Nara Narayana ( Part 2 )

Moments after the conqueror of the mainland said that, his scouts returned from all sides.

"Report! South entrance is empty."

"Report! North is empty. There are no soldiers guarding the entrance of the fort."

"Report! Crystal Arrow Tower is dismantled. The underground tunnel is filled. There are no soldiers left to guard the place."

"Report! West entrance is empty."

"Report! East is unguarded. Scouts found a view into the city and found it empty. It seems the enemy has evacuated."

All the commanders around Kush exclaimed in unison. "Just where did all the people go!? All along the way, we found the lands to be bereft of people. We thought they must have sought refuge in the capital which is surrounded by impenetrable walls! Now, even the capital is empty. Just what is going on?!"

Kush threw a meaningful glance towards his son and said somberly to his men, "It's a repeat of what happened to Abhaya. I have all along suspected the Martanda was behind their disappearance."

"Could it be his divine power?" one general said aghast.

"I heard his successor is the ruler of hell…he had the powers of Yama ever since he was ten!" said another.

"You're not saying they've all gone to hell, are you? Hell is inhospitable to living people!"

"No, but there is still Patala where the Yakshas, Nagas and other races reside…and hell is deeply connected to it. With father being a god, son being the king of hell, it would be easy for them to rule both worlds!"

"Eh! They're not father and son. Both men are almost the same age."

The generals discussed in hushed tones as they tried to guess the answer. Sometimes someone would throw a glance at the emperor. They would freeze in fear sensing the wrath coming off the man.

Eventually, someone dared to open his mouth and say, "Supreme Emperor, please consider it one more time. It might not be in Dhatri's best interest to go to war against a true god."

Despite the anger he was feeling, Kush just grunted. Back when he was in Dhatri, the ministers would push him to launch a final campaign. 'Martanda is just a mortal, Supreme Emperor,' they would say, 'Despite being a god, his soul would ultimately be judged in the same place we all are going to be judged in! Ultimately, the eighth god is man, and all men must be under Your Majesty's rule.' But now that matters got up, close and personal, the men are getting cold feet.

His son asked him curiously, "Father, didn't you say rivals were supposed to be equals? If King Vajradandaka was really your equal, wouldn't he come out and meet you in war instead of absconding when challenged?"

To this Kush sighed. He thought back to all those years ago when he was young and stupid. "Father acted on bad counsel all those years ago…We were originally supposed to be equals. Originally, Pranaya was not supposed to take over all the major and minor kingdoms of the Western Drylands. It was not supposed to suppress Rtadhara to such an extent that not a peep was heard from the country in all these years. The glorious land from which Rta flows was supposed to rise even higher in status after godhood descended on the Martanda. Originally, when I brought my united armies to invade the drylands, all countries were supposed to stand together at the mountain barriers of Abhaya and face me. The Martanda was supposed to lead this alliance. If that was the case, we would've been evenly matched. Cactus was not a pussy like Yuga-dheera to throw in the towel when met with a larger adversary. He is more resourceful than you can think. However, even that extraordinary amount of resourcefulness cannot help him when he is this isolated. I suppose he had no choice but to take his people and leave…I wonder how long he'd been secretly migrating them away."

At once, Kush remembered that event from all those years ago when Vajra just turned eleven and he was still ten. Vajra spent all day carrying Kush on his back, trekking the endless sand dunes.

'What do you want in return for this favour?' Kush had asked when he became tired and fell asleep.

'The desert. Give me the desert," his friend said under all that fatigue.

Had it been in anticipation that he will have to one day escape into it? Was he living like a barbarian now, struggling in that inhospitable desert? All because his friend never came to his aid in his time of trouble…

Unexpectedly Kush froze. An emotion he had never known his entire life welled up inside, clogging his throat. He was unable to speak for a long time.

"So why did we come on this campaign?" the boy shook his father's hand and asked. "If you know that the two of you are not equals anymore, why did you come for the man's head? Wouldn't it have been enough to get the king of Pranaya to deliver it to you? Is it because he's god? Are you expecting trouble?"

Kush lifted the boy up and carried him. "Son, King Vajradandaka of Rtadhara is a dear friend of father's. Father will never take his head, you hear? Later, when you meet your uncle, you must respect him. Not just because he is a god, but because without him, your father would still be fighting bloody battles in the wilderness somewhere with no hope of a sunrise. What this man saved may not be your father's life, but he definitely saved your father's soul. Do you understand?"

The young prince looked adorable when he bobbed his head up and down. But then he immediately shook his head. "Then what will happen when he loses in the war? If you don't want to kill him, will you take him prisoner?"

Kush shook his head. "Kiddo, I actually never thought that far."

"Why not?"

"Because we are equals. Cactus won't lose to Grass, not on its homeground. It's not that easy. Just wait and see."

"Dad, sometimes you are more hard to understand than grandma and grandpa put together."

Kush laughed heartily and led his men into the capital once the scouts confirmed that there were no traps inside.

For a whole of three days, he showed the boy around the vast and expansive palace of Rtadhara. Finally the boy understood that no matter how remote, there was no kingdom in the mainland that can match this country's splendor. Even bare, without gilded furnishings, without its pearl drapes, tapestries and fountains, just the architecture of the palace was extremely awe-inducing.

After spending a few days in leisure, Kush suddenly remembered a place. He took his son to the Tri-Shakti Palace Complex. It was exactly as he remembered, expect for the lack of the Lotus Seat. The rich and beautiful crystalline structure had been dismantled. He went to the Floating Couplet Palace and reached Vajra's childhood bedroom. Arriving at the window, he climbed up the eaves and went to Vajra's secret place.

"This is where your uncle Vajra used to spend most of his idle time," he said to his child, looking at the tall tower in front set against the dry mountain. Despite its lifelessness, Rtadhara had its own kind of beauty. It was beautiful as hope is beautiful. No matter how dull the mountainside looks now, Kush knew that all it takes is a little shower for the entire land to transform into a sea of green.