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

The closing of the link

Pov: Arjun from the world of light

Things were starting to get out of hand.

As Day 17 dawned, Arjun found it increasingly difficult to get a moment away from scrutiny that he could escape the camp. Everyone was gearing up for battle; Arjun watched Draupadi fussing over her sons. Of them, Arjun knew only Srutakarma. All the others seemed to him an anomaly: proof that Draupadi was married to all his brothers, too.

But they, particularly Sutsoma, appeared to look up to Arjun so much--he came around to wish him 'best of luck' for today's battle with the 'King of Anga' so many times--that Arjun tried to think of him not as Bheem and Draupadi's son, but as his nephew.

Subhadra would not budge from his side, and he had found no way to shake her off without seeming extremely rude and hurting her. Madhav's steady presence in the background as he got their chariot and horses ready did not help.

Every time he tried to make an excuse to slip off, someone would insist on accompanying him. Now it was Nakul, next it was Shikandi, then it would be someone called Satyaki, who appeared to be a close friend of himself in this world.

Worse, of course, was how everyone kept reminding him that he was to kill Karna today.

Drishtadyumna was particularly charged up at the prospect.

"You get Karna, we are done with the war," he said, beaming and clapping him on the back. "We are sure you will get him."

In their world, Drishtadyumna and Karna had met at Draupadi's swayamvar; they had hit it off the moment Karna got to know the target task had been Drishtadyumna's idea. Your sister's prospective husband should indeed be judged by archery, Arjun had heard them laughing over.

Everywhere he heard the same thing: Arjun will kill Karna today and the war will be over. Arjun will finally show the world who its best archer was.

If today was so important, where the hell had the Arjun of this world disappeared to? Surely something was badly wrong? Surely he ought to tell someone?

But how could he tell someone he suspected something was wrong with their Arjun?

Arjun did not realize he was fully dressed for battle till his mother gave him a hug, her eyes brimming with tears, and whispered, "Go, my son."

It struck Arjun that she knew Karna's identity. She knew she would see one of her sons killings the other today. How could she bear it?

Why did she not put an end to this?

Arjun forced a smile at her and made a dash for one of the camp exits. Only to come face to face with Madhav at the foot of their chariot.

"Are you ready, Parth?"

Arjun found he could not say yes, not even for the sake of the charade.

"You have to slay the King of Anga, today." Madhav looked intently at him. "Are you ready?" he repeated.

"No," blurted out Arjun. "No, I am not."

There was a silence.

After a minute, Krishna spoke quietly. "You are not the same person one I enlightened."

"Enlightened?" said Arjun nervously.

"You truly are from another world. I suspected. I was not sure."

"Yes, I--er, yes."

"Then destiny wants you to play my Arjun's part today."

"No." Arjun prayed for Madhav's Arjun to turn up. This would be the right moment.

He did not turn up.

"I cannot play today's part, Madhav. I cannot do it. Let me go, please."

"I will not stop you," said Madhav. 

Arjun perked up.

"Go, Arjun, I will not stop you."

"Thank you, Madhav. Thank you so much."

The sky said the war would commence almost immediately; Arjun turned to locate east, where the portal was.

"But often, you will see, destiny has its own plan."

Madhav's eyes were very sad as they followed Arjun sprinting east.

*****************

As he ran, painful anticipation gushed through him at the thought of returning to his own world--his brothers, his mother, his wife, but mostly his jyesht. The only one whose affection he had been denied in this world.

"Are you fleeing, Arjun?"

Karna was rising to his feet beside a small lake, lit bright with sunlight. There was an earthen pot in the crook of his arm; presumably, he had been giving an offering to his father.

"Not exactly," said Arjun. "I am in rather a hurry, King of Anga. See you later."

He did not care if Karna followed him; he was in too much of a hurry to get to his real brother.

The portal came into view. But somehow, it was much less blinding and much less overwhelming when he spotted it.

"What is that?" Karna spoke from behind, sounding surprised.

"Nothing of importance. If you could please excuse me for a minute--"

Karna, of course, was not the kind of person to back off when his curiosity had been sparked.

"It is some magic of Vasudev's?"

Arjun walked to it, wondering how he could ensure Karna did not follow him through the portal. 

Even as he hesitated, the light was swallowed up by the forest. He paused and looked around, heart pounding.

"The link is gone," hissed someone.

"T-Takshak?" stammered Arjun.

"You have to stay here forever, Gandivadhari." Takshak had never leered so cheerfully. "Your brother has crossed over with whom he thinks to be you: you are exchanged between the worlds."

Arjun's heart went cold.

"Can the link--not be opened again? I will pray to the Gods and get it opened again," he said defiantly.

"Do you not know, Son of Indra," whispered Takshak, "that to preserve balance, a link cannot be opened from a darker into a lighter world? If it could be done, everyone from the darker world will inevitably cross over into the lighter world, and both will be ruined. A link can only be opened from a lighter to a darker world by someone willing to sacrifice his own world and go into a darker world."

Arjun tried to speak, but he did not find the words, nor would his voice work.

"You will live the destiny of your counterpart. You know what you are meant to do today." Takshak glanced up at the sky where the sun had risen. "You will do that, child. Vasudev Krishna will make sure of that."