Travelling Worlds to Save Us (A Karna-Arjun story)

Crossing over

Pov: Arjun from the world of darkness

Arjun floated in and out of consciousness.

He could recollect very vaguely someone shouting at him that it was all his fault. Next, he felt himself lifted off the ground by someone who he felt was his older brother; he tried to keep a hold on his bow, but it slipped through his fingers.

"Jyesht--my--my Gandiva--"

"I have it with me." Yudhishthir did not sound very much like himself, but Arjun was too tired to bother about that.

Then there was a long stretch of black, which was broken by blinding light. He associated that kind of brightness with his father Indra's domain in the heavens.

It felt like ages ago, when he had stayed over at his father's domain and gathered celestial weapons from the Gods...

Madhav--where was Madhav?

He thought he might have mumbled his name.

"Madhav is not here, Arjun, we are back. We are safe," Yudhishthir said.

Madhav had not visited him for hours now. Was that his idea of a joke? Why would he ignore him the whole night?

His brother placed him somewhere gently, as if trying not to jar him. His head slumped against a shoulder. His comforting bow was placed in his hands and fingers closed around his fist, as if willing him to stay conscious.

From the motion, they were probably on a cart bumping along the road.

"Bheem! Where are Nakul and Sahadev?"

"What happened to him?" Bheem shouted, horrified.

"Get them first--I will tell--"

Arjun was once again lifted by Yudhishthir and carried in air. A brief bout of unconsciousness followed.

He was roused by two familiar touches--his twin brothers'. Sahadev's on his head, Nakul's on his chest.

"Who was it?" Bheem sounded like he could barely hold himself back.

"Duryodhan, as far as I know..."

"What?" shrieked so many loud voices that Arjun's head hurt.

"Shh!" His brother smoothened his forehead and lifted his head on his lap. "It is exceedingly difficult to explain..."

Nakul and Sahadev's medicinal herbs soothed the aches everywhere on Arjun's body a little. Still flitting in and out of consciousness, he heard snatches of the voice speaking from above his head, while the hand still caressed his head with a fierce sort of gentleness.

"...war going on between cousins, you will not imagine..."

"...Takshak wanted precisely this. He wanted to ruin us with the knowledge."

"...had to go, of course. When has he ever shown the slightest ounce of practical sense? When he comes around, I--" The voice above choked.

As his senses returned bit by bit, Arjun started recalling what had happened earlier. Duryodhan...swinging his mace, crazed...Aswatthama and Karna...trying to stop him, citing dishonour to attack someone at night...

Before that, the three of them insisting he had claimed he would forfeit.

Arjun wondered how long it would be to sunrise. He was to fight the King of Anga today...everyone was counting upon it...

And where was Madhav?

Surely it was not already morning? No...his brothers would not be here, then.

Surely it was not already sundown, and he had missed the whole day of battle?