Arjan drank a little bit of wine for the first time, calming his senses, watching the shadows from the fire torches over the ceiling. Arjan blinked twice, realizing that the pedestal he sat on, in the room, shook a little. He turned comfortably only to find Kalki had woken up from his slumber, slowly getting up. Setting his wine on the side, Arjan came to help him as Kalki held onto his ribs. He had grown so mature, so fast. Kalki had a thick beard, growing like wild weed over his face, eyes that were tired and hair that had grown scraggly. He had scars all across his body; lashes and red welts from the flogging.

It felt like yesterday that they were sitting at the farm, looking at the dipping sun, joking and elbowing each other, telling stories. They were brothers, separated by blood but joined by love. Shambala was a farfetched dream and he wished he could return, but Arjan knew it was over, for now at least. His mother was at the temple, and Arjan had written a note to her, telling her they were fine. But he didn’t let her know where they were, otherwise she would be worried. Arjan was the last person to lie to his parents, but he had to. Circumstances were forcing his hand in this matter.

It’s always what you never expect. It’s always the innocent who has to take the fall in front of evil; the innocent who is spurred on to try and wage a war against the evil. A man born in riches can be corrupted easily. Humility is what makes a hero.

“I’m all right,” said Kalki.

“You don’t look quite right.”

“Is that wine I smell?” he asked gruffly.

Arjan flustered, moving back. “I…uh…”

“Can I have some as well?”

Arjan laughed and poured some for him. Kalki took it in his hand, shivering, gulped it one go and returned the goblet to Arjan.

“Lakshmi always tended to…uh… me,” Kalki said, not looking up, but down at his palms that had roughened through time. “I can’t forget accept that she’s dead.” He paused. “But then, Ma had said, just because they are dead doesn’t mean they are not around.” He smiled at the thought.

Arjan patted his older brother’s head, as he sat on the opposite side, staring at the fine man he had become. “I have to admit you have grown. In more ways than one.”

“Says who?” Kalki smirked. “You out of all people shouldn’t say this. Carrying a flying chariot over a trial.”

“That was Kripacharya’s idea.”

“He’s a…mysterious man.”Kalki turned his head and watched Kripa, who was snoring at the doorstep, close to the corridor.

Arjan bit his lips before he continued, “I should say this, but I fear. I am perhaps getting a bit too paranoid.”

“First instincts never lie,” Kalki said.

“All right,” Arjan nodded. “I met a Mleccha.” There was a shift in Kalki’s eyes, so he continued. “He told me that an old man was trying to goad them to attack Shambala.”

“Old man? You think Kripa hired a bunch of men to kill my father?”

“Perhaps. Or just kidnap. Killing happened out of necessity perhaps.” Arjan couldn’t believe he was accusing a man who had helped in saving his brother.

Kalki remained impassive. “It’s uncertain. There is no proof. Can the man identify Kripa?”

“He’s dead, trying to save us.”

Kalki laughed at the irony. Arjan did too. It was a pathetic scoffing sound, ringing in the room. The world was full of irony and insecurities. “We can only trust each other, perhaps.”

“Yes. And Bala and the new girl.”

“New girl?” Kalki was thinking, his eyebrows raised. “Yes, yes.”

Arjan sighed. “Her name is Padma. She has a tough exterior, but a heart of gold somewhere inside. I know it.”

“I’m sure. I trust your judgment. I’ll look out for Kripa. We can’t trust the old man.”

“You are right. But he’s correct about one thing. You need to leave for the hills, to learn the ways of the Avatar,” Arjan said. “You can’t sit here. You need to defeat Kali. He is growing crazy and his craziness has no limits.”

Arjan could see Kalki was contemplating. A young boy from Shambala didn’t want to fight the evil incarnate. He wanted the simpler pleasures in life instead.

“How is Shambala?”

“Shattered,” Arjan shook his head. “We left in order to save you.”

“Will we ever return?”

“I hope we do. When everything is all right, we will.”

Kalki was avoiding the question, and it was evident. Arjan leaned forward. “Listen,” he added. “I know it will sound harsh, but I need you to promise me something.”

“What?”

“I need you to promise me that you understand we are on a dangerous path, and that you will undertake well-thought out plans and try and remain safe. We are leaving our zone of comfort. We are out there. And we need to be prepared, most of all.”

“For?”

Arjan blinked. “If anything happens to me, anything at all, I want you to promise me that you will move on. To learn. To go and become what you are destined to become. Embrace it. Don’t hold yourself back like you did in Shambala. You will continue to lose. It’s all right to lose one person and protect the world in return.”

“What if that person means the world to you?”

Arjan had no answer for that. Kalki was right in his own way. “I want you to promise me, nevertheless. Don’t stop, otherwise you’ll regret it forever. Return when you are ready and fight the Adharm.”

“I can’t believe it, hearing you talk about supernatural things.”

“I’ve seen enough to believe.”

Kalki chuckled. “All right, I promise. But I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Arjan went over and hugged his brother. They stayed locked in an embrace until Arjan walked over to the window with the refilled goblet. “I saw that you kissed the woman who destroyed our place. What was that about?”

“It was a peck, brother.” Kalki was flustered. “And she’s a misunderstood woman trapped by a megalomaniac man. I wanted to save her, but I couldn’t.”

“Because she hurt you?”

Kalki shot him a look of confusion. He was himself conflicted, and it was evident. “Or perhaps I knew she was the only one who can humanize Kali.”

“In the process of doing good, brother, I hope you didn’t ruin her life.” Arjan didn’t feel any sympathy for Kali’s sister, but Kalki had known her, and Arjan knew better than to judge someone before hearing her side of the story.

While Kalki had gone in deep thoughts, Arjan’s eyes flew towards the city, where he could make out the dark shadow of a lurking figure, covered in a shawl. Arjan knew who it was—Padma.

She had left, even though he had subtly warned her not to do.

“I will be back.” Arjan thrust the wine glass toat Kalki. “Enjoy this, and stick to your promises.”

Kalki smiled. Arjan did too, before leaving him in the room.

Arjan had a sickle dangling from a girdle at his hips. And he was proceeding down the dark streets. In the wan light, with the hooting owls, and the bats in the air, crept Arjan, unnerved by the scenery around him. He saw Padma, away from him, but still walking at a brisk pace. When would that girl learn that there were things bigger than her? But then, he didn’t know her story. And it was wrong again to judge her.

Perhaps it was a necessity, for all Arjan could guess. He soon realized that she had begun to dodge the night patrollers, who surprisingly weren’t the usual Nagas. Most of the patrolling police were either Manavs or Yakshas.

Arjan let out a deep breath, as he turned into another alley, away from the main road, realizing that she was leading towards the royal fort.

It was Vedanta’s fort. He saw her, with acrobatic finesse, climbing over the wall and going on the other side.

Arjan, quickly paced up to the wall, and tried to vault across the brick wall, though his ankle didn’t allow him to. He used his sickle, clawing it deep in the wall, and then with that, he forced himself up, catching the edge and finally reaching over the top and falling onto the other side. Pushing aside the shrubbery near the top, he saw the large bell-tower inside the fort, with armed soldiers walking about. Catching his breath once again, Arjan followed her. He had no idea why he was doing what he was doing, but he wanted to save her and also see what she was up to.

If she got caught, she’d have a better chance of escaping with him. She was useful and from what he had learnt, one mustn’t let useful people leave in a hurry. If Kalki found out, he wouldn’t agree. To be fair, Arjan had a lot of reasons to be here and many didn’t make sense to him. Kripa always gave him the creeps, but Padma didn’t. She was brutal and honest. Something Arjan hadn’t seen in this world much.

And then she saw her climbing one of the main towers, reaching over and hiding from the lights. Arjan stayed down as she had lurched inside the window. He wanted to leave, but then concealed in the shrubs, he saw a guard approaching the path in front of him. He remained still.

And hoped to Gods that he wouldn’t be caught.