Temple of Triad

Reunion

Padma swayed on her feet as the world righted itself around her. She awaited for the disoriented feeling to recede. Portals were unsteady when traveling through different medium. Considering that her spirit had tugged her several feet below the sea, the chaotic behavior was almost a given.

She took in her surroundings after the nausea left. The cabin she was in had been occupied recently. There were tea cups resting on the table in the middle, some of them still half full. Decks of cards here and there, a pair of dice thrown carelessly to the side, a discarded book lying open, gambling coins stacked in piles. The lamp still burned casting shadows on the cabin walls.

'Ayu had been gambling, ' Padma mused with amusement. 'The book must be Aparna's.'

Padma knew her children well. Even if they didn't know her. If she had wept for them, prayed for them and would die for them too. They would never know. Her children. Her beautiful little cherubs. To them she was dead. To them she was nobody. It was for the best. As long as she must put on the mask, let her children never learn of her existence. Till then, she would stay dead. Let them go on not knowing such deadly knowledge.

"Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr... "

An animalistic growl interrupted her thoughts. She spun around in alarm and froze.

White fur glistened in the yellow glow of the lamp. Sharp fangs protruded at each side of its strong jaw, dripping with crimson blood. Nine flurry tails flared straight up. The kitsune's eyes with the color of blood held her stiffened form in its lifeless stare.

World came to a stand still in that moment. Lost in those deadened gaze. It happened painfully slow. The alien fox lunged towards her and her own kirpan rose almost by reflex, each going for the kill.

It was over in an instant. Her kripan was met with thin air. Impact she hoped for didn't come nor did the sound of fangs hitting flesh. The kitsune stood locked in midjump. Frozen in the air, completely immobile. Smell of sal flowers washed over her.

'It's bound!' She realized.

The kitsune was bound. Bound by Tantra, the most elusive of Triad forces. Tantra was even more elusive than Spirit and much more powerful. Its power was held in awe, even during her father's time when its use was more common. And this binding was most expertly spun. She could tell from the way the tantra held, not even a hair on kitsune moved. That sort of control was hard to achieve. Very hard.

"Last one down." A deep voice spoke.

A tall figure stood on the doorway of the cabin. The hazel eyes fastened on her intently. Lightly curled hair was cut short in Seonese fashion. A styled beard was grown boldly above the upper lip, it's ends curved ridiculously down. A dense eyebrow was raised at her in inquiry, lips upterned in a slight smile. He looked almost like Ravana himself, the resemblance was almost scary.

"Megha." Padma breathed, smiling warmly at her twin. "Heard you go by Jeeth Sunclan now."

"So long as they don't connect Jeeth with Indrajith." He replied with a careless shrug.

"Honestly brother, you really couldn't pick a less conspicuous name." Padma exclaimed fondly.

"Three months, three bloody months Padma. No falcon, no messenger, none at all. Something absolutely has to go horribly wrong for you to show up, doesn't it Sis?" Megha went through his rant with vindictive speed and gave her that raised eyebrow. "Well?"

"I was... busy?" Padma said sheepishly but her lips betrayed her with a smile.

'Elders, it's good to be back.' She thought.