Ilm learned the plant like he was inborn with it. Maybe, the same root pulled us all and Ilm just felt that pull easily. The power of plant was that it symbolised life, fertility and especially growth. We grow; we eventually die.
It was break time after completing learning how to control plants and trees, binding their root with own will. Soon, Ilm would be taught water.
Pema and Ilm were walking by the bank of the river. Ilm went nearer to it and let his right hand feel the current. He felt fluidity and coolness in his hand.
He asked his mother if he could drink water from the river or not. Pema replied no as the planet Boduin was also a decaying planet. Even though, it had rivers but not with drinkable water.
It made Ilm upset. He stared at the river's fluidity and sighed.
"I think I don't need to teach you Itti for water," Pema said.
"What?" Ilm was surprised by her sudden words.
"The poem, you composed the other day was a proof of your knowledge over water. You indeed know how sacred the water is. Water is life. How beautifully you've said: Life and water flow with pride."
Ilm blushed. "Don't say such things. You are making fun of me. I know it."
"What? No, I am praising you and your ability over poetry. You've got your grandfather's talent."
"Really?"
"Hmm," Pema smiled.
"Then why are we waiting for? Teach me Daga, Alur and Kata. They would be quickly done."
Pema sighed. "You are such a talented kid. You make everything look easy. But in reality, gaining control over an element is tough."
"Are you jealous of me?" Ilm grinned.
Pema turned red. "Of course not! How can I be jealous of my own son? Although there are many things I still need to know."
"You are still learning?"
"Yes, I am a Govaḍis. I have opened my three cakras till now. But there are four others."
"Govaḍis?"
"Hmm, Inyaḍis to open root cakra. Tsuṃḍis for sacral cakra. Govaḍis is to open solar plexus cakra."
"So you are telling me there are levels in Nawvara."
"Yes."
"What are the other four?"
"M̃onḍis for heart, Qulaḍis for throat, Qiṭhīḍis for third eye. And the highest state a person can achieve, the most mature state is nothing but Rovḍis."
"Rov—"
"Yes, your brother is named after the highest state."
"What does 'Ilm' mean?" Ilm puffed.
Pema chuckled. "It was a name decided by your father. It means 'knowledge'."
Ilm's eyes were shining. Knowledge? Indeed I am so curious about everything.
"So? Let's learn Daga for water, Hmm?" Pema blinked.
It took less than five minutes. Ilm had built a whirlpool in the river. But the whirlpool became uncontrollable. Ilm struggled to stop it. Then Pema, at last, interfered. She helped him to understand the current. And then, together they stopped it.
"You need more practice before you learn other things," Pema sighed.
He was ashamed, but then he asked. "What will happen when I become Tsuṃḍis?"
"You will be enabled to learn summoning weapons and using higher substances like light, sound, blood, flesh and bone—"
"Blood, flesh and bone?" He was certainly shocked.
Pema smiled. "Even when you are an Inyaḍis, you need to learn to create a temporary shield, some handy moves and make anything your weapon."
"I can make anything my weapon?" Ilm doubted.
"Yes," Pema picked up a twig from the ground. And recited, "Vazagû Uthē Mate'chi."
Then she launched the twig like a dart towards the nearby tree. It moved like a bullet and bypassed the tree making a hole in the trunk. Ilm dashed to it. He examined the hole and became impressed. But when he faced Pema, he saw her making a terrible face.
"Why do you have this gloomy face?" Ilm asked.
"It is the worst shot I've ever made."
Wait! It is your worst shot? Then how is your best shot? Questions arose in his mind. He stared at her with widened eyes.
"I used to break boulders into dust with this kind of twig," Pema said.
"You are a dangerous woman," Ilm sighed. "No one can harm you."
Pema walked to the tree. She brushed the hole and covered it using her plant techniques. The tree became normal as it was before… no trace of a hole.
Then she said, "I am not that dangerous."
"But you are powerful," Ilm said.
Pema giggled strangely. "What do you think the power is? There are always some people mightier than us. When your grandpa used to teach me, he told me about the weapons we can achieve after unlocking five cakras. Some of those weapons are not made by normal Suyashixu or powerful beings. Instead, they are crafted by something beyond everything."
"You mean the ultimate god?" Ilm frowned.
"God is just a tag. It can be one's pure consciousness or the energy across the universe or the time itself. It is indescribable. It is Uam, the one."
Ilm listened carefully. He didn't understand why it was attracting him, but he listened. Sometimes, reason is not that important but the course is.
Pema continued. "I asked Baba how this powerful entity creates such things. Do you know what he said? He laughed and claimed it as the mightiest. He said that in every era… in every era Uam takes the physical form of a human and incarnates into this world as the saviour of humanity. That physical form is known as the Avatār."
Ilm felt goosebumps. A heat current flowed through his limbs. Avatār? Is it real?
"But if there is a saviour of humanity, why doesn't it come when everything is like a dystopia?" Ilm asked.
"I don't know," her voice trembled.
"And there is no evidence for this saviour in history. Is there?"
"I don't know!" Pema shouted. It made Ilm afraid. She said, "I don't know. I asked Baba these very same questions. He said… he said that I… I was not worthy enough."
She thought about Bhagavat. Thinking if she really was unworthy? She was taking heavy breaths. She tried to calm herself.
Ilm saw her silently giving her enough space to feel free.
"Before departing for Boduin, I asked him to at least let me keep those books."
"Books?"
"Yes Ilm, yes, books which contain the secrets of many things," then she smiled. "I am just doing my part, Ilm. You also need to focus on yours. Promise me, you will protect Rov from any harm."
Ilm didn't understand why she said such things out of the blue. But he promised.
Then Ilm saw his mother bowing to him. So he bowed to her. He knew it meant the class ended here for today.