Haliva – A Fitting Finale and Farewell

At the Airport

'So, just like that, you bid farewell to all of us. Just like that! What should I tell your Dad when he comes inquiring for you?' asked Abhay.

'You speak about inducing emotions to creatures who lack it. What about your own emotions? Are we all mere figments of your imagination? All the persons you interacted with through out your life on earth… Do they all mean nothing to you after all these years?' asked Yuvaan echoing Abhay's feelings.

Charu clutched her face and tearfully said, 'I am at the biggest crossroads of my life. Do you guys even realize what I am going through? I am destined to do this. This is the biggest purpose of my existence or the sole purpose.'

Abhay dejectedly looked at her and asked her to think and focus if there really wasn't any other way around this.

'Can't you just serve their purpose and stay back on Earth? You may let them take your Zygotic half with them if they insist and let your human half stay here. It's not like you'll be having only half a human body, right? I mean, the zygotic thing is something internal, soul-kind… I am not sure, I am just trying to figure out any way to send them out happy and keep you with us,' said Yuvaan not sure if he sounded idiotic or intellectual.

There was a long pause. Slowly, Charu lifted her face and stared at Yuvaan and smiled slyly.

Abhay and Yuvaan knew this smile and expression. It came whenever she hit upon a master stroke. So there still seemed hope which was confirmed by Charu tearing up the boarding pass!

'Let's go home and let's bring this home!' said Charu with renewed energy and started walking like a commander. Abhay and Yuvaan smiled at each other and followed her.

                                                    ~

Charu's Home

'What happened, child? Did you miss your flight?' asked Mr. Oomen quite surprised.

'No Dad, change of plans. I have some work; I'll speak with you later.'

'Hello Uncle…' said Abhay and Yuvaan simultaneously and followed Charu upstairs.

Mr. Oomen just looked at them dumbfounded.

'So, what next?' asked Abhay.

'You guys settle down, get some tea if needed. I need to discuss something with Goddess Athena.'

Charu went into her meditative mode and started reaching out for Goddess Athena.

'What do you think, you have done, my child? Are you out of your mind? You are dishonoring a sacred mission. Do you understand the repercussions?' asked Goddess Athena.

'I have no intention of dishonoring anything. In fact, I have come up with a solution to bring peace and joy upon everyone involved,' said Charu with utmost confidence.

 'Pray, tell me what's your solution?' asked Goddess Athena quite curious.

'I will invoke the sacred, 'Haliva' once I accomplish my mission in inducing emotions to the Zygotes and Mermitans and safely ensuring their return to planet Antrina. I will use it allow my human form to continue its existence on Earth. Of course, my Zygotic self will travel back to Antrina,' said Charu.

(Haliva – A sacred boon granted by their Supreme God to any Antrinian who accomplishes something worthy for his planet or his fellow beings)

'Are you out of your mind, child? The sacred 'Haliva' has been granted to only the legendary Sergocio and Metallopio in all our years of existence. I hope you are aware of the disastrous repercussions in case you aren't deemed worthy of it. Nothing in the universe will save you, then.'

Charu calmly listened to Goddess Athena's admonishing and said reassuringly, 'Dear Mother Goddess, I am totally aware of the sanctity of the sacred, 'Haliva'. Do you not think, a cause as worthy of inducing lost emotions to the entirety of our folks and ensuring a safe passage to our motherland isn't worthy and deserving of the 'Haliva'? Is there anything else that warrants the sacred 'Haliva' more than this cause in the current situation?'

Goddess Athena took her time to let the gravity and intensity of this notion completely sink into her and replied, 'If are able to pull this off, the Supreme God might grant you the sacred 'Haliva'; But, how will that help your wish to let your human-self to continue to exist as you'll be performing this mission on our planet and there's no chance of the powerful 'Haliva' too to allow you to return to this form on Earth once you are on planet Antrina.'

'There lies the catch! I have found a way to perform this mission on Earth itself, thereby utilizing the sacred 'Haliva' for my cause,' said Charu quite excitedly.

'Haven't we been through this, before? You cannot send both the Zygotes and Mermitans from Earth? Have you forgotten about their mounds, the sword, the ritual? If it's the Zygote's mound on land, that you plunge the sword, they'll enter the gateway; If it's the Mermitan's mound in water, you plunge the sword in, they'll enter the gateway,' explained Goddess Athena trying to impart sense into Charu.

'This is exactly where the beloved common Goddess for both Zygotes and Mermitans steps in – The Beloved Goddess Helina!' cried out Charu feeling glad on getting to the Master stroke, eventually.

(Goddess Helina – Goddess of Atmosphere commonly worshipped by Zygotes and Mermitans)

'It's in her domain that I plan to carry out the mission. We will bind both the mounds and I will plunge through them in mid-air while uttering the holy ritual to induce the emotions and open the Gateway; once the ritual is done, I'll invoke the sacred 'Haliva', said Charu unable to control her excitement.

'Oh, my Child… Where did you get this thought from? This is the most fascinatingly, frightful idea, I've ever heard. However, I won't deny the logic in it. If you pull this off, your name will be etched in Planet Antrina's history forever. My blessings are with you and may Goddess Helina's blessings be with you too. Prepare for your plan as the eclipse is happening tomorrow and we don't want to miss it at any cost,' said Goddess Athena blessing Charu with all her heart.

Though she didn't mention it to Charu, Goddess Athena realized that Charu had all grounds covered, however there was one tiny element she missed out, on. But, since Goddess Athena knew, it wouldn't have much impact on the intended course of action, she didn't bring it up.

With a divine glow on her face, Charu woke up from her trance and saw both Abhay and Yuvaan dozing off on their respective sofas.

'Wake up you both, it's time for the last course of action. We need to assemble King Zygote and King Mermitan,' shouted Charu shaking both Abhay and Yuvaan.

                                                             ~

Aboard a Private Jet 

King Zygote, King Mermitan and a group of Zygotes were present and listened to Charu with rapt attention.

'My dear folks, the time has come to return you safely to our planet with all the emotions that were taken away from you. I give my word, that not a single of you will be left stranded here on Earth. All you have to do is to rush into the Gateway in time. The Zygote in me will be accompanying you all as well,' addressed Charu.

The jet and the pilot were zygotes. Probably their last transformative act on planet earth. Oh wait… There was one last transformation left! The final act!

The free fall was planned at 18000 feet giving her a time frame of approximately 90 seconds to complete the ritual and invoke the sacred 'Haliva'. The time frame wasn't the problem. She couldn't afford to use a parachute. To perform the ritual, she couldn't be adorning or using any material from this planet! In fact, she had to be bare-naked. She was relying on the Zygotes and Goddess Helina to assist her in this deadly operation.

Abhay and Yuvaan waited in the boat in the laker below to pick Charu up as soon as came down. All the Mermitans assembled on the surface of the lake and the Zygotes assembled on the shore ready to hit the Gateway as soon as it opened.

10 seconds for the Eclipse to start: 

King Zygote, King Mermitan and the group of zygotes aboard the jet transformed into Giant Eagles and formed a cylindrical shape with the King Mermitan eagle acting as the base. Charu was supposed to jump into this cylindrical shape and once she was in it, the Giant King Zygote eagle would act as the lid on the top to secure her in that formation so as to not allow the air pressure to maker her flip and spin. Once the ritual was complete, they would cling to her and securely carry her to the boat.

Eclipse starts – 90 seconds to go:

This was it! Charu offered a prayer to the Supreme God, Goddess Athena and Goddess Helina. With both the mounds held tightly in one hand and the sword in the other, she jumped into the cylindrical formation of Giant Eagles. As soon as she jumped, King Zygote Eagle secured the shape from the top and they took the free fall from the sky! The instant, Charu jumped of the jet, she started the sacred prayer and plunged the sword into the mounds. The cylindrical shape of Eagles falling from the sky seemed to emanate a magnificent luminous light from within!

90 seconds to 60 seconds: 

During these 30 seconds, Charu went into a divine zone altogether and started capturing all the emotions in her mind whilst simultaneously uttering the sacred prayers. Strange waves of lightning and smoke started emanating from her body and were passing on to the mounds which were now firmly stuck together with the sword in it. The emotions were getting transferred to the mounds!

60 seconds to 30 seconds: 

The transfer of the emotions was complete and with the final utterings of the holy prayers, there was a huge lightning in the sky and the divine Gateway opened up from the mounds! All the Zygotes and Mermitans below went into a trance and their shadowy figures started getting sucked up into the Gateway.

Final 30 seconds: 

All the Zygotes and Mermitans below had entered the Gateway successfully. Not it was only the bunch around Charu left. Since, the emotions and Gateway part was over, Charu immediately invoked the sacred 'Haliva' and wished for her Zygotic self to enter the Gateway and her human self to continue its existence on planet Earth. As soon as she invoked it, her body shook vigorously, and a smoky shape emerged from her body and entered the Gateway. Her human self immediately lost consciousness. King Zygote realized that Charu's Zygotic self had left her human body and entered the Gateway. They just had to safely drop their saviour's human form into the boat and hit the Gateway as quickly as possible. Suddenly they saw the Gateway taking a diminishing form. It was kind of evaporating. They realized they had no time to drop her and enter the Gateway. It had to be one of both. Well, only if they had been induced with emotions, they would have even considered sacrificing themselves for her; But alas, they had to enter the Gateway to acquire the emotions. So, it wasn't a hard decision for them to make. They transformed themselves into their smoky figures and entered the Gateway just in time, before it closed out sucking the mound with the sword in it.

Abhay and Yuvaan gasped in horror as they saw an unconscious Charu about to hit the lake at a terminal velocity that could take her life! They then witnessed a spectacle they wouldn't forget in their lives! Just as Charu was about to hit the surface of the lake at a deadly speed, a miracle happened, and she froze in mid-air just a few inches above the lake. A divinely fog engulfed and covered her naked body. Only her face, hands and legs were visible. It was as if she was wearing a dress made of Fog and sleeping on a cloud just a few inches above the water. Goddess Athena who was witnessing the whole spectacle rejoiced and smiled thanking the Goddess Helina for saving Charu from an inevitable death.

'We've seen quite a few, but nothing matches this spectacle; A spectacle befitting a fitting finale and farewell,' said Yuvaan as he helmed the boat towards Charu.

                                                               ~

Next day at Charu's Home

'Hello Mr. Oomen, is she awake?' asked Abhay.

'I am not sure what's happening with her. She's sleeping like a log since yesterday. You may go upstairs and check. There's the other gentleman too waiting. He arrived half an hour ago,' said Mr. Oomen.

'This Yuvaan is always early,' muttered Abhay to himself and went upstairs.

He saw Yuvaan sitting dumbfounded on the sofa while Charu was on her bed and speaking something to him.

Charu looked at him amused and turned towards Yuvaan as if seeking his intervention for an introduction.

Abhay looked at Yuvaan and shook hands with him. Yuvaan could barely utter a word.

'I am sorry, I think I know you. Its just that I am unable to recognize you,' said Charu with a guilty, embarrassed expression on her face.

Abhay looked at Yuvaan who raised his eyebrows and nodded his head to indicate that he himself was still reeling in the shock that Charu gave him, earlier.

They both gestured among themselves and went downstairs together.

Goddess Athena had realized it much earlier; she knew that once Charu invoked 'Haliva', her wish would be granted, however it would erase all the memory concerning the Antrinians. Her human form would hold no memory since the time these events started. Her memory would be reset to the time before all this started. In a way, exactly to the day, she landed to Fort Kochi from New York!

'So, she doesn't remember anything?' asked Abhay.

'She thinks she's landed from New York yesterday. I wonder what'll happen when she sees the date today. We have to cook up some story about her getting into a coma… or something like that,' mumbled Yuvaan hysterically.

'That could be manageable, but what about us?' asked Abhay.

'What about us? It's like resetting and starting the game afresh!' said Yuvaan and started laughing.

Abhay looked at him and fondly placed his arm over Yuvaan's shoulder and started laughing along with him.

*******************************************************The End****************************************************************