(A/N):
Drop a meme here that you find funny. Or reflects your mood.
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As the light faded,
Lord Shiva sat upon the tiger skin, his form radiating calm yet infinite power.
Parashuram's eyes widened—
Not in surprise, but in reverence.
Stepping forward, he bowed deeply, voice steady yet filled with emotion.
"Guru Deva(Teacher)… Mahadeva… after so many ages, this disciple greets you once mo
He greeted, his tone a blend of devotion and relief.
Lord Shiva's eyes, half-lidded in meditation, slowly opened.
They carried the depth of endless oceans,
Yet a gentle warmth bloomed within them as they rested on his disciple.
With a serene smile,
Shiva extended his right hand, resting it firmly yet kindly on Parashuram's shoulder.
"Parashurama… my child, my warrior,"
He said in a voice that felt like it resonated in both the air and the soul,
"welcome home."
With a deep nod, Parashuram straightened, his gaze fixed on his Guru.
Nod~
"Lord… there is something I must ask—something that has gnawed at my thoughts for far too long."
Lord Shiva's expression stilled, as if the air itself leaned in to listen.
"After the end of Dvāpara Yuga," (Yuga means age.)
Parashuram began, voice low and deliberate,
"I felt my role in the mortal realm had run its course. My duty completed, I withdrew… seeking seclusion."
"My intent was simple—to sink into deep meditation, to rest my spirit until Kali Yuga reached its darkest hour, when I would be called to guide the tenth avatāra of Lord Vishnu, and bring that age to an end."
His hand tightened slightly on the haft of his axe, knuckles whitening.
"But… my meditative state has been disturbed. Not by mortal noise, not by the turning of yugas… but by a vision. A power… rising above the cycle of life and death itself."
"Something beyond dharma… beyond adharma… beyond even the will of the Trimurti."
His eyes searched Shiva's face, seeking an anchor.
"I do not understand it, Guru Deva(Teacher). I have seen great kings, demons, and devas rise and fall, but this… this power feels different. I felt it call to me—not as an enemy, not as an ally, but as something that demands to be known."
A pause, heavy and long.
"____"
"So I came here, Mahadeva. For in my times of greatest doubt… it has always been you who has shown me the path."
Parashuram's words faded into the still air.
Lord Shiva did not answer immediately—
His half-lidded gaze shifted to Devi Parvati, who stared back at him.
Their eyes met.
No words passed between them, yet something unspoken—
Ancient and heavy—
Moved in that silent exchange.
"____"
"____"
Then, slowly, Shiva turned his gaze back to his disciple.
His voice, when it came, was calm… yet it carried a depth that made even the air around them feel still.
"Parashurama… remain here, in Kailash."
He leaned slightly forward, the tiger skin beneath him barely rustling.
"The answer you seek… will come to you soon. When it does, you will understand why you were called from your meditation."
He did not explain further.
Parashuram, though burning with questions, felt the finality in his Guru's tone—
And bowed his head in obedience.
Parashuram was led away by Nandi and a small group of Ganas,
Their voices filling the air with laughter and harmless teasing.
The heaviness from his meeting with Lord Shiva slowly eased as they passed under the carved pillars of Kailash.
Jokes bounced from one Gana to another,
Each trying to outdo the last,
And Parashuram found himself smiling despite the question still lingering in his heart.
The festive air carried them toward the great hall where a feast awaited.
One by one, the gathering dispersed into the golden-lit chamber.
Even Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati had quietly taken their leave,
The sound of the Ganas' laughter growing louder as they entered.
Yet, at the entrance, three figures lingered.
Lord Ganesha and Lord Kartikeya stood side by side, watching the bustle ahead.
"____"
Twitch~ Twitch~
Beside them, Moshak fidgeted, his whiskers twitching, torn between two great desires—
One, the unmistakable call of Mata Parvati's cooking;
The other, the odd behavior of his Lord Ganesha, who seemed unusually slow to enter.
'Strange,'
Moshak thought, glancing up at his master,
'Shouldn't he be the first one rushing toward a feast?'
The little mouse tilted his head, his tail curling in uncertainty,
Sensing that Ganesha's mind was somewhere far from the aroma of roasted grains and sweet modaks drifting through the air.
Ashoka Sundari, who knew her brother's habits better than most, slowed her steps when she saw him rooted in place.
Normally, the mere whisper of Mata(Mother) Parvati's cooking was enough to send Ganesha scampering ahead of everyone—
Plate in hand before the first dish was even served.
But now, he stood silent, his round face unusually still, eyes distant.
This was not his character.
Narrowing her eyes with the suspicion of a sister who had seen every trick in the book,
Ashoka Sundari stepped closer.
"____"
Without warning, she poked his soft, chubby cheeks—
Her finger sinking into the familiar plumpness—
And tilted her head like a little bird studying a puzzle.
"Hmm,"
She said in an investigative tone, her voice carrying both curiosity and mischief.
"What's this? Are you planning another one of your pranks, Ganesha? Is that why you're hiding back here instead of racing to the feast?"
The poke lingered, as if she might squeeze the truth out of him through his cheeks alone.
Moshak, watching from below, covered his mouth with his tiny paws,
Half to hide a laugh and half because he didn't want to spoil his lord's answer.
Kartikeya, standing nearby, crossed his arms, clearly just as curious to hear.
Annoyed by his sister's smug prodding,
Ganesha rolled his eyes.
Her teasing might have been harmless,
But it was salt on a wound he'd been nursing since their mother's cryptic words.
Why should he be the only one carrying this burden—
The truth he himself didn't want to believe?
His gaze shifted from Ashoka Sundari's self-satisfied smirk to Kartikeya,
Whose expression clearly said he didn't buy a word of Ganesha's earlier suspicions.
The doubt in his brother's eyes and the smugness in his sister's face made the decision for him.
If they thought he was imagining things, he would show them just how real it was.
"____"
And when he did, the smirk would vanish, the disbelief would crumble,
And they would carry the same uneasy weight that had been gnawing at him since the moment their mother's voice took on that strange, sorrowful tone.
A slow, knowing smile curved his lips—
Not the playful grin of a prankster,
But the kind that promised trouble.
Ganesha watched Ashoka Sundari's smug, teasing expression and decided not to dance around the point.
He didn't want to outright dump the impossible truth on her,
But the words came out sharper than he'd planned.
"There's a chance… we have a sibling. One Mother and Father never told us about."
Haha~
"I know you were upto..."
At first, she laughed it off, tossing a casual remark over her shoulder—
Until the meaning sank in.
Her steps faltered.
She turned, eyes wide, the teasing gone from her face.
"____"
"What do you mean?"
She asked, voice low and unsure.
Ganesha's tone lost all trace of playfulness as he told her—
About their mother's unshakable sadness, her cryptic riddle, and their father's brief, evasive reply.
Each detail deepened the silence between them.
"____"
"____"
"____"
By the time he finished,
Ashoka Sundari was staring at him like the ground beneath Kailash had shifted.
Kartikeya had been there the whole time, listening to Ganesha's claims from start to finish.
Yet, he couldn't bring himself to fully believe them.
Perhaps, he reasoned, their mother's sadness had nothing to do with a hidden sibling—
Maybe one of her devotees was going through hardship.
It would explain her cryptic mood without leaping to something so outrageous.
But… his brother's eyes told a different story.
Firm, unshaken, certain.
And that certainty gnawed at him.
'Why would Mother and Father hide something like that? What could be so serious that even they would keep it from their own children?'
Ashoka Sundari remained silent.
"____"
Her gaze was fixed somewhere far beyond Kailash's snowy peaks,
Ganesha's words still tumbling through her mind.
The longer the silence stretched, the heavier it became.
The tension finally broke into words.
Kartikeya stood firm in his doubt, arms crossed, insisting Ganesha was overthinking.
Ganesha, equally stubborn, argued that ignoring such signs would be foolish—
Especially when their mother's sadness was so clear.
Their voices rose, each countering the other's points, until it teetered on the edge of an outright quarrel.
That was when Ashoka Sundari stepped between them.
"Enough,"
She said sharply, her gaze flicking between the two.
"If this is true—and I'm not saying it is—then every moment we waste arguing could be a moment our unknown sibling, if they exist, is left without help."
Her words cut through the air like a temple bell.
"____"
"____"
Both brothers fell silent, realizing the weight behind them.
Ashoka Sundari's tone softened, but her resolve only grew.
"We find the truth. All of it. Then decide what to do."
Kartikeya tilted his head toward Ashoka Sundari, still skeptical.
"So, sister—what exactly do you suggest we do?"
Ashoka Sundari's lips curved into a faint, knowing smile.
Her tone turned crisp, almost like a seasoned investigator.
"We investigate. Quietly. If there's truth to this, we will reveal it to those who watch closely. We'll keep our eyes and ears open… and see what's being hidden."
Kartikeya nodded reluctantly,
Nod~
And Ganesha's eyes lit with a spark of mischief and determination.
The three huddled closer, whispering through the outline of their plan to spy on the happenings in Kailash.
But before they could decide the first step, a voice rang from behind them.
"What plan?"
They turned sharply.
Standing there with an arched brow was their other sister, Jyoti, her bangles chiming as she crossed her arms.
"I came to fetch you. Mother says the guests are waiting."
Her tone carried curiosity—
And the faintest hint that she wouldn't leave without an answer.
"____"
Ashoka Sundari let out a long, defeated sigh, glancing between her brothers and Jyoti's expectant face.
Sigh~
"All right, fine… but you're not hearing this from me later if it gets us in trouble,"
She muttered.
In a low voice, she relayed everything—
Ganesha's words, their mother's sadness, the cryptic riddle, and even their father's evasive answer.
As she spoke, Jyoti's eyes widened until she looked every bit as stunned as Ashoka Sundari had been earlier.
"So… you think we might have another sibling? One Mother and Father are hiding from us?"
Jyoti asked, her voice a mix of disbelief and intrigue.
"That's why we're investigating,"
Ashoka Sundari replied firmly.
"And now, you're part of the team."
Jyoti straightened, a spark of excitement in her gaze.
But then she added matter-of-factly,
"Before we start chasing shadows, Mata has invited all of us to the feast. She sent me to fetch you—since you three have conveniently ignored her summons."
Ganesha grumbled under his breath, Kartikeya sighed,
Sigh~
And Moshak's ears perked up at the mention of food.
The investigation would have to wait—
At least until after the feast.
When they arrived, the feast was already in full swing.
Lord Parashuram sat among the ganas,
Enjoying the spread with quiet satisfaction,
While others bustled about serving fragrant dishes and refilling cups.
Laughter and the clinking of plates filled the air, the whole hall alive with warmth.
Mata Parvathi's eyes brightened the moment she saw her children.
She beckoned them over with a smile that seemed to momentarily hide any trace of earlier sorrow.
"Come, sit,"
She said, her tone carrying both affection and command.
The siblings obeyed without question, finding their places among the diners.
Parvathi herself began serving them—
Steaming rice, golden ghee, spiced vegetables, and sweets.
For now, their whispered theories and unspoken worries were set aside.
Ganesha took a large bite, Kartikeya let out a quiet sigh of appreciation,
Sigh~
Ashoka Sundari's eyes softened at the taste of her mother's cooking,
And Jyoti smiled as Moshak eagerly accepted a sweet dumpling.
The investigation could wait.
For this moment, they were simply children at their mother's table, surrounded by warmth, laughter, and the comfort of home.
Three days passed...
In that time, the four siblings turned Kailash into their own secret labyrinth of investigation.
Moving in pairs, sometimes all together,
They scoured every corner where a clue might hide.
They even dared to lift the great tiger-skin rug where their father sat in meditation when he was absent,
Searching for any sign of something concealed beneath its weight.
They slipped quietly into the kitchen when their mother was away,
Peering into spice jars, storerooms, and even the sacred vessels she used to prepare offerings.
They lingered around the Ganas' quarters, pretending to chat while subtly questioning and observing.
Every laugh or careless word was treated as a possible lead.
Yet, for all their effort, the truth remained as elusive as mist over the mountains.
They even crept toward the quarters where Parashuram was staying, convinced that perhaps the wandering sage had seen or heard something.
Unfortunately for them, stealth was not their strong suit that day.
Before they could search more than a few steps inside,
Parashuram caught them red-handed, his sharp gaze sweeping over the four guilty faces.
"____"
"____"
"____"
Before he could speak a word,
They scattered like startled birds—
Ganesha leading the charge, Ashoka Sundari pulling Jothi along, and Kartikeya shaking his head but still running.
All Parashuram could do was let out a long sigh,
Sigh~
Muttering to himself that this must be one of Ganesha's usual pranks.
He decided not to take it seriously.
Still, every time his eyes lingered on Ganesha's broken tusk—
A scar born from the day he himself had lost his composure—
Parashuram felt a pang of guilt he couldn't quite shake.
As Parashuram turned to leave, something glinted faintly against the snow.
He paused, crouching to brush away the powdery frost, revealing a small, familiar bell.
Lifting it in his hand, he examined the carvings along its rim—
Each curve and swirl unmistakably belonging to Ganesha's personal bell.
A soft sigh escaped him.
Sigh~
"____"Even when caught red-handed, the little one left trails behind.
With the bell held loosely in his palm,
Parashuram began walking in the direction Ganesha had fled,
His heavy footsteps crunching softly through the snow.
He intended to return it—
Though he suspected Ganesha might think it part of some elaborate counter-prank.
Meanwhile,
On Ganesha's side,
The small group had stopped in a quiet bend of the snow-covered path, their breath misting in the cold air.
They had narrowly escaped Lord Parashuram's wrath, darting between stone pillars and ducking behind drifting clouds of snow, hearts pounding.
But now, as the adrenaline ebbed, a heavy silence settled over them.
"____"
"____"
"____"
All their sneaking, all their whispered plans,
All their careful searches through Kailash… had yielded nothing.
Not a single clue.
Not a single sign that this mysterious sibling truly existed.
Ganesha's trunk curled in frustration as he muttered,
"It's like chasing the shadow of a dream."
Kartikeya crossed his arms, looking equally dissatisfied,
While Ashoka Sundari stared at the ground, her earlier determination dimmed but not extinguished.
Only Jothi tried to keep her spirits up, though even her smile faltered under the weight of their failure.
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(Author's POV)
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