper of nature charmed his heart. Or maybe he couldn't resist the magic. But somehow, he found the illusion a way better than reality. What he had in real world – a broken heart with a soul-crushing memory of Toshi's death and an unknown long journey fraught with perils, of which he didn't even know the destination. So, he preferred the illusion in which his long-cherished wish, seeing his mother, would be fulfilled after that he would be able to meet Toshi in the realm of dead. " come , come .. my poor child, how much you have suffered. " the voice filled with motherly love whispered again. Nameless hastened his paces, bumbling down the newly carved path he didn't even care about his dhoti that got stuck in a bush and ripped. Like a madman he dashed into the forest crying " Maa… Maa … where are you? I want to see you." His hysterical cry began to echoed in the dark wood, and thus one more prey had fallen into the net of illusion.

if Nameless had turned back his head, or resist the sorcery of the wood a little bit, he would have witnessed the fierce battle of Brahmani and a mysterious man with long golden hair and beard wearing emerald green circlet on his head. He was standing on the river bank holding his golden twisted staff in his hand. His well-chiseled body was wrapped in white cloak. Before his green sparkling eyes was standing a celestial lady, whose untamed ebony black hair was lashing his ruddy oval-shaped face. "why doesn't the lord of Mayawood want the child to cross the wood? You know it was Toshi's order. I hope you understand what you're doing." The lady said there was no anger in her ethereal voice.

'' Divine lady, needn't to worry. It is my duty to be unbiased and put each traveler under a fair trial. So, please don't impeach me. Besides, I've got the news Toshi had breached the codes of the old shrine, and got his soul immured. Do you think I'd dare to challenge the new Mahant Purva or the codes of shrine?'' replied the man his voice was deep and shooting, his green eyes under the thin arched brows sparkled a bit.

"But you know who the boy is. I don't know anyone in this entire creation who can withstand is wrath. Let alone the rotten bones of Purva." The lady looked at the disappearing back of Nameless.

"I'm well aware of his identity. That is why I've chosen to break the promise I'd given to wise Toshi."

"I don't know what is the great cause you have got, but let me tell you one thing if you delay his journey, it won't be good for you. I've no idea why he has come, but I know well it must be important and it would be better for us and the old shrine not to disturb him." There was a tinge of fear and respect in the voice of the lady.

"I know and so does the old shrine. I've got message from Mahant Purva, mentioning his vision" the man whispered hesitatingly.

"What did the stone-eyed saw?" the lady looked back into the shining emerald eyes.

" A Parthian smith refining essence of divine adamantine." The man muttered,

"Parthian smith ….. divine adamantine…" the lady in ocean blue sari pondered.

The both remained silent for a while. Nameless had disappeared in the dense forest. The darkness had descended enshrouding the whole forest but leaving the both figure bashing in the light of their own auras.

"Everything is his will. Let him decide for himself. Besides this, Parthians are gathering for their festival. It wouldn't be mere coincidence. '' The man stared in the west as if his glittering could see beyond the thick darkness and the densely populated forest.

The lady also followed the man's eyes, and mumbled" yes, it won't be mere coincidence"

"So, will the divine lady still not yield? I know Toshi was the wisest sage this world has ever seen, but he had a great foul. I hope what I mean… " the man said.

" Yes, I know. I'm leaving. Take care of him" the figure of the lady melted into water like an ice statue. And the stilled water of the Brahmani river surged up again leaving drowning the copper boat.

The man in the white cloak kept staring at the sinking boat and string bag till they disappeared into the sheeny water, but didn't move.

He kept standing motionlessly seemingly lost in thoughts. After a long while he came to himself. He looked in the direction of Nameless departure.

"I hoped my speculation would be right." He mumbled and his body burst into countless specks of light and vanished into thin air. The forest descended into deathly silence except the distant grieved cries of a boy, which were reverberating in the gloomy wood.