Throne of Purvakhand

by ASHUTOSH RAI

  ‘Was she here?’ Nandkant asked to the soldier.

  The soldier nodded. ‘Yes, it was she who killed General Vikrant and Captain Swayambadha and his men.’

  ‘Till Saile will get this news it will be late. These people will keep their lips closed,’ replied Gita. ‘I know someone who can help us. He is just half an hour far from us. He is a teacher of mathematics Mr Hakim Sietmenur Mahmud Angus. He is in regular contact of the Rikkshar king Dravid. We will ask him to contact Dravid and aid us.’

  Nandkant frowned hearing the name. He easily never had a good day with Mahmud. They had their own measures for every matter.

  ‘Can Mahmud and Dravid fight the magical powers of Saile?’ asked Nandkant.

  ‘You and they are Satyarathi. And a Satyarathi can do everything that a war demands,’ said Gita flatly.

  ‘I hope so!’ sniffed Nandkant. ‘We will go. We are coming - Mahmud Angus.’

  ‘Mahmud Angus?’ Saras looked at Nandkant and Gita with amazement. He said, ‘I know every street and roads of Vatvriksh and as per my knowledge no Mahmud Angus lives in Vatvriksh. It is Mahmud Solodien who teach mathematics and he lives outside of Vatvriksh. The named you said - Mahmud Angus. He was a Satyarathi.’

  The old Nandkant reluctantly smiles and said, ‘Your mother is right. Let us go. Take your weapons out.’

  Saras nodded. ‘So let us go home. My weapons are there.’ Saras sprinted for his house and took his bow, filled his quiver with sharp poison pointed arrows.

  After half an hour Saras and company were at a cattle farm where Saras uses to learn mathematics during his childhood. Surrounded by green and covered with fallen leaves. Saras gazed the heavy sky above. For him it didn’t set any mark of auspicious. The wind had a dark howling, thrusting against the woods.

  Saras asked with confusion, ‘Do you remember the correct address? The man lives here is not Mahmud Angus. He is Mahmud Solodien.’

  Being silent, Nandkant knocks the wooden door. KNOCK…….KNOCK………KNOCK.

  And a man with a long goatee opens the door after a while. He was wearing a round white cap which has covered his forehead. Nandkant scowled as he was not happy. He hates to greet Mahmud.

  Somehow Nandkant gives a fake smile and greeted Mahmud, ‘O…My old friend. Mahmud Angus. We are here together at your door after a long time. Perhaps, very long time. And you know I don’t like formalities so I will come directly to the point. I am here so you can help us in rescuing Kumud from Gorkhein Hill.’

  ‘So rude,’ gasped Gita but she was stunned that Nandkant greeted Mahmud as his old friend. He didn’t used any abusing word to him.

  ‘You are so generous to your sworn brother,’ murmured Nandkant.

  Mahmud too smiles gazing at Nandkant and said, ‘Well it has been a long time we met. It is good to see you here. I know you hate to talk me but believe me I had done everything that I could. And if you will ask me to help rather than ordering me, I may like to ask you one question-What the matter is all about?’

  Nandkant grinned. ‘Yeah! I am asking you to help. You know who is Saras? The only living heir to the empty throne. Saile had murdered Vikrant and took his daughter Kumud. She is the bridesmaid of my son.’

  ‘Your son?’ Mahmud replied with a curt smile. ‘I saw the Cauvcrach taking the daughter of Vikrant through the south eastern of Angara Forest and even I know what mistake you did in the Swayamvara. But you can relax as I had sent my parrot. My letter will inform Dravid about all that happened and no doubt he will help us. And without wasting time we should ride towards Gorkhein. Am I just right on the point?’

  Gita smiled. ‘Idea of Dravid. But from where? You want to use the boon of Raktvriksh, literally the tree of blood.’

  Mahmud smiles and replied, ‘My Sworn Sister. I am a Satyarathi after all. Allah is with us. We stand by virtue.’

  ‘Satyarathi? Bloody Satyarathi?’ murmured Nandkant. ‘No one will ask that where was he when we needed him most.’

  ‘I think you need an answer, my friend,’ said Mahmud almost burning Nandkant. ‘The time about which you murmured reminding the dark past, I was in my land and I was to struggling to save my people them.’

  ‘Stop this damn squabble right now,’ squeaked Gita. ‘Please, hold some patience. And carry your attention to Saile, Dravid and the boon of Raktvriksh.’

  ‘Raktvriksh?’ asked a confused Saras. He knew nothing about it. ‘Raktvriksh? Is it a tree? And what is its boon?’

  ‘Raktvriksh is a sacred old Kurtkas tree on Rakt Mountain. It has no leaves. And most difficult thing is to belief about it is that it can talk,’ said Gita smiling mysteriously. ‘It is said that once in a hundred year it wakes up from its deep sleep and before the tree go to sleep again, the first man who visit it gets a boon from the tree which helps him in future. Avneish, the son of Dravid achieved this boon from the tree. It had given a boon to Dravid’s son that every war in which he will fight against Black flag, magic of Saile will have its effect least.

  Saras said, ‘I have this bow and a quiver full of arrows but we need more. From where we will get weapons? And…’

  Before Saras could finish Mahmud opens a heavy wooden briefcase and showed him saying, ‘I never go anywhere without preparation. Here is a sword for you young archer. I know it’s not a great choice for an archer but it rather a good choice for nearer confrontation for any warrior and even if the string of your bow betrayed you. And a spear for you Mr Priest. I know you will like it. And another bow for you my sworn sister and real sister of Abhiyudh. I hope even in your old age who will battle like you did twenty three years ago. Never miss the point.’

  ‘Yes, I will.’ Gita nodded her head staring Nandkant who grinned with roughness.

  This was a new shock for the young man. Hardly could he consume the truth that Gita was sister of Abhiyudh, the leader of Vanaras, the King of Kapikshetra. Gita had never told him anything about it. He turned to Gita and could notice the sorry in her calm eyes. Mahmud sped ahead and pulled a rope hanged to a wooden liver. It opened the wall on the left and before them was a war-chariot and four white horses to drive it. Mahmud said, ‘My horses are rare. They one of the best you can find on this land. They are fast in pace and white in colour. They will match with our white dress.’

  Their chariot had travelled a distance of thirty-five yojana in two days passing through southern outskirt of Angara forest. On the third day when air had a short of warmth in sit and sky was clouded like it was always over the Gorkhein, They reached to the coast which was at distance of two yojana from hill of Gorkhein during sunset. They had been paid by luck for the dead black trees and the old bridge that connect the land of Kundey and Gorkhein was still there to support them. And in addition the smoke of Gocau that covered the whole island make it difficult to have a clear watch.

  Mahmud pulled the reins of chariot stopping it and took a glance of sunset and said, ‘What a sunset it is! After Twenty three years my hand will bath in blood of devils.’ He took his binocular from his chariot to watch the activity going in Gorkhein. ‘Very simple see all the crowd of nearly five hundred and fifty Cauvcrach are fighting each other for the dead bodies. We will cross this small sea of two yojana and then attack utilizing all of our consumed anger against them. Is here anyone who don’t know how to swim?’

  Nandkant and Gita laughed quietly. Mahmud hissed, ‘SSSShh! They might hear us. Let us go ahead.’

  ‘No!’ said Saras and asked Mahmud, ‘Without a plan how can we save her. How to beat the giant Cauvcrachs?’

  But it was Nandkant replied. ‘In night Cauvcrach lost their power of clear vision. And we have to kill these bastards by piercing and cutting their neck or if you are more powerful then jump on them and take their head out, locking them between your hands and apply the force of your shoulder to pull their head and strength of your legs in pushing their shoulders down. It’s too simple, when it is night. This is only way we can beat them. The neck is their weakest zone.’

  ‘We can’t b
attle after sunset,’ said Saras. ‘This will be against the codes. Killing the opponent in a battle when he is helpless is too against the humanity. This won’t be Dharma.’

  ‘You are too good and generous,’ said Mahmud. ‘But being too good and generous is harmful. Leave this habit. Saile never cared about the codes of war and even you should never. Sometimes few codes can be broken for the sake of goodness. If you really want to establish the Dharma then recite my words in your brain. Sometimes for a greater good we can do the lower evil.’

  ‘Mahmud is right,’ said Nandkant supporting Mahmud. Both gave a smile conversation to each other. ‘You can be stoic to the cruel. Humanity is for liberals. Not for the devils.’

  Saras nodded reluctantly. The hint of his disapproval had been firmly rejected by the other three.

  ‘I think we will need another three days,’ said Gita wrinkling her nose and trying to look of the Gocau Volcano. She could only see scary black dead trees which were black due to charcoal covering them. And the smoke make it uneasy to watch the sight with open eyes.

  ‘You will have a greater sight once we reached to foot of Gocau,’ said Nandkant coaxingly as he caught Gita blinking her eyes due to smoke. ‘And we will reach there in an hour. As we go deep in Gorkhein, the land gets shrinking down. And this makes it easier to go in Gorkhein but tougher to get out. You can smell the blacking magic here in everything you see. You are safe till Saile don’t find about you or else you know what can happen. It is Gorkhein - the island of Charcoal.’

  The sun sets down completely. Mahmud drove the Chariot through the black dead tree. An hour past and the four reached to foot of Gocau. To the left of the Volcano, a grand palace painted with charcoal and stained with blood was gasping foul smell. The sight before them was horrendous. The Cauvcrachs were about five to six hundred and they were fighting each other till Gita had not shot the first arrow of the battle. The arrow gets in through the left eye of a Cauvcrach who was fighting with other Cauvcrachs for a human corpse. The other moved to the direction, the arrow had been knocked. At first they shook their head with staring the four human dressed in white and then they swarmed around screaming, ready to kill the humans and then quarrel over their dead body. The four stared each other and nodded for the game of blood and death. Gita shot another quick arrow as they jumped out of the chariot and Mahmud patted the neck of his horses, ordering them to leave that place. Nandkant howled pointing his spear toward the Cauvcrach coming before him.

  In tales, Saras had heard that evil gets powerful in night but here before him the night proved to be a jackpot. Cauvcrach were more in number but still they were not getting the upper hand. At first it appeared that Saile was not there but later her presence was marked when the charcoal slowly started getting heat. She was muttering a spell without blinking.

  Mahmud bellowed, ‘It will be not easy to fight if the heat reaches high up to the uppermost layer. We have to finish it early.’

  ‘I will love to,’ bellowed Nandkant as he hurled the spear in ribs of a Cauvcrach.

  The two experienced old men were winning the game of blood. Arrows of Saras and Gita flying in sky resulted in the hearing of last cries of Cauvcrachs. Mahmud and Nandkant grabbed a Cauvcrach from his shoulders and threw him onto the ground. Mahmud shook his head frantically and attacked the neck of Cauvcrach by sword. All together were good but it goes fast and fantastic when they saw blue Rikkshar flag emerging from south. Saras gazed the flag. It had a white bear roaring which appeared to be roaring and warning the eyes stare them. Dravid, the Rikkshar king entered the battle with his son Avneish and tree hundred Rikkshar soldiers screaming “HAR HAR MAHADEV” tuned with their power on the crowd of Cauvcrachs diminishing them by cutting their head, taking out their heart and gouging their eyes with sword all around and over. Some Rikkshar attacked directly on the neck of Cauvcrachs taking their neck out by their powerful jaws. Dravid embraced Mahmud and Nandkant, yelling the pledge: TRUTH, BLOOD AND HONOUR.

  Gita warned Saras of a Cauvcrach coming behind him with an axe. The Cauvcrach leapt high and attacked Saras, swinging his axe savagely. No doubt it was his best for killing him but the young man defended the attack of the beast, controlling his body which tends about to fall on ground of charcoal. With a heroic awesomeness he cuts on right of the neck of the beast giving him a slow and steady death.

  A Cauvcrach rushed towards Gita, intended to kill her with his sword. She stepped back avoiding the attack. Smoothly taking an arrow from her quiver she pushed Cauvcrach’s abdomen forcing him to step back. She exerted the force of her body on a flat boulder which resultant her a high jump. Swung in air, she attacked on the left eye of Cauvcrach penetrating it completely. The arrow came out through the beast’s head. The Cauvcrach fell down, screaming ravenously. Without hesitation, Gita held his ear strongly by her left hand and twisted it while she perished his neck by pushing an arrow in middle of his throat by her other hand. That was against the codes of war and she wasn’t shy for that. Killing the Cauvcrach she roared and moved back. Gita saw Saile who was on the balcony of second floor of the Charcoal palace. Saile was fully concentrated on her work, mumbling her spells. Gita stared her astoundingly and then she giggled. Something was preventing the powers of Saile’s spells. It was due to presence of Avneish. The charcoal could not get enough heat from the earth’s core and Avneish was firing his anger on Cauvcrachs. They were giant and powerful but not as brave as Avneish. His powerful punches has already made four Cauvcrachs to lose their head and sleep in bed of dead. Gita like a real opportunist fires three back to back arrows on Saile. Saile smiled and a moment after she was not in balcony. Gita ran to the charcoal palace and came to balcony. She heard a voice. It kept repeating itself. “Please, Don’t Do this.” It was Kumud’s voice. Gita rushed to the third floor following the voice. She came to the room adjacent to the balcony of third floor. Reaching in the room she saw Kumud was tied between two pillars, floating horizontally. Her mouth was bleeding because of the tortures of Saile.

  Gita screamed, ‘SAILE!”

  ‘Welcome to the death trap. Gita. Welcome!’ gasped Saile and laughed viciously. Gita sped ahead firing four arrows simultaneously.

  Saras noticed that that his mother is not there with him. He ran for the Charcoal Palace killing five more advancing Cauvcrach but till he could reach the gate, it closes down.

  ‘Shit!’ murmured Saras. A Cauvcrach yelling ran toward Saras. Saras has just put an arrow on his bow and the Cauvcrach attacked on him with a great blow by elbow. Saras fell on ground with a drumming sound. ‘Dhadam!’ His eyes gone to the sword which was at distance of two hast from him. He crawled down to the sword and whirled back to stab the devil. To his surprise, there was no one but the ripped head of Cauvcrach was fallen down near his feet. Avneish has taken the devil’s head off and had held up another Cauvcrach by his neck, pressing the neck of devil with full power of his fist. In one flick of eyes, Avneish killed him brutally taking his neck out of his body. Black blood pumped out of the gap of death Cauvcrach.

  ‘Stand up’, said Avneish, cleaning the blood from his fingers. ‘I can open this door. Just we have to go fifteen step back and then both of us together will sprint toward this door with our full power, striking on it vigorously with the strength of our shoulders.’

  Avneish and Saras darted together and broke the door.

  Gita and Saile were face-to-face. Saras came but it was late when he reached the room.

  Gita had wounded Saile by one of her arrows and made Kumud free but when both had tried move toward the door and walk out, Saile spelled a mantra twice: “vaowric etya clamp yart yart sada raate mirth sur ch trsk nai bavita quakjajaru sa buti xentra”. It threw Gita twice to the wall resulting heavy bleeding wounds. Blood was running out from back of her head. Rarely did Gita controlled her crying. Her eyes grown red with blood and her bones started appearing with an unbearable pain slowly making way to death. That spell didn’t harm Kumud. Gita stared Kumud and winced. She probably knew the
reason behind Kumud’s safety. It was because of a black band in her left wrist which was filled with protection of love before which any black magic does not have any effect. Kumud had no idea of this and neither Saile knew it.

  ‘You forgot who am I?’ squeaked Saile. ‘You and your husband concealed that boy and grown him into a young man. And then he destroyed my plan to bring The Great Evil Lord in his body. You all will pay……’ The witch tried to display herself confident but the sweat beads developed on her face failed her. She was frightened seeing no effect of magic on Kumud. In disgust, she turned around and created two wolfs with charcoal and ordered them to kill both Gita and Kumud. But at same time Saras comes in between the two wolfs and their target. He swung his sword fiercely killing both wolfs.

  ‘Maa,’ murmured Saras, startled. He had never thought that he would once see his mother in such miserable condition. He was totally outraged. With fierce anger aroused, he confronts Saile.

  ‘Stay—back. See I will—I said stay back,’ Saile croaked. The witch stepped back frightened, seeing the pace of the majestic young man. With fear already on face she flew away in body of a crow. Gita threw an arrow with the utmost strength left in her hand but it missed the target. Now Saile was away from their reach.

  ‘Come back! Here am I. I swear I will slay you brutally,’ swore Saras.

  Turning back to Gita he cried like a helpless kid. ‘Maa. This….’

  After sending all the Cauvcrachs to hell. Nandkant, Mahmud, Dravid and Avneish with ten soldiers came in room.