MY GAME BEGINS Intermission / Interval Part 8: Resurrection and Aftermath

Intermission / Interval Part 8: Resurrection and Aftermath

The divine vision burned brightly against the heavenly sky before slowly dissolving into a soft, golden mist.

The swirling storm clouds dispersed, scattering into nothingness as the crisp morning air returned to the shrine grounds.

Above, the sky settled back into a brilliant, tranquil shade of blue, framed by the gentle warmth of the rising morning sun.

Lord Yama Dharmaraja stood amidst the quiet serenity of the courtyard.

He closed his eyes, raising his hands toward the open sky in solemn reverence.

"I came forth into this realm as the Lord of Justice and Death, bound solely to fulfil my sacred duties," Yama whispered, his voice resonating with deep humility.

"It was never my intention to question or oppose Your supreme will, Almighty Lord.

Govinda! Govinda!"

Beside him, Jaya turned his broad shoulders toward the Sovereign of Yamapuram.

"Do you see now, Lord Yama Dharmaraja?

Our stand here was never born of arrogance, but of absolute obedience to the decree of Lord Venkateswara."

Yama Dharmaraja nodded slowly, a look of profound realization settling across his stern countenance.

"When the Supreme Lord reveals Himself so clearly, no room remains for doubt or dispute.

His divine decree stands supreme above all cosmic laws."

Yama Dharmaraja looked toward Chitragupta, Sage Narada, and the twin guardians, his mind drifting back across the vast expanse of time.

"Do you all remember?" Yama spoke softly, his eyes reflecting distant memories.

"Eons ago, when I rode forth to claim the soul of young Markandeya?

The boy embraced the sacred Shiva Lingam in utter desperation, calling upon Lord Shiva with every breath.

Lord Shiva Himself materialized from the stone, struck me down, and protected His devotee.

Though He later granted me resurrection and bade me never to harm His true devotees again, the lesson remained eternal.

Just as Lord Shiva protected Markandeya then, Supreme Lord Venkateswara himself has stepped forth today.

To save His devotee Srinivasulu, He bypassed the very laws of mortality, granted him new life, and bestowed His divine vision upon us all."

Chitragupta bowed his head deeply, clutching his stylus in his hand.

"How could anyone forget that fateful day, my Lord?

Usually, as the God of Death, you are the one who sees absolute terror in the eyes of sinners.

But on that day... well, we saw that exact same terror in your eyes when Lord Shiva appeared and struck you down.

All deaths ceased across the earth.

It was only because of your unwavering devotion as one of His true servants that Lord Shiva restrained His wrath and restored your life.

It was on that day that His devotees called Him by the sacred name Kalantaka—the Destroyer of Death.

It was on that day that He decreed that no servant of Death shall ever claim those who recite the Rudrashtakam or the Mahamrityunjaya Mantram, nor disturb the true devotees of Lord Shiva or Narayana without cause."

Yama Dharmaraja glanced sideways at his minister, a sharp eyebrow raised.

"Chitragupta...

I spoke out of divine emotion.

Who asked you to recount the exact details of my defeat so vividly?"

Chitragupta immediately shrank back, lowering his head in sheer embarrassment.

"Forgive me, mighty Lord!

My tongue slipped!"

Sage Narada let out a light, resonant laugh, plucking a gentle note on his veena.

"Narayana, Narayana..."

Beside him, Jaya and Vijaya shared a subtle, knowing smile.

"That is the absolute glory of the Supreme Lord Venkateswara, Yama Dharmaraja," Sage Narada said, his voice dripping with affection.

"A devotee may distance himself from the Lord, but the Lord never abandons His devotees.

An earthly child may grow up and walk away from their parents, yet the parents' love never diminishes by even a grain of sand.

The heart of Lord Venkateswara holds a love thousands of times greater than that of any earthly mother or father.

His grace toward His devotees knows no bounds."

Vijaya stepped forward, placing a hand over his armor.

"We stand as proof of that infinite mercy, Lord Yama Dharmaraja.

Think of our past lives.

As Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu, and later as Ravana and Kumbhakarna—how many times did we hurl insults and blasphemies at Lord Hari?

Yet when He descended in His avatars and struck us down, He viewed our intense hatred merely as Vaira Bhakti—devotion through enmity.

He bore no anger toward us.

Once our three cursed lifetimes ended, He did not cast us into eternal torment.

He welcomed us back to His divine abode, Vaikuntam, reinstating us as His eternal gatekeepers at His divine threshold."

Jaya nodded in agreement, his voice ringing with warmth.

"The heart of the Supreme Lord Venkateswara is an ocean of boundless compassion.

If a man spends his entire lifetime ignoring the divine, uttering nothing but slander and malice—even if he spends his entire life cursing the Lord without a shred of faith—yet if he utters just one of the Lord's thousand holy names with his dying breath, Lord Venkateswara grants him absolute salvation and welcomes him into His eternal abode."

Moved by the weight of these divine truths, Lord Yama Dharmaraja, Chitragupta, Sage Narada, Jaya, and Vijaya joined their hands together, chanting in unison:

"Edukondalavada! Venkataramana!

Govinda! Govinda!"

---

In the physical realm, the overwhelming silence was broken by emotional sobs.

Aira held Srinivasulu close against her, tears streaming down her cheeks as she felt the warm, rhythmic rise and fall of his chest.

Rose knelt beside her, weeping openly as she squeezed his hand, unable to let go.

Jin and Kaito sat frozen for a beat before letting out long breaths of pure relief, wiping the sweat and tears from their faces.

A few yards away, Chief Rai held a sleek, high-tech communicator to his ear, his voice sharp and authoritative.

"Listen to me carefully," Rai commanded into the receiver.

"Do not call Ren's parents.

Do not inform his family of anything.

Ren is alive.

Do you hear me?

He is alive!"

Inside the high-tech command center at D-Hotels, the monitoring staff sat frozen in complete shock.

The live feeds from the reconnaissance drones—which had been completely scrambled and jammed by atmospheric static for thirty minutes—suddenly cleared, displaying crisp, crystal-clear footage of the shrine courtyard.

His personal assistant stared at the visual readouts on her monitor, her voice trembling over the comms.

"Chief...

But less than thirty minutes ago, he had no pulse.

He was gone thirty minutes ago.

How is this possible?"

Chief Rai looked up at the Peaceful Shrine entrance, tears welling in the corners of his eyes.

"When true miracles happen, we can only witness them—we can never explain them.

That is what happened here today.

Whatever divine power is watching over him, our Ren has been returned to us."

On the damp stone path, Srinivasulu—still resting in Aira's lap—slowly turned his head.

His vision blurred as his physical eyes peered into the spiritual plane, catching sight of the majestic figures standing few yards away from him: Jaya, Vijaya, Sage Narada, Chitragupta, and Lord Yama Dharmaraja.

Seeing the mortal boy looking directly at him, Lord Yama Dharmaraja mounted his divine buffalo once more.

He looked down at Srinivasulu with absolute authority.

"Hear my words, Srinivasulu," Lord Yama Dharmaraja declared, his deep voice echoing in the boy's mind.

"You have crossed the threshold of death and returned through the divine grace of Supreme Lord Venkateswara Himself.

Know this: your lifespan is now sealed.

You shall live freely for eighty-five years without fear of premature death or unnatural calamity.

As the Lord of Justice and Death, I decree that mortality shall not touch you until your allotted time is fulfilled."

Sage Narada, Chitragupta, Jaya, and Vijaya smiled warmly, relieved by the Lord of Death's proclamation.

"However, remember this well," Yama Dharmaraja continued, his expression hardening slightly.

"When eighty-five years have passed and you grow old, your breath will leave you once more.

On that day, my emissaries shall return for your soul.

Whether they carry you away upon a royal palanquin or drag you in heavy iron chains depends entirely upon your actions in this second life.

You have been granted a rare, divine second chance upon this earth.

Walk the path of righteousness (Dharma).

Live honorably."

Lord Yama raised his right hand, extending his palm forward in a sacred gesture of blessing (Abhaya Mudra).

"May you live a long, righteous life.

Chiranjeeva... Chiranjeeva...

Sukhibhava... Sukhibhava..."

Yama Dharmaraja chanted.

Beside him, Sage Narada, Chitragupta, Jaya, and Vijaya all raised their right hands in unison, extending their divine blessings upon the boy.

"Chiranjeeva... Chiranjeeva...

Sukhibhava... Sukhibhava..."

Resting in Aira's arms, Srinivasulu listened to the divine chorus washing over him.

The overwhelming exhaustion of returning to a physical body pressed heavily against his eyelids.

Seeing his eyes flutter and close, Jin panicked.

"Chief!

He's losing consciousness again!"

Chief Rai tucked his communicator away and rushed forward.

"Our men are two minutes away!

Stay calm!

He's just exhausted!"

Before darkness claimed his senses entirely, Srinivasulu summoned the last thread of his strength.

He weakly joined his hands together, forming a humble prayer gesture toward the gods standing a few yards away from him.

He offered his silent gratitude to the gods.

Then, his hands fell softly back onto his lap as he drifted into a peaceful, deep sleep.

As consciousness faded completely, the comforting, echoing voices of the divine entities continued to resonate softly in his mind:

"Chiranjeeva... Chiranjeeva...

Sukhibhava... Sukhibhava..."

(End of Intermission / Interval Arc)