A Heart In Flames

CHAPTER TWENTY

“I got charmed by the demon?” Mansa asked, and grabbed a fruit. The hunger didn’t allow her to wait for Oma to answer her. She could not believe the demon got her charmed. She remembered playing the flute while Oma fought, and when the demon rushed to her, she saw nothing again. It was as if she had a deep sleep. She could not even remember that she was in the hole under the huge rock with the demon. And never could she recall that she grew wild when Oma’s sword flamed.

“Yes, you got charmed. You have been under a spell for a full day,” Oma replied, took two fruits, and looked up at the birds that were dropping the fruits. Beautiful and huge birds they were. Appreciation filled his heart. He was grateful to the fish.

Then, he turned to look at the fish. It was perching on a stone. It looked cheerful. Its eyes moved from Mansa to Oma when Oma turned to look at it. Their eyes met. “I don’t know how to thank you," Oma said.

“Don’t worry, warrior king. Everlasting Helper is my name. I take delight in helping others,” the fish said joyously, it seemed to be smiling, “and never will I stop helping others even if I get no rewards for my deeds. I was made to help others. I rejoice when I see others rejoicing.”

“Your reward will be great, and your name will forever be remembered,” Oma said to the fish, and turned from it to hide and wipe his tears. His heart was touched.

The hungry Mansa ate one fruit after the other very fast. But her attention was also on Oma and the fish as they talked. She knew the fish had rendered yet another help, but she didn’t exactly know what help it was.

“It brought us the fruits?” she asked.

Oma’s attention turned to her, and trying hard to hide his emotions, he answered Mansa in the affirmative. “From the ends of the sea, he summoned birds to bring us fruits,” he said.

“Thank you, Everlasting Helper. You shall soon reap your rewards. Good people often go through suffering, but at the end, they become victorious. I believe one day, you and your wife will become humans again, and enjoy the beautiful life you once lived.” Mansa's words so much pleased the fish that, out of a heart full of joy, it decided to reveal to Oma and Mansa what it initially decided not to let them know about.

“You two have a good heart too, and forever shall your name remain on earth,” it said. “You have lived closer to four hundred years on earth, and many more years shall you live. Multitudes are the people who will never live up to half your age before they die.”

Oma did not trust his ears. He and his wife were not even twenty-one years yet. How then did the fish say they were closer to four hundred years?

Mansa didn’t understand the fish as well. She thought maybe the fish didn’t know what it was talking about. She paused eating the fruits. And looking at the fish intently, she asked: “Did you say we have lived closer to four hundred years?”

“Yes,” the fish replied with all seriousness. “Right after midnight, you will be four hundred years on this island. Each day on this island is an hundred years in the world of humans. In your village where you came from, it’s already four hundred years since you left.”

Mansa stood stunned, and Oma stood gaping at the fish. The revelation was unbelievable. It was ridiculous.

“This is ridiculous,” Oma said. “I know this is a joke, Everlasting Helper. You just want to get us laughing. This is our fourth night since we came to this island.”

“What is a joke, warrior king? I do not know what a joke is. I am telling you the truth. Have you asked why days and nights are so long on this island? You are close to four hundred years here.

“In your village where you come from, everyone you knew is dead. Generations have lived and died. And your village is no longer . . .”

Mansa cut the fish short. “So you mean six more days are left for the blue smoke from the huge tree to go forth to cause calamity to humans?”

“Yes,” the fish answered. "And this time, it is going to be more severe if you don’t hewn down the tree on time, because lord Green is much furious than he has even been. His anger may cause him to destroy all humans on earth if he is not stopped and rendered powerless.”

Oma got frozen instantly. He stood silent, looking at nothing. He stopped chewing the fruit that was in his mouth. The revelation of the fish was mind-blowing, sad, strange, and terrifying. All the good and loving people he knew in Subasu were dead? He was never going to see them again? How proud they would be if they succeeded in their mission, and returned to the village.

Mansa cried. She was sad that the good people of Subasu that she knew had all died. The Great Savant, the town crier, the boat makers, and the market women were all fresh in her memory. They were good and lovely people. She loved them very much.

The fish became sad as well. It was sad that what it revealed to Oma and Mansa brought them tears. But that was the truth, and it could no longer hide it from them.

“So no one is going to recognise us when we return?” Mansa asked.

“I am sure our story has even been forgotten,” Oma said before the fish could reply to Mansa. “Four hundred years is a long time.”

“No!” the fish screamed. Four hundred years is not as long as a thousand years. The people of Subasu will recognize you even if you return after thousand years. Statues have been raised to immortalize you. You will never be forgotten.”

The conversation continued for a long time, deep in the night. And, the more the fish revealed hidden secrets to the couple, the more they grew in appreciation for the fish. The fish also encouraged Oma and his wife to remain focused on their mission because, it knew it was only when lord Green had been vanquished and the tree hewn down that humans would have peace on earth.

Again and again, Oma and his wife expressed their appreciation to Everlasting Helper. Without it, they would probably give up on their mission on the island.

Together, Oma and his wife as well as their friend, the Everlasting Helper, rested at the shore that night. They talked and developed bonds and made covenants. More secrets were revealed by the Helper. And finally, before dawn, it guided Oma and his wife on how they would hew down the huge tree and get the demon rendered powerless forever.