The Legacy is Continued

Journal of Abhavi

Their lives were over but their legacy was not. The last story I will tell you is the story of how Ilvala and Vatapi's dream continued.

~~~~~

The great brahmin Agastya still remembered the brothers even many years after he had to stop them. He did not remember them for their end but instead for their dream of changing the world. Just as the brothers had realized, Agastya also realized that those brahmins who had visited their town dedicated to knowledge had not done much to help the brothers' goal. They could have made much more progress if the brahmins had helped more.

With these thoughts in mind, Agastya began visiting towns to spread the brothers' story. However, people within these towns did not wish to believe that brahmin-murdering rakshasas were ever good. Passing through the forest between two such towns, Agastya met a child who had been living in the woods on his own. The child would not give his name, his parents' whereabouts, nor his trust. Even so, Agastya decided to take him in. He could tell the child had been through hardship, and he believed the boy deserved better.

Agastya spent many days with the boy and told him stories and brought him food. Eventually he would learn the child was the offspring of a rakshasa father and a human mother. He would also learn the father had been a cruel and twisted demon who, after waiting for the mother to give birth, ate her. This boy had suffered at his father's hands till he was able to run away without getting caught. It was because of this history the boy was hesitant to trust. Agastya was patient with him though. Eventually, the child gave his trust to Agastya who would tell him the stories of Ilvala and Vatapi. One day, after one of these stories, the small child turned to Agastya. "You are the closest I have to a father. Will you give me a new name? Please?"

In response, Agastya smiled warmly at the boy. "Of course, child." He paused and considered different possibilities before asking, "How does the name Abhavi sound? It is reminiscent of Vatapi which is both a place of learning and the name of a person who helped build it."

The boy's eyes brightened in recognition. "As in the younger of the two rakshasa brothers who wanted to change the world? I love it!"

Agastya proceeded to raise Abhavi in the ways of a brahmin. He also passed on all of the stories of the two brothers. As half rakshasa, Abhavi felt a connection with the brothers' dream and wanted to take their purpose as his own. When Abhavi reached adulthood, he had become a well-respected brahmin and began spreading the truth of his parentage. He used himself as an example of humans and rakshasas getting along. Though he never revealed what happened between his own parents, his story inspired humans, brahmins and even rakshasas to come forward and share their own stories. The brothers' story never spread far but these stories of everyday people did. More and more people of varying backgrounds began to help and took part in a dream two rakshasa brothers started.

I am Abhavi, and I have spent my entire life working to change the world. Now, I write these stories down in the hope they will not be lost to time. I've decided to place this collection under the statue of Ilvala in the town of Vatapi. I wish I could witness the future to see the results of my work. Will there still be hate and fear of rakshasas? Or will all people give up their fears and mingle to the extent that everyone will be a mix of human and rakshasa? I cannot know for certain, but I can dream.

Now, it is your turn to choose to either pass on these stories yourself or leave my journal for the next person to find.

Back in the cave with the faceless statue, my brother and I lower the old manuscript to look at each other. We both have wide eyes and surprise written all over our faces. The story told by Abhavi is intriguing and we believe it is true. The words had translated themselves right before our eyes and we have no reason not to believe it. After a long moment of silence, my younger brother asks me, "Do you think anyone would believe us if we told them?"

I shake my head. "No, we are not scholars or anything. Most likely people will think we made it up." I stare at the faceless statue of Ilvala and come to a decision. "We may not be able to make people believe us, but we can certainly make sure this gets found."

My brother and I turn to look at each other and grin. "Yes, we can."