•|| Arjun ~ Rise To Power ||• (III)

𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝟺

Battlefield of Paanchaal

Arjun's POV

The arrow was perked upon my bow, breath knotting right in my abdomen as I pressed my foot a bit harshly on the chariot. 

And so were theirs. Hundreds. Hundreds of them grunted, marching through the drab ochre soil, vigor enamoring their physique. Swishes and clangs of weapons couldn't submit their roars and growls, echoing through the entire field which was dead silent a few moments ago. The eerie silence before a storm. A bead of sweat trickled down from the corner of my forehead, feeling hot and cold at the same time, the whiffs of cool wind was mingled with a foul scent that navigated past my nostrils to scrunch my forehead in anguish. 

I knew I had to set aside everything, every dubiousness for now. 

Defend, defend yourself Arjun. 

It was a few moments ago, just a few moments ago. The entire empty field slowly gathered as the first rays of the Sun began to trespass through the faint clouds, neatly aligned on both the sides.

The army of Hastinapur and that of Paanchaal. 

Facing each other. Rows and rows of armed men in attention, clutching their arms. The spears-men and bowmen, standing affront with their arched brows, their gaze accessing perhaps the strength of the opponents. My fingers were tracing upon the delicate crevices of my bow, an empty feeling ruminating in my abdomen; not knowing exactly what to feel and how to feel. 

The moment, was there and close. If not yet succumbing to the reality, the neighs of stallions and trumpets of elephants were enough to haul anyone out of their trances and wonder. 

Years of reading, hearing and fathoming tales of war. And now I was going to be a part of it and a witness. Unfolding right in front of me would be what that I had only imagined once....I felt myself steadying for a moment, knuckles firming upon the bow which was held to tightly than required. A deep breath was what needed, as the rules of the war began to be recited by one of them.

There was a tumultuous jolting of emotions within me, not knowing which to feel at that moment. Dubious, excited, nervous, vigor or perhaps wander of the aftermath?

Guru Dron had advised to keep a mind clear while warring, no emotions should overpower while actively participating in a battle; mind should be focused on attack and defense, nothing else. He knew what my weakness was, and where it lay.

My heart. 

And that what was required to be steadied. 

"Prince..." Puru grumbled, clutching onto the reins firmly as the horses neighed, my eyes trailed towards the middle aged man clad in a light armor and trotting the vehicle amidst the chaos, prepared to enter further. My eyes traversed through the entire set of army that was rushing through the field, focusing upon a few youths who with a blink of an eye discharged a volley of arrows. The sleek weapons swished through the sky, like an array of birds acutely arranging themselves in a pattern, but these were about to descend and strike.

I sensed Puru shifting a bit on his seat, his gaze trailing up and mouth parting slightly. But without wasting a moment, my bow released five arrows one after the other; each of them multiplying to crash the descending ones. A breath escaped my lips in slight awe and heart thumping in my chest; the first defense.

There was no time to ponder further or breathe in to perhaps marvel at a miniscule feat of mine.

Within moments, uncountable arrows kept on descending from the sky, I perked up my bow and steadied myself; retaliating them one after the after while Puru handled the chariot, some of them missing and piercing the army men far away. 

I did not even have the opportunity to glance at the lives I apparently took for the moment.

Charging up next was a row of soldiers, and my gaze collided with a few who had a rageful expression plastered on their visage, growling hard and rushing forward for a combat. There was hardly any time to ponder; grabbing a new set of arrows it was adjusted upon the sleek curve of the bow, stretched firmly up to my ear. 

My brows arched up as I set my target; a human target. 

A human target.

A gulp of saliva inadvertently chose to traverse down my throat, stiffness spreading in my sinuses as I desired to dictate my mind a few moments to ponder; but I knew that if I did, the war would be losing out of our hands.

I can't afford to perform even the slightest of mistakes. 

Shoot Arjun.

Shoot!

You're not killing an unarmed man, he is perfectly armed with weapons and is capable to war you.

My thumb and forefinger stretched a bit further, almost the screeching sound being audible amidst the din of the war and perhaps the twanging of my heart. My lips parted a bit as the row of men closed upon me, my eyes trailed slightly towards Puru's digits that convulsed firmly around the reign of the stallions; the chariot shifting a bit as the animals neighed in response.

Shoot!

And before I could ponder much, the arrow swiftly discharged from my weapon.

Piercing the air, its swishy movement intensified as it multiplied into many, right away striking through the jugular of the nearest warrior; a middle aged individual with its head tossed back with the impact —-perhaps not expecting it —it voraciously sliced of it's head spluttering the darkly crimson hued liquid that littered his armor. 

And with that, ten others fell down similarly like packs of cards. 

I kept staring at whatever that had just happened; my breath almost hitching for a while and a sheath of sweat caused the bow from my palm to almost slip away.

Killed.

I killed. 

★★★★★★★

A/N

Abhi ye sad mood will linger through some of the chapters. 👀💔

Signing off for today!

Kiritija Nushkie