Sootputra: The Unsung Hero

Bhramastra

"Go get the medic!" The servant stubbed his toe on the way out."Don't get up. Rest sire!"

"Where is he?" I could barely walk. "What happened? Ashwath? Shon? Shon!" Then I fell on my four limbs. The headache was like hundreds of ringing bells of a temple. Like sharp pins that wanted to go deeper. The body I used to play in since childhood felt totally new to me, unfamiliar, out of my control, and went any way it wanted without any sense of direction.

"Anga? What ...happened?" Sweating, heavily breathing I asked Yuyutsu.

"I will tell you all, my king. But please rest for now."

He shouldered me up to the bed and the next thing I remember was waking up again. It was night now instead of dusk. The moon rose on a roasted Anga. Smoke mixed with motes of embers rose from the houses at the edge of the capital. They were still burning like smoldering woods. Normally at this time I would hear the rants of beetles, smell the flowers of the gardens, and have a calm sense of mind. A time all reserved to myself. But tonight there were cries and wails, choking smell of ash and dirt swimming in the air and a severe crushing anxiety plagued my heart making it hard to breathe along with a constant headache. You could practically taste the blood of the dead on your tongue. The wounds on my body didn't pained enough than the sight in front of me. The visuals seemed to seep through my eyes and permanently rest in the memory as nightmares.

I fought for this? What does victory mean if it comes at the cost of things that I fought to protect? That I loved? Winning and losing had no meaning tonight, they were all the same.

I could picture Jarasandh there, standing on the rubble laughing. Proud of his trickery, his deceit. I could also picture his head beneath my feet as I slowly crush it and it burst like a watermelon. I would love to see him laugh, even try to make a smile then.

I send a guard to call Yuyutsu immediately and he came too late. His steps were slow, they were careful as he opened the door. Shon was in tow too, his eyes kept glancing over to Yuyutsu as if the guy was scaring him. Yuyutsu however had shrunk cheeks and sore eyes. Eyes that you get after crying a lot for hours on end. I was worried that in this dead of night I called him out of his sleep, but none of us got even an ounce of it. We all stood nearby bed. Sleep was not even close in mind though I could see they both had red eyes. But was it due to the need for sleep or the anger we all had?

"What happened?" I asked finally.

"Sire Ashwath is still in treatment. His wounds are a little more grave than yours."

I had just now noticed the bandages wrapped around me. The blood on them had dried long ago but the redness like dry rose still remained.

So much?

I've never bled this much before. My broken wrist and arm were healed too.

"How long was I out for?"

"Thr--"

"Three days, Bhai," Shon said before Yuyutsu could finish his words.

"Will he make it?" I asked fearing the face of Drona if the inevitable happens. Ashwath was like my other brother. How would I be able to face his family? The guru he hates but the father that loves him was constantly in front of my eyes. Then the answer came, it was simple - I can't.

"Yess. He will" Yuyustsu said to my relief. My grip on the stick I leaned on loosened. So did my racing heart. It was all sweaty now."But Anga is far worse sire."

"Jarasandh! How much?"

"Out of our around near 2500 soldiers, only less than a thousand are still able to fight. The scorching heat earlier had burned not only men and peasants it also destroyed homes, walls, and ......Our protection" his lips trembled.