21. IGIKRAN

The eyelids were opened slowly and Akshara could feel that her head was rested in the laps of a man. The itchy feel of various wounds all over the body disturbed the resting eyes and forced them to open, she could see through her half-opened eyes and a blurred image of Karen who was treating the wounds on her legs with some medicines.
A warm hand was combing her hair gently to comfort her; she lifted her head to look who the man is, but her tired body did not cooperate to look at the person as she had a long night of running, leaping, and screaming.
“Get some rest, Darling”
The word DARLING echoed in her ears and felt warmth in her heart. Akshara went to deep slumber in the half-fainted state and rested herself in the fatherly comfort of Alabruz.
After an hour or two, Akshara got to her consciousness and looked around where she was lying. The peculiar paintings were portrayed on the wall with a symbol of Axe in them. It’s Akshara’s room.
She could see Nuraz entering through the door with a bowl and asked Alabruz, “Make her sit. She needs to drink this.”
The bowl was brought near her nostrils, the stingy smell made her head to shook negatively. Nuraz told Akshara, “You need to drink this, my daughter. It helps your fast recovery. Deny added some sweetening substance for you to drink comfortably to ease the bitterness.”
Alabruz questioned Nuraz, “Why sweet? The medicine must be bitter, won’t she eat bitter food?”
Nuraz replied by placing the bowl on the nearby table, “No. She doesn’t like to drink and eat bitter food, she is too picky.”
Suddenly the mind of Akshara hinted at her with thoughts of last night and she jumped from the bed and rushed her way towards the door shouting, “Wolf, Wolf…”
Akshara fell from her bed hardly; she could barely feel her legs. Everyone rushed but Karen who was resting on the floor beside her bed waked from a big thud sound.
Karen saw Akshara was lying down on the floor and hurried to lift her from the floor and held her up and placed her gently in her bed.
Karen asked her, “Why do you want to sleep on the floor while you have cushioned bed?”
Akshara again tried to get up from her bed but was denied by Karen. Akshara placed her hand to shut her eyes and cried bitterly, “Wolf…Wolf…All are wolves… everyone is a wolf. Leave me alone, please.”
The cry of Akshara had ached everyone’s heart and they could not tolerate her cry. Alabruz patted her head and gestured to leave her alone to calm her down for some time to Nuraz and Karen.
Nuraz makes his way out of her room with a sad face saying, “Don’t forget to drink this, Axe.”
Alabruz said to Akshara, “We share the same relationship as we do before. Nothing has changed except the truth about us. Forgive me darling once you calm down. I am the same as your Uncle Bruz and forgive me for not revealing our identities.”
Alabruz marked his steps out of her room and hoped in his heart that Akshara will forgive him for hiding his identity from her.
Alabruz placed his hand on his shoulder of Karen and patted gently with a sigh and made his way out. Karen still standing nodded to his dad and moved towards Akshara to remove her hands from her eyes.
When Karen was about to touch her hand, he felt her quivering in fear and so he retreated his hands. The tears and mourn cry of Akshara tore him into pieces.
Karen wanted to comfort her, hold her tightly close to his heart to make her hear his heartbeats which could reveal his true love to her. But, he couldn’t do anything even a pleasing word would. Everything would turn negatively whatsoever he tried out.
Karen told her, “Axe, we know… It would be an unexpected shock for you…to see every one of us as wolf…exactly to say Werewolf… Last night, we don’t expect that would happen… (With a pause) We know your mind is clashing with many questions and some must answer your question to get yourself clear. You can’t help yourself ALONE. But don’t shut everyone out. Don’t shut ME out. I am still there for you…”
On hearing his words, Akshara slowly removed her hands from her face and replied with moist eyes sobbingly, “I am caged…Alone.”
Karen lost all his hope by hearing her piercing words. He stood like a log void of emotions. The door was closed with a loud sound behind Karen; she knew that Karen was upset about hearing her.
Akshara looked everywhere around her room and started crying that she was all left alone with wolves. She suddenly heard the chirping of her Sun and Shine who were hiding under her bed. She took them gently in her hands and comforted them.
Akshara wiped her tears and said, “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you. And, thank you for not changing your form to some other creature like Eggy do”.
* * * * *
Nicoria was resting in her room on her bed and thinking of a better way to fulfil her oblation. She was lying in her huge bed with supporting her head on her right hand and left out an evil laugh.
The raven, Eggy sat on the brim of the window and cawed towards her. Nicoria turned towards the direction of Eggy and rolled her red smoky eyes.
“Eggy, Come to your position”, Nicoria ordered Eggy who was sitting on the side of the window.
The pitch-black graveyard Raven flew from the window and rested at the feet of Nicoria. By the spur-of-the-moment from Nicoria’s finger, Eggy was surrounded by a small black storm.
The storm dissolved by twirling downwards and lifted Eggy to air and Eggy screeched continuously.
The small raven changed to a large size and when the storm fully vanishes, a pair of ears emerged from the head while the beak of the raven was shortened its size. The skull of the bird seemed to enlarge with hair growth as if the small skull going to explode. The bird screeched in pain to accept the changes happening in its body.
The beak of the raven was separated into two halves and thus forming the lower part as mouth and the upper part as a nose. The claws of Raven become legs, while the wings of the raven shape of hands with fingers and nails. After the sufferings of struggle, Eggy the raven changed its appearance from a small raven to Raven-Wizard.
The Raven-wizard looks like the man dressed with a hood on his head with crow-shaped painted eyes and raven wings. The man looked like he was armoured partially.
“Hail… Witch Queen… Hail”, Eggy cawed in his raven tone.
“Rise! Igikran,” Nicoria commands her.
“I thank you for showing mercy on me, Your Highness. For giving back my original form”, replied Igikran.
“Giving your original self is being on a demand,” Nicoria exclaimed with waving her hands in the air.
Igikran asked with puzzled eyes, “Why the demand? Command me, Your Highness.”
“Prepare… for the Lysemme,” Nicoria uttered these words and Igikran nodded his head and went to the living area to arrange for the Lysemme.