Black Avatare

46 | GOVERNESS

Binara stirred.

Soft bedding yielded under her weight, and her eyes flew open.

She was on a bed, which was essentially a stone platform that blended with the rest of the room. Blue-white illumination pulsed out of sconces and revealed stone furniture worn with age. There was a quiet grandeur about the place that told her that she was in Vemacitrin's palace.

Wait, what happened? A shudder convulsed her when she remembered what happened in Kalacakra. The spacetime anomaly had twisted her reality in more ways than one. She had little time to ponder it as her brain pinpointed the prize that she had unlocked. I found the sword! I found Chandrahasa!

Sure enough, her probing gaze fell on the sword right next to the bed, resting idly on a holder. Lamplight gleamed off an ebony scabbard, inlaid with neat geometric patterns. Her heart rate ratcheted up, thumping away the seconds.

The legendary sword was different from the bejeweled weapon that she had envisioned. It vaguely resembled a kastane, except for the minimalist geometry and the dark exterior. Even while sheathed, Binara could sense the anti-demon energy that hummed from it. Unlike her repellents, this gave out a narrow frequency—more fine-tuned to repel demonic aura than react with all ectoplasmic matter.

The sight invigorated her, infusing her tired body with strength and purpose. Binara tried moving her limbs and winced at the stiffness. Fresh bandages covered her bitten hand. The aches were now less persistent, evidently soothed with ayurvedic salves, though the fatigue was more pronounced than ever.

Binara slowly got up and reached out for Chandrahasa. A cocktail of emotions fizzed in her stomach. As her hand yet again made contact with it, tremors shot down her whole system. Wonder consumed her anew.

Chandrahasa was big—forged for those who were at least twice her size. Binara gave the sword an experimental tug. It barely budged. Her muscles strained as she acclimatized to its weight. She couldn't fathom how she could possibly use it in combat, but time was running out. What lay ahead was bigger than anything she had done so far. She steeled herself as adrenaline dissolved into her system. Her eyes landed on her trusty backpack which lay next to the cloak by her side.

Soon after, she huffed and puffed as she secured Chandrahasa to her back, using the bag as an anchor. The new weight strained her muscles, but Diyan's cloak cocooned her—a reassuring warmth that bolstered her spirit.

Inhaling a deep breath, she slunk out of the room. An empty hallway stretched out.

"Binara Mayadunne," a deep female voice said.

Binara jumped and whirled around.

An Asura towered over her. She was young, though her hair was strikingly white like that of the other females. It contrasted with her taupe skin, which was covered with runes. Layers of jewelry hung down her neck and adorned her hair, which was secured in a braided knot.

Binara found her tongue. "I need to get to the human realm immediately. I—"

"Follow me." The Asura strode down the hallway. "We have been waiting."

"What happened? How long was I out?" she asked, breaking into a jog, even though every muscle now protested.

"You were ejected from Kalacakra, and we found you unconscious in the tunnel. We have been tending to your injuries and monitoring you for the past two hours."

Two hours? That means an hour in the human realm. A myriad thoughts eddied in her brain, and her stomach lurched. What if I'm too late? What if...She gave her head a shake. She had to trust Diyan. After all, he had placed his trust in her.