Roads And Maps - Aru Shah

Light and Dark

Aru's POV

Vajra was the only thing that I always had when I was alone. When Aiden wasn't there, or when I couldn't reach anyone. It would light up and show me that the world wasn't as dark as I thought it was. It gave me a tie to the only father figure I've ever had, Indra. 

Indra shielded me from the arrows and gave me a weapon to fight with. My actual father would fight me with his sword and I would have nothing. I'd end up hurt.

I tried to reach Brynne telepathically but my dad cut in. He found a way to access my brain.

Don't even try to talk to Brynne, he butted in. 

Yes, father.

He made it a rule that he will be called father or dad. 

We decided to stay in the normal world where they wouldn't expect us. I looked out the window and saw the huge place called New York City.

He went into human form around everyone but me. He tortured me and tried to get me to fight, but I rarely ever did. Some wounds he would heal, others he wouldn't. He said that I needed pain in my life. Like seeing him in memories as the dad he wished to be wasn't painful enough. 

"I don't have anything to fight you!" I cried. 

"Try to fight! You are called the weak link in the group! That not who my daughter is," he said as he knocked me to the ground. 

He went to hit me with his sword, but I kicked him in his stomach. He stumbled back from surprise. I stood up and fixed my posture so my left leg was in front of my right.

"That's more like it. Now if I can just get you riled up enough to let the darkness take over."

"Never. I'm not becoming a monster like you," I spat.

"We could become a classic father-daughter duo."

"I said no!"

A coil wrapped around me but I stayed still and didn't fight.

"I'm not scared of you or the darkness," I said.

"You fell right into my trap."

"Wha-"

The coil sucked into my hand and black sun and moon tattoo appeared on my wrist.

"What did you do?!" I yelled. I stared at the tattoo. "I'm too young for a tattoo! Mom will kill me!"

"You did it to yourself, Arundhati.  The moon represents the shadows and me, which you said you aren't afraid of. The sun represents the Pandava and light in you, which your name brings out. Make sure those two tattoos stay the same size as each other or else you will be overpowered by one. And don't fret. Only magical beings can see the tattoo."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

He rolled up his sleeve to show the same tattoo as me but the moon was much bigger than the sun. The sun was so faint, you could barely make it out. He rolled his sleeve back down and looked at me. 

"If the moon needs up bigger, don't be afraid to come to join me," he said as he went to his closet.

"Are you leaving me?" I asked. 

"Depends," he shrugged.

"It wouldn't be the first time you left. How long this time? 12, 18, 24 years, or are you just not coming back?"

He looked over at me and got visually mad and so did I. I started to walk towards him slowly. "I grew up without a dad just fine, I'll be ok without one now. Go ahead dad, leave. No one likes you anyway." A coil raised from the floor and went to my dad but shriveled away when he touched it with his hand. I backed away thinking it was his spiral vine.