Dahana

5. Ajayapura

The landscape spilled out in front of them, jagged green mountains that sloped down towards the plain sharply. Far in the distance, they could begin to see it: the great city they were approaching, Ajayapura. It was just beyond the hills, located on a river and in a green savannah. Madhu could see the tip of a structure that rose high above the rest of the city, like the hood of a cobra over its coiled body. That was likely the great royal palace, residence of the king of Aśmaka in the winter months. This far south, the temperature hardly changed at the onset of the cold season. There were truly only two seasons: the wet and the dry. Right now, it was dry, and Madhu was grateful for the plentiful and pleasant mountain streams with which she could replenish her water-skin.

They stood on a mountain path that wound through the great Sahyadri mountain range. The path was roughly level, having been cut through the sloping mountainside. It was called the Sahyadri road, though in truth road was a little bit of an exaggeration. It was a narrow way that at times completely disappeared and reappeared at random. One could not pass through this region without a skilled guide. Great caravans and wagons would have to pass around the mountain region, taking their chances on the gentler hills to the far east, or the war-torn regions of the central savannah.

Though Madhu was unaware of those events, six months had passed since Mahendra's entrance exam for the Avanti Maya Gana. Madhu had mostly spent that time in deep meditation, building up her yoga shakti. Her only breaks had been eating from time to time. So, it went without saying that she was feeling incredibly excited right now. It felt great to move her body again. What's more, her body felt looser and more powerful than ever after six months of meditation. She wasn't sure how that was possible, but it would be something to look into in the future.

"Madhumati," said her master, a tall woman called Adamya. She was dressed in black, as always. Madhu wondered where she found black dhotis. She never seemed to see those when she looked in shops. Her master had a scar across her left cheek, and sharp eyes that seemed to be able to pierce through Madhu's thoughts.

"Yes, teacher," said Madhu, keeping her voice still and even. A butterfly fluttered its wings nearby. Madhu watched it out of the corner of her eye.

"You have gotten better at pretending to pay attention," said Adamya. Her hand flashed, and her blade cut the butterfly in half. It was too fast for Madhu to see completely. Of course, one didn't have to see an attack to avoid it. She wondered how she would fare against her master as she was right now. After examining Adamya for a moment, she concluded that she would lose, and that excited her. Adamya sighed. "You're incorrigible. I can tell even now what you're thinking. But it is time for your next lesson."

"What's that, teacher?" asked Madhu, suddenly intrigued. It would be her first lesson in six months. The last one had been bloody and brutal—a no-holds barred sparring session that only ended once Adamya deemed she had learned how to strike while exerting prana. She had broken six ribs and her right hand in multiple places, not to mention the dozens of cuts and bruises she had received. When Adamya had taken her to a doctor, the man had said that she had lost so much blood that she was lucky to be alive. And yet, here she was, with nary a sign that she had ever been in so dire a predicament. Her body was as pristine as if she was a newborn, as her master told her. It was a sign that her tantra shakti was growing.

It was Kali Yuga now, the Fourth Age of the cycle, and the age of heroes had ended. People generally no longer lived for hundreds of years. However, with great training and careful regulation of one's body, it was still possible, though much more difficult. Madhu's rapidly healing body was an indication that she had stepped onto the path of power.

"I'm stopping here," said Adamya, letting her rucksack fall to the ground before seating herself there.

"Here?" asked Madhu, confused. "But it's still morning—we can still go on. Or do you mean you'll spend the rest of the day here, teaching me?"