‘By the way, Jambavan, the Senate has approved the shift of Mathura to Alantris. The name is now Dvarka.’

‘Dvarka... yes,’ he spoke slowly, the way Rikshas often spoke, ‘City of Gates. That is well thought of.’

‘It would not have been possible without you. You and your magical devices.’

‘There is no such thing as magic, Krishna. Just secrets the world doesn’t know about yet. You got the glass?’ Jambavan cocked his shaggy head expectantly.

‘A large shipment of vaikunshard is on its way to you.’

‘Capital!’ Jambavan beamed, and sauntered forward.

‘Why don’t you just carry the Syamantaka Jewel to Mathura Fort? How big can it be? I will carry it on me,’ Satyaki whispered to Krishna as they followed Jambavan into yet another tunnel. Satyaki really didn’t like tunnels. ‘Travelling all this distance to this blasted place…’

‘Patience, Satyaki. I know I have kept you in the dark but the brightest stars are always seen on the darkest nights,’ Krishna said to allay his fears.

‘But you know what they say about stars – look at them too closely and you will burn,’ Jambavan offered unhelpfully.

‘Whaa---t?’ Satyaki looked at Krishna, his eyes wide.

‘Ignore him. He has a funny way of looking at things.’

‘What did I say?’ Jambavan asked innocently. ‘Three things you should never stare into – a star, your mother-in-law’s eyes, and a Naga’s butt. Trust me on this.’

‘Nagas?‘ Satyaki chuckled. ‘You mean, talking serpents?’

Storm suddenly spun around, blocking Satyaki’s path with her tiny body. ‘Something funny, noble boy?’

Satyaki was taken aback. ‘I mean, we all know there’s no such thing.’

‘The Nagas killed my mother. The forests are swarming with fucking Nagas!’ She lifted herself on her toes to stare Satyaki in the eye. ‘So don’t tell me there’s no such thing.’

Satyaki looked to Krishna for support but received only a shake of the head. ‘Come Satyaki, time to rip that refuge of ignorance from your mind.’

III

The underground hall was extremely cold, for the Rikshas kept it that way. The Vedan sun wasn’t meant for their beastly bodies so they needed a constant supply of ice blocks to keep their minds sane. The group emerged into a dark room beneath a sky faintly dotted with stars. A cloudless sky, Krishna thought, staring up. Satyaki momentarily forgot the insult at the hands of Storm as his jaw hung lifelessly. He was awestruck. Storm clutched her sword, lines appearing beside her mouth as she clenched her teeth. They both knew it was impossible for the sky to be visible when they were underground but the illusion still raged a pitched battle against this knowledge.

‘What is this, Krishna?’ Satyaki asked. He looked around. There was a circle drawn on the floor, surrounded by four concentric metallic rings. A black luminous orb hung suspended in mid-air, above a short pillar as high as his waist. Large chunks of shattered vaikunshard lay all around, with thin metal tubes protruding from the walls and corners like snakes. The tubes were clearly broken, and emitted tiny streaks of lightning.