Abhaya Bhairavi #Wattys2020

Chapter Twenty One

The line rang a couple of times before his mother picked, "Wow Samanya, you called me before time! And also when I said I would be the one to call. This must be a real emergency. Now where is Bhairavi, I believe she is the one who needs my help," a polished, brisk voice spoke while Bhairavi stood in front of Samanya, nervous and squirming.

"Now, now Mother, you make it sound like I am not on time for our weekly phone calls. And Bhairavi is right here." Samanya pulled a reluctant Bhairavi to his side and she smiled hesitantly into the video call.

A beautiful golden-yellow skinned Rakshasi, dressed in a floral maxi, smiled at her politely. Bhairavi waved, not knowing if she could speak mentally in a video call and not even attempting to. "Ah, so you are Bhairavi. Hello, it is nice to meet you. I heard what you did for Aritar, and how you were wronged by my husband. Don't worry, I don't blame you," the woman chuckled, "I am glad Samanya has found a....friend who looks out for him now."

Bhairavi smiled, more genuinely this time, and nodded, Samanya must have told his mother a bit about her for she did not ask her to speak or explain anything. "Okay, now tell me what all happened, Samanya. Do not leave out a detail." And Samanya elaborated on how after defeating his father they had returned home and things had been fine for a couple of days before Bhairavi had the nightmare, and then described it in detail.

By the time Samanya finished, even his mother looked troubled, "Son...what I could deduce from the dream was that...Oh God. Now I understand.." Samanya's mother looked at Bhairavi with a piercing gaze before sighing, "She is the one he is looking for."

"What? Who? Mother, stop speaking in riddles and say it outright!" Samanya exclaimed.

His mother visibly swallowed before speaking, "It is your grandfather, son. He is the one Bhairavi keeps seeing in her dreams and he has been looking for her for a very long time."

A stunned Samanya managed to ask, "But why!?"

"Because she is the only one who has the power to defeat him."
Samanya stared at her with disbelief.

Nodding at his look she continued, "You never met him. He had gone to do Tapasya in the forest near our house in Aritar before you were even born. All of your ancestors are doing Tapasya to gain enough Tapas to defeat the tenth Avatar of Vishnu after his birth.

Each of them have settled in a different part of the world for it. Bhay had settled near us. When he was visited by the God he was praying to, Lord Shiva, he asked to be invincible from Manavas, Rakshasas, Rakshasis, Danavas, Danavis, Daityas, Adityas, Gods, Goddesses, Insects, Animals, Microorganisms,, and dozens of other creatures. However, he had forgotten or deliberately ignored a Manavi, considering them to be weak.

Lord Shiva had been pleased with his devotion, so he granted him the boon, but before vanishing he added that though he was invincible from all of them, the one to defeat him was already born.

Enraged, Bhay began searching for baby girls everywhere. He would slaughter them mercilessly. Why do you think female infanticide rates have increased in the near past and present? He whispered and stirred fear in the hearts of men, 'A girl? Oh what a burden till she is married!' 'A girl studying? Oh show her her place in the kitchen and bed!' 'A girl? Kill her before she becomes an embarrassment for you.' He became mindless with bloodlust.

That was the last we saw of him in Aritar before he left to terrorize the whole country. Coincidentally, you never met him while growing up, which I feel is very lucky, and since you refused to be like your father, you knew little about your grandfather killing baby girls in Aritar before leaving. He is still searching for you, Bhairavi."