Adventure of kadura episode 19
ADVENTURE OF KADURA
(The Chosen Bride)
Episode 19
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Written by Author Nath
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Darkness cannot be seen, cannot be felt, cannot be heard and cannot be smelt. It lies behind stars and under hills, and empty holes it fills. It comes first and follows after, ends life and kills laughter. Certainly, the darkness in the forest was not only ready to end Julius’ life, it also killed his laughter as he soared blindly through the thorns of the forest. Not only was he also afraid of the dark, he feared more of who was after his life too. We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.
Nevertheless, he panted on his way. His feet grabbed the texture of the forest floor while his hand flong any grass that stood on his way. Though the velocity he used had the sound of the wind, vibrating his eardrums like a stubborn anopheles mosquito buzzing around in the dark, but he still heard the running footsteps of the knights behind him. Suddenly, he stumbled and rolled down a small hill. Unfortunately, he hit his head on a rock and became unconscious.
Notwithstanding, hooves of horses on the forest floor echoed the whole vegetation as they approached to the hill. One could see their sticks of fire illuminating at a close range. A knight arrived at the hill, narrowed down his light and eyes to see the poor boy lying face up.
“I’ve found him!” he shouted, looking back at his men who hurried to the place only to see Julius gone. “He was lying down there.” the knight pointed at the place. Just then, they heard breaking of dry sticks at a distance.
“There he is! He’s running!” Another alarted. All pursued him again. They were so close that Julius was visible to their eyes. His cloth had been stained with blood while his mouth suddenly produced bloody saliva. His legs weakened and his body became heavy for him, so he fell down. All hope was lost as the knights approached closer to seize him. Unexpectedly, a bright light from Julius’ presence overshadowed their sight. They all covered their eyes to protect their pupils. Before they could open them, Julius was no more……
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Briskly, Adriana walked on the golden tiles of the castle through a long passage. Her bogus gown swept the floor as she hurried towards the door of the palace. She forcefully opened the door to see king Corbatt so unease on his throne. She knelt down on a red carpet that extended from the entrance to the throne, sniffing bitterly.
“Father, I’m sorry. I’m the cause of everything, not Julius!” she said.
The king surprisingly adjusted from his throne “Sorry?” he began to think critically. “For what exactly?”
“I was the one that met him.” she looked up at his father who had stood up from his throne already. “He’s the one I love, father. Please, spare his life.”
The king became silent. He had just seen an evidence to forever declear Julius wanted and dead. Just then, Damon and Nero walked in at the same time.
“My lord, I came as soon as I heard the bell. What happened?” Nero asked.
“Julius tried to rape my daughter!” he replied.
“What?!” Damon exclaimed.
“No!” Adriana stood up. “He did no such thing!”
“Shut your hole, you idiot!” The father rebuked her. He silently walked closer to her in a way he glared into her eyes like a fowl initiating a fight. “Do you know that you should never be seen with any man except Kadura?! Oh, dear me, that boy will be sorry if my men get their hands on him. I’ll cut off his heard and feed the birds with his eyes. That day you’ll learn that love is just an illusion.”
Instantly, the knights returned. They were five of them who entered into the palace. Everybody looked at them curiously.
“My lord, we’re afraid we lost him.” One of the men reported. There was a trace of joy on Adriana’s face when she heard it while the king turned his back on the knights.
“Not all those who wander are lost.” he said as he seated on his throne. “Preper, Nero, we shall move out at first light to find the boy.” he concluded. Adriana stared at her father..
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Julius opens his eyes beside a man on skin-cut like a monk. The fabric he used to cover himself was sparkling white likewise the environment. Surprisingly, he looked around to see nothing but white midst: no building, no castle and no water. It was a beauty to behold, so calmed and cool. It wasn’t exactly love at first sight, but it was deeper than that. A sense of belonging to a place he never knew and wanted but somehow always needed. It was a home that carried a heartbeat.
“Where is this place? Am I dead?” Julius asked looking up at the man.
“Are you afraid to die?” he retorted. “Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another. Losing your life is not the worst thing that can happen. The worst thing is to lose your reason for living.” he replied cleverly.
“You’ve not answered me; who are you and where am I?
“The bird fights its way out of the egg. The egg is the world. Who would be born must first destroy a world. This is where you came from, this is a mystical world, Kadura.” The man replied and began to walk slowly followed by Julius. “My name is Icarus. You never came here by chance, you came here as planned to be sophisticated and acquainted with your life and destiny because what’s on the way coming is bigger than you.”
Julius became moody. “It actually pains me that I couldn’t change from who I choose to be and with whom I chose to be with.”
“I understand, young lord. People don’t resist change. They resist being changed. Moreover, slowness to change usually means fear of the new. Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. The world hates change, yet it is the only thing that has brought progress.” A gentle breeze kept blowing their clothes back as they walked through the midst. Icarus continued. “I know how painful it is but you need to change otherwise Ukra will be in the mud even the woman you love will never live to tell the tragic story.”
“I just didn’t know what to do?” Julius sadly found his voice.
“Life is painful and messed up. It gets complicated at the worst of times, and sometimes you have no idea where to go or what to do. Lots of times people just let themselves get lost, dropping into a wide open, huge abyss. But that’s why we have to keep trying. We have to push through all that hurts us, work past all our memories that are haunting us. Sometimes the things that hurt us are the things that make us strongest. A life without experience, in my opinion, is no life at all. And that’s why I tell everyone that, even when it hurts, never stop yourself from living to your purpose of creation.”
Julius exhaled.
“There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. So don’t be too hærd on yourself, I understand the difficulties.” Icarus encourage him.
Just then, a blur image of a castle became visible to their eyes. They stopped to see it as the midst was clearing for a proper visibility. Julius was surprise to know it had the same structure of the royal castle. As he stared at it, he saw Adriana running out from it pursued by Damon with a sword. Adriana fell down as she kept s¢ræming Julius’ name. Notwithstanding, Damon raised the sword and cut off her head.
“No!!” Julius shouted. Immediately, he saw men trooping into the castle, fighting and killing Ukrans. Already, Bruce, Albat and Maximus were lying dead on the floor. As he watched the catastrophe and pandemonium, he began to shed tears. The castle faded away.
“This and many more will happen if you don’t embrace your destiny.” Icarus told him. Yet, he remained quiet, breathing deeply. “Young lord, the turbulence to come is dangerous. But you must know that the greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence – it is to act with yesterday’s logic. Be focused!”
Julius looked up at him. “I’m ready.” he said.
Icarus smiles. “I still sense fear from your voice. You’re not ready and you will be made ready soon by her. Fear has always been a very important whistleblower. Our emotion and our history can provoke fear that may arrest us at any time or at any place. Above and beyond, fear might be contagious and its scent, sometimes sensual, sometimes mystical or animal, can exude the musty and arcane smell of destiny. Open your heart for her. A woman can be your strength and also your weakness.” Icarus vanished while the world itself gradually began to vanish too.
“Who is she!?” Julius shouted. Before he knew it, he found himself standing alone in the dark forest again……
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TO BE CONTINUED.