part0032

Arjan had grabbed all the twigs he could break from the trees as he moved to the centre where Bala had been scraping the land, digging what was left of the ground. He had a shovel he brought from his hut.

The morning had come by and all three hadn’t slept one wink. Arjan wasn’t tired, for his plan was in the process of materialising. Arjan dropped the twigs inside the dump.

“What do you plan to do with that, mate? Have a fire pit? That’s a bad idea since Keshav’s party will know about it. The smell of fire is more fragrant than the smell of…well anything,” he stifled a laugh.

But Arjan didn’t mind at all for his ears were immune to Kripa’s insults and taunts. He took two stones and began to rub them together, for he hadn’t brought the fire lamps with him. And going back to the village would only cause a delay in executing their plan. He began to rub it faster, the rocks creating a spark or two until dying down again. With the leaves, he tried to rub the rock on that, and create energy—he had learnt it at the Gurukul. He instantly saw sparks flying. He rubbed vigorously and eventually, a fire was created. With an utter exclamation of joy, he threw the burning leaves inside the pit. He began to give air to the fire to grow.

“You did it, shall we go back now?” Kripa asked.

Arjan turned back. “Time to have fun,” He walked to the nine feet log while Bala followed him. The logs had been tied to the tree at one end, stuck to its trunk. The rope it was tied with was long and thick, and would go far if thrown in the right direction.

“Go to the opposite end and wait for my command.”

Bala nodded and began to wander to the side with his bulky body avoiding the wet mud. The land in between the two trees was a little curved.

“What do you plan to do with those now?”

“Now it’s your turn.”

“Turn? What turn?”

“Go down, in the middle and call out Keshav.”

“Are you kidding me, mate?”

“Because my hands are full if you can see.”

“Bala has more chance of survival if you lose. I can push a log all by myself and I’m good at pushing logs, the very best I tell you. Please let me push the damn logs.”

“Yeah about that, no,” Arjan shook his head. He was having fun with all of this, finally getting back at him for so many pessimistic remarks. “You’ll be safe. Just dodge the logs in time.”

“Dodge the logs…” his voice quivered.

“Go now before it turns more dangerous than it already is.”

“What do I have to do?”

Arjan thought for a while. “Do your thing,” was what he could come up with in the most succinct manner possible.

Meekly Kripa walked over, sliding down the land. Arjan noticed it was visible from there. If Arjan could aim well, they would be able to hit a bunch of Mlecchas at one go.

“Hello there! Is anyone there? Anyone? I happen to realise I can find Keshav here. Is anyone there?” Kripa called with his usual drunken swagger.

Anticipation began to tighten Arjan’s muscles as he pulled back the logs. He signalled Bala to do the same. They had stretched it far, hoping someone would come.

Kripa looked up at Arjan; he was almost glad no one appeared in front of him. He shrugged. Arjan gave a shush signal and told him to wait wordlessly.

That was when the forest shuddered. Kripa turned away from Arjan to his front. Out of the forest appeared Keshav with his three men. At the clearing, Arjan could notice how stocky Keshav was in comparison to the others, but he was deadly, with his sharp nose and cleft chin.

“What do you want?”

“Oh hello if it isn’t the great Keshav Nand himself!”

Keshav looked at him for a while as if trying to understand the fool. “Kill him,” he told his men.

The two men came forward with the curved blades.

“Now we can settle this like civilized people.”

They still came forward.

Two was less, according to Arjan, but he had to do it. He looked up at Bala as the two of them began to come to the target zone. Casually Kripa moved back and he nodded at Arjan surreptitiously. Arjan nodded at Bala and when his fingers began to slip, he realized he was about to kill someone. The very idea of it haunted him, but he had to do it. I have to, for my father.

And that was when a sharp pain went through his arm. His eyes manoeuvred to the site of pain and he found an arrow seared in his arm as it began to bleed profusely. From the back, he saw two Mlecchas appearing. Arjan saw Bala had two arrows in his own back.

Arjan with his own mighty effort, pushed the log horizontally, the rope tightening in the process. The two guards looked at the side, where the log squeezed them in between, their bones cracking.

Arjan pulled out his arrow as he saw the Mlecchas smirking. The pain intensified when he had withdrawn the arrow, for it had sunken deep into his flesh and now he could see how his muscle was responding to it. His hand covered the gash.

He thought he had won by killing two outcasts, but he was wrong. Those were just baits to distract Arjan and Bala. They are ready to make their own people baits. What monsters are they?