The lost amulet( shiva trilogy related story)

Fire and water

Hey everyone...sorry for the wait but I my exams are approaching. Anyways, thanks to all who have read the story till now. Especially dhanrajs and james_prongs for encouragement.

Enjoy the chapter.

-D

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Neel looked at Laksh with a puzzled expression. Laksh took that as a cue to explain things.

"My boy, observe this scar closely. Do you see anything different in it?" asked Laksh politely.

Neel stared at the scar on his hand. He looked at it and thought that what is different about this and any other scar. He looked at his other hand and saw another scar there, it was when he was bitten by a wild animal in his clan. He glanced to and fro between the scar and a conclusion jumped into his head. He noticed that the scar on his right hand was much more dark, almost black.

"Well, the other scars I have are light and faded, but this one" Neel pointed at the one on his right hand, "this one is darker and intact, kind of preserved." said Neel. Laksh smiled hugely.

"Good my dear. You have caught on quickly. Can you tell me why is this scar darker?" Asked Laksh.

"Um...well...maybe because its not just a scar. I mean, its like a..a..a mark!" Said Neel thoughtfully.

By now Laksh was smiling so much that Neel thought he might loosen his lip muscles.

"Exactly! That's true my boy. This is a mark. Now, as you have figured this yourself, I assume you can also figure out whats so special about this mark?" asked Laksh looking hopeful.

Neel looked at his mark and frowned. He traced a figure over it. The mark was round, like a circle. From the center of the circle, a wavy line divided it into two parts. The lower part consisting of more wavy lines and the upper one of curly lines spreading outward.

How stupid of me to have considered this as a scar. This looks more like a drawing. How come I didn't notice this before. I really am a dimwitted person. Neel thought to himself.

"Um...your highness, I may need some help there." Said Neel finally. 

Laksh smiled.

"Of course dear. Could you just identify the lines in this mark of you. What I mean to say is, do you think they resemble something?" Asked Laksh

Neel traced the lines with his index finger.  

Hmmm....it's wavy and well curly. Spreading outwards. What could it be?

Neel looked around the room. Thinking hard. The king had trusted him and he did not want to show actually how stupid he was. Then suddenly a sight caught his eye. There in the corner of the room was an oil lamp in which burnt a small flame. It was peaceful at first, looking conical. But whenever wind hit it, it became distraught and spread out in different directions before reclaiming its calmness. 

He stared at the fire and then at the curly spreading lines on his mark. He gasped aloud. Laksh looked at him expectantly.

"Fire! The curly lines...they are just like that flame of fire. Isn't it?" Asked Neel.

"Well done son. Well done. I am proud of you. For someone so young and new to all this, you have done remarkably well. Now, I assume you can tell me the resemblance of the other lines too. The wavy ones to say?" Said Laksh who was actually jumping with excitement.

This time, Neel thought out loud.

"Hmm...let's see. These lines are fire, curly and spreading. And these are wavy. But these could not be fire because they are separated. And if they are separated it means that they are different." Said Neel who looked at Laksh doubtfully, silently asking for conformation. Laksh nodded for him to continue.