Read Tribes Of Chonohaush The Mace And The Bow - Attack By The Asuras PART 1 Page 6
Chapter 6 – The Mace at Machun
Chakra and Idaha started their long journey towards Machun. On the way Idaha asked “But, going to Machun will take a long time, will it not affect our island being taken over completely by them, then?”
Chakra said “yes my son, it will affect it, but we have no other choice as we need both these weapons to make sure that all these Asuras are driven out of our island. So we will have to bear with some loss.”
Idaha was a bit confused. Chakra had been using his mystic powers for getting so many things done, but why wasn’t he using his mystic powers to easily get to Machun?
Chakra said “Yes my son we could use some of my mystic powers, but do not complain after we reach there.”
Idaha was shocked. It was like as if Chakra had heard his mind. He invoked some incantations and within seconds there was a small tornado and before Idaha could realize he was standing in front of a stable. There were many horses tied and all these horses were being fed Horse Gram in kilograms, and it looked like as if they were all enjoying it.
Idaha asked Chakra “Did you misdirect the incantation and have we arrived at the wrong spot?”
Chakra said “No my son we have come to the right place. The mace is hidden somewhere beneath the stable.”
Idaha was relieved, as he thought he need not have to fight another beast. But he was wrong.
Chakra said “But this is not going to be an easy task my son” and pointed towards the end of the stable. “There is a very old ant hill at the corner of the stable, near the anthill there lives a King of Ants known as ‘Hurth’, we will have to approach him and he would let you know the task that you will have to complete so as to retrieve the mace.”
Idaha asked “But why is it that all these weapons have some sort of a guardian?”
Chakra said “All these weapons have been used by the lord of the universe ‘Gabhiro’ whenever he has descended on our island and this time he probably has left the job to us mere mortals and hence has left guardians so that these weapons do not go into the wrong hands.”
Idaha was now able to understand that he was doing all these things for a higher cause. And now that he had been given proper reasons by Chakra he felt all the more enthusiastic to get the mace. Both of them went to the anthill and stood in front of it. Idaha was looking a bit surprised as he did not know how to summon the King of the ants as he had no idea regarding ant language.
Idaha started shouting “Great King Hurth, could you please come out?”
Chakra gave a chuckle and said “This is not the way of calling the ant king. You will have to blow the conch shell which would probably be present near one of the horses.”
Idaha had another job to do now. There were many horses tied to the stable. He started searching for the conch shell. Idaha wasted around thirty to forty minutes trying to find the conch shell and just when he had given up searching, he was able to see a very beautiful object tied to the tail of one of the horses. He went ahead and grabbed it and it was a beautiful conch. It was studded with gemstones which looked completely ethereal.
Idaha took the conch shell to Chakra and gave it to him. Chakra gave it back to Idaha and asked him to blow it. Chakra blew the conch and what beautiful sound it gave. Though the horses were shocked, there was no sign of humans at that time that they would have disturbed. But little did they know what time it was?
After sometime the anthill started glowing and little layer of sand, mud all started flowing out and out came and stood ‘Hurth’.
Hurth said “Who is it who has had the guts to summon the greatest king of the ants at this time of the hour?”
Idaha did not know what to say so he sheepishly raised his hand like a student, raising his hand in a classroom.
Hurth said in his usual royal voice “So it is you who has summoned me. What do you want from me?”
Idaha with full confidence now said “I have come here to take the Mace back home.”
Hurth looked at Chakra now, who was busy trying to find something when the conversation was going on. Hurth asked “Who are you and what are you trying to search for? Can’t you respect the king?”
Chakra said “Sorry my majesty, I was searching for a clue to find the mace.”
Hurth said “You will not be able to find the mace without my help. There have been so many people who have come in search of it and have failed at it. All these people never listened to me and died while trying to retrieve it.”
Idaha and Chakra showed utmost humility to the King of the Ants and said in chorus “We are ready to listen to you. Please show us a way.”
Hurth then said “Both of you have taken a wise decision. Now listen to me carefully. If you can go down this straight path without turning in any direction then you will find a lake which is known as the ‘Machun Lake’ or the ‘Gold Lake’. There is an old legend that there is a spirit that lives at the top of an only old tamarind tree there. Answer all the questions that the spirit would ask and retrieve a gold box which the spirit would give and come back here. Then I will show you the way of getting the mace. Is that understood?”
Idaha was trembling with fear.
He asked “What if I cannot answer the questions?”
Hurth said “Then it is your funeral. Fight for the mace or die.”
Chakra then patted the back of Idaha and said “Come on let’s go and complete this simple task and come back.”
Idaha was not able to understand Chakra’s behavior. He was as cold as ice even in this situation. Chakra and Idaha started following the path that Hurth had asked them to follow. On the way there was lot of silence, it was like as if it was midnight, the forest cover on their island was so much that they always found it difficult to understand what time of the day it was. They walked for a bit and when Idaha turned around to talk to Chakra he got the shock of a life time. Chakra was missing, the mentor and guide who had been helping him was gone. His nervousness had reached its peak, when he gathered courage and calmed his mind. He started walking, searching here and there for the lake when his eyes fell on a familiar face, but was shocked to find that Chakra was lying still on the ground in front of the tamarind tree.
Idaha didn’t know whether to cry or laugh. He still went further and saw a hazy white color ghost giving a wild grin looking at Chakra right on top of the tamarind tree. Idaha somehow was confident he could do something, yet his mind was troubling him because he was seeing and doing all this for the first time in his life.
The spirit spoke with a wild voice and before Idaha could react it was standing in front of Idaha. Idaha literally froze.
The Ghost asked “So, you are scared of me is it, you have come in search of the gold box?”
Idaha could barely speak.
He said “Yes your honor, I have come in search of the gold box, please let me know how and where I can find it?”
The ghost started scanning Idaha and said “you seem scared but I must appreciate your courage. I was able to make out that you had come in search of your mentor, the one lying unconscious near the tree rather than for the Gold. I must appreciate your gratitude towards your master. But you will be able to get the gold box only if you answer my questions first. If you agree and fail to impress me then you too will be in a position just like your mentor and nobody can come and save you. So do you agree to the challenge?”
Idaha had no other option but to agree, he agreed and the ghost got ready to test Idaha.
Ghost’s First Question: Whom should we respect the most on this planet?
Idaha thought for a while and said “We need to respect women as they are like our mothers.”
Ghost appreciated the answer and asked “but, why?”
Idaha replied “This is because; they are the ones who help a soul to come into this world with a physical body.”
The Ghost was very much pleased.
It said “I am in this state of a ghost without any place to go because I had never respected women in my life.
One great sage had once told me that a person who would give the correct answers to my questions would help me go to a better plane of existence. And, I now get the feeling that you were destined to help me out. Thank you so much.”
Idaha was finally relieved. The ghost asked “So, ask me for whatever you want apart from the Gold box?”
Idaha said “Please make sure that my mentor wakes up again as I have many more tasks to complete and save this island, and without his help I won’t be able to do anything.”
The ghost was very happy, it did whatever Idaha had asked for and vanished. Chakra was surprised to see Idaha standing with the gold box after he woke up.
“So what happened,” he asked?
Idaha said “That is a long story will let you know after we get the mace” and winked.
Chakra gave his usual smile and both of them were back to the anthill.
Hurth was surprised.
He said “My, my I have never seen anyone come back after visiting that place. You both are heroes. Let me show you how to get the mace.”
Both of them were happy, now that they were going to get the mace.