Svetavastra had found a deep cave within the forest to meditate. He seated himself in a cross-legged position in a raised stone nook inside the sinuous passage. The temperature was cool and stable, and it was devoid of any noise. For a normal person, such an atmosphere would be claustrophobic and induce anxiety. For Svetavastra this proved to be the perfect place to slip into deep meditation without any external triggers. The preta in the bracer was not happy with the confined space and lack of stimulation. It twisted and turned and thrashed in frustration. And reluctantly sank into meditation despite its best efforts to keep itself occupied.


    Is Irawati’s spiritual base at odds with my spiritual core? Svetavastra wondered. That could explain why he was facing the current stalemate. Having two different spiritual cores within the same body was not common and imposed a significant cost on the shell. Svetavastra needed the spiritual powers of Irawati’s base to ward off darkness and to capture rogue pretas. However, the same spiritual base due to it being foreign to the shell of Svetavastra, seemed to be actively suppressing his memories.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    A weapon of mine could help me regain some memories, he thought. I wonder if I can wield it properly with just my nascent spiritual core.


    Why didn’t I think of Manu? He could very well be a source of information for filling the gaps in my memory. Svetavastra had earlier refused to know anything of his past from Manu in the fear that they may taint his perception but now that the times have become desperate, he was willing to learn more from Manu.


    Hopefully, I learn something of use from the weapon.  “How long before you two can reach me?”


    ghati’s length of time,” said the butterfly. “There’s wind turbulence in the sky, otherwise we would be quicker.”


    Raktabija might be searching for the weapon as well.


    Manu. Of course. With ties to Swargaloka, Manu could be the key link to unlocking a great deal of information from the past.


    Why didn’t I think of Manu earlier? Thought Svetavastra again. He recalled his initial reluctance to know anything from Manu. For a moment, doubt clawed at him. Was it merely to remain unbiased or did I not want to associate with Swarga-loka? Svetavastra wondered. He couldn’t quite recollect the reason why he had hesitated back then.


    These are the hands of a man! Svetavastra thought. Manu had only ever seen Svetavastra as a woman. He felt conflicted about meeting him as a man. What would he think of me? Do I transform back into my female form or remain as is?


    He began pacing outside the cave, tension rising. Such was his distress that the preta, which had been meditating during the entire time the cosmic butterfly was present, stirred within its bracer from Svetavastra’s movements.


    “No-god God,” it murmured, its voice groggy as if it was disturbed from a deep sleep, “is everything alright?”


    <hr>


    ghati - length of time equivalent to 24min