Chapter 18

The chapter starts with Nisha being accepted into the Brotherhood. There's a flashback as Anand remembers how Nisha came rushing up to him yesterday and telling him how the place would be a brother and sister hood now. The time goes back to the present and Anand watches the ceremony. After the cerimony he goes back to his room only to have Govinda burst in saying that Abhaydatta wants to see him in the hall of seeing. Anand goes to the hall of seeing wondering what Abhaydatta would want with him. When he gets to to the hall of seeing Abhaydatta using his powers lets Anand see his family. Anand sees his mother,sister and father living in a modern room which is apparently part of a house. He tries to touch them but the wall just shimmers and the image disappears. Abhaydatta then tells Anand that to become a member of the brotherhood he must leave his family forever. The rest of the chapter is spent with Anand in great thought trying to decide whether to stay or not. At the end of the chapter Anand makes his choice though the author doesn't tell you what it is.

I liked this chapter because I liked seeing how Anand reacted to such a choice because everyone has at least one choice like that in their lives. I thought that Anand would go back home because it sticks to the authors theme of sticking to your family/friends. But after Anand talked to the conch and Abhaydatta i think that he will stay.