MYTH XXII - MANGALA

MANGALA - by Ishaan Dasgupta


INTRODUCTION

One cannot clearly say how the “universe” began. To some she is an occurrence of pure science, to others she is a child of a great god of the heavens, whose power binds and drives all. But in truth she has no beginning or end. She is present within and without.

Could you tell us where exactly your being starts and where it ends? Would you start from the day or date of when you were born or conceived? Would you start with the stories of your mothers/fathers or grandfathers, or even before? The idea of you, your spirit, your morals, your teachings, they began, long, long ago.

Let us start with a story of another universe. In another time and space, a universe where a minute would last us a hundred years. In this universe a planet existed which was inhabited mostly by a highly dominant creature called “Manushya”. The Manushya were an amazingly advanced creature who had gained the power to create at will, objects, creations, high on complexity and even intelligence. Through their creations they became socially almost a single unit working in unison. As they grew smarter and created more and more, they saw a need to convert everything around them to serve the creations better. Their regard for their creations took a pedestal much higher than themselves. In fact the creations became the gods and rulers. All space and time was changed to synchronize perfectly with their own creations. The result was an inward spiral in time which was bound to eventually collapse.

All Manushya were born at the time under the surveillance of a networked creation whose knowledge was endless through all Manushya. The earlier system, where the child was raised by the ones who gave birth to it was abolished as it was seen as flawed and slow and prone to an unobjective life. This method of growth was also the cause of much violence in the years before as small extremist terrorist groups and factions were built through these means by influencing the child’s mind. These factions opposed the way of life of all Manushya and called it indulgent and destructive. Sex was a mere form of entertainment. Homes and families were almost extinct as a way of life as they hindered the efficiency needed to cope with the pace of the creations. Reproduction was done in controlled environments where the eggs could be perfected at a genetic level before being fertilized, then transported to a chamber which provided ideal nourishment, temperature and space required for it to grow.

A faction existed still which was mostly unknown to the majority of the Manushyas. The higher Manushyas, the “Scientos” banished people from their land who they saw as being illogical, mindless and flawed. And thus these people came to be settled on the outskirts of the city and called themselves “Jibon”. They started off by stealing children from the city and raising them as their own. Soon the Jibons had a large army of people who, since had been born and raised upto a point under the networked creation, had an intimate knowledge of the workings and structures of all laws of the Manushyas and his creations. They were the new soldiers that would fight an old war.

13/32/3072.
There was a strange occurrence of a short circuiting in the creations systems. All networks were killed and Manushya went into a state of panic. The energy needed to run all systems was being sucked out by what was thought as a single source.

This caused all sorts of panic amongst the Manushyas. Many claimed it to be the end of the universe. Many saw it as another attack by another faction. Days passed as their planet stood absolutely still. But as suddenly as it happened so did it disappear. The Scientos were baffled by the phenomenon. Although everything was back to normal, the Manushyas were unnerved. Many had died and still many more had their world turned upside down. They stared questioning the Scientos, uncertainty had settled into the clockwork system. The most fascinated by the phenomenon were the Jibons.

3090
All over the city the news spreads “Two rebels were found within the system of the city. Mangala #13323072 and Pembe #13323072. They were caught defacing innumerable number of creations at the GenTECH Corporation earlier today. Their rampage has been going on for almost 6 years now. They have also been connected with the earlier STT site bombing, which was thought to be the work of extremist terrorist groups. These Manushyas used work with SCITECH with was the mother company of GenTECH. They have been heading many projects of which the…

…our society has never seen one of our own turn against us in a hundred years….

…and putting them to death would be the ultimate peace for them and all of Manushya.”

SECTION I

“I have heard of a prophecy that our saviour will rise from darkness itself and crush it. He will free all of Manushya and we will all be alive once again.”

“I’ve had enough of this fight. How many Manushyas do we have to kill before this ends?”

“But they were all Scientos!”

“So what? Weren’t they Manushyas?”

“Don’t be so impatient brother. We will win soon!”

“Win what? You’ve forgotten what we were fighting for in the first place. These Jibons have forgotten everything that they hold sacred?”

“You cannot leave now you have a duty to fulfill. Besides they believe that we will save them and that is why they saved us then. You are obligated to them, you must help them for they helped you.”

“I wish I had died. Is one life worth a thousand? I must stop now”

“You cannot leave the 'shyas you command. You must be strong as their leader. You must stay by me my brother. I promise you we will bring peace.

Don’t you remember what we used to feel when we were in there? The lifeless soulless torment of time. Wrenching out every drop from us, like machines we were. Remember you asked me why if we build them must we serve them? I will never forget that question. I fight it today for I believed in it. And you… you always showed me that there was much more than what was shown.

hehehe…I remember the time when we “broke” into the mainstream and let all the lab subjects loose. The whole city was overrun with creatures. The Scientos spent weeks gathering them all up. Remember how we just wished it and it happened, and they wouldn’t believe that we didn’t actually break in. I’ve never known anyone as strong as you. Your mind…our mind…what I’m trying to say is that I believe we have a purpose and this is it.”

“You’ve read too many of their books brother. You know too much, the light that you have gained since you came here has blinded you. I did say that there something more, but I do believe that it was not this. Turning a pure black to a pure white will also leave you with nothing. I will leave and come back when I have answers.”

“I see you have lost sight of your direction. Never the less when I defeat the Scientos and the prophecies are fulfilled I will look for you my brother. And we will start again”

“Perhaps…perhaps it would be better for you since the prophecies declare a single saviour and not two. Farwell brother. I hope the gods believe in the prophecies as much as you do. Take care and I wish you luck. Tell my ‘shyas that Mangala hopes that the truth is revealed to them soon.”

SECTION II

“I have been enlightened. I have seen another world being created”

“Oh brother how good to see you again! I had wished that you be safe so I would see you”

“Don’t brother me Mangala. You left me a long time ago remember. And now you embrace me. Do you know what I have seen Mangala! I have seen my ‘shyas being gutted, tortured. I have seen them cry. I have seen them offering themselves to the enemies so that their families are saved. All my friends died before me, my brother left me. And now you talk to me as if nothing happened! There's blood everywhere Mangala! EVERYWHERE! EVEN ON YOU!! HAHAHAHAHHAH

Do you know that on the battlefield we had to eat the dead to survive! Do you know what it was like to eat the '‘shya who fought next to you and died next to you? DO YOU!!!!!!!!

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHrghh!!!!!”

“Brother I can only imagine the pains you have suffered. But I decided to leave it all behind a long time ago.”

“LEAVE IT BEHIND! You didn’t leave it behind. You left US behind! If you hadn’t left us we would have won! There would have been a lot less shyas dead!”

“I do not believe we would have won. We would have managed to kill many more on their side, but tell me brother would their fate be better than yours? Is your killing justified and theirs is not? Look at this man brother. Or the many men who sit here before me. Or that man whose face no one will ever again recognize. He was in the city when it was attacked. He was eating a meal in his home with his friends when you army came and gutted them. He lost his friends his brothers and he even lost most of himself. He cannot speak no more, nor see. He can’t even move on his own. Tell me brother does he anger you? Don’t you wish you had killed him completely? Annihilated the enemy. He does. He wishes it everyday. Let us do it brother. Let us kill everyone who knows not the truth.”

Pembe breaks down and cries at the feet of his brother.

SECTION III

“Brother!”

“Yes.”

“They tell me all kinds of things about you. They tell me that you have many powers. They tell me you can heal a ‘shya. They tell me you can travel unimaginable distances. They tell me you have seen places and things and know the truth.

I remember we used to discuss how our bodies have far greater powers than any creation can offer us. And you used to help me focus my energies and we reached so many places with our powers. We did so many things we shouldn’t have. Together. We did it all together.

Now I feel like you have left me behind. You tell me as much as you tell them. You treat me as you would treat them. Am I not your brother? Don’t I deserve more? I want to know all you have to tell brother. I want to be enlightened. What was it like? What did you see?”

“Sit my brother. I do not hide anything from anyone. I will tell you everything I have seen. I will help you attain enlightenment…

…once you empty your mind of all thoughts, you will find energies flowing through you. All of life will speak through you and all you have to do is listen. Think of nothing, say nothing, be as the tree and listen. Then she will tell you her secret. All of life’s intricacies will unfold before you. Your heart you mind must be open to receive the river that will flow through you. Resist it and you will drown, swim with it and it will take you to the sea…”

And so Mangala told Pembe everything he knew.

“…there I witnessed the birth of a universe. The planets formed before my eyes. It was just like I had imagined. I saw a planet called earth. I witnessed the birth of life. I saw water and trees, lush green meadows. Mountains and valleys, snowfall and a sunset. I saw it all, like our ancestors described our home in the very beginning. It was beautiful. I saw a fish jump out of water and take the first step on land. I saw creatures of many shapes and sizes…”

Mangala sits for hours and describes in detail what he saw on earth. He told him of how all of life balances itself.

“It all sounds a bit suspicious to me brother. I mean it sounds exactly like what you described your world to be like when we were young. Are you sure you’re not hallucinating? I don’t mean to oppose you but I mean you could be very well making all this up. Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry Pembe. You have every right to be skeptical. But what I have seen, if it’s real to me, that is all I can ask for.”

“Can you take me there? Can we do it together like we used to”

“Hmm…I think we can…”

SECTION IV

“Pursuing power is like removing the floor beneath us. We all have a purpose. There is nothing greater than that.”

Soon after lots of training under his brother Pembe started visiting earth very often. Unlike his brother Pembe believed in no one else but himself. He believed he could do anything, and he almost did too. After many years of visiting earth Pembe realized that he was able to manipulate matter to his own will on this planet. He soon learnt that the process of enlightenment had somehow gifted his brother to create his own universe. Pembe was extremely pleased with his finding. He started to create beings similar to himself called humans. He loved the thought of having a whole planet with lots of "hims" ruling over. And the best part was that he could command them. The process was simple enough to him. He realized that the life and souls of the planet were none other that particles of his brothers spirit that has dispersed over the universe and created life where they fell.

He meditated for a while, gathered up some energy and dispersed his soul over earth. Since Pembe did not have too much control over his vast powers his soul exploded and covered the earth with a million particles. The other beings could not absorb his soul as they were created my Mangala, but the humans which were created by Pembe immediately absorbed some of the particles. The air was filled earlier with pure blue spirits of Mangala and now the sky was spotted with red back spirits of Pembe too.

“How could you do this Pembe? DID YOU THINK THE UNVERSE IS A TOY? Do you think lives are things to play with? Your greed and lust for power has bound you down. I entrusted you with all my knowledge and my dreams and this is how you repay me. I thought you had left your ignorance behind and embraced the truth but it seems that you were no better. Now leave and never return Pembe. I never want to see you again!”

“So you think you’re better than me. What right do you have to create and I don’t. You’re no better than the Manushyas and their huge egos. How you’ve succumbed to your creation. Don’t you realize you are god! WE ARE GODS MANGALA!!! WE ARE GODS!”

“Leave…”

Mangala sits down to meditate. He visits earth once again. He sees the suffering of humanity. He sees their greed, their lust for power, he sees his brother everywhere.

He tries to heal them. It is impossible for him to remove life so he tries his best to mend their souls. He gives the humans the task to administer the work of nature. He teaches them how to tap into their own energies to bring about peace harmony and balance. But before his teachings are over, he is suddenly pulled out of earth. He now lies in his brother’s arms, blood pouring out of his back. He looks at his brother. Tears well up in both their eyes.

“Why brother? Why?”

“I couldn’t let you destroy my only creation!”

Mangala dies and his soul attains nirvana. That is to say it completely disperses over his universe and ceases to exist on the one he was born.


The Kshatriyas

The warriors who are mentally strong but not so, physically. They have the capability to control their bot suit mentally. They can grow out fibres of biotech muscles out of their suit. These suits make them fast agile and extremely strong. The suit also has the capability to merge with any other technology as the fibres also act as wires,cross interfacing gadgets.


The Jibons

These are the naturalist warriors. These warriors are not as strong physically as the kshatriyas, as they do not use the technology to help them. But they have the ability to control things with their minds. They have a varying range of telekinetic powers and telepathy.


Nimosas

These are machines used by the centre for complete destruction. They use subsonic sound waves to obliterate anything in its path. Each nimosa is equipped with a basic AI kit which allows is to intelligently seek and destroy. These were being tested by the scientos and are still in the prototyping phase. Not many have been produced. Since these are so dangerous they have never been used in the real battlefield until now.

EPISODE 1

Mangala and Pembe sit on top of Mt. Domiana overlooking the city of Rokangua. The city glitters down below. Smoke rising from one side of the city.

“It starts…”

“Hmm…”

“I can’t do this”

“You can’t do this? What do you mean?”

“I mean…it’s…a huge responsibility. The lives of many hundreds of ‘shays in my hands, under my command. They believe in me but the problem is that I don’t believe in me.”

“Doubt is not unnatural brother. And yes, it is a huge responsibility. Jibana is always by our side brother. We have surrendered to her power, and all, life and death is up to her. There is no need to be scared. Our destinies have already been written. All we have to do is understand why.”

“Pembe?”

“Hmm…”

“Do you really believe in all this prophecy bullshit? It makes me nervous. I can’t be made responsible for all this. I’m not ready for this yet. I mean…we’re still young. We should be living, not thinking about war or politics or things like that. It’s all so grave, and depressing. I just can’t stand how these people treat me like some god. What a bore this is. We used to have so much fun in there.”

“Ya, I was just wondering how long it’s been since we’ve had a good laugh. It's a bore, but it’s all we have now. We can’t really go back and expect a warm welcome, can we? Hehe. They’re still looking for us. Besides, now, I’m definite they know we are in some way connected to this war.”

“Hmm ya ya. I guess we’ll just have to get used to it. Play along. Fight a war. It’s all good, right? No big deal!”

“Haha…yeah, no big deal!”

“Sir. The south side forces have been engaged. Colonel Mashihori’s battalion is under heavy attack.”

Mangala and Pembe turn around to see lieutenant Biishyas standing there.

“Good. Then we can start our attack from the northern side in a day or two. Let them concentrate their forces on one side. Send a message to colonel Mashihori, tell him that he needs to keep his distance and keep the tension up for a day or two. Tell him that further reinforcements are on their way, along with some supplies. Tell him that Mangala and I send him our good wishes and hope that Jibana is with us.”

Scene zooms into the city into an alley towards the more quieter side.

“TIMALA!! TIMALA!” Firis calls out to her cat. She was especially scared now, ever since the rebellions started. The centre had become ever more strict and alert. She stands and peers out of the all, leans over and calls out again. She notices the sirens, the screams, the rioting in the distance. The sounds fade in her head as she thinks about the day she got her cat.

Mother: “Firis! Firis, come see what your father got for you.”

Father: “Happy birthday Firis!”

Firis: “Baba! Oh wow! What is it?”

Father: “I found him while I was looking for some food. He was hiding in a basement. He just came to me when he saw me. It was as if I was meant to find him.”

Mother: “So strange! I haven’t seen one in 20 years. Those who were left usually never even show themselves, its funny how he turned up.”

Firis: “But father, wouldn’t it be dangerous?”

Father: “Don’t worry dear. This is the least of our problems. If they find us living together like this we’ll be done for anyway. From today he will be your new brother Firis. Take good care of him.”

Scene of a fight in the northern section of the city.

“Colonel Mashihori! We are taking huge amounts of damage. We haven’t got any word from the captains. We can’t hold on for much longer.”

“We need to hold on for a day at least, Shiva. What’s the count?”

“We haven’t lost too many men sir but the bots have taken large amounts of damage. A large battalion of KAos approaches as we speak sir. About a 100 at least. They also have about 3 shield bearers in each battalion. It would be impossible for us to break through their shields even if we survive the offence of the KAos.”

“Ok, tell the men to stay clear of the range of the KAos. Dispatch 40 Sivayats and distract them from the air. Make sure they remain occupied till the attack from the north. And Shiva…”

“Yes sir”

“Get a Bot ready. I’m going to take out the shields”

“Alone sir? Are you crazy?”

“With all the commotion I don’t think they are going to notice a single Bot.”

“Dr Digora, the ‘creation’ predicts a small army will attack from the north. It has made calculations on the DATA form of the files of Mangala and Pembe. The pattern is quite apparent and if they are involved it is assured that there will be an attack in a day’s time. The diversion has been set up.”

“Good. I have complete faith in the ‘creation’. She has never failed us, and it’s impossible for her to fail. Tell the rest of the Scientos and take immediate action against these rebels. It's time that Mangala and Pembe realize our power. Give orders to evacuate the north side ASAP. Then set up a group of Nimosas in that area. If anything stirs or even breathes, they will be taken care of.”

“I thought they were like sons to you. You don’t really want them dead? Do you?”

“They stopped being my sons the day they went against the laws. How dare they defy the ‘creation’? Just because one is born and raised with the Scientos he has no right to alter the laws. These laws have been put down for generations. For generations our society has been functioning at optimum efficiency. Crime has been petty and negligible. And then, these two came and turned our world upside down. Sometimes I feel responsible for their actions. Maybe I didn’t teach them well enough. Maybe they were just born flawed. I shouldn’t have saved them from the extermination and raised them so.”

“Why did you save them? Wasn't there an order to exterminate all borns of that date, for fear of dysfunction?”

“Yes. But they were born minutes prior to the blackout and showed extraordinary talent years after. It was impossible for me to see such talent exterminated. Besides I hoped they would make brilliant Scientos. I made a special petition to the Scientos for their exclusion from the execution. They conducted some tests and thought it fit to raise them further. But yes, I alone feel most responsible, and I alone will finish what was meant to be.”

EPISODE 2

The sirens got louder. Incoherent crackles from loudspeakers at a distance. Firis gets stiff with anticipation, a blank look as she stares into space. The sound of a loud explosion shakes her out of her daze; she shifts around impatiently, wondering what her next move will be.

“Timala! Timala! Where’d you go?” she says under her breath. The siren gets louder still. Sounds like it’s probably around the corner of the next street. Two stiff silhouettes block out the only light entering from the other end of the alley. Firis turns, stares. “Kshatriyas! Damn! Not now!” she mumbles. She accidentally kicks over a few cans which were lying around. “Great! How about not drawing attention to yourself, Firis?” The ‘shyas suddenly quicken their pace.

“Excuse me Ma’am…” Firis looks the other way and runs with a sudden burst of movement. “Hey….come back here!!!”

She runs through the alleyways like she knows it like the back of her hand. Suddenly she comes to a halt. She sees a huge battalion of Kshatriyas out on the street. She ducks back into the alley. Waits to listen to the commotion and to catch a few extra breaths. They were rounding up people ordering an evacuation of that section of the city. “The other two seem like a better bet, huh?” She was always used to talking to Timala about everything.

She runs back. “They’re already halfway here. Hmm, they’re fast.” She runs into the first door she finds unlocked. She notices as she enters a man sitting on a table, not too much light. A smoke filled room. “A strange man” she remembers. “Doesn’t get out much, seen him once or twice. Always wondered why he gets out of his house so late at night, so cautiously.” Suddenly she notices the gun in his hand aiming at her head. She ducks immediately. “He could have killed me if he wanted to!”

BANG!! A shot fired followed by three more. She fumbles for a bit and then darts off to the next room looking for an exit of some kind. Through the corner of her eye she notices the guy at the table shot dead. Two in the chest and one in the head. One of the two Kshatriyas was also probably dead too. He seemed to be at least. “Hey you!! Stop!! You are under arrest!” She finally finds an exit and jumps out into the alley. The officer stumbles over his partner’s body, rushes in. “FUCK!!! She got away!”

“Dr Digora, your actions have been viewed by the council, and are seen as hasty. We have called you here to this meeting to review your order.”

“Scientos of the High Council, We are at war and a war demands immediate action. The creation had spoken and I had to act immediately!”

“The Council sees your actions to be clouded by your closeness to the 2 rebels. To evacuate a whole section of the city, just to catch 2 rebels seems ludicrous. Not to mention dispatching ten Nimosas. We have hereby decided that none of the Scientos will have direct authorization to execute orders. A majority vote will be taken on all decisions by the Scientos of the High Council.”

“I fail to understand the efficiency of such a law. I recognized the situation and acted upon it accordingly. Mangala and Pembe are powerful, I have seen them taking down smaller creations with their own hands. The evacuation was done for the safety of the ‘shyas.”

“We know Dr. Digora. Do not underestimate the awareness of the high council. We know everything. We are the real children of the creation. Don’t forget your place, doctor. Now leave. Send word to call off the evacuation.”

“Yes, High Council. But most of the city has already been evacuated. Should we send them back?”

“Let us not waste any more resources on these Shudras. They have always been parasites in our society. We will take up their cause again once the problem at hand is solved.”

“As you wish, High Council. What of the Nimosas?”

“What of the Nimosas?”

“We can’t send in Nimosas into a section full of ‘shyas. They will be destroyed.”

“The northern side has been plagued with the disease of inefficiency and corruption for some time now. It has come to our knowledge that many Jibons and spies reside in this section. One has to often start anew in order the fix the mistakes made earlier. A few lives for a million hardly make a difference. Besides, these Shudras kill each other for something or the other everyday.

Now go and finish what you started.”

“Yes, high council”

She waited till the noise died down. She could slowly hear the sirens fade. She cautiously went back towards the house. Checked around and slowly walked towards the man.

“You could’ve killed me…but you didn’t, and I’ll never know why. Maybe you were waiting for them.”

She searched for his wallet; she took out the Id plate. And put the wallet back.

“Thank you Innah Jaan.”

Suddenly Timala jumps onto the table. Firis gets startled for an instant.

“Timala. I thought they took you away. I thought that they would take me away too. But Innah Jan saved me. In fact he saved us both!”

She picked up Innah Jaan and laid him down on his bed.

“Curiosity killed the cat”

Firis jumped. A man walked in through the door.

“Oh shit.”

“I knew you’d come back here. Now you’re in deep.”

“Well…I came to…”

A loud hum filled the room. Then a deafening silence fell for a few seconds.

They both felt the heaviness of the silence and couldn’t move. The roof blew open. A huge machine hovered over them.

“What’s this doing here?”

“What is it?”

“Quick, move underground. NOW!! We have 15 seconds!!”

They ran to the basement. Firis opened a sort of grill.

“Follow me. These tunnels are ancient systems, they run throughout the city. There are openings everywhere.”

“You know them right!”

She looks in, looks up, and looks in again.

“Don’t worry ,you have my word! Fate has us playing on the same side now.”

She looks at him, in his eyes. She’s always had a sense about people. She knew he was serious. “Must be serious.” She said under her breath. She walked into the tunnel.

EPISODE 3

“Brother, let us pray to Jibana so that we may fight bravely and win today.”

“We do not pray brother. Jibana resides in us and so we ask her for nothing. She makes us and does as she pleases. We are gods now, she has made it so.”

“She is in all of us, but I don’t think it’s about that brother. It’s to thank her, so that she may never feel like we’ve forgotten.”

“I will not forget her Mangala. I’m ready to give my life for her. That is my prayer to her. Those who are weak pray. They ask others for things that they cannot have. Are you weak Mangala?”

“Praying is not about weakness or about acquiring things; it’s about opening your mind in order to receive, in order to act. That is all.”

“Do as you wish brother. I will not let these people see me as weak. They have too much faith in us; I will not let them down.

Gather your forces after you’re done and meet me at the rendezvous point. We shall move together from there.”

Mangala smiles, a knowing forgiving smile. His brother walks off. A confident stride. “He’s always ready. I wish I had his confidence. He’s always been strong. But you’ve always helped me through. Thank you Jibana.”

Mangala turns around walks towards the huge tree at the edge of the forest. He bows down before the tree. “Great one of the forest, I humble myself before your power. Take my message to our mother and tell her to protect me as she has protected you. I hope that one day we shall live together with our mother…”

Mangala crouched at the foot of the massive tree. He feels insignificant yet protected by the huge power looming over him. It comforts him. He feels a warmth rush through him.

Silently he waits, concentrates. Smiling he raises his head. “I thank you my brother.” He kisses the roots of the tree. He looks back to find his ‘shyas crouching before the tree behind him. He crouches down again and waits for them to finish their prayers.

Dr Digora puts on his suit. A little backpack and helmet which connects onto his spine directly. He checks the suit. He clenches his fist, in a split second many thousands of fibres shoot out of his back and shoulder and completely envelope his arm, forming an exterior muscle structure. In a split second it shoots back in again.

“Still got it. Like riding a bicycle.” He smiles. He takes a look at his room. He checks if everything is in its place. He always checked before he went anywhere. That way he could always tell if someone’s been in there, even if they were really careful. He’s been a bit extra careful since the incident concerning Mangala and Pembe. He has been under a lot of scrutiny since. As he is about to walk out of his room Dr. Gulfaaz walks in.

“Dr Digora, I heard about your meeting with the high council. Thank god it wasn’t too ser…er…”

Gulfaaz notices the helmet under Digora's arm and stops.

“Gulfaaz I need to go. Don’t tell anyone about where I am.”

“But sir…what…why? I don’t understand.”

“Remember I told you to send out Nimosas and evacuate the north side. I was ordered to call off the evacuation directly but the Nimosas…

I will not stand and watch innocent people die so that a few rebels and jibons can be eradicated.”

“You can’t save all those people alone?”

“I can save some. I cannot bear the burden of anymore guilt. I cannot let it pass.”

“But sir…what about the new law that was put to motion.”

“The way I see it, I'm not giving out any orders that need the authorization of the high council. I’m acting on my own free will. I trust you Gulfaaz.”

“But they will find out anyway”

“I can face the consequences later but I cannot sit and wait for an answer. I need to do this.”

Digora and Gulfaaz leave the room.

“I wish you well sir. I hope you find peace”

“You too Gulfaaz. You too.”

Digora runs off down the corridor and disappears around the bend.

“What is that thing?”

“He is Timala and HE is a cat.”

“You’re not allowed to keep these creatures.”

“I don’t think you are in any position to tell us what to do. Besides Timala knows these passages better than anyone else.”

“You mean we’re following that? I thought you knew where we were going.”

Timala suddenly stops. Starts to lick his paws as if suddenly disinterested in what he was doing earlier. “Oh Timala. Don’t feel bad. He doesn’t know anything. He’s ignorant. Don’t be offended by what he says”

“And now you’re talking to it? What do you mean ignorant? I’m a bloody Kshatriya; you don’t become a Kshatriya just like that you know.”

“I’m sorry Timala. Forgive him. He’s a kshatriya.”

Timala gets up meows twice, hisses at the Kshatriya and starts walking.

“Hey he actually understood. Wow. I’m sorry.”

“Of course he understood. Timala is a lot smarter than most of us.”

“I wish my map worked underground.” he said under his breath.

“Oh by the way I’m Firis. And this is of course Timala.”

“I’m Kaulatta, tenth troop second squad, local section, north side.”

Firis sniggers “that’s it?”

“Er…sorry. Kaulatta. Just Kaulatta.”

“Kaulatta, welcome to our world.”

Colonel Mashihori runs toward the oncoming force. He crisscrosses behind the buildings making sure that he is not seen. His bot suit gives him enough speed and agility, at least the amount he can creatively conjure up or handle. He climbs up to the terrace of a building to check out the scene for himself.

“Hmm…”

No sooner had he climbed down from the building than there was a Kshatriya standing in front of him. Strangely he was alone.

“Ah….I found you. I saw you running about from far. Thought I’d come and see who was snooping around. But I have to say you’re very brave if you think you could’ve penetrated our forces all alone. Foolish but brave.”

“You’re the one who’s a fool to have come here all alone.”

“Really! Hehe. Who may I know dares to speak so boldly?”

“Uzuka Mashihori. Colonel of the fifth battalion.”

“Mashihori…Mashihori. Why does it sound so familiar? Well, no mater, it will all end very soon”

Immediately the Kshatriya releases a blow towards Mashihori. He slides and dodges. A second third forth and a fifth follow in rapid succession. Mashihori, nimble on his feet, evades the onslaught. With a powerful jump, Mashihori jumps to the roof of the building. On his way up he fires several arrows towards the Kshatriya. Dust rises from the ground as the rain of arrows falls over the Kshatriya. The dust clears and he’s not there.

“Impossible!”

Mashihori sees movement beside him through the corner of his eye. A split second, but it's too late. A hard blow to his back, he plummets down the 13 storey building. Mashihori lies on his back, the sun in his eyes. He sees the Kshatriya jump off the building toward him. The Kshatriya’s hand changes to a sword and he’s ready to deliver the final blow.

“Damn”

Mashihori raises his arm. Suddenly the Kshatriya’s suit retracts and he falls to the ground. Mashihori gets up. Retracts his suit, stands over the broken Kshatriya.

“What did you do?” a low mumble.

“Oh you should consider yourself lucky you’re still alive. After a fall like that.”

”What did you do?”

“You fought well warrior.”

Mashihori turns around and is walking away.

“The fight is not over yet old man. I can still move. Where are you going?”

“It's over. Consider yourself lucky I let you go. Don’t push your luck.”

“The battlefield is the wrong place to show compassion old man. You either kill your enemy or are killed. Come back and kill me if you can.”

“I have no time for this foolishness.”

“I get it. You feel more powerful now, don’t you. You feel you have done a great deed in letting me live, in showing me mercy. You feel like a god with the power of life and death. But remember we have no place in the land of gods.”

“You should not speak so boldly, boy. Be grateful for what you have been given. It’s not time for you to die.”

“Come back here! COME BACK AND FINISH YOUR FIGHT!! COME BACK!”

Mashihori walks away.

EPISODE 4

Timala, Firis and Kaulatta walk further on through the tunnels. A shudra spots them. Scared, seeing the Kshatriya there, runs back. A group of Shudras congregate at the crossings of a tunnel. They look at the Kshatriya and slowly advance toward him. He senses a threat and instinctively reacts. He kills them all. Firis gets agitated as she sees this. His earlier warm exterior suddenly turns cold and ruthless. Kaulatta turns cold. It’s what he is trained for. It’s what he does best. It is what he was made for. His opinion of the Shudras was always low. He believes that the Shudras are lazy and a dirty lot. He blames them for their own plight. However hard the society has tried to help them they never get any better. He feels that they deserve to be low. He used to be a shudra once. But he worked hard to move up. He believes that anyone can do what he did; it’s just that they must want it bad enough. He used to work for a scientos, Dr. Mirwa who slowly patiently trained him in meditation and other forms of concentration. Dr Mirwa saw the instinctive skill the boy possessed to pick up things fast and his eagerness to learn. Since then he’s been slowly moving up the class ladder. He joined the Kshatriya forces when he was 16. Now he’s one of the top kshatriyas. He’s now eagerly waiting to give the scientos exam, which he’s been training for a long time.

Firis lived in a whole family once. She grew up not in the most comfortable of situations but her family taught her to live happily with little. Street smart, quick, patient, emotional, attached. She had seen her parents being killed by the kshatriyas, when she was only 12. But she felt no spite. She never felt like death was the end, she believed that her parents were probably in a better life now. But this scene shook her belief; she relived the brutality she had seen earlier. She felt the loss, the pain, the anger, but this time it was multiplied ten fold. She was no longer a child, no longer innocent, no longer full of stories that made all things look better. No longer could she dream. No longer did she have faith. But she quietly held it all in.

Pembe was always the stronger of the two. He had learnt the methods of the kshatriyas. Under the guidance of Dr. Digora, Pembe was always the better student, while Mangala was always the better son. Mangala believed in intuition. He believed that all that has to be learnt could be learnt from everything that surrounds one. Knowledge is not for a select group. Both Mangala and Pembe saw the hierarchy and monopoly of the kshatriyas and how they had by force suppressed the other classes causing huge disparity between the classes. Their rebellious nature had slowly taken them to the other side of the fence. Being in the core of the system they had seen many executions, exterminations, instances of corruption and greed, by the upper classes of society. They had seen how the lower classes are played in their weakness. They had tried to resolve it internally but they were seen as a threat and made enemies of the state. The final blow came to them when the state also falsely accused them of many crimes and murders that they had not committed. As they would put it “fate wants us to fight this war”, although they might not want to. Their reason for fighting is life, which they believe is lost in the efficiency that all the Manushya strive for. They fight against the corruption and injustice the center has started to signify now.

Pembe is a ruthless fighter. His head was strong and focused. He showed no weakness. Mangala fights because he has to. He never intends to kill, he tries not to. He never uses weapons or technology. He believes in using his body and mind solely. Pembe sees his brother as weak and too ideal. He often tells his brother that his kindness will kill him one day. He tells his brother that in a war there are no friends or family. “Either you kill your enemy or are killed by him. Why waste your emotions on lifeless souls.”

Mangala and Pembe enter the city with their forces. They are attacked heavily by the Nimosas. They gather heavy losses but they manage to destroy a few. Mangala and Pembe are separated during the fight.

Mangala meets a Kshatriya.

Mangala stands in the dust of the broken buildings. The Kshatriya stands, hesitates and charges at Mangala. Mangala moves, lightning, he’s behind the Kshatriya. He tries to take control of his suit. But feels the huge energy field the Kshatriya was radiating. “That’s not going to work.” In a flash the Kshatriya reacts. Mangala backs off for a second look “that’s not going to work boy.” He realizes that the Kshatriya was no mere warrior but a man of great power and resolve. “It’s not going to work.” The voice in his head repeats. “I know all about you.” He suddenly realizes that the Kshatriya was telepathically talking got him and that the voice was not merely playing in his head. “You are very powerful after all” says Mangala. “It would be an honor to fight you” Raging battle breaks out between them. Never is a blow struck in deception. Both men fight with dignity. Mangala finally defeats the Kshatriya. But leaves him alive. “I was honored to fight you Kshatriya. Your mind is strong and just. I am Mangala and I am pleased to have met with you.” The Kshatriya takes off his helmet and Mangala realizes it was Dr Digora. “Father! Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I wanted to see Mangala, not my son. I realize today that you have always been true and virtuous. You could never be the monster they accuse to be. Why don’t you come back my son? Why don’t both of you come back and we can sort everything out.”

“My choices are not for me to make father. I have been put to this task by destiny herself. I’m merely a thread in this intricately woven cloth called life. My place is here, and I must meet it.”

“So be it. Do not be angry with me my son. Being a scientos I also have to act a certain way. I do not wish to fight you, but you are right, destiny is ironically against us.” Meanwhile a Nimosa attacks them. They suddenly start working together as a team and destroy the machine. As parting words Mangala tells his father that he understands his father’s dilemma and decision. His father tells him that he is proud of his sons. The only thing in his life that has satisfied him was raising them as his sons.

Pembe is meanwhile fighting off another Nimosa on the other wing.

Firis and Kaulatta soon part ways. Firis is left stirred. As days pass she slowly starts to break down. Her emotions release a sort of energy in her she had never before felt. She also starts hearing voices in her head. They tell her things she has never heard before. In time she realizes the voice is actually her cat. She becomes stronger as she hones in on these energies. Her anger gives her focus and direction. She starts to fully communicate telepathically with her cat. She can also read people's minds easily. Her cat becomes her guru and feeds her full with hatred for the shyas. She slowly learns to harness the energies of nature as told by her cat.

One day she encounters a group of shyas who are ruthlessly searching the city for rebels. One of them is Kaulatta. He tells her to trust him and that he would help her. She is standing calmly but she sees one of the Kshatriyas holding Timala in his hands. He looks limp. As Kaulatta is about to tell his fellow kshatriyas that she is not a threat, she grabs the one who has Timala and snaps his neck. She jumps around and fights them off with the agility of a cat injuring and killing most of them. She is overwhelmed by their great numbers and is shortly captured. Kaulatta tells her that she will not be able to get away now. She is really in deep. But tries to talk to her and understand why she acted in that manner. She stays silent.

The years in captivity, Kaulatta slowly gets to know Firis better. She accepts that she will be soon executed and opens up to the only company she has in prison. Hearing her stories Kaulatta starts to grow fond of Firis. His point of view of the Shudras goes through a major change. He starts to empathize more. He starts to feel. Kaulatta hopes that if he helps Firis get out of prison that she would probably fall in love with him for saving her life. So he helps Firis escape but he doesn’t receive the appreciation he had hoped for. Firis calmly and composed almost as if she was already ready for death shows no such appreciation. She takes it as a second chance to seek what she truly desired, revenge. She wanted to have nothing to do with the kshatriyas. She even acted distant with Kaulatta once she was out.

Firis had found information about the camps of the Jibons on the outskirts, from the other inmates. She was itching to go and find this place since she learnt that they believed in a similar force as to what she learnt from Timala. Firis soon finds the place where she had heard the Jibons were camping. But she did not realize that Kaulatta had been following her. His love for her still lingered, but had now turned more to a black obsession. He hoped to find out what she actually wanted and win her over. When he saw her going to the Jibon camp he knew Firis had now become one of the enemies. But deep inside, he still longed for her.

As time passed Firis learnt how to control her powers under the guidance of Mangala and Pembe. She became more close to Mangala over time. She felt a real connection with him. She felt like Timala was somewhere inside him, he seemed to say the same things as Timala. She liked the warm, comfortable, familiar feeling.

Kaulatta who had now learnt of Firis’s love, turned bitter. His love turned completely black and it swallowed him whole. In spite he informed the scientos of the position of the Jibon camps. He also made plan with the scientos to attack the camp at night since it was forbidden for any shyas to fight at night. They believed that if people fought at night, not only will you have to fight your enemy but all the spirits that awakened at this hour. The scientos were obviously men of science and had left this tradition far behind. They only saw an upper hand in attacking with such deception. Kaulatta also makes it to the post of a scientos because of this. And his childhood wish is fulfilled.

Meanwhile, deeply involved with this new relationship, Mangala grew distant to his duties as a commander; he grew distant from his brother. Pembe grew more and more impatient with them. Pembe felt that his brother, who was always weak, was now completely destroyed by this woman. He felt that his real brother had been stolen away from not only him but from the futures of their people as well. This angered him even more.

The final battle takes place, when one night, because of Kaulatta's planning, the whole Kshatriya army attacks the Jibon camp by surprise. Traditionally no one fought at night so an attack at that time was unexpected. There is a final battle between Mangala and Kaulatta. Digora who was sneaking into the camp earlier to warn Mangala gets detected and has to fight off many Jibons. Finally he has a face off with Pembe who ruthlessly kills his. Although Pembe knew of his father's identity he spares no one. His fury is tenfold as is his power. He feels he has to compensate for the loss brought upon them by his brother. Firis fights many kshatriyas all alone. After a while she is overpowered by the sheer number and she is beaten almost lifeless. Mangala comes to her rescue but also suffers a lot of damage. As they lie together waiting for death, hardly able to move, Firis looks into Mangala’s eyes. Their last look at each other - they confess their love for each other. The battle rages on around them and about 10 kshatriyas charge toward them to finish them off. But between them time slowed down as they stared. The noise was silenced and they were lost in each other. They closed their eyes and moved toward one another. They were ready to die together. They kissed. Suddenly time sped up again and a huge energy blast radiated from Mangala and Firis. All the kshatriyas in a hundred meter radius around them were crushed in their suits. All machines for a mile around dropped dead and lifeless. There was stillness. As if the energy form within them had blasted everything away. Their souls, their energies, had united, releasing an energy much greater than that any 'shya had ever felt or imagined. The battle was now over. The kshatriyas were retreating. Mangala and Firis lay, still kissing, their eyes still closed. Believing they were dead.

Days later Mangala decides to quit the war. He sees the destruction. He sees the pain, the suffering. He learns of his father’s death and it saddens him more that his father was killed by Pembe. He decides he can’t fight anymore. He asks Firis to come along, but her thirst for revenge wasn’t quenched. In fact once she had the taste she just wanted more. She was addicted. Mangala was disturbed by this side of Firis. Although he still loved her, they soon parted ways.

Pembe is alarmed by his brother’s decision. After the deception by the scientos he was even more full of hatred. He could not understand how Mangala could feel like letting them go like this. Even Firis is alarmed. They try and convince him to stay but cannot. His mind is too restless and he feels like there is another way.

Mangala leaves the war.

EPISODE 5

Firis, now addicted to warfare, soon started to command her own troops. Pembe who saw her earlier as weak now saw her in new light. Her powers had increased ten fold since she had joined. There was certain insanity in her eyes, the thirst for blood. A wicked smile before she unleashed herself onto her enemies. Pembe now noticed her more than before. But he had no room in his heart for love, nor did she. They saw each other as comrades, as shadows as reflections of each other. In fighting no one had seen such fury as theirs. The kshatriyas were falling. The scientos grew weak.

Mangala watched the broken city from top of the mountain. "What is all this? Jibana? You’ve protected me for so long? What should I do? I feel I have deceived my brother, but I cannot kill anymore. I cannot go on with this fighting? We’ll destroy everything and then what?" Mangala sat under the huge tree praying to Jibana for days. The same questions, the same doubts, but no answers. He sat for days for weeks. His body growing thinner. His mind growing more faint.

The scientos were almost powerless now. The creation had lost many followers, lost knowledge. They were no match for the powers of the Jibons. Never had the shyas seen such raw natural power. All their life they had been taught to use these devices to help them. Now a few were taking on a thousand, and without this technology. The whole world was turning upside down, the arrogance of the scientos; brought their destruction, their greed, lust for power was their end. Large number of people started to join the Jibon forces. Most of them were shudras, a few vaishyas, some kshatriyas, and even one scientos.

Dr Mirva, Kaulatta former trainer and father had seen this tide of war changing. He never felt completely tied down to the laws of the society anyway. Firis was weary of the scientos. She had hated all upper castes. She knew how they played their parts to keep things as they were. She knew how they had all killed her parents.

Dr Mirva knew Firis from before though. He had worked with her father on developing telepathic devices. The project was killed by the scientos of the high council. They saw such a device as a threat to the hierarchy of language and knowledge that had been created. Making such a device would mean that all people had access to all ideas and the shyas would become a collective consciousness. The center threatened them and asked them to forget about the project. Firis’s father however had never confined to the laws of the scientos fully. He quit his job as a scientos and started to live in a family structure in the city. Slowly he further researched on the development of the device on his own. He slowly became an active part of the Jibons. Dr. Mirva helped him get access to inside technology and information. They were almost like brothers on two sides of the fence. He started to become closer to Firis. He became like a father to her. He told her stories of her father that she never knew. She found out about everything about her father’s past. She felt a real loss. Her anger turned to sadness. Slowly she became a child once again.

Kaulatta had also later joined the forces of the Jibons. His intentions though had not changed yet. He slowly learnt the hierarchies of the Jibon forces. He learnt their strategies. Slowly he poisoned the structure. He knew Mangala was too powerful to fight, so he became extremely close to him and poisoned his thoughts. He worked like smartly patiently working away at the bottom.

The Jibons crumbled away. The war was over. Slowly and painfully the Jibons lost their glory.

Mangala who had left the war years earlier had now traveled and met many people. He had shown many people how to harness the natural energies present around them. He showed them a path of co existence with nature. He empowered the underprivileged people with a way of life, with knowledge that was all around them. Mangala meditated for and conversed to get answers of many things that his mind was filled with. He tried many times to clear his mind of all his thoughts. One night he had a dream where Jibana presented herself to him in the form of a creature made of many animals and the texture of the bark of a tree. She spoke to him without opening her mouth, as if she were in his head. She told him to give himself up to her. To go into the forest and learn from her. She told him to trust her and not be afraid, not even of death. And then he died, as if she had sucked out his soul. All things around him turned white as he floated off. He felt light, he felt alive, yet he knew he was dead. He felt nothing but felt consumed. His mind clear and cleaned of all thoughts all attachments. He woke up that morning feeling fresh, feeling alive, as if he had been born again. He knew what he had to do. He left in search for the forest she had shown him.

In time Jibana showed Mangala many truths of life. He started to consciously empty his mind. One day as he was meditating, Mangala managed to empty his mind of all thoughts. Suddenly, boom, he gained enlightenment. Thoughts and feelings flowed out of the emptiness of his mind, creating constellations, planets, stars. He stumbled upon the unifying equation of all things around him, of all life. He traveled through his universe and started to mold them and play with them. He scattered a part of his soul all over the universe. Wherever they touched land, life was formed. He spent many days in mediation overseeing the formation of his universe. When he awakened from his trance he saw many creatures sitting around him. His soul was glowing from a new power. He was now a creator of a Universe. He was now a supplier of souls. The animals felt his warmth and resolve and gathered around him. It was like a low hum, a vibration that massaged their souls. Through him parts of their souls were being transferred to this universe. One planet in particular attracted the most souls. It was called earth.

Mangala leaves the forest. He heads to the city to tell the people of what he had learnt. He wants to tell his brother, he wants to tell Firis.

When Mangala get there he sees the city in ruins. The war seemed to be over but there was destruction everywhere. Homeless people roaming around, helpless, destroyed. People wounded, people, sick, without food or water they helplessly just waited. Kshatriyas were patrolling trying to keep people in check. Arresting anyone, who showed even the slightest signs of disobedience. Many were voluntarily getting arrested since they had nowhere else to go. Mangala was saddened to see this. He calmly walked about walking past the people helping whoever he could. The kshatriyas didn’t recognize him. Everyone was just awed at his presence. He seemed to be glowing. People started to get up and follow him. The kshatriyas watched as if something had taken over their bodies, they couldn’t react, they just stood and watched. He walked all around the edges of the city, gathering people as he walked. He finally sat down under the huge tree at the northern edge of the city. He started to tell people everything he had learnt.

Mangala and Pembe met on the edges of the forest. Pembe was happy to see him but blamed Mangala for their defeat in the war. Firis was overjoyed to see Mangala.

Mangala and Pembe become close once again. As Pembe sees more power and resolve in his brother he starts to learn from him. Mangala now has a large number of disciples. He also trains Firis and Pembe in the art of concentrating and plugging into natures energies. Pembe is still not satisfied as he sees his brother is still more powerful than him, after years of him being the stronger one he cannot stand being second in line. He asks his brother about everything. Mangala tells Pembe of earth and how he created it. Pembe is curious to see it and so Mangala takes his brother along with him onto earth. After that Mangala and Pembe visit earth again many times. Pembe learns the trick of going to earth. He is jealous of his brother’s creation. He realizes that Mangala had not yet created a creature like himself on earth. He thinks it is his duty to create such a creature so he disperses his soul over earth. But his soul is tainted with greed, and an insatiable thirst for power, and so man is born.

Mangala is furious by this act of plebe’s he had wanted his universe to be perfect in every way. He asked Pembe to leave. He started to visit earth many times after that, as many learned and great men in order to hold in mans greed and make him the guardian of the planet. But Pembe killed his brother. Pembe felt humiliated, ashamed, deceived by his brother. He felt that Mangala had gone against the prophecies, letting down thousands of shyas and Jibana herself. He saw Mangala as cunning, sly and self centered. So he felt it unjust for such a man to possess such great power.

As soon as Mangala dies his soul explodes and scatters over the people around him. Pembe who was closest to him attains most of his brother’s powers.

Pembe slowly starts to learn his brother’s ways and attains ultimate power. He single handedly attacks the centre once again. Defeat was not an option for him. He felt he had lost everything and now he was ready to lose himself as well. He manages to penetrate through most of the centre and destroys most of the kshatriyas single handedly. He finally enters the room of the scientos of the high council and destroys the chambers in which the highest scientos are kept constantly connected to the centre. As soon as he does this he realizes that the scientos were already dead and were being used by the creation as puppets to control the shyas. All the shyas believed that they were their own masters but the masters were their creations. He is shocked. All his anger of the shyas disappeared. He had spent so much time cutting the puppets fighting them, killing them. He felt confused. All that he focused toward was false. All that he believed was false. All his anger was false. His bother, his father, they were all dead, because of him. In fighting the lifelessness he too had become lifeless. He started to break down. His brother’s teachings rushed back to him. Without knowing the truth, his brother spoke of it. He used to think of it his brothers weakness, to feel for another, but that was what set shyas apart from their creations. And now he had become one of the creations. He was the enemy that he was fighting all the while. An uncontrollable energy radiated from him. He could not feel. Then an explosion. The creation was obliterated. The city centre with it. A shockwave traveled through the city destroying everything. He couldn’t control it. He collapsed on his knees as it ended. The city was dead. It was over. Pembe wanted to see the beauty of earth one last time before he died. He concentrated. As he died his soul mixed in with Mangala’s and created a perfectly balanced soul. A perfect being was born on earth at the time. A perfect mixture of Mangala and Pembe. The last one sent to cleanse the earth of humanities greed. He was known as Kalki.

(THE END)