06-04-2026, 08:27 PM
Nine days had passed since Chakor arrived at the royal palace. The King had done all the preparation but Chakor firmly said that ritual could only be done on a full moon night. The night had arrived, the sky was clear and radiant with stars. The palace staff had prepared the basement chambers as per the priestess’ instructions. The chamber was vast and cold, the walls lined with black stones that gleamed dully in the torchlight.
In earlier times, this used to be a dungeon used for the most dangerous prisoners. But King Ranvijay's predecessor four generation ago abolished the practice and turned it into a storage for royal artifacts and records collecting dust. Today it was all prepared for the ritual as per as Chakor's instructions. In a wide open space, the alter was prepared, fire burning in the center. The floor was covered with a thick layer of white ash, and around the alter, the bones of sacred animals were arranged in a perfect circle. Various herbs, flowers and other weird ingredients were neatly prepared and kept in baskets.
The royal family, including Maya had gathered here below the palace. King Ranvijay and Queen Amrita stood in center, both standing tall and proud, hiding their inner turmoil really well. Beside them, the pregnant Queen Kaveri, their eldest child, stood beside Maya. Both the princess were dbangd in finest of saris and jewellery but their faces showed signs of anxiety. Maya was skeptical about all this yet her curiosity had brought her here.
There were no royal guards present. Just the royal family and priestess Chakor. Chakor walked and took a seat in middle of the circle by the fire. She looked like she was in deep meditation or in a trance, ready to begin any moment. Maya felt a chill run down her back as she watched the flames flicker in the circle. The entire atmosphere was eerie and she could feel her skin prickle with goosebumps.
Chakor closed her eyes and started chanting mantra's in an ancient language no one understood. The words were harsh on the ears, almost guttural in their sound. Maya felt a wave of discomfort wash over her. Chakor picked a dead rat from the basket nearby and slit its belly and let its blood fall into the fire. The flamed hissed and suddenly extinguished. Then Chakor threw some powder into the extinguished embers and then the fire roared again, this time with a terrifying red flame.
A collective gasp escaped the royal family. Maya's eyes widened. The flames were unnaturally bright, casting long shadows that seemed to move on their own. Kaveri instinctively took a step back, her hand instinctively moving to protect her swollen belly.
Then after a while Chakor opened her eyes and her pupils were completely gone. The white of her eyes had disappeared again and turned blue. When Maya's eyes met hers, Maya could feel this strange feeling as if she could see the visions that were never there. She saw a strikingly beautiful young girl standing by a window in palace, then few kids playing in the royal gardens, a tough man fighting against enemy battalion and then a woman being crowned with the royal crown. These scenes were flashing so quick that within moments she saw these images like fireworks in her eyes. She shook her head and blinked rapidly trying to make these visions go away.
Chakor's voice cut through her thoughts, "I need silence now, Maya. If you don't respect the ritual with your mind, it will affect all of us."
Maya wanted to snap back, to tell this woman she had no right to speak to her like that. But something stopped her. A strange power in Chakor's voice that made her feel as if her words were binding her like invisible chains. Maya swallowed hard and nodded despite herself.
Chakor lifted her fingers and pointed at Kaveri. "Come here child. Sit by the fire. Before we proceed, I need to get rid of it" she said pointing at Kaveri's belly.
Kaveri clutched her belly with motherly instinct. "You want to get rid of my baby? I can't allow that" she said in a firm voice despite being terrified. "Not your unborn child, but the darkness residing within your womb"
Chakor said with a voice that was too calm. Kaveri’s fingers tightened around her belly, her knuckles turning white. "You mean the thing that appeared the other night?" Maya asked, her voice sharp. "The thing that made her belly turn green?"
Chakor’s gaze flicked to Maya, her blue eyes unblinking. "Yes. It is a fragment of the curse. My cleansing ritual will get rid of it. It is necessary before I try to find the root cause of the curse returning."
Chakor's voice was low, deliberate, like she was speaking to herself more than anyone else. She reached into the basket beside her and pulled out a small clay pot. She took a fistful of powder from inside and threw it into the flame. The flame grew larger, this time turning into the colour green. Kaveri threw herself back in terror, her hands pushing in front of her belly. Chakor began reciting ancient mantras again. She picked up a dagger and slit her hand , letting the blood drip into the green fire. The flames rose higher, twisting like living serpents.
The flame had grown bigger but the temperature in the room dropped significantly. Chakor opened her eyes again and stood up. She shifted her gaze on Kaveri's belly and muttered something under her breath. The smoke from the fire rose and circled over Kaveri's head. The smoke began to took shape of a snake. Chakor raised her hand in the air and began pulling an invisible thread. With one simple tug, Kaveri was pulled forward as if there was actually a thread attached to her and in hands of Chakor.
Maya could see Chakor's face struggling and now covered in sweat. She now began using both her hands pulling something invisible. Kaveri's body started jerking and her belly began to swell. The green glow beneath her skin intensified as she let out a choked scream. The invisible force seemed to be pulling something out from within her. Maya watched horrified as Kaveri fell completely on the floor and began twisting in deep agony. Her fingers cramped into claws and her mouth opened in a silent scream. Her eyes were open so wide that it seemed like they would fall off any moment.
"STOP!!" Maya cried. "Can't you see she is in pain? You will kill her." Maya tried to move forward to stop Chakor but both King and Queen held her back tightly. Maya struggled in their grip, her eyes locked on Kaveri's trembling body. The green glow inside her sister's stomach was spreading, the outline of the unborn child clearly visible beneath the stretched skin.
Kaveri's body started rising from the floor and her body stopped about two feet above the ground. It was a truly horrifying sight. Her hair and her limbs dangled from her body like dead branches in a storm. Kaveri’s back arched unnaturally, her spine curving like a drawn bow. Her mouth was wide open, her tongue sticking out. Her sari had completely blown away and she was only in her blouse and petticoat(skirt). Her belly had bulged into inhumane proportions with the green hue covering her entire torso. It looked like a terrifying demon was trying to rip itself out from within her. Tiny hand like things began to stretch out from withing her as if her skin was made of rubber.
Kaveri's throat finally managed to let out a loud scream that sent shivers down everyone's spine. Even the guards stationed upstairs had heard the chilling the sound but it was so disturbing that they didn't dare come down. The small room was filled with the sound of Kaveri's screams echoing off the stone walls.
The King and the Queen had to hold Maya back with all their strength so she wouldn’t rush forward. Chakor pulled with all her might and finally a black writhing mass erupted from Kaveri’s mouth in a violent gush. It had no shape and was like a inky blob with long , jagged tendrils. Chakor raised her hand and slammed the thing with all her might into the green flame.
The black mass shrieked, a sound like tearing silk, as the fire consumed it. The green flame flickered violently, then collapsed back into the firepit, the room instantly warming again.
Kaveri crumpled to the ground like a broken doll, gasping. The green hue on her stomach faded, her skin returning to normal, only the faintest hint of discoloration around her navel. She clutched her belly, trembling, her voice raw.
"I can feel my baby. It is not harmed. I couldn't feel it earlier" Kaveri said, breathing heavily, words coming out between ragged breaths. "It's... it's still there." She pressed her hands against her belly, her fingers trembling as she felt the faint movements of her child. She offered faintest of smiles and then passed out from exhaustion.
Her parents grip lightened only slightly and that was all Maya needed to free herself. She dropped to her knees beside Kaveri, her hands hovering over her sister’s belly. The skin was still warm, but the unnatural green glow had vanished, leaving only a faint, sickly yellow tinge around the edges. Kaveri’s chest rose and fell in shallow, uneven breaths, her face damp with sweat and streaked with dirt from the stone floor.
Maya gently lifted Kaveri's head and placed it on her lap. She brushed the hair away from her sister's forehead, feeling the dampness of her skin. Her fingers trembled slightly as she checked Kaveri's pulse, feeling the faint but steady rhythm beneath her fingertips. All her earlier scepticism was gone. Maya had seen enough to know that this was not some trickery. This was real. She looked up at Chakor, her eyes filled with a look which demanded answers.
Chakor was breathing heavily too. The thing had managed to exhaust her of all her strength. She sat down on the floor crossed legged and rested her head in both her hands. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was still heavy. Maya watched her for a moment, her fingers still brushing Kaveri’s damp hair.
After few moments, Chakor opened her eyes, the earlier dark blue shade in her eyes lightened but not gone. She looked at Maya and then at the rest of the family. She spoke in a tired voice.
"Your highness, it's done. The curse's fragment has been removed from her womb. Your daughter and grandchild is safe for now. Now I will proceed to find out why the curse returned," Chakor stated in a tired voice. Her face still showed signs of exhaustion, but her eyes were now clear and steady.
She started chanting mantras again. The green flamed turned back into a normal one as she offered dead animals as sacrifice and chanted the mantras in an ancient language. The flames crackled and popped, casting flickering shadows on the damp stone walls. Maya watched as Chakor’s lips moved, her voice a low, rhythmic hum that filled the chamber.
It look a long while before Chakor opened her eyes again. This time, the pupils had returned and her eyes were perfectly normal. "Gather around everyone," Chakor said, her voice steady despite her fatigue. "I have found out why the curse has returned. And this time, there is a way to end it once and for all. But it may take a big sacrifice from one of you.
The firelight flickered across Chakor’s face as she spoke, casting deep shadows under her sharp cheekbones. Maya’s fingers tightened around Kaveri’s hand, her nails digging into the soft skin. She didn’t care if it hurt. She needed something real to hold onto.
King Ranvijay stepped forward, his voice low but firm. "Speak plainly, priestess. What is this curse, and why has it returned?"
Chakor’s gaze flicked to him, then to Queen Amrita, then to Maya. "When you married your daughter to the King of Sindh, the curse had seemed to fade for a while as it has always done after a royal wedding."
"Then why did it return?" King Ranvijay asked.
"Because of a coincidence that was never meant to happen. Let me explain." Chakor’s voice grew quieter, the firelight making her scars stand out like faint lightning bolts.
"Reincarnation is a phenomenon that has always existed. When a body dies, the soul leaves for the afterlife, where it is judged and sent to heaven or hell. After spending time there, the soul is sent back to the world of living to start a new life. Usually, contrary to popular belief, the soul sheds all its mortal attachments and memories of past lives before being born in the new body. Some still remember fragments of their past life but they usually go away as they grow older. Souls that couldn't make it to the afterlife because of some unfulfilled desire or some trauma from their past life remain in limbo and wander around as ghosts. But there is no in-between. A soul either moves on to afterlife or stays in the world of living and roams around as a ghost."
"Prince Lokesh, whom I told about you earlier was cursed by Mihirendra. He placed a curse which never allowed Prince Lokesh to be born into royal family again. Over the generations, Prince Lokesh's soul has suffered a lot, born into poverty and misery. He has been born into the bodies of slaves, beggars, and peasants, each time experiencing a different kind of suffering. Over the centuries, his soul has grown twisted, filled with rage and bitterness. The curse has made sure that his soul is never allowed to move on to the afterlife. It is stuck in an endless cycle of suffering and rebirth. We at the Temple of Rheekha have always observed and kept tabs on each reincarnation of Prince Lokesh just in case if an highly unlikely scenario like this would happen. Currently he has lived a life of a beggar on the outskirts of the royal capital and is in his final years. But more about that later."
"Princess Maithili on the other hand, faced a different fate than Prince Lokesh. She lived a normal life, fulfilled her duties and died a natural death. But when the time came for her soul to leave the mortal world and move on to afterlife, something unnatural happened. She left the mortal world but couldn't make it to afterlife. She was stuck in-between the two worlds, something which is nearly impossible."
"Why did that happened?" Queen Amrita asked. "Was it because of the curse?"
"No," Chakor shook her head. "As I said, something like this is highly unlikely to ever happen. There is no explanation behind it. It is a cosmic anomaly. But it happened. Princess Maithili's soul was trapped in the void between the worlds of the living and the dead. She could not move on to the afterlife, nor could she return to the mortal world. She was stuck in a state of eternal limbo. She could see everything that was happening in the mortal world but she couldn't interact with it. She could feel the emotions of the living but couldn't communicate with them. She was neither alive nor dead, neither here nor there. She was simply... stuck."
Chakor paused, her eyes scanning the faces of the royal family. Maya’s fingers were still wrapped around Kaveri’s hand, her knuckles white. "But then a coincidence happened, something so impossible that no one could have predicted it."
Chakor’s voice dropped lower, the firelight making her scarred face look even more severe. "After centuries, her soul was finally able to move to the afterlife but at that very moment, Princess Maya, Princess Maithili's direct descendent, stepped on the very ground she was cremated on.
That very incident broke the barrier separating the worlds of the living and the dead. It was a cosmic accident of fate, something so rare that it defies all logic. Princess Maithili’s soul was pulled back into the mortal world as she was just about to cross over."
Maya's breath caught in her throat. A cold weight settled in her chest. The fire before her seemed to dim, the shadows around it lengthening like grasping fingers.
"You feel it now, don't you Princess Maya?" Chakor’s voice was softer now, almost pitying. "The connection. The pull."
Maya swallowed hard, her voice sharp despite the sudden tremor in her hands. "This is absurd. You're saying my ancestor is haunting me?" Maya's voice came out sharper than she intended, laced with the anger she always used as armor. She forced herself to stand, her knees stiff from kneeling too long. Kaveri still lay unconscious on the floor beside her, her breathing shallow but steady.
Chakor laughed. "I know you won't believe me. Come here child, let me prove it to you." Chakor held out her hand without waiting for Maya's consent. Maya hesitated for a moment before stepping forward, her chin lifted in defiance.
Chakor collected some ash from the fire burning and pulled Maya towards her with the same hands. But instead of pulling towards Chakor, Maya was thrown backwards on the ground. The impact knocked the wind out of her lungs. When she looked up, she couldn't believe her eyes. There was a milky white figure standing before her. Maya moved a bit to have a proper look at her face. What she saw was a face with ethereal beauty. She had never seen such a face in her entire life. The woman was wearing the most exquisite sari Maya had ever seen – a shimmering red that seemed to glow from within. Her long dark hair cascaded down her back in perfect curls, framing a face that was flawless. Her eyes were like molten gold, full of intelligence and power. She had a nose that was perfectly straight and lips that were plump and red. Maya’s breath hitched in her throat as she stared at this vision.
The woman’s presence filled the chamber with an otherworldly aura. Maya felt both terrified and mesmerized at the same time. She tried to speak but her mouth was dry, her words catching in her throat.
"That is Princess Maithili, " Chakor said. Maya couldn't believe it. She then noticed a thin thread sticking out of her chest that was connected to the woman. It was a thin silver thread, barely visible but glowing faintly.
It took a moment, but sudden realization fell upon Maya. Everything that Chakor said earlier all made sense. Her eyes were opened wide looking at the ceiling, defeated and dejected. She took a deep breath and stabled her emotions.
"It's ok, I believe you," Maya said. "You can make her go now."
Maya’s voice was flat, but her fingers curled into fists at her sides. The ghostly figure of Princess Maithili still hovered before her, the silver thread between them pulsing faintly like a heartbeat.
Chakor nodded. "As you wish." She raised her hand and snapped her fingers. The figure dissolved into mist, the silver thread unraveling like smoke. Maya exhaled sharply, her shoulders slumping just a fraction. The weight of what she had just seen pressed down on her, but she refused to let it show.
Maya stood up again, and without saying again, she sprinted out of the basement and towards her chambers. Queen Amrita tried to follow her but Chakor stopped her.
"Stop! Let her go. She deserves some alone time. Especially after what she has just realized." Chakor’s voice was firm, leaving no room for argument. The Queen hesitated for a moment before nodding. She took a deep breath, her fingers brushing against her husband’s arm, seeking comfort in his silent strength.
"What has she realized Priestess?" King Ranvijay asked.
"Remember I told you that there was the key to end the curse once and for all? And that there was a sacrifice requited from one of you. She is the sacrifice." Chakor said.
Her voice was low, almost reluctant.
The Queen's eyes widened in shock. "You mean to say that my daughter has to die to break the curse?"
"No," Chakor shook her head. "She doesn't have to die. But the way things are, death would be better for her."
Queen Amrita stepped forward, her voice sharp with panic. "What do you mean worse than death?"
Chakor took a deep breath. "Our Temple of Rheekha was established almost 600 years ago just to end the curse. And this is the chance to do it. I would have done everything in my power to end it. But I am not heartless. And I am also a woman. I will and also request you all, not pressure Maya into making a decision. I will tell you what sacrifice she has to make. The only way to end the curse to fulfill the prophecy the royal priest made when King Shaurya and King Virendra were still alive. The union between Princess Maithili and Prince Lokesh would be like blessing straight from the gods. No curse would survive such a union. It would be a bond so pure, so sacred, that it would break the chains of fate itself. Here we are using the world union in very sanitized way. The union means coming of two bodies coming together and birthing a baby. Princess Maya will have sleep with Prince Lokesh current reincarnation and as I said earlier, he is 71 years old beggar, completely senile and filthier than a swine in the royal stables. This is the sacrifice that needs to be made. The union between reincarnations of Prince Lokesh and Princess Maithili. Princess Maya understood everything and that's why she ran away, she needs time."
In earlier times, this used to be a dungeon used for the most dangerous prisoners. But King Ranvijay's predecessor four generation ago abolished the practice and turned it into a storage for royal artifacts and records collecting dust. Today it was all prepared for the ritual as per as Chakor's instructions. In a wide open space, the alter was prepared, fire burning in the center. The floor was covered with a thick layer of white ash, and around the alter, the bones of sacred animals were arranged in a perfect circle. Various herbs, flowers and other weird ingredients were neatly prepared and kept in baskets.
The royal family, including Maya had gathered here below the palace. King Ranvijay and Queen Amrita stood in center, both standing tall and proud, hiding their inner turmoil really well. Beside them, the pregnant Queen Kaveri, their eldest child, stood beside Maya. Both the princess were dbangd in finest of saris and jewellery but their faces showed signs of anxiety. Maya was skeptical about all this yet her curiosity had brought her here.
There were no royal guards present. Just the royal family and priestess Chakor. Chakor walked and took a seat in middle of the circle by the fire. She looked like she was in deep meditation or in a trance, ready to begin any moment. Maya felt a chill run down her back as she watched the flames flicker in the circle. The entire atmosphere was eerie and she could feel her skin prickle with goosebumps.
Chakor closed her eyes and started chanting mantra's in an ancient language no one understood. The words were harsh on the ears, almost guttural in their sound. Maya felt a wave of discomfort wash over her. Chakor picked a dead rat from the basket nearby and slit its belly and let its blood fall into the fire. The flamed hissed and suddenly extinguished. Then Chakor threw some powder into the extinguished embers and then the fire roared again, this time with a terrifying red flame.
A collective gasp escaped the royal family. Maya's eyes widened. The flames were unnaturally bright, casting long shadows that seemed to move on their own. Kaveri instinctively took a step back, her hand instinctively moving to protect her swollen belly.
Then after a while Chakor opened her eyes and her pupils were completely gone. The white of her eyes had disappeared again and turned blue. When Maya's eyes met hers, Maya could feel this strange feeling as if she could see the visions that were never there. She saw a strikingly beautiful young girl standing by a window in palace, then few kids playing in the royal gardens, a tough man fighting against enemy battalion and then a woman being crowned with the royal crown. These scenes were flashing so quick that within moments she saw these images like fireworks in her eyes. She shook her head and blinked rapidly trying to make these visions go away.
Chakor's voice cut through her thoughts, "I need silence now, Maya. If you don't respect the ritual with your mind, it will affect all of us."
Maya wanted to snap back, to tell this woman she had no right to speak to her like that. But something stopped her. A strange power in Chakor's voice that made her feel as if her words were binding her like invisible chains. Maya swallowed hard and nodded despite herself.
Chakor lifted her fingers and pointed at Kaveri. "Come here child. Sit by the fire. Before we proceed, I need to get rid of it" she said pointing at Kaveri's belly.
Kaveri clutched her belly with motherly instinct. "You want to get rid of my baby? I can't allow that" she said in a firm voice despite being terrified. "Not your unborn child, but the darkness residing within your womb"
Chakor said with a voice that was too calm. Kaveri’s fingers tightened around her belly, her knuckles turning white. "You mean the thing that appeared the other night?" Maya asked, her voice sharp. "The thing that made her belly turn green?"
Chakor’s gaze flicked to Maya, her blue eyes unblinking. "Yes. It is a fragment of the curse. My cleansing ritual will get rid of it. It is necessary before I try to find the root cause of the curse returning."
Chakor's voice was low, deliberate, like she was speaking to herself more than anyone else. She reached into the basket beside her and pulled out a small clay pot. She took a fistful of powder from inside and threw it into the flame. The flame grew larger, this time turning into the colour green. Kaveri threw herself back in terror, her hands pushing in front of her belly. Chakor began reciting ancient mantras again. She picked up a dagger and slit her hand , letting the blood drip into the green fire. The flames rose higher, twisting like living serpents.
The flame had grown bigger but the temperature in the room dropped significantly. Chakor opened her eyes again and stood up. She shifted her gaze on Kaveri's belly and muttered something under her breath. The smoke from the fire rose and circled over Kaveri's head. The smoke began to took shape of a snake. Chakor raised her hand in the air and began pulling an invisible thread. With one simple tug, Kaveri was pulled forward as if there was actually a thread attached to her and in hands of Chakor.
Maya could see Chakor's face struggling and now covered in sweat. She now began using both her hands pulling something invisible. Kaveri's body started jerking and her belly began to swell. The green glow beneath her skin intensified as she let out a choked scream. The invisible force seemed to be pulling something out from within her. Maya watched horrified as Kaveri fell completely on the floor and began twisting in deep agony. Her fingers cramped into claws and her mouth opened in a silent scream. Her eyes were open so wide that it seemed like they would fall off any moment.
"STOP!!" Maya cried. "Can't you see she is in pain? You will kill her." Maya tried to move forward to stop Chakor but both King and Queen held her back tightly. Maya struggled in their grip, her eyes locked on Kaveri's trembling body. The green glow inside her sister's stomach was spreading, the outline of the unborn child clearly visible beneath the stretched skin.
Kaveri's body started rising from the floor and her body stopped about two feet above the ground. It was a truly horrifying sight. Her hair and her limbs dangled from her body like dead branches in a storm. Kaveri’s back arched unnaturally, her spine curving like a drawn bow. Her mouth was wide open, her tongue sticking out. Her sari had completely blown away and she was only in her blouse and petticoat(skirt). Her belly had bulged into inhumane proportions with the green hue covering her entire torso. It looked like a terrifying demon was trying to rip itself out from within her. Tiny hand like things began to stretch out from withing her as if her skin was made of rubber.
Kaveri's throat finally managed to let out a loud scream that sent shivers down everyone's spine. Even the guards stationed upstairs had heard the chilling the sound but it was so disturbing that they didn't dare come down. The small room was filled with the sound of Kaveri's screams echoing off the stone walls.
The King and the Queen had to hold Maya back with all their strength so she wouldn’t rush forward. Chakor pulled with all her might and finally a black writhing mass erupted from Kaveri’s mouth in a violent gush. It had no shape and was like a inky blob with long , jagged tendrils. Chakor raised her hand and slammed the thing with all her might into the green flame.
The black mass shrieked, a sound like tearing silk, as the fire consumed it. The green flame flickered violently, then collapsed back into the firepit, the room instantly warming again.
Kaveri crumpled to the ground like a broken doll, gasping. The green hue on her stomach faded, her skin returning to normal, only the faintest hint of discoloration around her navel. She clutched her belly, trembling, her voice raw.
"I can feel my baby. It is not harmed. I couldn't feel it earlier" Kaveri said, breathing heavily, words coming out between ragged breaths. "It's... it's still there." She pressed her hands against her belly, her fingers trembling as she felt the faint movements of her child. She offered faintest of smiles and then passed out from exhaustion.
Her parents grip lightened only slightly and that was all Maya needed to free herself. She dropped to her knees beside Kaveri, her hands hovering over her sister’s belly. The skin was still warm, but the unnatural green glow had vanished, leaving only a faint, sickly yellow tinge around the edges. Kaveri’s chest rose and fell in shallow, uneven breaths, her face damp with sweat and streaked with dirt from the stone floor.
Maya gently lifted Kaveri's head and placed it on her lap. She brushed the hair away from her sister's forehead, feeling the dampness of her skin. Her fingers trembled slightly as she checked Kaveri's pulse, feeling the faint but steady rhythm beneath her fingertips. All her earlier scepticism was gone. Maya had seen enough to know that this was not some trickery. This was real. She looked up at Chakor, her eyes filled with a look which demanded answers.
Chakor was breathing heavily too. The thing had managed to exhaust her of all her strength. She sat down on the floor crossed legged and rested her head in both her hands. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was still heavy. Maya watched her for a moment, her fingers still brushing Kaveri’s damp hair.
After few moments, Chakor opened her eyes, the earlier dark blue shade in her eyes lightened but not gone. She looked at Maya and then at the rest of the family. She spoke in a tired voice.
"Your highness, it's done. The curse's fragment has been removed from her womb. Your daughter and grandchild is safe for now. Now I will proceed to find out why the curse returned," Chakor stated in a tired voice. Her face still showed signs of exhaustion, but her eyes were now clear and steady.
She started chanting mantras again. The green flamed turned back into a normal one as she offered dead animals as sacrifice and chanted the mantras in an ancient language. The flames crackled and popped, casting flickering shadows on the damp stone walls. Maya watched as Chakor’s lips moved, her voice a low, rhythmic hum that filled the chamber.
It look a long while before Chakor opened her eyes again. This time, the pupils had returned and her eyes were perfectly normal. "Gather around everyone," Chakor said, her voice steady despite her fatigue. "I have found out why the curse has returned. And this time, there is a way to end it once and for all. But it may take a big sacrifice from one of you.
The firelight flickered across Chakor’s face as she spoke, casting deep shadows under her sharp cheekbones. Maya’s fingers tightened around Kaveri’s hand, her nails digging into the soft skin. She didn’t care if it hurt. She needed something real to hold onto.
King Ranvijay stepped forward, his voice low but firm. "Speak plainly, priestess. What is this curse, and why has it returned?"
Chakor’s gaze flicked to him, then to Queen Amrita, then to Maya. "When you married your daughter to the King of Sindh, the curse had seemed to fade for a while as it has always done after a royal wedding."
"Then why did it return?" King Ranvijay asked.
"Because of a coincidence that was never meant to happen. Let me explain." Chakor’s voice grew quieter, the firelight making her scars stand out like faint lightning bolts.
"Reincarnation is a phenomenon that has always existed. When a body dies, the soul leaves for the afterlife, where it is judged and sent to heaven or hell. After spending time there, the soul is sent back to the world of living to start a new life. Usually, contrary to popular belief, the soul sheds all its mortal attachments and memories of past lives before being born in the new body. Some still remember fragments of their past life but they usually go away as they grow older. Souls that couldn't make it to the afterlife because of some unfulfilled desire or some trauma from their past life remain in limbo and wander around as ghosts. But there is no in-between. A soul either moves on to afterlife or stays in the world of living and roams around as a ghost."
"Prince Lokesh, whom I told about you earlier was cursed by Mihirendra. He placed a curse which never allowed Prince Lokesh to be born into royal family again. Over the generations, Prince Lokesh's soul has suffered a lot, born into poverty and misery. He has been born into the bodies of slaves, beggars, and peasants, each time experiencing a different kind of suffering. Over the centuries, his soul has grown twisted, filled with rage and bitterness. The curse has made sure that his soul is never allowed to move on to the afterlife. It is stuck in an endless cycle of suffering and rebirth. We at the Temple of Rheekha have always observed and kept tabs on each reincarnation of Prince Lokesh just in case if an highly unlikely scenario like this would happen. Currently he has lived a life of a beggar on the outskirts of the royal capital and is in his final years. But more about that later."
"Princess Maithili on the other hand, faced a different fate than Prince Lokesh. She lived a normal life, fulfilled her duties and died a natural death. But when the time came for her soul to leave the mortal world and move on to afterlife, something unnatural happened. She left the mortal world but couldn't make it to afterlife. She was stuck in-between the two worlds, something which is nearly impossible."
"Why did that happened?" Queen Amrita asked. "Was it because of the curse?"
"No," Chakor shook her head. "As I said, something like this is highly unlikely to ever happen. There is no explanation behind it. It is a cosmic anomaly. But it happened. Princess Maithili's soul was trapped in the void between the worlds of the living and the dead. She could not move on to the afterlife, nor could she return to the mortal world. She was stuck in a state of eternal limbo. She could see everything that was happening in the mortal world but she couldn't interact with it. She could feel the emotions of the living but couldn't communicate with them. She was neither alive nor dead, neither here nor there. She was simply... stuck."
Chakor paused, her eyes scanning the faces of the royal family. Maya’s fingers were still wrapped around Kaveri’s hand, her knuckles white. "But then a coincidence happened, something so impossible that no one could have predicted it."
Chakor’s voice dropped lower, the firelight making her scarred face look even more severe. "After centuries, her soul was finally able to move to the afterlife but at that very moment, Princess Maya, Princess Maithili's direct descendent, stepped on the very ground she was cremated on.
That very incident broke the barrier separating the worlds of the living and the dead. It was a cosmic accident of fate, something so rare that it defies all logic. Princess Maithili’s soul was pulled back into the mortal world as she was just about to cross over."
Maya's breath caught in her throat. A cold weight settled in her chest. The fire before her seemed to dim, the shadows around it lengthening like grasping fingers.
"You feel it now, don't you Princess Maya?" Chakor’s voice was softer now, almost pitying. "The connection. The pull."
Maya swallowed hard, her voice sharp despite the sudden tremor in her hands. "This is absurd. You're saying my ancestor is haunting me?" Maya's voice came out sharper than she intended, laced with the anger she always used as armor. She forced herself to stand, her knees stiff from kneeling too long. Kaveri still lay unconscious on the floor beside her, her breathing shallow but steady.
Chakor laughed. "I know you won't believe me. Come here child, let me prove it to you." Chakor held out her hand without waiting for Maya's consent. Maya hesitated for a moment before stepping forward, her chin lifted in defiance.
Chakor collected some ash from the fire burning and pulled Maya towards her with the same hands. But instead of pulling towards Chakor, Maya was thrown backwards on the ground. The impact knocked the wind out of her lungs. When she looked up, she couldn't believe her eyes. There was a milky white figure standing before her. Maya moved a bit to have a proper look at her face. What she saw was a face with ethereal beauty. She had never seen such a face in her entire life. The woman was wearing the most exquisite sari Maya had ever seen – a shimmering red that seemed to glow from within. Her long dark hair cascaded down her back in perfect curls, framing a face that was flawless. Her eyes were like molten gold, full of intelligence and power. She had a nose that was perfectly straight and lips that were plump and red. Maya’s breath hitched in her throat as she stared at this vision.
The woman’s presence filled the chamber with an otherworldly aura. Maya felt both terrified and mesmerized at the same time. She tried to speak but her mouth was dry, her words catching in her throat.
"That is Princess Maithili, " Chakor said. Maya couldn't believe it. She then noticed a thin thread sticking out of her chest that was connected to the woman. It was a thin silver thread, barely visible but glowing faintly.
It took a moment, but sudden realization fell upon Maya. Everything that Chakor said earlier all made sense. Her eyes were opened wide looking at the ceiling, defeated and dejected. She took a deep breath and stabled her emotions.
"It's ok, I believe you," Maya said. "You can make her go now."
Maya’s voice was flat, but her fingers curled into fists at her sides. The ghostly figure of Princess Maithili still hovered before her, the silver thread between them pulsing faintly like a heartbeat.
Chakor nodded. "As you wish." She raised her hand and snapped her fingers. The figure dissolved into mist, the silver thread unraveling like smoke. Maya exhaled sharply, her shoulders slumping just a fraction. The weight of what she had just seen pressed down on her, but she refused to let it show.
Maya stood up again, and without saying again, she sprinted out of the basement and towards her chambers. Queen Amrita tried to follow her but Chakor stopped her.
"Stop! Let her go. She deserves some alone time. Especially after what she has just realized." Chakor’s voice was firm, leaving no room for argument. The Queen hesitated for a moment before nodding. She took a deep breath, her fingers brushing against her husband’s arm, seeking comfort in his silent strength.
"What has she realized Priestess?" King Ranvijay asked.
"Remember I told you that there was the key to end the curse once and for all? And that there was a sacrifice requited from one of you. She is the sacrifice." Chakor said.
Her voice was low, almost reluctant.
The Queen's eyes widened in shock. "You mean to say that my daughter has to die to break the curse?"
"No," Chakor shook her head. "She doesn't have to die. But the way things are, death would be better for her."
Queen Amrita stepped forward, her voice sharp with panic. "What do you mean worse than death?"
Chakor took a deep breath. "Our Temple of Rheekha was established almost 600 years ago just to end the curse. And this is the chance to do it. I would have done everything in my power to end it. But I am not heartless. And I am also a woman. I will and also request you all, not pressure Maya into making a decision. I will tell you what sacrifice she has to make. The only way to end the curse to fulfill the prophecy the royal priest made when King Shaurya and King Virendra were still alive. The union between Princess Maithili and Prince Lokesh would be like blessing straight from the gods. No curse would survive such a union. It would be a bond so pure, so sacred, that it would break the chains of fate itself. Here we are using the world union in very sanitized way. The union means coming of two bodies coming together and birthing a baby. Princess Maya will have sleep with Prince Lokesh current reincarnation and as I said earlier, he is 71 years old beggar, completely senile and filthier than a swine in the royal stables. This is the sacrifice that needs to be made. The union between reincarnations of Prince Lokesh and Princess Maithili. Princess Maya understood everything and that's why she ran away, she needs time."
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