Chapter 3 (Strangers in Sultana's Land)

Max felt hot under the collar after his experience in the first realm. He found the tests took a lot of work to pass. Annoyingly, he stood before the gate and said,

“Master Jizo, why is Bardo so unfair? Isn’t envy a part of human nature? We would get jealous if someone disrespected us. And why should that judge people?”

Jizo sighed and said, “Boy, I’m sorry to say that you are the first ever child to walk to Bardo. Almost all children of untimely death and people with childish souls got to the blessed land. Children with evil deeds do get to the blessed land only after non-brutal lessons to repent their sins,” Jizo stopped his words.

“Boy… You are a different one,” He said in a low voice.

“Is that because of my demonic powers again?” Max asked, and Jizo knew what he was thinking.

“Max, let’s think from the other side. You are the first kid to walk in the Bardo. You have the rarest chance. You can observe your inner soul during the journey. Also, to make you understand, Bardo is a realm in which you can search for your inner purity, not guilt. People were sent here as a last chance to see if there was purity in their souls. I know you considered your powers as forsaken. But, let’s keep on for now,”

As they passed the gate, the Saharan climate of a desert greeted them. Hot air and sand blurred their visions. The duo had to cover their faces. They felt a sharp dryness inside their throats. The sand, the dunes, and the sky, everything was yellow. Jizo spoke, “This… This is the realm that relates to your pride and ego. Your humility and humbleness will be your help,”

Max thought of his past life. There were moments when he was arrogant and prideful, but most of the time, he remained humble.

“I had committed no sins related to it,” he said to Jizo. And suddenly, a sandstorm occurred.

“Hold tight,” said Jizo. “Yes, Master,” Max said while holding Jizo’s staff. He wondered what atrocity would approach after the sandstorm. The storm caused his eyes to be reddened by the sand particles. His sore throat got worse due to the invading clouds of dust. It was hard to breathe. Overall, it was an irritating experience.

What came after the storm eventually differed from Max’s thought as he saw an eastern-designed majestic palace made of marble and gold. The place was glittering in the desert with its gold patches. There were towers, there were domes, there were greeneries, and there was beauty. Palm trees rose before its wall. It resembled the stereotypical Middle Eastern architecture that Max had seen in video games and documentaries.

Max asked Jizo whether they should get inside or not, and Jizo replied that he should.

“Bam!”

Its gates opened as they approached the glamor, and Max felt shocked.

Would monsters come out? Would mummies or Djinns appear?

A troop of horse-riding soldiers adorned in Middle Eastern wear approached them, and Max felt more frightened. Would they arrest them, attack them, or defeat them? Jizo remained stable and urged Max to do so.

Behind the troop of mighty soldiers, there appeared a little Sultana (Female Sultan) on the back of a little camel.

“Are you two, my guests?”

Max was impressed by the majestic look of the Sultana, adorned in a golden robe. Her age was no more than ten. Her skin was light-brown and devoid of sandburns. Her hair was curly, adorned with ivory pins. Jewellaires were all over her body_pearl beads were on her neck, golden bracelets with rubies were on her wrists, and grace was on her smile.

“Yes, Great Sultana! We are your guests,” Jizo said, and the Sultana childishly smiled.

“Then, why won’t you come inside? Come on!”

So, the duo walked inside, along with the little Sultana and her troops. Inside the walls was a splendid garden resembling an Oasis adorned with various trees and flowers. The Sultana showed them around the vast area. The Garden’s beauty captured Max’s heart, making him fresh. Despite the desert’s climate, there were shrubs and vines. Those vines bore grapes and berries, adding color to the already green garden. Master Jizo sat on a fig tree to meditate while Sultana and Max continued to observe.

The Sultana showed Max her private zoo, which displayed rare and exotic creatures like peacocks and giraffes. For little Sultana, it was like a child who found a playmate. Max was still frightened and found reticence to talk to her, always calling her “Her Majesty,” But the kind-hearted Sultana allowed him to call her by her name, Maryam. Max saw various amazements in Sultana Maryam’s palace, including sculptures and an elephant with a giant clock.

At dinner time, Sultana Maryam held a great feast for her guests. With dishes like biryani and curries, she, too, sat on the ground with the duo and happily dined. Jizo refused to eat dinner to obey his monastic rules. But he had to drink cups of non-alcoholic grape juice by the order of Sultana.

During dinner, Max whispered to Jizo, “Why is this realm better than the previous one? This realm has a hospitable Sultana instead of a monster,”

“It is because you haven’t committed any sins related to pride and have been sympathetic towards others,”

“The realm seemed like a typical desert level in games,”

“Perhaps, you played games so much, and they reflected in your mind,”

Max was in awe. Perhaps, Bardo is not always scary.

After dinner, Sultana made a grand show with her dancers and acrobats. Max and Maryam observed the show in the first row on a velvet carpet, but Jizo sat in a corner quietly. During this show, a group of dancers named “Sky dancers” from an oriental land came to entertain before the sultana.

In the first act of their play, five women initiate the dance. They wore red, yellow, blue, green, and white dresses along with exotic jewels. Four women stayed in the corners, and one danced in the center. One by One, the ones from the corners came to the center and danced in different postures. While one is dancing in the center, the cornered one imitates the middle’s posture. The first act finished when the lady in a white dress finished her dance.

Then, out of nowhere, smoke appeared, and the white dress lady disappeared from the center. The remaining ladies’ appearances were changed from colorful dresses to dull red and blue dresses. Their garlands of jewels turned into skulls and bones, and their dance got wilder. The music got louder. Their dances resembled corpses and demons. Movements of hand, head, and legs were swift. Max was shocked by the scene, while Sultana Maryam was pleased.

After the dance, she praised them for their magic and rewarded them with jewels afterward. They also donated a crown-like hat to monk Jizo and paid respect to him. Jizo observed the hat thoroughly and kept it for later use. The strange change of dance left Max’s mind with a lot of thought. What were they trying to show?

Max saw breathtaking dances, along with a Sultana near him. He had never thought of having this experience.