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Age of Men 816
Sugriva bounced his boy, Chelan, for he was the water deep within Sugriva's heart. The child was four, the temple was renewed, and there were plenty of other spirits tending to the grounds. Ishva, Taro Taro, and Wuzi sought out other Ashtadash, and though they found numerous powerful and willing spirits, they found none of legend. So the Ashtadash trained who they found, and one day they would refill the ranks of the divine spirits.
The monkey hunted. He maintained the temple and created several other shrines. He trained in the elements, while helping his boy learn to use his innate water abilities. Sugriva worried about teaching the boy magic, terrified of putting him through the torture, but Wuzi, with a rare sincere smile, said, "Do not fear teaching this one. He knows who he is."
Water gushed from Wuzi to Chelan's mouth, entering his lungs before Sugriva could protest. The boy giggled and gurgled, breathing just fine.
Wuzi said, "See?" She raised him up and touched her liquid nose against his. "Aren't you just fine? Are you excited to learn more?"
"Please?"
Sugriva thought of how pudgy Chelan was just two years ago, and how old he looked now. It made his chest ache.
"They grow up so fast," he said.
Wuzi responded, staring at Sugriva with cold eyes, "Mortals grow up and die so fast. I don't understand why you wouldn't want to master an element and become an immortal spirit."
"Ishva can tell you. I'm sure she misses parts of her personality sometimes."
She gave out a chilling laugh. "Sugriva, you attempt to learn all the elements, so you will master none. I suggest you pick fire and stick with it. Stop poking around. Dedicate yourself." She smiled again and went back to the toddler, poking his nose. "You picked one, and I bet when you come of age you'll be better at it than your dad."
Wuzi wasn't wrong. Sugriva could sense through all three elements, but so far he could only manipulate fire and water.
That night, at dinner, Ishva was contemplative. Her food was burned and she kept smoldering it, paying more attention to the flame. The pained look twisted Sugriva inside. Finally he broke Ishva's thoughts. "What are you worried about?"
"Nothing," she muttered, until she shook herself out of the trance. "My apologies. I was lost in the flame. It happens."
"It happens when you have a lot on your mind. I know your moods and when your heart aches."
She shimmied. "This is true. I have something I need to tell you tonight. It is a choice you need to make, though I would love to make the choice for you."
"Why wait?" Personally, he never understood waiting. If it had to be said, say it. If it didn't, forget it.
She nodded, and she excused herself from the table, taking Sugriva with her into the jungle. Wuzi and Taro both looked concerned, though the rest of the spirits continued in ignorance, enjoying the meal and entertainment.
The jungle felt menacing that night, as if the trees had eyes, and they were staring at the couple as they walked. Sugriva wanted to hold her hand, to call upon the spirits to keep him from harm so he could feel the entirety of her heat as fingers laced together.
Ishva broke Sugriva out of his thoughts. "The demons have mounted in force behind Ravasha. He marches on Jaya and will crush it."
The news lanced Sugriva's chest. "We need to go and help them." He paused a moment, thinking of all the spirits they had, then he said, "Or better, we could assassinate Ravasha before he reaches them. It'll scatter—"
"Sankive is meant to fall. You know the stories of Bahimatt. That is where we are to go. Stay here, train with us, and send out for the villages. Bring the villagers here and we will strike out for Bahimatt." She took his hands, and he reflexively asked for the protection of fire spirits.
"You didn't say I can't kill him."
Ishva huffed. "You can kill him. Jaya will still fall."
"Prisha is there. I can save her. And Divyan and Amu who were kind to me."
"Maybe." She let go of his hand, and the evening coolness replaced her heat. A shiver rippled through him. Ishva said, "But I thought you loved me, Sugriva. The way you look at me. How you favor me with raising your child. Our walks." She let the thought trail off. Another lance through Sugriva's heart. The voice whispered in the back of his head, a sensation he hadn't felt in years. It wanted him to go to Jaya, another sign Jaya was the wrong decision.
"We would all go to Bahimat?"
She nodded eagerly, and Sugriva wondered when she fell in love with him. He never noticed until her earnestness in getting him to remain in Ramaswam. It hurt to know he would lose what he had for someone he could never have.
"Will you watch Chelan?" he asked, and her smile flickered, then faded.
"If you leave you will not be welcomed back. We will keep Chelan and train him, and you will not see him again. If you would trade that for a woman and kingdom which turned on you, then go. Do not wait, leave tonight. You only have a month, and it takes two weeks to reach Jaya."
Sugriva went in to kiss Ishva, but a wall of fire spouted up between them, and when it faded, she was gone. Tears streaked down his cheek, as he used his staff to fling himself toward Jaya.
***
SUGRIVA SAT ON A STOOL in a small village, sipping rice beer. He wore robes and a hat, remaining in his man form. "What's the news?" he asked the cook.
The man shrugged, pouring some rice onto his plate, then adding a few vegetables and a ladle of curry. "Almost a dozen demons killed around here. I guess that's news."
Sugriva nearly spat. "In the past few years?"
"No," the cook shook his head and served another customer. "In the past month."
"Who killed them?" Jaya didn't have warriors ready for so many demons, and if there were that many this far out of Jaya, he couldn't imagine what they were facing near the walls of the city.
"Demon hunters. Jaya said they trained numerous the past several generations, preparing for this." Lies, but the villages didn't care. Demon hunters showed up and killed the monstrosities, so they were willing to believe in the overreaching power of the Jayan Empire. "Some of them learned from demons and use the shadows."
This news caused a shiver to creep down Sugriva's spine, and his right arm suffered a tremor, then a twitch. "I see." He could feel the itch in the back of his head. If Jaya was okay with using Chaos, then why wouldn't Sugriva embrace its power?
The cook leaned on the counter. "Yeah, I just feel bad for them. We had one here that lost his mind. His band had to put him down right in the street."
A side effect Sugriva was all too aware of. After the war, he could gather the corrupted together so they could find peace through the Ashtadash—whether that would be purification or death.
It was another week before he reached Jaya dressed as a hermit in rags and a rice hat. He covered his face in mud and grass, then added some ash for effect. The guards let him through without question, as it was bad for the dharma to deny a hermit passage. Too bad for them Sugriva was a dharma-breaking liar.
Finally he slipped into the palace, still in the visage of a wizened hermit.
Prince Anka sat on his throne, rubbing his temples. His eyes were closed tight, as if not seeing the demonic threat would make it go away. Too bad he didn't have coverings for his ears.
General Humbari, in his half bear form, roared, "We need to tell the people it's okay. Then we can send an army and finish the demons. We don't need to involve them in this."
General Divyan nearly whispered his response. "The few scout reports we still get state the army is much larger than our own. Right now it takes five well trained soldiers and spirits to take down one demon. There is no need for a siege: if they attack in the morning, a demon lord will sit on your throne by evening. We need to rally the people, and preferably flee from here. There are neighboring kingdoms—"
Prince Anka rose his hand and Divyan was quiet. The prince acknowledged Sugriva, though the prince didn't know who it was. "Hermit, I'm sure your dharma brought you here to share wisdom," Anka sighed. "Please, grace us with the knowledge of the Ashtadash."
"Prince Anka, I come with news on the demons."
"How does this hermit know about that?" Humbari roared.
Divyan shook his head. "We do not have walls around the countryside, general. Between fewer merchants and missing villages, they can figure it out."
"The demons will be here in two more weeks. Ravasha leads them. This should not be taken lightly, and you should look to your wall and your warriors. Kill what demons you can, but make sure your warriors are here when the hour of shadows and blood comes upon you." He feigned prophetic language as best he could, feeling uppity.
Prince Anka stood and walked down the stairs from his throne to the common chamber floor. "Your words are a curse on my kingdom and make my heart weep. Is there any way to meet him in the open field?"
"It would be unwise. His army is as countless as the trees in the Sankive Jungle. They will flow like the Gangre River in summer and sweep away anything trying to stand in their way." His tail waved under his shrouds, and Divyan cocked his head.
The hawk walked down and stood beside the prince. "Who are you, hermit? Who sent you?"
Sugriva hid his hands and sneaked his tail back under the clothes. "I was with the Ashtadash, and they told me not to come. However, I am from here, and it would injure my heart to watch Jaya fall."
"You broke your dharma for us," the prince said sorrowfully. "I am sorry you were required to make that choice. It must hurt to know you are straying from the path laid out directly by the Ashtadash. Did they say we can survive with your help?"
Divyan interrupted. "Sugriva?"
Prince Anka crinkled his nose, eyes blazing. He went up to Sugriva and ripped off the rice hat. "You fiend! You liar and schemer! Why do you tell us this news? Why do you rile us to war and beg us to pull our troops close when the villages we protect are mercilessly slaughtered?" He shook, then pointed at Sugriva. "Arrest him. We will execute him tomorrow, as was the punishment for returning."
Divyan shook his head and frowned. The hawk approached Sugriva without hesitation and bound his arms.
The monkey begged, "Listen to me. I saw the Ashtadash. It's why I'm not a demon. You've seen it, how your chaos warriors turn. Ishva of the fire, Wuzi of the water, and Taro Taro of the earth train me."
General Humbari grunted. "Taro Taro? What a stupid name. You're more creative than that, Sugriva. I look forward to burning you tomorrow."
"Let me prove what I say. Tomorrow, have the soldiers stone me all day. The following day tie me to stones and keep me at the bottom of the Gangre River. That evening recover my body and on the third day place me in a fire you stoke all day and night. When the sun rises, I’ll be sleeping in the pyre, and you’ll see I'm trained by the Ashtadash."
The room fell silent, the generals both fidgeting side to side. Prince Anka stroked his chin, eying the monkey with suspicion. "Do it. Generals, have your men collect rocks until there is a massive pile. From there, ask earth spirits to continue creating rocks. Have the men throw rocks at Sugriva all day. Worry about the drowning only if he sees sunset."
***
THE EARTH WAS BECKONED to restrain Sugriva so he couldn't move. Three days would be wasted on the spectacle, but he needed them to believe, and he knew how the people loved theatrics like the old myths. Or were they myths? He thought on the fact he met Ashtadash and had a half-water son, as the first rock struck his forehead. It hurt, his head pounding. Blood dripped down his face.
The crowd laughed, and General Humbari bellowed, "Looks like we will have that execution. Throw the next stone."
Sugriva invoked the spirits and grinned. The earth spirit who summoned up the restraints flinched, then looked at the monkey, slack jawed. The second rock bounced off him.
Humbari shuddered at the ineffective stone. "Throw another. Draw blood." Another bounced off. Then another. Finally Humbari came down and grabbed a large stone, one larger than Sugriva's head. It was nearing the largest rock Taro threw at him. Sugriva closed his eyes, praying to the spirits this would be covered by the protection.
The rock struck his head, and Sugriva's skull left a large dent in the side of the rock. Sugriva laughed. "The earth protects me. Would you like to drown me for the rest of the day so we can move on with this?"
Humbari roared, spittle covering Sugriva and any others close enough. Then he went up to the monkey, ripped him out of the mound of earth, and tied him to a large stone. Several soldiers carried Sugriva to the Gangres River and threw him in.
It was soothing—cool relief against the hot weather. Monkey plunged down with a plunk. Sugriva could feel the water dragging him a little downstream before he hit the bottom and was anchored. Fish rushed by him, along with debris from upstream. He prayed for the water spirits to give him the ability to breathe water, and so he stayed there until evening. When the sun set, he used the water to free himself.
When he returned to the palace soaking wet, he bowed. "Earth and water are nothing to me. Should we try fire?"
Prince Anka's face sunk. "This is ridiculous. General Humbari, build a pyre. Keep it stoked. General Divyan, bind Sugriva so we can put him on the pyre, and he cannot run away like some clever little creature. I fear in the morning we will see you, and then we will hear you out about this demon threat. Now get him out of my sight until then. I want to rest, and he gives me indigestion."
Sugriva was tossed on the pyre, and as they lit it, he prayed, "Protect me, fire spirits. Give me immunity to your blaze." And so they did, and he laid down on the pyre, which was stoked tirelessly by Humbari himself. Sugriva fell asleep in the crackling warmth.
***
SUGRIVA RESTED THE following day. Even though he slept in the fire, his body was exhausted from channeling the magic. He woke up around noon, still sore and groggy.
He worked his way through the trees, going up to the canopy. As a janaav, he went into the hawk territory, where they all looked at him wearily. None knew that Sugriva learned his janaav form, so they let him be. Then he shifted into a monkey to hide and swing himself into General Divyan's nest. He searched Prisha's room, but she wasn’t there.
Amu came into the room, and, when he saw Sugriva, he let out a yelp. "Teacher, why are you here?"
Sugriva swung around and sat lotus style, inviting Amu to join him. The boy did. "I am looking for your sister. I assume she is with General Ajit."
"They're married, so yes. You shouldn't go see them, but Ajit is a pompous jerk." Amu gave directions to General Ajit's nest.
Before Sugriva could leave, Amu said, "Because of you, I'm a lieutenant now. I work under dad's command."
Sugriva smiled. "Congratulations, Amu." He patted the boy's back. "You deserve many honors, this being one of the first."
***
GENERAL AJIT'S NEST was well guarded and in the center of a large cluster. It meant his family had a strong military history, while General Divyan was a first generation general.
Prisha sang in one of the windows. Lullabies. They had a child, and the thought made Sugriva's heart sink. The voice was soothing, and a part of Sugriva wanted to remain outside, listening to her. But he acted on his desire.
Through her window was an elaborate and large room. It was a nursery with a mahogany crib, several instruments for servants to play, and small war toys, though the child was still too young. The baby looked no more than a year old, if that, and Prisha swung the child in her arms, staring at the babe's face with adoration.
"Prisha," Sugriva whispered, breaking the moment.
The woman, once a girl, was ripped from her revelry and screamed. Sugriva hid when guards rushed in, praying Prisha wouldn't reveal him.
"Go back to your posts. I was startled by a spider." The woman flashed them a smile, and the men left.
"What are you doing?" she hissed at Sugriva. "Why in the name of the Ashtadash are you here? My dad said they were executing you yesterday."
"They tried." Sugriva flashed his boyish grin, but it did nothing to calm her.
"You are a fool. If they failed, Ajit will certainly finish what they started if he finds you here. Leave."
"I needed to see you." His body ached, pulsing with his heartbeat. The whole world moved on. Yet he remained in the same place. "It was a bad idea. I'm sorry."
"It was. Now flee before I call the guards so they can deal with your foolishness." She shooed him away.
Sugriva's cheeks flushed, and his intestines knotted up. Bile laced his breath, as he tried not to vomit. He had half a mind not to stop his free fall when he dropped out of the nest, but he used the staff to slow his descent. Prisha spurned him. Ishva was lost to him by Sugriva's own hand. It was his own decisions that lead him to loneliness. The realization clawed at him—he chose those who despised him but turned his back on those who loved him.
A shadow flew overhead as Sugriva left the hawk territory. It didn't surprise him, as he wasn't hiding his identity; the worst they would do was kick him out. Then the shadow descended in front of him, and Divyan shifted into his man form. "We are on the cusp of war. The enemy is at our gates trying to knock them down. You are here with my daughter. If she screamed we would try in earnest to execute you, not those games you set up. If she ran away with you, what would you do with the rest of Jaya? Is she your only motivation?"
"Are you going to report me, general?"
Divyan sat down and patted the ground beside him. Sugriva joined. The hawk-man looked up at the canopy. "I was a common soldier in my youth. I knew what it was to see the woman I loved and not have her. Then I became famous, and I married a beautiful woman. You know what I forgot about, Sugriva?"
There was a pause, Sugriva looking at the ground like a scolded child. "What?" he finally asked.
"I forgot women are more than a beautiful face and perky breasts. But it's easy for an undiscerning man to only see those qualities." Divyan touched his chest. "There is a heart, one which can be kind and compassionate. They go out and help the people. Then there are those who are cold and selfish, only looking out for their interests." The hawk sighed and shook his head. "You met my wife. She's a hag, and I loathe her." He took Sugriva's hands. "And while I love my daughter and pray she learns from my compassion, General Ajit complains regularly that she's a nag, demanding more and more, to the point that he struggles to satisfy her whims. If a general cannot please my daughter, well, you were only a temporary distraction—likely something to upset her mom. You taught her to have confidence in her flying. I was trying to do that for years, but it wouldn't take. It wasn't good enough until mom said it was good enough." He shook his head and grunted.
Sugriva laughed through tears. "We're all like that. Do you remember when you were a kid?"
"Ah, bits and pieces, but not enough. It's probably karma coming back to get me for what I did to my parents." He shuffled his feet and looked to the dirt. "My dad was a wall guard. He didn't hold any big position. I was taught I would be a wall guard, and that was good enough. Now and then he would go on scouting parties, as scouting is part of a hawk's dharma. I told him I could be more—I would be more." He spread out his hands. "Now I have this. A far cry from where I was supposed to be right now."
"My uncle expected a merchant. I should be wandering around the jungle selling wares. He's probably dead, though. With the demons out there, I heard most the merchants who didn't take up permanent residency somewhere are dead."
"You could look for him," Divyan said.
"No. I'd be better off without finding him. He hit me until I said I understood what he was telling me. I never understood. It's why I followed my parents' path."
The canopy shifted to vibrant green, the morning sun illuminating through the leaves. It was a beautiful view, especially with all the hawks flying around.
Divyan said, "You should go. There's a lot of work to be done."
They clasped hands, holding on at the elbow, and put their foreheads against each other briefly. Sugriva said, "Thanks for taking a chance on me. I'll work hard to atone for my sins and return to my dharma."
"You have surpassed whatever those sins are in coming back to save a kingdom that despises you. Never forget that. It's too easy for men to think they have to make up for old slights."
***
THE TRAINING GROUND was silent, though the stands overlooking were filled with people. From time to time Sugriva could hear a baby cry, but parents were quick to silence them. Over a dozen men marched out, with General Humbari leading them. He was the only one in attendance standing proud. Even Prince Anka, with dark circles under his eyes, seemed to be wasting away.
Divyan elbowed Sugriva. "Sit up straight. Humbari is looking for any reason to kill you."
A derisive snort left his lips. "Then he'll have to trample everyone here."
"For cowardice," General Humbari roared, "these men will be executed. They plotted to flee the city when they were conscripted, or they assisted a deserter. Every man and woman will be needed. The demons are at our doorstep, and cowardice will see us all trampled."
A man was summoned from the side.
"Begin," General Humbari said, getting out of the way.
The man shifted into an elephant and trumpeted. He charged forward and stomped down on people, crushing them under his feet.
The audience remained still through the display of brutality. It became a daily tradition. People no longer went to work first thing in the morning, they went to the training ground, and if they were fortunate, they were told there would be no executions that day.
"What are you doing after this?" Sugriva asked.
"Checking the perimeter. The demons have to be close. We're getting fewer refugees, and those we get are from nearby villages."
The display ended, and Humbari came out to make some speech about dharma. The people had no future. Why did they care what path they walked?
Divyan asked, "And you?"
"I don't know." His thumb ran over the seat in front of him, feeling the wood against his skin. He wanted a sliver, something to break him from the malaise settling over the city. "Drink and eat?"
"Sugriva," Divyan scolded, "You have to stay sharp and—"
A scout flew down in front of Divyan and cawed, then flew away.
The general paled, and said, "Shift into a monkey and follow me."
***
THE GUARDS ON THE WALL were on edge, peering over like something unexpected would explode from the jungle. One day it would.
Sugriva's hair stood on end, and he shifted into a man as Divyan dropped him. "This feels unsettlingly familiar."
"Silence," Divyan whispered.
Sugriva strained his ears, but Divyan was right. The chirps and roars decreased steadily over the past few days, but now there was nothing.
"They're watching us."
"Seems we're trapped."
"Let's go," Divyan said.
Sugriva and Divyan strode into Prince Anka's temple. Divyan said, "My prince, I think we should investigate what the demons are doing. We are under siege, and we need to know what is coming."
Humbari spoke before the prince could. "That's foolish suicide. Are you so afraid to defend the city, you want to die before the grand defense of Jaya?"
Prince Anka pursed his lips and glared at the bear-man at his side. "Thank you for your input, General, but I believe my dharma is to rule, and it is my word they will follow."
Humbari growled and took a step back, rubbing his arm like a wounded animal.
The prince hummed in thought and stroked his chin. It was the most alive the man looked in over a week. "Do you think it will actually help? From what I hear, the demons could be the siege engines, if they even need them at all, since they manipulate flesh and bone like a potter manipulates clay."
"Then we assassinate some of their leaders. They are starving us out, and more importantly filling us with fear. If our people don't die from hunger, they'll rip themselves apart instead. We need hope, and knowledge combined with some preemptive strikes could bring that."
"No," Prince Anka muttered, looking off to the side. "We live in dark times." He forced a smile, but what little energy he mustered left as his shoulders sagged. "An ancient darkness surrounds us, but I don't have the power of the ascendant kings. None of us have their power. Ravasha is out there? The last time he attacked a single king came forward and cast him out. That king should have killed him. It is on his shoulders and dharma that his kingdom falls. Perhaps I'm his reincarnation, here to pay for those sins."
Divyan shook his head. "My prince, if it wasn't Ravasha, it would be another demon. The last time Ravasha attacked, it was so insignificant they didn't even call it a war. The last demon war, fought without Ravasha, was only stopped when the demons fell to infighting. We caught a break, and it doesn't seem like we're going to catch one this time."
More silence.
"Why come back, Sugriva?" the prince asked, gazing at the monkey. "You were safe with three Ashtadash, a ton of spirits, and your child, if we are to believe your story, and you came back. Why?"
Sugriva looked to Divyan, and the general nodded. Sugriva said, "This is my home. There are those I love here, even if they do not love me back. I could not let an entire kingdom fall to the demons unprepared and undefended."
"Now we will fall defended." He waved a hand. "Go. Take no more than five warriors of your choosing and attack them from—"
Prince Anka was cut off by the crash of boulders into stone buildings, as if lightning cracked against the walls of Jaya. Screams wracked outside the palace and the royal guard came in to stand beside Prince Anka. A hundred men filled the palace, each one with the best armaments and training out of anyone in the city, with few exceptions.
General Humbari roared, "It looks like it's too late for these nonsense tactics. We meet the enemy face on."
Divyan and Sugriva ran down the length of the palace until Prince Anka shouted, "Stop! I have a hundred good men who are going to stay here and die after most of the fighting is over. Take them with you. What prince am I if I'm not willing to risk myself for the good of my people?"
"What?" Humbari growled. "You need them. What if the demons send assassins?"
"Then my dharma is complete, and I was found worthy to enter the next life. General, go with them. I would hate to have you die without your men and far from the front line. How would that bode for your path? How would that look to your men?"
The bear-man blushed and stormed down the palace stairs. "Guard, follow me. We die in the blood of demons today."
Outside, though the sun was in the sky, darkness swallowed the light.
You could join them, the voice said, filled with vigor. You could become a demon, open the doors, and have the first of Ravasha's plunder. Prisha could be your brood queen and you could bed her—
Rape her, he thought to himself, looking to Divyan. Sugriva closed his eyes and meditated briefly until the voice calmed down.
"Are you okay?" Divyan asked.
"I'll be fine. We need to save the walls."
***
GIVE IN. JOIN THE THRALLS. Become a demon lord.
"No," Sugriva whispered. The man standing next to him looked at the janaav askew, but there was nothing strange about whispering no or cursing. Jaya was about to fall, and everyone knew it.
The soldier clasped Sugriva's shoulder. "Today we get to show how we cling to our path, even in the face of peril. It will be okay, brother."
Sugriva's mouth opened, but what would he say? Why shine doubt on the faith which comforted the soldier?
Sugriva simply said, "Thank you for your encouragement."
The demons struggled to climb the walls. Archers had time to shoot down. Massive rocks were thrown and crushed skulls. While this gave hope, Sugriva knew it wouldn’t last.
Spikes of earth jutted through demons, water eviscerated them at high pressure, the air lifted them high and dropped them, and fire consumed. There was an archer nearby with flint and metal, so Sugriva went to him. "Please light a torch for me. I'm a fire elementalist, but it's my first time."
The archer created a small pocket of cloth and set it in Sugriva's hand. "Are you sure you want the responsibility? You could light us all on fire, as well as them."
"I practiced for a long time with fantastic teachers. Please."
The archer obliged, striking the flint and giving Sugriva fire. Once the cloth lit, he had the flame consume his hand, and the cloth was no more. Then he shot out flames. Most of his shots missed. Some struck, and they sizzled against the exposed flesh or bleached bones. Soon he tired.
The archer said, "You should slow down. Spirits can only give so much."
He realized Ishva fueled him when they trained. He rarely tired with her. Yet there were too many demons, and he had to continue. He threw more fire, and the demon he struck didn't flinch.
The archer glared at Sugriva. "Stop using it or you'll light yourself on fire."
The monkey grumbled, mocking the archer, but he stopped. The fire formed a circlet around his head. He took out his staff and thrust it through the hordes, lancing who he could.
Stocky demons approached the front gate and several points on the wall. "Focus fire on the fat ones," was shouted. Bird janaav flew overhead and dropped large rocks, crushing the bulbous demons. Other demons turned into thick armor and wrapped around the fat demons. Then one of the demons went down, body covered in arrows. Flames ignited which burned through the flesh. Then the demon exploded, sending blood and sinew all the way up the wall.
"Stop them now," the commander screamed at the top of his lungs.
The raptors continued their runs, and demons shot bone at them. Horrors waited in the trees, and when a janaav flew too close, nightmares dropped down and consumed them. The screams were horrific. There were too many of the exploding demons, and the elementalists and janaav tired. Arrows ran low.
Sugriva smirked. "They gave hope and now they take it."
Three of the demons reached the front gate, a minor miracle that so few made it. They exploded in unison. The iron doors twisted back from the hinges, but held.
The men cheered, praising the Ashtadash. But Sugriva knew the Ashtadash weren't there.
Ravasha appeared from the shadows, stepping out of his demon horde. His flesh was red, his head nothing but a skull without eyes, and he had six arms. He threw potions up into the air and a red mist covered his army. The demons howled, tearing each other apart before charging forward with furry, vaulting the wall as if it was a low fence. The men on the walls cried out in surprise. Sugriva fought on.
The demon lord went to the doors, grabbed on where the metal was weak, and ripped them off the wall. Demons poured in, falling upon the men on the other side.
Humbari held the street with his elite guard. He ran into the center of the onslaught and picked up demons, tearing them in two. Bagh nahks, or tiger claws, adorned his fists, and when he punched the monstrosities, he pierced all the way through until iron came out their back. Then he discarded the crippled forms for his soldiers to finish off. The fire of battle blazed in the bear’s eyes.
The walls were lost. Buildings leading to the city center had soldiers in wait for ambushes, but the men on the walls would still need time to escape. Sugriva shouted, "Fall back." The men didn't hesitate, fleeing their post. The earth staff felt good in his grip, the earth becoming one with him. The weapon shot out, swept several demons, and tossed them through the air. Another it pierced the skull. The staff shrunk, so it fit in his palm. He moved the fire from the circlet to his fists, and punched like an inferno. Then he launched himself off the wall as it was overrun, landing by Humbari.
The bear roared, "Get away from me, monkey. You won't take my glory in this battle."
"We're going to die. Stop worry about glory." He saw Ravasha still at the city gates, a swarm of darkness rushing past him. "Anyway, that guy there is the only one who matters. We kill him, and there's nothing commanding these demons."
"Will killing him end the war?"
That was a great question. "Sure."
"Guard, advance on their general at the gates. Cut through as best you can," he bellowed, and his guard did as commanded, their weapons slicing a path through crawling, formless flesh.
Ravasha's skull grinned wide, the sinew on his jaw pulling tight. "Yes, come to me. Feed me. I will feast on your body and bones. You will die, and I will find power within what is left of you. Sugriva, I have groomed you for this moment. Kill everyone here and join me or die. Make your choice."
The voice in his head was too loud for him to make out, and he dropped to a knee. He gripped his skull, trying to crush out the noise.
Humbari backhanded Sugriva, and the strong taste of iron spilled from inside his cheek. "Knock it off."
The voice fell silent as stars dotted Sugriva's vision. "Yes, sir," he groaned, scrambling to his feet. "We need to finish this. I'm going to launch myself into the air. You do your thing."
Before the bear could protest, Sugriva thrust himself up on his staff, shifted into a monkey for extra height, then shifted into a janaav. Humbari punched Ravasha several times when the demon looked up at the monkey. Then two arms grabbed the bear, holding him in place. Two more hands went to his head, trying to snap the general's neck. Several guards came in, hacking at the limbs.
Then Sugriva thrust his staff down, making it grow, and he cracked Ravasha in the skull. The demon lord staggered, skull fractured, and dropped Humbari. The general took his chance to get in as many punches as he could. He reached up to one of the arms, thrust his fists into it numerous times, the blades ripping at the shoulder. Then he tore the arm off, making the demon scream.
Sugriva landed on Ravasha's head and aimed his staff at the eyeless sockets. He struck again and again, causing more cracks. "To the hells with you, Sugriva. You made your choice, and I find you aggravating."
"I get that a—"
Before Sugriva could finish, Ravasha picked him up by the nape of his neck and tossed him aside. A demon horde came down on him, and he launched himself with his staff. One demon held on, yanking him down. Sugriva called on fire, and when he landed, a spout of lava shot out of the ground and consumed the demons, leaving a scorch mark. He shot himself up again, just in time to see Ravasha pick Humbari up by his head. He tore at the bear with his nails.
"How dare you attack the master of a demon realm. How dare you try to make a demon lord look weak in front of his soldiers. How dare you—"
Then Sugriva landed on the demon's head. He hit another shoulder hard, repeatedly, then put a hand into Ravasha's mouth, pulling up on the teeth. He ripped several teeth out, and when Ravasha bit down, Sugriva howled. He took his staff and struck at the monster's sinew connecting his jaw, until it snapped, causing the left side of Ravasha's maw to hang limply. "You will not take what is mine," Sugriva cried. "You will kill no more, and your army will die with you."
Ravasha's jaw moved awkwardly, but the words came out clearly. "I will pollute the Well of Ghuma. Once I do, it will spawn as many thralls as I need. Then I can claim the gate to heaven, and this world will be consumed by chaos."
"What?" Despite the struggle, Sugriva's mouth slowly opened. The demon was delirious. Monkey called on the fire in his fist, thrust it down Ravasha's throat, and tried to stoke it until it exploded. But nothing happened. "No. Give me one more shot," he whispered. "Ishva, if you can hear me, I need this."
The fire burst in his hand, though barely. There was a small burn, but the fire on Sugriva's hand went out. The demon gurgled.
Then a fire immolated his hand, crawled up his arm, and it consumed him, eating away at his hair and making his skin red. Ravasha tossed the burning monkey aside.
***
THE WORLD WAS BLACK when Sugriva came to. Heavy weights crushed down on his chest and legs, and he could feel them shift as people—or creatures—walked over it. He could make out slimy scraping above, and realized definitely creatures. Jaya was overrun, which would make sense. It wasn't in great condition before he passed out from being set on fire.
He used the earth staff to jettison himself up into the air. He surveyed the city and found a mostly intact building to land on. The demons frenzied seeing him and clamored up the siding. Sugriva launched himself away repeatedly. The demons picked up their pace at the scent of fresh and active blood. As Sugriva continued, he watched as abominations burst into houses, then dragged out victims who couldn't get to the city center. He wanted to intervene—to save them all—but he knew he couldn't. He also knew they were unimportant in comparison to stopping Ravasha from reaching the Well. At best, when possible, Sugriva used his staff to snuff out the victims.
In view of the Well of Ghuma, Sugriva climbed up a tree to avoid the demons below. They looked up briefly as the tree shook, but it didn't keep their interest with all the warriors and monks ahead.
Ravasha limped up the path. Several warriors fought him, and he dispatched each in kind, gaining more ground with every kill. The path was slick with their blood, every stone touched either in crimson or the ruddiness of dried blood.
Divyan was there fighting. Humbari was nowhere to be seen. He likely went off to the palace to make sure Prince Anka remained safe. Meanwhile, warrior priests fended off Ravasha from the irreplaceable Well. Sugriva cursed the short term thinking of General Humbari.
Sugriva launched off and up toward the Well. He dropped in the water and called the liquid to coat his bare skin, soothing burned flesh. The priests were astounded, tripping over themselves from monkey's sudden appearance, but Sugriva ignored them. "Divyan," he said. "I need you to fight Ravasha with me."
The hawk smirked. "They said you were dead. I said you're a ghost and death has no hold on you. Here you are. The Ghost of Sankive." He took out a spear with a jade tip and intricate designs. "Lead the way."
The two men charged down among the priests, moving past the final three gates keeping Ravasha from the Well.
Sugriva spat water and guided it into Ravasha's eyes. He swept for the demon lord's knees. The demon swung down two swords, and Sugriva shifted into a monkey and let his inertia pull him behind the demon's legs. Then he cut up and caught a hamstring. Ravasha dropped to a knee, howling, then swung back, knocking Sugriva off the path. A second pause reattached the severed hamstring. Ravasha charged through the priests and Divyan, then shouldered through another gate. Wood shattered and iron twisted, clanging as it was thrown to the ground. Several monks were killed by splinters and the doors falling. Then Ravasha kicked down the supports, and stone fell and crushed more people.
Sugriva thrust down his staff, steadying himself, then jumped back into the battle, taking a crack at the demon's skull. His aim was off with the flying debris distracting him, and he missed. Divyan flurried, but the jade-tipped spear was rebuffed. Ravasha grabbed the spear during one of the thrusts and dragged Divyan toward him.
Monkey launched a side shot to the skull, which reverberated up the staff and stung in Sugriva's hands. Ravasha struck against a rock wall, and Sugriva struck again and again until Divyan lodged the spear in the demon's torso. Divyan snapped the spear and thrust the broken tip in with his palm, making sure it was deep as the wound sealed over it.
Ravasha threw Divyan, and the hawk shifted to fly, keeping an eye on the monstrosity. Another gate shattered, and Ravasha took one of the pillars and threw it at Divyan. The hawk dodged lazily.
Sugriva poured out water, and let it run over his hand. The stream felt like it pulsed, and he called to it, creating a tendril. The tendril struck, rushing down the demon's throat, filling his lungs. Ravasha waved his hand through the stream, and Sugriva lost his connection. The monkey had a small amount of water left, but certainly not enough to drown the demon.
With a single cough, Ravasha cleared his lungs. "One more gate. These priests can't do anything. You can't do anything. Give up. Flee."
He speaks the truth. Kneel before him. He will still take you. The voice racked his head, but he pushed it down, and it hurt his chest. He parried an attack, then thrust, but Ravasha moved aside. The opening was a grave mistake, and multiple swords came down. Skin and bone shrunk as Sugriva became a monkey, thwarting the attacks with some contortion.
When Ravasha put the fifth weapon into the ground, Sugriva willed his staff to grow, striking Ravasha in his scorched throat hard enough to lift him from the path. The demon rolled onto his back. The skull shifted through the skin, and his legs shifted so he landed on them.
Ravasha, back on his feet, slammed Sugriva into the final gate. Air pressed out of Sugriva, and the monkey couldn't breathe. The gate came down, and Sugriva did his best to dodge as he fell.
"This is futility, monkey. Move aside. Let me plunge into the pool. Why would you want to defend the people who call you outcaste? Even now the priests look at you with disdain, yet you and Divyan are the only two capable of slowing me down."
On cue, Divyan swooped down and kicked Ravasha in the chest. The demon didn't even stumble. He grabbed Divyan by the ankle and slammed him repeatedly into the ground. After the third strike, Divyan's eyes rolled back and his body went limp. Sugriva grabbed a sword, rolled under the rag doll body, and thrust up into Ravasha's armpit. The general flew off the platform.
Black blood bathed Sugriva. The warmth soaked into his skin. Soon, everything turned red. The Master blesses you with great power. Use it!
Ravasha's arm went limp, but another palm struck Sugriva's chest, sending the janaav reeling. "You felt it," he said, grinning. "You felt the darkness."
The fight fell away, and instead Sugriva saw himself sitting on the throne, the corpses of those who made him feel lesser strewn across the floor. A twisted army of demons, his brood, waited to serve him. Prisha was by his side, a pleasing sight, a chain around her neck fastened her to the floor, and her wings were torn off.
A messenger said, "Ji-Wei is yours, demon lord. The other lords bow to you and your whim."
Women attended him, and young men eagerly trained to serve him. He ate as he pleased, though mostly human flesh, and the thought snapped him from the vision, disgust making him wretch.
Ichor blinded him, and he wiped it from his eyes. Where the blood touched, Sugriva noted, the flesh turned like coal with red lines crackling through. "I will not give into your visions.”
Ravasha picked up a priest and crushed his throat, tossing him aside. He stabbed another through the chest. The third he ripped in two. "How will you stop me? I just need to reach the Well. You need to kill me within a few steps."
Sugriva grabbed a sword, slid between Ravasha's legs, and thrust up. The sword caught the demon's crotch, and it howled. Then Sugriva placed his staff against the hilt and made it grow, the sword flying up until it shattered through the top of Ravasha's skull.
"I lose," the demon gurgled, with a grin. Then he laughed. "But so do you." His form turned into a large worm, writhing toward the Well. A priest cut the slithering flesh, and as the worm went over the edge, it had enough weight to fall in.
Once the flesh touched, the Well of Ghuma turned black, spreading out from the appendage. The worm went limp. Once the well turned black, the plants withered and died, and the dirt turned into a putrid smelling muck. "No," Sugriva howled. "We need to run."
The muck touched a priest, and the priest's veins turned black, his skin ashen, until it reached his head. His eyes were red, then he fell to the ground and died. Ichor expelled from his mouth.
As panic hit, the Ashtadash appeared. Wuzi contained the water, Taro Taro lifted the corrupted earth into the sky, and Ishva caused it all to incinerate into nothing, sweating from the exertion.
Hope lifted in Sugriva's chest, and was swiftly replaced by anger. "You were here the whole time?"
"And we saved your people in the end," Ishva said, brow furrowed. "They cannot stay here, and that was the truth from the beginning."