Chapter 10

The First Day

The horse cart was packed and ready to go. Suramya, Pradyuman and Parth, along with all the students, were gathered around the cart, to say their goodbyes to Chandra. He was going to the castle to begin his training period for the Elders’ army. The feelings were mixed, happiness and sorrow were going hand in hand.

Suramya’s eyes were red for she had been crying all night. She did not want Chandra to go away and live in the castle. Suramya had been worried ever since the attack. She had relayed her fears to Pradyuman, but he had been convinced that the castle was safe. So, she kept her fears to herself, though that did not stop her from crying whenever she was alone. Suramya had cared for Chandra ever since she had set her eyes on his tiny figure. She loved him more than anyone else, even her husband. And fourteen years had passed in what felt like the blink of an eye. Chandra had been under her protection, love and care as a child and now the child was going away to be man and a soldier. Suramya thought of his future and the recent attack on the castle. This thought troubled her deeply. But she did not say anything. Now was not the time, for everyone was delighted, especially Chandra and Parth; the boys who knew nothing.

Suramya pushed her thoughts out of her mind as Chandra approached her. She returned his smile and embraced her son. Chandra said, “Bless me, ma, so I may succeed.” “You will succeed in everything you do, my son. You know my blessings are with you,” she said and paused. Then she continued, “Now promise me that you will take care of yourself and come home whenever you get the chance.” Chandra replied playfully, “If you want, I can sneak out at night, ma.” “Yes, that would be great. We can have fun together,” said Parth.

“You will do no such thing,” said Suramya, glaring at Parth. “You will come when you are allowed to. And we will come when we get the chance.” “And that you will,” said Pradyuman, “Don’t worry, Suramya. Your son will be busy working and learning the ways of the Elders’ army.” Parth said, “I think that is exactly what ma is afraid of, pitaji.”

Everyone smiled and a small tear trickled off the face of Suramya, as she smiled too. Pradyuman said, “Now it’s time go. Everyone must reach before nightfall so that you may be assigned your tasks for tomorrow. So, let us leave.”

Chandra bid his goodbye to everyone. Then Pradyuman and he climbed their horses and started riding towards the castle with the cart following them. They rode slowly, side by side, looking at the scenic beauty that surrounded them. Then Pradyuman said, “Is there something you want to say to me, son?” Chandra looked at his uncle and his teacher. He never kept any secrets from him and he never lied. But today, for reasons he did not understand, he wanted to avoid this question. He said, “It’s nothing, uncle. I just don’t feel like leaving the ashram and all of you. I wanted to be a soldier for as long as I remember but now when the time has come, I just don’t understand why I am feeling this way.”

Pradyuman smiled, “It’s a feeling that we all have at such times. There is nothing new about it. When I was leaving home, I had similar feelings.” Chandra said, looking curious, “You never talk of your student days. What were they like? Did you have any friends? I don’t even know who your teacher was.” Pradyuman had a smile on his face, a rare one, as he looked at the landscape that was all too familiar to him. This valley had been his home and school when he was young and it had given him refuge and safety when he had needed them the most. He said, “I see your ma has given you the wisdom to avoid a question if you want to.” Before Chandra could reply, he continued, “I was very young when I came to the valley, five or maybe six years old. I was Guru Rakshit’s student. My friends and I trained and studied very hard. All we craved for was to be the best in the valley. Guru Rakshit taught us everything he could. And now we are out in the world imparting his teachings.”

Chandra saw that his uncle was lost in thoughts of the past. He wanted to ask him more but he did not want to disturb his thoughts; so, he kept quiet. Together they rode through the winding roads alongside the river bank. They spoke nothing for a while. Then Chandra asked again, “Did they find out what they took from the castle?” “You are still thinking about that,” Pradyuman said. “I can’t get it out of my mind, uncle. The more I think about it, the more it gets stuck in there. The fact that five of them came up while the others fought on till death makes sense only when you realise that it was a distraction to give those men a chance to get into the castle undetected. If we had not been there, they would have gone inside and done what they wanted to, without anyone knowing.”

Pradyuman weighed his words before saying, “If what they did was so secretive, why did they leave you alive?” Chandra said, “Maybe they were in a hurry. Maybe someone distracted them. There can be many reasons for that. But still we have to find what they took.”

“Guru Rakshit is looking into it. He has sent men after them into the southern forest to track them. They have not returned yet but when they do, we might get some answers.” “Did they look in the library to see if something was missing?” “The library is too vast, Chandra. There are thousands of titles, manuscripts and books, some so old that even touching them forcefully can cause damage. And only Guru Vishwa knows how many books there are in total inside the library. The list is inside his chambers, which are locked. Until he comes back from Kashi, there is no point looking inside that vast sea of books.”

Their conversation ended abruptly as they turned away from the riverbank towards the road leading to the castle gates. They could see many carts returning after unloading at the castle. They rode slowly. As they reached the gates, Chandra saw the men he had seen the day Parth and he had come to meet Jayant.

As they passed by, one of the men saw them and came towards them. When he came closer, he saw Pradyuman and bowed his head in respect. Pradyuman raised a hand to bless him and then they rode along. “I guess he recognised you,” said Chandra. “Many of these soldiers have been my juniors or students,” said Pradyuman, “Everyone knows their teachers very well and still respects them. Gurukul has taught them what is right and what is wrong.’”

Chandra smiled but soon he noticed something different. All the men were now wearing red robes, same as the robe that Rakt Guru wore. He said, “Why are they wearing the same red colour as Rakt Guru?” Pradyuman replied, “That is because they are under the command of Rakt Guru. You see, the army is under the command of the gurus Rakshit and Anand. In the chain of command, there are three commanders and one healer. Four of them have to forfeit their names, as they become the commanders of the Elders’ army. The three warriors are Shwet, Rakt and Shyam, and the healer is Swarn Guru. The soldiers you see here are under the leadership of Rakt Guru, as evident by their robes and armour.” He continued, as they brought their horses to a halt in front of the main wooden doors of the castle, “They were called after the attack on the castle on the orders of Guru Rakshit.”

Chandra looked in awe at the impressive looking men standing at various points all around the castle with a diverse range of weapons. In one corner, a training session was underway, where fifty-odd boys, no more than twenty years of age, were practising with swords. The sound of their battle cries was resonating around the castle grounds. It was a sight to behold.

Chandra was so mesmerised by it that he forgot to dismount from his horse until he heard Guru Rakshit’s voice. “You will be joining them soon, my boy.” He turned and saw a smile on the faces of Pradyuman and Guru Rakshit, who were standing side by side. For the first time, he saw the similarities between the two. Both of them were of similar height, their long greying hair tied into a bun behind their head, their beard and moustache growing in similar ways around their face and chin, and their muscular physique trying to outmatch the other. Even the posture in which they stood was alike. Such was the effect that the teacher had on his pupil. Chandra had been taught by the pupil till now and it was now time to learn from the teacher. Thinking how lucky he was, Chandra dismounted from his horse and went ahead to touch Guru Rakshit’s feet and get his blessings.

***

Kaalkesh looked around at the carnage as he walked among the ruined village of Ashtaal. His men had ravaged the village last night, killed most of the non-compliant villagers, and captured the rest. The wooden houses and thatched roofs that had not burnt completely were still giving out smoke. The smell of blood and burning wood, combined with the stench of rotting corpses, lingered in the air. After every such raid, Kaalkesh walked around the village streets and enjoyed the power he held over life and death.

His men were the most ruthless soldiers in all of the eastern lands of Arayavart. Their only job was to raid villages and kill innocent people. Sometimes, they captured people and sent them to the highest payer for slavery. Even though slavery was banned in most of Arayavart, some men thought themselves above humanity and they were the people that Kaalkesh and his death squad served.

This village had been close to the southern borders of Anandmath. After this raid, they were going to slip back into the safe haven of Suryagarh. At least that was their order. But before they did so, Kaalkesh wanted to feel the power he had wielded. So, he was walking and savouring the view.

Slowly, he walked through the once lively, now deserted village market. The devastation was maximum here as his men had caught the villagers unaware at sundown and killed almost all the men. He could see the bodies piled up here and there. Vultures, dogs and crows had descended upon them in huge numbers. He stood there and kept watching the feast. Then a voice called him from behind. He turned. It was his second-in-command, Rambh. Rambh still had blood stains on his armour from last night’s massacre. He was with another man whom Kaalkesh knew very well.

This man was Sriyash. He was one of the chief guards of the Suryagarh palace. He always came with the others after the raids to take back slaves to be sold in Suryagarh. But it took a few days after the raids happened. He never said how he knew where the raids had taken place but he was always there to take the slaves and give gold in return. Kaalkesh considered Sriyash a broker and a merchant with no regard to the work they did, and he hated the man. Kaalkesh addressed Rambh completely ignoring Sriyash, “Are the boys enjoying the loot, Rambh?”

“Yes, My Lord, they are and their feast will continue into the night,” said Rambh. Kaalkesh laughed and turned his back on the men and faced the dead bodies. “So will they,” he said and pointed to the vultures and crows. Sriyash did not like the cold reception he was getting and said in a rather rough tone, “Kaalkesh, I have come with orders from the palace. May I have a word with you?” Kaalkesh did not turn but replied, “If you are here for the slaves, you will have to wait until the feast is over. My men have worked very hard and they need their reward. Your greasy fingers can hold on to your gold for a little longer, I presume.”

Sriyash said in a raised voice, “How dare you mock me, you filthy low life!” He did not want to sound angry but he could not suppress the anger in his voice. He moved one step towards Kaalkesh, but Rambh perceived it as a threat to his lord. Without warning a sword came between Sriyash and Kaalkesh, blocking Sriyash’s way.

Sriyash stopped in his tracks as Kaalkesh turned smiling. Kaalkesh said, “You are a long way from home, palace guard. I suggest you watch your tone.” Sriyash said, with his tone softening quickly, “I am not here for the slaves. I have an urgent message for you from my master.” He put his hand inside his robe and brought out two pieces of paper and handed them to Kaalkesh. Kaalkesh took the papers and read them one by one. He then threw them on the ground, looked at Rambh and nodded his head. Rambh got the message and put the sword back in its sheath.

Kaalkesh then asked Sriyash, “When do we need to go?’ Sriyash said, “As quickly as possible. And I am coming with you.” Kaalkesh looked amused. “If you can manage it,” he said. He then turned to Rambh and said, “Tell the men to finish the feast and get ready. We leave at midnight.” Rambh bowed and left without a word. Kaalkesh turned towards the dead bodies again. Sriyash looked at the papers that were now lying in a pool of dried blood and mud. He asked, “You don’t need the map?” Kaalkesh said, without turning his head, ‘I know these lands like the palm of my hands. Don’t worry, guard. You will get your prisoners.” He sniffed the air one last time and turned and walked away from Sriyash, taking long strides, leaving him in the heap of dead bodies and flying vultures.

***

Durgam looked at Gurudev as he opened the manuscript, which he had given him, so delicately, as if he was picking up a new-born child. Durgam had seen the manuscript on his way to Gurudev’s ashram. It was really fragile and looked very old. He hadn’t tried to open it for fear of damaging it, in which case he would be damaged in ways even he could not even imagine. One by one, the old man turned the pages, looking at them for some time and then turning to the next.

Slowly, as he turned the pages, his old wrinkled face started shining with delight. He then closed the book and looked up towards Durgam. He said, “Well done, Durgam! The king will be very pleased with your effort. And the enemy doesn’t know why you were there.” Durgam just shook his head. He tried not to speak in front of him. The old man took it as a ‘yes’. He bent over the manuscript again, looked at it closely again, and then walked over to window in the room.

The beautiful banks of Ganga stretched to the right and left of the ashram. Gurudev turned towards Durgam with his back to the window. The light that was coming in made a strange effect. Durgam could see only his silhouette. His grey hair that was tied as a bun on his head shone in the light like a horn on the head of an animal. For a moment, Durgam thought he saw a rakshas standing in front of him. He lowered his eyes instantly as the old man spoke. “Your work here is done. I will keep the manuscript and read it. You are to take the men standing outside and leave for Kashi. There are boats along the bank. You will go by the river. Your next task awaits there. We have gotten word from our spies that Guru Vishwa has gone to Kashi with a group of his own. So, be careful. They must not know what we are up to.” Durgam bowed his head and nodded. Gurudev continued, “You can rest tonight and leave early morning. And remember, we will be watching.” He then walked to his sitting place, picked up the manuscript and went inside his chamber.

Durgam let out a sigh of relief. Killing people was easier. But standing in front of the Gurudev was a nightmare. He turned and left to find a place to sleep. “Finally, some rest,” he thought.

***

Dinner was done and the recruits were getting ready to sleep. Before dinner, after Chandra had been dropped by his uncle, Rakt Guru had called the recruits for a meeting. There were fourteen boys and six girls among the twenty new recruits. Rakt Guru had divided them into groups of five each; each group would be part of a contingent, under one guru. The groups would be rotated so that they are a part of every contingent. By the end of the year, all recruits would have served under all the gurus, after which their final selection would be done.

Chandra and Jayant were going to don the red outfit from tomorrow along with two boys, Shalk and Abhyuday, and a girl, Amba. They were going to stay in the castle along with the group that was under Swarn Guru. The other two were to leave the castle with their guides to meet their respective contingents.

Chandra and Jayant were setting up their beds in the big dormitory on the third floor facing the twin peaks. The girls had been accommodated in the dormitory on the ground floor. Both of them could hear the others discussing their impending travel the next day.

Jayant looked around and turned to Chandra with a frown. “Why are we stuck here, while others get to travel on their very first day?” “I thought today was the first day,” said Chandra, smiling. “You know what I mean, brother,” Jayant said, still looking around. Chandra said, “Yes I know. But we might go to Swarn Guru’s camp next and stay in the castle till winter arrives. So, I suggest patience, my friend.” Jayant rolled his eyes and murmured, “Thanks for the confidence. That is just great.” Chandra laughed as a voice behind him said, “Yes, that is great.” They turned and saw two boys standing behind them smiling. One of them was of short and rather thin. The other one was tall and heavily built with strong muscles.

The first one said, “I am Shalk,” and pointed to the taller one. “This is Abhyuday. We are to be companions for the whole year.” Chandra and Jayant nodded their heads and smiled. Chandra said, “I am Chandra and this is Jayant.” “We know who you are,” said Shalk and leaned forward. He lowered his voice and said, “Actually, all the recruits know who you are. And we are really fortunate to be in the same group as you. We all know about your fight on recruitment day. It was really brave what you two did.” Abhyuday nodded in agreement and said, “We discussed it after it happened. We should have stayed out with you.” “It was a spur of the moment decision for both of us I think,” said Chandra. Shalk nodded and said, “That’s what makes that decision brave, doesn’t it?”

All of them laughed. Shalk then continued, “While you fought the unknown enemy, we were holed up in the stinky corridors of the great library.” He frowned. Abhyuday said, “You were better off, Shalk. I think I would have liked being alone rather than cramped in a corner surrounded by all those scared children.” “What do you mean alone?” asked Jayant. “Come on, let’s sit and talk,” said Chandra and they all positioned themselves on the two beds that they had prepared for themselves. Chandra then asked, “So, how come you ended up being alone? I thought all of you entered in together.”

“We did, but I too had a spur of the moment thing, just like you, but it was a little late,” said Shalk. He took a deep breath and continued, “I entered with everyone but I was at the back of the group. As we entered, I started to think that I too should stay out and help. After thinking it through, I turned towards the door and took out my spear, which is my weapon of choice, and tried to open the door. But I guess I was too late to be brave.” He smiled wryly and said, “After I tried for some time, I put back my spear and turned around to join the others. But they were gone. There were many long and high racks of books and manuscripts and who knows what else! I tried calling but no one answered. So, I chose a direction and went that way to hide. I sat somewhere with my spear in my hand until I heard a noise. I thought it was over and the others were coming to look for me. I was about to call them, when I heard someone giving instructions to find a book. That’s when I decided to stay hidden until they were gone.”

Hearing this, Chandra who had started to lose interest in the story, looked up. He asked instantly, “Did you see what they took?” “No Chandra, I heard at least four or five men talking. I was not about to find out who or what they wanted and die in the process,” said Shalk, in a serious manner. But Chandra was smiling, for he now knew what he needed to do. It was not luck but fate that had kept him in Rakt Guru’s camp. He asked just one last question to Shalk, as they started to get up and retire for the night, before starting their work the next day. “Can you take me to the exact place in the library where this happened?” He was happy to hear Shalk say “of course”.

***

Gurudev sat in his chambers looking at two manuscripts placed side by side. The one that Durgam had brought lay on the right. Gurudev had had another manuscript with him for some time. He opened the first page of both the manuscripts. He took out another parchment and a quill and started copying from the two manuscripts. It would take time to complete what he had set himself upon but he did not get tired that easily.