Chapter 9 (Part B) (Nīlakaṇṭhalokeśvara)

The following morning, the children of the blessed western abode held a meeting.

It aimed to manage Max’s journey to the gate. The meeting was held at a hall-like place at the tip of the vulture-beak summit. The hall might have been a communal gathering location in the past, taken by the children. It had stained glasses of all colors, some shuttered, and some remained. It had three high-sitting places, made of gold and adorned with red velvets. It had wooden chairs of mahogany placed in two lines. Lucy might not be a good keeper since specks of dust and cobwebs were all over the hall, on the grand pillars, and on the marble ceilings. The floor of gravel had cracks in most places.

As the hall was constructed on a summit, the duo had to climb a long stone ladder. Some children had already arrived before them. There were little guard boys on every side of the summit_ two at the entrance of the hall, four in every direction, and three on top of a tower built near the hall.

The initiation of the meeting was marked by the blowing of trumpets by boys with mohawks. These trumpets were taller than the boys themselves.

Lucy and the children entered the room. Lucy was wearing not only the armor but also a red chainmail cloak. She tied most of her hair in a knot at the middle of her head, and some long strands of twisted hair fell on her shoulder. Her form was so graceful that Max left gazing in awe. She was like a precious ruby.

Four girls surrounded her as bodyguards. Each held a club, a sword, a lute, and a serpent respectively. Her two brothers followed her. Lucy sat in the highest sitting place of gold and red velvet. Her two brothers sat on the remaining two golden places. Two other children also had a special place in the hall, makeshift chairs in the styles of an elephant and a lion. The chairs’ styles and depictions of animals were too ridiculously ugly that Max tried not to laugh. A nerdy boy holding a book set on the lion chair, and a boy holding a sword set on the elephant chair. Then, 21 other children sat on respective mahogany chairs. The remaining children listened by standing.

Lucy started her words with, “The journey to the gate is long and devastating. You will require our guidance, our vehicles, and our precious foods! In return, what shall you give?”

In a very respectful tone, Jizo asked her, “What do you want us to return, O Lady?”

“Something precious. Nothing comes for free. Should I not ask you for our service?”

Max got an immediate idea. He remembered the diamond ring Sultana Maryam gifted in the desert state. He took it off and gave it to Lucy through her guards. Lucy observed it and delighted it. Then her head turned towards Jizo.

“Hey! Baldie! Present something to our queen!!!” A child from the audience exclaimed. Only then did Jizo know he got to gift her something.

He presented the crown-like hat that the foreign dancers had donated to him. He gave it through another bodyguard. As Lucy held it, she said, “It doesn’t really suit you too,” and smiled. She wore it on her head, and immediately, her beauty doubled. All the other children had to grasp in awe. As she sat on her throne with crossed legs, her left palm resting upon the right and her two thumbs touching, Jizo had witnessed the True Nature that resides in her. He dared not to look into her eyes directly.

They discussed the travel in detail. But then,

“Bom…Bom… Bom… Bom…” Steady rhythms of drums appeared from the nearby tower. A child rushed into the hall, saying,

“Mother! Mother!! A demon is approaching!!! A flying one! A giant one!”

Lucy grabbed her spear suddenly and rushed outside. And so was Max, Jizo, and the remaining children.

A gigantic demon of a snake’s form, having wings and skin color crossed between red and black, was flying towards the vulture-beak summit. It had the limbs of an eagle. It had the horns of a bull. It was none other than Valac, the defeated adversary of Max. Along with him, the darkness rose.

The children stayed in a defensive posture, ready to fight back. Jizo cast a spell upon them, creating power shields. But as Valac breathed venomous gases out of its nostrils, children began falling. Max changed into his demon form and fought with all of his might. He, Lucy, and Jizo can withstand the poisons of Valac.

Valac had become stronger, his attacks were faster and his form was twice that of in the real world. He stood a great extent before Max. He can now shoot rays of venoms just as Max shoots flame rays. A great battle between the two occurred in the sky. Lucy also aided Max. Her spear can shoot beams of light that Valac could not stand.

“Hey! The reason you killed him in the past was because he tried to use your powers to break seals, right?” Jizo yelled to Max.

“Yeah. He also made me stab my girlfriend!” Max yelled back while wrestling with the demon in the sky.

“It is not a sin! He is not related to Bardo! He is an outsider!” Jizo yelled back. Max stepped back from the wrestling upon hearing this. He had saved himself as Valac almost grabbed his neck. He thought of fighting an outsider from afar with great care. He used his flame rays mainly.

Valac crossed his arms to protect himself from Max’s flame rays and Lucy’s beams of light. He made an ear-hurting yell and caused greater darkness to fall upon the vulture's beak. The day became night and the fight became harder.

“Shree!!”

A serene light emitted from Lucy’s body. From her head, from her body, from her limbs, all emitted a white light as bright as the sun.

“I…am… the limitless light… queen of the western blessed abode!”

As she yelled, the great darkness was removed immediately. Valac changed another attack form. By flapping his gigantic wings, he produced mists of venoms that spread across the summit within a minute.

Every child, who had inhaled the poisons, began falling, fainting on the ground. Jizo, the monk, began chanting a protective verse,

“Namo Ratna Trayaya Namah Arya Avalokitesvaraya Bodhisattvaya Mahasattvaya Mahakarunikaya”

The middle brother of Lucy came rushing, holding a bottle of pure water. He, too, could resist the venoms.

“Sarvartha-sadhanam Subham Ajeyam Sarva Bhutanam Bhava Marga Visuddhakam Tadyatha, Om Aloke Aloka-mati Lokati Krante”

The boy began spraying his medicinal water on the fallen. The sprayed children can get up and fight. They gained resistance to the poison.

“Raga Visa Vinasana Dvesa Visa Vinasana Moha Visa Vinasana Huru Huru Mala, Huru Huru Hare, Maha Padmanabha Sara Sara , Sri Sri , Suru Suru ,”

But the fallen children were greater in number and the middle brother had to think of another way.

“Buddhiya Buddhiya, Boddhaya Boddhaya, Maitri Nilakantha Ehyehi Vama”

All the venoms from the ten directions gather around the boy. The boy, with no fear or reluctance, stood still and opened his mouth. The venoms entered his mouth and gathered in his neck. Due to the nature of venom, his neck turned bluish.

“Me Drasana Kamasya Darsanam Pra-Hiadaya Mana Svaha, Siddhaya Svaha, Maha Siddhaya Svaha, Siddha Yogesvaraya Svaha, Nilakanthaya Svaha”

After swallowing all the venoms, the blue-necked boy stood still, not suffering a single effect of them. Only Valac could generate no more venoms.

“Namo Bhagavate Arya Avalokitesvaraya Bodhisattvaya Maha Sattvaya Mahakarunikaya Sidhyanthu Me Mantra-Padaya Svaha,”

Jizo had also finished chanting the protective verse.

Throwing their weapon at Valac, the children attacked. Lucy’s beams were also a great help during the fight.

Valac had weakened, and Max kicked his chest in a surprise move. Just as he finished him in the past life, he produced a huge explosion near Valac. It was as if a thousand thunderbolts had struck.

Surprisingly, Valac could withstand the explosion this time but lost his posture. Jizo used this chance by casting a spell that made him immovable.

Valac had fallen from the sky, and Max stood on his torso, ensuring him not to move.

“Who has sent you and the outsiders here?”

“You call us outsiders, but soon, you will be one of us. The one who will send you to the eternal bounding is now here…”

Valac made a terrible uncanny smile and disappeared in thin air.