I: The Truth Just like every morning, my alarm rang and I wanted to wake up to switch it off but I couldn’t. Fortunately, a few seconds later, it stopped on its own. At 7:15, I woke up after a long sleep but was still laying on my bed. Meanwhile, my mom entered my room to say, “Wake up kiddo! You are going to be late for college.” Forcing myself, I got out of my bed and freshened up before walking into my living room to find my breakfast already served. Around 8 am, I reached my bus stop and found a few friends waiting for the bus. A few minutes later, I got into the bus following them and sat in my spot. All my friends were enjoying themselves as usual without me. By 9 am, I reached my college and sat in my place beside Rohan, my best friend. From the moment I sat until the classes got completed, Rohan who just sat beside me didn’t even greet, talk or even respond.

Desiring descendants, the almighty Sol approached God to plead for a grandchild. Respecting his noble request, God gifted one of Sol’s daughters a child whom he named Nature. Gifted to Gaia, Nature was not only beautiful but was capable of being home to living creatures. After a few years in her existence, Nature realised her powers and pleaded God to add meaning to her life by gifting her beings. Heeding her request, God gifted her many creations of whom mortals were given their own form. Cover Photo by Pankaj Tottada Nature cared for all creations equally. She gave them what they desired and sometimes more than what they desired too. In return, most creations were eternally grateful and proclaimed her their mother. A few mortals even started worshipping Nature as soon as they realised her compassion, kindness, and powers.

One sunny morning, a young king who was crowned only a couple of years ago after his father’s untimely death, summoned his council of scholars to learn, as he did every week. Resting in the courtyard on the cotton bed while relishing the scent of the jasmines and lilies, the King queried the nine scholars as they all sat in a circle, “Today, I would like to know as to what we as mere mortals should dictate in our lives to add significant meaning to our existence?” The very next moment a couple of scholars proposed contentment, skillfulness, ambition and none of these answers made the king happy. He turned to the head of the council for an answer and all he got was silence. Amused, the young king foolishly promised, “Whoever offers me an answer that would please me by tomorrow morning, would be made the head of this council for a year.” Cover Photo by Pankaj Tottada Though that promise hurt the head of the council, it instigated Maya, the second in command. For years now, she sought to be the head of the council but was never even offered the chance to compete against her superior. She saw this as an opportunity to prove her worth though she didn’t have a clue as to what the answer could be.

I: Unforgettable Time Arjun moved out from the AC cabin on the train and stood near the door. Fog formed on his aviator-framed eyeglasses due to the sudden change in temperature of the surroundings. He was smiling deeply engrossed in his thoughts that he didn’t even notice the physical transition happening right in front of his very eyes. ​The train was gushing at the rate of knots. The plastic covers that were thrown out from the trains, that passed by for decades, were trying to catch up with the train. On the journey, trees were left behind, people looked like ants and Arjun felt like he was impersonating Flash. Cover Photo by Pankaj Tottada Just then a familiar face standing beside him winked. He responded with a smile and nothing else. She was the girl who sat in the opposite berth to his. Three years back, he would have at least tried to impress her but now his mind was just confined to occasional glances and smiles. The girl started, “Hi... Hii... I’m Diya​. Who are you smiling at?”

Part I Time is a magical thing; less is it understood and more ambiguous. It’s both creator and destructor at the same time. It builds relationships and it will be the sole witness for things to shatter. You can never explain its ways. The day, which he never imagined at least in his last relationship before he had to commit to marriage, would never have ended that way. It’s been late he could understand that he should never be in love once again. He might be wrong at times but he never imagined that things happen in his life like this. Amith who is twenty-nine years old, from the village which even Google feels hard to find it out on its map, is now in the middle of an ocean of emotions sitting on the shore alone. The clock struck 11 midnight and he broke his promise made to his love a year back that he would not touch alcohol ever again. He drank three full quarters from the full green bottle just beside him. Once again for the first time in the last 20 years, he cried his heart out. The tide was calm that evening, wind seized. Just the high rock, all spread sand and he was there in front of the vast bank of water alone and quiet, testing the time which tested him a few hours ago. Let me begin it from his early youth which is almost 16 years ago. He was like any other young boy full of dreams and ambiguity in understanding things. He is the only kid to his loving parents, which stood a benefit of having all their time for himself. He never waited for things that attracted him and was given whatever he wished for. However, he is well under the eye of his mother always. She, unlike his father, is strict in matters of discipline. That turned sometimes into a hard task to deal with. He is an explorer of new lands, of course on a smaller scale. The explorations, for this child Columbus, sometimes turned much more problematic.

I: Moonlight Kiss Ring sat on his Rinus Cloud travelling over the shining sea that was lit by the rays of the crescent moon. Though his father ordered him not to leave the fort at night, Ring disobeyed intending to meet his lover. He called her the “Jewel of the Sea” and she called him the “Flame of the Sky”. Both of them loved each other wholeheartedly and they met when the moon’s first rays kissed the lovely sea. For once, Ring was late and found his Jewel sitting on the golden rock waiting for him. He whispered in the air an apology to which he heard a sweet cold wind, filled with love striking back saying he did not need to apologise. Ever since Ring saved her from being caught in the nets with the help of a hawk, the mermaid loved him with all her heart. However, the problem was that Ring could not go down the clouds nor could the mermaid reach up to the sky. Although they loved each other they could not even touch one another. As years passed the only solution that could unite them was marriage but their races would never agree to such an alliance. It’s proclaimed in the Lightning Law which Ring’s father - the King followed, that merpeople are considered inferior to white clouds and according to the law, they were fit for nothing. Even if Ring dared to talk to his father about a mermaid, he would thrash him beneath the clouds and banish him forever. The mermaid also knew that even if Ring was brought to the water world by any means, her father would have them both killed without a second thought. Yet Ring decided to take the risk to declare his love to his family despite the penalty. The mermaid dreaded the decision but knew that they had no other choice. They could no longer bear the distance between them. Ring, at last, went to his father’s chambers after the sun rose thinking that it would be the most fitting time to talk. He presumed that the morning prayers would make his father peaceful. To his surprise, his mother was also in the room. Without any hesitation, he stated with no sort of foreword that he loved a mermaid and wished to marry her. His mother, who was arranging her husband’s crystals, looked back at her son dazed. As he heard the crystals touch the floor and scatter, Ring could see his father’s face ablaze like a cloud that just created a bolt of lightning. For a while, Ring could hear nothing but a deluge of scoldings. He could see his mother stopping his father from hammering him down. That very evening, King Hast ordered the arrest of Rinus cloud for disobeying his command and sent a few of his soldiers to house arrest his son before calling upon a meeting with his generals. King Hast informed the gathered generals of the perilous decision his son made. They all remarked against the prince and appreciated King Hast’s work. Then they imposed new wind protocols on all the clouds to prevent any such mistakes from happening ever again. From that very day, Ring was always forced to stay in his room and only his mother visited him with his food. Every day he would sob thinking about the mermaid while the mermaid waited down on the golden rock every night for her flame to arrive and talk to him. Two full moons passed by and one day Ring could no longer bear his separation and yelled at his mother who, as usual, came up to make sure he ate. Though his mother wanted to help him, she was in no position to do so. She tried to soothe her son in numerous ways but her attempts were futile. Unable to find a way to persuade her son to get off this dim desire, she gave in and informed him of a way to succeed instead. She told him there was no way the Sky Lords would welcome her as a mermaid but if she intended to become a member of the Lightning family then, she might help him in convincing the members. Ring’s happiness knew no limits for a short span but he soon started plotting about it. He asked his mother how would that change be possible to which the queen gave no reply. A moment later, she stated, “It is your responsibility to make it happen since it is your desire to do so.” She left soon after Ring finished his lunch and the young Prince thought for about half a day before recalling the promise to “The Grand Tree”. This was the only living tree on the clouds and renowned for granting wishes. He recalled how the old saint under the tree once promised him a boon because Ring eased his hunger in his time of need. Ring now wished to redeem this wish and called upon the old saint by chanting the hex which was once instructed to him. As soon as he opened his eyes, he could see the saint before him. Ring prostrated before the saint and quickly explained to him all about his predicament and asked for his help. Hearing his tale, the saint hesitated a bit since he knew the truth that he would have to break the law. But still, he a wish is a wish and he had to fulfil it. He whispered that there is only one way to make the conversion. He said that a true lover’s kiss on a full moon day sitting on a lightning bolt could make the mermaid transform. Following the advice, the saint warned that once changed, there are only a few ways for the mermaid to transform back and so he asked Ring to make sure the mermaid gave good thought before making her decision. He concluded by saying if she decides to transform, in just three days it can all be done. That evening, Ring pleaded with his mother for just one last favour and travelled to the golden rock on his mother’s Royal Chain clouds. No wind dared to stop him as the clouds were of royalty. When he reached, Ring could see his lover sitting on the rock looking at the sky and waiting for him like every day. He could not whisper because the winds would recognize him and so he wrote up a note explaining the condition and concluded the letter by saying that if she wished to transform she should shoot the “Orun’s Spear” in the Temple of Irma. He also informed her that the next full moon would be the day of transformation if she so accepted. He left down the letter binding it like a scroll and it reached the mermaid. Now it was her turn to make the choice and for a while, she was in a dilemma. She knew that if she intended to transform, she could no longer come to meet her family and if she stayed, she would be losing the love of her life and would be forced to live with an unknown king for the rest of her life compromising on many unseen attributes. To her, the decision was hard but she thought about it for a while before deciding to inform her younger brother. But she damn well knew that he would stop her. The next morning when the sun rose, she prayed to the Sun God to protect her and threw the spear. Noticing it from the sky, Ring was overjoyed seeing the spear from his window and immediately summoned the saint to inquire about further instruction. The saint began by explaining to Ring that if the mermaid was directly hit by the lightning, she would die and if she saw it, she could become blind. So the saint insisted that the Prince should himself set forth sitting at the edge of the lightning and kiss the mermaid. He promised that the lightning would reach the required distance and also assured that the clouds that were being used had the power of producing lightning without thunder. As promised, the old one managed to bring the Bright Lightning Clouds from the Temple of Ornus and Ring’s mother assured to keep her husband busy that night while the generals were given a party in Wine Showers. Winds were called off for that one night by the queen. Ring started his journey on the bright clouds and was reaching the golden stone and so did the mermaid. Surprisingly, that night, Merpeople King woke up hungry and found his daughter travelling out of the fort and was curious as to where his daughter was going and so he started to follow her. The mermaid soon reached the golden stone and sat on it eagerly waiting for her first kiss. She was overjoyed with the new life she was going to start. Soon enough Ring also reached and the Merpeople King was watching the whole thing from far beneath the sea. He stood still wondering why the clouds were so bright. All of a sudden he could see a bolt of huge lightning erupting out of those two bright clouds after they dashed each other. He could see a young beautiful boy sitting on the edge of the lightning travelling towards his daughter. Merpeople King rushed forward to drag his daughter out of danger but he was too far. Ring reached sitting on the lightning towards the golden rock, closing his eyes and kissing the red juicy lips of his lover for the first time. The next thing Ring could see as soon as he opened his eyes laying on his bed was his Jewel standing before him as one of them. II: Ocean’s Twirl Long back when King Hast was just a prince; his province was ruled by King Luther. Luther was a master administrator and an intellectual king. All his years, he spent learning from the “Scholars of Nature” to make the Sky Dynasty the most prominent of all creations. At last, he got to know that the only way to protect his subjects was by constructing “The Charred Gates” for which he summoned the “Teleports from the Ethereal World.” He ordered them to build the gates and offered them freedom from the Sky Dynasty once and for all and even promised to waive the tribute they paid for the worlds they occupied. On the other hand, the merpeople feared that the Sky Dynasty would become invincible if the Charred Gates were built. So, all three kings of the Sea formed an alliance, the “Scar of Octopus” and shot up the “Arrow of Driger” which was the only non-godly warhead that could reach the sky. With the arrow, the gates were wholly destroyed.

Naina looked into his black eyes as he said, “I love you too.” She couldn’t believe it. She couldn’t believe that he accepted her proposal even after being in a relationship with Jayshree for three years. Cover Photo by Pankaj Tottada Leaning toward her, Nandan was about to kiss her when Naina woke up. Taking a deep breath while feeling the sun’s kiss, she stared at Nandan who was asleep beside her. Sitting up on the bed, Naina wondered, “Why is he arriving late every night?”

In the valley of the Nilgiri hills, two sisters lived together. They were named Riya and Diya. They lived in the pastures of Ooty, and like nature’s beauty around them, each of them was beautiful in their own unique way. Diya was ten years younger than her sister and was considered the precious one. She always had something new to learn from people around her, considering how little she knew the world. Riya, on the other hand, was old enough to understand how humans built a mechanical machines that dictated most of their lives. Cover Photo by Pankaj Tottada A few years ago, the sisters lost their parents along with their elder brother in a road accident. Everything was blissful in that trip to Alleppey until the Gods decided otherwise and left the sisters with nothing more than mere memories. Eighteen-year-old Riya was calm and patient, but her little sister was naughty and stubborn. Riya did her best to present a life filled with all the best things to her sister.

Today, I realised that I existed, from the whispers of life that I hated. Today, I realised that I existed, as a civilisation was spewed, when two souls mated.

16th January, 2013 Dear Diary, Today was no different from any other day. As usual, mom had a huge fight with dad. She shouted at him and dad refrained. The superman toy that dad gifted me as my birthday present was broken into pieces by mom in her rage. Cover Photo by Pankaj Tottada I had no courage to intervene in their blatant conversation. If I did, mom would either slap me or maim me like she had done the last time when dad got me a lavish beverage. Hence, I went to school with a hard smile; a sham, once again.

I: The Maniac On a no moon night, in Flint’s city, Elieen served supper in the dining room while informing her husband, “Jen! Dinner’s ready!” When she heard no response, she shouted again, “Where are you?” While walking towards the stairs that led to their bedroom, she heard water leaking from the washroom. “Hoof! I’m vexed with this man”, she said to herself as she reached the washroom to tighten the tap. Cover Photo by Pankaj Tottada Soon, she started walking towards the bedroom by crossing the living room and everything around was unusually calm. Unable to bear this distinct silence, Elieen shouted, “Jen! Are you there?” ​ Midway through the stairs, Elieen could feel a liquid touching her feet. Looking down, she saw blood flowing on the steps. At once she shouted, “Jen!” before rushing to their bedroom. When she opened the door, she could see the man she married lying at the feet of her brother resting in Jen’s rocking chair. His tooth is broken, nose smashed and with his eyes wide open, he lay on the floor dead.

“Every sunshine either is the beginning of a new life or the end of one. Whether it is good or bad, the day starts.” I wake as the dewdrop tickles, as it rolls over me and I feel the mild heat generated in the early hours. I am a leaf watching the whole world run against time and look at us only when there is a huge gathering for an environmental cause. Like every day, I am always looking for some fresh air, and there is a different scenario around me today. “How can someone just make an impression on one’s life at just the first look?” he asked. “Don’t be surprised! It is exactly like how it happened to you”, a soft voice replied in quick succession.