"Why did you allow her to take part in the competition, Sir?" Parth looked at Harry in an exasperated tone.
"You are the closest to me, out of all the people I know. Today I will tell you a secret. Nobody can stop that girl from doing what she is doing. She is no longer your gait. Soon, time will change things for her and us."
"In that case, we will have to take her up much before time if she obtains a contract and earns a hefty sum beyond our prescribed limit," cried Parth
"How will we manage her? Please help us, for you are our Alma Mater, our God whom we pray to for everything."
"Don’t worry," Parth.
"And why do you say that, Sir? Why shouldn’t I worry? Her actions disturb every mind."
"To be frank with you, nobody bothers about her actions except you and your gaits who want to ruin her everything. Don’t keep a grudge against her. She has suffered throughout her life for us. She has sacrificed everything.
"But… Sir… our R… rules… and"
"And Needs?" Harry laughed.
“I am aware of everything, Parth. Don’t worry. She won’t be winning a huge amount in the contract.”
“So… it means… she will win a contract.”
“She will not only win a contract but will also complete her writing and submit her work within the stipulated time”.
“Then, what do we do except create problems for her”.
"Boy, you cannot create problems for her excessively. You need to balance everything with her. Otherwise, our food-making of magic will be affected."
“But she is our doll,“ cried Parth.
"She is a doll, but we have to honor the agreement according to which we cannot interfere with certain key areas of her life like her inner sanctum, her hard work, and her creative endeavors. Also, she is our life and also the life of the whole universe, as she is the last incarnation of Godhead.
"She is nothing to us except a piece of shit," murmured Sebastian.
"So, you mean to say we cannot siphon money or cheat her," asked a worried Parth.
"No. That cannot be done. We can cheat her financially only within a circumscribed limit. We have certain rules in our magical world according to which we can chew her everything."
"But…"
"There is no “if” and “but” in our dealings with her now. We will have to change our perspective and treatment towards her. It will affect you also badly. You need to be made in due time and through her."
"Nobody can make you except her. And even if you are not made, the food of magic is of utmost priority to me than any other thing."
"Hence, we will have to allow her certain things, one of which is financial independence and creative endeavors. Also, nobody should jeopardize her interests now”.
“Don’t forget, Parth. You have a companion now. Hence, you should be very careful about your living now.”
“What about her health? How is Aastha now? We are just concerned about that.” Harry looked serious.
"Sir, she has created enough problems for us."
"Don’t complain about her. It is not her fault," Harry smirked.
“The magical gaits incur problems because of her. We just want her to die soon. We just want her heart,” added Sebastian.
“Don’t be angry at her, Dad. Understand her,” laughed Parth.
“Her heart will come to us after her death. She needs to be taken up much before a certain age. Her life and death are equally important to us. Many others in the community are yet to be made through her.
I will ensure that whenever she is taken up, she will remain a special 'slave'," yelled Parth.
"You want her enslavement, whereas she is our freedom. Nobody can treat her as a slave after a certain period," said Harry.
"In any case, I will take her up within a year,” interrupted Sebastian.
"You must be joking, dad," cried Parth.
"No. I am not joking. I will take her up whenever I want to. She is my puppet."
“No, I mean, why so early? We wanted her up in her old age. She, being a semi-divine gait, will remain young in the magical den because of our operations on her magical suit. And I will conduct as many surgical operations on her as are required so that we extract as much magical meat, as we can through her, but we will not release her soon. I want her menstrual cycle disturbed badly with a heavy inflow of blood so that we can enjoy that as well. I want my food of heinousness.”
“Me too, son, laughed Sebastian”
“We hold a grudge against the child of God,” and they laughed
“Oh! I am sorry. She is not the child but God himself as per our research. She is “The One” for us,” grinned Parth.
“She is our God also, don’t you understand Parth,” grinned Sebastian.
“Don’t be jealous, Parth," interrupted Harry. “We cannot forget our existence nor we can forget hers. We are here because of her. She is our almighty. Calm down Parth.”
“You know, Dad.” Parth moves towards Sebastian. “We don’t have anyone above us. No God or any parental authority is above us. We just have each other’s togetherness. How can she be above us?”
“Both of you should not fight over Aastha’s release, her father is still there,” joined Harry. “The child is my responsibility and I will take her up when the opportune time comes.”
“Till then, you eat or chew her up but all as per the rules of my game and also adhering to my instructions but with some morality.”
“What morality? We are all magical animals, hungry for her magic and being.”
“Do what I say and you will get everything you want?” cried Harry.
“And what if we disobey you and cause her more trouble for our food?”
“In that case, I will not make your food of magic and money which is of utmost necessity for you and all others in the magical community.”
“Sir, we are also satra (magical gaits) and we are all connected hence you cannot stop giving us food by any means of magic or otherwise.”
“Son, why don’t you understand I cannot make any food of magic if we cause excessive trouble to her. She might attempt to commit suicide in the den below, which is not good for us. We need her badly.”
“Okay, Sir. I will give due consideration to your request and will research further. But one thing is for sure. We feel powerful whenever we control her. We feel we control time and space which we use for our benefit,” laughed Parth
“Boy, I understand your feelings,” said Harry. “Even I feel we control our part of the Universe. But don’t be proud. That girl is sitting in our magical school abandoning all her rights only for our good. We do whatever we want to do, including dimension walk only because of her. Hence, respect her being and allow her a breather. Allow her a living.”
“Sir, but I request you not to take her up early. I request you to consider this prayer of mine.”
“Okay. I will consider this. But for now, research on how much time is required by us for our purposes and to keep her in the magical den.”
“But Sir… presently I am already researching on her and have found something crucial that I would like to share. It concerns her life span."
"I appreciate your earnestness. I know you like her and have liked her for a long time. She is your old flame. You never confided to her you had some feelings for her as well, even though be that of an added feeling of jealousy.”
“Nothing like that, Sir. I love my companion and I admire Aastha for her bravery.”
“She is brave alright. Even I admire the girl for the various qualities she possesses. I know everything about her, but what I want you to research on how much grace period we have with us before we take her up.
I needed you to find that out fast.”
“For a better search, I can give you one hint. We cannot keep her down in the magical den for over 12 years.”
“12 years is a lot of time,” came an instant reply from Parth, who sighs relief.
“Don’t be happy, son. It won’t be that far. She is a human instrument, with no support from her community. We also cannot be with her in her endeavors by any means. We are two worlds breathing together and hence it is our responsibility to understand how to manage her and everything in the den below.
“I understand Sir. But what about the needs of the magical gaits of the community below?”
“I have recently learned from the sources that you and other magical gaits of the lower den have more needs concerning the kid than anyone else and hence require more time with her. There are other magical gaits in the den above who are waiting to meet her for their purposes. Also, she is the only one for us. She is our present and future. Hence, we have to be careful with her. Nobody can withstand so much for over 12 years. We have to think about all aspects before deciding on her.”
“Sir, we also need to think about our magical den below. It is a newly created magical world. She is the only magic and balance of the world and the only wish-fulfilling tree we have for us. What I cannot understand is why can’t she remain in the magical den below for over 12 years? What have we to do with her? Let her remain in the den below for 12 years.” Parth looked pensive.
Harry laughs.
“Why this specific number of years? queries Parth.
"On the number of years of her stay below, I cannot say much except that the number has everything to do with her karmic debts. She, being a human instrument has certain karmic debts to discharge arising from her previous births. We know by now that she is the last incarnation of Shri Krishna. She is living Shri Krishna’s previous birth along with his present birth before her Kalki incarnation comes before the world.
“It is a serious issue, boy. Hence, I need you to confirm your research on this as soon as possible and with utmost precision.”
“If I may ask, Sir”
“Yes, go ahead, Parth.” “I am all ears.”
“Sir, with whom will she stay whenever we take her up?”
“While both Parth and Sebastian look at Harry for a reply, he said – She will stay with Parth in his house for his making.”
“I cannot take her with me. I mean, how will she stay with me,” shouted Parth.
While all laughed, Sebastian bore a serious disposition and Harry ended with a line – “It is all fated”.