Kanjira: Hmm. My ankle hurts no more!
Kanjira tries to move the tightly wrapped ankle.
Kanjira: ...
Shamane is sitting under the sacred fig, and Matilda is anxiously walking round and round the vat. Neither of them is in the mood to check Kanjira's ankle.
Matilda: She's been in there for, emm, 4 minutes 26 seconds.
Matilda: Is this a reasonable length of time? I remember I once learned about the ideal time length for meditation in one of the elective classes.
Matilda: What's more, she's holding her breath underwater.
Shamane: ...
Shamane closes his eyes.
The noise of people, the footsteps, and the light cracks coming from the inside of the tree gradually turn into the crackle of flames.
When there is only one way to the destination, you have no choice but to take it.
Pain is coming from his scar of the mutilation, which healed up long ago.
You have to force yourself to take that painful step, and then blame yourself for being such a desperate fool to move and lose balance.
Who has never made a mistake?
There was a time when he was just like them.
If he had chosen the other path, the sacred fig wouldn't have died, and they would be sitting in its shade.
Shamane: ...
But who says that would be the better future?
Shamane: ...
But the silver lining is, it's just a stagger on the solid ground.
And you will eventually regain your footing.
Kaalaa Baunaa: coughs
The vat bursts into pieces after the five-minute silence. The water splashes onto the ground, like strange shadows cast in all directions.
Matilda: ...! Ms. Kaalaa Baunaa!
Kaalaa Baunaa: ...!
The poor vat breaks into pieces. The muddy liquid spreads in all directions and covers the ground.
Her wet hair is clinging to her tightly. She looks as miserable as a drowned rat.
Kaalaa Baunaa: Leave here. coughs Now, and get everyone.
She vomits in great pain, as if she could expel the regret from her body this way.
Matilda: Did, did you see Kumar?! What happened?
Kaalaa Baunaa: I'm the one to blame. Dn it!
Shamane: ...
Kaalaa Baunaa: I'm such a fool. I should have known that I'm not a match for Kumar.
She knows what that means. If the boundary between the Realm and the reality is broken, that celestial body will fall on them in no time.
There's no easy way to forgive herself.
Maybe it will destroy them today, maybe in the next minute.
Kaalaa Baunaa: Keep telling myself I did all these things to save the people, to save the village. Turns out it was me fighting against a dummy she set up!
Kaalaa Baunaa: I messed up everything for everyone.
She looks at her fingers. The nails have sunk into the soft ground.
Kaalaa Baunaa: ...
A wrinkled piece of coarse cloth comes into her sight.
Kaalaa Baunaa: I'm sorry.
Kaalaa Baunaa: I should have listened to you.
She lowers her head even more.
Kaalaa Baunaa: If I were more sensible and just left this path, this stupid dn "trap," nothing would have turned out this way.
Shamane: ...
Shamane: Oh, is that how you see it?
Kaalaa Baunaa: ...
Shamane: I assume you think it this way because you have failed in the mission and thus feel depressed and indulge yourself in some negative thinking.
Shamane: Which is totally understandable. Blaming it all on yourself, telling yourself you will be the only one to suffer the consequence so as to alleviate the guilt. Or, you didn't understand what I said to you earlier at all.
Kaalaa Baunaa: What?
She looks up with confusion, wondering if that relaxed tone is another illusion.
Shamane: You have to stop it, Kaalaa Baunaa. Remember what I said? "You don't have to feel bad for trusting people." And here's another piece: Don't blame yourself for being brave.
Shamane: What did she tell you? "You're a fool, and you ruined everything"?
Kaalaa Baunaa: ...
He crouches down and looks straight at his reflection in her eyes.
Shamane: Come on! Both of us know this is not the case.
Shamane: Brave or reckless, prudent or cowardly ... Comments like these could be predictions, but most of the time are hindsight.
Shamane: The good news is, we still have time to change that.
Shamane: You know what kind of bears the hunters fear the most? The ones which were once trapped but eventually got away.
Shamane: Nobody can remain a predator forever. We don't know what will happen in the next encounter. What's more ...
Shamane: Life is a long fight where we outsmart one opponent and get outsmarted by the other. That's the wisdom of nature! Bears eat salmon; wolves eat rabbit; but eventually, bears or wolves, their skin will become our blankets.
Shamane: A tiger might have strength, yet a rat also has its wits. You don't need to defeat her to validate your victory. You can win this war in another way, a way to your advantage.
Shamane: When will the wrestling between a fisherman and a fish begin? When the fish bites the bait.
Kaalaa Baunaa: ...
Shamane: So, if you still have some strength left in you to get back on your feet and think straight, that'd be most helpful. After all, I don't think we have the time for another round of meditation.
Kaalaa Baunaa takes the cloth.
Kaalaa Baunaa: ...
She buries her face into it, wiping hard across her eyes—the pain brings her senses back.
Kaalaa Baunaa: ...
Kaalaa Baunaa: The last time I wiped my face with this, I was wrestling with my mom.
She takes a deep breath, trying to get her brain working again.
Kaalaa Baunaa: Kumar ... She broke the boundary between the Meditator's Realm and reality through me. I'm afraid the falling star will arrive early.
Matilda: What?! There's no other way to stop her, then?
Kaalaa Baunaa: There might be a way to stop her by locating her in person, but I didn't spot any clue in the Realm. And now ...
Shamane: We are in a dangerous situation, almost as urgent as the time when Rama was facing the arrow nocked to a full bow. Instead of getting caught up in nostalgia, we should take action and protect what can be saved.
Matilda: The estimated arrival time of the Foundation backup is 6 a.m. It will be too late if the meteor really falls early.
Matilda: We need a shelter that can withstand the impact! Also, we have to gather all the villagers.
Matilda: And, and ... Ah! In the field training, the instructor also told us to ...
Kanjira: I'll go with you!
Kanjira staggers her way to them.
Kanjira: I'll go with you. I know the way better! Besides, Sherjah is not back yet.
Kanjira: If anything happens to she, I will not forgive myself I say those words.
Matilda: ...
Kaalaa Baunaa: Hmm.
Kaalaa Baunaa: I'm staying.
Kanjira: Hmm?
Kaalaa Baunaa: If I can calculate the range of damage of the comet, we may retreat to a safe location.
Kaalaa Baunaa flings her wet hair back.
Kaalaa Baunaa: Every rat has its day.
Kaalaa Baunaa: And "this rat" is doing her best.
Shamane: Hahaha! Don't put on a face like that. You are not some rat, I can tell! You are the tiger cub. In the meantime, let's not forget—the real rat is still out there looking smug!
It is predictable that there will be a long-term battle outside the stone door enchanted with protection incantations.
Shamane turns around and rubs his hands, feeling a bit uneasy.
Shamane: Watch out for the things I knock off. I didn't do it on purpose!
