part0063

Amidst the thick, misty night where the chilliness froze Vedanta’s bones, he waited. Indragarh, in the aftermath of the torrential downpour, often became climatically hostile for its residents.

He hated the meetings outside of his fort, in the middle of the night, right where the main membrane of the city was. It was dangerous out there, for Vedanta. His lungs felt polluted. But it wasn’t just the olfactory senses that were the mediums of his ill-health; it was also his enemies that lurked in the shadows. Walls bled with their names. He was still revered as the king, but his adversaries were many; especially since the outrageous pact he had signed at the behest of Kali.

Assassinations had been fairly common earlier, but now Kuvera had promised him, no one would harm him if he worked with Kuvera. He’d make sure that his entry in the middle of his city would be safe. Just to make sure though, he had been asked not to bring many men and to disguise any guards as civilians.

But tonight the lanes were isolated. The guards stood some distance away, making sure no one attacked Vedanta. There were archers over the buildings, aiming at any possible threat.

One had to be careful, Vedanta thought.

Tonight, Vedanta was supposed to meet the Yaksha king close to the tailor’s shop. And only one was there to the north of Indragarh. It was a cleaner side of the city, where only the rich and noble walked. The peasants who had migrated from their villages would work in either west or east, though preferably west, where most of the fishing, exporting and mercantile activities were based.

Vedanta couldn’t believe he would partner with Kuvera. Seemingly odd as a team, but that was exactly what Kuvera wanted—an odd pair that’d be above suspicion. No one would look at them and believe that a Tribal and a Manav could ever work together.

And that is exactly what Vedanta had thought initially. He didn’t like the prospect of working with Kuvera, but the Yaksha king had allowed himself in one day, in his fort, demanding his presence.

“I know you are suffocated, my lord.” There was a thinness to his voice, unlike the others, who roared as they spoke. He had a rhythm with his words, his bald-egg-like head, with the weird mongoose curled up around him. Whenever Vedanta would even come close, the mongoose would snarl and then Kuvera would have to pet it. “You don’t like the rules and believe it or not, I don’t either. You see, I’m just a mere investor in Kali’s expeditions. These aren’t mine. In fact, I was very prejudicial about attacking you, but Kali forced me into it.”

Vedanta had listened calmly, not believing a word, but he had to congratulate the man for his ingenious way of telling lies. Spiteful lies, indeed. But he didn’t care for he had known why Kuvera had come to him in the first place.

“I thought to be an investor had its benefits,” Vedanta spat.

Kuvera had a pallid and drawn face. “Indeed, and I am admitting that. But you must realise a man has needs. A place where I come from, Alak, the city of gold…” he trailed off.

Vedanta nodded. He had heard about the central city. For some, it had been mythical, where the Gods had tossed their riches before departing from Illavarti. But Vedanta largely regarded these stories as mythical.

“It was a treasury for the Gods,” Kuvera had smiled, “just something our city is proud of. But let us be honest. Gods were humans with a large following of fanatics around them, who made them kings of religion. We had a lot of people vouching for our treasury, the biggest one there is, mind you. We have worked very hard to conjure all the money in there; it’s considered the bank of Illavarti if I’m not being too bombastic in my own estimates.”

Not bombastic at all, Vedanta gritted his teeth.

“But that is just the background of my story. My reality is I was given the name of Kuvera after the God of Treasure—Kuber, or in our native language, Kuver. My father thought it would suit me best, for I was born in riches and rightfully would die in it as well.”

Vedanta had waited for the truth to be laid out, but the man didn’t speak properly. He kept circling around the main topic.

“Kali had come to me for monetary help. More so, it was about buying mercenary armies comprising of the Rakshas, the Nagas and the Yakshas. Moreover he insisted on my personal presence. He had a proposal and I thought that it would be best to help him in the plan, and come here, to tell my plan to you.”

“And what would that be?” Vedanta had been growing restless. “I demand an answer.”

“And the answer shall be given,” Kuvera slyly chided. “I don’t just like to be an investor in a man’s quest for world domination. In fact, I don’t even believe in it. Getting kingdoms together that had been dispersed after the Mahayudh was a tough job that Kali had embarked on, but it is time to be lead by someone else now.”

Vedanta had known the answer to that. “And let me foretell, that someone will be you.”

“Oh no, my lord,” Kuvera had smiled benignly. “It’s you.”

“Yes.” he smiled. “But at a cost, of course.”

Here it came. Kuvera might be able to butter him with praises and false platitudes, but he had an ulterior motive. Vedanta could see right through it but he spoke no word. He waited, for patience is a virtue.

“It would be just the two of us.”

“And what benefit will you provide me if I do this?” Vedanta narrowed his eyes.

“Riches and trade. Alak is prosperous, mind you and once I take over the Rakshas territory and the Naga lands, I’ll extend more of it towards you.”

“Hold on, you want to take over? How would you do that?” Alak might be the richest city in Illavarti, but it was ridden with an outmoded armoury.

“And that’s where you come in. You give me the people. I give you the money.”

“How do you plan to take over the territories?”

Kuvera had scanned the room until he found a potted plant in Vedanta’s study. He was a plant enthusiast, having varieties of it back in Alak.

Kuvera pulled out the flower.

“HOW DARE YOU?” roared Vedanta.

“Just like this,” he grinned. “Cut them from their roots. The territories belong to the leaders and if there are no leaders, there is no territory to be ruled over.”

Vedanta had thought for a moment. The idea wasn’t bad at all.

“What about Kali?”

“He’s just a clay figure that needs to be shaped according to our needs and if he begins to create problems, we will squash him to the ground,” he grinned.

Vedanta had understood the plan. He would give the army in exchange for money. They would kill all the other Tribal Lords, even Kali if it came down to it.

“You get so many territories, what about me?”

“I thought you didn’t want to mingle with the Tribal affairs. What sort of reputation would that be? After all, the plan I dictated, would lead you to get back all the kingdoms that Kali controls. Indragarh will be yours again and not puppet-ruled by you.”

The very image of him getting all of that back was tempting.

Vedanta had stood up. “No. What guarantee is there that you’ll not backstab me, if we even succeed in this outrageous plan?”

“Am I not trustworthy?” he had smiled.

Vedanta’s thought process came to the present. He wasn’t trustworthy sure, but he was useful. Once he was back on track, he would kill Kuvera as well. It wasn’t much of a problem for him. It was horrible though, on the other hand, working with the Tribal, going against his own morals and judgments, but he had to make a friend out of an enemy to dissipate the other bitter enemies. Thus, they were first going for Vasuki. Vedanta had used his influence over the commoners to trap Vasuki’s right-hand man.

At present, the shadows appeared in front of him. They were the Yakshas, short in size, but quite efficient, with long bows and daggers dangling from their belt. Kuvera entered shortly. He had been feeding his mongoose, Vedanta realised, eyes.

“Took care of a few men today.” He tossed the eye to the mongoose.

Kuvera scanned his environment. “Remind me again to never call you here, henceforth.”

“Who were you taking care of ?” Vedanta asked.

“Uh, just some fellow Nagas.”

“Naga? What if Vasuki…”

“Ah, don’t worry,” he shook his head, “they are not my problem. I got rid of them, and Vasuki wouldn’t even know he lost two of his men.”

“Why did you do it?”

“I called you here for that only, my lord. We are in jeopardy, for Kali has another enemy.”

“Enemy?” Vedanta mused.

“Oh yes, he left his fort and had an assassination attempted on him by none other than a Naga. Hence I had to torture their ilk to figure out who could be behind the attack.”

“Couldn’t it be Vasuki?”

“It was too stupid for Vasuki to send his own man. He would hire someone on a mercenary basis, from another tribe. Oh, this person is clever, whoever it is. He wanted the blame to be on the Naga Tribe. You think it could be his own supporters trying to go against him?”

Vedanta nodded. “Where is Kali now?”

“Probably on his deathbed,” he said. “But fear not, his sister has brought some medicine from one of your villages.”

Vedanta’s feet stilled. “What village?”

Vedanta shook his head. “How dare she go behind my back?” Kuvera patted Vedanta on his shoulder. “Calm down, my lord.

The last thing you want is to enrage Kali. He’ll be fine soon enough and he’ll take control. After all, the power over the villages was given to his sister and you signed on it, remember? Poor you, but we might use it as an advantage in this case.”