The four other Souls joined her in the hut. Idhika recounted the events that had transpired since her last visit to her father. She told her father how they’d found Madhu at the bottom of Pandayam Tal, only to still find themselves in the Mahayatra because of the lal bicchu’s sting; how Chayan and the kirtimukhas were victims of Sanaka’s past actions. She took him through the evening when they learnt of the true Eka of the valley, and the events that transpired after that, which was why none of the other four souls he’d met earlier were with them. But the biggest revelation to Rishi Ajan as well as the other Souls was when Idhika recounted Lord Indra’s wish for Aman, right before his sacrifice.

Upon hearing that the lord himself wanted the Mahayatra to fail because of what Sanaka was trying to achieve with the Preservers, Savitri and Jagrav fully embraced Idhika’s plan to go back and expose Sanaka. However, all this while, Aarti and Payal stood silently to the side. It was clear to them that they could no longer prolong their suffering in this land of the gods where, ironically, the only rule that persisted was the survival of the fittest. And that they had to foil Idhika’s plan when the time was right.

Just then, another man entered the hut from the back door. Even from a distance, Idhika could see that there was a thick layer of dandruff in the man’s long, unmatted hair that wantonly fell to his waist. His skin was parched and looked like crumpled paper. Each time he coughed, dust rained down from his head. ‘Won’t you introduce me to your daughter, brother Ajan?’

‘Come forward, bacche,’ Rishi Ajan said.

That’s when Idhika saw it. The same slouch to his stance. The same nose. And a familiar set of dark-brown eyes below light eyebrows. ‘Namahkrita, Idhika,’ the man said in a voice that was soothing, and for a moment it evaporated all of Idhika’s guilt, for it sounded friendly.

‘Aman?!’ Savitri blurted.

The man’s eyes widened.

The colour drained from Idhika’s face. She said, ‘Father . . . who is this?’

‘Avi . . . Avi Chandra,’ Rishi Ajan said.

Idhika fell to her knees.

‘Ajan. Was my son here? Was Aman here?!’ Avi said. ‘Where is he?’

‘Aman was the last Eka,’ Aarti said from a little ways away. ‘Aman Chandra.’

Rishi Ajan’s jaw dropped.

Silence befell.

Idhika registered little of what followed. She looked down at the mud floor for over an hour. By the time she looked up, she found the other Souls lounging on the floor, surrounded by empty banana-leaf plates and kamandalus that Rishi Ajan had provided. Avi Chandra and Rishi Ajan had left the hut. The two could, however, be heard from the backyard outside.

‘How could you not tell me there was a Chandra among the Souls?’ Avi said loudly. ‘You should have woken me up!’

‘I didn’t know, Avi. I didn’t know Aman was your son,’ Rishi Ajan said. ‘Let alone that his last name was Chandra. If only he’d mentioned once that his father was in the army . . .’