After the divine arrival, we continued to sit and stare at the lunar god with our mouths slacked. Everyone was captivated by his empyreal form, changeless, ever-young and exceedingly beautiful.

"Children of Meru Gods," Chandra spoke in his chiming godly voice. "Do you not know it is more courteous to summon a god with a proper ritual at a temple and not in a cramped tent—even if he's in the family? At least give me a bowl of steamed rice as an offering."

His words woke us from our trance. We bowed to the seamless god with respect.

"Lord Father!" Vorac cried, kneeling before her heavenly parent. "I thought you wouldn't come down again. Why did you not answer me? I was getting worried!"

"Daughter, worry not. I am well," Chandra said with a dazzling beam. "Yes, I did hear your prayers, but the heaven is now aloof from the affair of mortals. But speak of what concerns your mind for I am here after all."

"Forgive us, my lord, I know it's against the sacred laws," Tepi spoke with a humble bow, "but we are in a serious trouble. We need some clarity about a certain enemy."

The brilliant god raised his brilliant face as if to think.

"Who is the enemy you speak of?" he asked.

"Father, are you not aware of Rahu?" Vorac asked in confusion. "Our friend, Nikita, the Prophesied One, has a vision of the gruesome peace-breaker. Now we are anxious to know if it's all true."

"Nikita?" Chandra spoke my name like he had just heard of me for the first time but also as if he had known me for countless ages.

"The Child of Prophecy," his daughter prompted. "You're the one who marked her and tied her lifeline to our world."

A flickering light danced in his bright silver eyes. Then the moon god smiled again.

"Oh yes, the poor fair lass, how is she?"

Everyone turned to me. I blushed under their gazes. With an uncomfortable gulp, I decided to make myself seen to the god.

"Ah, may the gods bless your soul," Chandra greeted me as I knelt before him. "You still look comely, guileless and even more charming, and a girl, no less! What you did down here amused me to no end."

"You saw me did what?" My cheeks flamed hot. He let out a musical laugh.

"Oh, child. The moon sees all and inspires all," he said. "Once I drove my chariot across the sea and spotted you and your..."

"Oh lord, no!" I interrupted, fearful of the thing Chandra was about to say. Everyone looked at us. The god laughed again, confusing my friends even more. I just wanted to dig a hole in the middle of the room and stuff my head in it. He reminded me of my own father who loved to tease me with girls.

"How about we speak of a more crucial matter?" I asked.

There was a familiar amused glint in the god's eyes. My father had the same glint in his eyes, but I tried not to think of him. It only brought more unspoken conflicts to my mind.

"Very well," Chandra said. "Tell me what you claimed your vision to be."

"It's not a mere vision, my lord. It's a warning," I said, growing rather irritated with his indifferent attitude. "The Asuras are aware of your importance to us and even more so to me. You're the anchor that holds my existence in this world, are you not? Now they want to cut the tie loose, and they sent Rahu on his way."

Chandra stood in silence for a moment. His mischievous demeanor was gone and replaced by a serious contemplation for the first time.

"Did you see him —that filthy ancient head who intends to devour me?"

"Yes, my lord, I did see him with the Third Eye of Shiva," I replied.

Chandra let out a soft sigh at last.

"Alas," he sighed again. "I can't hide the truth from you. You're right. My old foe with his peerless might has risen."

"Lord Father, what should we do then?" Vorac said. "Surely if Rahu defeats you, the Asuras will triumph. Without you, our fighting spirits are lost."

"Have faith in your sire," Chandra said proudly. "It can be ill-fated to speak carelessly of my death when death has not found me yet."

I did not like how that sounded. It was as though the Lord of Night was saying a subtle goodbye.

"What happens if Rahu swallows the moon?" I asked.

"I die," Chandra answered.

"I thought a god couldn't die."

"Father, you're immortal and powerful! You cannot die, right?" Vorac said. It was true that the youthful moon god was a mighty Deva. Once he even waged war against King Indra himself. "Your presence gives life to all creatures that dwell on earth. You strengthen the mind, purify the body and bring harmony to those who worship you. You're Lord Chandra, the Charioteer of Light."

Tusita stroke Vorac's back to calm her down. This time, the lunar god smiled sadly and leaned to pat his daughter's head with his luminous hand.

"Be calm, young lass, give no fear to reign over your heart," he said. "It is my war alone as a god, and I must take arm against my rival. But I must bid you stay your ground. Your sacred duty is far from over."

It fell upon me that the lord had taken the wrenching task of fighting the demon himself. But how could he defeat Rahu who was also immortal and indestructible? And what would happen to me? Then I caught Amarisa's eyes. Her face exuded the same anxiety.

Chandra turned his radiant gaze back to me.

"Nikita, Wielder of the Great Chandrahas, if something happens to the moon, it is my desire that you have this gift."

He opened his hand, and a glittering whiff of gold dust twirled around his palm. Then a sparkling object appeared. At the sight of it, I almost recoiled in shock. I couldn't believe I got to see it again.

"Chandramoki Moni," I breathed.

No one knew what the moonstone had done to me. I kept staring at it, unable to comprehend the purpose of the crystal being here. I looked back at the god.

"You know what kind of power the stone holds, don't you?" he said. I could not speak. My tongue grew heavy like lead in my mouth. The god stared at me with the flicker of emotion in his eyes, pitying and apologetic.

"I can't take it," I said.

I heard the gasp from my friends. It was forbidden to refuse a god's gift, but they didn't know what Chandra was granting me. My head was spinning with silent dreads as I stared at the bright stone. It had brought me here. It could also take me back. The whole time I had not thought of where I had come from. Although I missed my father, he would be fine without me. It felt as if my life belonged in this realm, where my beloved ones were, my mother, Amarisa, even Kesar and everyone else I held dear. How could I possibly need Chandra's gift?

"At least, keep it," the moon god said. "You never know what good it shall do in the future."

There was finality in his soft godly voice. There was nothing I could do. I swallowed thickly and moved forward him. The lord placed Chandramonki Moni in my hands. It was cold and heavy and shining like the moon itself. I could now remember the familiar sensation when I first touched the stone. A slight glow shimmered within it. I realized I was actually the first human to touch Chandramoki Moni.

"Thank you," I said, barely above the whisper. The god heaved another low sigh, or so it seemed. I had never seen a god being sad.

"Pardon me, children, but the night has deepened and I must leave now," he said. "May the Almighty Lord deal the decrees of your fate with kind hands."

And with that said, he disappeared back into a column of brightness and was gone.

I stared at the crystal ball in my hands. Tusita was comforting Vorac, whose face was darkened with a cloud of grief. Amarisa came to me and brought her gentle hand to my face.

"Are you well, Nikita?" she whispered. I gave a weak nod in response. My wife knew there was something awry in my mind.

"We must save the moon," Atith proposed after a long while. "I have a feeling that Lord Chandra isn't the only one to suffer from Rahu's oppression. My father would be in great danger too if we failed."

"You're right," Tepi said with a solemn nod, "Rahu is the bringer of tragedy, an essential shift to the tide of war. We must stop him before he gains his supremacy."

"But how could we save the god?" Morokot said. "Even Chandra himself couldn't fight the demon. It has been so since the beginning of the creation."

"I know someone who can help us kill the demon," Ravi spoke for the first time. We all turned to the wind god's daughter.

"Who?"

"The one who is swift as the mind, who crosses the ocean with a single leap," she said. "A god in his own right, elder child of Vayu, and thus a brother to me."

"Who?" Atith asked again.

"You shall see." She smiled back. The rare friendly gesture brought not just a tint of red on Atith's face but also a reassurance that whatever she was planning, it would be of great importance.

Tiredness drew us to dismiss the meeting at last. The discussion would be carried again in another sunrise. We each returned to our own tents. I was sitting dejected by the lantern that lighted the room. My eyes stared blankly at the seemingly parting gift from the moon god.