A Game of Gods: The End is Only the Beginning (The Anunnaki Chronicles Book 1) by K. Hari Kumar, Kristoff Harry Page A

saree around a woman’s bosom. Couple of palms stood firmly on the sand against the marginally blowing desert wind. From the cracked trunk of the palms, it seemed as if they had been protesting strongly for decades against the atrocities of the desert, if not centuries. Then there was a flash of white light, accompanied by a thumping sound. The supersonic eruption spat out two creatures; a winged cat and gagged man of significantly tall stature. The cat landed softly on all fours, few feet from the palm while the man crashed on the land with his heel over head.
    ‘What was that?’ the man asked between coughs.
    ‘I told you to hold on, but you could not do that. Why did you let go?’ Kunya asked as it helped Manav get up on his feet.
    ‘I did, but everything around was so bright that I could not see anything but whiteness and there was this ringing sound echoing in my ears. I felt my intestines pushing upwards and so clenched my stomach with hand that is when I let go.’
    ‘That was the fastest way to travel from Chendi to Rajasthan.’
    Rajasthan?’ Manav looked around and realized that there was nothing but sand, all around him. His mouth writhed in an element of shock, ‘Is this…?’
    ‘Yes, we are in the middle of the Great Indian Desert of Thar.’ Kun-Ha revealed with the pride of a cat.
    ‘How… How long were we there in that white portal?’
    ‘You mean… the Vimana? It is an instantaneous means of teleportation.’
    ‘Vimana is a pseudoscientific flying machine from Hindu mythology?’ Manav asked.
    ‘I know that you are not much of a fan of religion, particular this one. But yes, this is the very same Vimana that is studied and described primitively in Vimana Samhita.’
    ‘I thought it was all mythical.’
    ‘Well, I am glad that it is mythical for your kind. I cannot imagine the ill consequences of human race operating teleportation device like Vimana. That evil German dictator came close to creating one; before his guardian angel called back his soul.’ The angel carried a chauvinistic opinion that was prejudiced against the humankind. Manav had noticed this judgemental attitude which made him uncomfortable.
    Well, now I have seen it. Are not you worried that I might spread the word… the secret out in the open?’ Manav inquired.
    ‘Firstly, if you do then your own people will dismiss for being insane. Secondly, a Vimana can only be invoked by an angel or a demigod. The Anunnaki were smart. They hid most of their brilliance from humankind because they foresaw the barbaric instinct of man.’ The angel abruptly stopped its commentary as if it was about to slip out something from its tongue, that was forbidden to a humankind. It immediately switched topic, ‘Look! There it is...’ Kun-Ha exclaimed and pointed its left palm towards the north.
    Manav immediately sighted a ruined stone structure at a distance of hundred meters. It was an ancient temple, although the outer structure of the temple was broken into large chunks, as it was destroyed by a treacherous army of soulless invaders in the past. As the man and his guardian angel started moving towards the Garbagriha or the sanctum sanctorum of the temple beneath the Vimana , the desert wind started blowing in a harsher trend, and thick sheets of sand were uprooted from the west and propelled to the other side.
    ‘Just keep moving with me.’ Kun-Ha instructed Manav who was struggling against the sand grains that were hitting him on the face from the left.
    ‘Why can’t you carry me into the temple?’
    ‘Struggle… Oh Human! The path to destination is not an easy one. You chose to follow it, now use your will power to overcome all obstacles. This is just a little test of the desert. It is hardly twenty one steps from here.’
    ‘You know, I am starting to dislike the moral science preacher in you. I guess, I can make it if I count my steps.’
    ‘Whatever helps you...’
    And then Manav started counting… ‘One…