Kalki had checked everywhere. The village was shattered, the huts were destroyed, and most were ransacked. Even though Durukti wanted no more destruction, the Rakshas had sought for it. They showed they listened, but did they really? It was almost sad as Kalki saw his friends, his mother’s friends, sprawled across the field where once greenery used to blossom. He watched the dilapidated chariot which he had brought from the city. It was in partial ruins, the wheels missing. In the west, he saw Lyla’s dead body, surrounded by a retinue of other bodies. And it was over. All the grand plans he had made had come to nothing but futility. He had lost so much and it had deepened his senses and caused him to go into a void of guilt.
Kalki began to trudge downwards with the horse. He wasn’t a trained horseman so it took him time to even go down the slope, where there were more huts. With a deep sigh, he went down, staggering, until he saw the isolated huts, where a few more bodies were lying sprawled. The sound of the birds was now replaced by the angry audible grunts.
He knew where the sounds were coming from, but who were they?
He stopped his horse and got off. With a battle axe on his side, he began to move, crouching slightly until he saw that in the midst of the huts, there was Roshan Mitra. His eyes lifelessly watching Kalki now, as he had been pulled out to the hut’s entrance, with a message written in blood, in the Rakshasi language.
What kind of creatures would do such a thing to anyone?
“LAKSHMI!” he yelled, hoping to hear her reply. He wasn’t afraid anymore, since it was no use being afraid. Even if he would die, it’d not matter. He felt dead from inside. He yelled again. There was a feeling in his chest that made him realise she must have left for the caves. But did it make any sense? He wondered. She was supposed to be here and for all he knew, she would stay, even if it meant sacrificing her own life.
No.
Kalki yelled Lakshmi’s name again.
But this time, he heard something.
“KALK…” and her voice trailed off.
Kalki began to instantly run towards the direction of the sound, his fingers sweating around the axe. No matter what peril she was in, he’d make sure she was safe. Kalki came forward and finally witnessed the sight. There were three Rakshas around her and she was being dragged on the ground by them. She was being pulled by her long hair. One had forcibly held her legs together.
The Rakshas saw each other and then looked at Kalki, dumbfounded.
Blazing with wrath, Kalki came forward, his steps trampling the ground, mud spilling around him, and his mouth tasting dry. His feet picked up speed. The Rakshas armed themselves, afraid, for they never thought they would witness someone like this. In the shadows of the sun, Kalki’s skin was glimmering darkly. His eyes were of different colours. The Rakshas came forward, one of them with a spear. He threw the javelin across at Kalki.
But Kalki’s hand came before it, deflecting it. He turned towards the Rakshas and plunged it inside the Rakshas. With the Rakshas on the other end, he pulled him up, impaling him. He pushed the spear into the ground. The other two Rakshas just watched the sight.
But Kalki didn’t have to do anything because Lakshmi immediately came to her feet, and knocked the Rakshas with a rock. Kalki flung an axe to her, which she caught by the handle. With the axe in her hands, Lakshmi ripped apart a Rakshas’ throat and it was a filthy sight for him, as the blood began to spill over the Rakshas’ dark chest. He fell down, lifeless.
Kalki watched Lakshmi. They shared a moment of quietness. At least, he could save someone. He reached out to her, bidding his feet to move faster so that he could finally embrace her.
But he was too slow.
His eyes darted over to the shadow that crossed Lakshmi. It was the Rakshas she had hit with the rock. He had a spear in his hand and he plunged it deep inside Lakshmi’s chest. With a wavering smile, she sank on the ground, her head falling flat on the grounds of the village she had a love-hate relationship with.
He couldn’t even breathe for a moment witnessing what just happened. Everything spiralled around him, but he knew he still had to save her. He didn’t use any weapon, instead, he pounced at the murderous Rakshas, tossing him over, making him fall and beating him until the Rakshas spilled its filthy blood out. The Rakshas didn’t go out without a struggle. With strong arms, he pushed him back. Kalki felt an impact, but he tried his best to stand up. He stormed at the Rakshas and knocked him at the back. The Rakshas fell again, but he used his strength to turn him over.
“You can’t get me,” the Rakshas snarled.
Kalki tried to break the lock as much as he could, but the Rakshas, twice his size, was stronger. He grabbed for the mud that surrounded them and tossed it over at the Rakshas’ face. That led to the Rakshas yelling in agony, for the dirt had entered his eyes. Kalki used force and kicked him hard, continuously. He plunged the axe that had fallen away from Lakshmi’s hand inside the Rakshas’ skull. Blood sprayed it over his face and he wiped it. He had killed it, but no…
He began to scamper over Lakshmi. The first thing he did was pull out the spear. All the moments that he had spent with her, right from the childhood to the times when he had saved her so many times, he started seeing in flashes. He was extremely happy the day she had come back, the time he protected her from the crocodile, the times he went to Indragarh and got himself into trouble and the time he was about to kiss her but was interrupted by Shuko. And yet at this moment, there was no one to disturb them, when they most needed the medical supplies.
There was no one.
Lakshmi was still in her senses. Her eyes were getting glassy, but were still conscious. Kalki grabbed her by the chest, his arms curving over her back. She was hurt and wounded and she was coughing up blood.
No. This can’t be happening.
“It’s all right, all right, fine, we have gone through worse, and we will do it, all right?” He was repeating words frantically. “All right, no please, don’t die on me.” He hugged her, kissed her on the head and tried to hold her tight.
“I’m s-sorry…” she breathed. “I’ve let people down,” her voice was coming weakly. “I should have made more effort in trying to find why you are the w-w-way you are.”
“I know about it now. I was meaning to tell you, Lakshmi.” He was tearing up, hot burning rivulets coursing down his cheeks. “I am supposed to be some kind of a saviour.”
“Saviour?” A soft smile dancing on her lips. “You?”
He chuckled. “I know, right?”
“I don’t think they got that right.”
“I know.” Kalki clenched his jaw, his smile disappearing. “Let’s go.”
“No, please.” She stopped him, her pale hands lightly touching his chest, “Don’t do it to yourself. I am…uh…” she moaned, “I’m a little beyond the saving stage.”
Kalki contorted his face, his eyes struggling hard not to tear up.
“But don’t let this make you think that you aren’t fit to be the people’s saviour,” she said, “because I’ve read somewhere.”
“From all the stupid books?” he struggled with a smile.
“Yes, from all the stupid books,” she smiled, “and I had read that heroes are born out of tragedies.”
“I don’t want to be a hero if I have to go through this tragedy. I just want to be a boy who loves a girl,” he clutched her hard, “a boy from Shambala with no care in the world. I just wanted to grow up like that.”
Slowly her hand reached his cheek. “Kalki, we both know that isn’t going to happen anymore.”
Kalki nodded. But he couldn’t believe he had lost everything with his one decision. At this moment, he regretted everything about his life. In fact, he was angry at himself for being the Avatar.
“Kiss me,” she said, “with no disturbance this time.” She smiled.
Kalki nodded. And he did. He kissed her as softly as he could, their tears slowly mingling with each other. That was when he realized her lips had gone still and cold. And as he looked down, she saw her eyes were closed.
She was gone.
Kalki’s chest heaved. And he yelled, letting all the jackals and the sheep hear him. He yelled so loud that even the birds left their nests. And he yelled loud enough to let his enemies know that he was coming for them.
