THE CAPITAL: VARANASI

The sisters stayed up the rest of the night, disposing of the bodies of the slain demonic beasts. Unlike humans, whose souls are sent into the cycle of reincarnation, demonic beast corpses naturally decay and return to the earth.

The sisters then collected the bodies of the fallen men, and using the symbol of the god of death and reincarnation, they initiated the process to send their souls into the cycle of reincarnation."

The sun peered over the horizon, filling the earth with its radiance. The sisters, who had stayed up all night, looked radiant. They did not have the vibe of someone who had stayed up all night or fought a horde of monsters.

" Theresa, go and wake the children, I will prepare the meals", Ruth said as she walked towards the forest.

Theresa nodded as she made her way towards the kids' tent.

" Oh mother of all, let your children rise as the sun rises," Theresa said a prayer to cancel the spell Ruth had placed on the kids.

It was not a must that prayer needed to be said before a spell could be activated or deactivated but as devotees of Isis, the mother goddess, they had to say it.

The children woke up one by one, some rubbing their eyes while others stretched. Theresa was about to speak when she realized one was still fast asleep.

She was sure the spell had worked and believed the last person playing a trick on her. She went to him and realized he was truly asleep. She was puzzled, the spell was meant to immediately wake the kids up.

" Maxwell, wake up, it's time for the morning prayer" Theresa leaned closer to Maxwell's ears, and shook him waking him from his slumber.

He woke up looking tired, while Theresa gazed at him, seemingly lost in thought. Everything indicated that the spell had never taken effect.

As an adult woman, she changed her expression and with a grin, she asked, " Why do you look so tired, didn't you get a good night's rest?

" I couldn't sleep, there was a lot of noise last night," Maxwell said as he yawned, as though trying to swallow the entire world.

" It's time for prayer" Theresa hid her curiosity as she gestured for him to get up.

" Hail, Isis, the mother of all.

The one who provides for everyone, regardless of their essence..." They clapped their hands together as they recited the prayer.

They made their way out of the tent and were immediately greeted by the enticing aroma of grilled meat. The children rushed over to Ruth.

"Sister Ruth, good morning," they all said in unison, their gaze shifting to the grilled meat she was preparing.

She raised her finger and shook it, a sign of disapproval. They immediately understood her, left to freshen up, and returned to enjoy their breakfast.

As children as they were, they were curious about the whereabouts of the guards who had accompanied them and thus asked the sisters. The sisters came up with the excuse that they had left them to attend to urgent matters. Children as gullible as they were believed them.

They continued their journey to the capital, and strangely enough, the horses had remained unscathed despite the events of the previous night. The journey was uneventful, and they finally arrived at the capital.

In front of them stood a massive gate; the city was encircled by towering walls that reached a height of forty-six feet. The children peered their heads through the carriage window, trying to discern the end of this majestic wall. The gate that separated them from the capital was just one of the four entrances to the city.

The sisters presented something to the guards that stood at the gate. One of the guards nodded after discerning what was given to him, he returned it and gestured for them to enter.

********

On what appeared to be a vast lake, a large table made of ice stood, surrounded by figures formed from water. These figures had silhouettes resembling human males and females. Seated at the far end of the table was an extraordinarily beautiful lady. The color of her eyes mirrored that of the clear blue ocean, and her hair was even bluer than the sky above. Her pointed ears resembled those of an elf, and one might have mistaken her for one if not for the gill-like tissues adorning her fair neck.

"It has entered Varanasi"

" It will be impossible to eradicate it now, we all have a none aggression pact with that city"

" We do not need to destroy the city to get to him, we all have our people there, Let's slowly but surely drive him out, and then we can kill him"

Voices echoed, causing small waves to ripple across the surface of the lake. These voices emanated from the illusory figures surrounding the table.

"I could just ask my followers to seduce him when he grows a little." the only being whose figure could be seen clearly spoke.

" It seems you are new, if it grows this time, we will not be able to eradicate it and it might even hunt us down" a voice reverberated through the hall once again.

Silence loomed as the beings seemed to be lost in thought.

**********

Varanasi city, the capital of the greatest empire in this world, the Maurya Empire, was unique in its religious diversity. Unlike most cities in this world, it accommodated a multitude of religions. The empire was said to be the first to have ever existed and, as a result, formed a sacred pact with the gods of old. Despite the variety of different faiths practiced within its borders, peace was meticulously maintained by the king and his formidable army.

This king, unlike any other, enjoyed the blessings of numerous gods, making him the most powerful being in this world. Even his soldiers were bestowed with more than one divine blessing, though not as many as their king.

Throughout the journey, the children kept their heads peering out, taking in the sights of the city as they rode towards their destination. They traversed a beautifully constructed paved road that wound through the bustling city.

The streets were filled with people, some dressed in official attire, a testament to their purpose, while others had set up shops near the gate to sell their goods. The buildings in the city stood tall, with the shortest among them being two-story structures made of stone. Most, if not all, of the buildings were adorned with intricate stone slabs, adding to the city's charm. The settlement was meticulously arranged, allowing ample space for movement.

" That horse looks funny..."

"That looks yummy..."

"..."

"..."

The children conversed with each other as they made their way to their destination.

They had arrived just as the sunset. The children who had been active all this while had fallen asleep except for Maxwell who still looked at everything curiously. They had arrived at the gates of what looked like a villa. It was too large to call one and looked more like a school.

Women, wearing similar attire to the sisters came over, greeted the sisters, and came towards the carriage. They took the children out and sent them to the compound. Maxwell got out of the carriage and stood beside the sisters he was familiar with.

"Welcome to your new home." the sisters said to him with a sweet smile.

Maxwell nodded, glad to see how grand and beautiful his new home was. They carried their luggage and headed inside.

"Let me through... let me through... Max!!" A petite-looking lady stood at the gate, shouting with ragged breaths. She glared furiously at the guards who stood their ground.

The guards paid no heed to her angry stares, steadfastly blocking her path. Maxwell, who had barely made it past the gate, looked back, and his gaze met that of the lady's, evoking a sense of nostalgia within him.

" Sister Ruth, I think I know her, could you please let her in... I could even go to her," Maxwell said as he looked at the lady.

" Did you hear that, he knows me, so let me in!" She shouted as she attempted to push her way through the guards.

The guards looked at the sisters, who had now stopped to look at the scene behind them.

" Don't let her in, we will come to her" Ruth said as she made her way to them. Maxwell and Theresa followed closely behind, while the other sisters had already departed for a large manor that stood at the center of the villa.

" I would like to talk to him alone if you don't mind," the petite-looking lady said.

Upon closer examination, it became apparent that she was in her early teens, her clothes disheveled and weathered. Her appearance resembled that of someone who had journeyed through mountains and lived in the wild for most of her life.

" Yes, I do mind, Say what you have to say here," Ruth said with a smile, a smile that sent shivers down the spine of all those who stood there.

"Never mind, he did say you would not allow me to talk to him in private," she said, a smile blossoming on her face. She seemed strangely happy that her proposal had been rejected.

The girl looked at Maxwell and said, "My name is Estel, and I am an elf." She paused, pushing the hair that covered her ears aside, seemingly trying to prove her claim. Indeed, she had pointed ears, a trademark of the elven race.

She then continued, "I was told to meet you here and present this to you." She took out a black pebble. Apart from its color, it appeared ordinary, but the energy it emitted made the sisters raise their guard, ready to defend themselves.

Maxwell, who had remained quiet all this time finally spoke " Esty you are late, What took you so long"

His eyes glowed red and his expression became as cold as ice, an expression that did not belong to a five-year-old.