Rising Mist

By Ankita

"Drops descended like drizzle, turning the velvety sun colored liquid

sprinkled around to blue which was spreading rapidly all over the ground

and stunned everyone inside especially the bear couple who ran out of

the cave in such haste as if they were about to be lit and such a reality was

not far. Sana turned to ask them

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ukiyoto Publishing
• Release date: Jul 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9789361726286

Book preview

Rising Mist

#1 Haze Series

Ankita

Ukiyoto Publishing

All global publishing rights are held by

Ukiyoto Publishing

Published in 2023

Content Copyright © Ankita

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in a retrieval system, in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

The moral rights of the author have been asserted.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated, without the publisher’s prior consent, in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published.

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Contents

The Choice He Made

The Dread He Felt

The Downfall He Faced

The Unhoped Reward She Got

The Unexpected Trap He Was In

The Lows and Highs She Felt

The New Hope Driving Her

The Overwhelming Changes Around Him

The Remorse She Felt

The Invisible Thread Tying Them

The Two Sides Pulling Her

The Edginess They All Sensed Within

The Upheaved World Of Her's

The Acceptance

The New Journey Enfolding For Her

The Alone Her

The Prying Him

The Impossible Escape

About the Author

The Choice He Made

P

ampan and Ratni had been waiting since dawn for her. Their network had never failed on vital information. It had to be today when they leave for that forbidden place. She had to see with her sharp eyes to confirm the truth of the matter and here Pampan was driving her crazy with her nonstop questions on the chosen one. It was not like she had never seen that strange girl of Astra.

The pompous Ratni with her long neck and deft hands had always managed to fish out the hidden details even if she did get her hands dirty in the process or extended her long neck further. After all she would never delegate her position as chief gossiper to anyone, especially Pampan who always stole her gathered her words and spread it as her own. The bulged woman was quite fast in her course that she had wondered about her swiftness despite the huge belly she held onto.

Is she the one? Pampan pointing her wide fingers at the petite black-haired girl walking to their lord's place.

Yes, yes. It would be disastrous if anyone saw them peeping at her today. Ratni pulled the plump woman who was more interested in the beauty in front than protecting herself from being seen.

Isn't she lucky to be chosen by him.

Nah, only if she can come out alive. How dogged was this woman that even her strong pull could not budge her. She only hoped the girl had not seen them hiding in the alley. The lord had gotten much strict on gossipers in the past few days.

Tut! Tut! Poor girl. Her sister was the same right?

...........

Pitying at her current plight while hiding in such plain sight that even a person who was running in such haste could spot on. She wondered what was the curiosity that bound them to leave comfort of their home to stare at her. Gossips had always eluded her path. Bright pink, Pampan and glaring yellow, Ratni was not deterred by warnings issued on them. Such tenacity was something even she did not possess who was currently lauded for the sacrifice she agreed on.

The walk to her new home was never an easier one. The whispers around had increased way lot than she had imagined and the eyes were the worst, it looked at her as if wanting to peel her skin away. Thank goodness, she saw him standing outside waiting

for her. She was sweating and her tunic stuck to her back as it had become too wet. She had walked fast in her rush to reach there in hope of avoiding Astrarians who were craning their neck from their houses as if they had never seen her. She had become the talk of every person residing in Astra. The one thing she had always tried to hide away from which she had now come to realize that it was a futile endeavor of hers.

Lord's mansion in front was attached to the great hall of Slatr had never been this bare of people. Baheri festival had not passed for long and the grand banquet in Slatr was cancelled for the first time in the history of Astra. Masheer Mahant, the lord of the place no longer showed his face to fellow Astrarians, except sending his minions to regulate order around Astra.

Rishi saw Sana rushing to him in the altered attire of his. Men's attire brought much ease in long distance travel especially when they could not use their bull carriages. His attire on her had not diminished her charm even by a cent. He had always knew her beauty was the most dazzling one in all of Astra. The mud-colored brownish tunic and pants were quite different than her usual gowns which she always donned and allured everyone around in her gentleness. The same attire on him seemed too dull in her presence.

Parting with his family had been the most difficult choice, but somethings had to be endured with the duties placed on him as the next lord of Astra. He placed the bag of supplies containing dried fish meat, water, dagger, ropes and two shift houses over his back. He had done all the necessary preparations that were needed to get them back. But Raksharan was not something that anyone could ever envision. His cousin was the best warrior of their Astra, but hadn't he lost to that place. He just hoped the unthinkable had not yet occurred to him.

The path grew smaller and smaller as they approached the edge of Astra when suddenly two large beings overshadowed them. The guards stood in front of them, blocking their way to stop them from moving any further. If it were any other day, he would have rewarded them for such dedication. But it wasn't such a day. He showed the wooden token engraved with his family name, Mahant to the giant guardians of their homeland, Astra. He had never come this far and had not seen such huge beings who were men just like him in basic structure of two hands and legs. But were very-very different in size. His knowledge on them was through Rujaras, the ancient scriptures of their Astra. The large ones gifted to their family on separation by Mahan. According to Rujaras, they hated following their lord's family and preferred guarding the boundaries of their land. The reason for their aversion to protect his family was still a mystery to him and others who were keen on history of their origin. The cautioning words had bewildered him, these two were more powerful than any Astrarian alive. Bibi and Yiyi of Astra, the giant guards.

She held the tunic at his waist in fright as she saw two large beefy men with no neck bowing their heads to Rishi and beating their long spears on the ground in respect. Strangely as it may sound as they returned to their respective position, they continued beating their weapons to the ground as if wanting to trip them over. She must be imagining it. Warriors were not known for their pettiness, but a loyal heart. The vibrations were too strong that even the ground shook. She wondered, had she not held him tightly, she would have fallen on her butt. Even such a thought brought shivers to her spine. The image of it through his eyes would surely devastate her. It would be better if they both fell together, at least her embarrassment would ease a little. Not that such an event occurred, she was just too scared and her hidden fears were running around in front of her eyes. Thank goodness! They were not their enemies, else the tiny Astrarian would hardly count as their opponent in the fight.

The start at noon from his home, the center of Astra had finally reached to the place which terrified every Astrarian alive. Even Vidyut people had mentioned their fears of this place. Raksharan had become a nightmare for both Astra and Vidyut after separation. Once he enters Raksharan, the mystic forest, there was no surety that he would even come out alive. No one had ever been able to achieve such a feat till date. Previous of his ancestors had someone to continue their family line if they failed to come back. Such was not his fate. Either he wins or everyone of Astrarian die. Their situation had become too dire that anymore delay would result in annihilation that Rujaras warned about.

The huge walls separating Astra, Vidyut and Raksharan had never felt this overwhelming, at least Astra had protection of Bibi and Yiyi from Raksharan. But Vidyut was not blessed with such a gift. Astra ancestor had always been proud of their accomplishments in building the great empire of Maharas. Stepping out of the guarded gate, they waited for the time of entry.

The brown body with green head with sky tearing height had been the abode of the first emperor of their now divided empire. It had become the dreaded place that no one ever wished to enter.

The sky was slowly turning to peachy-red and the time they had been waiting for had arrived. Rishi held her hand and took a deep breath before stepping into the darkness and finally leaving the safety haven of Astra.

Days passed and it had been two days and one night since they had entered the mysterious forest, Raksharan. Rishi was rushing as if a bull was chasing him. They hadn't rested to find them as quick as possible. Their delay was not to be taken lightly if they lose them forever. Even if her legs gave away at multiple occasions, she persisted to continue with him. Now that they could not go on anymore, she sat down underneath a tree to rest for a while and Rishi squatted near the muddy path they had just walked on.

The place was filled with long trees with their green heads no longer in sight. Few were thin and tall while some other were so burly and thick that even Rishi could not embrace it with both his hands. The most puzzling of all was that there were no marks of their footsteps on the wet muddy path they had just walked on. To confirm his observation, he jumped on the ground to leave a deeper mark, but his actions left none of the traces he had just left even though his foot wear and pants had become dirty in his experiment.

The unexpected chuckle from behind startled

him and he turned to see her sitting on the ground with her back leaning against the tree as her lips twitched slightly and a mischievous twinkle in her eyes as she tried hard in controlling her laughter at his current state. He had really made his clothes dirty in his process to find some clue about them. Till now the path was straight with no diversions and he felt he was sure to find them, if he persisted enough. Sana's support on his crazy insistence to continue with no rest really amazed him. The pampered child of Amakshi had really come far. She could really find amusement even in this dire situation, very few in Astra had her optimism. But the same was not reflected in him. He had hoped there might have been some clue about the direction they had left. People usually leave some kind of mark in an unfamiliar place to help them find their way out in case they lose the direction, at least smart ones do so and his cousin was no fool. This place had to be a neat freak who cleaned up signs that anyone had ever been here.

He continued squatting near the grasses and tried exploring some other clues that could help him. He touched the green knives embedded to the ground to check something or anything that could guide him ahead. But they were too sharp that it cut his fingers and dropping few drops of his blood on it. Strangely, the freak was not able to clear the blood spots left on the ground. Generally getting fingers cut by grasses meant that no one had walked on them and they were still afresh. But he doubted such a case unless it had grown today.

Dead tired with no bloody clue in hand, the only thought resounding his mind was what in the hell was this place. This looked like forest filled with trees, though a little haphazard in its manner of plantation. Even if they had left any mark, the neat freak Raksharan would have restored it to the original. He was not so sure now if he could even find them. In current circumstance he could do nothing other than continue moving forward and hope he would be able to get to them. He did not like the notion of moving ahead in the darkness with no light in hand to show them the way.

She should not have laughed, but it was too funny to rein in the laughter . The sight of an immortal flying high to finally landing to the mortal world had made it even more difficult to contain it. The man had finally understood that he was no longer in command. Somethings are to be left to fate with no surety that his need would ever be fulfilled. The high-handed Rishi's landing to ground was a feat in itself for her. She wasn't mocking his efforts but was a little amused at current situation. Now the tools of hope and courage were their only source of the sustenance for the uncertain battle ahead. She couldn't be more familiar with those tools, yet disliked using it which revealed that her strength was never enough.

The man had to be the most stubborn one she had ever come across; she did try to stop him multiple times to rest last night even if they had begun in the noon. But he had to go on not considering the darkness of the night with his sharp Astrarian night vision that everyone in Astra was gifted with. Though keeping aside, the fact that his pace had slowed down significantly with passage of time. If it were not for the glitch, they could not cross on without his usual self-assuredness, he would still continue to go on tonight in darkness like yesterday without bothering to give the body the necessary sleep needed. Her handicap was not making it easier on him or her for that matter. To her incompetence, her weak night vision was another layer to be added. She had now come to resent her weaknesses. She was like those pots of water with a hole drilled to the base.

The path forward had diverged into two directions and he had to choose the correct one, else he might never find them or be lost himself. He could not count on Sana for such a critical choice, after all she was a preschool teacher of Tarashala. Her sister at least had some warrior training before they had left together. It would have been most desirous if he had his cousin's insight with him. He was the best with the intuition thing. He on the other hand was more of a facts and details kind of a guy and the conclusion he drew from those titbits he observed.

Closing his eyes, he decided to choose the left path. Though not quite sure on his choice he decided to follow the path once the dawn breaks. He could only hope that he was correct in his decision. It had been only two days since he had left Astra and he was already feeling drained. He took out the dried fishes and offered it to Sana to eat. The noon meal was too light to sustain this long. Even if he was not too fond of her, he had vowed to take care of her for lifetime.

His family and Astra were too important in comparison to his dislike of her. Rather than the term dislike, it was her anomaly that irked him and his cousin. Amakshi's were too soft handed with her unlike her elder sister. He drank water to remove the fishy taste from his mouth and setup the two shift houses for each. He was already too kind in setting up the tent house for her. Reassuring her that she could call him anytime if she needed anything, he went to sleep hoping that tomorrow's dawn would prove his intent right.

Dried fish in one hand and water in another made her realize that the man was only taking care of her basic needs with little or no intention to interact further.

She always knew Mahant brothers had not so nice opinions on her. Sure, she was not like her sister who was always vibrant and take on bull kind. She was just different. Astra had always valued physical strength over meekness and was she really weak? At least she didn't think so, she just wasn't inclined to their high energy endeavors. The whole of Astra was the same, the desire to display strength ran in their blood. She couldn't help wonder why her blood did not boil with strength like many others in Astra.

She ate the dried meat and drank water and wondered if her parents were missing her, especially her mother. Her world revolved around their family, always taking care that none of their needs get unnoticed. She was her favorite, probably because she always liked to follow her around. Her sister was averse to such closeness. Once she decides something, no one could persuade her out of it. She had always been a rebel, but a charming one at that. No one could hate her even if she defied the other person. She envied how likeable she always was unlike her. The two daughters of same parent could not be more different from each other.

Her mother being her usual worrywart, never wanted her to follow Rishi to the mystical woods of Raksharan. The distress signal sent by them had alarmed everyone in Astra. Who wouldn't be if an explosive sound resounded so loud that the houses shook in vibration shaking the persons within them too.

She was with her students at that time who were so terrified that she had to distract them by pointing the freshly turned red sky of the noon so that their fascination over it would make their fear go away. Otherwise, it would be very difficult to calm those frightened children. Few of them had just come out of their shock of their first broken tooth, they could hardly handle one of such a shock.

She was responsible for teaching them till their tenth year, pre-schooling before they chose specialization. Some parents send their children late even if Astra's rules want them to send them to Tarashala in their sixth year with a laxation of one year for exceptional cases. She had nearly four years, sometimes even less to mold their innocent minds to be the warrior that Astra leaders want them to be.

Few at the end of their pre-schooling choose to be healers. But it was disheartening that they had only two options if they wish to continue their studies, otherwise they were to be deemed a failure like her who was neither a warrior nor a healer. Few were redeemed from that tag if they were able to succeed in business and bathe in riches. That was another dark reality she had avoided in the shelter of her parents.

They had always been too protective of her. The anxiety looming all over them. She could still feel the light pain when they had hugged her so tightly with no intention of ever releasing her from their hold. She understood that the venture being uncertain and high possibility of her never returning was not something any parents were comfortable in sending their baby daughter to. But she was hardly a baby and something was different, subtly or so about their protectiveness to her from her elder sister. She always knew about it yet feared delving deeper.

The empty shift house in the darkness of night made their absence more difficult to bear. If only Rishi did not dislike her enough to leave her alone in another shift house, she could share his tent, after all she was his newly wedded bride. Then chuckled sarcastically at the mockery of the marriage happened for the sole purpose of getting them back. Had it not been for those scriptures by Mahant ancestors, the Rujaras of Astra, she would still be in home accompanying her beloved parents and tutoring her cute students.

The newlywed couple who had yet not been physically intimate while holding hands at the dusk when the sky had just turned slight red can then enter Raksharan with the blessings of Mahan, the first of Mahants. Those were the few words who had uprooted the Amakshi sisters' lives. At least her sister, Chaya and brother-in-law, Mahesh were childhood sweetheart, no matter how they both deny it vehemently that they weren't to everyone around.

She touched the pendant that her mother put on her as she was leaving in hope to feel some of her warmth through it while her