Chapter Four: Towards the Netherworld
When Mag B was celebrating the astonishing success of his magical fantasy, Ravin wittily commented, 'You're merely a servent magician, not a master, because you can only enlarge or edit our outer world, not our inner world. You can deal with our body only, not our mind or soul. Fie on you, a quack magician, a layman.' Then followed Mag B's destructive reaction.
Now, right after that, Mag B announces, 'Ha-hooh! It's high time you underwent an acid test so as to be put to the right. You may look incorrigible in the eyes of the world, but my prowess goes light years beyond the world. What a trillion people can achieve with years of tremendous perseverance and hardship--I can obtain effortlessly in a trice. You should have realised my rare genius long ago, but it's too late now. Anyway, I know very well when to strike the iron. And it's about time. Get ready for that. Your indomitable spirit desperately needs a sound beating indeed so that you feel compelled one day to openly acknowledge my queer calibre.'
At this, Ravin retorts intellectually, 'But know for certain that no torture can ever tutor anybody in anything. It's only love that can lend lessons to others. You can torture my body into obedience but not my soul. You can force my head into slavery, not my heart.'
'Shut up your audacity. I'm the greatest magician on earth. I can do anything and everything. I'm not only a brain specialist, you need know, but also a cardiologist of the highest order. Let me conjure up my legion from among the public eagerly waiting to witness your trial. Here I go. Giligili-hoos! Hiligili-foos! Come my loyal royal legion from this crowd and show them I AM your one and only king.'
To our surmise and surprise, scores of liveried soldiers appear instantaneously. Each of them is carrying a magic stick in one hand and an egg in the other. They having duly saluted, the braggart declares, 'May I please introduce my dear soldiers-cum-servents to you, my dear spectators? It'll suffice to say that before coming in my prestigious proximity, these radiant men used to consider themselves to be the greatest magicians in the world. And now they feel they'd be most fortunate if they were allowed to eternally remain even the slaves of my slaves. Ha-ha-haa!'
Hearing this, Ravin bravely suggests, 'Hey Mag B, they're, actually, afraid to disobey your supremacy--the moment they get a better master who's strong enough to safeguard them, they'll throw you away disdainfully. And, I can tell you, the good day is imminent.'
'Orey wretch, you've crossed the limits of tolerance. See what happens. Here I go. Humm, willi-nilli-gilli-billi-hoos-foos-foos!! May you change into a house dog always ready to be at my beck and call.'
O Good God! We're astounded to see Ravin undergo an incredible metamorphosis from a biped man to a quadruped dog🐕.
His wife and his mother begin to wail. His friends and his relatives begin to beseech. But they all prove to be too weak to make any positive impact on Mag B, who keeps nodding with a wicked smile on his wild face. Suddenly, Ravin's mother falls at the magician's feet and tearfully asks, 'When will you set my son free? When will he be human again?'
Mag B cackles to answer, 'Well, he'll regain his human life only after his attainment of a canine mind in the canine body. Until then, he'll have to sojourn in Mag-B Palace in the netherworld under the able guidance of my 12-year-old daughter Dulali. I can assure you she's a great tamer of wayward minds. Hey, soldiers! Take the dog to my underworld regal abode and tell my Duli, "Your dad has sent you this gift, a rare puppy--you can steam it, boil it, bake it, roast it, or fry it, or even pet it. Its fortune is in your tiny hands." Another piece of information you should offer her and her mother is that I will come very soon to see them happy and healthy--it's really been a long time since we met last. But what's to be done? There're so many responsibilities on my shoulders. So many families in both the worlds are always all eyes for their superstar husband or megastar father. And it's my sacred duty to please them all. Anyway, ask Duli and her lonely mother just to wait their turn with a bit more patience. I'll surely come shortly. I bid you adieu, everybody. Hope to see you again. Take care--very very special.'
So saying, Mag B vanishes in a puff of smoke along with all his party, leaving all the villagers absolutely gobsmacked.
The real story is to begin from the next chapter. It was so far only the introduction to a thrilling odyssey.