Saga Of The Timeless (A Mahabharata Story)

38. Whirlwind

Third Party POV

"Devi, here is the book you asked for," Evil  Shakuni said, his voice trembling as he passed the weighty tome to the cloaked figure before him. Curiosity gnawed at him, eager to know the secrets hidden within its ancient pages, but fear stifled his urge to peek.

 The mere presence of this shadowy woman was enough to curb his ambitions. He didn't dare open it—didn't even think of it. Her power was beyond his grasp, and Shakuni knew better than to provoke her wrath.

The book had been retrieved by the spirit he summoned from a dark, ancient bottle. Like a puppet bound to his will, the spirit carried out his command and retreated back into the enchanted vessel, vanishing without a trace. Shakuni smirked, relishing the fleeting moment of control he had over the dark entity.

"Good, good," the cloaked woman purred as she took the book into her hands, her voice smooth and laced with satisfaction. Her long, pale fingers traced the edges of the weathered cover, as if savoring the power and knowledge locked inside.

"Vyas will be visiting the palace soon," she said, her tone taking on a note of annoyance. "I can't be here when he arrives. He's too powerful. If I stay, he'll sense me instantly. I'll need to leave for a while... and you should consider doing the same." Beneath her hood, her unseen smile held a mischievous glint, the hint of a plan in motion.

Shakuni, ever the opportunist, ventured to ask, "Devi... and what of Tvarita?"

A low chuckle rumbled from the cloaked figure, dark and unsettling. "Tvarita?" she echoed, her voice dripping with contempt. "She is no threat. Her emotions are in disarray, and her mind is fractured. For now, she is nothing more than a pawn lost in her own confusion. Let her suffer in silence."

Shakuni's brow creased as he absorbed her words. Satisfaction crept into him, knowing that Tvarita was being played, but the mention of Ved Vyas sent a ripple of unease through him. Boldness, fed by his curiosity, overcame his better judgment. "How do you know Ved Vyas is coming, Devi?" he asked, pushing the boundaries of her patience.

The playful amusement in her voice vanished. In an instant, the air grew cold, and her hidden eyes locked onto his with a sharpness that made Shakuni shudder. "It is none of your concern, dog," she spat, her voice sharp as a whip crack. Shakuni recoiled, stumbling backward before collapsing to his knees, trembling before her in a state of utter submission.

"Listen closely," she commanded, her voice now void of warmth. "While I'm gone, you must lie low. Do nothing to draw attention to yourself until Ved Vyas has left. If you move too soon, they will become suspicious. Wait... and when the time comes, only then will you unleash the chaos we have prepared. Not before."

A swirling shadow began to unfurl before her, dark and thick as ink, wrapping itself around her like a living creature. She stepped into it, and her form dissolved into the darkness. As her figure vanished, her final words lingered like a warning in the air. "It won't be long."

And with that, she was gone.

Shakuni, still trembling, clutched the enchanted bottle tightly, feeling both exhilarated and fearful. The power it represented was intoxicating, but her warning echoed in his mind like a heavy drumbeat. He raised the bottle, chanting the dark mantras to conceal it once more, and with a wave of his hand, he vanished into the shadows, retreating to his bedchamber.

As he lay down, exhaustion took hold, and his body began to weaken. But something darker stirred beneath the surface. The shadow that had touched him earlier crept out from within, crawling like a parasite. Shakuni's body went limp, drained of energy as the shadow whispered a chilling incantation.