The Calamitous End

Chapter 1- Forlorn Reverie

Neither of them is in knowledge -- the one who thinks the soul can slay and the one who thinks the soul can be slain, for truly the soul neither kills nor can it be killed.

                                 - GEETA SHLOK

The eyes which resembles the flames of fire was now swamped with the tears that were brimming down the handsome face looking helpless which was once proud of his capabilities. The body which was once tough as stone was now covered in blood unable to move, the fire born, the prince of Panchal Dhrishtadyumna was lying on the ground of Kurukshetra lifelessly. The greatest warrior who can not be defeated by anyone was now looking like a limp body, the crown prince who would make his enemies suffer was now himself suffering the wails of his cries couldn't be listened by anyone and even now his mind was clouded with the thoughts of those five innocent lads who could die anytime.

He wanted to protect the five flames of his sister from that wicked man Ashwathama who was on the verge of killing them. They were the last hope of his sister for which she was surviving and he couldn't let it destroyed in front of his eyes. He made numerous efforts to get up on his feets and walk towards the tent where those five brothers who were the future of Hasinapur were sleeping not knowing that after this they would be left in the deep slumber forever, but his body had given up, the fire born whose name itself represents courage and strength was now shedding tears asking for aid but there was not a single person to hear his bawl.

But his body stopped he was still for a second as if he had saw a ghost his eyes was fixed on the image which was becoming clear as he walked out of the tent, and that man was non other than Ashwathama whose sword was covered with blood which was dripping down all his way and an evil smile rest on his face waiting to tell the whole aryavarth about his sinful achievement of killing those pure souls, the upapandavas. He couldn't shake off the scenario forming in his mind when the future of Hasinapur would have pleaded against this unholy wicked man to spare their lives realizing no one there is to safe them. His breathing became faster as his mind clouded with the thoughts of his sister the other fire born, he knew his sister can not survive knowing her last rays of hope have been engulfed into darkness forever. He was drowning in guilt of failing to fulfill his obligations as a brother, he broke the promise which every brother gives to his sister of protecting her against the brutality of world but he became himself the reason of this brutality which will led a sharp pain to his sister's heart. Everything was becoming blur he could see only draupadi's tears and all those hardships that she has to face in her life as a wife or as a daughter, her only escaped from this gloomy life was her children whom she loved her to no end who were the apple of her eye who were the rays of light in her darkness were no more.

Dhrishtadyumna breadth was becoming unsteady he was suffocating asking for help but not for himself but for those five precious gems to check if one of them is still alive or not. The number of times he tried to stand up he would fell on the ground and now he didn't even had the energy to move a bit from his position. The crown prince was certain that he was on his last breadth, blood was flowing out of his stomach where Ashwathama had stabbed him. He looked around the place which was once called to be a holy land was now covered in blood of the wicked adharmi people, but as we say there is no rose without a thorn or with good comes bad just like that in order to establish dharm there would have consequences and it took away their all happiness. He was doubting whether this war did something good? because if that was the case he cannot find any goodness it, a war which confiscated his sister's contentment, her pride her everything cannot prove to be beneficial for him. This war was meant to bring justice, rightness to everyone but cowardly killing someone in their sleep, he couldn't define it justice in any sense, those innocent lads were his own children, he loved them cared for them and took under his shelter of support during those 13 years of exile. He remebered when at night these brothers would cry their heart out thinking they are alone but the crown prince knew everything how they are putting up a strong face in front of him and trying to become a skilled warrior to avenge their mother's harassment to make them realize how it is felt to be disrobe in front of everyone. The Panchal prince was with them in thick and thin and now their death in front of his eyes was like he himself has been killed for five times.

He moaned loudly as now pain was becoming unbearable for him, it was like he was getting punished for his sins slowly and slowly sucking the life out of him. He tried to grasp his sword which was lying far away from him so that he could end his pain but a gut-wrenching death was decided for him and no one can change one's destiny. He started throwing up blood as he coughed but the fire born was a skilled warrior all his life he learned how to fought death and now when the actual time came he cannot just back off.

The crown prince was managing to keep his eyes open because he knew once he shut them off he would be gone into a deep slumber forever but he didn't wanted to leave his sister suffering alone in her misery and then a voice twirled inside his head It is courage, courage, courage, that raises the blood of life to crimson splendor. The words of his father Maharaj Draupad was ringing continuously in his head giving him another reason to stay awake but his grief of not protecting the upapandavas was suppressing his will to live, his sister's misery, those innocent precious gems who were the future of Hasinapur and the strength of Pandavas were emotionally destroying him.

The eyes which always showed the right path to others were now slowly going into peace but Dhrishtadyumna's thoughts trailed off to the day when everything was merrier everyone was living their lives as they dream off. Unlike now the smile of the fire queen would lighten up the day for everyone, her sound of the anklets was a melody to the ears when she walked down the palace along with the laughter of those five precious gems the five flames of the fierce queen the upapandavas.

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