They decided not to leave for Redmere, until the girl had calmed down.
By the evening, Terren and Kael prepared the deer. They cooked half, roasting over flames and let the other half cook in smoked for later uses. While the deer cooked, Zodiac and Demiurge left for a stroll. Terren sat by the girl and keep an eye on sizzling meat.
Kael and Nollan sat under another tree, meditating. Kael was focused on his base chakra, breathing steadily and calmly. With every breath, warmth at the bottom of his spine curled up. Kael could feel something rising within his body, reaching his lower stomach.
The atmosphere was calm. So calm that Kael could clearly hear his heartbeat and the surge of energy over his stomach, curling into a ball. He was so focused that he almost forgot the surroundings. It was as if he the only remained and nothing else. He and only he.
"Stop," Kael burst open his eyes upon hearing these words. "No, focus on the centre, or you'll get internal injuries." Nollan muttered, instructing Kael. Kael felt a severe pain in his belly. "Close your eyes… Focus, you dumbass." Nollan barked, his temple tensed with concern and anger.
Kael closed his eyes and started performing breathing technique again. "Don't go up. Just focus where you are." Nollan said in his calming voice.
Kael's whole face was sweating, his lips fell pale in pain and his brows frowned, but he continued. Eventually after sometime, he finally calmed the sensation in his stomach, finally breathing steady. He opened his eyes. Nollan still sat in front of him, eyes closed.
"Don't you know, that you should not practice *Kundalini* unless you have a proper guide? a teacher!" Nollan said, slowly opening his eyes. He stared directly at Kael's eyes. Kael skipped a beat, unconsciously breaking the eye contact as he felt overwhelmed by the pressure. Intimidating expressions covered Nollan's face.
"Where did you learn to practice?" Nollan asked, his voice sold as ice now.
"No… I… I wasn't practicing any kundalini or anything… haha," Kael replied, briefly making the eye contact. "I don't even know what the kundalini even is… hahaha," Kael tried to flick off the serious atmosphere but Nollan didn't budged.
"Look around you, " Nollan muttered. Kael's brows shot up, as he found Nollan's words shocking. Kael turned his head towards the left, checking the surroundings.
It was already very late in evening. The sun was just about to set and there wasn't much light. When Kael's vision covered his surroundings, his eyes opened wide. Entire ground he was sitting upon had turned wet, and pebbles had come out on the surface. His whole body was shooting steam as if he had just ran for his life. He didn't realized that, but he was actually sitting there for last three hours.
"Now, I will ask again," Kael turned to Nollan upon hearing his voice. "Where did you learn to practice kundalini?" Nollan's words dropped like a boulder.
Kael hesitated for an instance, but then he took a deep breath and met Nollan's gaze.
"I just told you that we are headed to the royal capital for courtly matters," Kael said. "But I never explained as for why, and you never cared."
"So what?"
"I have a book."
"What book?"
"It's called the Maha Tantra."
Nollan's eyes opened wide and the atmosphere fell quite. His brows shot high, as he spoke in a serious and deep tone:
"You are kidding, right!"
"No.. no, I'm serious. Look!" Kael pulled out the book from his small pouch on his armor, and passed it to Nollan.
Nollan took the book hurriedly and went through all the pages in one go. Kael tried to say something, as he himself had not yet looked through the entire book and just read some initial pages.
Nollan suddenly closed the book with a flap. His excitement was gone by now. The look in his eyes was the look of betrayal.
"Wha—what happened?" Kael asked, taking a back.
"Its blank"
Kael was confused as he heard that. He have been reading and learning from the book ever since he got that. So, how can it be blank? Kael himself had seen the text on the book.
"Except for the cover. Entire book is empty," Nollan said.
Kael snatched the book from Nollan's hands and aggressively flipping through the pages. His eyes opened wide, as the book was blank. Just old, yellow pages.
"But.. but, I know… it was full. There were 105 methods, I—
Kael stopped mid sentence. "Wait, what am I even saying? Haha. We are going to submit this book as it says 'Maha Tantra' on it, but when did i actually even read that?"
"I must have lost my mind, after such crazy incidents… hahaha,"
Nollan swung his head from right to left, and slowly stood up, pushing on his knees as he sighed. "You must have gone mad channeling through your chakras without a mentor. Don't do that again," Nollan turned to the other side, leaving. "Unless you want to die in agony." He murmured as he left.
Kael looking back at the book scratched his head, as if he was trying to remember something. But his eyes were still locked at Nollan. Once Nollan disappeared from his view, he opened the book again and swiped his hand over a page, revealing the text.
"Why did it say to not disclose anything with anyone?" He murmured.
---
"Where have you been?" Zodiac shouted, biting on the roasted deer meat.
It was dark now, and the fire was like a firefly in the jungle. Zodiac sat with Demiurge beside the girl. She was still unconscious. Meanwhile, Terren cooked the deer meat.
Kael walked to Terren and started helping him with packing the roasted meat. Kael noticed, Nollan was not to be seen. He wasn't there.
"Where is Nollan!?" Kael asked.
"I think he was bored and went for a walk," Terren replied, as he flipped the packed roasted meat in leaves.
Kael nodded, focusing on work. Once all the roasted meat to be taken with was packed, he turned to others.
"Isn't she up yet!?" He muttered. Then looking at Demiurge, "Won't she die neither eating nor drinking!? She's been lost who knows how long by now." He was concerned about the girl. She had been laying there ever since they found her.
"Then wake her up." Demiurge said, standing up slowly and heading out. Kael looked at his wide back disappearing in dark. Kael's eyes focused back at the girl, watching her breathing shallowly.
He came closure to the girl and tried shaking her. But she didn't react at all. Then he gently slapped her face and splashed some water. She finally reacted, opening her eyes.
Just as she woke up, she thrusted back, frightened. Her brows frowned, and her eyes scanned all; moving from Kael to Zodiac and Terren. She was panting, slowly pushing herself back.
Kael clenched his feet, ready to dash. She twisted her body trying to run, but just then a sword landed just in front of her face. Zodiac's Devon, the darker blade.
She was caught off guard before she could escape, Kael caught her from behind. She tried breaking free but she had no strength in her. She was weak and thin, merely the bones and skin left behind.
"Aaahhh… let me go," she screamed, "I can't bear anymore of your children… please let me go…"
Kael's jaw clenched, biting on his lower lip. He was mad and sad, but he couldn't express. She was screaming and crying out loud, which made the situation even worse.
"Calm down, I'm not a goblin." He whispered to her ears. "You've been saved. Look carefully."
Kael was frustrated but concerned, he wanted to say more to comfort her but his neck felt heavy, sinking his voice. Besides, she was too devasted for Kael's voice to reach her. He closed his eyes, lowering his gaze gripping her tight, repeating again and again, "You are fine… look around you… you are fine."
Just then Kael felt something move past him. Before he could open his eyes, he felt a warmth over his head. He opened his eyes. It was Terren, wrapping his hands over her. Gentle and comforting.
"Don't worry," his words reached Kael's ears. The girl suddenly stopped crying. Still panting and huffing, but now more relaxed. "I crushed it. There you see in the flames, it's burning. Can you smell it!? Yeah, it's gone now. I am here now. So, don't worry. I am here."
Kael forgot take a breath until Terren finished. And the girl also felt quite, looking at Terren. "Did you really crushed it!?" She finally talked. "Yes, I really did." Terren whispered.
Everything felt silent for an instance. Not even a single breath was taken. Even Zodiac was shocked at the scene and Terren's compassion. Crackling sound of fire was clearly heard, and just then she let out all her breath in a sob. She clenched Terren tightly and cried out loud in his arms.
Kael let his grip loose, still frustrated but now at ease, bumping on his bum as he dropped. Zodiac's lips curled in a smile, while he munched on meat, slowly standing up and heading out as well.
Kael wiped his eyes, smiling, stood up and went to the meat being cooked on fire. He took a piece, water pouch and brought that to girl. Terren slowly whisper that to her ears. She slowly calm down, Terren took the meat slab from Kael's hands and moved it near her mouth. Girl slowly turned, still sobbing and still clinging to Terren. Kael smiled in relief and passed the water pouch.
"So, we can finally leave in the morning," Kael heard from behind. He looked back, and it was Nollan, standing behind him. The girl looked at Nollan and clung even tighter to Terren. Nollan looked down at, with no emotion on his face as usual, and then turned towards the campfire.
"Where have you been!?" Kael asked, dragging himself towards Nollan. Nollan sat by the fire, took a roasting slab, and started munching.
"Its burnt Terren. You didn't flip it." Nollan said, and took the meat away from the flame. "Just went to loosen up." He said, replying to Kael.
Kael nodded and also started munching on roasted meat. He looked back at Terren and the girl. Terren fed the girl as she still sat in his arms. Kael's heart melted, a sweet smile again covered his face, his eyes sparkled in the firelight.
"Don't get too attached, Kael." Nollan muttered. Kael turned his head towards him. He was looking right back at Kael. His face covered in a weird silence. "You can only give. Never expect. There is nothing in this world which can be yours, there is nothing." Nollan put his finger over Kael's chest and continued, "Not even this."
Then his gaze settled on the fire, while Kael kept looing at his face. Nollan took another bite, chewing onto it. For a while the silence covered the entire place. Kael also sighed and focused on eating.
"Always remember." Nollan spoke again. "*Attachment is a sin, and will never bring good.*"