Chapter 12

  Old Bonds

  Part One

  The golden hue of the setting sun cast a warmth, as if the gods have kissed it. Surrounding her were vast green farm fields that stretched as far as the eye could see, swaying gently in the breeze.

  In the middle of everything stood a single train coach, its open windows allowing sunlight to pass through. She glimpsed a shadow on coach’s roof. Tears ran down her face. Her pace quickened. “Dhruv!”

  She stood before him, breathless and trembling. As he met her gaze, she rushed into his arms. “I am sorry,” she sobbed. “It should have been me.” She showered his face with kisses.

  “I missed you,” he said with the most sweet and calm voice. She pulled back; his striking appearance amazed her. The wind brushed through his hair and the sunlight caressed his golden strands; he exuded an aura of bliss. His smile was a perfect reflection of the sheer beauty and simplicity, a connection between earth and heaven. He was wearing the same clothes when she first met him. And brown eyes. “How are you?”

  She nestled into his chest. His heartbeat sewing her wounded soul.

  “You look weary,” he said.

  “I couldn’t save you,” she sobbed.

  Dhruv giggled. “Just gaze upon this realm. Do you not believe it’s worth transcending?”

  The climate around her—changed. The sky above presented a mesmerising sight that seemed straight out of a dream. The sun didn’t bother her eyes; instead, its gentle rays enveloped her in a perpetual warmth. The clouds, with their ethereal beauty, served as a metaphor for purity. Instead of blocking the sun, they amplify its beauty, casting a beautiful spectrum of colours as they capture the sunlight.

  “It’s amazing,” she gazed back at him. “But why would a person like you deserve such death?”

  “Our ethereal essence holds no concern for the manner of our departure, but for the souls who were with us when we departed.” He raised his hands, his touch delicate and light, like a feather. With a gentle caress, he wiped away her tears, leaving a trail of warmth in their wake.

  “I am weak. I couldn’t save you and mamu. I should have died in your place.” Dhruv laughed. “… Does heaven make a person mean?”

  He denied. “It’s merely that even if you had perished that day, you would not have thrived in this realm.”

  “Why so?”

  “They don’t have pizzas in this realm.”

  She giggled and pressed closer to him. “Then what’s the point of dying when you can’t have unlimited food of your choice?”

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  “A glimmer of hope, to be among the living once more.” He moved her head closer, “And who can foretell, in the next existence, I may become Manya, and,” she could feel his breath on her neck, “You shall beg me for my hand in marriage.”

  “Please, come back.”

  “You have to be strong,” he pulled her closer. “I wouldn’t be there to wipe your tears.”

  Her gaze fell on his wings, same as Ira, but more sophisticated and glimmery and no restrictions. “Now I know why we didn’t fall from the train’s roof that day.”

  Dhruv’s face lit up with a bright smile.

  A faint glimmer of sunlight reflected in his tears. She leaned in to kiss him, her lips brushing against his gently. His lips felt as delicate as the petal of a flower—holding the warmth of countless embraces—the echo of their endless conversations and love.

  “Goodbye,” he said. “My blessing.”

  Opening her eyes, she witnessed delicate, white particles wrapped in the golden hue dissolving into the sky. “Dhruv!” Her voice spread across, but he wasn’t there to hear it. Tears rolled down her hands, trying to find a glimpse of him on the roof. Emptiness washed over her, as though a beloved chapter of her life had reached its conclusion and she would never see him again.

  A hauntingly beautiful sound broke her trance of helplessness and grief. At first, it was distant, barely audible. However, it soon grew in intensity, becoming a powerful roar. Sprinting towards the sound of a violin, she could feel the enchanting music resonating deep within her. It carried a mix of sadness and power, leaving a lingering feeling of longing.

  Arriving at the peak of a rugged mountain, she gasped for air; for freedom from this ache inside her chest. It was there, amidst the trees, the source of the enchanting music. She took a step forward, her gaze fixed on the man wearing a white turban, sitting at the peak—facing the vibrant colours of the sunset reflecting off the expansive ocean.

  ***

  The reality before her shifted from vast ocean to sky, as far as her sight could travel. What was similar was the violinist—sitting inches away from her, absorbed in his music. The thought of disturbing such a performance doesn’t feel right to her. She closed her eyes again, allowing herself to immerse in the essence of it.

  As soon as it was finished, she opened her eyes and watched the violin slowly dissolved into thin air. A partition of layer formed, separating them.

  “Who are you?” she said as she sat next to him, and the partition in between.

  Happy smiled. “A person who’s trying to figure out a sudden existence of an old… friend.”

  They were floating over the ocean. “Instead of focusing on how?” Manya said, crossing her legs. “One can hug the sudden existence, it might feel good,” they both smiled. “Can I ask you something?”

  “No.”

  “You know who I am, right? I have lost most of my memories but these tears of mine, gives away few hints whenever I come across a person or place from my lost memories.”

  “Yes, I know you. Want me to refresh your memories?”

  She denied. “… Once I wanted to learn about my past, but as days went by, the urge decreased with it. And all the stories I have consumed till now, states that only a critical or life-threatening event could cause such amnesia. So, I seriously don’t want to remember the events which lead me to it. And it’s also fun and thrilling. It gives power to many possibilities, like I could be a mafia leader or royalty.”

  “Or a severe headache,” he said.

  They giggled.

  “I think I should avoid meeting people who knew me before. Was I that bad?”

  “You are what we call normal.” With his legs dangling from the platform, he lay down, tucking his one arm under his head.

  She faced him. “Ok, next question. Did you come here for me?”

  After staring for a few seconds with his narrowed gaze, he said. “No.”

  Just as she was about to open her mouth, ready to shower him with questions, a deafening blast interrupted her. Upon turning, she encountered the destruction; her pores struggled to grasp the situation. The fun-loving and lively man was the one responsible for such an act.

  Manya knew the outcome before parting ways with him, but she expected either an arrest or a brutal beating that would leave them barely able to stand. The thought never crossed her mind that the expansive Revivification Land would transform into a river of blood, blending with the vastness of the ocean.