WARLOCK'S INTERNS

Chapter 7: The Blue Sapphire

The two men walked deep into the forest. The forest was very thick. They walked ahead uncared of the peculiar noise of the birds and animals. They have been in and out of this forest since long. Nothing surprised them. They had seen wild creatures; they had been attacked by them many times. They knew how to defend themselves in the thick forest.

The two men looked at each other with a grin. They knew they have accomplished an exciting challenge which they waited for long years. They loved to call themselves as treasure hunters. In a way they were! Only they stole the treasure instead of finding it. This time they became extremely lucky. They were sick of stealing small houses, and lone travelers. They never seem to find much that way. But today they were successful in catching a big fish; indeed it is a very big fish. Probably they may not have to steal again in their whole life time.

Sampada was really a prosperous Kingdom. They have observed it for years and longed to loot ‘Kajana’, a place where all the treasures of the Kingdom were kept. It was not at all easy. There were guards who guarded it on shifts. But being extremely confident both has planned to loot through a secret passage underneath. Accordingly, they worked hard to dig a secret long tunnel underneath which would directly take them to the deep inner core of the ‘Kajana’ being unseen and unnoticed. Obviously the ‘Kajana’ was sealed and well-guarded from outside, but not so from inside, in its deep core.  It had taken them a long time to plan and execute the hard venture. They had to dig hard for months and months. But in the end it has given them fruitful results. Finally, as per their plan they had dug out a secret tunnel from the uninhabited forest leading to the core of ‘Kajana’. 

They knew it would take some time for Sampada King and his guards to even know about the existence of secret tunnel and their so called ‘wise theft’. Just before a week, both being successful in reaching to the core of the ‘Kajana’ underneath, had just taken out as much as possible gold coins, jewels, precious gems, silver and gold wares and carried it out to the other side of the tunnel in the thick forest.  From there, they further walked for days carrying the heaps of their loots to their secret hideout place which luckily was in the midst of freely roaming wild animals. Their hideout place was located under a huge crooked tree, which they had hollowed inside to store their precious loots. Presently, after a hard journey they reached their hideout in utter exuberance because of their success.

“Let us hide it fast!” Said the elder one.

“Don’t worry, who will dare to come to this thick forest?” Laughed the younger one, he was one who looked very reckless. He feared nothing; he was heavily built with strong muscles. He had fought many wild creatures bare handedly.

“Ah! What clever loot! Look at the jewels and gems.” Opening the treasure box cried the elder one. He was too pleased.

“Looting Sampada treasure was certainly not the easiest task.”

“Yes, it wasn’t; so much for our wise skills.”

The younger one took out and held a blue sapphire in front “Jewels and gold coins are our real treasure; gems won’t be useful for us, even this Blue Sapphire.” 

“But it will be useful to me.” A voice as thick as blood spoke.

The two astonished thieves looked up at once. They saw an old man with a long stick in his hand. He had long white hairs, as white a snow. His beard was very long almost floating down to his feet. The old man smiled at them.

The elder one began to tremble with fear at once. The younger thief stood up giving the old man a fierce look and said in a hostile tone, “Who are you? Get out of here at once.”

The old man started to walk towards them in reply. The elder thief who had recognized him started to beg, “Oh! Lord, please do not harm us.”

The younger thief was very amused with his partner. He looked at him with a dry smile, “What’s the matter with you? He is just a crooked old man.”

The white old man took another step forward and said very gently, “Give me the Blue Sapphire and I will walk out in peace.”

The elder thief continued his ramble, “Take whatever you want Oh Lord! It is all yours, please - Please pardon us.”

The younger thief was very annoyed with his partner, “What’s the matter with you? Why are you so scared?”

The white old man took another step forward. The elder thief could no longer contain his fear; he screamed “NO – No – please, have mercy on us.”

“I said, give me the Blue Sapphire.”

The Younger thief took off the dragger from his sheath. He decided to take out this white old man at once; he had never killed old people. But this time he felt as if he has to, for the Charisma of the white old man was unbearable.

“NO - No give the Blue Sapphire to the Lord!” The elder thief screamed and began to cry at once in utter fear.   

“Lord!” the younger thief mimicked his partner and took a step at the white old man. “I shall show him the path to hell.”

“That’s enough” The white old man smiled and lifted his long stick up.

The next moment the younger thief was flying high in the air. He soon fell down with a thud as the old man lowered his long stick. The younger man, with his utterly bruised and numbed body looked at the white old man with astonishment.

The white old man bent down and picked up the Blue Sapphire from the other hand of fallen younger man and held it in his hand for a moment, “I shall have it”. He soon began to walk away as if nothing has happened.

“Aha! My back hurts like hell, who was he? Why were you so scared?” the younger thief began to gather himself up with great difficult.

“You were really lucky; he spared your dear life, thank god!”

“Who was he?”

The elder thief pointed his hands toward the west and replied “He - He is the old Warlock.”

**

Queen Keertidevi smiled at herself as she brushed her daughter’s curly hairs. She was twelve years when she first time visited his Kingdom. How soon the years had passed by. They were certainly the magical years of her life. Now she is a proud mother and a respected queen of Swarnapuri.

Chitrakshi hugged the Princess with utter affection. She knew her daughter would certainly feel the loneliness in the Palace. However, at this stage she was helpless.

“Mother, Mani says there is a very old man who lives in the West, is that true?” Chitrakshi asked very innocently munching her favorite apple.

“Yes, very much so my sweet angel, Why do you ask?”

“Is he a good man?”

“He is! Why do you ask my Angel?”

Chitrakshi sat on her lap looking at her deep in the eyes. “Mani says he is the only one who can save me from the Witches, please tell me about him.”

Keertidevi took her hands and kissed it gently, “Yes that’s true, he is the one who can save us all.”

“How old is he?”

“People say he is about aged over hundred and ten years.”

“And - and what is his name?” Chitrakshi was very curious.

“People call him Mahapitha.”

“Mahapitha! Please tell me all about him, please.”

“Aha dear! No one knows where did he come from? But people believe he walked down from the heaven.”

“Heaven! Is he a god?” Chitrakshi eyes were very wide.

“No, I believe he is just an old man, perhaps with some magical power.”

“Magical Power! He should be a Wizard then?” Chitrakshi wanted to know everything.

“Yes, he is a Wizard; people call him the old Warlock.”

Keertidevi began to tire with her daughter’s persistent questions.

“But but - you said Witches and Wizards are bad people.” Chitrakshi remembered the two ugly looking women who tried to grab her just few days ago.

“But not this Wizard.”  King Maheepati walked with a huge smile. Chitrakshi ran towards him and hugged him at once. She felt safe just being with her father, the King of Swarnapuri. 

“Father! Do you know him?” Chitrakshi continued her enquiry.

“Yes I do and he is a good friend of mine.” Maheepati brushed her golden hairs once and sat down beside queen Keertidevi. She looked relived; here at last she was free from her daughters never ending questions.

Chitrakshi giggled at her father, “ha ha but you are so young and he is so old, how can he be your friend?”

King Maheepati loved her questions, he smiled at her innocence, “He maybe old, but still he is my friend, for; he saved my very life once.”

“Is it? Please tell me about that father.” Chitrakshi always loved old stories.

King Maheepati loved telling tales, especially tales of his younger days. “Aha! Long ago, when I was sixteen year old Prince...”

****