When I asked for magic, this was not what I had in mind. Getting to be a part of an intricate secret celestial society of gods, nymphs, demigods, and everyone in between sounds great, doesn't it? A fully developed magical kingdom with mythology turned into real life, magic powers, archery, swordplay, mace-fighting, talking animals, strategy, portals, technology, knowledge, tons of eye candy, explanation, being a part of something so much bigger: everyone dreams of that.

But what most people don't take into account? The casual murder attempts on a random Tuesday during a field trip, the drunk woodpeckers, the headstrong Governance & Administration not believing you to be competent enough to be a child of the god who claimed you, the demons challenging you to dance battles, the almost-dying three times a day, the blood-curdling secrets you wish you could forget, the nightmares, the visions, the owls that speak exclusively in out-of-date slang, the bloodthirsty monsters, the sleepless nights, and the lack of certainty about whether you'll see tomorrow's dawn. My name is Anusha Malhotra, and things have gotten real messy real quick.

If you thought the Hindu gods were simply mythology. .

. well, you were mythaken.

. .