Phoenix Love

Part 4

"Kitni accha hua na ki main mil gayi tumhe..." Bani never thought that there was a voice which could rival her childhood annoyance for Umbridge until she had to stand the girl who was named after the moon. 

Bani looked up at the sky and glared at the sky. 'Aapko meri life mein aise logo ko bhejke bada maza aata hai, nahi?' She asked the lord of her ancestor. She felt as if he burst out into laughter at that. After all, it isn't Vishnu if he doesn't amuse himself with such pranks. 

Chandni led them ahead into a cave. The cave was quite beautiful. Several carvings were made depicting the history of cheels. The large carving of Garuda kneeling down before Vishnu. It was a scene depicting the time when Garuda asked Narayana for a boon to be stationed on his banner. The next carving was of a Garuda bannered procession where Narayana was ahead. The carvings were so pretty that it almost made her wonder. 

She had herself seen several carvings of Sri Hari in the valley of Sheshnaag in Naaglok. Vanshika herself had several carvings of Krishna from her family. One of them almost dating back to 10,000 years. It was a family heirloom passed down from father to child. The idols were carving with such precision that Bani doubted it it was human work. 

Cheels, at one point of time, had Narayana as their tutelary deity, as an association with Maharishi Kashyapa. Even to this date, Bani's family retains that name as a surname. Kashyap. An association belonging that they were the direct descendants of that lineage from an unbroken male family member. 

The walls had a carving of Maharishi Kashyap and Devi Vinata. Even now, as it seemed, some of the cheels still worshipped their family goddess Vinata, as the progenitor of the clan. 

"Kya hua... aise surprised kyu ho?" Veer asked her. 

"Nahi... bas... do you ever wonder ki tumhari family history kitni purani hai? Like people believe it to be just fantasy stories but you know it is true. So, in a way, tum aur main ek hi family tree mein hai. Sure very far away but still there. Wahan us island pe Suparn family tree draw karte hai. Pura naagvansh aur tumhari family sabh usi family tree mein hai." 

Veer chuckled. "Something were left as mythology for their own good. Kyuki agar logo ko pata chalega ki yeh sach hai toh they wouldn't let others live in peace. For that matter, aise toh saare dev, asur, aur sabh hi ek hi family se belong karte hai by the association of Rishi Kashyap." 

She came across a beautiful idol of Garuda. His wings spread out like they were the red sunrise and sunsets of the sky. Arms that seemed like elephant trunks. Bright eyes that almost seemed like the sun itself but shaped so beautifully. Snakes coiled on his arms, shoulders feet, and ears. The sharp nose which slightly resembled a beak. An intricate crown on his head. 

The affluence of the idol was such that even Adi-Naagin herself stood frozen on the spot. Her scales flashed and she felt a powerful reaction hit her sensor. So powerful that Bani almost turned around to run off in the opposite direction. The sound of loud call screeched her ears which made her close her ears. 

"Bani..." Veer stopped. He then noticed the slight shaky reaction of her. "Bani, kya hua? Theek ho?" 

Bani's eyes just stayed on the idol of Garuda. The idol seemed to be staring right at her. 

"Bani..." Veer held her. 

Garuda inherently induced a reaction out of her. A reaction of intense fear. Every naga, no matter how powerful was scared of Garuda. The only one who didn't fear him was Adi-Shesha himself. Though, all others were inherently scared of Garuda. The name itself could sent her kind into hiding. Enough that several of them even avoid entering the temple of Narayana because it always bound to have an idol of Garuda standing before him. That was easiest way to spot a naag among regular people. Bring an idol of Garuda and it will surely bring a reaction out of them. If nothing at least an odd aversion and moving away from it.