Kali : The Awakening

Chapter Eight - Teacher and Disciple

Once registered, Kalika began her power walking. She couldn't afford to waste a single second on reviewing charts from the previous hour. Right now, the disturbance in the energies demanded her immediate attention.

The Kaal Chakra, the machine they managed to control the flow of time across all the lokas, was operating solely on a single Yantra—the Devi Yantra. Each loka had its own Yantra to regulate the flow of energies, all interconnected with the Devi Yantra of Kaal Loka.

Kalika sensed a disturbance in the central part of the Devi Yantra. Entering the Yantra was strictly prohibited, reserved only for the Head Priestess, and she knew she hadn't entered there.

If what she was thinking had just happened, then they were in grave danger—not just them, but all the lokas. Breaking into the main chamber wasn't the work of some dark time charmers; it had to be someone who had helped create it. And then it hit her. There was no way she could stop him alone.

Kalika mind-linked with Agastaya, "Agastaya! We have a Code Red."

Agastaya, along with the nine chief ministers, was in the midst of discussing a new strategy to strengthen ties with all the lokas in the grand Mantralaya Graha. The Graha's ceilings were adorned with exquisite stone carvings, depicting gods and goddesses locked in epic battles, capturing the divine drama of celestial legends.

Despite their aid, they still needed the support of the other lokas in case any conflict arose. As Agastaya listened to Kalika, he had been proposing a strategy to collaborate with Brahmaloka, given its superior position among the lokas.

He fell silent, realizing the gravity of the situation. Perhaps Kalika had seen something that could impact the major decision Maharani was about to make regarding their ties to Aranyaka. But that didn't seem to warrant a "Code Red" alert. So, what could it be? He shook his head, refocused, and decided to leave the meeting.

Forming alliances with other lokas was Maharaja Arjun's duty, and he was more than capable of handling it. Agastaya stood from his royal chair, bowed to the Maharaja, and said, "Maharaja, Kshama! Please accept my apologies. I must leave this meeting; an urgent matter requires my attention."

He knew that alarming the Maharaja without verifying the situation's intensity could lead to chaos.

"Maharaja, what has happened?" the Maharaja inquired.

"Maharaja, it concerns my forces protecting Ratinagarh. I must depart immediately," Agastaya responded.

Taking a measured breath, the Maharaja replied, "If it involves your troops, then proceed swiftly. We will manage the situation here."

Agastaya bowed again, bidding farewell to the Maharaja and the other eight chiefs present. Leaving the palace, he re-established the mind link with Kalika, "Are you certain?"

"Oh, I'm sure. I am the HEAD PRIESTESS. I can't afford to misjudge this."

"Okay, are you heading to the main chamber?"

"Yes, I'm on my way."

Agastaya mounted his majestic black horse and rode toward the northeast. "Did you inform Antra?"

"No, and you're not allowed to tell her either."

"Good call."

"How long until you arrive?" Kalika asked, riding her beautiful white horse, almost blending in with the ice-covered landscape of her town.

"Not long. I'll use the hidden passage from the cave just outside the town. It should take about an hour," he replied, his eyes sharp and focused.

"Great, meet me at the gate." With that, they ended their mind link.