CHAPTER ASHBORN 433: WELCOME TO THE DEMON REALM (THREE)

“A-Ashani,” Ira squeaked. “As in…”

“As in the living deity from the Age of Gods I mentioned earlier, yep,” Maiya said with a smirk. “The one in the scriptures, said to have ruled the highest echelon of the gods with Janak and his daughter Siya.”

“Pfft,” Ashani blurted. “All these silly tales. I truly wonder where they came from?”

Maiya had wondered how Ira would handle meeting Ashani, and the princess’ reaction did not disappoint.

Ira choked on her words, stumbling as she grabbed onto the tent for balance.

Forgot about her constitution, Maiya thought, rushing to support the princess.

“Sorry about that,” Maiya said. “Didn’t mean to shock you that much.”

Ira let out a weak laugh.

“Y’know, for the longest time, I thought that rumor about your health was a lie. One you propagated to make people underestimate you. Then again, I suppose I always met you in your bedchambers. You did a good job of hiding it.”

Maiya was hoping for a reaction, if only to bring her friend out of the slump she was no doubt experiencing. Yet Ira ignored her, simply staring at Ashani.

“I-I don’t know what to say. You’re serious?” Ira said at last.

Ashani laughed. “I’m afraid I’m hardly a deity.”

“So. Am I to believe this all a prank, then?” Ira said, looking distinctly peeved.

Maiya cleared her throat. “Sorry, but no. Ashani, don’t confuse the poor princess any further.”

Ira turned to Maiya, and for the first time, she saw anger in the princess’ expression. “Explain.”

“Ashani is a creation of the Prime Imperium. The people we consider gods. She’s an Automaton, constructed by Janak—yes, that Janak—to be a friend to his daughter Siya. She was stuck in Mahādi for thousands of years, until Vir rescued her.”

Maiya was not oblivious to the inquisitive gaze Ashani directed at her, but chose to ignore it in favor of Ira.

“That is… You’re serious?” Ira said, confusion turning to suspicion.

“‘Tis true,” Ashani said with a gentle smile. “I bore witness to the fall of our people. The ones you consider gods. We were never that, however. Merely more advanced in the ways of magic.”

“I… I don’t rightly know how to address you,” Ira said. “A being from myth and legend… There’s a city named after you! And Siya, too!”

“Ah, yes, Vir did tell me about that,” Ashani said with a chuckle. “I absolutely must visit there sometime. As for how to address me, please, just call me Ashani.”

“Just Ashani?” Ira said incredulously. “I feel as though I ought to kneel or prostrate myself before you.”

“Please don’t,” Ashani said, surprising both Maiya and Ira with the force behind her words. Noticing this, Ashani’s expression softened. “My apologies… I’ve simply had no end of worshippers, you see. It’s quite tiring, and as I said, I am no god. I never was. It is quite an uncomfortable sensation.”

“Ashani, then,” Ira said, though Maiya noticed she was now looking down at Ashani’s feet rather than meeting her gaze.

Ashani’s eyes dimmed ever so slightly.

“I know this must all be a lot to take in,” Maiya said, resting her hand on Ira’s shoulder. “As much as I’d like to give you time to digest all this, I’ve gotten permission from Vir to have Ashani Gate us back to the Human Realm.”

“The Human Realm?” Ira asked, puzzled. “You mean to tell me the goddess can create Ash Gates?”

Ashani cleared her throat. “I can. However, I am unable to step through my own Gates without Vir’s help. I’ll establish a Gate to his location when we are ready, but before then, allow me to retrieve the wolves.”

An Ash Tear popped up out of nowhere before stabilizing into a Gate. Moments later, a half dozen black wolves bounded through, wagging their tails excitedly at the sight of Ashani, who petted them all.

Despite having known about Ashani’s abilities for quite some time, Maiya couldn’t help but gape at the spectacle.

“This is…” Ira trailed off. “The goddess can create Gates anywhere she pleases?”

Maiya didn’t know if she was talking to her, or simply referring to the goddess in the third person, though by her gaze, Maiya determined it to be the latter.

Cute, Maiya thought, smirking. Vir had told her about how Ashani used to talk that way, back when they’d first met. In Ira’s case, it was less a quirk and more a result of her being unable to refer to Ashani by her name.

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“I can create Gates to any location I have visited prior.”

“Every location?” Ira asked. “How does one remember that?”

“My memory pathways never fade, and so I am able to recall the details of each location with perfect clarity,” Ashani said.

Ira just gawked.

“So as I was saying,” Maiya continued. “I’ll be far more useful with my orbs and armor, and we can pick up some Communications Orbs while we’re there. Vir even gave me an Artifact he pulled off Andros!”

Ira blinked. “An Artifact?”

Despite her resources and means, not even she had managed to acquire a single one. And Vir had simply snatched it off her father as though it were nothing?

“Yeah,” Maiya said. “It’s a defensive enchantment of some sort. Vir thinks it’s one of many that prevented him from hurting Andros. Told me to hide it at all costs from a certain white-haired madman, but I’m guessing we won’t be seeing much of him. Anyway, no need for the jealous eyes. I’m planning on giving it to you once I have my orbs. You’ll be the more vulnerable by far after that.”

Ira’s eyes widened. “I wasn’t—jealous eyes!?”

Maiya grinned, then lowered her voice. “Hoping to get an update on the situation on the ground once we’re there.”

It didn’t take a mind of Ira’s caliber to know that the situation was bound to be disastrous. So much so that Ira had been actively trying not to think of it. Even still, they could only shutter their eyes and bury their ears for so long. The sooner they were brought up to date, the better.

Maiya also worried for Yamal and Bheem, though she doubted they’d be in any real danger. They were both in Sonam at the time, and unlike her, no one knew their faces. They could slip back to the Children’s Sanctuary with ease. At least, that was what Maiya told herself. She needed to know for certain.

“Ashani? If you will?” Ashani nodded, looking happier than she had been only moments prior. Maiya had an inkling as to why.

“It’d be best if you stood back some distance,” Ashani said. “The prana at Vijaya Stronghold is lethal for those not accustomed to it.”

Maiya grasped Ira’s arm and led her away, needing no further warning. She knew what Vir had gone through to acclimatize to the Ash, and he was a demon. With her and Ira’s constitutions, it’d be a wonder if they weren’t vaporized the moment the Gate opened.

Even thirty paces, however, proved barely sufficient. The torrent of prana slammed into Maiya with the force of a rampaging Ash’va. Ira’s legs gave out entirely, though Maiya caught her before she fell.

“So this is the prana of the deep Ash…” Maiya whispered, half in awe. Half in terror. And she’d almost risked joining Vir in his mad passage through that blighted realm.

Maiya could only laugh. She’d have died in seconds.

“How?” Ira asked.

“Not a clue,” Maiya said, shrugging.

“No, how are you so casual with a… a goddess!?” Ira said, looking at Maiya incredulously. “You treat her like any other. Don’t you understand what she is? Don’t you understand what this ability of hers means? The Human and Demon Realms connected! Through her, Vir can be anywhere at any time. And her!The Ashani? Can you imagine the chaos if she were ever to descend upon the Human Realm? She’ll have monarchs falling over themselves to hand over their nations to her.”

Maiya pursed her lips. “She’s not like that.”

“And you know this how?” Ira asked. “Or have you been secretly making trips to the Demon Realm without my knowledge?”

Maiya laughed. “Nothing like that. I met Ashani only today, the same as you. But… I’ve heard so much of her through Vir. Through the Communications Orb I gave him before he left for the Ash.”

“Something else I have to ask you about,” Ira muttered. “I never once thought those orbs could communicate across realms.”

“We didn’t either. They don’t work in the Ash. It was pure luck that they functioned once he reached the Demon Realm. One of the happiest days of my life.”

“Anyway,” Maiya said, coughing awkwardly. “Ashani’s very existence is inconceivable. It’s… honestly a gift. What she is? The last of her kind? The final legacy of a people so great, we treat their toys and rejects as priceless treasures. I will never measure up to someone like her. And yet… I know what it’s like to be in her position.”

“That of a goddess?” Ira said with a smirk. “I suppose you might’ve gotten a taste of that with the cult.”

Maiya snorted. “I’d rather not be worshipped by crazy cultists, thank you very much. But well, you’re not wrong. It’s lonely at the top. I’ve lived that as the Blessed Chosen. I’ve seen it in Vir. I’ve seen it in you. What is the one thing we all treasure the most?”

“Friendship,” Ira said at once. “True friendship. Not the false friends who court you for the boons you might bestow.”

“Exactly,” Maiya said. “For Ashani, Vir is probably the only one who currently fills that role. You can see it on her face, can’t you? She’s lonely. She hates being worshipped. If I can fill those shoes, then I’ll happily try.”

“I see,” Ira muttered. “You’re very kind. I look at her, and I can only see the power she bears. Of the terror she could cause when enjoined by your… By the Akh Nara.”

“That will never happen,” Maiya replied immediately.

“It is good to hear you say that, Maiya. Truly,” Ira said. “However, I cannot help but wonder what seismic shocks your lover will wreak. Not just upon this realm. On all of them. Don’t you see? He alone is powerful enough to reshape the world as we know it. With the full support of a goddess? With an army of demons behind him?”

“Life isn’t very fair, is it?” Maiya said wryly. “Vir might very well be the most powerful being in all the realms right now. And if he does manage to unite the Demon Realm, which I’m sure he will, that power will only grow. The more places Ashani goes to and the more Gates Vir adds to his network, the harder it will be for anyone to resist. I know. And I also know that none of these things should cause you concern. On the contrary, I’d say Vir is your golden ticket to creating that world you’ve so long sought. I think you’ll find you and Vir think quite similarly in these matters.”

“Perhaps,” Ira said, looking unconvinced. She said nothing more, however, sinking into her thoughts in silence.

Maiya focused on Ashani, fully expecting Vir to pop through the Gate. She might not be able to approach, but maybe he’d come over? The greatest tragedy of this whole experience might very well be the limited time she’d been able to spend with him.

How long had she dreamed of this day? Where was their passionate reunion? Where was the explosion of emotion?

A voice in Maiya’s head admonished her. He was in the middle of waging a war. He’d saved her in a way most storybook characters would envy! She’d no doubt the bards would sing of that day for centuries to come.

It would have to suffice. For now. Because Maiya didn’t get a kiss, nor even a glimpse of Vir’s handsome figure.

No, she got an arm. One lousy arm.

Vir’s arm snaked through the Gate, stabilizing another Ashani had created just next to it. With that done, his arm disappeared, and the torrent of prana ceased altogether.

The wolves bounded through the new Gate, and Ashani turned and smiled at the two of them. “Well then, ladies. I’ve opened a Gate to the Commons district of Sonam. Let us take care of business with all haste… is what Vir has asked me to convey. Ordinarily, I’d like nothing more than to peruse the streets of a new city, however I’m afraid time is of the essence. Let us gain what we need and rush to his side.”