Vayu was saddened by what he saw; he could not believe that so many females and young had died to protect what seemed like worthless old implements to him. Their actions made them more human than he could have ever imagined. He was filled with remorse at his own ruthlessness. He took a deep breath and sank down to his knees as he surveyed the carnage around him.
A slight sound made him turn in that direction and he saw something that filled his heart with pity. A young Pisacha was squeezing its way out through the corpses. Vayu lay down his sword and offered his hand, and the creature hesitantly took it. As it neared him, it tightened its grip on his hand and leapt for his neck. Before Vayu had an inkling of what had happened, the young Pisacha's razor-sharp teeth locked in his throat. He tried to scream but no sound came out.
Vayu grabbed the creature by its neck and tried to pull it away, but the Pisacha tightened its grip around his throat and severed his windpipe. Vayu tried to breathe, but the air would not reach his lungs. He coughed as warm blood began to fill into his chest cavity. He opened his eyes and saw the creature's face next to his own. Its malevolent red eyes were fixed on him as it waited for him to die. Vayu's grip around its neck slackened. As he struggled for breath, the little creature bent its head and eagerly began to feed.
***
Soma was the last of them to make it out of the pool. The loss of blood from his torn ear had weakened him considerably. His vision was blurred and he floundered about in the pool as he looked for a tunnel to swim to. Just then, he heard Indra's battle cry. It was very close, and reassured, he swam in that direction.
As he dragged himself onto the beach, Soma found it hard to even stand straight. He used his sword to prop himself up and staggered to his knees. As he looked up, he saw a group of Pisacha advance towards him menacingly. Soma waited; he saw their red eyes stare down at him. Two of the creatures stepped forward, crouching as they readied to pounce. He focused on a point a span's length below the line of their eyes and tightened his grip on the sword.
As the two creatures sprang, he swung the sword. The blow had all his weight behind it and was on target as it cleanly cut through the neck of first one and then the other. The two Pisacha were dead before they hit the ground.
Soma fell to one side with the effort. The force of the blow had wrenched the sword from his grasp and it now lay in the sand close by. The other creatures were more circumspect now as they fanned out in a semi-circle and approached him. As he drew his dagger and waited, Soma was sure he would not survive the next attack. He promised himself that he would take as many of them with him as he could.
The attack did not materialise. A surprised Soma watched the group of Pisachas turn away from him at the last minute and rush off. As he looked up with relief to see where the creatures were going, he saw Indra. The Deva prince was standing on a flat rock as scores of the creatures attacked him from all directions. His sword was a blur in his hand as he swung, pirouetted and danced his way through the throng, dealing death and destruction. Soma suddenly felt blackness descend over him and he dropped to the sand, unconsciousness.
When he came to his senses, he saw Indra still on the rock, sword in hand. Around him lay piled the bodies of the dead Pisacha. Soma was so weak he could barely raise his head; he called out to his friend in a weak voice.
***
Indra woke as if from a trance as he heard a faint voice call his name. He made his way through the pile of corpses and found Soma lying close to the water. He rushed to him and took his head in his lap; it was sticky and wet--and still. Indra saw that the pale sand around him was dark with blood. His friend had bled to death.
Indra held Soma's body close to him and wept. He called out to the others, but there was no reply. He had a sinking feeling that they had suffered the same fate. He could not believe how grossly he had underestimated the Pisacha. He had assumed they were dealing with mindless, savage beasts, and the Pisachas had been anything but that. They had worked like an organised army led by an astute general.
They had learnt quickly from their first defeat and planned their next ambush to perfection. Their second attack had split the Falcons, thus preventing them from functioning as a unit. Once they were alone, the creatures had used their superior numbers to good effect and picked them off one by one. Yet through the battle, Indra had seen no sign of their leader.
Just then, he heard a voice in his head. It was the same one from the forest that had initially warned them to keep away.
'Greetings, lord of the Devas. You have won a hard-fought victory. Now step forward and collect your prize.'
He understood now--the Pisacha leader had used telepathy to communicate with his troops, much the same way he was communicating with Indra now.
Indra spoke softly, but there was no mistaking the deadly intent in his voice. 'Do not mock me, man, beast or whatever else you may be. The only prize I want now is your head and I'm coming to get it.'
Indra stood up; the battle with the Pisachas had taken a toll on his body. The flesh on his shoulders and back had been ripped to the bone in many places. The pain however, did not distract him; it only fuelled his rage as he ran for the tunnel.
***
Uruk, lord of the Pisachas, sat on a huge rock, his eyes closed in deep meditation. The cavern in which he sat was made up entirely of quartz. Moonlight entered it from a hole in its ceiling and fell on him. His pale body shone and the light from it reflected off the crystal walls and ceiling and gave the whole chamber an eerie glow.
Indra entered the crystal cavern after a long and arduous climb through the tunnel. His mind and body had been pushed way beyond the limits of their endurance. Only one thought drove him now, the desire for revenge. He raised his sword and advanced towards Uruk.
The lord of the Pisachas stood up and folded his hands in supplication. 'I, Uruk, chief of the Pisacha tribe, thank you, my lord, on behalf of my people for freeing them from this vile existence. I regret that I cannot give you the pleasure of taking my life, for I wronged a power far greater than you or I. It is to that power I must now submit myself.'
He spread his arms wide and raised his head to the light. Just then, a shadow passed over the moon and threw the room in darkness. Then, as Indra watched astounded, a bright yellow light entered the cavern and fell on the rock.
Uruk's body burst into flames and was entirely consumed within moments. Indra saw that not even ashes remained of his adversary. The beam of light now moved slowly across the floor towards him.
Indra stood still, sword in hand. He had no idea how he was going to fight this mysterious force, but he was not going to turn tail and run. If this was to be his end, he was ready to face it. The beam of light hit him and Indra felt a gentle warmth envelop his body. The pain that had been coursing through his body was gone, replaced by a sense of calm. His eyelids grew heavy with sleep. He shut his eyes and felt himself being lifted out of the cavern, through the beam of light, before he lost consciousness.
***
As he came to his senses, Indra felt himself being transported through a vortex at a speed way beyond what his senses could comprehend. Vivid images flashed before his eyes: he saw two giant landmasses collide with each other and the earth begin to fold upwards towards the heavens, towards him. Indra watched in amazement as, from the giant fold that had formed across the land, molten lava began to ooze. He was witnessing the birth of a mountain range, the most magnificent the world had ever seen. Then snow began to fall, and he saw it cover the peaks of the mountains. The images began to speed around him and soon they were moving at a hypersonic pace. He began to lose consciousness again.
When he awoke, he found himself suspended in space, among the stars. He looked around and saw his companions naked as the day they were born. Soma was there, his ear intact, his face as beautiful and radiant as ever. They all seemed to be staring upwards in a deep state of trance. Indra looked at his own body, astounded. His wounds, even old scars, had all disappeared. It was as if he had been
reborn.
He tried to sit up and found he could do so easily. It was then that he noticed that they were all slowly circling a giant pillar of light, brighter than a thousand suns. As he looked up and down, it did not seem to have a beginning or an end. For all its brightness, it seemed to give off only a warm, comforting glow that made their bodies shine like gold.
Then from the pillar, right before his eyes, creatures began to emerge, human in shape, but with no physical form. They seemed to be made up entirely of light. As one of them approached Indra, he noticed the face; it wore a gentle, benevolent expression. Within its body, Indra could see tubes of light in multiple hues crisscross through it like veins and arteries. As he gazed into the creature's deep, dark eyes, he felt all his fears and misgivings disappear. A great sense of calm engulfed Indra and he surrendered to it.
The creature reached out its hand towards him and touched him in the centre of his forehead, between his eyes, with its index finger. Indra felt an incredible surge of energy through his body, he heard himself cry out like a newborn child, and then there was nothing.
***
Mitra shivered as a cold draught of wind hit him, almost putting out the campfire. There was a dull ache in his head, something he had not experienced in years. It was their third night in the vast southern plains. Mitra had spent the last couple of them awake, casting his awareness out into the vast openness. He'd tried to pick up traces of the auras of his boys, but had found none. The exercise had weakened his body and mind considerably, which explained the headache.
Mitra knew the only remedy was rest and meditation, but he had time for neither. The situation had started to worry him. Where could they have disappeared? He had stayed close to the river, as he knew Indra would have done the same. But had Indra been in a position to make that choice? It baffled Mitra, how they had just disappeared. He decided to relax and make another attempt before dawn. It would make the coming day very hard on his body, but he did not care.
Paras woke up at daybreak to the sound of laughter. He was amazed to see the sage chuckling away to himself. Looking out into the rising sun, Mitra said, 'I have found them.'
***
Indra opened his eyes and found himself beside a pool of water. The walls of the cavern he was in were covered with a green glow. He looked around and saw that the others were awake. Like him, they had no idea how they had got there. The only way out was a dark tunnel behind them. They gathered their weapons and torches and made their way out.
The Falcons walked in silence, unable to find the words for what they had all experienced. Of one thing they were sure: it had not been a dream. Indra could sense a certain vibration in the pit of his stomach, a low rumble that he could feel but not hear. Suddenly Soma's voice broke the abnormally long silence.
'Can you'll feel that thing in your stomach?'
One by one all of them admitted to it. Any further discussion on the matter was curtailed as Indra, who was leading the way, spotted daylight ahead. With a huge sigh of relief they increased their pace.
They stepped out of the cave and stood in the light of the early morning sun that was breaking through the thick fog around them. In unison, they looked up to the heavens. They felt the vibration become stronger. Then it started to move upwards through their body. Through the abdomen, chest and throat, into their heads. They felt it burst out through the top of their heads like a volcano. The fog began to lift and bright sunshine hit the floor of the valley for the first time. Their horses saw them and whinnied with joy. On the floor of the valley, bright little flowers started to bloom, their faces turned towards the sun. Butterflies appeared, and bees and dragonflies. It was as if the forest had started to come alive again.
As they made their way through the forest, they suddenly saw a dark cloud in the sky; it seemed to descend towards them at great speed. As it neared them, they realised what it was. Thousands of birds were returning to roost in the Forest of Cedars. Soon the canopy was filled with birdsong.
They camped that night in the forest and by mid-day found themselves on the eastern border of Aryavarta. There they found Mitra and Paras waiting for them. The two had ridden day and night to rendezvous with them. The reunion with their teacher was a warm and joyous one for the Falcons.
As Paras brought them up-to-date with the situation in Aryavarta, the sage studied his boys, amazed to see the change in them, particularly Indra. There was a calm and self-assured way about him now. The boy he had left behind a couple of months ago was now a man.
Indra listened to everything they had to say, and then laid down his future course of action.
8
Paras rode ahead and arrived at the settlement well before noon. It was the day of the weekly market and the square outside the Sabha bustled with activity. Paras stood on the steps of the hall and called out in a loud, clear voice.
'Citizens of Aryavarta, I bring to you a message from Indra, son of Daeyus. He is on his way to claim his birthright, the throne of Aryavarta. Any citizen who has an objection will be given a chance to state his case today. Let the Sabha be convened.'
Paras was pleased to note the great cheer and enthusiasm with which his words were received. The months of absence had in no way diminished Indra's popularity among the common folk. He slipped away in the ensuing confusion and awaited the arrival of his new king.
As he rode towards the Sabha, Indra was delighted to see the citizens of Aryavarta gathered in the streets to greet him and follow him to the hall. The members of the Sabha had assembled outside in full strength, eagerly awaiting his arrival. Mitra was pleased to note that the regent was genuinely happy to see the prince safe and well.
As he alighted at the steps of the hall, Indra heard a sharp voice cry out, 'Seize him! He is a murderer and an outlaw.'
He turned to see Pusan and his Lion Dal, armed to the teeth, make their way towards him. Atreya was conspicuous by his absence. The Falcons drew their swords and formed a protective circle around their leader.
Vasu was quick to spot the imminent danger and he called out in his authoritarian voice, 'Stand down, Pusan. Prince Indra has to be given a chance to prove his innocence. I order you'll to surrender your weapons and submit to the authority of this Sabha.'
At a quick nod from Indra, the Falcons relinquished their weapons. A furious Pusan and his cohorts did the same.
Though Vasu was happy to give Indra the floor of the house to present his defence, he was sceptical as to how successful the young man would be. His companions were co-accused, so their statements would not be admissible.
Indra stood in the well of the house and the members leaned in, eager to hear what he had to say.
'My dear citizens, I, Indra, son of Daeyus, stand before you accused of murder. I have only this to say in my defence: the man I killed insulted the memory of my dead father. I only did my duty as a son to restore his honour.'
Pusan stood up.
'Bold words, but worthless, without any proof. You and your companions were found near Nira's Tavern. Fearing arrest, you killed one of the guards while he tried to discharge his duty. The other guards can substantiate this charge. Do you and the co-accused have anybody who can speak for you?'
Indra bowed respectfully to Pusan.
'Yes, I have a witness who will corroborate my statement. He was present when the event occurred and he does not stand accused. I call on Atreya of the Lion Dal.'
There was a gasp around the hall at this totally unexpected turn of events. Pusan watched in shock as Atreya, dressed as a common citizen, took the floor. The brave young Lion looked straight at a livid Pusan as he gave his statement as to the events that occurred that fateful morning. Atreya's testimony was enough to convince the members of Indra's innocence. Vasu wasted no time in delivering the verdict: 'Not guilty!'
The news was greeted with roars of approval outside where the entire populace of the settlement, citizens and slaves, had gathered in the square, anxious to hear what the verdict of the Sabha wou
ld be.
Indra now stood up to address the Sabha.
'My lord regent and members of the Sabha, I, Indra, son of Daeyus, am here to claim my birthright to lead the Devas as their rightful king. If anybody has just cause to object, let them do so now.'
He looked towards Pusan with a smile. A furious Pusan faced Indra squarely as he spoke. 'I, Pusan, son of Vasu and Madri, challenge your right to lead our tribe. We who carry the bloodline of the Arya Kasyapa cannot allow ourselves to be ruled by the illegitimate son of a demon.'
A hush fell on the audience; to question the legitimacy of a man of noble birth was an insult that could only be avenged with blood. All eyes were on Indra as they awaited his next move.
Indra pretended to be shocked at Pusan's statement. 'My lord! I am dismayed by your allegation. You leave me no choice but to challenge you . . .'
Pusan could not hide his smugness; he did not even wait for Indra to finish. He thought he had him exactly where he wanted him. After all, he was older, stronger and definitely more experienced in the art of combat.
'I accept. Choose your weapon and the time. I will teach you a lesson you will not forget.'
Mitra watched Indra carefully; although his ward's face did not betray his emotions, he caught a triumphant glint in those blue eyes. Suddenly he was not sure who had trapped whom into this duel.
Indra bowed slightly to Pusan. 'With your permission, I was hoping we could settle this the old-fashioned way.'
Vasu noted how he paused for dramatic effect. Indra had grown up in the short time that he'd been away. He already carried himself like a king. Everyone in the Sabha leaned in, eager to hear what Indra would say next. His words were spoken loud and clear:
'I challenge you to a Dvanda.'
A hush greeted these words, followed by cries of protest from those who fully grasped its meaning. Vasu and a few of the older soldiers were out of their seats as they made their disapproval very clear. Pusan's smile faded a little. He suddenly found himself questioning Indra's sanity. Pusan knew what a Dvanda was; to agree to it against a mad man would be suicidal.
Rajiv Menon -- ThunderGod Page 16