“This is Mara’s trick,” Ling Xuan thought, dread seeping into his thoughts. “It knew that anyone would be tempted by the sight of these gourds. If one were fake, Mara would win.”

His mind raced to devise a strategy. “One wrong move and everything is over.” The stakes were immense. If he chose incorrectly, the consequences could be fatal.

Desperation and fear clashed within him. He had to find a way to determine which gourd held the real Amrita. A sudden flash of inspiration struck him—he recalled the map he had earlier. He reached into his robes and pulled it out, hoping for some clue.

To his relief, the map had indeed changed. The word "Dulku" appeared, with no further explanation.

Ling Xuan turned his gaze back to Mara. The beast's eyes, glowing with a fierce light, seemed to acknowledge his revelation. Ling Xuan decided to put his theory to the test.

“Dulku, eh?” Ling Xuan spoke aloud, addressing Mara directly. As he did, Mara let out a guttural screech that echoed through the chamber, shaking the very air with its ferocity.

With a surge of determination, Ling Xuan quickened his pace, heading straight towards Mara. The creature mirrored his movements with unnerving precision, its massive limbs moving in sync with his own. The air between them crackled with tension, each step intensifying the confrontation.

Ling Xuan found himself face-to-face with Mara. The proximity was stifling, the beast’s rancid breath mingling with the dust and decay of the garden. Ling Xuan knew he had to act quickly. He leaned in slightly, his voice steady but firm.

“I don’t know if you can understand me, but I’ll say it anyway. Dul is The Archipelago’s word for deception. If you add the contextual word ‘ku,’ meaning body, it becomes ‘Dulku,’ or Illusory Body. This trick you’re playing—copying my actions—doesn’t fool me. I know you’re real.”

Mara growled, a low, rumbling sound that resonated through the chamber. Ling Xuan’s gaze remained unwavering as he continued, his voice carrying a note of defiance.

“Mara, do you know the stories they have for you outside? Most tales depict you as a punisher of the wicked, but there’s an ancient, lesser-known story about you. It’s said that once, you were not always the benevolent figure people now worship.”

Ling Xuan’s eyes gleamed with an intense focus as he recounted the tale. “Long ago, in a remote village, the people revered you. They sought your favour and, in return, you granted them pleasures beyond imagination—pleasures so intense that they bordered on the inhumane. However, not all were your followers. There was a priest dedicated to The Sky Wandering Giant. He lived a life of asceticism, unwavering in his devotion.”

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

He continued, his voice rising with the drama of the story. “You, envious of The Sky Wandering Giant’s revered status, coveted the priest for yourself. Driven by greed, you first tried to seduce him with your three daughters, whose beauty was said to surpass that of any mortal or deity. Yet, the priest remained steadfast, rejecting the allure of your temptations and continuing his worship.”

Ling Xuan’s gaze bore into Mara’s eyes, as if challenging the beast to deny the tale. “You then sent treasures—gold, diamonds, and unimaginable wealth—hoping to sway his resolve. But again, your gifts were turned away. In your frustration, you decided to confront him yourself. You performed every act imaginable, offering every form of indulgence to win him over, yet the priest’s resolve was unshakable.”

He paused, letting the weight of the story settle. “Finally, in your desperation, you asked him directly what he desired. The answer was profound. The priest said that all earthly attachments led to suffering, and only by following the path of The Sky Wandering Giant—who had relinquished physical form—could one escape pain and suffering.Afterwards you yourself would become a devotee of The Sky Wandering Giant and from then onwards punish all wicked”

“Now I don’t care about whether that story was real or not,” Ling Xuan said, his voice resolute and commanding. “What I care about is that the person who built this place clearly had a fondness for the story.”

Mara’s eyes flickered, its numerous limbs twitching in response to Ling Xuan’s words. The beast’s form seemed to waver, its red appendages shifting and pulsating with an unsettling rhythm.

“You were created after those stories, and even though it wasn’t the most popular tale, it was well known enough,” Ling Xuan continued, stepping closer to Mara. “So I wouldn’t be surprised if the real Amrita isn’t in any of these gourds but is instead embodied in you.”

He paused, letting his words sink in. “You. You are Amrita!”

The declaration hung in the air like a heavy fog. Mara’s growls turned to guttural roars, its body trembling as if struck by the gravity of Ling Xuan’s revelation. The beast’s eyes, glowing fiercely, seemed to convey a mix of rage and realisation.

“Oh, don’t try to act yourself out of this!” Ling Xuan shouted, his voice echoing with the weight of his accusation. “You know your existence!”

Mara's roar erupted in response, a deafening sound that seemed to shake the very foundations of the chamber. The beast’s eyes burned with a fierce light, its numerous red limbs thrashing violently as if struggling against the truth of Ling Xuan’s words.

“You are not just a creation or a trick,” Ling Xuan continued, unwavering. “You are Amrita itself, embodied in this form. You were made to safeguard it, nothing else!.”

As Ling Xuan spoke, the room seemed to pulsate with Mara’s agitation. The gourds hanging from the tree swayed erratically, their faint glows flickering as if caught in the turmoil of the beast’s revelation. The decaying garden, once a serene and deceptive setting, now felt like a battleground of truth and illusion.

“You can roar and thrash all you want,” Ling Xuan shouted over the din. “But deep down, you know it’s true. You are bound to this place, to this role. You are The final Gate to Amrita, and you cannot escape the reality of your own existence.”

Mara’s roar grew more frantic, the sound almost tearing through the chamber. Its form flickered between solidity and illusion, struggling against the weight of Ling Xuan’s revelation. The air was thick with the tension of the confrontation, and Ling Xuan could feel the energy of the chamber vibrating with every roar and growl.

“Give me Amrita, you bastard! Give it to me! Complete your damn role!” Ling Xuan shouted, his voice echoing with raw fury.