Chapter 3: A Beginning

So, I trudged back into the same city I had left only a day or so ago. I had a lot of people who had seen me leave, were now staring at me.

I had to go quite a ways into the bazaar. Unfortunately, I had to go to the center. This was the only place that could purchase and pay a decent amount. Though I knew many of the merchants were crooked, I knew how to get around them.

Finally, I walked into a shop I didn’t enter often. “Back so soon Sahib Ryan?”

“Unfortunately, Rahul, I was not as smart as I thought I was. I got all the way to where I was going, then found that I had no tools, food or even a tent. I was lucky I had enough water to make it back,” I told the man.

After laughing harder than I thought he should, I pulled out my finger. “I’d like to sell this so I can get all I need.”

Rahul immediately stopped laughing, “I tell you what,” he said after he weighed the gold at almost a pound. I saw him go slightly pale, “this is...”

“Yeah I know, over two million, four hundred Rupees,” I told a very shocked Rahul. “Tell you what, give me two million, the rest is yours, after all my supplies.”

[He’s thinking of cheating you, no problem.] Shiva’s thoughts said, then I saw Rahul straighten up. Looking around, he started to shake. His head started to nod yes, rapidly.

With what looked like a false smile, Rahul handed me what appeared to be two million Indian Rupees. He started to yell at his helpers, “your supplies will be ready soon, please sit, rest, need you a drink?”

[What the hell did you do to the poor man?] I asked Shiva.

[I just told him that you were a blessed servant of Shiva. If he didn’t help you, I would punish him. Then I gave him pain in his lower region. He has a definite high threshold for pain. Oh, I also told him that if you were attacked by people, he had told, I would personally make sure that those lower regions stopped working.] Shiva told me.

[You really think that will work?] I asked.

I heard Shiva start to laugh, not a little one no, this was a full belly splitting, falling on the floor laughing.

[I have never seen a male not do almost anything to save his sex organs. Besides, if that doesn’t work, I’ll just blank his memories.] Shiva thought to me.

[WHAT! All this fuckin time and you... ] I started, then doubled over in pain. [Asshole!] I thought as the pain eased a bit.

“Sahib?” I heard Rahul say from the doorway.

“Yeah,” I gasped, “having a disagreement with Sh...” I started.

Rahul then gasped as he said, “Sahib, you should not argue with the gods. It is not sane nor safe.”

“Yeah,” I said as I took in a large lungful of air. “Though I do feel justified.” This, of course, Shiva didn’t agree with, as I doubled over again.

“You must be important to him, for him to spare you like this,” Rahul said.

“I don’t really agree with you there. I don’t feel important to him or anyone else,” I said.

[Well, we are getting to the heart of the matter. What, been abandoned a lot, parents, girlfriends, wives and lovers?] came Shiva’s thoughts.

Finally, pissed off, I yelled, “Shut the hell up Shiva! That’s none of your damn business!”

That’s the last thing I remember for as few hours, it felt as if a huge fist drove me into the wall. Come to find out, I also went through the wall.

I was amazed when I awoke alive with all my money and supplies. I looked over to see Rahul, sitting near the cot I was on.

“I told you, you are important. Normally, the god would kill you. I believe you have been blessed by him,” Rahul said.

I sighed as I tentatively rose from the cot, “If you say so, Rahul, it feels more like a curse.”

[You really are a most stubborn human. Come back to my cave, there is much to do. I’d bring you back, but I haven’t that much power yet. I’ve used quite a bit disciplining you, though with what you have opened of my chamber, I am recharging faster.] Shiva explained.

I sighed, [I ought to be back in a day.]

[I have waited this long, another day is nothing, ] Shiva thought.

[Well, I’m glad you have all this time, I don’t, I am only human. I still have to go the old-fashioned slow way, ] I thought back.

[Look, ] came Shiva’s slightly annoyed thoughts. [You’d be surprised just how grateful I can be,

I looked down at my sold gold hand, [I’ll believe it when I see it.]

[My, my was that a challenge I heard in your voice? Remember I could have killed you for what you did, ] Shiva told me.

[Yeah? Then you’d still be there with no real way out. Maybe, just maybe I’d be more willing to help, (though I have no choice)] I said under my breath. [All this secretive shit you have going on isn’t helping.]

I heard Shiva release what I thought was a sigh of exasperation.

[I have a lot to tell you, get one of your horseless carts. uh, cars, you should have enough, ] came Shiva’s thoughts. [It should facilitate you moving much faster.]

I shook my head as I let Shiva guide me to a small open area. After I actually got an old jeep, it cost me over 500,000 Rupees. Thankfully, I still had 1 million 900 thousand. I could see right now that 2 million wasn’t going to last long at all.

I still had to get gas that wasn’t cheap here. In the states it was about three and a half a gallon. Here it was a lot more, more like six and a half. So ten gallons? Was about 5370.57 Indian Rupees.

I just shook my head as I loaded up the jeep, then headed out. I was amazed when I was there in two hours. It had seemed further.

As far as I could tell, I hadn’t been followed, that remained to be seen. I still had to climb up a ways just to get to the level of the chamber.

Finally, I was at the opening. Of course, there was Shive standing there inside. I stared at him, wondering why he wasn’t out. Shrugging, I started the arduous task of breaking the rest of the chamber opening, open.

I watched amazed as I started to destroy what appeared to be symbols all around the opening, Shiva glowing more.

T was half way through them when Shiva blasted one of the symbols away. “Ah! Damn, that felt good.” I stepped back as Shiva powered up again, taking out another two. “If you could continue, it would be appreciated,” Shiva said.

“I wasn’t sure if you wanted me to, that wasn’t exactly a weak few blasts,” I said.

“Oh, believe me, they were weak, they should have blown half the face of the chamber away. Thanks to you, at least one of us gods, are able to draw power again. Now then continue please,” Shiva said.

I blinked, shocked, Shiva had said please? Was the world going to end? What the hell? “I,” I started.

Shiva chuckled, “Yes, I said please. I am not the monster that all the writings and legends say I am. I have a job that I have to do. Unfortunately, Vishnu and I disagree a lot.”

“Wait, if I remember right, if both of you are no longer around, I thought the world would end,” I said a little shaken.

“Normally, yes,” Shiva said nonchalantly. “The thing is, I released one of my brothers, along with my wife Kali. This was a few years ago, then, like an idiot, I got into a fight with Vishnu again. Luckily, I had set things up so we could be released, though I had to use a lot of energy. Energy that I needed to get free, I see that what I left drew you here.”

I could only stare at Shiva like he was the biggest idiot in the world. That, of course, had me doubled over in intense pain.

“You know what? Fuck you Shiva, you want to kill me? Go the hell ahead, nothing you have said has convinced me to help. You can obviously get free, you DO IT!” I said as I collapsed on the ground, the convulsions I had were the worse before I passed out.

It was obviously a few hours later as I noticed that it was almost dark. I groaned as I sat up or rather tried to. I also saw that Shiva appeared to be draped against the opening. There were still four symbols left. I finally sat up, then tried to move away.

I felt like there was a wall between me and the path down from the chamber. OK, now I was pissed, I reached into the opening and tried to slap Shiva. I yanked my hand back, it felt like I had hit a rock. What in the hell was that? I grabbed the shovel I had, slapping it flat across Shiva’s face. It had the desired effect.

“Huh?” Shiva said as he rubbed his face. “Did you just hit me? With a shovel?” I expected a lot of pain or sudden death, losing my eyes. When nothing happened, I peeked, seeing Shiva staring at me, then the ass started to laugh.