The Destiny of Shaitan

by Laxmi Hariharan

  The air fills with screams of, “Death to the other side,” the clashing of swords on shields, of spears rising in the air as the sun rays shine off the impressive body armour worn by troops on both sides. Yudi’s human-lions roar in delight at the prospect of sinking their jaws into the flesh of their enemies. The boar people swish about showing off their expertise with their magic surf boards, impatient to get started while the Paramen raise their impressive battle axes and mock fight with each other warming up for the action.

  It is the Merpeople on Yudi’s front lines that are the most silent. On hearing the trumpeting of conch shells they are the first to move forward, their fish tails make no noise as they glide forward almost not touching the stony ground below.

  They clash with Shaitan’s brute soldiers, the force of the collision sending many flying away into the air. There are huge bursts of lightning and violent bolts of electricity generated, sending ripples through the rest of the gathered armies. Most of the Mer-people are killed by the end of the first day, but not before taking out a sizeable portion of Shaitan’s army holding him back. At sunset the conch shells once more blare out and the armies retire to their respective camps.

  Shaitan is so confident about his victory that he does not come out to battle on the first day. He is surprised to see his soldiers return downcast by what they have seen. He bursts out laughing at the news of his army’s slow progress. He cannot believe that Yudi’s army could be that strong. There must be some mistake, he thinks, obviously many of my soldiers are drunk, as usual. He dismisses the dazed news bearer, who runs out of his tent unclear why Shaitan has spared his life.

  On the second day Raven makes magnificent headway. Leading a portion of Yudi’s army drawn mainly from her fellow Bird People and the Boar Men, she fights first from the air. But very soon, as the enemy soldiers on the ground thin out, she lands on her feet and, raising her sword and shield, cuts her way through the various ranks of Shaitan’s army, slaying hundreds of Shaitan’s soldiers. Her own soldiers try to keep pace with her, but within a few hours they lose sight of her as Shaitan’s soldiers close in behind her, the giants making an armour-plated umbrella above her, cutting her off from the rest of her people.

  When she is within yards of the centre of the army, she faces Shaitan’s strongest soldiers, drawn from the ranks of his mightiest. They surround her from all sides. She continues to fight, wheeling her sword around, keeping them off. Her movements become slower and slower and the circumference of her circle becomes smaller until finally she slows down and sinks to the ground, using her sword for support. Waiting for just this opportunity, the soldiers move in, and tearing to shreds her shield of safety, finally, in one swoop, behead her.

  That night it is the Half Lives who return to camp in silence, bearing the fallen Raven. Tiina runs to her and seeing her once proud figure so quiet and lifeless she bursts into tears. Mimir and the Buddhans come together with Yudi and Tiina to discuss what to do next. The Buddhans advise that it is best to go into a more defensive concentric formation from the next day. Yudi is at the centre surrounded by the Lion People, and the remaining Bird People, led by Garuda, guard him from any attack from the skies.

  The Vamanen — the dwarf people are arranged around Yudi, then the Paramen with their axes and finally the Varamens — the Boar People on their magic surf boards encircle the entire army as they move forward.

  Tiina turns to Yudi as they are in the middle of the discussion and asks to be allowed to join the warriors upfront rather than being in the centre and protected. As Yudi hesitates, she says, “Remember, I did go to the same school as you, I am as good a warrior as you ... and not as important to this fight.”

  “But you are irreplaceable for me,” he says, smiling, as he places his hands on her shoulders.

  “The army is united behind you. We cannot lose you. Besides I am better placed upfront from where I can help lead,” she replies in a serious tone.

  Yudi hesitates, but realising that she would never forgive him if he didn’t let her go, gives in and agrees. “OK, then, but promise me you will not step outside Artemis,” he says. “As long as she is there to protect you, nothing can touch you.”

  Tiina smiles and, appreciating his concern, leans forward to kiss him.

  On the fourth day that the fight reaches a turning point. Sensing victory, Shaitan wakes up before dawn, dons his massive armour over his vest and customary black leather trousers, and picks up his long sword, its hilt polished to a shining copper, the red ruby on it winking in the rising sun as he straps it to his back.

  As he walks out of his tent the very ground seems to tremble at the power of his intent. His favourite space ship, which has seen him through many a fight, materialises as if out of thin air, drawing to a silent stop in front of him. The panels open and a bridge appears, on which he steps; once inside, the ship closes around him, safely sealing him from the outside world. Yet its walls are transparent so that he can see everything that is taking place outside very clearly. The blood of the battle is in him and, with a laugh of pure delight at the adrenaline coursing through his veins, rides to the front of his army ready to fight.

  Spotting Artemis’ distinctive reddish hull at the front of the Army of Half Lives, he realises it must carry someone of importance and heads straight for the smaller ship. Sensing the oncoming onslaught, Artemis immediately increases in size to tower over Shaitan’s ship, increasing the width of her walls so that the laser beams from Shaitan’s ship bounce off her without causing any damage.

  Shaitan circles around Artemis in his attempt to burn down the ship. Despite Artemis’ almost invincible shield, he manages to find a weak spot in her defences so that a beam of destructive energy gets through and hits Tiina on her back, so that she falls to her knees, stunned.

  Meanwhile, seeing the fight between Shaitan and Tiina, Garuda leads the remaining Bird People to her rescue. They fly in a thick flock, attacking Shaitan’s space ship from all sides.

  Garuda retreats, heading in a straight line for the sun high in the sky. When he has reached as far as he can go, he stays silent for a moment, folding his hands in a mark of respect to the Sun God. He then turns around and, folding his wings to his side, aims for Shaitan’s space ship below. The other Bird People part for him. His body becomes the equal of a missile as he gathers speed, hurtling towards his target. When he is moving so fast as to become a blur, he rushes past his fellow warrior and smashes into the side of Shaitan’s space ship, which shudders violently.

  Shaitan is blinded for a few minutes, unable to see where he is going. Seeing the opportunity, Artemis retreats, carrying the injured Tiina to safety.

  Garuda’s speed carries him through the ship’s defences, and he crashes into the main room of the space ship and lies there stunned and bleeding from many places.

  Shaitan recovers his composure in seconds. Pulling out his sword, he walks up to the unconscious Garuda and plunges it into his heart. He then pulls the inert body and, grunting with the effort, throws it out the same way Garuda had crashlanded inside his ship.

  Shaitan then charges up the walls of his space ship with laser energy, strong enough to burn many of the Bird People who are clinging to its sides. Those on his ship are burnt to cinders; the rest fall to the ground, their wings burning, and are torn up and eaten by the many giants in his army below.

  Seeing that he has lost the earlier space ship he had come after, Shaitan is in a fine temper. He proceeds to fire up all his remaining laser weapons. He kills many of his own soldiers, but also succeeds in wiping out most of the Boar People who are the outermost line of defence for Yudi’s army.

  Thus the fourth day ends with a standoff.

  “Shaitan will not be happy at only taking out the less important soldiers,” says Yudi. He looks at the injured Tiina, who has managed to make it to their usual evening gathering to discuss the strategy for the next day.

  Mimir agrees. “He will come after one of us tomorrow, and I’d rather it be m
e than you.”

  “But ...”Yudi begins to protest.

  Mimir silences him. “Listen to me,” he says. “It’s important to keep him distracted so that he can use up most of his energy before he gets to you.”

  “I don’t like it,” fumes Yudi, “I am not such a coward that first a woman,” he gestures to the wounded Tiina, “and then an old man,” he looks at Mimir, “take up the fight on my behalf.”

  “And I have the benefit of my powers of illusion, which is more than you,” smiles Mimir. He walks up to Yudi and pats him on his back. “You will have your chance, I promise you, but I ask ... I ask that when you and Shaitan come face to face, you don’t miss.”

  “How can I miss?” Yudi asks, incredulous.

  “I hope that seeing your own father face to face does not weaken you ...”

  “He is not my father ...”

  “No, he did not raise you.” agrees Mimir. “but you are born of him, like it or not ... and strange are the ways of the heart ... just remember, Yudi, what you are meant to do.”

  “I will not spare him,” says Yudi, his tone serious.

  Meanwhile, back at his camp, Shaitan is angry, and yet for the first time in his life he does not lose his temper. He sits with his lieutenants, drinking heavily from his wine. He is sure he will get to kill at least one of the more important leaders of the other side tomorrow. Somehow after years of winning, it seems the slight setbacks of the previous few days are almost a relief. I’ve missed the feeling of being challenged, he thinks. It feels good to think and plot as to how to get the better of this enemy.

  And somehow underlying it all is an eerie calm. Shaitan is not one to believe in destiny, and yet it feels that despite his best efforts he is being dragged slowly but surely towards an end. He shakes his head to clear the gloomy feeling which has crept up. Rising from his chair he dismisses his men and calls for one of the many beautiful women he keeps for his amusement. At least wine and women have never failed me so far, he thinks.

  Shaitan rises the next day, his head still blurry from the exertion of the night before. Once more he wears his battle armour over his customary vest and black leather trousers. Then, strapping his sword to his back, he steps out as his battle ship comes to a silent halt in front of him.

  In the opposite camp, Mimir gets into a battle ship which is a twin to Yudi’s. He is wearing his customary flowing white robes, the only difference is his sword strapped to his back. His silver beard glistens in the rising sun as he waves to Yudi and Tiina, before steering his spacecraft out to the head of the army. Accompanying him on either side, on their own smaller spacepods are two of the Buddhans each armed with their own swords.

  The remaining troops are formed mainly of the Kurmen bearing their weapons, the Paramen with their battleaxes, and the Varamen — the warrior dwarves with magic powers. All of them take their positions, sensing that the climax of the battle is almost upon them.

  Mimir and the two Buddhans ride out to the very front of the troops and as soon as the conch shells blare the start of battle for the day, he jumps ahead as if in a race heading straight for Shaitan’s ship. He is immediately surrounded by Shaitan’s giants, many of them leaping up into the air to get in his way and promptly struck back. Mimir and the two Buddhans initially use their power of illusions so that it seems as if there is wall of fire from the ground to the sky, coming at Shaitan’s troops. Many of them promptly drop their weapons and panic, running away, creating havoc among the rest.

  Mimir moves ahead at a swift pace, only to be met by more soldiers on smaller spacepods. In response once more Mimir and the Buddhans come up with a new illusion, this time of massive dragons that pounce on the soldiers from the skies, surrounding them with their fiery breath. It does not seem to faze them one bit and they drive straight through the images to continue coming at them.

  As they come closer Mimir realises that they are wearing super focus glasses with which they can see through illusions. Mimir realises that their illusionary powers will be useless against them. He signals to the other Buddhans and, as Shaitan’s fighters get closer, he ramps up the power of his force shields and, gathering all the power at their disposal, they throw their laser beams towards the soldiers. One of the spacepods catches fire and falls to the ground; however, the others are barely shaken and keep coming.

  This time Mimir lowers the glass panels to the side and aims his spacecraft at the closest enemy spacepod. When it comes close enough, he sends his craft on a collision course with the spacepod. As the two crash and fall burning to the ground, he takes to the air on a silver surf board thrown to him by one of the Varamen, the Boar People. Proceeding towards the next enemy spacepod, Mimir pulls out his sword and pauses to blow a magic spell over it, energising it so that the sword seems to shimmer in the air. Then, with an agility that belies his age, he jumps from the surf board to land right on top of the spacepod and plunges his sword right through the panelled exterior and into the giant seated at the helm. As the giant screams, Mimir pulls out his sword and, jumping back onto the silver surfing board, proceeds to the next one.

  He turns around and realises that his other fellow Buddhans have not been as lucky, for they are nowhere to be seen.

  He continues onto the next spacepod, and the next, in this fashion, both times killing the warrior driving the craft plunging them both to their deaths.

  Then as he pauses for breath, he looks up to see an entire array of spacepods filling his vision, at least hundred or more, coming at him. Meanwhile the Varamen — a few of the Boar People on their silver surf boards — have also caught up with him. The leader of the Boar People comes up to Mimir, riding parallel with him, and gestures that he and the rest of his team will follow him as they ride towards the enemy.

  Mimir nods, his face expressionless, and continues on his surf board towards the enemy crafts followed by about fifty of the Varamen — the Boar People. Shaitan’s soldiers on their far superior spacepods surround them. Mimir closes his eyes as one of them comes straight for him and, displacing him from his surf board, slams his sword through his chest.

  It is a sober crowd at Yudi’s camp that night. Yudi and Tiina, who is still recovering from her injury, are joined by the remaining seven Buddhans as well as the leaders of the Lion People and the Vamanen — the Dwarf People. As the night grows darker with no sign of Mimir or any of the Boar People, they accept that their worst fears have been realised. And then one of the Boar People limps back into camp, with stories of the old seer’s bravery. He relates how Mimir had managed to kill at least forty of the approaching giants in their spacepods before being finally killed.

  On hearing about the firsthand account of the death of his old guru, Yudi is deeply disturbed and very angry. “He should never have gone into war on his own,” he rages. “I should have been there.” He jumps to his feet and walks out of the tent into the open field with the fires from the other tents burning in the distance. He falls to his knees and pounds the dirt in frustration, tears running down his cheeks.

  Tiina limps outside and walks over to stand next to him. She wonders, helplessly, how to console him and then reaches out to him. His head is level with her chest and she hugs him close. Finally, wiping away his tears, Yudi gets to his feet. “I am going to get him,” he says in a low voice. “He will pay for everything he took away from me.”. Tiina does not reply as they both look up and gaze into the distance where the lights from Shaitan’s camp can be seen far away. Yudi holds out his hand to Tiina and then, supporting her, they walk back into the tent to confer with the other leaders on the best strategy for the next few days.

  The sixth day of the battle dawns quiet, the morning light moody. The troops on both sides are tired, the early excitement of the fight has worn off, and the death toll has risen on both sides, enough to sober the remaining into wishing the end was in sight so that they did not have to bury more friends and fellow warriors.

  Again, on the advice of the remaining Buddhans, Yudi holds back
, but barely. The leaders of the Lion People and the Vamanen — the Dwarf People — take charge, leading their respective troops. This time the Lion People lead the charge, ferocious in their approach, their loud roars reverberating through the enemy soldiers, striking further fear into their already tired spirits. Meanwhile the Dwarf people retreat to the side. While the Lion People keep Shaitan’s army occupied, they take on the shape of twenty feet tall giants and cross around swiftly, taking a wide curve around the fighting troops to come up against Shaitan’s army on the other side. They manage to set fire to the tents, laying waste to the arms storage, and many of them walk over the tents crushing the guards underfoot as they attack Shaitan’s troops from the rear.

  Shaitan himself has chosen to stay back, preserving his energy for the final battle, and is in his tent when the Dwarf People take his guards by surprise. As he comes out of his tent unarmoured, with his sword in his arm, two of the giants close in on him. As he looks up towards them for a moment Shaitan knows fear.

  Then one of them laughs. “So this is the brave Shaitan?”

  “I don’t know, he looks quite small and scared from up here, doesn’t he?” sneers the other.

  “Don’t worry, old man,” the first giant rumbles, “we will not kill you. We are just here to give you a message from Yudi.”

  “Tomorrow’s the day, Shaitan, prepare to meet your death,” says the other, and before Shaitan can react the giant reaches down and, plucking the sword from his hands, flings it away, its ruby glinting as it makes an arc through the air, vanishing in the distance. Then, laughing, the two of them move on leaving behind a stunned Shaitan.

  “Bring me back my sword,” he roars at the nearest soldier, who runs out in search of it.

  Shaitan spends a sleepless night wondering how he could have got it wrong. The encounter with the giants has shaken him more than he would care to admit. Many of his fiercest soldiers have fallen this day and he knows that tomorrow will be the day of reckoning. Much before dawn he wakes, his head clear. He looks up at the silver morning sky and knows that he will not have much help from the Gods today. Not when his own father, the Lord Shiva, had disowned him at birth.