Chapter 137 - Curses

Oman let out a long sigh. There was no way the boy could counter this curse. Of all the curses, Stambhan was hard to break, even if the caster was just a novice apprentice. Unlike other curses, stambhan attacked the opponent's brain. It froze his thoughts, bewildered his wits, stilled his mind, and thus it paralyzed his whole body, rendering him into a living statue. A wielder under this curse couldn't even recall who he was, let alone remember all the spirit- paths he needed to break free of the evil spell. 

Was this a divine will? Would the tree of Inna's lineage finally dry away? The lord of Minaak wondered. A cold sensation surged into his veins. His mighty hands, which had severed thousands of Moriyans' heads, quivered. Since he had greeted the Atlantians into the city, he had been having these ominous signs.

Yesterday Oman had sent the messenger bird to the stone-eyed asking his vision of these strange signs. And the reply, like always, had left him confused. He doubted even the old priest himself could decipher the convoluted verse. Oman contemplated the message...

"After eons, once again,

The city of the sun will have a bath in the blood rain.

In the sanctum of Father, apsaras will sing.

Death of Mother will give speechless ones their king.

The house of Inna will shut its door.

Sons will recall what they once swore.

The secret of the virgin will unfold.

The last fruit of Khal will cross the forbidden threshold.

The sky will cry, the wind will moan.

By the water's women, scions of Manu will be drown'd.

Unchaste will pity the chaste,

Varuna will run into a sinister trap.

O sons of Mazia, Hark! An eternal night is upon us.

A long night is upon us,

A dawnless night is upon us.

O, Mother! What you have done!."

Once again, Oman's shoulders twitched. A drop appeared on his broad forehead. The lord of Minaak again found himself to make out the coded or to speak precisely; he didn't dare to decode the verses.

Oman circulated spirit to shake off the chilly and fixed his eyes on the battle. 

********

Under the powerful curse, Ishit's brain froze, and so did spirit in nadis. It was a strange state. Ishit became a watcher, watching everything with no shred of emotions and worry. He couldn't feel anything, not even his existence as you do in the thoughtless yogic state. 

As per the arena codes, the announcer waited for five breaths -long time, to see If Ishit could break out of the evil spell. Time ticked away. Al-Drum didn't do anything further, nor it was needed. Moreover, the arena codes didn't allow him to attack a defenseless opponent. 

They said before Aslan, Stambhan curse was a forbidden curse during sparring matches. As it left adverse effects on the wielder's consciousness if he couldn't break out of the spell within a few breaths. Some were very serious like the curse made the victim vulnerable to mental attack or such evil curses. 

Aslan, who was a lover of arenas, legalized it. But when some unfortunate incidents occurred, he modified the arena codes. 

And according to these modified codes, 

If the victim was able to break free of the spell within ten breaths, he would be given a second chance to spar with his opponent. And if he couldn't, the caster would-be winner.

A silly rule, if you asked a man, but it was not the only one. 

In the audience, Karna sneered. 

"What a pity! Now I won't be able to make him lick the dust. " 

"Ya! After hearing the smithy friend of yours, I thought he would be powerful. He can't even break out of a low-grade Stambhana's spell." chimed in one of his Atlantian friends. They, along with their guardians, had come here to find something in Nimarawood. As for what, the boys had refused to divulge to their host. Karna didn't press them. He didn't want to offend them.

Though they were of his age and shared the same house in the Royal Academy,  their status was such that Karna could only lick their boots and hope this trip went without a hitch. 

The boy with shoulder-length hair was Turstin, and the other with an arched nose was Thale. They both came from two powerful noble families of Atlantia. This could be easily guessed by the cultivation of their guardians. Both middle-aged men were of master rank spirit wielders. 

"He is just someone I saved from an embarrassing situation in my childhood. He is not my friend." Karna replied, 

"You mean the boy you pulled out of the gutter?" asked Turstin. 

"Ya! The same one. But please don't embarrass him by reminding the disgraceful incident." Karna replied. 

"Haha, I won't!" said Turstin. 

"So, have you two found what you were looking for?" Karna asked. 

"No! But don't worry. I trust Sorren and Castor; they will soon find it. " replied Thale, hurriedly as if afraid chatty Turstin would reveal something.

*****

When Ishit didn't show any sign of breaking free of the stambhan, Karuvaki's face turned grim. Was the annoying boy really going to be defeated in his second match? 

It had already been five breaths, and if Ishit didn't break out of the curse soon. Al-Drum would be declared the winner. She didn't know why her heart was growing heavier. It was not she liked this arrogant cousin of her. He didn't even thank her for waking him. She reminded herself to feel angry and displeased with the boy. But for some reason, all she felt was nervousness and unease. What would he do if he hadn't won the match? No academy would take him in, at least not a good one. Karuvaki was in the middle of contemplation when something occurred in the arena. 

Suddenly, Al-Drum, who was just staring at Ishit, coughed up a mouth of blood. His face turned pale with dread.

Before the dumbfounded crowd, Ishit moved. His eyes were bloodshot red, and his face flushed. 

He glared at Al-Drum as a lion looked at its prey. 

"Please save me, master. " howled the mighty Al-Drum as he fled out of the arena. However, before he could even step out of the shield. Ishit's enlarged arm grabbed him by the neck as a butcher grabbed a cock before wrying its neck. 

Nobody had any clue about what had transpired in the arena that had turned the table. Baffled at the bizarre scene, they watched as Ishit thundered and with him boomed sky. People felt as if heaven had wanted to come down. The air stilled. Up in the sky, Inna, the lord of the day, cowered.

"Tell me who gave you Ismrit-dasyu."

It was not Ishit's voice, for the voice had no emotion save the soul freezing cold of Oymyakon. 

All the judges, Sakuni, Oman, and other master wielders stood up. They looked at each other.

The crowd gasped as people broke out into uproar. What was Ismrit-Dasyu? An advanced and one of the rarest treasures forged by werehyena. Another name of Ismrit Dasyu was 'memory stealer'. No wonder Al-Drum cast the stambhan curse first. He wanted to steal his opponent's memory. 

Keepers rushed towards the arena. 

"Please save me! He will kill me." All Al-Drum did was scream for his life. 

"No one will be able to save you, today." Ishit tightened his grip, choking the screams of Al-Drum. 

"No! Don't you dare to kill him, lad" A voice boomed out from the audience. And a man flew up. in the air. He flicked his finger and the shield covering the arena shattered. He had worn tattered clothes.  His unkempt messy hair was dusty as if he hadn't taken a bath for eons. His eyes were green and sharp like an eagle. The air of wilderness around him was clear as day. In a stride, the man was in the arena. 

"Master...Save me!" gurgled Al-Drum. His eyes were bulging out of the sockets. 

"Let go of him, Boy." commanded the man. His fearless eyes fixed at Ishit. 

"How dare you to break the arena rules?" Keepers circled him, their mighty Astras in their hands. "Surrender yourself!" But the man didn't pay them any heed. 

"And who you're to command me, Sir," Ishit asked, without loosening his grip. 

"Someone you human can't afford to offend. Now Let go of him, and I won't ask you to return the treasure."  the man replied unfazed by the fact that other master wielders had appeared, too. 

"May I know whom I Tissa can't afford to offend?" It was Tissa who chimed in first. Sakuni shook his head but said nothing. His sharp eyes scrutinized the uncouth man. 

"Boy, go and suck Moremi's tits for a few more years. Then you might be worthy to know my name." replied the green-eyed man. "So lad,..." he looked at Ishit. 

"Bastard, do you have a death wish?" Tissa's anger burst out. "soldiers, arrest this mother fucker. I want his head."

The keepers didn't dare to disobey the royal prince. They attacked together. While Oman, who hadn't uttered a single word so far, kept standing motionless holding Padma's hand.