Chapter 121 Jagan
The prayers began and in the crowded temple, Alex and Carl watched the High Priest start with the prayer rituals.
The High Priest wore similar traditional clothes like them, except, was without a shirt and had his toned muscular body exposed.
Alex felt nostalgic as he watched the man in front of him. How long has it been? He couldn't even tell.
He had missed looking at this guy's face and smiling together with him. Life was so fun back in school, thought Alex.
While imrsed in nostalgia, Alex watched the very man he had been waiting for, Jagan himself, for the entire fifteen minutes of the prayer.
His eyes were moist and had it not been for him being mature and strong, he would've had so drops of tears leak from his eyes.
Once the prayers were over, Jagan finally turned around to let the sacred fire that he used to pray with, be spread around to the crowd.
As he did so, his gaze naturally fell on the two tall foreigners in the room, taking him aback and shocking him.
However, the shock was only there for a second and Jagan simply did a light nod to Alex, expressing that he was aware of his existence, and went to fulfill his duties as the priest.
Responsibilities couldn't be avoided and duty always ca first before friends or family, such was the life of a priest.
Even if Jagan was going through a roller coaster of emotions, he had to suppress everything and do his duties.
It was hard for a normal twenty-one year old, but he had to manage sohow.
A while later, the crowd dispersed and new waves of people entered inside the temple to seek blessings and see the idol of their lord.
Jagan went to the staff of the temple and said sothing, to which they nodded their heads and walked close to Alex and his party.
Samuel was found among the crowd of dispersing people with great difficulty by the staff, and eventually, Alex got escorted to so secluded place.
As he reached that place, he saw Jagan standing and waiting for him.
"JAGAAAAAAAAAN!" Samuel shouted as he saw Jagan and jumped on him to hug him.
Samuel was almost half in size to Jagan and this situation seed quite comical.
"You bastard! Why didn't you send us a single text!?" Samuel smacked Jagan's head and asked.
Samuel was probably the only person in this world who had inflicted such damage on Jagan and Jagan didn't seem to mind it as he smiled and replied,
"I feel happy to see you again, Sam."
No matter how much ti had passed, they were still the best of friends and Jagan didn't show any formality and addressed Samuel as Sam, just like the old tis.
"Hahaha! Happy to see you too, baby!" Samuel thumped his chest.
"Been a while, buddy," Alex said and hugged Jagan.
Jagan smiled and replied, "Been a while indeed, Alex. How have you been?"
Alex broke the hug and replied, "I've been good. What about you? You didn't send us a single text all this ti, you know?"
Jagan smiled awkwardly. "It's a long story. Co, let's go inside and have so good first. I am sure you guys are hungry."
They had food on the plane, but there was no reason to reject Jagan's hospitality and so everyone went in.
"Who's this new guy?" asked Jagan as they entered the dining room.
Sitting around the dining table, Alex said, "He's a work colleague, a pretty hard working kid if I were to say."
Jagan flashed a small smile. "Nice to et you."
Jagan extended his hand out and greeted Carl, who did the sa thing.
Carl politely greeted Jagan by calling him sir and then said his na while Jagan laughed and asked him to not be so formal.
The old friends then chatted over food and bonded, letting each other know they all had been up to in these past two years.
Jagan had taken up the High Priest position right as he ca to India. It had been like that for almost two years now.
There were no ambitions or interests anymore in his life. There was only one goal and that was to serve the lord with all his heart.
Jagan was a big devotee of God and it wasn't a bad thing per se. So people genuinely liked being devotees and Jagan was one of those rare few.
With how diligent he was, Alex could guess that it was probably this devotion that eventually impressed the God Vidalambha and had him bless Jagan, making this dude proposer and beco really strong in his last life.
Jagan was a kind and benevolent fellow and his happy aura could be felt with him just talking.
He talked so nicely and this caused Alex and Samuel to just gossip on and on for the next fifteen minutes.
While talking, Jagan learnt about the thing Alex and Samuel were up to in the past two years. He also congratulated Alex for becoming the youngest neurosurgeon in history and eventually steered the talks to their past and the rest of the group.
"By the way, did you guys plan a reunion or did you simply co on your own?" Jagan asked, sipping on his filter coffee.
Alex sighed at this and said, "There's a reason we are here so suddenly, Jagan. I'll not beat around the bush and answer you straight…"
Seriousness flashed in Alex's eyes as he stared at Jagan's gray ones.
"…Hazel is dying, we need to help him."
"What!?" Jagan felt he didn't hear things properly and asked.
Samuel repeated what Alex said and Jagan slamd the table and stood up in shock.
"Are you guys serious!?"
"A hundred percent," assured Alex. "That's why we urgently made our way to India to see you. We really need to go help Hazel or he'll die."
Jagan fell silent upon hearing that.
He sat back down with a dejected face and said in a low tone, "I can't go…"
"What?" Samuel asked, hoping Jagan would repeat it.
Jagan took a deep breath and turning to Samuel, said, "I said I can't go, I am really sorry. I am bound to the temple and need to conduct prayers which take up my whole day."
"Jagan, what…" Samuel couldn't believe what he was hearing. A friend of theirs was dying and Jagan said he couldn't co? What was wrong with him!?
Alex knew that such a thing might happen. It wasn't easy to take a priest away as they were too devoted to their gods.
Alex looked at Jagan and said, "Jagan, only we can save Hazel. He's not suffering through any physical distress, but a ntal one. What's happening to him is probably…"
Aled ntioned the possible problems Hazel may be facing right now and how reunion with his old companions could save him, just like the movies.
A human was a social creature and couldn't simply live without companions. Hazel's case was probably the sa and he was too lonely out there in CERN.
This was just Alex's speculation and what the real thing he was going through would only be known once they t him.
Hearing all of this, Jagan nodded in understanding and said, "I understand, I totally do. But I am so sorry, I simply cannot leave the city. I really have to serve the lord, it's my duty."
"Our dear friend will die, Jagan. Think about it," said Samuel with a frown.
Jagan showed a sad expression and sighed. "What can I even do about that, Sam? I am bound by my duties and cannot leave."
"Jagan your God cannot—"
Alex placed his hand on Samuel's mouth, making him stop from whatever he was saying. Offense was the last thing Alex wanted Jagan to feel.
Nobody would tolerate bad things sad about their Gods and Jagan was no exception to it. Though, at first, he would warn Samuel and let him go because he was benevolent and kind.
Alex shook his head at Samuel and then turning to Jagan, asked, "Will you co with us if God himself said it to you?"
Jagan was dumbfounded, but silent upon hearing that while Samuel exclaid, "What!?"
Alex ignored him and turning to Jagan, waited for an answer.
A few seconds later, he said, "I an… if it's God's decree then I cannot go against it."
Alex smiled. "Good then. Let go have a phone call real quick."
He went to the side, leaving his two friends confused and dialed a number, it being no other person but his wife l.
The call got connected in a few seconds and l greeted Alex from the other side.
"Honey, can you tell if you know the God Vidalambha?" Alex asked right away.
"Vidalambha?" lissa couldn't properly recall.
"If you don't know the na, just search them on the internet," suggested Alex.
"Alright, wait a second." lissa said.
A few seconds later, she exclaid on the phone, "Ahh… this guy… I know him."
Alex smiled upon hearing that. "Great. The n, can you please do a favour honey and…"
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