Chapter 6: Chapter 6 : Akṣem Forest
Time doesn't stop, it just runs forever you can't grasp it. It's out of your control ,So time passed.... and it was now six years after , He was reborn from the modern world to this strange fantasy world with still his previous worlds memories still intact.
*******
Sitting on the tall walls that was surrounding the castle , Bali was looking at the sky that was turned into radish colour because of the rising sun , His body now exponentially grew larger in those six years, though he was only six year old, he looked around the age of twelve of a human boy.His shiny golden ornaments and royal clothes were significance of his royalty status, The wind was blowing so strong and he was sitting on a high altitude because of that his hair was waving.
'It's been six years since my reincarnation In this strange and also very beautiful world'
In these six years Bali learned a great deal about this new fantastical world through his mother's bed time stories and through his father Vriksha's tendency to talk about and show off this worlds different things that was not even possible in Bali's past life, Though he had various questions in his mind when he was born, That was still not answered yet to him but the first question that was on his mind was that of ,What is he?
'According to my mothers stories I came to know that I am not just a simple monkey who can talk and walk like a human, but ..... people like me who are half human and half some other beings are called Adipuru and I'm a Vanar(Monkey) Adipuru.'
The second question that was on his mind was where he is now , That too answered when his father Vriksha took him to the royal court one day, He came to know that his father is a king of the Kishkindha Empire that is expended from Tungbhadra river in west to Mahodadhi (Purvapayodhi) sea in the east.
'And.....I'm the first prince here'
After Witnessing the sudden appearance of the Narad muni and the incident with his father where he was blazing in fire and also his mother too had some kind of magical power , These things that looked like just a dream was happening one after another and through these incidents , Bali was became sure ..... that this world is not just some normal world.
'When I first opened my eyes here , I thought that somehow some intelligent monkey species take over this world from humans , just like a movie that I saw in my past life....but that was not the case either .....Here not only Adipuru resides but humans Gods ,Demons and all type of creatures that only could be just imaginary or just a myth in my past life .... Though i'm still not sure what this world holds for me in future but for now....'
Bali stood upright on the wall and looked back with a smile, extending his left hand.
'Now I have a family and a life that I was not able to live before..... so I'm going to enjoy it'
"So shall we get going ,Brother!!"
At the other corner of the wall was standing a Vanar Adipuru that looked alike to Bali but his height was a little less compared to Bali ,Wearing the same outfits as Bali. He also extended his arm to held onto Bali's .
"Ye -- yes brother.....But are you sure ... We can go outside of the castle , without ....Father and mothers permission"
Bali chuckled and held his hand tightly then pulled his brother toward him.
"You afraid to much,Sugreev...Come here look,We should check beyond the first half of the Ksem forest."
'I don't know why ...but I have a feeling that I should go there ..'
Bali pointed out his index finger at the vast and dense forest , that was expanded from outside of the castle walls to beyond the horizon.
"You see....The front part of this forest is inhabited by our people."
On the trees of the forest houses could be seen , some were bigger some were small , but all the houses looked like as they were mingled in the trees. It was as if the trees were sprouted from the houses.
"Our people believe that we are the people of nature , So we should reside within it..."
Bali looked at Sugreev proudly while explaining all this to him ,Then Sugreev turned back and pointed his finger to the castle.
"Just like we live in the castle.... its nature too , right?!."
Bali chucked and Shook his head in affirmative.
"Yes"
The Castle was not the typical Palace , that looked like of a palace for historical kings or queens ,But this castle of Vriksha was made inside of a rocky hill , It looked as someone crafted a palace within this hill , Just like some craftsman make handicrafts items from a piece of wood , The castle though , made within a hill , was not looked awful or anything like that, It was adorned with gold and silver all around and from the inside it really looked like the palace that a king or queen should have.
Bali looked down at the front gate , Some guards were standing there.
"When I say jump then we will jump okay"
Sugreev looked down from the huge wall .
"Are you really sure brother....we can make it ... I don't think I can.."
Before Sugreev could complete what he had to say , Bali shouted.
"JUMP!!!"
'I don't know why but this Adipuru body is quite sturdy ... When I was four I fell from the rooftop but nothing happened to me. It's as if this body is made out of steel.'
While grasping Sugreev's waist , Bali jumped down.
"AHHHHHHHHH"
Sugreev was shouting while falling , but... Bali had an expression of pure joy and excitement.
THUD!!
A loud sound reverberated with their fall and where they fell the sand smoke covered them entirely,The guards standing near the door ran towards the sound.
"What happened.... an enemy attack ?!"
But when the smoke dust cleared there was no one. The guards observed the small hole for a while But they could not figure out anything.
*******
Bali and Sugreev was going through jumping on the branches of the trees.
SHKKK SHKK SHKK
Bali looked behind him at Sugreev and made a delighted face.
"Hehe..... See, it was easy, right?!"
Sugreev jumped on the next branch to caught up with his brother while chuckling.
"Ye -- Yeah ,It was really easy but where are we going?!"
"See.. last time when I came here with uncle Chetanya , he just showed me this first portion of this forest ,ahead of this first portion the forest became more dense but I heard him saying that beyond that there are waterfalls and ponds , So we are going there."
Because Bali and Sugreev jumped from one branch to another because of this ... the trees started shaking and the houses that were built on those trees started to oscillated too ,The people came out from the houses to look what's happening.
"Hey,isn't that our two princes?!"
"Where?..."
"There.. there.."
"OH! ,Hello prince how are you two"
Bali looked at the lady who was peeping through the window.
"Yes ma'am .. we are okay , But don't tell anyone we were here"
All of them looked at each other , then nodded their heads and then looked at the boys and shouted.
"OKAY, WE WON'T TELL ANYONE GO ENJOY...But don't go in the Aksem forest."
Bali and Sugreev smiled to hear their joyful reply and started to go ahead more faster.
*******
After going for a while Bali and Sugreev reached at the last part of the first portion of the forest ,Now the houses built on trees were left behind from here on only trees and the forest itself could be seen , Between the first and second portion of the forest there were camps of the soldiers and the soldiers were guarding around the whole area.
Bali and Sugreev both stopped far from the camps while still grabbing the branches and standing on them too.
"What do we do know....I don't think we should go ahead further "
Sugreev looked at Bali with a concerned expression while saying that.
Bali took a look at the camps and the Soldiers and then looked at the tree beside him that was tall compared to other trees.If someone climbed up to its top he could see the entire forest from there.
"We reached at the right place brother this tree was my aim from the start"
"What...?!"
Bali jumped on the tall tree and signalled Sugreev to come on the tall tree too.
"While I was staring from the castle wall I saw this tall tree , we can go ahead with the help of this tree"
Sugreev jumped to the branch of that tall tree and then both brothers started climbing to the top of it.
"Brother.. Do you know why this second portion of the forest is called the Akṣem ?!"
"Well the first portion where people reside is called kṣem that literally means habitable place...so the opposite of habitable ..?"
"inhabitable!!"
Bali grinned proudly while looking down at Sugreev and while climbing on the tree at the same time.
They reached the top and Bali gave his hand to help Sugreev to climb on the last branch.
"does that mean that area is dangerous ? if it's habitable..Right?!"
"No I don't think so... but if it is , Then we will find out ourselves...let's go"
Bali thought about the restrictions he had to face just because he is a prince.
'Yes , I think people of this world only make these types of stories that the Aksem forest is full of monsters... So we can stay within the border and I am too bored to stay in a castle for the last six years ...They all always ,all the time keep an eye on me ... It's as if I am a prisoner ...I just want to explore this world more.'
Bali again grabbed Sugreev's waist and jumped to the other side of the forest.
JAAAAAA!!!!
When they both landed on the other side Bali wanted to land on the tree branches , but it slipped from his hand , and they both fell to the ground .
THUD!!!!
"Wait..what was that"
One of the Adipuru soldiers ran toward the sound , When he reached there he saw his kingdom's Prince's , who were slowly standing up from the ground ,Bali looked at the soldier and lifted his hand and waved...while showing his teeths.
"umm.. Hi"
The soldier immediately bent down to the ground to show respect.
"Prince Bali...and Prince Sugreev...What --- What are you doing here.."
"Uhh please don't tell anyone we were here okay ... bye"
Bali grabbed Sugreev's hand and ran in the deep forest."
"Huh?! ..but ...wait Prince the Aksem forest is dangerous"
Hearing the concerned cry of the soldier, some others arrived there too.
"What happened Gourva?!"
"Sir,The two prince were here just now and they are heading towards the most dangerous area of Aksem Forest"
"What ?! ...let's go after them ...What if , something happens to them"
The Adipuru soldiers ran to look for their Prince's.
*****
"Pant..pant..pant... Haaa we're just about to get caught ...but where are we?!"
Bali looked around his surroundings but he could only see the forest that was covered in darkness because the giant trees and tassels of plants were stopping the sunlight from reaching completely on the ground.
"huh...Sugreev ....Where are you Sugreev?!"
Bali rummaged around his vicinity desperately.
"BROTHER..I'm here'
As Bali heard his little brothers voice he ran immediately towards it
He found that Sugreev was stuck between some bushes.
"Come here..."
As Bali grabbed Sugreev's hand to pull him from the bushes , he heard a creepy and loud voice coming from the plants.
KREEEEECHHHH!!!
Sweat drops fell from his forehead and his body started to shudder before he could move even a little bit. Something pulled both of them in the dark bushes.
"AHHHHHHHHH"
< Chapter 6 >Ends
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