The Rising Phoenix // Vani Fanfiction

#14. Paris and His Helen

The boat stopped a little ahead of the island. Bani could see nothing.

"Kahan hai yeh island? I can't see it." Bani asked. They gave her a ring.

"Pehen lo." Bani wore the ring and suddenly a large island came into view. Bani was surprised.

"Suparn magic. They have it hidden and almost undetected. Cheel aur giddh ise dekh paate hain kyunki somewhere they inherit that suparn magic."

Bani looked around and noticed that it was a large volcanic island. The trio went out of the boat. The beach was so beautiful. It was almost untouched by anything human. The waters were extremely clean like it was managed so well. Beautiful large cliffs could be seen. Bani could already see birds flying along the coastlines. Falcons, cranes, and other sea birds. She saw Brahminy Kites hunting fishes.

"Alert rehna, Sam. Stay together. Apni marzi se kahin bhi mat chale jana." Daksh told both of them. Bani and Sam both nodded. Sam handed him the magical compass. A regular compass would keep turning around since there were several magnetic energies in the island. The island was beautiful as much as Bani was seeing it.

"There is one hell of variety in birds here," Bani noted.

"I used to hear that almost all birds can find themselves home here. Except for penguins of course." Sam told her. Daksh started to lead them ahead. The trees were very tall and perfect to hold the largest birds' nests. Bani was surprised by how beautiful it was. The large volcanic mountain was seen from everywhere on the island. It was on the other end of the island. Bani saw several temples in the way as they went further. Bani saw a Shiv temple.

"Can we stop here for a moment?" Bani asked.

"Are you mad? No. We can't take a risk of stopping and inviting trouble. None of us are familiar with this place. Not to mention that there some suparns which don't take kindly to intruders. Both of us are enemies to them." Daksh couldn't believe Bani was even thinking of it.

"Just a moment. I won't take long." Bani assured. She walked ahead towards the Shiv temple and prayed.

"Bholenath, aapko toh pata hai ki meri koi buri Manisha nahi hai. Main sirf apni koshish kar rahi hun takiChandrakala ko hara sakun." Baniprayed. She bowed down and paid her respects. Sam just joined his hands and paid his respects. Daksh was never the one for such religious sentiments so he kept an eye out for any trouble. There were no words that Sam said to God. He just simply did it out of a tradition that he had learned during his travels.

At a point, his intuition would drive him crazy. He couldn't control them. He decided to break away from normal things for a while and started to travel around. His emotions messed him up everywhere. His feelings for Vanshika. His mother breaking away. The issues between his parents got into him. He felt like he was in a bad place and wanted to take a break. The cheel part of him always drove him to the mountains. He went up to the Himalayas just on a whim. He learned several things while going around the mountains. With all those people, he developed the tradition of joining his hands before the Gods. He didn't build up a lot on religion but the peace it gave him, he liked that. It gave him the hope to work back himself.

"Tu kabse itna sanskaari ho gaya?" Daksh asked.

"Aadat ki baat hai, Daksh bhai. Pahadon mein aise hi bohot zyada religious aur spiritual log rehte hai. Unless you join your hands and bend before the idol, they don't admit you into their stuff. So, aadat lag gayi. Also, I have learned a certain peace in feeling the spirituality of a place." Sam explained.

The trio began their trek ahead. Sam froze after a while.

"There's some danger ahead."

"What? We have to go ahead on this path." Daksh pointed out. Bani quickly pulled Sam and Daksh behind. Both of them held her back.