“Well,was,” said Tumburu. “Lord Kubera cursed me to become a demon—it’s a long story, but he and I eventually made up eons ago. Rather unfortunately, I was cursed to be impervious to weapons. Then I ran into the god king Rama and his brother, Laxmana, and I had to do the wholeRoar!-I-kill-you-nowthing, even though I really didnotwant to.”
Mini raised her hand. “But if you couldn’t be killed by any weapons, how did you…uh…”
“Get liberated from my mortal existence as that Hell Muppet?” asked Tumburu.
Aru knew better than to say YUP.
“Well, it wasn’t pretty,” said Tumburu, scratching the end of his muzzle. “I think they had to bury me alive?”
Rudy looked horrified.
“I don’t remember much of that existence, to be fair,” said Tumburu. He waved his hands, and the television screens returned to live coverage of the Final Stage auditions. “What Idoremember, however, is the curious beauty of the mortal lands. The poetry of thunderstorms. The song of the wind in the trees. The loveliest ragas one could imagine…Why, it was those recollections of my mortal existence that I used to inspire other musicians who won my favor. So I suppose even the worst moments in one’s existence have some purpose.”
Tumburu’s words wound through Aru. She wanted so badly to believe that there was a reason they’d lost their weapons and were down to the final days to fix things, but she wasn’t sure what it could be. Brynne had already managed to prove herself, but what about Aru and Mini? And even if Aru succeeded, what would shedowith her lightning bolt?
In the back of her head, Lord Agni’s warning words echoed softly.All the weapons in the world cannot help you if you do not know what you’ll do with them. What will you do, Aru Shah?
“So…” said Aiden, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Does that mean you’ll help us win this competition?”
Menaka, who was floating above them, looked down at him. Aiden couldn’t see it, but pride glowed on the apsara’s face. Tumburu leaned forward in his chair. He steepled his hands for a moment and then snapped his fingers. The instruments lifted off the wall one by one and circled the Potatoes. The strings of the sitar began to vibrate. The flutes whistled. The drums began a steadythump, thump, thump. It was all very beautiful and majestic, but also creepy, and Aru had a brief vision of what it might be like to be stalked by a harmonica in the dark….
“Oh, yes,” said Tumburu. “I can see it now….The melody is all coming together. You will be my grand project. You will be the greatest band the world has ever seen—”
Rudy clapped eagerly.
“I will select an instrument for each of you, and forevermore you will be considered amasterplayer of it,” said Tumburu.
Aru’s eyes went wide.
“We are about tobreakthe world with all the talent I shall bestow upon you!” said Tumburu, rising from his chair.
“You meansavethe world,” said Aiden.
Tumburu scowled. “Yes, that, too.”
Brynne was the first to be matched with a talent.
Tumburu had her stand in the middle of the small circular stage right across from his mixing board. The original four instruments had been joined by others—an electric guitar, a tambourine, a xylophone, and a keyboard—all floating in the air.
“Do you possess any musical skill?” asked Tumburu, flexing his fingers.
“I play the harp,” said Brynne proudly. “I’m pretty good at it.”
Aru was glad she wasn’t the only one holding back a wince. Mini studied the ground. Even Aiden suddenly looked very preoccupied with the wall.
“She does?” said Rudy. “I’ve never heard—”
Aiden shushed him.
From there, Tumburu’s line of questioning proceeded at rapid-fire pace.
“Favorite color?”
“Blue.”
“Fire or water?”
“Fire,” said Brynne.
