Chapter 7: Trials of Strength

Janki almost had her heart pop out. Her eyes were quivering nonstop. But she calmed her nerves abruptly, lifted Zaria in her arms gently and rushed towards Mt. Chikitsalaya, home of medicine, at the fastest speed possible.

Others, that followed her earlier, didn't go this time. They just sighed in their hearts and wished to avoid the following turmoil.

Janki brought the frozen Zaria to the infirmary and put him before an old man who was tending to a garden full of herbs. The old medicinal saint looked at him and had a stern visage. He checked his pulse through his wrist and exhaled slightly in relief.

Fortunately, Zaria was not dead. Merely, his vitals went in cold hibernation. However, it could not be determined how long it would take for the cold energy to completely be released from his body.

Janki stayed by Zaria’s side for the next four weeks. On one particular day, Zaria’s hand, which Janki was caressing gently, shook slightly. Janki, almost instantly, sat straight like an arrow with her gaze fixed at his face. She was deeply troubled at that moment as she didn't know how to face this little boy. What would she say to him? She could not think of anything. She just felt agonised! Zaria, with great difficulty focussed his pupils and saw her face. He didn't know what had happened and his memory was hazy. He just noticed her expression and gathered all his strength to ask in a barely discernible voice.

“Mother, why do you look so sad? Did..did I do something wrong again?”

After which he lost his focus again and went unconscious. The last thing he felt was something wet fall on his hand which felt very warm.

When Zaria finally came to, a year had already passed. When he walked out, he realised everything had changed around him!

He got to know about what had happened shortly after.

While he had been in comatose, the Third Head Priest had already returned. When he came to know about the events that had occurred, he was enraged beyond everyone’s imagination. Everyone thought that he would admonish the Tenth Head Priest, his wife. However, surprisingly, he just had a small talk with her privately, nobody knew what they talked about but after that he directly went to the Second Head Priest and issued him a challenge to death.

This turn of events scared those in the Sanctuary out of their wits. They knew very well that if those two fought to death, at least half of the Sanctuary would be destroyed in the aftermath. On top of that, as both of them placed just below the Head Priest himself, they were the pillars of strength on which the Sanctuary relied to maintain their status as the dominant force in the whole Northern Mountains. If they lost any one of them, their overall strength would get greatly diminished. From wherever one saw, the whole situation was a significant loss for the Sanctuary. Thus, the Head Priest had to come out himself to assuage the Third Head Priest's temper. Everyone took a breath of relief after that as they thought the matter would not take a turn for the worse. However, contrary to their expectations, the Head Priest was even angrier than the Third Head Priest! He ordered a thorough investigation of the matter and promised to deal harshly towards the offenders

Surprisingly, numerous cases flushed out and many elders and their children were caught in the net. Even Princess Ruya’s father was included. It was interesting to see that all of them were affiliated to the Second Head Priest in one way or the other. However, no one mentioned him explicitly. This distinctly exposed the undercurrents of power in the Sanctuary. All the elders were, indeed, dealt with quite harshly. Their resources were cut by more than half for an indefinite time and some of the more serious offenders were directly demoted. The Second Head Priest disowned his son, who had broken Zaria’s legs, to show his solidarity with the investigation. He had many heirs and true shishyas, who were quite extraordinary, so it didn't really affect him, anyway. The investigation could not involve him further after that.

These were all very drastic events that affected everyone in the Sanctuary on some level. But to Zaria, this was not the most important thing. It was another piece of information that made the ground under his feet collapse.

The Third Head Priest never went back home after that. He settled on a different peak.

His foster parents had separated!

He felt like thunder had struck his head.

Remorse! Guilt! Helplessness!

His whole world had turned upside down while he just laid there and he blamed himself for everything.

If only I had not resisted!

If only I wasn’t here!

This was the only thought that filled his head.

He made a vow that from then on he would never do anything that could possibly worry or hurt those dear to him.

----

Princess Ruya stopped after some time. Zaria was still looking at her blankly, lost in thought.

She gave him a side glance and put her flowing hair behind her ear with a finger. She looked mesmerizing like a blooming flower. She inhaled lightly as her chest heaved.

“Why did you not retaliate? You could have dodged that strike on your own at the very least.”

Her voice rang in Zaria’s ear which woke him up from his stupor. He looked at her and chuckled.

“With this leg of mine? You must be joking!”

He pointed at his left leg as he said this in a lighthearted tone.

Princess Ruya’s eyes quivered as she, abruptly, turned her gaze away from him.

“Does..does it still hurt?” She asked meekly.

Zaria found her reaction to be incredibly adorable and felt warm inside. There weren't many people in this world that cared about him like this. He shook his head and said, “No it doesn't. I was just teasing you. I knew you were there so I just didn't feel any danger at all. If that makes any sense.”

Princess Ruya’s earlobes turned red like an apple when she heard this and she swiftly turned her back to him not wanting to show him her expression.

He was startled at her reaction.

She said, “It's alright. I am capable of protecting you now, anyways. So, if you ever run into trouble just tell me.”

Zaria laughed wryly at this. He sighed in his heart. The Princess who used to cry behind his back all the time was offering him her protection now. He laughed at the irony. It was not like he was too prideful and couldn't accept such a thing. He knew he had lost precious time while his injury healed. Princess Ruya had already been accepted as a true shishya by Janki when he was in comatose. Janki prohibited her from meeting him until she grew her strength sufficiently. She also accepted it and devoted herself to training. While he recuperated in the meantime, the disparity between them grew wider and wider. Soon, she broke out of her cocoon and dazzled everyone with her strength and beauty alike. She now belonged to a completely different world than him where everyone looked up to her and admired her. He, on the other hand, immersed himself in school of philosophy and thought. As he was determined to not stand out and cause further troubles for those around him, he never really focussed on his strength. This was also the reason why he was in a grade three class which was the lowest grade among all of them.

However at this point, he could only accept the things as they stood.

“I appreciate your kindness. But you don't have to worry about me that much. I will be fine.”

He said passively, “Mother...the Tenth Head Priest will be bothered if you were to keep associating with me any longer. I will go back from here on my own. You should also hurry back.”

After saying this, he turned around to leave. He had not taken even two steps when he heard from behind.

“My family has decided to betroth me to the one who would stand on the summit of Mt. Yodhha, next year in the Trials of Strength.”

Zaria turned around swiftly, but she was already gone. He stood there motionlessly.

What...what did she just say?

Will she be betrothed to someone else?

Trials of Strength?

Am I destined to lose all those I care about?

All sorts of thoughts spun in his head. After a while a light shone in his eyes.

No...I can't accept this! Anything but this!

Trials of Strength!

He raised his head and looked in the distance.

I still have one year. One year!

He turned again and left with determination in his eyes.

He came back to his living area. Only two people lived there. He didn't go to his own quarters instead went elsewhere.

There was a handsome looking middle-aged priest sitting cross-legged under a banyan tree in the courtyard with his eyes closed. When he heard the footsteps he slightly raised his eyebrows and said with his eyes closed, “You need something from this old man?”

Zaria put his palms together and bowed slightly before speaking, “Father, your son wants to participate in the Trials of Strength next year. I wish to seek your guidance.”

When the priest heard this, he half-opened his eyes before closing them again. He smiled strangely as he thought.

Finally! It’s about time!