Avan, Aval Adhu 489 Flashback 2
The Paliyan boy, Murugan knew in his heart that he should have followed his mistress Meenakshi when she had followed Ravi and Madhu into the mangrove near the ancient Temple of Lord Shiva. But, she had told him to stay put and wait for her return and so he stayed put at the edge of the forest.
As far as the Paliyan boy was concerned, her word was his command and he knew better than to disobey her for he saw what the consequences were for those who had done exactly that.
Murugan the Paliyan had arrived at Meenakshi's house with his mother to work in their garden and fields when he had been just three years of age and she had been a few years older than him. She had treated him and his mother well but not with respect and definitely not the same way as she treated her dogs who were her shadows and were the only ones to enter her bedroom.
He and the others who worked outside the house were not allowed entry and that rule was enforced strictly by all family members.
He remembered asking his mother what was different about them and their master and little mistress and she had said, ' They belong to a very high caste, son. They are part of the Mukkulathor trio and are Agamudiayar Thevars'.
The Paliyan tribal stood staring worriedly at the forest for he knew his mistress Meenakshi was on a warpath and had not been herself for a few years now. He knew the reason for her anger and pain was the girl, her cousin brother Ravi was seeing for she had sent him to spy on both of them many a time.
But today was different for there was something in the air and the mist that was coming down from the Kodai hills and the weather had been heavy and clammy the past few days.
He remembered his mother mentioning something about it a few days earlier, ' This kind of mist comes down, maybe once every twenty or twenty-five years, and our tribal elders always considered it a bad omen and warned everyone to stay indoors after sunset.'
Murugan, the paliyan tribal had smiled and said, ' Lies and myths of old and weak men, mother'.
His mother had fixed him with her angry eyes and said, ' Muruga, there is no smoke without fire, and myths and legends are all remnants of actual happenings. Believe it. This mist is a harbinger of death and those who venture into it have to pay its due. With blood or with life. Today or tomorrow or someday. Mark my words and heed them and stay put in the house.'
The Paliyan tribal boy, Murugan sat down on the grass and waited for his mistress to return and began to think about what his mother had told him about not venturing out into the mist after dark for it meant death and meant bloodshed.
' Will she hurt her or him or both? he wondered and quickly shook his head and declared to the forest, ' She will not hurt him. She loves him too much and maybe more than herself. But, when it comes to her, there is no saying what our little amma will do?'
' Who are you talking about and to whom are you talking to, Muruga?' a voice roared and the Paliyan boy leaped up and onto his feet like superboy would have done and standing on shivering skinny legs, stared at his big master, Sundara Lingam who towered over his tiny meek form.
He tried to say something but words refused to come out and he began to cry in fear. As if that was not enough, he pissed himself silly.
Sundara Lingam was a carbon copy of his father's imposing physical presence and was also blessed with his father's mind and acumen.
Realizing quickly that the Paliyan boy's tears and fears were not just due to being surprised by his sudden appearance but also while doing something wrong.
Placing his hands on his hips, he loomed like a giant over the tiny tribal boy and asked in a deep and deliberate voice, ' Muruga, if you, my sister's pet dog and shadow are here, then that means Meenakshi is somewhere nearby. Where is she and what are you both doing here and that too after dark? The whole village is gathered in the school's premises for the annual day function and yet you' and stopping his questions quickly looked around and then his eyes bored into the mangrove and turning around he stared like the Lord of death, Yama himself and asked, ' Is she in there? Why? Who else is in there with her? What are they doing here in the mangrove after dark?'
Murugan's fear broke the barriers like a flood breaking its banks and he squealed like a badly hurt puppy, ' Amma has gone after them. She told me to wait here.'
' Gone after whom? ' Sundara Lingam roared his question and the paliyan boy answered, ' Ravi and his girlfriend.'
'Okkali' he swore instinctively and filthily and muttered, ' My sister seems to have finally lost all her self-respect. Ravi has told her, told me, and told everyone that he is not interested in Meenakshi, and yet this stupid girl follows him like a dog forgetting who she is and what her pedigree is.'
' Muruga, go home. I will take care of this and in case periya iyaa asks about us, tell him that I am bringing Meenakshi home and there is nothing to worry about'.
Murugan nodded and quickly began to walk away and soon disappeared into the mist and Sundara Lingam entered the Mangrove in search of his little sister.
The Paliyan tribal boy stopped for the forest seemed to whisper to him and then he knew that his mother had been right after all. ' Yes, it feels bad and evil and yes, blood will be spilled tonight and the devil will take what is due to him'.
Murugan was correct in thinking the devil was going to take what was due to it but had no clue about the devil for the devil sometimes walks among us in the guise of both human and angel and sometimes will even take on the form of its nemesis. God.'
But little did the Paliyan tribal know that twenty-five years later he would himself die on a night such as this and with the same mist.
But, we know that for we have already crossed over that part of the story many chapters ago.
Flashback to chapter 271
The Paliyan had been throwing knives from the time he had been three years old and it had been 50 years since he had missed a target. But he did today. In a sense, the knives raced and buried themselves in the tree that was right behind Gayatri. Why did they not find their Gayatri and where did she go all of a sudden? How did the Paliyan miss his target?'
The moment the Knives were launched towards Gayatri was the very moment that the Rangoon creeper slowly bent itself and tripped her, bringing her down to the ground. The very same vine that Ravi had caressed a few minutes ago in memory of Madhu and also because the vine's other name was Madhumalti.
Ravi roared like an angry lion and ran towards the Paliyan whose face revealed the disappointment he felt for having let down his Mistress Meenakshi and also because he knew that his time was up and that the leopard story his father had told him was finally coming true after all these years.
There was one particular kind of attack in Varmakalai that has been kept secret for thousands of years and is taught only to a select group of students and they, in turn, protect the ancient skills and ways and hand it over to the next generation.
Very few were aware that Ravi was one of the guardian masters of the vanishing skills of Dravidian martial arts and medicine.
All the Paliyan assassin saw was a flurry of hand movements made by Ravi and then he felt his chest explode and fill itself with unbearable pain, and realizing it was too late, he struck one final blow.
But, the Paliyan tribal Murugan had one last ace up his sleeve and he used that to wreak his vengeance on the man and the leopard that had dared foil his plans.
With almost superhuman effort, the Paliyan tribal extended his right hand towards Ravi who for a second, thought of taking it but wisely did not and could not for from the hidden compartment of the tribal's forearm, a thin knife-life projectile leaped out of its housing and crossed the two feet and found a new home in Ravi's chest and instantly went to work for it was not the knife that would do the killing but the poison that coated it.
The killer fell to the ground dead and his killer fell to the ground, dying.
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