Maya(Zuko X OC)

Chapter 23: A different perspective

"Foolish Shumbh, what would've you gotten by killing me?" Her voice echoed. "You are completely aware that you cannot change destiny. Yet still you still imprison your own innocent sister and her husband."

The couple kneeled as she continued. "I would've given you a painless death due to pity but your qualities will be the reason for your demise. You will die by my hands as I am now your niece, the daughter of your sister."

The goddess left with the parting words. "You have sealed the play of destiny by you hands. You have thrown yourself into the mouth of death."

Time skip

The goddess sat on her throne with another empty one on her right. She left her seat and went into the massive settlement outside which was the abode of the purest of souls who had rightfully attained liberation.

Bhudevi, the earth goddess appeared and bowed to Chandra who blessed her.

"Goddess, the supreme god has been incarnated on earth in the form of-" The goddess spoke but Maya didn't wait for her to complete.

The moon goddess split her soul in the form of a messenger and sent him down on earth.

The playful glow in her eyes lit back up as the boon was given to Ashok.

Bhudevi watched her friend, who seemed to have gotten all her old traits back, the usual goddess who was always serious and formal was running around the palace like a child.

"I can finally see him Bhudevi! Do you believe that? It's been millenniums since I last saw him. You have to come down with me. You along with Akash. You both must." She held the earth goddess's hands in her's.

The moon goddess's eyes were glossy with tears of joy, the moon symbol between her symmetrical eyebrows glowed as the moon over their heads brightened.

Bhudevi calmed the goddess down who patiently waited for her birth on Earth.

She knew that Kamala's womb won't be able to handle her powers hence she sent a part of her soul into the woman's unborn child.

Akash incarnated as the son of the prime minister who's child was destined to die in the womb itself.

The soul of the child was sent for rebirth as Akash took its place.

A year passed as Bhudevi had come down as Krutika and Chandra had come down as Maya.

The goddess slowly sent down pieces of her soul along with her powers to her incarnation until she was completely the princess of Dhanloka, now known as Dwarka.

The girl played all sorts of tricks on her parents and her caretakers to get their mind off their problems.

The presence of the girl was peaceful and calming ever since she was born, she hadn't cried in her life but that changed when she was twelve.

As usual the girl was running around the palace, making smiles appear on the faces of everyone she passed when the princess came to an abrupt halt.

The maid saw the princess' odd behaviour and called the royal couple.

The princess gripped onto the left side of her face as she screamed.

Her left eye felt as if it was in fire. Kamala rushed to her daughter as her father went to fetch for the physicians.

The girl cried in her mother's arms, innocently begging her for the pain to stop. Soon, at about midnight the girl's pain finally subsided as she went to bed.

Time skip

The fifteen year old Maya played her flute, lying on a tree branch.

Zuko, in the boiling rock, sat in the cooler when he heard a sweet melody. The notes danced around his ears, diverting his attention from the cold. He had heard it multiple times, mostly when he was in uncomfortable situations.

...

The realisation hit Zuko like a truck when he woke up from his visions while Maya was nowhere to be seen.

"Maya.." He whispered. "Chandra.."

The queen of Dwarka sat on her throne as the meeting continued, Shumbh had taken a defensive stance and hadn't dared to attack any of the nations.

Her subject theorized that perhaps he was planning something big and were trying to get the queen to kill him as soon as possible.

Maya knew that her citizens won't sit still until they had the head of Shumbh infront of their eyes.

Sighing, she gave into their pleas and appeared in the netherworld.

Shumbh was startled to see the goddess at his doorstep.

His suprise turned into his usual anger as he started to insult everyone she knew.

The goddess knew that his time had come to an end as she grabbed his neck and dragged him away.

The demons gathered around the streets, watching their king be dragged away by the goddess.

He was thrown onto the ground by the girl as he spat out blood.

He gathered his last shred of arrogance as he spoke.

"I am not that cowardly Pitamaha who gave up, nor am I a traitor like my brother. I am not that Tarakasura whose body you had that Shiva split in half. I am not Kali that you come and kill me, I am not Narakasura that you come and rip my arms off. Kali, Narakasura were fools who couldn't recognise you, they were mere idiots who only knew how to be stubborn."

"You aren't anything Shumbh, atleast know the truth." Maya told him as she slowly made her way towards him, his body kneeled against his will as he couldn't do anything but watch the goddess come near him with vengeance in her eyes. "You are still raw, you aren't brave, but just a child. Let me tell you something today, I warned you many times before but this isn't a warning. It is a promise."

"Shumbh, I'll show you my true form again. Maybe you'll understand." She grew in size. "I am the first life in existence, I am the power of the world, I am the admiration of the universe and the devotion of humans. When the world needs a leader, I am called Maya, when the time comes for Kali to die, I am called Kalikaal and when the time comes for your death, I am called Shumbhkaal."

Maya, who now towered over the helpless demon infront of her summoned her spear. "Now tell me, how is it that you wish to die?"

"Anyhow but on one condition. I must never see your face or hear your voice again ever in my life."

Maya raised an eyebrow before granting his wish. "You will be born deaf and blind in all your future lives." She completed as the spear beheaded the demon who got exactly what he had asked the goddess for.

Time skip

"Don't you think that you made his wish a bit.." Shiva muttered. "I don't know, harsh?"

"Nope." Maya smiled. "Each soul has a part of me embedded in it so it is equal to seeing and hearing me when any being moves or makes a sound."

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Kalikaal- the death of Kali

Shumbhkaal- the death of Shumbh