Samsaara : Devadoot

From the Ashes

The moment I was swallowed a surge of pain coursed through my body. I curled into a ball with my eyes closed. The bright red flames didn't feel painful nor did it burn me, I just felt immense pain on my wrist.

A second later I fell down with a splash and a muffled thud, straight out of the body of the bird and onto the marsh.

So it was not you who was evil, but what was inside you. Also, what is beside you, but I shall destroy them.

My hand began to hurt the same as before when I was incapacitated. Three small spots appeared on my skin where that dragonfly had stung me in the past and three purple drops of some fluid oozed out. As soon as the drops came out, the pain in my wrist ended.

You were poisoned by this, mayhap that is why you seemed evil to I

I said, "That's where the dragonfly bit me."

The one you carry in your pockets?

"What?" I asked as I stood up and caught my breath.

I felt something flitting about in my pockets. As I reached into my pocket the dragonfly, that had bitten me earlier shot out of my pocket and tried to fly off. It carried in its limbs the green ring that Mary was examining.

The raven breathed fire and engulfed the insect in its flames. As the smoke cleared, the dragonfly was intact. A second blast of smoke and flames engulfed the insect. This time as the puff of smoke mushroomed out and dissipated, the insect was seen at a distance trying to flee.

Ah, I understand my folly now. I cannot kill living beings, just as I could not kill you or even the pest that was hidden in your robe.

"Oh, that's why I survived, good for me. But if you can't kill this thing, do we just let it escape?" I asked.

I can't kill the living, but you can.

The cloud of smoke around the Raven began spinning into a black tornado with red flames inside peeking through. The beak was hidden. The smoke rushed towards me. I could see nothing but black and red. The pungent odour of smoke made me cough uncontrollably.

The smoke began to feel denser and more potent making me cough uncontrollably. All the smoke forced its way into my nostrils and mouth. Inside me now was all the voluminous smoke compressed dense, flowing through my veins. My view cleared and I could see again. I saw a faint ultraviolet gleam at a distance. My eyes were able to see through the whole spectrum of light, ultraviolet and infrared, with the smallest specks of dust and movements of air also visible. The dragonfly was trying to escape. I ran towards it and I could run a great deal faster than usual. With each step a ripple of smoke emanated from where my feet fell. My black robe was draped in a layer of smoke. I felt stronger, faster and more agile than before.

I came close to the dragonfly who was urgently trying to flee with the transparent green ring. Fortunately for me, the ring made it unmanageable for it to fly fast enough. I grabbed it with an outstretched hand and its body just crumbled into a mass of broken limbs and gooey stuff while the hard cold stone of the green ring remained intact. I stopped to catch my breath, but I felt only the slightest bit of weariness.