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𓆉A dreamlike reality𓆙

by Juneandfalls

I slapped my cheeks to stay awake as the questions started blurring.

Not now. I've a lot to write. As the teacher says, for 5 marks, this answer is too small.

I kept blinking. It didn't help. If...I..

No, no, no. Stay awake.

Even shaking my head violently went in vain. Consequences of staying awake till two in the morning.

What to do? I can shut my eyes for five seconds and then write. Yes.

I closed my eyes with that intention.

Hmm...Maybe ten seconds.

The second hand keeps ticking.

8...9...a little..longer then I...

———

My eyes fluttered open on the onslaught of harsh sunrays.

Wh—

That's when it all came to me and I sat up in haste. Only to be left confused.

Wasn't it the examination day? What am I doing on top of a...tree, wait, I don't even know how to climb a tree.

While still contemplating my climbing abilities, I heard voices.

"We don't have much of law and order left anymore. Our Raja is dead. We are not inclined on releasing the Kachchapa. And as for you, we don't care about you."

That was more of a hiss than a human voice. One thing that I noticed was that it wasn't English, yet I understood that language.

"But you can't enslave them forever. You promised—"

"As I said, the one who promised is dead. And one of you is the suspected murderer. What makes you think we'd ever follow through what we said?"

I searched for the source of voice was, to see that below the tree I was on, were...creatures. Beside a strange, closed box, stood a scaly-skinned human. Its head was that of a snake. Rest of its semi-human body had scales. Similar creatures surrounded it with a guarded stance.

Opposite, stood another human-like creature with bird wings. It looked quite human except for its wild black mane.

Quite a strange dream, I thought, peering in.

"I wonder what Akupara would think of this."

This voice did not belong to either of the previous two speakers. Tilting my body to the side, I watched the scene unfold.

Behind them, stood another winged-human creature except it had silvery-white mane of hair.

"You wouldn't. It's none of his busine—"

"Quite sure he has a different view, Vice Vishaa. Infact, I can fly over—"

"No! You won't do that. Alright, if I must, I-I, as the future Nagaraja, ask you to bring the Amrita, by the second dawn from now, then we should see."

Isn't this interesting. Where is the popcorn? I haven't ever had such a dream.

Vice Vishaa walked away from the scene with its guards. Now, the two bird-humans were left.

Somehow, I felt bad for them. Even if it was just a dream, I didn't want to watch them suffer.

Still watching, I heard a crack.

Wait, what?

My gaze drifted to the other side when I saw a short purple skinned creature tilting the branch more and more. Purple wings and horns adorned it's back and head. What the—

Its red eyes glowed as it smirked.

And I went falling down.

"Ow!" It hurts.

"Are you alright?"

But dreams aren't supposed to hurt, right? Then why am I—

"Excuse me?"

Looking up, I found the two winged-humans, puzzled.

"Zoned out again," muttering under my breath, I answered, "Fine."

They still looked at me with an inquisitive stare. I wondered why when I saw the difference in our clothing. Theirs of olden times and mine, well, a tee and jeans.

"Hee hee, A strange creature, isn't it? Take it with you, it would sure help!"

White-haired one asked,"Yacha, did you drop her from the tree?"

"Yes, master."

"Take her, Edi. Maybe, it's a good witch. We need help."

"Do you want to," asked Edi.

Did I want to? I didn't even know where I was, but...

I nodded.

"Name?"

"Ira."

They shared a look.

"Yacha, stay here for the look-out. Let's get going then."

Within a few minutes, Edi and I were flying across the sky.

"Woohoo!"

"Are you—?"

"Keep going."

———

The following morning, we reached a forest valley.

"A sage lives here. A manushya. You're one, right? Convince him to help us?"

I didn't answer, but something kept me going. An unfamiliar urge. Whatever it was, led us to a small hut.

But as we entered, we found noone inside. The hut's dust made it clear that it had been unused for some time.

"This wasn't supposed to happen."

Through a small window-hole, I saw something run. A one-horned horse.

"A catazonon," said Edi.

For some unknown reason, we started following it. It kept us on the chase for a long time. And before I knew it, it was dark and I was on the ground, panting. It had disappeared.

Looking up, I saw stretches of land, but they weren't quite the stretches. They were scaly and slippery. When did we reach this place?

There was a hiss as we heard the words,

"The woman in return for what you seek."

A giant dragon head loomed above, its snake-like body surrounding us.

What?

Edi looked at me, horrified.

"We can't."

"Then you're wasti—"

"Do you even have Amrita," I found myself asking. I had a death wish.

We watched as its eyes began burning, but before it could do anything, we fell.

And dropped into an even deeper abyss.

"'Tis a snake in heart,

who greeds on immortality.

Let no harm come to Ameeya,

be he dead for eternity."

A different voice. A creature with bodyparts of others. It held a potion.

What is going on?

"You want it?"

Edi nodded.

"Beware, in evil hands, it works differently."

———

Before dawn, we had brought the Amrita, but Vishaa died touching it, the dead Nagaraja came alive. Kachchapa were set free and bird-humans had gained their liberty.

Amrita did have its powers.