365 DAYS 365 TALES

A Journey for Todgil

'HALT!'

The Sentry who spoke was a seasoned Enchanter Guard and no sooner as he spoke, the Staff in his hands glowed as the border of the Restricted Region glowed too, shining up the entire perimeter of the Restricted Region. The power of the Guard was such that the encroacher would have been pushed back hard, away from the Restricted Region. But surprisingly, the encroacher was not standing near the border. It almost seemed like the encroacher who was trying to get inside the border knew and waited for the Guard to find him.

The Sentry saw that nothing other than the fog inside the Restricted Region.

The Sentry armed his Staff as put on a Defence Enchantment as he went towards the hooded figure. He tried to sense the hooded figure as he came closer and was in for another surprise. The raw, untamed power flowing from the hooded figure was enormous. And the hooded figure did absolutely nothing to stop him from sensing it.

By the time the Sentry reached the encroacher, she had pulled open her hood.

The expression on the face of the child almost made the sentry smile. He had seen this expression on another face, a long time back – an expression mixed with fear and a resoluteness to push through no matter what....

'What brings you here, daughter of Kragon?' the Sentry asked the child. To the Sentry, even the oldest headwoman of the village was a child. But Sahana, the daughter of Kragon was a child even by human standards. Sahana had just crossed her eleven rainy season a month back.

'I need to get inside the Restricted Region!' Sahana, daughter of Kragon said as the Sentry could see the child trying to beat back the fear and try to appear determined. The Sentry felt an immense respect for the girl, but he allowed nothing to show on his face.

'Why?' the stern Sentry asked as the child would offer no further explanations.

'I need to get herbs for my grandfather!' Sahana said in a rushed tone. 'Since yesterday morning, my grandfather has taken ill! The physicians can offer no hope! But one of them has said that the Todgil found inside the Restricted Region can revive my grandfather! Todgil is available only inside the Restricted Region!'

'Why does your father not come?' the Sentry asked already knowing the answer to that question.

'My father has gone on the Queen's command to far off regions! My father is not expected until a another rainy season later!' the child said.

The Sentry had a million different questions going inside his head, but he said nothing. 'Do you know that the Ancients speak of a path which will guide you through the Restricted Region?' the Sentry asked finally.

'Yes I do!' the child said with a ferocious expression. 'That is the reason I have started on my path today!' she said.

'Explain!' the sentry said, feeling shocked. Could she be the one....The Sentry refused to let himself even think of it. He had waited for it for such a long time, that he had all but given up hope.

'The temple on the north shore of the village!' Sahana continued, looking part excited and part afraid. 'They speak that the journey inside the Restricted Region can only be successful if it is started on the day of Balance!' The child looked at the Sentry. 'Today is that day!' she declared finally.

'Explain!' the Sentry said, his heart thudding painfully hard. She could be the one...

'Our world is a sphere and the sun is in the centre!' the girl continued. 'Today is the day the sun passes through the centre of the world and the day and night are equal in time! The day of Balance! The path inside the Region would be illuminated today! If I see the path, I can get inside today, so that I would be able to save my grandfather!' the child watched the rays of the setting sun almost desperately.