The next morning, Kesar fetched me light breakfast consisted of rice cakes, honey, and bitter herbal tea. It was my first day in the capital. Tepi told me to get ready for the training in the morning. She said I needed to learn plenty of things before the Holy Games.

I was in the freshly clean clothes that Kesar gave me, and the nice fragrant bath I took made me feel almost golden. I didn't know what I was supposed to do. I wasn't sure this was what I wanted.

Then Kesar came into the room.

"My lady, the others are waiting for you outside," she said.

I took a long deep breath and stood up. Kesar went to grab my satchel for me, knowing that it was what I always carried around since the first day. Indeed, it somehow comforted me.

"I shall see you at the Terrace of Elephant afterward," Kesar said with a soft smile.

"Where is it?"

"Behind the Great Temple, my lady," she said. "They set a practice ground there at our encampment. It's not that far from the Palace."

"And you're going to fly there, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am. It's faster to do so," she said.

"Of course, you're an early bird," I said and smiled at her. The Kennari blinked with a reddened face again. I cursed myself for making the stupid pun.

"I'm sorry, Kesar," I said. "I didn't mean to offend you."

She nodded and smiled again.

"Never mind, my lady, but you must hurry while the sky is still cool."

"Alright then, see you at the Terrace of...what...Cow?"

"Elephant."

"Oh right." I nodded.

Tusita and Atith waited in the garden of our chamber. They dressed like they were going into a battle. Tusita had a golden bow in her hand and a quiver slung over her back. Atith held his spear with his armor vest exposed, leaving his muscular arms bare.

They looked me over as I did them.

"Interesting outfits, Nikita," Atith said. "I would love to wear some of those."

"Are you sure we're not going to kill anyone today?" I asked.

"No, but we might get killed if you're not careful." Tusita shrugged.

"Oh great, just about the talk I need this morning," I said.

"Come on, Tepi is waiting," Atith said, putting his heavy arm on my shoulder and steering me away. "You don't want to be late for your first training."

"What am I going to learn today?" I asked as we started to leave.

"Lots of awesome things!" he said in excitement. "Archery, martial-art, sword fighting, horse racing, chariot racing, boat racing..."

"Also mathematics, physics, geography, and astronomy," Tusita added.

"Oh geez! You also learn all those stuff?" I said.

"Of course!" Tusita said. "Queen Indradevi teaches those subjects along with the Guru. Our people are builders of cities. Without knowing those things, how could you make a prosperous empire flourish?"

Well, I might be the one from the future but they were the ones who seemed to possess the knowledge that might as well come from aliens, or maybe from their gods? I couldn't tell.

We reached the encampment in an ox-drawn carriage. Tepi was already there waiting for us.

"How was the talk with the others, Tepi?" Atith asked her when we stepped out. Tepi sighed and shook her head.

"No luck. They don't seem convinced," she said. "But they told me they will keep an open mind."

"Are you talking about the other avatars?" I said.

"Yes," Tusita said. "Tepi has been trying to sway their minds. We need all the help we can get."

"I think they want to see your performance first," Tepi said. "Even the Queens are coming today."

"To see me?" I said and the three of them nodded. Oh well, that was like telling me not to ruin my chance while I already knew I would pretty much ruin it by just existing.

The Terrace of Elephants was behind the Golden Temple.

We walked through a Gopura, which was a richly carved entrance building. It led us to the other side. Then we saw another twelve single-tower temples with manicured gardens surrounding them.

The Terrace of Elephants was a vast field. There was a large water Baray to the east. I could see a mountain with waterfalls in the distance. We went past massive wooden buildings and pavilions around the practice ground. Marching soldiers came and went into divisions at the center. Others rode on chariots, elephants, and horseback.

"How many soldiers do you have?" I asked.

"Over fifty thousand men are guarding the four frontiers. Ten thousand here guard each corner of the city," Tepi told me.

"Even so, we are still outnumbered by the demons," Tusita said. "The Asuras probably have a bigger and stronger army. They can be hiding in every crook and cranny of the kingdom."

"But you all are the avatars of gods, surely, you can defeat them, right?" I said.

"Oh, you have no idea what we're up against, Nikita," Tusita said. "Some Asuras use palm trees as their toothpicks. Some are even older than the gods."

I shivered at the thought of it. They started showing me around the encampment. There was a boat race going on in the river nearby. Each boat had a Naga head and tail carvings at both ends.

About fifty men were rowing in a single boat at the speed of lightning. They looked like two serpents gliding across the water.

I remembered my father telling me how the Angkorian navy was the fiercest of all. He said the Angkorians' half-ancestors were the Nagas. They knew the secret of how to control the water. They built so many reservoirs and canals. Water was the gift that made this empire flourish. I remembered asking him, "If their ancestors were half-Naga, shouldn't I be born with scaly faces or serpent tail since I'm part of them?" He just laughed.

"Samudra is a skilled captain of our navy fleet," Tepi said beside me, bringing me back from the memory. "He's our best chance at winning the Game if he joins us."

"Come, Nikita, more to see," Tepi said. As we walked further, I could hear elephants' wailing coming from a long wooden building at the farthest end, which must be the stables.

We then reached the stone Baray, which looked like a gigantic pool with a waterfall coming down from the mountain. But something caught my eyes. We saw a school of female swimmers. They swiveled about cheerfully, laughing and singing in the mirror-like clear water.

But then my jaw dropped. Those maidens were not regular swimmers. They had the upper halves of a maiden and lower halves of a fish. Their sparkling translucent scales reflected the sunlight. They giggled in a watery tone when they saw me.

"Are those...Are those mermaids?" I asked.

"They're called the 'machas'," Tepi told me, smiling at my shocked face. "The machas come up here because of the sea god's son, Samudra, is here."

"Oh, that tall long-haired boy?" I said.

"Yes, he's the avatar of Varuna, Lord of the Sea, controller of moral orders and aquatic life."

While we stood on the bank of the stone Baray, I noticed a dark underwater entrance with bubbles coming out of it.

"What's inside there?" I asked, pointing to the cave-like opening.

"That's where Samudra's mount resides," Atith said. "You don't wish to go near that place."

Then a group of guards appeared along with Sambo, the Guru. Tepi, Atith, and Tusita bowed at him, and I followed suit.

"Welcome to our world, Nikita," Sambo greeted me, squinting his elephant eyes as he smiled. "I have heard that you came from the future realm. I hope you have brought your own Astra with you, no?"

"Brought my what?"

"Astra is a celestial weapon," Tepi said. "You must be born with it or must be handed one by the gods. Tusita received her golden bow, the Gandiva, from her holy father. Atith was born with the Kavacha, his golden armor. Do you have any of such gifts?"

"No," I said. "I don't bring anything with me except my satchel and a drawing pad. And my father isn't a god. He's an archeologist."

"An archeologist?" this time Sambo said. "I have never heard of this profession before."

"Well, he digs up dirt to find old remains and then studies them."

They looked at each other, not knowing what to say.

"That sounds quite interesting," Sambo said at last. "Now, how about you come with me to the armory? Maybe we can fetch something that suits you."

As we left for the armory, I noticed a huge open-air pavilion. It looked like it was for spectators. From a distance, I spotted Kesar and the other Kennars sitting there. Then we saw a small parade coming through the Gopura entrance. All I could see was a series of radiant sunshades and maidens.

"The Queens are here," Tusita said as we watched them getting inside the pavilion. And among them was a small elegant figure that I would recognize anywhere on earth. A smile formed on my face without me knowing it. Amarisa was also with them.

"That's strange," Tusita said. "Princess Amarisa has never visited the military base before."

The avatars turned their faces to me.

Tusita's eyes narrowed as she said. "Oh well, something's changed."