Chaturmukha (a Rajini Rewritten Trilogy)

[mappi]

We for Vettaiyan

On this most auspicious of nights permit me to suggest the character of this dramatis persona.*

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... We are coming Very soon ...

[mappi]

Rajini Rewritten Trilogy
[Genre : Epic (Terror, Slasher, War, Fantasy, Rajini) : Rated R]

There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. - Mahatma Gandhi

The events & names that occur in this Trilogy are picked up from our myths and legends and are intended solely for entertainment purposes. Many names of our Super-Heroes and Super-Villains were altered and have nothing to do with their mythological presence/accuracy. And certain incidents were 'Rewritten' or lifted from Classic & Cult Rajini Films.

All sacks of mistakes are mine and for any complains, talk to me.

Part 1 - Vettaiyan Katha
(The Hunter Story)

The fascination of Hunting depends almost wholly on whether you are at the right or wrong end of the gun.

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Chapter 1 - Janma Vettaiyan
(The Birth of an Hunter)

If you try to cure evil with evil you will add more pain to your fate. - Sophocles

King Sama Suyodhana & Queen Radha had dectuplets. The childbirth took a miraculous 24 hours and the King named the final one as Dashakantha upon hearing his cry announing the end of the delivery - [Dasha means Ten, Kantha means Voice]. Technically Dashakantha is the eldest, but he was very fragile as though the 9 other sucked all his energy juice. After the births, the Queen was titled Dasa Radha, and quickly her 10th son became her favourite, while the King kept away from him for his weak structure and took care of the rest 9, who got vigourous training in artillery and politics. Dashakantha liked to play on his mother's lap all day long and grew amoung the courtesan's learning more of art than warfare. He was scared of everything irrespective to his familiarities, and one thing tops them all is the familar foot steps of his father. His father would strom into the Queen's palace and with his authority creates havoc and finally insults Dashakantha before walking away. Soon after he left, Dashakantha could find his mother in a sore state, but helplessly weeps beside her.

The philosophy of the Kingdom is to divide the living form of life by 8. Thus, the state's constitution conditions that the Prince should be chosen at the age of 8 and from then trained to become an able leader. The valliant will become the sucessor of the vast Empire. Suyodhana was proud to introduce to the panel his 9 sons, who demonstrated various skills before the elderly. The onlookers were astonished by the young talents. Minister Narendhira Verman objected. Addressing Suyodhana as 'My Lord', he expressed that all the 10 children should be baptised during the event. He pointed out that the whole concept of that ritual is to elimiate discremination. Hiding behind one of the curtains Dashakantha hesitantly joined his blood brothers who wore a mocking laughter on their face. Verman asked Dashakantha to perform, and Dashakantha not knowing what to do, just sang the song his mother used to sing to him, innocent enough not knowing that it had lyrics complaining about the Kingdom and its Ruler.

That evening, Suyodhana entered the Queen's palace and took away the sleeping Dashakantha by force. Ignoring the pleas of the Dasa Radha, Suyodhana dragged his 10th son over the corrider, all the while trying to calm himself with thoughts as to Dashakantha was indeed his son too. So he deceided 'to-pull-the-man-out-of' Dashakantha. He calculated & took Dashakantha for hunting and teach him the basics of the Honour of Kings & Man's Supremacy.

The King shot an arrow which pierced through the left eye of an hare. The rabbit ran away and in the process of crossing a bush, the arrow fell, plucking its eye off. Leaving traces of blood and agony cries, the bloody little animal disappeared into the woods. The father instructed his son to find and bring back the wounded animal. Dashakantha afraid of the dark looked at his father, who waited for his son to move forward. Slowly creeping inside the woods, scared of anything moved by the wind, even his own shadow, Dashakantha reached the wounded animal. It did not move, but was still breathing. He approched the bunny and could see a red hole in the place of an eye. When he was quite close, the hare turned its head towards him, its nose gasping rapidly for air. In the moon light thier eyes met, one filled with terror and the others with horror.

Suyodhana slaped the dreaded Dashakantha, as the King was not happy with his pawn returning empty handed. He roared at Dashakantha - 'If one hunts, he wins the prey'.

No one knew that this line would change the phase of Dashakantha's life, that later, when he grew up, he renamed himself to Vettaiyan.

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Chapter 2 - Chanda Vettaiyan

Neither love nor evil conquers all, but evil cheats more.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Rajini Rewritten Trilogy (Part 1) - Vettaiyan Katha
[Rated R]

Chapter 2 - Chanda Vettaiyan
(The Heartless Hunter)

Neither love nor evil conquers all, but evil cheats more.

Three Blind Priests

The hooded stranger sat by the campfire. Beside him on both sides were the crippled and at the begining of the circle before him were the 3 priests of the Oliwechu Tribe. Every face, except the stranger's, was not only missing hope but some flesh and even parts. The priests, one by one, spoke the Tales of Terror to the stranger, the words that the jungles can only whisper.

Episode 1

First Blind Priest - The Fate of Oliwechu

When the 4 kids, who went to play in the Vettaiyan Forest, did not return until dusk, a group from Oliwechu, a small village at the shadows of Akshara Falls, go inside the jungle with torch lights. Their search soon ended when they did not find the children, but only their torn parts. They could make out only 3 from the debris of flesh, and hoping to find the fourth one, they moved further. Beneath a rock, adjecent to the falls, they found a lump of red meat. An animal has certainly played with its prey before killing it. After the moarning, the 3 wise men of Oliwechu declared to put an end to Vettaiyan & his deformed monsters.

A drop of Honey collected by the tribals of Oliwechu was sweeter than 1000 drops of nectars, thanks to the wonderful and precious flowers that grew in and around the Falls from where the soldier bees selectively collected Amrutham for their Queen. The Oliwechu Tribe were Nature Worshiping people, and they carefully treat nature without disturbing the ecosystem. The love and passion they show makes the Honey a Heaven. Vettaiyan adored the honey from Oliwechu, apart from the tribal women and their dance. The courtesan opened the small pot of honey, a token of Sincerity from Oliwechu Tribe, and diped her finger inside. She tasted the honey with a huge smile, forgetting the dangerous job she was appointed to do. After waiting a moment, Vettaiyan forcefully took the pot from her hand. He took the tip of the pot to his lips to suck in the honey, the heaven he wished to taste for long.

The Priest watched Vettaiyan carry the pot to his lips. Inside the pot hidden, under the thick golden liquid, was a tiny snake, the venomous baby Bigarus Seruleus. Its a breed of snake with high audible strength which dwells both on land and water, particularly found only in Vettaiyan Jungles. They react very fast to noises. When the courtesan dipped her finger, the Priest was scared that the wrinkles would awake the sleeping snake. Now, the priest waited for the moment when Vettaiyan was going to make the last noise of his life.

At the same moment, when Vettaiyan brought the pot to his lips with grand eyes, Kaaga, one of his monster dog, pushed the gaurds and leaped forward. From the time the Priest arrived, Kaaga was restless. Vettaiyan ordered to capture Kaaga and the gaurds held the chains. The leap of Kaaga seemed like a frozen time to the Priest. In that freezed frames, the Priest could watch the monster in mid air, Vettaiyan lips coupling the pot and a tiny green snake head out with its spakling teeth ready to shower its power. The golden dust particles through the window illuminated by the sun's rays circled around the Priest. The next moment will not only deceide the nemesis of Vettaiyan, but the Priest's own, as well as the Fate of Oliwechu.

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... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Rajini Rewritten Trilogy (Part 1) : Vettaiyan Katha Chapter 2 - Chanda Vettaiyan
[Rated R]

Three Blind Priests

Episode 2

Second Deaf Priest - The Fall of Oliwechu

The stranger with no face, kept looking at the Priest who could not carry on. The Second Priest took his parole.

Kaaga toppled the tiny pot, pouring the honey and the action lifted the hidden snake high in the air. Bigarus Seruleus spinned several time in the air before it fell down, all the while Vettaiyan's eyes followed its downfall. Kaaga landed on the other side and skided to a stop. The Master's & the Monster's eyes met briefly. The fallen serpent, a bit dizzy from the crash, tried to push forward, when something heavy fell on its back of the neck. The viper tried to reach the furry thing which was over it with a hiss, but could not reach the paws of Chintha, another monster dog of Vettaiyan. Antha and Utta, the last two Horror Hounds, sliently crept from beneath the throne and sat before the Priest, the calmness in their approach sent lumps down the throat of the Priest. Everything happened in a fraction of a second : the crash of the snake, the positioning of the dogs and now Vettaiyan looking straight at the Priest with his evil smile - 'laka laka laka'.

The three priests were tied to each others back, hands attached together. After several weeks, they could not make out whose hand was touching whose. Their feet were coated with oil and in regualar intervals fire burners could approach their legs, just to make sure that the temperature of the oil is maintained to a certain point, that it does not do much harm to the flesh but just deliver the pain sent by the hot oil, round the clock, all over the Priests bodies that they could neither sleep nor stay awake.

The calm & cool night was disturbed by hissing noises. The tibals of Oliwechu awoke in panic to experience an Attack of the Vipers. The vipers were the hybrid to Bigarus Seruleus, called Hoggrata, just that their bite does not kill but are very toxic that creates allergies to the skin. Several villagers were bit that night and several children left their last breath not supporting the immense pain caused by the snake bite.

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The hooded stranger could now notice all the gore of Oliwechu around him - the crippled tribals - and got an answer for the cause of their horrors - a Tribe fallen just in one night. Continuing to listen to the Priest, he further learnt that, they were release after accepting to poke their own eyes. It took them several months to bring the courage to pluck their own eyes, and finally reach their village. The tribe of Oliwechu still serve the King Vettaiyan, continued the 3rd Priest.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Rajini Rewritten Trilogy (Part 1) : Vettaiyan Katha Chapter 2 - Chanda Vettaiyan
[Rated R]

Three Blind Priests

Episode 3

Third Dumb Priest - The Man of 10 Voices

Vettaiyan marked his brothers in descending order. All of his brothers encountered gruesome deaths in the forests - sucked in by quick sand, poisoned by consuming jungle mushroon, head broken by the fall of a huge tree branch, lost in an abondonned cave - found dead, died during an attack of the cannibals, drowned in the river Daboya, bleed to death by a broken ankle, squashed by a jungle elephant, slipped and fell from a cliff.

Karthikeya, the 6th brother of Vettaiyan was a trouble. He was always surrounded by his 5 childhood friends and these 6 united were unmovable. Each gaurded the rest is the secret of thier brotherhood. The 5 friends saved Karthikeya in different suituations, some even life taking. Vitara, the miner-architect, was consulted to reconstruct the mines of Medhaveli. Suituated in the valley of Malliga Mountains, its one mouth was the opening of the Deadly Caves and the other was closed by the Daboya river. This place carried a rumour - there was a mysterious being sleeping on its passage. The rumour added that only Vettaiyan had passed this passage and came out with his monster dog Antha. Karthikeya & his 5 friends enter the cave to make things easier for Vitara Company to work without any problem.

The cave was darker than usual. Carrying the bag of food on their back, the 6 advanced with caution. Drops of thick liquid fell over them. They carefully avoided it and they stood before a stone like door. Two started to move it which created a little opening thru which hundreds of tiny poisonous spiders started to crawl. Karthikeya was intelligent enough to burn them with his torch. Further into the cave there was a pit (named Iravigraha) and a swamp of water (named Thelivapara). They deceided to pass the night there. One of them took out a piece of bread from his back pack and had a munch. Immediately, he threw it and ran to the rest and kicked the food from their hands. Before he arrived at Karthikeya, he was already loosing his sight and red fluids fountained out of his mouth bathing Karthikeya's face. The food was poisoned, the thick liquid at the enterance of the cave was not an immediate danger, but a planned attack. Following pursuit, another one fell flat and upon verification he had 2 tiny bite marks of the spider which confirms the attack. Who was this mysterious attacker ? Wondering, the remaining friends packed and got past the Iravigraha but the next morning all their 6 dead bodies were found, converting the rumour to reality.

Vettaiyan and his first born brother, Malarvendan, were moarning over the death of their blood brothers. The Nature was to be blamed and Malarvendan hated the forests, the home lands of Vettaiyan, for mysteriously consuming all his brothers. Vettaiyan adviced his brother to take a break by proposing to go for a yatch ride on the lake Daboya. His elder brother enjoyed the scenary all the while Vettaiyan explaining him the various aspects of the jungle and its richness. But the Vettaiyan Jungle has its own secrets too, and its time for Malarvendan to know them all. With a shake of the boat, his brother feel into the water. Vettaiyan knows exactly his brother's weakness, just like he did of his other brothers - Malarvendan was too heavy that he cannot float. Vettaiyan sitting on the boat saw the last bubbles reaching the surface and then started to row on, signing the death of his bothers on the lake of Daboya with his tongue 'laka laka laka'.

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The hooded stranger let his dark horse drink from the swamp below the falls. He looked beyond the valley at the gloriously lit King Vettaiyan Palace, inside which lies the dragon whose face he wished to mark - The Vettaiyan Visage.

Chapter 3 - Vettaiyan Kukkuras

If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and man. - Mark Twain.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Rajini Rewritten Trilogy (Part 1) - Vettaiyan Katha
[Rated R]

Chapter 3 - Vettaiyan Kukkuras
(The Hunter Dogs from Hell)

If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and man. - Mark Twain.

Vettaiyan Dogs - Chintha (Despair), Antha (Ender), Kaaga (Chronicler) & Utta (Empty).

Chintha & Kaaga sat on both sides of their Master beside the throne - the Gaurdian Dogs.
Antha & Utta hid under the Throne - the Ninja Dogs.

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Vettaiyan's sleep was disturbed by a distant cry of an animal. He was sleeping inside his tree cabin in his jungle. Beneath the tree were 2 bodies of young women, their fate not even the forest darkness could digest. Vettaiyan started walking towards the weeping call. He found a wounded puppy, one of its ear was cut off. It was very fragile that only its eyes spoke the pain and its body could not move. He took the puppy with his both palms, looked at it and then looked at the Moon. Two weeks later, the puppy was riding in a small pouch fixed to the saddle along with Vettaiyan on the horse. When they passed the Path of Daboya, it groaned. Vettaiyan got off his horse and walked thru the green path completely lightless by the dense growth. The small dog followed him. They came before a table around which there were 4 theives having their meal. Vettaiyan looked at the dog. It did not return his look but was starring at the 4 theives. Apparently, one or all of them were guitly. When they saw Vettaiyan, they offered him a drink, as theives are the King's allies. After a cup of Jungle Liqueur, Vettaiyan looked at the puppy, and thats when the theives knew that he was not alone and the one eared dog still lived. Vettaiyan could see the guilt in their eyes, the result of thier fun act. The Theif Captain cut the fingers of the other three, and chopped off his fingers from his left hand. With bloody face he looked at Vettaiyan as to how he could cut the fingers of the other hand. Vettaiyan stood up and asked him to keep the rest of his fingers as souvenir and walked away into the dark with Utta.

A little animal ran through the thick bushes. It ran as though it cannot be stopped, until a sharp branch of a fallen tree pierced straight into its right eye. He became motionless. Next, everything seemed to become so light. It felt as though it was floating. All of a sudden the wound burns subdued with coldness, and it started to feel wet. Then the something softer than its mother's belly allowed it to dream about its mother & brothers. The dream did not last long, as the images of the Big Bad Wolves and their Killer teeths woke him up with a cry. He could not see on one side, but could make out a hand trying to lift him with the other and finally he lands meeting the face of his saviour. Two weeks later, it started of from the place where it wounded itself. It ran again, until it came to the mouth of the Dealy Caves of Malliga Mountains, a tremendrous mountain covered with Jasmine plants. The horse steps from behind came to a halt to. Vettaiyan took out his bow & arrow and entered the Dark Caves of Malliga. When he returned back, his white King Suit was red, and he poured a dozen of Wolves Eyes before the puppy, as a gift to wash away its sorrow. He bent down and spoke to Antha : An eye for an eye, old style, A dozen Eye for an Eye, Vettaiyan Style.

Grabbing the 3 months old, it entered the stream that joins the water falls. It struggled to keep its baby out of water and at the same time to swim. The swift of the water was too fast and the mother dog with its puppy were washed away. During the flight down, a sharp flat stone from nowhere landed on the nose of the puppy, choping one side of its flesh. They both fell on the shallow water. The mother dog quickly swam and grabed its unconsious puppy. It laid its kid in a place which it thought was safe, but immediately was shocked to hear foot steps. Scared but prepared to defend with all its teeth projecting out, it looked straight at the eyes of the Man in White. Two years later, Vettaiyan rode past the Akshara Falls. He stopped at a place where only a strech of land seperated him from the Oliwechu Tribe Village. He camped there that night overlooking the village. At dusk, 4 kids came hopping over the Jungle Grass. They looked everywhere and sounded cheerful, until a terrifying noise short circuited into their attention. Before them were 4 Big Deformed Dogs - one without an eye, the other with one ear less, the third with a nose cut & just behind them was the mother of all Dogs - staring at them. Then the kids lifted their eyes to see Vettaiyan smiling at them leaning on top of his horse Bhaja. The dogs did not look at their Master, but just heard the tap on his laps and that very moment jumped onto the kids. When they returned, Vettaiyan carressed Kaaga and looked at its mother Chintha. Their eyes met for a brief moment, what passed was understood and all 4 followed Bhaja on which their Master Vettiayan Rode.

In the deserted, mist covered jungle, the silence was broken with 'laka laka laka' followed by the Howl of the Hounds.

Chapter 4 - Vettaiyan Rajyam
(The Kingdom of the Hunter)

The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves. - William Shakespeare (Julius Caesar)

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Rajini Rewritten Trilogy (Part 1) - Vettaiyan Katha
[Rated R]

Chapter 4 - Vettaiyan Rajyam
(The Kingdom of the Hunter)

The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves. - William Shakespeare (Julius Caesar)

Vettaiyan became an ally of Kama (Lust), Lobha (greed), Krodha (Anger), Mada ( Arrogance), Moha (Attachment) & Matsarya (Covetousness) and along with his five faithful members - The Politician, The Architect, The General, The Vaithiyar & The Poet - he regined over the Kingdom of the Forest. Fear was the nation's flag and terror was its emblem. The surrounding kingdoms were his allies - some in fear, some as in 'birds of feathers', and few others controlled using high voltage political strategies - thus, no one else existed to oppose him. People were happy with the least they got. Vettaiyan was very generous to the 13 tribes which shared the Jungle, the tribals paying an invaluable price to gain peace. Women were free, so was liqeur. Culture flourished where dance & music were the Kingdom's crown jewels.

Episode 1 - The Politician

Narendhira Verman was appointed as the chief of the inspecting committee. He did not obtained this post by merit, neither did he get it thru acheivement. He was the brother of Dasa Radha. He could not tolerate the atrocities of King Sama towards his sister, and waitied patiently in the King's own shadow to seek his revenge. Moreover rumour spread that Verman pimps his wife to the King, which was partitally true - his wife held an affair with the King.

Verman is the best in what he does. He is caculative, quick and efficient who can bring down a whole army without a fight. So, to test his own instincts after taking the role of Chief to choose the sucessor from the 10 Princes, he visited the school in which the they were being coached. He stood by the windows as an annonym watching the hyper reactive futures of the Kingdom. But in a corner he noticed a brittle kid siting as though a leaf stuck to the wall in a strom. The students were put to a question : How much litres of water is needed to remove the state of this pot's emptiness ? The Princes immediately started to calculate the volume of the empty pot before them, with all the formula they were familiar with. Some even moved to closely invetigate the pot and take measurements, to become the most accurate of all. Dashakantha did not move, he seemed nervous, but his eyes had a flicker of confidence that he already knew the answer. Trained to read lips, Verman could manage to decode the message from Dashakantha lip moment, which was softer than a whisper - One Drop. Smiling, Verman left as silently as he had come.

Loud humping noises woke Dashakantha. He found himself on the floor adjesant to the corridor. He could not recollect how he landed there or he didn't even experience the daily nightmare - his father's footsteps. When he regained and came back to his mother's chamber, he found the door just an inch open. Thru the gap he witnessed something that terror would be terrified.

Sitting by the tree after the cremation ceremony, Dashakantha was trying ways to hide the secret he alone knew. He felt his weakness at its peak, as neither he could talk, nor forget, but just suffer. And as an horrible trace, he could not remove the vision of the stare from his mother, with her sunken upside down eyes, looking at him with the support of the fallen neck by the bedside, all the while his father on top of her. Verman knew that his wife had an hand in the plot, and steadily approached Dashakantha and assured him that nothing was his fault, neither his birth nor her death, and certainly not his state, but the mistake was from within - 'As You Think, So You Become'. Before leaving, he turned and told him that even a serpent would hiss to create fear; Dashakantha was his chosen Prince.

From then, Verman appointed several scholars to use drastic teaching techniques to train Dashakantha. Everything was happening under the nose of Suyodhana who still harassed Dashakantha while he was with the courtesans. Dashakantha used all the hate he had faced through his brothers, and worked hard to forget his mother's last vision by becoming a spun snake, hiding all his horrors in spirals and deep down was the head ready to unseal its venomous teeth. One by one he and his Famous-5 climbed over the heads of his blood brothers and reached the throne.

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... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Rajini Rewritten Trilogy (Part 1) : Vettaiyan Katha Chapter 4 - Vettaiyan Rajyam
[Rated R]

Episode 2 - The Architech

A truly great book should be read in youth, again in maturity and once more in old age, as a fine building should be seen by morning light, at noon and by moonlight. - Robertson Davies

Vitara was called in for a purpose - not to renovate but to remodel the mines of Medhaveli. He was a voyager and sucker of all evil plans and he was just back from the west after animating the construction of a tomb for a dead Emperor, designed to be theives-free. Vitara asked Vettaiyan about the rumours, just to get clarified with certain life & death suituations. Vettaiyan smiled and nodded his head before assuring him. He opened to him that Antha, his sincere pet dog, had put an end to his fears. He added that, when he was kid he saw one the finest Man landing on the banks of Daboya. When this Man looked straight at the hiding kid Dashakantha, Vettaiyan after these many years, could still recollect His sparkling eyes, His waxed body & toping all, His affectionate smile. The Man had went into the cave after a brief chat with Suyodhana. For several years, Vettaiyan wanted to go inside to see the intentions of the Man from the Sea. Finally, Antha gave him the courage. After a pause, he asserted to Vitara that if at all there was anything inside, it was of no harm to Vitara. Thus, Vitara laid traps inside the cave to distribute and kill the friends of Karthikeya.

Karthikeya and his remaining 3 friends left their dead mates and reached the mouth of the pit. Taking them by suprise, from beneath the dark pit, appeared the head of a metal crocodile which got hold of one of his friend's leg. After a struggle, the pull they made seperated the leg from the victim friend - freed but limp. But the agony was not yet over. 4 other small metal aligators sprang from the 2 eyes and nossiles of the Mother Metal. Two took of the hands, the third removed the last leg and finally the forth waited a moment to enjoy the horror amoung the friends and plucked off the head. Everything became silent again, no trace of the Metal Family. Before them was just the torso of their beloved friend floating on his own blood. At the very moment, from the swamp Thelivapara, grew 2 monstrous sea water plant with tiny pines on their envelope. When it opened, it looked like the Mouth of 1000 vampires, from which sprang out one blue & one red fluid balls. Looking at the direction of the flight - coming directly towards Karthikeya - the remaining two friends jumped and walled him. The red ball stuck one, and he immediately melted forming a marsh of his own flesh and blood, and the last standing friend, still stood but frozen, his eyes staring at Karthikeya before shattering into pieces. Karthikeya panicked and ran towards the nearest exit, and just after few rocks he was glad to see his brother Vettaiyan, and so was his brother too.

Vitara & Vettaiyan used to take long walks and discuss various topics. Vitara was impressed with Vettaiyan's knowledge over many fields, esp. music & dance, but at the same time Vitara could grasp the fact that Vettaiyan's life was always in danger - An Hunter who survived more death than the number of days he had lived. To extend his friendship and loyalty to the King, Vitara proposed to renovate the Vettaiyan Palace. One who enters the Palace, cannot leave - the place became a huge maze of granite and marbles. Also in an unidentifed location, Vitara had setup a tunnel leading to the jungle. The Palace was sound proof, so that its dwellers were deaf to the special prisoners who were tortured under its depths.

During the meeting with the ministers, Vettaiyan would sit beside the window and reproduce the bird's flight noise by drumming on the wodden table and on the arrival of each minister, he would drum exactly the sounds of their foot step as a mocking gesture. Plus he could whistle for a whole afternoon apart from performing perfectly several instruments, styled singing and classical dance. And he was a creator too, who patiently & passionately took several years to finish the potrait of his mother, which is now hung on the walls of a very special place.

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So, the assemble hall, the courthouse, the theatre and the rest of private chambers were exclusiely designed by Vitara for Vettaiyan, whom he considered as the Greatest Artist of Any Time.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Rajini Rewritten Trilogy (Part 1) : Vettaiyan Katha Chapter 4 - Vettaiyan Rajyam
[Rated R]

Episode 3 - The Vaithiyar

Vaithiyar Kreesnama Muni was about in his eighties, and that exactly how he looked right from the chilhood days of Vettaiyan. Kreesnama Muni was a Jack of any Trade. His principle practise was medicine, and too much love towards reading allowed him to explore many other fields like alchemy, chemical reactions, cartography and designing time based events. He knew every single plant & creature that dwelt in the forest, using which he reproduced life saving and miraculous and killer medicines. He visits the tribes in the dark to learn their technics and most often roams around the Harbour of Daboya to meet strangers and foreigners to accuire new details or to render his service.

Kreesnama was Vettaiyan's favourite for 2 reasons. The Vaithiyar made him tonics when he went for hunting, which allowed him to be strikingly sharp. The tonic increased his audibility as well as his movements. Other prescribed tonics included - seeing in the dark, horse riding on the bed, infections free, keepaway - hunger, sleep, thirst & physical pain, and the last from the big list was the ecstasy tonic Mayil. Vettaiyan had come out with several strategies using this tonic, and what was rumoured to be the 'Vision of Vettaiyan' was nothing but the Magic of Mayil. Apart from the medicinal tonics, Muni had assisted Vettaiyan in all occassions by providing transperant poisons, unflamable oil, infective spiders, toxic mushrooms, metal design, pulley tricks, chemical compounds and the list went on without an end.

The second reason was for keeping his father not only alive, but healthy too.

At the far end of the Garden Palace, Vettaiyan cremeted the bodies of his brother which were found from different parts of the Jungle. Each time he set fire, he looked towards the Kingdom's Guest House, suituated at the opposite end. He did not take his eyes until they met with his favourite site - a moment near the window. Then a crooked smile escaped his lips and he walked away throwing the torch light at a nearby gaurd.

Suyodhana opened his eyes. Before him, over the wall of the room, hung a potrait of Dasa Radha. Mirrors were positioned on the other 2 walls in a way that a different reflection of the dead Queen would be seen - the images always reflected that of a couple. The forth wall held a curtainless window, opening to the fabulous site of the Garden Palace, but each time one looks through it, the sight lands on the cremation ground. Woken up by the distant terror foot steps, he pannicked and sat over the couch breathing heavily. The doors slammed open and Vettaiyan charged in towards his father as though rewritng his own nightmares.

Vettaiyan took a place before his male parent and with his eyes, ordered a courtesan to sit over his laps. Suyodhana sat helplessly before his staring son, the eyes spitting fire and the lips crookedly smiling at his fate. Not tolerating any more the silence that ruled the Hell Space, he got up and walked to the window, but there, through the aperture, the pain only multipled, as he could only notice the 9 burnt pasture on the ground. And the horror would follow - Vettaiyan pushed the courtesan from his laps and walked towards his father, who felt his presence through the breathe that hit his neck, but he did not turn back. They stood there in that position for a while, until Suyodhana listened to the fading foot steps. A deep flush of breath rushed to him that made his cough. Vettaiyan, now at the door steps stopped, looked to his right and then to his left, and from nowhere 2 courtesans carrying drinking pot rushed to Suyodhana. The pots held the Magic Portions prepared by the Vaithiyar.

Vettaiyan reached the doors, but before leaving turned back. Adjusting his earring, he spoke to his father for the first time in several long painful years, assuring him that he will not let him die until he found the wounded Hare from that Horror Night.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4291&d=1437647647

Vettiayan, then, disappeared into the corridor. Another sort of silence took its place - daily peace after the daily terror.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Rajini Rewritten Trilogy (Part 1) : Vettaiyan Katha Chapter 4 - Vettaiyan Rajyam
[Rated R]

Episode 4 - The Poet

Woe to the man who leaves behind a shadow that bears his form. - Victor Hugo

Vettaiyan sat on the bench in his Palace Garden. He looked at his pets, which were restlessly circling around. He waited. After a while, 2 sat beside him and the other 2 went behind the bushes. Vettaiyan, then, punched the bench and a small cone popped from the wooden plank, which he caught mid-air. He opened it, recovered its content and pressed the cone back from where it popped, which camouflaged with the wooden seat. The message in the cone read :

He sees through the hoods,
And roams around the woods.
He comes from far,
And seeks nothing but war.

Mountian flies are his allies,
With whom he will strike the furnace,
During the time not yet known,
Until the man in the hood is blown.
- The Poet.

The blind dog could not see where the paper-ball stopped rolling. The deaf animal failed to hear the crump of the paper thrown by his master. The breathless beast was unable to sniff the position of the fallen object. But all three followed their Monster Mother who approached the secret message, now on the grass floor, and sat beside it. The cubs surrounded the object and in no time the message was dust.

Behind him the evening sun was turning red and he thought it would have been easier if Chandramukhi was with him at present.

Chapter 5 - Chandramukhi

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Rajini Rewritten Trilogy (Part 1) - Vettaiyan Katha
[Rated R]

Chapter 5 - Chandramukhi

Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody - Mark Twain

http://full.creative.touchtalent.com/bharatnatyam-dancer--10480.jpg

Episode 1 - Birth of a Beauty

Kanika was a dashing dancer in the Kingdom. She could bring all the intense pleasures of her clients just with her dance moves alone. Want to sign a contract with the allies, bring in Kanika, was Suyodhana's strategy. Kanika was the ultimate weapon of seduction who played a vital role in shaping up the Kingdom's foreign policy.

On a moon shiny night, the Beauty was born. The delivery happened in a secret place, a building with walls but no roof. He walked impatiently around the corners of the building until he heard the baby cry. He rushed inside and looked at Kanika, lying inbetween 2 pregnancy specialist tribal women. Kanika returned his sight with a smile. The old lady signaled him to come forward, and he advanced slowly as though all his happiness were weighing on him. As he approached, he got his first glimpse of his daughter kicking and pulling at the same time beside her mother Kanika. The lady beside the baby, handed over the little pearl to her father. He lifted the new born and took a great look at her. With eyes of charcoal floating on the swan's milk, lips of pink petals, nose of iceberf, cheeks of green apples and the flesh as tender as her mother's lips, the baby looked back at him. His daughter coupled his finger with hers, when he noticed the cresant nails on her soft long fingers. He lifted her to compare her with the beautiful object hanging in the night sky, and when he saw them both side by side, he called out with joy - Chandramukhi.

The kingdom rumours mashed a lot about who the father of Chandramukhi was, where each corner of the street had its own theory. Kanika did not mind all things that was spoken about her and her child, but showered immense love on her baby. Chandramukhi grew faster, as though the passing years blessed her with more beauty. At the age of 4, she first met her uncle. Growing amoung a dance soceity dominated by woman, Chandramukhi immediately liked the presence of her uncle. From then she explored various interesting things in her life, by visiting various other states and gaining immense knowlege over art & culture. She showed immense fasination over single handed weapons, espicially the dragger blade.

Kanika was weeping over the bench. Chandramukhi's uncle was beside her consoling. They were discusing the secrets that except the breeze that touched the moon were aware of. The uncle turned to the sound of a tiny weep, the tears were so heavy that they made the noise. Camouflaged with the plants around the bench, the 8 years old Chandramukhi emerged from the bushes. The three looked at each other, Chandramukhi now knew who her father was. Years passed, but the secret was still intact, Chandramukhi possessed the traits that was a dream to any woman - keeping a secret.

After the graduation, her uncle saw an immense potential in her. Chandramukhi had all her mother's characteristics, her owned beauty and there was something deadly hidden inside. Her attitude, vigilance & reaction were some asserts the Kingdom could use. He wanted to break her from just being a seduction chain, but allow her other instincts and talents to strengthen the prowess of Chandramukhi. He exactly knew which door to knock.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Rajini Rewritten Trilogy (Part 1) - Vettaiyan Katha
[Rated R]

Chapter 5 - Chandramukhi

There is no exquisite beauty, without some strangeness in the proportion. - Edgar Allan Poe

Episode 2 - The Spy who Kissed Me

Minister Verman took Vettiayan for an 'employment chat' over the long corridors of the Palace. He was talking about a recrutiment that could be a great asset to the Kingdom. Between each pillar they passed, the wind force entered their path disturning the hair that Vettaiayn had let loose. After listening to the laurels about a stranger from his minister, Vettaiyan mocked him saying that he never spoke that much high about the Ruler himself, and immediately dismissed his mockery with curiosity. The minister replied that the recruit's uncle was his childhood friend, and a kind of person who assits the Kingdom's off the record works. Shrugging the shoulders, as if indicating a ' Why Not !', he ordered his minister, with his trade mark smile, to set up a meeting with this valiant person, for which Verman shocked him by announcing that the recruit was present with them there at the very moment. Vettaiyan rushed to check behind every pillar, but all the space were empty. He looked at Verman, who called out - Chandramukhi - which heard sweeter than the Oliwechu Honey in Vettaiyan's ears.

All of a sudden from behind a pillar that the King had already checked, Chandramukhi emerged. The first reaction that Vettaiyan got, made him bite his upper lips. His eyes became tiny, concentrating only on the vision of the Beauty before him. He followed every tiny movements of the walking allure, until Chandramuki approached him and broke his oneirology with a graceful salute with her sugar voice. Vettiayan was gald that, what he was experiencing was reality. He circled her once, taking the whole time from every passing second. He, then, brushed passed her, returning her salute with "laka laka laka".

Assignment One

Foreign religions took a massive sweep over the Kingdom. Their goal was to take away the hope from the people and re-install it under a new name. For that, they targeted all the higher officials, to shake the soceity with despair. A huge noise trembled the air in front of the palace, just when Vettiayan entered the gates. Without giving much time to react, another one went off, this time the flying fire barrels taking couple of gaurds with them. Yet again no time to realise, smoke covered around Vettaiyan. Coughing, Vettaiyan looked as sharp as possible with his burning eyes. The suffacation made him tired that he could only see 2 men with covered face running towards him. The onlooking gaurds did not know what was happening, as the smoke was so dense that erradicated any vision. From nowhere, another masked warrior had jumped in a cricular motion around him, the warrior's lips caressing Vettaiyan's cheeks in the flow, and the next moment, he saw two headless bodies under Bhaja's legs.

That evening he received a message, the sender whom Vettaiyan can be thankful but never meet to say it :

Take care my brother, during this bad weather,
The House will come to bother, but will wither.
The stones and marbles may shatter,
The Poet will be with you only matter.

The same evening, in a liqeur den at the south corner of the city, the clients were going crazy over the girl on stage. A fat man pushed every body, and walked to the girl. He pulled her by force, and no one stoped him, but paved way to take her away with him. They entered the room at the back of the bar, where 2 men were waiting. The fat man with unusual dress seemed to be angry. He yelled at them asking what he had to reply to the House. Then he growled at them to get out. He pulled the petite girl towards him and tried to make her obey by pushing her on the nearby bed. The girl gradually climbed over the fat man, and landed on top of his pelvic region. She let her hair loose, and the fat man was astonished by the beauty that she reflected even in the dim light. Before his astonishment came to an end, Chandramukhi ended his life by slitting his throat with her Golden Dragger.

http://orig07.deviantart.net/0020/f/2010/178/3/7/bharatanatyam_by_emushi.jpg

The next day, the members of the House, found their religious leader dead beside a moonflower turned red in his own blood.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Rajini Rewritten Trilogy (Part 1) - Vettaiyan Katha
[Rated R]

Chapter 5 - Chandramukhi

But he who dares not grasp the thorn, Should never crave the rose. - Anne Bronte

Episode 3 - The Spy who Killed Me

Several weeks had passed, Vettaiyan ran in loop the sensation of the soft lips that had carressed him. At a snap of his finger, the matches would light, the woman would bend and the kingdoms would fall, but to the owner of those lips he wished to surrender. After a quick enquiry, he travelled to the whereabout of his Spy. On the way, he stopped at the jungle and gazed at the tall trees - close but seperated at the bottom, and tall but met each other on the top with their sway. For the first time in his dreadful life, he forgot everything, both his childhood horrors and the current insecured life. He walked enjoying the plesant moment through the woods, over the grass, by the lake, singing the song of his heart full of Chandramukhi.

Never he felt such a way - a sight where the prey and its hunter walked hand-in-hand. It was so radical that, Vettaiyan wished to bed Chandramukhi only through her acceptence. He not only wanted her body, but her spirit too. He dreamt about sailing their souls to newer peaks where no man or woman have ever travelled. With all such thoughs battling to win over each other, Vettaiyan reached the city of Narukukana, where Chandramukhi is supposed to be halted. Just as the cities name, that night Vettaiyan's dreams shattered, and this time once and for all.

Gunasekaran was an handsome and a bright young man. During his college days, girls were flocking around him, and he flurted with them using his dancing methods. Ailing from a great dancer family, his rudeness was blunted by Chandramukhi when she won over him in a competition. Since then, they flashed bombs at each other, which eventually blossomed a common reaction between them. Chandramukhi loved Gunasekaran as the moon with the sky, and he resiprocated with pride and compassion. Together they were the perfect couple, a painting painted on the brightest day. She once spoke to her uncle about her affair, and he welcomely assured her that after her principle tasks are overr, soon she could be married to Gunasekaran. Caught between duty and love, Chandramukhi secretly meets Gunasekaran during her secret missions. Opposite to her chambers at the Vetttaiyan Palace, she cunningly set up a school of dance for the coutesans, which was readily approved by the King. This day, Gunasekaran could not let her go, and insisted on eloping with her. She denied, saying that she will take him to her uncle and they can get married through their own dance ceremony.

The charioteer left leaving Vettaiyan with the depressing message. Vettaiyan reached his palace. Dhashakantha did not want to beleive, Vettaiyan wished just to end it. For his love, for Chandramukhi, for himself, he gave a second chance. Early next morning, he looked at the shinning sun through his window and heard the piegions gracefully cooing around their post. He was gald, at the same time sad to induce that The Poet had got his message :

I desire to hunt a Peacock, Will I win my Prey ?
Peep into the nest to see, Whose egg it has laid.

2 days later, while he was having his breakfast, a courtesan announced that the tribes from Keera Mountains have sent him lamb meat. A man carried a basket holding the raw meat and placed it before Vettaiyan. He never bothered to lift his head, but walked back as silently as he had entered. Closing the door, Vettaiyan opened the basket covered with palm leaf. Inside there were serveral fresh meat, still oozing blood. He poured them on the dining table, and took time to look at each piece. He deceided to pick the choosen one - a lamb thigh - where the meat was briliantly stitched to the bone. He cut the tiny invisible thread seperating the meat, and washed the bone. Carved on it, the message read :

Peacock dances with the Rain,
Moving up and down the family grain.
Prey is not what you will gain,
The hunter will deceide who gets the pain.

He droped the bone to Utta, it did not take it. Antha and Kaaga joined the bone without touching it. Chintha marched slowly. She looked at Vettaiyan, who was still starring at the bone, and with one swift cleanup took the bone and smashed it with her powerful jaws.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Rajini Rewritten Trilogy (Part 1) - Vettaiyan Katha
[Rated R]

Chapter 5 - Chandramukhi

Those wars are unjust which are undertaken without provocation. For only a war waged for revenge or defense can be just. - Cicero

Episode 4 - Provoking the Flames of the Hunter

Gunasekaran finally got the guts to enter the Palace's Administration Chamber. Along with Chandramukhi, he marched through the wide corridors, their ankle bells rhythmically covering the chants of the wind. They were greeted inside by the Palace Ministers, who were exicted to see their performence - a once in a life time spectacle. When Chandramukhi announced to get socially accuinted with Gunasekaran, the well wishers readily accepted to host a ceremony. It was Verman who adviced that they do a performence for the King, and their Leader's happiness is more than a blessing. It was getting dark, and the Palace lamps were lighted, and under special instructions from the Ruler, the decoration resembled a festival of the century. Time passed, and upon hearing the retard over the presidings of the Hunter, the event was announced to commence. Gunasekaran and Chandramukhi gave a breath taking performence. Interrupting their joy, the usherer announced the arrival of Vettaiyan. The monster dogs descended the steps, followed by their master. Vettaiyan, to hide his agony, made sure to mock at each minister on his path to the Throne. The event restarted as soon as he took his seat. Vettaiyan enjoyed the performence, indulging himself by reacting to the dance movements of Chandramukhi & Gunasekaran.

Earlier, after reaching the dance floor opposite to the throne, Chandramukhi whispered to Gunasekaran to keep the event strictly professional, to which Gunasekaran had different thoughts. The only card he had to over-rule Vettaiyan was Chandramukhi. He wanted to show his supremacy to the Undisputed King, and thus, made the wrong mudra by caressing the pelvic area of Chandramukhi infornt of the Administrators of Vettaiyan.

Chandramukhi's instincts made her unhappy with the move done Gunasekaran. Chintha barked, the provocation reached Vettaiyan too. With a sudden gesture, he stood over the steps of his throne and punctuated his displeasure -'laka laka laka' - but converted his anger with 'Swaras', the notes of the octave. He moved around the couple, who have stopped dancing - Gunasekaran realising his mistake & Chandramukhi counting the time to pass, the 'laka laka laka' greeting made by Vettiayan at her when he entered, had an evil signature to it and did not resemble the one from their first meeting.

Gunasekaran head rolled on the ground.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4293&d=1437743073

Reaching the throne, Vettaiyan ordered the ultimate - to see his love burn before him. The last vision Chandramukhi had was of Vettaiyan holding a burning torch, the flames reflecting behind both his eyes. She turned into ashes to fire from Vettaiyan's 'laka laka laka'.

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Siting on the bench, after reading The Poet's message about a wandering stranger in the woods, which ignited the the absence of Chandramukhi, Vettaiyan prepared himself to the meet the dangers, the stanger would bring onto him.

Behind him the evening sun was turning red. The Visions of Vettaiyan failed to forsee that he and Chandramukhi have entered into an eternal loop beyond timeline, that he should not only worry about the present danger but must be fit to face the future even after his death.

Year 2005 : Saravanan arrives at the Farm House on a bullock cart, at the same moment Ganga opens the chest containing the belonging of Chandramukhi.

http://photos.filmibeat.com/ph-big/2012/01/1325842494616581.jpg

End of Part 1

[NOV]

Excellent imagination Karthi :clap: :clap:
Please continue!

[mappi]

Rajini Rewritten Trilogy (Part 1) - Vettaiyan Katha

Epilogue

After listening to the Tales of Oliwechu from the Three Blind Priests, the Stranger with no name rode over the mountain Pushpapatha. Before him was the battle field where he could see a warrior siting on the royal chariot challenging the King's army single handedly.

The Stranger rushed down the mountian and finally reached the battle zone. He rode into the battle field.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GN8cBubJt18

<<<<<>>>>>

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Cover

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4296&d=1437901863

Rated R : Don’t say the old lady screamed; bring her on and let her scream. - Mark Twain

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha
(The Legends Story)

Legendary truth is invention whose result is reality ; to depict eternal man beneath momentary man. - Victor Hugo

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4300&d=1437902952

... Coming Soon ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Prologue

The Hitman 47

Vettaiyan spends atleast one day at the Garden Maligai where he tastes Mayil. He wishes to be all alone, not even disturbed by the humming bees. That evening, Vettaiyan was examining the garden rose, the petals were wide and soft. He couldn't escape but allow himself to get immersed it their sweet smell. He caught one of the rose from the bunch and shaked it. Few petals fell down. He bent and picked them one by one and left sliently carrying the one which was much thicker than the other fallen petals. He poured a sort of chemical on it and the petal turned white exposing the message it held :

Knock Knock. Who is there? Knuckles.

Shorter the message immediate the danger and he rushed to his chamber. He shut the doors and waited desperately in the dark. Few hours later, he heard a knock at the door. The uninvited has arrived. He slowly walked to the door, his heart pounding the rythms of death. He saw a human form dressed all black covering head to toe and only the eyes were staring at him. Beside the Killer he held a dragger that glittered in the moonlight escaping through the gaps in the corridor. Vettaiyan backed off and the murderer slowly charged towards him. Vettaiyan could see the smile in his eyes, when suddenly 6 Vettaiyan gaurds who were hiding behind the doors circled the Hitman. Without having any other option, the hitman slit his own throat - he was wrongly informed that Vettiayan would be alone in the Garden Maligai.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Preface

The half-broken lifeboat reached the shores of the rocky island. The last survivors of Yethi cargo ship crawled to the sands stuffing their water filled lungs with air. Slowly they recovered their visions and before them was the most greenest patures they have seen since boarding Yethi. Hurriedly they entered the thick forest of the Unknown Island and started collecting berries and drinking the sweet nectar from the magical plant that stored its juice in its flower cups. Quenching the thirst and hunger on the way, their path reached a flat surface with trees that grew in circlular pattern, and at the centre there was a huge Tree with climbers falling from their branches. At the bottom of the tree, sat a man of no age fully covered with white sand. The sailors walked on the floor bed of tiny, soft and colorful flowers which led them close to the white form. There was no movement on the Sitting Sage except his loose hair chatting with the breeze. He was so deeply covered with the colourless element that the form was only human with no nose or mouth on the face. A strange calmness surrounded them. The Sitting Sage opened his eyes, which shined as 2 yellow cystals. The sailors who were completely lost, regained their hope and announced to the Sitting Sage how their ship got caught in the monstrous strom and they 12 were the only ones left. The Sitting Sage smiled, he insisted on the word 'monstorous' that was spoken by the sailors. Neither the smile nor the words came out from no lips but still the 12 sailors could hear each word magically ryming with the mystical winds.

'If the strom was monsterous, then what will you call the creatures of the sea.' The sailors looked at each other. Soon the Sitting Sage comforted them that the crawlers of the sea, the creeper of the land and cutters in the wind existed no more, all slayed by Kochadaiiyaan - The Last Demi-God to Walk the Earth.

Chapter 1 - The Adventures of Kochadaiiyaan

The Anagha ship was huge. The bow (head of the ship) of Anagha was of a ferocious lion head with open mouth, just as it would look like before crashing the neck bones of its prey. The tongue was replaced with a huge cannon that spit fire, the bush of flame that would turn anything on its path to black powder. Anagha was modeled to be remodeled anytime. It is a jewel of modifications. At each sides it was equiped with smaller double cannons which launched chain-shots that broke the wideset masts and bomb vessels that weighed the hugest of the ships to sink. At the 4 corners of the deck were the rope guns to send rope lines to capture the enemy ship by entering into their own zone. It held 18 mast and their spars were the hugest, tallest and the heaviest. The cloth can cut through or travel against the wind. The stern (the tail of the ship) was divided into 2 major parts - the far end was coned to leak crude oil and on its back were barrels loaded with flamable chemicals. Its body was several centimeters thick made out of the same family of fine trees, selected and choped by its Captian. Anagha was 3 decked which held the crew cabins in the middle, row platforme at the bottom and on top, the navigation wheels & control positions. On top of the tallest mast was the Signal Post just below the Hoisted flag which held its Trident emblem in red over an yellow background. Nature was its ally that it chatted with the stroms, partied with the whirlpools, played with the pirate ships and rammed its way through the sea rocks.

Anagha was maintained by 63 sailors called the Alwars. They assited their Master who sailed through 7 seas protecting the 18 habours situated on 5 kingoms of allies and enemies. Various other members volunteerly got enrolled, some were the escaped salves traped in islands, others were prisoners of the Pirates and rest were the sea-bed villagers. A fully loaded Anagha with its crew and supplies looked like a fortified floating village, with the Demi-God commanding its wheels.

Six warriors accompained the Saviour - Yudhi, the axeman. Jishan, the archer. Vrikoda, the wrestler. Pandu, the knife-thrower. Deva, the whip. Shama, the Babydoll.

Shama, being the only lady warrior was close to her Master. The rest 5 were faithful to their Boss and together the Magnificient 7 rode the seas escaping it from the dangers. They brought happiness, justice, hope, laughter & friendship to all the dwellers of various kingdoms. In return, thier uncrowned King demanded only peace between the Empires and harmony amoung the people.

Thus, Kochadaiiyaan got the title amoung his worshipers - The Hunter from the Sea.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4302&d=1437992813

Episode 1 - The Sea Monsters

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 1 - The Adventures of Kochadaiiyaan

Episode 1 - The Sea Monsters

Makara

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4303&d=1438001149

Kochadaiiyaan walked along with Prince Rishikodagan, the youngman who occupied the foreign relations of Kottaipattinam, one amoung the 5 Kingdoms. On the shore were debris of broken ships. Further, a half of a war vessel was blocked by the sands on which the sea waves were showing their angers. Pointing at the dead ship, Rishikodagan told Kochadaiiyaan without any pride that it was their biggest and the best War Ship with a strength of 150 crew members and that the sea further from Kottaipattinam was cursed - first it took in the cargo ships and then all the war ship returned only in pieces. He further added that they are in verge of war with Kalingapuri, as the new King Mahendran is not happy with them for breaching the trade treaties. They have to cross this crused part if the goods were to be delivered. They reached a small hut at the sea side, inside which laid a wounded sailor. His half body was completely burned by some sort of chemical and was motionless. His rest of the face was torn inbetween which held a scared eye that looked at Kochadaiiyaan. He bent and touched the sensible hand of the sailor which sent tiny waves over his body.

With a partially comprehensible accent, the sailor told them what he saw, which was a huge monster with huge tentacles that had pores which poured liquid that burns human skin. He recollected that it had a face of an elephant and one of its tentacles was indeed a trunk. Its body was quite flat which sticks to the ship vessel whiles its boneless hands break the ship down. Further, he stated that he could see a tail of a fish, when he alone miraculously escaped by faling on to a broken ledge which had reached the shores.

'Makara', whispered Kochadaiiyaan to which Rishikodagan put a blank face. He moved to Anagha and spoke with the Alwars. That evening he sat on one of the rocks folding one of his legs and letting the other one loose. Errect it that position he brought his fingers and cupped his nose. He went into an meditating stance under the moonlight. The 6 warriors surronded him, heavily gaurding the Saint, as during that form he will not react to any pain or joy and was very vulnerable. They murmured 108 lines repeatedly to keep him and themselves safe all through the night : 1. Om Shivaya Namaha ... 108. Om Parameshvaraya Namaha

The next day Kochadaiiyaan left to the hills. He came down with a sack full of plants. He handed them to the Alwars who prepared a paste. Two days later, charged with all the needed supplies, Anagha set sail towards the cursed sea, the whole crew applying the body lotion prepared by the Alwars.

Shama shrinked her face not supporting the foul smell. Soon others experienced it too. All of a sudden the sea water before them raised and fell at inappropriate manner. Slowly, fountains of water were pushed upwards around Anagha. Kochadaiiyaan ordered to put the sails down to half. The deck crew climbed the snars to rope down the sails as instructed by their Captain. A huge tentacle from the sea swept couple of the crew who fell onto the see. A trunk took hold of one of them and pulled him inside with it. A flat and curved head floated up with 2 aligator eyes. Its breathe turned gallons of water to waves. The next moment Anagha was under the crush of 8 tentacles and with a thud at the side of the ship, Makara stuck to the ships body, attacking anything that was visibly on ship.

Kochadaiiyaan rode to the top of the mast by cutting a pulley rope. He knew that Anagha cannot resit long as the power mixed with acidic fliuds will fragile her. On the top just beside him were barrels, loaded by the Alwars on a bed of the fishing nets. He looked at his both sides and signaled to Jishan & Pandu who were positioned on the top of other 2 masts. Jishan sent rapid arrow towards the knots on the net and Pandu threw his knives at them in quick sucession. Kochadaiiyaan took his bow Inesh and shot an arrow towards the net.

The free falling barrels found several resting place over Makara. Yudhi, who was choping the tentacles saw the barrels and prepared to react. On the two other corners Vrikoda who was wrestling with a huge mass of flesh and Shama who was spinning to escape the monsterous slashes, were ready too. The 3 in unison signaled the crew to throw lighted torches at the barrels, and also to ignite the fire balls from the double cannons. Everything went ablaze around Anagha. The barrels were connected to each other with cloth dipped in oil. The fire spread rapidly detonating every single barrel which contained crude oil and shrapnels in a continous explosions. The erruption created an unsteadiness on the Makara's grip and the tiny sharp blades flew and slashed the body and the tentacles. All the 8 tentacles fell like jelly pieces and one star shaped metal piece got itself buried inside the right eye of Makara.

Leaving behind a huge cry, the monster fell back into the sea. The crew rejoiced, but Kochadaiiyaan knew that they have just provoked the Kraken. After a few silent moments, the attack started with a violent shake of the ship and everyone felt something in their stomach due to the pseudo force. Kochadaiiyaan saw a tail of huge fish rapidly moving sideways. There was its weakness - Makara thrusts all it force threw the locomotion of its fishtail. He took out his sword Arha and jumped straight into the water from the top of the mast.

The crew and the warriors followed their Captians leap and his disappearence into the water. With one swift movement, Kochadaiiyaan chopped the tail of Makara with Arha. Everything came back to normal when a pool of blood started to float over the sea water. Inbetween the red pool, Kochadaiiyaan appeared completely soaked with blood and debris of flesh. Vrikoda pulled back their Hero on board, when Kochadaiiyaan ordered them to be more vigilant as the last leg of attack is about to begin. Just as he finished saying, a huge form leaped from the sea - head of an elephant with trunk touching its forehead, crying out load through its sharp teaths that bordered its mouth. The trunk came down heavy on the desk which rocked Anagha violently. Kochadaiiyaan signaled to Jishan, who prepared himself, while their Master started to run faster than the wind. With one swift jump, he caught the rope and cut its bottom which catapulted him to the top again. Hanging on both sides were 2 gaint barrels and coupling them under his arms, Kochadaiyaan made a free fall towards Makara.

Makara was preparing for its 2nd attack, it opened its mouth wide making gushing noises with its trunk, its teeth deadly than ever and thats when the flying Demi-God dropped the barrels in its mouth. Not wasting a second, Jishan sent two fire arrows. First went the barrels inside the Kraken's mouth, followed by 2 flaming arrows. When the barrels stuck its throat Makara was forced to close its mouth. After a beat of a moment, there was an explosion, that widened its stomach and then pieces came out tearing Makara. The lump of dead meat carpeted the sea on which stood Anagha.

Admist the flying metal pieces, Kochadaiiyaan grabed another rope on his flight down and descended just in time for his whole crew members hailing with joy - Kochadaiiyaan, Engal Kochadaiiyaan.

Episode 1 - The Sea Monsters

Kundalini

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 1 - The Adventures of Kochadaiiyaan

Episode 1 - The Sea Monsters

Kundalini

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4306&d=1438012378

Kochadaiiyaan rode with King Gauthama, the ruler of the vast and resourceful lands of Karimedai. The land was surrounded by volcanos and caves, from which precious minerals were digged out. Trade flourished, until no ship made it to Karimedai. Stocks piled and Karimedai was closely touching the lines of famine. Reaching the top of the of the lighthouse, the Kings pointed out to a direction. Kochadaiiyaan reached for his telescope and disturbed its tiny state that it became a small coned stick. At its mouth it held the thinly cut oval shaped diamonds, placed over one another, forming a perfect convex. Through the tail eye hole, Kochadaiiyaan looked at the pointed direction. A lonely ship was roaming in the sea, and all of a sudden a form engulfed it and crushed it before sinking the ship to the bottom of the sea.

Kochadaiiyan put back his telescope and informed Gauthama about Kundalini, the gaint snake with claws as skin, teeths of sharp hill peaks, tongue of a flowing molten and a length of a biggest city in Karimedai. It lives in both water and land, and Kundalani may have nested in the volcanic caves of the region. Gauthama promised Kochadaiiyaan to provide all that he wishes to take down the monster. That evening, Kochadaiiyaan picked up a quite place by the sea shore and closed his eye allowing the rythmic noise of the waves to take him to the right place, all the while circled by his warriors.

The next morning his first visit was to the ironworks. After inspection over the smelting, he asked for a specific form of metal. That evening, he revisited the place with few Alwars. Satisfied with the result metal, he left after giving his guidence. Carpenters worked hard on Anagha for a month. In the meantime Kochadaiiyaan and his warriors were in recruitment spree. He needed well built and powerful men. After explaining the dangers of the voyage, Kochadaiiyaan asked the group to get into the ship if they are willing. The ship started to sail, none of the recruits fell behind.

The sea was silent, even the waves only whispered. It was replced by hissing noise that made every single hair raise. Kundalini circled Anagha. It was on its 5 round, when Kochadaiiyaan instructed to put the sails down. The ship floated over the wrinkles created by the monster. From deep inside the water a serpent head projected out showing its venomous teeth and its tail started to couple the vessel. It did not take its glowing red eyes off Kochadaiiyaan. The Captain shouted to his crew not to approach the crawling snake. The watcher from the Signal Post shouted that the serpent has engulfed the ship with its 2 spins. Kochadaiiyaan replied calmly, 'Not Now'. He gave the same reply until the announcer counted 13. Anagha was completely under the pocession of Kundalini, its body spinning around the ship making 13 circular shapes of claws grown over a green glowing skin. Trapped in the gaps inbetween the body of claws, the crew stood motionless. But one of sailor got accidently scratched on his arms by the deady claw. In a fraction of a second, he shivered and vomitted colourful fluid that burnt the deck when it hit the floor. The sailor fell and became a liquid form of himself and started to slide down the deck, the smoke indicating the path, and poured himself into the sea. Kundalini found it as the right moment to crush the Ship and signaled the same to Kochadaiiyaan by putting out its red tongue close to his face. Being face to face with the Serpent, Kochadaiyaan shouted 'Now'.

The rowers at the bottom deck started to move the huge oars. There were 5 on each side and the formation went till the end of the ship. Their continuous rowing opened a small shaft in the hull (bottom of the ship) through which a long sharp blade descended slowly. By their same action, several circular saws started to emerge over the gunwales (side walls of the ship). Once the projecting blades have reached the maximum limits, the rowers changed their action into circular motion. The blade at the bottom moved back and forth, cutting through the clawed hard skin of Kundalini. The spiral saws started to spin and penetrated the body of the serpent that cupped Anagha.

It took a while for Kundalini to realise the pain. A loud cry escaped from the monster and its tried to recoil in vain, as its own claws were stuck with the blades, and were jammed with the Ship. The Sea Serpent moved its head rapidly and dug itself inside the water. It swam underwater pulling Anagha with it. Slowly, but steadily the blades won over the hard skin of Kundalani, and soon the ship was liberated from the serpent's clutch when several cut pieces of Kundalini's body floated over the sea.

Admist the rejoice of the crew, Kochadaiiyaan calmly stood examining the surrounding, he was not satisfied with the silence of the sea. All of a sudden, a leaping Kundalini landed on the Ship's deck, taking everyone by suprise. It just had few meters of its body still attached to is head. The tailess end was a rug of torn flesh from which blood was fountaining out. With its tiny sweeps, the floor of the deck turned red. Kochadaiiyaan looked at the state of the Leviathan, its losing blood faster. If they hold it for some more time, the monster will break down on its own.

Surrounded by the Magnificient 7, Kundalini was on her last fight for death. She was aggressive and tried to attack all sides. The warriors dodged her attack, as a single scratch from her skin-claws was death. Kochadaiiyaan was in front of Kundalini and held Arha firmly. When she turned and let her tongue out, he sliced it off. The serpent skid in pain and hit the walls of the deck. It crawled back and turned to attack Kochadaiiyaan, when he moved to his left where Vrikoda was ready with his cupped hands. Kochadaiiyaan landed on his palms. Vrikoda pushed him high up in the air, and on the passage Yudhi threw is 4 bladed axe which their Master caught mid air and spin-pushed himself to land on top of the head of Kundalini. With one strong blow, he enters the blades of Yudhi's Axe into the center of its head. The monster serpent let out an agony cry and started to shake its head violently, and on its top Kochadaiiyaan, griping the Axe, stood still. Kochadaiiyaan decided to end the pain of the being, and he jumped high up and landed over the snake's head on one leg, with his arms outstreched and the other leg coupling him from behind. The landing was so forceful that his hair seperated, to which the sea breeze blew with accordence. The Stand was such powerful to watch that the onlooker fell to their knees, when slowly Kochadaiiyaan descended down with dead Kundalini. The head fell flat, seperating the 2 gigantic teeth.

Shama approached Kochadaiiyaan, who still maintained the same position, and poked him gently. He vigorously turned at her direction with his hair flowing behind him and his eyes blazing red. He slowly landed his other leg on the deck, and allowed himself to be guided by Shama. The 5 Warriors, with dropped down faces, looked at their Saint been taken away by Shama into the Dungeons of Anagha.

Episode 2 - Horrible Lands

Ghosts from the Painting

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 1 - The Adventures of Kochadaiiyaan

Episode 2 - Horrible Lands

Ghosts from the Painting

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4310&d=1438173294

Act 1 - Chillum

Deva asked Shama what she saw, she replied 'Goat'.

Immediately she sobbed, managing to let Deva know that presently the event takes longer and their Master gets tired more than before. She registered her worry for him, and asked Deva to convince thier Saint to stop. They cannot continue in such manner knowing that much more worst things can happen. Deva put his hands on her shoulder and consoled her saying - 'Words don't exisit to convince a Man who knows his destiny'.

Far from them on a rock, a fragile form was sitted. It was covered with a blue cloth and its head hung down as though there was no more strength left. The sun shined brightly as though to give the sitting soul some energy. Horse steps made the 6 warroirs become vigilant. They secured their perimeter around Kochadaiiyaan who sat draped in blue. He saw at the direction of the foot noise without lifting his head. His eyes were sunk, below each, a dark pouch hung. He looked aged.

Fakir got down from the horse and kneeled on the sands before Kochadaiiyaan. He introduced himself as an island dweller whose land was annexed with the Kingdom of Katrupuzha by the Messenger, saving them from foreign occupation. These dwellers initially did not belong to any kingdom and had immigrated due to religious wars in thier motherlands. The Inthamaan island was a natural beauty, where the deers roamed without fear. It has the biggest cotton plantation in the entire 5 pieces of big lands. Thus, it attracted many foreign invaders, who seemed to have developed a new form of authority called Colony. When Inthamaan was annexed with Katrupuzha, the invasions stopped, none wished to meddle with King Sorubhan.

Fakir expressed his anguish. In the middle of Indhamaan Islands lies the Majantha Caves - a painting galore. It is a stretch of 3 tunneled caves (numbered Jakartha 1-3) sharing one enterance. Their walls were covered with hand drawing of various erotic nature, where the potraits were realistic. But lately many men have left their lives in and around the cave. It all started gradually and the numbers have started to increase massively. People were scared and were spreading rumours about seeing ghosts. Most want to beleive such stories and the land trade route was completely blocked.

Yudhi asked Fakir the origins of the rumours. There were men who survived, said Fakir. They heard sweet songs or a voice calling for them. When they tried reach the source, they met with a Pretty Perfect Lady, inviting them with open arms. She was naked and her long hair covered over her body - some say it was red, others blonde, the rest concluded it to be pitch black. As soon as the Lady touched the survived victim, she held a smile in her face and disappear into the dark. Eventually, the escaped men came back to the village, narrated their feary tale.

Pandu asked about the others who died. Fakir replied that all their end were identic - castrated and thier private part placed inside their folded right palm.

'Chudail', the Saviour said. He got up pressig down his knees and started to walk slowly towards the sea.

They halted there that night. The visitors slept around the campfire. Fakir opened his sleepy eyes disturbed by soft foot steps on the sand. Everything seemed to be a flicker image to Fakir. He saw a Man, half-naked - only his manhood was covered, walking on the sand, followed by fully armed warriors. His body was totally covered with something white, even his loosely let down hair waw painted white. The Mysterious Man stopped and took out a sort of a tiny wodden keg. On the other hand he held a small cone like object. He seemed to be stuffing it that seemed darker than the night and the action resembled as though pushing a something soft hardly. At a distance, he jumped on a a rock and took a squating position. He then made a sort of a curve with his 2 hands and placed the cone inbetween. One of the warrior with a slasher whip lighted the tip of the cone. The Mystical Man took the cone to his lips. With his last 2 fingers of his hand, he closed each nostrils and sucked the cone deeply. Smoke changed the surrounding around him to grey. His eyes were closed, seen through the burning torch carried by the a warroir with big blades. Suddenly the Squating Man opened his eye, they were exploded with blood vessels. Each cracked lines were redder than the other. The flame from the torch flickered. The Man then closed his eyes and his body stayed to sway. Fakir closed his eyes.

In the mid of the night, Fakir woke up again as though he had a bizzare dream. He looked to the far end, and saw 6 people standing circularly. Their pose was similar to a gaurdence. In the middle there was someone sitted and moving at the same time. Fakir neared them, when Jishan tightened the Bowline. Fakir halted. He asked them about what was going on. Yuhir moved his eyes towards Shama. He closed and opened it, signaling her to stand at ease. She lowered her Sai and walked towards Fakir. The remaining 5 quickly re-arranged themselves to fill the gap born through the absence of Shama.

At the campfire Shama spoke to the visitors about Sittha Records.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 1 - The Adventures of Kochadaiiyaan

Episode 2 - Horrible Lands

Ghosts from the Painting

Act 2 - The Celestial Temple

Many believe that Siddhar's travel through time. The reality is they are beyond any timeline. The Noble Men walk through the past, present and the future accounting all the events of various worlds. They neither create nor maintain nor destroy life forms. They only register their cycle. Their records contain Life, existence, death & rebirth. They account in the souls from different worlds and the vessels (bodies) it had taken each time and the places (worlds) it has dwelled. They detailed each element with respect to any life or lifeless forms.

Accessing the Sittha Records is not an easy task. Many not even know its existence, leave alone its whereabouts. As the Siddhar's are not from a single world, the records are collected in a common Celestial Temple called Mandali, which is a circular Library that has no start or end point. Reaching it is as dificult as finding what one seeks in its Record Room, firstly one has to find its eterance, and finally its exit. On the path to the Library, souls searching for vessels wait in the dark to highjack the body of the traveller during his absence, thus the traveller could risk becoming the Lost Souls of Mandali. Several elightened ones have tired to gain access to Temple Library, but only very few have returned.

The Mandali Bibliotheque holds several record rooms. It is a celestial floating building with no gaurds - Why gaurding, when its ones own soul that is in danger during the search. To access each record room in the Sittha Library, special measures and methods should be taken and followed. Everything is not dumped, but arranged in a coded order, and in order to reach them, one had to first travel through its Dark Path. It is here ones own fears and self-made evils work hand in hand, that horrible things may happen to the traveller, primarily failing to distinguish reality and thus getting lost in eternal space - a kind of path where one finds his own doom. Once the path is crossed, all it takes is to reach the Light at the far end, beyond which is the Circular Library.

The Library is divided into various chambers which holds the records of Angels, Demons and the Unknown. All records are written in only one language, the Language of the Creator. Decoding depends on the strengths of the traveller, primarily he should know what he is seeking which permits him to open the right Door. Being specific is the quickest way in & out.

Kochadaiiyaan uses several meditation and yogic tantras to travel through the Dark Path. He gets into the record room, searches and extracts the information he seeks. The Sittha Records just depict a description of the various forms of existence and not solutions. On the way back, the Travelling Saint gets enlightened. When he reaches his vessel again, he already knew what should be done, but the action decided by fate can turn the end either way, which are governed by Karma - the rules of Destiny.

This time, the Messenger has travelled to the Darkest Side of the Library to access Born Evil records. So, he had prepared his soul for the journey. During Meditation Stance - Shama gave few names which failed to enter Fakir's ears - Kochadaiiyaan builds a sort of a Virtual Bridge, on which he moves back and forth. To enter the Darkest Side, he takes the Chillum method, a sort of immunity towards Darkness. But upon entering, the soul soon gets terrified that it rushes back in search of its vessel. When it re-enters its proper world filled with memories, it tries to take the first free vessel. So, Kochadaiiyaan sways his body which stays that way, and distracts the arriving soul, indicating to it the entry point. Risk is always present - if 2 or many souls try to grab the same vessel. It all depends on the relationship with the soul and its body. Kochadaiiyaan trains both through his daily good practices.

A drop of tear escaped her eyes. Shama announced to Fakir that she wishes he comes back safely. Behind fakir the morning sun started to glow. He looked saddened after listening to the tale of a Man who pledged his soul to save the humanity. But few questions were loitering in his materialistic mind. He wondered at Shama as to why the Siddhar's did not put the solution too, as they have seen the future. The sun glow from behind was covered by a shadow. Fakir in his sitting position turned to look at the source of the sudden darkness. He saw a Man standing and his huge form covered the entire sun. He had his hair tied up to a Knot over the top of his head, well lined with his facial hair. He was bare chested and well build. His blue satin cloth bottoms were wispering in the wind. The voice replied to Fakir : 'God shows the light, its our duty to find The Path.'

Saying so Kochadaiiyan moved away. Seeing her Father walking fit, Shama wiped her tears when Fakir asked her his second question, as to whether Kochadaiiyaan knows his own destiny. She replied 'Yes', to which he asked a third one whether he knows his death too. She asserted it to him with another 'Yes', but this time he waited for an explantion. Shama told Fakir that the Wise Master knew that he will be beheaded. But Fakir was so confused. If a Man knew so much, why does he not do something about it. She clamly told him that its the 'Cycle of Life'. The one who knows himself, knows everything. The 2 points - Life and Death - are nothing but the entry and the exit of souls. Between these 2 points, one has to draw their own line. Finally he asked her, admist all these adventures and knowing himself too, was not Kochadaiiyaan bored of this life. She stood up and left making him wondering with her reply - "But He is still looking for a purpose !".

At the other end of the sea shore, Kochadaiiyaan stood alone thinking. Shama disturbed his thought. He turned and informed her that, after looking through the Born Evil records, he has decided to get married. Shama was stuck with suprise at the same time saddened, infering that her Master's days are fast ending as he has found The Purpose of his own Birth.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 1 - The Adventures of Kochadaiiyaan

Episode 2 - Horrible Lands

Ghosts from the Painting

Act 3 - Talking Tree of Life

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4313&d=1438246550

Under the dark blanket of the sky, Kochadaiiyaan stood in front of the listening group. Hearing to the arrival of the Saint to Inthamaan Island, the dwellers came to have a glimpse of the Hunter from the Sea. He was surrounded by the Alwars. Behind him, the 6 warriors took position. The Teacher started explaining to crowd the forms of life and the reason for their existence. He went through the chapters of Immortality and Karma. He listed the 8 Immortals, called the Chiranjeevis - Markandeya, Bali, Hanuman, Kripacharya, Parashuramar, Vibhishana, Vyasar & Ashwasthama. He then spoke about the Universe and its role in creating alternate worlds that never collided with eachother - Urdhva Lokha (Higher World), Madhya Lokha (Middle World) & Adho Lokha (Lower World). The reality in one world is a dream to another; The evil in One world is the Ruler of another; A mortal in one world is an immortal in the other. But for some reason he stopped with the 3 worlds, regarding the comprehension of his audience.

Kochadaiiyaan started to extend his preachings by introducing Evolution. When the traffic of souls (addressed as 'Nafs' by the Messenger) increase, the Universe is designed to set up a conventor to balance the requirements. When the balance is not sustained, creation or demolition, respectively, is the only option. The living form is a rented body inside which the soul lights up the Path to Mortality. The journey is decided through the results from the chosen options of the Mind, the Body and the Soul. New nafs are yielded by the Tree of Souls from the Creator's Kingdom. And for the balance, they are taken and distributed within the worlds.

When a soul dwells inside a body, it leaves marks of its existence called the Memories. When the vessel comes to its expiration state, the soul also jumps to another state called the Ammara and circles around the Cycle of the Universe. Accroding to its experience obtained via the living life form - rational or non-rational - it is chosen to take any other form, be it of an Human or an Animal.

During the state of Ammara, the soul is at its purified form and is very vulnerable to Evil. It is completely immesered in its memories. If the soul is not strong enough, its sins take pocession and deviate them from their Right Path. Thus, making them try to make illegal entries inside other restricted worlds. It then gets an idea to become Immortal and strives to stike the marks left by the 8 Chiranjeevis. These cunning souls lay in the Dark Paths and capture the weakest vessel and establish an absence of Faith in its newly entered world. Some depressed souls seek revenge, others just pleasure. The Universe created alternate methods to police the Lost Souls. But with more laws to Govern, more new methods are also taken by the Evil. One such horrible thing has happened in our Cursed Lands.

Chudails are bigger Evils whose souls are artificial and inserted to take the principle living form of the respective world. In other worlds they have different names like Medusa - the Lady with Snakes as her Hair. Basically, they are not born to 2 life forms inhabited by pure souls with a purpose of reproduction, but Chuails are not born but created by only one. When inside the vessel they are normal, but when the vessel is damaged with desire and engulfed with Lost Hopes, they get into their real form - A Birth by a Curse. The existence of these Sirens in Inthamaan disturbs the balance. It was caused because someone disturbed their initial state and ended their ability while producing another life form. So, there are so many conditions for a Chudails to raise, and here in Inthamaan every condition seemed to allign perfectly, and someone has done something really ugly at the Magantha Cave.

The Messenger looked at the crowd. He watched at the scared and depressed population. Then, He spoke to them the words of Movitation, He sung to them Courage, He lit up the light that chased the Evil and finally He showed them all the Route to Happiness.

Tholvigalalay Thuvandu Vidathey
Vetrigalalay Veri Kollathey
Solladipadum Enbathalay Vetri
Kanamal Povathillai.

Vaazhvae Vaazhvae Nee Theeruvathae Illai
Intha Vaazhvillae Sathiyam Thorpathae Illai
Kaatrae Kaatrae Nee Thoonguvathae Illai
Karma Veeranay Veeranay Nee Oivathey Illai

Ponnum Mannum Vendru Mudippavan Kadamai Veeranay
Antha Ponnai Orunaal Mannai Paarpavan Karma Veeranay

Act 4 - The Origins of Sirens

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 1 - The Adventures of Kochadaiiyaan

Episode 2 - Horrible Lands

Ghosts from the Painting

Act 4 - The Wild Witches (The Origins of Sirens)
[Rated R]

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Caves of Magantha were a sexual guild for the theives who called themselves The Keepers Clan. The band robbed every group of travellers and extended their Clan's motive by not even sparing the children and through amusing with women. Many Kings and Princes tried to stop them, but they just grew in numbers - a easy and exiting life was how they promoted themselves to the hopeless, who readily joined and unleashed their hatred on innocents.

Several years after, they were presided by a new chief Valliavan. Valliavan grew amoung sufferings and knew exactly pain. So, he brought a new order into the Keepers Clan - no child killing nor handling women without her consent. But to encourage the theives, he ordered the Majantha Caves to be decorated with painting of sexual nature so that the theives can amuse within its limit. Soon the cave became a erotic den for the theives who poured out their desires.

The Chief's son was not the same. Jr. Valliavan was a choas, and when he took over the Keepers Clan, the Chudails came to existence.

A queen came to hunt down the theives when the caravan of the Wild Witches was pulverized. These witches do not like men and keep away from them. They yeild a seed through black magic and it was always a baby girl. Druing a specific time of the year, they performed a ritual using Black Magic. The event lasted the whole night, where the witches, dressed in black and red cloaks, danced around a cooking pot chanting demonic verses. Outside the circle, several other witches were moving their hands over a chosen sister, all the while chanting demonic verses also. At a prime time, the Queen witch brought the cooking pot and fed its content to the chosen sister, whose eyes truned completely black after sucking in the demonic potion. Few months after the chosen sister gave birth to a baby girl. These girls grew up normaly. Some even fell in love and got married to strangers from the lands, but eventually they returned back to the witches den as everytime a mishappen breaks their heart. Slowly they leave behind the exisiting world, and start to practise the Ritual of the Wild Witches to keep thier Sisterhood alive. The queen is chosen amoung these girls according to day and time she was born. Presently they were guided by a Queen as pretty as the pearls and as fierce as the tigress.

Jr. Valliavan caught the witch queen, kept 2 other pretty women and killed the rest her pretty little army. He went ahead and found the Wild Witches Den and slayed them all without mercy. These 3 gorgeous women were tied inside the cave and the theives visited them in numbers every single night. 2 sisters became pregnant, and that night their queen escaped by cutting the rope with the metal button that she stole from a 'thief in action'. When she reached her sisters, admist the snorings, one was almost at the point of delivering a child. She gave birth to a still-born and did not live to see it either. Seeing the horror, the other pleaded to the queen to kill her, as she could not take it anymore. The warrior queen walked away with rage after slitting the throat of her sister. She searched the woods looking for Jr. Valliavan, and found him sleeping inside a tent. She creeped in silently, and took out the cutting knife to push it through his heart, but unfortunately the gaurding theives encirlced her before she could have her revenge. Horrible things were done to her. Her agony echoed through the dense landscape. And at a point, her body could not take anymore. When she was thrown to the beasts of the jungle, she was pregnant too.

The thieves were moving around the woods at night. One of them heard a sweet voice calling for him. The other heard a woman sobbing, and another one felt a tender touch at the back of his neck. The next morning all three were found dead, casterated holding their private parts in their closed palms. Slowly, but in swiftly The Keepers Clan became dust where all the theives met with similar death, including Jr. Valliavan.

Kochadaiiyaan walked the stairs leading to the row platform in Anagha. He sliently crept past its wide lighted floor without making any crank noise and reached its tail end. On the wall there was an unlit lamp hanging. He turned it upside down and a small cellar opened at the bottom of his legs. He glided through its tiny stairs and stood before the 2 doors of the Dungeon of Anaga. One had a peep hole while the other was plain. Both were fortified as though something invaluale was stocked inside. Kochadaiiyaan peeped through the hole. A liquid of fear glided through his forehead. The room was completely empty. On its floor there was a wooden bed and at its sides there were several chains with ankles. Opposite to the door was an oval window, through which the moonlight shined timidly.

He moved away from the first door and placed his palm, spreading all the 5 fingers, over the second door. It cracked open. At the center of the room, there was a huge chest. He opened the chest which lifted 2 compartments, one to either side. He removed the one from the right and after a brief verification, he took out 3 small identical pouches. All three were decorated with golden threads and they differed only at their closed mouth, as the color of the rope that sealed the pouch were different - Blue, Orange & Yellow. He walked to the table and stuffed few things inside a leather shoulder sack and then placed the pouches inside. There a slight moment inside the bags when they were handled by him. Taking the bag, he left as quitely as he had come. Behind him the Treature Room's door closed automatically.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 1 - The Adventures of Kochadaiiyaan

Episode 2 - Horrible Lands

Ghosts from the Painting

Act 5 - To End the Sirens ...

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4315&d=1438261236

At the mouth of the Cave Majantha, Kochadaiiyaan handed over Arha to Vrikoda. He instructed him to chop anything thing that came from inside the cave. He took a serious tone and ordered him to rest behind the line that he had drawn at the cave's enterance. The Saint turned to Yudhir & Putra and asked them to tie their eyes with a black cloth trapping thier ears within. With his third finger of his left hand, Kochadaaiyaan signed mystical letters over the colth that touched the 4 parts - 2 eyes & 2 ears. Everything went dark and the 2 warriors stood were immersed in total silence.

The Master then took away Deva's Whip and handed it to Shama. He told that she will not be able to see the Chudails or any other event as they are only experienced by men. In a careful tone he told her to act immediately to whatever he should say, without thinking and irrespective to whatever the reality maybe. He then took the Sai from here and inserted it in the hips of Yudir, to which he was motionless. He handed her a shoulder bag and asked her never to open it. He turned to Fukhir and instructed him to leave with his men. Once the outside was cleared, Kochadaiiyaan walked inside the Cave with Shama and Deva leaving Vrikoda and the 2 blind-folded at the Cave's Enterance.

The Visibilty inside the cave was suprisingly good, the moonlight dropped through the holes in the wall. They were on Jakartha Cave 1. Examining close, the holes were the eyes of the skulls arranged on the walls. It looked as though 2 white eyes on a dark skull. They arrived at the junction where the cave seperated into 2. Shama holding the torch light looked at the 2 men walking into each side.

Kochadaiiyaan went a bit futher, when everthing became suddenly dark. He heard a sobbing noise and walked towards it. Beside a tiny well, a weeping little girl with a bright face was sitting under a wet ceiling which leaked water. It smelt damp in the dark closed cave hall which held different kinds of colorful paining on its wall & ceilings. He approached the little girl and kneeled close to her. She resembled a lot the child of the priest he couldn't save. Suddenly the little girl spoke, but with a demonic voice abusing him for letting her burn. Kochadaiiyan feel back on the ground, which was sticky. He lifted one hand and examined the thick liquid. A drop fell from the ceiling on his forehead. Without heistating, he pulled out Inesh and aimed at the ceiling. Nothing. He looked at the corners. Nothing. He lowered it before him where the little girl was crying. Nothing. He turned. A scream pushed him to the walls where he hung without any support and Inesh fell far from his reach. Before him was a flithy naked form with red long hair and Kochadaiiyan became motionless - caught in the Screams of the Siren.

Shama did not hear a single noise. She waited at the junction. After a while she started examining the Painting on the wall.

Outside, Vrikoda saw his wife in see thru clothes calling out for him from the Cave's Enterance. He heard her sweetly asking him to step inside and its been a while they have been together. Listening to her last line, inviting him to see heaven, Vrikoda droped Arha and walked towards her. The other 2 stood motionless lost in the silence.

At the 3rd cave, Deva examined the painting. They all were lively. He stood before one which had bats covering the ceiling and beneath it a couple were in a lewd position. He looked away from the painting and examined the ceiling of the cave, the place in the painting was identic ,except, bats did not nest above him. The next painting was quite salacious. It showed the face of a stanidng beauty and her body was covered with a dark man's body. The eyes were looking at Deva and it had the juice of erotism ozzing from it. Deva could not take his eyes from the beauty until he was disturbed by a sweet voice. He turned and saw the most stunning blonde woman. She took him in her arms and kissed him. Deva stood speechless, as he did not want to think anything else but just pray for that wonderful moment to last forever. But it did not last long. Everything retunred to normal. Deva found himself all alone, standing before the 1st painting, but the bats were missing.

Shama was looking at an obscene painting. 2 women sat over a man - one on the face and one over his pelvic area. She felt disgusted and turned away. But something in
the painting lured her vision back. The Man. Niether his face nor his body was visible, only his legs. On left leg the man from the painting wore a similar anklet. Shama, without wasting any time, turned and rushed into the path taken by Kochadaiyaan.

Vrikoda met his wife at the enterance of the cave and she asked him to step in.

Another demon woman, dressed in white, entered through the space beside the well where Kochadaiiyaan was held captive by the scream. The new member had free flowing long blone hair. She moved her head towards the screamer, and her sister stopped making noise. But Kochadaiiyaan did not fall on the ground. Instead he glided through the wall and entered the flat ceiling. The blonde and the red Sirens slowly crawled over the opposite walls respectively. Their eyes were changing colour constantly and they were putting out thier serpent tongue between their sharp tiny teeth. They took their time to apprach Kochadaiiyaan. Upon reaching their prey, they cricled him. Then, the blonde one sat over his face suffucating him, and the red Siren took over his pelvic area and started to aggitate, so that his heart would request more air, and eventually, the heart will explode if it does get the demanded oxygen.

The wife after signaling to her husband, turned to show her back to him. And thats when Vrikoda cracked the neck of his wife. She feel face down and in the motion turned into bats and entered the cave with a cry. He quickly ran to get Arha, when he heard Kochadaiiyaan calling out for him.

Deva turned around when a cool breeze hit his back. When he returned his vision over the painting, the bats have re-appeared. He followed the path and met with a dead end. On its ceiling there was hook. and at one corner, there was a tub in which a pretty girl was lying with her black hair flowing out of the tub. He apprached the bathing beauty and started to rub her sholders. She got up exposing her naked chest and bent down to whisper in his ears. Suddenly Deva started to hear demonic voices asking him to hang himself. Getting caught in the rythmic chants, Deva could not calmed down but fell on his knees closing both his ears eyes. He opened his eyes which have turned to complete white. Removing his hands from the ears, he got up and looked at the hook on the ceiling. He searched around his hip for the whip, but it was missing. Recollecting that Kochadaiiyaan gave it to Shama, he rushed to the junction to collect it from her.

Shama reached the end of the path that Kochadaiiyaan had taken. She saw him siting beside a well. She approached him and caught his shoulders. His body was boiling hot. She could hear him mumbling something, but she could not make out what it was.

Kochadaiiyaan was suffacating. Lying upside down on the floors of the Cave's ceiling, he knew he had less time. At that moment as he could feel his heart touching his ribs, he saw an Angel walking in through the gaps of the blonde Siren hair. He shouted : Push me inside the Well.

Vrikoda turned, and Kochadaiiyaan was not at the enterance. He heard only his voice. He deceided to check by nearing the safety line. Gripping Arha, he moved forward.

At the junction Deva could not find Shama. He rushed to the other Cave. When he reached, he saw her bent over something. His whip was hanging around her hip. He let out an angry cry and ran towards Shama, at the very instance Shama pushed Kochadaiiyaan into the well.

Kochadaiiyaan's lungs were filled with water than oxygen. He had to think and act rapidly. He had to put the end to the Siren's Mind Games. He leaped up and gasped as much air as possible. The Sirens on top of him have released him. They were scared of the well water. He looked up and the mouth of the well was very far. He dived into the water and could see some light. Wishing that it could be an opening, he swam under water. The opening led to a partially closed manhole near to the enterance of the Cave.

When Vrikoda neared the line, he saw Kochadaiiyan, soaked wet, coming out. He was glad to see his master safe. His Master walked casually stood before him. He ordered Vrikoda to follow him, as Deva and Shama are in danger surrounded by the 3 Sirens Sisters. Vrikoda looked down, and lifted his head with an evil smile. Without hesitation Vrikoda beheaded Kochadaiiyaan with Arha. The head rolled and came to a stop.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 1 - The Adventures of Kochadaiiyaan

Episode 2 - Horrible Lands

Ghosts from the Painting

Act 6 - Sands of the 3 Seas

Deva ran screaming towards Shama. The voices inside his head was making his mad. Inititaly it was only one, now he heard three. He attacked Shama with force. Shama could not comprehend what was happening. Deva was now on top of her trying to reach for her throat. Without any option, she reached for her Sai, but they were missing, taken away by her Master before they entered the Majantha Cave. Thinking about her pathetic state, and no Master to give her guidence, she struggled hard but eventually lost to the force of Deva which encouraged by the Singing Siren Sisters inside his head. Deva got hold of her throat and strangled her. Shama struggled, and the devilish eyes of Deva, which were Blue now, enjoyed every moment of her agony.

Kochadaaiyaan hurriedly reached the Cave junction. He rushed inside the path he had initially taken. He expected all of them to be in there somewhere. No time. He ran. He stopped when he saw Deva on top of Shama. She was struggling and at the same time trying to reach for something. In her lost vision, she craved on her hands to find something to defend herself, when her crawling fingers found something which resembled a strap. She hurriedly pulled it towards her, hoping to defend herself with the sack handed to her by the Saint. When the sack was close, an unknown force pulled it away from her. Losing all hopes, she closed her eyes, tears of pain flowed over both her temples. Upon her Deva was shaking her neck vigorously.

Outside, Vrikoda was weeping. He had just choped the Head of his Captain. A huge man weeping. The headless body was motionless behind the lines. It remained there, but he did not wish to cross the line to approach it. He simply sat and cried.

Kochadaaiyaan rushed towards the battling couple. On the ground, beside them, he found the sack he was looking for. It was being pulled by Shama's thin fingers. He immediately grabbed the bag and moved to the center of the cave. It seemed as though he did not pay attention to the deadly quarrel of the pair. From the sack he took the 3 pouches and placed it before him. The tiny bags were jumping. He then took 3 bottles and placed it on the floor. He removed the corks which had 3 different emblems printed on them - Trident, Spear & Bow (an arrow attached to the bowline) - and placed the corks beside each bottle. He opened the bag with Yellow rope. He poured its content around the placed bottle. The yellow sand crystals were making tiny summersaults. Then he opened the pouch with the Blue rope and continued from where the Yellow Sands were jumping. Finally, he completed the Circle of Sands by pouring the particles from the 3 Orange pouch.

The 5 Kingdom lands were seperated by 5 seas. They served as the principle trade routes to reach each corner of Lands including the Central one which was a huge island of Forest. The sailors reached the solid grounds and the tiny floating dry lands around by travelling through these rough sea. Their naval experience gave names to the sea with respect to Mother's Naure. Sea of Ego was the roughest, crossing it weighed every single fleet. Sea of Anger always hit with stroms damaging anything floating. Sea of Depair was vast, an easy tutorial to get lost. Sea of Joy, was the fishermen's delight and sea weather was always bright. Sea of Tears, covered the far end which was less travelled. Its does not provide a trade route but prolonges itself into an Unknown sphere of falling waters that no one who crossed it had lived to talk about it.

At the south of the Central Lands, 3 seas met - Sea of Ego, Sea of Anger & Sea of Depair. Their waves battled with each other, that it created a immense whrilpool. But their roughness was subdued by the sands found at the bed of the meeting spot. Kochadaiiyaan had leaped directly into the whirlpool. He got caught in the strong waves before he sinked towards the bottom. It was dark and quite, and Kochadaiiyaan lungs started to suffer. From no where, tiny colorful fishes encircled him. They took turn to bite him in the nose, blowing oxygen through it. Regaining himslef, and encircled by the Rainbow Fishes, Kochadaiiyaan reached the sand floor at the bottom of the whirlpool. The floor was covered with colourful sands - Yellow, Blue & Orange. They formed a sort of symbol by coupling with eact other with an oval head and a thinner tail. Its exactly the Symbol that the Saint had seen in the Temple Library, a colorful diagram called Yin Yan Yen. The symbol was emiting something powerful, at the same time sucking in the reaction of emitted force. The Sands of the 3 Seas subdued the forces of all the Seas. He slowly collected sand particles of each colour and packed them inside pouches and closed their mouth with respective coloured roped, all the while the Light Fishes showing him the bed of the sea. He swam head up and with the help of the Oxygenating Fishes. He reached the other side of the waiting Anagha.

Before him, inside the Majantha Caves, was a TriColor Circle and inside its circumfrence were 3 standing bottles and their respective corks beside. The Color Sand Particles were jumping more vigorously now. And futher down the hall, the 3 Sirens have compeletely occupied the vessel of Deva. Unknowingly, they have entered into their weakness zone. The Chudails weakness is the presence of the 3 Sisters together. They operated alone, as their bonding weakens them and they start to moarn together repenting own their state. And they never torture or kill anyother woman. Looking at a perfect oppurtunity, they were using Deva to unleash their desire over Shama.

Perfect time. Kochadaiiyaan closed his eyes and prayed to his Father.

The Sand particles started to rise up. They circled around the bottles taking respective transperant forms - Blue Elephant, Orange Tiger and Yellow Rhino. While turning in cirlce, they fought with each other.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4317&d=1438338926

After completing 3 fighting rounds, they entered into Deva by piercing through his body.

... to be continued ...

[Russellaxt]

Maapi, neenga inga ivvalavu kashtapattu days spend seithu post seithathellam Rajinikku purinja nalla irukkum


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[PARAMASHIVAN]

Maapi, neenga inga ivvalavu kashtapattu days spend seithu post seithathellam Rajinikku purinja nalla irukkum


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes His efforts must be appreciated ! Great Talent indeed!

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 1 - The Adventures of Kochadaiiyaan

Episode 2 - Horrible Lands

Ghosts from the Painting

Act 7 - Origins of Mermaids

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4322&d=1438598769

From within Deva, 3 transparent skull faced forms emerged. They looked at each other and slowly glided towards Kochadaiiyaan. As soon as they left Deva, he fell flat over motionless Shama near the well. The Skull Siren Sisters reached the Saint. Two took either side and the Queen stood face to face with him. Surrounded by Anger, Fear and Ego, the Master stood still, chanting the verses of his Father's name. The Chudails started to talk with Kochadaiiyaan in deformed voices - The Ego before him narrated to him his own tales of Glory and how superior he was amoung the pathetic humans, and proposed that together they can own the world ; The Fear, to his right, asked him to leave immediately and admist the fake tears it assured him about his hopeless suituations where the Sisters were in complete control ; The Anger, to his left, shouted at him, it yelled stating that anything he touched turned to ashes. Not giving neither his mind nor his ears to the repetitive verbal tortures of the Chudails, Kochadaiiyaan stood confident while arriving at the end of his prayer.

Uttering the last pharse, he opened his eyes which had bigger black eyeballs floating in the widest sea of white. With one shift action he thumped his right foot on the floor calling his Father's name. Even the strongest stone glued to the floor shattered making cracks on the ground. Shama & Deva rose and fell and the inertia also cause the water in the well to create waves that it jumped out of the well and hit the faces of the unconcious duo.

The Chudails let out a screaming cry. Scared they backed off and lingered over the top of the bottle. The Blue, Yellow and Orange forms held to each other and sobbed. Then, each entered into seperate bottles shouting their pain. Calmness was restored. Deva woke up with the sprinkle of water from the well. He saw the Chudails entering into the bottles and their Master with wide eyes holding his feet tight on the cracked floor. Slowly Kochadaiiyan moved towards the bottle, and closed each with their respective corks. Inside the colored Siren Sisters were dancing like waves.

Kochadaiiyaan placed the 3 bottles inside the sack, collected the pouches, and signalled Deva to carry Shama. Deva realised the presence of Shama beside him. He put up a 'what had happened to her' face. He gently tapped her face, but she did not respond. Carrying her, he followed the Pathfinder. While walking, Deva noticed that the painting on the walls have aged. None were complete or lively, but disorted - just like a debris reminding that the walls were decorated with drawings. The foul smells were gone too. He silently followed his Master.

At the junction, Kochadaiiyan did not take the path to the enterance, but deviated and took a narrow lightless lane, guiding Deva with his torch light. Soon they reached a wall with a crack on it. He asked deva to place Shama down and help him widen the crack. In no time the crack opened, and all 3 went out of the Caves of Majantha.

From behind the bushes they reached the other side of the enterance to the cave. When they came to the clear ground, they saw Yudhi and Pandu standing motionless, while Vrikoda was weeping at nothing. Kochadaiiyaan walked to him and Vrikoda saw his Master's blurry vision. He hugged him without saying one single word. Kochadaiiyaan released the other 2 from the 'magic silence', when Jishan gaurding the islanders walked in. The Magnificient 7 walked towards the village without discussing what happened inside or outside the Cave.

After the farewell, and while Kochadaiiyaan was boarding Anagha, Fakir seeing the Captain alone, asked him his last question - Coming from a different religion, speaking a different language, practicing another faith, why did Kochadaiiyaan readily help Fakir and lectured them many inspiring matters. The Saint smiled and replied to him by holding his shoulders - Universe is God. Religons are just platforms. Languages are nothing but mistranslations. And no faith is higher than that one keeps upon his own Self. Under the Tree of Souls, we all are brother born to the same Mother Nature. Then, looking at the clear sky, he uttered a pharse which was incomprehensible to Fakir - 'Praritranaya Sadhunam Vinashaya Cha Dushkritam Dharamasansthapnaya Sambhavami Yuge Yuge'. Before boarding, he assured Fakir to consider himself as the chosen one to spread the word that 'For the protection of the good and for the destruction of the wicked and for the establishment of righteousness, One will come in every age'. Fakir fell to his knees all the while looking at the sailing Anagha towards the horizon.

The Night Breeze was cool. Shama and Kochadaiiyaan were sitted on the deck of Anagha which was anchored somewhere in the middle of the Sea of Tears, a location decided by the Captain. Shama waited for an explantion, and Kochadaiyaan placed the 3 bottles before them. Each held inside itself a coloured substance hitting the walls. He threw them into the sea and informed Shama that the Chudail form is over, and when this state is disturbed, they will rise again as the Mermaids.

Kochadaiiyaan did not tell Shama everything that happened inside the Cave, particularly not a word on the murder attempt. Looking at her confused face, he wanted to merit her with atleast one reply as to how Deva was not killed by the Sirens, but became a vessel for the Sisters. He asked her to keep a secret that Deva was an illegimate child.

Episode 3 - The Gaurdians of the Gate

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 1 - The Adventures of Kochadaiiyaan

Episode 2 - Horrible Lands

Guardians at the Gate

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4362&d=1440145484
[Famous mosaic emblem of 'Theseus and the Minotaur' which is set inside a labyrinth decorating one of the rooms in the House of Pompeii (79 AD).]

Act 1 (Part 1/2) - Meeting the Taker

Anagha was anchored at Kalingapuri Harbour. Kochadaiiyaan and his warriors walked past the sea shore shops. They watched the street circus and greeted the vendors. They enjoyed the merry around the living folks and decided to celebrate the Joy of Humanity. While they were having their sweet syrups inside the Sea Side bar, large foot steps echoed outside. Soon, three soldiers, the one who headed them must be their Reporting Officier, entered the bar and greeted Kochadaiiyaan. The General informed him that the King would be pleased of his presence at the Palace. The Saint casually refused the inivitations saying that he is just an humble visitor to the Kingdom and not a guest to the King. Immediately as though the General knew exactly what the reply he would get, he started talking about a Fort at the eastern end of Kalingapuri.

The Fort of Kathipara was build on top of the mountain Vanvayil. The moutain was the tallest in the 5 kingdoms and from the bottom it looks like it was touching the sky. Several centuries back, this mountain served as a strategic point to monitor the sea. Fort Kathipara was built to camp permanant soliders inside and any threat coming from the sea was neutralised before it reached the land. And there was only one route up and down the mountain Vanvayil, which remained as a point of advantage. Since all affairs are been handled via international trade routes at present, peace was established and the pirates were at the mercy of Imperial Sentry Ships which secured the trade routes, thus, the fort was deserted. Until recently. For several months now, there were activities reported in and around the fort. The tribals heard annonying noises during the night. Lately, cattles went missing as well as they greens around the Fort had faded and nothing seems to be growing there since the mysterious activities inside the fort. Several stocks from villages around were disappearing, and in Kalingapuri there is no such Thief Clan who could run such an activity over night.

The Official added that a set of army soldiers were sent, and none returned. Now-a-days there is a glow seen inside the Fort at night too. He asked Kochadaiiyaan to investigate. The Master sat silent for a while. None around him spoke either. He then asked for the map of the Kingdom. Jishan handed the Map of Kalingapuri to him, and the General was suprised to see such a detailed map. The Hunter from the Sea, then asked for the entire world map containing all the 5 Kingdoms and its seas. He examined the map. Gradually he inverted the map of Kalingapuri and placed it over the world map exactly where the Kingdom was suituated on it. He glanced at the symetry for a long time. He folded the maps and handed them to Jishan. He asked the General whether there was a place to monitor the fort. Apparently, there was a tribe still living close to Fort Kathipara.

That evening, the Magnificient 7 reached the tribal village with the General and his men. Seeing the Myth in real, the tribal people offered their love to the Legend. They talked about the horrors from the Fort to Kochadaiiyaan. One aged woman from the tribe got the attention of the Master. The blind lady spoke about bulls roaming around the cliff, for which the other citizens of Vanvayil rejected saying none saw any bull around and the lady is dreaming her age. Kochadaiiyaan calmly approached her and she corrected her version only to him. She simple said - 'I hear'.

Around midnight, Kochadaiiyaan and team left to spy on the fort. From where they were, they saw shadows over the broken ceiling walls. Kochadaiiyaan moved a bit closer and took out his telescope and zoomed it around the flickering shadows. He did not move. Then, he silently walked back to his horse Nayak. He took out his compass, and pointed it towards the fort. The needle spun and came to a rest showing him the opposite direction. Without a word, he rode down the path following the compass needle.

The General was surprised. He turned to look at the warriors, who didn't seem to look like normal people to him. They were starting to settle down - the short one was already flat on the floor and the others were preparing to camp. He approached them with his questions, to which each took turns to clear it for the General of Kalingapuri.

... to be Continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 1 - The Adventures of Kochadaiiyaan

Episode 2 - Horrible Lands

Guardians at the Gate

Act 1 (Part 2/2) - Meeting the Taker

Kochadaiiyaan had 7 precious items on him all the time :

Jishan
- Inesh : The Bow that pireced the Sky - The Hands of Protection.
Nuriel, an angel, gifted Kochadaiiyaan with Ingesh when he found her fallen feather. Angels are not happy fairies. They are the sorrow from the Light Side. Their fallen feather spreads agony and chaos, in Nuriel's case it hails stroms. During the Golden Age, when the Gods roamed all the Worlds, Vishwakarma, the God's Armorer made 3 bows - Sharanga & Pinaka to Kill the demon Tripurasura and the third one Inesh as a model to Sharanga & Pinaka. Nature Period Cycle changed and the Gods were restricted to roam over worlds, thus they got their goodwill done through their descendants named Demi-Gods : Half Humans with mythical powers bestowed by their Father. The angels gaurded the 3 bows, and when Nuriel saw Kochadaiiyaan bringing the gliterring feather, she handed over to him the mystical bow understanging that only a Demi-God can vision the Angel's Feather. Inesh hangs on his shoulders.
Inesh - The Symbol of Authority and Power.

Vrikoda
- Arha : The Blade that tore the earth - The Rock of the Virgins.
At the Rock of the Virgins, Kochadaiiyaan battled to save their Principality by fighting the seven headed serpent. When he was within the grip of the snake, still five of its heads sticking to its body, his warrior sword slipped and fell down. Without a weapon, he wrestled the viper's attacks, when a Lonely Virgin Vehuel mounted up the monterous snake to hand him Arha, the sword that was stuck to the Virgin Rock core and which was beleived to be fallen from the Devine World during the Battle of the Invasion (Gods vs Demons). The force from the fall stuck it straight into the Rock of the Virgins. When Kochadaiiyaan was traped in the spinning clutches of the demon snake, Vehuel noticed a glow around Arha, and she lifted it liberating Arha from the rigid block of massive stone - Arha was free for the first time in several thousand years. She climbed the monstrous snake using its spins as steps and handed Arha to Kochadaiiyaan. With Arha, the Warrior chopped all the serpent's heads and descended down by piercing the viper's body with Arha and tearing its fleash all the way down, girping firmly Arha with one hand and the Virgin with the other. Kochadaiiyaan carries Arha in his shoulder sword holster.
Arha - The Symbol of Just and Good.

Yudhi
- Mala : The 108 Beads stringed together - Wisdom of the Ancient Sage.
Several times Kochadaiiyaan dived to the bottom of the sea. One set of count for sure was 101 times. The places were of his choice and sometimes he was quick to float back, some times it would take a whole afternoon. It was still a wonder how the Master could breathe inside the water for such a long time. Behind several falls, six to be precise, the crew found hidden land. The Saint would go alone and return back with single colorful stone each time. It took several years to assemble and safegaurd the 107 beads at the Anagha's Dungeon Treasure Room. The Head Stone called Japa was gifted to him by an Ancient Sage at the Celestial Temple. Together the 108 beads surrounded the Master, as well as his entourage with positive energy. The Japa Mala hung around his neck project the various colours of nature and reflecting the shines of togetherness.
Mala - The Symbol of Masculine & Feminine.

Pandu
- Europa : The lens which sees through time - At the End of the World.
The optics of the telescope was made with 2 sorts of diamonds - one acting as the mirror and the other as the lens. Anagha & its crew were the only one to have got past the Dead Sea and lived to say it. Kochadaiiyaan hunted for these 2 diamonds in the lands forgotten by time beyond the Dead Sea. The precious stones were cut using another special diamond which was studded onto the telescope itself. Once the telescope was finished, Kochadaiiyaan hid the rest of the pieces of the diamonds across several lands and sea as their energy and their firmness was beyond the control of any Human as these Precious stone have existed before the creation of the worlds pumping the needed energy for the worlds to survive. Kochadaiiyaan gaurded 3 tiny peices of each diamond in the Treasure Chest at Anagha. Through the telescope which uses the light of the source of Life from the diamonds, Kochadaiiyaan sees the various forms of life a soul had taken through its scope. Europa rests in his small pouch of his knife hostler.
Europa - The Symbol of Birth & Forms

Shama
- Hippios : The Trident of Submission - Quest for the Three Jewels.
Kochadaiiyaan clips his hair with a small golden Trident called the Hippios. The Hippios was secured behind a door which opens with 3 jewels hidden in three different worlds. Kochadaiiyaan collected the 3 jewels and used it on the door at the Labyrinth Cave - the cave had an enterance but no end - and opened the Door of Hippios. It stands as the account of past, present & future and guides his path in the Celstal Temple and indicates him which doors to be opened to access secret & forbidden records. Hippios stands generous on his Kondai proving the Knowledge of Existence.
Hippios - The symbol of Gift & Enlightenment

Deva
- Chakora : The compass that showed the destination - Nectar of the Moon.
The compass was offered to Kochadaiiyaan by the mystical bird Chakora which lives by dirinking moon light. Chakora, the mystical bird was wounded and lying on the ground. The Rogue Angels were circling above it. They were drawing the shine from Chakora to brighten themselves up. Through the mist and from nowhere, suddenly a Human jumped over the wounded bird, and in one full action of spins & twists & turns in the air above Chakora, the Warrior shot arrows at all the circling angels before dropping to the ground. A fraction of second after he had landed, a dozen of Rogue Angels fell around Kochadaiiyaan & Chakora. Chakora, the compass, is fixed as the buckle on his belt.
Chakora - The Symbol of Trust & Righteous Path

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4363&d=1440147125

No one spoke about the 7th item.

The General of Kalingapuri looked startled hearing to the Mystical Objects that Kochadaiiyaan carried with him. He just turned towards the direction through which the Master had left on Nayak to Meet the Taker.

... to be Continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 1 - The Adventures of Kochadaiiyaan

Episode 2 - Horrible Lands

Guardians at the Gate

Act 2 - Conversation with The End

Kochadaiiyaan reached the Dead-End, the Dead-Line was now a fully grown tree and its ariel roots fell to the ground and created a massive structure. Over the top of a densely rooted treebed, an very aged man dressed in black was sitted. His hair was too long and its dreadlocks were flowing over the root bumps. Kochadaiiyaan got down from Nayak and approached the Sitting Senior. He stood before him and noted the horrible wrinkles on his face - the cruelty of age. He saw the man holding a stick for support even while being sitted. Kochadaiiyaan also noticed the fragile hands, so weak holding the stick.

Kochadaiiyaan looked around him and found that he was all alone with the trembling man. There were no birds on the tree, for that there were no leaves either and the ground was too dry. No sign of anything living except for the three, as the tree looked so Dead too. It was a bit colder too but no breeze. The air contained a secret calmness which was anything but pleasant. Nayak was a bit restless, but the stallion had been in much worser enviornment.

The man with dreadlocks startled Kochadaiiyaan by speaking out first. He informed him that he could remember exactly when the last man had passed by and complained that his hair had grown too long since then and he was too weak to attach it all by himself. He asked the help of Kochadaiiyaan to gather his free falling hair and help him to attach them.

Kochadaiiyaan stared at the Seeking Man for a moment and walked to his side to gather the his long hair. Kochadaiiyaan coupled the hair with both his hands, an impressive dense growth for a man with such wrinkles on his face. He tried to gather them from the root-bed and pulled up to lift the bunch of the Dark Manes. But they were immovable. He tried harder, putting all his muscles to work together, not even a strand of hair lifted an inch. Kochadaiiyaan took a deep breathe, and holding it tried even harder but let them go from his grip by letting out a dejected breathe in vain, and that's when he heard the aged man chuckling.

The chuckle sounded more like a weird noise of hopelessness. Without turning the old man asked Kochadaiiyaan whether he is getting Old - 'Yenna Kochadaiiyaan Vayasu Aidicha ?'

Kochadaiiyaan saw a flicker of smile in the visible part of the Questioning Man's face, the rest were covered by the cloak. The Master looked back at the tree - The Tree of No Life. He slowly walked away from the River of Hair with his hands on his hips and stood opposite to the Mocking Man. He closed his eyes, lifted his head towards the sky and called out loudly his Father's Name and comanded to Death which was sitting opposite to him :

'The Son orders the Spirit in the name of the Father, expose yourself, you coward. O the Taker, the Servant of my Father, show your obsession towards my soul, show your haunting possession of myself, show yourself to me and I order you to give what I seek.'

Death stood up slowly and while it was getting up there was a tranformation happening in front of Kochadaiiyaan's eyes. In one swift movement, Death came face close with Kochadaiiyaan and looked right through his eyes. The face hidden inside the cloak was visible now, it was hallow and buring with rage. Lightening greeted the sky, to which Kochadaiiyaan gave the thunder by stamping his left foot hard on the ground. The vibration made the Death to move back. Death laughed at Kochadiiyaan's arogance and taught him that it was superrior than himself. It recollected its collection of rare souls and expressed that it could not wait to get hold of one more precious one. It further extended its joy by annoucing that it had already 2 decorated Jars for his 2 sons who were yet to be born.

The last statement angered Kochadaiiyaan further more. Death's psychological approach to break Kochadaiiyaan will not work as the Saint knows his own destiny. The Master took out Inesh and pointed it towards the sky. One of the dancing lightening descended over to his arrow. Kochadaiiyaan yelled asking Death to control its pride. To punctuate his point, he pointed the lightening arrow at Death itself. Death did not move, but stoped laughing. It turned away from Kochadaiiyaan and asked him what he seeked. Kochadaiiyaan spoke about Fort of Kathipara. The Death listened to him attentively.

The Warrior told Death firmly that it had failed to gaurd the Rules of the Worlds that its Gaurdians were roaming in a world forbidden to them. He reminded Death that only it had entry on authoritical grounds and not its team of buffons. He informed about taking down the Gaurdians and warned Death not interfere. If it exercised its power over the present world, it would break the Laws of Nature and will be sent back to the Moaning Pits - a place even Death dreads.

Death spoke about Kakumdi, the irregular soul which escaped the Lower Worlds, which was ruled by Death. Kakumdi had tricked Death itself and opened one of the portal doors. As all the Hell Doors are gaurded and its the role of the Gaurdians to take position & secure them, the Death's own General had walked through the portal and now is gaurding them as the worlds, its rules and laws does not matter to him and his army. Death told Kochadaiiyaan that Kakumdi had been captured again, but the portal could be closed only by making the Gaurdian Army enter it at their own will. Pushing them inside will only multiply their aggresivity. And its a difficult task explaing to them about the Worlds. Death smiled at Kochadaiiyaan. And with the same face, Death informed Kochadaiiyaan that challenging the Gaurdian General would land kochadaiiyaan directly in the hands of Death, his own hands and saying so, Death closed its palm as though tightening its grip over Kochadaiiyaan.

Kochadaiiyaan instructed Death that he had come as a warning. If Death inteviens to save its Gaurdian General in any crooked way possible, then the Son will not have any other choice but to neutralise Death itself. Death smiled and confirmed to Kochadaiiyaan that it will not interfere but will eagerly wait for his arrival.

The Saint without a word walked back to his horse. Mounting on Nayak, he turned to take the route to the Fort of Kathipara, but all of a sudden he turned at the same time galloping over Nayak he faced Death and annouced to it with a flicker of smile - 'See you Soon'.

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... to be Continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 1 - The Adventures of Kochadaiiyaan

Episode 2 - Horrible Lands

Gaudrians at the Gate

Act 3 - Sending Back Bakasura

Bakasura was born from the displeasure of the Gods.

Bakasura was the Gaurdian General of the Gates at the Lower World, which is nothing but a mirror image of the Upper World. Souls are trapped within Lower World, those caught doing illegal entries. Bakasura was the last living demon who cheated Gods and got punished for that. He was given a choice - to live, he must be the Gaurdian.

King Ekavardhan prayed to the Gods for wealth and he was gifted with Jamadagni, the holy cow of nourishment. With Jamadagni, came greed into Ekavardhan when his prosperous Kingdom flourished that he wanted to take on the Gods themselves. When he realised his mistake it was too late as the Gods had already descended to slay him. Ekavardhan hid inside a weird labyrinth. He settled at the center of the labyrinth with Jamadagni, thinking that the Gods will not kill the Gited Cow. He opened its stomach and buried himself inside and further he crept to its head and kept a watch by looking through its eyes. Enraged on seeing Jamadagni in such a state, the Gods cursed King Ekavardhan to be half-human crowning the head of Jamadagni, thus the demon Bakasura roamed & gaurded the portals of the Underworld.

There were totally 9 Doors that permits access between connected Worlds. One such door had been breached, but Bakasura gaurds the gate at Fort of Kathipara not knowing that its face is not at the right world but of the inverted. His greed will soon take him over if he comes to know that he is back into the World that he ruled, and now with his Army of Minotaurs, he would try to regain what he had lost to the Gods. Bakasura should be stopped before he gets any ideas of taking back his Kingdom.

Kochadaiiyaan instructed his team to take positions and he walked towards the enterance of the fort crouching. At the mouth of the fort, he analysed the zone to gain an upper hand over the bulls roaming around the fort. He climbed up a broken wall and stood directly on top of Bakasura, when a spear hit him hard on the back of his head which made him fall directly at the feet of Bakasura.

Bakasura laughed at Kochadaiiyaan. He amused with his army for capturing the Demon Slayer and finally the Hunter was in chains. Entirely cuffed with iron shackles and the ends pulled by two soldier minotaurs, Kochadaiiyaan managed to draw himself towards the fort's broken walls. Below was the rough Death Sea. Bakasura took out his sword and order Kochadaiyaan to kneel down. Kochadaiyaan obeyed. Before striking the metal blade around Kochadaiiyaan's neck, Bakasura mocked the Saint's stupidity to have come all alone, to which Kochadaiyaan replied - Only bulls roam together, Kochadaiiyaan hunts alone.

At the very moment Jishan's twin arrow cut the chains held by the soldier minotaurs and liberated Kochadaiiyaan, who, without wasting any second, jumped the wall in one swift movement and dived into the sea waters.

It all happened quickly, Bakasura saw Kochadaiiyaan leaping and at the same time turned to see the source of the arrow. Before him were 6 warriors and behind them were trash of dead bulls - Bakasura Soldiers beheaded. Bakasura let out a huge cry and the army of bulls ran towards the Warriors. Bakasura appraoched angrily with his eyes glowing red.

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The warriors were cornered in no time. Surrounded by the bulls, they saw the Gaurdian General walking towards them. He laughed and said that they will join their Master soon and ordered his pawns to push the warriors into the Death Sea, when the bulls noticed ripples from the water below. Soon the curls became massive. They heard whistles that sounded like war horns. Bakasura reached the walls and analysed the suituation. The Warriors too turned their heads towards the chruning sea water, not to know what went on but to witness the miracle.

All of a sudden, a Dolphin rocketed from the pool of the sea. Kochadaiiyaan stood errect on top of the Dolphin's nose with his hands placed on his hips.

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Kochadaiiyaan jumped from the soaring Dolphin and landed inbetween Bakasura and the warriors. With a singular motion he took out Arga and sliced the bulls those which surrounded them. Not expecting Kochadaiiyaan to be back, Bakasura raged that it spit fire from his body, and he stood as a Glowing Fire Bull in front of the Magnificient 7.

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Each performed their roles to glory :

The Axeman nailed his axe into the bulls.

The Babydoll punctured the demons with her Sai.

The Archer's multiple arrows did not miss their targets.

The Whip did a dance with his lash ending it as deadly blow.

The Wrestler pulled, pushed and lifted anything that neared him.

The Knife-Thrower moved in circular motion, while hitting the Bulls Eye.

Kochadaiiyaan fought Bakasura, each blow from Arga leaked molten lava from Bakasura's body. Kochadaiyaan looked at the fierce battle, The Warriors were getting tired, and Bakasura cannot be defeated with blows but has to fall to assure the Army of Bulls to retreat. At the same moment, Bakasura came charging at Kochadaiiyaan, a hit that will kill anyone on its way.

Kochadaiiyaan closed his eyes, called to his Father, re-opened his eyes and stamped his feet hard on the ground and lifted himself up just when Bakasura was about to collide with him. He landed straight on the shoulders of Bakasura which made the charging bull to come to a surprise stop. Pouring much weight, Kochadaiiyaan pressed his feet harder over Bakasura's shoulders which made the demon to kneel. With one pushing force, Kochadaiiyaan lifted his right leg and pressed its feet at the knee side of his left leg, at the same time raised his left hand folding his 3 middle fingers and letting out the small finger pointing towards the sky and the thumb pointing towards the ground, while his left hand palm faced the ground and all the while forcing all his devastating power onto Bakasura. Kochadaiiyaan's hair were floating in the air and spread as the dark sky. The Master stood in that position on top of the Gaurdian at the Gate, with jaws clenching and eye wide open looking menancing straight at the Army of Bulls.

The glowing body of Bakasura further lighted up Kochadaiiyaan's stance, looking at which the warring bulls left out a fearful cry and dropped their weapons and came to their knees too. Surrounded by the warriors, Kochadaiiyaan stood on top of Bakasura until the floor became like a soft butter and took in Bakasura slowly. Kochadaiiyaan too descended with Bakasura and when he reached the floor, he held to his stance eventhough Bakasura was nowhere to be seen.

Looking at thier General's fate, the rest of the bulls started to run and reached the shallow molten well. They jumped inside one by one.

Shama approached Kochadaiyaan and touched him. Without moving his vision from the Portal, Kochadaiiyaan followed Shama. That evening the Alwars came to work at the Fort of Kathipara to seal the shallow molten well, the Portal through which the rest of the bulls have traveled back to their proper World.

... to be Continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 1 - The Adventures of Kochadaiiyaan

Episode 3 - The Warriors

Yudhi, The Axeman

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Beauty of whatever kind, in its supreme development, invariably excites the sensitive soul to tears. - Edgar Allan Poe

Yudhishesta was a freelance woodcutter. He, along with his family - wife, 3 sons & 2 daughters - roamed the Central Lands, which had a dense naturally cultivated woods. The woodcutter family would install beside a village and propose their service to its dwelers. Once the job was done, they move to the next parts on their caravan. When Yudhi's family were camped at a working site, Barbarians from the north raided the nearby homelands. They did not spare anyone, and when they reached the woodcutter's caravavan, they did a total ravage to Yudhi's family.

The Barbarians hit Yudhi hard on the back of his neck, which drove him dizzy. Before his blurry vision the Barbarians did horrible things to his family. They left him for dead by piling his family members on top of him. Yudhi spent the whole night weeping both in pain and agony under the bodies of his beloved. Next afternoon the rage got him the courage to push the dead bodies and emerge out. Soaked in red, he cried and performed the last rituals for his wife, sons & daughters.

That evening he sharpened his axe. He handmade the handle to have a devastating grip and the blade was heavy, thick and razor edged that it can cut a leaf vertically into 2 halfs. He chopped trees with minimal blows, until he was satisfied with his handmade weapon. The night had fallen. Yudhi approached the Barbarian camp at the sea side. He did not do a surveillance, but directly entered the camp and took the Barbarians by suprise. With slashes, slits and swings, Yudhi dropped every Barbarian until the last one fell. He piled the bodies of the Barbarians one over the other, which looked like a tiny hill of chopped meat. He yelled and shouted out his rage and came down to his knees and weeped.

Yudhi wiped his tears, got up and walked to the sands. Beyond the sand, sea was his path. He entered the sea until he was completely taken in by the rough waves. He opened his eyes and was inside a cabin, maybe of a ship. A young attractive girl was beside him. She was trying to calm him while he started to move not tolerating the thought that he was still alive. He found his life useless without his family. At that moment a man in Blue pants and a naked torso entered. The small cabin suddenly seemed to lighten up. Yudhi could not take his eyes off the charismatic stranger. The man touched Yudhi's shoulder and after a brief moment, he simple left the cabin without uttering a single word. Over his shoulder Yudhi found a tear drop.

Yudhi became the Axeman amoung the Warriors, fighting for the Man who Shed Tears for him.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 1 - The Adventures of Kochadaiiyaan

Episode 3 - The Warriors

Vrikoda, The Wrestler

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[Herucles wrestling the giant Antaeus - Vase Painting 5th century B.C., at Cerite National Museum, Italy.]

One often learns more from ten days of agony than ten years of contentment. - Merle Shain

Vrikoda Gadajit was a professional gladiator. He fought beside his 10 prefect fighters and performed spectacles around all the Kingdoms by fighting ferocious beasts and challenging the best contenders on land. Vrikoda considered the 10 fighters as his own brothers. His agent, Uluka, would organise challenges and money was pouring in each time Vrikoda & team tasted undisputed sucess, until Uluka got a radical proposition from the organisers of events for an Untold King. They ran into a contract with Uluka to make Vrikoda do a blind fight, a first of its kind in any Kingdom. In return Uluka would be bathed in gold and power.

That evening Uluka spoke about the idea to Vrikoda who was repairing his Club (Gada). Valliant Vrikoda was impressed with the idea, and gave a nod but asked Uluka to keep his brothers out of the competition. Uluka agreed, and the event was setup. The travel to the arena was by sea and land and the whole time Vrikoda was blindfolded. He was put inside the arena ring. Vrikoda heard a voice announcing the begining of the tournament, which would last 3 rounds - an beast, a predator & finally gladiators. Vrikoda prepared himself by making his ears sharper. He was no more distracted by the cheering of the crowd, but concentrated on the noises inside the fighting zone.

First he heard a heavy breathing, then a paw landed on his back. He rolled to the ground holding to his club intact. He heard roaring thuds and when the sound was closer, he tackled to his side without being hit by the beast this time. He calculated the timing and when the beast was fast approaching, Vrikoda, with one swift move of his club, broke the jaw of the Grizzly Bear.

A moment later he heard a roar of a unknown predator. This time the foot steps of the cat were slient. And from nowhere sharp nails tore the flesh near his biseps. Vrikoda bent towards the fighting floor in pain, resting one of his knees to the ground and the other foot, flat on the floor. The lion would be closely circling, he calculated. Sharpening his olfaction, he smelt hard for the foul breath of the animal. He truned towards the wiff by droping his club, while keeping his bare hands ready. The foul ordour was followed by lion's leap with its mouth wide open and teeth ready to pierce Vrikoda's fleash and that was when Vrikoda caught its mouth mid-air and tore it by pulling the jaws in opposite directions.

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Sudden attacks were charged at him. He could make out spear, half-sword, sheild, pike, harpon, javelin, broadsword, scimitar, casting net & throwing spear. Gladiators were inside the arena. He looked for his club and got hold to it. Each weapon had its own weakness - some could be effective in closeness, the rest only from a distance. And the wind is the friend to find the attacker, as when a warrior charges he briefly cuts through the wind. Vrikoda waited and took out the 6 close range combatants. He searched for the remaining 4, who should be scattered in the strategic corners of the arena. He found the throwing spear man and skid before him by hitting hard his knees with his club and when his victim's body was suspended in the air briefly, he crushed it to the ground by hitting his club hard on the falling galdiator's pelvic area. Similar fates occured to the remaining long range combatants, and then there was calm inside the arena. The cheering amoung the spectators grew even louder.

Vrikoda looked around, still blindfolded. He heard the announcer praising him. The tournamaent was over. Vrikoda felt pride over his victory. He slowly removed the black strip covering his eyes. What he saw before him brought him down to his knees along with tears in his eyes. His 10 perfect soldiers were lying dead around him with the bear and the lion. They were all blind folded too. Uluka had tricked them. He had narrated the same story to each one and convinced them to fight with each other without their own knowledge. They trusted him. Vrikoda looked amoung the crowd and found Uluka sitting dressed up well in a special box. He rushed and tried to climb the arena walls under the royal box, but nets were thrown on him. The captured Vrikoda was sentenced to be hanged for attempting to murder a statesman.

Hanging rope was droped around his neck, all the while Vrikoda was looking at Uluka. And the death lever was pulled. The rope withstood the weight of Vrikoda and his body was dancing in the hallow. His dying eyes did not loose the vision of Uluka, who was smiling at Vrikoda. Suddenly, Vrikoda fell off to the ground. A moment later, a short man with an axe jumped before him. With a sharp knife, he freed Vrikoda, who without wasting a second rushed towards Uluka bumping all the soldiers on his path. He got hold of Uluka's neck and took his time to squeeze it, allowing Uluka to take much suffering from the loss of air. Soon the Island soldiers started to charge in, when Vrikoda saw a man in Blue pants signaling him to come over board a massive ship. Vrikoda ran and reached the end of the dock and took the free jump. Mid-air his hand caught a rope thrown and held by the Man in Blue. Vrikoda swung and slowly climbed up the pacing Anagha.

Vrikoda was called the Wrestler within the Warriors, who fought by the side of the Man who pulled him up from the Pits of Agony.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 1 - The Adventures of Kochadaiiyaan

Episode 3 - The Warriors

Pandu, The Knife-Thrower & Jishan, The Archer

The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury. - Marcus Aurelius

Pandu Devnath and Jishan Devnath were twins. The Devnath Brothers were fabulous and famous boys in the town, not only because their father was a reputed merchant, but for their mischieves too. Jishan had sharp eyes while Pandu used to make the best of tiny objects, be it a metal or a wooden piece. Both their vision were as sharp as an eagle. Jishan used to climb up the tree and open the latches of neighbourhood stores by shooting an arrow from his handmade bow, while Pandu would climb inside the shop and using his special tiny objects would open the baskets which would seem untouched after his exit. They shared the stolen apples & oranges. All this just for fun & adventure.

During their pre-teen years, they used to spy on girls, sometimes steal or replace the pretty girl's objects, so that they request the young detectives from Dev Detective Agency, to find it for them. Recovering their lost objects made the girls droll around the lads. But the brother's fun ended when they boarded their father's cargo ship.

The Brothers were always eager to take the sea route with their father. But an over protective father stopped them citing the are too young for the rough sea, but assured them that the whole shipyard will belong to them when they are real fine men. One sunny day, being impatient, the rebel teens got on a cargo ship which eventually was loaded with precious freight. On the sea, their father's ship was circled by the 3 Pirate Ships and the cargo ship was no match for them.

The Pirate Captain & his troop descended onto their ship and massacred the crew members. Jishan and Pandu launched secret attacks on the pirates with their palymate arrows and tiny wooden spears. None missed their targets, but their weapons were harmless on their targets. Moreover, their attack guided the pirates into their hiding place. The teens were brought to the deck before their father, who was kneeling on the wooden floor. Behind him was the Pirate Captain. Their father was suprised to see his sons on board. Dejected he dropped his head. Then, with a sober voice, he gave all the secret codes for opening the chests to the Devil Captain. He pleaded to spare his kids in return.

Without hesitation, the Pirate inserted his sword into the back of the merchant crushing his spinal and screwing the blades path out through the heart. He silently approached the teens with a cruel smile. An arrow from nowhere entered the temple forehead of the Captain, and exited through the other. The Pirate Captain dead body stood for a while and then fell flat over the cargo shop's deck. There was panic amoung the pirates who were laughing just a moment back.

From a very massive ship, 3 men came down to the cargo ship. Everything seemed to be a dream vision for the teens, everything was moving slower than usual around them - A short man with the Axe, A huge man with a club and A man in Blue with a heavy blade took out the defending and helpless pirates. The cargo ship was libearated from the sea theives threat. Few pirates escape and set sail on one of their ships in an attempt to escape. The Dev Brothers ran to jump over the moving ship to avenge their father's death. Two hands cupped them together. A chain of beads hung between the heads of the Brothers. They tried to break free, but the hold was strong. When they calmed down, their capturer liberated them. The escaped pirate ship sailed further away. The twins turned to see the Man in Blue walk away from them. They had a choice - sail back to the lands and live a the merchant's life or stay on sea to protect cargo ships from the Pirates. They followed the Master.

On Anagha, they were trained. Special equipements were made for them by a set of people who didn't talk much and were called Alwars. Hostlers and gadgets were provided to the twins crushing their vengence but providing them the Power to Protect.

Jishan fine-tunned his archery skills, that he can shoot multiple arrows on multiple targets without missing a single mark.

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Jishan became the Archer inside the Warriors, who kept a close gaurd for the Man who saved him from jumping into the Sea of Vengence.

Pandu mastered his knife throwing ability and was quick in unleashing the Blades of Terror on his enemies.

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Pandu served as the Knife-Thrower for the Warriors, who defended the Man who stopped him from drowing in the Sea of Retribution

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 1 - The Adventures of Kochadaiiyaan

Episode 3 - The Warriors

Deva, The Whip

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It is well-known what an orphan's life is, although he is little and has not yet a man's wisdom, he will follow every trail, try every task. - Alexander Afanasyev

Schizophrenia is a cruel illness. Unable to connect thoughts logically and self imposed interference to be organised, a nameless young woman roamed the market place of the Southern Kingdom. She hallucinates seeing and hearing things that don't exist. Sometimes she was found sacred and running around, other times she was happy in a corner coversing with the emptiness. She did not mind about her appearence and often seen loitering around. The vendors in the market fed her with what could not be sold.

One evening 7 drunkard men passed through the market. Seeing the young structure of the delusional woman, they forced captured her and carried her into the dark alley. They took turns, and spent the whole night with her. Scared, the woman did not even scream but took in all the horrors the whole night long.

Several weeks after, she was found pregnant. She was not able to speak out about that cursed night, neither the vendors knew what really happened. Some started to mistreat her, few others gave her timely shelters. Few months later she gave brith to a boy child and an unknown person named baby Deva Ari - an unknown gift from the Gods.

Ari grew faster amoung the garbage of the market. His mother's condition was getting even worser. One day she climbed the top of a Temple Tower and jumped. Deva spent a whole afternoon weeping over the splattered body of his mother, until the Social Men came down to remove the body. Deva did not know where they took his mother's body or what they did with it, as they left him stranded on the streets.

Entering his teens, Ari was already a rebel. Once he stole the fruits from the temple to feed certain orphan gang hid under the sewers. Taking the God's belonging was a huge crime and the Priests sent out a word to the Social Gaurdians, who tracked and caught Deva. He was sent to the juvenile prison for relegious crimes. The prison was exclusively for isolating the orphans - named as Street Children - from the soceity and it reminded hell. Deva survived several years inside the prison, always planning for an escape. He was given the task of rope-making for ships. While making ropes, he used to steal and stock few strands of thread and at night in his prison cell he made an ultimate weapon which looked like a whip. With that he planned to attack the night gaurds and mount over the walls.

One night he escaped the confinement and for the first time he noticed that the juvenile prison was an island itself, surrounded by rough sea. He sat on the sand not knowing what to do until dawn. A dozen soldiers came looking for him the next morning. Deva stood before them on the sand with his rope whip ready to defend himself.

The soldiers charged at him. Deva closed his eyes and when he reopened them, he saw the soldier closer to him hit back by something hard & heavy. Following that the rest of the 11 soldiers fell in every direction. Deva turned to look at the sea. Further on the sea was a massive ship. At the shore there were a couple safe boats and around them stood 5 men, two on each side of the Man in blue pants. They walked past Deva and after a while returned with the other orphan kids. No soldiers were seen following them.

All the orphans mounted the massive ship. Anagha harboured at the the nearby port. The Man in Blue, who looked like the Captain, descended to the land and after a while, he came back with few merchants. The orphans were taken in by respective merchants. The kids will be sheltered, educated and then will work for the merchants for a living. Once all the orphans were taken in, the Man in Blue reached the deck. Before him was one orphan kid left - Deva. The stranger walked towards him and disturbed his hair with his warm hands. Anagha left the port into the sea with Deva looking at the fading land, holding his handmade rope whip tightly.

Deva got trained in Whip Art. The Alwars made him special Whips through which he can exercise and master his force. He carried with him 5 different kinds of whips - The Bullwhip, The Snake Whip, The Signal Whip, The Stock whip & The Cow Whip - and according to the suituation's demand, he used his respective weapon efficiently.

Deva launched himself as The Whip for the Warriors, who protected the Captain who had removed him from the Concretes of Unknown.

... to be continued ...

[mexicomeat]

mappi, u write so well. out of curiosity, does your day job involve writing as well?

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 1 - The Adventures of Kochadaiiyaan

Episode 3 - The Warriors

Shama, The BabyDoll

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One word that frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is Love. - Sophocles

Alea Shama was the daughter of the Head Priest, a family who were positioned on top of the social pyramid. She was very fond of her kid sister Adithi. The town they lived in the eastern islands was peaceful, but when Alea turned 10 all the harmony in her life was shattered. Communal Civil War broke and the citizens became barbarian-like and started attacking each other in the name of social standards. Shama's family was ruined and her house was burnt with the family members inside.

The Peace Maker heard the news of the Civil War and rushed to the Island, but it was already too late. All alone he fought his way to save & help any survivors, when he came across a burning house and from inside he heard a child crying. He broke the door and tackled his way through the alighted living room and found 2 young girls hugging each other. Shama, cuddling her kid sister, saw the Man in Blue as a saviour and reached out her hand to him. At the moment when the Savior lent his hand to grab the kids, the floor inbetween them broke down, creating a pit of fierce fire below. Miraculously, a wooden board still stuck through the gap. The Peace Maker walked carefully over the board and reached the other side to grab the kids. He first took in the taller one who was nearer to him. Shama clutched her fingers of the younger sister and did not let go Adithi. Being in a uncomfortable position, the Man in Blue tried to pull the little one along with him. When both the girls were closer, Shama slowly crawled on to his back and hung around his shoulders, while their Savior struggled to take the tiny hands of the little one. Due to over weight the board started to give away. No time to loose, the Stranger quickened his movement and leaped forward, and by that action, he lost the grip over the little one's hands. Shama saw Adithi falling into the fire pit. From his shoulders, she leaped to try and grab her falling sister. Only there fingers could caress and Shama suceeded solely in retriving the wodden doll held by Adithi. The Man watched the little girl fall and the younger one's struggle to save her go in vain. In no time Adithi was ablaze, screaming & kicking before their eyes. The vision would haunt them forever. Holding the saved girl and not knowing how to remove her pain, the man reached to safer grounds.

For the next 2 years, the little girl grew on the laps of her adopted Father Figure. He used to narate her stories of Myths & Magic. Slowly her greiveness over Adithi & her family started to fade. At times, her Master would give her various tiny items - strands of animal hair or skin, white powder, ashes, dry leaves, etc., - those which she could not even identify. He would place them inside her palm and murmur something. A couple of years later she saw her Father taking measurement of her wrist by coupling it inside his thumb and index finger ring. When she was 16, her Father presented her with a Golden Bangle studded with various precious stones. It was the most beautiful ornament she had seen. She believed that inside the bangle her Master had stuffed all the items she held for him. She wore the Bangle with immense joy and kissed the Cheek of Saint. With a smile he instructed her not to remove it at any time and its purpose will be served at the right moment. He further added that he thrusts his trust entirely on her. That moved Shama and broke her into tears, but the Smile of the Sage soothed her.

When she was adoted by Anagha's crew, Alea would clung her sister Adithi's wooden doll around her hip and used to hop around the Anagha's deck. The doll would dance along with her. The quite reserved Alwars adored her and gave her the name BabyDoll. Whenever Alea went to the land with her Master, she collected 63 flowers and would place them in front of each Alwar's cabin door. The next day she will be rewarded with tiny suprise gift from the Alwars which became her favourite playmates. She slept listening to the songs sung by the Alwars praising the Father of Fathers.

At her 18th year, she placed the flowers at the cabin doors, but the next day she could find her gifts. Depressed she mounted the deck and before her was a tiny wooden box. She opened it with great pleasure. Inside it held a pair of Sai. On the double Sai, the Alwars had imprinted their signatures. The handle was strong and it has an impressive grip. She considered it to be the best gift she had ever received and each dawn following that day, she practiced with the Sai Weapon mixed with Yoga & Dance. The wooden doll of Adhiti still hung around her hips.

Slowly the permanent crew of Anagha started to grow and the team Warriors was formed. She nursed Yudhi with care, invited Vrikoda with her enchanting smile, played with Dev Brothers & befriended lonely Deva.

Shama got involved with the Warriors, serving the Man who rescued her from the Flames of Pain with his Petals of Love.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 2 - The End of Adventures

Episode 1 - The Devine Dancer

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During the Age of Gods, the Father performed a sort of dance to establish both Power & Peace over the Worlds. The Devine Dancer potrayed five principal manifestations of eternal energy - Srishti (creation & evolution), Sthiti (preservation & support), Samhara (destruction & evolution), Tirobhava (illusion) and Anugraha (release & emancipation). Any body is made of 6 eternal elements - Earth (attractive forces : hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, bone, organs), Water (relative motion : bile, blood, sweat, fat, tears, urine), Fire (heat and its energy : physical warmth, ageing, digestion), Air (repulsive forces - breathing and the circulation of air within the body), Space (apertures : ears, nostrils, mouth, anus). With these 5 elements, a 6th is formed known as the Consciousness (feelings : pleasure, pain and neither-pleasure-nor-pain).

The symbolism of the dance is to control the elemental forces within the body and to utilise its Power at will to estalish Peace.

The dancing form is encircled by flames representing consciousness. It manifests the endless cycle of birth and death of the Universe. The fire ring around called Prahabhamandala, represents the universe with all its illusion, suffering and pain. The Devine Dancer's rapid movements projects a form to be with 4 hands symbolising the directions - North, South, East & West. Each hand reflects a distinctive gesture called Mudra which dictates the use of elemental forces through hand gestures.

The upper right hand holds a Damaru, hourglass shaped drum symbolizing - the Drum for Sound of the origins of creation and the Hourglass shape the marks the passage in time. The upper left hand holds a bowl of leaping Flame signifing destruction - the dissolution of form. These 2 upper hands represents opposition - Balance & Counterbalance of Creation and stands for Fire of Life. The lower right hand projects the Abhaya Mudra (meaning fearlessness). It assures protection from both evil (inner & external). The lower left hand points towards the left foot, which is elegantly raised, and seems parallel to the posture of the hand itself, the raised foot signifies upliftment and liberation. The arm is held across the chest as an elephant trunk, the pose called Gahahasta. It symbolises to lead the path through the jungle of ignorance. Snakes (sometimes few many) coil the arms, legs and hair indicating egotism. A cobra around the waist represents the Kundalini Shakthi - the female energy residing within every body.

The unkempt long hair stands for rejection of social desires and a symbol for ascetic. A cluster of spiky Kondrai (Cassia fistula) leaves crown the Kondai (topknot) registering the symbol of Royalty. On the Devine Dancer's head is a skull, symbolizing the Dancer's conquest over death. Water leaks from his hairdo, the flow represents the passing of wisdom between generations. Attached to the topknot is a cresent moon denoting the change in time. The Dancer wears a stud in the right ears and a gold earing on the left, indicating Masculinity or femininity within any body. A snake is colied around his neck like a scarf circled three times representing the past, the present & the future and symbolising the change. All the while, special beads called the Rudraksha sways around the Father's chest, each bead standing for purity and the Mala (rosary) for concentration.

At times a Trident appears in the Dance denoting Knowledge, Desire & Implementation. A kind of small eye-like opening is seen around the center forehead representing omniscience, insight and enlightenment. The firm standing position using the right leg, represents the victory over ignorance. The overall temper is paradoxical in nature meaning the inner tranquility countered by vigorous outside activity. The stoic face represents neutrality, thus being in balance.

Ithi Ravana krutham, Shiva thandava stotram, Sampoornam.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 2 - The End of Adventures

Episode 2 - After the Dance

AND you say that a man cannot, of himself, understand what is good and evil; that it is all environment, that the environment swamps the man - Leo Tolstoy (After the Dance)

Being an half-human himself, Kochadaiiyaan was born with the traits of his Father. It took him several attempts to master the Devine Dance and with an early self-realisation, he perfectly used his Power to establish Peace. He performed several such Dances to defeat the demons within as well as in the World he was put to be born. Kochadaiiyaan performed a special move called Lasya with the Veheul at the Rock of the vigins, which were softer and the most fierce one over Bakasura where he brought in all the elements under his control and exercised it on the Gaurdian General.

The Mudra plays an important role in controling and chanelling the elements. The technic of using the 5 fingers in certain unison allows the Son to exercise the properties of the elemental forces held within and make them work at his will - the thumb controls fire, the index finger gushes air, the middle finger orders the sky, the ring finger forces the earth and the small finger flows water. When Kochadaiiyaan pulled his little finger towards the sky, the thumb towards the ground and with the other hand pressed his palm while being on Bakasura, the heat he called upon from the sky flowed like water over the earth and the with the force of the wind melted the ground taking in Bakasura along with it.

The Dance holds a Devine force. It has an equal and opposite reaction on the performer, usually weakening the body of the performer. In return, the rage opens doors for the evil within to pop out devasting the soul itself. A Dance can be started with a good will, but could end up destructive. When Kochadaiiyaan uses such methods he slays the demons, but he becomes the immediate danger to the surrounding as his rage could destroy anything around him because the elemental forces were still active and were at his order. In such cases, Kochadaiiyaan had to be subdued and the key is the Light from the Moon.

Shama pocesses a special item gifted by her Master himself. When Kochadaiiyaan took in Shama, he made her hold several tiny items which were actually earthly elements - feathers, gems, white & black ashes, tiny peables, small threads - designed to control him during such suituations. Burying these items inside, he made a Bangle and gifted it to Shama on her 16th Birthday. With the Control which the Bangle possess, Shama took away the Raging Kochadaiiyaan to the Dungeons of Anagha. On the way through the deck and down the stairs of the ship, the crew were scared to see their Captain in such a condition. Some even hid behind the barrels. The Alwars, some roaming, did not even mind the Angry Sage passing by but continued what they were doing asthough nothing had happened.

At the Dungeons of Anagha, the cabin opposite to the Treasure Room was equiped to subdue the Saint. It had a platform to chain Kochadaiiyaan, exactly opposite to a porthole, through which the moon light made a forced entery. To guide the moonlight, Shama placed Chakora, the compass, at the feet of Kochadaiiyaan once she had cuffed him with 6 unbreakable chains. Then she placed Europa, the telescope, near his head focusing its lens at the porthole to allow it to absorb and project the Light. She removed Hippios, the trident, which was hanging to his loose hair and placed in on his chest as an implement against the uninvited evils. She took Arha, the blade, and hung it above the body of Kochadaiiyaan as a protection from the evils that would soar out of her Master. She then placed Inesh, the bow, at his side to help his calm down his physical pain under its curves. She left the 7th item untouched for 2 reasons - she was scared of it & she did not have any instructions from her master on how to use it.

All the while Kochadaiiyaan was murmering incompreshensible phrases in multiple voices. Sometimes he tried to attack Shama, but the chains allowed only his face to come closer to her. He tried to bite her. Shama would be composed and recited the Father Names thought to her by the Alwars while completing the tasks. She walked out of the Dungeon Room and closed the door. Through the peep hole she would stand and watch her master suffer the whole night long.

It took a whole night to quieten Kochadaiiyaan. His cries and screams were heard all over Anagha. His nails scratching the wooden platform was creepy. Early next morning Shama would enter back, and liberate Kochadaiiyaan from the chains and usually Kochadaiiyaan would be unconsious. She silently walks out leaving the door open. Later that afternoon, Kochadaiiyaan would climb back and take a place directly under the Sun, as though the Sun provided him the needed energy. Kochadaiiyaan would look older and fragile. It would seem like he found it difficult to carry his own weight. No one distrubed him, and the Warriors take position to Gaurd their Master.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 2 - The End of Adventures

Episode 3 - The Last Dance

Shama announced to the Warrior about seeing The Five-Headed Cobra, a similar one as tattoed on the back of The Master. The cobra has many symbolisms, the main one was the Resting Energy. The 5 heads represents - total restfulness, wanting nothing, doing nothing, being nothing and being open. The hood of cobra indicates 'the alertness without any effort'. When Kochadaiiyaan battles within himself at the Dungeons of Anagha, Shama would watch several images around the struggling Saint. Most of the time animals that encircle and attack her Master and she usually shares the dreadful night behind the Dungeon Door with the Warriors. The previous night she saw The Five-Headed Cobra crowning over the top of Kochadaiiyaan's head. The peaceful Human Energy of the sage is fully out.

Being a Demi God is a boon or curse ? wondered Kochadaiiyaan when Shama walked towards him. He was standing at the bow of the ship looking towards the Central Kingdom. Above the Forest Lands, lightenings were partying silently. He looked beyond Shama, and the rest of the Warriors were sitting on the deck of Anagha. Kochadaiiyaan informed Shama about the restlessness he felt the previous night at the Dungeon. He announced to her that 'the time has arrived', after finishing the 10 tasks thrusted upon him by his Father. He is gradually getting back being only Human and the first symptom is that he had started to forget. Everything seemed much more like a dream now-a-days. He told her about the place where he would start this Phase of Life to fulfil the last tasks. Shama weeped. Kochadaiiyaan did not take his eyes from the Dancing Lightening around the skies above the Central Kingdom.

The Hunter from the Sea reached the top of the mount Vanayil accompanied by His Warriors. Mostly everyone from the Kingdom were waiting for his arrival. The evening event was to thank the Legend for his service to the people by the people themselves. At the enterance of the Fort of Kathipara, the Saint looked around him. He watched the kids, the women and men. He graced their happiness. He understood their worries. He was aware of their sickness. Before them, on Vanavil, he performed the Last Dance around the closed gates of Hell, to heal people from all their physical and mental suffering.

Kochadaiiyaan danced the Last Dance to embrace Humanity. The Saint pointed out his supremacy by taking the Oordhava pose - lifting his feet high up.

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The Master then showed the two different things (real & irreal) through Kartarimukha Mudra, which provoked Lightening to act as the seperating line - seperating the index and the middle finger in opposite direction.

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For the sickness, the Sage organised his fingers to project the Apaan Mudra - the middle finger and third finger touch the tip of thumb while the other two fingers (index and little) are extended. He proceeded to form Varuna Mudra to call in the holy waters from the sky to cure the diseases - the tip of the little finger touches the tip of the thumb, with the other three fingers extended.

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The Son of the Father showed his anger over the suffering of the world through Alapadma Mudra (Udru-thakopa) - stimulating all five fingers and therefore activating all five elements in the body.

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And then it rained.

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The Last Dance came to an end with the Fall of Kochadaiiyaan. Hippios, the trident, escaped from the grip of his tightly spun hair and fell beside him. He did not move. After a while he started to crawl. He used his knees to try and get up. His weak legs started supporting his body. He stood hunch backed, but the Baby Smile was still sparkling around his lips. The Warriors appraoched the Saint and carried their Master by collecting the Fallen Trident. The rain cleansed the people who felt a new born energy of Hope.

And as Kochadaiiyaan was loosing his form, at the exact time, King Sama Suyodhana & Queen Radha had dectuplets. The childbirth took a miraculous 24 hours and the King named the final one as Dashakantha upon hearing his cry announing the End.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - A Rajini Rewritten Trilogy

Season Two Starts Shortly

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[mappi]

Forth Coming Attractions (Fake Preview)

sarvAyoni - The Secrets from the Past

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Take the journey with Baba - an athetist who never beleives in myth or magic, a truck driver who smuggles spirits, a petty theif who leaves neither woman or wealth unturned. Take the journey with Baba, who gets a key to save or destroy humanity. Put before the Door of Tests, Baba meets the Choice - fight against or go with the Gods - Ride with the Creator or shoulder His creations.

What will you choose ?

From the beds of Rameshwaram, through the forest of Karnataka, into the Plains of Pradesh, crawling over the sands of Rajasthan, cutting through the jungles of Assam, reaching the Peaks beyond Nepal, arrive at a place which never existed ... until now.

sarvAyoni - Father of all Forms of Life

Genre : Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Epic & Rajinikanth.

Also featuring Shama as The Florist & Chandramukhi as The Dancing Witch.

[mappi]

Forth Coming Attractions (Fake Preview)

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Kabali - The Immortal

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*Credits S Kreationz

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Season Two

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The story so far ...

Part 1 - Vettaiyan Katha

Dashakantha, a timid kid of King Sama Suyodhana & Queen Radha, grows to become a violent Ruler, Vettaiyan - The Hunter of the Land. He unleashed choas over the region from mountains to river beds, controlling and claiming anything that met his eyes. Not only to his people, he did cruel things to his own family of 9 brothers and imprisoned his father. He is assited by think tanks - The Politician (Narendhira Verman), The Architech (Vitara) & The Vaithiyar (Kreesnama Muni) - and by 2 brave servicemen - The Poet & The General. His faithful Dogs from Hell gaurded him round the clock. With such varied and undisputable forces with him, Vettaiyan not only had the authority over his throne, but also got what he wished for from all the 4 other Kingdoms either by rage or by force or by both, except Chandramukhi.

Chandramukhi, born to a famous Kingdom's Dancer, is a pretty young spy, recruited to assit and protect Vettaiyan. The King loved Chandramukhi and couldn't tolerate her to be seen with someone else. On an auspicious day, Vettaiyan burns Chandramukhi alive inside his Kingdom's Court, blinded with flames of love, he failed to see what was coming - an eternal battle of souls of Vettaiyan and Chandramukhi, a war that is raged even today.

Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Several years before the birth of Vettaiyan, there lived a noble man whom the 5 Kingdoms (Kottaipattinam, Kalingapuri, Katrupuzha, Karimedai & Kamenin) considered as the Hunter from the Sea. Kochadaiiyaan, an half human, wandered the sea on his ship Anagha with the crew of Alwars, slaying the evils from the water and protecting the lands from demons. He is assisted by six valliant warriors - Shama (The BabyDoll), Yudhi (The Axeman), Vrikoda (The Wrestler), Deva (The Whip), Pandu (The Knife-Thrower) & Jishan (The Archer). Kochadaiiyaan pocessed the gifts from his Father - Mala (108 Beads), Europa (Telescope), Hippios (Trident), Chakora (Compass) - each obtained by fulfilling the tasks thrusted onto him. Upon completing the Tenth Task, he looses his devine power and turns to a normal man to complete his eleventh duty as a Human.

The last survivors of Yethi cargo ship crawled over the sands of the Rocky Island. The twelve sailors sat before the The Sitting Sage whose words magically ryming with the mystical winds ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 3 - The Sitting Sage & the Twelve Disciples

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Episode 1 - Yaaghavi

'Kochadaiiyaan was beheaded', announced the Sitting Sage, and without a flicker of pause added 'for the crime of treason'. The sailors looked at each other as though wondering how someone like Kochadaiiyaan be accused for such a violation. The Sitting Sage continued :

For several years Kocahdaiiyaan lived like a regular man. His warriros, each took a job around him gaurding their Master even in his Human form. Life as a Man was difficult. The Warriors soon felt that it was easier to face the evils than walk amoung their own men for whom they had fought for.

Yudhi worked for a lumberjack, but this time in sales & marketing who failed to achieve the sales target, taking in all the abuses from his employer. But he did break the logs for his clients using his head to help him empty his anger.

Deva took charge of fabricating ropes for the ships. Each time he hops around with his wooden legs, kids imitate him provoking the onlookers to laugh. He patiently made the ropes by putting extra force to the thread by twisting them hard.

Pandu & Vrikoda worked together for a blacksmith, who always complained to hit the iron harder. When the blacksmith was not around, Vrikoda used his fist to beat the hot iron rod and Pandu shined his new knife waiting for the day to put it for a good use.

Jishan opened up a Target Shooting play-store. The challenge to the clients is to shoot moving targets, mostly tiny paper-board birds and animals. Once a group of teens, who had hit 9 out of 10 targets challenged Jishan. Jishan took the challenge, and seeing that its a Rich Man's kid failed to score more than his challenger. The teens walked away laughing, while Jishan stood showing his back to the target board watching them. Only his hands at the back holding the bow and arrow moved, and the dummy targets started to fall one by one.

Shama became a florist, working for a filth mouthed aged lady who grumble and growled for anything done by her new employee. And Shama faced a little problem - she could not support the yellow & red flowers. It reminded her of the flames that killed her Baby Sister. Shama weeped to the Baby Doll during the night.

Their Master, so much attached to the sea, took up transporting cargos between two close lands, on Anagha. He took only the contracts that could be accomplished during the day light. In his leisure time, he used to sit on the platform around the tree at the centre of the town talking to the market folks. The trade was going smoothly, as the merchants were thanking his Father for the economical growth. 'People were forgeting Kochadaiiyaan, slowly'.

It's here, under the soft breeze of the tree, Kochadaiiyaan saw the 'Milk Maid' Yaaghavi for the first time.

Yaaghavi comes from a dairy family, and brings fresh dairy products to the market. She is a well behaved young woman, respecting everyone. He felt a tiny ball of warmth running around inside his body each time he saw Yaaghavi in different time of the day and in different field of work. He thought she was unaware, until during the Festival of Lights, Yaaghavi walked holding small oil lamps in her hands. Surrounded by few other girls, Yaaghavi's eyes were searching, looking out for something and finally rested on Kochadaiiyaan. He saw it too, and from then till the end of the Festive night, they exchanged glances, their eyes singing the poetry of their hearts.

The day was long. Yaaghavi's father was sick at the market. She had instructed her workers to take her father home, and that she would return after finishing buisness. It was very late in the evening, and the light was slowly eaten by its own shadow. Stranded in the market place, Yaaghavi was thinking about her journey through the forest alone, when Kochadaiiyaan came to her aid by accepting to accompany her. The warriors looked at the couple, and deceided to stay back. The journey through the forest was the quickest for both. Even though they tried to be as slow as possible, they reached their destination in silence. At the gates of the Yaaghavi's Farmhouse, Yaaghavi thanked Kochadaiiyaan but waited without moving. Kochadaiiyaan pleasantly wished Yaaghavi, and was motionless too.

The favorable breeze was seperating them, which they both felt as a hinderence. And without eachother's permission they closed the gap between them - Yaaghavi raised herself by standing on her toes and Kochadaiiyaan humbly bent down to reach Yaaghavi.

Under the tender moonlight, Kochadaiiyaan kissed Yaaghavi.

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... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 3 - The Sitting Sage & the Twelve Disciples

Episode 2 - The Execution

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Almost a decade had passed, informed the Sitting Sage to his disciples, and the couple Yaaghavi and Kochadaiiyaan were loved and worshiped by the people. The pair did not hesitate to help any one in need and their priority was 'Food for all' and 'Drive away Sickness'. Kochadaiiyaan used to travel to the mountains and would return a couple of days later. He brought with him sacks of medicinal herbs, collected and handed over to him by the Alwars. The Alwars went up the mountains and stayed there upon the instruction from their Master. Yaaghavi added the elemental herbs to dairy products and the younger generation grew up healthy.

The then Prince Rishikodagan, who once seeked the help of Kochadaiiyaan to solve the Mystry of Wreaking Ships, had taken over the Kingdom of Kottaipattinam. He was aware of Kochadaiiyaan seeking shelter in his kingdom at a far end in a small town. Rishikodagan was keenly watching Kochadaiiyaan's rise amoung the people. His jealously was triggered by the pungent evil that was fast spreading over the lands of the 5 kingdom - a central wicked force was getting stronger. As a business minded King, Rishikodagan was more into trades and did nothing towards the welfare of the people. Kottaipattinam flourished in wealth but the consequence was paid by the health of its citizens. Moreover, the Peace that once reigned amoung the Kingdoms, the main initiative of Kochadaiiyaan, was no more in place. The clash between the Kings grew, the trade treaties put in place by Kochadaiiyaan were breached. The news that Kochadaiiyaan was to visit the valliant Central Kingdom, brought fear inside Rishikodagan. Thinking that Kochadaiiyaan was plotting against Kottaipattinam and is planing to over throw Rishikodagan, the envious mind of Rishikodagan conspired against Kochadaiiyaan.

King Sama Suyodhana had sent out a request to Kochadaiiyaan through his messenger seeking aid over the danger prevailing in and around the Dealy Caves of Malliga Mountains. Reluctantly, Kochadaiiyan reached the Port of the Central Kingdom with his Warriors. After a brief discussion with the King, Kochadaiiyaan walked past the Port's corridors. At a spot, hiding behind a tree, Kochadaiiyaan noticed a timid & fragile boy. Their eyes stuck on each other and after a brief moment Kochadaiiyaan smiled at the kid and walked away.

Upon his return, Rishikodagan personally invited Kochadaiiyaan and his family to his palace. While dining, Rishikodagan requested Kochadaiyaan to accept a task on the name of the Kingdom's Security. He wanted him to collect and deliver war horses from a Far Far Land. He persuaded that only Kochadaiiyaan & his crew over board of the Great Anagha could safely carry such a valuble shipment. After a bit of thought, Kochadaiiyaan agreed. Later that evening, through an annonymous courier Rishikodagan, informed the King of Kalingapuri, Raja Mahendran, about the secret shipment.

The night while returning with the war horses, Kochadaiiyaan found his crew falling sick. Upon investigation he found out that their food stocks were poisoned by masked intruders from a nearby land. To find cure for the sick and save them from dying, Kochadaiiyaan anchored at Kalingapuri harbour. Stroming in as a gaint whirlpool, Kochadaiiyaan questioned the King for his cowardly act.

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But Raja Mahendran's ears were deaf to the claims and pleas of the Hunter from the Sea. In return to cure for the sick crew, the King did not request, but ordered Kochadaiiyaan to leave all the war horses and return to his home land. Also, the cured crew will stay and become a part of Kalingapuri's army.

With no other choice, Kochadaiiyaan returned to Kottaipattinam after assuring his crew that he will come to reclaim them all. Upon reaching Kottaipattinam, Kochadaiiyaan prepared himself to go for war against Kalingapuri, the HuMan in him taking him over completely. But he was stopped by Rishikodagan. The King mocked Kochadaiiyan asking him who really was the King of Kottaipattinam. In a flash of a lightening, Kochadaiiyaan realised the depth of all that had occured - His marriage with Yaagavi and the twelfth task at the Central Lands - Kochadaiiyaan had concluded all the tasks, those which were thrusted upon him by his Father. He smiled. He turned and looked at his Warriors. His gaze translated his whole life into a flip book. Shama fell to her knees.

Rishikodagan accused Kochadaiiyan for working with Raja Mahendran by placing the missing horses and soldiers as proofs. He claimed that Kochadaiiyaan had gifted the 'costly' assets of Kottaipattinam to show his loyalty towards his employer.

When asked to defend himself, Kochadaiiyaan adressed to the court : Theliuraiyum Mudivuraiyum Thelindha Neerudaiaga therintha piragu Munurai etharku.

The Jury found Kochadaiiyaan guilty.

Yaaghavi pleaded before the people, but as weak as they were they could only support the fainting wife of Kochadaiiyaan from falling to the ground.

The Warriors, silently carried away the motionless body of their Master towards the mountain.

... To be Continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 3 - The Sitting Sage & the Twelve Disciples

Episode 3 - On Route to Reality

These are called the 'Archipels of Alwars', declared the Sitting Sage. They were designed by the Alwars to shelter the sailors lost in the sea. Each tiny land that looked magically floating out of nowhere on the sea were not mirages but the hope for the sinking ships. These islands were created with abundant food resources and all around were tree species used to build rescue boats. The plants generate double the oxygen to give enough strength for the weak surviors to regain quickly. Each Alwar sacrificed themselves to build such sandy lands upon the instruction from their Master.

And the Warriors were never seen again. Yaaghavi was expelled from the kingdom. There was a small resistence around her, until the night the gaurds marched in and chopped the right thumb of the supporters as a warning. Yaaghavi was lastly seen climbing the mountains.

The eldest of the sailor asked the Sitting Sage who really was Kochadaiiyaan. The Sitting Sage explained :

Heroes are not all-powerful and immortal beings. Instead they represent the best of what it means to be human, demonstrating great strength, courage, wisdom, cleverness and devotion. They are the ones who triumph over obstacles. The Sun being symbol of Birth, the Sunlight becomes the source of Life, just like how the light falls on the buds and turn them into flowers. Then He sung to them the 'Ballad of Birth' :

O kinsfolk, the world begun as a seed,
With all what all we need,
Our dream, our deepest heed,
Where greed & rage grows like a weed.

Yet in this seed is found as well,
That HE met his gay Lady ringing the bell.
On the leaves fair and green,
Grew a new seed bright and clean.

Beats a noble heart in this seed,
Born by the reunion of good deed,
To begin a whole new creed,
To bring an end to the bleed.

A day of miracle emerged,
When the brave and the honor merged.
Here amoung the other Worlds,
The seed is part Heaven and part Earth.

Two Gods indulged in an illegal act after slaying a demon - one taking the role of the slayer and the other turning into a pretty lady. They comitted a second crime by trespassing into the Human World to hide the birth occured through their reunion. When the Demon soul that they slayed laughed at the Justice of Gods, the two Gods were answerable to the Court of Devine. It was pronounced that the descendant, now found in the Human World, will become a mortal and that his death would be seen by the other worlds. Further the Doors of the Worlds were permanantly closed, bringing an end to the Golden Age, making Kochadaiiyaan the Last Demigod to walk on Earth. His Parents thrusted twelve tasks on their Son, mainly to send back the evils and demons still circling in the Human World.

In the depths of the Bright Lands, found amoung the nature, was a new born lying over a Bed of Beli leaves, encircled around a Blue satin cloth. Concealed within was a Dragger, so cold. The local hunters found the infant but there was a Predator of the Nature, a Capitoline Wolf, standing gaurd. Looking at its size and furious eyes, the hunters camped nearby until dusk when they carried the baby away. Their greed made them sell the new born to a childless merchant. Thus, Kochadaiiyaan grew amoung the other children being the most intelligent. When he was fourteen, he realised through a dream who he actually was and left to the Bright Lands. Upon his return he was no more a student, but the Teacher of all Teachers.

The Sitting Sage then clamly answered to the younger one's question on who he himself is :

I goes by many names,
I have seen all that had left,
I have witnessed all that is roaming,
I have visioned all that was coming,
I am the Light in the Dark,
I am the Darkness within the Light,
And you can call me Time.

For the anxiety of the sailors, as to what would happen next, the Sitting Sage summerised :

Many escaped from the Sea & Lands when HE slayed their sources. They all hid in various places. They were all chased, cornered and killed with HIS Dragger. The souls sent to the Right Worlds, where they should belong. But there rose a new, an hybrid of pure evil in the human form, which is not the manifestation HE should have known, neither it was HIS task. Instead HE was put to leave behind HIS proper seed. And in the battle of three, only one will stand.

He explained to them that their presence here was triggered, so that the twelve became the Witness of Time. Saying so he gently asked the sailors to continue their journey. The sailors prepared to leave and after moving few steps futher towards the beach, they all stoped and realised that they did not thank the Sitting Sage. When they turned they found the nature had taken HIS place.

It took them 3 days to build a boat. Each one had a different thought running in their mind recollecting what the Sitting Sage had told them. They set sail towards the Horizon. There was silence through the journey as though everything seemed a massive dream and then one of them whispered in the wind :

And in the battle of three, only one will stand.

Chapter 3 - Sons of Kochadaiiyaan

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4623&d=1446047701

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 4 - Sons of Kochadaiiyaan

Rana

http://www.filmibeat.com/fanimg/kochadaiyaan-photos-images-24281.jpg

Episode 1 - The Jewel of Kali

The shadow moving slowly under the moolight was chilling. There was a particularity in its form that looked crookedly bent. Barely audible squawky noise came out from the object the creepy silhouette was pulling. The mysterious form stopped to look-up at the only light illuminating a sort, resembling a dormer. Stopping below, the twisted figure dug out what looked like a closed cylindrical wooden container from the cart it was pulling. The crippled hands with long thin fingers and unkempt nails carried the vessel and climbed up the stairs. Its heavy breathing pierced the passing breeze. On top and from around the corner of the landing, someone else was hiding and jumped over the visitor, which took him by suprise and he let out a loud cry.

Hanchabadra was taken aback and wailed. It made the kids gathered around laugh out loud. Nodding his head in displeasure, Hanchabadra lifted the pail, and signaled with his thin long finger, indicating none would receive the candy dipped in honey. The kids put-up an apologetic face, when Sengodagan rushed past the kids and pulled Hanchabadra by his cloak. The Candy Man followed Sengodagan like a puppy which made the kids to chortle.

Sitting around a shy camp-fire, the kids were contendly brushing the hard boiled candy. Hanchabadra, sitting next to Sengodagan, was counting the tiny pearls attatched on Sengodagan's tunic. A little girl from the group, pleaded Sengodagan to narrate them a story, to which Hanchabadra clapped hysterically in accord. Sengodagan calmed the kids and pointed his finger towards the nearby Lighthouse. The kids noticed that, the phare was emitting a severe kind of brightness that blinded their eyes. Sengodagan explained to them that the source of it's brightness was from a tiny rhinestone and continued to narrate to them one of their escapades.

Very long ago, started Sengodagan plesantly, lived a jewelsmith with his pretty daughter, Kali. While working in the mines, he came across a special stone, tiny in size, but was releasing light through its octahedral shape. The face of the jewelsmith glowed with the light from the diamond. He carefully crafted a Mukhutti for Kali, studded with the magical rock. The nose ring gave some kind of divine shine on Kali, that the people believed that she is a Goddess in human form.

One day, continued Sengodagan with anxiety, while the jewelsmith was working at a mine sight with other miners, they were attacked by demon like humans riding on buffaloes. They attacked every person on the site and dragged their bodies inside the forest. That night, when Kali came to know about the massacre, she entered the forest and slayed every rotten minded culprits, guilty of the crime against her people. Lucent beam from Kali's jewel spun between the tree gaps. And at the end, when none stood before her, Kali continued to perform the Dance of Agni, producing a fire in her furious twrils that set the Great Forest ablaze.

Far Far away, spoke Sengodagan assuringly, a group of settlers were lost and seeing the flames they walked towards that direction. When they reached their destination, the fire had changed its form, from flames to smoke. Before them, was a vast fertile land, and the settler established thier homes on the ash-grounds, and named the new found land, Karimedu, the Kingdom on which they all were sitted currently.

But wait, carried on Sengodagan. When Kali performed the Dance of Agni, her nose ring fell to the ground. Rain that followed washed away the precious jewel and made it stuck in an unknown place for years, until we found its where-abouts - Sengodagan looked proudly at Hanchabadra who smiled with pride. Following the map that had lead them past rivers, valleys & hills, they reached a cliff, over which an abondaned settlement was sitting. After a hard cliff climbing, they were suprised to reach a wave-cut platform inbetween the cliff. They mounted on to the platform and found a deep hole in the middle. And above the dark hollow, at the center, a tiny stone hung around in the magical air. On the 2 sides of the empty well, there were stairs with eighteen steps, climbing which one reached to the level of the hanging stone.

But, recounted Sengodagan enthusiastically, the stairway just allowed to reach the physical height but there was only emptiness between the top step and the dangling diamond. It was highly impossible to reach it, even by a massive jump, which is sure to land anyone see the end of the vaccant well. Standing on top, Sengodagan on one set of stairs and his friend on the other, they looked around. Hanchabadra stood on the floor. On the walls surrounding the landing, were several heads of animal's and bird's faces carved. But only two were locked with a Nath, a sort of circular nose ring. Sure that its a sort of a key, Hanchabadra was instructed to pull them towards the ground. When Hanchabadra pulled the ring under the trunk of the elephant face, a platform glided out from the stairway and it extended before Sengodagan, stopping under the pendant. And the ring under the beak of an eagle did a similar operation on the other stairway, and the second moving platform joined with the first one, making a sort of bridge across the endless well, their meeting point just under the hanging stone.

And the problem was my lads, explained Sengodagan to the open-mouthed kids, the platforms won't stay in place. Once stepped on the platform, it started to retreat by rebuilding the gap, and by each step the distance between the gem and the platform increased while the raised floor glided back into its casket behind the stairway. The weight over it triggered a mechanism that made it disappear making it impossible to reach the target by walking on it. Not knowing what to do, he looked at his friend who was preparing to run towards the center. He, also, started to run against the disappearing platform and when he reached the end of it, he used it as a pressure mount and rocketed himself towards the suspended diamond. The action had triggered another system and the platform was sucked by the stairs quickly and completely, leaving him suspended in the air, and in no time his fall would occur. Not minding the fall he held his right hand stretched to reach the Jewel of Kali.

Being close to the artifact, Sengodagan piqued the interest of his audience, he swung his palm and readied himself to cup his fingers to catch the hanging wonder. But he was short by a millimeter and could hold nothing but only the empty air. His fall started driving him quickly into the dark abyss below. On the other end, his friend had leaped and made a his body twist in the air with both his hands placed on his chest to gain the needed momentum, and when he reached the stone, he stretched his left hand and grabed the hanging stone inside his clutch, and the next moment triggered his fall too. As soon as the Jewel of Kali was removed, the inner wall of the hollow pit spitted several ropes around and formed a kind of a netted bed on which they both landed.

Even after Sengodagan had completed narrating the origin of the stone on the Lighthouse, the kids faces were still excited and lightened up. Their shine increased when they heard the screech from the door infront of them. From the interior of the cabin, the friend of Sengodagan, dressed all in blue, with dazziling crystal-stars stitched on to the chevalier vest and with hands stretched out as though hugging all the kids at once, emerged a smiling young man, Rana - The Treasure Hunter.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4630&d=1446131509

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 4 - Sons of Kochadaiiyaan

Rana

Episode 2 - Gulf of Bairavi

Trail of Time

"Who are you" - asked Rana
"I am Kacha, the son of Vrikoda" - replied the young man who brought the strong box.

Rana examined the safe box before him. It was rectagular, with carvings on it which seemed like faces attached together. He resumed more than 60 different faces, but asserted to himself to ask Hanchabadra to count them later. A serpent's coil interlocked the faces. He took the case and looked for a opening, searching for a sort of press or push button system, but found nothing. While he rotated the carton, the cravings made more sense - they were all seeming to be arranged in series and attached to a single Head on which a Trident was clipped. He followed the snake-line and his fingers reached the centre, where the Head with the Trident was present. In which ever way he circled, all the faces ended at the Master's. Curious he held it a bit futher to find the serpent's head. He smiled when he found it hidden behind the Trident.

"Press the head" - said Kacha softly.

Rana lifted his head from the box, looked at him, and then pressed the Head with the Trident. Nothing happened.

"The snake's" - Kacha said gently.

When Rana pressed the head of the snake, he heard a small click. He placed the box back on the table and followed the crack. The Head with the Trident seemed to be cut from the other heads and now could be flipped open. Rana collected the 4 objects from the Devine Box - 3 leather skin & a papyrus. He placed them carefully on the table. He closed the box, and pushed the snake head again, just to be sure if it opened. And it did. He smiled, again.

The leather skins were of 3 different shapes & sizes. The papyrus was bigger than the rest. He spread all the 4 peices on the desk. Before them were 3 sorts of maps and on the papyrus were writings.

Rana looked at the first Map :

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He then examined the second one :

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He analysed the final map :

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He re-arranged the maps by placing the smaller one in the middle. Then he went through the papyrus :

Begin where it shows the end,
Follow the end to see the bend.
Not far, but too far to walk
Comes a place where you can dock.

On the drunkman's route,
Be sure nothing sticks to the boot.
Walk on the oxbow,
And into the other don't go.

Listen to me well and good,
you have come so far as it could.
If you are brave and ready to hook,
Fight the snails which can't look.

The energy sits not so tall,
Don't look atall but just on the wall.
But should look down if you are wise,
To be aware of the sixsixsix.

Pass the path of the moving rope,
where there is no light of hope.
Below is nothing to note,
But look twice before you boat.

Farther than it looks,
Sits the lake of Ghosts.
Not a sacrifice of blood,
Prove your worth to cross the flood.

On the sands you stand,
Taking the pebbles in your hand.
None of the sand is a friend,
Your fate the peables can mend.

Hatchet in hand bows, the fists take a vow.
Right, turns the bow, left for the dove.
The kneeled watch eachother,
Now, look below to enter another.

If you have come for gold,
The reward will be cold.
Rests inside is a great soul,
And what you seek is in the bowl.

Rana exclaimed "We need to consult the Wise Brothers".

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 4 - Sons of Kochadaiiyaan

Rana

Episode 2 - Gulf of Bairavi

The Wise Brothers

'It all makes sense now', Youngman talked to himself, after examining the items brought by Rana & team. From the back of the tiny room, Hanchabadra exclaimed 'sixty-four'.

While crossing the streams & jungles to reach the Cabin of Wise Borthers, Sengodagan went into a non-stop talking mode. Siting beside Rana over a horse-drawn caravan pulled by couple of dark stallions and bright mares, he registered to Rana that none of the items made any sense. River Gihan was found nowhere, as he knew all the corner of the five Kingdom. Moreover, the map is crooked and looking at the indication of the landscape, a gulf of a sort, he was sure the mentioned place do not exsit, atleast during their time. He was curious about the Chamber of Seven Fathers, but sure that it had something to do with Rana's Father. And he expressed his horror over the tiny map with unicode arrows that were pointed at every direction. Rana patiently listened to Sengodagan and from behind, inside the caravan, Hanchabadra cried out in a rejected tone 'sixty-eight'. A moment later Rana spoke to himself -'Silence is fortune. The talkative parrot is shut up in a cage, while birds without speech fly freely about'. Listening to what Rana uttered, and not willing to join Kacha and Hanchabadra inside the caravan, Sengodagan made sure that the rest of their journey was travelled peacefully.

Rana, Sengodagan & Kacha were standing around a table at the centre of the room watching the Wise Brothers through the dimly lit lamp. The Wise Brothers were not actually blood brothers, and they go by funny names - Tallman, Youngman & Shortman. The Shortman was the tallest while the Youngman was the oldest and the Tallman was the shortest amoung them. No one knew their real names, neither how they got along together. Different in looks & age, these three often argued with each other. None accepted what the other said, but still they stuck together for all these years.

Praise the Master, said Shortman
Praise the Gods, said Youngman
Paise me, said Tallman

River Gihan, started the Wise Brothers taking turns, to explain the origins and the whereabouts explained on the Map. River Gihan flowed over the lands several centuries ago. The very first settlements were on the fertile lands along River Gihan. The source of the River was from the Great Gardens, the Garden of Gods. Nature's phase changed leading the greenry around the stream submerge within the sand-bed of the River, creating an immense desert. Evoloution happened when the sea met the land, creating cliffs & mountains. And during all the Nature's Alteration, River Gihan flowed peacefully.

'If you can't see it, it doesn't mean non-existent.', declared Tallman. Hanchabadra shouted 'seventy four'.

The history of River Gihan can be divided into a series of aeons. Flowing over the land, River Gihan expanded, as well as gained great momentum during centurial time scales. Its force washed away the dense growth, and later started to consume the earth itself. The decayed vegetation formed a sort of chemical that mixed with the water and helped it to slice through the solid ground. At a point in time, River Gihan crossed its path over a massive cavern, collapsing it, and thus completely entering the ground under. This phenomena provoked a dryness around, later occupied by desert. The swift climatic changes provoked another phase of Life around the dry bed of the River and presently the Kingdom is just above the swiftly flowing River Gihan.

"Begin where it shows the end", read out the Wise Brothers together - the exact location where the River ended its journey over the land, to take its new flow under the ground. Its opening is found at the Northern Cliff, under the first gulf which was formed, the Gulf of Bhairavi.

Shortman looked at Rana and spoke to him - "Your Father is a Noble Man. Eventhough you do not know much about him, he has given you an opurtunity to explore it yourself. The rest of the guide are for you to realise. Go North, you won't miss the Pit of Bharavi, follow its enterance to reach the Chamber of Seven Fathers."

Hanchabadra concluded "Seventy", indicating his accuracy on finding seventy different faces on the Devine Box from the Master. Rana turned and looking at Hanchabadra, nodded his head in agreement.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 4 - Sons of Kochadaiiyaan

Rana

Episode 2 - Gulf of Bairavi

The Pit of Bairavi

The Treasure Hunter finished arranging the things needed for the expedition. Sengodagan looked unconvinced, Kacha maintained his silence and Hanchabadra was force feeding the horses. The Wise Brothers, each carrying tiny luggage bags approached the mobile home. They were still arguing over the size of their baggage even after reaching the caravan. Rana waited out and when they finished, Shortman informed Rana that he would be needing them too. 'Just like your Father was assisted by the Warriors, you need Six to enter the Master's Sanctury', and the announcement made Sengodagan facepalm so hard. Rana explained to them the unknown dangers and the diffiuclties during the route under ground, but the Wise Brothers stood firm with their decisions.

The journey towards the North took several days, but was plesant as the wheather was cooperative. The group camped during the nights and Hanchabadra collected twigs to make fire, the Wise Brothers cooked three different dishes each day, Sengodagan ate and slept, while Rana chatted with Kacha about the Devine Box.

"I have not seen my father", informed Kacha to Rana. His mother, Valanthara, was 8 months pregnant when the Fall of Kochadaiiyaan caught the Kingdoms as a wildfire. That rainy night, Vrikoda visited his wife. He spent the night designing a mid-ground cellar inside the house and finished by placing a structured hole, the size of a coin, at the cellar's eastern corner. He then placed the chest he had brought with him in the centre of the vault. Before leaving, he instructed his wife to find and handover the Devine Box to Rana when the light falls on the casket. Vrikoda did not return after that night. The trunk lied in the dark for several years, and just a week before Kacha met Rana, a beam of Sunlight lightened the Face of the Master carved on the Devine Box.

The Super Seven entered into the thick sands at the North shore of Karimedai. The monstrous dark sea hit the rocks creating furious splashes. Sengodagan and Hanchabadra unloaded the caravan while Rana and Kacha discussed with the Wise Brothers facing the sea. Sengodagan walked behind them and without any one's permission shooted his question on the location of the 'pit', stressing hard on his last word. The discussing team turned and looked at him. He shrugged his shoulder. The team resumed their discussion. After a while, Shortman looked at Sengodagan and replied that the route to the 'pit', stressing the word similarly, will releive by itself. Sengodagan putting a long face, gazed at Rana who started to walk towards the waves with Kacha.

When it was about to fall dark, the moment the Sun & Moon were present together over the yellow sky, the tides occured. It looked asthough the blue carpet of the gushing water was pulled back by a tremendrous force. A moment before there was sea, then, replaced by flat surface of land. Such rise and fall of the sea level is provoked by Nature, through the combined effects of gravitational forces exerted by the Moon, Sun, and rotation of the Earth. Before them was a vast piece of new born land and the Super Seven marched over the sands into the unexplored land.

To everyone's suprise, somewhere in the middle of the dry sea-bed, sitting before them was a huge opening to a spacious sea-cave, formed by the wave action of the sea itself. Excited, the explorators entered into the Pit of Bairavi, while the tides slowly started to rise behind them.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 4 - Sons of Kochadaiiyaan

Rana

Episode 2 - Gulf of Bairavi

Finding the Bend

The light from the Moon gracefully shined into the Pit, making the floor of the empty well visible. At the mouth of the pit, the Wise Brothers were indulged in a deep conversation to decide the depth of the hollow. The rest four rested beside the sledge they were pulling. Sengodagan thoughtfully reached Rana and looking at the Wise Brothers, murmured that it would have been wise to have brought along a couple mercenaries, and they would come in handy if one of the Brothers fell. Rana looked at him, his eyes sharper than a razor-sharp blade. 'Whether its the brother or a friend, missing one is always a troublesome'. Saying so, he walked away towards the pit, leaving Sengodagan in the darkness.

Rana quickly attached a rope-ladder on the solid rock formation and threw its other end into the well. He then took out a sort of a clip with a long rope tail and fixed it between the rock and the ladder. Rana tossed the loose cord hanging from the clip into the pit. The cord spinned down, swung for a while and then rested beside the rope-ladder. And Rana did all this ignoring completely the argument between the Wise Brothers above his head. Once the route down was in place, Rana announced to the group that there was no time to waste and prepared himslef to descent.

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From behind, Sengodagan gently gestured Rana to move and climbed down the rope-ladder and droped into the Pit to make sure its out of danger. As a acknowledgement to the 'danger-free' hand signal from Sengodagan, who had reached the floor of the pit, Rana sent the Wise brothers & Hanchabadra one after the other down the ladder. Kancha, in the mean time, made hitch knots over the baggages, fastening them to the rope. He then fixed a pulley on a rigid rock, and allowed the load to reach Sengodagan, who collected them by the time Hanchabadra came to his assitance. Leaving the sledges and just carrying the the rest of the ropes and the accessories, Kancha went before Rana. Rana looked the Shining Moon and with a smile descended into the pit. On reaching the bottom, Rana pulled the cord of the clip fixed to the top of the rope ladder. The ladder and the cord gained a free fall as the clip jumped upwards detaching the ladder from the lock of the rock above. Hanchabadra quickly collected the fallen items and packed them into the gear bags.

The bed of the Pit was still wet. Youngone diagonised that the tides have not only pulled the sea water, but the water from the pit too. He looked around in exclamation to find the outlets through which the water gets pumped in and out during the tides. Rana disturbed the analyst, stating that they don't have much time to take a tour but act fastly to quit the pit before getting drowned. At the very moment, the Super Seven realised that the tides have increased their pace as water started to leak around the wall of the well. Also, they felt a gush of air riding down the opening vent above - waves were fast approaching.

"Follow the end to see the bend" - but it was an oval pit, there was bend everywhere and they were already at its end - thought Rana. He quickly surveyed his surrounding with his eyes, not knowing exactly what he was looking for. A Rock, a color different from the other, caught his eyes and a beam of white light was sitting over it. Rana approached the rock to note that it looked like a lever, curving itself towards the ground. He pulled the bent up and a small shaft opened adjacent to him. With a glad face, he ordered the Super Six to get inside the tunnel quickly.

The leakage through the wall grew intense. The gushing air from above started to emitte noise too, the sound of the fast approaching waves. Desperately the team entered into the 'half-man-sized' escape shaft. After a few meters crawling, the vent had lead them out over a flat rock. Rana was the last to join the others, and once he laid his foot over the landing on the other side, the shaft closed, covering itslef with a cut-rock sliding down. The team heard parrallel thuds.

It was dark on this side, compared to the Moon Lit Pit. And relatively clam too. No noise, except dripping water sound admist the clatter of something flowing. Rana lit up a fire torch. Right from the moment the desent began, until crossing to the other side of the Pit of Bairavi, Rana did not speak with Sengodagan. When others took deep breathes and started to settle down, Rana approached Sengodagan and explained to him that the shaft worked on some kind of mass pressure plate system. When initial weight from one end, reaches its opposite side, ie. the start point of the small tunnel, crossing the huge side wall of the Pit, ends at the rock platform, a virtual counter is incremented. When the counter reached 7, the shaft door shuts automatically, meaning no one else could make it in or out, but get trapped inside the tunnel or drowned in the Pit. Rana infered that only seven members were authorised to pass through, and without waiting for a reply from Sengodagan, he walked away to check on others, leaving Sangodagan with his guilt.

The Pit of Bairavi, started to fill-up with sea water. The group waited a bit until the water hammer subdued. There was an chilling quiteness after that. Collecting their back-bags, they started to advance holding fire torches to show them the way. Just after a few strides, the rock platform ended, and got replaced by a floor of water. The Treasure Hunter had discovered the Mother River from the Great Gardens, now flowing as an underground stream - River Gihan.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 4 - Sons of Kochadaiiyaan

Rana

Episode 2 - Gulf of Bairavi

On an Infinite River

"Purity" cried Tallman.
"Raindrops" yelled Shortman at Tallman's face, kneeling down.

Looking at the excited Wise Brothers, Rana thought what were those dripping drops of waters continuously falling down from everywhere. "Raindrops on Roses", anounced Youngman to his audience. "Just as a soul's purpose is to join its creator, so is the motive of these Raindrops to combine with their Mother, the Source. They get into a cycle of vaporation and condensation, until they are able to come down as drops. In a more scientific approach, its the basic principle of reservoir theory. The rain sinks into the soil and through numerous crevices take the path between the rocks to reach their destination. In this process, only few drops manage to reach their Mata, the rest get into the cycle yet another time, and thus, it rains again."

Hanchabadra caught a falling drop and spoke softly to the dew sitting fat on his wrinkled palm, "Raindrops on Roses". He moved carefully over the platform to reach River Gihan. He then allowed the water droplet to fall and reunite with its Mother. The tiny splash made the others to turn around and the light from their fire torch captured the horrible form of Hanchabadra.

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[Quasimodo, played by Lon Chaney in the silent movie 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923)]

Several years before, when Rana and Sengodagan were in their teens, they came across a thick dark blancket rolled and lying beside a rock along the pathway. Curious the friends approached the rug and were taken aback when it moved. Sengodagan threw a stone at it, and the sheet left out a painful cry. Rana, stopping Sengodagan from further actions, walked towards the crippled blanket and opened it, which exposed a completely deformed and wounded man. They took him to their caravan and treated him. When Hanchabadra regained, he started to assist his new friends in their Treasure Hunts. Sometimes, he used to tell them that he was the chief in the army and fought with the enemies single handedly, and the wounds were the marks of bavery. The other day, he informed that he served as a gauridan of a village and had to fight with a Bengal Tiger, the size of an elepahnt, with only his fists, and the injuries were signs of courage. Recently, he revealed that he worked in a temple during after dark. One night, when he carried on cleaning, he heard someone weeping, a sound that felt honey to his ears. Going in search of the source of the voice, he found a pretty girl lost inside the dim lighted temple - the security have shut the doors from outside with him and her inside. As no one wished to see him in the daylight, he worked only during the night inside closed doors. So, he was scared to expose himself to the pretty girl. Instead he called out to her, guiding her with his voice, the way towards the locked main door. He assured her that early next day, the priest would open the doors and she was safe there until then. To impress the girl, he climbed the pillars to reach the ceilings, so that he could light up the temple lamps. While hanging onto the iron rods, holding a bag of oil, he tripped and fell down splashing the oil all over. The accident not only made noise, but also spread fire at faster rate. He had ran towards the girl to save her from the flames. The temple fire got vigourous as he carried the girl upto the bell tower. He started to ring the bell to caution fire. When the villagers came to know about the incident, they threw stones at him and drove him out of the village. And from then he never spoke about his past, neither about the pretty girl he saw in the temple.

Not far, but too far to walk, Comes a place where you can dock.
"We have to move on", ordered Rana, at the same time signaling Hanchabadra to get the needed travel materials out of the gearbags. Hanchabadra digged into the bags and took out 4 cylindrical items and placed them over the platform. Rana, picked one of the thick round circular canvas, and walked towards River Gihan. He then pulled the two ends of the canvas which formed a boro, the right side of the boat. He then enlarged the canvas by pulling its longitudinal frames, which opened the port, the left side of the boat. He placed the canvas boat on the platform and started to work on making it rigid. The parts and the frames - keel, stem, stern post, gunwale, frames - were made of rock elm, a strong wood strip that was light in weight and allowed to be bended. The canvas was coated with a waterproof dressing. He attached the oars made of pitch pine. When the boat was extended, the other parts worked automatically, which were binded together with iron threads, notably the thwarts-the seat. The whilst of the longitudinal frames, which looked broad and flat, were jointed together at the top, enabling elasticity for the boat, making its mount and descend easily done without folding it each time. Rana pushed the portable subterranean canvas waterboat into River Gihan which fell without much of a splash and stayed afloat.

The Treasure Hunter called them 'Knot So Fast' and when the 4 rowboats were ready, he asked the team to pairup and enter the vessel - Tallman embarked first with Kacha, followed by Shortman who got on with Sengodagan. Hanchabadra loaded his boat with the baggages and Rana mounted with Youngman, tailing his crew. Each took turns to row while the other held the fire torch following the flow of River Gihan. Rana had installed a pole on Hanchabadra's boat and fixed the fire torch within.

The group worked their way slowly over the River Gihan admiring the speleothems (deposits formed within underground caverns). Youngman's voice echoed, 'Rocks of Calcite'. The stalactite (the icicle-shaped formation hanging from the ceiling), and the stalagmite (upward-growing mound on the ground and walls), were mineral deposits and limestone drips brought in by the Raindrops. "They grew" and he exclaimed, "Look there, the stalactite and the stalagmite have finally met." He pointed to a coloumn just further to them and when they corssed the Pillar of Calcite, everyone touched to feel its cold and hard surface. The mineral deposites around them glittered in various colours reflecting the light from the fire torch. The crew then rowed under a curved formation of a limestone, its mouth just big enough to allow them to enter.

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On the drunkman's route, Be sure nothing sticks to the boot.
The tranquility in their journey took a turn, when the River suddenly got into an agitated flow. The meander, the bends in its sinuous watercourse, was sloppy and the stream took a vigorous run. The roof was lower along certain turns, that the crew had to be vigilant and duck their heads down to avoind clash with the stalactites. There was no need of rowing as the boats were travelling on a considerable speed. While getting past the final bend, the huge curve wobbled the boats, and Youngman lost his control. His body was oscilalting his legs, while he gripped the sides of the boat with both his hands to avoid falling. It was all happening so quickly that Rana could only watch. Youngman's dancing legs, at a point, hit a hard on a speleothem, breaking it from its support. He let out a loud cry of pain when the broken piece pierced into his flesh. The rest of the journey, Youngman travelled with the sharp head sticking to his boot, turning the canvas boat red from inside.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 4 - Sons of Kochadaiiyaan

Rana

Episode 2 - Gulf of Bairavi

Hanging On The Rocks

Hari did not have memory, but only knowledge. He almost had forgotten that he was an orphan and never had bothered to look for his parents. He was never put in an orphanage, but dwelled on the streets eating on the remains of apples and oranges, when Eradosth, the Librarian, took Hari in for assistance at the Great Library, and it was here Hari re-discovered himself. He slept and ate reading books. He quickly became the roaming index of the Great Library. When Hari was an young man, the invasions started. He tried his best to save as many literary works, and the other which he couldn't, he made sure to memorise them all. The invaders made sure that the head of the Scholars failed to sit on their bodies. Looking at young Hari, they spared him not knowing he was already the Scholar of Scholars. Before taking over the new Kingdom, the attackers burnt the Great Library and along with it, a whole dynasty turned to ashes. But every detail now sits inside the head of Hari. He speaks not as a reply but what he utters becomes the reponse. Hari stayed young in his head, suspended in time like a stuck clock and was addressed as Youngman amoung the Wise Brothers.

Walk on the oxbow, And into the other don't go.
Calmness regained. The crew were floating on placid waters. They arrived before an elevation standing on top of another platform where they docked. It was the land formed from the deposits of the oxbow lake, a body of water that forms when a wide meander is cut off from its main stream which takes a distinctive curved shape. Rana and Sengodagan carried and placed Youngman on the floor. The tiny spear had entirely damaged his foot. Rana touched it gently. There was no reaction from Youngman as his lower body had been completely been paralised. The pain will return, and Rana pitied Youngman. Hunchabadra, the Medicine Man, came with the kit that he had been looking for inside the bags. The other Wise Brothers were murmuring to themselves. Using the medical items, Rana removed the pike and exposed the hole it had made. He stuffed medicine and bandaged the wound, all the while Youngman did not move, his eyes looked sunk and lost deep inside the caves.

Rana climbed the elevation first, and droped the ropes to which the boats were attached and to be pulled up. He then made a sort of a baby cradle with a blanket and attached its corners knots with ropes. When the craddle reached the bottom, Sengodagan made Youngman sit comfortablly inside it. Rana pulled up the craddle, and somewhere in the middle of the craddle's journey, Youngman left out a loud cry of agony. Rana found Youngman unconsious when he lifted him out of the cloth transport. Looking at the current state of affairs, Rana decided to camp there for a while.

Rana and Sengodagan, took a brief walk around. Not knowing which way to go, and as Youngman is unconsious and the rest Wise Brothers have not stopped chanting, its upto them to look for a route. Further down, there was another oxbow lake. Rana consulted the map. The second oxbow was opposite to where they were standing, meaning, that was supposed to be the way they had come in. Rana turned around and looked around him. He immediately took out the second map, the tiny one with arrows. He analysed the ceiling. It matched the markings. He inferred to Sengodagan that they cannot go vers the other oxbow lake, neither travel through beneath, but try to reach River Gihan which should take its bend further south of where they were camped, and they had to pass via the rocks above - If you are brave and ready to hook !

Rana started to work on building the equipements needed for rock climbing. He made several security belts with ropes, different in size and utility, notably to go around the waist and over the shoulders. He handed over the harnesses to Kacha and asked him to dress up the two Wise Brothers. Hanchabadra was curios to know what was beneath those rocks, lifting his eyes towards the dark abyss, for which Sengodagan placed a roll of rope on his shoulders. Hanchabadra grinned. Rana instructed Sengodagan to check on the wodden quickdraws and asked him to start preparing the ropes. Rana then took out four small light chimneys which were held inside a semi-circular wood strap. The chimney were not touching the wooden band. A small recevoir of oil with a thread was under the chimney. The recevoir was connected to small drum with a tube and the tiny barrel where the oil is stocked had a pump system. The drum can be placed around the hip, and when the chimney goes dim due to insufficient oil, the lubricant could be pumped inside without replacing it from the forehed to which it was attached. The forhead lamp gave Rana and Sengodagan clear vision which nailing the rocks to attatch the chords.

Suited up, Rana asked Kacha to stay at the camp, while he and Sengodagan prepared the rope route. Hanchabadra slowly lossened the rope from its roll while the duo climbed clinging to the gaps on the wall and started to make their way towards the other side. Rana fixed the quickdraws to the nails hammered to the rocks. He consulted the map to take a note of the indications as to where the hooks have to be placed. He used the forms of the rocks to identify the positions as mentioned in the map. Inbetween, Sengodagan placed a pulleys. At a point during their travel across the rocks, they were completely upside down and Sengodagan asked Rana if he would catch him when he fell, to which Rana smiled. They completely disappeared from into the darkness, only a tiny glow, the light emitted from the forehead lamps was seen by Kacha. The rock climbers finally reached the otherside.

Rana shouted to make sure Kacha could hear him. He got a "loud & clear" voice signal from Kacha. First, they received the bags, they came dancing while riding over the rope pulley. Following the kit, the two Wise Brothers made to way to join Rana and Sengodagan. Hanchabadra prepared the craddle, and Kacha hooked it to the rope. Youngman reached the otherside, still unconcious. Hanchadra flighted off and Kacha prepared for his journey.

While the members crossed and the goods delivered, the nails on the rocks started to get fragile. The rocking movemnt had made the hole around the rivet largen weakening they hold. Rana signaled the fragility to Kacha, who became aware of the risk. He slowly advanced making sure his next pull was solid. Somewhere in the middle, Kacha felt a jerk as though the ropes were giving away, and a moment later, the nails from the far end started to pull off taking the chords with them. And during the descend, they took Kacha along towards the abyss below. As the other half of the fixation were holding, Kacha was left hanging few meters below. From the centre of nowhere, he assured the crew by crying out that he was fine. Rana looked into the depth. He found Kacha still oscillating and the light from his forehead lamp shined against the rocks. There was something weird about it, thought Rana. He looked closely and was taken aback when he noticed that the rocks around Kacha were moving.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 4 - Sons of Kochadaiiyaan

Rana

Episode 2 - Gulf of Bairavi

Slow and Deadly

Ali, addressed as Tiger amoung his pirates crew, grew up listening to the story about an Hunter from the Sea. Born to a poor farmer family, teen Ali was motivated in all wrong ways to quickly get attracted to 'Take & Give' policy of Haider, the most terrorising marauder. Ali abondoned his family to follow Haider in his plunders and Ali's tall physique mixed with braveness made him a trusted Henchman of Haider. Along the course, Ali sensed the diverse agony in his mentor's actions. Slowly Ali was exposed to Haider's cruelties. Ali raised his voice against Haider, the Deadly Pirate Captain of the Five Seas. His uprising against the Pirates Politics converted him to a Sea Outlaw, a judgement straight from the Pirates Base. Thus, Ali formed his own crew and became a fugitive, running away from the Black Flag as well as the sentery ships. He traveled a lot, looted shipments and distributed them amoung the needy, and in return gained immense knowledge over various cultural and historical details shared to him by the tribes and villagers. He naturally learnt life while hiding and surviving, when Haider attacked the settlement Ali was sheltering. Ali managed to escape, and from top of the sail, watched the houses and huts burning. Suddenly, heavy shots from Haider's ship landed on Ali's vessel. He witnessed the gore of his own crew suffering before him. Ali was the only survior and when he reached the Land of Priests, he fell on his feet over the sand and cried. The Priests named him Shortman, seeing a tall stranger weeping on his knees. He spent several years under their guidence, before becoming a nomad, and he met Youngman. The alighted crew men lines swinging still haunted Ali.

Shortman saw Kacha swinging desperately across the dark rock wall, the swinging head light reminding him the flames that killed his crew. He noticed the moving rocks too. He stopped chanting and whipered, 'Snails'. Youngman opened his eyes. Tallman cried out load "Snails that can't see". - Fight the snails which can't look.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4695&d=1448364488
Knight vs Snail from Manuscript - Li livres dou tresor (Treasure Books) by Brunetto Latini (1264)

[“Like a snail that melteth away into slime, they shall be taken away; like a dead-born child, they shall not see the sun.” - Psalm 58.
Medieval Knights fighting snails in the 13th and 14th century English texts has always been a mystery. "Sometimes the knight is mounted, sometimes not. Sometimes the snail is monstrous, sometimes tiny. Sometimes the snail is all the way across the page, sometimes right under the knight’s foot. Usually, the knight is drawn so that he looks worried, stunned, or shocked by his tiny foe. But the ubiquity of these depictions doesn’t make them any less strange" - The British Library.]

Rana turned towards the Wise Brothers, not knowing what they were shouting at, he took the fire torch from Hanchabradra, sprayed a the tin of kerosene over the moving rocks and threw the fire torch over it. What became visible in the fire sent chillness across his spine, and Kacha was hanging not having a clue what was surrounding him.

It was not the rock which was moving, but the dark skinned snails crawling over one another trying to reach an object that their four sensory antennas have received. The snail group started somewhere in the middle of the rock wall and were crawling towards Kacha with their toothless mouths open in the mid air. Rana alerted Kacha to increase his momentum. He guided him to carefully calculate the radius of his swing considering where he places his foot and the distance to reach the platform upon which the rest of them were standing. He warned him that his footfall may become slipery when they land over the Slime of the Snails. Rana remided Kacha to keep a check on the grip while wall running. The hungry snails battling each other slowly creeped towards the top.

Kacha obeyed Rana's instruction. He followed Rana's signal and started to ossilate to gain momentum which would able him run close towards the platform. During his 3rd sway, he was already in line with the top of the platform, but the seperating distance was unfriendly. Eventhough his reflex made him leap jump twice, the thrid time he failed to hang in the air, but landed his legs over the army of snails. He felt his leg placed on something soft and sliperry that made him loose his balance which started his free fall.

Managing to hold on to the rope, he glided until he griped the tail end of the cord. His hands started to ache, his body unable to climb up. His current position allowed him to see closely his nemesis, and he shouted in horror. The boneless slugs were different in size, ranging from rat sized to some even bigger than cat. Suprisingly they had 4 antenas moving in each directions and they stood rigid when they sensed an alien Kacha. The top of the tentecles had a white dots, replacing the organ of sight. None had a shell and their mouth was wide and looked elastic. At the exact moment, a bigger snail just swallowed a smaller one in front of it, to make way and reach Kacha. Its speed was chilling and wuite faster than the snail that Kacha had played with during his childhood. With enough courage, he started to swing from his 'deadly snailed' position, and after few attempts he finally saw Rana stading at the edge of the platform.

Rana saw it as the perfect oppurtunity to grab Kacha. He noticed Kacha loosing his strength and would take a fall at any moment. When Kacha was at an angle direct to the platform, Rana cried out to Kacha to part with the rope. Kacha let go the chord and the force of the oscillation flew him towards the platform, but not enough to make him land over. Rana looked at Sengodagan and they both nodded. Rana sprinted quickly across the short platform to gain accelaration, closely followed by Sengodagan. When Rana reached the end of the platform, he placed his left leg at its extremity and reached out for Kacha, at the same time stretching his right hand towards the rear. Sengodagan, from his back, quickly caught his hand and breaked to a stop, when Kacha managed to grab Rana's left hand.

The hold of Kacha pulled Rana which made him bend towards the pit. His leg started to give away from the edge, when Sengodagan tried hard to pull him back. When all three were dragging eachother avoiding the fall, something heavy caught Sengodagan's legs whose force was tranmited over the human chain and their bodies stood still - with Kacha hanging over the platform, Sengodagan's firm grip, Rana balancing the weight with his legs - demonstrating the conservation of momentum and energy via Hanchabadra holding Sengodagan's legs.

All four were suspended in their position for a brief moment, while Tallman and Shortman huged lying Youngman providing protection as it was the same moment when the Army of Slugs mounted over the platform.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 4 - Sons of Kochadaiiyaan

Rana

Episode 2 - Gulf of Bairavi

Creatures of Underground


With one strong action, Rana pulled Kacha over to the platform. Immediately, Rana liberated himself from the grip of Sengodagan and searched for the others around him. Sengodagan stood motionless, Hanchabadra started to crawl in search of an inexistant safe spot and Kacha played dead over the floor. The snails crawled slowly but sharply with thier mouths wide open. The gushing noise of emptiness was frightening under the soundless atmosphere. The Wise brothers were quickly surrounded by the slugs marching on the tracks of their own slime.

Lacking weapons, Rana broke the sharp cones hanging from the ceiling and launched himself against the attacking sluggards. Sengodagan followed Rana, and Hanchabadra reached the wall near him and broke a tiny sharp rock, and used it to menance the slugs surrounding him with his new found weapon. Rana took out couple of snails and kicked the smaller ones back into the pit. It needed an immense force to detach them from the floor. His sharp weapon sliced the tentacles that made them cock into a sphere which replied well to the strike with the foot. But the countless snails approaching steadily exhausted the fighting crew..

All of a sudden, the attacking army stood unmoving. They started to retreat towards the walls and the well below. Their locomotion increased over their own pathway of saliva. Taking everyone by suprise, a tall snail with bird limbs and a slugish body covered by a shell emerged from the dark hallow. It looked like a half bird-half snail, with the lower and back parts resembling a bird (legs, rump and tail); the upper, bottom and front parts held the characteristics of a snail (shell, mouth, gland and muscular base). Its long neck supported the radula mouth which was constantly grinding. Looking to the either side, the monster climbed over the platform. It neither had antenas nor any hint of eyes, a face smooth like a marble with a sticky texture. It was drolling slime and when Rana moved a step back, it quickly fixed its body towards his direction, its sensory body working to the fullest. With a wide opened mouth, it leaped over Rana, taking him under its clawless feet in with one forceful gesture. Clutching its prey safely, it looked around as a warning to anyone's approach. It then lifted its head, widened the gap between its fat lips and dived deeply to grab the head of Rana with its sinewy mouth.

Sengodagan is the Prince of Kottaipattinam. During his childhood, he ran into conflicts with his father, King Rishikodagan. Unable to control his own son, Rishikodagan sent away Sengodagan to other lands claiming it to be for educational purpose. When Sengodagan was learning under the Vathiyar Paramaguru near the river side at Karimedu, he raised an alarm, signaling something mysterious afloating in the water. Vathiyar leaped into the water without any further delay and rescued an young boy from the fast flowing stream. For several days, the child displayed symptoms of shock as though violence had collided with his infancy. The kid refused to speak or cooperate but looked lost in the void. Vathiyar noted the disturbed sleep of the little one, a cause explained only when caught inside a turbulent mind. Sengodagan accompanied his new friend, sharing anything that he thought was worth, and felt sad for his speechless mate. Once when the group of kids played around the jungle, they were surrounded by hyneas. During their escape, Sengodagan fell to the ground hurting his knees making himself unable to move any further. None of the students returned even after noticing fallen Sengodagan, except his comrade from the river. The warrior child took a broken branch and stood gaurd over Sengodagan from the menancing predators. The cunning beasts did not advance but circled the duo, waiting for an opputunity to pounce on them. They teased the valliant kid with the stick, but he was way too smart and quick for them that several blows landed on the attaking hyneas. Somewhere during the defensive stance, elders rushed it and chased the animals back into the jungle. After dressing up the wound, Sengodagan hopped towards his saviour stranger. He thanked him whole heartedly by placing his hand over his rescuer's shoulders. He then asked him his name. 'Rana', came the reply. From then on, Rana and Sengodagan stood together during different times, every time, that when Sengodagan grew up, he completely abandoned his kingdom and accompanied Rana to embrace friendship.

At the Gulf of Bairavi, Sengodagan was a spectateur of the passing event - the moment the monster climbed up until the moment it held Rana captive under its feet. He also noticed that a rogue snail had split away from the retreating army and was dragging Youngman by his wounded foot. Shortman and Tallman looked scared. It was an easy decision to make for Sengodagan, as he knew well that Rana can escape any suituation, Sengodagan quickly rushed to escape Youngman from the pulling slug.

Rana struggled by holding the creature's leg, which was sticky wet. The snail came down at him with its open mouth, at the same time Rana firmed his grip over the stone weapon he held in his left hand and brought it up with full force aiming at the snail's head.

On the other side, Sengodagan struck the rogue snail several times, which finally let go Youngman. Sengodagan assisted Youngman sit up, and for the first time since he was wounded during the boat ride, Youngman yelled 'No'.

Rana understood the warning from Youngman, and somewhere in the midway while lifting his stone dragger, he fliped his weapon in the air. The sharp item vigourously spinned twice before Rana caught it, this time the blunt side facing the head of the Snail. The charge of the blunt cone made a hude impact on its target and shocked the snail. It moved its head quickly and came down again at Rana. Rana reverted its attack with four more quick blows to its boneless skull. Repeatedly beaten made the monster snail to loose its balance and it fell beside Rana. It did not move, but was still breathing heavily. Rana, getting to his feet, dragged the birdy-snail by its leg and threw it back from where it came. The retreating army of snails were moving far away into the darkness trying to camouflage as rocks again.

'Mother Pearl', lectured Youngman. "Life above begins from below. The Mother Pearl is the parent of many species. Deep inside, evolution gave it wings to fly out. From flesh to feathers, that is what is Nature. Here at this very dark place, many types breath & breed, some known to man, several don't give a chance. No light, no sight, hail Mother Nature. Visionless with nerves of sense. A world where worms and prawns sing together.

Your Father is a wise man, Rana. He allowed you to find your path. Snails are gentle beings, but they do represent negativity - Refusal to think, just like a curling snail inside its own shell. The slothful nature symbolises the Slow Death."

Youngman then prophesied, "You, Rana, have fought your own slow death. This closes down the options leading you into a path where your Death will be Quick."

Saying so Youngman lied back in the arms of Sengodagan. No one spoke after that. Packing up, they started to move deep into the cave like structure watching for danger markers with their hand held fire torch lights. The group moved in a creepy silence into the unknown.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 4 - Sons of Kochadaiiyaan

Rana

Episode 2 - Gulf of Bairavi

Route to Lingaa

Rana and team entered into a dark cave, the only exit was its enterance. The floor seperated into 3 levels few feet higher than one another. The two bottom levels formed a lake from the rain drops, their calcite deposit borbers running like serpents that discouraged the overflow of water. Shortman explained that its a sort of a natural dam, that slowed the flow of River Gihan. The hightest floor on which they were standing was quite wide and empty. The air was mixed with dense humidity that the darkness was quite pungent. Rana lifted his torch light and walked around the open space. The visibility through the light from the torch was strikingly low. While surveying the area, Rana noticed a shadow forming on the wall. He slowly brought the light nearer and moved it up and down timidly. Before him, on the ground, was the source of the shadown, a cylindrical stone placed over another stone plate. It was tiny, but when the light moved over it, the sleeping energy projected its massiveness in its shadow casted on the wall. When examining its shadow on the cave walls, Rana noticed tiny colourful marking around - The energy sits not so tall, Don't look atall but just on the wall.

Rana approached the shadow on the wall. A sort of cave painting started to emerge around the focal light from the fire torch.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4753&d=1449423526
Cave painting at Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh.

"The cavemen", announced Shortman, "the ancient dwellers of the underground".

Rana quickly moved away from the painting without examining it. He seems to be in a hurry to find a way out of the end which looked dead. Wounded crew men, Kacha & Youngman were his concern. He took out the papyrus to extract any hidden clue from it. Hanchabadra approached him from behind to shed light abling Rana to read.

"six six six", chuckled Hanchbadra with a creepy voice, signaling his scary tone with hands raised above his head. His shadow resembled a crippled demon on the wall.

Rana immediately searched over the floor - But should look down if you are wise. He noticed only the hard stone floor. He retraced his path upto to the assembled stones that casted a cylindrical shadow over the wall, and re-examined the cave painting around the contour. It resembled a ceremony of some sort, maybe a festival or marriage, where men and women were depicted carrying loads over their head following few warriors on horses. Tracing the marching soldiers, which were cutting towards the floor rather than going straight, Rana reached the last image near the ground where a small opening exposed itself between the wall line and the floor. The opening was tiny, at the sametime would not be visible until very close near to it, the dark room masked its dark opening.

Tallman approached and examined the small crater. It looked sealed after been exploded. Without a word, he started to work with the items - colourless powders & colorful crystals - those which he removed carefully from the pouches hung around his hip.

Ari was a blast engineer who worked in a stone quarry. He was quite short for a normal man, but it gave him enough opputunity to enter into trenches or hang on stone walls or even quickly climb small hills. He was an expert in using chemicals to blast the stones. According to the necessity, he fabricated silence to heavy sound bombs that could cut, slice, break or shatter the block of stones over the ledges. And Ari was an alcoholic. Raised by middle class parents, and married to a beautiful lady, Ari was still unhappy. Silent Ari's heart pounded like the stone quarry blasts when he learnt something he should not have given his ears to. He waited for the day, plotted his plan and prepared his ground of revenge, when his nemesis, the leader of the people, came to visit the quarry. But to his suprise, his nemesis was not alone, he was with everyone near and dear to Ari, accompanied by other villagers. And it was too late, the bombs of Ari triggered, killing everyone present in and around the stone quarry. Ari ran the distance his legs could carry him. He drank until alcohol pissed out of his nose. One morning he woke up is a cabin of sort. He walked out and was greeted by two striking different men. One was aged, and the other was quite tall. They asked him his name, he replied, 'Tallman'. The one who was actually tall asked him how so he got such a name, mockingly looking at his size. Ari explained that he used to climb hills quite quickly and in no time would reach the top. From the bottom of the hill, his friends looked at him with raised neck, thus adressing him as 'Tallman'.

Rana watched Tallman at work. Hanchabadra seemed quite contended in assisting Tallman. Several intersecting lines made of diffrent products and powders were arranged by Tallman around the hole. At times he tapped the wall as well as the ground to increase or dcrease the quantity of chemicals he was placing. Finally, Tallman stood up satisfied with his arrangement. He nodded to Hanchabadra, who happily ignited a corner of the chemical line and hurriedly moved away. The flame took its form following the chemical tracks, enthusiatically changing colors and when it reached the center, a massive smoke raised, followed by a minute explosion. When the smoke cleared, a bigger vent replaced the small hole which was wide enough for a person to enter. From inside, depriving the calmness, hissing noises strted be become clearly audible.

"666, is neither demonic or evil, just a distort", said Tallman. "In the account of tempatation of the first male and female, the Serpent was introduced which came down the apple tree, as described - Hiss Hiss Hiss. This Hiss of the reptile, was then misconstrued as Six-the number dedicating it to the Devil."

Hanchabadra moved a step back asking "Are there snakes down there?"

Before the Wise Brother could answer, Sengodagan replied quickly "Only way to find out ..." and slided inside the hole before Rana could stop him. The light from his torch disappeared as he went further inside and the crew above could only watch the darkness eating away the gleam. Apart from the hissing noise, the place entered into an unusual serenity with everyone breathing heavily. Hanchabadra looked at Rana who was still peeping inside the hole. After a while, they all heard Sengodagan screaming hysterically - To be aware of the sixsixsix.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 4 - Sons of Kochadaiiyaan

Rana

Episode 2 - Gulf of Bairavi

The Chant of Hisses

Before jumping into the carter, Rana utilised the next few seconds to quickly establish a back up plan. He nailed a sharp iron rod into the stone floor. As though reading his mind, Hanchabadra readily handed him the rope which Rana made a nail knot firmly. He launched the other end of the chord into the opening. Without hesitation, Rana dropped into the dark mouth. Hanchabadra watched him, and when Rana disappeared, he followed suit. The Wise Brothers heard Hanchabadra's cry dissolving into the dark. Kacha, holding his right hand shoulders, walked near the hole and joined the peeping Brothers.

Rana reached the bottom of the pit. He immediately moved away giving space to plummeting Hanchabadra. He quickly searched for a light source to find the position of Sengodagan. Sengodagan was motionless in a corner holding his fire torch, just behind Rana. When Rana took a step, he started to notice what had shocked Sengodaga. Goosebumped, Rana stood still trembling. At the same moment, Hanchabadra hit the floor beside him. Grining over his awkward fall, he looked at Rana, but soon realised something more uncomfortable about his drop. His hands placed on the ground were in meeting with a sticky substance. He brought his hand to his face and through the light from Rana's troch over head, he examined the thick paste that was stuck to his palm. At the same time, he had a wild feeling of a crawl over his other hand which was still placed on the ground. Before he could react, Rana bent down slowly, ordering him not to make a move and without hurrying brought the fire torch to light the surrounding around Hanchabadra. The crew members above heard another yelp.

Hundreds of worms were sinusoidally crawling over one another. The worms were so dense that the floor was hardly visible. Before Hanchabadra could come out of the shock of his landing, he watched a sort of tiny pink creature trying to spit something, and from the end, which looked as a tail, sprouted out through its skin another worm like flesh, but this one had a jaw which it opened to relieve its tiny sharp teeth. And it was then Hanchabadra yelped.

[Author's Note : (excuses for the interruption) Placing the image of the genus Glycera, commonly known as Bloodworms inside 'spoiler', as it gives me shivers whenever I watch it - I have a phobia towards such species, thought someone else (like me) would not wish to see such images, that I even avoided posting several pictures I consulted for this episode, which include snakes & snails. But thought this picture would help to understand the suituation our heroes are in - being surrounded by 'them' in a dark place ...]


http://i.imgur.com/GlIE3UG.gif


Rana stretched his hand to help Hanchabadra to his feet. Not minding the sticky paste, Rana pulled Hanchabadra and caught hold of him by his cloak. They slowly moved towards Sengodagan. Shocked, Sengodagan did not utter a word. Around them were several worms of different size and types. Some were moving peristaltically, while few others were advancing through side-to-side motion. The floor looked like a huge mat of worms, each about fifty centimeters long. Their skin were transparent and they were of many colors mostly pink & black. Rana noticed several blue ones too. The problem was that almost every single species were throwing their mouth inside out. An empty noise escaped from this action. The place sounded like a Chant of Hisses.

Before Rana, the longest worm moved towards an unknown destination. It looked like a cut rope. And then it struck Rana - Pass the path of the moving rope.

Rana told his companions that the opposite, its the only way out and they have to cross this Nest of Worm to reach there. The faces of his comrades showed disagreement. Rana burnt a worm to see the effect, the wounded species rolled, but the rest did not panic. Rana thought - never exposed to light or heat, these worms have not yet accuried their proper reflex. He slowly stared to move forward, and as he walked the worms around him became aggressive and tried to attack his leather shoes. Several stuck to it , but Rana continued until he reached the mouth of the tunnel through which he had dropped down. Using it as a megaphone, Rana narrated the suituation below to the crew above. One by one, holding the rope, slipped through the tunnel and landed on the worm-free floor, on the ground cleared by Rana. The Seven looked at the darkness before them, not sure if an exit was really there - Where there is no light of hope.

Youngman noticed holes in the floor. "Ottoia", exclaimed Youngman, "thought they were extinct. They are trying to reach, the Ottoia eating the rocks and through the holes the worms escape."

He went on to lecture about worms identifying several with thier names and explaining their habits. He seemed to be happy around the worm.

"Even being carnivorous", continued Youngman, "these worms are harmless to humans. But the bites could be painful, and care not to allow them enter the skin. The larvaes are more dangerous, as the water drank with eggs inside could make a worm grow and exit through the eyes."

Youngman thought for a brief moment and added, "There should be a water source somewhere, to hatch their larvae. - Below is nothing to note, But look twice before you boat. - It points to note the floor, and indicates that Gihan flows below on which we can boat".

Tallman accompanied by Hanchabadra moved around in search of anything that seemed to be opened and then sealed, while Rana and Sengodagan tried to keep the worms away from them. At the very far end, a portion of the rock wall was not of the same color as the rest. Tallman took less time, this time to blast the wall. The wall gave away to a wide hole, opened about three feet from the ground. Shortman spoke to himself "Not to allow the worms to escape". Through the hole, the crew jumped down and landed onto another flat ground. The path took them straight and abruptly ended before a lake.

Farther than it looks, Sits the lake of Ghosts.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 4 - Sons of Kochadaiiyaan

Rana

Episode 2 - Gulf of Bairavi

The Revelation of Rana

"But sail upon the wind of lamentation, my friends, and about your head row with your hand's rapid stroke in conveyance of the dead, that stroke which always causes the sacred slack-sailed, black-clothed ship of Kharon to pass over Akheron to the unseen land here Apollon does not walk, the sunless land that receives all men." - Seven against Thebes - the third play in the Greek tragedy trilogy Oedipodea by Aeschylus (467 BC).

"Take hold of the tail of the cow, place a foot in the boats" - Garuda Purana Chapter 8 Verse 76

Only two boats out of four were in good condition - one was punctured and will not reach the other side, the other was completely broken 'on the drunkman's route' - Rana infered after calculating the distance to be travelled across the ink-black lake. The lake looked errie but harmless, and there was no garuntee on what would emerge out. At the very moment, he saw a prawn jumping out and getting back inside. In its brief float, Rana noted the absence of its eyes. As he was thinking how to make the travel possible with two boats and seven men, he noted the Wise Brothers standing near the lake.

Vaitharana, whispered Youngman
Styx, called out Tallman
A Lake ? exclaimed Shortman

Youngman said, "The man went with only one penny piece, to pay the boatman."

Hearing to what Youngman announced, the crew got around him. Youngman took a brief moment as though searching for words, then he continued :

"Nature is divided by time - the seed, the plant, the tree & the wood - boyhood, youth, manhood & old age. During the passage in time, the previous form is forgotten but not obsolete. What I am going to say is about a passed time."

He paused, and then continued, "Several myths prevail over this Lake, which was beleived to be a river - the river goddess taking side of the Gods, got perished under by their own wish. Here, in the underground, she lay still as the Lake of Woe. But the origin begins from the city of Ys, a pretty city under the sea protected by a dam whose key was held by the choosen One. It took a pretiness to break the One, when she seduced him and took the key to open the flood gates. Her action of liberation drowned the whole city Ys, creating the world of the underground. On these waters the souls come to cleanse and travel on a boat paying the gondolier. The ones who made the passage did get hold to a cow's tail, that appeared before those souls who had worhiped the cow during their living days. Catching the tail, they reached the other side, while the rest drowned in the lake. But that's of a time that has passed, an invalid in the present. Known will understand but the others will follow chaos born out of nothingness."

Closing his eyes, Youngman took a deep breathe, and continued, "Vaitharana, the river of the material world, is a symbol denoting the one that is too loathsome to cross due to the accumulated filth in the mind - 'tharana’ means crossing & 'vai' means ‘no’. Enlightened will pass, others drown in thier own thoughts."

Youngman paused, as though wondering how much more to talk. Then he looked at Rana and spoke, "Rana, you are the choosen One, like the gate keeper of Ys. The Son choosen by the Father and today you play the Ferryman on the Lake of Ghosts to get yourself prepared to fight the hellhounds. They live no more in this underworld, but walk amoung us, serving the master they have choosen. Here before the Lake of Woe, you accept to be the one who fought for bodyrights."

"If you have the key, what will you liberate, Rana ?
But be careful not to drown us all, like the Beauty from Ys !"

"Being a bodyrights fighter, are there any salves you have forgotten ?
Remember, no salve can cross, but only freeman !"

"What were you choosen for ? Is it in search of the Hellhounds that once served the Ferryman himself !
They are absent here because they are present somewhere else."

Youngman stood looking directly at the eyes of Rana. Rana did not flicker, but started to sweat. His childhood images started to flash before him. It all started to slowly visualise - His father pleeding to free the men, His father being accused, His father handing the sword to his brother, his father beheaded - but then, the drakness completely took over him that he was unable to see anymore. His visions were disturbed by Youngman's voice :

"This lake is filled with Limnades, the water nymphs. Naiads have the power of foresight, but they cannot be disturbed. They move like the shadow of the fishes, but they are watching. You have to attract them through a peculiar unison. A leg on each boat - two paths to one destiny. Two boats - mind and body - balance. Be your own judge. But those who fall will never return from the fathomless lake. Now, take us to the other side, O Ferryman, and on the way, the Wisdom will be yours, Rana."

Not a sacrifice of blood, Prove your worth to cross the flood.

Rana's head pounded. The past meeting the present, the myth joining the reality - makes no sense. Rana stopped to think, and started to realise.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 4 - Sons of Kochadaiiyaan

Rana

Episode 2 - Gulf of Bairavi

Dreams of Reality

Rana launched the two portable boats into the lake. He arranged them side-by-side. To avoid making several journeys up and down the lake transporting his crew and luggage, Rana considered Youngman's proposition. He decided to row them in pair - Trip 1 : Tallman / Hanchabadra; Trip 2 : shortman / Kacha ; Final Trip : Youngman / Sengodagan. He careful paired them after mentally calculating the balance factor.

After loading the boats with few bags, Rana helped Trip 1 passengers to settle down in their respective boats. The travellers held their boats with one hand and lended their other hand to Rana, to help he mount over the rocking boats. Rana stood over the two boats with one leg on each plank ensuring his footing. He stumbled to steady himself, but quickly regained his stance. Gaining equilibrium, he took the oar coupling it with his two hands and placed them between his legs. Using the row as a walking beam, he pivoted the boats, as a handcar, with his push-down pull-up actions. The journey across the Lake of Woe started off timidly.

The boats were moving steadily, with loss of wind and current there was no leeway. The boats constantly stuck to each other while cutting through the surface water. Rana looked around him. Before him two cloaked voyagers were sitted, he could not make out who is who, as both the sitting forms resembled a lot. He searched the waters for Limnades, but found none. The lake was still and looked lonely as though no life dwelled within. He looked straight to see how far was the otherside, all the while not stopping his rythemic rowing.

Sengodagan approached Youngman with curiosity and questioned him over his prophecy.

Youngman hesitated, but opened up, "The one who Choses the right Choice will become the Choosen One. The quick death has another sense too, Rana's death will be in the hands of a Known who cannot see him suffer. On the other hand, my youngman, its up to you too, when the time arrives, the time for you to choose. Pray not to be the Chosen One. even if the Choice is Right."

And that left Sengodagan more sceptical.

The boats reached the otherside. Rana slowed them by ending the oar accelaration. The boats floated and came to a stop bumping into the rock bed on the bank. The shock pushed Rana backwards, but Tallman caught him and helped him steady again. Rana did not move from the boat, but he watched as far as the darkness allowed him to see to check for uninvited visitors. The passengers slowly walked out and Hanchabadra unloaded the boats. Confident that the shore was safe, Rana slowly reversed the boats, balancing them by swaying his body. He constantly pushed the water in circular motion to make a complete turn. He was back on the lake, on route to another side.

At the middle of lake, Rana felt giddy. Everything went dark around him, eventhough the fire torch pinned to the boats were glowing briskly. As quick as the darkness entered, it exited and was replaced by brightness. The luster seemed to be justlike another darkness, as Rana could not see anything in the colorless surrounding. Suddenly, the effulgence was sucked back into the lake, and Rana found himself on two boats, the path on the water illuminated by the troch lights. Clearing his head with a shake, Rana continued forward.

When he reached the start point, Rana carefully parked the boats, this time without any shakes or shocks. He plunged the oar onto a rock to keep the boats steady applying the weight of the body to force a balance. He instructed Sengodagan to load the bags one on each boat at a time. Once the luggages were stacked, Shortman boarded the boat while Rana made a lateral movement over one boat to stabilise the other. Once settled, Kacha boarded the other boat. Making a turn, Rana headed to the other side for the second time.

On the way, Rana again looked around him. Before him, the cloaked figures looked the same, he felt asthough he was repeating the first trip. Every other detail looked identic to the precedent voyage across the Lake of Woe.

Droping Shortman and Kacha, the Ferryman continued to pickup his final passengers.

At the center of the lake, Rana felt light-headed. In the radiance that emerged, Rana started to see images. They all looked random and Rana was unable to identify any of them. He heard cries. He observed humans ablaze. The water below him was boiling, but he was no more standing on the boats. When he looked up, a splatter of red liquid came towards him, but turned to ashes before hitting his face. Rana re-opened his eyes, he sensed following footsteps over dried red substance on the floor. Rana felt his fast beating heart. Suddenly, all the reflections disappeared when the lake swallowed the luminescence. Rana found himself on boats, again. He was drenched in sweat. Breathing heavily, Rana advanced.

Picking up Youngman and Sengodagan, Rana continued the final trip. Rana looked around him. Nothing seemed to have changed this time either. He looked in front of him, cloaked Youngman turned, but he had no face, smoke had replaced it. Rana looked at Sengodagan who was looking at Youngman. His head looked like a ram. Rana noticed blood spilling from the ram's mouth which was grinning constantly. Rana looked at the water, it did not make any wrinkles even when the boats were swiftly moving over it. Rana wanted to end the nightmare, and gripped the oar, but the row was too soft. When he took a look at it, he found that he was holding a white python's tail. He let out a cry and dropped the snake in the water. The serpent swam towards the bank, no wrinkles formed by its swiming action. Confused, Rana looked ahead. On the otherside, the remaining four from his team were present, but they were on horse backs. Before Rana could wonder where the horses came from, he realised a flight above his head, and when he looked above he noticed a blind owl flying past him. Rana brought his palms to his face. They were dripping blood. His nails were bleeding, but he felt no pain. Frightened, Rana yelled at the Four Horsemen. He lost his balance and dropped into the lake.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 4 - Sons of Kochadaiiyaan

Rana

Episode 2 - Gulf of Bairavi

Passing through the Future

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. - Eleanor Roosevelt

http://www.johnwilliamwaterhouse.com/assets/images/content/waterhouse/hi/waterhouse50.jpg
Hylas and the Nymphes, 1896, Oil on Canvas by John William Waterhouse
Displayed at Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester, United Kingdom

Hylas is abducted by the Naiads - Ref : Book 3 of Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene - Canto XII, Stanza 7 :

Or that same daintie lad, which was so deare
To great Alcides, that when as he dyde
He wailed womanlike with many a teare,
And every wood, and every valley wyde
He fild with Hylas name; the Nymphes eke "Hylas" cryde.

Rana was suprised to see the water so blue that looked dark from above. It was clear and the visibility was soothing to the eyes. But Rana was in need of oxygen. Few bubbles escaped from his nostrils while he checked around him - the above was nowhere as was the below, he found himself hanging somewhere in the middle of a floating universe with no beginning and no end. He saw dark forms approaching him. 'Shadow of the Fishes', he thought, but by the time he would know what they were, his lungs were filled with water. Rana panicked. His rapid movements took care of spending the rest of the air left within him. Then it was a total Relaxation for Rana, his body gave up, only his hair was in motion.

Rana opened his eyes. He was in a sitting position and to his suprise his clothes were dry. He found himself beside a pond with girls who were head-up in the small body of water. Couple of the dames were giggling at him. Rana slowly approached the water. The beauties went silent while looking with wide eyes at approaching Rana. Rana sat beside the pond. The prettiest amoung the pretty glided towards him and touched Rana. Her feel was so soft. She blinked at him, then slowly raised her hand and pointed out a way Behind Rana's Head.

Rana got up and realised that he was inside a sphere of water. The liquid body formed a wall around him, but not a single drop fell to the ground from their constant gushing movements. The land inside the water-world was dry with ample of nature's growth. Rana got up and walked towards the direction shown by the Limnade. After a few strides, he stopped and looked at the Nymphes. They were all still watching him whispering something to each other. One managed to wink at Rana.

Rana reached the center with a small garden arch made of white stone. Over the arch a grapevine had fully climbed from which only one grape was hanging. It was dark red in color and at the same was emitting spectrum. Rana noticed to his left a sitting fox in king's robe and a crown. On his right was another fox, a clone of the other, but weak and wounded with torn flesh and skin. Rana turned to look at the Niads in the pond. The pretiest gestured him with her hand to consume the fruit. Rana without hesitation plucked the berry and put it in his mouth. It tasted soar & bitter to which Rana's face reacted by moving its muscle vigorously and forcibly shutting the eye lids. When the juice entered his throat it tasted sweet, and Rana regained Pleasure.

When Rana re-opened his eyes, the water wall had magically transformed into a white screen over which random images were flashing. The sound was noisy that Rana shut his ears with both his hands. In the silence that his cover could not gain, Rana heard his mother calling out for him. Rana slowly brought his head up, the images before him were calmer but still meaningless but the noises around became more isolating.

Rana heard foot steps and the image before him on the fluid wall seemed to be appraoching too. The visuals were subjective as though his eyes were projecting them. The space looked like a tomb and Rana could figure something sitted beside it. Immediately Rana heard heavy breathing, he turned and the visual before him was of someone bleeding, lying on someone else lap. Rana concentrated on the wounded person and exclaimed, "Vadhana !". She was lying over her own blood. Before Rana could recover from the shock, he felt something fastly approaching cutting through the air that distracted him and he moved, by the time the projection on the transparent wall was of a dragger covered in blood, too close that it could hurt. The images started to flicker and the focus came back to a view of a blue sky, a single hawk was circling over. The picture moved downwards and flashed what looked like a war zone. Soldiers were running. It was raining liquid and then fire. Suddenly the warriors were ablaze. Rana saw teeth of beasts. They were chasing someone. Rana experienced through the images flashes of his brother. Sena acted inhumane. There was a red eye dangling around his neck. At the the time Rana saw what Sena was confronting, the motion rapidly moved to a closed corridor. Rana again heard foot steps.

The screen was blue. The pants were dancing in the wind. His Father was on top of the host holding a white flag. Rana smiled and looked at the white flag closely. All of a sudden the flag became white coat of an angry speaker and slowly Rana witnessed a magnified face. It was yelling at him "You come to my Hunting Grounds and stop me from Hunting". Rana looked frightened, his mouth escaped the scare, "King Dashakantha". Vettaiyan angrily approached with fiery eyes and his euphemistic phrase 'laka laka laka'.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4794&d=1450995898

The sound again became more noisy. Many other images circled around Rana, from which he could make anything either. When he could not take it anymore, the yelling Rana, then, fainted.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 4 - Sons of Kochadaiiyaan

Rana

Episode 2 - Gulf of Bairavi

A walk on the Sands

Rana heard Sengodagan, "You have made it". Rana thanked him.

But Sengodagan looked confused and asked Rana, "What ?"

Rana got up. He explained to Sengodagan that he thanked him for his kind words. Sengodagan's reply shocked Rana. He informed him that its not the gratitude but the time it was delivered. Sengodagan conintued to mockingly describe the suituation that Rana felicitated him for something he had said hours back when they laned safely on the otherside. Rana did not reply, he stood bewildered about fact that he was fast asleep. For hours.

Youngman gently pulled Sengodagan to his side and whispered to him, "Rana is a witness of Parrallel Time. On one boat he was rowing the present, and on the other, the alternate in time. This passage has given him wisdom that he alone could explore. Its the same Rana who droped us here was experiencing the alternate time events at the very same time. His memory is dilute now, he is in a present that should not be disturbed. Wait until he acts."

Sengodagan turned and looked at Rana. Being quite normal, Rana was looking at the maps and giving instructions to Hanchabadra. Kacha was beside them while the other Brothers were arguing softly.

Following the map with his index finger, Rana analysed the spot they were standing - somewhere near the Low Bedding. Rana infered that from few more turns, they should
reach the enterance of the Main Chamber. He quickly looked at the zoomed map of the Chamber of the Seven Fathers and carefully took note of the floating blocks. He concluded that one on the east, the right side of the map, should lead them to the enterance.

The crew followed Rana and after crossing high and low rock beds, they landed before the floor of crushed rocks of pebbles and silt. Further down the sand floor was the first hanging rock, the right side, and to reach it they have to cross the sand path before them.

On the sands you stand, Taking the pebbles in your hand.
None of the sand is a friend, Your fate the pebbles can mend.

"Gihan mingles with the silt here", explained Shortman, elaborating his experience as a sailor. "For a distance now, She has been flowing under our feet, and here She tries to rise up. This floor should be Her mouth, that explains the silt.There", he pointed at the Hanging Rocks, "the blocks are not suspended in mid air but they are floating over Her."Pointing to the floor, he continued, "These sands are too wet to support our weight. Once disturbed, like water taking its shape of the container, the sands will swallow the passer by. Eventhough it will take time to completely be submerged in the quicksands, but the distance is too far to cover."

Shortman gave a teasing look at others. He friendly tapped Hanchabadra on his back. "I don't know what you have heard about quicksands, but rest assured they are all not true.", lectured Shortman. "The more you struggle in it, the faster you will sink. If you just relax, your body will float because your physique is less dense than the quicksands. To cross, make a floor of peebles on which you can walk."

Rana and Sengodagan prepared for their journey over the quicksand. Sendogadan tied the ends of two long rope around his hip and Hanchabadra held the other ends. They both strapped their feet together, and Kacha helped them attach their hips with another cord. Carrying a bag of hand picked pebbles on their head, Rana & Sengodagan walked on the sands.

"Remember, don't struggle, let the sands guide you", reminded Shortman.

Sengodagan followed Rana by placing his hands over Rana's shoulders, his grip was firm while Rana held his hands high above. Few strides after, they could feel the floor getting lighter and gradually they both were sinking into the semi-wet quicksand. They did not panic, even if their sweating forehead temples marked their fear. After a brief moment, the sand stopped absorbing them further. The friends were buried chest deep and stayed suspended there. Their breathing returned to normal and they could slightly move their body, but could not advance further as thier feet had nothing solid to hold on to.

Rana took the a large pebble from the bag on his head. He threw it a foot away over the soft sand. The pebble disappeared inside the grainy particles. Rana tried to move his leg and find the pebble that he had just threw. His leg landed on something which gave him a footing. He turned and smiled at Sengodagan. He threw another one, and managed to place his leg over it. Sengodagan pushed Rana by his shoulder and the grip of Rana's foot advanced them both, but only a few inches. From now they have to calculate their strides and peebles on head as if they run into more strides or less pebbles, they will be struck. But Hanchabadra could pull them back, meaning that they have to start over again. Attached to each other which permitted them to share their force and estimating their walk on the sands, the duo advanced slowly and when they reached the other sides, they tied the two ropes to a firm rock and Hanchabadra did something similar on the other side, so that the rest of crew can take hold of them and pass the quick sand.

The Team landed safely on the right side and stood over the Hanging Rock. From their Rana used cords and rope swing techniques to reach a larger patform and helped Sengodagan to construct a temporary rope bridge between the Hanging Rocks. Following the indications in the map and by passing from one rock to another using rope bridges, the Treasure Hunter and Team reached the enterance to the Chamber of the Seven Fathers.

... to be Continued

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 4 - Sons of Kochadaiiyaan

Rana

Episode 2 - Gulf of Bairavi

Chamber of the Seven Fathers - The Golden Heart

The enterance to the Chamber of the Seven Fathers was huge. A single massive rock had been drilled into an entry and its sides decorated with carvings of several nobles in different positions over a pointed arch. Rana guessed that there should be 63 carved figurines in total. The entry lead to a grand hall with flat and polished floor. The supporting pillars were from the original standing rock and on each there were holders to hang torch lights.

The crew entered the Chamber and slowly hanged several torch light to the pillars and the illumination brought out the wonder inside the Chamber. The architecture was fabulous and the second thing they took note was in its neatness. The hall size was huge with many chests lined up by the walls. The pillars and walls of the grand room were painted with with geometric patterns which included calligraphic, vegetal, figural and non-figural representations. The Brothers started to discuss about the patterns - the simple forms of circles, squares and four-sided polygons combined, duplicated, interlaced and arranged in intricate combinations, thus becoming one of the most distinguishing features of art.

Tallman shouted, "Growth", looking at the numerous lines.
Shortman followed suit, ""Cycle", while commenting on the infinite meeting points.
Youngman concluded by announcing, "Freedom", admiring the abstract forms taking the shape of butterflies .

Sengodagan and Hanchabadra opened the chests to see what they contained. Rana wondered, "Another dead end". He walked around the room looking for anything that could get them out, when he noticed Kacha standing alone before a structure.

The center of the Chamber held seven human sized statues made of stone. It was arranged in such a way that six were surrounding a principle idiol. The sculpture in the middle was in a sitting position. The rest of the figures were standing - two on either side and four allingned directly with the main idol - and they all stood facing random directions. Rana walked and stood before the muscular statue alongside with Kacha. The detailing in the statue was amazing. The muscles and the facial expressions looked real. It then stuck to Rana. He whispered "Vrikoda". Kacha was looking at his father for the first time. Without saying another word, Rana moved away, to leave Kacha alone with his father. When he reached the statue to the right, Hanchabadra came running towards him with gold jewels, ornamanets and gems dancing in his hands. He put a huge grin on his face when he looked at Rana. But suddenly a deep sorrow took over his face. Rana turned to look where Hanchabadra was looking. Hanchabadra was directly looking at the beautifully carved stone behind Rana.

Hanchabadra dropped all the gold to the ground and steped before the statue. Its face was so pretty. He feel to his knees and cried. The pretty visage resembled a lot the loveliness he witnessed at the temple during the tragic night. He was not chased out of the town because of the fire he had created, but because of the death of the girl he failed to save. The flames were faster than him while climbing the stairs clutching the girl in his arms and before he could reach the tower bell the smoke had killed the adorable beauty. He never shared his pain with anyone and now he just swayed timidly to his sides and whispered out his agony :

When everything you touch turns to gold,
You'll no longer fear when your heart's turned to gold.

Rana had never seen his little friend in such a condition. Even when Hanchabadra was stoned by the kids, he threw back the peanuts that he had stocked in his pockets. Such a pure heart, with a grin replacing his pain always and he never cried. Seeing him in tears now moved Rana. He softly placed his hand over his shoulders. Hanchabadra put his cheek on Rana's hand and Rana felt the wetness. Rana looked around him, his hands still placed on Hanchabadra, and the Golden Heart guided him to see the secret behind these statues. Rana found himself looking at the center idol, memories came gushing down as tears. He said softly, "Father".

After a while when Kacha & Hanchabadra calmed down, Rana assmebled his team. He instructed each one to take a place behind respective statues. Standing in the middle, taking the position of his Father, Rana verified :

Kacha stood further behind Rana, with his father Vrikoda.
Hanchabadra took the place to Rana's left gracing Shama.
Youngman, with his wounded leg, hopped behind Rana to join Deva whose statue was carved with precision of his wooded leg.
Tallman moved futher forward to Rana, to join in size with Axeman.
Shortman joined infront of Rana, to accompany traveller Pandu.
Sengodagan positioned himself to Rana's right, with the sharp shooter Jishan

They all were looking for a key to move the statues and each one found a squared plate behind their respective idols pressing which certain parts of the statues were moveable. Rana gave instructions to allign the statues.

Hatchet in hand bows, the fists take a vow.
Right, turns the bow, left for the dove.
The kneeled watch eachother,
Now, look below to enter another.

Each member alligned their statues to face the Master in the Middle.

Kacha adjusted the right hand of his father to be straight, as though taking a vow.
Hanchabadra made Shama to kneel by her right leg and shifted her face left.
Youngman altered Deva to a sitting stance and aligned the statue to face forward so that he looked directly at Pandu.
Tallman joined the hands of Axeman to make a respectful bow.
Shortman made Pandu face Deva, a symmetrical arrangement.
And finally Sengodagan moved Jishan to kneel and look right.

Once the Warriors were in position, similar to their stance while protecting their Master during his vunerable state, the floor slided under Rana's feet, which had several spiral stone steps running down just below the Master's Statue.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 4 - Sons of Kochadaiiyaan

Rana

Episode 2 - Gulf of Bairavi

Master's Sanctuary

"Mother", exclaimed Rana, experiencing for the first time the vision from Lake of Woes.

The spiral stairs led them into a dark corridor. In the light from his torch, Rana led his team through the passageway. The Brothers gazed at the six rectagular tombs, three on each side, placed verticially on the wall - they were passing between a wall crypt. On each tomb was carved the human size of the Warriors, their hands were placed folded over their chest. The special weapon they had carried was fixed to the side of the respective Warroir statue. The crew stopped at each tomb to examine it. When Hanchabadra tried to touch the sharp blades clinging to the side of Warrior Pandu, Tallman who was beside Hanchabadra stopped him and gave him a nod of disagreement, "Respect the Dead Golden Heart". Hanchabadra grinned. The cloister ended abrupty at a huge block of stone, a door of a sort. Carved over it, at the centre, inside a small rectangular frame read :

If you have come for gold, the reward will be cold.
Rests inside is a great soul and what you seek is in the bowl.

Rana moved the light from the torch over the edges and noticed the line-crack. He placed his hand over the patterned block on which the note was written and he pressed it with his palms. The block started to detatch and move inside the stone door creating a rectangular shaped cavity on the surface. At around half way, the block resisted, followed by mechanical noises replacing the screeching sound. The stone door started to move by gliding itself to its right side. The opening led Rana into the Master's Santuary.

Behind them, other noises echoed simultaneously, signaling sealing of doors. "There goes the gold", said Sengodagan.

One by one everyone walked inside the Master's Santuary. Once everyone were inside, the stone door which gave them entry, slided and sat back to its initial position. Wherever they were, all entries seemed to have shut off.

It was then Rana saw a form without skin and flesh in sitting position beside a stone structure, it's cranium leaning over the short wall. Rana noted the two bangles around the right arm whose palm was placed firmly on the ground. Identifying the bangles, Rana exclaimed "Mother".

He approached the fragile remains and being careful not to disturb its state, Rana kneeled down and looked at the bangles. When Rana was young, with the motion of his fingers he used to play with the two bangles worn by his mother. He admired the clink and tried to produce several musical notes that pleased his kid ears. His mother would wake him up by tapping her hand gently over his chest. He laid their awake without opening his eyes just to hear the devine music from the bangles. Rana hopped to the Rythms of the Bangles while walking with his mother. Seeing his childhood playmate motionless before him brought tears in his eyes.

Rana gazed at his mother whose whereabouts were never known after the demise of his Father. After her husband was beheaded, the King's men tortured the villager who gave asile to Yaghavi and that night she climbed the mountains and walked to the tomb where her other half was been laid. The Alwars, the architects behind the pathways, the chamber & the sanctury had to shut the place down with Yaghavi inside and tears in their eyes.

Sengodagan walked behind him and soothed him with his touch. Rana, took a while, got back to his feet. He looked at Sengodagan. His friend noticed the tears vapoursing in the Flaming Eyes of Rana. Rana's eyes were no more calm, anger had taken them completely.

The hall was much smaller than the cavaedium above. The Tomb of the Master lied in the middle and to either side there was a stone chest. By the circular wall, several handworks were lined up neatly. The Brothers were taking note of them - from clay tablets to papyrus to bound cloths - all looked like registers. On the wall, several scenes depicting men working were carved inside a squared frames.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4819&d=1453123540
Ancient Egypt Noblemen (the ranking government officials). Cravings found inside The Tombs of the Noblemen, Egypt.

Youngman took a clay tablet and inspected it. "The Registers maintained by the Alwars. Recordings of details during the time they served their Master. On the wall are the Alwars themselves, describing the sequentialy how this place was built. Beauty is that there were no traps. We have just crossed the Nature to get to the Master's Sanctury", saying so Youngman started going through the piles of records, while the other two Borthers stared their discussion over the depictions on the wall.

Rana gazed at the altar tomb on which his mother was leaning to. He examined the lid. His Father's figure was craved out of a marble stone and placed on the cover. The slab was not fixed to the burial vault. Rana carefully pushed the lid and opened the tomb. The well preserved body of his Father laid inside. The head was disjointed from the neck and a trident was fixed to his bundled hair. His body was wrapped in a blue satin cloth. Rana looked at his Father's face and memories came gushing down as tears.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Py1qH0XLuk

... to be Continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 4 - Sons of Kochadaiiyaan

Rana

Episode 2 - Gulf of Bairavi

Sanctuary of Truth

Everyone stood around the altar tomb, the Brothers admired the sleeping Master, the Mala - 108 beads stringed together - hung around the Sage's neck as a Serpent of Wisdom.

Over the satin cloth, a Bow with a single arrow was placed along with a bladed weapon in a leather hip belt. Rana took out the scabbard and removed the longsword that it held.

"Fallen Sword of the Rogue Angel, Vajrastra - The Sword of Thunder" confirmed Youngman after refering to the texts inscribed on the mud plate he was holding in his hand. He continued, "This one was recovered from the Rogue Angel when the Hunter from the Sea slayed them to save Chakora, the mystical moon light drinking bird".

Rana placed Vajrastra in its leather case and attached the belt around his hip. He took out the arrow and inspected it before inserting it to his girdle. He then lifted the Bow.

"Inesh", exclaimed Youngman in wonder, "the Bow that pireced the Sky, a Symbol of Authority and Power, one of the valliant weapon of your Father".

Rana took a deep look at Inesh and then, wore it across his shoulders.

"Now they have fallen into the right hands, ofcoarse, ofcoarse for good deeds", Youngman completed his sentence with a flicker of doubt while watching Rana.

'Take Not What You Want' was written over the chest placed to the right side of the tomb.
'Just What You Need' was carved on the other chest to the left.

Rana activated the first chest with his palm as the key. Suprisingly his hand print was accepted and the vault opened up into horizontal compartments of 3 decks, upon which the items were neatly arranged.

"Alwars were astrologers & palm readers", commented Tallman, "that's why Rana was chosen to come here at a specific age. His palm lines are the key to open The Treasure Boxes of Arha."

Pouches, colourful sand, beads, hair, smoking pipe and many 'such' things that did have any materialistic value were present in the first trunk. Inside the other there were teeth, roots, stones, claws, a mask and few 'other' objects that did have any particular usage.

"These are not just treasures, but items when used in proper combination can salve the elements. As carved on the boxes - Take Not What You Want Just What You Need - at no point these items should leave the Santuary. Their powers are beyond human control. I am aware of none present to juggle with these mystical items. The Alwars with the guidence from their Master had well hidden these objects those which were handled by their Master himself."

At a quite moment, Youngman approached Rana and initiated a conversation. "The one who killed your Father is not the murderer, Rana, you have to remember that. Fate can fool you. For that, even the wise would fall". Youngman noticed the anger in Rana who had started to breath heavily. For the first time Youngman seemed angered too. Vexed, he whispered grinding his teeth, "Think about Sengodagan. Think about Vadhana. Reality is not the Truth Rana, it can be the reflection of opposite of Truth".

Rana took time to reply. He just gazed at Youngman's sunken eyes. He spoke calm and poignant, "You speak of choices always. You lecture about Nature. Tell me my Wise Brother what will you choose to live, eating or breathing ?"

Rana's words startled Youngman. The youngman before Youngman was of another form completely absorbed by Revenge. Any explanation would irritate him. "Rana has to explore himself much deeper than who he actually is", thought Youngman. Also, he mind picked his choice.

Youngman put his hand on Rana's shoulders to calm him when he saw Sengodagan approaching. Youngman continued, "As I was saying, you must leave now".

Rana was shocked to hear Youngman - not the change of subject but by its content. Rana expressed his incomprehension. Youngman replied, "We have come to the place where we three brothers take rest now. The Truth is here". Moving his hands as though showing them around, Youngman talked merrily, "This is the Master's Gift for us. The previous night of your visit, twelve older men, much aged than us three, came and asked us to accompany you in this quest. But staying here is merely our choice". Youngman looked at Rana, he stood guilty. Sengodagan argued but the Brothers were stubborn on their unanimous decision. When Kacha and Hanchabadra learnt about the Brother's preferance, they did not agree either. The journey has bonded them into Single Men. Winning the debate, the Brothers moved away to look into the registers, leaving the rest four in silence.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 4 - Sons of Kochadaiiyaan

Rana

Episode 2 - Gulf of Bairavi

Hari, Ari & Ali

Looking at the four prepared for their exit journey, the Wise Brothers approached them.

Shortman went directly to the wall behind the altar tomb. He found an hidden hatch and used it to move a flat stone which until then stood as a wall. The opening gave a passage outside the Master's Santuary. Hanchabadra could not look at Tallman that he had his head hung down. Tallman lifted his head with his fingers. Hanchabadra grinned. Sengodagan tried to persuade Youngman to come with them. His eye were floating in tears. The Wise Brothers have provoked the affection inside Sengodagan, but they just stood there smiling at the four youngsters. Rana nodded his head once at each Brother respectively and turned to take a look at his Father's altar for the last time. Then, the four walked out.

After making few steps, the stone door behind them shut itself. A huge rolling stone came from the side and halted itself before the backdoor of the Master's Santuary.

With just ropes and minimal kits, Rana and his remaining team members marched a bit further. Rana was constantly looking above him.

Sengodagan asked Rana, "There is no map or indications to follow. We don't even know which side of the Earth we are currently at. How are we going to make it out from here ?" Without removing his eyes which were fixed above over the ceiling, Rana pulled the arrow from his girdle and handed it over to Sengodagan.

Carving on the heavy arrow read "Follow the Blind Owl".

They heard flapping-wing. An owl flew past them, its flight slow but steady, a vision similar to the one Rana had experienced. The crew followed the owl. The ground was quite flat but punctuated with sharp rocks. They tried to keep up with the bird. The owl hopped over a huge rock and sat there without moving. Rana and team settled underneath the rock and took turns to keep an eye on the bird while the others could rest. Few hours later, the bird started its flight again and the team ran following it. After couple of such halts, they all reached huge circular space, similar to the floor of the Pit of Bairavi and through the mouth of the sea-cave the owl flew out of the underground. After several days, Rana and his friends were under sunlight, breathing fresh air.

Rana said hurriedly, "We don't have time. The sea tide could hit back anytime".

He took the arrow and tied a rope to its pilot hole. He quickly asked the others to tie the remaining ropes to the respective tail-ends to form a lengthy chord. Placing the arrow between Inesh, Rana spoke out his Fore-Father name, lifted Inesh over his sholders and shot the arrow. The arrow travelled a long distance cutting through the air and pierced itself into a rock around the lip of the crater. Rana reached the wall and pulled the rope to check its rigidity. Assured by the toughness, he asked his friends to climb out the well. Following one another, they climbed out of the ditch, by clutching to the rope and dancing over its wall.

At mid-way, Rana heard a long distant water gushing. 'They are running out of time', he thought, "if they don't make it to the shore in time, they are to drown". Speeding up the ascend, they finally landed over the sand bed. Rana quickly exited the sea-cave and at a far distance saw the waves galloping towards them like a thousand stallions. The white foams attached to the waves like the mane. Rana and team dropped their baggages and started to run over the sand towards the shore. Kacha was finding it difficult to accelerate due to his wounded shoulder. Rana helped him to move quickly through the semi-wet floor. Sengodagan pulling Hanchabadra by his collars ran as fast as he could. Hanchabadra was grinning at the same time checked behind him at the fast approaching waves. Just a few feet from the shore, the waves hit them mercilessly.

Kacha and Hanchabadra were drying their clothes under the sun. Seeing Rana sitted facing the waves, Segodagan approached him and sat beside him. Rana gave a friendly smile at Sengodagan. To make things light, Sengodagan tried to chase the thoughts out of Rana's head by asking a question in his style, "Where the hell did that owl come from". The tone made Rana to laugh.

Rana explained to Sengodagan that owls and bats did live in the underground caves. They were scared of the outer world. These species were intelligent to sense the activity of the tides. During low tides, they fly out of the cave to have their meal and return before the enterance was closed by water. During high tide they lunch on whatever they find inside the underground.

They were sitted on the beach located at the very far end of Karimedu. The Gulf of Bharavi could be anywhere. Sengodagan informed Rana that he knew this place. It was an unforgetable spot, as he had passed his wonderful moment with someone special at a nearby deserted island. Rana exactly knew who it was, but hid his knowledge by asking who that special person was. Sengodagan assured him that Rana would be the first person to know, but only when the time is ripe. Rana smiled.

Silence settled between the friends. Rana started to talk about the Wise Brothers, "Do you know the Brothers real names ?" Listening to the reply from Sengodagan, Rana gave him the names of the Wise Brothers - Hariharan, Ali al-Ridha, Ariandre.

"Ailing from three unalike beliefs, being non-identical, be it in form, size, colour or age, all three stuck to each other. They did not see their dissimilarities, but appreciated their differences. A lesson the five kingdoms should not only know, but understand. I will miss them". Sengodagan turned to the otherside. Rana respecting Sengodagan's tears, stopped talking about the Wise Brothers.

"Can you do me a favour", asked Rana after a brief pause. Sengodagan readily accepted, "I will do anything to wash away what my father had done. Raja Mahendran had tired to kill you Father, when he failed he blamed it on my father. Your people are my people Rana, and I am not talking as a Prince, but as your friend".

Rana smiled. He thanked him and told him his plan.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 4 - Sons of Kochadaiiyaan

Rana

Episode 3 - To Slay a Traitor

Rana's Tricks - Kalingapuri

Veera Mahendran, the Prince of Kalingapuri, was hunting with few friends in the woods of Katrupuzha when suddenly masked men attacked the group. The personel security of the Prince failed to defend their Kings's son, when one by one were chopped down by the group of killers. Isolated within minutes, Veera Mahendran fell to the ground and his defensive sword released from his grip and rested on the ground beside him. The helpless Prince crawled backwards to save himself from his marching nemesis. He came to a halt by a tree. The leader of the assassin group wearing a mask with only eyes visible approached Veera Mahendran clutching his dragger. The Prince saw death in the aggressor's eyes.

From nowhere, a warrior landed behind the murderer. He was dressed in golden armour and his landing made the assassin to turn around. The other henchmen surrounded the warrior. The brave fighter put a smile on his face while looking at the small army of masked men. He then pushed his scabbard attached to his right side. A sword magically sprouted out. It travelled a brief moment in the air just before his face. All the while the young warrior did not take his eyes of his enemies. He moved his left hand above his head, and at a right time stopped the flight of his sword by catching its grip in mid air with his left hand.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4832&d=1454079742

The warrior struck with thunder blows making the attacking enemies fall to the ground. One by one they got up and started to run. The assassin leader stood motionless before the warrior. After staring him for a while, he made a gesture with his finger that the warrior has been marked by his clan and jogged away. In all this chaos, Veera Mahendran noted a weird form which was neither running nor hopping. He wondered how that person was recruited as an assassin.

"Who are you?", asked the Prince
"A traveller.", replied the stranger.
What's your name ?
Rana.
What do you do for living ?
Anything that keeps me alive.
Will you work for me ?
It's not 'for whom' I am interested in, it's 'as what'.

Veera Mahendran was very much impressed with Rana. He caught him by his shoulders and gave him a friendly shake. "Come Rana, we have a lot to discuss", he said excitedly. Rana followed Veera Mahendran with a smile.

Raja Mahendran, the King of Kalingapuri welcomed Rana with open arms. He was glad that Rana saved his son Veera Mahendran from the cowardly attack. Expressing that there was nothing on the earth that equals the deed of Rana, as well as all the assistance Rana's Father had rendered, the King proposed the rank of Captain in the army to Rana with immense joy. Rana accepted the King's offer as an honour.

The fight to extend the Kingdom's territories gained new heights. Each Kingdom wanted to enlarge their states by annexing the independant villages & tribals around thier respective kingdom. Mostly such acts invited rebels. Some even had armies half big as the King's. Rana efficiently captured many territories for Kalingapuri. With Inesh & Vajrastra, he slayed many innocents in the name of war. Rana was aware of his massacres, but he did not have any other choice to gain the confidence of Raja Mahendran. He had to play it along as he cannot take Kalingapuri head-on and save his people treated as salves in the Kingdom. The day Rana was working out for finally dawned.

Raja Mahendran was proud to invite his valiant warrior on his victorious march. He expressed that Kalingapuri has beaten their arch rivals Kottaipattinam, and reigns as the second largest kingdom on Earth. He promoted Rana as the Army General of Kalingapuri for his excellent and loyal services to the kingdom. Overwhelmed, Raja Mahendran decided to offer Rana whatever he wished for.

Rana expressed his desire to his King, "Kottaipattinam", listening to which Raja Mahendran walked away without saying a word.

Prince Veera Mahendran and Rana walked along the corridor of the Palace.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4833&d=1454080686

"Don't mistake my father Rana, he has confidence in you but is pondering whether Kalingapuri is ready. He thinks the damage would be unbearable even if they won the war", explained the Prince.

"Annexing Kottaipattinam and making Kallingapuri as the number one Kingdom is all that I seek", replied Rana humbly.

The Prince smiled with pride and said, "We have to find a way to convince my father, Rana".

They took an accensor and descended to the dungeons of the palace.

"No more secrets Rana", he said and quickly added, "my Army General". Rana smiled.
"These are the salves of Kallingapuri", announced Veera Mahendran.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4835&d=1454080832

Rana listened to the Prince, and after a brief thought said, "They are an army". The prince could not follow. Rana explained to him that the number of salves matched a marching army. If they put them before the warriors of Kalingapuri, the salves will take the first fall. By then, the Kottaipatinam warriors will be tired and few in numbers compared to their initial march. Then, they would strike mercilessly.

Impressed the Prince looked at Rana, but he had a flicker of doubt, but before he could pronounce it, Rana replied to him, "They are already old and weak, they are not fit to be even salves. Kallingapuri needs them no more. We will replace them with young slaves when we win this war."

That night, while Veera Mahendran spoke with his father in private, Rana meet with the slaves.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4837&d=1454082065

Rana led the army of Kalingapuri along side with Prince Veera Mahendran. Armoured as Kallingapuri Warriors, the salves were marched forward. Sengodagan, the Prince of Kottaipatinam, rode on a chariot towards the Army of Kalingapuri. Rana assured the Prince that everything was going as per the plan, and Sengodagan will taste the sharpness of his blade. Saying so Rana rode his charriot and met Sengodagan in the middle of the battle field. Sengodagan saw Rana as his kid-friend.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4836&d=1454081117

To Veera Mahendran's surprise, Rana and Sengodagan exchanged friendly gestures. Rana cried out loud at the warrior salves to join Kottaipattinam army. He turned back and warned Prince Veera Mahendran to retreat as the army of Kottaipattinam is now multiple times bigger than Kalingapuri army with the inclusion of the salves. Rana informed him the plan was never to attack Kottaipattinam but to liberate the citizens of his nation ensalved in Kalingapuri for which his Father had to take the blame.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4846&d=1454118075

Veera Mahendran noted the form neither running nor hopping advancing towards Rana from his back. 'Tricked. How could I have allowed Rana to trick me", thought the Prince.

Feeling rejected, Prince Veera Mahendran retreated.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 4 - Sons of Kochadaiiyaan

Rana

Episode 3 - To Slay a Traitor

Rana's Tricks - Kottaipattinam

Hanchabadra jumped on Rana from behind. Kacha stood beside Sengodagan smiling. Rana pulled Hanchabadra and brought him to the front. Rana enquired how he was keeping up. Hanchabadra grinned. Rana was glad to meet up with his friends after years. They all have co-operated well with him. Sengodagan held the cloak of Hanchabadra and draged him. He fought back and escaped the clutches of his holder and walked before his 3 friends imitating Rana. The friends laughed and followed their leader Hanchabadra.

King Rishikodagan watched his son Sengodagan and Rana walking inside the administrative hall towards him.

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He saw flashes of Kochadaiiyaan in Rana.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4844&d=1454117866

Rana introduced himself to the King as Kochadaiiyaan Ranadheeran insisting on his Father's name. Rishikodagan expressed his happiness in recieving Rana and feliciated him for his bravery and wisdom. Rana found no repent in Rishikodagan.
.
When the sun took a nap, a masked man entered the chamber of Rishikodagan. He watched the sleeping king. He pulled out a dragger and prepared himself to punture the King's heart when suddenly the doors opened and Sengodagan came running towards the assassin. The killer managed to escape by jumping out of the window.

That evening the friends met at the palace bar. Sengodagan was late. He arrived just after Rana. "Sengodagan will be an able King", mocked Kacha over his late arrival. Hanchabadra was counting the peanuts and pocketed every seventh grain into his mouth.

Sengodagan seemed disturbed. "My father is completely a changed man now, Rana", announced Sengodagan after a while. "Sometimes the leader is forced to take decision to establish the rule of equality, be it while pronouncing punishments. Now that the citizens of Kottaipattinam have joined their family, this nation will be known for its care it takes over its citizen. Rana, you will be remembered forever."

After a deep thought, Sengodagan continued, "But Rana, my friends, I sense an immediate danger to the Kingdom. I had visited my father's room to talk with him about my marriage plans, instead I found a murderer trying to stab my Father". The friends looked at each other. Sengodagan asked his friend, "Rana, I count on you to capture the killer." Rana gave him his word that until he is alive no one else can kill the King. Rana's reply calmed Sengodagan and brought him back to the festive mood. He proposed a toast over their reunion.

"Tomorrow will be an important day for me Rana, so it will be for you", declared Sengodagan. The lamp lit only the left side of Rana's face. He sat amoung his friends without uttering a single word.

The next day, Sengodagan introduced to his people of Kottaipatinam their new Army General Rana. Rana met up with his uncle and reunited with his sister, Yamuna. Still no one knew the where abouts of Sena, Rana's brother. His uncle was glad that the people held captive for years were finally liberated. He shed tears of joy on the restoration of Kochadaiiyaan's glory. He asserted that everything ended with the Return of Rana. Rana replied in disagreement,"Everything has just begun."

An eagle was circling over the blue sky, similar to the vision Rana had in the Lake of Woes. Before him was Rishikodagan, the murderer of his Father. The king was admiring the view from the top of the Lighthouse of Kottaipatinam which was under construction. Suddenly the wooden plank gave away, the King started his free fall. Someone had delibrately meddled with the security ropes attached to the logs. At the moment, the King's son, Sengodagan, jumped to get hold of his falling father. Rana leaped and got hold of his friend's hand and coupled his legs around one of the support log. His grip halted the fall of the Prince and the King. The three were suspended in air until Rana dropped the hanging rope, so that they could climb back up.

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Rana accepted the proposition of Sengodagan to marry his Sister. But the King was not happy. Eventhough he authorised the marriage, he expelled the Prince out of the Kingdom for marrying a girl who was not from the lineage of Kings. The decision was bitter. After the royal wedding, Sengodagan left the Kingdom holding the hand of his beloved, Yamuna. Rana felt proud of his friend. He requested Kacha and Hanchabadra to accompany the newly wed and take care of their lodging and other primary needs.

That night, the masked man struck again, but his attempt to assasinate the King was once more unsucessful. This time it was a complete failure as he gets captured by Vadhana, the prncess of Kottaipatinam. King Rishikodagan removed the Mask of the Assassin to expose his cowardly face. To their suprise, the face behind the mask belonged to Rana. When questioned on his motive, Rana spoke those words that shocked the King :

"Theliuraiyum Mudivuraiyum Thelindha Neerudaiaga therintha piragu Munurai etharku, Unnaku". King Rishikodagan remembered the last words of Kochadaiiyaan.

The gaurds pulled Rana to the prison, when he turned and assured King Rishikogan that no one can save the King from him.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4845&d=1454117946

Thappa mudiyathu Rishikodagharey, yen idam irunthu Nee thappave mudiyathu.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 4 - Sons of Kochadaiiyaan

Rana

Episode 3 - To Slay a Traitor

Rana's Tricks - Truth Be Told

Vadhana had met Rana only once. He had left the capital city when she was too young to remember, but Vadhana could not forget that night when she fell into the arm's of Rana years after.

It was her birthday and her friends wished to make it adventurous for her. Its hard for a Princess to walk out of the Palace, unless its for greeting the people during a national event. That night, couple of her friends seduced the gaurds and in the shadows of the night Vadhana escaped the fort for the first time. In the cold night air, disguised as a local, she settled with her friends in a bar - the evening had just begun. She had sent a message to her brother, Sengodagan, but was not sure whether he received it.

Anarchists were always a problem and they crawl under the shades of the state. Five men sat opposite to the girls. The rich dames found the men funny and amused with them. While no one else was noticing, one of the stranger mixed two drops of green liquid in Vadhana's cocktail. Finishing her glass, Vadhana snake walked towards the dance floor followed by couple of strangers. Her friends were so drunk that they didn't notice Vadhana been carried away by the anarchists.

Two held her hands, and other two gripped her legs. Vadhana was smiling, her vision thick as a mist. The leader looked at his camarades holding the legs. After giving an incomprehensable look, they seperated her legs with a tiny grin on their faces. The leader bend down and while lying over Vadhana, he whispered in her ears, "Our Son will be a King".

Suddenly, Vadhana saw the man who was singing in her ears flying in the air. She laughed. Couple others flew across her. She found her hand free, and raised to count the men suspended in the air above her. When she finished counting upto five, she saw Rana - a face that she could never forget, a gesture which only one on this earth possessed, the person blessed with quickness. She called out his name and he turned - Rana, her Archangel. The love she had locked inside her for years finally poured out that night.

She tried to get to her feet, but lost balance when Rana held her with his firm hands. He carried her. Vadhana looked behind them at the men suspended in the air. Seeing them falling down only now made her giggle. Rana looked at her smiling face, his hands completely engulfing her hip and thighs. Vadhana placed her head on his chest and closed her eyes.

Medhuvaga thaan, Medhuvaga Thaan Ennai Erkiraai, Palivaangavaa !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_TgjGfICtw

The next day she woke up in her bed at the Palace. She heard voices outside. Her father was angry. The bruises on her had given away her the details of the previous night. It seemed her father was questioning her friends. From that day Vadhana was under a Palace arrest. More over, her father, Rishikodagan, the King of Kottaipattinam, placed spies to keep an eye on her round the clock, one of the agent was his own minster of internal affairs.

The night Rana was arrested, the King was a bit drunk when the minister told him about the Princess acquaintance with Rana. Angry, Rishikodagan ordered the gaurds to summon his daughter before him. While Vadhana was on route towards the King's Chamber she noticed a shadow, a masked man was fighting his way towards her father's room.

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She tried to stop him, just to be suprised that the man behind the mask was none other than Rana.

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After the arrest of Rana, Vadhana sat beside a pond inside the Palace Garden.

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She could not accept Rana as the murderer. Rana was true with her and loyal to her brother. With lot of questions, she went to meet Rana in the Prison cell.

"Your brother knew only half of my plan, Vadhana." said Rana. "He helped me bust into Kallingapuri and liberate our brothers and sisters. I returned to Kottaipattinam to avenge your father. Planned to kill him at the lighthouse and frame it as an accident. Sengodagan will become the King, and I will rest as his faithful Serviceman", Rana paused and then continued, "but was suprised to see Sengodagan completely dancing to the charm of his father. Thus I had to seperate him from the kingdom and make him return once the Old King is no more."

Rana walked around his prison cell and took Vadhana by suprise, "But you never told me that you are a warrior ? What, a Ninja?" Rana laughed. "I am the one who feels deceived", declared Rana.

Vadhana wanted explanations to which Rana narrated the deception tale of his Father :

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... Kochadaiiyaan brought happiness, justice, hope, laughter & friendship to all the dwellers of various kingdoms. In return, the uncrowned King demanded only peace between the Empires and harmony amoung the people. Thus, Kochadaiiyaan got the title amoung his worshipers - The Hunter from the Sea ...

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 4 - Sons of Kochadaiiyaan

Rana

Episode 3 - To Slay a Traitor

Rana's Tricks - War for Justice

Vadhana was not convinced with Rana's explanations.

Rana calmly informed her by choosing his words carefully, "Your father worried only about the Kingdom. He was never present neither for his family or his own people".

Hearing Rana, Vadhana stromed out of the prison cell.

Rishikodagan taking the the predictions of his astrologer over his lifeline, accepted to get Vadhana married to Prince Veera Mahendran.

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Vadhana was shocked about her father's decision. "Myself marrying the Prince of an enemy state", thought Vadhana. She started to realise the truth in Rana's words. More shocking was the news that on the day of her marriage, Rana was to be assassinated, a death without facing the trail at the people's court of justice. She took her stand.

Raja Mahendran of Kalingapuri found the marriage more as a deal than an historical event. He was happy about uniting the two kingdoms under the rule of his son, Veera Mahendran. Grand Marriage was arranged on the battle field of Kottaipattinam to accomodate the maximum number of well wishers in and around the Kingdom. Unstatisfied, the citizens of Kottaipattinam assisted their Princess's marriage.

Raja Mahendran was vigilant while entering the enemy territory. Placing military support at a safe distance from Kottaipattinam, he marched into the ceremony along with his son on horse back, accompanied by a small Kalingapuri army.

From nowhere, Rana suddenly marched into the ceremony on a charriot. The people welcomed him with a loud cry of joy. Raja Mahendran mocked Rana as to whether Rana planned to fight his glorious army with the lame people of Kottaipattinam, while Rishikodagan wondered how Rana escaped the prison cells.

Rana challenged Raja Mahendran with Inesh, the bow, in his hand and Vajastra, the long sword, by his side.

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"Parthaya Engal Nattin Radha Gaja Dhuraga Pathadhigalai"

The war was fought and Rana's army chased away the invaders. But the Kalingapuri backup army arrived. Rana formed the war strategic stance with his faithful warriors and fought back the enemies.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4882&d=1455318983

He chased Raja Mahendran across the battle field and placed the sharp blades of Vajastra around the rival King's neck.

"Wait. Wait. Please Wait", pleaded Raja Mahendran. "We had just executed the orders of Vettaiyan. This reuniting the kingdom through marriage is the master plan of the King of the Central Kingdom. The astrologer, a liar, was in his payroll. I just followed his rules to keep Kalingapuri in serenity. Emperor Dashakantha had been using Rishikodagan as he was using me."

Raja Mahendran begged for his life by offering Rana his cooperation, "Spare me Rana, I won't plead innocent, but will help you take down your Father's real killer.

Rana stood hesitant. Seeing the oppurtunity favouring his side Raja Mahendran spoke his last words, "Please forgive me, Rana".

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"Ask that to my Father", saying so Rana sliced the throat of King Raja Mahendran in the middle of the battle field.

Watching his army falling apart and witnessing his father slayed in front of his eyes, Prince Veera Mahendran took a last look at his friend who had turned foe before retreating back to Kalingapuri.

King Rishikodagan was judged as a traitor. He fought back Rana but the vengenceful Vajastra seperated the King's head from his body.

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Standing beside the King's corpse, Rana started to realise the blindness evoked by the urgence for vengence. Raja Mahendran's last words rang in his ears. Without his permission, the words of Youngman scrolled before him. Both had meant that the one who killed his Father was not the murderer. Rana's head spinned. Rishikodagan was after all a greedy King, used as a pond to kill his Father by Vettiayan. But why ?

His hand weighed, he dropped Vajastra to the floor.

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He could not take anything anymore, when he heard the gait of a horse.

Rana and Vadhana turned to the foot steps behind them. A lone rider approached them. He got down from the horse and stood before Rana.

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Rana exclaimed, "Sena".

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 4 - Sons of Kochadaiiyaan

Rana

Episode 3 - To slay a Traitor (extended)

Somewhere near the Jungle ...

A rider rode over the path outside the territories. When he took the bend at the end, he saw The Woodcutter working on a tree. The wounded soldier got down his horse and limped towards The Woodcutter. He gave him the news. The Woodcutter's agony was not visible when he thanked the news bringer by patting on his shoulders. He slowly walked towards the cottage.

When he opened the inn's door, he found his wife cooking. She turned around with a smile and expressed her suprise that he was early home. The Woodcutter took his time to cross the small hall and stopped before his wife. He put his face close to hers. The burning twigs under the mud stove sent few sparks while the flames were swallowing them. The Woodcutter suddenly got hold of a bunch of her hair and pulled her closer to his face. He put his teary eyes directly over hers. The fire from the oven casted their red shadow over his face.

"I tursted him. I helped him. But what he has done is unforgivable", he said softly but angrily, his voice heard inbetween his crushing teeth.

He pushed her towards the nearby wall. The helpless lady, who was six months pregnant, glided down the wall and fell to the ground, her eyes wide and watery. She was shivering. The Woodcutter starred at her for a while and then walked slowly across the room. When he reached a closet, he opened it and removed a sharp object. He examined the blade by running his fingers over it.

Tugging the Dragger around his hip belt, Sengodagan stromed out without uttering another word.

... to be Continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 5 - Seeds of Kochadaiiyaan

Sena Intro

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... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 5 - Seeds of Kochadaiiyaan

Sena
(Rated-R)

அக்கினி குஞ்சொன்று கண்டேன், அதை, அங்கொரு காட்டிலொர் பொந்திடை வைத்தேன் !
வெந்து தணிந்தது காடு தழல் வீரத்தில் குஞ்சென்றும் மூப்பென்றும் உண்டோ ?
- மகாகவி சுப்ரமணிய பாரதியார்

Agni kunjondru kaNdaen, adhai, Angoru kaattilOr pondhidai vaithaen !
Vendhu thaNindhadhu kaadu, thazhal, Veerathil kunjendrum mooppendrum uNdO ?
- Chinnaswami Subramania Bharathi

Episode 1 - Past is Passed

The little feet made their mark on the ground covered with snow. Each step landed softly than the showering snow flakes. The girl, hopping around in her frock, turned back to see the distance from her chaser. She smiled. Her cheeks were red, but she seemed not to mind the cold. Her hair was contrast to the cotton color rain that tried to paint the darkeness with white. The hair flowed loose and moved to the rythms of the running child.

The man chasing her finally caught up with her. He grabbed her shoulders to make her turn and face him. She was gigling. He kneeled before her and admired her pearl-eye stained with little green sphere. He looked at her matching white clothes which camouflaged with the snowing surrounding. Her tiny lips had become redder in the cold, more bright than the single red rose he held in his hands. She pushed him away, and the flower fell to the floor marking a bright red over the flawless white.

Sena looked at the fallen flower. He bent down and picked it up. A drangonfly popped out from nowhere which made him lift his head. His eyes followed the flying insect. Where ever the moth flew, the snow on the ground truned into grass ; the mountains and valleys shed their white clothes and started to dress up in green. Sena heard birds chirping. The dragonfly reached the little girl and converted into an orange butterfly when it kissed the cheeks of the smiling infant, but the colour of her dress remained unchanged. Sena walked over the green floor following his daughter.

A white mare galloped past the running father and daughter over the sunny meadow. The horse circled them couple of time and reared up before them. Neck bent high towards the blue sky, the beautiful animal neighed. Sena stopped and looked up at the sky with the horse. Grey clouds started to swallow the shiny blue space. Couple of lightnings appeared but no thunder followed them. It started to drizzle. The drops fell over his daughter who was nodding her head imitating her new playmate, a white cow, which was before her. The bell around the cow's neck clinged each time the motherly beast reacted to the cold rain drops falling on her back. Sena quickly ran towards them.

Sena caught his daughter by her hand, and softly pulled her towards him. The sunny day was quickly turning grey. He hugged her. Her warm and her heavy breath on his neck soothed him. Her heartbeat over his chest softened him and he closed his eyes for a breif moment. Tears dropped from his eyes when he reopened them.

"Are you ready, my father", she asked him.

Thunder resounded across the skies.

'Not yet, Lalli, not now', replied Sena by moving his head in displeasure. At the same time, he brought the Dragger he was holding firmly in his hands and pierced it deep into her chest, puncturing the heart.

Lalli left out a painful cry. Her white robe turned red. The swaying green grass was replaced by the floods of blood. Sena looked at Lalli's green eyes, they had become hallow. All of a sudden she started to disappear in the wind. The rain had stopped. The fast flowing breeze washed away her body. The daughter which Sena still held flew away like ashes. Sena yelled. He cried looking at the skies. The trees around were ablaze. Ashes spun around in the air. The ground cracked and motlen lava was flowing between them. Sena started to sweat. His nose was bleeding. The cliff before him looked like a clumpsy wall of a cave. Sena looked around him. He knew this place, and he had chosen to come there.

Within a the blink of an eye, an ugly form with no teeth or hair flew past him shouting in rage. Sena rapidly climbed the slippery walls and moved around it. A flutter the creature was before him and the next moment it was gone. The demon faced tiny bodied creature, flying around Sena, reappeared behind him, titling it's neck around his neck. Sena did not move, but just rotated his eyes to the either side. The Dragger in his hand was getting warmer. Sena knew that his nemesis was close. He caught the vision of the arogant witch hiding behind him. With one swift jest, he turned around and pierced her heart with his Dagger.

A hollow sound escaped from the witch's mouth. Sena held to his dagger firmly and with Arha he ripped of the head of wicked woman. The head flew away from the body, hit the floor, rolled and settled on the ground before Sena. Sena turned. With a snap of his finger he made fire and alighted the body. He turned again, moved forward and looked at fallen head of Sasuke, one of the last witches who practised mind compulsion.

The enterance door to the village was half opened. The tribal town was engulfed in darkness even during the plain daytime. Few fragile citizens were sitted scattered behind the barrier. The kids were not playing around, but lying on the ground, some were talking to the emptiness. The dwellers seemed to be caught in a collective unhappiness. Breeze passing through the wicket gate pushed the dry leaves. Opening the wooden barrier wide, a man walked through carrying a head in one hand and a mast on the other. He walked towards the village center around which many townmen and women were lying over each other and weeping silently. With one forceful motion, he buried the pole at the center of a town which stood errect. He fixed the head that he was carrying over it. Then he set fire to the pole.

As the head was burning, light flashed into the village timidly eating away the darkness. The people slowly started to release themselves from the clutches of their own evil mind, a spell casted upon them by Sasuke, the burning witch. The townfolks woke up to the Face of Hope, Sena - The Hunter of the Wicked.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4897&d=1455546778

... To be Continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 5 - Seeds of Kochadaiiyaan

Sena
(Rated-R)

Chapter 2 - Child Wood

They reached the village below the Big Mountain. Yaghavi was still weeping, while Sena got back his respiratory rhythm. He had ran behind his brother, who took flight after witnessing the decapitation of their Father. Sena called out at Rana during the entire chase, but his brother briskly moved ahead. Sena saw Rana falling into the river, an accident or done with purpose Sena would never know. When he returned back to the towncenter, his Father's corpse was already taken away and he accompanied his mother to the village which gave them asile. On route, Sena walked close beside his mother holding her hands firmly. Yaghavi carrassed her son with gallons of tears weighing in her eyes. Sena did not let go off her, even when they had reached the cottage beside the hill.

That night Sena slept, still, holding his mother's hand. He moved restlessly in his sleep and was calmed down by his mother's smooth hands that tapped him softly on his chest. Sena was having nightmares. In his sleep, he visioned soldiers marching around and picking up people at random. They pulled their right hand and choped off it's thumb finger. Sena was scared even in his dormant state. The sound from his mother's bangles were like the Whisphers of the Angels, the angelic rythm calmed him by driving away the horrors. Eventhough Sena was more attached with his Father, when it comes to her bangles he never missed to experience its charm it brought over him. At a moment, he let go his mother's hand and hugged the sword His Father had given to him, as though it would magically give him courage to face the Demons in his Dreams.

The next morning Sena woke up in an empty cottage. He walked out of the hut calling out for his mother. Outside, he was shocked to see the villager sitting in groups and moarning. Sena's head started to spin. In the spiral sight, he noticed that almost everyone had lost a thumb. One of the wounded lady pointed him towards the mountain, with her thumbless hand. His mother should have gone towards the mountain, thought Sena. He waited. He did not eat or drink. He waited for the return of his mother. At sunset, an elderly man walked slowly towards him. With wet eyes he carried Sena and placed him outside the village. Sena did not understand what was happening. The man then closed the wooden gates of the village. Sena neither uttered a single word nor took his eyes off the mountain. Next morning the villagers marked the absence of Sena by the gate, they looked at the skies apologetically, some even fell to their knees and cried.

Sitting on the pavement at the towncenter of Kottaipattinam, the child watched the regular life around the market and thought how his Father's death was easily forgotten. He had spectated the tragedy of his family at the very same place the previous morning ; he had helplessly watched his brother taken away by the streams the same afternoon ; his mother had vanished in a blink during the night ; and his uncle had taken away his sister, their wherabouts he had no clue of. Sitting on the pavement at the towncenter of Kottaipattinam, Sena realised that he had became an orphan in less that twenty-four hours.

A festival like decorations and preparations were underway briskly around the Plaza. The hordings read "Welcome Youngest Emperor". Sena stared at the banner.

Just then, a huge man with a weird mask marched along the market place, followed by five others. Sena could not make out much from their armours & masks, but they all looked terrifying. He heard couple of men saying that the man on the horse was an Army Chief of the Guest and he was inspecting the security in and around the gathering place before the event scheduled for that evening. Sena gazed at the Chief of the Army. He looked demonic, just like the one's from his nightmares.

Sena noticed movements around the stocked barrels. His head suddenly started to pound. He heard loud noises. His ears started to bleed that he shut them with his hands. Sena's vision sharpened when he closed his ears as though the time had slowed down around him. He saw the entire path of a falling apple ; the fluttering wings of a buzzing bee ; the twigs emiting sparks from an oven ; the red metal resisting the smith's hammar hits ; and then, his attention was turned towards the four men hiding behind the barrels.

Sena immediately stood up and yelled, particularly at no one. At the same moment, several barrels exploded around the market. In the debris that were about to hit Sena, he saw a man dressed in white running towards him. He leaped over Sena engulfing him completely under his arms before they both fell to the ground. The Man in White laid over Sena protecting him for the explosion. When Sena opened his eyes, he was lying on the floor alone. He looked around him, the Army chief was surrounded by his body gaurds. There were fire, blood and flesh scattered around the Plaza. His saviour was nowhere to be seen, but Sena observed four men escaping taking the path to the woods. Without a second thought, Sena, attaching his Father's sword with a rope to his back, chased them.

Sena opened his eyes and found himself lying beside a camp fire. He could not move, as his hands and legs were tied. Four men sat before him. One of them held to his Father's sword. Sena yelled angrily. The man threw the sword to the ground and walked up to Sena. He untied him and asked him to retrive the sword back. When Sena made his first step, a fist landed on his face. Sena was back on the ground. The other three sitting opposite to him laughed. Sena got up and tried to advance but his neck met with a knifehand strike that brought him to his knees. Kowtowed not in respect but in pain, Sena coughing blood lifted his head and looked at the tree above him. He stared at the branches for a while noting the movement of the leaves even when there was no breeze. He looked back at his Father's sword and moved towrds it hunched down. He was greeted from the back with a kick, the force made him slide over the dry leaves. He was just in a bit of reaching sword, when the same feet that had pushed him violently, executed an axe kick that made Sena motionless beside his sword. A tiny moment later, his hand moved slowly. It crawled over the dusty leaves with its fingers and reached the handle of the sword. Holding it, the hand became motionless.

A thud beside Sena shook him awake. Lying on the ground unable to move, his vision was slanted. He saw the action inbetween his blinks. A man had jumped from the tree right above Sena. He was dressed in white and resembled a lot his saviour at the market explosion. With swift moves the man killed all the four Sena's kinappers. He, then, approached the wounded kid. Sena could not see his face, but just looked at his belt, there was something different about it. Slowly Sena felt the man walking away, the dry leaves echoed his strides. Then it was all dark, again.

An young man stood and watched beyond the Garden from his chamber's window. There were eight tombs placed at the far end of the park and a ninth one was being attended to by few masons. He suddenly tilted his head and looked at the casement of the adjesant building. A shadows moved away behind the white curtains. Smiling he turned and checked the package he had just received. The soldier accompaning the deliverer had informed the young man that his trip to Kottaipattinam was cancelled due to security reasons. Not upset by news, the young man opened the present brought to him by a limping tribal craftsman. The packet smelled Jasmine. Inside were a dozen of candles, their body fine and smooth. He examined each stick and picked the only one which was a bit taller than the others, the difference unnoticeable if not looked for. He took another candle in his right hand and walked to his desk. He lit the candle that he carried on his right and rolled the taller one over the flame. The melting wax covered the room with sweet and plesant Jasmine odor. He closed his eyes and took in the fragrance. When he reopened his eyes, the message was before him on the candle he had been holding vertically over the light :

Secured the baby spark,
Concealed it in the bark.
- The Poet

The Youngest Emperor smiled. He liked the humour of his friend. The lines in front of him were the twisty translation of his favourite Poet called Chithan. The King of Kings, then, supervised the melting of the message that it became a lump of wax on his table. He quickly wrote a reply. Fun days have begun, he thought.

The Poet entered his tree house. He checked his white robe standing before the mirror. The brawl at the forest did not stain or dirty his clothes. A smooth swipe, he self-aggrandized. After the take down, he had again settled on top of the same tree above the 'baby spark' until Sena was taken away by rightful hands. Feeling at ease at one of his royal residence in a secret place in the woods of Kottaipattinam, The Poet noted that the pigeon had arrived while throwing logs at the timidly burning fireplace.

"Welcome Youngest Emperor", whispered The Poet before removing the tiny paper scroll from the bird's left leg.

The second, the spark caught, Be Aware the Child could burn my Wood.

The message brought a smiled his face. He adored how his kingly friend positions his words. "Second" was not a measure of time, but as in number. So, Rana, the brother of Sena, is being monitored too. The Poet also noted the strange chemical smell from the thin paper which held the message. He walked to the fire place and threw the scroll into the flames. The paper burned immediately and before turning into ashes, it produced an image over the birsk flame, the face of his friend, the Youngest Emperor of the World - Vettaiyan.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 5 - Seeds of Kochadaiiyaan

Sena
(Rated-R)

Episode 3 - The Last of the Secret Agents

The Confidential Ceremony

After 20 years of vigorous training, Sena was assigned to his first mission.

Mentor Manickam was the leader of the top secret Guild called the Pachonthi. Justifying the classified soceity's name, the students were trained to sharpen their vigilance just like the the Eyes of the Chameleon and blend in with the nature using the process of a chameleon camouflaging. The Guild did not have a flag to boost, only a seal with an individual design of a furcifer, the highly visually oriented multi colored lizard, stamped into it. The Students of the Guild were picked from the streets, those children left an orphan. These kids stay inside the camp until they were ready to be deployed as agents. The foremost lesson taught to them was to respect time.

The Mentor addressed the lads sitted before him,"A passed second in time cannot be recovered". He paused briefly making eye contact with each pupil before continuing, "Don't forget that it could prove to be crucial for you all." He looked at the blinking infants and told them, "As, this second, the very second that is about to pass, can work favouring you by becoming the last hope of the victim or go against you by turning down your last breathe". The recruits received guidence to develop an automatic ticking clock within themselves and were made to respond to a fixed time-table governing their daily routines. Manickam spoke with authority in his voice, "You can carry only what you need, not all that you can. Be aware that any object in your pocession can be gone in a second. If its the time telling device, then you will be lost in time. Its very important you treat yourself as the clock, anyway you have two hands". The mentor's finishing sentence brought smile in his follower's face. Apart from the principle lectures, the pupils were skilled up in handling various weapons and coached on linguistics.

Sena was aware of the ritual, a kind of convocation ceremony of the Guild. When the apprentices were helping him dress up, he was feeling proud to have become the Panchonthi, a daring agent of the Guild, after all the years of toil.

When Sena was fourteen, he was listening to a nameless tutori about lonliness. The teacher was saying,"Solitude is a weapon to destroy disappointment." Sena was listening with half an ear. "... alone is to long for companionship, lonely is in the company of yourself". Sena yawned. He looked around himself and noticed that few masked men silently surrounded the group, but the speaker carried on with the lecture, " ... in that lonliness you discover yourself. Your vision straigtens blending with your conscience and a supremo will emerge within you, the Self". Saying so, she just passed a signal with her eyes and suddenly the masked men threw a sack covering the face of the kids and dragged them away.

Sena found himself inside closed walls and very high ceiling. There were cracks around the ceiling through which cold breeze was blowing in total silence. Some time after, rays of light started to enter through the holes of the roof. As the day sinked, the light and warmth were replaced by darkness and chill air. Sena was alone. He started his mental clock. That afternoon, he found something pouring out of the cracks. When it slided to his reach, he found that it was porridge dripping from the hole. Next morning, a corner of the wall would move forward. It was a toilet, and would retreat thrity minutes later. Three months passed. Sena sustained and the only noise he heard was the creeching noise of the wall. The occassional rain bathed him, but he was still wearing the same clothes. Sena stopped shouting. His nightmares slowly stared to retreat. Six months later, Sena found his fingers bleeding, he had bitten and chewed his finger nails, but he felt no pain - his body didn't cry, his mind didn't bother. He even started loosing the sense of smell. Sena was immersed in an aloofness and felt lonely. He experienced a presence, from time to time he reacted to heat around his glabella . Food did not attract him, but he drank a lot of water. Nine months later, Sena found himself to be much calmer. He sat in the middle of the room gazing at nothing, in that confined darkness he witnessed the Self. Twenty four months later, Sena heard much louder noises around him. He closed his ears. He was being pulled. He found himself sitted in plain daylight. Under the long grown hair, Sena looked at the person beside him. The barber looking at the sunken eyes of Sena, moved back dropping the straight edge razor.

Dressed up for the confidential ceremony, Sena reached the event ground wearing a pale-red linen under garments - the shirt and pants, padded with light red arming coat covered over by a bright red surcoat with a white belt fastened around his waist. A polished light weight body armor was seated over his coat. He wore a red velvet cap which covered his flowing hair dressed into a pony tail. With his decorated closed shoes, Sena walked elegantly over the sands towards the podium.

The shore was empty but crowded with huge isolated rocks and crawling crabs. It was the first time in eight years Sena was at the seaside. He was standing in a row with other students. A lean man who was missing an eye was lecturing them with a trainer bow in his hand. He then asked his pupils to pick up the bow and arrow lying before them. "Remember", he said, "the enviornment in your friend, use it wisely". After a brief moment he ordered them to begin. The assignement was to shoot only the eye of the crab with an arrow without killing it. The students shot arrows at the creeping species, every shot that landed, either killed the target or ripped of its rostrum. Sena did not fire a single arrow, yet. He stood motionless, but observing. He closely monitored the movements around a rock. He slowly moved backwards at the same time placing an arrow between the string and the limb of his trainer bow. He positioned himself after taking three backstep and pulled the string. An off beat later, he tightened his draw much harder and then released the arrow. The dart went past without touching a single crab and ended its journey by hitting the rock. The hard encounter broke it into two pieces, the head part being heavier fell to the ground, while the other which was sharp edged spun in the air and then fell down to enter the first eye of a nearby crab and halted after piercing through the second eyes. The blind crab ran towards the waves and disappeared into the water. The one-eyed man's hands greeted the shoulders of Sena.

It was late in the evening and the shadow from the camp fire glowing briskly for the ceremony was dancing on the spectator's face, the five nameless teachers. There was silence, even the footsteps of Sena was not heard. Sena kneeled down before his Mentor. Manickam pressed a rolled cloth bit on both shoulders of Sena before offereing it to him, which he received with both this hands without getting up.

During his early days, Sena worked hard without asking questions. His prime interest to stay in that unknown place was because they provided him food and shelter, but the tragedy brought him new courage to overcome the tests. When he was in his early twenties, he was sure that he was ready to accept missions, but had to wait for long to be enrolled as a Pachonthi. In this everlasting wait many question sprouted out in him, one major querry was who was funding the Guild. He was interested to know his employer. One night, by using his noiseless skillset, Sena entered into the record room and searched for answers. There were no finacial ledgers, only files about the recruits and their skills written marked with dates. Sena found his own file curious. When everyone else had a brief background listed, Sena's file was empty - just his name written with an erasable ink on the cover of the file. Also, his file was seperate from the others and shared a tiny space with another empty dossier titled The Poet. Sena exited the record room, and just before entering into his tent, he looked at the trees at the far end. He starred at the long distance before retiring inside his shelter. The same night Mentor Manickam received a message that Sena was ready, a note signed The Poet.

Still kneeling, Sena moved three steps backwards from his mentor and then stood up with the piece of cloth lying flat over his palms. Couple of young lads joined Sena from either side. They took the tissue and unrolled it. They started to spin the cord of red silk, embellished with golden embroidery of furcifers running in circles, around Sena's belt. The new silk glittered aroung his white belt. Watching the silk cloth for the first time, Sena remembered the belt he had noticed on the Stranger in White who had saved him in the forest the day after his Father's death, but the man's belt was black though.

After being baptised by the Mentor, the agents are allowed to pick up a name and from that moment they will be addressed only by that identity. The spy received the first mission during the event in a scroll handed over to him by a nameless teacher. The mission details were hand written on the paper and stamped with the Guild's colourful emblem. The agent then burns the paper in the camp fire. Taking the oath of secrecy and being aware of the Guild's Motto 'Never get Caught, Else you won't live to Talk", the Pachonthi walks out of the Guild permanantly. He will not step in again and the future contracts and reporting will be done through a coded messaging system, included as a part of the training program. Any resource, be it money, human or weapons will be arranged according to the requirments under a brief delay - Planning was the key.

At the ceremony, Sena completed all the formalities including picking a pseudonym and before disappearing into the drakness, he had already designed the strategy to complete his first mission.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 5 - Seeds of Kochadaiiyaan

Sena

Episode 3 - The Last of the Secret Agents

Assignment One - The Sabotage (Part 1 of 3)

Two months to go ...

Sena reached a fertile land beneath the mountains of Katrupuzha. He traveled as a businessman and bought an agricultural land employing ten workers to manage growing oil-seed plants, pressing and marketing local oils. He obtained the right for a name suffix, Lord (the owner of a trade property) from the local administration. Next he bought two trained horses and went into the wild to capture two more. While taming the four of them in the field, he worked on building a chariot from the purchased bronze. He gave red colour to the cart and painted 'Agni' inside a flaming font on the cross bar. After few weeks of hard work, he tested the chariot driven by the four horses.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4905&d=1456519895

Two weeks to go ...

The organisers of the Chariot Race at Puy hippodrome in Karimedai received an application for participating in their forthcoming special event called "Sport of Kings". The request was made by a Lord named Baasha from Katrupuzha. Two days later Sena received an invitation to join the Race with the scheduled date and time. It was enclosed with the list of final contestants. Sena went through the list which ordered seventeen names. He glided his finger past his pseudonym placed at the ninth position in the list. The eleventh name was what he was looking for. He also noted the tenth, twelfth and thirteenth participant names.

Shamu was the Prince of Shambhala, a small independant city well hidden behind the montains of Karimedu. The warriors of Shambhala were tough and practiced a sort of cunning fight strategies to eleminate their enemies - the moutains helped them to hide and fire. The King of Karimedai and Ruler of Shambala were allies. They wished to extend their alliance into relationship. Gauthama, the King of Karimedai wished to marry his grand-daughter Kanakavalli to Shamu. But he had to abide the tradition of the Kingdom - the victorious from the prestigious chariot race "Sport of Kings" would marry the Royal Princess of Gauthama Dynasty. Anyone from any other kingdom can participate in this Wedding Race, but the applicant must be atleast a Lord in the soceity, with a wealthy financial backup.

Sena's employer did not like the alliance between the two rulers. If the marriage happened, then Karimedu annexed with Shambala would become a greater threat. The marriage should be stopped without bloodshed, meaning the ruler and their siblings should live. The sabottage was Sena's first mission which had put him in front of Puy's huge gates.

Two days to go ...

'Sport of Kings' was a flat horse chariot racing, where horses gallop directly between two points around a oval track.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4904&d=1456518931
(Hippodrome of Constantinople (324 AD), Sultan Ahmet Square in the Turkish city of Istanbul)

The charioteers of the quadrigae (race carts drawn by four horses) were called Riders and could represent as a team of maximum four members. Shamu was a born champion. Eventhough his expertise is well known amoung the Kingdoms, he usually teams up with three of his fatihful warriors to support him in the race events. As 'Sport of Kings' was a special event for the Prince, the relay Riders were well briefed to make sure Shamu won. Sena registered as a solo, and there were three other teams participating in the race.

The teams were identified with colors - Yellow Team called 'Oli' (light) led by Shamu ; Green, Blue & White were other teams respectively. Sena rode on his "Agni" (fire), the red chariot.

Two hours to go ...

Security was high inside and around the hippodrome. Huge crowd gathered infront of the stadium, and the routine checks were delaying their entries. Most of the people were supporters of the famous 'Oli' team and were quite excited to see their hero marrying Princess Kanakavalli.

A dirty and aged man pushed past the crowd. He was filthy mouthed while pushing and pulling people out of his way with his left hand. On his right he held a small basket. He reached the gaurds and immedately grinned at the officers. He removed the cover from the basket which exposed roasted peanuts. He pleaded them to allow him inside so that he could make some quick money. The young soldier pushed him away stating that the entry was strictly for VIP inivitations or with a permit ticket. At that time, the chief of security passed by. The peanut vendor placed his basket on the ground and cried catching the feet of the chief. The army commander slapped him in his back and pushed him away, but at the same time instructed the gaurds to allow the poor man enterance.

The chariots were safely kept inside a highly secured garage at the northern part of the hippodrome. There were only two ways to access it - from the backside or from the hippodrome's Calling Room. The Calling Room was beside the starting point and had a staircase leading to the garage. Before the event, the participants walk on the race course to bow before the VIPs as well as to greet the crowd. Then, they go through the Calling Room to reach the garage and get prepared to meet at the starting point. At any time, the participants were only allowed to enter the garage throguh the backdoor accompanied by two appointed security gaurds. While inside the garage, anyone nearing other chariots or horses without the owner's concern would be disqualified from the race.

The backside of the garage was heavily gaurded. Being inside the hippodrome, the Calling Room was supervised with minimum security. The peanut vendor walked quickly under the wooden stands and seats. He made a full circle crawling under the benches to get to the Calling Room. He slowly crept past the limited crowd who have gained enterance to the stadium while the disinterested and fatigued gaurds failed to notice an aged man picking up the lock on the Calling Room's wooden door. The peanut vendor made a silent entry into the room and relocked the door behind him.

A while later, a Rider approached the back enterance of the garage with two well dressed gaurds by his side. He was permitted inside with a salute - Baasha was the first charioteer to be punctual for the opening ceremony of 'Sport of Kings'.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 5 - Seeds of Kochadaiiyaan

Sena

Episode 3 - The Last of the Secret Agents

Assignment One - The Sabotage (Part 2 of 3)

Chariot racing was a dangerous sport.

The hippodrome capacity reached two hundred thousand spectators cheering wildly, who had come to watch the spectacle of galloping horses and men standing upright in their chariots. Puy was a well maintained stadium styled building with a central divider, starting gates at one end and an arch at the other, surrounded on three sides by stands, the central box accommodated the VIPs. The race coarse, a long rectangular shape with rounded corners, was about six hundred meters long and 150 meters wide. There was a central barrier called Spina, a sort of a counter to show how many laps (called Curricula) had been run - a metal dolphin was turned over every time a lap was completed, sometimes glowing fire pots indicated the number of laps left. At either end of the Spina was a three-pillared turning post, called Metae which identifed the start and end points of a Curricula.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4906&d=1456570506
(Central barrier/divider, Spina, Metae & Curricula, VIP Box)

The Riders should complete seven trip around the central barrier crossing the Metae eachtime over the muddy race track. The chariots were designed to be small and lightweight as possible which afforded little support or protection for the charioteer, who had to balance himself on the axle as the horses pulled the carts with unimaginable force. To avoid adding more weight, the Riders did not use any protective armours, but just knee and shin pads. The four horses were harnessed abreast - alongside each other and facing in the same direction. The lead horse is the key to win the race which is placed on the left side. It receives special training and acts as a leader for the other horses. It's main role is to create an unison. The special training includes pushing off with the left hind leg and moving the right front leg forward which allowed it to gain the need momentum speed in a short duration of time. Usually, the lead horse name appears on the race card. Horses were equally famous as their Riders.

The Rider wrapped the reins around his waist and then held them with his left hand. In his right he carried a whip to slash the horses to go faster. A curved knife was fastened at his waist, so that he could cut himself free in the event of a crash. The goal of the Rider was to hold position close to the barrier and round the Matae as quickly as possible. Often, getting into the position around the central divider and holding the course much longer was the major battle. Its here the team work plays a major role. When the leader was in position, he is quickly surrounded by his relay Riders who take complete control of the race track by not allowing other charioteers to overtake or even try to near their leader. They try to slow down the opponents by driving their horses zig-zag. Most of the time the follower would crash or hit the wall as the lead horse would panic.

The charioteers were not only good at persuading their horses but also skilled at impeding their rivals. They indulge in many sorts of foul play and the most strategic is called Shipwrek where they push thier charriot wheel into the rival's axle.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4907&d=1456570574
(Chariot Race, Byzantine Hippodrome, illustrating a Shipwrek)

Sometimes villainy even before the start of the race could be suprising.

Two minutes to go ...

The procession started around the evening. The partipants walked before the stands holding their lead horses. The spectators encouraged by shouting out the team names. The announcer from the Calling Room presented each passing team. After the Green, White and Blue teams, the leader of Yellow team, Shamu representing the 'Oli' members, marched into the stadium holding his lead horse named Volucer, a very rare breed known for its aggresivity and speed. He was followed by his warriors and their horses. His entry made the crowd go hysterical. They created a hail strom of motivational shouts. The announcer seemed equally excited.

King Gauthama, accompanied his grand daughter and took the designated place at the VIP Stand with the Ruler of Shambala. Shamu and Volucer greeted the Princess and the Kings with an elegant bow admist the emotional and uncontrollable crowd.

"Baasha", shouted the announcer when a bit of calm was restored inside the stadium, "the Lord from Katrupuzha is the last contestant of 'Sport of Kings'". He emphasised on the word 'Last' and the crowd bursted into laughter.

Dressed in sleeveless red tunic with hair style free flowing, Sena walked in with his 'Nameless' lead horse. The stadium transformed into whispers. People started to hoot and some made funny comments. Sena marched with Nameless and joined the others. He showed his respects to Gauthama, the King returned his regard with a smile. The embarrassing moment was when Nameless refused to bend but just stood nodding its head. The spectateurs seemed amused by its act. Sena saw Princess Kanakavalli for the first time. She was a dark skinned beauty sitted elegantly inside an artistic and beautifully decorated VIP box with floral interriors and the balcony lined with satin curtains. Their eyes met, Sena noticed a flicker of smile around her lips. Immediately she turned away.

King Gauthama addressed the crowd describing his immense joy in presiding over the traditional event. He congradulated all the participants and then gave his hands to Kanakavalli to help her stand up. The crowd cheered.

"Today", he said proudly, "one man will take hold of the Priceless".

Sena noticed that the Princess was looking at him directly while her grand-father was making the announcement. Sena carrased Nameless and it whinnied.

"I declare open the 'Sport of Kings'". King Gauthama allowed Kanakavalli to take her place and he sat down on his Kingly chair beside his friend.

GO ...

At the blast of trumpets, a white cloth called Mappa was flagged and the starting gates were opened. The chariots charged out on to the course.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 5 - Seeds of Kochadaiiyaan

Sena

Episode 3 - The Last of the Secret Agents

Assignment One - The Sabotage (Part 3 of 3)

The first literary reference to a chariot race is in Homer's Book XXIII of the Iliad (Bronze Age) : "Ye Myrmidons of fleet steeds, my trusty comrades, let us not yet loose our single-hooved horses from their cars, but with horses and chariots let us draw nigh and mourn Patroclus; for that is the due of the dead."

"
Stoop to the reins and lash with all their force, the flying chariot kindles in the course.
And now a-low and now a-loft they fly, as borne through air and seem to touch the sky.
No stop no stay; but clouds of sand arise, spurned and cast backwards on the viewers eyes.
The hindmost blows the foam upon the first: Such is the love of praise and honourable thirst.

As when the chariots burst from the stalls and meet on the course, the driver, vainly seeking to hold back his team, is carried away by them and the chariot heeds not the reins.
"
- Virgil (70 BC - 19 BC) in Georgica (a poem in four books, 29 BC)

Chariots on Fire

The Green Team was the most agressive. The members were former salves who breeded and trained barbaric horses. Their leader wanted to become the heir of the throne of Karimedai, so that he could be the dawn of a future to his salve community.

As the white clouds floating in the blue sky, the leaders of the White and Blue teams were blood brothers. The plan was to make the elder win Kanakavalli, and if the younger succeeded, still the Kingdom will be theirs to rule. Technically, there were seven relay Riders who will be supporting one leader.

The participation of Shamu in the 'Sport of Kings' had discouraged several to enroll themselves - some in fear, the rest put away through negociations. The three teams were adamant, as they were Shamu's arch rival in chariot racing, but Shamu was confident to win them this time too.

And then there was Baasha, who was neither politically connected nor interested, but still he was there on the course trying to gain control over Nameless, his lead horse, which had panicked when the starting gates opened and was running straight towards the wall.

Curricula One (17 Riders)

The White Rider-One was the first to arrive at the bend. He lashed his horse while pulling it closer to the divider. His lead horse had to cut sharply but the other three horses failed to charge with the same brute-force, resulting in wiggling the chariot which pushed out White Rider-One. He was dragged around the bend by his own horses and before he could cut the rein, the leader of the Blue Team, the elder brother, ran the wheel over his neck. The motionless body of the White Rider-One stayed in the middle of the course.

Once the chariots got past the curve, salves entered the track and removed the corpse. Few meters further, few other workers caught the freely running horses and fled them out of the track.

Curricula Two (16 Riders)

Getting an eye signal from the Slave Leader, Green Raider-One seperated from his group and headed towards the nearest opponent, the Blue Rider-One. From the back of his hip belt he took out a Urumi, a flexible whip with blades and aimed it at the shaft of his rival's chariot. The whip spun briskly around the shaft and Green Raider-One pulled it with force which broke the wodden bar, seperating the Blue Rider-One's chariot from the horses and suspending him in the air with the riens attached to his hip. Blue Rider-One fell down forcefully and was dragged mercilessly by his own horses.

Occupied in action with his whip, Green Raider-One failed to notice Blue Rider-Two had closed in from the right side. He suprised him by ramming his wheel into his axle. The force from the clashing wheels broke the spoke of his wheel, which got detached from the wheel hub, crashing the axle to slid the chariot on only one wheel. Green Raider-One tried to balance himself, but the weight put on to the horses from only one side made them tumble and they went sliding neck-down gliding over each other, drifting the chariot over the muddy track, pulling the Green Raider-One along. Their momentum came to a halt in a corner, the lead horse dead & other horses completely wounded, the Rider still alive with fatal injuries.

Sena approached the Matae and started his second lap, whereas the other chariots were battling near thier thrid bend.

Curricula Three (14 Riders)

The younger brother, the leader of the White Team was in the lead. His was increasing his speed and when he was around the bend, his wheels ran over a block of debris which made him loose his balance and fly out of the chariot towards the galloping horses. He was caught at the bottom and a swift kick landed in the chest breaking the rib which internally pierced his heart. His brother, the leader of the Blue Team, witnessed the agonising death and raged forward. Meanwhile, the two Blue riders overtook the Green Team and rode parallely towards Shamu, who was sparely surrounded by his team. Sena was far behind, and when he rode past the VIP stand he briefly exchanged glances with Kanakavalli.

Looking at the two blue riders trying to take down Shamu, his warrior, the Yellow Rider-one, pitched back and stirred towards the opponents. When he was behind them, he turned his head, signaled his respect at Shamu, and ran his horses directly into back the two blue team chariots. The 3 chariots crashed and the twelve horses panicked and went awry. Few horse sliped head-down, few others skated on the track. The Yellow-Rider cut himself loose, and one of the blue Rider escaped the massacre too. But the third got caught between the rampage of the horses and was crushed mercilessly by a dozen of horse hoofs.

Curricula Four (10 Riders)

The chariots leaped forward and the Green Leader was in the lead closely followed by two White Riders while Shamu had steadied his place around the divider.

The Green Leader watched a salve stuck on the track, trying to find an exit. The worker had come to remove a broken lumber from the course. When the servant saw the oncoming chariots, he leaped out of the way by jumping to his right, and before he could get up, he rolled futher to avoid another chariot. When he lifted his head, the thrid chariot ran over him. The fate of the salve enraged the Green Leader.

The Blue Leader, the elder brother who lost his younger brother in the previous the lap, was close to Sena. With anger, he tried to force his horses into Sena's Chariot. Nameless was galloping and she was about to lift her forelegs from the ground (Beat Three), when Sena forced a suspension on her - putting all four legs off the ground - to abruptly end her stride. Nameless took the command, and the change in the beat pattern slowed up the chariot for a fraction of a second, until Nameless initiated Beat One to start a new stride. In this gap of time, the attacking Blue Leader was a march ahead, allowing himself to crash into the wall, breaking the neck of his horses at the same time hitting himself hard on the concrete surface. Sena stirred Nameless to avoid the crash and sailed away smoothly on the track. The crowd exhaled their assent.

The Green Leader managed to corner the White Rider-Two by the wall. He was assisted by his team. He used his whip to pull the White Rider off his chariot. The White Rider did not give up easily. He caught hold of his chariot and skied over the tracks. He managed to allign his legs and travel with the moving cart. The Green Leader seemed to be amused and waited to enjoy the fate of the fallen Rider. Just before letting his chariot go, the running White Rider threw a pouch at the wheel of the Salve Leader's chariot. Then he let go off his cart allowing himself to be pulled inside the wheels of his own chariot which ran over his stomach, an instant death.

Satisfied the Green Leader rode-off to take down his next victim, not aware that his wheels were covered with crude oil.

Curricula Five (7 Riders)

The last White Rider, after loosing both his leaders wanted to back off from the race, but his greed wanted him to win and marry Kanakavalli. He whipped his horses to make them pull the chariot with great power, which made the wooden blocks to disintegrate. He was dragged by the horses and before he could go for his knife, he was trampled by the the horses of another chariot.

The remaining Green Rider challenged Yellow-Rider-Two. They rode in parrallel attacking each other with their whips at the sametime pusing their chariots into each others. Eventually, their constant ramming led to a spectacular double shipwreaks killing both the Riders.

Curricula Six (4 Riders)

The Slave leader saw it an opputunity to attack Shamu. He raced adjacent with Shamu when suddenly his chariot got on fire. Due to the speed the wheels turned, it produced heat energy and sparked into fire due to the flammable agent, the crude oil, thrown at his wheels a moment before. Without a second thought, he cut the rein loose and jumped on to Shamu's chariot. He strangled Shamu with the remaing rein in his hand. The helpless warrior, the final Yellow Rider, tried hard to get to his leader in time, when he noticed another chariot racing past him, it was the Single Red One.

Baasha positioned himself beside the Chariot on Fire and jumped onto it. Admist the flames, Sena launched his whip at the Salve leader who was trying to murder Shamu. Baasha's whip cut the Green Leader's face. The pain lauched him on to the divider and got stuck to it before melting down. Baasha rejumped to his chariot and forced Nameless to gallop faster. The goodwilled action of the Single Lion Baasha made the crowd cheer for him and for the first time, Sena was in the lead.

The Green Chariot on Fire was going out of control. The scared horses pulled themselves violently. The last Yellow Rider tried to over take the burning cart with enough caution, but unpredictable movement of the horses made the buring chariot collide with the other chariot setting it on fire too. The helpless Rider caught himself in the flames and stood over his chariot crying out in pain while been pulled forcibly by the maddened horses.

Curricula Seven (Shamu Versus Baasha)

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 5 - Seeds of Kochadaiiyaan

Sena

Episode 3 - The Last of the Secret Agents

Assignment One - The Sabotage (Final)

Last Lap - The Fate of Kanakavalli

A spectacular start, with sixty-eight horses neighing, breathing and gaiting, driven by seventeen Riders on their chariots arising clouds of dust, had finally come to a duel.

Sena knew that speed was the key, not his chariot's momentum, but pace of Shamu's chariot. Sena had to somehow trick Shamu to blaze his charriot. Rather than challenging him, Sena ploted to make him react.

They were about 400 metres from the bend. Baasha gallopped his horse and Shamu lashed his beasts. Baasha had an advantage as he was riding on the inner circle. They both came to the last stretch, Baasha a bit ahead of Shamu. For the spectateurs it projected as though they were racing in parrell. In few more meters the "Sport of Kings" will present to the Kingdoms the new hier to the Gauthama Dynasty.

The people saw Baasha as their new Hero who rode his horse with controlled ferocity. The majority of the crowd cheered for Baasha. The spectators started chanting "Baasha! ... Baasha! ... Baasha!". Kanakavalli was excited that she decided to stand and watch the remaining race by nodding her head rhythmically to the roar of her fellowmen.

Shamu was irritated. He showed his anger on his trained horses with his whip. Volucer, his lead horse, neighed in pain, but took off with tremendrous speed. Sena smiled, and it finally happened.

Disguised as a peanut vendor, Sena had pleaded entry into the stadium two hours before the start of the event. He managed to crawl under the seats and reached the garage via the Calling Room. Locking himself inside, he sabotaged Shamu's Yellow Chariot by replacing the bronze linchpins, a pin passed through the end of an axle to keep a wheel in position, with fake ones hand made from beeswax, a natural yellow wax produced by honey bees. Sena worked on making the wax harder and prolonging the time it took to melt. He took immense care to make a perfect pin out of the beeswax so that it could not be easily detected. He pinned into to the axle and when he was satisfied with the way the wheel stuck on to it, he had exited the garage, this time sliping to the backgate, dressing up as Baasha and seeking an entry (again) before the ceremony begun.

The beeswax finally gave away. The over speeding mulitiplied the heat energy and melted the wax breaking the beeswax linchpins. Shamu was shocked to see both his wheels getting seperated from his chariot and running towards opposite directions. His cart was gliding on the track pulled vigorously by the horses. He let go his rein and reached for his knife. The sudden change in the chariot's position turned the horses towards the wall. Volucer, the well trained horse, sensed danger and braked making the other horses to come to an halt. The abrupt break in momentum catapulted the chariot, throwing Shamu over the wall and landed on an obesse spectator enjoying the spectacle consuming roasted peanuts.

Sena continued to ride on. The crowd cheered more for their new King. Kanakavalli was eager to see Baasha reaching the finish line, that she did not even sympathise with Shamu who was just thrown out of the track. King Gauthama rushed behind his friend to aide Shamu.

Baasha ended the lap. The people let out a joyful cry, but all of a sudden the stadium was dropped into silence. None knew what was going on. Kanakavalli stared at the exit gates. Bending around the Matae, Sena did not reduce speed but galloped towards the exit gate. He disappeared into the street after Nameless kicked two the gaurds blocking their way.

It took a while for the solidiers and gaurds to react to the unexpected events. The small battalion that took off after Baasha discovered his Red Chariot attached to three horses, a couple of streets next to Puy Hippodrome.

King Gauthama was furious. His ally's son was wounded, on the other hand the groom of the kingdom had just escaped. Kanakavalli shut herself in the her room and refused to meet anyone. The people were in a state of shock. The King ordered his Secret Service to find Baasha before dawn.

At dawn, the workers at Lord Baasha's oil field came to work and were shocked to see the storage room on fire. After a battle with the flames, few succeeded to enter the warehouse. Lying at a corner was a completely burnt human body. One of the worker identified the corpse as the Lord with the ring that was still attached to the cadaver. The Secret Service reported to their king the demise of Lord Baasha in a fire accident.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 5 - Seeds of Kochadaiiyaan

Sena

Episode 3 - The Last of the Secret Agents

Assignment Seven - The Case of the Coffin Maker
A Detective Baasha Mystery

The sergeant, an ex-service man, incharge of the security in a small town situated inside a valley at the center of Central Kingdom, was waiting with two constables to receive an high commissioner. The coach arrived and a clean shaven man with short hair dressed in light red undergarments and a longer jacket, descended from the gig. The sergeant extended his hand to greet the the ambassador from Central Investigations.

"Detective Baasha", Sena shook the hand of the sergeant.

Baasha cut straight into the topic by requesting the town's gazette. After an hour, he had a list of twenty-six names written down into his private dairy. Eliminating death by natural, caused by accident, natural disasters, disease & illness, Sena noted down the names of people who had died suddenly. Sena started analysing his report. The deaths have been occuring across a span 8 years - no pattern in date of the deaths crossed over, they all looked random. Next he checked the age and sex - no similarities found - neither with the place of birth. And he also noted that the victims were all strangers to each other.

But three pointers matched - all were white-collar workers with an exception to the last two victims, they all were healthy but had reported similar symptoms before death, and they all died here, in this Our Valley Town.

The last two deaths from his list were of a maid and a child. The uncle of the infant was a close associate to one of the members of the Kingsguard. After a month's failure to track down the cause of the sudden death, Sena was assigned by Pachonthi to persue the investigation. First action he did was to consult the gazette and note down similar deaths that had occured.

Baasha reached the cemetry with the sergeant to inspect the tombs. Twenty three out of twenty six victims were brought to the town's graveyard, four were cremated while the rest were buried. Baasha stood before the child's memorial, and after a while broke his silence.

"Normally cremating the body is the practise around this region, right ?", and without waiting for an answer from the sergeant, Baasha continued by waving his fingers in the air pointing the tombs, "How come most of the victims are buried ?". He looked directly at the sergeant while he was informing him that the citizens with money afford decorative tombs for their loved one. It was the sergeant's turn turn to point his finger at the child's memorial. He continued, "Works are underway by the family members to setup a private garden around the ones who were cremated.".

Sena looked at the tombstones. "Another dead-end", he thought and started walking out of the burial ground when a minute detail got his attention. He turned back and checked the grave stones of the victims one by one, they were all installed by the same company who had inscribed a marker at the corner of the slab - initial 'OV' placed inside strands of Lily of the Valley. Sena cross checked with other random tombs, and found that atleast two or there companies were involved in the burial buisness. Not knowing what to think about the victim's interment was done by the same company, Baasha asked the sergeant about the enterprise.

"Our Valley Monument Company", replied the sergent, "the founder was the previous gravedigger here." Expressing his wish to meet the patron, Baasha stromed out of the cemetery.

Jubal offered tea to Detective Baasha. He proudly presented his company to the officials. He precised that the sandal wood for the four cremations were arranged by his establishment. Jubal felt honored to present to Baasha his second agency, which provided his clients a possibility to create and maintain a garden around thier loved ones. Baasha felicitated Jubal for running such a service with dignity and excused himslef for his curiosity to know how Jubal got into contact with such rich people when he was just a grave digger back then.

"I was gifted with an opputunity to meet the wife of a noble man. That day, the lady was moarning at the cemetery, and I expressed a proposition of decorating her husband's tomb, the design she readily accepted and financed. Actually the idea was given to me by my mother. My first client was satisfied. She had helped me launch this company, ofcoarse, I have paid her back, and also she was gentle to speak about my services to her known."

After getting the details about Jubal's first client, Baasha left the Our Valley Monument Company's office.

"The first name in my list is the name of this noble man, Jubal's first client. Something is not right, eventhough everything seems to be correct", Sena pondered. Baasha asked the sergeant more about Jubal and learnt that he was a widower living with his mother Mariam, addresed affectionately by the town people as as Mari-Maa. Baasha took his coat and went to check around the bakery run by Mari-Maa.

Mari-Maa made the best patessery in the region. Her home made gateau, a round crusty cake with butter and powdered sugar, was famous amoung people. Before opening the bakery she was a maid working for different aristocrats. On a particualar day, fatigue made her add more butter with triple the douze of sugar in bread dough. When it was baked and served, the patrician found it delecious. Since then, her accidental cake recipe was the most seeked one, permitting her to open 'Mari-Maa Bakery'. During rare occassions she accepted to be the chief cook in grand ceremonies oraganised by the House of Lords.

Baasha had delicious kuchen with coffee at Mari-Maa's residence cum bakery. She was a very kind lady, short and slim with a smile always hanging around the corner of her lips. Baasha asked about her son Jubal and then about her daugther-in-law. Mari-Maa was glad to talk laurels about her sucessful son, but she saddened when she spoke about his wife who had died at a very young age due to a peculiar disease. Baasha expressed his wish to look around, and she granted him a tour around Mari-Maa's Bakery.

Baasha was observant inside the bakery and when they got to the back yard, looking at the small tree at the center, Baasha smiled.

Next morning, Baasha ordered the sergeant to bring in Mari-Maa and Jubal for prelimanary enquiry. With a bit of hesitance, the sergeant left with his two constables to arrest the mother and son. Sena scored off twenty six and wrote twenty seven beside it by including Jubal's wife name in the list of victims in the Case of the Coffin Maker.

"Why did you murder your daughter-in-law, Mariam ?", Baasha shot the question directly at Mari-Maa sitted beside her son Jubal surrounded by the sergent and the two constables.

"What nonsense!" shouted back Jubal. He had to be calmed down by one of the constables.

"Your mother was a maid at your first client.", explained Baasha. "Somehow she eavesdropped the elderly couple, and learnt about the dream of the Lord after his death. She returned home to inform you the same. After the Lord's demise, you proposed the same to his wife while she was moarning at the graveyard. She was moved to hear her husband's wish becoming a reality. But inbetween, your mother, Mariam made her first kill who is also your first client".

The room was silent. Smile disappered from Mari-Maa, she was starring at Sena.

"Mariam was upset the way your wife treated you, she killed her daughter-in-law to leesen the pains of her son." Baasha paused, then continued, "To establish your buisness, she went on a killing spree and each family of deceased bathed you with gold coins.".

"Rubbish!", barked Jubal. "How are you going to prove any of this ?"

"You were beside your wife the night she died. Can you recollect her state before she died, Jubal ?", asked Baasha.

"She said she felt dizzy, then complained about having migraine. Later she had a stomach pain. I laid her on the bed and thought a night's rest would calm her down, but the next morning she was not breathing any more", recollected Jubal with tears.

"The child, the twenty-seventh victim of Mariam, had motion sickness. Few other victim's family members found their beloved had excreted in the bed. All the vicitms shared similar symptoms", infered Baasha. He took a small bottle out of his jacket pocket and placed it on the table. It contained colourless powder. Looking directly at the mother, he questioned the son, "Do you know what this is Jubal ?"

"Baking Powder", replied Jubal.

"No. Mariam's Baking Powder", corrected Baasha.

Taking the bottle in his hand, and spining it in the air with his fingers, Baasha spoke "Neither any aggression nor any evidence left behind. Moreover, the victims themselves were clueless. Twenty-Seven Murders." After a pause, he resumed to expose the final details of the case, "The small tree in the backyard of your house is Olander, which resembles a lot like the Olive tree, only that Olander is toxic in all its parts. The extract from its branches were dried and powdered by Mariam. It was added to the regular baking powder, where Olander powder acted as an acid-based agent to the already present sodium and functioned as a steroid to stimulate the bicarbonate action, causing it to react aggressively on the victims provoking nausea to vomitt. It was cleverly disguised inside Mari-Maa's cake, where butter and sugar slowed the digestion making the victims active for a while before becoming sick. The toxic gains full control of the body and finally stops the heart."

Baasha infered, "However, if my guess is right, the last two deaths were accidents. The child was not in Mariam's list, yet he had consumed the cake, probably made for someone else but the maid would have stolen and shared it with the kid. I don't think Mariam woud have an answer, but she is responsible to their deaths too, just like the other twenty five victims whose life she had taken".

Jubal looked at his mother, a tear ran down her cheek.

In private, when Sena was gazing at the moon, the sergeant was curious to know how Baasha knew that Mari-Maa was the killer. Baasha told him that when he bluffed about the olive tree at the backyard of Mariam's house, she did not deny but was glad to explain to him that it was thier family tree and she had even offered Baasha a jar of Olive Pickles as a souvenir of the Bakery Tour, all the while Sena very well knew that olives does not grow on an Olander tree. Handing the jar of pickles to the sergeant, Baasha disappeared into the darkness.

Mari-Maa was presented before the court of justice and capital punishment was pronounced.

Detective Baasha was never seen after that night of interogation.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 5 - Seeds of Kochadaiiyaan

Sena

Episode 3 - The Last of the Secret Agents

Assingnment 12 - The Theft

The Diamonds are Never Forever

The gaurd was sure about the moving shadow. The rain. The darkness. Then, the lightening flashed a silhouette on the wall. He got out from his position to bend over the parapet and check for any movement above the balcony. He sneaked his head out, and immediately two hands clutched his neck and pulled him into the blackness. Descending into the Brumidi corridor, the cloaked and hooded man walked briskly towards the vault door. He examined the door - a traditional alarm system securing any sort of breach by sounding horns corded to it from inside. Eventhough picking the lock was an easy task for the vaillant voleur, he moved a step back and then charged the door with his left leg. After couple of kicks, the secure wooden door broke and immediately loud sirens echoed around the building of the Mayor of Sevuthu-Theru.

The tired and sleepy gaurds tried their best to quickly respond to the alarm. From the enterance, they followed the wet footsteps left behind by the theif, which led them to the vault room where the precious diamonds were gaurded. They encountered a burglar dressed in dark clothes from head to toe. He was holding the large pouch containing the priceless stones in his hand. What suprised them was that it seemed as though he was waiting for them. The gaurds stromed towards the theif. He did not panic, but started to move swiftly back into the decorated hallway. The soldiers were confused - one moment they saw him behind the pillar, the next instant he was gone. He was moving between the flash of the lightening and sound of the thunder. The rain stopped, so did the search as the robber had long escpaed the premises.

The streets of Sevuthu-Theru was crawling with soldiers. The theft of the precious gems from the Mayor's own safe had angered him. He didn't have much time, the culprit must be caught and the laurel of his city must be restored quickly. The Mayor was proud of the security measures and programs proposed by him to the merchants. Sevuthu-Theru provided various financial aids and services, notably safe vaults, deposite boxes and assistance in economic investments. The city was the running candidate to be established as a Financial Center for all five Kingdoms.

Someone, maybe the employer of Sena, didn't wish Sevuthu-Theru elected as the Fiscal Policy Center. The instructions were clear - the roberry should be alarmed and the escape should be done under the nose of the Mayor's Security in open daylight.

Sena circled the city couple of times with his wagon driven by his horse 'Nameless'. The onlookers laughed at the bearded coachman when he could not keep his cart steady, as his horse disobeyed him out of stubbornness. While passing through the city, Sena punctually enquired about the manhunt to the tensed gaurds. The soldiers were busy searching every nook and corner of the city - lanes, shops, hotels and restaurants. Sena stopped for a coffee, and while be was sitting under the warm sun sipping his drink, two young gaurds asked his permission to frisk search him. He stood up cooperatively and let out jiggles when he was frisked.

Sena reached the frontier on his coach. All the exits were closed except the main one. The oncomming and outgoing traffic was directly controlled in person by the Chief of Security from the Mayor's Office, with his personel army of armed gaurds. Nothing passed the border without a thorough verification. After a long wait, Sena finally reached the security check-point. The Chief demanded details to Sena.

"Baasha, Delivery Service", replied Sena, at the same time pointed his fingers at the company name painted on the side of his wagon. He explained that he was transporting mangoes from the city to the King's Dinner Party. Baasha remained sitted on the box of the carriage while few soldiers checked the contents inside the wagon which held about a dozen crates of mangoes. Sena sat smiling trying to control his restless horse and the Chief ordered him to get down on the ground. After an exhaustive inspection, Baasha was permited to exit.

The sun was glowing to its glory. Sena saw a group of kids hopping in the hot weather around a gypsy camp. Attaching Nameless to the hitching rail, Sena approached the playing children. He caught a little one by suprise and kissed her on the cheek. She pushed him and ran away, but stopped midway when Sena sang out to her : Muthamma Mutham Sindhu, Pani Muthu Pol Nitham Vandhu.

The little girl ran towards Sena, hugged and kissed him in the cheek.

The gypsies were very generous to Sena. They offered him food, water and shelter from the hot sun. Sena requested them few carpenter tools and wooden planks. With those materials, he constructed a huge oval container. At the bottom corner, he made a coin size hole and attached a wooden cynlinder. At the other end of the circular pipe, he fixed the conical mouth of funnel. He placed an empy wooden bucket below.

Along with the kids he unloaded his carriage and emptied the mangoes into the container. After a word of caution and few advices, Sena lifted and put each bare-footed kid inside the container. When almost all kids were inside the wodden vessel, the mango stomping began. Soon the juice flowed out through the funnel, timidly filling the bucket. The gypsies were contended that soon few adults joined the mango pressing fun.

Sena had brought a dozen crates of mangoes after he robbed the diamonds. He entered his safehouse, poured the mangoes to the ground and started to press a single diamond from the satin bag inside each mango. He then placed the mangoes back into the packing case. Once all the diamonds were well hidden inside the fleshy yellow fruit, Sena took a random mango and verified whether it had any suspicious marks. Satisfied, he loaded the cases into the wagon and rode towards the forntier. At the gypsies, he made a cylinder to collect back the diamonds by placing a filter at its funnel end. While the jucice poured, the diamonds got stuck inside the cylinder.

Finally, greeting the evening sky, Sena joined the gypsies to juice out the diamonds from the mangoes :

Nallavarkkellaam Edhirkaalamae Nambikkai Vaithaal Vandhu Saeraadhaa.
Ullangalellaam Onru Koodinaal Ullangaiyildhaan Vetri Vaaraadhaa.
Ada Enraikkum Enraikkum Nalla Naaldhaan.

The mango juice was delicious.

The night was quite. Sena removed the cylinder from the container and rode away silently on Nameless. The next morning the gypsies were happy to find a wooden carriage left behind for them by the stranger.

Mentor Manickam received a package delivered by a shepherd boy. There was a bag of diamonds inside. The informer beside the Mentor informed him that Sevuthu-Theru was eliminated from becoming the Financial Center, moreover the Mayor had been ordered to report immediately at the King's court for failing to keep the precious Kingdom's property protected. Mannickam smiled while tossing the sack of diamonds in his hand.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 5 - Seeds of Kochadaiiyaan

Sena

Episode 3 - The Last of the Secret Agents

Assignment Fifteen - The Assasination

Baasha at the Opera 'Mary had a Frankenstein'

Sena was satisfied with his shopping. He had every aristocratic item to permit himself an entry at the House of Opéra. Only one problem - Sena had a detestation towards opera. Just like the humorist had put, Sena was convinced that an opera is when a guy gets stabbed in the back and, instead of bleeding, he sings.

"Welcome, Master Baasha", said the youngman at the enterance of the Opera House to the a medium height man with goatee and moustache, wearing a red tail coat and silk breeches. The concierge returned the ticket to Sena and gestured gracefully at him to enter. The pillars of the long corridor were coated in gold and decorative paintings hung on the walls and ceiling. The pathway was surrounded by huge chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The long hall stepped out onto the landing of a grand staircase which divided into two divergent flights of stairs that lead to the auditorium. The stage was huge and the seats were arranged in a horseshoe shape to hold around two thousand spectateurs.

On the stage an aritste was shouting as though someone was amputating her throat, "Mary had a Frankenstein, Frankenstein, Frankenstein."

She went on a repeat mode, "Mary had a Frankenstein ...", when another artist, the composer of the opera, interrupted her, "...Frank Is Stain".

They both joined together and went around the acting area singing the same lines. The orchestra were playing clasical music on violin, cello and double bass.

Sena understood nothing.

The Leader of the Opera abruptly stopped at the center and envelopping the lady, he sang in a high pitch,

"Why Mary you had a, You had a, You had a!
Why mary you had a Frank Is Stain!"

Sena yawned.

An aged lady beside Sena tried to motivate him. She whispered inbetween her fingers, "Mary, as in Mother, which the Opera Brother brilliantly refers to our Mother Land".

Sena said, "Yes, Yes".

"Frankenstein, the monster", she took a much lower tone, "is the King", she giggled softly.

Sena nodded, "Yes, Yes".

"The Opera Brothers are revolutionists who think in spreading good ideas and interesting thoughts, would awaken people. Opus is their non-violent approach to bring a change in the soceity and liberate the nation from the clutches of the monster disguised as the King". She continued after taking a breathe, "The best part is at the end when he assassinates the King, played by his younger brother, and stands twinkling before the people".

"Yes, Yes"

During the act change, she briefed Sena with the resumé of the Opera Brothers - their musical family background; the father was an orchestra conductor and their mother an opera singer herself. The parents did engage in revolutionary activities using the art as the force to launch their ideas. They had passed the talent and the spirit to their sibllings, famously known as Oprea Brothers. The blood brothers performed on streets and at times project the state of the soceity to the counts, masters and kingsmen in a grand hall. She contiuned to tell him their personel life too, their love marriage with choosen beauties, when the Act started which revealed Sena from the history lesson. Sena sighed and watched the show.

The spectacle closed in towards the end - final ACT, the climax. The assassination scene was on stage. When the assassin stabbed the King's heart on stage, the performence was pragmatic. The blood, gore and pain looked genuine. The elder brother held to the knife still sticking inside his own brother's heart, where the former took the role of the 'People's Voice' and the latter represented the King in the stage play. The spectators broke into applause overwhelmed by the rendition, espicially the bleeding knife effect was brilliant under the cue light.

The elder brother removed the stage knife and turned to face the audience with a smile. The show was over. The evening was a success. Sena smiled back too.

The previous morning, Sena had entered the opera hall with other carpenters. Dressed in rags, he volunteered to verify above the stage to check the fly system (ropes, counterweights, pulleys used to quickly move set pieces and light), the flat (a lightweight timber frame covered with scenic canvas which acts as the backdrop to a stage set) and other accessories like the lock & fly rails, sill iron, sand bags, etc. He was readily sent, as the task was considered too dangerous. Settling on top of the stage, Sena watched the rehersal. He waited for the right moment. The elder brother walked to the back-stage and Sena followed him by hopping across the wooden rail. The opera composer picked up the fake stage-knife from the desk. He verified it's spring action by pressing it twice in his palm. Then he walked back to the upstage where his brother was standing. He pushed the knife on his chest. The brother held to it and red liquid poured out. Satisfied the brothers left the stage walking shoulder to shoulder by making steps in unison.

The previous evening, Sena went for shopping. He bought an identic stage knife and at his safehouse he modified the spring action to lock itself after been pressed twice. A while before the start of the show, he re-entered the Opera House posing as a Delivery Merchant to bring in the garment laces for the artists clothes. When he was inside the make-up room, he replaced the stage-knife with the one skillfully modified by him. He then slipped a paper note inside the coat pocket of the elder brother which was lying on the chair. Sena left the opera house and returned as Master Baasha to watch the spectacle.

During the act change, the elder brother took the knife, verified it by clocking it twice on his palm and inserted it in his hip belt. He stuck the knife with force which pierced the flesh and punctured the heart of his brother.

Someone from the crowd screamed "Murderer". The elder brother was shocked to see blood instead of red ink in his hands. He turned to look at his kin and immedately fell to his knees dropping the stage-knife to the floor.

"Why would I kill my blood brother ?", he questioned the questioning security chief. He was arrested and interogated in the closed make-up room, while the gaurds were trying to control the crowd and find a away to take the artist to prison.

The chief of security showed the arrested artist the slip of paper removed from his own coat. It was a hand written romantic note from his deceased brother to his wife describing her and at the end proposing to elope. The elder brother was shocked and pleaded of seeing such a correspondence for the first time. He knew he was framed, but his current situation permited him to follow the gaurds out of the Opera House in silence. Sena marched along side with the Kingdom's arrest unit down the exterior stairs with the elder brother in the middle. When they reached the pavement, Sena turned right and started walking away from the noisy crowd.

Sena had an easy opportunity to assassinate Opera Brothers while they were rehearsing, but his annonymous employor was specific to get the elder brother arrested; maybe to interrogate him and get the names and places of other revolutionists, commonly addressed as terrorist by the Kingdom. A celebrated showbiz personality like the opera writer cannot be taken into custody without a huge revolt from the public, unless he commits a crime before his own followers.

It was Master Baasha's first and last opera concert.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 5 - Seeds of Kochadaiiyaan

Sena

Episode 3 - The Last of the Secret Agents

Last Assignment - Terror Heist

Beauty is a form of Genius, is higher, indeed, than Genius, as it needs no explanation. It has divine right of sovereignty. It makes princes of those who have it. - The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde.

The plan was simple - create diversion, take loot, disappear.

Trimestrial, the tax money - collected by various lords from peasants for the King and the King's own tribute based on the levy enlisted by the Emperor from the Central Kingdom according to the various revenue gained by respective rulers - reached the port of the Central Kingdom. Not everyone paid, but most of them did and the surplous amount were removed from the Royal Navy Money Ship and loaded into three large eight horse driven wagons escorted by armed special forces. During the unloading, the combat ships stood watch and the perimeter around the transfer area was completely locked down.

Two sharp eyes above an handle bar mustache was watching the second coach into which the riches were being loaded. The cart had come to a stop exactly at the place where Sena had made a mark on the ground. Years before, after the extension of the dock, the labourers abadoned the underground storage room, used to keep their tools and materials. Presently, the money cart was standing outside the deserted tool room. There were two enterances to the godown, one from the port side which was sealed, and the other still accessible from the water front. Sena, with Kali, had visited the unknown warehouse few hours before.

The plan was to make two sound explosions inbetween short interval. The first was a diversion to force few gaurds to abandon their post and perform a check. When the second bomb detonated, it would trigger an explosive bomb placed over the ceiling of the tool room, which was also the floor of the port where armed security gaurds stood gaurding beside the wagons. The gaurds would drop into the crater created by the explosion, which would premit the treasure carrier to be surrounded with minimum security. Sena verified the smoke shells hanging around his Pachonthi belt. He would use it when he is nearer to the target inorder to blind the combat ship. Entering into the wagon, Sena ployed to take the route towards the jungle where he anticipated to disappear with the loot.

The contract was to deposit the stolen money in an undisclosed area inside the forest. During few missions, Sena worked with his close associate, Kali, who was an expert in explosive devices. Together they placed the bombs around the ceiling of the tool room and rigged it with the second sound bomb. Kali would tigger the sound bombs and leave the area, while Sena will be nearer to accuire the target.

The port, busy with workers and merchants, was unusually crowded, filled with citizens and people from The House. The Leader of The House was paying a visit to persuade the fellowmen of the Central kingdom to enroll themselves with The House, a street ceremony approved by the Emperor himself. The House was a religious oraganisation established in and around Central Kingdom about three decades back. Across the years, their social works had gained them enough popularity amoung the people. Many have gathered around the harbour to witness and greet the noble leader.

The density around the port did not destabilize Sena, he was only looking at his target. The first independent bomb was placed inside a basket filled with garments, while the second was around the floristry that was closest to tool room rigged to the explosive bomb. Half of the Kingdom's money had been loaded, while at the other side a charioteer driving a white horse slowly approached with a man standing over the chariot. The Leader was greeting the crowd with his hand gestures. As the special wagon was moving slowly, many followers took his hands and kissed them gently. When the spiritual leader approached midway, the unloading completed and the first bomb was detonated.

The sound was devastating and pieces of clothes flew in the air. People panicked. The Leader of the house feel onto his chariot, his followers tried to secure him when the garuds came rushing to examine the affected area. A man from the crowd abused the soldiers for the lack of security which angered the gaurds. A tiny brawl began around the port area between the people of The House and the Kingdom's security, when a second bomb went off, followed by another one.

Forthwith the thrid bomb, a circluar portion of the ground around the King's Money wagon gave away and sucked everything along with it. The crew around the harbour were shocked that they ran in any direction to seek shelter from explosions. The remaining gaurds panicked, and the combat ships turned more vigilant. Eventhough it was a sound bomb, it spread fire as the explosion had toppled the flame from a lamp over the debris. Two consecutive loud noises scared the horses that the first wagon took off fiercely dragged by eight maddened horses. They created a rampage on their way and were quickly approaching the market where the flying flower petals were yet to settle down.

Sena did not mind his plan to have worked out perfectly. Instead, he was was running towards the floristry. Admist the smoke and chaos, Sena saw Suganthi, the sight of her provoked an alien inside him, that for the first time in several years, Sena experienced a dilemmatic thought, "Sillirkavo, Annaikavo".

... to be continued ...

*** Footnote ***

"Sillirkavo, Annaikavo" [(Stand astonished by her beauty (or) take her in his arms) (thought vs action)] is inspired from Epic Mahabaratha, the wonderful depiction in just 2 words which held mammoth expressions => "Yedukavo, Korkavo".

The filmed version of the same scene is present in Karnan (1964) tamil movie => "Sethariya Muthukalai Naan Yedukatuma, Eduthu Avaaigalai Korkatuma".

Karnan (King Duryodhan's Friend) and Duryodhana's wife Bhanumathi were playing a board game in which Bhanumathi was loosing. She was positioned facing the door, whereas Karnan had his back to the enterance. When the King entered, Bhanumathi stood up to show her respects, but Karnan thought that she was trying to leave as he was winning. He stopped her, a gentle gesture to make her take her place, when accidently he shattered her pearl lace. Duryodhana smiles at the guilty faces of his friend & wife and says : "Should I pick-up the fallen pearls, Should I attach the pearls together".

Similarly, when Sena saw the green-eyed beauty Suganthi, he was speechless, but his mind was chattering non stop with his heart.

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 5 - Seeds of Kochadaiiyaan

Sena

Episode 4 - Survival of Sena

Unexpected Resignation

The wealthy cloth merchant sat starring at the enveloppe before him, which had small fucier lizard symbol at the corner. That night, he ordered his workers to leave early and once the shop was empty, he left his office carrying a lantern in his hand. He managed to get to the back of the building and climbed up the stairs leading to the roof. He placed the enveloppe on top of the roof under the lamp. He sliped down the way he had come up. Next morning, he was suprised to see the cover untouched, only fire of the kerosene lamp had died.

Three days later, the fire arms trader was closing his shop. He locked the door and with a chalk marked a cross on the door. He then slid an enveloppe with the colorful lizard symbol under the carpet. The next day he was surprised to see his chalk mark on the door. Usually 'a someone' should have erased the sign on the door. He was confused seeing the paper cover lying under the door mat.

That week, the oil vendor was unloading the barrels from the ship. He paid his workers and when everyone left, he rearranged the barrels to form a triangle. At the center he placed an empty barrel and dropped an enveloppe inside. When he returned in the morning, nothing seemed to have changed.

Mentor Mannickam did not know how to react to the 3 undelivered contrats in front of him. When anyone seeks the serviee of Pachonthi, they become a life time memeber. The clients are used as the letter-box to exchange information with the agents on the fields. They place the mission orders in a discret manner and an agent would retrieve it, Sena was always in time. Three unexpected rejection of missions. The Guild practised severe methods of punishments if the assignments were not carried out. Mannickam assured that the 3 missions were taken care by other agents. He stromed out of his hut followed by two of his associates.

Sena was lying on Sunganthi's lap. She tried to move him away by pushing his shoulders but he refused to open his eyes. All that he had been saying for the past few hours was "Five more minutes.".

Finally Suganthi got the courage to really push him away. Sena exagarated the push by rolling several times on the ground. Suganthi got up and sprinted away from the Rolling Romeo. Sena came to an halt face down.

"You know why we had taken you out of the solitaire dungeon, Baasha ?" Sena was suprised to hear that voice. Without panicking he stood up, cleared the dry leaves from his clothes and without raising his head kneeled on one knee, and maintained his stance without moving.

"Because", continued Mentor Manickam, "You are the fittest and could have even gone for few more months. Before you there were only two others who had made it alive from that hell hole. I was proud of you. Now, you disappoint me by making me come looking for you. I hope you have an excuse ?"

"Mentor", spoke Sena without raising his head, "I quit".

"Quit. Just like that. Well, but that's not an excuse. You know better that exit is not an option at Pachondhi." He turned and lookd at the direction behind him. "Excuse my curiosity, Baasha, your decision is related to that green-eyed beauty, she does not seem our kind, or is she ? Anyway, I always mentioned to everyone that you had a very good eye !"

"Mentor, please. I have given my life for the Brotherhood, but I can't sacrifice my love for the Guild".

"Understood. Your turn to understand the consequence too", said Mentor with a smile.

Sena took time and then spoke inbetween crushing his teeth, "Touch her, I will crush the Guild".

There was silence. Sena lifted his head. No one was before him, but just the empty path Sugnathi had taken. Sena walked slowly on the same path.

The General stood before the Emperor Dashakantha and informed him about an agent gone rogue.

"Leave him alone", growled Vettaiyan.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 5 - Seeds of Kochadaiiyaan

Sena

Episode 4 - Survival of Sena

Suganthi Sena

Suganthi was a nameless child found by the sailors on an abandoned trade ship transporting incense. Possible theory was that the merchant ship was attacked by the pirates mistaking it for a money convoy. Finding only fagrance sticks inside, the insane pirates killed everyone on board and set fire to the ship. The kid was placed inside a box well hidden from the massacre. The sailors found the deserted ship and rescued the only crew member alive. She being a fare skinned, they handed her over to The House, a God fearing assosiation who took to the welfare of the people. The sailors named the beauty, with light green eyes and dark hair who scented thousands roses from the burnt instense sticks, as Suganthi. As she grew up in the shelter of The House, her eyes were turning into sparkling green. Being patient and courteous by nature, she found a significant sense of service towards humanity. She became a nurse.

The day of the explosion, she was collecting flowers for their Leader who was circling the harbour greeting the citizens who had came to take his blessings. The first explosion shocked her, she immediately hid behind a basket loaded with red roses. And then the second explosion happened somewhere nearer to her. She felt her ears wet and something dripping out from inside. Soon her white rode was strained with tiny red splashes. Suddenly, fire started to spread around her. The smoke brought in a numbness, her head spinned and when she was about to fall, she felt being pulled by a soft force. She sensed floating in mid air and when her face came out of the smoke, she was looking at a visage with a handle bar mustache. Memories came gushing without her permission that she saw herself inside a burning ship, surrounded by exploding barrels and someone had lifted her out. Suganthi went blackout.

When the first bomb exploded, Sena saw the back of a girl covered in white clothes who was hand picking red roses. She slipped to take shelter exactly beside the second bomb. Before Sena could react, the second explosion was triggered by Kali. Sena noticed her weakness while she rose to her feet and when she slowly turned, Sena got immersed in her beauty.

Blood oozed out of her left ear. The area around her was engulfed by fire, at the same time the third explosion had occured around the treasure wagon, which panicked the horses.

It seemed as though the time had stopped around Sena, and he was in charge of commanding any motion, just like how he felt at the town center the day after his Father's execution. Nothing moved, except the wagon pulled by eight horses. There was quietness, except for the gaits. The flowers and petals stuck in the air around the green-eyed beauty towards whom the horses were charging. The people stood frozen as glass idols and shattered into pieces when the horses ran over them. Sena raced with the horses, his only aim was to reach the beauty before the beasts. The runners reached the target at the same time, when Sena threw his hand and pulled the beauty towards him.

The surrounding returned back to normal when Sena held Suganthi in his arms. The rose petals mixed with sparks fell over them. Suganthi smiled at Sena before covering her emeralds with her eye-lids.

Sena met Sugnathi several times - around the market place, at the town center, on the harbour deck, in the garden of The House. She was surprised at how Sena found her each time. For her, it was like he was there, anywhere and everywhere. Sena smiled.

A week later, Suganthi and the town recovered from the blasts. She liked to walk with Sena around the streets, Sena encouraged more being on the unlit lanes.

Two weeks later, Suganthi introduced Sena to her family, friends and members of The House. She did not persuade him when he refused to enter the House of God, she just indicated, "You will one day, everyone will". Sena stood smiling.

The third week, Sena asked Suganthi why she had not enquired about him - who he was, where he was from, about his friends and family - those normal questions of curiosity. She took a step forward and replied, "You are before me, who else should I know about". Sena gazed at her eyes. He gently caught her wrist covered by her tender skin. She did not show any sign of disagreement. Sena kissed Suganthi.

A month later Mentor Manickkam visited Sena, their brief exchange disturbed him a lot, Sena sensed fear. At times his hands trembled. He felt being watched, even a slightest movement of the leaves on the tree panicked him. During the nights he heard foot-steps. "Time to move", he thought. He got up and went into the dark to find a place to live his love.

Sena proposed to Suganthi to live as husband and wife, to which she replied with tears of joy. Sunganthi and Sena moved to a mountain further inside the jungle. A small tribal group dwelling on their ancestral lands generously received the couple. Sena worked with the men and was vigilant round the clock, while Suganthi was half nurse, half peasant.

Slowly Sena started feeling secure. Eight months later, Suganthi gave brith to a girl. Sena entered the hut, Suganthi with a mild smile pointed with her eyes at the newborn lying next to her. Sena shivered when he saw the miniature Suganthi. He bent and lifted his daughter in his arms. He saw couple of infants before him, and his vision returned to normal when a tear drop fell down from his eye. His daughter was pretty, gifted with the same green eyes. She cried, a noise so devine in Sena's ears. She pedaled her legs, each kick on his chest brusted the bubbles of emotion. She started screaming on top of her tiny voice reddening herself - her face, her plams and her under-feet. Sena admired the dancing red doll in his hands. He brought his face close to her and kissed her apple cheeks. Reaching beside her small ears, he wishpered "Lalli".

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 5 - Seeds of Kochadaiiyaan

Sena

Episode 4 - Survival of Sena

Lullaby for Lalli

So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay. - Robert Frost

Lalli grew pretty every passing season. She posed a lot of questions. An evening, she came running inside the mud house. After a moment of silence, she startled her father, "Why are my eyes green and not just like the others". No explantion like 'you are my priceless valuable' from her father calmed her, she cried the whole night. The next day she ran out to play with her tribal friends as though yesterday was never present.

Holding the hands of her father, she stood waiting for her mother outside the Mountain Temple. "Like father, like daughter", annoyed Suganthi. They both mocked her when it came to matters of God. "If you go to the God House to pray, where will the God go to pray", the childish questions tickled her father, but angered her mother.

Once Sena saw Lalli sitting on the grass and pushing something. He approached his daughter and asked his Red Sponge what she was doing. Under her tiny fingers was a snail. She told her father that she was helping her friend to move faster. She expressed how wonderful it would be, if it had a wing. Sena hugged Lalli. He realised the impact of his dull life weighing over the small girl. She had seen only the mountains, nothing else. But Sena cannot take her anywhere else. He lifted his head and looked up at the blue sky, Lalli comfortably sitted on his laps with her head placed on his chest.

The "Malai Kadu Thiruvizha" happens once in a decade, where several tribal groups come together to celebrate the festival of thanksgiving to Mother Nature. Lalli did not stop asking questions about the festival. Moreover, she was curious to know why they were not packing for the journey, when the whole village was occupied in preparations. That night Suganthi, for the first time, requested Sena to take them to the Malai Kadu Thiruvizha.

"I have not asked you for anything as you have provided me with everything. This is for Lalli", she asked cuddling Sena's hair flowing over her laps. Sena closed his eyes.

Malai Kadu Thiruvizha was splendid. Most of the tribal members had gathered over a flat plain at the foot of a valley. There was food and drink all around, just like the smiling faces. Street shows for kids by clowns and humorists kept children running back and forth, and the adults dressed elegantly shared happy moments with each other. Lalli was excited, she became uncontrollable. She ran away the instant the lock around her wrist was released by her parent. Suganthi ran behind her. Sena smiled.

After a brief absence, Lalli and Suganthi came back to where Sena was chatting with the locals.

"Your daughter, your problem. I am leaving you both", she announced looking at Lalli. Sena did not argue, neither Lalli minded her mother's menace, but she seemed amused and excited with her wrist. Sena squatted before Lalli and kissed her cheek, she did not look back at him. In a cheerful voice, he gently asked Lalli to show him her wrist. Lalli brought her wrist forward, proudly exhibiting her new sticker tattoo to her father.

Sena's eyes widened, his ears were defeaned by the loud noises around him. His head was hammered deep with fear when he saw a furcifer, the colorful lizard symbol of Pachonthi, tattooed on Lalli's wrist. He quickly stood up and shouted frantically grabbing Suganthi by her arms "Where did she get that ?". He repeated himself hysterically. He moved back and behaved like a lunatic by banging the temple of his head with both hands. Before taking flight towards the center of the festival ground, Sena warned Suganthi to stay in that place and to hold Lalli firmly.

The sun was quickly setting. The laughter, the fun and frolic resembled demonic to Sena. The clowns danced around him, their masks no more looking funny. The performers wearing costumes from head to toe like peacock hopped around. The people disguised as horse riders ran in circles. In the gap, Sena searched for any sign of agents. He was unable to concentrate, eight years in hiding had made him weak, he was not able anticipate, when suddenly his head was covered by a dark cloth. He was being pulled, and dragged to a corner. A beat of a second later, a blow from an hard object landed on his head.

Sena opened his eyes and found himself lying on the ground. He pushed away the heavy object that had fallen on him. When he got up, he saw the horror. Sena was completely soaked in blood. The object that he had pushed was a corpse. Everyone who had come to the festival were lying scattered all over the ground, floating on their own blood. Sena advanced in terror calling out for Lalli. He stumbled and fell down just beside a cadaver with wide opened green eyes. He quickly moved back blaberring incomprehensible words. He crawled towards Suganthi and weeped by touching her. He did not have the guts to close her eye lids, but sat their watching her lifeless eyes. Realisation struck him again that he looked for his daughter desperately shouting out her name, when he noticed her tiny little finger protruding from behind her mother. He liberated Suganthi's hand still holding to her daughter and what he found under his wife extinguished the flame of life inside him, that blood leaked out of his nose.

Sena neither moved nor cried, he just kept staring at the dry tears running down his daughter's cheeks. He could feel her pain, the agony was wounding him. He tried to wake her up by pushing her gently. She did no respond. He sat falt on the ground and lifted his daughter to put her on his laps. He sat holding on to his Lalli; he cleaned her face between gentle kisses trying to wipe out her dry tears.

கன்னத்தில் முத்தமிட்டால், உள்ளந்தான் கள்வெறி கொள்ளுதடீ.
உன் கண்ணில் நீர்வழிந்தால், என்நெஞ்சில் உத்திரங் கொட்டுதடி.

[Kanathil Mutham Ittal, Ullamthan Kalvery Kolluthadi.
Un Kannil Neer Vazhinthal, En neenjil uthiram kotudadi.]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUrwH7dBaRI

Sena broke down and wept, screaming wordlessly at the darkness above.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 5 - Seeds of Kochadaiiyaan

Sena

Episode 5 - The Journey of Truth

The Enigma of the Mind

"Naan Unnai Neenga Maattaen, Neenginaal Thoonga Maattaen" - The Poet King Vaali

Sena woke up completely drenched in sweat. He dreamt himself to be in the company of Suganthi and while admiring her beauty, Lalli came running towards them. She abruptly stopped mid-way, the white frock around her chest started to turn red. She looked at her father with trembling lips and tears in her eye, while the stain was slowly crawling all around her dress. Sena ran towards his daughter and when he reached Lalli, a monstrous flamming face with red snake eyes hanged itself inbetween him and her. Sena opened his eyes. He shivered violently. The nightmares were back.

In peak hours of the night, Sena sat weeping in the dark on the floor of his home, when a cat settled down by the small window. It seemed restless and suddenly panicked and jumped away. Sena reached for Arha, the sword that was handed over to him by his Father, dry blood still stuck to its blade. Sena walked out of the hut and looked sharply into the night. He heard movements, footsteps over dry leaves. Creeping from the ill-lit surrounding, about twenty human figures with hooded mask cricled Sena. An ambush, Sena gripped Arha. A black clothed stranger attacked him first with a long pole. Sena was suprised; not by the strike but the charge which confirmed Sena that they were not Agents. He elegantly blocked the force from the stick with his empty hand, at the same time spun Arha into the air and caught on to its blade when it landed back on his palm. He pushed the pouncer with the handle of his weapon, caring not to wound the amature fighter. Swinging his sword in reverse, Sena chased away the fake ninjas, except one. He pulled his temporary prisoner by his collar and removed the hood covering his face. He was startled to see a tribe teenage lad under the mask.

"You were present at the Malai Kadu Thiruvizha, I ..., I know you", Sena said with assertion, then he let him loose, cleaned his clothes and begged to him, asking what had happened the previous evening. As soon as Sena released him, the youngster escaped into the jungle. Sena chased him, but he was quicker than Sena. Sena yelled.

Nothing made sense to Sena. First, all the corpse before him along with his love and Red Sponge. Next, Arha floating in a blood bath - since the night at the woods saved by a stranger from his kidnappers, Sena had not seen Arha. Now he is standing holding it again, he had no clue how Arha had found him. Moreover, he wondered why the tribals should attack him while he was sure they had come to kill him. There is only one way, he had to find out who had blacked him out during the festival and Sena knew that the key to unlock the path was present inside his mind.

Sena beleived that his unstable mind should have captured an existance even when he was blinded. Sena reached his shelter, sat in a corner and tried to concentrate by closing his eyes in order to shut himself from the present world, but all he could recollect was horror mixed with agony which distrubed his constantly. Unable to focus, Sena stromed out accepting his defeat.

In the unilluminated time, Sena saw a distant illumination, he crossed the darkness to reach the House of God - "You will one day, everyone will", Suganthi's voice echoed in his ears.

Inside the House of God, a pleasant calmness took over him. He was at ease when he closed his eyes, and after a brief moment he heard the whisper of the candle flame. His mind transported him to the events that occured to him at the festival :

Sena saw himself searching for agents admist dancing clowns, peacocks and horse riders. Two hands launched a dark pouch over his head. His back struck on a rigid plate - the fake horse body dress. The one who had blinded Sena was disguised as a horse rider. Sena felt coldness around a small area of his neck, the person was wearing a bangle, copper maybe.

One hand - the left one - pushed him from the front. The push was hard but something soft envelopped the pusher's hand - the peacock disguise.

Sena heard foot steps, - two people were marching - the ones who had pulled him along. A third stepping joined, which should belong to an aged person; Sena heard shells clanging - a lady. She was preparing something as her movement back and forth seemed tensed. Through the tiny holes of the cloth covering his face, Sena saw a fragile hand holding a small bottle. An eye was floating inside the flacon. It blinked, the same time Sena's head was hit by something hard.

Blackout. A while after, Sena felt hot, too heated up than the scorching sun.

Sena confrimed the presence of three people - two men and a wicked female, who had involved themselves to capture him at the Malai Kadu Thiruvizha. He doubted the woman to be a part of the Guild, but the grip of the other two strangers was certainly a trained one from Pachonthi. Sena stood staring at the emptiness before him. He steadily walked out of the House of God.

The shepherd boy sat on the rock surrounded by his sheeps who were feeding on the pastures. He raised his head to check for the person who was launching stones at him. Another pebble landed right on the back of his head. Angered, he swung around, his gaze rested on nothing particular. When he truned again, a bearded stranger in light red clothes was standing before him.

"You were not that hard to find, Kid", Sena tried to be friendly. He put his left leg on the rock and placing his hand over his knees, Sena bent close to be face to face with the scared shepherd boy and said in a menancing voice, "I am listening".

The only survivor from the festival massacre narrated the horrors he had witnessed to Sena :

The celebrations went on peacefully until the evening. He had met Sena along with his father whom the Flamming Monster had later slayed mercilessly before his own eyes. Under the setting sun, when the torch were lit, many woman and children gathered to prepare for the 'agal vilakku' (mud lamp) decoration, when the beast showed it's ugly face. Many tired to escape but were chased and crushed by the devil with red serpent eyes. He had managed to roll over staying motionless under the piles of dead bodies. After hours of painful cries and screams, silence restored itself in the valley and he had ran back to his village.

"Monsters don't exist Kid. It is us who make demons out of ourselves", Sena assured to the blinking youngster.

"Did you witness the fate of my wife and child", questioned Sena, to which the teenager shock his head no.

After a deep breathe Sena asked him whether he recognised the Flaming Monster, and the shepherd boy nodded his head yes with tears spilling from his eyes and running down his cheeks. Sena waited a beat and then asked him where he could find the barbarian who had savaged the innocent people.

The sheperd boy hesitantly raised his hand and pointed his finger directly at Sena.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 5 - Seeds of Kochadaiiyaan

Sena

Episode 5 - The Journey of Truth

Burning Dreams

Sena sat flat before the two headstones place over the ground grave of his wife and daughter. On the head stone of Suganthi was carved :

பார்க்கு மரங்கலெல்லாம், நின்றன் பச்சைநிறந் தோன்றுதையே [parkku marangalellam, ninran pachai niram thonrudaiye]

All my sins melt like the mist when you shine

Over the marker of Lalli, Sena sculpted :

மார்பில் அணிவதற்கே, உன்னைப்போல் வைர மணிக ளுண்டோ [Marbil anivadharke, unnnaipol vaira manikal undo]

Will join you when everything is right, That I promise, to be with you before you turn off the light

He did not punctuate his sorrow with a dot in the texts of the inscription tombstones.

Sena had not yet come in terms with reality, a wall of guilt surrounded him, and he knew that only avenge can shater the iniquity. He returned back to the valley where the carnival turned into a carnage. There were few stiff bodies still lying over the ground - either a whole family tree had been uprooted that no one was left to pay them their last respects or their relatives were scared to walk into the soil feed with blood.

Sena looked around him. There were a hand full of curved creatures crawling over the corpses, one looked directly at him with its scarry face and big eyebrowless eyes - there was no sign of hair on it and it barely had anything to cover its body. Few more rambling deformed bodilies joined the staring quadruped and they all slowly moved forward towards Sena, their creepy sneak defined frightening. Sena gripped Arha which was attached to his Pachonthibelt, but released it's hold when he noticed that the advancing group were not critters but humans. They assembled four-footed around Sena, he could clearly see the gore lavishly exercised on them. One of them spoke in monoword manner between heavy breathing :

"Food." (she made a food hand gesture) ; (pointing at the food court, she uttered) "No Food" ; (placing her finger behind to show the mountain, she said) "People." ; (she bit her half teeth, air gushed out in her voice and she talked effusively) "Wicked Woman".

No tears ran from her eyes, eventhough she looked genuinely sad. Sena was disheartened. What more horrors were these jungles hiding ? Sena thought. The group moved further away from Sena and disappered into the thick forest.

Sena started to unearth the truth behind the massacre from the place from where it all had began. He stood at the center from where he had been pulled away by firm hands. He retraced the path which led him into a small hut, where he took note of the corner he had been knocked-out. He identified small foot prints on the ground, following which he was standing before a broken bark of a tree used as a bench. Under it, lying on tha ground Sena found a Bleeding Tooth seashell. Pocketing it, Sena examined the heavy footprint that started from the nook leading him straight outside into the area of slaughter.

When he was out the hut, the strong foot mark spread everywhere on the ground before him, which angered Sena knowing that it was his own footsteps.

Sena wandered the ground aimlessly, just like how the cursed crawlers were roaming a while back. Sena searched everything but did not find any other clue from the crime area. Sitting flat on the ground surrounded by cadavre, Sena contemplated Flaming Monster, as described by the shepherd kid.

"If he was the killer, how can he be ablaze and still alive", Sena got up at once and hurried towards the food court.

To his suprise surplus foodstuffs and refreshments were lying on the table, but the deformed beings informed him that there was no food. Looking at the state of the items it struck to Sena, "No Food" meaning non consumable. None of the eatables, fruits & meat, had signs of deterioration nor they were flies and inscects feeding on them. But most of the food items had a trace of white sediments over their surface.

Sena wished his primary analysis untrue. He took a hand full of water and smelled from it, that confirmed the contamination of psilocybin mushroom. The presence of psychedelic substance in the ailments provoked the white powdery coating over them. The psychoactive drug can be easily extracted from the shromps that grew deeper in the jungle, that had acted as an agent to provoke hallucination amoung all those who had consumed even a bit of the food or water in the festival, they all saw Sena ablaze as the Flaming Monster.

The dosage was a mix with some other psycho enhancing product to create a collective hallucination as every victim should have seen the same scary image. Morevover, Sena was sure of not being affected by the shroom effect. He should have been under the influence of another highly vunerable and violent drug which gave him strength and came with a side effect by damaging his memory cells.

"Who could produce such a hallucinogen capable of producing such an effect, being both stimulant as well as excitant", Sena pondered and when the revelation occured, Sena's eyes opened wide as he recollected the words of the cursed crawlers "Wicked Women" - The Witches.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 5 - Seeds of Kochadaiiyaan

Sena

Episode 5 - The Journey of Truth

Did you Know ? - Knowing will not solve griefs.

Agent One was in a hurry that he fumbled while packing his affairs from the safe house. The Guild was no more operational and the abandoned agents were on the run. A tiny noise from below scared the nervous Agent One. Taking a torch light he stepped down the tree house using the rope ladder. Digging out from his pocket, he took four sharp long nails and inserted them in the gaps between the fingers of his fist, the pointers facing outwards. He moved forward cautiously around the bushes. Out of the dark a face came to light. He instantly recognised the visage of Legendary Baasha.

"Did you Know ?" Baasha questioned, calmly.

"The Guild is no more Baa ...", before Agent One could finish his sentence, a sharp blade sliced his stomach. He fell on his knees holding his blood flooding abdomen and a while later, fell facedown to the ground.

Earlier, Sena had rode to the Panchonthi camp on Nameless. Half way through the line of dense trees which were standing as gaurds for the Guild's camp, Sena felt blazing heat hitting his face. Sena settled on the hill top watching the University for Assassin aflame. As envisioned by himself, the Panchothi had abandoned their post. Sena camped for the next two days watching the Guild burning itself into ashes. On the third day, he walked around the Panchonthi base holding Nameless. The encampment was finely and thoroughly cleared, but Sena was glad about one thing, it was not an explosion that created the fire.

Agent Four was trying hard to blend in with the crowd, the thought that he did not know anything else than killing, frightened him, when a tranquil voice spoke to him from behind, "Did you know?"

"Know what ... ?", he agitated. A sharp object tore his skin and pierced his flesh, drilling itself further into his spinal cord. A painful death.

Sena hunted down and murdered every single Agent who were trying to take asylum in any of the five Kingdoms. He interrogated each one to find out if anyone knew anything about the involvement of the Guild in the Malai Kadu Thiruvizha killings. Few gave him names, others locations of other Agents and some spoke about a secret mission handled directly by the teachers and specialists.

Kali was arranging the explosives and other related accessories inside his workbox on a bench at his secret cabin in the woods. From the corner of his eye, he noticed an uninvited visitor standing behind him. He turned, got to his knees, took and kissed the hands of Baasha. Sena left unspoken.

Agent 32, with pen name Winged Viper, was the last few specialists left. He was the master mind behind several Pachonthi operations. A former student of the Guild, he was a close assosiate to the Emperror himself. After completing several contracts for Pachonthi, Winged Viper was now a spy disguised in aristocratic attire bringing contracts for the Guild, thus he held several secrets as he interacted directly with the contractors. Sena had worked with Winged Viper during couple of assassination missions, particularly when a contract was pulled on the Cheif of Security by his own subordinate ; Winged Viper had arranged for all the keys to unlock the Cheif's mansion so that Sena could sneak in & out without leaving a trace of force entry which made the murder look like a suicide.

Winged Viper was dining with his wife and three years old son. The menu was delicious. After dinner, he thanked his wife for the meal and requested her to accompany their son to bed. The child kissed his father good night.

Once his wife and child left the room, Winged Viper addressed at no one in particular, "You can come out now".

Sena walked from the darkly lit portion of the room and sat before Winged Viper.

"Thank you for waiting, Baasha", Winged Viper said without remorse. Sena maintained quietude.

"So that's it then. Can I know if there is any way present to continue breathing ?" Silence was the best reply Winged Viper got from Sena. A brief moment later, he started to talk, "There were many files. Each dossier was confidential and known only by the Agent appointed for the mission. But the heading was same on all these files - Code Name : Baasha."

Winged Viper was courteous with Sena, he offered him a drink. Silence. He continued, "The Guild was monitoring you from the day you had quit. Several agents were involved in surveillance activities. I was consulted initially over the monitoring, but five years back, Cipher took over an important operation led directly by the Mentor himself. From then on, the flow of informations about the operation stopped and the Guild became tight-lipped about the entrie clean-up procedure."

Silence.

"So, my story ends here", Winged Viper told softly between his shivering lips, a reaction to his watery eyes.

The wife of Agent 32 left out a heavy scream when she found her husband lying face down on the table over his own blood. Winged Viper's eyes were closed.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 5 - Seeds of Kochadaiiyaan

Sena

Episode 5 - The Journey of Truth

Rounding up Cipher

Sena crossed on the rooftops against the setting sun. He settled on top of building giving him the view of the embankment main deck area of harbour. Several passengers were permitting themselves inside a huge passenger vessel while workers were occupied in loading and unloading shipments. At a distance Sena surveilled a timidly walking short man. The target had stopped at couple of junctions, all the while Sena had been following him from the aerial point. After short discussion with few of the locals, the stranger cautiously walked towards the embarkment and took a place behind a long line of travellers. He constantly looked around him and when he turned to his back, Sena stood up over the hip roof of his surveillance point. Seeing the form standing with the hands in the hip and staring directly at his way, the scared passenger pushed the few around him and started to race through the crowed harbour's platform.

Sena chased Cipher. He elegantly ran across the roof and using the poles and pile of stocks, he descended to the ground and continued his pursuit. Cipher pushed a crate on the path behind him and Sena hurdled over it without taking his eyes of the target. From a crowded corner, several men joined behind Cipher. Sena knew it was a trap, Cipher had hired mercenaries to keep himself safe from him. Sena followed the group dodging the items thrown at him by the running men. They all entered the shipyard. Further down the wodden floor planks lined with boats, yatches and wrecked ships, was the large wooden ship construction warehouse. The group with Cipher entered into a huge wooden ship building workshop where immense floating vessels of war, like schooner, frigates and brigs, were designed and manufactured. Sena came after the men and stood in the middle of the grand hall surrounded by Cipher's minions. A half built keelson on schooner ship was occupying the other part of the hall, further to which was an open deck to float away the finished vessels.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4968&d=1458747014
(Photo From Penobscot Marine Museum : 1917 schooner ship building at Penobscot Bay. It took 12 years to complete this ship and it was set sail in 1930)

Sena anticipated every strike of the goons by landing his fist firmly on their neck. The fallen fighters crawled back and slowly got up, preparing themselves for round two. Few managed to take the tools left behind by the ship builders, others settled with borken logs in their hands while the rest were making boxing bounce step around Sena. A man with the hammer in his hand charged at Sena. Sena used the quickness of his attacker by holding his charging hand and spinning him in the air, slowly guiding him to hit the floor ; hitting the ground, the man became motionless.

Two fighters attacked at the same time, and Sena used their own weapons, a sharp chisel and a gimet respectively, to discharge them from the brawl - the chisel into the shoulder by bending the arm and puncturing the right eye with the gimet. The violence provoked fear amoung the rest. Cipher climbed upon the battens - the long strip of wood in the ship's hull, and settled himself on the metacenter - the point of intersection between two vertical lines. He carefully crossed the ship's body to reach the other side and try to escape through the open deck.

Using the riggings (wire ropes), Sena quickly got over the hatch beam and entered the main body of the ship. Soon the rest of the mercenaries climbed on to the vessel. Going under the beam stanchion, Sena ran over the wooden ribs and caught Cipher. With one efficient pull he hung the short man by his collar to the oarlock and then turned to face his aggressive pursuers. Sena picked up a long pole which was hanging on the stringer (a fore and aft member used to give the ship a longitudinal strength). With the long pole, Sena efficiently slapped any fighter approaching to rescue Cipher ; some lost their teeth, lip of a few were tore apart and the rest fell down from the vessel with a cut mark on their cheek.

Sena fought each one of them inside the half built vessel sending every single fighter down to the ground. He then released Cipher and when they both reached the corner of the workshop, the mercenaries had picked up the wounded and ran way. Sena pulled two chairs and placed them opposite to each other. He sat on one and motioned Cipher to take the other. A bit hesitant, Cipher settled opposite to Sena and sat taking an hunched position by pressing his elbows on his laps to face the floor.

"I got time", Sena spoke, calmly, "but you got none. Choose wisely Cipher, anyway you are dying here".

Cipher had his head hung down when he replied, "The Emperror is involved, you can do nothing Baasha". Sena furrowed, but sat in silence.

"I don't have the answer to all your questions, you know how the Guild fonctions, but I was the one who had spent three years to find the trios of witches who were known as Sisters of Fate." Cipher coughed, blood leaked from his mouth and dripped onto the floor. He lifted his head and looked directly at Sena's eyes. "That was my ticket to become a tutor at Pachonthi", he said with repentance.

"Sasuke and Mora are the gaurdian sisters of the Goddess Witch Dhavoma. There are no records her, but the folkore says Dhavoma had been living for centuries. I did not beleive too, until, I met her, well a peculiar sort of a meeting I would say", Cipher infered.

"It was not easy to find either of the witches, Baasha, until they come looking for you. They practiced various witchy attributes including hosting, sorcery and preparing nectars from poisonous plants. One evening a boy asked me why I was enquiring about Susuke and her sisters. Learning that I had a message for them, he took me into a crooked lane where he took the street to the left. When I made the bend, the boy was absent and replaced by a lady who introduced herself as Susuke. After travelling blind folded with her, we reached a place further behind the Grand Mountains. Susuke took me to Mora, who lived in a tree bark, and then one evening the spinners of fate surrounded me," confessed Cipher.

"I was sleeping and then I was in a place I had never been before, I remember my dream. I carried Dhavoma the message from the Emperror, it was a cryptic letter. Yes, curiosity bent me to open the sealed scroll, but I failed to comprehend what was written", Cipher told to Sena.

After a pause, he asked Sena, "Did you know, the Emperor was a former student of the Guild and apart from you, he was the one amoung the two to have come out alive from the dungeon ?"

Sena maintained silence.

Cipher continued, "Once the message was passed, I re-opened my eyes. I was sure I was dreaming, but the missing scroll confirmed to me the reality. Then, I never heard from them and Master Manicknam was glad about the mission's outcome. A month later the tragedy at the festival happened."

He checked the unblinking person before him and with a fixed regard, Cipher spoke to Sena, "You have all the right not to beleive me,when I say I was just a letter carrier. I really was not aware of anything more. What happened is unforgivable, I stand guilty for the crime I had committed unknowningly, Baasha". Cipher immediately brought his eyes to the ground.

"My final mission was to burn down the Guild's camp and wait for further instruction from the Mentor. A warning was sent to all Agents to keep an watchout for you", concluded Cipher.

Sena stood up and neared Cipher. "Forgive me, Baasha, that I have sinned under the influence of avaritia", regreted Cipher. Sena wanted to talk something but just allowed his blade to pardon Cipher.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 5 - Seeds of Kochadaiiyaan

Sena

Episode 5 - The Journey of Truth

The Wandering Stanger

Many questions lingered in Sena's mind :

Why the Emperor ? Was Emperor 'The Poet', the owner of the empty file found beside his dossier in the Guild's record room ? Who could be the third tutee who had made out of the dungeons ?

How to find the Sisters of Fate ? If Cipher met Susuke in a town, was she united in the soceity ? Mora at the back of the mountains - was that the place pointed by the crawling humans at valley ? Dhavoma, does she exist ?

I come soon, Red SPonge, but where are you ? Don't hide too deep making it difficult for me to join you.

Sena was seated on the floor surrounded by trees. He had placed his left wrist on the handle of Arha which was positioned vertical to the ground, its sharp pointer rigidly stuck to the mud floor. His eyebrows moved to the whispers of the leaves. He blinked at the cool breeze combing his hair while his eyelids were shut. His ears were attentive to the flight of the butterflies. His patterned breathing alligned with the heart's rhythm. His mouth's edges curved to a smile and a soft snore escaped his lips. Sena was at ease - a working mind, all senses active and the body at rest.

'Follow the tracks to follow the prey to find the predator', Sena opened his eyes.

Thus, Sena walked in the woods, crossed the jungles and roamed through thick forests visiting tribal colonies, traveller's dens, hillside villages and towns around the Central Kingdom to gather information about the Emperor and the Witches, inorder to gain knowledge about their involvement in the tragedy of his life. In his journey, Sena witnessed the sad version of a Royal Kingdom, where the cities and metropolitan flourished while the roots of the region suffered. He slowly came face to face with the cruelty of the Emperor - the one feared by all, loved by none.

The Listening Post

Sena entered a silent village. He walked on the narrow lane bordered by tiny houses descending into the town. Few kids were playing on the path and the elders were lethargically carrying out their day's activities. In front of each hut, a wooden post was planted in the ground, and on each pole there was a atleast one human ear hanging loosely to a nail. Few houseflies circled around the dry blood. Sena checked few other pillars, some were pinned with more than one ear. He looked at an aged man sitting outside his house watching the long wooden stem before him. Sena noted that the senior was one-eared. He enquired to him about his missing ear, and he silently pointed his finger at the one nailed to the post.

An young lady came out of the house. She offered water to Sena and with teary eyes informed him, "Our chief, along with few other men, refused to listen to the Emperor. The King's demande was to vacate our ancestral land and move down further deep inside the forest. One day, six masked and armored demons marched into our peaceful village. They planted a post in front of each house. They threatened, chased and caught every leader or a man from each family and nailed their ear to the pole". She stopped and took time to breathe. Sena waited patiently.

She continued, "They ordered us, the women and children, not to approach their punished husband and father. They called the pole "The Listening Post". The victims rested for more than a week without food or water holding to their auditory organ. We sat down around them weeping from dusk to dawn until dusk. Finally we all gave up. The men chopped off their own ear that was nailed to the post. The masked devils came just after our men seperated the ear from their head. They warned us to leave the ear on the pole, as a reminder to always listen to the Emperor of Emperors". She began to sob. The description of the masked squad matched the bodygaurds of the Emperor whom Sena had seen at the town center the day after his Father's execution.

"Why are you people still here", questioned Sena. "It would take more than a ear to make us quit our ancestrial lands", the woman replied courageously wiping the tears flowing down her cheek. "Soldiers visit us regularly and pin one of the male's ear to the pole. Last time they warned that the children's turn would arrive soon when the men had no more ears to lend", sorrow crossed her face when she had finished.

Sena left the silent village in silence.

A cat called Satan

A violent storm of terrifying whrilwinds swept through the terrible lands of the Central Kingdom. Drenched in the rain that was pouring down like a water from the bucket, Sena was glad to find a settlement at the foot of an hill. The townlet looked deserted. Between the lightning strikes, he saw a white-spotted cat standing at the small town squre not minding the rain. The wild cat stared back at Sena. Covering his head with the hands, Sena jogged to seek shelter inside any of the dark households. Strangely, all the windows were completely sealed. The doors were shut without any gap, either above or underneath. Sena marched quickly to the backyard when he heard a cow mooing. The cowshed was entirely locked down with animals inside. Moreover, no sign of cattle food was around the stables. Sena infered the same with the poultry den. A village wholely locked down.

Finally, after few rounds around the tiny town, Sena took sanctuary in the abandoned Place of God at the corner of the plaza. Spider webs spread all over the atrium and thick dusty cobwebs surrounded the Structure at the altar. Dry leaves had sneaked inside and the place was leaking. Sena passed the night at the enterance, watching the cat circling the town center. A while later he closed his eye.

At dawn, the cat was gone. The town looked brisk with villagers walking around and greeting each other, but no one seemed to mind the presence of Sena standing at the Place of God. Sena stopped an hurrying man and asked him about the cat which was roaming around the village at night.

"Satan", replied the villager, calmly, "left behind by the witch doctor. She came to our assitance when our cattle were sick. Soon she had left, we found the cat circling our village. First, the chicken died, then the lambs, followed by an effect of lameness on milk production in dairy cows. The witch doctor returned and things turned to normal. Few days after her visit, the cattles died. Slowly we realised that Satan was bringing sickness and death to our village, but it was too late already. Our little girls started to get the symptoms of asthma and delusional psychosis. By experience, we learnt that any in contact with the cat went unwell. We could not chase the cat away, Satan always came back after dark, but we stopped consulting the Witch doctor. After locking ourselves, the syndrome stopped happening", saying so, the man left to do whatever he was in a hurry to do.

Sena left the prisoned village quietly.

Three Blind Priests - The Fate of Oliwechu

The hooded stranger sat by the campfire. Beside him on both sides were the crippled and at the begining of the circle before him were the 3 priests of the Oliwechu Tribe. Every face, except the stranger's, was not only missing hope but some flesh and even parts. The priests, one by one, spoke the Tales of Terror to the stranger, the words that the jungles can only whisper.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 5 - Seeds of Kochadaiiyaan

Sena

Episode 5 - The Journey of Truth

Father's Gifts

"Do you believe in Prophecy, Stranger", asked the Blind Priest.

An instant later, the Dumb Priest said, "If you had nodded your head, we wouldn't know Stranger."

"No", Sena said firmly, realising that he was sitting with three eyeless elders.

"Time to believe, youngman, time has come for you to embrace the truth", annonced the Deaf Priest.

"Few men walked into Oliwhechu about twenty-five years back. They called themselves the Alwars", narrated the Priest. He then stood up. The other two chiefs got to their feet too. Without uttering another word, the three walked out of the hut. Sena quickly followed them.

" 'Oliwechu will loose its light, and when twelve men pass by, a stranger will arrive.' - they prophesied", said the elderly Priest. "To Hope you will handle the Father's Gift.", he conlcuded what the Alwars had instructed them, gesturing with an open palm to direct Sena towards a chest at the corner of another small room they had just entered.

Sena starred at the small trunk before him.

"We became blind, Oliwechu future was estingusighed", repented the Priest. "Twelve men visited us last season. Kids amused that they drank from the same bowl. None of the aged visitors spoke, but while leaving they spoke to no one in particular - 'And in the battle of three, only one will stand'.

"Now you are here, the Stranger had arrived too. Its upto you to open this keyless trunk", saying so the Three Blind Priests left, leaving Sena with the Gift from his Father.

Sena examined the safe box before him. It was rectagular, with carvings on it which seemed like faces attached together. He counted flawlessly 70 faces carved on the box. A body of a snake ran over the faces. He examined carefully the Path of the Serpent, the viper was connecting all the head and finally attaching them to a single Head clipped with a Trident on its hairdo. Sena identified his Father. He followed the snake-line and his fingers reached the centre. He pushed the controlling face with his thumb and the chest clicked open.

There were three objects inside the treasure box. A compass, a small collapsible telescope and a dagger. Sena removed the sharp bladed weapon from the box. It sat cold on his palm, the seventh precious item of his Father that no one spoke about.

Sena examined the dagger carefully before placing it on the ground. He removed the compass and beleived that the needles were stuck. He watched through the monocular which failed to project the images with clarity. And at the bottom of the box, there was a tiny booklet. He flipped the leaf of the thin book, it carried many images inside and in the last page there was a message from his Father that piqued his interest to go through the booklet attentively. The message read :

"All shall pass, with Kilaka inside your Mudra, all must pass"

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4985&d=1459250707
(Kilaka, Sanskrit name for a dagger)

Kilaka was a mystical weapon for subduing demons and exorcising their souls from their temporary body inside which it had been hiding to survive. The dagger was beside the infant lying over a Bed of Beli leaves found by the local hunters. It was fierce and sharp that even his Father's personel aide Shama was afraid to even look at it.

Kilaka was divided into 3 Parts - upper was called Head ; middle part named Shank, which was the holder; and attached from the Shank was known as Blade.

It was made with unique elements, each part cheseled out from the materials found in the three worlds. It's basically an alloy of metals emiting special properties and encrusted scared gems and stones.

The Head of Kilaka held three faces called the Makara, representing the three worlds (also three directions : West, Center, East ; left eye, third eye, right eye ; Past, Present, Future). The visages were simulateously crowned by Hayagreva, the Defender of Hope, an areil horse. Symetrically below, three blades cames out simultaneously wrapped around by serpent spirits called Naga from each of Makara's mouth, acting as a passage in and out of the respective world. The Shank was the grip where the Makara and the Blade served as the pommel and gaurd respectively. The physical touch on the Shank transmits belief onto the holder.

Kilaka was a usual dragger that draws blood with its sharp blades, but its mystical power can only be evoked with devine words called Kilamantra. The seraphic expression was the chant of two allegorical words - "Gatam Gataha" - meaning 'Past stays in the Past', where 'Gatam' prohibits the return of the soul into the departed world ; and 'Gataha' forces the reunification of the soul within its respective world.

Kilamantra should be accompanied with a hand gesture called Apana Mudra - the tip of the middle and ring fingers should be joined with the tip of the thumb ; Other fingers should be kept straight. The mudra denotes elimination.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4986&d=1459250716
(Apana Mudra)

The body's life pumping organ, the heart, must be struck with Kilaka by holding the dragger's shank inside the gap created by the middle and ring fingers of Apana Mudra, at the same time Kilamantra should be uttered inorder to liberate the soul assuring that it does not re-enter into the living world again.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4987&d=1459250722
(Holding Kilaka inside Apana Mudra)

When the process is done correctly, Kilamantra arrests the soul and sends it back to its World of Origin. As the passage between the worlds were closed, the soul entry was only possible with Kilaka and it stays in the arrested world for rest of its judgement period.

Sena went through Europa, the lens which sees through time and read about Chakora, the compass that showed the destination. The abilty of all the three mystical items depends on the person who handled them - The Special One. Sena was the Son of the Father.

Hugging to his Father's gift around his belt, Sena mounted on Nameless to find the Sister's of Fate.

Somewhere in an undisclosed place, The Poet wrote to Vettaiyan and the Emperor received the crypted message on the bench in his Palace Garden :

He sees through the hoods,
And roams around the woods.
He comes from far,
And seeks nothing but war.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 5 - Seeds of Kochadaiiyaan

Sena

Episode 5 - The Journey of Truth

Brain is an Educational Toy

Sena was lying down on the grass under a tree beside a lake. Nameless was feeding on the pastures. He took the heavy dagger and juggled it between his hands. The dagger was cold each time he caught it. He took out the compass and to his suprise it was showing a direction, a destination he was not intended to take as he was heading to the town where Cipher had met Susuke. He pocketed the compass and looked through the telescope, the images were obscure. He turned his head while still peeping through Europa, when he saw two beautiful girls seated on the lawn. He moved the monocular away and looked at the direction with his naked eyes, there was no one before him. When he brought the telescope back, the pretty girls appeared. Sena stood up and walked to the spot and found two coccinellidaes beside each other between the grass.

With a wicked smile, Sena turned to capture Nameless under Europa, he saw a snail. Sena laughed, the fastest animal in all the Kingdoms was a snail. Curiosity made Sena walk towards the pond. He saw his own reflection with his third eye. He noticed a blurred image over the water, a form of his father but only one third was clear. He slowly moved the scope upwards and was startled to see a huge lake monster approaching towards him protruding its tiny sharp teeth. Dropping Europa, Sena fell back onto the ground, trying to crawl backwards as fast as he could. A quacking multi colored duck swam towards him.

Susuke, The Mind Controlling Witch

Sena mounted on Nameless and rode to the direction Chakora was pointing at. They reached a small village with a busy market place. Sena took a bench opposite to a candy shop and watched the happy faces of the kids. He placed the compass on the bench beside him which was spining restlessly. A small boy approached Sena licking his candy bar. Sena eyed the compass which had steadied itself and was pointing at the boy. Sena smiled.

"Are you new to the town, Mister", the innocent boy asked Sena courteously.

"Yes, Susuke", replied Sena.

The boy ran away abandoning his candy bar at the feet of the Mister. Sena lethargically got up, picked up his affairs from the bench and slowly followed the needle of his compass. Few minutes later, he reached a tiny settlement which looked deserted. The people were looking sad and unenthusiastic. Sena waited calmly by the town center. In the peak of the night, Sena saw a thick mist slowly creeping inside the village. The fog moved as a blanket over the villagers who were sleeping outside. They reacted with a severe long-lasting shiver when the haze moved over them. Sena noticed a pungent odor floating like a kite in the air. Sena closed his eyes and voluntarily breathed-in the contaminated vapour.

The little feet made their mark on the ground covered with snow. Each step landed softly than the showering snow flakes. The girl, hopping around in her frock, turned back to see the distance from her chaser. She smiled. The man chasing her finally caught up with her. He kneeled before her and admired her pearl-eye stained with little green sphere.

"Are you ready, my father", she asked him.

Thunder resounded across the skies.

'Not yet, Lalli, not now', replied Sena.

Within a the blink of an eye, an ugly form with no teeth or hair flew past him shouting in rage. It did not understand how Sena had overcome her attack against his mind. Kilaka was getting warmer in Sena's hand, Susuke was nearby. When the dagger was hot, Sena knew that the witch was close behind him. He fixed Kilaka inside the Mudra and stabbed her heart chanting the Kilamantra.

Carrying the head of Susuke, Sena re-entered the deserted village and when her head burnt on the post at the towncenter, the people gained back thier lost hope, re-established by The Hunter of the Wicked.

Mora, The Witch Doctor

Sena sat on top of a tree behind the Grand Mountains. He was watching the white-spotted cat brushing itself on the bark of the tree. He looked through Europa which revealed to Sena a tall and aged lady pealing the tree skin. She was verifying each piece she had torn, either by smelling them or biting them between her gapped tooth. She then pocketed a selected few, the rest she threw them away.

Sena smiled at Satan.

Sena jumped behind Mora. The wild cat was suprised and let out a fierce purr. Sena starred back at the wild cat, his eyes sent shivers down Satan's spine.

Mora lauched a vicious attack on Sena by leaping towards him. Sena dodged her attack. But Mora did not stop on landing, she fleed. Sena chased Mora on the ground and on the run, he gradually mounted onto the tree-tops using the dead trunks and broken branches to elevate him. He continued to pursue Mora by jumping from a branch to another crossing them elegantly while being always above the absconding wild cat. Mora reached the end of the cliff and tried hard to halt. She came to stop after wounding her left back leg. She turned immediately and limped back the way she had come. She had lost her way in the panic.

The Witch Doctor abruptly stopped and looked up when she felt a current of air descending from above. Sena was mid air. He had jumped from the tree-top and was now rocketing towards the trapped cat. He removed Kilaka from his hip belt and placed it inside his Mudra before landing on Mora and tearing her back with the sharp blade allowing itself to enter into her heart. When the dagger pierced her heart, Sena pronounced his action with the Kilamantra.

Satan took to its original form, a witch in her black robe was floating on her own blood before Sena.

The people of several villages experienced the sun to be burning brighter that day. The heat was radical. That evening cool breeze swept the prisoned villages and the dwellers found that their daughters and young girls in the family were no more affected by any sort of illness. Hope filled their lives anew.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 5 - Seeds of Kochadaiiyaan

Sena

Episode 5 - The Journey of Truth

Dhavoma (Part - 1/2)

The Shadow of Time

Sena sat across the bar watching the pretty barmaid. The young lady seemed cheerful and was smiling through her lilac soft lips. Her hair was shiny black as her glossy skin and it danced over her shoulders. Her eyes were placed between thin throny eye lashes under an archipel of slender hairgrass eyebrows. Her slim body was woven around by a dark robe which exhibited her inner curves from the chest. She spoke in a sweet voice and attentively laughed at the jokes by the men flirting around her.

Sena listened to his drunkard neighbours chatting about the quality of food the barmaid prepares, including the impeccable service she delivered during the after hours. Sena found the beautiful bartender looking his way admist her busy occupation. He did not remove his eyes from her which was fixed as the untouched mug of beverage before him. After a while, she came to his table and enquired about his quality time spent at her Bar Inn. She accidently poured drops of water from the glass she held. Sena just sat looking at her pretty face. She excused herself immediately, cleaned the stain of water spots from the table and offered her assistance by asking if he needed anything else. Sena, without any hesitation, asked about her special service. She smiled at him and left.

Sena walked to the bar where the pretty woman was dishwashing. Neither spoke for a while, but just shared glances and timid smiles. The barmaid shiftly rotated the dinner plates inside the tub of water. Sena kept his eyes on her.

Breaking the silence, she informed Sena, "I know a place nearby. Its my favourite restaurant. I don't know whether I will get another chance if I miss to dine there this evening". Sena agreed without a delay. She excused herself and entered through the door beside the bottle shelf.

Sena admired the attractive lady who walked out of the closet. She was elegantly dressed for the dinner with a shell hairdo. She moved her eyes as though asking 'what !' at Sena. He immediately nodded his head in all directions. The dinner was plesant and the beauty played with the candle between them by passing her tender finger through the flame. Sena sat watching her in and out of the passionate flame's luminosity. The couple were on their way back to her dwelling place. She invited him inside and showed a table with two chairs facing the kitchen burner. The place looked tiny but tidy. There was another single room beside, which Sena presumed was the place he was going to get serviced. Sena took a chair while she walked towards the kitchen platform after lightly kissing Sena on the back of his neck.

The calmness in the atmosphere was disturbed by a roll sound from the wooden table. Without turning back, she checked with the corner of her eye the item that had come to a stop at the center of the board across her invitee. She turned carrying two white mugs in her hand and settled before Sena.

"You look like your Father", she announced looking at the Bleeding Tooth seashell between her and Sena. She offered a mug to Sena, but placed it on the table before him when he did not acknowledge.

"He assured me that the dagger, the danger to my immortaity, will come to my pocession, if I cooperated with him", Dhavoma confessed, taking a sip from her mug. She tapped the table with her finger which provoked concentric circles in Sena's mug filled with warm drink.

Sena removed the warm Kilaka from his hip belt and placed it before him on the table.

"I was hesitant", she continued, "but his offer was tempting". After drinking slowly, she said "I have petted demon, partied with evil. Even had a chat with your Father who was seated on the same chair on which you are now. Your Father had came to warn me. I behaved myself after his visit, your Father kept his word, but the New Evil sabotaged our lives".

"I don't predict the future, but can help altering it. I am more of an account of the past, the Time's Shadow of our World", she said.

Dhavoma took a deep breathe and then continued, "There existed only Two Worlds, one for each purity and celestial laws governed equality and peace. Well, to a certain extent. We were demons to them, as they were to us. But one dream caused the ultimate choas. The Creator, depressed over the never-ending affairs of the Worlds, fantasied a Third World. He went ahead and designed this World that he dreamt of and inserted a germ in it. He announced to the other World that the germ is none other than himself, symbolically refering he owned the New World. The microorganism survived and crawled in the cold and darkness and being the clone of the Creator himself, it started to evolve. Admist his busy shedule, the Creator amazed over the growth of his pet, thus the specie Mankind came to existence. The variation in time between the Worlds is calculated by the distance that seperated them. For the Creator it all happened in minutes, but on the actual World it took several numbered periods to arrive at a conclusion over the Begining". Dhavoma paused and looked at Sena while gently knocking the table with her finger joint. Circles formed over the untouched beverage infront of Sena. Finding no reaction on his face, she illustrated to him the purpose of Mankind.

"A Man realised he had the same power of his Creator. He crossed his proper World and stole the Fire from the Creator's World to install it in his Living World. The act angered the Creator. The Devine Council predicted that the Third World would become a threat if the special specie, the Man, uses the Creator's Light. They deceided to seek the help of the Second world, from where I come from. We accepted to irradicate the Third World, thus entering it taking forms and using our powers to the fullest. But the Man fought hard, the Light inside him gave him devine strength. When the war between the Two Worlds were raging, the Creator got an idea to remove the Light from the Man. He removed the Light from Man and hid it inside the Man itself". Dhavoma placed the empty mug infornt of her, the force formed tiny ripples inside the other mug.

"Thus, Man failed to realise the Lost Light, but felt weak. We easily conquered the Living World by slaying them. Man started to question the existence of Creator. Beleivers searched everywhere for the Light, others formed a cult mocking them, but none looked inside themselves, the place where the Creator resides. The difference that Man started to generate at a faster rate led to killing each other, an aspect that never happened in the other Two Worlds - we never fought with our own kind". Dhavoma stopped and looked at unmoved Sena.

"The Devine Council asked us to retreat. But we did not abide. We are not salves to take orders. Thus, the supremacy over the Living World began, and the Creator himself took charge of chasing us from the place he had sent us in the first place. The birth of your Father sealed all the passages. He lived as the curse of the Creator - Half Devine, Half Man. He occupied himself in chasing away the rest of us. But the design changed with the actions that enraged our weakened World resulting in emiting an evolved Evil onto this World, your world. This new born evil had methods that vary. It would install terror before death. It captures the intelligence, poisons it and then makes the mind its permanant salve. It does not have any mystical power, but the fear unleashed rejuvenates it. It goes by many names, from Vengence to Rage, but the one governing them all is sitting over the throne, the one who had convinced Dhavoma, the shadow of time, with greed". Dhavoma paused her lecture and walked to the kitchen table to refill her mug.

Sena waited patiently. Dhavoma took her place back and continued, "You and Rana are the rarest who can resist". Hearing his brother's name, Sena raised his eyebrow.

"You will slay the Evil disguised as Man, but only together. I don't see the future, but the Fate of Evil says so. I was a piece used to alter it, and yet you are here, after all that had happened, withstanding my hypnosis right from the time you entered the Bar Inn", Dhavoma concluded.

"I have told everything that you would like to hear", she grieved.

"What happened at the festival", Sena asked, calmly.

"We were all present", narrated Dhavoma, "and once you were drugged, you embraced the fate we had embedded onto you", she said by tapping the table with her finger nail one last time, and no rings formed over the liquid inside Sena's mug.

Sena's head was spinning ; his vision blurred ; his nose started to leak blood ; an invisible hammar thumped his skull ; while he was listening to Dhavoma and when she spoke about the tragedy of Lalli, agony pushed Sena face down over the table. Calm restored itself in the darkness.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 5 - Seeds of Kochadaiiyaan

Sena

Episode 5 - The Journey of Truth

Dhavoma (Part - 2/2)

Demon Eye

Sena opened his eyes. He felt his left cheek cold and hard on the wooden board. He felt completely drained out of strength and was lying motionless with his cheek on the table, and through his heavy blinks, he saw a fragile form, quite tensed and moving back and forth, just like aged lady he remembered seeing through the cloth covering his face at the festival. The witch was picking up some items from various jars and without a warning she fastly approached Sena. Suddenly dense powder blasted on his face.

The sky was an empty space of bright scarlet orange. The platform on which Sena was standing seemed like a cutoff mountaintop that was floating in the midair. Heavy wind was blowing in from every direction. Sena could not move. He realised that he was chained and two huge rocks were placed on either of his shoulders.

Sena heard a cry of an eagle. A huge bird, twice bigger than the usual size circled above his head. It quickly glided towards Sena and picked his left hip with its beak. Sena cried out in pain.

"That's how the Creator punished the Fire Thief", Sena heard the barmaid dressed in a long black gown and sea shells clipped to her hairdo. "He was given two choices, but you have none", she laughed hysterically. "I will arrest you here and the dagger would be mine forever".

The eagle returned back to take another piece of Sena's flesh. Blood oozed out that matched with the sky above. Sena tried to pull the immovable chains and Dhavoma laughed out at his pathetic state. Sena closed his eyes tightly and called out his Forefather's name. The Devine Name echoed around the whole atmosphere, a call that was not made since his Father's demise. The orange clouds responded to the resonation with lightening. One sharp light arc fell directly above Sena and while descending it branched into four tiny bolts that struck the boulders on Sena's shoulders and the chains at the same time. The split light arc shattered the weighing rock and melted the iron chains liberating Sena from captivity.

Sena's closed eyes rolled on his face over table at the barmaid's house. Dhavoma, whose eyes were also closed, sat before him biting her lips as though in anger.

Kneeling and being face down over the raised platform under the blood red sky, Sena challenged Dhavoma, "I have sacrificed enough, that, now I know".

"Know what", Dhavoma shouted back.

"That I have come to finish, what my Father had started". Sena pounced at Dhavoma, who elegantly dodged his attack. He somersaulted on the ground and came to a stop at the end of the floating land, at the same moment, the eagle attacked him and made a scratch on his face with its knife claw before soaring away. Sena saw Dhavoma spinning in front of him. She threw three items outside her rotating sphere.

The surrounding around the raised level surface changed. It turned into a triangular prism - one face slapped with rainstorm ; darkness filled the other and the final part was bright. Out of the rain came a ravenous hound, the wet dog smell filled the air. Through the brightness flew out the winged eagle. The dark portion held silence.

The hound growled showing it's sharp teeth and slowly advanced at Sena, while the eagle flew high up preparing for an attack from above. Sena dodged the charging dog. It quickly truned and slaped Sena, the terror claws tearing his skin. Before Sena could recover, the eagle rocketed from the sky towards him. Sena quickly rolled and entered into the dark zone. The silence was occassionally broken by heavy breaths. Tiny glows started to flicker in the dark which projected five pairs of arms of a mollusk with inflated nose between two tiny eyes on a elevated fleashy face. The beast pushed it's front arms to open its toothless hidden mouth.

Sena's shoulders shivered violently on the table. Dhavoma was smiling on the opposite chair. Sena knew Dhavoma was just a Shadow. She needed an existing form. Thus, she had trapped Sena in his own mind filled with - Guilt : brightness that disturbs the vision and glides everywhere creating self-inflicted wound ; Anger : pouring down nonstop as a rainstrom and roaming as an hungry predator ; Fear : the darkness lighted by the oneself to embrace a desired shape. Sena must fight back his own creations. Being motionless on the chair with his cheek on the table, Sena smiled - My mind, I command.

Sena quickly jumped out of the dark zone. He closed his eyes tightly and gestured his hand as though he was holding onto something invisible.

Arha hanging around Sena hip around the chair in the living room of the barmaid trembled.

Under the vermilion air space and over the buoyant floor, Sena received Arha in his hand, at the same time the hungry hound charged at him. Sena bent backward as much he could, permitting the dog to jump over his body, all the while keeping Arha raised. The sharp blade detached the stifle joint of the attacking animal. The hound let out a painful cry and glided inside the rainstrom. It tried to crawl away using its front legs. Sena slowly walked from the bright side to the cloudy area and positioned himself above the wounded dog and entered Arha directly into its skull, not giving the dog a chance to cry.

Sena followed the circling eagle with his eyes. When it descended Sena walked towards the luminous part of the triangular prism, and at its edge he turned and fell back to the ground, at the right moment when the eagle flew close to him. Arha chopped off the right wing and the eagle glided to a stop inside the shining side. Sena placed his right leg at the back of the bird and using both his hand, he harshly caught its neck and violently pulled to seperate the eagle's head from its body.

Sena entered the darkside. The mollusk was breathing heavily. He walked staight and stood face to face with it. After a brief moment, he struck Arha right into it's fluffy nose. The mollusk shivered violently out of breath and one by one the glow on its arms estinguished.

Sena walked back and stood in the middle of the prism. "Anymore pets, Dhavoma", he asked the mind controlling witch. The angry sorceress charged at him floating in the air. Sena rolled away. She stood suspended in the air and launched sharp needles from her finger gaps. Sena deflected every single pointer coming at him with his sword. She repeated her attack. On the fourth run while rolling, Sena realised that her moves were predictable - she was hanging in the air going back and forth above Sena. When Dhavoma begun her charge, instead of rolling Sena ran towards her. On the way, with a raising hand movement, he created blocks of stones which hung in the air, and using them as steps, Sena leaped over dhavoma and caught her in the midair. While descending, he prepared himself to land on his knees and using the other leg, he firmly positioned his feet onto the floor, breaking the back of the witch over his rigid lap.

Dhavoma woke up sucking-in for air and Sena pushed himself back onto the chair. He slowly circled the table picking up Kilaka in midway and reached Dhavoma, who was no more a pretty barmaid by a fragile aged lady without a nose. She was breathing from her mouth. Many Blood Tooth sea shells were loosely hanging from her scarce hair. She was motionless as though all her spirts were broken. She motioned at a cupboard over the top of the burner. Sena turned and opened the closet. It contained a vial holding a form of a single vertiical eye floating inside a red fluid. Sena recollected seeing it during the Festival Massacre. He brought it to Dhavoma.

"The Demon Eye.", she said, "The portion that provoked your rage. Shake it, the eye will disappear and reappear and when it blinks, that's when you drink. The eye is not real, just a representative image of fluid dynamics, a portion made out of numerous drops from several sources. I made two samples. Use it during the needed hour. I owe it to your Father." She coughed.

The dragger forcefully entered the chest of the witch - Gatam Gataha.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - Part 2 - Trimurti Katha

Chapter 5 - Seeds of Kochadaiiyaan

Sena

Episode 5 - The Journey of Truth

All is Hell That Ends Well

Sena rode on Nameless to Kottaipattinam to reunion with his true brother, and reached the mountain Pushpapatha that gave him the view over the battle field. Sena looked through Europa. He saw one third of clear image of his Father while the rest of the form was blurry, same as his own reflection on the lake. Sena whispered, "Rana". His blood brother had just sliced the throat of his rival.

Sena, without wasting anymore time, started descending Pushpapatha to stop Rana's killing spree. Whatever had happened in Kottaipattinam, including his Father's exceution, Sena was aware that the Emperor was behind all the incidents. Sena did not wish anymore heads rolling on the ground of his motherland. Remembering his Father's last words, Sena commanded Nameless to gallop at full speed.

Before Sena could reach the battle ground, the war was over. Two kings were slayed by his brother. Sena rode Nameless over the bloody path and got down before his twin brother who had dropped his long sword on the gory ground a moment ago.

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Sena stood before Rana and heard him exclaim, "Sena".

End of Part - 2

[mappi]

Rajini Rewritten Trilogy (Part 2) - Trimurti Katha

Epilogue

The Clown

Vettaiyan examined the neatly arranged clothes. He checked each, without disturbing their folds. Admist the sets of similar white outfits, one stood apart by being brighter. He isolated it from the lot and carried it with him to the window. He unfolded his laundered suit and lifted it towards the sunlight entering into his chamber. He checked the outifit by briskly turning it between his hands. He steadied it over the light. Gradually, the tiny pinhole perforated on the clothing, through which the sunshine permeated, revealed the message :

The hunter's stone misses the bone,
The Two birds have flown to a destination known.
Comes the time to moarn when the war horns are blown,
Hurry to call the Clown whose control you only own.
- The Poet

Vettaiyan whispered 'Kochadaiiyaan' and stromed out of his Palace Chamber throwing the clothing on the fire of the chimney in fury.

The four faithful hounds followed their master to the Caves of Malliga.

<<<<<>>>>>

[mappi]

And in the battle of three, only one will stand.

The final part of Rajini Rewritten Trilogy - Chaturmukha Part 3 - will resume shortly.

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[mappi]

Extracts from Chaturmukha Part Three

All human wisdom is contained in these two words, Faith and Hope. - Kochadaiiyaan

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There is neither happiness nor misery, but only the comparison of one state with another. - Sena

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Convincing the heart with the spirit of something your mind knows is a lie, is called confusion. - Rana

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Peacock dances in the rain, As happy as a mane. - The Poet

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Good always Wins, but Evil never Fails. - Vettaiyan

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[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

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svetAsvatara UpaniSad 2:14

yathaiva bimbaM mRdayopaliptaM
tejo-mayaM bhrAjate tat sudhAntam
tad vAtma-tattvaM prasamIkSya dehI
ekaH kRtArtho bhavate vIta-zokaH

As a mirror with dirt smeared
Brightly shines when well cleaned
So too the true self having seen the emboided
One, it's goal acheived becomes freed from sorrow

Battle Begins.

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Strictly for Adults Only

The story so far ...

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A war to end all wars never ended. The Rulers of Light and the Rulers of Darkness fought for their supremacy over the Living World. The war of the worlds walked over a new timeline created by the birth of Kochadaiiyaan, a son of God. He carried the curse of his parents by experiencing a devine power under his human skin. He was tasked to remove the demons from the Living World, but before he could accomplish his mission, all evil inside a new single form took charge of the earth which was divided into five Kingdoms.

Before Kochadaiiyaan's blood rained down to the ground, he had planted two seeds, his sons Rana and Sena, to carry forward what he could not finish. Gone were the demons and monsters from the face of the earth, now all were well installed inside the human heart and mind itself. A new battle has begun, led by the Brothers to face Vettaiyan - the Emperor of the Living World, the ruler of Chaos and the ambassador to the Dark World.

Geared-up with all the mystical gadgets and advices left behind by their Father, the Brothers, seperated during childhood, have finally met. In their reunion they have woken up their own shadow which is none other than Vettaiyan, the Hunter.

And in the battle of three, only one will stand.

[mappi]

Chaturmukaha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Prologue

Cosmos in a Kangaroo's Pouch
(Chapter Title adapted from Vladimir Nabokov's "Speak, Memory")

"Two men, bonded by blood, are breathing portraits of Endurance and Trust", Kochadaiiyaan narrated to his wife Yaghavi.

The evening sky was covered with a thick blue blanket. Yaghavi and Kochadaiiyaan were watching their kids through the window of their living room. Yaghavi had her face over her "Life's" shoulder. Kochadaiyaan gripped to his "Change" close. Thier children were in the company of their friends, playing in the graden.

Rana, dressed in a light blue shirt, assumed the role of a King amoung his comrades by passing orders and pronouncing judgements to petty cases brought to him by his companions posing as villagers. Ocassionally Rana took a majestic sitting position on an elevated platform and pressed his right hand over his laps, just as his Father would sit while listening attentively. A blue cape, a piece torn from his mother's cloth, was attached to his neck and flew from his back.

Sena, wearing a light red top was seated on a small isolated rock. He was looking into the sky, starring at the vast emptiness not caring the noises around him.

"Rana, as cheerful as always but Sena's aloofness scares me", Yaghavi worried to her Husband.

Kochadaiyaan smiled and started his narration. "But fate had seperated them" continued Kochadaiiyaan. "Once the younger brother, who was always energetic, asked his Uncle about an Another Man who was considered more generous than himself. He was yet to discover that this Man was his elder brother."

The Demi-God walked to the fruit basket and fetched an apple along with a cutting knife. He called his sons and gave the fruit to Rana and the knife to Sena. The brothers ran outside, Rana yelling in joy, while Sena hopping back onto his rock chair with the cutting tool in his hand.

"His Uncle did not explain to him", the Mystical Man told Yaghavi, "but asked his nephew to meet him in the morning. The following day, the Uncle handed over a mountain of wealth to the youngman and informed him to be empty before dusk. The younger brother called upon his army of friends, with their help chopped down the wealth from the hill and distributed it to every single person in the surrounding. People thronged the place and he ensured no one was rewarded twice. He felt proud while hearing to laurrels passed by the gifted men and women. The setting sun announced it's depature, but the mountain was only half empty. Failing to fulfil the condition, the younger brother confessed to his uncle."

Rana showed the apple to all his friends. He tasted the apple infornt of everyone by taking tiny bites and making a face as though it tasted delicious. Once he finished crunching, he gave a comanding cry asking his friends to follow him. Their leader marched them to the orchard. Soon, every single kid who followed Rana came happily running with an apple in their pocession. They all sat in a circle and enjoyed the delecious fruit together.

"The Uncle walked his nephew through a narrow path" said the Saviour to his wife. "They reached another mountain full of wealth beneath which a elderly man, weak and fragile, was squatted down. The owner of the mountain informed them that a generous Man gave him all this wealth and now he had no clue about what to do with it. The Uncle then told the younger brother that as soon as he gave the mountain to his contester, the Generous Man had immediately handed it over to the elderly person who was the first one to have crossed by. He did not even wait to hear what the gifted man had to say but rode away towards the dawn, all the while his nephew had taken the whole day to distribute the wealth."

Her husband paused and then pronounced, "Desire and Aim are different, my dear."

Sena was seated on a small rock motionless.

Sometime later, at the dinner table, the Father rolled an apple on the surface. It slowly went round and round before settling before Sena. When the apple was rotating, he gently slided the cutting knife towards Rana which came to a halt infront of him, taking the same time the apple had taken to cross the table. Sena held the apple in his hand and requested the knife from his brother. He cut the apple into two halves. He shared an half with Rana. Then, he stood up and walked around the table. He sliced the other half into two. He offered one half to his mother. Further, he divided the quater of the apple with his father. He pressed his share with two fingers and lent the sweet juice stained finger to the lips of his baby sister Yamuna, who was siting over the lap of their mother. The baby enjoyed the nectar and smiled happily at her brother, kicking both her legs. Sena winked at his sister and popping his tiny share inside his mouth, he hopped back to his chair contented that his whole family had tasted the best fruit.

Yaghavi looked at her sleeping children. The act of Sena had moved her, and her Husband saw it in her eyes.

"The seperated brothers discovered their life on thier own, the elder became a Saint and the younger became a King", Kochadaiiyaan continued from where he had left. "Under the heavy rain, few pilgrims reached the doorless hut of the Saint. They needed dry wood to prepare food for the rest of their members, woman and infants, sheltering inside a traveller's inn. The elder brother had no logs, but gave them an information more valuble than the seeked wood. He told them to reach the castle where his brother was the King. The gaurds did not permit the pilgrims entry. Being aware of people waiting at his gates during a severe weather, the younger brother came to meet them. After hearing them, he ordered his men to load the woods for the pilgrims. But the gaurds returned empty handed, as the storage room was flooded with rain water and all the logs were wet. Without hesitation, the King ordered his workers to break the sandalwood door, which stood fabulously decorating the grand enterance of his palace, and safely parcel the dry wood for the pilgrims."

"All human wisdom is contained in these two words, Hope and Faith, Yaghavi. Sena and Rana are its seeds, one will Show the way, the other will Guide", inferred the Master.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukaha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter One - Latest from the Final Years

A Statue for the Leader

The Politician and the Architect were walking towards the gallery where the Emperor's life size statue was being sculpted on a single block of natural marble.

They crossed the main entrance and took the muddy alley behind the main building to reach the grand workshop where the prestigious activity was carried out. The path was heavily bordered by bamboo fence. Several artisans and their assistances were moving up and down the passage. Most of them carried tiny wounds and scars on their skin. They greeted the Kingsmen through respect bowing and pleasing smile. Behind the barrier the Politician remarked a long chain of ant mounds, some were smaller and many were huge. The nests were so close to each other as though a tunnel system allowed a passage for its habitants to travel back and forth. At the end of the pathway, a narrow pipe made of cloth climbed over from the anthill. The cloth pipe rised upto the roof and was attached with rope joints to the vast ceiling of the grand gallery. The light weight pipiline crawled over the upper-floor like a serpent and ended its journey above the staute of Vettaiyan at the center of the hall. The pipe's mouth was tightly tied with a rope.

"I never knew our Emperor used a bow", exclaimed Minister Narendhira Verman to Architect Vitara on the way.

"I have accompanied him once to the hunting grounds, but never seen him carrying one neither", affirmed Vitara. "Even in the private Armory of the Emperor that I had designed does not contain a room for a bow. But, there is a secret chamber constructed by the instruction of our King where rests a glass box specially made to contain a bow and it's twin arrows", explained the Architect to the Politian.

"What is it with these ant mounds", wondered the Politician. Vitara moving forward briskly teased his companion, "You will find it yourself, soon".

They entered the grand workshop. In the middle, a huge white block was standing errect. A huge beam of sunlight dropped on it from the side wall through the mural window. A large canvas potrait of King Dashakantha holding a bow was hung behind the unfinshed statue. Mural windows shed light over the painting.

Only one sculptor was working on the sculpture.

The Kingsmen stood before their Emperor's statue. Minister Narendhira Verman admired the artistry; the life size statue looked real - the hairline and the facial hair, the cheek muscles, the sharp eyes under the curved eyebrows, the pleats over the clothing, the miniture craving inside the hip belt, the boots - except that the human form before him was not breathing. He took a step forward to examine the bow gripped to the staue's right hand when his friend stopped him.

"I brought you here to witness the completion of a prestigious work which had started five years ago", explained the Architect. "It's a gift to our Emperor as I repented that there was not a single staue of our King present in our Great Nation. Next week, the Emperor himself will inaugurate the Symbol of Himself. For which, I assume, the security preparations are been carried out by your team around the Plaza. This statue will be installed there before a grand gathering".

The Politician was overwhelmed by the love of the Architect towards their King.

Vitara pointed at the cloth pipes above. "Myrmecia Pyriformis", he said.

"My ... what ?!?", exclaimed the Politician.

Vitara laughed,"You can call them Bull Ants, used to drill the bow in the King's hand", to which Narendhira Verman put an incomprehinsible face.

"A statue out of a single block of marble is a rarity, but they do exist", said the Architect. "I wished to tie a string of originality to it. As our Emperor is a great lover of culture and art, I decided to suprise him. He wished for his statue with a bow in his hand. And the suprise element is the bow itself."

Vitara gentlely ushered Narendhira Verman close to the statue.

"Tying the string of the bow looked as a disgrace to the creation", continued Vitara, "as the string groove will be protruding from the carved structure. Our Nation is glorified for the art and architecture, I wished to leave behind a work which would be talked for an eternity. Everyone will be wondering how we had acheived such a finish, a secret that I wanted to share with you."

He paused and gestured his hand pointing towards the bow, "The Bow which will hold the string entirely inside, the thread shall pass through the bow limbs", he said.

Vitara explained, "When a pack of soldiers were attacked by an army of ants, none lived after that though, I mean the soldiers ; I was curious to know more about this colony of pyriformis. We gathered a few and breeded them. I designed the statue to be started with the bow. The sculptor chiseled it out of the rock before continuing the work on the other parts. Sweet syrup was poured in drops at the top of the bow and allowed to be dried. The cloth pipe allowed the ants to go back and forth from their nest. With their powerful jaws they scratched the sugar from the stone, drilling their way inside. The process has come to its final phase. Another round of the syrup should allow us to insert the string directly inside the bow limb. We are here to witness it."

Vitara continued without giving a pause, "Bull Ants are tiny but deadly creatures. Like all ants they work together, but they are a group of aggressive nocturnal foragers. Their mandibles (the jaws) are broader with tiny teeth, about 6 to 7 depending on the size of the ant, and their clypeus (ant's face) is covered with hair making them look ferocious. With their strong mandibles they chew anything out of their way. I used the ant as a machine to drill the bow."

The Politician took a look at the sculptor. He had wounds and scars all over his hand.

"Accidents do happen", Vitara shrugged his shoulders.

The sculptor made a cone out of a cloth. He attached it to a long thin stick. He then dipped it into the syrup and gently inserted it into the bow line. The thin stick entered the upper limb and glided smothly through the inner body and reached the tip of the lower limb. It's free movement hit the bottom. Satisfied the artist removed the baton. He then slowly untied the mouth of the cloth pipe and carefully inserted the unlocked part above the bow's tip.

Minister Narendhira Verman noticed enormous moment inside the cloth channel. Seconds later, grinding and screeching noises came out of the statue.

The sculptor was proud, and bent before his masters while taking his hand backward. In his enthusiasm, he failed to notice the tiny bottle of syrup behind him. He toppled it and few drops of thick liquid fell on his feet, at the same time a Bull Ant's deadly claw jaw peeped out of the bottom tip of the bow. The tunnel through the bow was dug.

Couple of foragers escaped through the tiny gap and rushed to the feet of the sculptor. In no time they tore the flesh sticking to the sugar syrup. He cried out in pain. Vitara reacted immediately by stamping the escaped ants flat to the ground. He took out a wax block coated with oil and sealed the hallow. He turned to his friend and said, "Our little furious friends are allergic to tea tree oil". He then called couple of his assistants to attend to the sculptor's wound.

A while later, the cloth pipe's end was tied. Vitara removed the wax seal and invited Minister Narendhira Verman to insert the bow string. The thin thread effortlessly passed through the stone bow structure. The politican joined the two ends of the bow string with a smile.

"The Emperor will open His statue by tieing the nocking point", announced the Architect proudly.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukaha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter One - Latest from the Final Years

Sweet Death (Part 1/2)

The main Plaza before the Vettaiyan Palace was decorated with lights and flowers. Soldiers, gaurds and mercenaries controlled the huge crowd gathered in front of the stately home to participate in the opening ceremony of sculpture of their Emperor.

Citizens were stopped at the front yard enterance by assembling the gathered thousands inside a semi circular perimeter. The outer ring was heavily gaurded. The people were cheering and many were carrying flowers for their King, mostly all the arrangement was a setup by the Politician. The General and his team of masked fighters circled randomly around the castle. The security was tightened as the major crimes in the Central Kingdom were the assasination attempts on the Emperor.

A raised platform was at the center of the vacant falt ground before the uncontrolable throng. On the decorated elevation, the statue of Vettaiyan holding a bow in his had was errected. The staircase of the Palace, famous for its architectural structure, mounted across the statue. The throne chair of Emperor Dhashakantha was placed at the top landing where the long corridors met. The Palace hallway was decorated with hanged velvet curtains inscribed with the Kingdom's emblem. Flowers lined the small walls. On both sides of each step, two prince chairs were arranged next to each other for the political invitees - Lords, Cheiftans, Supporters, Noblemen and Rulers. On the final stairs below the throne, the pair of chairs were reserved for the Kings of the four Kingdoms - Karimedai, Katrupuzha, Kottaipattinam and Kalingapuri.

Beside the Throne there were a pair of chairs on each side. On the left Vaithiyar Kreesnama Muni, the Godfather of Vettaiyan was seated. The place beside him was reserved for Vitara, the Architect. On the right, a chair was always unoccupied during any ceremony and beside it Minister Narendhira Verman would share the podium with the Emperor.

The guests arrived and occupied their respective seats, only two places were still empty. King Sorubhan, the ruler of Katrupuzha sat next to King Gauthama, the aged majesty of Karimedai. The couple of chairs across to them were vacant. Murmurs were stating about the tension prevailing in Kottaipattinam and Kalingapuri, a kind of civil war that had broken when an young warrior led the people against their own Kings.

The view over the stairs from the Plaza looked like a pyramid whose lines of symmetry were formed by the guests with the Emperor crowning it as capstone.

Archers started gathering on the tower top of the Palace. The General and his servicemen slowly marched across the empty flat ground and assembled at the bottom of the stairs - the General on his horse positioned himself in the middle and his warrior stood on either side covering the entire entrance of the staircase. They were heavily armoured with a fierce mask covering their faces. Their stance was vigilant and they were holding steady their mastered weapons. Smoke bombs and grenades hung around thier hip belt. Vitara and Narendhira Verman stayed close to the statue at the center of the Plaza.

The waiting crowd cheered when the longhorns were blazed. The King has finally arrived.

Decorative curtains hung around the palace corridor hid the face of the King when he walked briskly through the corridor. His feet made quick firm steps to which his hands went forward and backward rhythmically. He wore a copper bangle in his right hand. At places where the curtains were suspended low, the people got a glimpse of their Emperor's hair which was chattering with the breeze. A thick spiral hair curled over his forehead. As he advanced further, the other set of curtains swaying in the wind exposed his goatee. Few lucky ones got a chance to see his sparkling white teeth dancing out from his smile. The entire Plaza echoed his footsteps majestically. The King of kings reached his throne, and the citizens and the Noblemen gazed at the valliant form of their Emperor in his white kings robe. The whole Plaza errupted diminishing the loud sound of the drums. People did not mind their deafened ears, but cheered continously when their Emperor waved his hand with a baby smile on his face.

It took a while for the energetic crowd to settle down, and Vettiayan waited patienly over his throne looking at his people.

Vettaiyan stood up and looked at the empty chair to his right which was always reserved for his friend who goes by the name The Poet, the person who was absent every single time. He took the blessings of Vaithiyar before climbing down the stairs. On the way, he greeted all the guests standing at the corner of each step with his hand gesture. He joined with Minister Narendhira Verman and Architect Vitara at the bottom of the statue. He tapped the shoulders of the Archiect expressing his happiness.

Two teenage girls brought a bow string placed on a traw. Vettaiyan smiled at the girls and took the thread in his hands. He started tieing it to upper-end of the bow. Vitara interrupted him gentely. He explained in sign language by cupping his left hand and inserting his right index finger into it's gap. Vettaiyan immediately turned and looked at the two girls and then returned his look back at his Architect. Vitara smiled, the girls giggled. The Architect bent close to Vettaiyan and whispered into his ears. Vettaiyan seemed awestuck. He slowly inserted the string through the tiny hole on top of the bow. The thread glided smoothly and he collected it back at the bottom of the bow. He pulled the string slowly to make it meet it's other end and in the center he made a nocking point with a huge smile in his face.

The crowd errupted once again. The first Statue of the Emperor was officially open for the people to worship.

Vettaiyan felicitated the Architech, this time with immense joy and walked back briskly to his throne. On the midway, a boy blocked his path by standing at a distance before him. Vettaiyan gave a surprised look at the grandson of Vitara. The kid was holding a blown bladder. Without an alarm he threw it at Vettaiyan. It hit the left shoulder of Vettaiyan and bursted to stain his white kings rode with blue ink. The color quickly spread down turing the entire left part of his top blue. Narendhira Verman looked at Vitara. He gestured through a smile that it was indeed a staged sociability. The kid ran away before Vettiayan could near him. The Emperor turned to face the people and with a sad face pointed at his own robe. The citizens laughed. Vettaiyan quickly turned and jogged back to his throne climbing the stairs just as he had descended.

The cultural events began. While everyone one were enjoying the dance shows, few men from the crowd closed in the semi circle perimeter. Two men stood directly behind each gaurd. One sat to the ground and the other closed behind the soldier. In one swift move, the standing man slit the throat of the gaurd, at the same time the squating man held the legs of the dying soldier to stop him from falling off. Each pair positioned themselves holding the dead gaurds upright. No alarms were raised.

For the next event, a group of ten masked dancers took positions around the newly inaugurated statue. The dancers started their performance by paying their respects to the idol. Vettaiyan smiled. The leader of the group was dressed as an hunter and held a spear in his hand. The others in the group were covered in dark clothes. They performed a foot thumping dance movements for intense music. When the act came close to the end, the atmosphere was turning extreme that Vettaiyan himself skid forward in his throne. He seemed throughly enjoying the spectacle. The crowd was contantly cheering and the finishing touch of their mesmerizing performance was a fabulous gymnastics.

The dancers helped three of their members to stand on the shoulders. When the thrid one found his balance on the top, the rest six bent onto the ground making a sort of human steps behind their standing members. The leader climbed over the human stairs and reached the shoulders of the top man standing. Without decreasing his momentum, he jumped high up by pushing himself from the shoulders of his standing partner. He flew in the air, almost floating at the height of the throne where Vettaiyan was watching him rise.

The crowd went nuts, but not the personnel gaurds of Vettaiyan.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukaha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter One - Latest from the Final Years

Sweet Death (Part 2/2)
(Rated-R)

'Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured'. - Mark Twain

The first cry of alarm was a woman's voice coming from behind the mask of an alert warrior of the General. She had been carefully following the moves of the lead dancer as he was the only one armed with a spear. But she stood at ease as the grip on the pole was not aggressive and the bayonet was never directly pointed at the Emperor. During the final acrobats, the leaping leader suddenly changed his grip into an attack clutch and while in mid air, he aimed with his left hand and guided the spear with his right to a target across him.

Immediately, another masked fighter next to her reacted to the warning; he shot a single arrow at the flying assassin before she finished her yell. But it was already too late. The leader who was briefly suspended in the air vaulted his spear at Vettaiyan. It all happened quickly that Vettaiyan could only see the javalin fastly approaching him as a flying snake.

Shooting the pike at the Emperor, the assassin disguised as a dancer, pushed the single arrow before it wounded him. He landed before the General's horse. Few amoung the crowd noted the murder attempt that they shouted at the sharp object cutting through the wind towards their King. The rest of the gaurds were in no position to react as the deadly weapon had already reached it's target.

Silence engulfed the entire square.

The General growled, "Full draw". The whole Plaza echoed the noise from the bow string when the archers on the tower tops of the Palace pulled the chord alligning their drawing hand at the anchor point. Their chief passed the command, "Fire". Hundreds of arrows rained down the Plaza. Several arrow heads hit to the head, throat and heart of the three standing dancers. The other two behind them were pierced by the sharp objects tearing them apart. They fell over the remaining four of their group members protecting them from the rain of arrows. Few darts managed to wound the sheltering assassins.

Calmness was restored. The leader stood breathing heavily before the General. The four survived dancers pushed the dead bodies above them and took position behind their leader, during their approach, they plucked and broke the arrows sticking to their shoulders and thighs. The assassin team, five fallen and five standing, looked up towards the throne.

Blame the wind or blame the aim or blame the fate, the killer's weapon had struck it's target but failed to hit the bulls eye.

Vettaiyan moved back on his seat from it's edge. He knew that the shooting spear will kill him before he got up and he was not in a position to roll forward. Looking at the direction the weapon was advancing, he sensed that the spear was aimed at his heart. He leaned tightly to the back of his throne chair and pushed himself down hard on the cushion, at the same time forced himself to move to his left. The pike struck him hard and entered his torso just below the right clavicle. It was not a miracle, but the strategic positioning of Vettaiyan which revoked the bayonet from puncturing his lungs. He was pinned to his throne and soaked in red liquid leaking from the spear wound. A moment later he coughed blood. Blurred vision of sharp arrows killing the dancers on the Plaza floor ran before him.

Vaithiyar was quickly instructing to several of his assistances. Vettaiyan was surrounded by his bodyguard who blocked his view. Vettaiyan whispered, "Move". Everyone around the Emperor scattered. Vettaiyan kept his eyes on his killer. He gripped the arm rest tightly. All of a sudden he pushed forward, liberating himself from the clutches of the spear. Not a sound escaped from him, but only heavy breathe. Vettaiyan fell to his knees before his throne. Others rushed to his aid. Vettaiyan whispered, "Move". He kept his eye on his murderer.

Vettaiyan got up to his feet. Blood leaked out of the hole on his right shoulder turning that side of his white top into red. Pressing the wound firmly with his left hand, Vettaiyan moved forward. Two hounds came from each side of the corridor and quickly got into position before him. Two other dogs leaped from the back of the throne and followed their Master. One half of the kings robe was blue - the ink thrown at him by the grandson of Vitara, and the other part red - soaked in his own blood, Vettaiyan descended the stairs slowly along with his Kukkuras.

King Dashakantha stood face to face with the dance group leader. The Hunter Dogs from Hell sat before each of the other four dancers. Vettaiyan stared at the mask of his killer. The General approached to remove the mask but his Commander stopped him.

"A coward dies as a coward", he said softly. Loooking at the crowd he said softly, "My General, no one should leave from this place". Immediately shifting his eyes and staring at his killer, he ordered, "He should not move from this place".[/I]

"Anger will kill the planet", complained Minister Narendhira Verman to Vitara. "My setup and your staging is getting fried in his rage. An execution on this auspicious day before the representatives, diplomats and citizens is going to harm our bad reputions further. Soon a civil war will break where we will be forced to slaughter our own people", finishing his sentence with immense repentance, Minister Narendhira Verman walked away through the corridors.

A soldier walked to one of the combatant of the General. He looked tiny before the huge man. The masked warrior was addressed as 'Big Man' who held a sledgehammer to the ground before him. He did not move. The lady warrior shook his body with the handle of her sword. He woke up and saw the two nails that the tiny man before him was holding. They moved in towards the criminal. Vettaiyan slowly walked away and stood before his statue. The dogs stood gaurd before the cuprits. Vaithiyar started treating Vettaiyan's wound while he was instructing to his General. Vaithiyar stuffed the hole with a mashed green color lump. No reaction from Vettaiyan. He then bandaged the wound with a white cloth which in notime turned red.

The soldier carrying two big nails accompanied by Big Man reached the dance group leader. Without any warning, he bent down and placed one rivet on the right foot of the criminal and the Big Man immediately hit the head of the spike hard with his sledgehammer. The nail entered piercing the flesh and crushing through the bones and got struck firmly to the floor. The leader let out a cry of agony. Without hesitation and not minding the victim's pain, the soldier placed the second rivet on the left foot and the Big Man nailed it to the floor. The leader stood pinned to the bloody ground.

Vettaiyan sounded a wolf whistle. The dogs immediately pounced on the dancers before them and detached their throat with thier powerful jaws. The dancers were dead even before hitting the ground. The hounds slowly advanced licking their mouth and joined their Master.

A group of workers poured honey mixed with lamp oil in straight lines from the pinned leader. They made eight such lines around him. Then they bathed him with the 'Honey-Lamp Oil' mixture. The leader turned to look at Vettaiyan. Vettaiyan did not react, but noted that the vision of his killer was fixed behind him. Vettaiyan turned and saw a young woman holding a little boy in front of her. Vettaiyan smiled at the leader and moved towards the young lady. She weeped but did not resist when Vettaiyan carried the son of the leader with his left hand. He came back and took position before the statue with the kid in his arms.

Eight men arrived, each holding a medium size wooden box and stood before the outer end of the 'Honey Oil' Line. The box was sealed with a wooded cork. Vettaiyan nodded his head. They placed the box on the ground and removed the cork. The Bull Ants raced out collecting the honey on their way and rushedly climbed over the leader in the center. The pain from their bites was unendurable that no sound escaped the victim's mouth when he was been chewed alive by a group of tiny ants. He trembled vigorously. Vettaiyan nodded his head again. The workers lighted the line with a wooded torch. The lamp oil caught fire and the flame travelled through the honey path and alighted the martyr along with the ants.

Vettaiyan gentely shaked the chin of the weeping child in his arms with his fingers and whispered "Sweet Death".

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukaha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter One - Latest from the Final Years

Memories of a Bad Memory
(Rated-R)

The advantage of a bad memory is that one enjoys several times the same good things for the first time. - Friedrich Nietzsche

Holding Myil, which was dancing inside a glass in his hand, Vettaiyan took a deep look at himself in the mirror. He raised his free hand to his forehead and plucked a grey hair which was distinctly hanging from a bunch of dark ones. He brought the curly silver line before his eyes and clenched his teeth at it before dropping it to the ground.

The pain on his right shoulders burdened him. The effect of painkillers prescribed by Vaithiyar had wore off. He slowly limped from the mirror being careful not to put too much weight and movement on his wounded upper arm. Standing at the center of his chamber he drank Myil, the ecstasy tonic, in one shot and dropped the small glass which landed softly on the oriental rug decorating the floor. Mayil gave him strength - Mayil brought him focus - Mayil activated his memories - Mayil allowed him to illuminate the dark cells in his cerebrum. The Magic of Mayil enlarged the Vision of Vettaiyan.

The recreational drug started it's stimulant effect on his body that allowed him to groove. Vettaiyan made tiny irregular steps, initially moving forward and backward and then turning in small circles before Mayil carried him to his armchair. Vettaiyan nearly fell off the chair, but managed to steady himself with a smile, a smile thrown at his own state. He raised his left hand and snapped his fingers. The clicking sound echoed around the room and two courtesans magically sprang out from behind the crutain. One was dressed in blue and the other in red, both revealing more flesh in thier transparent gowns. The Vettaiyan salves brushed their hands all over their Master and each one settled on his laps - the blue on the left and the other on his right. Vettaiyan moved his hands around and up and down with half-closed eyes - Memories of Chandramukhi flooded his mind :

Narukukana was at the southern part of the Centrail Kingdom. Being an amusement galore, the habour city was crowded with immigrants. The place was majorly occupied by pirates and a newly settled colony of relegious workers called The House which had started to establish their righteousness. Eventhough there was voilence amoung the two groups, they both had a common target - Emperor Vettaiyan. The laws governing the state was not favourable for them - the pirates were on a constant run and the House could not expand.

Vettiayan adored the clumpsy suituation at Narukukanna. No order of any sort, the place resembled civilisation moving backwards. Vettaiyan saw an originality of mankind in it's dwellers - Beast feeding over Beast.

Upon a special message delivered by The Poet, the anonymous friend of Vettaiyan, the Emperor sent his best assassin, Moonflower, to eradicate the immediate danger.

Chandramukhi, pseudonym Moonflower, was the spy who had kissed Vettaiyan and the same spy who had killed Vettaiyan. She was the daughter of Kanika, a famous dancer in the Kingdom. Born to an unknown father, she was raised by her mother and uncle. Minister Verman, a close assosiate to her uncle, recomended her to Vettiayan and since then she became his Dream Merchant.

The pigeon held the message around it's left leg.

The freebooters want their earning,
Will not stop until the burning,
The hunter is what they are seeking,
At night they will come striking
- Moonflower

Indeed Chandramukhi had met up with The Poet, Vettaiyan smiled. His flow of thoughts suddenly started to wander around his childhood, a walk by the river Daboya with his friend The Poet - When was the last time he had seen his White Shadow ?

Without his permission, the memory blocks shifted to the present day assassination attempt during the statue ceremony. The Emperor was quite used to the plots against him - standing face to face with a killer after opening the door ; a ninja jumping out behing him from the dark skies ; explosive barrels inviting him at the Palace enterance ; a venomous snake jumping out of the cup of honey ; and much more. But Vettaiyan suspected a treacherous back-stabbing in the morning event. The plan was neatly executed admist his own armed gaurds.

Just like a sway of a leaf, Vettaiyan's thoughts shifted back to the warning from Chandramukhi who had been stationed at Narukukana by her Master. That night Vettaiyan awaited the attack of the Pirates. He posed to be suprised to see the Pirate leader Aadi knocking his gates at dinner time. He graciously welcomed him and accepted his gift of ten huge baskets of jamine buds, the favourite flower of the Emperor. Aadi sat across Vettaiyan at the garden dining table, surrounded with the flower containers. Vettiayn appreciated the scent of jasmine that had created an aromatic ambience.

As expected, a freebooter jumped out of each basket. Vettaiyan over reacted with fear. Aadi took full control of the suituation and threatened the Emperor to back-off from taxing even the pirates. Vettiayan made himself steady with a smile, a sign to the ninja hiding in the bush behind him. Aadi saw a man dressed in black appear from nowhere and before he could react, the heads of his ten warriors rolled around him on the ground, each one sliced simultaneously by one circular swing of the Vettaiyan Ninja with his chain sickle.

Vettiayan approached Aadi and ordered softly, "From now, no tax. What you loot is mine". He showed him the gates and said, "Sail for life Captain", sending off the Pirate Leader with a salute.

Back to actuality, Vettaiyan pounded over who could be responsible for today's attempt. It should be a plan by insiders, well executed as an organised mesmerizing killer act. Almost flawless, the only defect in the ploy was the target itself - The Emperor cannot be destroyed. Only five men were capable of pulling off such an endeavour, and all were guilty by circumstance :

His companion failed to averte him.

Narendhira Verman was incharge of the security.

Vitara proposed to open a statue for Vettiayan out of the blue.

Kynasura reacted late to command, and his warrior's arrow missed the killer.

Kreesnama Muni who shied away frequently, was a slient spectator of the whole event.

The Poet was his gaurdian, who had saved him from every single danger. The Minister was his motivation, who wanted to see him as an Emperor. The Architect was his ambition, who turned his dreams into reality. The General was his protector, who carried out his orders without hesitation. The Vaithiyar was his saviour, the creator of Mayil. Why would any of them go against him ?

And then it struck to Vettaiyan as a tiny spark of piercing light.

Vettaiyan opened his eyes and looked around him wide-eyed. Beside him on the carpet, the girl in blue was floating on her own red liquid and the other girl had her body flat above the gound but her face was facing the floor - her neck was completely twisted. Vettaiyan got up from the chair and moved away quickly from the unbreathing women. He was frightened, as the eyes of the girl in blue scared him. They reminded him of the rabbit that he was still searching for.

Vettaiyan's back bumped on the dressing table. He turned and noticed the neatly arranged clothes. He picked up the brightest outfit and walked to the window. The message it revealed, forced Vettaiyan to strom out of his Palace Chamber in fury, throwing the clothing into the fire on his way.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukaha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter One - Latest from the Final Years

Race with the Fate

"Our fate cannot be taken from us; it is a gift." - Dante's Inferno

He saw him seated at a corner table opposite to him. Noticing the necklet the stranger wore, widened his eyes under the mask.

A frail and aged man seeking alms had his eye on a middle aged man who had just cut off from the main street in the market and had entered into the crooked alley. The white breaded vagabond walked slowly towards the alleyway and once he was in the back alley, he corrected his position and started walking briskly, only his disguise looked aged but his movements were sharp and quick. He approached the middle aged man from behind and knocked him off with a karate chop, hitting him elegantly on the back of his neck. He carried the unconsious victim on his shoulder.

Somewhere in the middle of the jungle upon the Keera mountains, The Poet sat on a chair inside his camouflaged tree hunting cabin. Before him, arms chained to the ceiling, was the unconsious victim that he had kidnapped from the market. The Poet was not satisifed, the man before him looked a bit shorter. He convinced himself that he may pass during the real time. Beside him on the table was a neatly folded white kings robe and a tiny needle. He had come back from a long travel and the message should reach the Emperor without further delay.

The Poet moved to the enterance which looked like a bunch of dry leaves and jumped down over three branches to reach the ground. Suspended from the plank of his invicible cabin was a body covered with white cloth. He carried the body to the end of the cliff and dropped it into the vast depth of the ridge. No one had travelled alive into such a deepness to account the menancing species that dwelled in it's drakness. The body, including the cloth, would disappear in no time.

Ever since Pachonthi, the assassin's guild, was dissolved, The Poet was on the lookout for the tiny spark who had become a burning ball of fire. He was sure, sooner or later, to be face to face with his fiery foe. The Poet had been preparing himself for his meeting with Fate by creating decoys of himself as a backup plan. He kept the kidnapped victims as long as they survived, dressing his dupes exactly like himself - a white tunic with sleeves and attached hood tied around by a fake Pachonthi belt, pants and leather boots. During the needed hour, he would use his decoy either to lure the imminent enemy into a trap or fake his own death.

Next morning, the homeless man wandered around the market. There were not many passersby as most of them were at Palace Plaza to witness the statue opening ceremony of the Emperor. With the corner of his eyes he noted a stranger walking behind him. He knew he was followed, as he had taken all the wrong turns and his follower tailed him. Not a professional, asserted The Poet disguised as the homeless. He stopped before a fruit shop requesting for fallen fruits, all the while keeping a check on his pursuer. Suddenly, the stalker approached him and handed him a note. He grinned at The Poet, exposing his unkempt teeth and walked away hurriedly. The Poet was not able to decode the message, it seemed an alien language. He read it several times :

Inow woo yu ar. Meatme inmasc pab doring sonseat.

That afteroon, the Poet hooded in his white costume, followed the strange man from roof tops. He noted that he was an heavy drinker, intoxicating himself from the oval wooden flask tied around his hip. He made several tiny stops and indulged himself in small coversation, clearly indicating that he was not welcome. A vagrant, confirmed The Poet. The tramp found a doorstep and slept for a while under the shade of the awning. The Poet had enough chance to eliminate him, but was curious to know what was written in the note. He returned to his cabin and read the message again. It made much sense after rearranging few letters :

I know who you are. Meet me in Mask Pub during sunset.

The Mask Pub was a famous recreation club at the far end of the market place - only one rule of entry, the visitors must wear a mask of their own choice which permitted them anonymity as well as removed gender differences. A kind of liberty that The Poet was never able to relate with.

Wearing a Shadow Mask - white face with dark holes for eyes, nostrils and mouth - the Poet sat beside the bar at a table around the walled corner that permited him to monitor the front door without bothering about the suituation behind him. A stout man, with a clumpsy turkey head mask pushed his way inside. He looked around and started walking towards the bar. The Poet quickly got up and rolling a black scarf around his masked face, walked towards the chicken mask man. The clumpsy man appologised to the stranger with a black scarf who had bumped into him.

The Stout man looked hard through his tiny eyes and saw his target appearing from behind the bar and taking a seat at the corner. He reached The Poet and initiated a conversation.

"I am smart, ain't I ? For fixing a rendez-vous at a crowded place", he announced proudly.

"How do you know who this is behind the mask", questioned The Poet.

"I see things", the man took a mysterious voice and moved his fingers before his face.

"Tell me what else you saw", The Poet demanded.

The man shrugged the question. The bar maid served them draughts, and the man refused to drink from it.

"I ain't just smart, I am clever too", he said. He took out his flask and sipped from it. He smiled and the distilled spirit leaked through his tooth gap. The Poet left his ale untouched.

"A brothel, and you will help to set it up", demanded the chicken mask. After taking a sip from his flask, he threatened, "else I announce who the homeless man wandering in the market actually is and what he does for living".

The Poet placed a tiny money pouch on the table.

"I ain't just clever, I am a financial expert", mocked the man.

The Poet sat starring at him. After a while, he dropped another small bag on the board.

"I ain't just an expert, I am loose-lipped", the man said with a worried tone finishing his sentence by blaberring with his lips. A third sac took its place before him.

Satisfied, the turkey mask pointed his right thumb at The Poet. He reached to collect the bag when he sensed a warm and rustic fluid forcing itself out of his mouth. His throat burnt and with a sudden gush he spitted blood over the bags through the tiny hole of the turkey mask. His face looked like a bleeding chicken.

A while back, The Poet identified him by the flask tied around his hip. When he had entered the bar, The Poet knocked into him and in that brief moment pierced the flask with a poison needle.

The man circled on the floor of the pub like a headless chicken and after a while became motionless. The Poet quickly grabbed the bags, and moved around the bar. He stopped and turned to check the glimpse that he had caught while he had got up.

The Poet saw him seated with a red masquerade mask at the other corner of the pub opposite to him. Noticing the necklet the stranger wore - the vial holding the Demon Eye, the eyes of The Poet widened under his mask.

As a trapped prey, The Poet watched the man with the red mask walk out of the pub. Without further hesitation, The Poet stromed out through the main enterance and pursued the stranger, knowing well who he was.

Thus, the chase began - the Hunter in Wind ran after the Hunter of the Wicked. They quickly climbed walls, with similar skillset, using anything slightly protruding as a grip. At one such ascend, the man above him kicked a particle loosely hanging on the wall. The tiny sharp piece of stone hit the mask of The Poet, the force created a crack line on the right cheek. They continued sprinting over the roof tops leaping from one building to the another. The man with the Demon Eye necklet suddenly threw shuriken, the ninja stars, at his pursuer without turning back or aiming or reducing his momentum. The Poet, who was close behind his attacker, held to a pole on his way and dodged the star weapons that were rotating quickly towards him by spinning the pole with his hands. One star scratched his leg under his knees. He jumped back on the roof floor and the stinging pain in the knee made him kneel down, at the same time the man running away from him leaped to the next building.

Suspended in the mid-air for a brief moment, he turned to face his pursuer and removed his red mask. From behind, the setting sun crowned his head. The crack line in the Shadow mask below the right eye looked like a stream of tears, when the kneeling Poet saw Sena with a ring of light around his head posing as the Prime.

And in the race, Fate had won.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukaha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter One - Latest from the Final Years

A fall like a Thunderbolt (part 1/2)
(Rated-R)

Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake - Napoléon Bonaparte

"Mistake after a grave mistake chisels the tomb", the Poet cursed to himself.

An anonymous tramp he had never seen at the market place before - a jumbled message that doesn't convey a message - accepting to meet a stranger at a crowded place - failing to kill the one to be killed - a murder in plain sight - moreover, the grand finale, a chase across the city.

The Poet stamped his fist on the table in his hunting cabin. Sena had left him alive to play with his later, The Poet asserted. Sena's judgement was clear - make The Poet to marinate in fear. Sena had played with his ignorence and arogance. The child The Poet had seen training had grown mastering the art of riding along with one's own esteem. Even when Sena was a tiny spark, he used to look at the tree top where The Poet used to watchover him. And now, Sena had masterly stripped the disguise of The Poet. The bait, a clueless vagabound, had just followed Sena's instruction, just like how the poet lured himself into the trap blinded by his own pre-eminence.

The Poet, completely exposed, felt lonely for the first time. Age weighed on him that he could not remove the vision of the Prime. The Poet felt tired. He wanted to engulf himself inside comfort. He thought about the only wonderful moment in his isolated life. After a long time The Poet closed his eyes voluntarily and tried to find solace by getting back into his past :

He sat on top of the clock tower watching the barricaded pirate village. He was monitoring the building at the southern end of the settlement. The prison was heavily gaurded. Eventhough the lathargic pirates were not vigilant, their sheer number will defeat a small army. The prison held inside an item that was precious to the Emperor. The message was short, intensifying a mixture of Love and Danger - The Flower whirls in the wind, bear in mind, no harm reaches the hind.

"Moonflower, yes, the new recruit", confirmed The Poet, the one who had eased his work. Moonflower was captured by the pirates for committing an act of espionage when impersonating a barmaid. The Poet must act fast to liberate her, as he could not imagine the state of a pretty young girl in a Pirate's Prison.

The Poet counted eighteen gaurds circling the inner premises. He climbed down the clock tower and reached the gates of the Pirate Village. While he approached the main enterance, he flipped his sleeves aiming at the two gaurds at the gate and couple of tiny sharp blades escaped immediately from his cuffs. One entered and the other slit the throats of the clueless pirate securities. He opened the huge wodden gate and slowly walked inside the Pirate's Prison Village.

A white hood cover his head and a black scarf was spun around his face exposing only his calm eyes which were fixed on the four patrolers before him. A grey sleeveless outdoor overgarment hung loosely from the shoulders, attached to the neck with a tiny lace. He had both his hand behind him while walking and a thin taillike followed him.

The patrolers ran towards the intruder holding their sword high above their heads and shouting their suprise. The Poet exposed the taillike with his left-hand. It was a metal whip that he held behind and dragged with him while walking in. He threw the whip elegantly at the advancing pirates. The thin and flexible blade made waves in the air before reaching the closest pirate and sliting his torso. The victim stood for a while, looked down at his bloody body and then fell flat to the ground without making a noise. The thud stopped the other three advancing attackers in midway. They looked at the gore with wide eyes.

Four more joined the other three and all the seven circled The Poet moving adjecently along with him. The Poet pulled out his right-hand and introduced his rapier to the neck of the nearest gaurd. He continued walking in the center and at a silent moment he used his iron whip to send two more into the air. The rest four moved before him and blocked him like a wall. The Poet waited patiently. Two came rushing towards him. At the exact time, The Poet pulled his whip backwards tripping the running pirates. When they both were suspended perpendicularly before him, The Poet inserted the sharp edge of his rapier into the left eye of the floating pirate. He screamed in agony while the other, as soon as he hit the ground started crawling backwards crying in fear. The Poet made small steps towards him, all the while, drawing a line with his pointed sword on the ground between the legs of the escaping pirate. He looked at the last standing pirates and saw them seeing the oil barrels getting sprinkled with the blood of the man on the ground.

The gaurd on the watchtower finally reacted. He shot a single fire arrow at The Poet, who quickly used his whip to pull the oil barrel towards him. The flaming bolt blasted the barrel and the fire spread further over the spilt lube. The two men who had backed off to the fortified prison gate saw the unknown caped warrior emerging out of the fire. A spark spread on his scarf which he did not seem to mind. The spreading fire on the cloth emitted its shadow in his eyes, making them glow sharper, looking at which one of the pirate swallow his fear and the other trembled.

The Poet eliminated both of them with his rapier and hurriedly opened the prison doors, when he heard the alarm bells resonating around the Pirate Prison waking up every sleeping pirate anchored at the bay of Narukukana.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukaha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter One - Latest from the Final Years

A fall like a Thunderbolt (part 2/2)
(Rated-R)

On noticing that a rose smells better than a cabbage, an idealist concludes that it makes a better soup. - H.L. Mencken

The Poet waited in the shadows of the huge pillars, allowing the maddened pirates to run past him. He efficiently moved from a cover to another and reached the tiny wall of sandbags. He slit the throat of pirate on gaurd, before fencing over the sacks. He sneaked past a group of alert pirates and entered a small storage room. While waiting for the oppurtunity to move forward, he noticed two items placed on a metal table. He collected them and ran quickly reaching the far end of the hall.

There was only one locked room at the other side of the hallway. He pushed the eye-level sliding slotted peephole on the door. His rectangualr vision met with a kneeling young woman's back. Couple of whiplash mark uglified the smooth and healthy skin. Her arms were stretched, and The Poet assumed that it should be attached to the side walls. He kicked the door open and standing behind kneeling Moonflower, he liberated the Emperor's hind from the clutches of the chains. She took long to stand up and when she turned to face him, The Poet was mesmerised by her beauty that he forgot all his poems.

At the cell door, The Poet gave her the golden daggers that he had picked up on his way from the storage room. She made a courtesy nod back at him. They both stromed out of the prison room and reached the large hall. From the main door opposite to them countless pirates entered. Chandramukhi took a siting position behind The Poet.

"Were you asleep during the stealth class ?", she asked. The poet did not reply. Chandramukhi looked around her and noted that the pirates were no more charging but stood shaken. Some were retreating. She turned to look at the stranger who have come to rescue her and it was her turn to be stunned by his appearence.

The Poet had removed his overgarment by untying the lace around his neck, exposing his special combat garment which he liked to call the Knife Suit.

He demonstrated his Knife suit to the onlookers. He held a sort of control clutched inside his fist. With an upward pull, he awakened four blades on each forearm. A single pointed short knife projected from the shoulders. When he did a downward push, the blades retreated into a single line acting as a defense rod. His leather ankle boots were permanantely fixed with numerous tiny sharp edges and applying pressure to the toes ejected eight cutting short swords along each of his leg. He wore a knife belt with throwing knife fixed pointing outwards. And finally his back, along the spinal line the lethal edges of the chainsaw knife were peeping out.

"Cabbages for the soup", Chandramukhi said smiling at the pirates.

The courageous pirates ran towards the couple. Chandramukhi fought with very few of aggressive pirates with her golden dagger. The Poet handled the rest with ease. From time to time she turned to watch the elegant moves of The Poet - once she saw a sharp object ejecting from his elbow enter into the pelvic area of an attacker - next she saw his defending the heavy blows from the sabres and scimitars with his forearms ; sparks registered the weapons meeting - at one moment, she saw him sweeping couple of pirates to the ground by slashing their ankles - and finally she saw him running towards the enterance door over the fallen pirates crushing whatever bone that met with his ankle boot . She followed him quickly.

"How fast can you run", The Poet spoke to her for the first time. Chandramukhi made a weird face. "Well, run and climb", he concluded. Without a pause he contnued, "Get to the top of the watchtower and join me at the entrance with the fire blot and not to forget the bow. Don't be late, else meet me at our funeral."

Chandramukhi smiled and took a steep turn away from The Poet and ran towards the watchtower. On the way, she dodged couple of gaurds and jumped over several soldiers. She escaped a sword attack by rising in the air with her legs spread parallel to the ground. She reached the watchtower and inserted her dagger into the solidiers feet while still hanging onto the ladder. He fell off to the ground. She climbed over the platform and recovered the bow and the fire arrow.

From the top of the tower, she saw the stranger battling his way towards the main gate. Several pirates were following him. The stranger neither attacked nor defended nor escaped. He was simply pushing all the barrels around the prison ground area. She saw him fastly reaching the gates. She quickly climbed down the watch tower and joined The Poet at the enterance.

The bolt from the bow ignited the oil barrels exploding everything that it can take with it's tremendrous blast.

Inside his tree cabin, a fall of a dead branch on the roof, brought The Poet to reality and he worried that even his Emperor friend did not recognise him when he had walked past him, but Sena out of doubt had played a ploy and The Poet had volunteerly gave himself. The Hunter in the Wind had fallen, just like the Hunter had, on the day he brought him the message :

Reaching his Den at Narukukana, he was shocked to see an urgent message from the Emperor. Dressed up for the rainy night, he stood under the window of the Motel at the center of the town. He heard the moaning from inside. Rain drops were falling everywhere, and thicker drops were falling from his cheeks. Back at his Den he prepared a reply note for his friend -

Peacock dances in the rain,
As happy as the mane.
Prey is for you to obtain,
Rest assured of your gain.

He thought deeply for a while about the days he had roamed with Dashakantha on the paths of Daboya eating the stolen apples with laughter. With rapid thoughts of loyality, The Poet got up and took another lamb's bone from his reserve. He carved the truth on it and delivered it himself. Disguised as a tribes-man from Keera Mountain, he entered the dining hall of the Palace. In a brief moment, he looked at the sunken eyes of Vettaiyan. He left as silently as he had walked in.

At his tree cabin, the past provoked anger in The Poet. "I need more decoys", crushing his teeth, The Poet stromed out of his tree cabin.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukaha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter One - Latest from the Final Years

Myth of Self

And set a watcher upon her, great and strong Argus, who with four eyes looks every way. And the goddess stirred in him unwearying strength: sleep never fell upon his eyes; but he kept sure watch always. - Aegimius (fragmentary Ancient Greek epic poem).

"He is watching", said the man seated on the floor leaning to an open box full of jewels. "Who", demanded the leader. "The Gaurdian", replied the man.

The weather was warm, but the climate of the Kingdoms was not soothing. The demise of two kings on the same day had consequences. Kottaipatinam was unable to find its successor and Kalingapuri stood weakened when the young prince Veera Mahendran was elected as the King. The Nobels of Kottaipattinam were against Vadhana Devi presiding the throne, even when the search of Sengodagan brought vain.

Vadhana Devi, the sister of Sengodagan, was the daughter of King Rishikodagan of Kottaipatinam. Sengodagan was expelled from the kingdom by his father after his marriage with Yamuna Devi, the daughter of Kochadaiiyaan. The death of King Rishikodagan happened during the wedding day of his daughter with the Prince of Kalingapuri. The same day, before removing the head of Rishikodagan from his body, Rana, the Son of Kochadaiiyaan, slitted the throat of Raja Mahendran, the father of the bridegroom, Veera Mahendran.

The Nobles of Kottaipatinam argued that it was the master plan of Rana to eliminate all powers from the Kingdom - firstly, got his sister married to Prince Sengodagan, secondly, had mesmerised Princess Vadhana Devi in his charm and finally, eliminated the King. Thus, Rana had the full authority to claim to the throne of Kottaipattinam. They claimed that Vadhana Devi was under the influence of Rana, and for the goodwill of the Kingdom, the Princess should not be allowed to become a sucessor to the throne. They ordered and organised a massive search to bring back their hier, Sengodagan. They pronounced that until the new King Sengodagan was not appointed, Rana will not be judged for his crimes against the Kingdom. They concluded that the King will be their Saviour who will feed the conspirator Rana to the worms.

The Nobels futher demanded the Panel to expel Sena, the brother of Rana, from the Kingdom. They made their point by stating the Rana had brilliantly brought in his members into the Royal Family, and moreover, they recollected that the prime member of the family was executed after found guilty for treason against their Great Kingdom. Finally, they rested their argument stating that Rana was the Initiator of the Chaos.

Vadhana sat silently watching all the arguments. She felt participating in such discussion were inutile as Rana was People's King, but sincerely hoped her brother would return to clear of the allegations against Rana. Her silence fell heavy over Kottaipatinam - poor administration drowned the entire Kingdom into crime and violence.

Anarchists were flooding on the streets of Kottaipattinam. They circled the lanes as a group of liberated cage animals, causing destruction where ever they stepped into. They attracted the off-track citizens by misguiding them with false promises and convincing them about a future that was not possible. In between their insincerity, they looted and ransaked the whole Kingdom. They out numbered the scared gaurds and marched forward to take down the capitol.

A hand glided into the window hole of a jewellery shop and seized a grand ornament which brought smile to the man's face but that was the last time he saw his hand sticking to his body. A sharp blade had sliced his arm, the chop dropped the hand inside the shop's floor and the screaming robber onto the ground.

A group of four men cornered an young lady across the lane. She held tightly to her weeping young son. Their intentions of the men were clear, when one of them pulled the kid away from her while the other picked on her clothes. The kid stood starring at the man who had just jumped behind the three attackers. A tiny knife flew past him hitting the back of the neck of the eloping man. Crossing three other motionless bodies, the infant reached his mother and hugged her.

Several woman gathered around a wodden door and tried to break it open. Inside was the family of a merchant, his family scared behind the locked door. Suddenly it rained all over the attacking ladies. They found that the shower was brief and the drops were lamp oil. A single fire torch fell behind them. They ran away.

A group of anarchists looted the habour area. One stealer skipped past his group and entered the massive opening between two anchored ships. He heard foot steps behind him, but there were no one when he turned. He continued and approached a large abadonned chest. With a greedy smile, he reached the treasure box, and that was when his chest met with a karate chop. He fell to the ground crying in pain. The other members ran towards their screaming partner.

"He is watching", informed the wounded man. "Who", demanded his leader. "The Gaurdian", replied the man.

They all heard the footfalls from behind them. Slowly but steadily they saw a silhouette of a warrior holding a long sword. His stride was banging on both the ships, and the anarchists realised that they were cornered. The footsteps grew louder exposing the star studded leather boots. The star buckle of the belt shined in the moon light. The blue top embedded with diamonds glittered in the pale light of the night. One of the scared anarchist saw the throat of the advancing Gaurdian turn blue for a fraction of a second. The chin was tiny and rigid over which the lips carried a tiny smile without exposing the teeth. The nose bridge was narrow and sharp under a shiny plained forehead over which few strands of hair danced with the wind. The eyes were tiny, but sharper than the blade of the long sword.

The Anrchists looked up at Rana who crushed their crime in his shadow.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukaha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter One - Latest from the Final Years

The Wall of Trees

King Sorubhan of Katrupuzha and King Gauthama of Karimedai endeavoured stabilising their governance after the downfall of the Two Kingdoms. Violence spread like rapid fire, but through their able administration they brought the affairs under control. But monetary instability was least of their worries. Their Kingdoms were weakened with the treaties imposed by the Emperor and now the Emperor claimed Kottaipatinam for himself, and had sent an appointee to resolve the confusion over the hier to the throne of Kottaipattinam. Spies informed them that, the Emperor was planning to install a member from his state to rule Kottaipatinam. King Sorubhan and King Gauthama held a secret meeting and shared thier inquietude over the non-representative decision of the Emperor, moreover, during the coarse of the meeting they expressed their disturbance over the Emperor's puppet King Veera Mahendran. By accuring the Two Kingdoms, the Emperor will slave down Katrupuzha and Karimedai too. No vassal treaties will be respected, but the Kingdoms will be royally looted and the free citizens will become mere serfs working their who life producing for the Empero and nothing left for the future generations.

"The Palace is yours Rana. Don't mind the Nobles, they will accept you as the King", Vadhana affirmed to Rana, whom she met in the public garden.

"I am not here to argue, the immediate threat to the Kingdom is more menancing than elective quarrels", replied Rana. "I received a message from Sengodagan to meet him at the frontier", he announced to her.

Vadhana hopped towards Rana and hugged him with immense joy.

"But why at the frontier, this is his Kingdom anyway", Rana expressed his incertitude before leaving the park. Vadhana stood thinking, before going back to the Palace.

Rana found himself being followed by a dark clothed form and when he turned to check, it hid itself behind a shade. Rana slowed down encouraging his pursuer to initiate the attack. The clumpsy frame jogged unevenly behind Rana, and suddenly leapt onto to his back. It clutched him with it's thin fingers crowned with sharp nails. The cloak around it's head dropped during it's vigorous attack, exposing the thinning hair and bald patched head. Rana quickly hauled his attacker and threw him to the ground by gripping his clothes. Hanchabadra grinned at his master while lying on the ground. He crossed his legs and tried to whistle, no sound escaped from his shrinked lips. Rana pulled Hanchabadra to his feet and hugged him.

"How is your arm ?", Rana asked Kacha, to which Kacha demonstrated his arm's stength by slicing the air. Rana tapped his shoulder appreciating their reunion.

Hanchabadra was a deformed man who was the aid of the child-hood friends Sengodagan and Rana. Together they have embarked into numerous treasure hunt adventures around the five Kingdoms. He was a loyal servant whom the friends treated as a member in the family. Kacha was the son of the wrestler Vrikoda, the personal body gaurd of Rana's Father. He broke his arms while swinging across the cave walls at the Gulf Of Bharavi. When Sengodagan was expelled from the kingdom, Rana had sent them away too, as he was not prepared to explain to them his plan of taking down the king, also he never wished them to be part of his personal ploy. Rana had called back his friends when he got the invitation from Sengodagan. He expected the dark days will end through their union, and together they will celebrate a new dawn.

Hanchabadra moved in circles after hearing about the meeting with Sengodagan. Kacha expressed that he knew what had happened and he would have supported Rana, if he had been permitted to. Rana smiled and nodded at Kacha while pulling Hanchabadra to his side. The three friends travelled on horse backs to the frontier. On the way, Hanchabadra made faces at the birds circling around the sky above him. He grinned.

Sengodagan stood alone before the wall of trees at the forntier. His companions who had come to meet him halted and got down from their horses. A tiny thought swayed inside Rana disturbing him since he had received the inivitation from Sengodagan. Before he could stop him, Hanchabadra hopped quickly towards Sengodagan. On his small route over the green grass, Hanchabadra turned and grinned at Rana from time to time registering his contentement.

The cold breeze hitting his face made Hanchabadra to close his eyes rejoicing every single moment. Sengodagan welcomed him with open arms and a huge smile. He gathered his faithful companion around his chest and tapped him on his back. Kacha felt at ease watching the smile on Sengodagan's face.

Hanchabadra's body shook in happiness. No noise esacped his mouth. He turned and grinned at Rana while still tugging to Sengodagan tightly. Before Rana could return the smile, he noticed the stretched corner of Sengodagan's lip wrinkling into anger. He looked back at Hanchabadra whose grin was turning into a smirk. Blood streamed out of from the corner of his lips. Kacha stood shocked.

From behind the wall off trees, King Veera Mahendran appeared on his horse back surrounded by his private body gaurds. Sengodaga threw a dagger at Rana, the one with which he had stabbed Hanchabadra in the chest. The sharp blade approached cutting the air faster when scandalized Rana suddenly fell onto the ground. Rana was pushed by Kacha and the blade travelled above Rana's eyes before piercing into the shoulder of Kacha. The sight of the flying dagger resembled the vision Rana had at the Lake of Ghosts - he felt something fastly approaching cutting through the air that distracted him and he moved, by the time the projection on the transparent wall was of a dragger covered in blood, too close that it could hurt.

"Your head will bow to our sword Rana, just like how you executed our fathers", Sengodagan shouted with a menancing voice standing beside King Veera Mahendran. He slowly pushed Hanchabadra to the ground.

"You will witness how I deliver you to your tomb". King Veera Mahendran sat on his horse starring at Rana, when couple of his men started running towards fallen Rana and wounded Kacha. Suddenly the advancing solidiers looked shocked and halted midway. A small army of Kottaipatinam emerged behind Rana.

"Coward, next time you face me, I will teach you how to be a man", Sengodagan talked inbetween excessive teeth grinding and jaw clenching. Rana turned back and saw few soldiers running towards them. His head spinned, he was unable to follow. When he returned his vision back at his friend Sengodagan, his sight met with the back of his riding foes. Sengodagan and King Veera Mahendran rode away on the same horse. Sengodagan turned and a evil smile escaped from the corner of his lips before they disappeared breaking through the wall of trees.

Rana got up and rushed towards Hanchabadra. He stumbled couple of time before skidding towards his fallen friend and in a singular action, he took Hanchabdra's head and placed it on his lap. Hanchabadra's grin had not yet faded away. Rana shook him vigoursly, but Hanchabadra lied over his laps starring at him. Images of Hunchabadra ran before Rana - the small man performing an Emperor's walk, the deformed angel grinning after been caught stealing peanuts, the hunchback beauty chasing butterflies, the limping peacock dancing around the kids, the golden-heart putting up a sad face and grinning immediately after, thier boon companion trying to drill between the friends by sticking his face inbetween them.

Further away, Rana noticed Kacha was moving on the ground in pain. Tormented, Rana looked up at the emptiness above him with his upper lips moving crookedly in agony just like the single lightening that flew past the sky. His silent misery was broken by a resounding thunder which echoed his Father's voice over the vastness above :

Pagaivanin Pagayai Vida, Nanbanin Pagayae Aabathaanathu. [A friend turned foe is a much bigger threat than nemesis.]

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukaha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Two - Locked within Oneself

Presence of an Opponent

You, Rana, have fought your own slow death. This closes down the options leading you into a path where your Death will be Quick. Youngman's words picked the eyes of Rana. He quickly woke up. Over a blurred vision, he saw his brother nearing him. Sena bent down at Rana and his necklet danced before his brother. Another of Rana's vision became reality - There was a red eye dangling around his neck.

Rana hurriedly moved back pushing his feet as fast as he could, as the images he remembered from the Lake of Ghosts were horrifying which potrayed Sena inhumane. He lifted his head and found that Sena was normal standing beside Vadhana and Kacha.

"Next time, you should wait for me", Sena told him trying not to sound like a brother. Rana did not reply, he started correcting his clothes. He walked to Vadhana and stood close to her staring at her eyes.

"Next time, make sure to inform me", Rana told Vadhana before stroming out of the room. Vadhana stood guilty over sending the personal gaurds after Rana after he had expressed his incertitude at the public garden just before leaving to meet her brother Sengodagan.

The brothers walked abreast, followed by Kacha with a bandaged arm. None spoke until they reached the Council Hall.

"Actions stay verbal only, so don't over react inside", Sena adviced his brother. Rana stood still looking at his nails. A while later, Sena approached the huge door and the trio were ushered in.

The hall was large and circular. An empty throne was right in front of them placed on a platform elevated by three steps. Beside on a princely chair, Vadhana sat watching the council. Three rows of benches were arranged at either side of the hall, where the Nobles were seated. Directly opposite to the throne was the visitor's podium where the trio took their chairs amoung several others.

An aged member and the Head of the Council stood up and walked forward to the center. He greeted the Princess, then his fellowmen. After a brief detailing about the current suituation, he announced the agenda of the needed hour. Then, the wise Nobleman invited the war strategist Yesodha Putran to address the council.

Yesodha Putran had won many wars without actually fighting any of them. He was considered to be the greatest strategist who could invent warmaking methods that would stumble any empire. He was not a practitioner but a theorist. He walked to the center and after greeting the gathered crowd, Yesodha Putran started his analyse on whether to challenge the Emperor.

"Both doers and thinkers are needed to end a perpetual war. And with that honor of a thinker, I suggest we surrender", he declared.

Loud murmurs echoed inside the hall. Several stood up and shouted insanely at Putran. Vadhana sat silently and the Head of the Council watched her silence without uttering a single word. Rana smiled hard by moving his shoulders way too high while looking at the circus before him. Sena sat calmly beside him. When tranquility was restored, Putran continued, "I won't appologise before this council for my words, as my statement stands true, even if it's not patriotic". The council members started hooting when the Head of the Council brought back silence in the hall just raising his right hand.

"My research states that going to war will be fatal", continued Putran. "With the accord of our Kings, King Dashakantha was unnanimously accepted as the Ruler of the Rulers. Breaking our King's will would fracture the treaties and relationships shall slide like a mud wall in a flood". He paused and then contiued to put forward a crucial indicator before the council, "The Central land is thrice bigger than the all other Kingdoms united. And there are thirteen tribes - the founders of our lands - dwelling and governing the surroundings under the Emperor's direct guidence".

Putran looked down at his notes and recited his study over victory to the panel :

- The only way to reach the Central Kingdom is through the waters, under unpredictable and unimaginable weather conditions. The oceans are clutched by the Emperor's pirate partner, Leader Adhi. These are ruthless men. (Putran paused and starred directly at the eyes of several Noblemen). And, we don't have the naval power to attack simultaneous from all fronts.

- Out of 13 tribes 7 support the Emperor directly. They all are well versed in guerrilla warfare, an art our soldiers are not trained in. These tribals form a subordinate army of Central Kingdom. If successful in crushing them, the few men who may rest in our army should face the biggest marching soldiers on the face of this earth. The tribals support to the Emperor is to gaurd their ancestor's land. Three groups, the valiant ones, who opposed the Emperor were neutralised. And the rest have no choice but are weak.

- Our foot soldiers need to pass the fort Aiyan, if the Palace has to be taken down. That can happen only if we can set out foot on the Central Lands crossing the sea. Fort Aiyan is maintained by the salves of the Emperor and a huge war cannon called Vettai crowns the fortified castle hunting down any intruders.

- As we know now, Kallingapuri is under the influence of the Emperor, whose army will out run our men like a walk over the soft sands.

- The personal army of the General secure the Emperor. They are not normal warriors. The General changes his methods within the shift of the wind. (Putran remained silence for a while, for the message to sink inside the listeners).

- The other two Kingdoms will not support us due to fear. Eventhough they are against the admistration, the Emperor had never troubled them. They will anyhow look to profit from the suituation. As a reminder, Our Nation was never amicable with the other Kingdoms. Negociations will end even before a start.

He looked directly at the Princess and sumersied, "Going to war with Emperor Dashakantha is fatal. Ceding is not the option I propose, nor the war as a solution. New amendments should be proposed and implemented to save the Fall of our Dynasty", Putran inferred before taking his seat beside Sena admist loud and angry murmurs.

"We need to talk", whispered Sena into the ears of Yesodha Putran, to which he acknowledged by nodding his head at Sena.

"He is the one who invited the doom", shouted a Nobleman at Rana, "like Father like Son. They should be thrown out".

Rana kicked an empty chair before him. He growled in a menancing voice, "Dare you touch me". Sena stood up and pulled Rana back, all the while staring at the cursing Nobleman.

"Enough", yelled Vadhana. The Council Hall restored itself with permanent silent.

A thick desk seperated the brothers. "Being at the mercy of anything that you cannot control is like a floating log over the sea during an hurricane. You don't know where it would land you", Sena said calmly.

"I am getting tired of all your saintly phrases", Rana complained, "you sound like a toothless man and somtimes I feel that we are not talking the same language. Where were you ...", Rana paused, "What really have you done for us, my brother, for me to sit through your preaching sessions".

"Nothing. If I had, then your head would be rolling on the ground instead of sticking to your neck", replied Sena.

Rana laughed, "Last words of Father". With a serious face he demanded, "Tell me, what is the point in enlarging all these glory and pride when a man cannot save his own head ?"

Sena's eyes flickered. His nose widened. His fingers formed a fist.

"I am a warrior. I dont carry a myth, I carry a sword", Rana informed his brother taking a serious tone.

Sena punched the desk with his fist to bring an end to Rana's ignorence. Rana circled around the desk and stood before Sena and threatened his brother, "The revenge inside me has sinked, it is replaced with fury. Don't even try to do what you just did again".

The brothers stood staring at one another and then they raised their arms not to shake but to crush each other's throat.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukaha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Two - Locked within Oneself

A Flight Together

"That's my master eye !", grumbled Rana while sticking a wet cloth over the red ring around his punched left eye.

"That's my wisdom tooth !", muttered Sena with his fingers sticking inside his mouth between the cracked lips which had taken a blow.

"How old am I ?", asked Vadhana to the brothers seated before here. The brothers looked at each other. Without waiting for an answer, she continued with annoyance, "I have an empire to run and I can't come running each time you pull each other's hair out. What would have happened if I had not intervened".

"Hope would have sliced Faith, or, Faith would have torn Hope", murmured the brothers.

"What ?", she asked, "I don't remember seing you brothers quarrelling when you were at the age to dispute over a pebble. What happened to you both now ?"

Rana got up and held Sena's hand. He pulled him and said, "Come, I will take you to a place."

"Where ?"

"To the east, where you can bury your tooth", Rana joked.

"The light from the dawn will purify your sight", replied Sena.

The brothers sat under the Big Tree infront of their birth house. Nothing much had changed, except branches of strains due to non-maintainance were prominent in the building as well around the small garden.

"That's where you sat counting the flying birds. You were weird at that time itself", Rana said humourlessly. Sena Smiled. Vadhana was taking a small walk around. All three were floating on the same pool of memory.

A gaurd approached Vadhana. After a brief discussion with him, she waved at the brothers and followed the messenger.

"I die to see our Queen in a tiny frock, just like during the good gold days", Rana said earnestly. Sena smiled.

Sitting over the small paltform in front of their home, the brothers kept the entire day between themselves. They talked about their mother's delicious food and amused over their Father's childishness about chasing them around the garden. They watched the corner where their Father trained them in sword fighting using wooden sticks and looked at the patches where they rode on their horses along with their Parents. They discussed about their uncle and his jokes.

"I searched for Yamuna, still looking for her", Rana said sorrowfully. Sena sat silent. Rana looked at his brother gazing at the blue sky. He maintainted silence too. Sena took out a compass, but the needles seemed to be stuck. He pocketed the item back. Time passed.

"Vampires ? Do they even exist ?", Sena frowned his face.

"Yes. At the Valley of Vampire", asserted Rana with enthusiasm. "They worshipped their king called Pha, even after his death centuries ago. They beleived that he was walking around protecting their clan, and I beleived in his golden teeth should worth a lot. Pha was sleeping, well when he was not roaming around, inside a concrete tomb. A group of people suddenly became allergic to the heat from the sun. Then, their eyes became hyper sensitive to the light. So they started dwelling in the dark. Due to whatever deficiency, they started loosing their teeth. Being the King, Pha got his Vampire teeth installed with gold".

Sena laughed.

"So, we broke inside thier cave", Rana continued, "and pale men, women and children who gaurded the tomb with their sharpened teeth attacked us. It's a kind of their clan's ritual to sharpen their teeth to resemble their Pha's. It was Hanchabadra ...", Rana paused. He looked the other way and then after taking a breathe he continued, "We found the tomb, but the teeth was well glued to the skull. We were out numbered. When I was fighting the Vampires, Hanchabadra and Sengodagan carried the skeleton over their shoulders. While they were running, the skull on the shoulder of Hanchabadra starred at him with clunky jaw. He did not sleep for a week after the escape".

"I would like to visit this Valley", wished Sena. "Not Possible, I blasted the enterance of the cave", Rana shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever was inside, stays inside".

"Where is Pha now", asked Sena. "The toothless skull hanging over the bony body is buried deep underground. Stories in the wind whisper that Pha still roams around and his Vampire Clan are still searching for their Skeleton King. We have to check out on them some day", Rana laughed.

"A Headless Horseman terrorised a rich town", Sena told his brother. "That thing on a huge black stallion with red eyes rode over the dark lanes. People were terrified that they refused to leave their houses. That night when I visited the town to enquire about the Headless Horseman, I arrived late at the deserted town. Before me was Headless Horseman. Sweat ran down my temple ...", Sena paused, and then continued, "I tell it to you my brother, none should hear about this - the sight made my knees to tremble".

Rana laughed so hard that he almost tripped to the ground.

"So", an annoyed Sena said, "it stared at me and rode away. The next morning I asked the townsmen whether there were any casualities. None reported, but the claim was that every night a family keeps a basket of candies outside thier house".

"Candies ?", questioned Rana, "Should be a wierd witch !".

"I tracked the devil's foot print and reached a ranch. It was run by a poor, widowed farmer with his two sons who were less than ten years old. The following night I waited for the Headless Horseman and stood face to face with it on the street, no trembling this time".

Rana tried to controll his laughter, but ended up brusting.

"Really a 'No'. I was not governed by fear anymore, as I know who the Headless Horseman was, rather 'were'. It was the kids of the poor farmer, the younger one sitting over the elder's shoulder who was riding the horse. They covered themselves with a huge black cloth which ended as a cone above, rigidly fixed with sticks looking like a headless neck. They applied some special effects to their costume including red strains. The poor horse was blinded as they had cut a red floresent paper into a shape of an eye and stuck it on the fly mask making the horse visionless. These kids were mistreated and chased by the dwellers just because they were poor and weak. All they wished for was the candies that their father could not afford to buy them. And eventually they suceeded in accuring a lot each day".

"Were the kids punished ?", asked Rana curiously. "No, the mystery stayed unsolved", Sena winked at Rana. "Their father prepares delicious soup. One day I will take you there".

"What happened to the town then ? Did you warn the kids to behave themselves ?", asked Rana. "The town was not hauted anymore by a Headless Horseman, but by two. The legend of the Headless Horsemen continues", the brothers laughed out loud.

"Rana, we are not fighting a Human War here", Sena spoke in a much deeper and serious tone.

"I understand", Rana asserted.

"Preparation is not what we need, we have to obtain more knowledge on what we are confronting", Sena assured.

"How could we accuire it ?", Rana wondered.

"I had always noted a group of twelve men been mentioned, whenever a topic about our Father comes up", Sena said.

"Yes, the Wise Brothers referred them too. Also, I think they are the ones I saw at a bar drinking from a single bowl", Rana explained.

"Yes, it's them. The description matches", confirmed Sena.

"How are we going to find them", Rana questioned.

Sena took out his compass. It's needles shivered and started to spin slowly. Sena smiled.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukaha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Two - Locked within Oneself

Witness of Evidence (part 1/2)

Study the past if you would define the future. - Confucius

"The Emperor is a Ninja !", exclaimed Rana.

Rana and Sena cut through the crooked paths in the forest and entered the thick regions of the jungle on their horses, Rahbar and Nameless.

"Dashakantha and the annonymous man called The Poet were trained in the same secret university as mine", replied Sena. "Dashakantha was famously known as Vettaiyan for his fiery patience and cunning attacks. He was the pupil who had spent more years with the Guild and his last few days concentrated on training the mind".

"This Poet guy ? Where does he fit in ?", Rana questioned. Sena rode in silence.

"I fell like I know you well, at the same time you are the perfect stranger I have met", Rana complained.

The ground before them started to look flattened due to the effect from frequent marching. Sena signaled Rana that they have arrived. They got down from the horse and after attaching the beasts to a bark, they walked over the flat floor. The trees became scarce as they advanced and they arrived into a oval plain land. The opposite gave a hill facade, on the right ran a tiny stream of water and the left was densed with bushes. The brother heard footfalls over dry leaves. Twelve men approached the brothers , squeezing themselves between the shrubs. The Twelve Disciples of Time registered their presence in front of Rana and Sena. They looked aged and fragile. Their bodies were covered with a simple dark piece of cloth. None spoke except One, the Speaker.

"Our Last of the Days has arrived, standing like a split second before us", said the Speaker to his fellowmen. They all stared at the brothers. Rana looked at Sena.

"Thus, the Witness will be the One to whom the Evidence shall pass", the Speaker announced.

"Why does he have to speak in such manner", Rana whispered to Sena. Sena ignored his brother and knelt down. Rana followed his brother.

"You have come after hearing to many, we tell you only the final Piece in Time. Uniting them will reveal to you the veracity", saying so he closed his eyes. The rest eleven closed their eyes and started chanting in incomprehensible language.

Thus, the Twelve Lost Sailors whom the Time brought to shore, roamed the World for a century waiting for their turn to narrate the Tricks of Tasks to the Seeds of the Father :

"Your Father is the Wisest of All Men, the Son born out of the Spirit of the Fathers", started the Speaker. "We have not met your Father, neither his Wingmen, but we were given wisdom by the One and Only who watches us All".

Several thousand years back, existed a civilisation of not the intelligent but of the innovatus. A peirod when Man was not able to understand himself - how he laughed, what made him cry, which brought him pain, when he was joy, why he was tired. After the Light was removed from one source and restored into another, the Man wondered about those he could see and those he could not witness. He found a sort of container, hundred and eight to be exact, and coined his first definition to understand the cylinder as all energies within an energy. With that aspiring energy of thought, he realised what he contained inside himself. He started to dive into his own emotions. And an handful found a depth inside.

These Special Men started questioning the mind that governed their emotions - if mind is a part of the body and if it can float, why not the body too. This principle thought brought them to coin their first concept Laghima - weightlessness. Their study continued drawing its energy stored inside the cylinder, gifted to them by the Creator himself. Just as the study, so extended their search. They stumbled upon an unexplainable Natural force over the sands where once water had flown - Godwin, the anti-gravitational force. At that specific point, rocks floated, but never the Man. They became curious and closely followed Mother Nature. Examining the concept of Laghima and Godwin, they unearthed the power, a kind of psysiological force residing inside Man and they named it Ego.

If this inside force, Ego, can leviate a man, then a similar force thrusted upon should carry the body too, they infered. Thus, they invented the first flying machine, Vimana.

Sucess failed them, as it was not a proper Time. But their record is lost somewhere around the nothern mountains, deep or above, the Seeker shall find it. Absence of evidence is not an evidence of absence. Confusion should only start once the Seeker found this record, as there are different kinds of Vimana - to fly over land or to fly under water - what should interest you is Kaara. Without it, you will be doomed before the one He calls the Clown. Build the Vimana, float in the air, before it's already late.

"Really. After you explain and before I understand, the world would end", Rana murmured at Sena.

The Speaker looked at Rana angrily and yelled, "This war began even before Mankind, and reigned through various wars involving many Realms of Time. Man just accounts from where he started to understand, the rest he did not put much effort to know. Facts of Time do not cease to exist because they are ignored. Thus, ignorant as he was as always, Man designed the hour at his own convinience ignoring the basic Evidence of Time".

The Speaker breathed heavily. Rana looked at the Twelve disciples wide-eyed. Sena calmly manipulated his mind by feeding it with the informations he was receiving.

"The Darkside were winning," continued the Speaker. "All the demon warriors assembled themselves inside a Twin City. The cities were over flowing with deadly monsters hungry to feed on the flashes of the Light. They were ready to attack the Capital City of Lights. They noticed a flight - a bright light resembling a shooting star - above in the sky. Slowly Vrishis tore the sky and when they realised the Light to be an attack missile, the Time to react seized to exist. Vrishis, the ultimate bomb made out of the all the energies sources of the universe, hit between the Two Cities. None were alive to witness the mushroom cloud."

"A Vrishis is waiting at a known palace. The outcome in the Battle of Three will deceide whether this world, the Human one, will fall under the shadow of a similar cloud."

"At the end of the Battle of Three, if the Brother's stand, then this World will fall."

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukaha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Two - Locked within Oneself

Witness of Evidence (part 2/2)

As the different streams having their sources in different places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee. - Swami Vivekananda's speech at Chicago, September 11th 1893.

The Speaker approached Sena. He looked from above at the risen face of Sena glittering purity his eyes. But the Speaker also found a deep anguish lining at the corner of his lips.

"Chanciness is a Curse bestowed on Man at the right time when he took his first breathe", said the Speaker, "but as your Father was born from above, you are blessed with the boon of very great ability. I can see in your eyes, the phrophecy that worries you, and I know when Time arrives, you will take the fall to keep your split half standing."

Sena listen to his words spoken by the Speaker.

"We are Time Keepers, not Fate Fakers", declared the Speaker. "All three Worlds are one and the same even if resided by Makers, Executioners and Influenced in their respective Worlds. The only difference is Time, as they vary their own identity. In this World, Time exists only as Future, where Man runs tensed, but always forward. Future is a line between the Birth and Death. What had happened - the Birth, defines what should it be leading to - the Life, the way it shall be done - the Death.

When a stone is thrown, the Future is not where it lands, the Future is that, it will land. The Path the stone takes branches itself from the Line of Future and converges itself bowing before the definite end.

The prohecy is about the End and not a Prediction", the Speaker paused and looked at the brothers and said, "One will Show the Way, the other will Guide".

The Men of Wisdom walked silently towards the hills. The Speaker stopped and whispered into the ears of the Listener. The Listener calmly approached the kneeling brothers. "You have come here for a story, then, listen one more from me too", he said.

"A man", narrated the Listener, "insulted his Love. She saw him as everything for her, but the arogant man rejected her, an insult she could not bare. His father once took him to a soothsayer to forsee his future. The fortune-teller guaranteed wealth for the young man. The man did not believe as his fate seemed not possible - been born to a normal father will not permit him to become rich. He will do what his father did, just like how his son will continue.

One day, he got an opputunity to change his fate, he escaped a rich merchant from robbers. The trader gladly offered the man a collared work. The man realised his efficiency to alter his kismet, he attempted to kill the merchant to gain his wealth but was caught and beaten-up. The man ran back to the astrologer and cried. Wise do not wait for a change, they find ways to alter, the foreseer said. He assured him that if he married to the daughter of the merchant at a specific point in Time, he should acquire more than just wealth.

The man was suprised when he found that the daughter of the merchant was none other than the girl who was madly in love with him. He convinced her about how a changed man he had became and obtained her accord to marry him. But the angry merchant stood between him and his wealth. Time fixed by the forecaster started to feed onto the present quickly. The man finally succeeded in eloping with the girl, but the last second of the determined Time had passed.

Late, he sat on the boat on which he had kidnapped the merchant's daughter. Before him was a map. He hurriedly used time and distance measuring instruments and marked a tiny island at the corner of the map, the Space in the Sphere of Time where yesterday at his place was still a today. Gaining a day's chance, he rowed to the island and before the evening sky he married the daughter of the merchant on the island under the time fixed by the soothsayer.

At the same moment, the merchant died in a lightning strike. The man took it as a sign of his victory over his destiny and walked with his wife to inherit the fortune of his father-in-law. Buisness flourished, it was like whatever he touched turned to gold. But he could not touch his own wife. She took her vengence on him for insulting her love. She slept beside him, she provoked him, but always carried a sharp tiny knife buckled around her left thigh that threatened his manhood if he tried to approach her. None of his wealth could wipe his tears.

The richest man died of oldage. He reached the Holy House and spoke to Fate who was seated beside the Creator. I have conquered you my Fate, he boosted. I was destined to die poor and here I am before you as a wealthy man, he explained.

Fate replied, You were never destined to accuire wealth, but to rot in an unsucessful marriage."

The Listener joined the Speaker who glanced at Sena for a brief moment. They started to move forward, when the Speaker spoke without facing the brothers :

"mRdayopaliptaM ... yathaiva bimbaM mRdayopaliptaM tejo-mayaM bhrAjate tat sudhAntam ... Just as a mirror with dirt smeared brightly shines when well cleaned, Evil has to be removed from our World for it to shine brightly again."

The Disciples of Time disappeared into the thick jungle.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukaha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Two - Locked within Oneself

A Strategy for the Strategist

It was past noon when Rana and Sena walked through the streets lined with shops to reach the place where Sena had fixed a rendez-vous with Yesodha Putran and the Head of the Council. Rana stopped before a jewel shop and expressed his wish to offer his brother an item of his choice. Sena continued walking giving him his smile as the reply.

The brothers passed by a young platform vendor making objects resembling animals with thin metal wires. The lady was pulling the long strip of metal wire and quickly moved her fingers coupling the wires efficiently inbetween the gaps. She used a small instrument with a pointed nose to detach the giraffe from the bundle of wire. She placed it in front of her on the floor beside a tiny population of animals. On the mat both pets and ferals shared the same space. Sena halted and asked his brother to get him a family of sheep and a wolf.

"Seriously", Rana exclaimed, "you don't want a ring, but figurines of sheeps and a wolf".

Rana returned back with the objects and before handing it over to Sena, he complained about the high-cost. Sena advanced further and handed the 'toymates' to the little girl who was playing on the street with peebles in her hand. The girl's face widened with a broad smile. She immedately put the tiny animals on her laps and started to narrate to herself her first story.

"You asked those for that girl ?", Rana asked. "Yes. You bought lunch for the lady and I bought happiness for the kid".

Yesodha Putran listened carefully what the brothers had to say. The Head of the Council sat attentively beside him.

"But my investigation, which is thorough by all means, did not stumble upon a devastating device. If that's true, the weapon is threatening", the strategist announced. "And this bomb, it's exact location unknown, will detonate if the Emperor is killed in the battle ! That gives another reason under probability not to go for war".

"And the Clown, what could it be", asked the Nobelman. No one gave a reply.

"The Vettaiyan Palace is a heavily gaurded maze. An architect had redesigned it, maybe to hid the bomb somewhere inside", Sena said.

"Firstly, we should have it confirmed. Secondly, entering the Palace with force is a possibility, but where should we search once inside, for that we need the floor plan of the Palace detailing the maze set-up - whatever that is suppose to mean. Thridly, what should be do once the bomb is found ?", wondered Rana.

"No, we won't force our entry, it's impossible to get past the waves of warriors. For the floor plan, I can't confirm for now, but I think we may have a complice who is a close assosiate of the Emperor. For defusing the bomb, Monk shall take care of it", summerised Sena.

"Monk ?", exclaimed Rana. Sena did not reply.

"But before we come to the point we just discussed, we have to get the accord of the Kings to encourage the Council to come to a favourable decision, including Queen Vadhana", explained the Nobleman. "The war declaration must be approved by the Council of one hundred and twenty-four Noblemen without being overruled by the Head of the Throne. Canceling the decision of the Council had never happened, but I fear we are going to write it's first occurrence. Queen Vadhana is not ready for war as she contemplates in settling the dispute through new treaties and terms as suggested by Putran. She considers Kottaipattinam shall not withstand another war."

"I can try to convince her", Rana assured the group and prepared to leave.

Sena stopped him. "Rana, be more prepared to part to the northern mountains to look for Vimana Records".

"Why me ?", argued Rana. "Because you are the treasure hunter", replied Sena.

Once Rana left to meet Vadhana in the Queen's room at the Palace, Sena discussed various prospects to win the war with Yesodha Putran and the Nobleman. He briefed them, assuming a war suituation, about controlling the outflow of information by tracking spies and invading corruptors to extract facts and data about their employer. He briefly spoke about his past - his job and his training, to gain the confidence of his listeners. They strated jotting down the strength of their army, and evaluated it's growth by including all support fronts. The three men spoke in turns, each and every time, they nodded their head in accordence with the speaking one.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukaha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Two - Locked within Oneself

A Woman of Conscience

"What actually are you trying to prove", questioned Vadhana. "Whatever it should be, it's either I accept or I don't. Anyway, why are you so determined to go to war”.

"Because we are not cowards and cannot tolerate a single man dictating us how to lead our life on our own land", Rana said with a pitched voice. "The people's army have widened, the freemen are prepared to join and I assure we will get the support of our neighbours", he paused and looking straight into her eyes he said, "We can win this war, Vadhana"

"I need time, Rana", replied Vadhana hesitantly, "I think about our people. I wish to give them bread, not dust".

"Let the time you take to decide not ruin the future of this country", said Rana. "The appointee of the Emperor will reach the Palace soon, hope you are clear by then", Rana stromed towards the door.

Sena saw Rana coming out of the Queen's room. By the look at his face, Sena knew that Rana did not win the conversation. Rana halted his quick walk beside Sena. His brother comforted him by placing his hands on his shoulders. A moment later Sena entered the Queen's room.

"Do you know how difficult it is to sleep with the murderer of my father, Sena", Vadhana asked. "But Rana did what has to be done, the way it had to be done. I supported him and will support him till my end. But war will produce not peace but many fatherless children. The Emperor will ransack our Empire one way or the other, I premit him to proceed gentely with Kottaipatinaml".

"Do you know how paining it is to close the eyes for the murderer who had slaughtered his own family", Sena spoke under a placid voice.

Startled, Vadhana looked at Sena. Then and there, Sena walked here through pain. He showed her agony. He illustrated deception. He spoke to her about Sugandi and Lalli, including the ploys of Vettaiyan behind the death of their fathers.

Sena stood silent allowing the depth to sink inside Vadhana.

"You are wasting your time here Sena", the door opened and Rana walked and talked at the same. He was facing the back of Vadhana and in a few quick steps he joined his brother facing Vadhana. She had her head hung down. Rana stood breathing out his anger beside his calm brother. Vadhana raised her head. Rana was shocked to see her eyes burning red. The flood of tears had washed away the black ink around her eyeslash, that dry black streams marked her face. She briefly looked at Rana, and quickly turned towards the door.

"We go to War", she walked valliantly towards the door ; the brothers making identic strides marched behind her.

"What did you tell her ?", asked Rana curiously when the brothers were outside on the corridor.

Sena smiled and replied, "Unmaiya Sonnen [I told the truth]".

The three men were seated behind a oval desk opposite to Vadhana. Sena was standing with arms folded looking out at the sunset. Vadhana signed the ballot paper.

"As mentioned by the Head of the Council, if the Kings of Katrupuzha and Karimedai are present during the poll, it would be influential. We should go to Karimedai and persuade King Gauthama for reinforcement", Rana said enthusiastically.

In the brief silence around him, Rana looked at the Nobleman and Putran. A while later, the Nobleman said, "It's not possile".

"Why ?", asked Rana, "I thought King Gauthama had taken a neutral stand. Is he sold out too ?". He looked at the blank face of Putran.

Sena walked back to the desk. He stood in front of Rana and slowly placed the palms of his hugging arms on the table. He leaned forward towards Rana and revealed, "Enakku Innoru Per Irukku [I go by another name]".

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukaha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Two - Locked within Oneself

Mercy of the King

"Baasha !", Rana exclaimed, "You were a chariot racer, working for an annonymous employer, to sabotage a royal wedding, by winning the race, then, slipped away from the hipodrome after the victory, as you were not interested with the Princess, and finally escaped the kingdom by faking your death, so that no one would come looking for you ? Did I miss any detail ?"

Sena stood slient looking at his brother. "Your calmness is chilling", said Rana, "Atleast assure me that Baasha did not commit many of his wonders at Katrupuzha too !"

After a brief moment, Rana declared, "I will go alone and talk with King Gauthama". Sena did not remove his eyes from Rana. "What ?", Rana asked and immediately turned his head towards Vadhana. "I would have convinced her. The break I gave was strategical. I walked in again, but you already had her in your words".

"You cannot do this alone, Rana", said Sena, which Rana disapproved. Sena neared Rana and wispered in his ears, "Wisdom is Wealth. The Listener narrated to us the story about my fate". It then struck to him as a hammer on the head.

They got down from the chariot at the front courtyard of King Gauthama's palace. Rana led his team of negociators, the Nobleman and Putran walked beside him followed by Kacha. They mounted the chain of stairs and landed on the grand corridor. The huge door was open and they walked inside the rectangualr Throne room. King Gauthama governed the hall, seated over his throne about a furlong away from the enterance. Both sides were lined with Karimedai Kingsmen who stood up paying their respects to the guests. They exchanged mild nods with the invitees accepting and sharing their non-verbal greetings.

King Gauthama stared at Rana. A familiar face, the visage he cannot forget for both the assistance and pain it had delivered to him. Rana walked majestically. In midway, Sena emerged from behind Rana. King Gauthama stood up instantly, when he saw the second face that resembled also his friend Kochadaiiyaan.

The colors faded. The grey and white images flashed the faces of his nemesis. The grey faded the face of Sena and the white brought forward the visage of Baasha before King Gauthama. He growled in anger stamping his feet, "Baasha !".

As soon as he yelled, the room was swept in slience. It was engulfed by the echoes of a leg bangle. King Gauthama looked at the ceiling. His lips withered and a tear dropped from his eye when he heard the sound of movement above him. He stared back at Sena and ordered his men to apprehend the criminal.

Dozens of solidiers surrounded the brothers. Couple of them caught Sena from behind by coupling his arms with thier hands. Three of them started to chain Sena. Putran and Kacha were startled to see Sena taken prisoner. The Nobleman worried that the incident would precipitate a political crisis. Rana did not show any reaction. He maintained his allure while moving forward. He stopped before the elevated throne platform facing the King. He removed his long sword Vajastra and got down on one knee placing the blade on his palms.

"Almighty of Karimedai, I, the Chief of Kottaipattinam, along with the councillors of our Great Nation, salute King Gauthama, his nobles and fellowmen. Her Majesty of Kottaipatinam sends her regrets along with immense respect. O, my Noble King, the one who understands the depth of words without been spoken, Her presence is needed at Kottaipatinam, thus, Her absence be excused just as Her praise falling over your shoulders as a garland", Rana took a bow demonstrating all his sincerity.

King Gauthama sat down over his throne. Sena was in complete arrest, four men secured the chains by holding and pulling its ends tightly. He faced the floor behind his kneeling brother.

"As a single voice of the people of Kottaipattinam, I, the Son of Kochadaiiyaan, give you my word my Lord, that, Rana, the Chief of Kottaipattinam, will surrender his brother Sena to the Great Kingdom of Karimedai. But not on this day, as greater tasks await completion, the result which can only be victory when King Gauthama marches alongside with our Queen Vadhana shouldering the free women and men of our great nations", Rana maintained his stance after completing his speech.

"Rise, the Son of my Friend", King Gauthama talked in a low voice, "Come here, let me take a look at you". Rana walked to the throne. The King watched him with a precious smile in his face. "You talk like your Father", he said, "but that man there, when I saw him for the first time, I thought it was you Father who had sent him to us. He proved us all wrong by turning into a traitor".

King Gauthama fell back on his throne and spoke with pain, "I have become a fragile king and a weak family man. And I lost my beloved granddaughter, the light of my life, because of that man. She locked herself in her chamber, its been ten years now. She refuses any brightness just as anyone would throw the waste. Never I seen her after the chariot race, even if she lived above this throne". Rana stood silent.

The leg bangles sounded from above and King Gauthama saw Kanakavalli standing over the Queen's balcony. Seeing his granddaughter after many years immersed King Gauthama in joy that words failed to release from his mouth. He stood up stretching both his arms and shaked his shoulders in happiness. Kanakavalli stood staring at Sena who still had his head hung.

"This day, in the joy of seeing my granddaughter, I wish not to refuse", he announced with a broad smile, "but I need assurance from you, Rana, that your brother will marry Kanakavalli. Then, the Kingdom of Karimedai will be at your command".

Rana turned and looked at Sena. A while later, Sena lifted his head. He looked at the wrinkled face of the King and then at the dark skinned beauty. He gazed at her pearl white eyes, and then gave a nod at his brother.

Before Rana gave his accord to the King, he was interrupted by an unknown voice, "If the King feels fragile, Shambala will be glad to guide Baasha to his grave", spoke the ally, King Shambala.

His words were followed by steps which sounded like a wood tapping. An young man limped his way towards Sena. Sena watched Shamu, the valliant son of Shambala going in a full circle around him. He stood before him and with his walking stick he tapped his own right leg. Wood hitting wood noise echoed around the hall.

"Sena ?", he asked making a weird face, "Sena it is. The man who made me one legged resembled you a lot. And what was his name ?"

He leaned close to Sena's lips and put his ears infront of them and said "Can't hear you, mate !". Sena stood silent. Rana tried to turn and take a step forward, when King Gauthama held his hand. He closed and opened his eyes symbolically informing Rana to be patient.

He slowly walked to his father, on the way he did not take his eyes from Kanakavalli who was watching from the balcony. He told his father, "I trust Rana, the brother of Baasha. Eventhough one is our foe, the other is a friend. This opputunity, we will use it against the Emperor, the one who is responsible our various states. But once over, I will make sure Baasha sleeps tight".

King of Shambala gave his accord to King Gauthama, who looked around at his ministers and noticing no objection in his people's court, he declared, "For the good cause and for the betterment of the Gauthama Dynasty, Karimedai and her allied nations will assist Queen Vadhana and Cheif Rana of Kottaipattinam in thier War againt wrongful regime. As an extention to the bond, Princess Kanakavalli and Prince Shamu will accompany our associates, as representatives, as will as the symbol of trust in our relationship".

Hearing to the declaration of the King, Rana expressed his gratitude by bowing before him. He joined the others and shaked hands with Putran, received the blessings from the Nobleman and hugged Kacha.

Soldiers liberated Sena, all the while he watched Kanakavalli who stared back at him.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukaha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Two - Locked within Oneself

Pathways of Hope and Faith

"The unison is a veritable threat", Vettiayan cursed himself. He thought, escaping assassination attempts were beyond a miracle, the brothers togethers could only put him down, and himself, can crush the twins only when they are alongside - weird conditions of fate. So, he had used the golden opputunity and kept them seperated, as age was not a criteria to achieve and the young brothers could become a potential danger if confornted even when they were young. But united they stand now, the end is near.

Vettaiyan took small walks around his chamber analysing the current suituation - the younger is a warrior, it should be his junior's plan. They had spread a rumor about an inexisting appointee who was on his way to claim Kottaipattinam. With that information spreading like a forest fire, they had convinced the influential to become their ally.

"Why would I take over Kottaipatinam", the thought had put a smile on Vettaiyan's face. The Kingdom was already weakened, moreover the successor was a woman whom he can rule forever. The actual hier to the throne was under his shadows that at any time he can topple Kottaipattinam's government. Even during Rishikodagan's regime most of Kottaipaninam's noblemen, the decision makers were in his payroll, they were still faithful for his diamonds and rings. But the brothers wisely grouped others against him, cornering him. The Central Kingdom will soon face an attack.

"Why not after I send a real appointee !", Vettaiyan inferred. Yes, they have tapped his ego. He will accept the challenge by proving the rumor right, afterall he was not a coward. With one quick move, Vettaiyan joined his palms and clapped thrice.

"Take the most ambitious politician to Kottaipatiam. Accompany him till the gate, you don't enter", Vettaiyan gave orders to The General. When his chief was about to exit through the main doors, Vettaiyans spoke up load with a smile, "Dress up well for the party". The General nodded without turning back and left the chamber.

"The Almigthy of Katrupuzha", Rana began. Sena looked at Kacha, who instantly hung his down to avoid his titter being noticed by exalted presence of the ministers inside the courhouse of Katrupuzha. The Kottaipattinam political headwinds and the top negotiators have come back from visiting other states and tribal lands annexed within the Kingdoms and Rana always started his roaring discours the same way.

"... with your infantry swarming the ground like the migrating birds, My Lord, triumph will be ours,", Rana continued before King Sorubhan, "as the sky wait to shower victory over the the undisputed King of Katrupuzha standing beside Her Majesty of Kottaipattinam before the waves of free women and men", Rana ended his speech looking directly at the eyes of the King.

"Raise my Son", said King Soruban. "You have come to me with two essential deeds sealing completely my refusal - the agreement with my ally the great King Gauthama, and ofcoarse you remind me a lot my friend Kochadaiiyaan. Your Father still walks around our lands, such a Great Man. But my concern is for my men, about their well being". King Soruban was pensive, then he said "One weak point, which is not a secret, is the Navy of my Kingdom. I understand the prowess of Gauthama Dynasty in this field, but before the Emperor's naval and rogue pirates, the ships cannot withstand much of the wind. Also, I worry about their food. Katrupuzha does not produce enough to run a country as well as go for an undetermined days at war", King Soruban sat looking at Rana.

"Your Majesty, your conditions are as important as your words", Rana spoke with confidence. "I, Rana, and my brother Sena the Sons of Kochadaiiyaan assure you that your order will be studied with atmost interest, and when we meet again, our solution will convince your State. The foot-soldiers of Katrupuzha are our brothers, we will not hesitate to give them our grain of food during the needed hour."

"Excellent", praised King Soruban. "My kinsmen, the great thinkers of our glorious Nation, anyone in objection with our friends here, feel free to speak, the freedom be yours". The entire hall was silent. With a huge smile on his face King Soruban declared, "I join with the allies of Kottaipattinam under the autority of Rana, the chief of allied forces. I appoint", he continued", "army General, Kalai, of Katrupuzha to accompany our friends on this conquest and let us bring home victory garlanded with happiness".

Two days later, under heavy pouring rain, Sena got alert when he heard a knock on the front door. He slowly walked and hesitantly opened it. Sena stayed inside over the top and saw Rana standing at the bottom of the small stairs at the enterance. Rana was drenched completely wet. Thunder resonated in harmony with the flashing lightning. He had both his palms joined together at chest level. Sena could not understand but looking at Rana's face swollen up a bit, he was sure that his brother was weeping, tears camouflaging in rain waters. Rana brought his joined hand to his chin and kept looking at his brother. Sena raised his eyebrows.

After a while, Rana rubbed his nose with his fingers and looked up at his brother, "Why didn't you tell me ?"

Vadhana had spoken to Rana. Sena replied, "Because I don't wish you to shoulder it for me, I wish to share my courage instead". Rana made an pitiful angry face and waved in front of his face. He took a deep breathe, "I will wash and decorate your feet with the blood and head of The Poet". Without waiting to hear another word, Rana disappeared into the dark blanklet of droplets.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Two - Locked within Oneself

A Message through Murder (part 1/3)

Hills Have Arms
(Rated-R)

"Once Dashakantha went hunting", narrated the Nobleman infornt of the panel of one hundred and twenty four nobles whom he headed.

The Council Hall of Kottaipattinam was full. The visitor's panel was neatly arranged with a new row for the invitees from Karimedai, Katrupuzha, Shambala and various other ally states. The second row was taken by brothers Rana and Sena along with Putran and Kacha. The rest were occupied by lords and merchants. Queen Vadhana presided the throne. Nobleman spoke about the glories of Central Kingdom, including how the empire flourished in art, architecture, music and dance. He reminded his noblemen the efficient foreign policies introduced by the Emperor where trade flourished favouring a part of the soceity. Then he talked about the hunting episode.

"A group of tribals captured him out of vengence over his innumerous malevolent acts. They did not kill him quickly, but wanted him to suffer just like thier loved ones had. They tied Dashakantha to a pole and every member of the tribe beat him with a hard wooden batten through the evening. At night, the beatings were continued by few drunk and distressed men. Suddenly, they saw pairs of red eye emerging from the dark. The next morning the villagers found these men, gruesomely murdered by feral animals, but the scene that shocked them the most was that of the men were lying dead around an empty pole", the Nobleman stopped talking to allow the last words grasp his audiences.

"Shortly after, few masked men marched into the village on horse backs", continued the Nobleman. "They chopped the right hand of every single villager", he paused to clear his throat before continuing, "the aged and children including, and dropped it over the cliff - a heap of fallen arms, a river of red descended from that small hill", the Nobleman paused and looked at the noblemen.

"His General asked the Evil Man, why he didn't kill the wrongdoers. Dashakantha replied 'Upon whom shall I rule, then'".

"The punishment was to install a symbol of fear for the generations to come", the Nobleman stood silent at the center of the hall.

After a brief pause, one of the nobleman proposed, "Uniting with the other Kingdoms, we can nominate a commision to introgate the Emperor on crimes on innocent citizens, keeping this offense as a proof".

"Proof is nothing but anything oneself finds attractive", explained the Head of the Council. "We don't possess such prettiness to convince any united committee. Dashakantha never murdered. He only executed criminals by the laws that govern our Kingdoms. Other offenses were commited by the annonymous. Pointing a finger at masked men as culprits does not serve as a proof. The suferrers were either victims of burns or physical violence or snake bites, but none can be alleged for Dhashakantha's cruelties. And my dear fellowman, have you ever heard such a charge lodged against a powerful man ?"

The questioner sat down.

"But I have", came a voice of an elderly man amoung the noblemen. Pointing at the Head of the Council he said, "and my son is a witness. This very hall silenced truth and jammed justice, when it found Kochadaiiyaan guilty. I was present during that sinful day, feeling weak with my mouthpiece. But today, I raise my voice against the man who orchestrated such injustice in our very own courtroom", the aged nobleman vouched and took his seat.

There were murmurs inside the hall. The brothers now realised the affection of the head of the council towards them.

"I propose this declaration of war", announced the Nobleman. "Voice is free, don't make it cost later". He looked directly at Sena.

Sena instructed the three men around him to be atentive and wait for the Nobleman's signal phrase.

"Admist the corrupted", the Nobleman paused facing the floor. As soon as he uttered those words, the team of vigilants surveilled the panel of nobelmen. Rana & Kacha watched the ones who turned their head, while Sena and Putran observed the one's who blinked.

After the brief pause, the Nobleman continued, "Admist the corrupted, today this group of people will make the decision which will create an opportunity to rewrite history", and he pushed back to create space between the two sides where the noblemen were seated.

Instantly discontented burbles echoed the hall. It became louder and uncontrollable. Sena got up from his chair and slowly walked to the center admist the resteless noblemen.

"At anytime, a man will walk through that door" shouted Sena pointing at the enterance door of the Council Hall. The noisy hall transformed to silence. Sena spoke making eye contacts with the noblemen, "He is going to claim our country in front of us all. Are we going to accept to be ruled by this man with both our arms still attached to our bodies ? We are not one amoung the kingdoms ruled by a trecherous self-appointed emperor. We are a Nation. A Culture of grace and glory. A land where freedom roams. And this is our Motherland, my Motherland. I will not hesitate to put a hole under the forehead of anyone who even tries to look at Her vulnerably. I will die for Her, be it a natural death on this sacred mud or a bloodbath while defending Her on the battle grounds. I fight for them who are with me and also those who are not with me. And I swear to continue fighting for our flag to fly over our Nation disturbed only by the breeze. My men, let's oath to defend our Motherland by shedding our differences and replacing it with loyalty and obedience towards our country".

Opinion poll on the declaration of war with Central Kingdom began quietly, administered by the Head of the Council. The hundred and twenty-four participating members shuffled - the favouring ones took the right side, the opposing sat opposite to them. The King's clerk, a little man, moved from the corner to the center. Standing beside the Head of the Council, he counted the heads of the nobelmen on either side.

The hall was caught by surprise, the result was a draw, with sixty-two members on each side.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Two - Locked within Oneself

A Message through Murder (part 2/3)

Hall of Political Worms

The King's clerk asked three times if any of the members wished to alter their support. Upon seeing them sitting over their stance, the Littleman walked back to his desk and retuned with a thick book in his hands. He quickly looked for what he was looking for, before speaking, "The Code of the Council says, at time of a draw, the result shall be decided by chance".

He walked back again, this time climbing the stairs to the throne. He whispered in the Queen's ears and after receiving an approval from her, he descended the stairs and disappered behind the throne. A moment later, he returned with a tiny metal box in his hand. He took out a tiny flat copper disc.

He held it high above his head showing the piece of metal with an official stamp to everyone present in the hall. One side had the Emblem of the Kingdom embossed in gold and the other side held the portrayal of King's head punched on a marble. The size of the coin was slightly smaller than the palm of the Littleman.

"The King stands for the right side, and the Emblem denotes the other part", he said, "Let this coin of our dynasty guide us", and he prepared himself to toss the flat metal piece.

Nobleman looked at Rana and then at Sena. With a gentle hand gesture he halted the Littleman. He took out a folded message from his pocket and requested the Littleman to deliver it to the Queen. The Littleman hesitated. He turned and looked at the Queen. Vadhana nodded. He carried the message to her, and when the Littleman returned, Nobleman asked him to verify few specific codes from the thick book. The Littleman turned several pages, silently read the lines finishing them wide eyed.

"Read them to all of us, please", requested Nobleman, and the Littleman spoke loudly :

Article 7

Section 1

All Noblemen shall be vested in the Council of Kottaipattinam, which shall consist of a Head and House of Nobles.

Section 2

The House of Nobles shall be composed of Hundred and Twenty Five Members chosen by the People, and from the elected, the Head will be nominated by the House of Nobles. The authority over the Head shall be directly with the King. All decisions concerning the State, shall be made in House of Nobles under the governence of the Head through Opinion Polls. The Head creates debates on State issues but never will be permitted to influence or voice in an Opinion Poll.

"I think we know that part", interrupted Nobleman, "Could you please refer and read Sections 7.2 and 7.2.2". The Littleman quickly turned the pages with a huge grin on his face, the grin that reminded to Rana his friend Hanchabadra. The Littleman started reciting what he had discovered a moment back :

Section 7.2

At time of absence of the Head :

Natural and Unnatural Death

Resignation

Retirement

Condemned

The King shall take over the House of Nobles until a new Head is appointed.

Section 7.2.2

Resignation

With a proper demand, the King shall accept a resignation from the Head and hereby, the King shall become the Head of the House of Nobles. The departing Head can leave the House of Nobles or stay within the Council as a Member. If chosen, he will regain all his powers as a Nobleman and can participate in Opinion Polls.

"Thank you, my dear, that was clear", Nobleman said to Littleman, then, he turned towards Queen Vadhana and said, "I request Her Majesty to accept my resignation".

Vadhana looked at Sena. A tiny smile escaped from the corner of her lips. Sena returned her gaze. Quickly, he shifted his sight and kept his eyes on his target sitting on the left side. Vadhana gave her accord to the Nobleman. He thanked her and walked straight to take an empty bench on the right side and took his place silently.

"Sixty-three against Sixty-Two", announced Littleman. "The declaration of War has been approved in the House of Nobles. From now, according to Article 13 of Code of the Council, hereby, the Kingdom of Kottaipattinam attains the State of War, henceforth, the King's decision is final".

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Two - Locked within Oneself

A Message through Murder (part 3/3)

A Mouse that died for Cheese

The Council Hall turned into a circus as soon as the result was announced by Littleman. Objections were raised on the manner the opinon poll was conducted, few even registered their unhappiness towards the law. Vadhana looked at the armoured soldiers standing gaurd by her side. They instantly raised their long spear and tapped the floor. The metal meeting concrete sound alerted the quarrelling noblemen.

"As the Head of the House, I order my nobles to calm down and take their respective benches", Vadhana said in a firm voice. Once the hall was settled, she spoke "I order Yesodha Putran, Nobleman Kusha and Chief Rana to take the center and explain the conditions of war. I invite Princess Kanakavalli, General Kalai, Prince Shama to join them and share their inputs".

"A war cannot be fought by making an announcent", explained Putran. "Certain procedures govern the war too. The concerned parties in dispute will hold a meeting amoung themselves. Few wars are won across the table. If no advancement on agreement is made, they declare war on each other to exercise thier power on one another, where the date and ground will be collectively decided, keeping in mind several factors including the weather and distance of each party from the war ground. Silent treaties on violence against civilians, attacks on populated cities and treating the prisoners of war will be made on a mutual recognition agreement ".

Putran waited a bit to take questions, and when none were asked, he continued, "A state of war is a message to be vigilant. None will accept invitation or accomodate strangers and relatives from the enemy lands. Show no pity to anyone, in return avoid being tricked by sweet talkers. Communications will be restricted and informations shall pass only through the channel appointed by the King. Offenders will be punished under war crimes".

"A team of men will work on details and upon their advice the Chief will lead the army. The army, infantry and naval, will report directly to the Chief and not the King. The Chief's decision at the battle field rests ultimate".

"Here is the copy of the declaration of war signed by our state along with our allies. This will reach the Central Kingdom, and if no reply is received within a fortnight, then the war is open, cancelling all the existing treaties. The other option is receiving an invitation from the Central Kingdom to dicsuss. It must be understood that we have surpassed the negociation phase. It's either all demands are accepted or equivalent propositions are made to stop the war".

"The tough question and the difficult answer is victory. What happens to the conquered, taken over by the conqueror and its allies ? This matter will be dialogued directly by the King with the representatives of the alliances. The King's decision will be unappealable".

Vadhana congragulated Putran for his clairvoyant introduction. She asked him to form his team. "I take along with me, under the oath of secrecy, the sixty three noblemen who supported our cause, Her Majesty", replied Putran.

"Chief of Army, your team", she asked Rana.

"I just need one man who is present here, Her Royal Highness Queen Vadhana", requested Rana, his words put a broad smile on her face. Everyone in the hall looked at Sena, who had not yet taken his eyes off his target. Rana pointed his finger opposite to him, and everyone was suprised to see that it was directed at the King's clerk. Littleman stood at the center rolling his eyes.

"So it shall be ...", while Vadhana was talking there was huge commotion outside the hall. Sena looked at the enterance and slowly walked towards the hallway. He saw six men on horsebacks who were stopped by the palace gaurds. The man is front had a clean shining face riding a white horse, and five masked warriors with fancy gadgets were behind him on thier horses decorated fiercely with long black caparison, pointed flymasks and the manes dotted with shrapnels. Sena signaled the gaurds to allow them entry. The Shiny Face got down from the horse. He looked at his bodygaurds, and noticing them not moving, he walked up the stairs leading to the Council Hall. He walked past Sena without giving him a glance. He walked straight with authority without respecting any present inside the hall and crossed the team grouped before the throne. He stood directly in front of Vadhana and placed his left leg on the first step of the stairway to the throne.

"I, Baubo, the messenger of the Great Emperor, have come here to take the throne of Kottaipattinam", he announced without any greeting but with much pride and arrogance. "And that, I will hand Her over to the original hier when he is ready to accept. The assumed Queen can stay at the palace with all the royal respects provided with princely luxuries. My administration will align with the current political structure of this nation, except unwanted men", he paused and turned to look at Sena before continuing, "will find their designated place outside the throne room. From now on you will address me as your King, and I will make sure to drive you to glory". Baubo looked at the faces around him with a wide smile.

There was stillness in the hall due to absence of sound. Footstep echoed around the Hall. Sena walked slowly towards the visitor. Baubo turned to face approaching Sena to prove to the spectators that he did not feel threatened. Rana slowly moved and stood behind him. Sena stood close to Baubo, just a passage for ants to roam between their faces.

He leaned towards Baubo's shoulders and Rana did the same from behind. It looked as though the brothers had their chins on his shoulders.

"A mouse walked into a grand hall attracted by cheese", Sena whispered in his ears. "It approached the cheese slowly with great confident of gaining the whole piece for itself. Once it was fully inside, it realised that it was inside a trap. The farmer took the trapped mouse outside and liberated it in the fields to protect his grains from the rodent".

"But this mouse which has come to claim the throne did not walk in by itself, but was sent along with five other mice", Sena said, and Rana continued, "and it will not be liberated but pierced with death".

Rana entered a sharp blade into the spine of Baubo. He twisted the hand knife hard, to break whatever held his blade tightly. Baubo vomited blood. The brothers moved away from each other, allowing the messenger to turn and look at his stabber, his vision landed above at Vadhana. She repositioned her on the throne by stamping her left foot hard on the floor and putting the right leg over the other.

The pain forced Baubo to fall on his knees before the Queen. His hands stretched to either side searching for the affliction. Finally he fell face down before the throne with his hands to his sides as though swiming in his own blood.

Vadhana lifted her head and saw her war wingers standing in two diagonal lines in front of her - Rana, Kacha, Putran to her left and Sena, Kanakavalli and Shama to her right. Behind them were the sixty three noblemen standing in three semi circular rows. At the center was the Littleman and before him was the messenger of the Emperor taking his last bow.

"We have officially invited ourselves to war", she declared with pride.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Two - Locked within Oneself

The Bad, The Worse, The Worst (part 1/2)

Rana, accompanied by his brother, his friend, the war strategist, the prince of Shambala, Nobleman and Littleman, entered the throne room of Central Kingdom.

They passed through a long line of soldiers dressed completely in standardised military uniforms holding melee and ranged combat weapons - swords & spears. Several were holdng war shields - round, oval, door, heater, tear drop and kite. The roof top was surrounded by archers - target shooters and paraplegic bowmen. Inbetween the archers were the seige weapons. The upper corridor was lined with double cannons, two soldiers stood beside infront of a huge pile of cannonball. Horsemen stood gaurd around the inner circumfrence of the huge wall of the fortified palace - mounted archers, spear throwers and samurai swordsmen. Below the main entrance were several masked warriors wearing heavy armours and holding different and strange weapons - bowie knife, arbalest, chained mace, ring sword, war flail, bladed staff, cutlass, battle axe, war hammer, crossbow, billhook, halberd, pikes and poleaxe.

The combat traits of the Emperor demonstrasted to the visitors that he was truely the Master of War.

The ceiling of the Throne room was high, as though the sky was immediately above it, supported by huge pillars. The floor was decorated with floral carpets, the colors attractive inside the white hall. A long set of stairs descended from the throne. On both sides, another flight of stairs rose upto the the corridor leading to the King's Chamber, the Emperor will make his entry through one in either way. Along the stairways to the throne, at every five steps there were few chairs arranged on both sides. The bottom was bordered with row of chairs. Huge wall windows circled the throne room allowing natural light to brighten up the surrounding. Inbetween the apertures, several huge painting on canvas were hung. The floor of the ceiling was painted with scenes depicting the rise of the Emperor - his birth, training, kingliness, valiance, admiration and administration.

Rana and his men walked the long pathway. They gracefull greeted their allies who were occupying the left side, and wished the servants of the sovereign and war profiteers crowding on the other side. At the end of their walk, they met with King Souruban and King Gauthama. After taking their blessing, Rana stood beside them with his team.

Just below the throne, Veera Mahendran and Sengodagan were seated along with other officials, administrators and ministers of Central Kingdom. Sena stared at Veera while Sengodagan exchanged short glances with Rana. After a while Sengodagan turned his face away permanently, and Veera descended the stairs and walked towards Sena.

"Provocations, insults and dominant cadences are normal during such suituations, don't over react, could land us into trouble of being found guilty of extortion", Putran whispered to Sena.

"You there, little man, what are you called", Veera yelled at Littleman while he still had few more steps to climb down. Littleman found it hard to swallow his saliva. Veera stood before the group and looking down at Littleman, he asked again, "So what are you called". Littleman gulped again and few letters escaped his mouth, "K . l l . n". "What ?", demanded Veera. Littleman tried again, but the result was the same.

"He goes by the name Agastya, and it would be Master Agastya for you", replied Sena calmly but firmly. Littleman looked up to Sena.

"Agastya ?", Veera Mahendran mocked the group with his voice while making a hand gesture by pushing his palm from his hip.

"Master Agastya", Rana said.

Veera Mahindran put up a funny face and one half of the hall errupted with laughter. Sengodagan sat without showing any remorse.

"Heard there is a dark beauty with you, hope to see her anywhere else than at battle field. Such a waste of beauty, prettiness should not be taken to war but to bed. Kottaipattinam men do not know how to treat their ladies, Kallingapuri is always open for these distressed women", he told Sena.

"Watch where you speak young man", growled King Gauthama. "You don't know whose sword will give a reply".

"Stay calm Oldman. I sincerely wish you live to see the end of war. Your anger is not helping that wish of mine", Veera replied rudely. King Soruban took a step forward, but King Gauthama stopped him.

"And we will be victorious liberating this world from the unfaithful", spoke Sengodagan for the first time, "when I crush the cowards".

"Convincing the heart with the spirit of something your mind knows is a lie, is called confusion", Rana spoke directly to Sengodagan. Segodagan disregarded his comment even though it planted a positive seed of thought.

"Rana", Veera said with a broad smile. "Rana, Rana. My friend. My Chief. How have you been ? Appologies to have ignored you, could not recognise you amoung this group of cowards, you all look alike".

"And your betterment lies over the next words you utter", Rana warned.

"My blade seeks to me every single day to meet your throat", Veera said.

"And my tiny friend here is waiting to talk to your tongue from the time you came down those stairs", Rana replied tapping his hand knife tucked to his side.

Veera laughed the words of Rana. "And where is my bridegroom Vadhana Rishikodagan. Hoped to see her bend before the Emperor".

Rana took his knife out, but Sena held his fist tight until Rana relaxed. Veera stood staring at Rana, and the very moment the herald announced the arrival of Vettaiyan admist deafening clatter of kettledrums and taratantara.

Vettaiyan quickly descended the stair. He stopped and looked sharply at everyone present in the room. He took the end of his hair tied together like a tail and chewed its tip. He climbed towards his throne. Midway he stopped and said "No boardgames". After taking couple more steps, "Opposing will loose every inch of possessed land". Standing over a flat surface in the series, he declared "Once an Emperor will always be an Emperor". He climbed quickly the rest of the steps and sat on his throne in a single gesticulation - turning, sitting, putting the left leg over the right leg, and immediately reversing the leg's positions.

"If this was your final stand, why send an invite and waste time", Nobleman said.

Vettaiyan stared at Nobleman and spoke, "To provide a final opputunity to realise madness", directly looking at the brothers. The Nobleman was about to speak, when Putran held him back by pulling his hand.

"How impolite of the Queen of Kottaipattinam to be absent, but to have sent a bunch of clowns to perform before the Emperor", he said. "Or, is she scared of being taken into custody in connection with the brutal murder of the Emperor's messenger ?", he added with a smile.

"Her Majesty does not wish to dialogue with rogues, thus she found fit for the clowns to adress a buffoon", said Rana. His reply raised loud murmurs inside the hall. Vettaiyan stood up ferociously.

"Arrest them both", ordered Vettiayan furiously.

"This could ignite an extreme civil unrest and our supporters may not tolerate such a breach of trust", Narendhira Verman, the minister of the Emperor whispered in his ears.

"I promise in such a circumstance my people will not be made to suffer, and for supporters, it is me who is supporting them", he replied to his minister with a plesant smile.

"Pull them away, by force if needed", saying so he descended the stairway and mounted the steps that led to the corridor and disappeared behind the wall.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Two - Locked within Oneself

The Bad, The Worse, The Worst (part 2/2)

The brothers were brought into a medium-large room. They had crossed several corridors, taken many steps, walked through several locked doors before entering the private quarters of the Emperor. The soldiers unchained and left them standing at the center of the solar.

Above the fire place, on the wall in front of them was a painting potraying a well built, long bearded, naked man seated on a rock exhibiting his quadriceps while holding a shield in his left hand and a trident in his right displaying his biceps. A war horn crowned his head.

Arch pillars surrounded the area and drapes hung from the ceiling to the floor masking the view beyond. The floor was decorated with polished marble mosaics.

Vettaiyan entered the space from behind one of the curtains. He walked briskly towards the brothers and greeted them with a smile. The brothers put up an unyielding face. The blinds were raised exposing a display of several objects. The items were neatly arranged inside a elevated transparent containers. Rana looked scandalized.

"Everything I control", Vettiayan announced with a deeper voice, gazing at Rana.

"I am the owner of these prestigious collections which have stood the Tests of Time and stand for the Testimony of Creation". Vettaiyan moved closer to a display and seeing the brothers still at the center, he invited them to join him with the notoriety of this hand gesture.

"I can bend the truth however I wish, by finely telling a relevant tale to the one's who refuse to believe what they could not see". Pointing at the Mukhutti, he spoke those words that startled Rana, "When the one on the Lighthouse is proven fake, my story about this Jewel of Kali belonging to a witch who used it's power to burn lands making them inutile for the settlers to settle, will become veracity".

He moved to the next display and the brothers followed him, "These fangs, according to my imagination, belonged to a saint who turned thristy at night and sucked blood from the first born".

"The red silk embroidery which actually is the Lineage of the Creator, will be presented as the members of Afterlife, who were cruel and took bribes to let a soul pass through. I will install a Fear even after Death", Vettaiyan laughed viciously.

The sight of all the treasures that Rana had toiled to collect, now sitting at Vettaiyan's solar, seemed to discompose him.

Vettaiyan stood before a tiny white crystal cylinder placed over an oval platform. "A real wonder !", he exclaimed generously, "first of the one hundred and eight, and it crept into the palms of my hands". He pointed at the dark smoke cluster lingering inside the crystal cylinder. "White is the presence of all colors, while black is the absence of any color. The beauty is to see it projecting the spectrum of color under the influence of the spectrum of light. At dawn, exposing the crytal to the luminous field spread by the rising star, permits it to cast a multi-colored shadow of the Devine Dance. A pure beauty ! The containment of the emptiness and fullness within the same space, the origin of all creations that invoked ideas through which inventions happened. How I will introduce this magnificence to the benighted will be a charm", Vettaiyan smiled wickedly.

Suddenly, Vettaiyan started going in circle around them talking rapidly, "the tunic will become the first painting on cloth ; the bayonet slayed the monster ; the 'footmark petros' is a deformed mud sediment ; the idols belong to black magic ; and with these items, I will currupt the thoughts of the thinkers ; I will poison the minds of the sage, I will cringe the innocent, I will drain the strength of the valliant and then, make them fight each other the battle they are not destined for ; and in thier self-slaughter, their soul will not leave this world, they will roam around my feet and rebirth will become a curse thereafter", and all of sudden Vettiayan turned calm and composed talking in a deeper voice, "Everything I control".

Vettiayan stopped and took few steps backwards to face Sena. "Dhavoma was the sixty-fourth Alwars". Sena blinked. "Your Father offered it to her, she refused but she fell for the dagger. The Alwars who served your Father were rogues, thugs and thieves dressed in saintly clothes. He paused and looking directly at Sena's eyes he said, "Sabottage to murder, I ordered. And by this time you would have identified my copper bracelet, the kara that gave you the chilness at the Festival. The big brother of Opera helped us to identify rebels and Mari-Maa's target was me", he stared at Sena giving him time to realise how Vettaiyan had been using him for years.

"I was aware of a rat in my closet, Mari-Maa was the smoke to flush it out. You cracked the case and also knew who made such a great maneuver against me. And for some reason you hid it in your report, that's when I decided to bring down all hope and used you to assassinate the Leader of the House".

Sena looked startled. "The contract was to take the loot, and I was sure you would use explosives to create diversion. But you were clever to utilize sound bombs. Still the mission was a sucess, as the relegious leader, the Hope of the House was paralysed permanantly after the explosion". Vettiayan again took his deeper voice and said "Everything I control".

"Faith symbol is friendship and Hope is what you give to the loved ones. I made both to fall to their knees. I am not threatening nor bargaining, but asking you to understand. We three are the same - manipulators". Pointing at Rana he said, "You handled to eliminate everything out of your way by pledging faithfulness to seek your vengence". At Sena he said, "And you intrigued with others taking advantage over their hopefulness". He paused and then said with a smile, "I was just a puppeteer".

"We three are pullers of strings, and there was never a droplet of goodness in our actions, only bad or worse or worst. We should continue to be what we are, especially, for the benefit of everyone", he winked at the brothers.

"We are not like you, for that my Father should have killed you when he first saw you, rather than giving you his smile", Sena said.

"We are not like you !", Vettaiyan immitated Sena, "Even this war is manipulated, to wipe out our ugliness. Your Father not only gave me his smile, he gifted me with the Clown", Vettaiyan laughed immorally.

"'Everything I control' wiseness has blinded you about the End, it's not who will fall but defintely only one will stand. The world will be reborn, without your presence", declared Rana.

"And that world will be a witness of the fall of Two Birds with one Stone", he pointed to the rear end of the room, where a twin arrow sat aimed at the brothers, the tip of the right one blinked red and the other flickered blue.

"I could kill you both now, or, allow you to rot in my dungeons, but sometimes being an Emperor I have to think about whom shall I rule upon. I don't wish to change this world into a graveyard due to an uprising over your demise by my hands. No, not this way and not today", Vettiayan spoke haughtily.

"Then let's end, to see the fall", challenged Sena.

"Either way, I will destroy this world, so, let me grant that wish of yours", Vettaiyan looked at the brothers by swiftly moving his eyes from left to right. Then, he stromed out of the solar.

Vettiayan surprised all by entering from a door behind the throne room. He walked briskly and came to an halt at the center.

"Throne is mine, but I have to earn her again". Before disapperaing through the main enterance, Vettaiyan announced with a smile, "The World is a open bar, let's have some war".

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

Sametime, Somewhere (part 1/2)

Sequence I - Somewhere on an openspace in the Central Lands ...

Karmegha, the battlefield, was recomended to the kingdoms for exercising their power over each other by the group of non-initiators and mutual deciders hailing from five kingdoms, who were a team of sign astrologers, date predictor, land surveyors and weather forecasters. They were surrounded by various representatives of states and kingdoms, Minister Narendhira Verman and Architect Vitara participated on behalf of Vettaiyan and Nobleman Kusha with Prince Shama represented the allied forces.

Karmegha was a legendary battlefield suituated in the heart of the Central Kingdom, a plain land whose size stands equivalent to an independent kingdom. Karmegha was a mysterious warfield that none could define it's phenomenon - as the days of war passed on it's ground, the sky above gradually darkens and on the undetermined final day, just before the end, it would rain. This peculiar occurence had been registered during several battles that were fought at Karmegha. The soldier's rage increases when darkness engulfs the battle field gradually, while they strike their swords as though it could be thier winning wallop.

Objections were raised over the choice made, the prime highlight was on the Fort Ayan suituated across Karmegha which was still inside the firing range. It was argued that the cannon called Vettai could intercept the arc area and sweep out the battling forces.

Counter arguments favouring Karmegha were placed, stating it to be the only battlefied which can accommodate Emperor's army and the allied forces. Verman pointed that the citadel Ayan was a defensive fortress shielding the Capital City and assured that it will engage only to avoid enemy attacks on the Palace. But he was tight lipped over the enquiries about mishaps. Nobleman nodded his head in acceptance with a tiny smile flashing around the corner of his lips and the Minister acknowledged him.

The day and time was fixed after hearing to the tentative arrival dates of the allied forces battalions, followed by a briefing on regulations, just for the records :

- victory by death of a leader or capture of the capital shall announce the result ;
- children soldiers are forbidden, women warriors dead or alive should be treated justly ;
- commencement every day at dawn and halt at sunset, until a vanquer emerges ;
- after sunset the no-strike pledge puts the soldiers as civils on the battlefield collecting their fallen brothers ;
- the dead are no more enemies, thus, shall be respected ;
- interdiction of attack on ememy camps during night, including sabottaging the ailments ;
- physicians gain acess cross camps without curtailment ;
- settlements should not be disturbed, each kingdom takes measures to disallocate them ;
- captured will be handled under the legislation governing the treatment of prisoners ;
- the vanquer can exercise extreme measures to bring the captured lands under their control.

"Above are verbal treaties, none will be supervised, for that, there shall be no governance over them. Remember, this is not a conquest or an invasion, this is pure warfare. Thought about the victim being one of the own, born with same blood and flesh, could add meaning to the actions", said an elderly man from the group.

Once the accord was reached, the announcement of date and place was disptached to the warring kingdoms. The war was now officially on.

Sequence II - Somewhere in a room at Central Palace

"People often put wrong questions, but get starled by the erroneous answer ; imprecise questions receives inexact answers", Vettiayan told Veera Mahendran, "Never it was about whom you trust, but with what you trust them with".

"When you made the 'bending' comment at the Grand Hall, I noticed an annoyance in Sengodagan's face. I made my presence to avoid a clash", Vettiayan smiled, and then continued, "Control of tongue should teach you not what to talk, but where to utter. Remember, Sengodagan seeks revenge. He will kill the brothers when the need arises". Vettaiyan spoke in a serious tone to make sure Veera realised the importance of his words, "but he will never go against his sister. The result of war will give him the throne of Kottaipattinam revoking your dream of uniting the two kingdoms which was indeed your father's wish", Vettaiyan stopped talking and stared at Veera who was looking at him without blinking an eye.

"To keep Sengodagan lying at our feet, we have to eliminate his sister by elegantly painting her blood onto the hands of the brothers", Vettaiyan said firmly.

"But the war is yet to start, we cannot launch an attack any moment soon", questioned Veera.

"Yes, war is yet to start, but the fight never ended", Vettaiyan smiled at Veera who nodded his head in agreement.

Veera crossed The General at the enterance, the two men greeted each other by crossing their arms over their shoulders. Veera walked outside and saw Sengodagan standing behind his horse. "My friend, I need you to leave immediately and supervise the shipment of weapons. I can only trust such a reponsible job upon a person whom I redeem greater than my life". Sengodagan was moved by Veera's confidence on him and appreciated the words coming from the prince of an enemy state.

"What is it with your mask, ain't you hot inside", asked Vettaiyan to his General who stood straight before his Emperor without moving. "They will first try to take Narukukana", Vettaiyan spoke without looking at The General, "Alert Adhi. Take your men. Position them around the perimeter of the Pirate Village but don't enter, you will face the arrogence of Adhi. Gaurd the village by taking a defensive stand with archers and long swordsman".

The General accepted the orders of the Emperor. "Place the Reds around the Palace, we need more vigilance. Send the Whites to Narukukana, you need more eyes", Vettaiyan thought for a while and added, "Send the four Blacks to the route, assure a kingdom to the one who takes a target".

When The General was at the door he heard the Emperor's voice, "The art of victory is to lay behind the enemy and pull him when he is so close to the line of victory".

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

Sametime, Somewhere (part 2/2)

Sequence III - Somewhere in a cottage at the south of Central Kingdom ...

"Karmegha ?", wondered Rana, "but Ayan stands across that battlefield".

"That's the exact reason why Karmegha would be chosen", Sena infered watching the scenary outside the window. Rana looked at Putran who raised his eyebrows and shoulders at the same time.

"Apart from such shocks, we have to make sure to get back our bodies to Kottaipattinam alive", Sena announced to the three men present in the room with him. Rana again looked at Putran.

"We are allowed to stay here until the announcement over the battlefield", said Putran. "Then we will be chased or captured as outlaws". Kacha gulped.

"The Emperor will send out his best after us", Sena spoke calmly, "He will make sure atleast one of us won't leave his hunting grounds".

"But why ?", Kacha asked, "Whether we are alive or not, this war will happen".

"Brains are powerful than muscles", Sena turned and replied Kacha. With a gentle hand gesture he requested him to join him by the window. Without raising his hand, he told him "There, between the intersection of the walls". Kacha looked, but failed to notice anything. "Keep watching until the natural site registers inside you, then it will expose the image that is not part of the scene", Sena advised Kacha. After a moment of immense curiosity and constant staring, an image of a human form standing in the middle behind the intersection became visible to Kacha. His mouth opened naturally.

"We will handle ourselves as and when a threat arises. And the immediate urgence is on taking over Narukukana", Sena informed the group and tapped the shoulders of Kacha who was still gazing out of the window.

"Waterways are the only route for the three Kingdom's battalions to reach Central Kingdom", Putran said, "The Emperor will not use his fleet anytime sooner. He will operate them once the battle begins and create a forntier wall of ships around his land - to stop supplies of allied forces from reaching the lands if the war runs longer than planned", Putran looked at the faces before him before continuing, "and to block every escape route of the retreating army, stating that 'if you come to war on my lands, you will be burined under her warmth'. In the meantime, he will use the pirates to affiliate damage on our crew, draining their confidence and physically weakening them even before they step on his land".

"We will face strenuous opposition at Narukukana. By now, the place would have been fortified. A defensive stance with archers and long swordsmen", Sena diagnosed.

"So, how are we going to crack the Emperor's wall of defense at the Pirate village", asked Kacha.

"By Creating a distraction", Sena replied, "The art of victory is to blind the enemy with his own confidence and once he is visionless, we strike him with our light of victory".

Sequence IV - Somewhere around the Central Kingdom ...

A pair of eyes were watching the proceedings at the openspace hiding behind the bushes. They followed Verman and Vitara when they stood up and moved away from the crowd. The Kingsmen rejoined the group after a brief discussion. At the end of the convention, the Minister and the Architect walked beside one another, before parting ways. The watching man, hidden inside the bush, followed Verman discreetly. When Vitara crossed the bend of the first lane, a silhouette walked out of a closed shop and replaced Vitara's shadow.

Medicine man Kreesnama Muni was working in his laboratory. He was holding a beaker in his hand, inside which a dark and thick liquid was dancing violently. After few analysis, he poured the solution on the floor. A hound appeared from the dark corners of the room and cleaned the solution from the ground. After feeding three more hounds, Vaithiyar walked of his lab. The leaves of the tree beside the window of the lab frisked briskly when a man silently descended and disappeared into the thick jungle.

The human form hiding in the shadow of a wall, keenly looked at Sena looking at his direction. He did not move when Kacha joined Sena by the window. After a brief moment, the men from Kottaipatinam left the cottage and walked towards the town center. After confirming that the cottage was empty, the incognito slipped away.

The General walked back and forth on the corridor. Two masked men approached him quickly. Listening to them, The General rushed inside his room. A while later, he reappeared in warrior armour and started proceeding towards King's Chamber. Few instances later, he arrived at the center of the Grand Garden just after the princes of Kottaipattinam and Kallingapuri had left. His team dressed for a fight joined him on their horses, one with the splatter mask was holding the halter of The General's horse. They all rode towards the barracks to the east of the Palace urgently. A gardener silently crawled out from under the stairways and moved cautiously over the lawn. Once he reached the area crowded with waged workers, he lifted a water hose from the ground and irrigated the plants around the palace garden.

Sometime later, Somewhere ...

Four messengers took clippers, a fast multiple-masted sailing ship, to Kalingapuri, Kottaipattinam, Karimedai and Katrupuzha with the scroll proclaming the war. The fifth messenger reached the Vettaiyan Palace.

The team from Kottaipattinam boarded the stagecoach to reach their destination.

Sengodagan took a brig, the two-masted sailing vessel, to Kalingapuri. Veera Mahendran held a secret meeting inside the captain's cabin on his cruiser, a lightly armoured battleship .

Five men - the watching man, the silhouette, the tree man, the incognito and the gardener - stood before an anonymous artist who had started working on an empty canvas. He listened to the reports given by these spies and dismissed four out of five of them. He turned to reveal his cold eyes above the neckerchief covering his face to the last agent standing before him. The spy heard his boss speaking through the mask, "Follow close, don't leave a trace, and report back". When the young man was about to leave, his master said "The art of victory is to draw your enemy towards an imaginary victory line and before he realises, unleash the suprise on him while standing on the right line of victory".

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

On Route to Survival

'No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path'. - Gautama Buddha

The Demon Eye blinked.

Littleman watched with fear ; Rana sat tongue-tied ; Shama was open-mouthed ; Nobleman and Putran saw in amazement while Kacha gazed out at the darkness outside from the roll-down curtained window of the stagecoach, when Sena was demontrating his necklet. They were all on route to the harbor to aboard a ship to Kottaipattinam.

"A potion made out of numerous drops from several sources that invokes violent and uncontrollable temper", Sena was replying to the question of Rana about Dhavoma, the name mentioned by the Emperor. "My rage will arrive right on time", he said pocketing the Demon Eye inside his red suit lapel. "When the Emperor saw the Demon Eye hanging around my neck, he spoke about Dhavoma and to hide his shock he spoke about the Alwars. Now he knows what we pocess, thus he showed us what he owns, the twin-arrows".

"Twin-arrows", questioned Putran.

"Yes,", replied Sena. "and 'Clown' surfaced again, of which I am clueless". Nobleman listened thoughtfully.

"So, you knew very well who the despicable person was ?", asked Rana.

"Somewhat", Sena said by moving his palms sideways. "The night after her arrest, Mari-Maa confessed in private of being a part in an assassination attempt. She vaguely spoke to me about the others involvement. For an annonymous employer and as this piece of information did not concern the contract, I closed the case without mentioning it. Now, that detail has come in handy", he looked at Rana and then said to Nobleman and Putran, "we have acquired what we require".

Sena peeked through the window and then tapped the roof of the stagecoach three times with his knuckles. The cart halted.

"Gentlemen, be right back", saying so Sena climbed off the wagon and disappeared into the night. He returned wiping strains of blood on his hand.

He looked at Kacha and said, "They are Blacks, you cannot spot them eaisily". Kacha shrinked his eyes to elaborate his attention, then he asked Sena, "What are they ?".

Sena replied looking at Littleman, who was listening wide-eyed, "The Reds, the Whites and the Blacks are the three orders of Ninja. The Reds are soldiers, while the Whites are spies and the Blacks are assassins. Mostly they wear respective colored uniforms called 'Shinobi Shozoko', but they have the liberty not to be obvious on showing which order they belong to. A special dark blue suit called 'Curtain' is used by the Blacks at night. These clothes are specifically made to conseal their weapons. But their shoes are always the same kind, called 'Cat's Paw'. The Masters usually dress up in white and should not be confused with a regular Ninja, and ofcoarse it's quite hard to distinguish, unless they are wearing their rank belts."

"Just like our beguiling Emperor", Rana said. Littleman gulped.

Sena stopped talking and tapped the roof and said "Nature calls", Rana got down with him. A brief moment later the brothers came back and got inside the stagecoach.

"Next time, I count myself in", announced Shama. Kacha looked at Sena. Sena smiled and continued, "The Ninjas were peasants. They got trained as Ninjas for two reasons - one to protect their lands from the bandits who came to rob their stock ; two for doing the dirty work for their Masters who could be Kings or Emperors or even noblemen. The peasants sat on the wooden beam in his warehouse and when the robbers creeped inside, the Ninja farmer suprised them with his peculiar weapon attack - a sickle attached to a chain called 'Kusarigama'. The chain-Sickle was the first and the primary weapon of the Ninjas".

"When the Emperor needed men who can mingle like localers at the same time be his eyes and ears, he called upon the Whites. The Reds were for his safety and they surrounded him as personal bodygaurds. And of course, eliminations without trace were carried by the Blacks".

"Each order undergoes both basic and specifc training called 'Ninjutsu', where they learn tatics like distracting the enemies, certain high techniques to camouflage within the foliage, rope and tree climbing including breathing skills, efficiently use the natural elements like fire, wood, water and land".

After three knocks, the three men walked into the dark and returned to take their respective seats inside the stagecoach.

"Samurais are different. They are warriors, the real ones and they belong to a speific set of class who follow strict protocols. They are a lineage where the art is taught within the family and no one outside their class can become a Samurai. Ninjas are more like flexible Samurai without class distinction or rules. Anyone can become a Ninja, and they are governed by the code of respect - even an enemy is eligible for an honored death".

"The Ninja Code started to widen as and when special weapons were invented to go hand in hand with facility and secrecy. There is a misconception that Ninjas use Katana. Only the Samurais use Katana, Ninjas use Bastard Sword, mostly the Reds use them and it is shorter than those carried of Samurais. Every Ninja usually carries tiny but sharp and deadly weapons - punching dagger, nunchaku, siangbam, darts, kama - amoung smoke bombs and a whip. Their most efficient weapon are the Shurikens. The Ninja Stars, called the Shurikens can become fatal if painted with poison. They are actually used to paralyse the chasing enemy, more than to kill the target. A sharp Shuriken could tear the flesh, at the same time cut the nerves and viens. Its hardness could break bones. Different stars are used for various purpose, for instance, a cross-shaped shuriken is thrown to inflict a deep wound on the target. Similarly there are folding-type, three or four-pointed, double-edged, eight-pointed, stick type Shurikens".

He looked and Rana and startled him by saying "The four Blacks at the Emperor's solar, are the ones who were sent to hunt us down and they are hiding in the foilage".

"Really ?", Rana said, "There were four other men in that room apart from us ?"

"Actually there were nine others present", confirmed Sena. "The Emperor could have killed us between his blinks".

After a pause Sena said, "A group of Ninja is easy to defeat than a single Ninja. A cornered Ninja goes by his instincts. We have taken three Blacks and the fourth one would be very difficult to spot."

The stagecoach stopped, and Sena opened the door, "After you my friend", he spoke to Shama. When the three got down, they turned to look at Kacha standing between them and the wagon. Sena smiled. The four disappeared into the steamy night leaving the other three inside the coach to listen to the heavy horse breathing.

Nobleman stared at the thick mist across the parked stagecoach. He signaled to Putran. Littleman peeked through the window to witness a man fully dressed in black from head to toe running towards them cutting through the mist. Behind him, the four warriors emerged through the thick fog.

"Here", Sena said to Kacha. "These are the last three Shurikens I have, and that would be the fourth set you would be using against the same target. I repeat, there are three throw techniques - overhand, sidearm and reverse side-arm - you use sidearm delivery when you are not in a standing position, and reverse side-arm is when you are caught by suprise and you throw at the threat's direction with full force but aimlessly. Now, if you fail this time, all the men inside the coach will die, and maybe including the coachman".

The Black Ninja Assassin almost got to the side of coach. Kacha took the three three-pointed Shuriken from Sena and arranged it over each other between his fingers like playing cards. He raised his arm behind his head and vigorously pulled it forward. When his palm crossed his chin he released the stars.

The Shurikens raced with each other in the air. The first one caught the back neck of the Ninja, the next stuck to the fifth vertebra and the final got fixed to the sacrum. The target hit the flat side of the stagecoach spitting blood on the window through which Littleman was watching, before sliding down to the ground.

"You saved ourselves from a lot of sorrow", Rana commented.

Kacha smiled.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

The Planning Room - Language of War

"Let's just give this place a simple name", Putran talked before a large group of men consisting of sixty-three noblemen who favoured their cause and except Sena, everyone else including the allies and Queen Vadhana were present inside a large square tent outside the city limits of Kottaipattinam.

"The Planning Room", Putran named the closed space, "a grave of what's heard or seen in this place", he said with a serious tone. At the centre of the Planning Room sat a large rectangular sand table used for military plannings and actions. There were several small and medium flat wooden blocks arranged around the inside of the table. Each block was struck with several nails and the head of the nails were painted with uniform color patterns. Five small blocks had one long nail beaten inside it and other tiny group of colored rectangular wooden pieces with three wave lines ending with an arrow were scattered around along with few wooden cubes marked with a circle or a cross.

A model of an improved map of Central Kingdom was spread over the sand table depictings high and low landscapes including waterways. Important landmarks like harbours, mountains, cities and towns were highlighted with a stick tag. Around the indicated sectors, the pathways were drawn darker than the other travel areas. The middle of the map model was occupied by a piece of vacancy tagged Karmegha. Behind it's outer circumfrence a miniture fort and a palace were set to stand.

Further from the table, at the right-hand corner of the Planning room, another model of the battlefield designed on sand and bordered with large stick tags presenting the operating area of Karmegha was furnished. Several statuettes were randomly placed on the sand. Few long thin implements made of wood were placed leaning onto the cloth wall of the Planning Room.

Only one opening permitted entry and exit, through which Sena accompanying a man entered the Planning Room.

"My Queen, Lady, Noblemen and my friends", he said with a nod of respect at Putran, "meet Kali, the 'firearts' specialist".

Kali was medium sized with a horseshoe moustache, thick sideburns and neckbeard decorating his face. His eyes and lips were tiny in contrast to his protruding ears. Kalli stood watching the floor and he lifted his head when he was altered by Sena's friendly elbow push. His tiny lips stretched into a smile while he tried to look at everyone present inside the Planning Room.

Putran invited Kali with a courteous salutation. He looked at Vadhana and requested, "Her Majesty, permit me to explain our current suituation using these replicas". Vadhana gestured her accord with a nod.

"My Ladies, My Noblemen and My Friends, I seek your attention when we dive engaging ourselves in the activities involving war. I take no questions, so, let your concentration and consciousness guide you to recognise understanding", Putran finished his introductory speech.

"The floor of this table is sown with sand", Putran explained standing before the sand table. He took a mace, (a light-weight cue staff with a foot used to shove), which was leaning over one of the legs of the table. "The Blue sands are the oceans and other waterways are marked with the same color", he said by circling the stick in the air above the blue areas.

Pointing at the four brown corners he said, "The top corners are Karimedai and Katrupuzha ; and the bottom is where you will find our Kingdom along with Kalingapuri". He moved the baton that he held to the centre, "This is the small-scale map of the Central Kingdom". He placed the stick back on the ground and picked-up a tiny block of wood stuck with a single big nail with it's head painted in white. "These blocks represent the leaders and army", he placed the White Head near the palace and said, "Our Emperor". He spoke quickly by taking other blocks with single nails and placed them at the corners of the map, "The Pink Head is our queen", he set it on the bottom right corner of the map, "Blue, Yellow and Brown represents the other leaders King Gauthama, King Souruban and King Veera Mahindran respectively".

He picked the mace again and pulled a flat block with about twenty tiny nails stuck to it with the heads colored blue and a tiny white spot marked at the centre. "Blue Group represent the Archers, and the white dot indicates their faction belonging to the Emperor's army". The flat block rolled over the sand and was positioned near the palace behind the White Head. He pushed another block stamped with several green heads with a yellow dot. "The Green Group are the foot soldiers, and with the Yellow dot they belong to King Soruban's infantry".

Putran explained in detail the combat roles of the other colors on the nail head representing heavy and light infantry pointing at the respective color dot indicating the Kingdom which the soldiers belonged to. He quickly and elegantly arranged the flat blocks of wood over the battleflied of Karmegha to reflect formation such as the line infantry. The White and Brown dotted nails, the army belonging to the Emperor and Veera stood against the Blue, Yellow and Pink spotted ones. He precisely demonstrated the tactics deployed by specific types of combat units by masterly shuffling the positions of the flat wooden blocks over the sand table.

Picking up two different tiny cubes marked with a cross and a circle, Putran briefed, "The cross indicates the seige weapons and the circle are the cannons". He arranged a few radomly around the palace and placed a cubical with a circle on top of the miniture fort and said, "Cannon Vettai on Fort Ayan".

Putran gathered several colored rectangular wooden pieces with three wave lines ending with an arrow and placed them on the blue sands outside the map of the Central Kingdom. "The rectangular pieces are the warships and their varied colors represent their type. The color of the three waves indicate the kingdom to which the fleet belongs to". He placed few pieces painted with Yellow strips below the Kingdom of Karimedai, "The fleet of King Gauthama. The arrow points to the direction this fleet would take to reach the lands of the Central Kingdom". He then placed several rectangular pieces all over the blue space and crowded the south part of the Central Kingdom with few black pieces and said, "The pirates".

Taking a unique set of nail painted completely in red, Putran said, "These are the unknown enemy groups, the attackers who are
imperceptible over the strategy table". He placed the Reds around the mountains and inside the valleys. "The unit could be special forces or mercenaries acting to slow down our advancement, an invisible army which our soldiers have to face before entering into the war zone".

He turned to the right corner of the Planning Room and said, "This exhibit on the ground is purely for the Chief of the Army to analyse, devise a plan of action and implement complicated war alignments, both defense and attack. The color code used are similar, but the figurines are larger and a single statuette may represent a battalion".

Looking at Rana, Putran proudly announced, "Our Chief Rana is well versed with the Language of War".

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

The Planning Room - Logistics of War

"We have to detach ourselves to form work groups and operative teams", Putran informed. "Leather, metal, wood and textile are the primary needs to keep our military units under operational condition. Spares must always be at their disposition. Competence in nursing and household functions are an extreme need. Man power, other than soldiers, is essential for the maintance of tents and barracks at the war zone". While Putran was speaking, General Kalai interrupted him, "With all due respect Sir, I would like to intensify my concern over sustenance. I desire to hear you mention it as one of the vital needs".

Putran hid his anger under his smile when General Kalai of Katrupuzha barged in with his question, "General Kalai, we will look at it in an instance. Rest assured, our solution will suit you and your King", but Putran's tone failed to conceal the annoyance in his voice.

General Kalai stepped forward with this left-hand placed on the handle of his sword, "The evasion of the prime point of issue diminishes the chances for us to continue as allied nations. I am not interested in a war which is not Katrupuzha to fight".

Putran thought for a while, and then spoke with severity , "As General of Katrupuzha is in a hurry to leave, let us try to convince him to stay".

The difficulties of transporting edible materials to the war zone was expressed unanimously. Elivated risks of rotting, impossibility to cook for a large crowd of allied forces and unavailability of such massive resources and infrastructure were highlighted. Kalai was restless. He was gently tapping the handle of the sword estimating the time he would be staying inside the Planning Room, as his King was precise about the nourishment for the Katrupuzha army as the highest priority.

Putran searched for words by looking up at the roof of the Planning Room. He spoke calmly and with assurance, "The soldiers will carry their own food". There were murmurs in the room and several objected that it would add more weight to the items they were already carrying.

"Noblemen, this is not a Council Hall. In here we heed and act in accordance", Putran's grating voice and studied manners restored silence back inside the Planning Room. Kalai was preparing to leave.

Putran spoke unhurriedly and without any apparent emotion, "There was man, quite aged with broken tooth, having his meal before my house. He was having bread". Kalai stopped and listened to Putran.

"The man cannot chew food, so he dried his bread. Before the aged man with broken tooth, was a cup of warm water. He dipped the dry bread in the warm water ; made it softer ; threw the crumb inside his mouth ; mashed it between his tongue and the top of his mouth ; and swallowed his meal". Putran looked at the faces before him to see whether he had everyone's attention. "A dry bread is high in carbohydrates - the common source of energy".

Putran walked to a coat hanger at the corner of the Planning Room and picked the pocket of his vest and removed a message scroll. He walked back to the center and raised his hand, "What I am holding here, is the art of making cheese that is high in proteins - a fuel source for energy".

Putran stared at Kalai, "Through the energy and a fuel to set it aflame permanently, vigorousity prevails". He turned and addressed to small crowd before him, "The dry bread and cheese combo is : perfect for travel, as they are lighter to carry ; ideal, as they take longer to expire ; absolute to keep hunger away ; complete by providing an effect of a good meal".

"Small packet meals are facile to prepare and ready to be pocketed, shared, transported. The dry bread and cheese can be washed clean of dirt without hindering the savour. Moreover, leavened bread are quicker to bake and many natural nutrients like cereal grains and plant proteins apart from wheat and rice can be added in abondance to increase the effectiveness". Putran paused and looked at his listeners, "Milk, wheat, rice, wood and fire is all that is needed to prepare the packets of meal that can be easily carried by the soldiers in their sack pack, the bread and cheese made from resources not difficult to find".

There was complete silence in the room. The faces of the Noblemen were brightened with a smile. Kalai returned to take his place beside Shama. "I appologise, Her Majesty, for interrupting the discourse as well as stepping forward without permission", General Kalai spoke in a regretful tone.

"Apology accepted", Putran replied quickly without looking at the general. "Now that you are aware of our propostion, kindly leave immediately to obtain a certificate of conformity from your King".

"Conformity ?", Kalai look fixedly at Putran and turned to adress Vadhana, "Her Majesty, my King has faith in my autonomy. I will send my profound feeling of relief and gladness as an information to our King".

Seeing the tension mounting up even after reaching terms, Vadhana sent a pleasing nod with a smile at Kalai and spoke loudly to Putran, "Continue about the groups and teams Yeshodha Putran",

"Indeed Her Majesty, Indeed", Putran replied with a heavy exhale which invited a rushed heavy inhale.

"Before addressing about the groups and teams, I would like to insist on passing this information under severe secrecy to allied states, so that they can start producing and packeting at once", Putran made eye contacts with Kanakavalli and Shama, and obtained their assent. He turned and smiled at Kalai. The general expressed his approval with a nod.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

The Planning Room - First Attack

"No one is stronger, none are weak before the power of versatility", Putran continued. "The group must consits of volunteers from the noblemen who can access the requirements - cobblers, tailors, cooks, wood cutter, metal workers, horse breeders, dairy and cereal farmers, merchants and traders".

A silent shuffle amoung the noblemen took place and several tiny groups ranging from 3 to eight men took oath to manage the delivery of the suituational needs.

Putran thanked them wholeheartedly and said, "Weapon management, including clothing and armours, will be directly supervised by Chief Rana - comb, helm, gorget, visor, breastplate, pauldron, rerebrace, couter, plackart, vambrace, fauld, gauntlet, cuisse, tasset, poleyn, fan-plate, saboton and greave. Undergarments, gambesonleg, harness, chainmail and turnshoes. The Chief of Army of the Allied Forces will instruct about metal works to manufacture spearheads, polearms and blades by giving directions to perfect the design using steel prototypes".

Putran moved to the sand table and pointing at the top-left, top-right and bottom-center parts of the Central Kingdom map model he said, "These are the three major harbours in the enemy territory". Few eyes of the noblemen widened, the ones who made out that the Central Kingdom was skull shaped with two harbours resembling hollow eyes and the appearence of the huge port at the bottom was similar to the roof of a mouth.

Putran ignored their suprise by continuing to give instructions, "The allied fleet will not anchor here or there but at his position, Narukukana, the harbour at the bottom is where the allied fleet will arrive. Unfortunately, this port is a stronghold. An operative team will engage itself to remove the threat. From the harbor, the army will reach Karmegha by foot", Putran traced the route with his mace. "With enough rest, the destination will be reached in three days, just a day ahead of the fixed date giving ample time to prepare for the battle. This information should allow you to measure the hours we still have to turn the raw materials into finished goods".

After few verbal exchanges with Rana and Putran, the groups of noblemen walked out of the Planning Room. Nobleman Kusha stayed beside Putran on the left side of the rectagular table. Kalai, Kanakavalli and Shama occupied the right side of the sand table. Littleman was beside Vadhana who was seated on an elevated chair gaining a full view of the map model before her. The brothers stood beside each other opposite to their Queen across the table.

Kali walked to a corner of the Planning Room and squatted on the floor beside the display of Karmegha, leaning his back on the cloth wall. He took out a dried guava leaf from his hip bag and flattened it on his left plam. He searched the pouch with his right hand fingers and digged out a tiny and thin hairy stem. He placed the new found item over the guava leaf and pressed it hard with his thumb and index fingers, turning the fragile stem into an uneven and rough powder. He gently turned over and over the leaf taking much care not to spill the tiny lumps. Once the leaf was tightly rolled with the stem particles inside, he sealed one tip with the edges of the leaf, and flattened the other side with his fingers. He pulled a tiny thread sticking out of his tight tunic and tied it hard without cracking the dry leaf around the flatened end. He placed it in his lips and lit it while hanging his head backward. A cluster of smoke circled above him. Kali closed his eyes.

"I excuse on the behalf of Kali. He knows no hierarchy", Sena informed to Vadhana and the others inside the room.

Putran cut in immediately, "Now that the logistics are been taken care of, the operative team must seize the Pirate's Bay before the fleet set sail", suggested Putran. "I invite my brother Sena to elucidate this matter".

"Our first concern is to stop the leak of information", Sena announced. He looked at Kacha and Rana, and the three took out a small scrap of canvas from their pockets and presented it before the operative team. The clothes held hand drawn identic rows of circles, few rings were marked with a cross. "This is the seating arrangement of the noblemen during final polls. The marked ones are the suspects, the ones who blinked or put a guilty face when Nobleman used the word 'corruption'". He turned to adress Nobleman Kusha, "I need their identities". Nobleman nodded is head. "Kacha, General Kalai and Shama will check on them to-night. After interrogation, these culprits, along with their family, will be dropped beyond the frontier".

Sena paused and pointed at one particualar mark on the circle, "Myself and the Chief will pay this man a visit".

Nobleman said, "I would like to come with you, as I assume that this man could have more than just informations". Sena replied in affirmative.

"Chief Rana has sealed the border. Kottipatinam is now a secrued place protected by the members of the military", assured Sena.

Sena re-arranged the tiny rectangular blocks with colored waves over the blue sand. The wave arrows were pointing towards the Kingdom Karimedai. And then a series of fleet slided towards Kottipattinam. From Kottaipatinam, the ships navigate to Narukukana. "This is the safest route, sailing on friendly waters. The oceans on the southwest are controlled by Veera's fleet. The east side harbour could be a trap laid by the Emperror as it's quite welcoming. The covoys will pass through Kottaipattinam and the Allied forces arrive on the Central Kingdom at the sametime for it's own safety as well as to minimise sabottage attempts". Sena paused to take questions, as none was posed, he declared, "That gives us no other option, but take the Pirate's Bay".

"With the Queen's guidence and Chief's permission, I place Kacha at the forefront. Another team led by myself shall penetrate the Pirate Village", Sena looked at Rana.

"The pirates are peculiar creature", Rana took over. "The are robust and dominant but not brave. Without a leader they become like a lost child. Taking out the Captain, Adhi, is a must to bring them to their knees. And fear works wonder on them, the lost child shall panic for the mildest disturbances, permitting a total submission of the pirates and make them fight the war for us".

"This operation is dangerous as well as timebound. And for the records, there were only two warriors who have escaped alive from the Pirate's Village", Sena informed.

"Stealth can work, but how are we going to bring in the 'fear'", Kalai questioned.

"General Kalai, that's where yourself, Princess Kanakavalli and Kali shall play the Devil", replied Rana with a smile, "by working alongside with Sultan".

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

Trinity and the Twins

The General of the Emperor, dressed in full body armor suit and wearing a mask, was speaking in a heavy tone before few adjoints inside a closed room. His warriors stood behind him concealing their faces and before him was a huge table displaying a detailled route map of the Central Kingdom. Figurines with toothpick flags were placed ramdomly over the map. Another set of small figurines were positioned on the pathways, the flags indicating them as the enemies.

"These brigades here will take full control of this mountain, including the valley", he said pointing at spearman and archer figurines. There were five and three flags attached to the statuettes respectively, denoting the number of brigade groups. "Do not enter into an open battle, its too early to take damage", he instructed, "but attack the cargo, any huge caravan carrying ration. Our priority is to make sure that the enemy army reaches Karmegha without nutriments". The adjoints, who were legion chiefs, second commandants and majors in tactical military, nodded their heads in unison.

By placing several models of army soldiers over the area of the battleflied, The General explained to his audience the infantry tactics and demonstrated the legion formations and attack strategies. He then moved to point out the defense system at the Vettaiyan Palace. He walked through several aggressive military action against the enemies including retreat and charge plan to show their superior power at war. He moved his mace around the area south of Karmegha and told, "This is where the enemies will camp. Expect a huge army marching on our lands, we should weaken them before the day of war. In addition of gaurding the pathways, the trees around this area should be fallen down. Wood, the major necessity of war should not be available to our enemies. Pour gallons of water in the camping site to make it muddy and marshy making it arduous to encamp".

Taking a more serious tone he directed to speed up the operations at the Fort Ayan and was persistent to keep the cannon Vettai aeonian.

The General turned to his warriors and enquired about the security at Narukukana and learning that the Pirate Village was completely swept over and was fully surrounded by specialised soldiers, he appreciated their good work carried out under at short notice. He ordered the Big Man with the sledgehammer to take charge of Port Narukukana, by elaborating to him the immense defense measures to be deployed at the harbour. He specifically cautioned him on the prime objective, that Narukukana should not fall in the hands of the enemies.

Somewhere in the Central Kingdom, the anonymous artist had almost completed his art work on the canvas. It was a potrait of a man watching himself before a mirror, the face and other interior decors were unfinished. He put down his brush and turned to face the young spy who had come in to breif the artist with the latest proceedings. The spy reported to his master the informations he had gathered and recounted the converstaion that he had eavesdropped. The artist listened attentively and once the spy had finished, he picked up the bursh and started painting in silence.

Nobleman and the brothers were sitting inside a dimly lit room, only a glimmer of the streetlight passing through the open window illuminated the space.

"We are fighting a war within a war", Sena was speaking, "an armed conflict between countries and a battle of the Sons of Light against the Sons of Darkness", when he heard the sound of the opening door. Rana immediately rushed inside the adjacent room. A silhouette creeped it's way from to corridor into the living room taking much care not to make noise. It reached the fire place and tried to ignite it, but was suprised to see the logs wet. It took a candle placed over the chimney and turned to find its way back to room were Rana was hiding. The corrupt councillor faced the visages of Nobleman and Sena. He panicked. Nobleman took his arms and gently pulled him to a cushion chair. He took the candle from his hand and placed it on the small table before him.

"No. No", the dishonest man talked quickly, "I don't know know anything".

"And I have not asked anything, either", Sena spoke calmly, "I always speak about Time to everyone. A gone tide will return, but a lost Time vanishes forever".

Rana stepped out of the bedroom holding a straight razor that was dripping blood. He left the curtains open. The untrustworthy nobleman stared at his wife lying on the bed with her wrist slit and blood oozing out of the crack. The nobleman left out a tiny cry and got up to run towards the room. Rana held him firmly by pushing him back on the seat.

"An immediate medical attention can save her. For the moment she is sleeping, the Time you take shall deceide if she will wake up or not", Sena said. Rana walked past the open space and tried to enter the room on the opposite side.

"No. Please. Don't hurt my son", weeped the nobleman. Rana stopped by the door facing him.

"I am listening", Sena said with a smile.

The shameful nobleman talked about bars and taverns were spies operated with whom he had shared several informations, including the governing decisions of Kottaipattinam made under secrecy at the Council Hall. He clearly pinned the merchants, traders and dockworkers involved in the huge web of corruption, the employees of the Emperor. He also named a few who were in the military units. He precised that getting them to talk will reveal the entire mole chain. He pleaded for mercy in a tone of deep repentance.

"The Clown and the Twin Arrows ?", asked Nobleman. The insincere council member looked at him and then at Sena. He saw Rana pushing the curtains. "No, wait, wait, please", he cried. He inhaled deeply and said, "Never heard anything or anyone called Clown. But learnt from Minister Verman of the Central Kingdom about the Twin Arrows. That day we all were drunk. That was after passing the declartion of war in the council hall. I was scared at the way Sena was staring at me. So, I got the information personally to the Minister. He asked me not to worry about you brothers, as you will be taken care of. He spoke about the Twin Arrows briefly, it was more like a myth, and I didn't believe a single word spoke by him".

"After slaying Kundalini, your Father burnt down the nesting ground of the gaint snakes in and around the volcanos and caves of Karimedai. The Minister spoke about souls, the details I was not in a position to understand. Apparently, a snake egg snatched and twin baby serpents came out. The mother snake tried to save the snakelets from the fire aroused by your Father, but the inferno killed her. The hatchling snakes took a vow of revenge and jumped into the flames of their burning mother. The Minister said that these baby snakes were reborn as the Twin Arrows and their only duty is to seek vengeance for the cruel, unnatural or unjust death of their mother. They are aimed to kill the Sons of the Murderer".

The trinity walked silently out of the corrupt man's house and Sena spoke when they were on the pavement, "I need to find The Monk".

Few soldiers saluted them and after a brief conversation with Rana, they marched inside the culprit's house. The nobleman's wife was safe, the attempted murder was an imitation, she was put unconscious surrounded with red dye. A soldier pulled the weeping owner to the window and told, "The coachman is readying a transport vehicle for your departure. Grab whatever you can, but you have time until he is all set to travel. Once he is prepared and you are not inside that coach, you can never reach the destination".

The nobleman hurriedly lifted his child and dropped him inside the coach. He then carried his unconsicous wife to the wagon. He got back inside and opened several cupboards, they all were stuffed with gold and diamonds that they looked like a cave of treasures. He ran back and forth several time loading his valuables inside the coach. When he came back to empty his last few possessions, he heard the horses neighing. He peeped out of the window and saw the coachman ready for departure. He droped the treasure box and gazed at the soldier.

The soldier introduced a sharp hand knife inside his heart while saying, "Your Time is up".

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

At the Pirate Bay (part 1/3)

Second Dusk

"A Time based operation", Sena was saying to the operative team gathered inside the Planning Room. He walked and placed three tiny hourglass adjesant to each other over the grandtable. "As we have eliminated the insider threats of information leakage and the war is to commence in one moon from now, our priority is to win the Pirate's bay", he said. "The convoys from Katrupuzha have sailed, and the fleets of Karimedai are ready to depart. They will arrive at Kottaipattinam, and without delay will start to float towards Narukukana". He pointed at the hourglasses and said, "We split into three teams - pouncers, perforators and pursuers. Pouncers are attacker to weaken the defense, perforators will penetrate inside the Pirate's village and pursuers wait on the outer perimeter for the signal from either pouncers or perforators". Sena paused and watched the faces of his listeners making sure everyone has comprehended.

"Pursuers led by General Kali, supported by Princess will visit Sultan along with Kali and prepare for the showdown".

"Pouncers, a platton of master swordsman commanded by Kacha shall inflict damage to the defense of Pirate Bay".

"Perforators, myself and Chief Rana, will slip into the heart of Pirate's village".

"General Kalai, and my Lady, as you would have known by now, Kali is at a loss of hearing, an after effect of a tragic mission. He is perfectly alright otherwise, just speak loud while being nearer to him". Kali stood beside Kannakavalli admiring her shinny skin. "I have briefed Kali and Chief Rana had paid a visit to Sultan. By the time you reach the island, all should be ready for your team to work with. Co-ordination is important, wait for our signal". General Kalai nodded in agreement. Kanakavalli stood admiring Sena.

"Kacha, kill count is important. Arrangements have been made to create a diversion and that's when you attack. Capture the defense positions of the enemy and get disguised inside their uniforms. The Emperor's men will be supervising the camp, no alerts should be raised and the impersonation should buy the perforators some time".

"Pass an order to your platoon to paint their bottom right eye with black ink, so that the perforators can distinguish between allies from enemies once inside the Pirates Village. And always be prepared to face an extremely large strike from the Emperor's men".

Sena got near and spoke firmly to attract immense attention of Kacha, "The objective of the perforators is to crawl inside the Pirate's Village and find the pirate's leader Adhi. If we are not able to find him on time, we will invite him to us by getting captured by the pirates. The arrest will be done by the pirate's army and not by our platoon dressed in enemy's uniforms. Be alert on the proceeding, as the perforators need backup. Also, if the perforators fail, pouncers are the only guidence to pursuers". Sena paused and then announced, "Retreat is not an option", Sena handed a hourglass to the leaders of pouncers and pursuers and tossing the final one with his right hand, Sena said, "and if the sands have settled at the bottom before the end of the operations, many will die". He placed the hourglass strongly on the table and the sands started dripping continuously from the hole at the intersection of the two glass bulbs, passing from the upper to the lower bulb.

There was silence in the room. Vadhana's eyes glittered with sorrow.

"But there is a falacy in your strategy", Putran said thoughtfully. "Incognito and the devil plan shall work, but your escape will be impossible if captured. The village is a swarm of pirates. They will strip you and bind you making it impossile to move".

"We have to take that risk", Rana said strongly looking at Vadhana.

"By that risk, you will jeopardise the entire suituation and push the war to an enemy's victory even before it is fought.", Putran explained. "The Emperor will attack the other kingdoms and the seas will be floating with enemy ships like a blue lake invaded by green algae. He will justify his action by claiming that the allied forces initiated the first ambush and his army is retaliating".

"What do you propose ?", Sena questioned Putran.

"Perforators should find and eliminate Adhi under a brief delay, before the news gets out. Pouncers should not allow any exit moment until an end of mission is signaled by the perforators. And if they are captured, there is an alternate way to escape but that method was tired only once. The mission was a failure, and ended fatal for the volunteer", Putran said.

There was another round of silence after hearing to Putran's proposition. Vadhana's eyes glittered with a strange light called bravery.

"I volunteer", Vadhana announced after listening to Putran.

Rana tried to counter her and when he failed to convince her, he assured her that they will figure out an another way, but she shut him with her authority.

"Are you sure, Vadhana ?", asked Sena with compassion. Hearing to Sena addressing her by her name brought tears in her eyes. Vadhana nodded affirmatively.

"I know a medicine man", Nobleman said breaking the silence, "but he cannot undo what has been done".

"General Kalai, take the medicine man with you and wait for us and don't forget the Red Lantern", Sena informed to the leader of Pursuers.

"I should get a role to play too, don't I ?", Shama spoke with a crooked smile, Littleman watched him with a similar feeling. "Or is it my leg, a gift from my friend here, is bothering the Chief of the allied forces to include me". Sena looked at Shama apologetically. "I offer to serve under the Perforators, Shama said rigidly, "No man shall wait for me, and I assure not to limp the mission. If not for the lower limb, couple of extra hands may come in handy". Rana walked up to Shama and patted on his shoulders.

"As mentioned before, this is a time based operation. Pursuers will reach Sultan by tomorrow. The other two teams should be ready at sunset", Sena informed.

"I desire to participate in the Nibbana Ceremony tomorrow. My presence along with the Chief of the allied forces can become inspirational", interrupted Vadhana.

"So shall it be. Operation Pirate Bay will commence on the second dusk", Sena declared.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

At the Pirate Bay (part 2/3)

Nibbana after Bloodbath
(Rated R)

Rana put his hand over the shoulder of Kali. He walked him through the crooked path far away from the Planning Room and entered into the dense plantation. He halted and made Kali stand before him. On their way, Kali handmade his herbal smoking mixture with guava leaves stuffed with thin cruly Kinnikinnickthin flakes.

Rana spoke in amateur sign-language to Kali. He curved his right hand fingers and dropped it downwards his chest asking Kali whether he was hungry. Kali nodded negative. With a series of sign codes Rana informed Kali that he will be asking him three questions, and Kali shall reply only after Rana had moved back to a tree a furlong away. Kali shouted a OK, and Rana's dark eye balls pulled towards each other in the magnatic effect of Kali's scream. He regained his balance back by shaking his head vigorously and immediately struck his right palm with his left hand's karate chop point, signaling Kali to wait. He moved back hurriedly rubbing his ear with his small finger.

"Baasha calls it a tragic mission, I call it a Bloodbath", Kali replied to the first question by Rana about how he lost his audibility.

"Like others, I was picked from the streets and trained by Pachonthi, which is no more operational, Baasha took them down to their grave. Baasha trusts me and we shared the same bunker at the university. For certain missions Baasha would take me with him, and I shall be a backup or bomb rigger. I like playing with fire, so my speaciality was in setting different varieties of traps and mines".

Kali sucked deep from the guava cone and standing under a cloud of dense smoke, he continued steadily to recollect his past, "The mission was to capture a group of barbarians. His plan was to use a net around the camp's enterance and lure the criminals towards the trap. I was to close down the other exit with mines denying their escape. I settled at the back enterance of the barbarian bivouac and planted huge flash bombs on the pathway. I made them heavy than usual, to have fun with the savages who would come running for their life. But, when I saw Baasha running out through the back entrance followed by couple dozens of beasts, I understood that the mission did not go as planned. Baasha was directly running towards the mines that I had placed for the brutes. I shouted, but my warning failed to reach my friend due to the heavy battle cries of the barbarians. I waved at him, but he was too busy to notice. So I decided to deactive the mines myself by running over the twenty mines, making them explode on my contact around and over me", Kali paused and drew from his guava pipe.

"The sound was devastating and the flashes completely blinded me. I felt a chillness in my ears and sensed several tiny hot worms crawling out of my ears", Kali thought for a while, taking time to assemble his memory blocks. "I was on the ground hearing a loud non-stop siren. My vision was blurred, but could make out someone stopping beside me and felt shaken by the shoulder. My sight was like I was not aligned with time, as though the earth had cut down it's spin time by half. Then, I saw the Back of Baasha and beyond him, the wild men were running towards us, slowly but steadily. I closed my eyes and when I reopened them Baasha was putting on his claw glow. I blacked out. Warm liquid sprinkled on my face. I woke up and tried to clean them. They looked red. I was showered with tiny soft pieces and found that it was raining fingers. I looked straight and Bassha was slicing and cutting the neck, face, chest, stomach and a limb of an obese barbarian with his claw glove".

"Few we running away from us and then I was riding on the back of Baasha. My ears were burning, I cried. I felt a cold liquid flowing into my ears and I felt better. I was before a camp fire inside a forest, before me Baasha was seated, the claw glove replacing his palm. He gaurded me through out the night. The next morning, I was again riding on his back and around the camp we had halted that night I saw several bodies lying motionless, some face down, others completely ripped off. We reached the Guild. The Mentor was not happy about the failed mission. The barbarians were to be captured alive. Baasha stood before the Mentor listening to all the defaming pharses with his head hung down, without uttering a single word".

"Baasha beleives that I had saved him, and a kind of guilt makes him call it a tragic mission. I know who had saved me and so I call it a Bloodbath".

"That evening Baasha came to kill me", Kali explained to Rana why Sena had left him alive. "I pray what happened to Baasha should never happen even to my enemy". Kali blew smoke between his lips. "The assassins university was burnt down with lamp oil and not exploded with bombs. That assured Baasha that I was not involved and I confessed my guilt of my unawareness about such a backstabbing by the Guild. I offered myself to him. He left without uttering a word. I thought he punished me with his silence, but now I am very glad to be talking with his brother". Kali smiled with trembling lips and said "My Brother".

Rana approached Kali and patted on his shoulder. Kali's eyes glittered with joy. Rana moved back again and putting his right index finger in front of his lips, he moved it in a circular motion to ask his next question - WHO ? Then he quickly made several gestures with his fingers making a letter - M O N K.

"The Monk is the only one who had defeated Baasha", Kali told to Rana. "We all were young and without any remorse. But, the five trainers in the Guild twisted our lives with our own courage. Some were put into dungeons, others were made to take beatings through the night. Baasha emerged valliant and quickly we all started to see him as our champion. The Monk is a brave man. Intelligent but egotistical. He did not welcome the rise of Baasha within Guild. He stopped communicating with us and often kept himself away from us even when Baasha tried to bring him into our brotherhood".

"Every year, a Ring Fight was organised. We battle each other violently with training tools. Eventhough made of wood, the weapons can turn deadly. Few have even died. The Rule of the Ring is submission. The fight goes on until one accepts the defeat. That year, the Monk took on Baasha. His attacks were ferocious as though sending a message to us all. The teachers were quite glad about his aggressivity, that it looked as though they would benefit from the brawl. Baasha stood his ground. He charged, defended and attacked elegantly with various training tools".

"The Monk was giving him a tough time, but was getting tired. A blow from Baasha landed on the Monk's jaw making him vomit blood. He crawled over the ground but did not give up. He attacked Baasha. Each stike of Baasha landed on the Monk tearing his skin and flesh. At a point in time during the ring fight, the Monk looked completely painted with his own blood. Baasha asked him to give up, the Monk refused. Baasha knew his friend would die, so he retreated. The Monk got up and launched his first blow on Baasha. Baasha did not react. The Monk went on a slamming spree and soon Baasha was on the ground leaking blood from him mouth and nose. The monk sat over him with a wooden trident in his hand aiming at Baasha's throat. Baasha accepted his defeat. The teachers were excited to see the Monk still sitting on top of Baasha. They were sure that The Monk would puncture Baasha's windpipe. The Monk raised his weapon and slammed it on the floor beside Baasha".

"That was the only year when Baasha did not win the ring fight. The Monk sat in a corner with his Champion Title all alone. After couple of years, we were not able to find the Monk, he had left the guild. The Mentor was furious. No one was able to track him down. One day, he was declared dead by the Universtity, a lie to scare us about our fate if we left the Guild".

"When Baasha was roaming in the forests, he did meet The Monk", Kali put off the tiny spark at the tip of the guava pipe. "But Baasha did not tell me what they talked with each other".

An immense crowd gathered around the palace of Kottaipattinam for the Nibbana Ceremony. There was compelte silence when Vadhana was addressing the crowd, "The promised lands will always be yours. Such difficulty should not have risen for our great Nation and during such hard times, we have to stand united creating a force of endurance. I am not standing as a Queen before you, but as a daughter in your family whose brothers shall enter into an unreliable zone where their return is uncertain. I am standing before you, as the small girl who will watch the doorstrep every single day waiting to rejoice her father's arrival. I am standing before you, as the mother who washes the Idols of Faith with her tears, praying for the safe return of her son. I stand before you, as the beloved whose hearts are stronger than the iron built with courage to send of their mates into the fields of no return. I stand before you, as the head of the family, feeling proud of my children. I stand before not as a Queen, but as a Monk seeking alms".

Vadhana paused and looked at Rana standing before her. She held his hand and raised it high above their head, "Our men will lead us to victory. Our men will show the enemies what bravery shall be. Our men will fight for our valour and together we will teach this world humanity and peace. The proud citizens of Kottaipattinam, my men, my women and my children, I pleed to you to offer one fist of grain for our soldiers to survive in the cold and heat and with our Grain of Love they will regain the lost spirit and confront our deadiliest foes, liberating us from the clutches of servitude".

As there was shortage of food ingredients at the Kingdom's granary, The Nibbana Ceremony was organised to collect grains from the people to feed the army of the alied forces.

Rana looked around him searching for Sena, his brother was nowhere in sight. He walked beside Vadhana who had her long scraf of the Queen's robe spread between her arms. People were dropping a fist of grain inside the well of the cloth. Few Palace employees walked behind them with a sack into which she emptied the collected grains. Several workers were walking around meeting the gathered crowd and pocketing the grains into wooden barrels and buckets.

Vadhana saw a lad clenching his fist. She bent down and spread her scarf widely before the kid. The small boy emptied one of his fist and said "This is for my father", immediately he moved his second hand to pour another tiny fist of grains, and informed with a smile, "this is for his brothers".

Vadhana was moved by the words of the infant. She kissed the child. He kissed her back and wondered why the Queen's cheek was wet and salty.

The night was dark and blue. Rana found Sena in their Father's Garden, sitting on the rock on which he used to sit during his childhood. Sena did not remove his eyes that were fixed over the sky when his brother approached him. Rana sat beside his brother. After a peaceful silence Rana spoke, "Your life is a devastening time. How do you deal with such sufferance". Rana pitted for his brother and was ready to lend his shoulder to share his burdens.

Without lowereing his head, Sena said, "Its not about what life teaches you, its always about what you learn from it". Sena paused and spoke with a smile looking at his other Self, "There is neither happiness nor misery, but only the comparison of one state with another".

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

At the Pirate Bay (part 3/3)

Foes United (part 1/3)

"Welcome close friends of my best friend", said the slim tall middle-aged man with a chin curtain dressed in black kaftan jubba who had walked out from a small building structure on the Thangamaan Island.

"I am Sultan, the son of Fakir Senapati and a brother, not by blood but by bond, of Ranadheeran", Sultan smiled graciously at General Kalai and Kali.

"Look at you !," Sultan walked close to Kanakavalli and admired her beauty while making a full circle around her. He stood before her and said with immense sincerity, "Truely beautiful". Kanakavalli's eyes brightened, a tiny upward curve timidly formed around her lips but the rest of her face remained still.

With a gentle hand gesture, Sultan ushered them towards the sea. "King Sorubhan and King Gauthama have always been nice to us and on behalf of my merchant class and the island dwellers, I express my sincere gratitude. Ranadheeran's Father lent a helping hand to my ancestors and he was a great friend of my father. He had saved us from the Chudails of Majantha Caves at Inthamaan Islands. From then, our class started to grow and with the generosity of your Kings, buisness flourished. I met Ranadheeran when he came to my island with his two assosiates looking for a gloden dragon turtle. Trust me, it was fun hunting for the turtle".

Team Pursuers along with Sultan stood over the sand in front of several long poles and they were surrounded by Sultan's men, few many resembled crewmen and the rest seemed to be dockers. A large number of luggers were floating on the waves, all attached to each other with a thick rope.

"As Ranadheeran had asked for", Sultan said proudly showing the wood building materials. "My longshoremen will assit you, and my helmsmen shall steer those small boats once we are ready". Sultan took a serious tone, "This company are not just sailors. They are warriors specialised in both underwater operations as well as cutlass wielding. But this war is not ours to fight, as we are mere businessmen, we trade with all five countries. Our service must end here, as Ranadheeran convinced me that there will be no battle. No offense meant".

"None taken", replied General Kalai, "Its our turn to thank you and your men for your timely assistance".

"We owe it to Ranadheeran", Sultan said with a smile.

The handiworks began that afternoon and went as planned. When Kali finished working on the last section, it was already dusk. They distributed themselves and mounted on the luggers along with the merchant sailors. The Medicine Man got along with General Kalai holding to his kit bag tightly. After giving their farewell to Sultan, the boats set sailed towards Narukukanna. General Kalai hung a lantern on the high mast pole. He took out a small hourglass from his pocket and placed it on the starboard and watched the horizon. Sand particles descended from the upper glass into the lower bulb as the setting sun sank into the sea.

The loose granulars substance inside the hourglass held by Kacha started to drip steadily. After placing it tightly locked in his belt pouch, he asked his platoon of short swordsmen, "Any tree climbers ?". Several raised their hands. "Enemy's foot is not only on the ground but over the branches too", he said by pointing above at the trees. "Silent kills only", he said firmly. He directed few men to invade the trees. He led the rest towards the perimeter of the Pirate Village.

He looked through his telescope and carefully watched the movement around the compound of the village. He instructed his team to split and round-up the entire village from outside. "And then, wait for the diversion", he said calmly.

Few moments later, a large crowd dressed in white robes carrying lighted candles started to walk into the lane. The infants in the front were holding a cloth hoarding on which it was written, "Bringing Peace During Times of War". The House had obtained permission for a peace rally. Sena using his contacts, the Mothers and Sisters, whom he knew through Suganthi, planned the marching ceremony after sunset to create a distraction in the Pirate's Village.

Kacha commanded his men to move forward and the short swordsmen mingled with the bushes, the light crowd and the darkness to approach the enemy front.

A tired gaurd was yawning and before he could close his mouth, it was blocked by a sharp blade coming through the back of his skull. The yawning soldier died instantly. The short swordsman, who had crawled behind him, pulled the body and undressed it before hiding it behind a bush. Dressed like the enemy, he took a tiny circular metal box of black dye. He stained his tiny finger with the dye and ran it under his right eye. He took position facing towards the Pirate village.

A white ninja saw movements in the bushes. He watched attentively in the dark and noticed a group of swordsmen dressed only in undergarments racing towards the Pirates village passing through the group of protesters. He prepared to get down the tree and a sharp knife entered into his left eye as soon as he turned. His killer pulled off his top and took off his shoes before throwing him down into the dense vegetation.

Kacha slit the throat of the man before him. Another swordsman tugged the body and took position. Kacha moved silently and grabbed the mouth of a clueless gaurd. He moved forward and inserted his sword into the back of another gaurd and dragged him down. When he reached the enterance, he teamed with another three swordsman of his platoon and together they quietly fell the four security gaurds at the gate.

Team Pouncers took position around the Pirates village disguised as the Emperor's men with a dark dye mark under their right eye.

Sena watched the setting sun. He turned and looked at Rana. Without a word, Rana inverted the hourglass and Team Perforators entered into the water. Sena had Shama tied around him and Rana swam behind Vadhana pushing her whenever she struggled to advance. The four heads leaped out of the water. Vadhana could hardly keep her eyes open.

Rana worried, "Are you doing well, Vadhana ?". She nodded affirmatively. "It should be over shortly", Sena assured. Shama gave an encouraging nod at Vadhana.

Settling Vadhana with Shama under the bay pier, the brothers went in opposite directions to find the pirate leader Adhi. Sena crawled his way in the shadows of the building structures evading the circling spot light of the lighthouse at the pier and he climbed the green facade of a house to peep inside the window of a lighted room. Rana ran from bushes to shrubs and checked the heavily gaurded warehouses.

When Rana ran softly through the green clumps, he accidently stepped on a dry twig. The noise alerted the gaurd above him. Rana found himself in the open and the armed gaurd was looking directly at him. Rana was soaked in sweat. The light from the phare rested briefly on the face of the soldier and Rana's heart calmed down when he noticed the dark mark under the gaurd's right eye. Without any warning, the gaurd turned to face the sea.

Rana continued to check the remaining warehouse. Sena was cautiously running over the roofs of the third house and he bent down to send a tiny whistle signal at Rana who was hiding below the house. Rana looked up and Sena confirmed the presence of Adhi inside the building.

Suddenly an alarm was sounded. It was the Meneely foundry bell resonating from it's sound bow. Sena tugged down and searched the ground around him. From the roof top, he watched at the pirate at the far end rotating the wheel of the foundry bell and sending the alert. Rana quickly hid himself further inside the bush and turned towards source of the sound. It was coming from near the pier.

From above and from below, the brothers helplessly watched Vadhana and Shama being pulled away by a bunch of heavily armed pirates.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

At the Pirate Bay (part 3/3)

Foes United (part 2/3)
Rated-R

"What was that noise from the fool's suburb", enquired The General. Without waiting for a reply, he growled, "Go check whether Bigman is still asleep".

Aye, one of the warriors of The General, got up from her seat and walked out of the tiny tent mounted deep inside the forest. The faint sound of the bell aroused the anger of The General camped further away from the Pirate's Village as instructed by the Emperor.

Aye had her face covered with a red bandana as a mask. She carried a horseman's axe and alngegh. Several throwing axes were hanging around her axe belt. Each time she killed someone with her axe, she whispered "Yes", thus her team members called her Aye. She had an affection towards Bigman, the huge warrior with a sledgehammer, who was the only one accepted by Adhi to be inside the Pirate's Village when The General had proposed additional security.

"You fool ! not to be disturbed means exactly not to be disturbed. And does 'tok tok' ring a bell to you, you filthy animal ?", the pirate leader Adhi shouted at the small freebooter who had walked inside the room without knocking the door. With much hesitation, the messy pirate informed his boss about the two prisoners.

"Take care of them Mister Pirate", Adhi spoke softly with a smile, and immediately yelled, 'Kill them, feed them to the sharks, what do I care ? Now get your ugle face out of here". The pathetic pirate turned to leave when Adhi stopped him.

"A lady you say !", Adhi thought for a while and said, "Don't waste her, I will join you shortly, Mr. Shorty". The dirty pirate left the room after nodding several times.

"We can't fight them all", Sena was speaking to Rana. "We have to wait and watch for the right time". Rana stood up. Sena looked at him wide eyed tucking himself inside the bush outside the building where Vadhana and Shama were taken prisoners. "I better go and check on Vadhana", Rana announced. "And how are you planning to do that", asked Sena.

Without giving a reply, Rana walked towards the gaurded door with both his hands pinned behind his head. Sena crunched his jaw. He nodded negatively, stood up and followed Rana.

Aye reached the front gate of the Pirates Village. On her way she noticed the tail end of a marching crowd. Further from the lane, she noticed few pirates making fun of a gaurd. The soldier stood his ground tolerating the abuses.

"What was the noise ?", Aye asked a fit soldier standing in front of the closed wooden gate. "Nothing Sir, just a brawl between the drunk pirates", he replied.

"Did you check on it", she questioned. The answering soldier pointed to another gaurd standing on an elevated platform looking inside the village and assured, "Yes Sir, he confirmed it too".

Aye looked around and satisfied with the calmness, she asked, "Any news from Bigman ?"

"No Sir, maybe he is asleep", the soldier replied and the three around him giggled.

Aye stared at them for a while and then, turned to leave. Kacha's heart was knocking at his ribs when she suddenly halted and asked him, "What's that black thing under your eye, soldier ?".

Kacha gave her a gracious smile and said, "Nothing Sir, I lost a bet with another comarade, and the punishment is to darken the eyes as though been punched. It's a game we play to kill boredom".

Aye left without putting any further questions. Kacha heart took time to beat normal. He informed the other three men that eventhough it was hors protocol, he was entering the village to check on Team Perforators.

"Invaluable booty", Adhi said looking at Vadhana who was between the brothers. Shama's wooden leg was removed and placed on top of a barrel. The prisoners were stripped and made to kneel down in their undergarments. "Now I will renegociate the terms with the Emperor", Adhi spoke with a smile that widened upto his ears. There were three other pirates along with him in the room. "You morons, increase the security in this room", he barked. Pointing at Rana and Sena, he said, "Those two there can get inside and come out of a bottleneck. And they can vanish from a sealed bottle". The pirate leader ordered one to immediately leave the room and fetch more men to gaurd the prisoners. He left the room making hurried steps following the pirate on the double.

"How ?", asked Rana who was close to Shama. "Vadhana is not well, I don't know any other way to inform you".

"Stop chatting ladies", warned a pirate, and the other one laughed loudly showing all his broken tooth.

Rana looked at vadhana, she could hardly keep her eyes open. Her neck found it hard to support her head. She turned towards him and gave a faint smile. Rana whispered "No".

The next moments happened between the wink of the eyes. A gaurding pirate noticed blood covering the floor below Vadhana. Next he found herself liberated and throwing a tiny object at him. The sharp blade stuck to his throat leaking air and blood at the same time. The other pirate in the room with the prisoners was starled by the sudden hit. He clumpsily looked for a weapon around his hip. His hands met with the handle of a long sword and he struggled to release it from the case. When he suceeded in taking out his sword, a thin line appeared around his throat which started to spray his blood around the room. From the back of his head, Sena hopped towards Vadhana. He cut the rope attached to his feet and immediately skid it on the floor towards Rana. He then carried and placed Vadhana's head on his laps. The floor was flooded with her blood. Rana stopped the tiny razor in the midaway and freed himself by cutting the ropes.

Rana looked at Vadhana who was breathing heavily lying on Sena's laps. His mouth widened when he noticed one of the visions he had at the Lake of Woes was presenting itself before him - Rana heard heavy breathing, before him someone was bleeding, lying on the lap of someone else. Rana concentrated on the wounded person and exclaimed, "Vadhana !".

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

At the Pirate Bay (part 3/3)

Foes United (part 3/3)
(Rated-R)

Kacha silently crawled inside the village under the nose of the snoring pirates. He moved further into the settlement and through the leaves of a shrub he saw the pirate leader Adhi walking confidently out of a building opposite to him. He turned and looked above at the soldier facing towards the pier. He whistled to gain his attention. The swordsman of his platoon dressed as Emperor's soldier was standing on top of a temporarily mounted platform. He took time to spot Kacha. When he finally saw him, Kacha pulled his first two fingers together and waved at him, enquiring whether he was ready to send a signal to the Pursuers. The swordsman pulled his right hand to show him the unlit lantern that he was holding, and nodded affirmatively. Kacha turned to look at the building and noticed six men walking towards the door. Kacha wondered what had happened inside.

Yesodha Putran's propostion was to operate and place two small heavy blades near the wrists of the volunteer. Once carefully placed, the volunteer shall apply force by stiffening their arms, pushing the hidden blade which would move out cutting their flesh. The obvious risk was that this person will bleed to death in the process, as it is unpredicatble which nerve the sharp objects would cut while exiting. Another risk was that the metal, an alien in the body, can provoke spasms. Once the minor surgery was over, the scar would be painted to skin color concealing the hidden weapon while being frisked. The carrier of the secret blades will be engulfed with enormous pain and may quickly loose stability. The resistance factor depends on the condition of the body and will power of the mind. Once the blades are released, the victim should be attended to in very short notice. Depending on the wound, the volunteer can be treated, but the final risk is over the normality in the funtions of the arms.

Vadhana stiffened her arms while been tied with ropes when the pirates were distracted by their loud laughs. She faintly heard Rana whisper a "No". The smile in her face faded and the pain painted her eyes red, as the hidden blade near her left wrist protruded tearing her flesh. She bit her lips to control the scream. The sharp object slowly sliced the ropes liberating her. The other blade came out smoothly and fell on the ground to the right where Sena was observing the blades tearing Vadhana's skin. She raised her head and looked at the clueless pirate who had just took notice of the puddle of blood around her. Vadhana took a deep breathe and putting all the power that was left within her, she raised her left hand and threw the blade hard at the gaurd.

Sena, without wasting a moment, had taken the fallen blade and its sharpness had cut his ropes without much delay. He quickly moved behind the startled pirate and slit his throat before he could use his sword. Taking Vadhana's head on his laps, he shouted at Rana who was wide mouthed and starring at them. Rana regained his composure and immediately turned to pick up the clothes and the wooden foot of Shama. He ran towards Shama while dressing himself and liberated him. Giving him his wodden foot and clothes, he said hurriedly, "By the door. Quickly". Shama with three clicks got himself fixed and got back to his feet. He moved across the room and settled behind the door. Rana turned and covered Vadhana with her loose robe and fitted Sena by pushing the woolen kilt through his brother's arms, when he heard footfalls outside the door. With a single gaint roll he crossed the room, on the way he picked up the pirate's sword and stood behind the door on the left side, the right taken by Shama.

Six men entered the room and were shocked to see a lady covered in blood resting on another man. They looked at each other when Rana kicked the back knee of a pirate and when he fell down, Rana cut his throat with the pirate's sword he had picked up from the floor beside Sena. He completed his killer movement knocking the cheek of the other pirate next to the one whom he had assaulted. Rana kicked between the legs of the third one and broke the nose of another with his elbow. Shama used his belt to tie the neck of the nearby pirate. While strangling him, he lifted his wooden foot and landed it heavily on the last pirate. When the pirate was on the ground, he draged the one he was strangling and stamped the fallen soldier on his chest with his wooden foot breaking the ribs. He then released the one whom he was holding who fell over his pirate brother on the ground. Rana and Shama looked at the six men on the floor. Sena carried Vadhana in his arms and walked to the door which was held open by Shama and Rana.

Kacha followed Adhi with his eyes, who had reached his private quaters. Seeing heavy movements near the door, Kacha turned towards the direction of building through which Adhi had come out. Looking at Team Perforators hurriedly escaping, Sena carrying Vadhana, he whistled and circled his two fingers, the ring finger over the index, above his head. The swordsman with the lantern got the message and digged inside his uniform for a fire steel.

Without wasting time, Kacha ran towards Adhi. Few pirates saw the escaping prisoners and attacked them. Rana and Shama defended Sena and Vadhana. Adhi noticed the escape and yelled furiously biting his teeth. He saw a soldier in Emperor's uniform runing towards him. He took flight. Team Perforators fought their way towards the pier tackling few pirates. Several swordsmen from Team Pouncers watched them struggle, but none moved as instructed. From outside, the village looked calm and peaceful heavily gaurded by the Emperor's soldiers.

One of the Kacha's swordsman with a crossbow that he had picked from the archer he had replaced, saw a pirate running towards the alram bell. He shot an arrow that stopped inbetween the eyes of the running pirate who fell face down on the sand.

Kacha chased Adhi, climbing and jumping over several building structures. They both were now running over a long roof top.

A sledgehammer landed in front of Rana which disturbed his stability and threw him to the ground. A huge man, with a metal mask and body armor was lifting the hammar, preparing for a second strike. Rana rolled and the heavy metal landed beside him. He was quickly surrounded by three pirates, couple of them stamped his arms to the floor with thier legs. Bigman raised the hammer above his head, below Rana was struggling to release himself from the lock of the pirates.

Sena was moving quickly towards the pier not minding what was happening behind him. Vadhana started to weigh heavy in his arms and the sand floor was not helping him carry her to the pier. Shama, who was following Sena, looked back and saw Rana struggling. Without thinking, he turned and ran dragging his wooden foot over the sand towards the Bigman.

The swordsman with the lantern took out the fire strike and started to make fire to light the signal lantern. He held a tiny and thick rolled cloth damped in lamp oil near the fire steel when he struck the fire producing instrument.

When Bigman was about to strike, he lost his balance by a kick to his back. He turned to see his attacker. Shama stood before Bigman. One blow from his hammer, Shama would be buried inside the sand. The Bigman charged dragging his hammer. Rana screamed at Shama to save himself but Shama moved backwards dragging his artifical foot over the sand without removing his eyes from the Bigman. He fell to his back voluntarily, a gest that suprised his attacker. He held his wooden leg with both hands and twisted it once to either side before removing it. Placing his left palm on the ground, he spinned on the sand floor and in a elegant manner he stood up before Bigman. He bent down and tore his trouser at knee level exposing a sharp metal stake connecting his knee to the ground. "Meet the Sword Foot, Bigman", he challenged his nemesis.

Sena reached the edge of the Pier. He was breathing heavily. In few more strides he will cross the platform and meet with the sea. His arms pained, and with one mild cry, he lifted Vadhana and repositioned her on his arm and jogged forward.

The swordsman with the lantern made tiny sparks by striking the fire steel next to a wick wettened with lamp oil. The tiny thread caught a spark and started to burn.

Kacha was too close to Ahdi. In few more steps, Adhi will jump from the roof crossing over the the wooden fence in midair and land on the shore. If he leaves the village, it will be impossible to capture him again, and will jeopardising the mission. Kacha increased his speed.

Several other pirates gathered about Rana. Instead of going behind the escaped prisoners or killing Rana, they cheered the fight between Bigman versus Sword Foot. Shama dodged the attacks of Bigman with a several gymnastic moves. When he was doing a ground flip, a heavy kick from Bigman landed him on the ground. The sledgehammer was raised and Bigman bent to strike, when Shama positioned the metal stake, fixed as his leg, infront of Bigman's throat. The sharp pole pierced the gullet. Half way through, Shama twisted his metal leg cutting whatever the stake was jammed to. He quickly pulled it back by bending his knees and rolled to his side. Bigman suffocated, voimiting blood while holding his throat before falling to the floor sending sands at every direction. The pirates were stunned. Rana used the oppurtunity to shove his captors away and prepared to take down a dozen of filthy pirates around him. More joined, while Rana and Shama faced them keeping their back to each other. The fight was going to cost them their lives.

Kacha leaped and caught the fleeing pirate leader Adhi. He held him to the floor of the roof and picked him up by holding to a bunch of his hair. He dragged him on the roof top towards to the other end. Standing on the top of the building, facing the group of freebooters who were fighting fiercely with Rana and Shama, Kacha put Adhi on his knees and gave out a war cry. The pirates turned to look at him. Rana and Shama stopped their hand and leg sword wielding and stared at their saviour. Kacha put a knife at Adhai and rapidly moved it to cut off the head. Blood splashed around him and the agony of Adhi echoed in her ear. He plucked the head from Adhi's body and held it high above his own head.

The swordsman with the lantern, lighted the signaling device and waved it facing the sea. A while later, he saw a flicker of red light in the vast darkness.

"Put down your weapons. We have invaded you not just in numbers but as an army surrounding your entire village. With your leader's head in my hand, you have none to guide", Kacha spoke angrily.

At the same time, in the sea around the Pirate Village several war ships lighted their high mast lights. The pirates were shocked to witness being surrounded by huge fleet of war ships. They threw their weapons, some knelt down, few hung their head.

Hodling Adhi's head in his hand, Kacha declared, "From now, I am your Head".

General Kalai saw the signal from the shore. He immediately lit the latern he had hung on the pole mast. The other crewmen on different luggers got his command through the red light emitted by the lantern. The merchant sailors lighted a wick at the end of the long pole errected by Kali on their small boats. On Thangamaan island, he fixed a very tall pole masts on each lugger. Behind the post, he had rigged a wick connected to an huge oil lamp on top of the pole. From the distance, the height made the lookers believe that it was a search signal from a war ship.

Sena reached the end of the Pier and at the very moment he was glad to see the flash of red light in the darkness.

A row boat came to a stop before Sena. Kanakavalli helped him to load Vadhana on it. Vadhana was unconsious and her pulse were very weak. Shama came hurriedly dragging his wooden leg on the wooden platform of the pier. Rana and Kacha were demonstrating their power and authority to the surrendered pirates.

While Shama and Sena were rowing the boat, Kanakavalli had Vandhana's head laid on her shoulder. The foes, united to save their Brave Queen who had spilt her blood with a smile, travelled in the darkness following a red light to reach the lugger where a Medicine Man was waiting.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

Visions of Reality
(Rated-R)

"In our incorruptible members of the government, there are currupt men", Vettaiyan told Veera Mahendran and The General, "The biggest threats of war are not having the knowledge of exposure and a control over effusion. I am terribly disheartened to have fed a black sheep right under my own throne".

The Emperor looked directly at The General and said, "But I do hear, many murmurs and the latest is that Narukukanna has fallen into the hands of our enemy". He stared at his chief of army and said, "Right under the nose of our General". The General who took charge of defending the pirate bay, could not withstand the insult mabe by the Emperor before Veera Mahendran. Vettaiyan turned and put his hand around Veera's shoulder and slowly walked him towards the window, "The question is not whether we are going to take it back, but how are we going to send a reply ?"

Standing by the widonw, Vettaiyan looked at Veera and asked, "Where is Sengodagan ?"

"At Kallingapuri", Veera replied, "verifying weaponry".

"An accident will gain it's victim at Kottaipatinam, then", Vettaiyan expressed with a huge smile on his face, "but you won't lead there, far too dangerous. Instead you will pay someone else a visit, the one who barked at you in my Courthouse".

When Veera left the room, Vettiayan turned and spoke calmly to The General, "Call the bandits. Join few of our soldiers with them. Order two shipments to be delivered at Narukkukanna. Launch a suprise attack as though the bandits looted the weathly cargo. Make sure no head sticks to the neck". He turned and looked the graves of his brothers and said, "You may leave now".

When The General was at the door he heard the Emperor, "Do wrong to all, love a few, turst none".

The General drove himself into the memory lane, remembering the first spoken lines of the kid whom Minister Verman had brought to his school. His eyes behind the mask burnt and immediately became wet. He was aware that the Emperor was suspecting him, and there only one way to prove his loyalty to the child whom he saw growing up as an Emperor.

The two soldiers gaurding the private garden of the King died instantly. Another four over the roof top of the library fell down to the ground. Two men with their faces covered with cloth and dressed in black, loaded their blowguns with the poison needles. The last gaurds beneath the window of the building were stung near their neck and immediately they caught their own throats and fell to the floor. Three men hidden in the bushes rushed to the place under the window. Two of them launched a rope ladder with a hook at the open window. The third one verified it's rigidity before climbing the rope ladder and discreetly jumped inside the library where King Gauthama was sitting behind the desk. The assassin crawled around hiding himself behind the furnitures and reached the back of the chair where the King was seated. He stood up and with a garrote strangled King Gauthama. The vicitm sturggled in his chair. His face turned red and his cheeks swell in pain. His eye balls tried to escape when he sucked air through both his nose and mouth. King Gauthama threw his hands back to stop the strangler, but the garrote had started to cut through his throat. His fingeres cupped to the shirt of his assassin and pulled vigourously. The assassin did not heed to the pull, but increased his force around his weapon. King Gauthama stopped moving. The murderer jumped out of the window and disappered into the dark. A tiny object which was spinning on the floor of the library halted. It was a cuff button with the letter 'M' marked on it. The seperating lines in the middle which formed the shape of the letter "V" was taller than the two wall lines, making it look more like a "V" disguised in the middle of the letter "M".

Rana sat beside the satin bed over which Vadhana laid with her eyes closed tightly. He moved his hands over the soft pink blanket to feel her arms. A flicker of smile escaped his face when he found both her hands beside her under the blanket. He looked around to check if anyone was noticing his contentment surprise and found his brother standing by the enterance. Foot steps echoed over the corridor and Rana joined his brother by the door.

"She needs to rest", said the Medicine Man, "I shall not boost my competence nor call it a miracle, the Queen is safe and with all the needed grace her arms will regain its proper functions in due time and ofcoarse with a lot of ascetic discipline". He paused and looked at Rana. He spoke with confidence, "Whichever it is, the future hope of Kottaipattinam is an achiever even before witnessing it's first sunrise". Rana's eyes widened. Sena turned to face Rana. "The fetus took care of it's mother, an exhibition of the nature's devine force". The Medicine Man patted Rana's shoulder. The brothers exchanged joyful nods.

Two maids entered the Queen's chamber, one was saying, "Nursing, men not allowed", and then she closed the door silently.

"I had visions", Rana told his brother once they had moved away from the Queen's Chamber and stood at the further end of the Palace Garden leaning over the wall. "And I worry as they come true".

"What you call a vision, is the image of the future projected by the fixed past", Sena clarified. "There is nothing to worry about, as one cannot change the past, thus the future remains unaltered. Your visions at the Lake of Woes were alerts, to make you realise your destiny".

"In that case, are there ways to stop them from happening, not to forget the present is the past of these visions", Rana asked Sena desperately.

"It can give us an instant start, but I am afraid we are put to wait only to see that will happen", Sena stopped talking and then questioned Rana, "What were your other visions ?"

"The most scary one, that I wish to pledge my life and stop it from happening, is to have seen you crawling on the battlefield catching to your last breathe and moving painfully on the ground while a sharp blade is pointed at your back".

Sena smiled.

"By your description, I conclude that your visions are arranged in a chronological order. Could you concentrate and tell me excatly how you had experienced them".

"I saw many images. Circling eagles, dry blood, marching soldiers and death". Rana paused and tried hard to recollect from his memory, "There was this inferno, huge flames and menacing heat".

"Can you pinpoint anything around the fire ?", asked Sena.

Rana focused, "Everything is burning down", Rana's eye balls rolled under his closed eye lids, he spoke rapidly, "A man ablaze approaching ... a holocaust ... he is completely covered with flames ... the pink curtain ... the burning bed ... the pillars ...", before Rana completed, Sena exclaimed, "Vadhana !"

Rana quickly opened his eyes whispering, "The maids", and the brothers turned towards the Queen's chamber where a fire had just been started.

The brothers raced through the garden to reach the corridors of the Palace, by the time the front facade of the palace interior was calimed by a firestorm. The brothers felt the heat hitting their face. Sena pushed Rana into the pond and jumped behind him. Soaked completely, the brothers took flight towards the first floor running over the flames which were dinning on the carpet of the staircase. They reached the begining of the corridor when Sena pulled a half burnt thick curtain and ran behind his brother who was rushing towars the smoking door. The conflagration spread rapidly through the building.

The door of the chamber kicked open sending fire sparks all around. A human form bathed in flames came running towards the brothers. It was carrying something sealed inside a thick curtain. The running man on fire screamed in agony. With a single bigger force, the man threw the package that he was carrying over the tiny wall of the corridor into the garden. The flaming packet flew in the air and landed inside the pond splashing water all around. Rana without any hesitation jumped from the corridor into the pond.

Sena immedaitely covered the fallen body on the corridor with the curtain cloth that he was carrying and attempted to extinguish the fire. When the flames subdued, Sena tired removing the cloth. The fabric stuck to the burning flesh and Sena took much care and slowly moved it. Seeing the horror lying on his laps, Sena made an expressive sound of fear and pain. Water leaked from his eyes when he uttered, "Sengodagan".

"Forgive me Sena", the burnt body of Sengodagan confessed to Sena. His voice was breaking and whatever was left within himself was trying to reveal real repentance. "I blame myself not to have fallen into the pit, but to have chosen to stay in the darkness", Sengodagan searched for air through his mouth which had only teeth, "Rana ... my brother ... Youngman had warned me ... I ... did ...", Sengodagan stopped talking. Sena saw his big eyes looking directly at him from the hairless face. Sena tired to close the eyes but searched for the lids. The flesh was still boiling when Sena took Sengodagan in his arms and hugged the sticky skin of his childhood friend on his chest and weeped silently looking at the sky.

Below and near the pond, Rana was sitted in a similar manner. He held unconscious Vadhana to his chest after he had removed her from the water in the pond.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

Deus Ex Speculum

The artist was packing the framed canvas, while listening to the final details reported by by his apprentice. The finished painting was half covered with a cloth, and only the legs of someone standing over the floor was visible. The artist carefully pulled the cover and used ropes to securise the packing. He then turned and faced the young spy exposing his eyes above the scarf, "Greatly done", he felicitated the youngman before him with his appreciative words, "you possess excellent qualities. Patience and perseverance". He approached the spy and offered to him his reward with a broad smile, "My young knight, seek and it shall be given to you".

"My Master", replied the apprentice, "I wish to serve you as your shadow".

The words touched the artist. He had uttered similar words to one of his childhood friend. His friend had told him, "And then my shadow will not be dark anymore, but as bright as myself". From that day, the artist had always dressed in white just like his friend.

"I must attend to a personal and persuasive matter. Once I am back, we can drop into certains suituations that does not need assessment but retribution. Until then you can use your time at your own will", he assured his new recruit and with a smile showed him to the door. The young spy bowed before his master and walked out of the door.

"An artist seeks the presence of the Emperor", the man with a long white bread inside a long white cloak who had walked inside the Vettaiyan Palace spoke to the personal bodygaurds of the Emperor. The leader of the security looked at the man who limped his way over the stairs after getting down from his horse carriage parked at the entrance of the Palace. He repliedly firmly, "No".

"An Empire of Art, and an artist is denied his right, that too, right at it's doorstep. Shame to artem", he lifted his finger and pointed at the gaurds standing before him and growled, "It is these ignorant, the most unimaginative and the most unthinking among us who are blessed with a bitterly force to stop the flow of knowledge and bring disgrace to the civilisation. And because of who this world shall perish in the furious arrows of Twin Sister of the Warrior. After they all die, whom will the leader shall rule ?".

The tone of the stranger and his words, eventhough incomprehensible, had the gaurds roll their eyes and made their leader gulp. Their commander turned and immediately a soldier ran inside the Palace. The artist waited patiently smiling and guiding his beard with his fingers.

Vettaiyan was looking at his father's guest house. It had been several days that he had seen any movement inside. He doubted whether the Vaithiyar's medicine still had any effect left within. He took a stroll in the gardens of doubtfulness when he was disturbed by a soldier. He turned and stared at the frightened soldier who had addressed him in a fearful tone.

The soldier returned to the stairs and announced to the stranger that the Emperor will see him immediately in his Reading Room. "Well done. Grace shall shine on this Empire forever", the aged artist blessed and then ordered the soldiers to pick up the cloth covered painting from the carriage. Without another word, he gestured the informant to lead him to the Emperor.

"My Leader", the artist addressed the Emperor, "I come with a gift during the dark days that has engulfed us. I fear, so I reach you before my existance becomes a past and offer to you 'Deus Ex Speculum'". He approached his gift and exposed it by removing the cloth cover. Vettaiyan was awestuck upon seeing the framed canvas that sat before him. He neared the artwork and gazed it with utmost wonder.

Before him was himself standing and admiring himself before a mirror. The image and the reflection looked genuine with enormous effort taken over the facial details and painted delicately with remarkable brush strokes.

"I cannot find words of appreciation for your marvellous gift", Vettaiyan informed the artist. "My craftsman, seek and it shall be given to you", Vettaiyan offered to the artist his reward with a broad smile.

"I seek nothing, My Leader, I wish the darkness in your shadow is removed by the 'Deus Ex Speculum'", the artist replied. Vettaiyan was still under the influence of the painting, that he nodded his head without taking into consideration what the artist had said. He asked the soldiers to place the art work opposite to the window, through which bright sunlight decorated it.

"I shall take leave, My Leader", the artist moved towards the door. He halted at the entrance and turned his head over his shoulder to look at the Emperor before walking out of the Reading Room.

Vettaiyan stood admiring the painting. The image of himself standing before a mirror beside a fireplace infornt of a desk over which there was a black spotted feather quill pen beside an ink bottle, all resembled reality. All of a sudden, Vettaiyan's eyes widened. He looked around him and the interior scenary of the painting was identical to his own room in which he was standing admiring the painting currently. He moved to the mirror beside the fire place and took a pose similar to the one in the painting. He was amazed by the likeness.

Standing before the gift he had received, he recalled the limping artist who had offered it to him. He found a connection between the artist and the tribal who had delivered him a devasting message few years before ; they both limped with same difficulty. He watched the painting with a curious eye, comparing the objects inside and outside the frame. Almost everything was inscribed in the painting except the quill and a vase on the fireplace. These two items were only present inside the painting.

On top corner of the canvas was written 'Deus Ex Speculum'. Vettaiyan whispered "God In the Mirror". He immediately took note of the little arrow formed between the letters "E" and "x". The tiny arrow seemed to point at the word 'Speculum'.

Vettaiyan glued his eyes and checked the reflection in the mirror inside the painting. The objects that it projected were similar, but not identical to the wall hanging items found behind the standing form. He then checked the floor and the tile under his feet was a skull and his shadow from an unknown light source was casted over the ceiling. He inspected the vase at the fireplace, and the shape was indeed of a lady and the neck ended above the bosom. There was a moonflower placed inside the vase. He stared at the reflection in the mirror and slowly the images transformed to reveal themselves as alphabets.

The Emperor quickly took few materials to write down the letters exposed by the images inside the painting and once he had finished, he found himself looking at a four line message which made him move backwards and the shock positioned himself on the chair.

He recollected the words of the artist : the dark days that has engulfed us, I reach you before my existance becomes a past, I wish the darkness in your shadow is removed.

"My friend", Vettaiyan whispered and immediately turned and looked at the quill in the painting. Between the spots on the feather, the whiteness disclosed two words, "The Poet".

And then, the Emperor read the message in front of him, again :

The Father of the Moon,
The Uncle of the Face,
The Referrer of the Flower,
Are all one and the same.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

Whispers from the Past

"Deus saw speculum, admired the true colors of the artist", Vettaiyan sent out a message to The Poet. He turned briskly and moved out of his Reading Room. He marched on the corridor of the palace towards the Throne Room, each of his calculative steps echoed the whispers from the past :

***

He could not tolerate the atrocities of King Sama towards his sister Dasa Radha and his wife held an affair with the King. He waitied patiently in the King's own shadow to seek his revenge.

The sudden death of his sister tore him apart. Moreover his wife left him on the same day. He realised that vengence was inside the motherless child after he saw the kid valiantly fighting the inner demons. He appointed several scholars to use drastic teaching techniques to train Dashakantha, the child of his sister.

On a moon shiny night, the Beauty was born. He lifted her to compare her with the beautiful object hanging in the night sky, and when he saw them both side by side, he called out with joy - Chandramukhi.

At the age of 4, Chandramukhi met her uncle. While she was running around in the garden, she noticed her mother Kanika and her uncle chatting on a bench. She wanted to play a childlike prank on them, so she hid herself inside the bushes and aprroached them discreetly. When she was close, she heard the discussion between her mother and her uncle. She could not tolerate the news and wondered why the adults always lied. The uncle turned to the sound of a tiny weep, the tears were so heavy that they made the noise. Camouflaged with the plants around the bench, the 8 years old Chandramukhi emerged from the bushes. The three looked at each other, Chandramukhi now knew that the man who made her beleive that he was her uncle was indeed her father. At that young age, she was mature enough to understand the suituation their parents were trying to paddle hard. Years passed, but the secret was still intact, Chandramukhi possessed the traits that was a dream to any woman - keeping a secret.

Overwhelmed, her father had her trained by a group of experts. She was standing outside the small tent when her father spoke to the mentor. Her father was saying, "You treat her just like the boy, but not as severe, as she is my own child".

When she was sixteen, the Central Kingdom was swept by a massive political strom. The princes were dying one by one and the last one standing claimed the throne by placing his own father under arrest. There was chaos on the streets. All, who supported King Shama, were chased away and the poverty driven citizens robbed the fleeing kingsmen and their family. Chandramukhi looked at her uncle who was standing on the balcony of a building. After a while her father gave his consent with a nod. Before her was his uncle's wife walking scared along with the others. She took out a rusty and blunt iron dagger and forced it inside her step-mother's hip.

The unsharpened drik, with much effort and assisted by the pain, finally tore the skin and entered deep into the flesh. Chandramukhi whispered in her victims's ears, "This is for my father". The stabing was not meant to kill her instantly but was to make her suffer. The wounded lady walked amoung the crowd watching through the tears of agony and she would die miserably later, after experiencing tremendrous amount of torture that the wound from the rusty blade would cause.

Her uncle-father recomended her to King Vettaiayan, thus, Chandramukhi became a loyal warrior to the King's Kingdom. She fought several internal wars for Vettaiyan and saved his life in many occasions. Her father would say Vettaiyan was very proud of her, but she always wished to hear her father utter similar words to her. She weeped when she was alone over her pathetic state where she could not call her father, Father and craved for fatherly words those which fathers would say to thier daughters. The hallowness inside her was replenished by Gunashekaran. She also noticed that Vettaiyan was gaining interest in her.

Chandramukhi danced before the the King. All ministers and state representatives were present during the event of her marriage with Gunashekaran. In a sudden turn of events, Vettaiyan removed the head of her beloved in front of her own eyes. Through the reflection inside Vettaiyan's eyes she saw herself burning. She felt no pain as vengence thickened her skin. She turned to look at her father, and Minister Narendhira Verman with a tiny drop of tear clutching to his eyes, whispered, "I am proud of you my child".

***

"Black sheep", Verman raised his head when he heard a loud cry followed by an evil laughter. He could only see the feet of the approching Emperor. Admist the footfalls, Verman heard Vettiayan repeating 'Black sheep' followed by a laughter that was even more evil than the previous one.

Vettaiyan halted before Verman who was hogtied and put flat on the floor before the throne. He noticed that his miniter was trying to say something. He dramatically bent his body with his hands on his hips and tried to reach and face Verman.

"You shouldn't have murdered my daughter in front of my own eyes", Verman spoke in an angry voice.

"And you should have informed me that she was your daughter", Vettaiyan smiled close to Verman's face.

"I was about to. I was about to explain. I was about to set everything right. I was about to see my daughter rule beside you", Verman paused, he weeped, and said, "Your anger ... my child had become a victim of you anger ... she was burnt in the flames of your rage ... and I stood there watching helplessly".

"How touching!", Vettaiyan mocked, "If at all I knew, I would have made the arrangements for the father to travel along with his daughter. I don't like seperating families, as I know the pain that it would cause on it's members, so all shall pass together".

"You have turned mentally insane", Verman growled, "I treated you as my own son ..."

Vettaiyan interrupted, " ... and that's why you tired to assassinate me".

"Yes, as I did not get the courage to do it myself. Eachtime, eveytime, Dhashakantha replaced you", Verman weeped, "I played a big role in feeding the child into a monster".

"Monster! Are you accusing me or lauding me".

"There is still time Dashakantha, you can still stop".

Hearing Verman calling him by his name moved Vettaiyan. He turned rapidly and walked towards the exit door.

"I am not bothered about my fate at your hands. I had died several years back when I saw my beauty burn down to ashes", Verman shouted at the Emperor's back. Vettaiyan continued moving forward without heeding to his godfather's final words. Taking a much calmer voice, Verman spoke, "Make peace with yourself Vettiayan. Let the goodness in you win over the evilness".

Vettiayan halted at the doorway and spun around. Before walking out of the Throne Room, he stared at Verman and said, "Good always Wins, but Evil never Fails".

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

A Witness of Horror
(Rated-R)

"Your father, King Gauthama, can be proud to have a son like you, Vichithraveera", King Shambala expressed his joy to Prince Vichithraveera and his wife Chitra. The princely couple were traveling back to Katrupuzha from Central Kingdom after paying a courtesy call on the Emperor. Before them, inside the coach, was King of Shambala and his nine years old son Shamu. Chitra was holding to her six years old daughter, Kanakavalli, the Princess of Katrupuzha. The kids were knocking each other with thier pointed fingers and Chitra was trying to control them with a broad smile in her face. Arasuvendhan, the eleven years old brother of Kanakavalli was seated on his father's laps.

"You are always generous with your words uncle Shambala", Vichithraveera replied to the King of the Valley. "Indeed my father should be proud to have a friend like you at his side".

"He thinks he is aged, or just wishes to give the reponsibilty to you. Either way its a wise decision", Shambala asserted, "The way you had handled diplomacy with the cruel Emperor was fasinating. You stood for the freedom of tribals and your speech on free trade had attracted many admirers for you". Vichithraveera accepted the appreciations with a tiny nod and a smile.

"Without people there is no kingdom and without a kingdom there is no king", Vichithraveera said, "A king should be a leader who leads the dreams of his people to reality and not a charmer who stays in power sucking the blood of his own people".

"You are wise man Vichithraveera. And that exactly did not go well with the Emperor, I fear so", Shambala worried. "Eventhough the Emperor did no speak a word, I am sure he was not convinced neither with your proposal nor with the support you had gained inside his own court room".

"We are here to bring a change and I have hopes on our Emperor", Vichithraveera assured. Shambala nodded his head in agreement.

"So, my dear, are you ready to take the throne beside the People's King ?", Shambala asked Chitra.

"I am glad, but nervous", Chitra replied while droping her head over her husband's shoulder. Shamu used the distraction of Chitra to his fullest and pinched Kanakavalli which made her put a crying face. Arasuvendhan turned and stared at Shamu who slid back behind his father's arms.

"You will be fine. He rules the people, and his misses rules the King", Shambala said humoristically when the stagecoach halted suddenly sending jerks amoung it's passengers. Shortly a deep cry from the coachman startled the group inside the wagon. Arasuvendhan peeped out of the window and an arm flew over from nowhere and hit the side of the wagon just under his nose. He shouted hysterically. Vichithraveera calmed his son and put him down from his laps. He opened the coach door while griping to his sword. He descended from the vehicle and as soon as he laid his foot on the ground, a beast pounced on him. It positioned itself over him and with one fierce move brought it's sharp teeth to his throat and snatched it out from his neck. Two other hounds, one with a deep cut on it's nose and the other with one ear less, circled with a strange calmness around the fallen Vichithraveera.

Seeing her husband being attacked, Chitra urgently moved out of the coach. King Shambala tried to stop her but it was already too late. She dropped down and took Vichithraveera to her chest and let out a horrific cry. Shambala carried Kanakavalli and Shamu under his arms, and signaled Arasuvendhan to follow him closely. He kicked the other side-door of the wagon and jumped outside. After steadying himself, he began to run carrying the children without looking back.

Arasuvendhan heard his mother bawl. He stopped abruptly in midway, turned and ran towards the coach. Kanankavalli clutching to her uncle's neck saw her brother running towards the front side of the stagecoach. Arasuvendhan mouth opened wide when he saw the remains of the coachman. The two horses were stamping their feet restlessly, their eyes rolling bigger in fear. Arasuvendhan crossed the stamping horses and searched for his mother on the other side.

Three deformed dogs were seated before her, one was licking its paw. Arasuvendhan tried to approach when another let out a warning growl. The third one jumped onto Chitra and swallowed her whole head inside it's mouth and started shaking its head vigorously. The horrified kid ran holding onto his breathe. He saw his uncle carrying his sister enter into a dense vegetation. He sprinted as fast as he could. Shambala hid himself with the kids inside a thick bush. The sudden attack altered the mental status of Shamu that the shock had put him unconsious. Kanakavalli's eyes expressed joy when she saw her brother running towards safety. Arasuvendhan almost reached the thick bushes when a huge wolf with one eye appeared before him. Arasuvendhan halted. His eyes met with his sister's. The one-eyed hell hound pushed it's prey by landing it's hefty leg on the face of the child. Arasuvendhan feel down. The predator inserted it's sharp big teeth around his pelvic area and carried away the screaming Arasuvendhan towards the coach. After a while, the survivors heard a faint whistle and without hesitation the four Dogs from Hell ran towards the jungle and disappeared behind the trees.

Shambala laid Shamu over the thick grass and ordered Kanakavalli to stay with Shamu. He approached the abandonned coach. When he reached the other side, his body shook violently and the lose of force landed him on his knees trembling. He wiped his face and turned to look back. He was shocked to see Kanakavalli standing holding on to the side of the coach. The vigourous sway of the horse's tail made her long dark hair fly in all directions. The horror that the little girl witnessed closed her wide opened mouth. And since that day she had refused to talk.

***

Kanakavalli held tightly to the cuff button inside her fist, the evidence that was found beside her murdered grandfather King Gauthama. Shamu was beside her. Rana stood to her other side and slowly guided her head to rest on his shoulder. She closed her eyes and streams of silent tears flew down her cheeks. The Nobleman, Kali, Yesodha Putran and the Littleman were present with them.

There was total silence inside the Planning Room.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Final chapters of Chaturmukha will resume shortly ...

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=5326&d=1469975070

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

A Man called Monk

The citizens of Central Kingdom woke up to witness the horror at the town plaza.

At the center of the market place, a decapitated body was placed in seated position, it's torso errect over a kingly cushion chair, with the legs tied below the knee and at the ankles. Few inches from it's neck, the head was suspended with a thin rope hanging from a standing pole. Minister Narendhira Verman's face with eyes wide open and a cloth stuffed inside the mouth, was rotating lathargically in the gentle breeze above his dead body. Between the gap of the neck and the rotating head, the Emperor's message was clear to the horrified people of his kingdom - The head of the one who whispers will spin.

Sena walked inside the Planning Room. He was accompanied by a shirtless man. They both walked slowly to the center, and while crossing the room, Sena did not take his eyes from Kanakavalli. She stared back at him, this time a sadness glittered in the dark islands floating on the pearl white sea.

Kali was about to open his mouth, but keeping in mind the current suituation, he stopped himself from expressing his joy on seeing the stranger with Sena. Kali found that he had changed drastically. His muscular body had thinned down and his rib bones ran over his naked chest. He had knotted lock his bushy hair around the crown of his head and the region around it was shaved completely. Kali recognised the hairstyle known as Sikha, symbolising the focus over a spiritual goal by sacrificing the Self to the Creator himself. Kali also noted the man brought by Sena constantly blinking. He was making weird head movements, a vigorous shake from time to time. Eventhough he had turned towards his way, Kali doubted whether he had recognised him.

Sena dropped two wodden cylinders over the sand table.

"The darkness that a war could bring has removed the light of life". He looked sincerely at Kanakavalli. "This shall continue until the war is won. We all have to be strong, reigniting the light of spirit from each others energy". Sena stopped talking and then continued, "I come with another bad news. We are on our own from now on". He pointed at the scrolls and said, "We are in the pocession of the floor map of the Vettaiyan Palace as well as Fort Ayan. Thanks to the man who made it delivered to us. May he find peace ; that I can only pray but not provide, as Minister Verman is no more. His body was displayed at the town center of the Central Kingdom in a very disrespectful manner". He took a deep breathe and watching directly at Kanakavalli's eyes, Sena said, "The man responsible will pay with his own life".

After a moment of silence, Sena announced looking at the stranger beside him, "He is here to assist us to find and destroy Vrishis-the bomb, if it exists somewhere inside the Vettaiyan Palace. And you can call him The Monk".

The Monk looked around, blinking his eyes. When his blurred vision met Rana, his head started to shake rapidly.

Not minding the violent neck movement of The Monk, Sena continued, "Chief Kalai and Kacha are still in Narukukana at the Pirate's Village. We must send reinforcement immediately. Our enemies will try to regain the lost territory and they will not hesitate to put in use extreme tactics". Shamu nodded in agreement. Sena turned to The Nobleman and enquired about the food arrangements. Rana briefed him about the details on weaponery. Yesodha Putran confirmed the arrival of fleets transporting the allied forces on the planned day. Littleman stood watching the conversing men.

Contended with the feedback, Sena asked Rana and Kali to accompany him. He ordered Shamu to take a small re-enforcement to Narukukana. He instructed others to work on recieving the allied forces.

When he reached the cloth door of the tent, he stopped and looked at Kanakavalli and found her staring at the cuff button which was pricking as an uncomforting thron on her palm. He looked back at Littleman and signaled him with his eyes to join them at the entrance. Littleman rolled his eyes and in disbelief, he doubled up to join The Monk & team. The five men exited the Planning Room.

"Why are all your friends not normal", Rana asked his brother while walking on the lane leading to the safe house of The Monk.

"None is a friend", Sena replied to his brother, "There are people whom I know and those who don't know me".

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

The Monk from the Mountain

Kali watched The Monk moving slowly around the room. The Monk had placed several objects on the desk near the huge wall beside a closed window. After setting up a bright fire lamp on the table, he sat down on the stool. He looked back, and then straight again. He took a nail and a oval stone from the table top and moved to the wall beside him. He picked a spot on the wall with his left index finger and looked to his side at the stool. His head nodded non-stop for a while. He placed the nail at the spot pointed by his finger and holding to it firmly, he struck it's head with the stone. After striking it a couple of time, he checked whether the nail was fixed to the wall by catching and shaking it between his left thumb and index finger. His head moved to either sides. He returned to take his seat near the table. Once seated, he removed the lock of his hair and allowed it to flow down over his back. He coupled his long hair with his left hand, gliding his palm right to it's tip. Without turning back, he guided the tip towards the nail, at the same time searched for the nail with his right hand. When his right hand found the nail's head, he passed the tip of his hair from one hand to another. Slowly, he tied the bunch of his hair to the nail. The stream of thick hair hung like a black rope bridge between his head and the wall.

The Monk adjusted his position on the stool and picked up a tiny wooden box. He digged out a framelss heavy lens single round glass with an attached clip and stuck it on his nasal bridge, positioning the round eyeglasses before his right eye. He, then, examined and opened the first wooden cylinder. He carefully removed the papyrus scroll from it and spread the Vettaiyan Palace map before him on the table. He pulled the bright fire lamp nearer and bent close to the floor plan. The Monk started reading it's contents.

Littleman, standing on the right side of Sena, leaned forward and looked at Rana. Rana raised his shoulders and his eyebrows at the sametime. Kali, standing beside Rana scratched his head. He brought out his small sack containing dry herbs from his pocket and worked on making a tiny herbal cone. Sena stood unmoved in between Littleman and Rana. He was looking at his compass. Rana moved closer to his brother and peeped at Chakora which was pointing it's needle steadily towards north east direction.

"Yamuna?", he whispered.

"I am not sure", Sena replied.

"You weren't looking for her I suppose!", Rana questioned.

Sena took his time to reply, "My Mentor and the two teachers ; it's as though they never existed. These three along with The Poet and the Emperor organised the events at the festival. I have to find them."

Rana turned away from his brother and whispered to himself, "The Poet!". A thin rage peeped out of his eyes.

After examining both the maps, The Monk removed his reading glass and placed it inside the holder box. He detached his hair from the nail using both his hands without turning back and made a lock knot at the crown of his head. He exhaled heavily and got up to face the men standing to his side as punished students.

"I have to visit the Temple", he said to no one in particular. All three looked at Rana. Rana gulped.

Rana choose his words carefully and asked The Monk, "Could you please tell me which belief system you follow, so that I can take you to the right Temple."

The Monk turned quickly and stared at Rana. His head shaked vigourously while he spoke, "The Temple where I can read!".

Sena spoke softly into Rana's ear. "I know where to take you. We can be there by dawn if we start now", Rana replied.

"What are we waiting for", saying so, The Monk turned and blew the flame inside the lamp after picking up both the floor plan sheets from the table.

At dawn, the five men were inside the house of the Wise Brothers. The Monk's face was glowing before the racks of bookshelves, the reading materials cleverly indexed and neatly arranged by Youngman. He walked through the wooden bookracks which were standing tall on either side. He crossed between several rows of cabinets in excitement, picking up books randomly. At times he used a rolling ladder to reach the top of the shelf. He would flip few pages from the book that he would pickup and then would place them back from where he had removed it with a smile hanging on his face. He walked back and forth between a single table at the corner and the long arrangement of bookracks. Sometimes he placed few books on the table, other times he just carried them away back to their proper resting place.

Kali found The Monk much faster inside the Library of the Wise Brothers. Looking at The Monk's pace and movements, it seemed as though time forwarded and rewinded at the sametime.

Finally, The Monk settled down around the corner table, hiding behind the couple of high towers of piled up books which he had gathered from the large dump of knowledge around the Wise Brother's Library. He nodded his head in regular intervals, at the same time scratched the back of his neck, the area where his loose hair was rubbing the skin.

The four spectateurs watched The Monk working with the floor plans and consultation materials under his round eyeglass. His head stayed still and all of a sudden would start to shake vigourously, but there wasn't any movement below his neck.

Littleman saw the silent moment as an opputunity to talk with Sena. He whispered to Sena, "My Lord, please tell me what use am I in your quest?". He swallowed his tears and continued speaking, "I had been a spectator since you had taken me in. I am neither brave nor I can wield weapons". He paused and then spoke sincerely, "Thanks to you, My Lord, for keeping me with you. For giving me the respect that I would have never known. I wish not to burden you anymore. Please relieve me and lessen my burdens. If you are victorious, I will choose to be the shoeshiner at the palace. Else, my deed to the kingdom will end with my life the day our empire would fall". Littleman weeped silently.

"My Gaint", Sena replied softly, by placing his palm gently over Littleman's shoulder, "In this tale of Good versus Evil written by the Creator who Knows the Unknown, we all have important roles to play. You have got the highest responsibility", Sena smiled at Littleman. He continued to assure him, "Whether the brothers stand in the battlefield, entirely depends on the deed you are yet to perform. When the moment arrives, you will exercise your duty. Failure is not for you to choose, as, you fail we fall. Your action will direct us towards the end and victorious if we are, you will be the crownshiner while sitting over the shoulders of the ruler". Littleman was speechless. He stood holding his head high, watching Sena looking down at him with sparkling eyes.

It was during Sunset when The Monk lifted his head and signaled Sena to join him. When Sena reached him, The Monk gave him a thin book and said, "Take this with you when you seek for the records of Vimana". Sena tried to argue that it was not him who was leaving to find the records but it was his brother Rana. Before he could talk, The Monk got up and announced loudly, "We are finished here". Without waiting for Sena, he walked towards Rana. Sena flipped the book in his hand, the pages contained several incomprehensible symbols. He pocketed the book and followed The Monk.

"Where is the Librarian?", The Monk asked Rana.

"He had shut himself from this world", Rana replied.

"Wise Man", said The Monk looking directly at Rana, "This World is not for the Wise".

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

Attack at the Bay (part 1/2)

Men, covering their faces under a red bandana, surrounded the Pirate's Village at Narukukana, lying in concealed position behind the bushes and under the shadows, waiting for the order from their leader Aye, while attentively watching a cargo ship anchoring at the village's harbour.

The General was looking through his lens, watching the two men who were followed by a small army walking on the sands towards the hooked ship. They halted and engaged in conversation with the captain of the merchandise vessel. After a while, they moved their heads in agreement and the captain walked with them towards the seaside village.

Beside The General, Aye was also watching the proceedings, notably the activities of the captured pirates around the village. They did not seem to mind the change in their leadership, but continued to booze and wander aimlessly. Pointing at Kacha she said, "He was the one who guised as the gaurd at the gate, maybe he is the one responsible for Bigman's fate".

Footsteps made them turn and watch a couple of soldiers dragging a man. "Sir", one of them spoke, "a pirate in custody for questioning". The General slowly climbed down from the viewing mount point and approched the prisoner. He put his hand on the pirate's shoulder. The man cried in agony and slowly fell down to his knees. "Who killed my warrior, the one carrying a hammer ?", he growled. The weak pirate looked at him with his sunken eyes. One of the soldier slapped him at the back of the head and he answered quickly, "One foot killed the Hammer Guy". He repeated the same sentence twice. "Do you know the killer ?", questioned The General. "I don't know nobody, and I ain't seen One Foot before that day". He showed his decayed tooth through his seducing smile. "Take him away and feed him to whatever roams in these jungles", the General ordered. The soldiers dragged the pirate who was laughing hysterically while being pulled away.

The tensed General walked back to the view point and started surveilling the habour area. Looking at the General in such an agitated state, Aye questioned him, "Is it the Take Back Mission or Minister Verman that is worring you?". "Both", confirmed the General. Aye stood beside him maintaining silence.

Shamu, leading a small reinforcement of short swordsmen, marched cautiously over the sand path leading to the back enterance of the suburb. He was few meters from the gate, when he caught the glimpse of an archored ship. He held his fist above his head signaling his men to halt. He ordered couple of them to follow him, and they quickly mounted a tiny hill of sand. Lying down falt on their chest, the three warriors monitored the activities around the port. Sailors were unloading several shipments and carrying them into the village through the back enterance. Near the entry gate, Shamu noticed Kacha talking to a stranger. Crates, barrels and boxes from the ship were scattered around them.

Suddenly, a sharp bolt from a crossbow cut past Shamu and stuck to the back of the soldier’s head beside him. Red fluid rained over Shamu’s face, and without hesitation, Shamu descended back towards the sand path to join with his team, closely followed by the second swordsman. Another dart flew past him missing it’s target. When they almost climbed down the tiny sand hill mount, the chest of his follower was pierced by a flat tipped arrow. The victim rolled past Shamu and glided to a deadly halt at the bottom. Shamu panicked and fell head down over the sand. He was taken aback, when he realised his defensive unit was surrounded by bandits carrying crossbows and their eyes above the red cloth were fixed on Shamu.

The General watched the crew from the vessel taking position behind the crates that they had deposited inside the Pirate's village. The captain was talking to an young man who was seemed to be the man incharge. At a point of time during their conversation, the captain lifted his head and briefly looked at the direction of the General.

"Prepare to the attack", The General ordered Aye to signal the bandits hiding in the bushes. She lit a fire torch and made a circular motion high above her head with it.

Waves of barbarian bandits, all covering their faces with red bandanas, hit towards the heavily gaurded strategic location, making loud war cries when they ran towards the fortified walls. The sentary gaurds quickly took a defence stance. Several archers gathered on the high platform behind the wooden wall, with their straight bows and target head arrows. The arrows poured down on the advancing bandits. Few enemies were killed, several escaped leaving few more wounded on the ground. But the barbarian gang out numbered the defense, and most were already climbing up the wooden wall. The archers left their position to pikesmen and moved away taking charge towards the interiror of village, while the pikesmen tried to push down the clambering bandits.

General Kalai was the first to react to the ambush from inside the wall. When he heard the commotion outside, he signaled the danger to the gaurd on the front watch tower, who quickly prepared field tipped fire arrows and aimed it at the barrels containing lamp oil near the gate. Kalai alerted the short swordsmen with hand signal commands and then turned to look for Kacha. He found him talking to the captain near the back enterance. He rushed towards him when the thick blade of a falchion sword sliced through the air before him. He elegantly bent his body backwards and before getting back straight, he removed his narrow double edged belt knife and gripped it strongly under his fist before entering it into the trunk of his attacker. The sharp blade slashed its victim making him bleed and fall to the ground. Kalai ran forward watching the crew from the cargo ship equipping themselves with weapons they took out from the crates they had hauled.

Kalai did not stop when he neared the captain but he bumped onto his target throwing him to the ground. He sat on the captain's chest and entered the belt knife to the right side of his neck. He twisted the sharp blade, and with a lot of rage, forced the blade by pulling it upwards cutting the captain’s right cheek and freeing the knife through the bloody crack that seperated the lips permanantly, while cursing loudly, "Traitor".

… to be continued …

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

Attack at the Bay (part 2/2)

Kacha realised the ambush only when he saw Kalai running towards him. When Kalai was on top of the captain, two sailors ran towards Kalai holding their falchion above their head. Kacha crossed his hand across his body and pulled out the flamberge from the holster hanging on either side of his hip. He slit the throats of the attacking enemies in one swift action by crossing the two swords over each other.

"They have laid back and attacked. We will not be able to survive this ambush. There are too many of them", Kalai informed Kacha while watching the defense archers falling to the ground like wingless birds.

"Reinforcement should be on it’s way", Kacha said confidently before entering into the battle over the sands, gripping his two waved-bladed rapier firmly in each hand.

With throwing knifes, crossbows, cut & thrust swords, the bandits nutralised the pikesmen defense and kicked the archers from behind, who fell down from the platform onto the ground. The main entrance was stromed by the raging barbarians and the huge gate gave way in no time. The gaurd on the watch tower launched his fire arrow that ignited the lamp oil inside the barrels, producing a huge explosion. The bandits flew up in the air along with the debris. The fire took control of the main path, but was unable to control the enemies from entering through the gate. Many bandits crossed the fierce fire by leaping their way into the flames. A sharp dart entered the skull on the forehead of the tower gaurd and he fell into the fire that he had created.

Kalai and Kacha stood back to back, in the middle of a circular human wall formed by the the Emperor's soldiers disguised as sailors.

Kalai took his belt knife to his mouth and clutched it with his teeth. He loosened two thigh pouches hidden in his pants and took out a gauntlet from each and dressed his forearms with the armor. He then removed another knife hidden in his belt around his waist. Taking back the other combat knife from his mouth, he spread his left leg forward and joined his fists infront of his nose, as in a boxing stand, except that the gloves were replaced with deadly push daggers. Moving he right first twice inwards, he challenged the soldier in front of him. The man with a heavy short sword advanced rapidly towards Kalai and launched his weapon at him. Kalai elegantly blocked it with his left forearm, producing fire sparks when the blade of the sword met the gauntlet. At the same time, he introduced his belt knife to the neck of the soldier. The sharp dagger quickly entered and exited. A thin fountain of thick red fluid pissed from the tiny hole and the attacker fell to the ground, dead on the way.

The bandits captured most of the areas inside the village either by killing the resistance or taking in prisoners. The heavy armoured swordsmen were quick for the bandits, they made the enemies bleed over the sands, but the barbarian were too many in numbers that their waves hit the village non-stop, making the defenders tired and weak. The General and Aye saw their plan to recapture the strategic location working wonders. "Now I will kill them myself", The General said while watching the battle fought by the two brave men at the middle of the village.

Three men fought with Kacha who rapidly weilded his two flame-bladed swords, blocking the enemy weapons from reaching him. Two of the fighters suprised him by taking a frog pose and trying to chop his legs. Kacha timed his jump and evaded their cross cut by suspending himself in the air. He turned in midair and performed a vertical straight cut on the head of the standing enemy. He stretched his swords side ways while landing and aimed them at the face of the couple stretching below. One sword entered it’s targets left eye and the other cut past the nose removing it from the face. All three fell to the floor, each crawling over the sand in a radom directions.

Kalai concentrated on neutralising his enemies rather than aiming to kill them. He wanted to put them on ground and not to face them in a long duel, by that he could save time and energy. He made short steps and crisp turns while wouding his attackers. He put a mark on their faces. He cut their ears out. He slashed their abdomen and to a few, he puntured a hole in their arms or legs.

Kacha weilded his two flamberges, choping whatever came in contact with it. Suddenly he felt as though his back was stung by thousands of bees. He droped his swords to the floor and tried to remove whatever was sticking in his back. He felt a cold metal been removed from his upper back. He turned and met with two eyes above a red bandana, the stabber's hand held a horseman axe dripping his blood. Kacha recognised her, she was the Red Lady he had tricked at the entrance. Struggling to hold to his painful wound on an unknown spot, Kacha pushed himself away from the Red Lady, stumbled over the sand, fell on his stomach and suffered silently.

It was already too late when Kalai saw Kacha being attacked from the back. A sharp leaf-bladed spear dug it's way through the air and landed itself into his left shoulder, tearing the fibres and drilling itself past the muscles before exiting swiftly from the back of its victim. Kalai was forced backwards but he managed to halt. He tried to pull the stem of the spear away, but it was immovable. Holding to the spear stuck under his shoulder, he searched for his attacker. Pain had blurred his vision showing him only an outline of a man with a hood at a distance. Kalai looked for Kacha, and found him bleeding on the sand.

The village had turned into a slaughter house, his men mostly dead, few wounded and the rest captured. Men with face masks roamed around killing anything that showed resistance. He heard only painful cries around him. The pirates showed their broken teeth in amusement. Between the blinks that painted the images of violence and gore of a battle, General Kalai hoped for the immediate arrival of reinforcement - the secondary combat unit promised by the allied force army chief Rana.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

The Hell's Seashore (part 1/2)

Kacha was semi-conscious. He had lost a lot of blood. He found himself knelt in the sand. He heard the waves hitting the shore behind him. Someone was keeping his head upright by pulling the back of his hair. He rolled his eyes to either side and saw General Kalai standing before a well built man with black leather look tunic with attached hood and a belt with loops for several weapons. The Leather Hood gripped the end of the spear, that was still stuck to Kalai's shoulder, with his left hand . With one heavy move, he pulled his right leg and kicked Kalai on his chest, at the same time pulled the spear. The pike retraced its way back and settled in the hand of the Leather Hood. When the leaf shaped bayonet exited Kalai's body, he left out a loud cry of pain and fell down on the sand. He laid motionless. The Leather Hood threw the spear down and started walking towards Kacha.

Several short swordsmen were put on their knees in straight line beside Kacha. "Execution", confirmed Kacha. For some reason, even in such a painful state Kacha thought about a surprise knock by the reinforcement unit. At the very moment, he saw a group of men approaching him. They were attached to each other by body and by feet with a single long rope and were pulled by the enemy soldiers.

A man in full metal armor bodysuit, wearing an iron mask led the prisoners. To the left of the Iron Mask, the Red Lady with her face covered with a red bandana, dragged an helpless man over the sand. In the other hand, she held a horseman's axe. To the right of the Iron Mask, another man in archer's leather dress with a composite bow hung on his left shoulder and an automatic draw gun peeping from his back, marched carrying a wooden foot in his hand. He had a red eye pad in front of his right eye and wore a half-skull black mask.

Kacha's hope washed away in the hard hitting waves, when he realised that the prisoners were the secondary military unit and the one pulled mercilessly by the Red Lady was Shamu.

The enemies with masks halted before Kacha and the line of short swordsmen. The Red Lady released her hold and Shamu fell to the ground before Kacha and started to crawl aimlessly like a crab on three feet. The Bow Man struck Shamu with the wodden foot under his stomach, which made Shamu fall flat to the floor holding his abdomen.

The laughing pirates surrounded the tied up prisoners and started to kick and spit on them.

"You took what was not yours", the Iron Mask spoke calmly to Kacha, "and now you will repay me with your life".

The person holding to his head from behind, released his grip and Kacha's head hung before the Iron Mask. A moment later, he vomited blood. He slowly raised his head and turned to look who was standing behind him. He found only vastness, a wall of fog between the sea and the land. Visibility was zero, just as the fate of Kacha and his men on the Hell's Seashore.

The Red Lady put her finger under his chin and raised his head. She pointed at Shamu and spitted out her vengence at Kacha, "And he will pay with pain, for what he did to my brother". She used her horseman's axe to draw a slanting line on Shamu's back. A dark red line appeared on his white tunic when Shamu reacted with enormous pain. He dug his mouth deep into the sand and yelled.

The Leather Hood lifted Shamu effortlessly and forcibly made him to kneel facing Kacha. The Red Lady took her time to cross the sand and reach Shamu. She positioned herself behind him and circled her axe gently around his neck while Shamu was breathing heavily.

Kacha closed his eyes.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

The Hell's Seashore (part 2/2)

A slight high pitch buzzing noise in his right ear made Kacha to reopen his eyes. Tiredness made every motion around him seem slow paced. He witnessed a pilum, the sharp long iron shank javelin, travel over his right shoulder ; it’s wooden shaft swam in the air like a fish.

The Red Lady behind Shamu curved backwards by bending her back towards the ground and the pilum cut past few inches above her nose. It struck an unaware soldier, by digging itself in his throat. Several pilums raced above the kneeling line of prisoners towards the enemy group opposite to them. Few masked swordsmen blocked the pilum with their shields ; the iron shank of the javelin embeded into the metal and held itself on to it, making the shield useless to be carried. Others who were unprotected tired to block the javelin with thier weapons and filpped it aside and the sharp spears dug themselves into the sand. Most of the standing enemies were pulled away by the force of the pilum and they fell dead holding to the iron bayonet pierced inside them.

Kacha noticed the Red Lady running towards the Iron Mask not minding the sudden swarm of pilums. Leather Hood leaped over the flying javelins and crossed the prisoners to reach the Iron Mask. The Bow Man, who was beside the Iron Mask, quickly took a defensive stand, droping his composite bow to the ground and pulling the crossbow from his back.

The three warriors of The General strategically covered their leader and all the four quickly backed off in unison.

Silence took full control on the seashore ; only the waters carasing the land was audible. The bandits, pirates and the Emperor’s soldiers looked at the wall of fog behind Kacha with their respective weapons in their hands drawn ready to defend and they advanced few steps forward.

Distant grunts echoed on the seashore. The moan was mixed with slobber noise. Slowly but steadily, tramp sound spread over the sands replacing the calmness.

A rider on a camel leaped over Kacha while he gazed at the under belly of the jumping animal. The rider landed in front of Kacha and inserted the bottom end of his double headed golden spear into the heart of the nearest standing man. The camel grunted and then slobbered, while the enemy soldiers backed off in fear and surprise. Kacha looked at the camel rider, his eyes opened wide.

"Take the heart of everyone who attacks", odered Sultan-The Warrior. The Merchant from the Sea led his camel calvary on the Hell’s Seashore to restore hope for the hopeless.

Immediately hundreds of camel riders emerged from the fog. There were three sets of camel riders – Solo spearsmen or solo archers or two riders on the same camel, one rider was a quick draw archer, the other behind him was a pikeman handling a two headed spear. The camel riders of Sultan's calvary covered their faces with the white cloth extending from their turbans. Sutan, their leader was dressed in black and his camel was decorated with a red carpet over it's hump. Two huge protective shield hung to either of it’s side.

The camels ran over the sands fluently while the riders punctured anyone still standing with thier sharp spears. Mounted archers with baer bows elegantly shot down the bandits by quickly drawing alluminium arrows from their belt quiver hanging to their both side. They wore an ivory thumb ring to gain a clean realease of the string. The double riders worked in unison, the archer wounded the enemy, while the pikeman struck him as soon as they neared fallen victim. The Mounted spearmen were quick too - within a blink of an eye the sharp end of the pike entered and exited the victim, and even before the enemy fell to the ground, the rider passed on to take out another soldier next to the falling victim. The killing chain continued as the Sultan's camel cavalry completely dominated the seashore battle.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=5540&d=1471384086

"Take the wounded to the boat", shouted Sultan while still holding his golden spear inside a bandits chest. He galloped his camel dragging the bandit along with him before detaching his weapon from the breathless bandit. Sultan looked around and noticed General Kalai face down on the sand holding his right hand above him. Sultan rode his camel towards Kalai, comanding it to push forward faster by making purring sounds at the same time stirring the stirrups. He blew up the face an attacking bandit with the shaft of his double headed golden spear ; a fountain of red fluid ejected from the wounded man's mouth. Before reaching General Kalai, Sutan slayed two more enemy solidiers who went into a permanent sleep on the sea bed. Sultan reached out and elegantly pulled General Kalai from the floor and threw him behind on the back of the camel. Kalai's head fell on Sultan's shoulder when they were heading to the ship.

Sultan heard General Kalai whisper into his ears. He looked at the direction pointed by his companion and saw four men trying to escape the Pirate’s bay. Kalai held tightly to the spear in Sultan's hand. Giving the spear to Kalai, Sultan turned his camel and chased the fleeing cowards admist several war camels charging on the sand.

Noticing a rider advancing towards them, the Leather Hood halted. He signaled the others to continue. He removed two flail with two piked iron ball attached to a chain from his belt loop. Gripping a weapon in each hand he marched over the sand towards Sultan. He hit the neck of an aggresive camel with his flail. The spikes tore the camel's skin which made it skid over the sand past him. Leather Hood evaded a deadly spear thrown at him by rolling on the ground and when he got up, he jumped and hit his attacker on the back of the head ; the heavy iron smashed the skull. He reacted quickly by falling on the ground when he saw two other camel riders approaching him. He skidded over the sand and threw his flails at the front legs of each camel. The two camels fell neck down, throwing the riders in the air. Another attacker aimed and thrusted his spear at the Leather Hood, which he caught in midair and pulled the rider down to the ground and stamped the fallen rider’s throat with his left foot. The camel ran away aimlessly on the sands.

The Leather Hood removed two flat throwing knifes from his belt. He aimed and threw one at Sultan and the other at his camel’s neck. Sultan pulled his camel to the side and fell on the sand, saving himself as well as the camel. The animal sat upright and shaked its neck spraying a bunch of sand on Sultan and Kalai. Sultan got up to his feet quickly and took out his meqleh, his personal combat sword, from his hip belt. He punched an attacking enemy on his face, at the same time introduced his meqleh inside him.

Kalai, with the help of Sultan’s golden spear that he was still holding on to, got up and faced the Leather Hood. He blinked and a drop of his blood mixed with sweat and sand dripped above his left eye. Kalai heard Sultan say something, but he did not bother to know what. He fixed his eyes on the Leather Hood.

His attacker removed a ninja machete and walked towards Kalai with a devilish smile on his face. When he was close to Kalai, Leather Hood doubled up and leadped in the air aiming his flat sword at Kalai's skull. Sultan shouted and tried to run to the rescue of Kalai, but it was already too late ; the Leather Hood was mid air almost on top of Kalai. Sultan skidded to a stop.

Kalai did not move, he held his feet firmly on the sand. When the Leather Hood crossed his weapon over Kalai, with one sharp reflex, Kalai droped himself to the ground by gliding his hand down the shaft of the golden spear and pulled it out of the sand. He rolled backwards, while inserting the spear’s bayonet right into the forehead of the Leather Hood.

Kacha saw victory when Kalai and Sultan slayed the enemies. A smile dropped on his face when few men carried him away. His hanging head noticed few others attending to Shamu.

The hold on to the strategic territory on enemy lands, Narukukanna, was retained.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

A White Dream

"That's not possible!", argued Sena.

"Why is it impossible!", asked The Monk, "I need Rana to find the Vashris hidden inside the palace. We have tracked men, but this one is different, you should know better than me". Sena was silent.

Kanakavalli monitored the conversation with her eyes, along with the other men inside the Planning Room. Rana looked confused.

"This girl knows to read", The Monk informed Sena, pointing at Kanakavalli. It then occured to Rana ; his brother does not wish to go looking for the Vimana Records with Kanakavalli. Rana chuckled silently.

"With Rana and Littleman, whose assistance at the palace is valuable, Kali will help me to diffuse Vashris, if at all we find it. Us four must enter the palace", The Monk briefed. "We have three dawns to find what we seek, before the arrival of the allied army fleets", he continued looking at Nobleman who was incharge of receiving the allied forces. Nobleman nodded his head affirmatively. "An incomplete job will just stay that way, as the march to the battle field Karmegha would have begun", The Monk watched Yesodha Putran, who moved his head in agreement. Looking at Sena, The Monk said, "We are merely seeing the sun set and rise without performing our duties".

Sena did not argue.

The Monk gave Sena the details that he had collected from Youngman's Library - the potential location where the Vimana Records maybe resting. He passed a tiny hand drawn map to help them reach the other side of the Nothern Mountains. He made his closing statement, "The mission to enter the Palace and the Fort may end as quickly as it may start, if we are not able to find the tunnels mentioned in these floor plans. If sealed or inexistant, then we have to force ourselves to beleive that a devastating terror like Vashris is just a myth". He paused and stared at Sena before continuing, "Same with the expedition. Time has a value, stop running in circles". He took a deep breath and concluded, "We meet here on the thrid sunset, may sucess light our paths". Without another word he turned and left the Planning Room. His team consisting of three men looked at Sena, and followed their mission leader. Nobleman and Putran walked away casually talking to eachother, leaving Sena and Kanakavalli alone inside the tent.

Sena handed over the tiny book to Kanakavalli which was given to him by The Monk at the Wise Brother's residence, and without an alert he walked out of the tent pocketing the map detailing the route across the jungles around the Northern Mountains. Kanakavalli followed Sena while flipping through the pages of the book.

The tiny map, hand drawn by The Monk, led them through several paths and shallow rivers. The vegetation around was dense with small evergreen shrubs under the shade of medium height trees. The jungle floor was frequented by rongeurs and over the space above, birds belonging to the family of trochilidae circled, seducing the amaryllis with their hums and flapping their wings in midair to take the nectar from the flowers generously bloomed coloring the floor of the forest.

While they were cutting their way through the thick bushes, Kanakavalli suddenly pulled Sena to the ground. Hiding behind a woody shrub, she stretched her hand through the leaves pointing at a direction before them. Sena looked through the gap between the tiny branches and noticed a white deer looking their way, it's eyes shining in the thin ray of sunlight escaping from the leaves of the trees. "Seneca", Sena exclaimed with a bright glow on his face, while the white hind moved it's ears rapidly. It looked directly at the woody plant behind which the couple were hiding. The white doe licked it's nose to keep it moist, as well as to communicate with the other deers using the scent produced from it's glands. A white stag with it's bones grown above it's head, as symmetrical pairs of white horns, joined the hind, followed by two white fawns. Several white deer pooped their heads out from behind the thick bushes. The mystry behind who was watching whom continued, when the family of Seneca stood close to each other gazing at the couple behind the the bush. Sena and Kanakavalli, sat cramped closely inside the shrubs watching the nature's beauty standing over the ground around them.

They camped at the spot where they were gifted with the sight of rarest animals. Kanakavalli slept deeply on the green bed of the forest. She had no fear, she felt safe in the presence of Sena, and her solid lump of agony over her grandfather's demise melted in the warmth of the cosy fire lit by Sena. She roamed with Sena in her dreams, amoung herds of Seneca deers running around them and the green pastures swaying to the song sung by the breeze.

Sena descended into a gesund sleep. He sat with his legs crossed over eachother and had Arha, his father's sword, as his arm rest. His eyes were closed while his lids were still moving. A blue butterfly rested on his shoulder settling close to his right ear as though whispering secrets to him.

Sena walked behind Lali on the snowy ground with a white stag with white long horns beside him. Lali wearing a white fork and holding to a red rose given to her by her father, was chasing two white fawns. She turned occasionly to look at her father, the laughter exposing her pearl white teeth and pink tongue, echoed around the white mountains, making the snow flakes on the green pine trees to stumble and fall. A tiny flake flew in the silent breeze and stuck itself on Sena's right cheek. He felt a wierd fell of coldness and the warmth at the same time, when the snow slowly started to melt on his face. Sena looked at the bright blue sky sprinkled with white clouds. He closed his eyes taking in the wonderful moment, all at once in his single breathe and held the air of happiness tight in his chest.

Sena's smiling lips sent out a mild snore.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

Where Two Stones Met

At noon, they reached the spot which was literally the end of the route map. Beyond, there was only nature at it's wildest form, the unexplored territories under monstrous mountains and cliffs.

The bottom of the hill, below which they were standing, was surrounded by a dense growth of tall trees. Sena approached the hill's facade and started removing the creeping plants covering the ground. Kanakavalli pulled the crawling and climbing stems which have aggressively took over the foot of the hill. Beneath the ground-covered plants, she found a thin pathway. Kanakavalli pushed Sena's shoulders and showed him her discovery when he turned and looked at her with a frown on his face. Sena checked the ground before starting to climb the hill through the path which was initially hidden by thick vegetation. Kanakavalli ascended the hill behind him.

They landed on a plain ground with two huge stones on either side of the path. Sena examined the rocks.

There were four diagrams craved on the stone to the left - a square, an equilateral triangle, a rhombus and a parallelogram. Inscribed below the shapes were four single line text one below the other, which looked more like symbols than any letters from languages he knew.

And on the right rock - a circle was present, surrounded by four semi circles. Two straight lines intersected with each other in the area of the circle, slicing it into four equal portions. Inside each pie-slice, a square, an equilateral triangle, a rhombus and a parallelogram were craved, the shapes identic to the ones present on the other stone. The semi circles were positioned at the centre of each pie-slice outside the circumfrence of the center sphere.



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Sena watched the text symbols and identified them to be resembling to the ones drawn in the book given to him by The Monk. He turned to avert Kanakavalli, and found her already going through the untitled document. Sena silently turned back and continued to investigate the strange emblems on the rocks using his index fingers. There was nothing particularly alarming on the shapes present on the left stone, but Sena found the smoothness of the four semi circles surrounding the sphere on the right rock were finished with a roughness at the top and bottom corners. He scratched the dust around these areas and found two holes about the size of a finger ring punched at each corner above and below. The scooped parts seemed to be some kind of keyhole mechanism. He tried to insert his thumb and index fingers into the aperture present on the vertical semi circular object at the right top corner of the rock. Once his fingers were fixed, he applied pressure to rotate the semi circle rightwards.

To his surprise, when the semi circle was turned, the circle started to rotate clock-wise automatically and made a full quater of a turn before coming to a stop. The motion of manual turn and automatic rotation, altered the positions of the shapes inside the circle, as well as, made the semi circle to settle horizontaly with it's curved side pointing downwards. Sena also noted that the new face of the semi circle was now in allignment with a new object, the triangle. Initially it was facing the rhombus.


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He tried the horizontal half circle at the bottom corner of the rock, that was facing the rhombus shape currently and turned it leftwards. The object switched to stand vertical with its curved surface facing inwards. The sphere at the center rotated counter-clockwise making the semi circle sit next to it's inital shape, the square.



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Sena noticed that the full circle in the middle rotated with respect to the direction in which the semi-circles around it were turned - Right Turn:Clockwise / Left Turn:Counter Clockwise.

When he selected a semi circle and turned it radomly, he could see a phenomenal change in the objects themselves as well as the postions of the shapes inside the sphere. The semi-circles continued to change their faces - the curve or flat line pointing inwards or ourwards with respect to the direction they were turned. Each time, the full cirlce moved a quater of a turn, clockwise or counter-clockwise accordingly, constantly changing the position of the shapes it held inside.

It gave two results and an inference, Sena assumed - One, the form of the semi-cirlce alters with the manual turns ; Two, the shapes inside the circle changes position through an automatic rotation provoked by turning a semi circle, thus, each spin makes a different face out of the half circle turned, alligning it with a different shape at the same time ; infering that when a semi circle was turned only the full circle rotated, but the other three half circles did not move.

Sena tried to move two half circles at the same time using both his hand. Absolutely nothing moved.

Several attempts of twisting and turning the objects yeilded nothing but only a soft noise of stone rubbing over one another under the ground. Sena continued to play with the mechanism like a kid amusing with a new toy when Kanakavalli tapped him on his back. He turned and faced her with a grin on his face. She showed him a single page holding a few lines of hand written texts, attached to the middle of the book and pointed at a single word present in the thrid line by tapping her index finger on it, which read - "Sumeru".

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

Into the Tomb

The gaurds at the Vettaiyan Palace gate stopped the two heavy four-wheeled carriage, each pulled by two horses, approaching the entreance with a deep rumbling noise. The hefty coachman of the first cart obliged to the soldiers command by halting his vehicle. He looked at the gaurds and put up a crooked smile on his face. The second wagon came to a stop behind it's lead wagon. One of the Emperor's security officier walked towards the newly arrived strangers. He passed the six gaurds who were blocking the entrance and reached the hefty coachman siting on the dilapidated vehicle, a kind of rumble-tumble coach. He glanced at the second horse-drawn vehicle that looked almost damaged, with a high risk of the four bent wheels breaking without being able to support the body over it. A short man over an elevated box seat, holding to the lead lines attached to the halter of the horses, saluted the officer from the second carriage which resembled to a funeral coach.

"What is the purpose of your visit, Stranger", asked the controlling officer. The hefty man did no speak, but contiuned to shower his smile.

"Greetings Sir", the officer turned towards his right and saw a thin man with a weird hairdo getting out from the side door of the rumble-tumble coach. The door swayed aimlessly for a while, and remained half open.

"I am the Keeper of the Garden", the thin man said. "We have to come to build a massive garden block at the east end of the Palace. Here is the authorisation from the Palace Architect". He produced a document which had the prestigious Kingdom seal on it. The officer looked confused as such sealed document were rare and demands immediate permittance without any questioning. He wondered what is the urgence to issue it to a gardner during the time of war. He bit his lower lip. His hesitation was quite visible, but he was left with no other choice but allow the strangers with high level authorisation to proceed through the fortified gate.

"I understand", the thin man said. "Why a garden work during a time of war ? I can tell you two reasons, pick the one that suits you. One, each to his line of work. Brave soldiers like you win the war, while gardners like me keep the Palace decorated to invite our victorious King". The thin man paused to check whether he had the attention of his listener. Satisfied, he contiued, "Two, Why stop works around the Palace when the threat is just minimal ? Having valliant soldiers like you, the war shall be won even before it is fought". The second reason sparked a glow on the Gate Keeper's face.

"If you have gone through the document, may I take it back please", The Monk requested the officier.

"Of course, of course", the officier said with a graceful smile while handing back the document The Monk. Kali was still holding on to his grin and Littleman sat watching the conversation.

"But I have to check the transports", he informed and with a shoulder shrug he added, "Protocol".

"Nothing to misunderstand. Full co-operation will be given to you by my assistants", The Monk turned and signaled at Kali and Littleman to get down from their respective vehicles. He continued to address the officier by pointing his hand towards the rumble-tumble coach, "This one here contains gardening tools, plants and other materials to create a scenary around the Brother's Cemetry". He elegantly moved his shoulders while presenting the funeral coach parked behind him, "That carries a dump of manure", with a smile he said, "organic fertilizer".

The officier along with the other gaurds checked the first wagon. Couple of soldiers climbed inside through the back door of the coach and searched the unkempt space inside by taking peeks behind the rows of plants errect on a lump of wet mud. They checked for weapons but found only gardening tools. "Clear", shouted one while getting down. The checking team reached the second wagon when a finger tapped the right shoulder of the officier. When he turned, The Monk handed him a white cloth and spoke with a pleasant smile, "This would come handy".

When the gaurd opened the back door of the second wagon, a pungent odor from the huge dump of semisolid metabolic waste inside, leaked into the clean air. The officer brought the white cloth to his nose. The other gaurds looked at an younger soldier, while pinching their nostrils with their fingers. The man incharge opened his eyes wide looking at the young soldier as though giving him a strong command to move forward.

The young gaurd advanced slowly griping a spear in one hand and closing his nose completely with the other. He stepped inside the funeral coach containing the manure. He digged the organic fertiliser with his spear by entering it deep the soft mount of manure. Few flies flew out from the dump. When he entered his spear the third time, he felt as though it resisted to exit while he pulled it back. The Monk's head started to shake mildly. Kali looked at Littleman who gulped. Not minding the tiny resistance show by his spear, the soldier continued picking the manure couple of more times. He turned and shook his head at his officer. Immediately after, he got down from the coach and ran to it's side to vomit his disgust.

The gates were opened and the two wagons entered the Palace garden and slowly rolled east towards the Brother's Cemetry where the nine brothers of Vettaiyan were buried.

They halted under a shade of a tree and The Monk tapped twice on the side of the funeral coach and whispered, "The enterance to the tunnel should be under the third tomb. Be quick when it shall be found". The Monk walked straight to the spot where the floor plan indicated the presence of a secret door leading to the Palace storage rooms. Kali brought a barrel of water and Littleman followed him carrying two buckets full. They placed it behind the funeral coach and waited with a clean cloth beside. The Monk stood near the third tomb and stamped the grass floor with his left foot. Then, he took a step forward and used his right foot to push the ground below.

At the back, under the thrid tombstone, he found the floor to be resisting. The Monk pulled an hand signal at Kali. Kali opened the back door of the funeral coach. Littleman entered and exited the rumble-tumble coach and handed a sharp blade knife to The Monk using which he sliced the thin grass and exposed a wooden plank, the secret enterance door to the Palace.

"I hope it takes us where we intend to travel", The Monk heard Rana speaking to him from behind. The Monk turned to look at Rana who had washed himself and was drying with a white cloth.

Blocking his nostrils and ears with buds of cloth, covering his hair up to his neck with a tight bandana and fixing a long bamboo pipe in the mouth to breathe, Rana travelled burying himself in the manure carried by the funeral coach. There were three others hidding with him inside.

The Monk looked beyond Rana and saw the other men, identic to himself, Littleman and Kali, cleaning themselves assisted by Kali.

Rana lifted his tunic and examined the scratch on his lower hip. He explained to Littleman that the spear of the soldier wounded him and luckily it passed over his left palm just after. Completely blinded in the dump, Rana knew that the wound would have strained the bayonet with his blood. When he felt it passing over his palm, he had pinched the spear head with his thumb and index fingers, wiping the blood strain. The Monk realised the reason for the soldier to put up a doubting face when he tried to pull his spear out during his third check process.

Rana forced the handle on the flat door to open, which uncovered a wooden staircase pathway that ran under the tomb.

The Monk slowly got up and walked towards the other three men. "You know what to do. Don't talk much with others or with eachother. Just decorate this place with the materials from the wagon. If we are not out by dusk, leave. And don't forget to cover the passage door with the grass once we have entered". The three men nodded. They will replicate the three gardners who had entered the Palace, while the original trio will explore the tunnels underneath with Rana.

When The Monk returned, he saw Rana standing on the first step. "Find another way out. I am not entering into the funeral coach burying myself ", saying so, he disappeared into the tunnel. The three men exchanged smiles and descended behind Rana.

As soon as they had disappeared into the darkness below, the replicate gardners above sealed the woooden door.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

The Mysteries of Nature

Sena read the hand written text from the book attentively :

11:13 - Sumer. Special people with special gifts. Existance of writing and speech during primitive days.

19:21 - Found it. Their power of thought to win over the body happened with the discovery of a white crystal that casted a shadow of the Divine Dancer. Where is the crystal now ?

27:32 - Sumeru. The mount that grows above and under the ground. They travelled up and down ? In the dark, creating the first library for mankind ? They called them Records.

35:36 - Understand. Grammatical unit is the word complex rather than the individual word, thus the grammatical particles tend to retain their independent structure rather than become inextricably attached to the word roots.

39:48 - Poetry. Few lines crisply explain the devine phenomenon. Diagrams with symbols and illustrations about agriculture, medicine, science, music (the seven notes of sound - The Swapta Swara) including ways to fly and float under water.

51:64 - Wonderful. Sumeru to Meru to Mir and now Medu is a Mountain in the middle connecting Pameru and Kumeru, the north-pole & south-pole [Pa-high; Ku-low]. The floating high mountainous land between was Kumari, My Mother Land.

75:77 - Confirmed. Sumero is genetically related to my mother tongue. My Origins. Spoken by my Forefathers.

83:84 - Simple. Orientation of signs became language. Earlier written top to bottom, then left to right. The symbols were rotated at certain degrees clockwise or counter clockwise to produce a new word, providing altogether a new meaning out of the same symbol. Some were even attached to eachother, thus, language evolved.

101:108 - Amazing. Checked the logogram and syllabogram. The phonetic complements match. Sounds strikingly similar, except the written signs are different and primitive ; childlike as the first paint brush stroke on a blank canvas :

Text, phonetic transcription : uLu Odi uLu Odi amma moonRa uNar-idu
Pronounciation equivalent : உளு ஓடி உளு ஓடி அம்மா மோன்ற உனர் இடு
Translation (for Tallman & Shortman) : O Runner! O Runner! inform my mother

127:132 - Fantastic. Numeric system was both decimal and sexagesima contained inside few symbols. The 'Base 60' was very much in use, can it be adapted to calculate units of time ?

142:144 - Interesting. Cycle of Nature ? Maybe Wheel! Mount Sumeru is the axis.

156:157 - Trust. Tallman & Shortman don't beleive me. The Records exist and whatever I have discovered will unlock the doors to access them.

158:158 - Wondering. What will it be like once inside ? Dark ? Cold ? A Gaurdian ? An Angel ? The End !

10225:10227 - Kochadaiiyaan. Knowledge was Killed. Like cutting the teats of the Mother of a New Born. The Twelve Men confirmed to me the existance of these Records, and spoke to me about Him, the one who traveled over the Mount. Tallman & Shortman beleive me now. Must accompany Ranadheeran Kochadaiiyaan to unearth the invaluble treasures, the Sacred Knowledge left behind for us by our forefathers.

The notes ended abruptly.

Sena flipped through the book and identified the symbols on the rock, matching them to the description in the book maintained by Youngman. He tried to associate the inscription - the ancient language carved on the right rock, with the help of the appropriate translation from the book :

O Runner! O Runner! Inform My Mother
The Brothers shall play with Each Other
Behind this door they Spin and Shredder
Going above or below, none shall suffer

Sena thought to himself, "This door - may refer to the entrance to access the Records!"
"But who are the Mother and the Brothers, and those who shall not suffer while going above or below!", he uttered aloud.

Kanakavalli pulled Sena by his wrist and made him sit beside her. She picked up a tiny twig and wrote on the muddy path between the two rocks:

Sun lights Moon
Moon cools Sun
Sun melts Moon
Moon hides Sun

She then pointed at the left stone ; she had written down the translation of the texts craved on it.

Sena immediately got up thinking, "The left stone illustrates the cycle of the sun and the moon, the various forms they take influenced by one another, resulting in a change occuring on the Earth. The craving on the right rock ..."

It then occured to him. The Brothers are Sun & Moon who played around their Mother, the Earth.

Kanakavalli pulled Sena again without hiding the frustration on her face. Sena grined. She showed him the shapes that she had already drawn on the floor. Beside each shape she wrote :

Triangle implies Flame (Light)
Rhombus => Land (Mountains)
Parallelogram = > Water moving either way (Dissolve)
Square => Emptiness, a box of air (Breeze)

She then matched her theory assembling the written text with the respective shapes :

Sun lights Moon => Flame => Triangle
Moon cools Sun => Breeze => Square
Sun melts Moon => Water => Parallelogram
Moon hides Sun => Mountain => Rhombus

Sena looked at her appreciatively for the first time in their journey. He was very much impressed with her intelligence and suddenly found her brimming with beauty. Finally, it all made complete sense to Sena. The Nature's Cycle occurs on Earth, so that the habitants of any part above or below the seperating lines will not suffer but only profit from the result of the changing phases.

On the right rock, the sphere at the center represents Earth and the four semi circles are symbols of Sun or Moon according to influence created by the shapes inside the pie-slices of the Mother Circle.

He looked at the right rock and then at Kanakavalli waiting for her to guide him. She coupled her hands signaling Sena to allign the semicircles with the appropriate shapes inside the pie-slice to create the four natural phenomenons indicated on the left stone. She also gestured him to attentively turn the half cricles matching the respective cycle, as the object has two faces - flat and a curved one. The flat is absense as in 'No Moon' when "Sun melts Moon" or 'Disapperance of the Sun' when "Moon hides Sun" ; the curve is existance when "Sun lights Moon" or "Moon cools Sun".

Sena worked on turning the semi circles. He arranged the four cycle of the sun and the moon around the earth, rotating them to allign with the shapes according to their state of absence and existance. Each time the sphere at the center, the Mother Earth, spinned provoking the shapes to move to a spot above or below. He had to make complete rotation of couple of half circles to bring it in line with the shapes inside the pie-slices.


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Once all the semi circles were positioned to their respective faces, matching the shapes contained inside the full circle, Sena and Kanakavalli heard a click sound and the other stone behind them started to move backwards, opening a stairway leading to a dark tunnel below.

Sena gently kissed Kanakavalli on her forehead over Mount Sumeru. Kanakavalli smiled.

... to be continued ....

[Author's Note : 'O Runner! O Runner! inform my mother' is a line from a Sumerian Cagkam poetry (named 'The Letter of Ugubi') written on a clay tablet, dating several hundred years before Calender Era. It is largely beleived that : The Runner mentioned could refer to a Postman, assuming that a sort of courier service was handled between the cities by the Sumerians. This letter is supposed to be written by a soldier or watchgaurd, a son to his mother about a flood in which he got caught. The letter mentions about Eridu, the prosperous city of Enki and talks about Ugubi himself, siting at the door steps of a musician, being happy, etc., until he claims to be drowning and scared. There is no certanity or accuracy on the assumptions and translations, as the scholars in the specific fields are still researching. Several other interruptions of the same text are available, provided by different researchers.

This particular line got my attention, and so, used it in the trilogy to show my respect to this Great Man (maybe called Ugubi) who wrote a letter to his mother. The other three lines were written by myself, adapted to suit the story. These three lines are not carved anywhere or present in any clay tablet, but are only present in this story text here. The urbanism and advanced culture & science described in this episode are fictional. The puzzle, explanations, diagrams, language, symbols, the rocks and their locations (etc.), are all imaginary, created by myself for fiction and does not stand as a proof nor should be taken as facts, about any particular event in the history or to be used to point at any particular (ancient) civilisation recorded in the history].

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

Tunnels of Liberation

The officer at the Palace entrance walked up and down before the huge gate, something about the document produced by the Keeper of the Garden was worrying him. He entered through the wicket gate and stood staring at the three gardeners working around the Brother's Cemetery to the far east. A moment later, he walked briskly, turning left from the Vettaiyan Statue to reach the imperial quarters, so that he can gain access to Architect Vitara's office and report to him about the special entry.

The stairways under the third tomb led the four men into a storage room two decks below the ground level. They crossed the huge hall where several barrels were resting. As they walked across, the hall narrowed down and they were put forward at the starting point of two tunnels - both were curved sharing the single wall in between. The Monk verified the floor map and read out the options, "The extreme bend runs to Fort Ayan, the other, to the Palace". Rana opted to check the one extending to Fort Ayan. He carried a fire lamp torch and guided his men inside the dark tunnel. Odour of dampness occupied the air and falling drops of leaking water were audible. Soon, they reached a huge wall blocking their path. After examining the wall, Rana confirmed that it was a dead end. The tunnel was shut down with a barricade which was impossible to break through.

Entering Fort Ayan and disabling cannon Vettai failed.

The Fabulous Four retraced their way back and took the other path. They moved gradually on the serpent pathway and finally reached a spiral upward staircase. As the visibility was null behind to the curved steps, Rana signalled his team to rest at the bottom and started to climb upstairs.

Architect Vitara was in his office when the officer reached the closed door and requested for permission to enter by softly knocking on the closed door. Vitara continued to work on his table showing complete ignorance towards the knock. The officer stood behind the door for a while, and then, he said in a raised voice, "Two men with the Keeper of the Garden have arrived my Lord. They are currently working at the Brother's Cemetery". He waited but got no reply. He turned briskly and started to walk away, when he heard the doors behind him creak open.

"What?" demanded Vitara at the doorstep. "Weren't the orders quite clear. None in, none out. Under whose authorisation did you permit them entrance!", the Architect talked showing his displeasure in his voice.

The officer walked back towards Vitara and after performing a royal salute, he said, "They produced the Emperor's proprietary document stamped with the Empire seal, and the authorisation was signed by yourself my Lord. I have come to inform you", he added proudly, "without any delay".

The Architect looked sharply at the officer with his tiny eyes before slamming the door angrily on his face. He rushed to his desk and opened a wooden box fixed to the floor under it. He pushed the pedal that was inside with his left leg. Immediately, the painting on the opposite wall slided, turning itself into a door mat before an opening in the wall. Vitara rushed inside.

The three men below heard a hissing sound. Littleman peeped through the spiral staircase and identified Rana as the source of the mysterious noise. Rana waved his hand calling Littleman to join him. Once the members regrouped upstairs, they followed the trail led by the tunnel. The upper level of the tunnel was completely different than the lower one - it was spacious, like a wide corridor and very clean. Further down the secret passage, Rana noticed a rectangular block sticking out of the wall. He traced his hand over it and then gently knocked on the spot. Camouflaged to rest as a wall, this portion made a hallow sound. Rana handed over the fire torch to Littleman, and examined it. At the right bottom, he found a hidden gap. Inserting his four fingers, he pulled the latch that hit his index finger towards him and exposed the hole in the wall about the size of a wicket door. Rana peeped inside and his face hit a red curtain.

Vitara hurriedly searched through the drawers of his desk at the centre of the secret room. Around him several numbered scrolls were neatly arranged inside the wall mounted cabinets. He checked the bunch of blank papers - the Palace Documents with the Empire seal on them. There were five in his hand. He did a breif calculation using his thumb over other finger tips, and recollected that the Emperor had given him a dozen such documents, to permit him to work autonomous, and he had used only five out of the twelve. Two have gone missing. Vitara cried out his fury, "V E R M A N!” He was about to storm out of the secret room, but suddenly stopped and checked the wall cabinets with his eyes. Emptiness filled two specific spots, and Vitara exactly knew which were the floor plans that were missing. Stolen. He left the secret chamber to alert the Emperor in person.

Rana gently moved and popped his head out between the red curtains. His sight directly fell over a huge portrait of someone queenly. The Queen was young and looking beautiful in her kingly clothes, ornaments and jewels, holding herself proudly in an excellent posture. Rana noticed two mirrors occupying the walls on either side of the human size painting, both reflected the images of the portrait. Rana slowly stepped out and walked to the curtain-less window behind him that gave a fantastic view on the Palace Garden, but landed straight at the Brother’s Cemetery. Rana watched the three gardeners working around the cemetery, he also noticed a distinct movement near a window on the building opposite to the room he was standing in.

A soft touch on his feet startled Rana. He quickly moved away from the window and looked down. Below Rana, a bald man with a hairless face was crawling on the floor; he was moving slowly towards Rana by pushing his chest. The man slithering on his bellies had big nostrils, yet struggled to breathe. He was gasping for air making sucking sounds when he advanced towards Rana. He again caught hold of Rana's left leg. Rana immediately shook him off and moved to the centre of the room, in front of the Queen's Portrait.

The crawling man advanced and Rana saw his reflection on the mirrors. The projection was as though the man on the floor was seeking the Feet of the Queen in the portrait. Rana sympathized with the crawling man and bent down to sit cross legged beside him. He took his deformed face and placed it on his lap. Rana found the man opening and closing his cracked lips. Rana took his left ear near the toothless mouth.

"f r e e m e f r e e m e f r e e m e", Rana heard the crawling man's uninterrupted whispers. Rana, without a second thought, decided to liberate the damaged soul.

The sharp blade of a hand knife entered inside King Sama Suyodhana's chest and punctured his heart. He sucked for air while watching the Portrait of the Queen hung on the wall behind Rana. He laid still staring at his wife Dasa Radha.

Rana lifted the head of the dead man and placed it on the floor. He placed the two arms crossed over the chest. The mirror reflection looked like the Queen in the Portrait was looking at the sleeping man. Rana turned and looked at the portrait on the wall behind him and suddenly got a weird feeling that the Lady in the Painting was smiling at him. Rana panicked and hurried to the exit through the red curtain.

... to be continued ....

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

Dampened by Darkness

Sena dug inside his travellers pack prepared by Rana for their expedition and took out a tiny wooden torch. A thick thread hung from the top and when Sena pulled it, the rugs at the tip alighted through an automatic built-in system that produced sparks by pulling the thread, thus igniting the rugs damp with lamp oil.

Kanakavalli placed both her hands on Sena's shoulders who guided her through the steep stairway into a dark narrow tunnel below. As they advanced, the sunlight that managed to escape through the crack started to fade away. The serpent path stretched itself and descended into the deep. After the walk in the dark, mildly illuminated by the dim flame from the torch, the couple landed onto a flat surface.

Sena moved the torch to his left and then to his right before concluding that they must be standing on large platform, yet he could not determine its size. He managed to find the wall of the mysterious room made of sharp and badly cut rocks. Sena walked straight and the dim light projected a raised platform few feet from where they had entered. Sena assumed it to be the centre of the floor, making a rough calculation about the size of the hall. Recollecting the curves in rocky wall, he was sure that he was standing on a circular floor. Kanakavalli had not removed her hands from his shoulders, her grip tightened on each stride they made. Sena sensed her fear, and turned to assure her. The steady flame of the torch light, captured her face by giving it a shiny glow. And it also exposed a pair of sharp yellow eyes hanging just above her right shoulder.

Sena was taken aback. He controlled his eye movements to hide his surprise. He calmly looked at Kanakavalli and smiled.

The yellow eyes were open without blinking staring back at Sena. At a moment, its shutter closed and reopened, making the eyes disappear and reappear in the darkness. Sena, without removing the smile from his face, moved the light from his torch closer to Kanakavalli's shoulder. The face that was suspended in the darkness behind her had stripes of dried mud all over crossing between its flat nose and thick lips. Sena held his breathe to supress the terror.

Amidst the minute noise of combustion coming from the torch light, Kanakavalli heard a faint noise behind her, someone inhaling and felt that warm air hiting the back of her neck was coming from the exhale. Without moving, she rolled her eyeballs to her right to the furthest corner of her eye and tried to catch a glimpse behind her. She slowly rolled them back and fixed them with the ones of Sena, and witnessed the reflection of fear in the smiling man.

Without rising an alert, the courageous lady spun around in the darkness, cringing her back on Sena's chest. Her eyes widened when she got the picture of what was standing behind her - a blemished human-like figure with yellow eyes on its striped face. The form had its hairy hand hung to its side and its curved posture made the palms swing below its knees; its unkempt nails scratching through the dense hair around its legs. Long thin hair peeped out randomly all over its body. It was breathing softly through the huge nostrils and looked at Kanakavalli with dazzling yellow eyes.

Sena slowly took a step backward; Kanakavalli moved along with him. Darkness fell before them, covering whatever was standing there. Suddenly, the Monkey Man took a step forward and appeared, again, under the light of the torch. It kept gazing at the couple, this time while moving its upper lip occasionally to display the sharp fang. Sena knew that the Monkey Man was not happy with their backward motion. He stood still, but Kanakavalli did not.

She slipped her four fingers, excluding the thumb, of both her hands inside her waist belt and removed them dressed with brass knucles. She gripped the fingers of her right hand tightly and punched the Monkey Man on its face with the brass knuckles, the spike over each knucklehead tore the flesh around the cheek of its victim, also left four deep scratch marks over its cheek. The Monkey Man started to bleed, the blood was pale red. A severe growl of anger escaped from its mouth, which opened wide letting out a cry of pain between its nail sharp teeth. Kanakavalli punched it a second time with her left spiked brass knuckled hand. The blow produced a similar devastating effect on the Monkey Man's face, which made it turn its head completely to the right. The Monkey Man slowly straightened up his neck and stared at Kanakavalli with red liquid pouring down its face.

Soft noise of wood hitting the rock gathered around the couple. The sound increased progressively and settled into a deep rhythmic bangs. Sena took out a hollow black aluminium cylinder baton and held to it tightly in his free hand. He moved the fire torch around him and could see several hairy feet assembling around them. All of a sudden the banging stopped. And too many yellow eyes opened in the darkness. Sena and Kanakavalli found themselves in the middle of a huge and dense circle of Monkey Men.

On a spur of moment, a Monkey Man leaped from the crowd and attacked Kanakavalli. When it was briefly suspended in the air, Sena pushed Kanakavalli closer to his side and struck the flying Monkey Man with his baton behind its left ears. The attacked fell to the ground and did not move. The bleeding Monkey Man looked at his wounded comrade fallen to the floor. It raised its head and looked severely at Sena before letting out a scream. The others joined with their crying call and charged at the couple.

Sena elegantly blocked the attacks with the fire torch and the baton. Kanakavalli fought beside him punching anything that her spiked brass knuckles met with. They both danced close to each other, interchanging their positions by circling their feet around one another to cover the spiral attack area of the Monkey Men. Sena noted that the savages were primarily trying to attack his face. They aggressively moved their hands and feet trying to pull Sena to the ground, so that they can tear down his face. The couple spun on the floor defending the charge of the Monkey Men, keeping in mind their sharp nails and teeth.

A slap from a heavy hairy hand landed on the back of the head of Kanakavalli. She started falling to the floor face down, when Sena managed to catch her by coupling his hand around her waist. He kneeled on one leg to break the fall and to steady himself, before gently making her fall on his lap. He slipped the baton that his hand was still holding, so that he coulc grip firmly and turn Kanakavalli face-up. She was breathing, but unconscious. Her head hung loosely searching for the floor.

Pairs of yellow eyes approached the couple cutting through the darkness. Sena held on to the torch light in one hand and Kanakavalli with the other, while kneeling on one leg and surrounded by the Monkey Men.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

The Maze

A rat in a maze is free to go anywhere, as long as it stays inside the maze - Margaret Atwood

Vettaiyan believed his eyes won't lie to him; he was convinced that he did notice a faint movement behind the window in his father's prison-room. It had been a while that his father had come over to greet his sleeping sons. With a crooked smile on his face, Vettaiyan made quick strides to across his Chamber and entered the corridor. The echoes of footsteps faded away as Vettaiyan marched briskly to meet his father.

Rana's bloody hands were trembling. Rana looked at The Monk and confessed, "I murdered a man". He paused and then started to talk rapidly, "I don't know ... I don't know ... the portrait, the crawling man ... I have seen them all. The visions are becoming reality".

"Why would you tremble, then?", The Monk asked.

"Sena. What would he become? The Demon Eye!" Rana wondered.

The confused Littleman looked at The Monk, who gestured him not to worry and walked few steps forward. "We only have time until they find the dead body", and without waiting for his group, the Monk advanced into the tunnel.

Architect Vitara reached Vettaiyan's Chamber and found it empty. He turned and returned back to the corridor, hoping to meet the Emperor with Vaithiyar. When he reached the intersection at the far end, he changed his mind and turned left rather than taking the right. He was heading directly to the room where the intruders maybe heading.

After running through half a dozen more bends, a white door marked the end of the secret tunnel. The Monk standing in front of the white door announced to his team, "We are before the First Door of the Maze."

Placing the plan on the floor and under the light showered by Littleman, The Monk briefed about the design of the Palace by pointing out respective spots with his index finger.

http://img4.hostingpics.net/pics/278175PalaceMazeVer042.jpg
(Floor Plan of Vettaiyan Palace designed by Architect Vitara)

"Vishiris must be here", The Monk tapped twice on the cross marked by Minister Narendhira Verman. "We have to open several doors to get into this room. Nine doors to be precise".

The Monk lifted his head and said, "The Palace is divided into three parts :

One, The Underground - Storage Room, House of Slaves and numerous tunnels; we have used only couple of them.

Two, The Upper Level - The Throne Room, Royal Residence and Imperial Chambers. "

He paused and looked at the listeners directly in their eyes and said, "And then, The Maze."

The Monk continued:

"The Maze is the interior part of the Palace. The purpose of the multicursal maze which is well designed with many junctions and nodes and having more than one path, is to trap anyone who enters within its complex structure. It is a multiply connected maze known as the Braid Maze where there are no dead ends but it simply goes around in circles. The wonder of the architecture is that the interior is designed close to a Planair Maze, a true mind bender where the colour and decor of the entered room modifies itself, creating a confusion over the physical route through a maze. "

"Any intruder will not get out of this Palace, alive or dead, as the Maze keeps the intermeddler inside forever within its confusing network of interconnecting and uninterrupted pathways. "

"There are fifty four rooms sharing three to six doors each. The doors perform a dual duty – as the junction and as well as a node - where a junction is the connection between the seemingly endless rooms and the node is the decision point leading to the exit. The doors permit The Maze to form a vortex within, by leading to multiple passageways. Vortices are disoriented, making it difficult to predict the right direction leading out; and multiple vortices linked by these doors together can be particularly confusing to navigate. Out of the doors found inside a single room, only one door is the node. Each time while entering into a new room, the right door - the node - has to be picked, else the junctions will start looping itself allowing to wander inside the structure forever. "

"This is where the floor plan comes handy, but it’s useless once inside the maze as all will seem identic inside making it look complex. I have generated an algorithm to find our way through The Maze and also retracing the path - an end to end route inside The Maze", with his index finger The Monk traced the best-solution; the shortest path indicated by the blue line on the floor plan of the Vettaiyan Palace.

"This spot where we were are standing, is the bottleneck of the maze - the passage that connects one area with another within The Maze - using which I have identified the nodes from the junctions. There are several blind alleys - looping passageways inside The Maze - merely placed to make the backtracking difficult. These very large areas permit to wander aimlessly as there shapes do not define any end. "

"We will be crossing the transition point - a bottleneck that seperates the upperlevel of the Palace and the Maze - and gain ourselves entry into the King's Gallery through the King's Library which will place us right under the Throne Room, thus we have walked right under the nose of the Emperor’s Army guarding the fortified Palace."

"And that’s just about the start and the beginning", The Monk winked at Littleman. The Monk’s head started to shake rapidly when he spoke, "The Mechanism of The Maze should be understood to solve its puzzle" he announced.

"Once a door is opened and closed, the interiors of the room alter automatically. Reopening the same door will permit entry into an altogether different space; whereas technically it’s the same room. The trick is played with the colours and decors. During the modification, a new set of coloured walls gets installed with newly positioned doors, making it difficult to identify which one of them is the node. "

The Monk spoke in a sober tone, "Every third occurrence of the full moon, a salve is sent inside The Maze. None have ever made out of it – Dead or Alive. "

"There are rows of decorated wooden walls and roofs arranged one behind the other", The Monk explained. "A pulley system engages automatically, that is triggered by the handle of the door. The exchange of the walls happens as the existing dividers are pulled towards the roof and replaced by another coloured wooden boards. A third wall moves forward behind the installed one, while the one stored in the roof during the exchange is put back into the third position. Similarly, the roof folds and unfolds to match up with respective colour of the replaced panels. The system is connected directly to the underground where slaves carryout the maintenance. "

"The beauty of the Maze is it's weakness too. The rooms modify themselves to only a specific set of three decors - blue, white and red. When the rotation puts the connecting room to either of these three colours, the next set of three rooms will follow suite, meaning, when the fourth door is opened, the mechanism reinitiates the cycle, thus, initialising the very first room that was entered to its original decor."

"The Maze Mechanism places two checkpoint in the handle of the opened door :

Checkpoint One - once a single door initiates the change, a lock is forced inside the system eliminating it from triggering the pulleys for a second time whenever opened or closed again. Another door must be opened to reinitialise the lock, thus opening and closing a single door will trigger only one set of modifications in multiple rooms, adding more essence to the already boiling confusion.

Checkpoint Two - There is a second internal lock installed inside every door, which does not permit them to be opened at the same time. Only one door can be opened at a single point in time, and the rest will stay locked until the opened door is closed."

"If we follow this pattern while opening and closing each door, then backtracking is quite possible and we can all be standing at this same spot in no time."

"During our tour inside the Maze, we shall be opening nine doors, and use the same nine doors to exit. Between these 18 doors opened and closed the rooms will be constantly changing colours. I have prepared three coded maps, using which we will identify the doors to be opened and track our way by validating the colour of the rooms that we cross. Remember if a junction is opened and it happens not to be a node, then we will be roaming inside The Maze for the rest of our lifetime."

Without taking questions, The Monk opened the white door and entered into a blue room with three doors. The walls were decorated with painting and other regular prettifying items. The Monk said "Please wait here", and walked briskly to the opposite door and disappeared into the next room while his head turned left and right repeatedly in quick succession.

Rumbling noise echoed inside the blue room where Rana, Kali and Littleman were standing as soon that The Monk Closed the door through which he had entered. The sound of chains rolling over pulleys resonated behind the walls. The blue wooden boards with their doors suddenly mounted over to the roof. A quick shift happened, and white panels moved forward, and immediately the blue boards from the roof slid down behind them. The room cover fell down horizontally and cut its way through a thin line opening. Noises of wood scratching over each other ended when a white roof fell to its place. The new white panels with two newly positioned doors and several striking different decorative items completely changed the look of the cubical. The door behind them through which they had entered and the one opposite that The Monk had used retained their places.

The noise stopped. Silence was restored in the white room which was initially blue.

The Monk reopened the door and peeped inside the white room where Rana, Kali and Littleman were standing with their mouth wide open with surprise.

"Mine was white, but now it's red”, he said in a still small voice.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

Speaking without Talking (part 1/2)

atha tesham bhavishyanti manamsi vishadani vai
vasudevanga-ragati- punya-gandhanila-sprisham
paura-janapadanam vai hatesv akhila-dasyushu

"After all the imposter kings have been killed, the residents of the cities and towns will feel the breezes carrying the most sacred fragrance of the sandalwood paste and other decorations of Kalki, and their minds will thereby become transcendentally pure."

- The Gita Chapter 02 Verse 25

The bleeding Monkey Man forcibly took away the torch light from Sena. It stood in front of him watching him with its sparking yellow eyes under the flames of the torch. Sena gently placed Kanakavalli's unconscious body on the floor and knelt before the savage. The Monkey Man kicked Sena on his chest. Sena rolled backwards and stayed still in his fallen position near the raised platform - a circular hearth surrounded by four columns - at the centre of the dark hall.

Sena opened his eyes. He was seated crossed legs on the floor before the hearth. A loud female voice echoed around the underground cave. The pairs of yellow eyes dropped steadily in the darkness and halted midway. Sena looked around and made out from the collective glow of their eyes that The Monkey Men were rooted to the ground. Then, there was complete darkness around him. The Monkey Men have closed their eyes.

The voice spoke in an incomprehensible language followed by a deep silence. Sena looked straight ahead. All of a sudden Sena heard a female voice talking to him, "You won't find what you look for, but here, you will only get what you seek".

A heap of grey flames glowed in front of Sena on the raised platform surrounding a dark shadowy human form which posed to be seated cross legged - the right leg over the left. Sena found himself staring at a thick and dark outline of a woman, her black hair flowing freely at the same time interfering with the grey flames surrounding her. But there was no face.

"What are you?" asked Sena.

The voice laughed, "Is that what you seek?"

Speechless, Sena looked at the beautiful and bright image before him. His mouth opened wide with surprise while admiring the glittering grey sparks appearing and disappearing around the sitting form. The Monkey Men were breathing rhythmically. Sena calmed down.

"I am Yasha, an identity not yet known to this world. I am the Shadow of Time and I am put to wait here. I will rise with Time, when this Yuga (age) attains maturity and the birth of the Golden Age."

"Kalki?" Sena exclaimed, "but ...", before Sena could complete his confusion, Yasha interrupted, "Yes, I will be the first Huwoman, the other half. And I am not a destroyer. I am the administer of the New Age where They are its future”, Yasha raised her hand to point out at The Monkey Men grouped around Sena while speaking, “who will maintain the order put in place by the Creator which is currently being violated in all the Three Worlds."

"The End does not mean fatal neither it’s an extinction, but just another door to another beginning. As The Father said: Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these other living entities nor in the future shall any of us cease to be", Yasha explained.

"This World was created to serve as the eternal existence of the individual souls, never will it be allowed to be destroyed", she confirmed and continued :

"When the Evil Being poses itself as King, begins devouring men who appear righteous and feed on human beings, this world as it is will end. The conflict of the Evil Being is with the Creator, I will ensure no harm to His creations. I shall alight the Light of the Creator buried inside the heart of his creations and ensure their return to the path of righteousness. In the Golden Age, through the awakening of the Light, the grain of illumination will raise many more saints and sages who will assist me to cleanse this world polished with dirt. The world will prosper during The Age of the Sage."

"At the conjunction of two Yugas - Kali Yuga and Satya Yuga - only the rulers of the earth who have degenerated into plunderers will become extinct."

"This End was stopped twenty-one times before in this world, each time the Saviour called The One, brought back the balance. But now, this world will perish as there is no One. Evil men govern the lands. With great fury he has occupied this world, and as powerful as never before, he, the Son of the Devil, had penetrated in here too."

"Your father was a Saviour. He did a great service by re-establishing peace in this Future Kingdom by stopping the invasion of hearts that devised wicked acts, cutting the lying tongue, chopping the hands those which shed innocent, shattered the discord and finally turning the desire into ashes when harm was done by one brother to another."

"And he had asked me to give you a chance, if you will come seeking for it."

Sena felt a burning sensation in his chest and throat. Before he could react, Yasha started talking again, "This world has committed enough crimes, thus, I will become reality."

"During the war between the Creator and the Other World, massacre of innocent souls angered them. It was not their fault. The fault only occurred when they sent their Hunter to destroy this world, the Dream of the Creator. He is human, but his actions are evil.This world as you see will end."

Sena became restless while Yasha spoke about the end. "Rana! What will he become? The Prophecy!" Sena wondered aloud.

"What is new is not true, what is true is not new. Truth works on the function of the past, and until that happens it shall be called a Prophecy", Kalki explained. "And in the battle of three, only one will stand, is truth less, until it becomes true. As a door opens two other doors, truth shall set itself free only through the right opened door, else the wronged will stand on this world."

"The mighty forces, good or evil, must be directed aright - mouldering the good away from evil, and overcoming of evil with good", Kalki summarised the Prophecy.

Looking at the confused being before her, Kalki showered brightness through her song about The Father, The Master, The Sons and The One Who Doesn't Belong Here:

O! listerner, O! listerner, listen.
The lack of wisdom is the root of all evil.

Down on His Holy head,
Of His loose and flowing hair,
As vast and boundless as the woods,
Amid the entangling meshes spread,
And within that labyrinthine hair,
In those winding long meanders,
For many an age the Goddess wanders.

The science and mathematical that he knew,
The arts wherein trained men excel.
On his back the Creation he drew,
And all the lore of Nature as well.
Through his Father's grace his eye was never dim,
When sacrifices he made crossing the fiery tide.
He saw his two sons in place of him,
Seeding His duties before he died.

As moon makes darkness to disappear,
The Nature's horns appear,
Like Two sharp-pointed tusks uplifted clear,
As Hope and Faith wander very near.
Two things alone - he and himself,
Deserve their presence here.
One, the moon of goodness,
The other, virtue of a flower.
When they blossom at night,
These two become the Ornaments of the Nature.

A man of evil heart,
Sees all the good depart.
Molten in the cruel heat,
He rules as if the sky is at his feet.
In liquid flows all the dream,
Like an aimless wandering stream.
His promise is the Devil's dung,
Cooked with ginger and meringue,
The mixture of perfumes eager to eat,
Served by his voice remarkably sweet.
The poor Devil will demand more,
He will plunder until no more.
The giver becomes his salve,
The brave will die in his cave.

By the time she finished, Sena had controlled his mind with his breathe. Yasha disturbed his yogic breathing with her words, "Ask what you seek, as time has come you for you leave."

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

Speaking without Talking (part 2/2)

Sena opened his eyes which brimmed over with a brightness - the glitter of wisdom. He spoke with sincerity and clarity:

"Salutations to the Daughter of Kal*.

The Saviour is no more a Prophecy. It has become true. There is No One. The Forthcoming of Truth will be based on how this world was supported on the shoulders of the Two and not by the One. He will face the East, the other the West, carrying the Nature to perform her dance between dawn to dusk and from dusk until dawn. In this world, only a few have lost their path. Their wandering is not punishable as a crime. Once a Wise Man said:

**No man can long occupy satisfactorily a position for which he is not fit. There is no use in grumbling against nature's adjustment. He who does the lower work is not therefore a lower man. No man is to be judged by the mere nature of his duties, but all should be judged by the manner and spirit in which they perform them.

I assure you that I will set the lost back onto the right path and my other self will ensure their journey towards their destiny. Your arrival had been postponed twenty-one times, I courteously seek to push it down one more time. The End, where the stone falls, shall not be marked by the footprint of the wronged. My Father's sacrifices will not go in vain. Not in vengeance, but performing my duty will gain this world a new Hope and shall stamp the hand of Justice over it. And I will ensure that divinity shall be thrusted on this Loka* like the heavy Meru* falling from the sky."

"Adoration to the Queen of Kala*.

With limited physical strength, we, the humans have realised a much greater Power - The Knowledge. You see ten thousands foot soldiers around, I see them as my forefathers. Their Records I wish to access. The Man, the Creator's treasure, lost in darkness should realise that with the right knowledge he can fly. He can breathe under water. I will deliver it to them, with which they can ignite the Light within. One shall share it with Two, thus, permitting each and every to wander on the laps of the Nature in the Father's Playground. I humbly come to you seeking the Vimana Records."

"Hail the Princess of Kalavat*.

Let your army, for this once, roam on the grounds above to terrorise the Forces of Darkness. I seek not the entire, but a few to aid the carriers of Light pass through the valleys. Thirteen tribes occupy the mountains. Between its valleys, the Army of Light shall walk. Danger at every height will fall upon them like the hills shedding their stones. The rain of arrows will flicker the glow of Light, but I fear not when the Guardians will keep the flames upright inside their palms. I thoughtfully seek your Soldiers of Time to assist my men to travel through the mountains like water."

Sena slightly hung his head down in respect for Yasha, the dark form sitting before him. Silence was stirred with rhythmic breathes which short-lived when heavy and quick foot falls resonated around Sena.

A Monkey Man, with thin and long white hair covering his body, rushed towards Sena. He placed a rolled parchment on the floor and put his face close to Sena's. The White Hair Monkey stared at Sena with its flat face and black eyes. It moved its head to either side and tried to smell Sena with its downward projecting nostrils separated by a small and narrow septum. Suddenly it bent down and pulled Sena's footwear from the right leg. It examined Sena's feet and noting his pink foot heel, it took his feet to its face and started rubbing it all over. A moment later it dropped Sena's feet to the ground. It picked up and threw the parchment at Sena and disappeared back into the Darkness.

"Tatvagyanaprada", announced Yasha, "He was emotionally close to your father. The ones around you here are the beings before the Human. They are called Hanuman who await the arrival of Huwoman."

"You Father", continued Yasha, "accumulated many sins while performing his duty. Slaying Bhuva, the brother of Tatvagyanaprada, when he had kidnapped his own brother's wife, had costed your Father his own head. Shoora, the one standing behind you, is the son of Bhuva. His kick on your chest has revealed him from vengeance and has made him noble again."

"You have already stopped my arrival, Son of the Son. The Prophecy that I will be born in Shambala was postponed when you won the chariot race. It was the Devil's plan not to unite my parents and it succeeded with your help. Each action and every time an action is performed, has its own equal or opposite consequences", Yasha warned Sena.

"The Parchments are now yours. The mountains will be free for you to pass", declared Yasha.

"And remember the End is Near."

Yasha was consumed by the grey flames, and the dark fire was eaten by the floor of the hearth. The heavy breathing around Sena stopped. He heard only one singular breathe, his very own.

Sena opened his eyes. He was lying flat on the ground. He noticed Kanakavalli beside him. He got up and neared her. He admired her dark face on which strands of black hair were sleeping. He gently pushed them away and adored her pretty face shinning in the flames of the torch. Sena mildly shook her shoulders. Kanakavalli took her time to slowly open her almond shaped shutters exposing her eyes - a pair of black placid circular pool of shinny oil over snowy field. The four eyes stared at each other. They spoke to one another while their lips were surrounded with silence.

Suddenly Kanakavalli stood up and quickly took a boxing stance. She breathed heavily in fear and searched around her. Sena calmly stood in front of her.

"The journey had made you tired", he assured her. "You fell asleep as soon as we reached this place, maybe the dampness in the air had put you to sleep. You were murmuring something while sleeping. A bad Dream I suppose!", Sena spoke with his head tilted to his right putting up a face of curiosity.

Kanakavalli looked at him with wide eyes. "We should leave now", Sena told her. She bent down to pick up the two parchments from the ground.

"The Vimana Records", Sena said, "I found them behind those pillars." Saying so Sena moved towards the exit carrying the light torch.

Kanakavalli stood unmoved waiting for an explanation. Sena waited in silence, showing her his back. She slowly walked towards him, and this time she walked past him rather than clinging her hands to his shoulders. Sena followed Kanakavalli.

Sena shed light from behind through which Kanakavalli walked the crooked pathway. When they were midway across the path leading to the exit, Kanakavalli suddenly turned back. She searched in the darkness and then continued to move forward. Sena too had heard the mild footsteps behind him. Once Kanakavalli was advancing before him, he turned and looked back. A pair of Yellow Eyes were watching him.

Shoora blinked. Sena Smiled.

... to be continued ...

Footnote:

*Kal means Tomorrow
*Kala means Time (also Black in Urudu)
*Kalavat means ‘The One who is connected with the future.’
*Loka means World
*Meru means Mountain

** Quote from Spirit of Performing Duty by Swami Vivekananda

Additional Note:

1/ Puranas are ancient recorded texts in our literature containing legends and lores, enlarged with many tales. There are in total 18 Purana : Bhagavata, Vishnu, Naradiya, Vamana, Matsya, Garuda, Brahma, Bhavishya, Agni, Brahma Vaivarta, Brahmananda, Padma, Shiva, Lingaa, Kurma, Markandeya, Varaha, Skanda.

2/ Padma Purana is a very voluminous work divided into five sections/chapters, which accounts the state of the world at a certain period. Mentions of Kalki could be found in other Puranas including Agni & Vishnu Purana and in Padma Purana sixth division called Kriya Yoga Sara, predicts that Kalki will be born in a village called Shambala.

Author's Note: Kalki portrayed as a woman is fictional. It has nothing to do with any existing belief or records or texts. Village Shambala as described in this work of fiction does not exist. Similarly, the use of the name/word ‘Hanuman’ is merely in the context of a wordplay - Hanuman / Human / Huwoman.

[PARAMASHIVAN]

Mappi,

can you please do similar write ups on Kabali ? just a humble request ! மகிழ்ச்சி

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

Saints among Sinners (part 1/4)

The Ninth Door opened to the King's Gallery. A painting portraying a well built, long bearded, naked man seated on a rock exhibiting his quadriceps while holding a shield in his left hand and a trident in his right displaying his biceps was hung above the fire place inside the medium-large room. One eye was brimming blue and the other, a dazzling red.

Rana looked at the war horn crowning the head of the man in the painting and stood still with his mouth wide open. Kali and Littleman watched Rana while waiting for him to say something. Rana took his time and said, "This is the Emperor's Solar guarded by nine ninjas, four were killed while they chased us after the Declaration of War was signed, and the rest of their angry brothers should be here."

The Monk did not pay attention to what was being said, but stood gazing at the portrait. "Skanda", he exclaimed, "The absolute of wisdom and war", he paused and admired Skanda and said, "the Prime in his renounced form, a very rare manifestation."

Littleman looked at The Monk with fear in his eyes, while Rana and Kali surveyed the room without moving. A human size portrait of a Kingly Man on the left wall showed signs of movement and a Red Ninja jumped out tearing the painting. At the same time couple more Black ones jumped down from the roof. The last two White Ninjas moved in from behind the curtains. The four men were surrounded by five men.

Ninja One quickly approached The Monk who was standing in the middle, by just crossing the entire room in three strides. The Red Ninja raised his Bastard Sword to slash his victim at the side of the neck when his weapon was stopped by another blade. Rana had crossed Vajastra, his long sword, between the neck of The Monk and Bastard Sword. The Monk gazed at Skanda with immense devotion in his eyes while his head was moving rhythmically to either side. He did not seem to bother about the attack, even when the side of his neck was brushed by the coldness of sharp blades.

Rana glided his weapon over the sword and neared Ninja One. With great force he pushed the attacker away who halted few steps before Rana after sliding on the floor backwards. Littleman took cover behind a raised wooden display watching Kali handling Ninja Two. He elegantly moved to either side dodging the White Ninja's metal batons. At a right moment Kali dropped two hits with his fist, one reached the pelvic area and the other on the left cheek. Knock-out. Ninja Two fell and stayed motionless on the polished floor.

Rana fought with Ninja One while moving around the room. He bumped on the glass box under which Littleman was hiding. A tiny white cylindrical crystal fell to the ground and Littleman stretched both his palms to catch it in mid-air before it could hit the floor and shatter. The crystal fell into the hands of the Littleman and sat between his palms safely. He examined the item, his eyes glowed while watching the fallen crystal. He immediately pocketed it and hid further inside the wooden support.

Ninja Three and Ninja Four, the Black Ninja Assassins, quickly moved in towards The Monk. One stood before and the other behind. The Monk did not mind the ninja moves, he stood as though nothing existed around him except the portrait of Skanda. The ninjas drew their weapons - a siangham & a pair of punching dagger respectively - and to be sure about the kill, they threw a smoke bomb each in front of them. The Littleman watched the thick white cloud occupying the centre of the room. Few moments later a peculiar noise came out of the screen of smoke. It sounded like leakage of air. The area around The Monk started to clear lethargically and the Littleman saw The Monk standing with his left arm pulled forward and his right leg pulled backwards. The two ninjas were slowly falling to the ground holding to their neck while blood dripped down their mouth. The left fist and the right foot of The Monk had reached the necks of his attackers breaking their wind pipes. The Monk stood in that position with an arm and a leg raised staring at Skanda before him. Littleman gulped.

Rana faced difficulties to win the Ninja One. The situation became fatal when Ninja Five, the last White Ninja with a flat sword, joined his fighting brother. Kali took a place in the corner and lighted his Kinnikinnickthin watching the sword fight between the three. Rana vigorously crossed his sword blocking the heavy attack of two blades while moving backwards. His attackers wedged their weapons in quick successions slicing the air elegantly and landing them heavily on Vajastra at the same time. Rana hit to the wall behind him and the two ninjas pushed their swords onto Rana's neck which he tried to hold with his sword, clutching Vajastra with both his hands. His wrists ached. With one fluent gesture, he removed his left hand and took the belt knife tugged around Ninja One's hip and planted it inside Ninja Five's stomach. With the same continuity of his left hand movement, he reached for his own knife and introduced it to the upper side of the Red Ninja. His nemesis stood ground tolerating the pain, while the other dropped to the ground. Rana held to his knife which was stuck inside Red Ninja and turned it hard. The knife broke a couple of it's victim's ribs. Ninja One bleed internally and a stream of blood leaked at the corner of his lips. He released his hold and met the floor beside the White Ninja.

The five special force soldiers laid motionless in the King's Gallery. Rana released his breathe he had been holding. Littleman slowly walked to centre of the room while Kali was still sitting in the corner. Rana approached Kali and gave him a severe stare. Kali grinned. He put off his kinnikinnickthin by rubbing it on the knocked out body of the White Ninja (Ninja Two) and got up. He followed Rana to the centre of the Emperor's Solar.

"There. The shaft", The Monk spoke as though nothing had taken place inside the room. He had his feet on the ground and pointed at the left top of the room with his right hand. "It should lead to the Twin Arrows, if Verman's right. The arrow heads - blue and red respectively - form the eyes of Skanda; it should be kept on an elevated platform in a tiny space behind the painting."

While The Monk was speaking, the door behind them busted open. Architect Vitara entered into the King's Gallery.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

Saints among Sinners (part 2/4)

"You intruders think you are invisible", growled Vitara.

Rana tried to move forwards, but The Monk stopped him. He pulled him back gently and walked towards Vitara. The Architect watched with unease the approaching bald man who had a bunch of hair running down from the top of his head.

"Do ... do I know you", asked Vitara to the approaching stranger. Littleman watched the striking resemblance in the two men by constantly checking the image of one with the other.

The Monk slowly started to circle around the Architect clutching his hands behind him. His head was shaking violently.

"One person's morality is another's immorality", The Monk said while walking.

Everyone, except The Monk, looked confused. The Monk stopped moving and bent down over the body of the dead ninja under his feet.

"Your doing is marvellous, and now, you will face its wickedness", The Monk stood behind the Architect with a strip of black cloth torn from the black suit of the dead Ninja. He tied the black piece of cloth covering Vitara's eyes. The Architect stood speechless and blinded not knowing whether the stranger was talking about The Maze or something else.

The Monk gently pulled Vitara along with him to the entrance of the Maze. Without saying another word, he opened the door and walked into The Maze with the one who had created it. He carefully noted the changing decors and after he had opening the nth door, he took Vitara to the centre of a red room and he spun him thrice before pushing him to the ground. Vitara, blindfolded, looked around. He was trembling when he heard the stranger's voice.

"When you turn in rounds inside, between this colourful world that you had made for yourself, think about my mother, the innocent young victim of your devilish need."

There was silence and Vitara was breathing heavily. "If we sin once, we have sinned forever", the voice spoke, "Nothing erases the past, as the past will find you, and when it does, it will tear you apart." Vitara heard retreating footsteps. "In the meantime while waiting for the tender hands of your sin to hold your throat", the voice spoke again, "make an effort to escape from the evil that you love. Dig this foundation, maybe you shall find repentance."

Vitara felt his blindfold getting wet. He teared behind his closed eyes, but did not make any effort to speak. He heard the handle noise from a door somewhere in the room he was in.

"The Creator will perish in his own Creation", after the final announcement, the door slammed shut. Vitara heard mechanical noises around him. He slowly brought his hands to the back of his head and untied the blindfold. He found himself sitting inside a white room all alone and weeping.

Vettiayan stood before the dead body of his father. He looked at his mother's portrait under which he had found his father bled to death. With immense anger than agony in his face, Vettaiyan stormed out of the room and entered the corridor leading to the labs of Vaithiyar Kreesnama Muni.

Rana saw The Monk entering into the Emperor's Solar through the Maze's entrance door. He exhaled an air of releif. The Monk looked more relaxed. His walk was more dynamic but his head failed to stick still to his neck. He walked straight to Littleman and said, "Time has come for you to play your part my little friend."

Littleman showed fear and incertitude on his face. The Monk continued, "The shaft is of the size of an half-human. Only a gifted can crawl inside. Kali here will hold you tied to a rope. You shall signal by pulling the rope if you are in danger or do not wish to continue, and Kali here will drag you back out", The Monk spoke is a calm voice. He bent down and put his face in front of Littleman and said in a serious tone, "Behind the shaft is a tiny secret room where the Twin Arrows are kept. It's important that you reach them both. Break it or bend it, however you feel appropriate, but failing to destroy them will put the Two to sleep forever on the bed of the battlefield."

There was silence inside the room. Rana tapped the shoulders of Littleman who blinked non-stop. The Monk looked at Littleman, got up to his feet and moved ahead to position himself below the portrait of Skanda. He spoke to remove the hesitation shown by Littleman. He narrated how he had solved the maze of life:

"You should be wondering why my head shakes. Why I have a dull eyesight. Even, you might be thinking what I am doing here. Or simply who am I" - (The Monk laughed mildly) - "All those questions nobody ever asked me before."

"An orphan, not by the mistake of my mother; she was young and innocent who had died twice - once when an animal ravaged her and when she gave birth to me. Her small body could not take such a pain, and I came to this world as a murderer. Guilt turned into fear and the fear filled with rage; I roamed in the street doing anything that could gain me food. In those petty crimes came the qualifications to be enrolled in a secret guild. Too young to understand what it was all about, I suddenly became a student of Pachonthi, an university for assassins. There, I met Kali & Baasha. And Cipher."

"The Mentor along with his three teachers trained us in various skills - mostly to invoke the sleeping devil within us. We were trained to be the soldiers who could glide in winter snow and killers who could swim in summer heat. United we were a brotherhood, and as single, we were lethal."

"Every year a tournament was held at the guild, a kind of test. It had five stages where a team of two students was formed; the pairs picked ramdomly by the Masters. The Two will fight against the other pairs during the first four stages. The winning duo who belonged to the same team will fight against each other in the final stage. The One who stands becomes vainqueur, and Baasha always won."

"There was an aura around Sena, a sacred mixture of brightness and beauty. Everyone had a tale to tell about him. But he never took the laurels to his head nor kept evil in his heart. Sena is a true gem with a glittering smile. Several occasions he tried to get closer to me, but I was arrogant. He used to stop his friends from judging about me."

(The Monk looked at Kali and smiled. Kali had a soft and sad face hearing to The Monk talking about their childhood).

"All I wanted was to take Sena's place. I had everything that Sena possessed, yet he was considered as the Only One. This urged me to become a leader at the guild, and for that I wanted to defeat Sena before everyone and make them accept that I am superior than the one who they consider as their Saviour. And that year, Cipher ignited my greed, the gallons of black oil that had been filled with ego and resting inside myself."

(The Monk paused to take a deep breathe). "I realised later that the tournament was never a test, but to assassinate Sena and I was merely a puppet in the hands of Vettaiyan, the owner of the Guild and the topper at Panchonthi, who is none other than our very own Emperor."

(The listening Littleman eyes widened).

"The cruelty is that, while being together and working as a team during the initial stages, each one watches out for the other's weakness and will try to exploit it during the fifth stage. I was teamed with Baasha that year. Cipher made a deal with me to eliminate Sena at any possible moment during the tournament. I was adamant that I will take him down only during the duel. Cipher did not agree, but continued to play along with me poisoning me with his sweet words whenever occasion arouse."

"Stage One was called Survival where the pair had to enter & exit a jungle at two fixed points. We both survived, where Sena took immense care of me inside the dark jungles. He is a born Hunter. He knew ways to keep the insects away and the plants that provide energy when consumed. He made fire at a snap of his fingers and knew the spot where the source of water resided. He sat and slept with a smile. His ears heard every noises, still his mind was at rest."

"A group of wild beasts attacked us. They were a cunning bunch with big sharp teeth. I was wounded and bleeding. Sena asked me whether I trusted him. I just nodded my head, I confess that it was not a sincere nod. Sena used me as a trap to pull the beasts into his hunting circle and killed them one by one, all the while I was just sitting at the centre."

"Next was known as Cross Country, a time based event where the pair has to travel empty handed through different set of landscapes from plains to mountains to plateaus - Nature’s own maze in which one can get lost forever. The lands we passed were dry and we walked without food or water for several moons. All we had was each other, nothing else. Sena talked to me to keep me awake. He told me matters that my ears were deaf to hear before. I simply drowned in his company. He moved on like a spark, always with the same glow and energy, but I slowly I started to give up. Finally, I reached the destination on the shoulders of Sena."

"The Brawl was what the third stage was called. Only a few participants were left as during the previous two stages, many did not make it alive or only a single member returned. All such cases were eliminated. Those who still stood as a team were put inside a small cage with four locked door. The keys were hung above, and we had to climb the grilled wall to reach it; all the while pulled down mercilessly by the others. The spirit of the fight is teamwork - one defends the other who charges to open the door by obtaining the key from above. Cipher thought this could be the moment for Sena's end. He was confident that I will succeed and the Mentor will be glad to give him an administrative post within the Guild, which had been his motive right from the beginning."

"Through the door, only four team can exit, as once a team is outside, the door well be locked forever. Sena defended each punch that was landed on me and kept my route safe over the grill until I managed to get the key. Sena constantly knocked the other team mates in their nose and mouth, so that I can work on the locks to find the right door the key could open. The third door I tried flew outwards and I exited when Sena was busy breaking bones. From outside I saw him being surrounded by many fists. He looked tired. He shall not hold for too long. I locked the door and turned to look at Cipher who was looking at me with a cheerful victory smile. He knew very well that Sena was not coming out of the cage alive, as just like myself, there were several other pawns who are now inside the cage with Sena. A punch landed on Sena's face and he slowly fell to the ground. During his fall, he did not take his eyes off me and hitting the floor, he became motionless."

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

Saints amoung Sinners (part 3/4)

Vaithiyar Kreesnama Muni listened to Vettaiyan attentively, and then, spoke slowly and calmly with a strange sense in his crisp explanation, "Their entry does not point to a murder motive, and the purpose of their intrusion is much bigger." His words fell like a lightning over Vettaiyan's head. He quickly turned and disappeared into the corridor. A moment later, mild whistle echoed in the dark hallway followed by a distant howl. Vaithiyar walked to his book shelf and pulled out a fat book with no cover on it. He skipped several pages and glued his eyes to the contents of a particular page of his interest.

"Sena is a warrior, and winning warriors is what a warrior does", The Monk spoke proudly.

"I re-entered the cage as I felt it was unfair to treat a warrior in such a manner. Unconscious Sena was being stamped mercilessly by too many feet. I left out a heavy cry and charged at the small crowd of angry young men. No rules were passed to my fists; they took down whatever met their end. I fell over Sena and took half of the stampedes. Gradually I worked my way to pick him up and placing him around my shoulders, I rushed out of the cage and locked it back."

"Stage Four: The Blind Test. The remaining four teams, eight participants who had kicked their way out of The Brawl, had to pass few simple objectives called The Five Obstacles – Pike Floor, Ponds of Boiling Oil, Swaying Swords, The Pit and a Pendulum."

"These obstacles were to be crossed while being blindfolded, basically to train the senses. We both heard the pikes peeping up and down; timing our movement and aligning it when they were down, we crossed the deadly floor. We smelt the boiling oil grouped in pools and found a safe route around where there was a mild difference in the odour, a very difficult one to pick up. Also the steams guided us the route in-between. The motion of rushed air allowed us through the three swaying swords. Sena found the rope hanging above the pit which was decorated with a shrapnel floor. He crossed first and threw back the chord. When I was gliding in the air, I was suddenly caught and put back onto the ground."

"And finally we were few steps from victory. Sena maintained his concentration, while I let myself to be fed by my ego. I was glad that I was winning and rejoicing over the imaginary crown on my head earned by defeating Sena. At that time Sena had noticed the change in the rythm of my breathing. He knew I had lost myself. He quickly turned and pulled me over him. A huge bark swung past me brushing my nose and I fell over Sena. I immediately got up, another mistake, the outcome I had to embrace for the rest of my life."

"The pendulum of bark returned and hit the back of my head."

"Then the finals, The Duel. We had to fight until the other one gives up. Sena knew I will allow myself to be killed rather than accepting defeat, so he let me take him over. Only blunt wooden weapons were to be used. That year, for the first time, a sharp wooded trident fell beside me when Sena was on the ground and I was on the top of him. With rage, I took the pointed trident, but buried it beside Sena."

"Sena is beyond victory, I realised it at that moment. My head ached. The tournament had put me with Sena to kill him, but Sena taught me strength, patience and endurance. It’s difficult to put off something that shall never lose its glow. I decided to take out Sena the next year, after mastering all the techniques he had taught me during the different stages of the tournament."

"I was announced the winner for that year, which made myself distant from the other students. Everyone thought I was shy as I knew it was Sena who gave away his victory to me. Many tried to approach me, but I sent them all away with insults. Sena, again, stopped his friends from troubling me."

"I was aloof because, I was not well. I wanted to join Sena, but of what use I would be? The wound on the back of my head started to cause problems. My sight dimmed and my head pounded, which the reason for my isolation."

(Kali bit his teeth and wanted to rush and take his childhood friend in his arms whom he had been thinking to be a wicked one, but he stood listening to The Monk).

"One day my hands started to tremble, along with my head. That day, I decided to leave the guild before anyone finds about my illness. But I got a new urge to know about myself. That night I slipped into the record room. Every student had a thorough record. We thought we were orphans. The record room held our secrets. When Sena took over the Guild, the first thing Cipher was asked to do was to destroy these records. Inside the record room you could find everything in detail except three information – about Sena & Vettaiyan, and you would not find the records of an anonymous called, The Poet. He whispers in the wind, and if you had listened, then that's the last voice you would hear."

"I read to know about my father. Rage took over me, but my body rejected its pleas. I took my anger on the animals in the jungle. Skills learned at the Guild aided me to hide there for years, finding ways to reach the cruel man. My own leg got trapped inside a hole I had dug. I cried in pain the whole night and blacked out. When I opened my eyes, I was in a hut and few aged men dressed in black were moving around me. The twelve men cured my body as well as my mind. They informed me that I will be the Only One to guide the Two through the maze. I waited patiently until Sena came seeking for me. Thus, bringing along the solution I had been waiting for. "

The Monk paused and then continued with a smile, "Now for the final question that you may have in your mind: Why am I saying this to you all without finding what we have come here to find." He turned and looked at Skanda, the portrait behind him. "Prophecy is the forthcoming of truth. The twelve men said that my purpose will yeild when I am before Skanda."

The Monk turned back and looked at Littleman, "I did not understand then, now, I know. I have solved the puzzle of my life, the maze inside which I had been prisoned all along. My journey ends here."

The Monk paused and then continued, "So my dear Littleman. Hesitations are thorns. They should not be allowed to penetrate, nor keep them inside for long. Both are painful. If anything troubles you, I understand. But fear not my friend, just like the crystal that had allowed you to carry itself in your hands, you will be glad to find yourself too. The half-human sized opening of the shaft, is the door for you to enter."

"We all will leave from here", Rana interrupted The Monk.

"Faith", The Monk spoke to Rana, "I had discussed a lot with the twelve disciples about the Prophecy, and I wish Hope falls with the Evil, erecting Faith." Immediately after, he turned and asked Littleman whether he was ready. Littleman nodded affirmatively.

Kali tied the end of a long rope around Littleman's hip. Rana lifted him and placed him on the shoulders of Kali. Kali took the feet of Littleman and pushed him up to reach the air shaft. Littleman held to the shaft and after few kicks and peddling with his feet, he entered into the tiny shaft.

It was dark and Littleman went on to push his belly forward. He moved right and left until a blow of air hit his face. He crawled towards that direction and reached the top of a small hall. Littleman examined the room. A spiral wooden staircase mounted from the middle of the tiny room, holding a platform over the top. He traced the steps with his eyes and followed it until the end of the wooden plank above. The Twin Arrows were sitting at the edge; their arrow heads were inserted inside the wall.

Littleman could not see the floor, it was too deep and dark down under. He was sitting in the mouth of the shank, fixed somewhere into a circular stone wall. Dim torch lights were glowing randomly around. The gap between spiral structure in the middle and the shaft was large. He decided to take a leap of Faith towards the wooden staircase. He took a deep breath and launched himself into the air. Midway, something hard hit him and he found himself falling down. His free fall ended over a hard surface.

Kali suddenly found his rope tightening and then it loosened. He pulled the roped which came out freely from the shaft. When it was completely in his hand, he looked at Rana holding the end of the chard to which Littleman was tied up. It was cut by a sharp object.

The Monk looked the blue and red blinking spots on Skanda’s face.

"Twin Arrows will arise. The Two shall close their eyes", his head shook violently.

... to be continued ...

[PARAMASHIVAN]

Mappi,

Your inbox is full , please free up some space for me to reply to your pm, thanks

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

Saints among Sinners (part 4/4)

The Monk approached the centre of the King's Gallery and laid himself flat on the ground placing his right ear on the floor. Rana and Kali closed in towards him; their walk provoking screeching sound over the wooden floor. The Monk signalled with his finger not to make noise; they stood still and The Monk closed his eyes. He heard soft noise, a kind of soft taps over thin walls. He sat up back and used a tiny sharp blade hidden in his hip belt to mark a circular area on the shiny floor. He asked Kali to break the wood within the marked area. Kali pushed his right leg hard inside the circle, and after few kicks his foot entered into the floor. The Monk waited for Kali to clear the debris. He motioned Rana to approach him.

Rana found a circular object through the hole on the floor. "Is that Vishiris?" he asked, "Isn't it too small to destroy the world?"

Kali found it amusing when his friend laughed at Rana's comment. He grinned at The Monk.

"A man, half the size of a regular human, covered the Three Worlds with only three strides", The Monk said, "There is no such thing as size. Far seems to be small, near seems to be big. It's the way it works, and not its projection."

The Monk pointed at the three wooden cylinders sealed by a transparent cover, arranged in a triangular form over a tiny bucket of colourless liquid. All three containers were connected to each other with a single thick thread drilled in the middle to form a channel, so that the contents of the container could pass through them.

A sort of white fog occupied the capsule to the left and the one to the right was half filled with a thick fluid. The one on the top had a flat and dark stone sitting at its bottom.

"The Air, the Solid and the Liquid", The Monk pointed at each cylinder respectively. "The main elements of the Nature. Together, they form the Vishiris".

The Monk slowly walked around the hole on the floor while speaking :

"Youngman had mentioned that the fire at the Great Library could be a conspiracy to hide the theft of a single Title less Book. Even before the Emperor was born, certain actions were set to motion. From his memory, he re-created most of the lost contents. He had accounted that this Title less Book held information about peculiar substances and that it was sealed inside a fireproof room; the storage box made following the instruction from the book itself."

"His mentor, Eradosth, the Great Librarian, informed him that the world was not yet ready to acquire the knowledge the book held within. Eradosth believed that the book narrates the incident of the Creator destroying the Second World using the atmosphere, liquid and solid bodies present the universe. These elements were mingled together and when they hit an environment, they reacted with one another creating the huge explosion."

"Youngman could not remember the name of any substances, but he had described the materials. The thick liquid is a highly flammable substance that could burn anything it touches, except a counter substance which is specially made to discharge its property; the same which served as a fire proof for storing the book in the library, like the container in which it is held now and the thread. The attackers of the Great Library were not aware of this; they had entered, looted the book and burned down the place which raised the conspiracy - How can a fireproof sealed room burn?"

"The stone is the rarest element that cannot be made and it’s not from this world. Ignited, it produces unbelievable energy without perishing itself while it burns. It turns itself into an eternal fire. The coolant on which the three objects are placed serves to maitain a certain temperature, especially for the stone creating an environment of the land of its origin."

"The gas is a solvent obtained from various other substances. It has a peculiar attribute to absorb one of the elemental molecular present in the air when dispersed. It uses fire from the stone that is ignited by the liquid, to spread and multiply itself each time it destroys an existing atmosphere. Thus, the remaining flammable substance, that we breathe to live, remains and gradually converts itself into a flammable energy and when it could not hold anymore, it bursts and the existing fire helps it to transform into an explosion."

"It’s kind of a cycle within a cycle that carries on until any of its own cycle perishes; that could not happen in a few lifetime. The liquid ignites the stone, the stone creates an eternal flame in which the gas multiples itself turning the invisible air into a devastating bomb – the Nature destroys itself."

"Someone close to the Emperor should have made the Vishiris and that person should be in procession of the Book without a Cover. To diffuse Vishiris, the three cylinders must be separated and then, made sure they do not come in contact ever again."

The experts went to work. Rana watched Kali and The Monk disarming Vishiris by carefully following the thread that connected the cylinders. He felt his pounding heart would explode before Vishiris could. The explosive specialist identified all the entry and exit points of the three parts. He careful sealed them with a sticky black paste and after a careful analyse on safety, Kali removed the three cylinders and placed them on the floor one by one.

"Each one of us should carry one of these items, and be careful not to ...", before The Monk could complete his sentence, they heard a distant howl.

The Monk looked at both the men and whispered, "Leave!"

"No, not without you", argued Rana.

"I will only slow you down", he replied while tapping the shoulders of Rana. His head shaked violently when he said, "Take the cylinders with you and find any suitable way to destroy them."

Rana hesitated while Kali collected two containers and held them safely in each of his hand.

"Here, the exit map. During the way out, the first room could be different as I had entered The Maze. Follow the same pattern, and always open the door in front of you. Just remember, not even by mistake, make any turns."

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=5553&d=1474551540
(The Entry-Exit Map hand-drawn by The Monk to move in and out of The Maze)

Handing the map to Rana, he whispered urgently, "Go ... Go!" Rana quickly collected the third cylinder containing the flammable liquid and ran towards the entrance door when he heard the footfalls of Vettaiyan.

Without turning back, Rana opened the door and entered into The Maze, at the same time Vettiayan walked inside the Solar surrounded by his Kukkuras.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

You know what You are

Whatever has a name, that is Name. And that again which has no name and which one knows by its form, this is (of a certain) form, that is Form. As far as there are Form and Name so far, indeed, extends this universe.- The Supreme Principle as translated from Shatapatha Brahmana (700 BCE [Before Common Era]) .

Vettaiyan walked slowly into the room. He marched towards the entrance door of The Maze ignoring The Monk seated on the floor. He turned his head and checked the Twin Arrow which were in place. A flicker of relief escaped through his lips as a tiny smile. He, then, rolled his eyes down and checked the floor. He knew Vishiris was broken and the pieces were carried away.

Couple of soldiers rushed and tried to open the door of The Maze. Vettaiyan pushed them away with his stare as sharp as twin blades that cut them to a stop immediately. He whistled twice and two of his guardian dogs slowly crossed the room passing The Monk. Vettaiyan opened the door and [I]Chintha & Antha entered into The Maze.

"Life has a fragrance, but not all possess the power of smell", Vettaiyan spoke to his soldiers. They ran back and stood behind the entrance wall of the Solar.

He turned and looked at The Maze door again, "Once I wanted to test myself. I entered The Maze. Two days later, I was rescued by a team led by my architect." He quickly turned and looked at the man sitting on the floor near the hole. "Glad that you made it to the outside in your first attempt Varadhan", he paused and then asked him, "I suppose you have put your father inside to drown in The Maze", Vettaiyan cunningly enquired about Vitara.

The Monk maintained silence. He was seated cross legged, looking straight at Skanda. "And which hand murdered my old man", Vettaiyan questioned again, but The Monk sat still. Vettaiyan approached him and took a deep look at The Monk, "You look aged Varadhan!" he said. The Monk lifted his head and watched the grey streams of hair flowing down the Emperor's shoulders. He replied in a very calm voice, "Grown old doesn’t mean grown up."

Vettaiyan laughed immediately. He made a tiny circle while cheerfully clapping his hands.

"See, my grown friend, whatever you might have heard, but all that I seek to everyone is so simple. Look at the nations that have embraced me. They flourish. The seven tribes which have accepted me as their King. They have wealth & woman and their lands are barbarian free", Vettaiyan talked rapidly.

"And look at them who have opposed me, they are salved under my feet. They dwell beneath this palace awaiting their saviour, a man with one leg and they call him Dharma. At times I send them into the Maze to find their Dharma", Vettaiyan laughed aloud, while The Monk sat in peace.

"All I ask is to accept me as the Emperor. Then there shall be no necessity for the Two, neither an end nor a beginning. Another Two will permanently take their places; Peace and Harmony will sweep this world like the high tides. And that shall not be granted even by the one whom you call the Creator", Vettaiyan spoke proudly.

"What you seek is dominance. And yes, the Creator shall never grant it to thee", The Monk replied shrewdly.

"An old man’s name is Youngman and a short man is Tallman. And the talking assassin calls himself The Monk. Together, these Sinners project themselves as Saints", Vettaiyan paused and caressed his beard before asking, "Tell me Killer, who is this Creator, then, how he created this World of yours!"

The Monk replied:

What was the wood and what was the tree,
He only knows, the One who knows thee.
The Carpenter is the wood and the Sacrificer the tree,
The Creator is the latent power that resides inside thee.

There was neither being nor non-being.
There was no air nor sky overseeing.
Then, neither death nor deathless existed,
The day and night were yet to be separated.

There was darkness hidden inside darkness,
There was no water flowing over hardness.
Then, for the first time there arose desire,
That which was the primal germ of mind's choir.

In the nothingness connected the bond risen,
From His navel the world has arisen.
He is the source from which this universe was created,
Whose shade is death, whose shadow is life sated.

Who gives us breath, who gives us strength,
To all that breathes and all that wakes,
In whose ten fingers is the accelerator,
The One I shall call the Creator.

Vettaiyan left out a mocking laughter, "And you believe that! By the by, whose side is this Creator? Mine or Yours!"

The Monk became speechless. Vettaiyan walked briskly towards the exit. He stopped, turned and while combing his hair tied together flowing on his shoulders, he declared, "And now I will allow you to meet your maker and ask that question."

The Emperor walked out of his Solar followed by his faithful hounds. The Monk closed his eyes.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Three - War of Karmegha

Dust and Ashes

Rana opened the third door and Kali, clutching the two parts of Vishiris, entered from behind into the blue room and they ran past the changing decor to open the door on the opposite side. Near the door, Rana put his hands over Kali's shoulders signalling him not to turn the door latch. He kept his eyes on the door through which they had entered the blue room which had transformed into red. Silent took over when the mechanical sounds died, and then, slowly the opposite door creaked open and a one eyed dog peeped its head inside. It calmly marched into the room and advanced towards Rana, closely followed by another hound with one ear. "They followed the scent", Rana whispered. When the door closed, the mechanism of The Maze was activated, and the red walls were converting itself into white one. Neither the dogs nor the escaping duo moved. As soon as the room shed its skin and dressed itself with a new decor, Rana shouted at Kali, "Now!"

Kali quickly opened the fourth door and they entered the next room locking the entrance behind.

"I thought dogs don't open doors", Kali complained. "You have been proven wrong", Rana answered while racing past Kali. Each door they opened and entered, the distance between them and the dogs was maintained. By the time Rana opened the sixth door, the dogs managed to close in, that he had to shut the door on their faces. The mechanism that puts a lock on the doors aided them to gain a few moments ahead of the chasing dogs.

Kali took the lead and after crossing couple more rooms, he said "One more to go", and arrived at the final exit door. After entering into the tunnel, he held the door open for Rana, with a terrified face. The dogs have entered the last room and were calmly circling around Rana in front of Kali and the exit door. The first and last doors of The Maze were not connected to the lock mechanism, thus, permitting the dogs to enter the same room even when the ninth door was kept open by Kali. They were not connected so that they shall never be locked down if anyone else was navigating inside The Maze, opening and closing random doors desperately, making sure that the entrance and exit to The Maze was always open.

Rana did not move. He just followed the circling dogs with his eyes. The casual walk of the hounds changed hinting an attack. With his free hand, Rana removed Vajastra, his long sword, from his hip belt and slowly moved in a small circle inside the deadly outer circle created by the dogs around him. He kept his eyes on both the hounds while moving. Antha, the one eyed beast of Vettaiyan, made the first strike. It jumped at Rana, opening its mouth to expose the sharp teeth. When the fierce beast was close to Rana's face, he moved to his left and slapped his blade forcibly on Antha's back. The dog left out a tiny cry, but succeeded in throwing its clawed paw at Rana before landing behind him on the shiny floor and skidding itself to a stop. The torn skin on Rana's back gave him a peculiar burning pain and his yell echoed around the room. Chintha, the monster mother of Vettaiyan Kukkuras, did not give Rana the time to recover. It leaped at him from a closer range. Rana immediately brought the handle of his sword and punched it on its head. Chintha started to fall flat and before hitting the floor, it slapped Rana on his right lap. It quickly got up on its feet and positioned behind Rana, falling beside Antha. The pain made Rana fall on his left knee. He fixed his sword on the floor with his left hand and used it as a support. In the other hand, he held to the cylinder of Vishiris. His eyes bleed tears of pain when he tried to focus on the angry hell dogs standing side by side facing him and preparing themselves for another round of attack.

Rana knew very well that he will de garlanded with death if he choose to fight the hounds. They were quicker and stronger, more over very strategical. They pounce not to kill, but to wound; weakening their victims through their tiny attacks before making the final killer move. They were not the usual domesticated animals. They were the Devil's own faithful companions.

Standing on one knee, Rana threw the third part of Vishiris, the container holding the flammable liquid, at the devil dogs. Kali's mouth opened wide when he saw the tiny cylinder spin itself in the air. The dogs split to either side at the right moment, permitting the flammable liquid to hit the floor rather than falling on either of them. Without any delay, the substance started to consume the wooden floor. Rana quickly reached the door behind him and yelled at Kali, "Run!"

While they were running through the first tunnel, the flames started to spread violently through the pathway. The hands of fire caught and crushed anything on its way, turning them into dust and ashes. The Vettaiyan dogs were nowhere to be seen, when the escaping duo ran past the tunnel and got down the spiral stairs to take the final long stretch leading to the entrance below the Brother's Cemetery. They were fiercely chased by a dense and dark smoke.

When they were at the tunnel's exit, Kali pushed Rana violently outside. While running behind Rana, he was desperately trying to escape the ball of fire chasing them. The fire had entered into the tunnel and occupied the entire space below. Rana pushed himself breaking the tiny wooden door and landed on the cemetery ground. He quickly rolled to his left, freeing the way for Kali, who jumped and landed his heavy body on the grass to the right side of the exit. They both turned their faces away from each other, when the angry flames threw themselves out of the tunnel through the squared opening on the grass floor.

In the seated position over the Brother's Cemetery, Rana turned and looked at the building behind him. Each and every area was ablaze. The army positioned to capture them near the entrance gate seemed to work over the panic state. Many were racing towards the fire. Rana got up quickly and ran towards the wagons. Kali took over the rumble-tumble coach, while Rana rode the one resembling to a funeral coach; a huge heap of manure sat fatly inside. The three other members who came along with them to act as gardeners during their absence, were missing.

The two heavy four-wheeled carriage pulled by two horses each, raced passed the Palace Garden followed by mounted archers. When they reached the entrance gate, Kali galloped his horses by communicating to them with his hand aid, signalling to run faster and straight into the gate. The blocking guards fell to either side to avoid getting stomped by the horses. The horses rammed through the main gate and the wagon created a hole, through which Rana leaped outside on his violently shaking carriage. The two wagons were running outside the Palace grounds one behind the other, when a horse archer aimed and shot a fire arrow that got stuck to Rana's coach. The manure caught fire immediately. Not minding the wagon on fire, Rana galloped his horses to run faster by shouting consistent words while cueing them. Soon the burning chariot pulled by two horses ran parallel with the one driven by a hefty man that was flying fast.

Rana tried to balance himself on the shaft, the wooden pieces that extend from the front of the carriage between which the horses are harnessed. He prepared himself to jump on to Kali's wagon when he noticed the fire quickly approaching towards the front side. He looked at the horses, who ran madly in fear. Without a second thought, he laid flat on the shaft and pushed his way forward on the wooden pole. Few arrows flew past him. When he was at the centre, he coupled his legs around the shaft and held to it with his right hand while hanging upside down from it. He carefully started to undo the harness starting from the belly band working upwards with the girth and the back band, finally releasing the hame clip. While he was working, his weight on the suspended pole moved up and down towards the ground where his back almost hit the mud below.

One horse was freed, but was still running alongside with the other as the bearing rein hooks on it’s back were still attached. Rana worked on the other horse, and when he had finished, he moved over the shaft and stood over the horses by placing one leg on each. With accurate balancing, he bent down and released the hame terrets, and pulled the hooks from the wale. Immediately one horse separated, and ran away aimless while Rana managed to remove his leg from the fleeing horse and started riding on the second horse. The wagon wiggled when Rana quickly freed the second animal.

As soon the horses were freed, the shaft hit the clay ground and its pointed end stuck itself in the mud. The burning wagon was thrown high in the air. Rana rode on the horse under the flying wagon of fire. When he was at the side of Kali's coach, he held to its side and climbed on top of it while the horse galloped away from the path, at the same time the wagon on fire dancing in the air dropped to the floor. The shaking carriage did not assist Rana to hold on to it. Rana swayed like a pendulum, before finally after few struggles got on top of it.

Kali did not stop to gallop his horses, not even minding the explosion or Rana moving like a leaf in a violent wind behind him. He turned to look back and found the pursuers had halted and were watching the fleeing wagon while sitting idle on top of their horses. Kali grinned.

Rana placed both his hands to his hips and stood spreading his legs on top of the wagon, watching the Vettaiyan Palace in flames.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Forth Coming Attractions (Fake Preview)

The Ronin Trilogy (A Rajini Rewritten Trilogy ... continues)

Part 1 - Lalli & Kusa

The harmony established by his mother is rattled by the young Prince Kusa, when he decides to exploit the new found resource known as the Black Gold, which could provide energy multiple times more than the wood. Greed extends its hands to its new mate Prince Kusa and makes him a fabulous drink energising him to become the Ruler of the World with the power that the Black Gold could provide him. His secret sessions with the Man who Talks, encourages him to become an Emperor by brutal force. The crusade of Kusa spreads on all the five lands massacring the Peace among People.

Lalli, the Girl of the Tribe, is a petty theif. Trained by her own Father, she talks to the wind through her deadly weapon, cutting the throats of the wrong doers who eye on the rich resources that belong to her jungles. When her village, the Black Valley, is threatened and looted by Prince Kusa’s army while her Father is on exile, she wages a secret war against the Kingdom and takes an oath that she will stop only when the Crusaders bite the dust.

When fate appoints a meeting between Lali & Kusa, much bigger secrets are revealed, which will rewrite the tales of humanity ...

Part 2 - Lingaa

The proud librarian of a small street cart-library, Lingaa is a young man who preaches knowledge is the best power, stronger than any King's army. The Crusaders seek his help to find the Black Gold Deposits, whom he willingly helps, seeing the Black Gold as the future. With his brilliance he leads the Crusaders, which also allows him to become the best companion of Prince Kusa, the soon to become Emperor of the Five Worlds.

Coming from a poor family, growing up on the laps of his mother, and with the help of his mentor's (known only as The Apprentice) guidance, Lingaa waits under the shadows of Prince Kusa ...

Part 3 – The return of The Hunter

Ronin, a warrior without a master.

The New World for which he fought, had suddenly taken a faster spin in the wrong direction. The Hunter must surface before getting hunted himself and make sure the current génération do not fail to perform their duties.

And Yet again, the Three will Fight, Only one will Stand ...

The Ronin Trilogy - Chaturmukha ... 25 years later.

[mappi]

Forth Coming Attractions (Fake Preview)

Extracts from Ronin Trilogy :

Kusa read the message again, desperately to find where the kidnappers might have held his love Madanika :

Do not scold the lightning, she is with your friend.
The golden cords hit the crest, setting ablaze her breast.
This lamp that draws a shinning line, is the most blest.
As telling where your most beloved rests.

And then it struck him like a lightening.

[mappi]

Extracts from Chaturmukha Part Three : Episode Days Of Battle

You get one shot at this life and people waste it with hate, bitterness and murder. - Sena.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=5564&d=1475332900

Treat him with love and feed him with pain, until he breaks and asks for no more. - Vettaiyan.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=5572&d=1475342741

When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives. - The Poet.
(From A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin)

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=5566&d=1475332918

The whole secret lies in confusing the enemy, so that he cannot fathom our real intent. - Rana
(From The Art of War by Sun Tzu)

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=5569&d=1475333128

Be prepared, wait and then, appear from where you are not expected. - Kochadaiiyaan.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=5570&d=1475333273

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - A Rajini Rewritten Trilogy

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=5571&d=1475334373

The story so far...

The peace among the three worlds - Creator's Paradise, Maiden World & Creator’s Dream World - disrupts when the unhappy Father of the Worlds (over a theft of Light from the Paradise) orders the second world to destroy his own dream world. When the Father is convinced that the habitants of the third world have refined and reformed, he orders the Maiden World, where innocent souls reside, to retreat. But the second world, enchanted by the habitants of the new found world, refuse the direct order from the Creator. In anger, the Creator destroys half of the Maiden World, killing millions of innocent souls. The few who have survived and managed to hide in the Dream World, sabotage the Courts of Justice, thus, the doors between the Worlds were permanently closed. In this darkness, the demons and evils live consuming the Creators own Creation. When all their plans were shattered by the Creator, they send their final warrior, The Hunter, into the thrid world to destory it once and for all.

When the doors were shut, the Legion of the Creator, find alternate ways to save the habitants of the third world from the clutches of evil. Kochadaiiyaan, their own flesh and blood walks over the earth capturing and sending back illegal souls to their proper world. Fate puts him on his knees, and The Hunter's strike separates his head from his body. Before leaving the world, Kochadaiiyaan planted two seeds - Faith & Hope. His twin sons, Rana & Sena, separated during childhood, reunite to avenge their Father's death, in return saving the destruction of their own world.

The army, led by the Brothers, have reached the door steps of Vettaiyan, The Hunter from Hell.

Next Episode : Days of Battle, will resume shortly.

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Four - Days of Battle

Simple Ways and Hard Ways
(Rated-R)

"Don't you find it curious?" Rana asked Sena without looking at him, while watching the waves caressing the seashore of Narukkukanna.

The brothers, after a detailed discussion over the Vettaiyan Palace and Vimana Records expeditions, were standing over the sands at the Pirates Bay. Many pirates were working on a couple of ships, loading or preparing the vessels. Few of the allied force soldiers were supervising the captured pirate’s activities, and several others were guarding the strategic port from potential dangers. Narukkukanna, a strong hold operated by pirate captain Adhi for the Emperor was captured by the allied forces. Out of the three harbours, anchoring at the Pirates Bay permitted the shortest route to the battle field Karmegha.

The sun was bright and warm. The foams were constantly growing and bursting along the ripple marks, the temporary scar left by the waves on the sand bed. Few crabs sidled around - the mole crabs burying themselves into the sands; the ghost crabs moving quickly and stopping abruptly. The breeze swiftly circled around the seashore, chatting with a bunch of dark hair on the brother's head.

Without waiting for an answer from his brother, Rana spoke thoughtfully, "Everyone who had met the twelve disciples privately, are neither alive, nor cease to exist!" he wondered looking at the waves trying hard to hold on to the shore.

Rana slowly turned and looked at his brother, "I have seen them once too. I was alone that night before visitng the Wise Brothers. In a bar, when they were drinking from the same bowl. One disciple even uttered the prophecy rapidly at me, before they all dispersed."

Sena tried hard to conceal his shock, and faintly succeeded. He took his time recollecting their meeting with the twelve mysterious men who claimed to be the Disciples of Time. The bunch of lost sailors were enlightened by a Sitting Sage and they now roam deep inside the jungles. Several people who had assisted the brothers have spoken to the twelve sailors, and none were with them now.

Sena put his right hand on his brother's left shoulder and said, "Before any such thing happens to you", he held on to the Demon Eye that was clutching itself to a black string around his neck, "I will fail before you fall". The Demon Eye blinked, Sena acquired the portion that provokes rage from Dhavoma, the Goddess Witch.

"The records are the shine of a thousand gems", a voice from behind interrupted their conversation and Sena turned and spread his arms wide to take Kacha inside them. Kacha’s father Vrikoda, known as the Wrestler, had assisted Sena's father along with the five other Warriors in his journey around the five seas and five lands. Kacha had joined Rana to unearth the secrets of his father, which had led them to the Gulf of Bhairavi. Since then, Kacha had never left the side of Rana. "How have you been?" Rana enquired. "Better than good", Kacha replied showing his bandaged arm.

Kalai, the army chief of Katrupuzha, who was appointed by King Sorubhan as the representative of his Kingdom to the allied forces, saluted Rana. He immediately pulled the General's hand down and hugged him. "When people like you are a part of this army, I can take long leaves, convincing myself that any place above the ground will be secure." Rana watched Kalai’s bandaged shoulder, "Another scar of victory", he proudly said to Kalai. He accepted the generous comment from Rana with a genuine smile. "Heard about the fire. Cool!" Kalai extended his smile which Rana acknowledged with an amused laughter.

Hearing about the fire, Kacha immediately questioned Rana, "How is Vadhana?"

"Not completely recovered, but she is doing just fine". Vadhana, the queen of Kottaipatiam was wounded at the Pirates Bay during the capture mission. Immediately after the success, the Queen's palace was attacked and set ablaze. She was carrying the child of Rana inside her. "The wrist wounds have healed and she is in the hands of few good nobles guiding her to use her hands as before."

"That means the Prince is doing fine too", Kacha spoke with gladness. Rana gave a mild laugh at him, "Yes my friend, yes."

Listening to the word ‘friend’, shrunk Kacha’s face, "Sengodagan ...", he said softly, "... does Vadhana know yet".

Senagodagan was Vadhana's brother, the heir to the throne of Kottaipatinam and a childhood friend of the brothers. He had gladly accepted the affair between his sister and Rana and later got married to Yamuna, the sister of Rana & Sena, but his unsatisfied father showed him the door soon after the marriage. He was a part of Rana’s Treasure hunting team; the relics they had unearthed sat decorating the King's Gallery at the Vettaiyan Palace. When Rana slayed his father Rishikodagan, Sengodagan sought vengeance and allied with his arch rival Veera Mahendran to take back Kottaipattinam by force as his sister and Rana were choosen by the people as their leaders.

"No", replied Sena, "We have kept it concealed for the moment. The burnt body was referenced belonging to the assassin who set fire to the Palace."

Sengodagan was killed in the fire.

"How did Sengodagan manage to be present in the Palace that evening", questioned Kacha, "Was he responsible for the act?"

Sena took a serious tone while replying Kacha, "A certain blindness disrupts the vision, but not the sight. A friend turned foe, armours his loved ones. Sengodagan loved his sister. The burning realisation he confessed in my arms, the hot streams of truth that escaped his mouth and his feverish anxiety over not to have listened to the Wise Brothers, still boils inside my ears.”

Sena looked away towards the shinning sun while talking to group, "The few last spies informed us that Sengodagan had doubts over the union of Veera Mahendran and the Emperor. During several occasions he had suspected them to be meeting privately and did not hide his annoyance when Veera Mahendran kept him distanced from the affairs involving Kottaipatinam. That night, Sengodagan had come to the palace to meet his sister and convince her to come with him as he doubted that the Kingdom was soon to be attacked by Veera Mahendran’s secret force and he feared the dark clouds of danger gradually gathering above his sister.”

Sena turned back and addressed directly at Kacha, "The fire was started by two women disguised as nurses. They both were consumed by the flame when they tried to stop Sengodagan from saving Vadhana."

Kacha was about to say something, but prefered to stay quite. The anger over Hanchabadra's death made him judge Sengodagan as a cruel man. Hanchabadra was an aide of Rana and Sengodagan. The three were inseparable. During their first meeting after the rapture, Hanchabadra became a victim of Sengodagan's bitterness, that had punctured his friend's Golden Heart. Kacha's thoughts were disturbed by the soft footfalls on the sand.

“Greetings and Welcome Brothers", roared Sultan. He was accompanied by Kanakavalli and Shama. Sultan was the son of Fakir, an island dweller whom Rana's father had helped during difficult times. When Rana met Sultan, he readily accepted to assist them to capture Narukkukana. And when things went ugly through a surprise attack by bandits who were the disguised soldiers of the Emperor, Sultan’s camel cavalry chased them all away from the sands of hell. If not for his timely intervention, none shall be standing and talking on the sands at the Pirate's Bay.

"Thank you Sultan", Sena replied.

"How was the trip with the beauty?" he asked while looking at Kanakavalli; she put an awkward smile. "You both have brought back that which could be found?"

"Not really, Sultan, not more than what you have accomplished. I am grateful to you for saving my men, and please accept my gratitudes towards your brave men who have stood against the violent wind errupted by the cut and thrust of the swords; without whom this war would have seen much loss than any gain", Sena spoke with sincerity.

Shama shaked hands with Rana, and gave a friendly nod at Sena while he was talking. Shama was the Prince of Shambala, an independent village valley in the heart of Karimedai. He was to be married to Kanakavalli, the Princess of Karimedai, but Sena had stopped their marriage. Since then, Kanakavalli had been waiting for the arrival of Sena, and when he showed up after a decade, she gladly followed him and joined the allied forces by convincing her grandfather King Gauthama, who was murdered in his library; the killer had left behind his cuff button with his initial stamped on it. King Shambala had sent his son Shama to see to that Sena is arrested after the war and brought back as a prisoner to Karimedai to be judged for treason. But the course of events had put all the three on the same boat, where they realised their mutual objective.

"Not just through words, as Sultan is a business man”, Sultan spoke with a broad smile on his face. “If this war is won, all I ask for is free trade. A recognition for my clan as Traders and Merchants. A den and a place to sleep at every port, if possible".

"Rest assured. All you ask and more shall be provided to your clan", Rana replied, "Not for the assistance, but for our friendship."

"Ha! That leads us to more serious negociations. How about no port taxes for your friends, my friend!" Sultan winked at Rana. Everyone around laughed. Rana coupled Sultan’s shoulders and gripped it firmly. Both the men nodded acknowledging each other.

"Sultan", Sena called out, "Do you need any assistance with the Vimana Record, to make the underwater navigation vessel? I shall ask Nobleman to speak with your engineers". Sultan nodded affirmatively, at the same time one of his men came running towards them. The Sultan's warrior stopped and spoke quickly as though he had no time to catch his breath, "The ... there has arrived ... “ Sultan calmed him and asked him what was so urgent that he was forgetting to breath.

"... a box", he alerted.

"What type of box?" wondered Sultan. "For ye! A decorated one ... delivered by the ... Emperor's messenger", he spoke urgently looking at the brothers.

The group rushed from the shore to the main building. Everyone stood around the human size box with a two panel door, placed in the center of the room. It was painted with colourful flowers sticking out from the green stems crawling all over. The art work grew to resemble two naked women standing in an erotic side pose, each taking a suitable position on respective panels and were facing either side. There was a hole at the middle corner of the right door panel. Sultan slowly approached and stood before the box. He inserted his index finger into the hole and gripped by bending its tip on the other side.

Sena knew what was inside the box, but was surprised to find what actually was inside when Sultan opened the door and pushed the two panels to their sides.

Kanakavalli left out a tiny cry; Shama's eyes floated in fear; General Kalai crushed his teeth in anger; Kacha blocked his face with his free arm and looked away; Sultan breathed heavily and Rana fell to his knees. Sena stood unmoved.

Kali forced his entry with a huge grin on his face to make it look as dramatic as possible, but stood numb when he saw everyone grouped in the middle of the silent room. He slowly moved forward trying to peep behind the human wall, the shoulders that were blocking his sight and when he saw beyond Sultan, he yelled "V A R A D H A", and ran towards the box.

The skin of a human body was hanging loosely inside the box. The long hair was still intact, tightly sticking to the bald scalp and was attached to a hook on the top to support the boneless and fleshless hallow body of The Monk.

Kali wept aloud.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Four - Days of Battle

Tears of Ashes

The entire facade facing the Brother's Cemetery was completely burnt down. The wonderfully decorated wooden architecture completely transformed into a disjointed peices belonging to a single withered wood bark. The fire had spread up to the cemetery, converting the polished white marble tomb stones into a simple nine stoned structure. Lumps of white substance were scattered around the burnt frameworks, boiling furiously over the mud of ashes.

Vettaiyan was leaving his Solar when he heard the first explosion. He turned quickly and took the outer ring corridor around The Maze and at the end of the pathway he saw smoke crawling out from The Maze. The fire started to spread rapidly and Vettaiyan walked through the fiery corridor with a horrifying calmness. His devilish walk generated from his anger was identic to the flames occupying the either side. At the end of the corridor, Vaithiyar waited for him with whom Vettaiyan disappeared behind the screen of thick smoke.

The barrels stocked in the underground picked up the heat and started to explode. Fortunately, they served as the major reason to subdue the fire. The huge containers placed under the King's Gallery, contained another solvent, a sort of powder, prepared by Vaithiyar after consulting the instructions from the Titleless Book. The colourless powder was used to subdue the heat generated by one of the parts of Vishiris that held the property to ignite fire. To serve as a precaution and to handle fire accidents, the chemical was placed right below the Vishiris. In the direct contact with heat, the powder turned into a thick jelly and fell over the flames extinguishing it with its weight. Its special property allowed it to grow as big as the fire itself, totally consuming it in the process.

Several soldiers, servants and slaves climbed over the blazing building and sprinkled the anti-flammable powder from the top. Few fell into the mouth of the fire. After several hours, the fire fighters managed to control the fire, but were too late to save The Maze. It was completely destroyed from both the interiors as well as the exterior.

Vettaiyan walked down the main stairs and reached the Archer's Statue. Kaaga and Utta, his pet dogs sat by his side watching the entrance of the Brother's Cemetery. Grey snow of ashes rained around everywhere and a few started to settle on Vettaiyan’s shoulders when he stood watching his scorching Palace. A tiny tear of ashes fell on his right eyelid, which forced him to close and reopen his eyes. In that brief moment, he noted a movement inside the vigorous smoke.

Out of the dense blanket of air, Antha emerged pulling Chintha by its neck. It walked weakly towards Vettaiyan. Utta immediately stood up and wagged its tail, while Kaaga sat down watching sharply the approaching dogs. When Rana escaped through The Maze door after stealing the three parts of Vishris, the devastating bomb, Vettaiyan had sent Antha and Chintha to after him. Rana had used one of the parts of the bomb to evade from the chasing blood hounds that has burnt down half of the Vettaiyan Palace.

Chintha (Despair), Antha (Ender), Kaaga (Chronicler) & Utta (Empty) were the four wild dogs that Vettaiyan had rescued from the jungle. Since then, the animals followed their Master and guarded him with their sense of sharpness. Special tonics were prepared by Vaithiyar to keep them healthy, strong and vigilant.

Antha dropped Chintha at the feet of its Master and sat on its stomach opposite to him. Vettaiyan looked at Chintha, the mother dog. Its heart beat faintly, light movements around its chest indicated that Chintha would live, but its croup was burnt completely. Antha's burns were even higher. Its furs had burnt deep into the skin and the flesh on the right side was still boiling. Antha took all the pain in the same apologetic eye that looked straight at Vettaiyan without a blink.

Looking at his faithful mates, Vettaiyan's lips stretched, but his eyes flamed with rage as a reflection of the burning building in front of him. He whispered between clenched teeth, "Did you get what I asked for?"

From behind him, he heard his General's voice, "Yes, my Lord". Vettiayan closed his eyes.

Sultan opened his eyes and exclaimed, "Hope he was not alive ..." but the agony did not allow him to finish his sentence. Kali turned and looked up at Sena. He very well knew that The Monk was alive during the torturous act. It was a punishment practised at the Pachothi Guild for treason. The one who went against the Guild will be skinned alive punishing the wrong doer to repent in the burning pain.

The Guild picked up orphans from the streets and trained them to become assassins. When Sena was separated from his family, he had passed his childhood until young age at Pachonthi along with Varadha and Kali. The students were not addressed by their given name, but by their self chosen name - Kali-The Smoker, was a bomb specialist; The Monk was the think tank; and Baasha, the detective. The emperor Dhashakantha went by the name Vettaiyan who was assisted by an anonymous called The Poet. All five were graduated from the same Assassin University.

Sena slowly nodded his head at Kali signalling him not to speak about it. Kali hung his head down.

"The mistake is mine. I shouldn't have left him in the Solar, I am at fault", Rana confessed.

"Guilt is a growth that takes more but yields nothing. The Monk, the Man from the Mountain will be remembered as a Messiah who saved the World", Sena replied.

Sutan quickly closed the box when he heard approaching footsteps. Nobleman walked inside. A key participant in the affairs of Kottaipatinam, Nobleman had seen the rise of the Emperor - timid Prince Dhashakantha roaring to power by killing his own brothers and imprisoning his own father for cruelly murdering his mother Dasa Radha - and the downfall of the four Kingdoms when King Dhashakantha appointed himself as the Emperor. Few men formed a resistance, but were weak as their rulers were not actual leaders, until the brothers, Rana and Sena, brought bravery and intelligence into the sinking world, motivating him to convince the panel of administrators of Kottaipatinam to wage a war against the Emperor, as well as grouping the other nations - Katrupuzha & Karimedai - as allied states. He was a close associate to the former king and father of the Emperor, King Sama Suyodhana, whom Rana had liberated from the clutches of cruelty.

Nobleman looked around. He noticed the decorated box at the centre, he saw the brothers, looked at the weeping man who was in front of the mysterious box and then at the rest five inside the room. His eyes roamed around aimlessly, and finally he exhaled, "Putran! I am looking for him for more than two dusks ..." before completing the sentence, Nobleman missed his balance and started falling holding his chest. Kanakavalli quickly caught him and guided him to the floor. She placed his head on her laps. Nobleman laid motionless while looking at Sena. Tears rolled down his eyes, representing a sudden dismay.

Shocked and surprised at a short notice - shocked to see the contents in the box and surprised to see Nobleman in Narukkukanna as he and Putran should be at Kottaipatinam supervising the reception of the allied fleet - Sena closed his eyes.

Somewhere inside the dungeons under the Palace, Vettaiyan opened his eyes. Before him, the war strategist Yesodha Putran was standing. He was not chained nor had any scars of torture. He stood calmly coupling his hands in front of him. Vettaiyan played with his bread, a bush of hair occupying his chin while watching his prisoner and then, Vettaiyan smiled at Putran.

"You know it is a crime to kidnap and interrogate an official member of party who had signed the declaration of war", Putran warned.

"What crime?" Vettaiyan laughed, "This war will begin at the dawn that shall break after three dusks from now and soon, the war will end badly. And then, there aren’t no one to punish me!" he let out a wicked laughter.

None have heard about The Ground Mice. It was like he never existed, as anyone he met did not stay alive to talk about him. Putran was heading to his chamber that evening. The sky was ink blue and the lane was unlit. The timid shining moon casted its white shadow on the ground. Putran had requested Nobleman to take rest, and assured him that he would visit him at dawn. All alone and thinking about the fleet arrangements to sail safe to the Pirate's Bay, Putran crossed the intersection to take the bend that led to his domicile. At the corner he pitied for the scavenger who worked alone when the rest of the city was sleeping. The person removing the dirt from the street looked unwell. His right leg was bandaged and his face was fully covered. He was hopping on one leg while sweeping the pavement. Putran approached him and tapped him gently on his back. The scavenger turned, his face was bandaged with a white cloth, leaving only his left eye open. Putran did not remember anything from that night but woke up in the dungeons of Vettaiyan Palace.

Vettaiyan slowly walked around Putran while talking, "Not for the first nor for the last, I shall ask only once."

"My voice shall not gift your ears with the words that you wish to hear. My tongue shall decay before it could bray", Putran said firmly, the decision that made Vettaiyan to stop behind him. Putran could hear and fell the heavy breath of the Emperor.

Putran watched Vettaiyan walking majestically towards the exit door. He stopped at the huge wooden doors and without turning around, he ordered pleasantly, "Treat him with love and feed him with pain, until he breaks and asks for no more."

Vettaiyan stormed out of the dungeon.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Four - Days of Battle

Assassin's Assistant (part 1/2)

"This will be your final test", The Poet closed the book and placed it on the table before him. He turned and looked at the young assassin standing by the window inside his tree house.

"Enter and exit the Emperor's Library", he said, "Anonymity will be your key. Place this book so that the Emperor shall not miss reading it".

The Poet had recruited few assassins to monitor the Brothers during their stay at the Central Kingdom. Every recruit was spotted except the one standing in front of him. The young man had slipped right under the nose of Sena couple of times without raising any suspicion.

When the need arrived, The Poet gathered several young men - few from recommendations, the others handpicked by his associates. During the initial meeting, he knew that the new group were good, but not smart for the brothers. The Poet was actually looking for a replacement for himself who could assist the Emperor during his absence.

A form had walked beside him faster than its own shadow. Curious, The Poet followed the young lad through the crowded street. A petty thief, who picked anything within his reach, roamed around the market place gradually advancing from a shop to another. In a wink of an eye, he changed his attire with fake moustache to beard and constantly inverted his clothes during the interval between the thefts. The Poet reached the bend where he had disappeared. Finding no one around the corner, The Poet with his face warped around from the cloth of his turban was surprised to see the young lad standing in front of him when he turned. The Poet's eye glittered, he knew he had found his replacement.

"What do you call yourself?" The Poet asked.

Munching an apple while leaning onto the wall, the young lad replied, "Who is asking?"

"Will you work for me?" The Poet questioned.

"That depends on the work!" the young lad replied.

The Poet taught the young thief several surveillance techniques, and soon the young lad became an outstanding assassin. He accepted The Poet as his mentor. Before the first mission, The Poet asked him again, "What do you call yourself?" to which the young lad had replied, "Karthikeyaa."

The Poet said in response, "Soon, you have to pick another name."

"Did you pick a name?" The Poet asked the young assassin inside his safe house. The head covered with a red scarf nodded affirmatively. The Poet re-opened the book that he had placed on the table and picked up the quill. He dipped it in the ink couple of times and brought it close to the first page of the book. He waited without raising his head.

"The Apprentice", replied the young assassin.

The Poet wrote something in the page and then, blew warm air from his breathe to dry the ink. He closed the book and handed it over to The Apprentice. He turned to place the quill back into the bottle of ink. When he turned back, The Apprentice was gone.

The smile of The Poet, under his white scarf, reflected in his eyes.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Four - Days of Battle

A Dance for the Salves

The first convoy arrived at the port of Narukkukanna. With the essentials from shipment, another Planning Room was set up at the Pirates Bay. Nobleman had neatly arranged the strategy of war conceived by Putran on the sand table.

Rana enquired about the preparations at Kottaipattinam to the convoy captain, and was glad to hear that all food materials and clothes were bundled and ready to be transported. Sena was satisfied with production of war equipment’s – armours, helmets, gauntlets, leather clothing, steel shoes and weapons - and that the soldiers were already prepared to board the ships. Sultan attentively listened to the precautions taken to transport military animals and gave a positive feedback to the brothers. After dismissing the captain, the three joined the others around the sand table.

"The Fleet Plan", Nobleman spoke pointing at the sand table, "with details Putran and I had discussed before his disappearance."

Silence occupied the room.

"Putran's ideas are excellent", Shamu broke the silence. He made eye contact with everyone while talking, "They are not just plans, but miracles. His disappearance worries me on both front. Personally, I regret as everyone else and I thoughtfully place my worry as a fear before the members of the allied forces." Shamu paused and looked directly at Rana before continuing, "Shouldn't we reconsider the war strategy. Land as well as Sea. If Putran was captured by the enemy, then we cannot be sure about the information been shared."

"None know that for sure", argued Nobleman, "Fear not, I have faith on Yesodha Putran. He will not reveal any the details to the enemies."

"The Emperor has methods", Rana interrupted, "but Putran is intelligent not to give those, which should not be given." Nobleman gave a shocked look at Sena. "No, I certainly do not mean that Putran is captured", Rana explained to Nobleman, "but we cannot dismiss that possibility."

Confusion settled inside the Planning Room, and the members started to murmur among themselves.

Sena stepped forward, and moved around the table while talking, "The kidnap is a part of an act played by the Emperor. Its main purpose is not to get information, but to create a panic among us. With less time and absence of a strategist, the Emperor knows very well that it shall destabilise us. More over the plan is to immerse us inside incertitude." He halted beside Sultan and announced, "We cannot allow ourselves to become a victim of the Emperor."

Rana watched Sena and whispered to himself, "Land as well as Sea".

After a moment of silence, Sena continued, "Point one - We do not know the state of the Twin Arrows and what effects it can produce."

"Point two - The Clown rests unknown."

He then spoke pointing at a model on the table, "Point three - Fort Ayan and Cannon Vettai. With its defence system still active, only half of our army, wounded and demoralised, could cross Karmegha."

The sea breeze entered the Planning room and whispered with the silence in air. Everyone turned and looked at the direction of the sudden speaker, "Point three will be taken", Sultan declared.

The Ayan fort guards stopped a caravan entering the castle ground. The huge wagon was quickly surrounded by sixteen mounted soldiers. A spearmen unit took an attack stance around the halted cart. The Fort's military captain, fully armoured with breast plates and a metal helmet, walked to the door and kicked it with force. A tall and well-built man with a glowing face descended from the caravan. He bowed to the captain and saluted him graciously.

"Get lost from here stranger, or I will bury you with this wagon of yours right here", threatened the captain.

"To be or not to be", Sultan replied by emptying his lungs, "I shall opt to be buried, as I have nowhere else to go, but also, I would plead not to be buried, as right here my hope rests caressing your feet."

He bowed again before continuing, "My lord, not a single piece in this land have their doors open for myself and my sisters."

"This is a war zone. With the Palace burnt down, the security have been strengthened beyond boiling point", the captain cut Sultan abruptly.

"My sisters", Sultan spoke with pain, "who cook and serve pleasure deliciously are starving inside". He noticed a frown on the captain's face. He continued, "We travel to lands and our performance is the brightest, which includes magic and dance." He paused and said with a wicked smile, "Of course, a special price for extended services."

"You have no business here. Leave", roared the captain while gripping his scabbard firmly.

"The scorching sun has torn the flesh with the marks of wound and pain that clothes can't cover. And we have nowhere else to go", the stranger spoke with sincerity.

The 'clothes' part motivated the captain to step inside the caravan. His eyes were glistening while seeing a dozen of young women seated wearing only thin clothes. A girl with a shiny skin laid her head on the chest of the next girl who was breathing heavily. Her head rose up and down rhythmically while her eyes glanced the captain without blinking. The interior of the caravan was decorated red and there was a faint odour of jasmine lingering in the air. Just beside the captain, another girl looking weak dropped her naked leg to the floor before him. The captain sat on his knee and lifted the leg and placed it back on the bench. When he got back to his feet, the girl to his right raised her shoulders and guided the sweat between her bare chest with her index finger while rolling her eyes back and gradually dropping her head behind.

The captain hurriedly got off the wagon.

"There is a river behind the fort. Halt there. My men will supervise you during your brief stay. Leave before sunset", he ordered.

After a detailed check, the nomads were allowed to camp behind the castle. Several eyes of the soldiers were set on the ladies washing themselves in the river. The guards at the door permitted a Sultan's girl to enter. She was accompanied by two men, who were stopped at the entrance. The two Salves of Sultan waited for the girl outside and when she returned they walked her back to the caravan.

A short while later, Sultan approached the Fort's door and asked for the captain. The captain was surprised to see the girls dressed in attractive garments at the fort's doorstep. About a dozen men carrying crates in their hands were standing behind the ladies. Their left half of their face was painted blue and the other red.

"Before we leave, I wish to offer a show, a gift for your generosity, My Lord", he turned and spread his hands covering all the standing dancers. The captain looked at the crates, "No alcohol".

"Certainly not. Apple juice, pressed with passion by soft fingers", Sultan informed the captain who was watching a pretty girl adjusting her top. She smiled back at the captain.

"Enter", ordered the captain, "Drink from each bottle, before you serve".

The dancers were welcomed with roars of cheer. Been away from their families for several moons, the soldiers guarding the fort enjoyed every moment with the company of Sultan's gang. Under the supervision of the fort's guard, Sultan ordered his slaves to open each bottle and take a sip from it. Apple juice was then served.

The last salve, who was limping, dropped a crate at the entrance. The apple syrup spread on the floor quickly making the area sticky. Sultan raised his voice and scolded the salve. He ordered the first two salves who were at his sight to join the one in the front and tidy up the floor.

The captain looked at the two guards at the entrance and motioned with his eyes to stay and keep their eyes on the cleaning salves. He walked into the main hall with a huge smile, surrounded by Sultan's Dancers.

The three salves started to clean the floor with rags. The one who dropped the crate lifted his head and smiled at the guard who did not respond. He was much interest in the performance happening before him. The other two workers lifted their head and noticed that the guards nearby were swaying as though enchanted by the dancers. The three slowly crawled on their knees between the wall and the cheering soldier, amidst loud music and light.

At the first bend, Shamu, Rana and Sena climbed down the stairs leading to the salve's den under the fort Ayan without being noticed.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Four - Days of Battle

Dharma, The Lost Master

And those that here in vilest slavery,
Crouched beneath a master's frown, I set them free.
- Solon, an Athenian poet (638 BC - 558 BC).

[Aristotle adapted and quoted Solon's Poetry in the Constitution of the Athenians (350 BC). The Aristotelian Constitution of the Athenians written on papyrus is in display at the British Library.]

"The young man speaks as though he knows much", the group of people turned to look at an aged slave speaking in a shivering voice. Pushing his way through the crowd, the aged man reached the centre where Rana and Sena were talking to a heavy built slave. They were trying their best to convince the dark skinned captive. Shamu sat on an elevated platform near a huge iron shaft that ran beyond the ceiling. He was adjusting his wooden leg which had moved from his position when he crawled his way down into the slave's den.

All the slaves standing in circle around the brothers bowed to their leader.

"The men above are not soldiers", said the fragile man, "None other than Dharma can rescue us from our misery. Not you, nor you", he pointed at the brothers respectively with his index finger, while holding on to the twisted cane in his palm. "I have been in this dungeon, many days eating stones to live. I have seen this monster been built", he pointed at the iron shaft in the middle. "I am a survivor whose wish is just to live. Escape is an option, but staying alive is not."

Sena approached the aged worker and said with sincerity, "Most of them above were captured by myself." The leader of the group of slaves working in the dungeons of Fort Ayan looked at Sena with wide eyes. "They are barbarians. I was tasked to capture them alive, so that the Emperor can use them in his army. They know no rules, they respect no law."

Sena paused and looked directly at the fragile eyes of the slave leader, "I wish to set things right. For that I need your help. We have to fight back."

"With what? Fight back with what?" asked the aged slave. "With these metal scarps? Lamp oils and rags?"

Rana looked around. There were heaps of metal scraps and barrels of lamp oil.

"Scarps versus swords", the aged man laughed, "It's a mess down here. The man with one leg can only guide us out", the aged man turned and said softly, "Leave and don't come back."

The slaves around moved back to make way for the brothers to the exit. Sena looked at the man he was initially talking to. He hung his head down. The Brothers slowly started to walk towards the exit when they heard the soft cry of joy, "Dharma!"

When the leader turned to walk away from the crowd, he faced the elevated platform directly above him, on which the third stranger was standing on one leg. The aged man immediately fell to his knees. The slaves around followed their leader and bowed before their one legged saviour. Everyone, except Rana and Sena, were praying at Shamu who was trying hard to fix his wooden leg.

The silence made Shamu lift his head. He saw all the slaves on the ground before him. An aged man raised his head and yelled at him, "Dharma, The Lost Master."

"We are slaves, but we are not captured by nets, nor kidnapped", the leader spoke to the trio. "Battle for our rights is source of enslavement. We defended ourselves, all we gained in return was cruel masters. But they treat us well, they rely on our skilful craftsmanship. And we constitute to the quarter of the army soldiers. The rulers, Kings and Emperors, want only sheep or slaves, those who never raise their hand and those whose hands were chopped. Slavery is not new, it’s the richness of a rich householder. A sheep is a weak creature, while the slave has no future. There is none who is free. The sheep bleats freedom, while the slave bleeds for the same. We are all mere mercenaries to our masters."

"Our ancestors had a very brutal master", the slave leader who had seen it all narrated the prophecy, “a perfect glutton of beans and most bad-tempered. An intolerable man and half deaf. He brought a slave, the incarnation of calumny. This man of leather knows his master thoroughly, he dupes him at will. He keeps us at a distance and suffers none but himself to wait upon his master. They saw him as their saviour. The master's obols - bathe, drink & swallow; devours he prayed became the prey for him. He offered him a cake, which was the invention of slaves. When his master was dining, he keeps close to his side with the cake in his hand. He keeps singing so that the master thinks of nothing. Then, when he sees him thoroughly obfuscated, he uses all his cunningness and piles up lies and calumnies against the households. He served him the cake each day, every day until the sweetness made his master bitterly sick. From nowhere came his son, who took the throne. He just said, ‘Either content me or die’. That night, they asked him, ‘There must be an end to it. What can be done? Who will get us out of this mess?’"

"The man from nowhere replied, ‘But none can escape from the Devil's Son, his eye is everywhere. And what a stride! He has one leg, whose shadow falls on the three worlds - one leg over the base of desire, a hand on the forms of destination and the other guide into the realms of liberation’.”

"’Dharma shall be his name. Following Dharma, we set ourselves free’."

The leader looked at Shamu and spoke with tears in his eyes, "Since then, for generations we have enclosed ourselves in here awaiting your arrival."

Shamu bent and whispered across Rana's shoulder, "Has this fellow gone nuts?"

Rana whispered back, "Chop the fingers of a man, he will still eat. Puncture his ears, he will still see. Cut out his tongue, he will still breath. Break his heart, he will still live. But mock his belief, he will die." Rana took and serious tone and said, "You are his Dharma, and you shall behave so."

Shamu turned and smiled back at the leader of the slave.

"Maveera", the aged man informed Shamu while pointing at the heavy built warrior, "He will assist Dharma to lay our path to liberty."

Everyone looked at Maveera who was down on his knees with his head hung towards the ground. Sena approached him and aided him to stand up by gently pulling his shoulders with his two hands.

"As you are no more a slave, I am no more a master either", Sena spoke to Maveera. "From now on, we are brothers in arms who will fight and win the war of liberation."

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Four - Days of Battle

Standing Block of Dust

"Can't we just topple it from the top", Shamu asked to the three men beside him.

Maveera pointed at the iron shaft while replying, "Cannon Vettai is connected to this massive iron structure that grows deep under the ground too. The heavy artillery cannot be uprooted. It is a part of the Fort Ayan’s structure. To take it down, the fort has to be destroyed completely, which is not a possibility."

He then gave the visitors a ‘Dungeon Tour”, briefing about the mechanism of Cannon Vettai, the eye of Fort Ayan overseeing the battlefield from the top:

Cannon Vettai is partly automatic and partly manual. The charging of the weapon is done manually from the dungeon by the slaves, and the single barrelled cannon’s calibre is automatically tuned with a sustained rate of fire. Even though it’s a single shot cannon, it is designed to fire two consecutive shots under a fixed interval.

The long metal shaft, called the 'Tongue', runs from the dungeon through the mouths of two floors and connects directly to the chassis of the rotary cannon, which is an assembly of traverse fork, rail plates and hurters found under the belly of the barrel bottle cylinder. The ammunition is blown into shaft space via a winged door, and once completely charged, the rigid rod at the bottom of the Tongue is used to pivot and push up the contents into the huge barrel of the cannon. Minimum a dozen pair of operating hands on either side of the rigid rod are needed to press the Tongue and juice up the barrel. Several non-stop workers are used to load the Tongue with ammunitions.

The heavy artiletty is placed on a pintle block with its bottom fixed to a flat rotating wheel. The mechanism to shift the cannon to any direction is triggered from the dungeons using wheels just above the rigid rod. When the wheels are moved, it churns the Tongue into a circular momtion, which spins the cannon above to a desired new position.

The braces, one on each side of the barrel, aids the up and downward movement of the cannon. This movement should be done manually by manipulating the elevating screw found at the rear of the barrel which is fixed to the rotating wheel on the ground. The orientation of the cannon deceides its range. The initial position covers the mid of the battle field up to the Garden of Vettaiyan Palace. The axis of the barrel stabilises the kickback, balancing the forward and backward momentum of the cannon when it is discharged.

The cannon carriage, consisting of manoeuvring bolts and screws, are charged directly by the Tongue. The ammunition - metal scraps, the waste from workshops manufacturing military products, are rugged with pieces of cloth quoted with lamp oil - are loaded from the bottom and blown up through the Tongue into the barrel. Once the metal scrap loading is done, a huge metal ball called the Shot is used to seal the first portion of the cannon. Once the Shot is in place, barrels of oil are poured and pumped through the Tongue to fill the remaining portion of the cannon. It is then sealed with a Shell, a payload-carrying projectile which, as opposed to the Shot, contains an explosive within. Once the cannon is fully charged, it is manually fired by a specialized crew – two gunners who stand on either side to check the load, six soldiers to sponge the cannon with cold water and clean the touch hole and four officers, two to give the order or instruct new positions and the other two to supervise and pass the order of the captain to discharge the cannon.

The Cannon Vettai, when fired, covers the sky with pieces of dressed and sharp metal pieces quoted with lamp oil. The tiny object pierces the flesh and sticks to the victims making them immobile. Once the heavy Shot falls down, the oil rains over the battle field, coating the fallen victims. Immediately, the Shell follows and explodes in mid-air, spitting fire over the affected area, thus, burning all the victims lying in a pool of oil, mercilessly. None inside the range of the Cannon Vettai can survive a single operation of the giant weapon.

There are three drawback. One is the downtime – time taken to reload the cannon. During the load process, the cannon is turned to face the direction of the advancing enemy, closer to the Vettaiyan Palace. It is positioned to a very high range to cover the other half of the battlefield. Initially, the impact will be set at a closer range to prevent the advancing enemy from taking over the fort.

The second drawback, once partially charged, the weight of the Tongue does not permit to orient the heavy artillery, thus, the manipulations cannot be done after the Shot is loaded.

And finally, there is no way to empty the Tongue once it is completely or partially charged, it can be unfilled only by discharging it from the barrel.

"The Tongue is loaded with the Shot now", Maveera said with a sad tone, "it will win its victims".

Sena thought for a while and then spoke, "We have to turn Cannon Vettai to our benefit." He looked at Shamu and said, "Seperate yourselves into three groups. As soon as the battle begins, the first group shall stealth their way above and take over the three towers monitoring the river."

"The second group, taking direct orders from you, shall use the lamp oil and the shells to create an explosive to break the wall standing between the underground tunnel and the Fort. Use the passage to reach the Palace and destabilise its defence system."

"The third group, led by Maveera, shall operate the cannon. Once the first shot it fired, and assuming that the first group have eliminated the sentry around the cannon on top of the fort, the artillery will be positioned facing the enemies directly. And the second Shell shall be fired towards the Palace grounds."

He waited a beat to take questions, and as there were none he said, "We will take precautions while entering into the cannon's range before it’s been fired for the first time. Maveera, just follow my instruction to load the next portion of the cannon." Maverra listened to Sena attentively.

The trio gathered near the entrance of exit. Rana checked Shamu's outfit, 'a Prince in worker wear' and then spoke with a clear tone, "Hide among the group, and never roam alone. A group of short swordsmen, with sharpness in their eyes and quickness in their arms, will be despatched immediately, who will hide inside the dense vegetation across the bank of the river. Once the sentry guards are taken out by the first group of freemen, the swordsmen will advance by swimming through the river and neutralise the castle’s ground guards. They will then climb the fort’s wall to capture the sentry points as well as secure the Cannon Vettai. None from inside the fort will be aware of this take down. They will be surprised once the cannon fires at their own men on the battle field. And that’s when Maveera will form his own team and slay the barbarians when they are in a state of shock."

Shamu listened carefully and agreed to the plan. Then he chuckled, "But seriously! All this prophecies are making me laugh."

Sena knew who Shamu really was - Yasha, the Shadow of Time, had informed him. But certain truth is beyond explanation. So, he simply asked Shamu, "What is the probability of a one legged man to sneak past a heavily guarded fort during the times of war; and descend two floors being unoticed while crawling; and stand one legged on a prime and isolated platform so that all the people below can admire him?", and without waiting for a reply he continued, "The prophecy had become true for them, irrespective to what reality may state. You are a Prince, now a Leader. With your wisdom coupled with their strength, this fort is just a standing block of dust."

"Whatever the truth maybe, I will lead them to victory, and then, as a Prince, I will arrest you and take you as a prisoner to Shambala", Shamu replied in a serious tone, "And that, my friend, is the Prophecy of a Prince.”

Rana, with incontrollable anger in his face, took a step forward towards Shamu, but Sena stopped him. Sena and Shamu stared at each other for a moment. "We meet at Vettaiyan Palace", Sena said with a smile while tapping Shamu on his shoulder and the brothers walked out through the exit to sneak back into the level above which had been transformed momentarily into a dance floor.

The Fort Ayan guards waved at the wagon carrying the group of dancers even after it had disappeared. The fort's captain ordered for a thorough security check in and around the castle. He personally inspected the slave's den. His men verified the outer and inner circumference of the stronghold. The guards at the four sentry towers on the top of the fort waved white flags at the guards below sending a clearance signal; red flag would have meant danger. The captain checked the Tongue and examined the heart of the cannon mechanism. The guards around the cannon at the top of the fort verified the heavy artillery and pronounced it to be functioning correctly. The captain looked around him. The slaves were preparing the ammunitions and moving crates of Shots and Shells. Few were lubricating the wheels and some were rolling the barrel of oil towards the winged door of the Tongue. Everything seemed to be normal, concluded the captain. When the captain reached his office, two soldiers reported on the checks carried out around the river and confidently presented their security audit which clearly showed no threats to the fort. The captain dismissed them gladly.

Rana peeped over the shoulder of his brother who was standing by the window inside the Planning Room at Pirate's Bay. Outside, over the sands, Sultan, Kacha, Kali and Kalai were seated around a camp fire. Kanakavalli was standing further from them watching the sea. Sena was looking into the compass Chakora, and to Rana's surprise the needle had spun, showing a new location. It stood erect pointing to a direction close to Narukkukanna.

"Yamuna!" asked Rana with immense joy. Sena nodded his head negative.

"Mentor Manickkam?" questioned Rana. Sena slowly moved his head left to right.

A moment later, Sena turned to talk to his brother. But Rana was already gone.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Four - Days of Battle

Assassin's Assistant (part 2/2)

The Golden Spiral

Vettaiyan watched Vaithiyar treating Chintha inside his laboratory. The other three dogs, who were always together, laid at three random corners. Vettaiyan looked for Antha, and found it laying on its side - a posture that it had never taken before. Antha sensed its master watching, and it quickly got up and jogged towards Vettiayan and sat before him with its ear withered down. Vettaiyan smiled and tapped its head with his index finger once. He spoke softly, "I know how bad I am, and I think you are one of my best."

Vettaiyan walked out of Vaithiyar's laboratory and marched towards his Solar. When he opened the main doors that led to the library, he noticed splashes of golden ink spread over the carpet. He followed the trail and reached the table at the far corner of his library. Over the top of the reading table, a book wrapped in a golden cover was sitting in the middle.

The Apprentice had bought a golden ink from the market and marked a trail on the floor, from the entrance of the library to the reading table, with drops from the tiny bottle of ink. To make the book, which was handed over to him by his mentor The Poet, even more attractive, he had brushed the black cover of the book to gold, taking care not to tamper its original contents.

The Emperor looked around the library, nothing seemed to be out of place and the golden book before him was the only new item. He picked up the book and turned it quickly in his hands, examining its cover. A nautilus shell was painted on the cover that occupied the entire space. He opened the book to its first page. The title was mentioned only inside and not on the cover and it read "The Golden Spiral". At the bottom of the page, the author of book was credited to someone called 'The Apprentice'.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=5583&d=1476885543
(The nautilus shell presented in the cover of the book "The Golden Spiral)

Curious, Vettaiyan, turned the page to go through its contents. Surprisingly, the 'nameless' chapter in the book started immediately in the following page, without any preface or publication informations and the material was hand written using black ink. He read the first line:

The spark has explicitly avowed by heart to not to pardon but bury your shadow.

The sentences that followed were structured similarly in a random manner, which did not narrate a tale or document any concept. Vettaiyan flipped through random pages and found that the informations put together with commas and dots, did not produce any sort of sense. He noted that a sort of relationship with the reader and the shadow were prominent in certain explanations, but failed to communicate any basis of any relationship. At the middle of the book, Vettaiyan found few strange occurrences of repentance.

He closed the book and threw it back onto the table. "A joke! But who is the player?" while thinking, he started to walk to his Solar, when the nautilus shell on the cover of the book knocked his intuition. He quickly turned and pulled the book towards him. He went through the words of the first sentence attentively with his eyes.

A broad smile cracked his face and he hurriedly prepared himself to take notes from the contents of the book.

The nautilus shell's spiral is nature’s logarithm called the 'Golden Ratio'. The spiral gets wider from its point of origin by a factor of ‘phi’ for every quarter of turn it makes, thus making two quantities of relational segments - one same as the relationship and the other sum of the relationship. The spiral creates its own sequence, a multidimensional array, such that each further point of the sequence is the function of the preceding points. Nature is developed with the same phenomena and it can be found in flower petals, seed patterns, tree branches; for that over any body as well as in reproductive dynamics.

Vettaiyan knew that the sentences the book held were stuck with words as the key to open a message. The words were arranged in a similar pattern of the spirals found on the nautilus shell. He wrote down the words that matched the sequence by counting them and jotting down the ones that were the sum of the two preceding ones, such as: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 8th, 13th, 26th.... Nth words.

A while later, the message was sitting right before his eyes:

The spark has avowed to bury me down,
The only reason that I am not around.
The regret not to keep that I have sworn,
The Apprentice of mine shall now be your boon.
The last message that you may crackdown,
The faithful shadow shall be resown.

Goodbye my friend, The Poet.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Four - Days of Battle

Words can Kill (part 1/3)

A Lizard in the Graveyard
(Rated R)

The Poet, with his face covered with a white scarf, carried a human body on his right shoulder. He reached the entrance of the secret cave, which he had discovered recently under Kathi Parai - the Burning Mountain.

The mountain got both its name from the tribal who dwell inside the jungles. 'Sharp Rock', because it was a huge heap of black sharp rocks. Fear made them not to frequent around Kathi Parai, as the black hill could ignite itself at any time, thus, it got its other name The Burning Mountain, and it’s believed that the black rocks were chiselled by the flames making their edges sharp and their structure hard like the blade of a warrior's sword. The black rocks were rare like the gold, they can only be found around Kathi Parai Mountain. The jungle dwellers called these unknown deposits of rocks as the Black Gold and considered them as the Curse of the Mountain.

Situated in the middle of a jungle near the Pirate's Bay, The Poet meticulously planned and choose Kathi Parai as his new safe house. The Poet needed to survive the huge wave of threat - Sena. He did not wish to discuss about it with the Emperor, as he very well knew that the Emperor would ask him to fight by his side, a request or an order, which The Poet cannot refuse. He wished to swim against the tide alone.

While carrying the dead body through the dense forest, images from 'Malai Kadu Thiruvizha' flashed before him. The dense greenery and the swaying leaves in the breeze, replaced into a valley of joyful people singing and dancing. The path on which The Poet travelled to his new safe house had become a sort of his own memory lane. He felt as though he was carrying the decoy with the same strength he had pulled the semi-unconscious Sena into the pits of black magic just before the Festival Massacre. Sena had repeatedly murmured the name 'Lalli'. He did not stop calling out for his daughter even when his feet scratched and bleed over the valley's floor. The Poet suddenly caught the same pungent smell of cruelty that circled the air during the Festival of Lights.

He had saved Sena. He had watched him grow. He had helped him to develop his skills. Yet, he had done all that, just to wound him on some other day. The Poet weighed his life with waste rather than value. At this hour of repentance, he accepted his guilt to himself - Not of choice and not by command, but for the voice that he cannot decline from listening to, he had dragged and threw Sena beyond the Gates of Hell.

Dhashakantha was by his side in the time of need, assuring him by painting his life with confidence. The Emperor had lighted his path, the flames of faith which kept him warm. And Vettaiyan was the only relation he ever had in this world, a friend to whom he vowed his life. He simply cannot deny someone like him, even if it’s wrong to burn the all three worlds down. His remembrance got mixed with the beautiful face of Moon Flower, another Victim of Vettaiyan.

And he knew that such repetitive thoughts made him weak. 'The one who sleeps in the past, does not peep into the future', The Poet reminded himself. Thus, he choose the path of isolation to save himself from Sena. Linking The Apprentice with the Emperor, he carried no more burdens now, but just left with only one task - his own life to be saved by himself.

The cave was the former home for a family of wolves, only three pups had survived though. The Poet talked to them, and they understood him. He shared the den with the three baby wolves. ‘Who does not fear the big bad wolves!’ he thought. His pursuers may avoid the cave seeing the pups; ‘The Mother shall always be around! ‘

At the entrance, The Poet placed the cadaver on the ground and sat on his knees. A small furry pup with erect ears and big black eyes came running towards him. Unlike his brothers who were dark furred from head to tail, this little one before him had a ring of white hair around its neck. The Poet gently caressed its head. He had named it Child. He called the other two, King and Killer, who were playing with each other trying to bite out each other’s ears. He took out a leather pouch and fed his new mate with a tiny piece of bird meat from it. He sang to the pup softly:

All worry for the lamb but none care for the pup.
They both must eat and the pup's grass is the lamb.

The mother wolf has her babies to feed,
So she steals a lamb but is chased to bleed.
The mother sheep cries through her shivering bleat,
But the lone wolf suffers whose wounds are discreet.

With pain she runs towards the south,
Grabbing the lamb in her mouth.
She reaches and watches them all dine,
While her eyes slowly lose their shine.

And when the snows fall and the white winds blow,
The lone wolf dies but the pack survives.

A Lesson of Life, my Child.

Removing the civilian clothes from the dead body, The Poet redressed the dead man with white clothes. He, then, covered the face with a white pouch. He placed the body inside a white sack and sealed it by attaching its mouth with a rope around the neck. Just like the Emperor, The Poet strives for cleanliness. He carried the pile further inside the cave. He arrived into a large space where several white sacks were hanging from the ceiling. They looked like white cocoons hanging from the black roof of the cave.

Right from the moment Sena, whom he addresses as the Spark, became a threat to Pachonthi, the Assassin's Guild, The Poet had started to collect decoys to use them and fake his own death when the need might arise. He tracked civilians who matched his physique, dressed them like himself and stocked them in his safe house, until the body could no more be of any use. He would dispose the decayed ones by throwing them from the mountain behind his Tree House safe house. But this time, he had a bigger plan, the main reason he choose to be around the Pirate's Bay. His intent was to throw these bodies at random spots around the city to create a panic among the civilians. The allied forces will be blamed for the murders and the citizens will not only fear the invaders, but also give their full support to their Emperor. Moreover, The Poet wanted to confuse Sena over his own existence.

Tying the sack to a long rope, The Poet hanged the new decoy using a simple pulley system and attached it to a hook planted on the ceiling. He took a step back and examined the dead bodies around him - all were looking similar with their faces covered with a white pouch and their bodies placed inside a white sack. 'Shiny and Tidy, Are my Body', he whispered to himself.

He turned to exit the 'Decoy Cold Storage Room', when his eyes replayed a tiny movement that they had caught a moment before, which his brain did not heed to immediately. With his back still facing the hanging decoys, the sight his eyes had captured flashed before him. The Poet concluded that the cloth covering the face of one the decoy at the far end had shown a minute shift - as though been sucked and then released, particularly the area under the nose; the nostrils had inhaled and exhaled through the thin cloth of the white pouch.

One of his decoys was, still, breathing.

He turned towards the white cocoons suspended from ceiling. He slowly moved to his left following the black rock wall of the cave. When he reached the other end, he quickly turned and retraced his path, all the while his eyes above his white mask scrutinized the hanging decoys closely. Midway during his second tiny trip across, he started to recite:

Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!

I am Lizard and this is my graveyard,
Wonder who breached the hatch so well barred.
Mine is just another dead-bearing vineyard,
Each dead fruit cleanly polished with the nard.

A life is hanging with a mind so scarred,
Belongs to an aegis who failed to safeguard;
His family and friends fell apart,
I know it's hard, it's hard and how it's hard.

The tiny spark got a big brave heart,
It has flown all the way into my yard.
Far shall reach the tongue of Lizard,
Stick or fall, shall be the mystery in my graveyard.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Four - Days of Battle

Words can Kill (part 2/3)

Noise of Blood
(Rated R)

Seated on a flat black rock inside the cave and watching the group of white hives hanging from the black roof, The Poet took out a folding knife kept hidden in his Green Pachonthi belt. He held it loosely in his left hand and got up on his feet. He slowly marched towards the decoys while efficiently using the mechanisms of the thumb stud lock of the folding knife to flip the blade out, and then flocking it back in. The clank sound rained inside the cold cave producing an even more chilling effect.

At the centre of the open space inside the cave, there were three rows of suspended white sacks, each arranged with six decoys hanging beside each. Flipping the folding knife, The Poet walked between the pendant bundles. His eyes carried a cruel calmness while watching each of them. Suddenly, when the blade of the knife was flipped out, he punctured the decoy to his right. There was no reaction from the dead. The white cloth started to stain red. Steadily, fluid leaked from the puncture and dripped to the floor forming a tiny pool of blood. The Poet flocked the blade back into the folding knife. He released it again and continued his tour around the cave of corpse. The clank sound got mixed with the dripping noise of blood, producing a horrifying atmosphere.

The Poet slashed random bodies, none cried of pain. When he pierced the ninth decoy, the sack behind him breathed rapidly, and stopped. The Poet turned quickly to face the decoy that breathed but found nothing alarming, it was as still as the dead. He wiped the bloody blade of his knife on the white sack and punctured a hole on the one hanging next to it with a terrifying composure.

The Poet walked back and sat on the black rock again. He continued flipping his knife in his left hand. Before him were the line of bodies inside wet and red sacks dripping blood onto the floor. He slowly bent his head to focus on the single white sack on which he had wiped his bloody knife.

Before reciting ‘A lizard in the Graveyard’, The Poet was uncertain of the sack inside which Sena must be hiding, until he saw a white lizard on the black wall of the cave. The small reptile constantly moved its head forward at a single direction in front of it, which perfectly lined with the third sack hanging in the third row. He watched it closely and found the knot around the neck to be a mismatch. Then and there, The Poet knew the black sheep hiding inside the white sack. He destabilised the intruder by wounding all the bodies around, allowing fear to crawl inside the intruder’s sack. His eyes above the mask reflected his smile. The thought of Sena crippled with fear of death inside the sack amused him. Sena should have hung himself in the darkness sacredly waiting for his turn to taste the Blade of The Poet.

The single white cocoon slowly started to shake. A pointed blade pierced through the cloth and worked its way up. A man dressed in blue tunic, with glittering stars stuck on it, fell to the floor slashing the white sack, and came to a spectacular stop on his left knee. The Poet's eyes opened wide. They could not hide his surprise of seeing Rana in front of them.

The two men stared at each other. Rana knew he had found the untraceable assassin. The Poet cursed himself for under estimating the second spark.

Without a sign of warning, The Poet flipped out the blade from his folding knife and threw it at Rana; immediately he fled out of the cave. Rana followed the knife, its sharp blade cutting its way through the cold air. He steadily caught the fleeing assassin with one eye and kept the other on the knife. He waited for the last moment, and when the knife spun close in front of, he swiftly rolled to his left, dodging the knife and allowing it to hit the wall behind him. With a single gesture, he pushed himself back to his feet and chased The Poet.

Rana searched the jungle for The Poet at the location pointed by the compass Chakora. He turned in several indefinite circles, until he reached a pack of baby wolves outside a cave under Kathi Para Mountain. Something did not seem to fit the environment, Rana noted. The wolves were hesitant to enter the cave. They cried sitting at the entrance and even after several hunger calls, their mother had not responded. Rana decided to enter the cave and he found the Decoy Cold Storage Room. He got inside a white sack and hanged himself from the ceiling. Once settled, he had covered his face with the white pouch and waited for the return of The Poet along with the family of corpse.

The Poet raced past the dense jungle around Kathi Para Mountain. He had an eye behind his head. He was aware that Rana was closing in fast. A trained runner, he thought. Chain of dense growth of tall trees started replacing the thick bushes. The Poet turned and looked at Rana - trees, the friends of an assassins.

With a fluid leap, he jumped on to the first tree clutching to its branches. He climbed up quickly and started to navigate unhindered, by crossing from one branch to another. His pursuer did not take the same path, but ran below following the line of trees from the ground, hurdling over enormous roots and fallen trees.

The white runner had disappeared through the trees, Rana searched for The Poet at the end of the line of trees at the foot of the hill. He moved his eyes right and then to his left. He was panting and had both his hands placed on his hips. When he turned, The Poet sprang out of a bush and started to run towards the mountain. Rana smiled at the running Poet - mountains, the playground for the Treasure Hunter.

Rana chased The Poet over the hill. They both efficiently jumped over hard and sharp rocks that formed the pathway to the top of the mountain. The Poet stretched himself and jumped onto a rock above. Its sharp edge scratched his palm, wetting the rock with his blood. He managed to climb up and without turning back ran forward. Rana had his gloves and leaped to the high rock using his feet to push him up.

At final bend from the top, Rana managed to get close to The Poet. His gloved fingers gripped the hip belt of The Poet, at the same moment, The Poet landed his right feet on Rana's chest using a heavy back kick. Rana floated in the air on his back while the Green belt broke from The Poet’s hip and flew inside the grip of Rana's left palm. Rana fell hard on the dark ground. He quickly got up and holding the cloth belt in his hand, took the bend that The Poet had taken, when he heard a very short but heavy cry.

Rana found The Poet on the top of the Hill, but headless. The Poet had tripped and fell at the edge of the hill where a sharp block of stone had separated his head from his body. The body was still withering over a large pool of its own blood. The black rock around were sprayed with thick red liquid. The headless neck was heavily leaking. The body did not have the green belt. Rana looked at his left hand which was holding it. He bent down and examined the right palm of the shivering body. It had a deep cut, the sharp rock that had slashed The Poet’s palm when he had climbed up. He turned and examined the ground. He found the trace of the trip which aligned to the position of the body. He then check the sharp rock that severed The Poet's head. It was strong and knife-edged.

Rana peeped beyond the edge of the cliff and saw the fallen head on a branch of an isolated tree that grew from the wall of the black mountain. The Poet's eyes above the mask were still alive and were staring back at Rana. The strong breeze pushed the head from the branch and The Open Eyed Poet slowly dropped into the green darkness below.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Four - Days of Battle

Words can Kill (part 3/3)

Muddled in Mud

Sena, holding a green belt in his hands, lifted his head and looked at Rana.

The belt was a symbol of graduation from the Assassin Academy. It cannot be duplicated as the silk from which it was made of, came from a rare insect bred exclusively at Pachonthi Campus. The belt held tiny images of a furcifer - the highly visually oriented multi coloured lizard that was used as a logo of the Guild - embroidered using multi coloured threads. The distance between each chameleon was specific and there were thirteen of them going around the belt in a straight line. The thread count on the artworks as well the design of the belt were unique. The exact tailoring details were a secret that had never been leaked to the outside world.

Such handmade coloured cloth belts were awarded to the graduates according to their performance at the ceremony of oath. From then, they become assassins taking several types of assignments respectively, called the Contracts, from the Guild. There were seven types of belts, each colour denoting the class and their order within.

The Green Belt was the highest Rank called the Spiked Class. A fully trained assassin whose senses are sharp like the crest of small spikes extending along the spine of a chameleon which helps it to blend into any background.

Only three have managed to win a Green Belt. The position of the chameleon decides the order - facing upwards is the highest order. Sena's furcifer faced right and on the one he held in his hand was inclined at forty-five degrees from the top, denoting that The Poet was a superior to Sena. Vettaiyan held the prestigious lizard standing erect on his belt.

Sena watched the Green belt again. Memories leaked and flowed before his eyes. He saw himself crawling on the dry leaves towards his Father's sword. Men who were wounding him were laughing around and then, a form dressed in white had jumped before him; his unknown saviour wore a Green belt with a glittering lizard sticking on it. Sena remembered the whispers of the leaves during the cold nights and how his shadow raced past him during dangerous mission. Sena was badly injured after an escape, he had blacked out. When he woke, he was inside an empty cabin in the woods with hot water and food. His wounds were cleaned and dressed.

The Poet. Sena knew it was him all along, but still his guardian remained a mystery to him. He had never seen the furcifer that sang while camouflaged in the nature.

Rana had kept his word, he had killed The Poet. It did not give happiness but provoked an undigested lump of sadness inside Sena. He would never know who The Poet was. He would never see his face again. He was revoked from watching The Poet right into his eyes. He will not get another chance to use the sword of his mouth to slash The Poet with questions over the terrible deeds that he had committed. His ears will always remain deaf to The Poet's replies.

But now, The Poet was no more and Sena would never know why he had carried on doing what he did.

Sena closed his eyes.

Vettaiyan opened the tiny box in front of him. He had been gazing at the small wooden box siting on the table in front of him. The package was delivered at the Palace gates by an anonymous. The General stood beside the Emperor, he had his masked face facing the floor. Vettaiyan slowly lifted the box and opened it. He dug out a green cloth belt from inside and brought it before his eyes. He traced the slanting green furcifer embroidered around the belt with the tip of his thumb and index finger. He slowly placed it on the table and removed the tiny piece of cloth which held a hand written note:

Quarrel between mind and brain is eternal.
Trained mind of the monk believes to Be All.
Brilliant brain of the poet boosts to End All.
When they meet at the feet of fate, both shall rest in peace.

Vettaiyan clenched his teeth and made a brisk turn around and growled, "Send for Vitara."

None around him moved. The General stood silent with his head hung down. Vettaiyan looked sharply at the motionless workers and security guards present with him inside the room. His starring eyes pronounced him impatience, as his direct order was yet to be executed. The hesitant people around him spun themselves as scared snakes, as though Vettaiyan's sight was burning them.

It took a little more than just a while for Vettaiyan to realise. His Architect was no more, burnt to ashes. He turned and placed his palms on the table. He smiled at his own reflection on the shiny table, which smiled back at him. His Minister was seated with his own head spinning above his body. And now, his only friend The Poet has come back home in a tiny box. Vettaiyan looked at either side, his agony turned into a calm smile. He timidly nodded his head at The General.

The Emperor whispered, "Get me the Palace mason." He stood in the same posture, bent over the table looking at himself, when he heard hurried foot falls fading away behind him. He walked to the reading shelf and took materials to draw and write. He started working silently. The General stood watching the Green belt lying on the table. His masked face registered no emotion, while his shoulders suggested that he was uneasy and blinking constantly.

Vettaiyan took the Green belt with him to the balcony. He carefully removed a white pigeon from the den, the trained birds to deliver secret messages to The Poet. On one of its legs he tied the green cloth belt and on the other he placed the message he had written for The New Poet.

The Assassin's Assistant is The Apprentice, the thought made Vettaiyan's lips turn into a smile. He had confidence in The Apprentice, even though he had never met him. He was after all trained by The Great Poet himself. He threw the pigeon into the sky. After fluttering its wings and circling twice above Vettaiyan's head, the bird merged with the white clouds. Vettaiyan entered back into his Solar and stared at the fragile man at the entrance. He slowly walked back to the table and picked a papyrus on which he had sketched a design.

"Here", he handed it to the mason, "I want this constructed at the Brother's Cemetery before sunset."

The mason looked at the sketch, then, he raised his head and looked at the Emperor. He again verified the design he was tasked to build before sunset. He slowly talked in a small voice, "King of Kings, with maximum men and the needed materials, this shall take some time to build."

Vettaiyan turned furiously, his strides marked his anger when he approached the mason. He started to circle the mason like a falcon going in rounds around its prey. The room fell silent, except Vettaiyan's footsteps echoing as sword swipes in the air. Vettaiyan stopped abruptly and pulled his hair tied behind his head. Turning its tip with his index finger, Vettaiyan uttered his signature phrase close to the mason’s ear softly. The terrified brick worker retreated from the room without any objection.

"My General”, ordered Vettaiyan looking at the fleeing mason, “Assemble everyone."

The Emperor turned and slowly walked back to the table and looked at his own reflection and said, "The battle has just begun."

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Five - The War Within

First Message

'Know thyself' was written in bold letters over a file sitting fat on a tree bark desk inside the tree safe house.

After delivering the Golden Book to the Emperor, The Apprentice roamed around the city tracking for any espionage activities carried out by the allied forces who were currently camped at the Pirate's Bay. Sitting on the roof under the shadow of the sun, The Apprentice felt restless. He had a lot of questions leaping out his head looking for answers. He decided to ask his Mentor rather than marinating in confusion.

The tree safe house was empty when The Apprentice reached there just before sunset. He looked around the place checking for any sign of intrusion. Nothing alarming, just that his Master was away. He removed the red scarf hiding his face and waited for The Poet. He walked to the closet and took a look at the neatly arranged white clothes of his Master. The centre spot on the top shelf was empty. This row of clothes were special and used for combat purposes. The Apprentice guessed that the Knife Suit was absent from the collection. He always admired the special Knife Suite, wished to try it and wanted to fight in it. He reached the main space of the safe house and approached the desk near the fire place.

Karthikeyaa sat down on a small stool and started reading the contents of the fat file. Two paper logs were placed one over the other inside it.

The one on the top explained the journey of the Emperor - his initial timid nature as a child Dhashakantha; who was trained to become Vettaiyan; who then had killed his nine brothers to reign on the throne as the Emperor. Description of his brothers and their murders were mentioned. The Apprentice noted that the sixth brother of the Emperor was called Karthikeya too, with only one 'a' at the end of the name. He went through the shortest murder description, the death of the third brother who had slipped and fell off from a cliff. The Apprentice chuckled at the fate of the third brother. Details about their resting place at the Palace Garden were present. Several pages included the men who had assisted the Emperor on various stages of his life - The Politician, The Vaithiyar, The Architect, The General and The Poet. Among them Minister Narendhira Verman and The General played pivotal roles in turning Dhashakantha into Vettaiyan. A brief note on the prowess of Vettaiyan as registered by the Pachonthi Guild was attached. The Apprentice was awestruck knowing about The Emperor – Courage and Knowledge, the true hands of Power.

The other file briefed about The Poet, his mentor. His days at the Guild were as impressive as The Emperor's. They both were inseparable and together were unstoppable. The Apprentice quickly flipped the pages to read the real name of his Mentor, but it was mentioned nowhere. He thought of asking him on a right bright day.

While going through half of contents of the second file, Karthikeyaa's eyes opened wide when he came across a name of a village mentioned in his Mentor's file. He immediately flipped through Vettaiyan records and found the same village, Svaha, appearing in them too. He matched several other pages from both the files, attentively examining every single detail.

"The entrance to The Maze ... The Third Tomb ... Svaha ... It finally makes sense", he thought loudly.

He picked up a particular paper log from Vettaiyan record and then another one from The Poet's file. Both had one thing in common – the name Svaha. Holding each one respectively in his hands, Karthikeyaa exclaimed, "The Poet is ..."

Before he could finish his thought, the fluttering wings of a bird near the window disturbed him.

The Apprentice gently handled the pigeon and removed the contents from its legs. He carefully unrolled his Mentor's belt from the leg of the messenger. His face could not seal his shock when he placed the Green belt on the table. After feeding the pigeon with water, The Apprentice read his first message from the Emperor:

Hibernate until the fall,
Rain shall announce the end of all.
And then wait for the call,
Shadow once again shall crawl.

The messages clearly indicated to be safe and get into hiding called Hibernation, a specialized language used in the Guild. The word 'fall' was from the Prophecy of War. The battle field Karmegha carried its own myth - when the war draws itself to an end, it shall rain. Once the Emperor is victorious, The Apprentice can take the place of The Poet and start working for the benefit of kingdom.

With teary eyes Karthikeyaa looked at the Green belt. His mentor was no longer alive, but the killer was. The Apprentice wore his red scarf around his face under the setting sun, its colour matched the eyes above the cloth mask. He gently tied his Master's belt around his hip. "Sena", he whispered angrily and sworn to make the murderer pay for what he had taken away from him.

Holding to the green rope around his hip, Karthikeyaa descended into the abyss of vengeance.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Five - The War Within

A Plan for Planning (part 1/4)

The Light of the Spirit

"Be prepared, wait and then, appear from where you are not expected", Rana was woken from his deep sleep by his Father's voice.

Rana had fallen asleep in the planning room. He quickly got up and brought himself back to reality. Seated disjointed and shattered just as the objects over the sand table and on the floor, Rana searched the room for his Father. A dream, few would never become true - Rana smiled at his own state.

The Chief of Army of the Allied Forces had been working overnight inside the Planning Room trying hard to pull out a new war strategies.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=5585&d=1477655651

Even though he had confidence on Putran being tight lipped, Rana knew that the Emperor's army, along with Kalingapuri forces, will wash away the allied forces with their unending tides of land troops. He needed to break their strength by decreasing their number, failing which the allied forces shall not see the tenth sunrise at the battle field Karmegha. He wanted to discuss this aspect in detail with Yesodha Putran, but the strategist had gone missing and was yet to be found.

He worked on different set of attack and defence methods using respective military units. He worked and reworked his strategy on the sand table but each time his actual plan was destroyed by his own successive ones.

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=5586&d=1477655655

Tiredness mixed with anger overtook Rana. Failing to conceive a suitable sphere of action, Rana started to doubt himself. He questioned whether he was capable of leading the army of three nations against the biggest armed forces of the world. He was lost, as the darkness gradually crawled inside the planning room. He threw the military figurines on the floor and disturbed the initial arrangements with rage. The sand table looked chaotic with all the fallen military units scattered all over it. They resembled his thoughts. He kicked the sand table furiously. Several military models jumped up and few settled on the floor. He, then, closed his eyes in vain and fell asleep.

Seated amidst the shattered plans lying around him, Rana got up to exit the Planning Room when his eyes fell on a figurine of a war elephant lying on the floor. It was surrounded by other tiny models of military units. It looked as though the forces around were all scared of the elephant troop that they kept their distance from the war elephants. Rana's eyes glittered with confidence. He took the fallen elephant model and held it in his left hand firmly. He went around the sand table flipping the figurine between his hands.

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He rearranged the sand table. He worked on his new strategy and positioned his troops to derive a new formation that shall strike the enemies like a thunder bolt. Once his new formation was neatly arranged, he placed the war elephant that he held in his left hand at the centre of the sand table.

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At the same time, the dawn announced the arrival of the day, and light peeped inside the planning room absorbing all the darkness it had held.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Five - The War Within

A Plan for Planning (part 2/4)

A New Strategy

"I mean no offence to our war strategist Putran", Rana talked to the members of the allied forces who had assembled around the sand table. Several noblemen were present in the room. Kali was sitting in a corner making his joint, while Kacha was beside Sultan facing Rana. Sena and Kanakavalli stood opposite to each other, and Kalai was listening to Rana as keenly as Nobleman who was standing to Rana's left.

"I stand as an assurance for many families who have sent their wives, husbands, mothers, fathers, daughters, sons and brothers, sisters, to this war. I vow to take most of them back to their homes. And this new strategy that I will demonstrate here in this Planning Room before you all will be deployed during the battle, and I am certain that it will set the flame of hope glowing during the unfavourable darkness of a defeat", Rana said firmly.

The calmness in the room suddenly toppled. Whispers and loud murmurs entered into every corner of the Planning Room.

"A Defeat!" a nobleman shouted angrily, "A cruel word mouthed by the one who is responsible to lead us vers victory".

"A new strategy!" one of the noblemen wondered. "It will be difficult for the captains to follow such a sudden change within short notice."

"As the army have boarded the vessels", another nobleman confirmed from behind, "there shall be no time to brief them all about anything that is new."

"Failing to understand, will gain us defeat", a calm voice spoke, "The generals and majors may commit mistakes, not consciously though. None shall reach home, at least alive."

Rana listened to the voices, casually tilting his head at the direction of the democratic noise.

"Yes, we should stick to the traditional formations as briefed by Yesodha Putran which were approved by the allied nations -

The Defense: Krauncha Vyuha on the second day, Ardha Chakra on the fith day and Mandala Vyuha on the eigth.

The Attack: Ardhachandra Vyuha on the thrid day, Garuda vyuha on the seventh day, Makara vyuha on the ninth day.

Vajra Vyuha, Trishula Vyuha and Mandala Vyuha shall be deployed accordingly once we are sure about the enemy's strategy during the battle at Karmegha."

One other the members joined to the chorus of objection, "Special troops are trained to tackle even the Chakrashakat Vyuha. If Chakra Vyuha is deployed by the enemy, then we have to sacrifice certain warriors who could enter and battle inside the maze until sunset, so that the war could stop for that day. Chakra Vyuha is as difficult to form, as it is to penetrate or exit the maze formation.

Putran had predicted that it shall be used only once targeting our valuable soldiers. During the time when it is formed, the head of the troops - captains, generals & majors - should be guarded and brought back to safety. He had warned that if the war continues for more than thirteen days, each passing day shall dim the light of our victory. It shall be on this day, the Emperor would call for the Chakra Vyuha", the speaker paused and then continued, "to separate Rana and Sena; capture them inside the maze and assassinate them before sunset."

"Instead of devising a new one, we must find ways to strengthen the existing strategy", they concluded by nodding their head in unison.

Kalai and Kanakavalli, the representatives of the allied forces, concentrated on the sand table before them. They tried to decipher the formation represented by the figurines on the sand table. Sultan looked at the talking noblemen with an arrogant smile on his face, while Nobleman maintained silence. Kali let out a thin line of smoke and Kacha stood watching Sena who failed to show any kind of reaction in his face.

"I shall not be arrogant with you all", Rana raised his voice, "as we are at the centre of a critical situation. The Emperor's army will outnumber our troops, and if we continue defending ourselves, the war shall end within nine days."

He faced the noblemen directly and spoke coldly, "This is not a political debate. This is warfare. I had invited you all to share details to tighten my strategy, and not to seek your approval. The objection shall only be heard if it is pronounced by the members of the allied forces present in here with us. The ranked officials shall take care of the burdens to brief their captains. They are positioned and employed to do so."

Rana paused for a moment and said bluntly, "I feel ashamed to remind you all that before addressing the Chief of the Army, anyone must take his permission and wait for his approval before speaking."

Kalai, the only military trained person inside the Planning Room, immediately took an erect posture facing straight ahead of him. There was silence in the room. Rana looked at everyone around him and broke the silence by addressing to Kalai without looking at him, "At ease Soldier."

Rana spoke uninterrupted:

"This Vyuha (formation) is entirely new to any battle. It will be deployed for the first time in the battle field Karmegha. The formation will guarantee a huge decrease in the enemy the count, as well as crush their morals. The motive of this strategy is to motivate the enemy to charge at us. At a strategic point during the fight, we will circle them without their knowledge. And then we will bury the trapped ones under our feet."

"As a grand strategist, Putran’s design of engineering the clashes are a masterpiece of strategic thinking. There shall be no change in any formation proposed by Putran. The archers and swordsmen shall battle for victory amidst ballistic devices. Separate battalions of mounted soldiers and specially trained ground operatives will close in and destroy the heavy enemy troops. We should except the same from our enemies and strengthen our defence system progressively as we gain ground at Karmegha."

"The only change, where I will put in place my strategy, shall occur once the enemies defence is penetrated during Makara Vyuha, the shark formation, on the ninth day. According to Putran, this heavy attack will decide the fate of the war."

"When we come to this point in the battle, we shall not charge, but retreat."

There were murmurs inside the room. Rana waited for the uninvited noise to settle down and then continued:

"Our soldiers will fight their way back, running away from the enemies to create an illusion of being weakened. Makara Vyuha's tail will be strengthened by archers, and not by the pikemen, who shall defend our retreating soldiers while moving along with them on foot and firing rapidly. They will dismiss or try to slow down the mounted troops from approaching our warriors inside the shark formation."

"The enemy will quickly decode our retreat as their strength and send battalions to ram us over the battle field. We will hold the enemy at the centre of Karmegha and slowly dismantle Makara Vyuha. Seeing the formation completely destroyed, the enemy will send more forces who will come crawling like ants. We will welcome them all, this time inside the new Vyuha which shall be formed discreetly on the battle field during the battle."

Rana made eye contact with everyone present around him, "The whole secret lies in confusing the enemy, so that he cannot fathom our real intent. They will charge and charge and keep on charging, we will maintain our defence. And once they are guided inside this Vyuha, before they could realise about the trap, they will already be crushed under our feet."

The Chief spread his hands over the sand table as though covering the entire area and brought them to his side and stood open armed. Rana, watched everyone around him with confidence in his face.

"Our Lady", Rana nodded at Kanakavalli, "Gentlemen", he looked at the noblemen, "I present to you Nihzreni Vyuha - the ladder to our victory".

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Five - The War Within

A Plan for Planning (part 3/4)

Nihzreni Vyuha - The Ladder Formation (part 1/3)

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"Ratha Gaja Turanga Padati", Rana announced proudly, "the four of our army types, all shall become the four parts of Nihzreni Vyuha."

"Chariots, Elephant troops, Cavalry and Infantry, all will join together to stand as a single force inside a Ladder Formation."

"Nihzreni Vyuha will fill the minds of our enemies with false fears."

Rana took the cue stick and pointed at the figurines he had arranged on the sand table. Everyone watched him attentively when he started to introduce to them his new war formation.

"Six Gana will flank both sides at these three areas - here, here and here - inclining themselves to reduce the space between them while closing into the Point of No Return where the enemies well be assembled by Vahini and Pratana before the stationed Camu", Rana lifted his head and watched the listening crowd around him. He looked at Kacha. He, then, looked at Kanakavalli. Blankness painted their faces, Rana knew they were not used to such advanced military terms.

Rana slowly circled around the table spinning the cue stick in his hand. He halted beside Sena and faced Kanakavalli.

He tapped on a tiny figurine of a standing soldier placed at the corner of the sand table and said, "Smaller their size, lesser the number of military units they represents." He touched the heads of similar models in their ascending order of height which were sitting scattered on the table.

"Patti is the name of a single small unit constructed with a chariot, 3 Calvary and 5 Infantry. It is the prime unit of any army, using which the battalions, huge troops, are formed. Grouping several Patti depends on the type of enemies confronted."

"Sena Mukha," Rana looked at Kanakavalli. Her eyes widened noting that Rana had named a military unit after his own brother. Rana smiled and said, "No, it is not named after my brother. It’s the other way round, my brother got his name from this strategical military unit called Sena Mukha, which is a powerful unit comprising three Patti. It can be deployed anywhere within a very short notice. Sena Mukha unit are quick and valuable military asset. When deployed properly during the right moment, they can change the fate of war itself."

"The growth of the individual military units are in multiples of three: Three Patti form Sena Mukha. Three Sena Mukha form a Gulma."

"Gulma is the highest order of a defence and/or attack troops. Gulma units are good fighters in small battles. And in a war, where the scale of enemy front is larger, Aksauhini is employed which is formed by grouping Ten Gulma together. Aksauhini, the large Gulma unit can ravage the enemies on the battle field."

"Gana, Vahini, Pratana, Camu are the individual troops of Gaja, Ratha, Turanga and Padati, which are five times bigger than Aksauhini. They will be positioned strategically in a battle field, normally at five places - at the head of four directions and one at the centre – along with Gulma units for support, which will turn into Sena Mukha if the battle is being lost, and Sena Mukha will engage the enemies while being scattered, thus, buy time for the retreating forces."

"Anikini is the Top Class. It consits of about half of the whole army power. It is an assembly of Ten of Gana, Vahini, Pratana, Camu togther, becoming the biggest army unit. Immense thought should be put before deploying Anikini unit. This unit's loss is equal to a defeat."

"These are just theories. Army General can bend the multipliers according to the enemies they face. The distribution of the single units can vary according to the battle field. Mountains or Plains, the formation of groups will be adapted - for instance whether to keep a chariot or to include two more depends entirely on the war strategy of the General."

"Such groups of military units are the primary members of a Vyuha, the battle formation. A Vyuha can be for defense or for an attack, and normally it is formed to balance and as a reply to the respective Vyuha employed by the enemy. The war formation takes time to be employed on the battle field. It will be deployed before the fight and never during the fight. A Vyuha can be formed with one only type or more, depending on the formation it tries to neutralise. All four types of the army (Chariots, Elephant troops, Cavalry and Infantry) deployed inside a single Vyuha is very rare. Simply because it is not an easy task to organise and control all the four types at the same time. Mostly Infantry and Calvry are used inside a Vyuha, as they are much easier to organise."


"So ..." Rana left the word hanging in the air and walked back to his initial position between Nobleman and Kalai. The General was still looking straight ahead of him. Rana smiled at Kalai and continued, "So, six Gana, the Elephant Troops, will flank both sides at these three areas. Together they will form the Siddhi Stupa (The Pillars of Success [stupa means pillars])."

"Inside the wall of elephants, Aksauhini will hold them together. They are called Duddhara (The Rope of Strength). From the outside, the crowded unit surrounded by elephant troops would look fierce. The enemy will not approach Siddhi Stupa, but will try to attack the other units positioned in-between."

"Six rows of Gulma called Svargasa Gkrama (The Bridge to Heaven) will connect the Siddhi Stupas positioned on either side. The first two rows of seven, then rows of four and finally two rows of two. Such a decrease in size and number of units will taunt the enemy to advance further inside. Svargasa Gkrama shall lead them straight to the Point of No Return, beyond which Avarsjati (Thunderbolt), the infantry unit will be waiting to strike."

"This is the Phase One of Nihzreni Vyuha, where Svargasa Gkrama (The Bridge to Heaven) will be formed during the war within."

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... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Five - The War Within

A Plan for Planning (part 3/4)

Nihzreni Vyuha - The Ladder Formation (part 2/3)

"The Svargasa Gkrama plays a vital role", Rana explained, "When the Makara Vyuha is broken, the units shall regroup into Gulma and stand directly facing the line of sight of the enemy", .

"As soon as the enemy charges it, Svargasa Gkrama will open and permit them inside. The Gulma will separate and break itself into Sena Mukha and start circling in smaller units (groups of Three Patti). This will allow the enemy to charge further inside to attack the stationary second layer of defence. The enemy will not attack the Siddhi Stupa, as they will be scared of the troops of elephants which are guarded by a large group of warriors, Aksauhini."

"The intruders will be forced to attack the weaker Sena Mukha circling around them and their aim will be to penetrate the other rows of Gulma. Each time they reach a Svargasa Gkrama, the formation will scatter and taunt the enemies to advance further inside. Gulma will not attack, but just push the enemy forward. The Clueless enemy will fight their way through Ksamavarta (Whirlpool of Calmness), the circling Sena Mukha."

"From the enemy front, the overseeing General will not realise that his troops are fighting inside a Vyuha. He will ask them to push forward and destroy our defence."

"Once they had breached the fifth line of Svargasa Gkrama, the first Siddhi Stupa will start to curve itself by charging their elephants. The Duddhara will hold the formation together when the Gana tries to close the Vyuha trapping the enemied inside. The Second Stupa will follow pursuit when the enemies reach the final Svargasa Gkrama. And the last wall of elephant will close in when the enemy have safely reached the Point of No Return."

"This is the second phase of Nihzreni Vyuha, where Ksamavarta (Whirlpool of Calmness), will lead the trapped illness to their doom."

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...to be continued...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Five - The War Within

A Plan for Planning (part 3/4)

Nihzreni Vyuha - The Ladder Formation (part 3/3)

"And now were are at the third and final part", the Chief of the Allied Forces concluded.

"This final phase will threaten the on looking enemy General with realisation: One, his men have voluntarily led themselves into a Vyuha. Two, it’s too late to react. He will be forced to watch the massacre that will follow."

"As soon as the third Siddhi Stupa curves itself, Cuma, the positioned Infantry at the Point of No Return, will move forward sealing the only exit. The first Siddhi Stupa will be completely closed by now and will take a defensive stand, not permitting any enemy to enter or exit."

"Inside the three deadly curves formed by our Gana blocking even sunlight to enter inside, the enemy shall burn in the darkness. A quarter million of the enemy troops will be killed inside Nihzreni Vyuha."

Rana suddenly threw his hands above his head and took a majestic voice while talking about the fate of the enemy at the feet of his magnificent power:

"The panicking enemy troops shall now stand before the mercy of their Creator - Chatur Mukha, the unbeatable four Anikini - Ratha Gaja Turanga Padati, all four united in their menacing form."

"I have deployed the deadliest battalion never formed before, that too, during the course of the battle itself. Mankind shall witness such a power for the first time, and History will remember it forever."

"The four faces of my army will join together to become one. The dirt and dust which have accumulated within, shall now fade away in my Creation - Chaturmukha!"

http://www.mayyam.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=5599&d=1477837618
(Chatur Mukha - The unbeatable four Anikini, Gaja-Ratha-Turanga-Padati, in their fullest form)

Jaya jaya durgati nashini kamini.
Ratha gaja turanga padati samavruta,
Pari jana mandita loka nute, Chaturmukha.

Victory to the ever loving destroyer of all our ills.
Surrounded by chariots, elephants, horses and foot soldiers,
The whole world bows down to You, Chaturmukha.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Five - The War Within

A Plan for Planning (part 4/4)

The Hunter's Move

Jala Vyuha - The Net Formation

The war room at Vettaiyan Palace was a large and advanced planning room. Several semi-circular tables with wheels under their three legs crawled over the floor fluently. A circular floor ran above them where Vettaiyan was standing, with the strategists and noblemen, watching the demonstration of his army chief.

Battle strategies were concluded by moving the respective semi round tables. Each moving table represented half of the battlefield and displayed military units gathered in a specific Vyuha. A circular arm was fixed at the curved end which was used by three palace workers to push or pull the desk. Two such tables were met at their flat end, turning themselves into a single large round sand table over which two groups of figurines were aligned to battle with each other.

There were blue and red models of military units over several semi-circular table, the rest carried white figurines.

"Red ones represent the attacking enemy while the blue represents their defence stance", The General informed the Emperor. Vettaiyan looked at his masked General and nodded his head. The General ordered the palace workers and the tables started to roll into place on the floor of the war room. Several red and blue units were pushed and stuck to the table with the white ones.

Three workers pushed their cart desk holding blue units on them arranged like a flying heron. They joined the flat part of the table with the one where white military units were siting in a square formation. Several other workers performed similar movements by attaching two semi-circular desks into one round sand table. The pushing and pulling continued silently for a while, and Vettaiyan observed the proceeding with rolling eyes. The white hawk formation was attached with red half crescent formation. A blue lotus was matched with a white hopping bird. After a while, all the tables holding respective defence and attack formations were set on the floor over their respective sand tables representing the Emperor's white soldiers battling with the red and blue enemies within their deadly Vyuhas.

"Krauncha Vyuha will be shattered with our Vajra Vyuha", The General briefed the Emperor, at the same time a soldier pointed at the respective sand table holding a blue heron opposite to a white square formation. "Ardhachandra Vyuha will be welcomed by our Chayana Vyuha", The General continued talking about the other possible Vyuhas that can be deployed during the war. The sand tables were sometimes rearranged to alter the battle formations and strengthen the Central Kingdom’s strategy at war.

By noon, the sand tables were all arranged according to the defensive and aggressive Vyuha that Central Kingdom was prepared to deploy during the Battle of Karmegha. Vettaiyan nodded his appreciation at The General. He quickly turned and looked at the unmoved circular table at the far end of the war room. He played with his beard under his chin while watching its contents curiously.

"Chakra Vyuha", The General said, "Will be ready to be deployed at your orders, My Lord, any time during the war. Those soldiers will not participate in the war, thus their availability is assured to make the Maze Formation at your command."

Vettaiyan slowly climbed down the spiral staircase and reached the Chakra Vyuha display. "Impressive", he said combing the strip of his hair falling before his eyes back to its place.

"They almost had me, didn't they General", Vettaiyan spoke to his army chief while keenly looking at the Maze Formation before him. The General nodded his head affirmatively. "I entered its mouth and passed through the three circles of swordsmen. They held me surrounded at the centre blocking with their shields. They were assured of victory after catching me inside Chakra Vyuha so early in the Battle of Savuda”, Vettaiyan laughed, "then, the mouth was closed, and the four levels of soldiers started to circle around me generating the maze."

Vettaiyan pointed at two zones inside the Chakra Vyuha, "The centre spiral is a helix, a three dimensional curve. The outer circles are just lines. The helix creates an illusion making the lines look curved too, as the rows of guards on the outer ring standing in a line seem to move in a circular pattern when the soldiers of the helix move circularly. That's the wonder of Chakra Vyuha."

"When the soldiers forming the helix are killed or their defence is broken, the guards who form the outer line move forward to replace the fallen soldiers and close the helix once again. This goes on until the trapped warrior gives up."

"If the helix is broken, the outer walls will be visible for a short period of time - the time taken for the guards to refill and close the helix. At this point, a gap will exist inside the Chakra Vyuha for a very brief moment. Once this unfilled area is discovered, the trapped warrior shall break the helix and continue fighting his way forward smashing the line of guards and after battling with the never ending waves of soldiers, he will finally be free."

"Luckily, you and your six warriors were there when I fell outside", Vettaiyan recollected, "I was already tired and bleeding, you took me away from the battle field."

Vettaiyan laughed, "The look on the face of that enemy chief!"

The General stood proudly. Vettaiyan walked around the table and stood behind The General and asked him, "If I had made out of the Chakra Vyuha, there is a possibility that someone else with a similar training can find the exit too, isn't it my General."

"But My Lord, Chakra Vyuha is not a kids play. It needs immense ...", The General argued.

The Emperor cut his chief without allowing him to finish his answer, "Moreover they will be waiting for me to form the Chakra Vyuha", Vettaiyan spoke to himself. He returned and stood infront of the sand table.

"Tell me, my General, how we hunt elephants?", Vettaiyan asked the masked man while rearranging the tiny military units on the sand table.

"By digging a pit. The calf is separated from the mother by scaring it with blows from hunting horns, and led into the pit. Once the mother comes with rest of the herd to rescue the trapped calf, they all will be surrounded. Either they will be taken down by force, or pushed into a bigger pit", The General replied.

"And then?", Vettaiyan asked while still working on the sand table.

"Captured and trained", The General concluded.

"Excellent. But you missed an important detail", Vettaiyan said, "When the mother elephant comes to rescue her baby, she will be in her most violent form. Her defence shall be her attack. None can approach her, as she will gain the force to befall an entire army."

The chief of army of Central Kingdom nodded his head in agreement. Vettaiyan said pointing at the sand table, "That’s why we use a net, my General."

The General's eyes widened when he saw the rearranged military units on the sand table which resembled a spider's web.

"One is a calf, other is an elephant", Vettaiyan said watching his new war formation Jala Vyuha, "To catch them both we need a net."

... to be continued ...

Author's Note: The Vyuhas and military terms present in Chapter Five: The War Within under the Episode: Plan for Planning, are illustrated in our Epic Mahabharata. Vyuhas : Krauncha Vyuha, Ardha Chakra, Mandala Vyuha, Ardhachandra Vyuha, Garuda Vyuha, Makara Vyuha, Vajra Vyuha, Trishula Vyuha, Chakra Vyuha, Krauncha Vyuha, Chayana Vyuha. Military Terms : Ratha, Gaja, Turanga, Padati, Patti, Sena Mukha, Gulma, Aksauhini, Gana, Vahini, Pratana, Camu and Anikini.

Few were put to excellent use by Emperor Chandragupta Maurya (324–297 BC) during the mighty Mauryan Dynasty, through which he had almost united all of India. The strategies and formations were advised/devised by his adviser Kautilya, famously known in Histroy as Acharya Vishnugupt Chanakya (350-275 BC).

Whereas: Nihzreni Vyuha, Jala Vyuha & Chatur Mukha [including Avasrjati (Thunder Bolt), Point of No Return, Svargasa Gkrama (The Bridge to Heaven), Siddhi Stupa (Pillars of Sucess), Duddhara (Rope of Strength), Ksamavarta (Whirpool of Calmness)] are imaginary. They were coined for fiction. None of the definitions under these fictional terminology should be considered accurate or taken as a proof of history. Such formations never existed.

Moreover, the description of escape from Chakra Vyuha is unreal. No written document or explanation about an exit from this deadly war formation has been registered. The way it is explained in the above episode is fictional.

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Five - The War Within

Birth of a Saint

"Your mass murder plan will work to wonders", Sena spoke coldly to his brother Rana.

They both were the only occupants of a tiny room with a window facing the sea. Sena was looking at the sky when he spoke.

"At times I think what I am fighting for!" he said while Rana stood beside him. Cold air entered through the window brushing Sena’s face and then hitting Rana’s.

After a brief silence, Sena spoke again, "When I was in the guild, I used to get gruesome missions. I used to enjoy them. I liked the killers. I walked as the murders and laughed at the victims. But after more than a decade now, I ask myself what I am doing here!"

Rana stood silent beside his brother. Sena continued, "I am haunted by these two unsolved cases. They are the same for me, glowing as eternal flames of pain ignited by the absence of Lalli."

"'The Tic-Toc Killer', thats what I called the murderer in the case tagged 'Mirror Murders'. The psychopath always killed two victims and displayed them in the nature. He named his victims 'Two bored Twins'."

"I arrived at the scene. A completely burnt body was seated before me. The victim was alive when the killer had casted his murderous spell of fire. There was a note hand written on the floor:

Tic-Toc Tic-Toc whispered the clock,
Run and bend to make it fast to the dock.

I ran to the harbour, by the time the agents had fished out a drowned body."

"After the fire and water display, we found two more victims - one suspended in the air hanged by neck and another buried alive inside the ground just below the hanging body. And there was a note for me carved on the tree bark which led me to the Temple Tower. A body was lying on the concrete floor with its head completely splattered - pushed from top of the tower and another one was hooked above on the pointed railing. They both were lying parallel to each other in the same posture - 'as above as below' kind of display. There was blood everywhere, as well as a note."

"Following the clues, I could only find twin bodies, but never the killer. I struggled for several days. There was no pattern, and the victims were not twins either - sometimes they were two random males or females; at times both. Only two things were common - the hand written message and the way the victims were displayed."

"During the never ending investigation, I felt that the killer was challenging me. His notes were mere taunts, sending a personal message that he was superior to me. From then, the riddles beside the victims got more and more personal for both of us. The words were more agonising than the victims under my feet. The Mirror Murders pushed me into the rings of madness, until the killing stopped abruptly."

"Years passed, and then, I was sitting all alone in the darkness trying to see what happened at the Festival of Lights. Instead, the Mirror Murders case slowly creeped through the darkness - Two bored Twins. I was scared for you. I wanted to see Yamuna. I wished to feel safe again, as the loss I had incurred cannot be replaced. I came looking for you, as I don't want to lose you both as I had lost our Father and my Family."

"The Mirror Murders is still unsolved after all these years and The Tic-Toc Killer is still on the lose. To catch him, maybe, that’s why I am still fighting for!"

Sena continued without interruption:

"The Cradle Mystery, a tragic event that held the whole nation by its throat with fear. All victims were new born females. It looked as though a girl was born, and the next moment she disappeared into thin air. No trace. No clue. Just an empty cradle and a crying mother beside."

"People feared that the witches were back, but I knew that the kidnapper had something else in his mind. There were no witch craft killings reported, for that the sacrificial grounds of the witches were deserted, they had all fled the city long time ago. None of the babies were found dead, concluding that these babies were still alive, grown up into young girls and ladies. But where and doing what?"

"For years I heard babies crying around me. I woke up to nothingness. It stopped when I first heard Lalli screaming her lungs out, the divine sound of the little red thing kicking in these arms. Lalli became my fear. I never slept. I held to her cradle all night fearing for the kidnapper to jump through the window."

"Now, I poses nothing, to fear for its loss. Maybe, I have nothing else to do here anymore!"

Sena maintained silence. Rana continued watching his brother without disturbing him.

"Sometimes I think I have to find the Tic-Tok Killer and solve the Cradle Mystry", Sena said, "I owe it to Suganthi. She was innocent and had nothing to do with what I had done. She became a part of my life, embracing my death."

"I am the one who should have died, a death as cruel as myself. But I am alive and the ones who deserve to live are lifeless", Sena blinked at passing white clouds over the blue sky above him.

"This war. A victory without you at my side, what shall it be called?", Sena wondered.

Rana tried to speak. He watched his brother gazing at the sky, just as he used to when he was a kid. The journey of his brother ran before Rana. It sent chills across his spine. His brother had suffered. He had carried the mountain of pain on his back all along, the burden he never wished to share with anyone else. Rana knew Sena was tired. His nightmares are back to haunt him, feeding him with fear and drenching him with sweats of scare. As the days close in, each sun rise and sun set is drawing Sena close to the Prophecy. But Rana is a warrior. He will meet his end, and even his fall shall be victorious.

Without uttering any word, Rana stood watching his brother who was watching the sky. Rana confirmed to himself, "Sena is becoming a Saint."

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Five - The War Within

Tomb of Immortal

The evening was quite. The breeze halted to see the sun painting the sky scarlet. Vettaiyan walked alone to the Brother's Cemetery. He moaned before the lifeless structure raised over the third tomb that was completely brunt by the fire and the marble monument stood bright over the ashes. It was an oval white gravestone with 5 holes differing in size punctured on it. The entering wind whistled while exiting, and the saddening noise echoed permanently around. A tiny lantern was included inside the structure at the bottom. Vettaiyan lighted the lamp whose flame would thus become immortal. He knelt down before the Tomb of The Poet and carved over the colourless flat stone slab buried over the black grass:

Rest here my Brother, The Hunter in the Wind.

Vettaiyan sat for a while with his eyes closed. Suddenly, he got up quickly and marched towards the palace without turning back. His gesture made the halted breeze to rush to safe corners that they brushed his hair during evasion.

The General was analysing the map that described in detail the route between the Pirate's Bay and the battlefield Karmegha. After gazing at the sketch for a while, he moved to the sand table and placed a tiny model of war ship at the shores of Narukukanna. The silence in the War Room was disturbed by a heavy foot fall. The General stood erect.

Vettaiyan slowly marched inside the War Room. He held a cold smile on his face when he looked around the room. He fixed his eyes on The General and started to circle around the sand table while talking, "Earth and Wind. When they come together, their enemies become Dust."

Vettaiyan paused. He took the tiny war ship model from the sand table and threw it between his hands. He started to speak again between his crooked smile, "Fire and Water, form Steam".

The Emperor laughed arrogantly. He abruptly stopped his laughter. Words peeped out between his clenched teeth, "Sena, Kochadaiyaan and Rana".

Vettaiyan raised his eyebrows towards The General, "The Wind does not blow, and The Water does not flow. Fire and Steam that are still left, shall be buried under the Earth".

Vettaiyan quickly threw the tiny ship over the sand floor and walked back towards the exit. "We must allow them to perform before us", Vettaiyan spoke calmly to his General while standing by the door, "and we will applaud over their blood."

It took time for The General to decipher what the Emperor had just spoken. He knew that Vettaiyan had not conveyed reality, but the Purpose of Power itself.

The Wind dances with the Earth producing Dust - The Poet and The Emperor. Fire and Water make Steam - Kochadaiiyaan and his seeds. All five were indeed the human forms of the Nature's balance, in conflict with one another. One rules the Earth, the other sung around in the Wind. One was born out of a Spark from the Man who came from the Sea, the other was their Energy. These five were the Elements of Nature, and now the remaining Two will battle with the One and Lonely.

A large sweat drop appeared on the temple of The General. He turned towards the exit and saw The Emperor disappearing into the corridor. Vettaiyan's image was shut by the closing door.

The cloth door of the tent opened, and Rana entered into the Planning room at Narukukkana. The usual crowd was gathered inside. Rana checked for Sena. He found his brother standing next to Kali in the corner. Rana bit his lips seeing his brother aloof. He walked back to the sand table and announced:

"General Kalai will lead the foot soldiers of the allied forces."

"I appoint Sultan as the head of animal military."

"Queen Kanakavalli shall command the archers, as well as, the woman troops."

"The pikemen will work under the direct orders from Kacha."

"Kali will operate the secret bomber unit."

"Prince Shamu, positioned currently at Fort Ayan, will continue to direct the salves towards the Palace interiors."

Rana made eye contact with everyone present in the Planning Room. He spoke authoritatively, "Their orders are the echoes of my voice. It shall be executed without delay and without any hesitation."

He gave time for his command to register with his audience. He, then, continued:

"Nobleman will carry the Declaration of War with the battalion that has just reached the shores. He will supervise the camp site at the battle field. On his guidance, the three nation's flags will be hoisted watching the enemy across the battle field Karmegha."

"During the war, in the absence of Yeshodha Putran, I give full authorisation to Nobleman to devise the war formation. Myself, the Chief of Army of Allied Forces Rana, will direct the attack, while, Sena, the second in command, will assure the defence."

He quickly moved closer to the sand table and pointing at the water ways he briefed, "Here is the fleet formation to bring the army of allied forces safely to shore ...", his speech was disturbed by a heavy commotion inside the room. Rana raised his head. He looked around and found everyone in the room standing erect. Few of the commandants and soldiers were on their knees and the others were taking a sincere bow. Rana's face failed to cover the bewilderment when he looked at the entrance.

Vadhana Devi, the Queen of Kottaipatinam and the leader of the allied forces, completely suited up in her war armour, slowly crossed the Planning room greeting everyone present around her.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Five - The War Within

Fish and Fleet

Kanakavalli ran towards Vadhana and took her hands inside hers. She quickly verified Vadhana's wrists. Vadhana smiled at Kanakavalli. She made a fist with both her hands and held them firmly before Kanakavalli's face. The ladies hugged each other. Vadhana saw Sena beside Kali who was struggling to keep himself steady on his knees. She walked towards them and helped Kali to raise to his feet. She smiled at him and looked at Sena who held his head facing the floor. She walked back to join the group of men near the sand table.

"Excuses my Queen", Rana spoke to Vadhana while approaching her making impatient strides. He took her by her left arm and pulled her towards the exit.

"What are you doing?" he asked her without hiding his anger.

"'How are you doing?' would have been more appropriate, my love", she replied with a smile.

"Vadhana ...", Rana looked at the sea before fixing his eyes on hers. "You are not only putting yourself in danger, but you are creating a threat to our child", Rana said sympathetically while placing his hands on her abdomen.

"If it wants to live, it will protect me", Vadhana said. Before Rana could argue, she stopped him by throwing her palm before his face, "As the queen I cannot just sleep on the feather bed while being surrounded by families worrying for their loved ones who are battling for our kingdom. I will fight the war by their side and will lead them to victory." Without giving Rana a chance to talk, she started to walk towards the Planning Room. Rana stood watching the sky, just like how his brother used to gaze at the passing clouds.

Vadhana looked at the fleet models on the sand table when Rana walked back in and took his position before everyone assembled inside the Planning Room.

"Your Majesty", Rana nodded respectfully at Vadhana. He briefed once again for the benefit of the Queen, the responsibilities placed over respective members who would lead the allied forces in the war against the Central Kingdom. He then continued to present the fleet formation to safely bring the army across the sea, "The army of the allied forces will set sail at dawn from the Port of Kottaipattinam, and travel through the sea to reach its destination here", and he pointed at the Pirate's Bay on the sand table. "The naval carriers of the soldiers and troops will be grouped into three large units and will be supported by individual strike forces consisting of armoured battleships. Each unit will start one after the other under a defined time interval", Rana positioned the three groups of ships on the sand table.

"The first will carry foot soldiers and materials of war, followed by animal military and the final one will transport food and heavy artillery", Rana explained. Pointing at the ships around each unit he said, "These ironclad battleships equipped with powerful mortars will surround their respective unit. In between the battle ships and the carriers, the light cruisers, the fast and independent warships, will operate to communicate or to navigate supply during the time of an attack."

"According to the Declaration of War, the fleet shall not be attacked on the common waters. The war is declared over land, and only the supply ships will be drowned post the commencement of war." Rana raised his head and talked in a serious tone. "So, we are not in a position to receive reinforcements. The whole population of our army is contained in these vessels and must be transported at a single time. They must be safely guarded all along their journey from potential dangers that might strike them on their route. Each drowned carrier vessel will near us towards defeat."

"Isn't it too risky to carry them all in only three units", one of the noble man questioned, "Can our Chief re-examine the possibility to device a more secure plan, like, despatching several units during the course of war after gaining territories over the sea."

Rana placed his hands on his hips while he replied, "As soon as the war begins, the waters are no more common territories. The Emperor will exercise his full naval power on the sea taking down anything that is swimming which is not a fish. Our only chance is to bring the whole army at the same time before the war. "

"Do you think The Emperor will follow guide lines from the Declaration of War and not attack our fleet", another nobleman interrupted.

"Yes and no. The Emperor will create blocks, but will not attack head on. He will not risk to go against the war treaties. One, he has a reputation to maintain, two, an emperor is always scared of history. Blocks will be created through flagless ships. If our fleets are to be attacked on their way to the war, then, we will be prepared face it too."

Rana got back to the sand table and explained, "The battleships and the cruisers accompanying the carriers are fit to withstand large attacks. They are the trained naval units that will strike the two other harbours at the Central Kingdom, here and here. Once these three harbours are taken into our control, we can envisage reinforcements. But before that we need soldiers to fight on the ground. Kottaipattinam naval is the second largest and joined with Karimedai naval, it shall stand equal to the strength of the Central Kingdom. The only risk we face are the carriers. No shot should land on them and we must bring them all safe to the shore."

"I am summoning three Rocks on the Sea, around the allied army naval fleets:

The Soapstone - Armoured and Heavy Cruisers.

The Carnelian - Frigates and Galleons.

The Amethyst - Destroyers & Fireships."

Rana took three tiny ship models and placed them on three different radius – inner, middle and outer - around the secured carrier units.

"Along with the traditional battleships guarding the carrier fleet, these three Rocks on the Sea will circle around the fleet during their journey towards the shore. One's catch sight - the brief vision over a specific territory, will align at the other's lose sight - the blind territory, thus at any given point of time the surrounding will be watched attentively."

Rana showed the three units of support ships that have formed a triangle around the army fleet. He tapped on the one closer to the army fleet.

"The Soapstone will survey the close territories around the moving ships. They are quick and well armoured to defend as well as to attack."

"The Carnelian, in the middle, will supress any kind of penetration with their fire power. Being dually equipped - sailing and rowing - these ships can easily turn around using manual row or circle around by sailing in the wind."

"The Amethyst are the hell burners. They will secure the outer ring around the carriers by destroying any vessel that tries to near our fleet, by either exploding themselves or creating a wall of fire on the water making it impossible to navigate. The exploding ships will not carry any crew inside and the fireships will be stocked with lamp oil contained in barrels to coat the sea water with the flammable liquid."

"Any pottential threat or a surprise attack must pass through The Amethyst; fight past The Carnelian; drown The Soapstone; penetrate the defence of the battleship, before reaching the carriers. They may suceed in destroying our line of defense, but by the time the whole action ends, the carriers would have reached the shore safely."

"The Soapstone will be operated by Sena and Kacha. The Carnelian will be commanded by General Kalai and Kanakavalli. I and Sultan will lead the The Amethyst. The Rocks on the Sea will ensure the safety of the allied forces."

General Kalai looked at Rana with glitters hanging inside his wide eyes. The Chief of Army waited to take questions, and as there were none, he continued, "At dusk, all three support units will take position and secure the travelling territory before meeting with the carrier ships at dawn. Then, they will circle around the fleet during the entire journey eliminating any threat on the way", Rana closed his briefing when they all heard an explosion outside.

"The Cannon Shot," Rana informed the others while standing on the sand watching the burning light house, "A Warning Shot."

Sena looked at the harbour area. Several of Emperor's ships had assembled around the port, their mortars and cannons directly aimed at the harbour.

"Kali", he called out, "the war shall begin with your fireworks." Sena smiled.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Five - The War Within

Guardians of the Temple

The Rocks on the Sea set sail under the moonlight, slowly drifting past the enemy battleships lined up at the shore of Narukkukanna. Kali stood with a torchlight in his hand on the sea shore watching the white masts of the sailing ships disappearing deep into the ink blue blanket. He turned and walked back to the tent where several other men dressed in black outfits with their faces covered were waiting for him.

The moon was dull, managing partially to cream the dark sky and black sea with its pale white light. Sena gazed at the duskiness further ahead of him into which The Carnelian had disappeared. There was calmness on the sea and only the tiny ripples hitting the battleship were audible. Kacha joined him at the main deck. After a while he broke the silence, "Why are we at war?" he asked Sena.

Sena turned and looked at the young man at his side. "You are stressed", he replied, "Combat fear can tickle the mind with such questions during war times. You need to take some rest."

"Not really. I am prepared to fight the war within, but was wondering how our lands have come to conflict in the first place", Kacha said looking at the white foams lining the waves hitting the vessel. "Who is The Emperor? or Why is he the Emperor?"

Sena looked at the obscurity above and narrated the myth to Kacha:

"Several thousands of years ago, when mankind was yet to be civilised, many roaming humans formed groups. They, then, became settlers looking for fertile lands and started to exploit its resources for living. Such smaller groups were united by a leader and as the population grew, the chieftains started to call themselves as the Kings. They provided security to the people from the wild animals and dark forces, but slowly sucked the people’s wealth. They forced a member of each family to enrol in the King's army. They used them to plunder neighbouring independent lands. They made the citizens their salves. The King's wealth started to overflow as and when the Kingdom expanded over the sorrow of its own people who waited desperately for a Saviour.

At a point in time, the surplus wealth created trouble for the Kings. Bandits, robbers and thieves, who were actually the citizens risen from the bed of the suffering society, started to trouble the King. The Kings met secretly and discussed ways to safe guard their wealth.

A Saviour appeared, but not for the people but to the Kings. As they did not have a common leader - An Emperor, the Kings were forced to listen to the Guardians of the Temple.

A group of eight men who called themselves the Guardians of the Temple proposed their service to the Kings. They suggested to collect all the wealth, account them by names, order them by date and keep them in an undisclosed vault, the safest depository ever known to mankind which they called as the Temple. And their leader, the Guardian of the Eight Directions, was Komokuten.

Komokuten sketched the first route, a kind of a map, connecting the kingdoms spread across the land and span beyond the sea. He studied the lands and drew an imaginary vertical line at the centre of his map, the top end he called the Zenith and the bottom he named as Nadir. He treated the lands as though they were inside a sphere and derived the eight directions to transport the riches. He then appointed one Guardian for each direction as the prime conveyor and indicated the directions on his map with the weapon the respective Guardian carried with them:

Uttara (North) - Gada (mace)
Daksina (South) - Danda (staff)
Purva (East) - Vajra (thunderbolt)
Pratici (West) - Pasa (noose)
Isanya (Nort-East) - Trisula (trident)
Agneya (South-East) - Sakti (spear)
Vayavya (North-West) - Ankusa (goad)
Nairtya (South-West) - Khadga (sword)

After designing the directions, Komokuten sketched six paths crossing and intersecting these direction to safely transfer the King’s wealth to the Temple. He called them the Paths of Pain and lined them according to the dangers they held:

Deva Gati (Path of Riches; Kings Deposits)
Manusya Gati (Path of Re-Travel; Common Path)
Tiryagyoni Gati (Animal Path; Jungles and forests)
Preta Gati (Uninhabited Path; Deserts)
Asura Gati (Path of Fierce Envy; Bandit hills)
Naraka Gati (Path of Shawdows; Terrible lands of dark forces and black magic).

The Guardians of the Temple looked at their leader Komokuten as 'He who sees All'. The operations were successful. The Kings started to plunder more and the Guardians of the Temple kept their wealth safe for them. The Temple became more dominant over anything standing on the land, but its location was known only to Komokuten and his eight faithful Guardians.

The Guardians of the Temple grew in size and soon became more powerful than the Kings, as they controled the wealth of every kingdom. They charged more for the same service, and at times even threatened the Kings who tried to reclaim their wealth. Tension prevailed between the Kings and The Guardians of the Temple. Komokuten clearly demonstrated his plans through his actions - he wished to abduct the resourceful lands that produce the wealth from the Kings.

The Kings regrouped again to find ways to recover their wealth, at the same time, to eliminate Komokuten. But the Guardians practised a kind of combat skills new to the prevailing era. No army could battle to victory before them. So the Kings tricked Komokuten with their sweet language of women and liquor to train their soldiers. The Guardians not only taught the soldiers the new art of battle, but also enrolled a few to transport the wealth. These soldiers were agents to the Kings, but they were unable to know the location of the Temple. After arriving at a particular intersecting point of the directions, the wealth was then taken away by the Eight Guardians to a secret location - The Temple.

One night, the Kings invited the Rulers of the Directions to dine with them. A massive dinner was served and the Kings showed immense respect to Komokuten. Immersed in their courtesy, the Guardians of the Temple failed to notice that they were surrounded by armed soldiers, mainly by the ones whom they had trained. One of the Eight Guardians realised the danger and stood up to warn the other, but fell back to the floor. Blood fountained out of his mouth. Three others fell face down over the table and laid motionless over the stream of red fluid leaking between their lips. The remaining Guardians surrounded Komokuten and tried to escape the murderous plot of the Kings.

Anger filled every part of Komokuten. He charged at the soldiers as a mad bull and none could stand before him. His valiant warriors fought fiercely while coughing blood. One by one they all fell beside Komokuten. They did not die by sword but by the poison served in their supper.

Komokuten stood alone surrounded by the Kings. They demanded him for the Temple's location. Komokuten stood smiling at the Kings, looking at them as a bunch of fools. They threatened to torture him in the cruellest way. Komokuten took a fire torch lying beside him and alighted himself.

The Kings ordered their men to put the fire off. Many tried to approach Komokuten, but he chased them all away with his sword while still burning in the flames of anger. After slaying down any who tried to cool him down, his burnt body knelt on the ground. A deep voice spoke out of the flames, "I see All, The End and The Beginning. I will return to rule you All."

The Kings watched Komokuten turn to ashes. They still did not have the location of the Temple. For several years the Kings searched every corner on Earth, but could not find the Temple.

Even today, treasure hunters, like Rana and yourself, are still searching for the entrance to the Temple, but Komokuten was brilliant to hide it inside his imaginary sphere. It is believed that Komokuten’s directional map was hidden in the Zenith, and it shows the way to the Temple located at the Nadir.

The death of their leader did not go well with the followers and the recruits of the Guardians of Temple. They enrolled themselves in several activities for the Kings. Some even became ministers, medicine men, architects, spies and army chiefs. Since that time, they plotted against the Kings preparing themselves for the Rise of Komokuten as the King of Kings, The Emperor of the New World. Many wars were fought since then, and in each, the Guardians of Temple played a major role.

But never one shall know, who they really are and as what they are disguised as.

Several thousands of years after, they have elected their new leader, Vettaiyan. The Emperor will not rest until there is an independent King ruling a piece of land."

Kacha blinked at Sena who smiled back at him and said, "It's late, take some rest, a huge dawn awaits us."

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Five - The War Within

Heights of Insight

General Kalai was staring at the single star glowing in the darkness above when Kanakavalli walked over the deck and stood beside him over The Matsya, the thirty two long gun frigate, floating on the darkness below. Kalai smiled at Kanakavalli, her face reflected the shine of the twinkle in the sky. Kanakavalli surveyed the darkness in front of her to catch any alien movement.

"You remind me of my sister", Kalai spoke to Kanakavalli, "Kartika, the beauty, as you are."

Kanakavalli looked straight into his eyes, a gesture seeking to know more about his sister.

"Kartika never grew up, she was playful and cheerful", Kalai rejoiced in his memory when he told Kanakavalli about Kartika while still gazing at the glowing star above, "We quarrelled a lot. People around us found it difficult to separate us when we rolled over each other in the mud. We fought with each other for no particular reason, but finding every reason to fight – even if my mango was more golden than hers”, Kalai made a mild laughter.

"Our father, Ibhanan, the Great General of Katrupuzha enrolled me in a military unit when I was only eleven, Kartika was eight then. She cried holding my father’s foot pleading him not to take me away from the family. But my father dragged her along with him until she could not hold on to his foot anymore. I turned to see her weeping on the floor, and that was when I decided to meet her as often as possible."

"Kartika was very much interested in knowing military combats. We met secretly at the banks of the river bordering the jungle and I used to teach her the new techniques I had learnt recently."

"During one such training session, we saw a human body floating in the water. Without hesitation she jumped into the rivers and pulled the body to the shore. I panicked. I insisted on leaving as I was scared about the stranger. He could be anyone - a spy or a terrorist. I always feared angering my father. But she stood firm on nursing the unconscious man who was severely wounded, his face completely torn. His white dress was wet not with the water, but by his own blood. I explained to Kartika the state of the stranger and persuaded her to leave, as the man shall not be alive by dawn. Kartika refused, and anger mixed with fear made me abandon my sister with the stranger in the dark jungles beside the river bed."

"I could not sleep that night. I returned to look for my sister by creeping past the military camp. I found Kartika inside a hut, handmade made out of dry branches and leaves. She had dressed the wounds of the unconscious stranger, his head and face heavily bandaged. The man struggled to breathe through the tiny holes between the bloody cloths spun around his face. His body was drilled by arrow head. All the tiny holes were leaking blood even after stuffed with medicinal herbs", Kalai paused to recollect the horrors that he saw through the wounded stranger, "The green and the red produced a frightening gore", he said after a while.

"When she saw me", Kalai continued, "Karthika handed me a lump of mud and guided me back to the bank. I admired her strength, her courage and her will she had put to save the wounded man. We created a small earthen oven with the clay and placed the wounded man inside. Kartika filled the kiln with several herbs and rolling couple of sticks, she produced fire that gently burnt the leaves causing dense smoke. I once again pleaded her to return to home as our father was scheduled to visit our house at dawn. Finally she agreed and we both parted ways - she went to the village, and I crawled back into my tent at the camp."

"The stranger laid inside the oven treated by the medicinal smoke throughout the night. After that day, we never spoke about the man whom we had saved."

"I was busy trying to become a soldier, but did not fail to notice a change in Kartika. She looked more beautiful and quarrelled less. I provoked her but soon realised that she had grown into a pretty lady just like a bud blossoming into a flower during the course of the night. And then, she confessed that she was in love. I was happy for her, but again, feared how my father would react. I was under an impression that she was in love with a local young man, and even asked her to introduce him to me, she shied; the pleasant expression that I noticed for the first time on her face."

"One evening when I returned home, I was shocked to find my father dragging her out of the house. It reminded me the day when he took me to the military camp while Kartika clung to his foot. I ran and tried to stop him, but he pushed me away. Kartika lied on the ground weeping and surrounded by the villagers. I felt ashamed. A washer man had informed my family about himself witnessing Kartika with a man near the banks of the river which had erupted an emotional turmoil inside my father.”


"That night my father locked her in the cellar and I heard my sister weeping nonstop. I could not take it anymore, so I went to see her. Kartika informed me that she was in love with the stranger we had saved at the river bank. And that they met each other secretly since then. She told me about her plan to elope with the stranger to the village Svaha. I tried to ask her more about the man with whom she was in love, but she assured me that she will tell me everything once she had reached Svaha, for that she had to be at the banks before dawn. Initially I refused to help her, but her tears melted me. I was conscious about what my father was capable of. I insisted on going with her to the banks, but she denied my proposal stating that if our father found out, then I will be in a miserable condition before him for the rest of my life."

"I liberated her that night, an action that I regret forever."

Kanakavalli noticed a huge drop of tear waiting at the corner of his eyes. The glittering drop of affection fell down to the deck of The Matsya unable to control the weights of sorrow.

Kalai spoke again, "My family abandoned Kartika, they became rocks sculpted with insult., but not me. For several months I had no news from Kartika. Worried, I went to Svaha and enquired about my sister and her anonymous lover. None claimed to have seen or heard about such a couple. After all these years, I still look for Kartika like a madman in search of his own mind. Never could I trace her. And never had I seen the face of that stranger to identify him."

Kalai pulled his head down and wept, "My fault. I should have left her in the cellar that night, she would have hated me, but at least she would have been with me."

Kanakavalli took Kalai's head and placed it on her chest. She hummed to calm Kalai, the sweetest sound that Kalai had ever heard. Under the glowing star Kartika, Kanakavalli and Kalai sat on the deck watching the fated moon.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Five - The War Within

Will kill end a War

"I would have run down the Palace and put the Emperor on his knees, allowing him to plead for his life before me", Sultan said confidently to Rana.

They were seated inside the captain's cabin on The Scorpion, the small merchant vessel equipped to spit fire. Rana smiled back at Sultan through the candle light.

"You travel a lot and have been hearing to many tales", Rana replied, "Your heroic approach is legendry but denies reality".

"Why all these strategies, troops and formations? Just enter and kill", Sultan said firmly.

Rana laughed. "A war is not what you think it is. A battle is not about two warring groups running towards each other and meeting at the middle of a battlefield and starting to chop each other into pieces. That's fictional, an epic story told around a camp fire for entertainment."

"A war is an exercise to showcase the power that not only tests the strengths but also the intelligence of the warring parties", Rana declared.

"Of course there are invasions", he continued, "but only barbarians carry out such brutal massacre. Brave men go to war. The level of advancement and technology is drawn by a war. Even when a king invades another land, he or one of his messenger informs the opponent ruler. Very rarely wars are fought on the grounds, most of them are resolved with treaties or by other means without meeting at a battlefield. Mainly because, going for a war is costly, plus many human life’s are at stake. In the end, a ruler needs his people to rule over."

"Civilised men carryout modern methods. For instance, the Declaration of War and the negotiations carried out before announcing the rupture. Plus, the way the supports were gained and the respect shown during the meetings."

"Previously, when a war was declared, the night before the battle, the invading or the challenging army will be worshiped on the battlefield. The mothers, wives and daughters of the opponent army light lamps and decorate the forehead of the enemy soldiers, so that, the single night's bond will serve as a seed of thought when the soldier is about to slay a man on the battle field."

"In a war, not the kills that count, but the skill which leads to the victory."

"Once a king invaded a rich kingdom for its wealth. The talks did not pave way for peace. The rulers decided to meet at the battlefield. When the invading king saw the size of the opponent's army in front of him, he merely laughed. With just few of his commandants, he instantly jumped into action and attacked defending soldiers. To his surprise, the little army before him gave him a tough fight. The charging king enjoyed the battle cherishing every moment with the valiant warriors defending their motherland with grace and style. He encountered several formations that were new to him and found it a bit difficult to break them and penetrate beyond the war filed to charge at the palace."

"Impressed with the defeated army, the invading king marched over the fallen soldiers to claim the throne. When he neared the walls, he saw the citizens of the kingdom fortifying the palace. He laughed again at the peasants and merchants trying to stop his giant army. His admiration over the citizens grew when he saw the women and children well dressed with dazzling ornaments. There were abandon food storage around and the houses were made of solid roofs. There were new designs of cooking vessels and the streets were named on a board hung at each corner. The lanes were well lit and the houses decorated with bright colours had a number written on their wodden doors."

"An aged man, dressed in civilian clothes approached the vainqueur. The winning king did not recognise the stranger kneeling before him. The man introduced himself as the King and accepted his defeat. He surrendered after demanding an assurance from the invader that his people will not be revoked of their happiness. If be the case, he challenged the king seated on the horseback, as he shall not live to see his people suffer."

"The invading king was shocked to hear the words from the defeated king. He looked around him and saw the government and its people standing hand in hand. As a ruler he thought about his own governance. He looked deep inside himself to find out how much his people regarded him. Upon enquiry, he learnt about the social policies adapted by the rival king and the civics sense used to construct his kingdom. Thus, the kingdom was not only rich, but healthy too. The invading king learnt a hard lesson during that war."

"He got down from his horse, and lifted the defeated king. He hugged him and made him his ally. He requested to adopt the ministers of the kingdom as the prize for his victory, so that he can turn his own kingdom into a healthy wealth."

"So, Sultan, war is not about crossing swords. We are into warfare, a combination of wits and will."

"Never underestimate the Emperor, he can remove your head even before your tongue can roll out a threat."

Under the glow of the candle light, Rana assured Sultan, "This war will see how much civilised we have become, the trace of the path mankind had taken to reach its height. History shall register how a battle should be fought - with glory always a step ahead of victory."

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Five - The War Within

The World of Waters (Part 1/2)

The orange ball of fire slowly peeped over the horizon dissolving the darkness around the Emperor's fleet stationed at the harbour of the Pirate's village which was under the occupation of the allied forces that was in war with the Emperor and led by the Vadhana Devi, the Queen of Kottaipatinam.

Soft drum rolls sounded around the Hell’s Sea Shore indicating the march of the first battalion of the allied forces towards the battlefield Karmegha. The square sets of ground forces faced their Queen awaiting her order to move forward. Nobleman stood in front of Vadhana and registered his worry about leaving her while being circled by enemy ships. He urged her to come along with him.

Vadhana smiled at Nobleman who was appointed to guide the first army to Karmegha by carrying the Declaration of War. She brought her hand in front of her face and turned them into fists, "Don’t fear, the noblest of all, these hands got names." She brought forward her left arm and said "This is Swathi", and bringing the other to the front she announced, "and this is Swetha."

A young lady dressed in green military outfit jumped down from the tent behind Vadhana holding an archer’s bow in her hands. Another one, dressed in brown clothes cut through the sands and glided to a stop using her sword. "Swathi and Swetha are the twin brigadiers who will lead the archers and sword wielders of the great women army of Kottaipatinam."

"Men need trainers to become soldiers. We, the womanhood, train ourselves. When need comes, she will be a mother and a daughter. As a wife, she lights the fire in the kitchen and if there is a threat to the loved one, she will burn the menaces into ashes by tunining into a soldier. A woman is the saviour of the society, be it while nourishing it with her care or guarding it with her life."

"My hands, the noblest one, will keep me safe during your absence. And I must stay here to invite the army of the allied forces. I wish you a safe journey and give my word to meet you soon at Karmegha where we will reap victory together."

Nobleman turned to look around. Several women soldiers in green and brown military uniforms stood facing the enemy ships taking a defensive stand on the sand.

"You see, even the sea breeze shall not pass without gracing their sharp arrows. They shall bow to their flat baldes and seek entry", Vadhana said proudly.

Nobleman nodded his head in appreciation and announced his departure to the Queen of Allied Forces, "Permission to march the first battalion, my Queen". Vadhana smiled and gestured her authorisation. Nobleman joined the band of drummers, and the infantry square followed their leader.

The bell carved with the name 'The Scorpio' rang twice. In case of a shipwreck, the ship's bell was the only identifier of the drowned ship as the name of the vessel was embedded on it. The time between dawn and dusk at sea was divided into seven watches, the bell was rung at every fourth position of the sun from the time of its rise upto the moment it sets. The alert continues for every fourth position of the hovering moon until dawn. During the timely phases, the set of two rings increases respectively - for instance at dawn it was rung twice and for the next it was 'rung twice - brief pause - rung twice again' - a pattern to identify the time of the day.

Rana and Sultan walked out of the captain's cabin and watched the dawn along with The Scorpio's crew. Another ship's bell was heard at a distance. It sounded once. After the first wave had hit The Scorpio, the distant bell rang again. The sound of the bell echoed across the sea in regular intervals.

"Aproaching Fleet. Aproaching Fleet. Give a way", the watch guard at the crow's nest shouted from the top of the main mast. A crow's nest was a tiny structure suited to hold a single guard on top of the highest post of a ship. Each time the ship's boy rang the watch bell, the duty guard changed. Initially crows were caged on top of the mast. A crow was released during the poor visibility and the ships course was navigated corresponding to the crow's flight path, as the crow always headed towards the nearest land. Spotting scopes replaced the crows, and this strategic spot on the ship got its name to retain the tradition.

Rana smiled when huge ships started to appear through the mists. Sultan watched wide mouthed at the marvellous fleet of floating vessels against the backdrop of the rising sun. The crew men waved at each other. The soldiers over the destroyers, the tiny boats equipped with combustibles, cheered at the passing giant ships. The winds favoured the vessels and the fleet entered and exited the defensive circle of The Amethyst.

Rana quickly turned his sand watch. He ordered the ship boys to convert the watch time to fourteen, instead of seven. This shall permit them to be on the navigational track fixed for the Rock on the Sea. Rana walked to the other side of the deck and watched the fleet of the allied forces disappear into the deep blue.

The ship's bell rang twice, three times. At the same time, the watch guard from the crow’s nest of The Scorpio sounded the distress call, "Pirates. Danger. Pirates."

The Scorpio crew quickly became vigilant and the mast were thrown to half sail to control its navigational speed. The fire cannons on the deck were set to operational. Several bell boys rang their respective hand bells in quick succession while descending the two floor running under the deck of the ship while repeatedly shouting, "In cabin, On deck. Captain's Order". Each floor of The Scorpio was equipped with fire cannons. The tail of The Scorpio held a long shaft called The Pincer, which spit lamp oil. Once ignited, the tail becomes a blazing barb of fire.

Rana looked into his telescope. The mist were dissolving quickly in front of him and then, the bow (front of a ship) appeared under his lens. "Yasabella", Rana exclaimed.

Sultan watched Yasabella while standing beside Rana on the deck of The Scorpio. "You didn't expect her here, did you?" he asked Rana.

"No", replied Rana without removing his focus set upon Yasabella - the powerful warship propelled with oars for faster navigation, which was installed with hundreds of double cannon guns on either side of each of its six floors and possessed two separate gun decks, one at the front and one at the back; a monstrous ship that can carry three battalions of heavily armed soldiers - which sailed towards The Scorpio, bringing along with her a dozen of quick frigates for support.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Five - The War Within

The World of Waters (Part 2/3)

The fleet of the allied forces, floating elegantly over the soft waves, sailed past The Carnelian .

Kanakavalli watched the huge fleet carrier heaving in front of her. She smiled back at the crew who were waving at her. A sudden eruption from the sailing soldiers surprised her. She turned to cherish the moment with the enthusiastic Katrupuzha infantry cheering for their Chief Kalai. Their General stood on top of the captain's cabin of The Matysa with his left hand on his hip and the other griping his long sword flowing down his right leg. He proudly faced the passing fleet. The ships gradually pitched into the guarding circle of The Soapstone with a passionate devotion.

Genral Kalai growled, "Watch time to twelve boys", and quickly placed a sand watch on a wooden box beside him.

"Advance the galleon towards the enemy fleet", Rana ordered, "Surge the frigate to inform The Carnelian. They must be ready, as we will not be able to stop this monster."

The multi-deck cargo ship, The Scorpion, operated by armed merchants, drifted on the water to face the enemy threat while its four masts were entirely powered by wind. Yasabella slowly crawled over the sea nearing the first defence stance of the allied forces.

"Keepers of trade", Sultan shouted, "It’s time to reveal who owns these waters. Yasabella is no more a myth, we will be the part of the legend that sings the drowning of devil by just few merchant ships."

The crew shouted back their courage in unison. Several row ships parted from The Scorpion to collect the sailors from the destroyers which were floating beyond the marked territory lined with explosive barrels. Rana watched through his telescope and found Yasabella's emblem erased with a black varnish, but looking at it from the top to bottom, he made out its initial - the emblem of Kalingapuri - VM.

"The naval belongs to Veera Mahendran", Rana informed Sultan, "They have washed out the evidence of an attack by striping the ship's emblem", Rana handed the scope to Sutan who rotated it to watch the surrounding of Yasabella.

The destroyers were abandoned and the crew rapidly sailed back on the row boats towards The Scorpion, when the first set of cannons were fired from Yasabella which struck the returning boats like a hammer head. The explosion shattered the wooden boats launching them up towards the sky, and only debris of the boats and sailors fell back into the waters turning the area into a tiny red pond over the massive blue sea. Two enemy frigates advanced to align with The Scorpion aiming to destroy its rigging and the masts.

Over The Scorpion, The Pincer cap was removed and the lamp oil briskly started to flow into the sea. The front and the back cannons were charged with huge metal ball rounds to slam into the opponent’s ship. The swivel-guns placed at the four corners of the galleon was occupied by vigilant sailors. The shot from the small cannons mounted on a swivelin, provides a wide arc of fast movements targeting the enemies on board of the attacking frigates. It can also neutralise threats trying to jump over to The Scorpion. The destroyers, loaded with barrels, were circling aimlessly between The Scorpion and the advancing enemy war ships.

The enemy frigates started to circle close to The Scorpion. Few of the galleon's crew members panicked in fear when watching the enemy ships surrounding them. The others were holding to their positions and the sailor squad handling the mortar guns watched Sultan and waited for his command without even minding the salt water jumping from the frigates fast movements and hitting them on their face. Sultan had his hand raised beside Rana.

The enemy frigates prepared for an attack from both sides of The Scorpion. Cannon shots were fired from both that hit the galleon mercilessly. The Scorpion took mild damage on both sides, but her massive haul made from single barks withstood the charge of the enemy metal cannon balls. The ship rocked sending few sailors on to the deck. Reloading noise echoed from the frigates admits the sounds of the wave.

Rana did not remove his eyes that were set upon Yasabella and the other frigates trying to pass through The Amethyst, the first line of defence. He watched wide eyed at the enemy fleet's navigation when slivers of wood from the first attack of the frigates flew past him. When the enemy ships finished loading and were prepared for the second attack, Rana gave his nod and Sultan brought his raised hand down.

Only one shot was fired from The Scorpion’s mortar gun. A flaming metal ball projected out and travelled across the blue sky to land over the blue sea. There was silence for a moment and then, the sea turned into a blazing waves of fire. The water on the navigational path between The Scorpion and Yasabella was coated with lamp oil which spread under the destroyers and around the line of oil barrels. The fire quickly spread on the water igniting the oil containers. The destroyers struck in the middle started to explode one by one. A wall of fire quickly mounted between The Scorpion and Yasabella.

"Light them up", shouted Rana. A torch was introduced to The Pincer and a rope of flames started to sway as the tail of The Scorpion. The soldiers rotated The Pincer towards the first frigate that was close to their right hand side. The Pincer spit fire over the enemy ship and the explosive cannons and the barrels lined over the deck of the light frigate started to explode. The men handling the swivel-guns fired tiny metal balls at the enemies over the burning frigate. Most of the shots reached their victims who were either thrown out of their ship into the water or fell down on the deck with their bones broken. At the same time, the front and the back cannons of The Scorpion shot their metal balls at the second frigate. The cannonballs slammed the light frigate and damaged it by sending out broken wooden pieces that impaled anyone near. The impact crippled the side of the frigate and several enemy soldiers were cramped below deck.

A third enemy ship neared The Scorpion, fastly breaking its way through the debris of the fallen ship. Rana and Sultan immediately ran towards the bowsprit of the Scorpion that was facing the charging enemy frigate. They both managed to roll over the deck while running to collect a rope sling. The special rope with a hook attached to one end is used to cross from one ship to another. Jumping from the bowsprit, Rana threw the hook at the rope ladder of the enemy frigate and in one swing motion landed on the enemy ship, quickly followed by Sultan. Several other warriors jumped onto the enemy ship and took the surprised enemies down over the deck of the third frigate. Rana's cutlass slashed any enemy walking past him while Sultan's broad sabre made sure the enemies met the floor and stayed there. An explosion on the other side of the deck announced the capture of the enemy frigate.

Couple more of enemy ships were damaged by the exploding destroyers and another one was stranded in the middle of the sea unable to navigate through the wall of fire produced by the oil barrels. Its crew abandoned the ships and jumped into the sea.

From the captured frigate which was completely damaged and unnavigable, Rana watched Yasabella advancing towards the fleet carrying the entire army of the allied forces, breaking the defence of The Amethyst, while still being surrounded by six light frigates to defend her.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Five - The War Within

The World of Waters (Part 3/3)

"Messenger ship in line", shouted the guard from the crow's nest of The Matsya. General Kalai quickly dug out his scope tugged under his belt and watched the approaching ship from The Amethyst's fleet. Immediately he jumped down from the top of the captain's cabin and took the ship's wheel. Kanakavalli ran from the deck and climbed over the tiny wooden stairs and stood beside him. Her eyes were painted with concern and terror. Kalai turned the ship to face the direction of the messenger ship.

The fleet carrier entered the final defence circle of the Rocks on the Sea. Passing The Amethyst, the group of destroyers and fire ships led by Rana, the soldiers of the allied forces over the carriers had waved at Kalai, the captain of The Carnelian who commanded the light galleons and the army carried by the fleet of warships safely joined The Soapstone, the heavily armoured cruisers of brigs operating under the direct orders of Sena.

From the top of The Braha, the heavy rammer brig, Sena and Kacha watched the fleet carriers assembling at the centre of the defence circle. When the support ships and the three main carriers - infantry, war animals & supply - had maneuvered towards the direction of the destination and were powered up to sail to the harbour of the Pirate's Bay, Sena placed the conch between his lips and blew into the shell trumpet. The sound from the seashell horn vibrated around the floating ships cutting the wind with buzzing noise. The fleet carriers glided swiftly over the waters closely circled by heavily armed support ships and surrounded by Sena's brigs.

"We have to tail her", Sultan demanded Rana, "we can take her down".

Rana looked around him. Flaming wooden pieces from fallen ships were floating over the sea. He lifted his head and looked ahead of him. Yasabella and her six support ships had disappeared into the blue.

"Our heavy galleon is not fast enough to catch up with the multi-squared masts Yasabella", Rana informed. "All the destroyers have exploded and after the battle with the three frigates, our fireship is now out of ammunition. We won't stand a chance to counter another heavy attack."

Rana paused and looked up at the sky while talking, "Hope that there will not be a second wave of enemy attack and have faith in our men who are further down the sea." Rana turned and lightly tapped the shoulders of Sultan and said, "Let get back to the shore."

Upon collecting the information on the attack of Yasabella, General Kalai ordered the single light frigate under his procession to set sail in full mast and inform the danger to The Soapstone. He issued direct command to two other galleons and four heavy frigates to navigate on full sail and controlled The Matsya which was now rowed with full power by soldiers from the bottom of its deck.

Kanakavalli watched him with wide eyes. Kalai turned the ship's wheel while talking to Kanakavalli, "We are going to chase the monster and with a bit of luck, we will may take her down. Our light galleons are no match with her, but we can attack her from the tail end and at least weaken Yasabella."

The wooden sea monster effortlessly glided over the waters and when Yasabella was in line of sight with the fleet of The Carnelian, four frigates departed from either side and the huge war ship continued sailing towards the interiors of the sea surrounded by only two frigates.

The heavy frigates of The Canelian glided fast towards Yasabella. Each turned quickly and took position at the four sides of the huge enemy warship. There was still no attack from Yasabella, but once the frigates came into the range of the monster ship, only few shots were fired from the four corners of Yasabella in unison, which completely drowned the heavy frigates within a blink of an eye.

The Matsya moved fast over the waters towards its target but was blocked by an enemy's light frigate. Pulling the masts to half and halting the rowing, The Matsya directly engaged a massive attack on the enemy frigate. The two other galleons chased the other two light frigates and sailed away too far from the defence circle in the process. Heavy shots from The Matsya landed on the enemy frigate. Admits the explosions, several enemy sailor jumped onto The Matsya. General Kalai and Kanakavali fought the attacking enemies over the deck. The warriors were well trained in hand-to-hand combat, but Kalai and Kanakavalli fought back to back with each other and slayed the enemies. The sea water, in effect with the rocking ships, jumped over to the deck of The Matsya and washed away the blood and human remains. The final shot from The Matsya disabled the enemy frigate. General Kalai dripping wet in enemy’s blood watched the fourth frigate roaming in the waters. He ordered to go full mast behind the isolated ship and The Matsya began the chase at the sea.

The light frigate from the Carnelian delivered the message to Sena who turned and monitored the moving fleets. He admired the calmness of the sea and looked up at the sunset sky. Sena smiled.

"No. No. No!" General Kalai cursed at himself and planted his long sword beside his feet on the deck when The Matsya aligned to the side of the fourth frigate it was chasing. Kanakavalli rushed to him and touched his shoulders. "We have been separated. Distracted by the free navigation of the ememy frigates." He turned and looked at Yasabella and saw the wooden monster navigating without any hindrance towards the carrier fleet. "She is too far now. Our galleons are dispersed in the sea."

At the same moment an enemy soldier from the fourth enemy frigate that The Matsya had caught up with, jumped across and positioning himself above General Kalai, he jumped down with is short sword raised. Without looking up, Kalai removed his long sword standing straight over the floor of the deck and lifted it above his head. The jumping enemy landed on the sharp blade of Kalai's sword and the General held the dead soldier above his head while speaking in anger, "The Soapstone are on their own now."

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Five - The War Within

Running From Rain

Nobleman and the first battalion reached the battle grounds just before dusk. They had crossed several villages, few abandoned ones and the habitants of the remaining were not welcoming. Upon reaching Karmegha, Nobleman was shocked to see the state of the camping site. All the trees were chopped down and pools of water were stagnant on the ground. The floor was marshy and unfriendly to set up camps.

Veera Mahendran stood beside The General of Vettaiyan and watched the arrival of the enemy forces. A crooked smile sat at the corners of the General’s lips. Upon his instructions, the other side of the battle field was destroyed to make it difficult for the enemies to tent.

"Do you have news from the waters", he asked an army captain beside him.

"Sailing strong, Sir", the reply he got made The General share smiles with Veera Mahendran. With much authority in his voice The General said, "No word shall reach the Emperor about the waters. Only the halted ships at the harbour should be brought to his notice", and the army captain nodded his head affirmatively.

"Raja Mahendran was an ally of the Emperor", Sena informed Kacha. They both were facing each other inside the captain's cabin of The Braha. "Kalingapuri has the largest naval army among the five nations, and Raja Mahendran offered the Emperor the wildest war ship that could come handy to secure the wealth transported by the Emperor's ship using sea routes. The wealth was the huge tax money that each leader paid to the Emperor. Overwhelmed by the courteous offer, The Emperor named the wooden monster Yasabella and handed her back to Raja Mahendran. He generously offered him the opputunity to serve as the naval security in unexplored water territories for the Central Kingdom. Since then, Kalingapuri transported wealth, salves and prisoners for the Emperor. No sea pirate would approach the cargo. The shadow of Yasabella has the power to drown a whole army fleet."

"Once I was tasked to loot the Emperor's wealth. The day I saw Suganthi for the first time was the same day I watched Yasabella anchored further from the harbour. The six deck multi-masts wildest ship I had ever seen. I wished to board her, and circumstance did not permit me then, but now I shall ...", their conversation was interrupted by a knock on the cabin's door, and after gaining permission eight captains of the armoured ships walked inside and stood in circle around Sena and Kacha.

"The only way to take down Yasabella is by firing all our ships at the same time", suggested a captain. The other captains murmured their agreement.

"What's the cannon’s reload time in your vessel, captain?", Sena inquired. "Yasabella's six decks with two side plus a front and a back platforms can be operated at the same time. The deck cannons function in relay. One deck fires, and when it’s reloading, the other will take charge. By the time the sixth deck is fired, deck one is ready for a new attack. By this, Yasabella will shower a non-stop heavy cannon attacks. Her body is made with two layers of thick and full barks that can withstand severe attack a full night before starting to leak."

"After firing in unison and our cannons are empty, can our ships sustain five direct and massive attack for Yasabella before our cannons are reloaded?" There was silence in the captain's cabin.

"One side will attack her target – that’s the carrier fleet carrying the army - the other side will defend her from our charging war ships. The front, back and side cannons of Yasabella fire chain-shot, each shot will break the masts into two, and in no time our ships will be unnavigable. Row boats can hardly near her. And her huge deck is a mini battleground, and easily two battalion would be working on board."

"Why can't we just follow the route and reach the shore. We must be so close to the harbour by now", Kacha interrupted.

"Can you run from the rain, Kacha?" Sena asked calmly. "Yasabella is multiple time faster than light frigates. Manually rowed and with squared mast, she will cut through the water and catch up with the flying fleet in no time. And once she starts her attack, only pieces of wood from our fleet will reach the shore by the mercy of the waves."

Sena looked at the members present around him and then spoke confidently, "The only way to destroy Yasabella is by being on board of her itself."

Murmurs echoed around the cabin. When the noise settled down, Sena continued, "The belly of the beast is where the ammunitions are stocked. Blow it up and Yasabella will become a spectacle of fireworks. But once the belly is cut, the beast will swallow its slayer. It is a martyr operation."

"Even if we succeed on boarding Yasabella, who will bell the beast?" another captain questioned.

"I will", Kacha came forward, and at the same time distant drum beats announced the arrival of Yasabella.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Five - The War Within

Fire in the Belly part (1/2)

The planks at both sides of the brigs were brought down. Using knotted ropes, several sailors dropped from the deck of the brigs and landed on to the wooden platforms which were attached to the brigs and were gliding swiftly over the waters. The soldiers pulled the ropes and tied them to the hook at the borders of the floating slabs. Several other warriors jumped onto the lumber platform on both side of the brig and squatted holding the rope to sustain their balance. The brigs advanced gradually towards Yasabella.

Six heavy galleons fully powered and loaded, rifted in opposite directions to gain momentum and shifted the ship's position to align with Yasabella. Four heavy frigates closed in and each one positioned beside the two light frigates guarding the monster ship. Several light and heavy warships surrounded the three carrier vessels operating as a wooden wall and sailed prepared to take heavy cannon attacks to block the damage from reaching the fleet carriers.

On the brig The Braha, Sena and Kacha, along with a group of short swordsmen were ready for the impact. The heavy ram of The Braha can cause enough damage to any ship it hits upon. Light ships like schooners or gunboats will be shattered to pieces upon first contact. The recoil effect of ramming is controlled by the thick head of the ram itself that the brig will not suffer any damage from the shock, but items over the deck of ship will react to the recoil by throwing themselves into the air. A similar phenomena will occur when the charging brigs impact with Yasabella. The damage caused over the enemy war ship will be minimum but the soldiers squatted over the wooden planks will be catapulted towards the monster ship. With enough training in sea battles, the warriors will hold on to the sides of Yasabella using tumba axes, whose sharp blades will immediately stick to the wooden surface on which they were struck up. Using double-bit throwing axes for grip and the wooden railing present on the haul of Yasabella for stability, the soldiers would gradually climb to the deck.

In the meantime, the six heavy galleons and the four heavy frigates shall keep Yasabella busy. The monster would ignore the brigs attack presuming that the threat through ramming will be minimal, and she would concentrate on sending heavy cannons at the fleet carriers which would be temporarily stopped by the tiny fleet walled around.

The heavy frigates effortlessly took down both the light frigates, and started to fire at Yasabella while stirring themselves in opposite direction. Several of the cannons shots from the enemy war ship missed its target. The other side of Yasabella was attacked by three heavy galleons, and kept her cannons busy. Into the centre, five brigs supported by the remaining three heavy galleons rammed Yasabella.

Sena and Kacha were thrown into the air and after a moment of free swinging, they stuck themselves to the side of the wooden monster, shortly followed by several other soldiers. Several warrior missed to hit over the target vessel and splashed onto the sea. Three decks above them, the main deck was crowded with heavily armed enemy soldiers. Sena and his short swordsmen gradually climbed Yasabella amidst the cannon shots and explosions and jumped on to the main deck.

Initially Sena defended himself with the two double-bit throwing axes, but when several enemy soldiers started to appear through the opened doors of the deck, he threw the axes at the charging warriors. He turned and jumped over the upper deck when his axes took the life of its two victims. Sena quickly removed his short sword and using his feet, he picked up a rapier lying beside him. The thin long sword magically landed between his palms. Dual wielding the swords, Sena tried to clear as many enemies as possible to create a safe path for Kacha, so that he can get into the lower decks.

The head count of Sena's short swordsmen was gradually decreasing, even though they fought valiantly with quick strikes and attacks. The enemies were appearing non-stop from every direction on the deck. Sena rolled over and took out five enemies blocking the way to the lower deck. He quickly pulled Kacha and pushed him inside. He locked back the door and ran quickly to the otherside and climbed onto to its upper deck creating a distraction on the enemies below.

The remaining short swordsmen joined their Captain on top of the deck. Sena looked behind his shoulders. He saw three warriors to his right and two over his left. And before him the huge deck was pouring with raged enemies. At the same moment one of The Soapstone’s galleon blew up into the air. The enemies standing before Sena cheered.

The enemy soldiers slowly gathered around the six helpless men. Their leader approached Sena and threatened him with his cruel smile. Sena griped his two swords and prepared himself for one last stance and hoped Kacha would reach the ammunition room and set fire to the belly of the beast.

After slaying several enemies moments ago, Sena was tired and his arms ached. The task of sending Kacha inside the decks was accomplished. Sena weakly raised his rapier and struck it at the man before him. The leader elegantly blocked Sena’s strike. Two more enemies jumped to the side and introduced their weapons to the chest and stomach of Sena’s men respectively. With one strong motion, the enemy leader kicked the short sword from Sena's hand. He aimed his sharp blade at the neck of Sena and slashed his sword downwards.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Five - The War Within

Fire in the Belly part (2/2)

Sena ran over the ocean of snow. His red soldier uniform glowed as a scarlet shadow under his feet over the white surface. At a distance in the direction he was running, a little girl dressed in red gown was bending down and disturbing the snowflakes. As soon as she saw him running towards her, she leaped and sped away quickly. Sena smiled. His right palm itched and he looked down at his right hand. A single red rose magically appeared and he was strongly gripping its green stem in his fist. The thorns tore his flesh and blood dropped over the white ground. Sena did not mind the pain, but continued to chase the little girl in red calling out her name, Lalli.

The little girl halted near the cliff's end. Sena joined her and stood in front of her facing the deep darkness behind Lalli.

"You are not yet ready, my father", spoke Lalli.

"Yes, Lalli, I am now", Sena replied with a pleasant smile, "Take me with you", he requested her by offering her the red rose.

Lalli looked at him with her sparkling green eyes. Sena admired her leafy eyes. Suddenly she shifted her vision and looked straight behind his shoulders and yelled, "Mother."

Sena quickly turned back and a thin dark shadow cut close before his face. He moved back instanly and threw the red rose into the white void before him.

Sena opened his eyes. He had struck the enemy leader on his left side with a khukuri and was still holding on to the handle of the knife. The thick flat blade of the khukuri broke several of its victim’s ribs before puncturing the heart. Blood oozed out of the enemy's lips. Sena blinked.

Few moments before, the enemy leader had blocked Sena's strike and kicked his short sword while pushing him to his knees. Two of Sena's warriors fell to his side stabbed by the enemies. The enemy leader had raised his sharp blade to chop Sena's neck, when one of the fallen soldiers had quickly handed Sena a khukuri and at the same time Yasabella had rocked mildly. Using the khukuri Sena killed the enemy leader. At the same moment, the two enemy soldier at his side fell on to the deck’s floor, an arrow pinned to each one’s temple.

Sena got to his feet and looked at the enemy soldiers before him. They seemed to be panicking while looking behind Sena. He turned and Kanakavalli walked past Sena without looking at him. She was closely followed by a tiny group of heavily armed warriors. When she was close to the lower deck she started to sprint and then, jumped onto the main deck. Before her feet landed on the deck’s floor, her sword had separated four heads from their bodies. Sena smiled.

The last warrior to cross from the damaged Matsya and stride upon Yasabella was General Kalai. His crew had defeated the fourth light frigate and sailed on full mast aided by manual row. They had gone a full circle around Yasabella and found a blind spot to enter into the range with the enemy warship. The Matsya suffered massive hits that were not intended at it from the monster ship, but managed to ram itself directly at the back of Yasabella. The bowsprit of The Matsya stuck to the upper deck of Yasabella, using which Kanakavalli and her warriors entered the wooden monster.

Genral Kalai placed his right hand over Sena's shoulder and said, "We thought we lost".

Sena looked at the fleet carriers. The war ships guarding them had taken severe damage and would not withstand for long. By the fall of these ships, the carriers shall take direct hits from Yasabella.

"We have not yet won", Sena replied and quickly continued, "The ammunition deck. We are running out of ships. Soon, the carriers will be exposed. Kacha maybe in need of couple of extra hands."

Kalai quickly moved past Sena towards the deck's door when Sena's voice stopped him, "But there is no returning back." Kalai stood for a moment without turning back and then, without uttering a word he started running past the attacking enemies.

Swinging a long sword gripped in each hand, Kalai swiftly strode past the enemies on the deck and entered the door leading to the lower decks. He raced past the stairs eliminating the few resisting guards on his way to the lower deck. Each deck was filled with a pair of soldiers near a cannon. An army captain at each end was passing rapid instructions and the explosive noise from the fired cannons rung inside both his ears. Kalai reached the lower deck and found Kacha sitting over a crate with both his hands busy. Half dozen bodies were motionless under him. Kalai neared Kacha and disturbed him by pushing his head back. Kacha immediately pulled his short sword and aimed it at Kalai. Looking at the General, Kacha threw the sword down and started to talk rapidly. Kalai could not make out a single word Kacha spoke. Finally, Kacha lifted his head and held the damp fire striker before Kalai's face.

Sena joined Kanakavalli on the deck and fought with the never ending waves of enemy soldiers. Both of them swiftly exchanged places while engaging with the enemies. The fluency in handling the sword by the duo looked as though four hands wielded a single weapon from the same human body. But they and their team of warriors were outnumbered by the enemy soldiers. Kanakavalli and Sena were circled by couple of dozens of enemy soldiers. They walked around them looking for an opening to attack, while Kanakavalli and Sena turned in opposite direction to tighten their attack range. At that moment a warrior in blue armour swung past them. The warrior returned holding on to the rope and elegantly shifted his momentum to land on the chest of a circling enemy soldier. Using the breast of the enemy soldiers as the floor to run, the blue warrior ran over the enemies circling around Kanakavalli and Sena, at the same time slicing the throat of the soldier he had stepped upon with his cutlass.

Kacha looked helplessly at Kalai who turned to mount a deck above and collect a fire torch lying beside the cannons. To gain a fire torch, Kalai knew that he had to fight past an army of soldiers commanded by two captains. When he took his first step, several cannon shots landed on the right side wall of the ammunition deck. Suddenly the area where the cannons had impacted started to turn black. Smoke peeped out from the dark area and finally a single metal cannon ball punctured the wall and made its way into the lower deck and landed on the floor gliding to a stop beside Kalai.

"Fire has just invited itself inside", Kalai told Kacha while looking into the hole and watching The Scorpion painting the lower deck of Yasabella with fire.

Two heavy feet broke through the crack and Sultan rolled over the floor and stood between Kacha and Kalai. "Let’s use the time to save ourselves and walk the path of fire together. You both can thank me later, once again." The trio laughed.

Sena faced Rana over the deck of Yasabella. Several bloody bodies of the enemies layered the wooden floor of the deck around them. Sena smiled and Rana nodded at Kanakavalli.

The first explosion occurred at the left corner of Yasabella. Sena along with Kanakavalli and Rana ran past the deck pushing the attacking enemy soldiers and dived into the sea. Sena pulled Kanakavalli and helped her swim further from the burning Yasabella. Continous explosions happened across the monster ship turning her into shedders of wood. Several blazing soldiers fell down from the warship, while the cannons on either side, their locks weakened by the fire, started to drop heavily into the water.

A row ship from the galleon took aboard the swimming warriors and the army of the allied forces watched the fireworks spectacle with optimism under the dark blue fusioned between the sea and the sky.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Five - The War Within

The World of Waters in Picture

Ships of War

http://img11.hostingpics.net/pics/632180ShipOfWar.jpg

The Scorpion (Heavy Galleon)

http://img11.hostingpics.net/pics/488134HeavyGalleonTheScorpion.jpg

The Matsya (Fast Galleon)

http://img11.hostingpics.net/pics/884823FastGalleonTheMatysa.jpg

The Braha (The Rammer Brig)

http://img11.hostingpics.net/pics/746739BrigTheBraha.jpg

Frigates

http://img11.hostingpics.net/pics/665297LightFrigate.jpg

Yasabella

http://img11.hostingpics.net/pics/317971YasabelllapassingbeforeTheScorpion.jpg

Ammunition Deck (Lower deck of Yasabella)

http://img11.hostingpics.net/pics/728349AmmunitionDeckofYasabella.jpg

Fireworks Spectacle (Yasabella destroyed)

http://img11.hostingpics.net/pics/742013YasabellaDestroyed.jpg

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Five - The War Within

Dawn of Illumination

Vadhana Devi along with Kali and her twin escorts, Swathi and Swetha, watched the bright glow that appeared off the coast of Pirate’s Bay. A sudden explosion painted the sky red for the second time after the setting sun's scarlet varnish was washed away by the darkness that followed the dusk. The Queen of the allied forces looked at the enemy ships anchored at the harbour and the enemy crew stationed over the line of war ships outburst in joy while looking that the heap of flame showing up at the middle of the sea. Kali gave a worried look at Vadhana who quickly walked back into her tent.

The General of Vettaiyan watched the army of the allied forces settled on the other side of Karmegha. He was surrounded by several groups of armed soldiers working over setting up equipment of war. He wondered what made the allied army comfortable and bunk at a place lacking wood and dry land. The pace at which they has settled down worried him. He had foreseen a panic among the them when they found it difficult to burn wood for food or acquire clean water to drink or a dry space to rest. Looking at the peacefulness at the enemy campsite, The General decided to investigate at dawn.

At the campsite on the opposite end of Karmegha, the soldiers of the first battalion of the allied forces laid down all the shields they had been carrying as a floor to cover the marshy ground. The wet mud helped them to easily install pikes and quickly mount the tents. They made fire torches with the wooden batons to light up the surrounding. Using a piece of muslin cloth torn from their tunic, they filtered the water from the stagnant pools. Heating the tips of the spear heads, they made temporary stoves to boil the filtered water. They dined on dry bread and cheese from the tiny food packets that they brought along with them. They slept seated over the shields by pushing their backs on each other. Nobleman worked during the night inside the tent to make an account on the setup they had built to accommodate the arriving army and discussed ways to enhance the camping site. Outside the tent three nation’s flags were flying on a single flag post facing the enemy troops.

Hearing the buzzing sound of the conch, Vadhana sprang out of her tent with a smile. The noise of the shell instrument surprised the enemy sailors as they were waiting to hear drum beats, their signal to punctuate an arrival. The enemy captains became vigilant and quickly commanded to prepare the masts. Their orders were to seal the harbour as soon as the allied forces made their first step on the no man's land. Once the harbour is secured, they will keep guard and not allow any reinforcements to anchor at the Pirate’s Bay, which was the nearest port from the battlefield Karmegha.

"Let us welcome the dawn with illuminations", Vadhana shouted at Kali and then, reciprocated to his broad smile.

Kali hopped over the sand and he was enthusiastically joined by several men dressed in black who had assisted him the previous night after the Rocks on the Sea sailed to protect the fleet carriers. Vadhana witnessed the first frigate of her fleet approaching the shore bringing the dawn along with it.

Panic hovered as a cloud of uncertainty above the enemy fleet. Several soldiers were running around over the decks ringing hand held bells and torch lights were burnt along with the war ships masts lamps.

Behind the leading frigate, several galleons and brigs sailed in unison and beyond them, the three fleet carriers transporting the entire army of the allied forces emerged out of the horizon along with the rising sun.

The first explosion occurred at the blind corner behind the damaged light house. Couple of enemy war ship suddenly caught on fire. Following the incident, a chain of explosion happened taking out the war ships one by one serially, until the last one anchored further from the initial explosion, blasted.

Using the underwater vessel constructed by the merchants of Sultan with the assistance and guidance from the noblemen of Kottaipattinam, Kali and his men had rigged the enemy war ships with handmade explosive. Kali organised the operation using two kinds of underwater vessels that were built using a consulting models depicted in the Vimana records collected by Kanakavalli and Sena.

The explosive specialist and his team dropped several barrels containing lamp oil under each enemy warship. Special bombs with high explosive damage were fixed to the hull (bottom of the ship). The explosives were made waterproof by bundling them inside flat lotus leaves. A very thin and long metal cylinder was used as jacket to pass the cloth cable that was dampened in liquid fuel. The explosives were serially connected using the cable and the fuse was set behind the damaged light house. When the special bomb that was stuck to the hull was diffused, it weakened the impact area of the hull and created an underwater pressure that allowed the sea water to churn the weaker wood and enter into the vessel. The blast from the bomb, shattered the wooden barrels containing lamp oil, permitting the flammable liquid to spread around the warship and the fire from the explosion ignited the water coated with oil. The fire quickly climbed on to the ship through its sides creating enough damage, stimulated by the stock of explosives stored inside the warships.

The Vimana Records illustrated blue prints to manufacture two sorts of underwater vessels called the submersible. These vessels permitted human to navigate underwater and also to carry or pull along equipment. The first plan was in a shape of a bell called Jala Ganta. It was entirely made of wood. The opening at the bottom of the bell shaped vessel acted as a base over the water level. The pressure of the water kept the air trapped inside the wooden bell, so that a single occupant can navigate underwater. A stirring rod with an up and down motion, was attached to two sides of Jala Ganta, pulling which the occupant can change direction. The diver can only navigate under water, but cannot operate other tasks while being inside the bell. The vessel should to be landed over the sea bed and the occupant should swim out and finish his task under water. Then, using the motional rod, the diver could reach back to the surface.

Jala Kosa, the second underwater vessel registered in detail in the Vimana Record, was friendlier than Jala Ganta. It was a steerable submersible, a sort of underwater capsule and was spacious, built to accommodate as many occupants as the size of the vessel itself. Its wooden frame was covered with leather and Jala Kosa needed a dedicated operator to navigate underwater. The operator constantly pressed against a leather bag located at stern (backend of the boat). This allows him to pump the water - increase or decrease the volume of water accordingly, to adjust the buoyancy of the vessel. The other occupants can row the vessel to gain momentum using the short oars sealed permanently to the side of the wooden frame. Unlike Jala Ganta, the second submersible can support weight relative to its size. Items like crates and barrels can be pulled by the underwater capsule Jala Kosa. The entrance door to the vessel was tiny and the occupants must crawl their way inside. The occupants cramped themselves into the space by taking boat positions in ascending order from the bow (frontend of the boat) to the stern. Similar to Jala Ganta, the underwater vessel should be landed to perform underwater tasks.

Kali and six other members pulled several oil barrels underwater while navigating inside Jala Kosa. Another diver followed the capsule and had cut group of barrels under each enemy warship. Several divers got into respective Jala Ganta and fixed the explosives under the hull. Finally, a third set of underwater warriors used the bell submersible to rig the explosives together with the oil coated cloth cable that was protected inside a metal jacket.

From the shore, Kali ignited the fuse that was set behind the light house and the enemy warships were neutralised without even offering an element of surprise to the enemies - They'll never know what hit them, Kali chuckled.

... to be continued ...

Author’s note

Jala Ganta (Jala-water; Ganta-bell) & Jala Kosa (Kosa-capsule) are imaginary, created for fictional purpose. These two submersibles were inspired from:

Jala Ganta:
(i) Records depicting Alexander the great lowered into water while being concealed inside a diving bell.
(ii) 1690 diving bell designed by Edmond Halley.
(iii) The shape of Lingaa.

Jala Kosa:
(i) Cornelis Jacobszoon Drebbel - the Dutch builder of the first navigable submarine in 1620.
(ii) William Bourne - an English mathematician recordings in the book Inventions or Devises (1578).

Also from various materials explaining closed circuit oxygen underwater breathing apparatus.

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Five - The War Within

Food for Thought

"You have chained my purpose, My Lord", The General argued before the Emperor.

Vettaiyan, under the influence of Myil, looked at his General with this neck pushed over his shoulder. His slanting sight fell over Veera Mahendran who seemed to be agitated. He was rubbing his palms together in front of him. Vettaiyan gestured his General to continue with his left hand and rubbed his right eye using his right middle finger.

"Only burnt wood remains in the place of our fleet which were stationed at the Pirate's Bay. We were attacked for no reason", The General explained. Vettaiyan left out an unconvincing smile at The General.

"You had stopped us from attacking the enemy until the day of war. But they seem to have breached the code."

"They!", Vettaiyan asked suspiciously. He turned and looked at his general, his eyes asked the question, "What is that you seek exactly, General", and pointing at Veera Mahendran he asked, "And what does this lad, the owner of Mighty Yasabella desire?"

The General rolled his eyes inside his face mask and then whispered his request to the Emperor, "Permission to attack the enemy at the valley of Daboya, My Lord."

After posing to think, Vettaiyan said, "Only the cargo. No human causalities. No, not even in the name of collateral damage. Their supplies should not reach the campsite."

The General moved to counter the Emperor's statement, but Vettaiyan halted him immediately, "What you seek is also seeking you, General."

Vettaiyan fell on the couch beside him. Veera Mahendran cursed at The General while walking out through the corridors. Vettaiyan murmured in his psychotropic state of mind, "I see All, The end and the beginning."

The burning enemy fleet stood as a torch light on the sea shore where the army of the allied forces were gathered and were preparing for their journey to the battle field. During the day light, many enemy sailors, soldiers and captains abandoned their damaged ships and crawled over the sands. They were quickly surrounded and taken as prisoners by the Queen's security team. But Rana ordered to release all the prisoner. With much hesitation from the warriors who considered the event as their first victory, the captured enemies were made to walk to their freedom through the standing battalions. An allied force soldier suddenly kicked a walking freeman on his chest. Sena quickly walked to the fallen enemy and lifted him by his shoulders. The scared man watched Sena wide eyed. Sena sent him back in line to join with the others. He turned and spoke to the warrior who had kicked the soldier, "It is cowardly to attack the defenceless, though he be an enemy."

The evening was cool under the hovering moon. Several torches decorated the sands of the Pirate's Village. Many huge cooking pots were burning over wood stoves. Sultan crossed over the sands between the pots and reached the one that Sena was stirring with a long sauce ladle.

"Smells good", Sultan appreciated, "along with the scent of the sea breeze, burning lamp oil, hot mud and dry wood, the odour is a pleasant coloured painting. Is it your recipe?"

Sena smiled while stirring the ladle inside the pot. "When I used to roam around in the mountains", Sena spoke to Sultan, "I had spent several moons with the tribes who call themselves Banbaasi, the dwellers of the jungle. The tribal have a sense of moral duty to nature and the environment. They poses an illusionary source to interact with nature. The jungles were divided by them into three distinct areas - Ban (wild), Jangal (tropical) and Aranya (non-human regions). The ecological typology of these three areas consisted of several plants. The tribes lived in Ban, cultivated between the evergreen tree of the Jangal and showed immense respect to Aranya for its dense growth of additional herbs. They were in possession of a bunch of sacred texts passed on to them by their ancestors that explained the use of plants found in these three sectors - preparing healthy food as well as treating them as medicinal plants."

"Food speaks to every person in the language called taste. Tastes naturally guide us towards our body’s nutritional needs. Every human body has the same wisdom regarding food and is stimulated by three bodily bio elements - Vata, Pitta and Kapha - called the Doshas. Vata has the properties of airy elements like dryness, coldness and lightness. Pitta is the bile that secretes and flows between the stomach and the liver. Kapha is the watery element representing heaviness, slowness and softness. Food intake should satisfy the Doshas, else it will lead to temporal psychological misbalance like dislikeness, anger etc.; also may lead to diseases, illness or sickness due to lack of intake or over consumption."

"Each Doshas are seperated into five divisions that govern certain aspects of the bodily needs like inhalation, expression, digestion, excretion, circulation, memory, complexion, etc., and provides assistance to various organs functioning. The split Doshas - Prana Vata, Udana Vata, Samana Vata, Apana Vata, Vyana Vata, Pachaka Pitta, Ranjaka Pitta, Alochaka Pitta, Sadhaka Pitta, Bharajaka Pitta, Kledaka Kapha, Avalambhaka Kapha, Tarpaka Kapha, Bodhaka Kapha & Shleshaka Kapha - collectively govern the whole system of a human body by directly aligning with the nature's elements - Earth, Air, Ether, Fire & Water."

"Our body is greedy. It needs all the six tastes - sweet, sour, bitter, pungent and astringent - at the same time. Each taste has its own health functions like sweet builds tissues and calms nerves while sour lubricates tissues and stimulates digestion. Bitter detoxifies, pungent stimulates metabolism and astringent dries fat. So, it’s normal that the body seeks them all at once."

"And this is where a recipe comes handy. Serve a dish including all the six tastes in each meal, the body and mind will be in harmony."

The supper was served to the assembly of the allied force on the sea shore with the song of unity sung together by Rana and Sena:

One but many.
One God, many faces.
One family, many races.
One truth, many paths.
One heart, many complexions.
One light, many reflections.
One world, many imperfections.
One. We are all one, But many.

... to be continued ...

Footnote
(i) 'One but many' by Suzy Kassem.
(ii) Doshas is from the notion of bio elements in body Ayurveda.
(iii) Culture and the Environment in the Himalaya by Arjun Guneratne.

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Five - The War Within

Continue to Climb (part 1/2)

The Battalions of Heaven

"Specs", The General spoke with anger. "Only skilled operatives and assassins", he addressed to Aye and One Eye, "Guide a different approach to combat this time".

"And Send a word to Ground Mice ...", The General stopped talking when he saw Aye shifting her eyes to her left. From the corner of his face mask, The General identified a fragile man dusting a wall painting at the corner of war room. The General looked straight and continued, "... send a word to Ground Mice and I insist you all to find a way, any way, to eliminate the threat immediately".

The army general of Vettaiyan was supported by five warriors - his faithful bodyguards. Bigman who carried a huge hammer and Leather hood who used multiple weapons in a single combat were killed by Shamu and Kalai during the attack on the Pirate's Bay. Furious, Aye, the girl carrying a deadly pair of horse axe, had sworn revenge over the death of her comrades, while One Eye, the dangerous archer who shoot arrows faster than the lightening, assured Aye to puncture the heart of the murderers. Ground Mice, famously known as Fast F was an anonymous assassin and a servant in the palace, who was recruited by The General for his obscureness and during his latest mission, the Ground Mice had kidnapped Yesodha Putran, the war strategist of the allied forces, right from under the nose of the enemies.

Aye watched her leader walk to his desk and placing his hands over the desk. "Sena", The General whispered, "Your primary target. And Rana. Eliminate both if that’s a possibility. The enemy camped opposite to us should not rejoice the arrival of their forces but mourn in unity before we garland them with defeat".

At the same moment when The General was instructing his trusted combatants in the war room at the Vettaiyan Palace, Rana saw Sena gazing the dark sky that was studded with stars. He joined his brother sitting on the sea rock at the sea shore of Narrukukanna and found the mystical compass Chakora in his hands, pointing its needle steadily across the sea towards Kottaipattinam.

"Of all the places we had been looking for", Rana spoke to Sena, "Mentor Manickam is hiding in our motherland?" Anger swept the passing breeze, "He may run like The Poet, but I will find him too and pin his head at your feet", Rana declared.

Mentor Manickam was the head of the assassin's university called Pachonthi where Sena was trained. He, along with the Emperor, had deceived Sena leading to the death of Sena's wife Suganthi and his daughter Lalli. The third one involved in the conspiracy against Sena's family was The Poet and a long time associate to The Emperor, who was slayed by Rana at the Kathi Parai mountains.

"Yamini", Sena replied without looking at his brother. Rana did not hide his shock. He quickly sat at his brother's feet and talked in excitement, "Our sister is at our homeland! I will immediately set sail and bring her to safety".

The mystical compass Chakora was a magical item carried by their Father that had the ability to point towards the direction where what was sought by its seeker laid. Yamini was married to Sengodagan, the Prince of Kottaipatinam, and they were forced to leave the kingdom when the late King Rishikodagan refused to recognise the marriage as a stately affair. Since the death of Rana's friend Senagodagan, who died while saving his sister Queen Vadhana Devi, the brothers were in search of their sister.

Sena stopped Rana, "Not now. At dawn the army shall rise over the enemy front. They need their Chief to lead them the way". Sena looked at Rana, "She will be safe at the place she had chosen to hide. We will join her to inform the death of Veera Mahendran, the man responsible for Sengodagan's demise."

The sun greeted the shore of Narukkukanna and was invited by the vibrating sound of the conch blown by Sena.

Queen Vadhana Devi mounted on a decorated war horse and marched in front of the army of the allied forces towards the battlefield Karmegha. She was closely guarded on either side by Swathi and Swetha. Behind her, Rana rode on his horse followed by the battalions of archers and pikes men. Kalai walked along with Karimedai infantry and Kanakavalli marched with the woman battalions of the three nations. Kacha headed the special division of short swordsmen. The ballistic devices and a special unit of explosive specialists were led by Kali. Horse driven carts carrying military equipments rolled between the marching military. The tail end of the massive army of the allied forces was swayed by the sound of the animal cavalry - elephants followed the horses and the chariots pursued the camels. At the end of the line, Sultan and Sena rode on their horse backs.

The human and animal military, called The Battalions of Heaven, crossed the suburbs of Central Kingdom, where the villages in and around the crossroads were burnt down completely. They walked under the cloud of thick dark smoke. Sena informed Sultan that it was normal for a kingdom to pull out its citizens and then, burn the villages, so that the crossing enemy do not involve in disrespectful activities or sought out any kind of assistance from its dwellers.

At noon, the army of the allied forces reached the Valley of Daboya.

"Crossing the Daboya Hills is a deathly dare", Sena warned Sultan. "The trail across the Valley of Daboya is a major threat. We are basically crawling blind, as these hills hide from us what is hidden within them, thus, making us an easy target."

Rana extended his left arm and threw his palm pointing down to order The Battalions of Heaven to slow down. Sultan looked around the unfriendly mountain rocks. Kacha and his army of short swordsmen circled the convoys and walked closely side by side facing the hills. Sultan's men and animal trainers secured the cavalry. Fly masks were brought down covering the eyes of the war animals and they were put directly under the command of their riders.

The Battalions of Heaven creeped in unison between the cobbled paths of Daboya Valley.

Aye, with a group of spear throwers, watched the advancing enemies from the eastern mountain cliff of Daboya. One Eye watched with his small unit of archers from the Western Ghats. Their target, the enemy military chain, was unaware of being surrounded by the specs team and were at midway inside the valley. The Battalions of Heaven continued further inside the valley, unprepared for the massive surprise attack staged by The General of the Central Kingdom.

... to be continued …

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Five - The War Within

Continue to Climb (part 2/2)

The Call from Hell

"Except the main targets, no other casualties in the attack of Daboya Valley", Aye's master, The General, had ordered. Along with One Eye, Aye, had tried to argue, but her master did not appreciate it when his orders were questioned. He had bluntly said, "The Emperor's law, none can go against it." Looking at her reddened face, The General had added, "But he talked about death, but never mentioned anything about the wounded", followed by a razor sharp smile curved around the corner of his lips hidden under his face mask. Aye and One Eye exited the war room understanding well that a dead is a scar, but a wounded is a burden.

The assassins dressed in red uniforms matching to Aye's red scarf covering her face, prepared for the attack; at the same time, the archers dressed in white readied their bows. Several dressed in black were moving down the hill beneath the shadow of the rocks.

Many cloth bag-balls suddenly appeared above the army of the allied forces. The crossing military, women and men, looked above their heads at the little fat cloth pouches, so numerous that they hid the sun by grouping themselves into a bubble mat. Swathi and Swetha brought out their dark capes and enveloped their queen inside their protective shell.

And it rained. A set of arrows pierced the cloth bags, which were thrown by Aye and her men, while the objects were still suspended in the air. The arrowheads of One Eye’s archers broke the cloth bubbles that leaked liquid over the people below. Then, the empty bag with an arrow struck to them fell around over the paths of the valley. Rana touched a droplet that fell over him and smelt the flammable oil. There was panic among his soldiers when they picked up and inspected the fallen rags. Rana was sure that fire arrows would follow. He quickly ordered his men to bring shields over their heads and asked them to be aware of fire. A group of soldiers trained to handle such situations geared up to fight fire.

Hundreds of spears landed over the shields placed above the head of the military units. With their swords, Swathi and Swetha blocked the pikes from reaching their queen. Kacha and his organised swordsmen, covered the animal cavalry from the flying spears. Sultan and Sena galloped their horses and reached the middle of the line from either side, all the while monitoring their side of the hill. Kali, Kanakavalli and Kalai, along with their units, protected the balastic devices and carts from taking damage. The animal military was startled and they sent out distressed sounds. Their riders found it difficult to control them, but managed to hold them steady. A series of huge rocks glided down the mountain walls and rolled over several soldiers standing on its paths. The others around the trapped men struggled to pull the warriors out by pushing away the huge stones fallen over them.

On the Western Ghats, after firing arrows at bags containing lamp oil, One Eye and his archers started to light-up their arrowheads. The assassins dressed in black followed their leader Ground Mice down the hill discretely. From the eastern cliff, Aye ordered her men to charge for another round of javelin throw at the victims caught under the rocks which would send the signal to One Eye to shoot the fire arrows at the helpless army.

At this moment, Aye, One Eye and Ground Mice halted their teams and surveyed the heavy movements on the massive trees around. "Anthropoids", Aye whispered, "never seen them wandering in these territories." She heard a snap sound behind her and when she turned she found one of her spearman lying on the ground with his neck broken. The leaves and branches were shaking violently as though an army of monkeys had landed above their heads.

A dark and long haired spider monkey with its arms stretched out, jumped down from the branches towards an archer below. While descending, it changed into a patas monkey and converted into a colobus in midway. When the archer looked up, he saw a drill jumping upon him. But a mandrill landed few feet before him and started to walk towards him. It gradually pulled its front legs to the sides and marched on its feet taking the form of a gorilla and when it reached the scared archer, it stood before him as an ape in human form with glowing yellow eyes. The archer quickly aimed and shot an arrow at the Monkey Man, but the human-like hairy figure with yellow eyes caught it with its bare hands and broke the arrow into two pieces. Throwing the broken arrow to the ground, The Hanuman growled at his victim showing his big sharp teeth.

The attackers on the hill panicked while The Battalions of Heaven wondered why the attacks upon them have suddenly stopped. The men in red started to flee, but were pulled up to the trees and only their breathless bodies landed back on to the ground. Aye ran as fast as she could hurdling over thick bushes and rocks. Her eye over the red scarf registered several glimpses of hairy faces with glowing yellow eyes which were attacking her men from every corner of the hill. The white archers were no match to The Hanumans. Their quick shots hardly met the fast moving targets. The archers were chased on the hilltop and their bodies were mercilessly ripped off by the Monkey Men, each Hanuman growled looking at the trees after knocking down their victim; the noise scared the army stuck with fear on the path of the valley. One Eye ran shooting his arrows at quick successions. The speed in which he fired his bow slowed the attacking Monkey Men from reaching him. The shadow warriors moved from rock to rock, but were hunted by the Hanumans. During their leap between the rocks, they did not get a chance to reach the other side. They were caught in the middle and torn into pieces. Only their leader Ground Mice made it to the top. But as soon as he reached the hilltop, he was face to face with an orangutan whose eyes gleamed like a big radiating glowing yellow sun. Shoora placed his hand over the head of Ground Mice and pushed him inside the ground. Ground mice completely entered into the green floor like a hot knife over butter.

When Sena recovered the Viamana Records from Yasha, the shadow of the future, he requested her assistance for their safe passage through the Valley of Daboya. Yasha, the Queen of Darkness, ruled the underworld of future humans called The Hanumans. The Monkey-Like-Men had yellow eyes and never came to the surface during the present. Their Chief of War was Shoora, whom Sena had met under the Mount Sumeru.

For a very brief moment, Sena saw a pair of yellow eyes watching down from the hill top at The Battalions of Heaven. Shoora blinked. Sena Smiled.

The army of the allied forces reached the camp site at battlefield Karmegha after sunset. They were welcomed by Nobleman and the cheerul first battalion. Queen Vadhana Devi was impressed with the setup built using minimal resources and tremendously appreciated Nobleman and his men. Rana ordered the army to take rest and then, to prepare for the big day.

"What excuse you bring this time, My General", Vettaiyan asked his chief of army while looking at the enemy campsite, which was rejoicing the arrival of their entire army. Aye and One Eye stood behind The General with their eyes watching the floor. "Monkey-Men with Yellow-Eyes", The General hesitantly informed The Emperor. Vettaiyan turned and laughed at The General and his men. Suddenly he became silent and serious. He muttered between his teeth, "Yasha." A tiny smile widened his mouth, "A rule of all commandments is breached. Neglecting this law, necessarily will meet my Clown."

Vettaiyan watched the brightly lit campsite of the allied forces. His scope caught Rana and Sena standing side by side and watching him with their hands on their hips from the other end. Vettaiyan retracted his lips and exposed his clenched teeth. Watching the twins, he hinted, "Tic-Toc Tic-Toc whispered the clock ..."

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha - A Rajini Rewritten Trilogy

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The story so far...

The Emperor, (given name: Dashakantha; popular name: Vettaiyan), rules the five nations on the face of the Earth - the third world created by the Creator out of his desire.

With the support of Rana and Sena, the sons of a Mystical Man, the empires rise against their treacherous leader Vettaiyan. They urged The Emperor to step down from his thrown, failing which, they threatened he would face the forces of the Empires United. Vettaiyan accepted their challenge and the empires were at war - a battle The Emperor fought to retain his glory, while the nations he ruled struggled to be free again.

Vettaiyan, assisted by his five associates (The Vaithiyar, The Minster, The General, The Architect & The Poet), knew right from the birth of the twins, Rana and Sena, that they were a threat. Many Oracles and several soothsayers had prophesied a similar event would occur - they all were certain about the outcome of the End. It was also mentioned that the End will arrive only when the three in dispute shall meet.

Dashakantha had risen to the thrown by slaying his own brothers and governed the childhood of the twins from the very Beginning. The Emperor conspired against their father and was instrumental in separating the twins, thus, nullifying the words of the prophets. He made sure that Sena was under his direct observation, while he allowed Rana to work for him without the latter's consent. He made numerous choices by taking various paths to alter the future, but was not able to change what was coming - the Brothers Reunited.

Sena, a sacred combination of a saint and a monster, was briefed by several noblemen about the prophecy. They all interpreted a fatal danger to one of the brothers at the final battle with Vettaiyan. Rana, a deadly composite of desire and strength, was aware of the forthcoming threat of existence, as he had visions of the final battle, but he was ready to sacrifice himself to see Sena as the one who shall stand to witness the End. On the other hand, The Emperor who was multiple times stronger than the twins, awaited his Known End, where he would slay them both and establish his rule of darkness forever.

Two battles were engaged at the same time – One: A human battle for glory between The Emperor and the Empires United. Two: A Devine War, where good fought the evil since the creation of the Third World; the twins supported by the Light warred with Vettaiyan, the Shadow of Evil. On the battlefield Karmegha, a common End will arrive bringing along a New Beginning.

... And in the battle of three, Only one will stand ...

Final Chapter: The Master, The Monkey and The Monster, will resume shortly.

[mappi]

Extracts from Chaturmukha Part Three: The Final Chapter

Rise the Master, trick the Monkey and kill the Monster. - Sena

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My visions, they are not foresight but my insight - Rana

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I am the Past. I am the First. I am the Next. - Vettaiyan

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I share the cage with a lamb, the monster wants all of it. - Sena

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It will mislead you, and make you miserable, and you won't even know it. - Rana

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You do not know who you are and when you do, You and I are One. - Vettaiyan

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[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

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... The Battle Has Begun ...

[mappi]

The Man and His Bull

I do not care so much what I am to others as I care what I am to myself.

Many claim Yayru Thazhuvuthal dates more than thousands of years. I am not convinced with these calendrical representations of a sport that should have been in practise the day the civilised man domesticated animals; an era when dates never existed and days were counted by moons - probably since Iron Age.

Yayru Thazhuval is a sport not only depicting, but also extracting bravery. Demographic and social changes gave it a name change; it was addressed as Manju Viratuthal ((மஞ்சு விரட்டுதல்) [The Pleasant Chase], sometime during the course of man’s unrecorded history. Materialistic needs grew inside this social animal, the man, and this ancient sport started to be called as Sallikattu (சல்லிக்கட்டு) and/or Jallikattu (ஜல்லிக்கட்டு). This new name refers to the bag of coins tied to the horn of the bull, sometimes around its neck.

Bulls were man's best friend. Before industrialisation era, they helped him to transport and more importantly, in agriculture. Man started to live with the bull, respected it and gave an important place for it in his family's hierarchy. Like a father earns for the members and an elder brother takes care of the needs, their bull was placed on top of the family's portrait, as it ploughs the ground for man; it transports the grains to the granary; it churns oil; for that, a bull played an important role to man for accruing the basic and principle daily needs.

It was a period where man was still climbing over the food chain. Predators threated his day-to-day life. Parents needed a strong groom who can support their daughters. Rulers wanted tough warrior to safeguard their empire. The villages looked for athletic youngsters to carry them forward during the times of a crisis. People wished a sport that they can rejoice after a tiresome schedule.

Thus, Yayru Thazhuvuthal, the brave sport came to existance.

The owner knows the strength of his bull, and how kind his pet is. He feeds it. He loves it. He takes care of it. He worships it. Working along with the bull, he transforms both physically and mentally. He builts his own muscles as well as mixes purely with the bull while working with it. The bond he shares with his bull became more than just divine. The relationship brought emotional movements inside the man and his bull. It made him sad to see his bull sick; the bull felt the pain when the man was wounded. He considered the bull as his own child, then a brother, but always a good friend whom he can trust. He slept with it. He ate with it. He introduced it to his child as the Big Brother of the family. The kid roamed with the bull. The gentle beast profited the company of his new little friend. During their early morning walks, the kid and the bull discovered each other.

So, this proud owner, puts out a challenge. His motive is to demonstrate how strong he had made his bull, which he had built with his affection. On the other hand, an enthusiastic active citizen shows his strength for either job opportunities like getting enrolled in the military or to form an intimate union.

The women - elders compare the muscles of their sons with that of the bull; the girls admire the dark naked muscular body of the teenager standing equal as the bull; the kids enjoy the thrilling show where one of their relation is standing against the bull. Moreover, everyone were proud for both their man and their bull.

There were several ways the man demonstrated his power during this awesome sports event. A bull multiple times heavier than the man that can charge at a speed of ~70 Km/Hr, the main purpose for the man is to stand in front of it. It needs more than just two balls to face a raging bull. That too empty handed - SALLIKAATU DOES NOT ENCOURAGE USE OF ANY WEAPON OR DEFENSE ITEMS. The man, bare handed, coats his palm with the soil on which he was born. The bull digs the mud it had ploughed with one of its front legs before charging at his friend standing infront. The man waits, and when the bull crosses he moves and rides along with it by holding its hump to demonstrate that his power is equal to that of the bull.

Now comes the time for him to show his stopping power. He holds the horns and pushes the bull back. He tries to control it by turning its neck to the opposite direction and his only aim is to subdue the bull and in no way his motive transforms to create pain to his friend.

Finally, he, along with his group of friends runs along with the bulls to paint solidarity, a race when Man tries to beat the Beast.

Basically the sport insists physical challenge, but it has a great psychological effect on both the man and the bull. Facing challenges, being gentle, calculating strength & weakness and above all FRIENDSHIP AND CARE towards a specie that is not the same as the self.

Leaving behind all the current political, social and cultural dramas around Jallikattu, as this is not the ground to bring judicial review or a place to debate over animal cruelty or detail about the most ancient form of life style still in existence, I wish to register my footing along with my bull.

I SUPPORT ஏறுதழுவுதல் (Bull Cuddling).
- Mappi

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கொல்லேற்றுக் கோடஞ்சுவானை மறுமையும் புல்லாளே ஆய மகள்
- கலித்தொகை, பாடல் 103, வரிகள் 63-64 [சான்றோர் செய்யுள் 400 BCE - 300 CE]

This cowherd girl will not hug him, he who fears the sharp horns of a kiling bull, even in the next birth.
- Kalithogai, poem 103, verse 63-64 [Sangam Literature 400 BCE - 300 CE].

[mappi]

Kallaigal Nadu - The Motherland of the Bulls

துறந்தார் படிவத்த ராகி இறந்தாராய்ந்து
என்செயினும் சோர்விலது ஒற்று.
- குறள் 586

Sangam, an Academy of Poets, flourished in Southern India for more than six centuries. It was known as Muchchangam in Tamillakam, the 5 Tamil language speaking lands.

The Sangam Literature contains 2381 poems. About more than 500 poets were part of this Tamil Academy, who belonged to different sections from the society and were mixed - both men and women poets . Religion, art, architecture and secularism prevailed during Sangam, where the poets registered every event grouping them under different topics. It was a period when stone sculptures flourished and its prototypes, as well as, a manual of painting known as Oviya Nul was published. Music and dance were perfected.

The group of poets - including Auvaiyar, Vellividiyar, Kapilar, Nakkirar, Tolkappiar, Nedum Seliyan, Nalluttiran, Sattanar, among others - were part of the Tamil Epic, depicting a piece of fabulous Tamil literature by narrating the historical events inside Patinenmelkaṇakku (பதினெண்மேல்கணக்கு), a series of eighteen anthologies contained within Ettuttokai (எட்டுத்தொகை, Eight Anthologies) [Akananuru, Narrinai, Kuruntokai, Purananuru, Ainkurunuru, Patirruppattu, Kalittokai, Paripaṭal] and Pathupattu (பத்துப்பாட்டு, Ten short Poems) [Tirumurukarruppaṭai, Kurincippattu, Malaipatukatam, Maturaikkanci, Mullaippattu, Neṭunalvatai, Pattinappalai, Perumpanarruppatai, Porunararruppaṭai, Cirupanarruppatai), including magnificient Kural (திருக்குறள் ). The most ancient Tamil grammar Tolkappiyam (தொல்காப்பியம்) was introduced by scholars during this magnificent era.

Today's eleventh largest state in India, Tamil Nadu, was divided into five different lands, called Nadu, during the Sangam Period: Thondai Nadu, Nadu Nadu, Chola Nadu, Kongu Nadu and Pandya Nadu. These five Nadu were collectively known as Tamilakam (தமிழகம்).

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And each land bred their own variety of cattle called Bos Indicus and conducted Yayru Thazhuval (ஏறுதழுவுதல்).

Sadly, (I write this with unspeakable pain), few of these varieties are extinct or nearly extinct now. (And to heal my pain), I try to list the varieties and promise to myself, as a lover of nature, that I will make my each step to protect our cattle:

Pandya Nadu:
1/ Irucchali (nearly extinct) [Sivagangai & Pudukkottai]
2/ Pulikulam [Theni]
3/ Thambiran madu [Theni]
4/ Tenpandi [Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli & Thoothukudi]
5/ Tirunelveli Hill Cattle [Tirunelveli, one of the ancient cattle breeds]

Thondai Nadu:
1/ Tondai [Ramana Maharishi's favourite cow called Lakshmi is a Tondai Madu) [Velur, Tiruvannamalai, Chengalpattu, Chennai & Vizhuppuram]
2/ Turinjithalai (nearly extinct - A drought vareity rare breed) [Usilai]
3/ Punganur [Chittor]

Nadu Nadu:
1/ Nattan [Villupuram]

Chola Nadu:
1/ Vadakarai [Trichy, Srirangam, Perambalur & Ariyalur]
2/ Mottai [Perambalur]
3/ Konadan [Manapparai, Trichy & Tovarankurichchi]

Kongu Nadu:
1/ Mee Konga [Kangayam & other districts]
2/ Mazha Konga [Taluks of Mecheri & other districts]
3/ Semmarai [Erode]
4/ Palamalai (nearly extinct) [Kaveri basin Mettur (Salem)]
5/ Alambadi [Pennagaram & Dharmapuri]
6/ Kollimalai [Mountain Corpus]

Here is an account of livestock recorded in 1935. The book illustrates various details about cattle breeding in South India and includes several pictures with description. A fabulous history of/about our cattle registered by Captain R. W. Littlewood (no copyright infringement as it’s an open source):

Livestock of Southern India - 1935 by Captain R. W. Littlewood, Deputy Director of Agriculture, Livestock (https://archive.org/download/LivestockSouthIndia/IndianLivestock.pdf)

Cattle are our ancestors who were touched, feed and described by our forefathers. It is our duty to keep them safe.

- Mappi

எழாஅப் பாணன் நன்னாட்டு உம்பர், நெறி செல் வம்பலர்க் கொன்ற தெவ்வர், எறி படை கழீஇய சேயரிச் சின்னீர்.
- அகநானூறு 113, கல்லாடனார், பாலைத் திணை

They say that he has gone far away, beyond the fine country of Panan*, but he who does not back off.
- Akananuru 113, Kalladanar, Palai Thinai.

* Panan - a person from the territory Panatu (inscriptions found at Paraiyanpattu in Tamil Nadu).
Found references to Panan in these 2 case studies also:
- Early Tamil Epigraphy by Iravatham Mahadevan (page 629).
- Political Change and Agrarian Tradition in South India, C. 1600-1801 by T. K. Venkatasubramanian (page 69).

[mappi]

The Awakening

A cimex lectularius lived cosily inside the King's bed. Every night, the parasitic insect fed on the royal blood. Tired after his hectic schedule, the King slept so fast and the bed bug happily juiced blood the whole night long.

One evening, a mosquito had entered into the King's chamber. It was quickly stopped by the bed bug. The mosquito explained, "Hey my little friend, I come from a land far far away upon hearing how good the royal blood tastes. After being the best sucker in various regions, I have come to feast here."

The bug did not authorise the mosquito. It replied, "I draw the blood from the sleeping King, so soft and so silent, which he does not realise. But you buzzing around will disturb him. Moreover, your syringe-like-mouth will cause pain and irritation, which will awake the King. Thus, he shall order to search and destroy us."

The mosquito thought for a while. It laughed on the inside thinking that it shall fly away once it’s job is done, and it shall be the bug who will take the blame, get caught and executed. Shedding its crocodile tears, the mosquito pleaded to the bug to find a solution. It tried to convince the bed bug by stating that they both were from the same blood sucking family.

Finally, the bed bug agreed, but upon two conditions, "OK. You will follow these two rules - you will wait until the King lays motionless in the bed and you will only bite his feet, not anywhere else. By this, he cannot see you and we will be safe." The mosquito complied to the bed bug’s demands.

That night, the King came along with his Queen. The parasites gladly received the couple and decided to have a tasty meal together. The mosquito would suck the King's blood while the bug will feed on the Queen’s.

The mosquito buzzed over the sleeping couple, while the bed bug crawled to the other side of the bed where the Queen was asleep. From above, the mosquito turned towards the feet of the King, when his eyes fell over the juicy cheek of the King. He admired the idea of landing on the warm cushioned surface and feast on fresh blood.

The mosquito sat on the King's cheek, at the same time, the bed bug bit the foot of the Queen.

The instant reflex from the bite made the Queen swing her hand towards her husband. Her palm slapped the King's face, squashing the mosquito to death. Furious, the King woke up and asked the Queen a reason for her behaviour. When she explained about the bite she had received near her foot, the King ordered to search the bed. The bug was found and buried under the King's feet.

இணர்எரி தோய்வன்ன இன்னா செயினும்
புணரின் வெகுளாமை நன்று.
- குறள் 308

The dormant Kings have woken up to save their Queens, their symbol of love and their tradition, from the alien organisations who have come to take away those which rightly belongs to him. The bugs under his own bed, the government that he had trusted, are now under his feet.

Though any shall commit things painful to bear,
Like a bundle of fire thrusted upon,
Refrain from getting anger.
- Kural 208

In the ancient days, where life was not sophisticated as today, Sallikattu was practised using different rules and regulations. Thiruvizha, a festival, was organised to display the cattle breeds and as a thanks giving ceremony, the breeding bulls were respected and worshiped. On the open ground, a Vadi Vasal, the gateway into the arena, stood between the charging bull and the men who shall ride along with it. The gateway is a narrow path, which the bull crosses to reach the open ground, where men await to cuddle it.

Stopping the sport is revoking my right to demonstrate my bravery.

Present day, rules and regulations have been applied to carry forward the sport. Any society, eventhough it may abide to numerous laws, can never be crime free. There are malevolents present everywhere. Likewise, during Jallikattu certain undesired acts may be carried out, but that is not a reason to stale an activity that is in practise since man made his first step towards modernity.

For this reason, to monitor and abolish any unpleasant acts, Jallikattu has be thrusted upon with several codes, which are authorised by respective chief officials and supervised by law men, allowing a responsible group to conduct the sport after accruing safety measures.

The Bull and the Man are medically examined before. Only if they are medically fit, they are allowed to enter the arena. The challengers were placed under teams, and the united men should wait for their turn to cuddle the bull. Only one participant can ride along with the bull. If too man jump onto the charging beast, the team will be disqualified.

During Man versus Bull, the vainqueur is pronounced after crossing 50 metres inside the arena. If the Man holds on to the bull when he crosses the 50 meter mark, he wins. But if he falls, the Bull takes the cup. There is also a small advantage for the Man - he is elected winner if he holds on to the hump for thirty seconds. All these measures are taken for safety, as well as, not to inflict any sort of damage to the bull. The contestants are thoroughly checked before entering the arena. None is allowed to carry any instrument, neither can they beat the bull.

At the Vadi Vasal, the bull is inspected. Any outside influence that affects its general behaviour or causes pain to the beast, the bull is disqualified by not permitting it to enter the arena and the person responsible will be taken into judicial custody. On the other side of the Vadi Vasal, the bulls are grouped and the respective bull must voluntarily enter the gateway. There are instances where the tail of the bull is bitten or twisted to make it enter into the arena, but it is strictly prohibited now. Authorisations to guide the bull into the gateway and make it cross amidst cheers are currently put into practise.

Like in any sport, there is a risk for the participants to get injured. Medical care with ambulance service for both Man and Bull is provided till the end of the tournament. The sport is halted if any meet fatal injuries.

There are three types of games included in the sport:

Vadi Manju Virattu [Madurai, Pudukottai, Theni, Tanjore and Salem]

The classic cuddling, where the tamer hugs onto the bull by holding its hump and the bull tries to shake him down. It is a marvel to see the bull ferociously charging its muscles to shake its cuddler, while the brave man lifts his legs and flies along with the bull.

Vaeli Virattu [Sivagangai, Manamadurai and Madurai]

An open-to-all game model, where a herd of bulls are unleashed into the arena, and a group of men try to cuddle it. Most of the bulls run away, but few will challenge the participants, where the contestants try to tame the bull in front of a thrilled and cheerful spectators. The brief moment when the Bull and the Man face each other is a mjor highlight of the event, sends chills up the spine.

Vadam Manjuvirattu

The bull is tied to a pole using a fifteen meters long rope and a timer of thirty minutes is allotted to a team of seven members to subdue the bull. It is impressive to see how the bull defends its territory and charges at anyone who tries to get nearer.

Famous Jallikattu locations are:

- Alanganallur
- Avaniapuram
- Tiruvapur near Pudukottai
- Kondalaampatti, Thammampatti in Salem
- Palemedu near Madurai
- Sravayal near Karaikudi
- Kanduppatti near Sivagangai
- Venthanpatti near Ponnamaravathy, Pudukottai District
- Pallavarayanpatty near Cumbum

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When we grow up, together, we play Jallikattu.
If Jallikattu is barbaric, then, we are barbarians. Yes.

- Mappi

காரி கதனஞ்சான் பாய்ந்தானைக் காமுறுமிவ் வேரி மலர்க் கோதை யாள்,
நெற்றிச் செகிலை யடர்த்தாற் குரியவிப் பொற்றொடி மாதராள் தோள்.
- சிலப்பதிகாரம்

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

Na Kashchit Kasyachinmitram na Kashchit Kasyachidripuh,
Vyavahaarena Jaayante Mitraani Ripavastathaa.

No one is a friend per se and no one is an enemy per se,
Friends and enemies are created out of personal dealings and behaviour.
- Acharya Chanakya's Neeti.

At every Begining, An End is Born.

The core sound of Shringa, a trumpet made out of a buffalo horn, was heard once across the battle field. The vibrating waves, brought by the winds from the Vettaiyan Palace, hit hard on the other side. The war sound of the Emperor was drifted back by the buzzing noise from Sena's Ganesha Shankha, the divine conch. Several S-shaped wind instruments, where the wider section called Dhaturo and the thinner section Dhopbana were joined together to form a bow shape trumpet Ransingha, echoed over Karmegha, which was quickly mingled with the mystical noises blown out in unison from Dakshinavarti Shankas, the sacred shanks. Steadily drum roll sounds from both sides filled the gaps of silence between the blows of the wind instruments.

The Motion of Music across the battlefield Karmegha illustrated the energy of the warring warriors - The Emperor versus The Empires United.

"This dawn", Rana rode on his horse back holding Inesh and spoke to the front line of The Battalions of Heaven, "so powerful, will pass an unhindered light of unity. My soldiers, with constant illumination above our heads, we shall gain strength to fight the darkness before us. On this dawn, so mighty, we are not just an army, but a single nation. And Victory shall be its name." The soldiers of the allied forces cheered loudly while banging on their shields and thumping their feet on the ground.

Emperor Dhashakantha sat on his thrown mounted over the platform at the centre of the flat ground outside the Vettaiyan Palace. He watched his huge army assembled in front of him around the Vettaiyan Statue. He stood up and climbed down the stairs taking his time to land on each step, all the while watching, smiling and greeting the captains of his army who stood before each battalion they commanded. He was received by his General on his last step below the stairs. Vettaiyan threw his hand over the shoulders of his General and then, nodded looking at his army. The soldiers shouted in unison, "Ave Vettaiyan, the Ruler of the Ruler. Hail to the General, the Pathfinder." Vettaiyan slowly walked towards the assembled warriors with a big smile on his face. He took few steps back and forth across the line of soldiers making eye contacts and nodding his appreciation at his warriors. He took his time and then said, "Bring me victory, I will reward you in paradise."

Vettaiyan quickly turned and walked back to the stairs and climbed them at a fast pace elegantly transmitting his energy to the whole crowd around him. The army tapped their weapons on their chest over metal armours emitting a powerful sound matching to the footsteps of their Emperor.

"Not for I", Rana continued addressing his warriors, "not for you. You will fight for the soldier next to you. Keep your sisters safe, lend your shoulder to your brothers and bring them both home. This dawn, so strong, will melt fear of the enemy being thrice the size of self. This dawn, so supreme, explodes our courage to perish any evil that may challenge us."

Rana pointed Inesh towards the enemy line and said, "Make them bow with or without their head. Make them kneel with or without their knees. Make them run and burn them with the hot breeze from the swing of your sharp swords." Rana paused and made eye contact with the soldiers before him, "At dusk, we shall rejoice their defeat." A thundering roar uprooted from The Battalions of Heaven that was heard at the Vettiayan Palace.

Nobleman, with a team of advisers, sat beside Queen Vadhana Devi over a raised platform watching the battlefield. Several scopes with different lens were placed on a miniature sand table before him to monitor every corner of the Karmegha. Many army models - blue and red denoting attack and defence of allied forces faced white and black miniatures of Vettaiyan army. Tiny multi-coloured toothpick flags were lying to his right on the sand table. The coloured flags represent the battle formations to be adapted during the war.

"Padayappa", Sena took charge and briefed the army while sitting on his war chariot pulled by four horses, "as you all know already, are the men standing among you all holding military war flag. Your captains have detailed to you the significance of each color on the flag held by Padayappa. They mark the Vyuha under which we battle our enemies. Padayappa will not fight. He monitors and brings news to the Warfield. Two important laws of battle: One, Padayappa safety. Two, follow exactly what Padayappa instructs. A black flag, you retreat whatever be the situation, whether you are winning or we are losing. A yellow flag with a design on it indicates the type of Vyuha to be formed. Rush to join together and stand only when you are inside the Vyuha. Padayappa are vital during war, follow their orders as they are next only to your Chief."

Kanakavalli stepped forward. Several battalions, standing in squares and triangles, moved a step backward and a quiver of archers, in a rectangular shape, took the front line behind her. The archers stood in four rows inside the rectangle form - the Crossbowmen kneeled on one leg in the front, to fire rapid arrows to slow the advancing enemy infantry, followed by the Bowmen with broad head arrows who will shoot straight at the stationary enemies. Behind them were the Longbow Men holding a strong tensioned bow to draw the arrow towards the sky, which will travel long distance and effectively take out armoured soldiers on the other side. And on the last row were the archers prepared with fire arrows to neutralise ballistic devices.

The Captain of the Archers turned and looked at Queen Vadhana Devi. After getting her Leader's permission, Kanakavalli stretched her bow to fire her arrow when Rana gently placed his hand on her bow and downed it towards the ground. He handed Inesh, the mystical bow of his Father, to her. Kanakavalli steadied herself and aligned her arm and shoulder muscles while anchoring Inesh to a full draw. She held to the point firmly - her hand pulled behind her mouth and touching her chin while the string of Inesh crossed before her nose tip. Her foot was rigidly placed over the ground securing the consistency of her draw.

Kanakavalli released the arrow from Inesh. The string made a springy sound effect while the arrow ejected from the bow. The arrow sought past the bow cutting through the wind over the battlefield; entered the enemy front and landed few feet before the line of enemy soldiers.

The First Arrow of the War of Karmegha, shot by Kanakavalli from Inesh, pinned itself to the ground on combat field.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

"I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet" - Mahatma Gandhi

Day Zero One - First Blood

The sound of collective hearts pounding circled around The Battalion of Heaven. There was silence on the other side. Nobleman took out his telescope and monitored the reaction to their First Arrow at the enemy front. Four heavily built men, carrying a flat wooden plank, walked over the empty battlefield and placing whatever they carried on the ground, they turned and walked back silently.

Nobleman was taken by shock when he zoomed over the wooden bed at the middle of the battlefield. "First Blood", Nobleman whispered nervously, following which, there were loud murmurs among the soldiers.

Kacha stood confused. He walked to Kalai and raised his eyebrows. Without uttering a word, Kalai marched towards Rana. Kacha followed Kalai. Vadhana stood up without hiding her anxiety. She watched a human form tied up on a wooden plank with both the hands placed behind the head and the right leg crossed over the other - as though someone was lying down and thinking looking at the sky.

"First Blood installs fear", Sena whispered to Kacha, "If a high ranked official is killed early in the battle, that too, if his blood is the first to wet the combat ground, it wil build panic among the soldiers. Each drop of split blood will suck dry their strength and weaken their confidence over winning the war. First Blood creates hesitance, thus, demolishing their courage."

"He kidnapped him not to learn about our war strategy, but to draw First Blood on the First day of the battle", Nobleman announced to Vadhana, "A perfect target to destabilise our brave soldier - death to their very own War Strategist, upon whose plan they have prepared themselves for the battle."

From nowhere a single arrow cut through the soundless atmosphere and stuck itself into the right foot of Yesodha Putran, the ranked official and war strategist of the allied forces who was the currently the occupant of the wooden bed at the centre of the Karmegha.

Sena galloped his horses and turned his chariot towards the battlefield. Rana, grabbing Inesh from Kanakavalli, jumped onto the back of the chariot. Kalai and Sultan quickly mounted on their horses and rode on either side of the bothers who were charging over Karmegha. Nobleman's hands trembled when he moved the military models over the sand table after witnessing the enemy soldiers grouping themselves into a bird like formation. A moment later, he finished arranging a defensive Vyuha on the sand table and immediately Padayappa carried a yellow flag with a square embedded on it. He ran in front of The Battalion of Heaven waving the flag vigorously.

The army of the allied forces moved to either side making way for the horse cavalry of archers. The horses galloped between the standing battalions and raced towards the battlefield behind the four brave men. A unit of swordsmen and spearmen, headed by Kacha, doubled behind the horse archers. Kanakavalli drew her sword and held it high above her head - a direct command to the longbow men to draw their arrows. The horse archers split into two groups and quickly gathered together forming themselves into a square arrangement, their bows fully drawn and aimed at any arriving threat on the silent front before them. They reduced their speed to collect the running infantry inside their box formation. The infantry, led by Kacha and protected from all sides by the horse archers, sprinted together in tremendous pace to catch up with Sena's chariot.

Steadily, a unit of Vettaiyan army advanced towards Yesodha Putran. They moved in a form of a bird with wings stretched out, where: the beak was formed by the two senior warriors - one to control each wing. The wing to the right was the horse riding long swordsmen and the wing to the left was the horse troopers with spears, both cavalry padded with heavy armour. The neck consisted of war chariots pulled by two horses. The tail was filled by the crossbowmen. The captain of the bird formation, One Eye, rode as the single seeing eye of the bird, leading his unit towards Sena and his men.

Sarvatobhadra Vyuha versus Krauncha Vyuha
(Square (box) Formation vs Heron Formation)

Sarvatobhadra Vyuha is a square formation used to secure all the sides. The walls are occupied by cavalry supported by infantry from inside. This defensive formation is used to safeguard and transport important officials out of the battle and bring them to safety during the course of the battle.

Krauncha Vyuha is formed in the shape of a heron which can move faster and cover a wider space in the battlefield. It is used to flank the enemy from both sides, and just like a bird's motion, Krauncha Vyuha can swift and sway deflecting the enemy attacks. The purpose is to pick the enemy out of the battlefield just like a heron catching its fish.

Kalai and Sultan deflected the arrows arriving at them using their long swords. Sena stirred the chariot with his left hand and blocked the bolts launched at him with Arha, the crystal eyed steel sword of his Father. Rana ducked to avoid being hit and quickly drew rapid fire arrows from Inesh towards Krauncha Vyuha creating a wall of fire beyond Yesodha Putran. The warriors inside Sarvatobhadra Vyuha quick drew arrows into the air and were fast approaching the four warriors. Kanakavalli brought her sword down and the longbow men rained arrows to slow down the enemies targets in Krauncha Vyuha.

The collective response of the archers temporarily blocked the advancing enemies. Sena reached wounded Yeshodha Patran at the center of Karmegha, and stirred his horses to make full turn towards the right. For a brief moment the chariot rolled on single wheel. At the same moment, Rana placing his left foot over the side board of the chariot to retain his balance over the one-wheeled-chariot, shot a rope arrow on the plank over which the war strategist was lying with a bleeding foot, the arrow head had completely drilled his right foot and was stuck across. Sena's chariot made a complete turn and raced past Karmegha, heading towards the Empires United camp pulling Yesodha Putran behind it. The Sarvatobhadra Vyuha split into two and the rear half circled the chariot that was pulling Yeshodha Putran. The other half advanced to attack the Krauncha Vyuha, even though they stood no opportunity for success. Their motive was to slow the advancing enemies and gain time for the rescue team to reach safety. Kacha leaped onto Kalai's horse and Yesodha Putran was been transported safely inside the Sarvatobhadra Vyuha. Midway, few more units rushed past them to join the battling warriors at the centre of the battlefield. They cheered when they saw their war strategist being rescued to safety.

Upon reaching the campsite, Yesodha Putran was immediately taken into medical assistance. Rana and Sena watched the fierce battle at the centre of the battle field between their brave men and enemy warriors. The military units of the Empires United, who engaged in battle with the Emperor's men, were massacred mercilessly. The animal cavalry was brought down by killing the animal with spears and the heads of the riders were separated even before they landed on the ground with longswords. The infantry was mowed down by the enemy chariots and the rest were shot in the heart and forehead by the sharp metal arrows from crossbow.

One Eye, the captain commanding the Krauncha Vyuha, caught hold of the last man standing and made him kneel facing Vettaiyan Palace. Standing behind the captured warrior and using his right hand, he inserted an arrow to the side of his victim's neck. He rotated it to drill it out of the other side. Then, he kicked the dead soldier whose breathless body hit the ground sending dust into the air. A load roar sounded from the battalions of Vettaiyan who cheered at the bloody spectacle of Captain One Eye.

Empires United incurred heavy loss of resources, both men and materials, but they successfully brought back their war strategist. The faces of the warriors of the Emperor were painted with smiles after rattling their enemies on the very first day of the battle.

Between delighted soldiers on one side and blank faced warriors on the other, the setting sun in the middle announced the end of Day One of the Battle of Karmegha.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

Or, if there were a sympathy in choice,
War, death, or sickness did lay siege to it,
Making it momentary as a sound,
Swift as a shadow, short as any dream,
Brief as the lightning in the collied night;
That, in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and Earth,
And ere a man hath power to say “Behold!”
The jaws of darkness do devour it up.
So quick bright things come to confusion.

- William Shakespeare (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, ACT1, SCENE1: LYSANDER)

Confession of Confusion

The moon hovered above Vettaiyan Palace spraying its ash white light over the battlefield Karmegha. A single lamp before each tent mounted by the army of allied forces burnt timidly, trying to irradiate the darkness circling around. A sentry guard monitored the activities across the enemy front. He watched a similar guard watching him from the other side through a scope. Several armed soldiers patrolled around the campsite. They moved in pairs of four and covered each corner without encouraging a blind spot. The grand pavilion at the centre was crowded from inside and heavily armoured warriors shielded the entrance.

"It is I who am at fault", Nobleman sobbed, "I buried our units deep inside chaos."

"That's exactly what the Emperor wants you to think", replied Yesodha Putran lying on a soft bed of rags with his right foot bandaged. His body looked weak, his eyes glittered with confidence.

Nobleman shook his head, "I am aged. I have to accept to myself that such tasks are no more for me to deal and I can't handle the results." Nobleman spoke softly, "I have led us astray."

"The body is innocent, young or aged. The mind is the culprit", Rana, seated by the feet of the strategist, spoke carefully at Nobleman, "A mind is something you have, not something you are. It will mislead you, and make you miserable, and you won't even know it. Righteousness is ingrained and is not something that is learnt. Virtuousness is something that arises from deep within us. The problem starts when the mind starts defining what is right and wrong. They are just some false perspective that you carry in your mind that you use to judge yourself."

Nobleman started to weep. His shoulders could not control his guilt. Vadhana Devi moved to his side and gently placed her palm on his right shoulder. Nobleman calmed and lifted his head and looked at Yesodha Putran who was watching him with a smile on his face.

"They kept me in an underground prison with a sand floor", Yesodha Putran started to talk to the crowd gathered inside the yurt. "I can't sit. I can't lie down. And I was naked."

"Thrice a day, I was fed with a grand meal each time, but was offered only one glass of water, which was refilled once at dawn. Suddenly I used to fall asleep, a substance mixed in the food maybe, and would wake up seated inside a tub of warm water. An iron mask pasted to my face blinded me. Tender hands washed me and lifted me out of the tub. Visionless, I walked on the smooth floor, so cold but felt pleasant under my sore feet. By body ached, but my mind was filled with fragrance of freedom. When I reopened my eyes, I was standing on the sand floor of my prison cell without the iron mask covering my face."

"I was right below the war room, all alone with no one to speak with. I was neither interrogated. Silence started to kill me and I started to speak to myself. And I heard what they spoke, rather, I was made to hear all their discussions that was happening above me. My eyes widened. My mind started to vision the horrors. The Emperor is forming a Vyuha that cannot be broken. He is going to capture Rana and Sena inside it. Each day he changed the details. Now I am not sure what exactly he is going to call. A Clown."

"Blinded by the iron mask, I found tender hands dressing me. The soft luxurious fabrics covered me like light feathers. I was placed on a hard floor. Thought it was rigid wood. My hands and body were tied. I could not move, except my right foot which was placed on the left knee. I shook it until I felt like flying. Someone was carrying me. Light rushed on my face when the iron mask was removed. I looked around and revelation flooded inside me. I am the bait."

"The streams of my blood led me to my end. You, my Noblest of all the Wise, brought me inside a box alive. My death could have produced fatal consequences, You, the enlightened one, foresaw it. I would like to thank you wholeheartedly."

Nobleman kept starring at Yesodha Putran. He started to convince himself. He started to fell lighter as though a lump of dirt was washed away clean by the waves of words.

Yesodha Putran paused. He searched for Sena and found him near the window watching the battlefield. He looked straight and smiled at Rana. He turned towards Kalai and finally gave a tiny nod at Sultan to gain their attention. He spoke to them, "Both must stand. Either one falls, it’s the end to all. It’s up to you two to be their shoulders."

Kalai and Sultan nodded affirmatively. Looking at Sena who was gazing the emptiness above the tiny opening, Yesodha Putran called out, "Of all those who are present in here, you know better not to enter the battle field together."

Sena turned and faced Yesodha Putran with his head hung down. He had not uttered a word since the meeting had began.

"You are a danger to each other", the strategist spoke to Rana who was sitting by his feet.

"Remember, one to defend, the other to lead", Yeshodha Putran concluded.

The war strategist of the Empires United closed his eyes and when he reopened them, he announced, "This war will be fought on what Nobleman shall pronounce."

Everyone looked at Nobleman who slowly lifted his head and declared, "At dawn, we attack."

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

Seize bolts of lightning from the sky,
And plant them in fields of life.
They will grow like tender sprouts of fire,
And charge sombre thoughts with unexpected flash.

- The Condemned Apple: Selected Poetry by Visar Zhiti.

Day Zero Two - Colliding Stroms

The same sounds from Gahesha Sankha and Sringa trumpet that announced the dawn and the dusk during the day zero one of the battle, echoed around Karmegha when the sun slowly crept over the horizon.

"The moon did not favour us", Kalai informed Sena. "I witness fear in one and the aftermaths of a shock in the other eye. Their shoulders are no more upright. I have led the front to many battles, but never were the warriors exposed to such a heavy pain." Kalai spoke softly, only his clenched teeth announced his anger, "Vettaiyan is a Monster."

"Strength is in the mind, not in the muscle", Sena replied, "Rise the Master, trick the Monkey and kill the Monster."

"Three giants co-exists inside a body - The Master Mind is the guidance to tame the Monkey Mind and to supress the Monster Mind. They eat the other out and each want to be the champion of the body." Sena looked above him and admired the scarlet sky, "Remember this, every giant is a dwarf somewhere else. It just needs a bigger giant to erase the existence of another giant. And hope is the biggest giant of them all."

Sena walked inside the tent and came out supporting the wounded man on his shoulders and stood over the mounted platform. With a crutch planted under his right arm and hugging Sena with the other, Yesodha Putran limped towards the Battalion of Heaven with a smile on his face. Kalai lifted his head and watched Yesodha Putran over the raised platform with Vadhana and Nobleman on his either side. The groups of soldiers cheered.

"We shall not show them who we are. We will reply to them with what we are made of", the words flew as sparks of motivation, carrying vibrations of positive energy and ignited sturdiness among the soldiers by burning their cowardice into ashes of glory.

Vajra Vyuha versus Parigha (gada) Vyuha
(Lightening Formation vs Mace Formation)
Rana's attack versus Vettaiyan's defence

The Empires united army spread themselves into units that were broken from the battalions of infantry and animal cavalry. The horse swordsmen took the front line of each unit, who were closely stuck with foot soldiers holding shorts words and flail weapons. The rear was guarded by the camel cavalry with riders spinning pole scythes. Each unit was supervised by respective captains and they followed two head units commanded by Rana and Sultan respectively.

Rana, holding his longsword Vajastra in his left hand, led half of the ground units to his left, while Sultan flanked from the right ordering his army with his golden spear. The warriors advanced gradually towards the battlefield to meet their enemies who were preparing to move forward in a disciplined manner.

The enemy units consisted of heavy armoured long swordsmen, horse archers, pikes men with blocking shields, rows of heavily built combatants griping a chain mace in each hand. Their charcoal body was made of boxes of muscles. A single large unit commanded by Veera Mahendran, riding on his armoured horse, supervised the defence units.

Rana and Sultan galloped their horses when their army crossed the quarter way mark on Karmegha. They rode forward in opposite directions and the army split into two and followed their leader. Vajra Vyuha was formed while flanking the enemy from either side, as the horse swordsmen took the lead; followed by foot soldiers; and tailed by camel cavalry. They advanced in tiny groups to form a lightening shaped strike force on the ground. It looked like hundreds of tiny lightning bolts crawling over the ground. Their steel weapons glittered under the glowing sun sending electrifying attack signals at the enemy.

On the command of Veera Mahendran Parigha Vyuha was formed, as the units of horse archers grouped into a circle while advancing towards the charging enemy. The circle was lined from inside with four rows filled with defensive units - the front and back with long swordsmen and giants with chain mazes walked in the middle. Two long lines of pikes men closely followed the horse archer’s ring from outside with their block shield held in front of them. Several units commanded by Veera Mahendran moved inside a mace like formation to counter the lightning strike of the enemy.

Vajra Vyuha met with a Parigha Vyuha at the centre of the Karmegha

Rana's battle formation struck the enemy units nonstop, while the enemy's blocked their heavy attack. The horsemen heading the lightening charged with their longswords, which the horse archers forming a ring tried to stop with their arrows. Without giving time for a reorg, the foot soldiers broke into the circle and met with the armoured infantry. Quickly, the riders holding pole scythe entered with their camels and fought with the heavy gladiators. Once a blow was rendered at Veera Mahendran's Parigha Vyuha, the warring soldiers exited the ring while another Vajra Vyuha unit charged in.

Sultan's soldiers retreated after inflicting minor damage to Veera Mahendran's defence. The camel cavalry rode out, followed by the foot soldiers and finally the horse swordsmen rode out of the ring. Another lightening unit, which waited outside the defence ring of the enemy, entered and continued the attack, while the exiting warriors quickly regrouped themselves and struck the rear end of Vajra Vyuha, which was guarded by pikes men.

The attacks were pouring in without giving the enemy time to break the massive blows. One by one the Parigha Vyuha started to fall apart, and the lightening units multiplied in numbers and several units inside Vajra Vyuha started to plunder the enemies. Veera Mahendran immediately ordered his broken units to form into a single Parigha Vyuha, which looked like a massive mace on the battle field. Sultan's tiny lightening units continued to attack from the rear, while Rana's fierce units entered and exited the ring from the either side.

The General watched the outcome of the battle in silence. He hesitated to send reinforcements. Instead, he ordered three units of ballistic devices to launch their stones that were lit by fire at the enemy.

Kalai and Kanakavalli watched the battle from either side of Sena. When the enemy catapults were moved in, Kanakavalli turned and watched the calm face of their commander. Her cheeks turned red when she noticed the ballistic devices being loaded with their fiery stones. She felt the grip on her sword getting wet with sweat when the catapults were turned and positioned towards Rana's lightening unit. She released her fingers to regain the grip on her sword, while waiting for the order from Sena.

Sena watched straight ahead of him. The cool breeze blew without disturbing his sharp eyes. Rana and Sultan were fighting a giant man with chain mace who refused to go down. Sultan kneeled on one leg and Rana stepped on his thighs and pushed himself to gain height. He cupped Vjrasta with both his hands above his head and when he reached the throat level of the giant, he quickly introduced his long sword to the sternal notch of his enemy. He landed back on the ground beside Sultan holding Vjrasta, which was dripping blood, and the giant followed him face down a moment later. Sena shifted his sight and watched the positioned ballistic devices. They were fully charged and were ready to release their ball of fire at their targets. Without removing his eyes from the battlefield, Sena nodded his head.

Kanakavalli quickly pulled her sword above her head and then brought it to her side. The forth row of fire archers took position. They drew their arrows, which were ignited by a single soldier positioned beside each archer. Kanakavalli dropped her knife and held it facing the ground. The fire arrows were fired. A large group of blazing arrows brightened the evening. They flew past the battling warriors and hit directly on most of targeted ballistic devices damaging the wooden frames and burning the ropes that held them together. Most of the catapults were destroyed, but a few maanged to fir at Vajra Vyuha. The lightening unit escaped the fire balls by swaying to their right and left over the battlefield.

Veera Mahendran was losing. He quickly ordered his army to fall back. They were chased by the warriors of Rana and Sultan.

Nobleman placed a black toothpick flag on the sand table and five Padayappa galloped their horses holding a black flag. They ran towards their fighting soldiers covering half the grounds of Karmegha. As soon as Rana and Sultan saw Padayappa, they commanded all their units to retreat and with a huge cry of victory the warriors returned to their campsite.

The enemy's ballistic devices stood burning long past the sunset.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things. - Leonardo de Vinci.

State of Things

The sentry guard at Vettaiyan Palace surveilled the Empires United military forces setting up a barricade at the quarter mark of the battlefield.

"The enemies have gained a large territory under a single moon, my General", he reported to his commander who was standing beside him. The General kept staring at the single warrior glittering in red armor. The General spoke severely to the sentry, "Continue the watch, and talk to me only about what I should know."

Sena supervised the construction activity. Sharp knifelike tree barks were erected facing the Vettaiyan Palace. The protective barricade, installed with pointed wood posts, stood about six feet above the ground. They were placed a maximum of two feet apart. Huge tree trunks were extended around the defensive zone to maintain the wooden poles. A side walk was laid along the zone upon which groups of archers took position. On the ground behind the defensive wooden wall, longbow men were stationed aiming their weapon through the gaps in between the poles. At every sixth set of pointed tree barks, a tiny barrack stood to accommodate few pairs of long pikes men. Arrow-firing catapults were placed before the barracks and two men took position beside it. Five watch towers stood across the defensive zone and four sentries holding a gastraphetes, a hand-held crossbow, were position on the top of each wooden tower to monitor the four sides of the battle field. A horn hung around their shoulders, used to send a signal during a potential enemy breach. Units of heavily armored bowmen and horseback shooters were standing on the other side of the barricade facing the enemy front.

"On behalf of the Queen and her allies", Nobleman spoke loudly, "I congratulate you and your men for exhibiting immense bravery on the battle field."

They were inside the pavilion surrounded by the army captains. Vadhana supervised the meeting. Nobleman stood in front of the sand table before a hand drawn map of the battlefield Karmegha. A thin line of tiny toothpick flags, with the Empires United emblem on it, ran across the map delimiting the captured area of Karmegha.

"All glory to the commanders, captains and their disciplined soldiers, Lord of Nobles", Rana replied modestly. The warriors and the men of affairs felicitated each other. An army captain, with a thick and long black hair flowing down his shoulders, stood unmoved in the middle amidst the cheers.

Nobleman looked straight and coupling his hands at his back, he ordered Rana, "Let the briefing begin, Commander."

Rana stepped forward and made a general assessment of military and non-military resources that included a detailed account on the availability of soldiers, war animals, weaponry, as well as, clothing, housing, nursing and alimentation:

Animal Cavalry - Horsemen and camel riders are exhausted. Elephants, the strategic defensive units, are available and can serve as attack forces. Chariots - Single, double, pairs of two, three and four horse driven as well as well as two and paired wheeled can be deployed. Fast chariot archers and pikes men, single or accompanied riders, await command.

Infantry - Out of the four units - Explosive experts, Pikes men, Swordsmen and Archers – Five units of Archers and Pikes men are on standby for defense under Second in Command. Others await further orders. Only two battalions of foot soldiers can be placed on the battlefield. The rest need rest. The joint women military forces, foot soldiers and riders, await orders from the Queen and can be moved in under the Fourth in Command. Bombers, the special ground forces, can assist the infantry under Fifth in Command. They are experienced warriors trained in using heavy close combat weapons including war clubs, halberd and flails.

Siege Weapons – Long range - Trebuchet, mangonel, petrary - and close range – light onagers and heavy catapults - are operational and experts to handle the siege engines are prepared. Lack of wood has slowed down the construction of the siege towers. Assurance that the work in progress will be completed before reaching the defensive wall of Vettaiyan Palace.

"How is the will?", Vadhana interrupted.

"Excellent", Rana replied directly to Vadhana. "The current victory has showered several drops of strength among the soldiers. Commanders have informed me that dry bread and cheese is providing the needed energy to the warriors. Lack of wood poses a problem for lodging and warmth, as the current stock is being utilized for the construction of the defense zone. But this crisis is temporary and will be solved once the Battalion from Heaven occupies the backwaters of river Daboya. No fatal injuries to report. The wounded are being nursed with clean clothes. Few will return to battle anytime soon. Sentry shift is divided and four groups take turn to keep the watch. Surveillance comes directly under the Second in Command, Chief Sena. Armors, weapons and shields are intact, accounted by Sixth in Command, Captain Kacha."

Vadhana nodded her head with warmth of gladness in her smile.

"Permission to speak", the voice of the silent captain startled everyone inside the pavilion. Vadhana pushed her right arm towards her face to permit the speaker to come forward.

"Your Highness", the long haired captain spoke after taking a step forward, "I am Gudakesha, the Captain of the nineteenth regime of Kottaipattinam infantry, serving the army directly under the First in Command."

Gudakesha took his sword and placing it flat over his palms, he knelt down before Vadhana and announced "I shall fight no more."

There were heavy murmurs around the Pavillion. Gudakesha placed the sword on the floor and stayed knelt with his head facing the floor. Vadhana looked at Rana, the First in Command, who tightened his lips and mildly shook his head in disagreement and informed the Queen, "I invited Captain Gudakesha to speak up before Your Highness, as the matter needs a higher audience."

Vadhana looked at Gudakesha's free flowing dark hair and said, "You are free to speak Gudakesha. In my council, everyone will be heard."

Gudakesha lifted his head and confessed to his Queen, "I saw my brother-in-law, Dhaya, at the battlefield. He has chosen to raise his sword against the Empires United. I cannot widow my own sister."

With immense hesitation as though the words struggled to travel from the throat to his mouth, Gudakesha shedding a drop of tear said, "I request my Queen to dismiss me from my duties."

"Kallingapuri and Kottaipattinam were brotherly states", Nobleman said, "until Raja Mahendran rendered his support to the Emperor. The two empires shared many things in common, from culture to family. But this is war. Your first duty is to be at service to the nation. Loss and gain are the two eyes of war. I request the Queen to reject the plea, order the captian to do his duty to the fullest and not to waste precious time over such issues."

Vadhana sat silent for a while watching Gudakesha and then, issued the order, "Gudakesha, the council has heard your plea. I free you from military activities." The room was filled with silent grumbles. Vadhana continued, "But I am placing you at the army bureau of Kottaipattinam. Before dusk, I order you to bring me the list of other soldiers who are unwilling to battle. You may leave now."

Nobleman stood shaking his head in disagreement. Gudakesha stood up and bowed before his Queen. He turned and showed his respects to Nobleman and Rana before leaving the pavilion under the cloud of heavy murmurs.

Rana raised his voice to bring back order inside the room and to set the discussion into the right direction, "Permission to suggest, Lord of Nobles."

Nobleman nodded affirmatively at Rana to continue. "The standby archers units can be advanced to the defense zone and alleviate the infantry units who are currently under the orders of the Third in Command. The eased foot soldiers, thus, can be deployed in the battle at dawn."

Nobleman thought for a while and announced loudly, "Chariots will arise along with the sun." He quickly turned and faced Rana, "Who is the Commander's charioteer?"

"None, Lord of Nobles", answered Rana, "I shall ride alone."

"The battle will be fierce. You need someone to guide you up front while you fight the rear", Nobleman advised.

"I volunteer as the Charioteer of the Commander", Yesodha Putran broke his silence, "My arms, compared to my foot, are stronger." Rana thanked Yesodha Putran with an appreciative nod.

Nobleman went through the map before him. His fingers were moving rapidly over the tunic while his eyes followed the imaginary lines his fingers drew. He lifted his head and looked around him. After a quick search with his eyes, he ordered, "Someone send a word for Second in Command?" Kalai turned and left the tent.

"Our priority is to capture Fort Ayan", Nobleman continued, "At this rate, we will cross the fort in another couple of moons. Once we enter the line of sight of Fort Ayan, we should be prepared to face the heavy attack from cannon Vettai at every single step we take towards Vettaiyan Palace."

"What is the deadline issued to our men who have infiltrated Fort Ayan?" Nobleman inquired.

"Prince Shamu with the salve leader Maveeran, await our message at the dawn after the fifth moon", Rana replied with confidence. Nobleman walked to Yesodha Putran and consulted with him.

Sena's footsteps echoed around the room, which made Nobleman halt his consultation and address Sena, "There you are, Youngman." He gentely raised his right handed and pointed his palm at Kanakavalli, "Our Lady, the Fourth In command, will report to you at dawn. With the archers units under her command, she will relieve the infantry units and stay to assist you. Of course, General Kalai shall retain his honor to defend the Empires United as the Third in Command. The Fifth and Sixth in Command, Sultan and Kacha, will join the Chief of the allied forces at the battle front."

Sena looked at Kanakavalli. With objection in his face, he starred at Rana and then at Nobleman. He exited the pavilion without uttering a word.

"Are the state of things alright, Rana?", Nobleman asked.

"Yes, Lord of Nobles, as always."

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not;
Remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.
- Epicurus [Greek Philisopher, 341 BCE – 270 BCE)

Day Zero Three - Chariot of Desire (part 1/2)

As the hills of Daboya paved way for the rising sun, the gates of the barricade opened and a three wheeled (Rajas, Tamas and Sattva) chariot pulled by four fully armored horses stormed into the battle field. The black (Daivapara), brown (Kamagama), white (Devacitta) and mixed coloured (Pari) stallions provided power to the chariot, inside which Rana stood behind his charioteer Yesodha Putran. Holding Inesh, the devine bow, in his left hand and placing his right hand on his hip, Rana looked straight ahead of him. The Chief's chariot was decorated with spike shields on all side. Yesodha Putran halted the horse driven vehicle at a few distance from the middle of the battle field.

Several units of foot soldiers, each unit made with thirty two close combat warriors assembled behind the chariot under a six by four order. Following the infantry, several types of chariots rode side by side in a line of four. The first group that turned to the left was led by Sultan and the next that curved to the right was commanded by Kacha. In a similar pattern, the chariots regrouped themselves starting from the far corners of the battlefield, within the imaginary frontline drawn by Rana's chariot.

The Empires United army stood closely packed with each other, facing the enemy front. The barricade gates were shut and Sena stood behind it with both his hands on his hips. Kalai stood to his right and Kanakavalli positioned herself to his left. On either side in front of them were the archers. Behind them several trebuchets, the long range siege devices, were erected and ready to fire stone bombs. Few were equipped with flammable chemicals inside large pouches, which upon being shot will be ignited by the fire arrow bowmen. In the barracks between the huge pointed poles, units of pikes men were stationed. The catapults launching rapid-fire arrows at the barrack’s opening were maneuvered by a pair of experts. The sentry tower was active and three rows of soldiers with helmets and chest armors carrying long swords and double-headed spears were standing guard serving as the first line of defense around the defensive zone.

Rana watched the cloud of dust rising before him. Yesodha Putran turned and watched Rana with a smile on his face. He noted Rana's eyes moving aimlessly, trying to follow the dirt floating in front of him. He spoke to him calmly, "Rumination is disturbance of peace."

The words of Yesodha Putran stirred Rana back. He bowed to his charioteer and expressed his concern, "How to explain Sena's silence? Indecipherable. Sena being an enigma is disturbing me."

"You don't know what silence can do!" Yesodha Putran said with a mild laughter, "The enlightened share their wisdom in few words. Sacred is the one who has understood silence as the highest wisdom. Sena is a sage who takes everything in his smile, yet, remains silent. Not in fear of rejection. Not in submission before authoritarianism. But being self-intelligent."

Yesodha Putran took a deep breath and continued, "The time was indeed frozen. In the coldness, forgetting its purpose, the soul dreamt on this world, the place which was created out of a dream. The soul became a part of the Universal Dream, multiplying its own individuality. In this half asleep state, the soul formed a spiral of ego around which rotated the aimless body seeking materialistic desires. Drowned in their thirst of needs, the soul wandered aimless driving its body to places that it shall not visit. Then, came the instruction directly from the Creator delivered through a Messenger."

"In order for the soul to exit from the sphere of dream, the Self should commune with the Spirit."

"Sena is in the state of Kri, indulged in a conversation with the Spirit. He is a social scientist. Not by how he looked at life, but how life had experimented itself on him. He remains as calm at the end as at the beginning. He has nothing, thus has nothing to lose. What he desires is non-desire. What he learns is to unlearn. He cares about nothing but the Self. Thus, he can care for all things. Let him be free from expression, as his communication is elsewhere."

Rana closed his eyes. Peace gradually settled inside him like the weightless white clouds. He heard nothing else but the Voice of the Speaker:

Na prahrsyet priyam prapya, Nodvijet prapya capriyam,
Sthira buddhir asammudho, Brahma vid brahmani sthitah.

"O Brother of the Father's Son, worry not;
Truth shall soon set itself free.
O Blessed One, I am here to show you the path,
And as eyeless and tongueless traveler,
Follow the sound of the Conch."

Rana reopened his eyes and looked straight ahead of him. His vision was cleared. Amidst the polluted air that revoked visibility, Rana saw several types of enemy units assembling before him. Finally, he witnessed the wonderful sight of herds of elephants, armored from tusks to toes, running into the clouds of dust.

Trumpet of aggression from the herd of war elephants echoed around Karmegha. The sound of distress around the battlefield irritated the ears of the chariot horses and made them restless. They shook their heads violently to express their nervousness and stomped their feet to show their impatience.

Yesodha Putran controlled the four horses by pulling the reins tactfully. He sent assurance to the disturbed animals and steadily allowed the horses to calm down. The lead white horse let out a neigh of relief and the other three responded by wagging their tail – an expressive communication was established successfully between the charioteer and his horses.

When the dust cleared, Nobleman watched the heavy army of the enemy assembled at the center of Karmegha. He exhaled, "Chayana Vyuha". Padayappa rode holding a yellow flag with a crescent on it. He reached the Chief's Chariot and delivered the single word message to the charioteer - Hawk.

Rana exchanged Inesh between his hands by pushing the divine bow in the air. Inesh glittered when the first ray of the rising sun touched it during its brief journey between Rana’s palms. He bent down and picked up the Vamavarta Shankha, the conch that has whorls expanding in a clockwise spiral, from the floor of the chariot. Holding Inesh in his right, Rana blew Vamavarta Shankha under the back drop of the rising sun.

The Battalion from Heaven followed the orders of thier First in Command and moved rapidly to form Ardhachandra Vyuha.

... to be continued ...

Footnote

1/
Na prahrsyet priyam prapya, Nodvijet prapya capriyam,
Sthira buddhir asammudho, Brahma vid brahmani sthitah.
- Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5 verse 20

Translation by Paramahansa Yoganandha:

The Knower of Spirit, abiding in the Supreme Being, with unswerving discrimination, free from delusion, is thus neither jubilant at pleasant experiences nor downcast by unpleasant experiences. [God Talks With Arjuna Vol.1 Pg: 562]

2/ Rana's Chariot adapted from the description of Arjuna's Chariot in Mahabharatha.

The 4 horses symbolize the human actions:

Black (Daivapara): Predestiny
Brown (Kamagama): At one's Will
White (Devacitta): At God's Will
Mixed coloured (Pari): With respect to space and time

The 3 wheels are the three motions (Gunas):

Rajas, Tamas and Sattva: Transverse (neutral), downward and upward motions
(Gunas : Rajas - Supression of Tamas / Sattva over eachother; Tamas - Negative attribute influencing darkness, Sattva - Positive attribute influencing goodness.

3/ Metaphor from Mahabaratha

Body - Chariot. Self - Riding owner. Intellect - Charioteer.
The rein is the mind to control the senses – the horses, pulling the wheels that are the components to travel the divine path.

4/ Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu (600 AD)

Therefore the Master takes action
By letting things take their course.
He remains as calm at the end
As at the beginning.
He has nothing,
Thus has nothing to lose.
What he desires is non-desire;
What he learns is to unlearn.
He simply reminds people
Of who they have always been.
He cares about nothing but the Tao.
Thus he can care for all things.

5/ Kri = to do; (Desire)

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

Ten enemies cannot do a man the harm that he does to himself - Yiddish Proverb.

Day Zero Three - Chariot of Desire (part 2/2)

Ardhachandra Vyuha versus Chayana vyuha
(Crescent (half-moon) formation vs Hawk formation)
Rana's attack versus Vettaiyan's attack

At the two tips of the stationed Empires United army, Kacha and Sultan comanded their chariot units to spread inwards to form two curves that were made to join at the two tips. The outward curve stretched up to the defense zone and the inward curve joined Rana's chariot. Both the inclined lines were filled with foot soldiers who positioned themselves in between the war chariots. At the center of the crecent shape formation, Rana stood inside his chariot with his charioteer Yesodha Putran.

Ardhachandra Vyuha formed by Rana's army spread over the marked zone and stood as a single massive ground force ready to tackle the charging enemy. The Vyuha permitted to cover the entire area without leaving any blind spot, just like the light from the shinning moon creeps all over the land. The dense layer of soldiers can attack individually or in groups without breaking away from the formation. Anytime, a close by unit will be available to assist another unit nearer to it, thus, transforming the units into an unhindered attack force.

Horsemen dress in red uniform and carrying war axes, galloped fast towards the Ardhachandra Vyuha. The group moved inside a triangular formation which resembled to a beak of a hawk. Their leader, Aye, rode in the front, as the beak’s tip, with her face covered by a red scarf. The beak unit was closely followed by several rows of horsemen carrying spears to dismiss enemy war chariots. Their movement resembled to the dancing feathers around the neck of the predatory bird. The body of the hawk was densely packed with ground attack units carrying heavy close combat weapons. The close range catapults with immense attack power, each pulled by four siege engine experts, swayed at the tail end. The two broad wings were occupied by war elephants. Their irregular running movement seemed to be like a hawk's flight with its wings wide open. Two groups of running pikes men moved in separately as the curved talons of the hawk. At the center of the curve formed by a chain of single horse driven chariots above the beak, The General rode on his war chariot; his charioteer managing to control the six black stallions powering the armored cart. He positioned himself as the Eye of the Hawk inside the Chayana Vyuha formed by his battalion. The Hawk formation is a vigorous attack strategy where different types of attack units are dispatched or assembled during any point during the battle. As a single unit they can concentrate their attack by assisting each other, or perform separate attacks at the dispersed enemy. The war elephants are the deadly units supported by the other attack units. The elephant cavalry can create havoc in the war field, as well as demolish the defense of the enemy and also break the enemy’s war formation.

"We must suffocate the enemies by neither giving them space to attack nor time to defend", yelled the General. His army increased its speed, letting out a loud war cry.

"Someone is desperate to win this war quickly", Yesodha Putran informed Rana while riding the chariot into the fog of soldiers before them.

"So, let us redefine quickly for them", saying so Rana drew Inesh and shot the first arrow, which stuck itself on the chest of the rider beside Aye; the force pushed the horse man backward and the victim was dead before he hit the ground. Aye did not mind the fallen soldier. She looked straight and paced her horse towards her enemies. The General’s army moved into the crescent battle formation.

When the two armies met, it looked like a hawk hovering over half-moon.

The Hawk landed on the moon and a fierce battle between the chariots and the pikes men took place at the middle of the battle field. While fighting the Empires United, the beak and the neck of Chayana Vyuha detached themselves and moved into opposite direction to allow the wings to emerge into the front. The chariots fighting with the talons of the hawk faced the elephants charging directly at them. The heavy animals marched over the battlefield running down the chariots. The Empires united chariot cavalry threw javelins at the war animals. The Elephants were unstoppable. With several spears stuck to their foreheads, the maddened elephants violently shook their heads and crushed anything on their way under their pillar feet. Many foot soldiers were killed instantly in the stampede.

The General's infantry in the middle attacked the fallen warrior pushed from their chariots by the elephant cavalry. The close combat units of Empires United immediately came to their assistance by covering the large impact area and fighting alongside with the war chariots.

Aye's axe horsemen unit, which detached itself to allow the elephant cavalry to move in, charged to the left and started their attack on the war chariots commanded by Kacha. The other unit of horse riding spears men moved quickly to their right and surrounded Sultan's cavalry.

Amidst the chaos, the close range catapults advanced gradually towards Sena's defense zone. The objective of the General was clear - to push back the enemies without permitting them to advance, as well as, take over the lost territory. Even though he knew it could be achieved on a single day of the battle, his plan was to position the slow moving catapults nearer to the enemy line. He deployed elephant cavalry to create the needed distraction.

The General's chariot sped through the herds of war elephants closing in with Rana's war vehicle.

Aye looked straight at Kacha and persuading her horse to stand on its rear legs, she said, "We meet again."

"Destiny, perhaps …", Kacha replied and quickly threw a war knife at Aye. She elegantly pushed the approaching weapon away from her with her axe. The two arch rivals threw their sharp blades at each other - Kacha stirring his chariot with one hand and countering Aye's axe with the sword held in his other hand, while Aye circled her nemesis's chariot striking her weapon hard at Kacha.

On the other tip of the crescent formation, Sultan and his unit faced a fierce attack from the spears men. The chariots were no match to the armored horsemen. The horse cavalry circled the group of chariots not permitting them to retreat and forcing them stay in the battle. Sultan pushed his way through the walled horsemen cutting off any resistance with his meqleh, but his unit was taking severe damage.

The General watched Rana from a distance. Rana was pointing his arrow directly at the General. The General was quick enough to dodge the arrow, but the deadly arrowhead rubbed his face mask. Sparks flew into the air when the metal met with metal. Rana saw the General’s chariot cutting itself to the right side and disappear behind the warring soldiers.

The enemy elephant cavalry shattered the inner curve of Ardhachandra Vyuha and reached the outer ring. Beyond the second line of chariots was the defense zone. Several trebuchets fired huge stones to slow down the fast approaching elephants. The stone hit the animals - some took direct hits on the body toppling them to the ground and a few were rolled down by the rolling stones. The war chariots resisted the attack of remaining war elephants. The barricade door was opened momentarily and Padayappa rode out bravely into the herd.

Kacha witnessed the massacre around him while fighting with Aye. Aye gripped both her axes and charged massively at Kacha. Padayappa rushed past the left wing waving a black flag. Immediately, Sultan ordered his unit to retreat, but only half the number of chariots followed him, the rest were torn to pieces and lying around the battle flied. The General's horsemen chased and killed the running chariots. They halted their pursuit close to the outer curve of the crescent formation as they were short of men to break past the enemy line. They turned to the regroup at the center of the battlefield.

The General neared Rana's chariot and found him firing rapid fire arrows at the passing horsemen. Many took direct hits and fell down from their horses. The General ordered his charioteer to turn the cart and take the position behind Rana. He took out his double headed spear and threw it at Rana's back.

At the same moment, Yesodha Putran pulled the rein of the lead white horse commanding it to halt. The other three stallions were still running. The sudden change in motion elevated the Chief's Chariot making it run on two wheels. The swift force drove Rana to lose his balance and fall backwards over the floor of his chariot. As he was falling down, Rana witnessed a spear cutting very close above him. The General laughed loudly slapping his left thigh with his right palm. Rana quickly got up and pointed Inesh at The General, but his attacker rode away and disappeared behind the wall of dust.

The horsemen of Aye chopped half of Kacha’s unit, but they still goat back a fight from the Empires United war chariots. Under the backdrop of the setting sun, Kacha saw Padayappa riding his way waving a black flag, at the same time, dodging several arrow aimed at him. Kacha and his remaining units retreated and entered safely into the defense zone.

Rana ordered his infantry unit to retreat. He stood back covering the retreating unit. Yesodha Putran drove the chariot in circles permitting Rana to rapid fire Inesh at the surrounded enemies. Kalai rode into the battle flied with a small defense infantry unit to guard back the tired soldiers to safety. When his unit disappeared behind the defense zone, Yesodha Putran rode the chariot fast towards the barricade's gate. They were closely chased by the enemy horse Cavalry. Kanakavalli ordered her archers to cover the Chief's Chariot. As soon as Yesodha Putran entered the chariot into the defense zone, the end of the day's battle was signaled by the trumpets and the shankas.

Several wounded soldiers of Empires United who were lying low during the battle gradually crawled back to their camp. Few soldiers roamed around the zone to capture the aimlessly running horses. A small medical unit walked through the impact area looking for any life.

Sena stood watching the enemies, his tiny eyes were fixed on its targets. The General's army stayed on the battlefield without returning back to their camps. Works on installing siege weapons were being carried out. Rana came jogging and joined his brother. They looked at the new settlement of enemy soldiers on Karmegha. Sultan, Kacha and Kalai looked around at the massive army still gathered around their defense zone. Kanakavalli walked to Sena and gently pressed his shoulder.

Sena did not move. Sena did not smile.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

அகழ்வாரைத் தாங்கும் நிலம்போலத் தம்மை
இகழ்வார்ப் பொறுத்தல் தலை.
– குறள் 151 (பொறையுடமை அதிகாரம்)

Pain and Patience

"That is almost one tenth of the army of Kottaipattinam!", Nobleman yelled looking at the list produced by Gudakesha who was standing in the middle of the pavilion surrounded by the commanders and noblemen.

"The military personals shall be relieved of duty with immediate effect", Vadhana spoke firmly.

"But ... But My Queen", Nobleman argued, "After the massive hit we took today, there are more chariots than riders. The list holds several senior members, captains and leaders. A great amount of experience at war will wither. And ... And what if the allied forces raise questions?" Nobleman argued.

Vadhana replied calmly, "A ruler should know the pulse of the people. As an efficient administrator, the ruler will not wait to listen to the people after their unheard plea breaks into a revolt. As a pathfinder, the ruler will take proactive measures to reduce any damage taken by the society. Gudakesha will be in charge to listen to all the soldiers objecting inside the Empires United Army. Every single one shall be exempted."

Rana came forward and spoke gently to Vadhana, "Of anyone gathered here, Your Highness is well aware that we have just faced one fifth of the Emperor's military. To be precise, it is just the size of Kalingapuri army. It is evident that the Emperor is luring us towards a trap by allowing us to advance further inside Karmegha. Our only way to breakout is by capturing Fort Ayan. If the plan succeeds too, we will be facing an army thrice bigger than our own. Moreover, we need soldiers to execute Chaturmukha. A mass dismissal of active warriors will land us weaker before our enemy."

The Queen of the allied forces smiled, "After all we are fighting this battle for the wellbeing of our dearest. There is no point in murdering them and call it a 'Victory'. My war shall not permit a brother to face his own brother." She placed her hand gently over her abdomen and said, "By the will of our Father, a path to victory will arise on Karmegha. We jointly will overcome the obstacles."

"With the enemies at our gates, this decision will yield fatal results", Nobleman raised his voice.

Vadhana looked straight ahead and said, "The dawn is nearing. Let's invest our words to plan a counterattack against enemy forces."

Nobleman walked back to the sand table nodding his head in disagreement and Rana joined him after dismissing Gudakesha. Yesodha Putran watched Sena silently walking out of the pavilion followed by Kalai.

Kalai stood stressed out beside Sena, while watching the numerous glowing fire torches across Karmegha. Witnessing the enemies not returning to their camps but settling on the battlefield near the defense zone, Kalai wondered how fierce the war would be at dawn. He feared that the enemies will begin their attack immediately after the first ray of the sun peeps Karmegha. The current defeat in the battle made him nervous and doubt if they were prepared for a quick and massive attack. He keenly surveilled the enemies moving around before him under the moonlight. He saw the sleepless sentry guarding the defense zone. Kalai turned and looked at Sena who was gazing at the darkness above.

"This war," Kalai spoke, "I am aware that wise men predicted its end on the third day. Yet, here we are watching the enemies straight into their eyes. But I fear we are not as powerful as we had begun. I see a huge army before me. And at my sides, only a few tired warriors. Is my vision showing me the beginning of our end?"

Sena smiled and spoke without taking away his eyes from the darkness above, "Patience." He turned and looked at Kalai, "We just have to withstand this army for two more moons. By then, the stronghold will come under our command permitting us to restrict the enemies inside their own territory. The rest of the battle field will be empty to activate Chatrumkukha. We will lure the enemies into the Vyuha by faking a shutdown of Cannon Vettai."

"Hears well to my ears", Kalai said impatiently, "But I am afraid you are skipping the battle part and speaking only about the control, which we had already lost. If at all we manage to defeat the enemies in front of us, more will appear to replace them. We will be fighting waves of never ending soldiers. And we lack men to battle from dawn until dusk."

"We will stand our ground," Sena replied calmly, "Only if this assembled army is defeated, more shall come. We will keep them where they are."

"Not clear to my brain as it is to my ears", Kalai sought an explanation.

Sena smiled and narrated to him a Tale of Patience, "Once a fox, while jumping over a broken sledge, cut its tail deeply. It jogged for a while, but the pain mounted quickly along its spine. It took shelter inside a shrubbery. It tried to lick its bleeding tail, but its tongue could reach only half of the open wound. It laid down still inside the shrub. The scent of its blood attracted a swarm of flies. They sat on its tail and fed on the torn flesh. The fox suffered huge pain from the bites of the flies, but it did not move. Slowly his whole tail was conquered by the blood thirty flies, and the fox laid down like a silently suffering stone. After a while, the buzzing stopped and the flies just sat on the wound, coating the entire affected zone as a cloud of darkness."

"A rabbit passed by. It saw the fox. Scared it prepared to run away, but when it noticed the wounded tail being attacked by a cloud of flies, it pitied the victim. It cautiously woke up the suffering animal. The fox half opened its eyes. The rabbit asked the fox, 'You seem to be in immense pain. Shall I drive away the flies?'"

"The fox replied, 'No my little friend. The flies are fast asleep after a great meal. If you drive them, many hungry ones will come.'"

Along with Sena, Kalai stood watching the grey clouds moving fast above their heads.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

If you feel lost, disappointed, hesitant, or weak, return to yourself, to who you are, here and now and when you get there, you will discover yourself, like a lotus flower in full bloom, even in a muddy pond, beautiful and strong. - Secret Life of Water (2005) by Masaru Emoto (1943 – 2014)

Day Zero Four - Where Waves Go To Die (part 1/3)

The buzz of Ganesha Shanka woke up Rana. The previous night, he was convinced by Nobleman and Yesodha Putran to take rest and he had slept inside the pavilion. The trio had worked over the night on several attack and defense strategies to push back the enemies stationed at the gate, but none seemed to work as they willed. Several military models was scattered on the floor illustrating the air of frustration that had occupied the cloth room, which were sent flying to the corners by Rana's feet when he hurried towards the exit.

Nobleman and Yesodha Putran were also startled by the early wakeup call. Getting outside, they were stunned to witness the grand armored elephant units of Kottaipattinam being moved from the camp into the defense zone by Sultan and his merchants. The herd was followed by several camel driven chariots, inside which an archer and a spearmen stood behind the charioteer. The center was crowded with foot soldiers of different military class, who were jogging to get into a configuration. The ground archers, all the four divisions, were positioned at six points outside the infantry unit. Kacha moved around on his horse verifying the newly installed siege weapons positioned between the swordsmen and the bowmen. Huge bags, their mouth tied with a rope, were attached to the wooden barricade at regular intervals. Kanakavalli and Kali were examining the giant balloons. The barracks were packed with soldiers and the arrow firing catapults were operational. The watch towers and the forefront of the defense zone looked deserted.

Rana saw Sena holding on to Ganesha Shanka in his right hand. Sena's eyes held a deep calmness when he supervised the assembly of the Empires United army before him.

"Padma Vyuha", Yesodha Putran whispered, overwhelmed with surprise. Nobleman watched the men and the animals walking together in harmony. Vadhana, accompanied by Swathi and Swetha, joined the trio. The Queen of Kottaipattinam, through a slight eye movement, directed her two bodyguards to join Kanakavalli.

The Chief of the Allied Forces looked ahead of him under the semi dark sky. The dim light from the torches elaborated the new structure that the enemies were building over Karmegha. The war elephants were replaced by two different types of siege weapons. Men who resembled deformed monsters, substituted the horse cavalry. A pack of infantry unit stood around guarding the battering rams. Rana used his telescope and counted a dozen of demolishers ready to be dashed on to the barricade walls. A captain stood beside each battering ram commanding a small unit.

"Urmi Vyuha", Rana heard Nobleman utter a mild cry.

Further from the huge army, similar set of enemy soldiers were gathered near Vettaiyan Palace - the reinforcement units. Rana turned his telescope and zoomed on Fort Ayan. There were vigorous activities on top of the stronghold happening around Cannon Vettai. He returned his sight towards the palace and identified a fast movement behind the corridors. The image appeared and disappeared behind pillars, and finally came to stop beside The General. Rana watched the Emperor's army commander saluting Vettaiyan, who had arrived to witness the event, which was presumed to be the last day of the Battle of Karmegha.

The General looked confident about the victory. His strategy was to allow the enemy to barricade themselves, permitting themselves to be locked inside a self-made prison considering it as their fortification. The enemy crowed at a single place was an easy target to be mowed down by his strategic military formation Urmi Vyuha. The escape routes between the hills were closed down by blocking it with huge rocks dropped from a manmade rockslide. The remaining enemies will be forced to cross Karmegha and escape to the harbor through the second path situated beside Fort Ayan. Cannon Vettai will be activated to crush the fleeing army. It was clear that The General had planned Karmegha to be the last resting place for anyone and everyone who was an enemy to his motherland.

The Vettaiyan Palace started its preparations for the day of battle by blowing the trumpets. Rana descended from the pavilion’s platform and jogged towards Sena. Nobleman and Yesodha Putran stood watching the massive and heavily equipped Emperor's army assembling on Karmegha to ravage the Empires United camp site.

The Commander and his deputies of the Empires united assembled around Sena who knelt down on his knee and using Arha's pointed tip, he drew wavelike shapes on the ground, which were arranged one behind the other. There were seven wavelike design before the group. Sena marked a cross on the crest, the highest point of the wave and drew a tiny straight line intersecting the trough, the lowest part of the wave.

Pointing at the crest, Sena briefed the commanders around him, "Siege weapons." Tapping on the line he said, "Battering rams". He, then, drew a bigger wave further from the group of smaller ones and said, "Re-enforcement units."

Sena tapped the first four waves one after the other with Arha and placing the tip of Arha on the fourth one, he announced, "Under no circumstance, the fourth enemy attack unit should be neutralized." He lifted his head and made eye contact with the commanders, "We shall keep on defending only the first three lines of attacks by allowing them to charge at us, thus, we make sure the other enemy units behind these three are blocked by their own soldiers. These units are well packed that we will have enough time to hold them back creating a defensive human wall with attacking soldiers themselves. We must find a balance between our attack and defense."

Sena lifted his head and passed his orders, "The archers shall slow down the enemies by injuring them. The siege weapons will damage the enemy’s ballistic devices. The infantry will neutralize the aggressors who manage to break our barriers and the chariots well mediate between these classes. Elephant cavalry shall intervene only as the final defense measure."

The Second in Command of the Empire’s united took a deep breath and then, emptied his lungs, "Our attack and defense should resemble the techniques of breathing." He took a serious tone and said, "Even if a single unit penetrates our defense, then, it’s the end to what we are fighting for. With our leader’s camps just across the defense zone, the enemies will return back claiming their victory."

Sena looked at Rana and said, "Someone should be nearer to the Queen to safeguard and secure her if the Empires United defense falls." Rana nodded his head affirmatively.

The commanders walked close to the barricade gate together. Kacha kept his eyes on the pale skined giants waiting beyond the gate.

"Are they monsters ?", Kacha questioned innocently, "Large eyes, flat nose, pale skinned, well built looking scary with their sharp canine teeth. Never have I seen them before."

"Nature", Sena replied. "Environment contributes to variations in humans."

"Ayus", Rana announced the name of clan of giant men. "They are the primitive tribes who live in the caves around Kalingapuri. Ayus are very gentle beings. They have no language and believe the Mountains as their God, as the hills shelter them from the sun. They are the Guardians of the Forest and are just like any of us. Survival made them the best mace and spear wielders."

"They lived for long inside the caves", Sena continued, "and their skin became pale. Due to lack of light their eyes are unnervingly large to adapt inside the darkness, causing their foreheads to be broad. The nose bridge is absent, and they breathe through nostrils punctured on their flat face. Their big ears provide them with excellent auditory senses."

"Ayus are very rare tribes who are now salved by the Prince of Kalingapuri. Before the Mahendrans, Ayus and the people of Kallingapuri practiced barter system and dwelled together in peace. Raja Mahendran, upon the instructions from the Emperor, started to loot the richness from the jungles. He captured the resisting Ayus tribe and enrolled them in the military, but treated them as salves. This is their first fight, but certainly not for their freedom", Sena concluded.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

Day Zero Four - Where Waves Go To Die (part 2/3)

Rana stood before a replica of Chakra Vyuha that he had formed further from the campsite below the chain of mountains. Vadhana, Yesodha Putran and Nobleman were secured inside the formation, which was configured by three units of short swordsmen. Two units stood as the circular wall and they would start moving together in a circular pattern while defending the leaders secured inside. The third unit was hidden among the two units and would launch surprise attacks on the enemies trying to enter the Vyuha.

Padayappa got down from his horse and bowed beofre Rana, "My Commander, you sought my presence."

Rana looked at the young man before him and asked, "How may I address you ?"

"Nakulan, My Commander", replied the flag boy.

"You did extraordinary at the battle field", appreciated Rana. "You are valiant and courageous. Let me ask you, What part are you from ?"

"Kottaipattinam", replied Nakulan. "My father is under your direct command at service to the great army of Kottaipattinam, My Commander."

Rana did not hide his surprise, he asked Nakulan with curiosity, "May I know who that could be ..."

Before Rana could finish his question, the conch and the trumpets were blown together announcing the commencement of the battle. Rana spoke urgently to Nakulan by taking his hand and placing an item over his palm, "Here, take this and report to me regularly. You may leave now."

Padayappa pocketed the sand timer and rode on his horse towards Karmegha. Rana held to his hour glass in his left hand and watched the rising sun under the slow passage of granules from blub to another.

Padma Vyuha versus Urmi Vyuha
Lotus formation vs Wave formation
Sena's defense versus Vettaiyan's attack

The similarity between the Lotus formation and Chakra Vyuha (Discus formation) was that the opponent was kept unware about how many layers of soldiers were held within the Vyuha. Both the formations left only a wide entrance to invite the enemy soldiers inside, but upon entering the Vyuha, the entrance would be sealed and the clueless enemies were trapped without knowing the way to an exit. The main purpose of Discus formation was to capture and kill. It deploys the strategy by trapping an army unit or a single warrior inside its vicious maze like structure. Its walls were made of different sets of armed soldiers. The defenders inside the Chakra Vyuha then moved in a circular pattern, confusing the victim by not permitting him to analyze the military structure but to get lost while trying to find an inexistent exit. Chakra Vyuha is more powerful as a defense configuration when it comes to secure higher ranked officials from an attacking enemy units.

Padma Vyuha had a duel property - to attack and/or to defend. Arranging Padama Vyuha takes immense calculation with the units positioning and can be deployed anywhere or at any time during the battle, whereas, Chakra Vyuha is a calculated move. The archers were placed in a leaf like shape around various units including animal cavalry, notably chariots, positioned as petals of a lotus flower. The outer ring of the leaf is heavily guarded by elephant cavalry, which shall not permit the enemies to move further, making the attackers fall like the dew drop on the lotus leaf. At the back of the Padma Vyuha, troops spread deep as the roots and charge in whenever the petal shape is disrupted. They, then, open up their attack forming thick layers of units just like the lotus bud blossoming. At times of taking massive attack, the animal cavalry charge in to buy more time of a re-organization. The role of the archers is to slow down the enemies by wounding them, and the chariots swept past the ground beheading the fallen. The chariots moved out disclosing the heavily armored close combat units, usually swordsmen. The dispersing infantry units exposed the siege weapons, which are positioned as the center of a lotus flower. The setup is like a blossoming Lotus flower with numerous layers of military units, where each petal opens outwards to bring forward several other armed units. The inward and outward movement technique allows the war units to operate safely by providing support each other.

Just like how the waves of the oceans break and move swiftly towards the shore, Urmi Vyuha is constructed largely with swordsmen who collectively concentrate and move to attack the enemy front. One after the other, the numerous military units contributes to a non-stop action force to neutralize the enemies. When the first wave of swordsmen take heavy damage they quickly withdraw to allow the next wave to hit the weakened enemy, just like the periodic stampede of the waves. The swordsmen carry heavy round tipped blades forming the crest. They were lined by foam of Ayus warriors holding mazes and spears. The battering ram is securely brought forwards as the trough. Spikes men were hidden inside the sea of soldiers who burst surprise attacks by jumping and throwing their javelins at the unaware enemies. Siege weapons are positioned as the immovable rocks around which the waves of soldiers move forward. It is impossible for the enemies to near the siege weapons, as they had to cross an ocean of warriors.

There was a prolonged silence at Karmegha when the two battling groups stood staring at each other. Animal sounds echoed occasionally. Sena stood behind the closed wooden barricade in front of his army settled under Padma Vyuha.

The mechanical noise of an onager made the Battalion from Heaven look up at the sky. Fear rolled down their throats when they moved their neck upwards. The enemy onager released its boulder, a very large rock set on fire. The siege weapon pushed the huge rock vertically straight up and the blazing boulder took its projectile path towards the camp of Empires United. It travelled past above the closed barricade gate and landed on the enemy territory. The rock rolled energetically towards Sena. Most of the soldiers near Sena moved backwards quickly, but Sena stood his ground. The rock approached Sena with great momentum and Vettaiyan was amused while watching the scene unfolding at the enemy camp. He pulled the tip of his pony tail and started to nibble its end while his eye watched the rock on fire getting closer to stationary Sena.

The rolling fire stone reflected inside both the eyes of Sena. His face was placid. It expressed neither fear nor panic. The huge rock slowed down during its tiny journey and came to stop close to the feet of Sena.

Vettaiyan slapped his laps with his right hand and brought his left hand before his face. Pointing at Sena, he laughed hysterically as though appreciating the courage of Sena.

The Emperor's men gathered in front of the Empires United barricade charged inside the Wave Formation while letting out a war cry. Several Onagers and catapults launched their boulders blindly towards the enemy front. The Ayus ran pushing the soldiers out of their way yelling and showing their sharp canine teeth. The soldiers pushing the battering ram advance at maximum speed towards the wooden barricade wall.

There was no reply from the Empires United to the advancing enemies. The soldiers stood in their position and the dart arrow throwing catapults at the barracks were not yet activated. The large rocks catapulted by the enemies started to land over the wooden wall. Few blazing rocks that hit the wood encouraged them to catch fire. The fire timidly started to mount on the wooden wall. When the enemy soldiers were closer, Empires United defense military forces reacted.

Two actions occurred, which surprised the charging enemies – One, the barricade gate started to open. Two, the dart throwing catapults were aimed at the floor of Karmegha.

The arrows leaping out of the catapults generously missed the running waves of soldiers. The enemies jumped and dodged the arrows and sped with an urge of urgency to enter the opened gate. The battering rams were fixed to the ground and several soldiers climbed inside it to motion the ram.

As soon as the crowd of enemy soldiers entered the gate, Sena activated Padma Vyuha.

... to be continued ....

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

Day Zero Four - Where Waves Go To Die (part 3/3)

"Waves of enemies have hit our gate flooding the defense zone with heavily equipped warriors", Nakulan said panickaly. Rana, with his hands placed on his hips, assured Nakulan, "Patience. Waves of despair shall die away soon."

"Ayu with septum nose ring is the leader of the Ayus", Sena briefed Kacha. Suddenly he pulled Arha and pushed its handle towards his left. The hard end of Arha met with the jaws of an enemy and pushed him to the ground bleeding. Kacha watched Sena wide eyed, as he was not aware of the an enemy attack. Sena spoke without showing any visible sign of emotion, "I want him alive." He moved away from Kacha and strode past the enemies hunting them like a wolf.

"The barricade wall is drowning in a sea of fire", Nakulan was out of breath while he reported the proceeding of Karmegha to his commander. "Sea of dismay shall be dried up, but it will take some time", Rana said with a gentle smile on his face.

Pushing several enemies to the ground, Sena raced past through Karmegha and met with Kali who was welding a double mace at random attackers. Sena whispered close to his ears, "Now."

Kali felt a breath against his neck and when he turned to his right, he saw Sena walking away from him into a thick fog of enemies. Kali quickly ran towards the wooden barricade wall that was feasted by the flames. On his way, he tapped the shoulders of Kanakavalli when he crossed her. Neutralizing the four enemies with whom she was fighting with, Kanakavalli ran behind Kali. Swetha and Swathi covered the running duo. One bent on her knees and lauched rapid fire arrows into the air, while the other defended the former with her sword by deflecting the enemy attacks. When Kanakavalli and Kali reached the huge bags tied to the barricade walls, they quickly knelt to the ground and pushed away the sand to expose a thin rope wire. Kanakavalli lit the rope wire and one by one the large water bags exploded sending gallons of water vertically into the air. The water fell down as huge drops over the blazing barricade wall extinguishing the fire completely. The wooden wall stood strong but blackened by the fire and moistened by the water.

"Onagers and catapults are raining boulders that sweep off the feet of our soldiers", Nakulan recollected the horrors he had witnessed at Karmegha to Rana. "Here comes the moment to ask why limp when you can sprint ?" Rana replied calmly.

As soon as the water bags exploded, the engineers of the Empires United operated the trebuchets to eject squared rocks at the enemy siege weapons. Several boulders met their target and destroyed the enemy mechanical machines. The smaller catapults, which were still operational were hit by a non-stop wave of broad arrows shot by the long bowmen. The flying arrows made considerable damage to the enemy’s projectile hurling devices. Primary attack weapons, the battering rams, were constantly weakened by the spearmen who were sheltering inside the barracks. A group of soldiers climbed on to the side walk of the barricade wall and emptied barrels of lamp oil on the battering rams. The fire arrows ignited the wooden rams killing many enemy soldiers who were trapped inside. The rest of the warriors operating the battering ram managed to escape and they joined the heavy troops trying to find a gap to enter the Empires United camp site through the opened barricade gate.

"As the siege weapons go down, soldiers are indulged in single combat. Pale skinned giants take out group of our warriors with a single strike", Nakulan exhibited the fourth day of Battle of Karmegha before Rana. "Strike decides who is going to die. Anger should be killed, to stay up and fight", Rana spoke to his messenger.

Kacha stood holding a sword in each hand before the Leader of the Ayus, the one with a septum nose ring. The Ayu stared at Kacha and growled close to his face showing its pointed canine teeth. It swung its mace at Kacha, which he dodged by rolling onto the ground. Kacha quickly got up and sprinted towards the leader of Ayus and when he was nearer, he skidded on his knees and entered the tunnel between the Ayu’s legs. He quickly turned while skidding and sliced the calf muscles of the Ayu. It let out a painful cry and fell to its knees. Kacha got to his feet and climbed onto the back of the Ayu using its body belts as his grip. When he reached the neck, he took out a thick rope tied around his waist and garlanded it around the neck of the Ayu. After spinning the rope twice around the neck of the beast, Kacha made a free fall to the ground cluthing the rope's end with both his hands. As soon as he landed to the floor, the Ayu fell back and lay motionless beside him. The rope strangled around its neck had made the Ayu temporarily unconscious.

"Our warriors have withheld the enemies near the gate. Even though the battle is fierce, the enemies are unable to advance any further into the campsite", Nakulan announced calmly.

Rana closed his eyes. His breathing was rhythmic. He reopened his eyes and ordered, "Take the path by the mountains. Report to me what you see." Rana saw Padayappa flying on his horse towards the other corner of the mountains situated behind the campsite.

Sena rushed past the battling soldiers passing orders to the chariots to circle the defense zone and control the flow of enemy soldiers. He reached Sultan and Kalai who were defending a handful of enemies. The trio fought shoulder to shoulder encouraging more enemies to attack them. The three swords of the legendary commanders of Empires Unites sent sparks of fear to the enemy each time their swords clashed with each other.

"The work is almost complete", Nakulan presented the information he had gathered. "The mountains as the back wall, three temporary prisons with three wooden walls each have been mounted. Special sentry units have arrived and are currently taking strategic positions around the prison cells." Rana nodded his head in appreciation and Nakulan rode towards Karmegha under the backdrop of the setting sun.

Kanakavalli tried hard to regain her foot grips while blocking the enemy’s sword with hers. The crossed blades were fast approaching her face and her back was completely bent towards the ground. A heavy fist crossed before her left eye and landed on the right cheek of her attacker. The enemy was pushed to his side further from her and fell to the ground. Kali grinned at Kanakavalli when she got back to her fighting stance.

Kacha used similar technics to put couple more of Ayus to the ground. The chariots circled the leader of the Ayu and made sure that none of the other tribal warriors approached the unconscious body. A second unit of chariots with a spearman and a net thrower captured the terrorized Ayus. Several warriors and Ayus were made immovable by the nets. Some tried to cut through the nets using their belt knifes, but they were neutralized by a blow on the back of their neck by Kali and his men.

Sena made eye contact with Sultan and Kalai. Immediately their swords killed every enemy in front of them and the three paced towards the barricade gates. On their way they supported each other and made sure their momentum was not disrupted. Sena who led the trio pushed a charging enemy with his shoulder into the air. Kalai who followed Sena closely hit the flying enemy with the handle of his sword and brought him back to the ground. Sultan who was the last in the line inserted his sword into the stomach of the fallen enemy. Sena dodged an enemy by moving to his right. Kalai caught the startled soldier and pushed him towards his back. Sultan made sure his sword punctured the heart of the enemy. Sena rolled to the ground escaping the attack of two soldiers. Kalai skidded on his knees and slashed their pelvic area. Sultan immediately sliced their throats before they fell to the ground. The trio reached the barricade gate.

"Close the gate", Sena yelled. Sultan ordered his merchants to march the elephants forward. Kalai's infantry joined him at the gate and pushed back the crowded enemies. The dart throwing catapults which were aimed to the ground, fired their arrows straight. Kali and his men took position at each wooden door and started to close it on the faces of the enemies. Kanakavalli, Kacha, Swathi and Swetha along with the several units of chariots kept battling with the enemies who were trapped inside the defense zone, while the others pushed the enemies who were charging at the gate.

The enemy soldiers panicked when they saw herds of maddened elephants stomping towards them. The elephants were moved in an uncontrolled manner to make them look fiercer. The infantry unit consisting of short swordsmen cut the fleshes of the enemies who tried to barge in. The catapults spitted several darts at regular intervals and the chained arrow action lessened the crowd at the gate which permitted Kali and his men to close the barricade gate completely, at the same time, the vibrating noises of the wind instruments resonated, signaling the end of the day's battle.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

They did not know it was impossible so they did it - Mark Twain

Possibility of Impossibility

"Impervious?" growled The General at his captains who were assembled inside the war room at Vettaiyan Palace. "Is that the only explanation you could find after all the excessive hours of preparations?" He kicked a sand table beside him which glided across the room and came to stop after collision with another table, sending the tiny military models into the air. The General spoke angrily pointing at the work tables around the room, "Burn them. A futile endeavor always lands beyond the bounds of possibility."

Vettiayan sat on his throne like chair watching his chief of army yelling at the military commanders. He looked at Veera Mahendran who seemed to be nervously biting his own jaws. "And what about the injured units still lying on the battle field and the others taken away to the enemy campsite", Veera Mahendran spoke softly.

"Let them be where they belong", The General replied furiously, "garlanded with pain for betraying this Great Empire", he shouted back at the successor of Raja Mahendran.

"A preposterous thought, Great General.", Veera Mahendran took a step forward, "In future, learn to respect your ally. Those abandoned at Karmegha and the prisoners are the warriors of Kalingapuri. They are not the salves of Central Kingdom. This war was fought by my men while your great army was dormant."

Vettaiyan pushed his chair and stood up. The screeching noise of the moving chair silenced the speakers. "Respect", he said with a mischievous grin. He slowly walked towards Veera Mahendran. He did not stop when he was near the Prince of Kalingapuri but continued to move forward permitting Veera Mahendran to push himself backwards. The small nervous steps of the young prince did not match with the dominant strides of the Emperor. Vettaiyan did not take his eyes of Veera Mahendran, unitl he made him fall onto a chair at the corner of the war room. He placed his left leg on the right arm of the chair and brought his face close to the seated Veera Mahendran. He pulled his pony tail and nibbled its tip. "laka laka laka" Vettaiyan muttered angerily. He quickly turned and walked towards the exit crossing The General who was standing at the center of the war room.

"Send in the Immortals", Vettaiyan ordered when he was closing in towards the exit door.

"But... my lord, the Immortals... early at this stages of war...", only the footsteps of Vettaiyan resonating around the corridor replied The General.

The war elephants of the Empire United stood guard in front of the closed barricade gate. The herd was moved forward, driving all the enemies beyond the defense zone, and were stationed close to the half way mark of Karmegha, which was far behind the primary line of sight of Fort Ayan. Vigorous construction activities were been carried out at the spot. Temporary wooden walls were erected and several units of war animals, including horse cavalry and chariots, were gathered on Karmegha. As and when the military units were deployed on the gained territory, herds of war elephants were taken back into the camp.

Several prisoners of war including the Ayus, those who were trapped behind the closed barricade gates, were chained and taken to the temporary prison built further from the campsite below the mountains. The Ayus were glad to receive food and water. A section of prisoner tried to revolt, but the sentry units quickly brought the situation under control by isolating them from their temporary cells and placing them tied around the trees and rocks.

Sena was alone inside his tent dressing his wounds. When he saw a shadow casting itself on the cloth curtain standing as the closed entrance door, he quickly reached for the white cotton shawl to cover his naked torso. Vadhana entered his tent without seeking permission and Sena stood up as soon as he saw the Queen.

"I have not come here as the Queen", Vadhana informed Sena.

"Whether or not, you are chosen by the People of Kottaipatiinam as their Queen and my respects are for their decision", Sena replied back coldly.

"Why did you hide it from me?" Vadhana made the purpose of her visit known to Sena. He slowly walked to the window while adjusting the shawl over his shoulders. Someone had spoken to her, he thought.

"And why do you hide your face from me?" Vadhana asked. "I bear his child. I have the right to know."

"The Prophecies are not true, until they become a reality", Sena spoke calmly while looking out of the window. "Hypothesis that we believe is never in alliance with the present. It can be turned into a process to alter the future", Sena tried to divert the question with inappropriate explanations.

"Look into my eyes and say what you said", Vadhana demanded.

Sena turned and Vadhaha walked closer to him. He saw big drops of tear ready to flow out of her eyes. They belonged to the wife, but withheld from rolling down by the queen.

"Long after I had fallen, He shall be standing", Sena assured Vadhana. "My sins will be my present; He will be pleasant future."

Sena placed his right palm around Vadhana's belly, "This is my promise to you two."

Vadhana stood starring at Sena. She wanted to plead before him and convince him to find ways that permit them both to be by her side, as Sena was indeed as important as Rana for her. But deep inside her, she knew that a prophecy was a possibility of impossibility.

Sena gently stretched his arms inviting her towards his chest. Vadhana placed her head over Sena's chest and streams of tears flowed down along his heart. He held the weeping Queen tightly inside his arms.

"An impeccable display of valiance", Nobleman walked towards Sena as soon as he saw him entering the pavilion. "A grand design executed wholly at the battlefield." He gently guided Sena to the center of the pavilion. Sena walked past the commanders of Empire's United and mildly nodded at them to pass his appreciation as and when his eyes met with respective warriors. Sena noticed Gudakesha standing in a corner with his head hung down. Yesodha Putran stood near the sand table observing the faint walk of Sena, while catching the dimness inside his tired eyes. He immediately knew that Sena has reached the point where his own questions shall never seek for answers.

"At dawn, we must advance to capture and then, hold on to the area near Fort Ayan", Nobleman said. "That's the mark, which shall assure assistance to our units inside the stronghold. The dusk shall permit them to execute the order passed on to them during their final meeting with Chief Commander Rana."

Silence occupied the pavilion when Vadhana strode inside. She immediately addressed Gudakesha while crossing the room, "For your safety, I place you inside the campsite for the next two moons. The path behind the hills is blocked, and the only way to reach the harbor is through the passage behind Fort Ayan. In another two moons, Fort Ayan will be under our control. On the same dusk, you shall lead the soldiers unwilling to continue the fight to the Pirate's Bay. Kottaipattinam ships will take them back to their homelands."

The Queen of the Empires United reached the sand table and without giving an opportunity for Gudakesha to speak, she turned her attention towards Nobleman.

"With the Counselor Nobleman and the chief strategist Yesodha Putran, I felicitate the entire military force of the Empires United for their achievement." Loud murmurs circled inside the pavilion when the captains and the leaders of the army shared their happiness. She took her kingly chair and announced, "But, we are still too far from victory. Let us strive to be a little better than we have been doing and reach out for greatness together."

Nobleman gestured Rana and his five commanders to join him around the sand table.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent - Mahatma Gandhi

Day Zero Five - Wise Shakes when Evil Awakes (Part 1/5)

Trishula Vyuha versus Kurma Vyuha
Trident Formation vs Turtle Formation
Sena's attack verus Vettaiyan's attack

Trishula Vyuha was a destructive formation deployed to quickly cover the entire battlefield. The Vyuha consisted of three types of cavalry units forming the tri-ratna, the three headed spear - the horses to the right wing, the chariots at the center and camels towards the left. These animal military units were unified at the center by a dense long chain of foot soldiers, marching like the shaft of Trishula. At the starting point of the tri-ratna, the archers formed a tiny group in the shape of a damaru, the small kettle drum. They gained a large vision over the entire battlefield. The captains controlling the units moved in between the Trident formation, just like the flying cloth wrapped around the shaft of the three headed spear.

Kurma Vyuha was a deathly and a calculative strategy that could sustain heavy attacks. It had a capability to launch a volley of surprise strikes. The round head of the tortoise, its long neck and the four feet were formed by heavily armored infantry units. The pikes men were placed as the lengthy nails. The center of the body was completely covered by soldiers holding their shields upwards, functioning as the unbreakable tortoise shell. Inside the shell space, unknown military classes were concealed, which, at a point in the battle launch a surprise attack. A small backup unit to replace the fallen shields of the shell followed as the tail of the tortoise. Kurma Vyuha marched slowly, but steadily on the battlefield, gathering enough attention on itself and when the attackers flocked around it, the shell is dismantled, exposing the hidden military unit.

The Battalion from Heaven was aware about the decisive dawn. It was a crucial day of battle where the target must be attained before the Rise of the Fifth moon - an indicator for Shamu disguised as a slave inside Fort Ayan to behest the army of salves against the guardians of fort and take complete control of Cannon Vettai.

The Empires United military forces must block the Emperor's army and retain the territory around Frot Ayan. Their failure will nevertheless activate the tactical attack led by Shamu, but he will be forced to capture the fort without any assistance from the ground force. Within a short span, the Emperor's army would swarm the stronghold and regain Fort Ayan, collapsing the plans of Empires United. The defeat during the present day’s battle will translate itself not only into a definitive defeat, but also would stage a massacre that history will be scared to narrate. They will be left with no other choice but to battle with the massive Emperor's army while constantly facing massive attacks by Cannon Vettai, whose range was from the middle of Karmegha to the courtyards of Vettaiyan Palace.

The challenging part of the fifth day of battle for Empires United soldiers was to anticipate the hidden unit inside the Kurma Vyuha. Many possibilities over the unit's class hidden inside the shell of Tortoise formation were assumed at the pavilion and the captains were briefed over the potential counter attack strategies. But they also knew that their previsions might go completely wrong, as the Emperor's moves were never predictable.

Entering Karmegha with less number of units, as many warriors under Gudakesha have quit the war, the army captains of the Empires United charged their units and raced past the battlefield towards Fort Ayan, to reach and secure the imaginary line fixed as their target. They had to hold on to the territory, which could gain them the advantage over the next day's battle.

Sena led the horse cavalry and flanked from the right. Sultan commanded the chariots and supervised the attack from the center. Kanakavalli and her quiver of archers were positioned behind the chariots, closely followed by Kacha and his short swordsmen.

After a long debate inside the pavilion, it was agreed to that Rana with a battalion of camel riders under his command, will flank from the left wing. The walkout by Gudakesha and several other soldiers pushed Empires United to take a strong decision and put the brothers, Rana and Sena, together on the battlefield. Measures were taken to keep them separated during the course of the battle, where Sultan was given the task of being an axel between the twins. Due to lack of sentries, who were presently placed on the battle field, Kalai and Kali, with a small pack of soldiers, were made in charge of prison security, where monster like men called the Ayus were held captive.

The initial attack of the Empire's United was a performance towards an absolute victory. The three cavalry units, riding as the three headed spear on Karmegha, led by Sena, Sultan and Rana respectively, charged at the Kurma Vyuha and completely weakened the enemy’s stance. The archers, with their short and quick darts caused instant deaths, and the short swordsmen took care of the enemies who posed to endanger the archers.

Sultan made a head on with the enemies and his chariots ran over the front line of their defense destroying the head of the tortoise. The chariot units were well supported by the horse and camel cavalries. Rana and Sena concentrated their attacks on both sides of Kurma Vyuha, gaining time for Sultan to enter into the formation and break the shell – the earlier it was damaged, quicker the hidden units would be exposed. The longsword horsemen and the camel archers inflicted heavy damage to the feet of the Kurma Vyuha. Seated on his horse, Sena swung Arha heavily at the pikes men, each time throwing four of the enemy to the ground. Riding on his camel, Rana rapidly fired arrows from Inesh that pinned its victims to the floor of Karmegha.

The trouble began for the Empires United army when the shell was completely broken and the Immortals emerged out of the Kurma Vyuha.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

The life given us, by nature is short; but the memory of a well-spent life is eternal - Marcus Tullius Cicero

Day Zero Five - Wise Shakes when Evil Awakes (Part 2/5)

The Immortals

The Immortals were universal soldiers trained in special combat under the direct supervision of the Emperor. The nine Immortals were handpicked by Vettaiyan from the Pachonthi Academy, the university which trained assassins, the orphaned kids picked up from the streets. Initially twelve members were shortlisted to form a deadly battle group. They were isolated from rest of the students to undergo a special training in warfare and to serve the Emperor after graduation. Three of the selected ones were lost in time and only nine remained, who reported directly to Vettaiyan, unlike the other warriors who reported to The General. The others who could not make into the list were enrolled by The General as the personnel bodyguard of the Emperor - the ninjas who secretly protected the Vettaiyan Palace.

The Immortals were coached in almost all categories of warfare. They were fierce with no pity when it comes to combat and can walk past any fatal situation. Their moto was based on the prime principle of survival - Life and death depends on the carried weapons. Each of the nine Immortals commanded a special force, the units trained by their respective leader in handling a particular weapon designed exclusively for them - Yari, Rencong, Jiu Jie Bian, Kalazdun, Hand Claw, Zhanmadao, Sword Catcher, Lonnars Hammer and Epee.

When the unit sensed a threat to their Leader, they converted themselves into a suicide squad to make their Leader an immortal. When the nine units of Immortals were present together, their varied attack strategies, the combination of different types of weapons and their intelligence in approaching any battle crisis, buried the enemies, big and valiant, under their feet.

Nobleman looked at the ferocious army units emerging from the Kurma Vyuha. "What are they?" he exhaled. Yesodha Putran did not have the answer. He quietly watched the horror unfolding before him. Vadhana kept her eyes on Sena who was battling further inside the battle field, engaging in neutralising the tail end of the enemy formation. She analysed that Sena was unaware of the broken shell of the tortoise and that the Empires United army was facing a severe attack by a group of savages.

The units led by the Immortals completely collapsed the Trishula Vyuha.

The two cavalry led by Sultan and Rana were quickly deactivated by the Immortals, forcing the riders to fight on foot. Using the long hand weapon yari, the twin headed spear attached in the middle by a short cross bars, they disabled the horses and with rencong, an 'L' shaped weapon, they jammed the wheels of the chariots. The vehicle’s parts and the horses circled the battlefield aimlessly.

The infantry and the archers sustained the heavy attacks from the unknown military class initially, but soon were discouraged by the Immortals. Jiu Jie Bian, the nine section chain whip with a razor sharp knife at the rear end, disarmed the archers from distance. Two gangs, equipped with gauntlet hand claws and sword catcher weapons, deactivated and inflicted quick wounds on the short swordsmen.

Within a brief moment after entering the battle, the Immortals brought order on the battlefield by throwing their enemies to the ground either dead or wounded.

"We are taking too much damage", Nobleman worried. "And those are our last available forces at battle." He looked above his head and the sun was floating in the middle of the greyish blue sky. "We will not last until sunset", he announced while shaking his head. He issued a retreat order to Padayappa. When Nakulan prepared himself to enter the war zone, Vadhana stopped him. Swathi and Swetha jumped off the platform.

"Time has arrived to seed courage on Karmegha", Vadhana declared, "their sprouts of bravery will soon be witnessed", and without waiting for Nobleman's advice, she climbed down the platform and headed towards the battlefield. She was padded with gadgets and gears - sallet, pauldron, vambrace, gauntlets, poteyn and greaves - by five military maids on her way to her horse. She was completely armored before she reached her war horse which was equally decorated as its master. She mounted the horse with a single leap and her horse reared up in joy when she raised her falchion, the single-edged sword, above her head. The Queen was joined on both sides by Swathi and Swetha, and was followed by a special crew on horses cheering in unison.

The stampedes of stallions and mares were heard across the battlefield. Vadhana led the army of woman military force of Kottaipatinam into Karmegha as a thick dust in the wind. The yellow glow over the dark blue sky blinked to the rhythmic foot prints of the special cavalry, which was ridden by valiant women soldiers. The horse gaits acted as the prose to the sound of the tiny thunder that echoed above Karmegha.

Swetha jumped and summersaulted in the air and came to stop beside Kacha, while Swathi got down from her moving horse and briefly skided on the ground before joining her side with Kanakavali.

Vadhana commanded the woman military force to split into three smaller units when they crossed the quiver of archers. The Queen rode with a large unit and rushed to the rescue Sultan's unit which was closer to the exposed shields and was taking heavy damage. The second unit raced past to fight alongside with Rana. The final group rode directly behind the Kurma Vyuha to alert Sena.

Rana witnessed the charging reinforcement, but he was startled to see Vadhana riding towards the middle to battle against a dangerous foe. He threw Inesh across his shoulders and removed Vajrastra from his scabbard. Without removing his eyes from Vadhana, Rana fought his way towards his wife by slaying everyone who stood in between them with the Sword of Thunder.

Sena was alerted about the fiery attacks carried out by the unfamiliar enemies. He ordered the newly arrived unit to crush the remaining enemies at the tail end, and he quickly stirred his horse circling it towards the head of the Tortoise Formation.

The arrival of the daring woman military forces, headed by the bold Queen herself, showered determination and drenched the battling warriors of Empires United with energy. The infantry, archers and the riders fighting on foot were able to resist the units of Immortals and together they moved forward towards their target line.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

A friend is a gift you give yourself - Robert Louis Stevenson

Day Zero Five - Wise Shakes when Evil Awakes (Part 3/5)

In the Candle's Glow
(Rated-R)

A warrior in black military uniform covering his entire face below his eyes with his turban's tail cloth launched a surprise attack at Sena who was approaching the center galloping on his horse. With his zhanmadao, the horse chopping saber, the Immortal created a hurdle before the running horse, mincing its front legs and the animal tumbled to the ground breaking its neck during the fall.

Sena was thrown into the air and he crashed on the hard floor of Karmegha. Without giving time for his victim to regain from the effect of the fall, the Immortal raised his sabre and jumped to perform a deadly blow on Sena. While his attacker was air borne, Sena reacted quickly by producing Arha infront of his body and blocked his enemy's powerful strike. He pushed his sword hard, disabling his enemy and rolled over to his side, stamping his entry to the duel by standing on his right knee. The Immortal spun his weapon between his palms and slowly circled around his knelt opponent. Sena followed him closely with his eyes, anticipating the next attack move. A sense of familiarity started to glow inside Sena on seeing the walk and the swordsmanship of his enemy.

Sena saw his attacker approaching him quickly by making large strides while reverse-griping his sabre. He elegantly got to his feet and synced his defense using Arha. His face started to brim with familiarity when he found his steps matching with the ones of his enemy when they both engaged in a duel. Sena suddenly moved few steps to his back avoiding the Immortal’s long sword and halted pusing his left feet to the ground. He produced his sword directly at the face of his enemy. The Immortal was quick to dodge Sena's fatal move, but Arha managed to cut past the black cloth mask of the Immortal embedding a line mark under the right eye.

Sena noticed the tiny snake like scar near temple of the Immortal exposed by Arha and he startled, "Naga."

The Immortal took note of his bleeding eye and with anger rushed back at Sena. The blow from his sword sent shock waves to Sena's right arm. Sena lost the grip of his sword and once again fell to the ground before the one called Naga.

The noise of the battle around Sena faded away. The events were happening at a slower pace, allowing Sena to gasp his surroundings. He noticed Rana relentlessly battling with a masked enemy with blue eyes. Sena whispered, "Ratna."

Slowly the soldiers around Sena were turning into stationary military models. He looked behind him and saw another masked warrior kicking his enemy on the chest. Sena got a glimpse of skin above the knee knuckle, which held a tiny tattoo - a pair of wings without the bird's body. Sena exclaimed, "Valli."

His head spun, and he heard several names whispered by the cold wind – Khan, Bali, Charya, Kul, Rakh, Pati.

In the brief moment, Sena’s attacker had neared him and was holding his sword above his head. The entire battle field was frozen, except Sena who attentively watched the entire motionless events around him. Sena's eyes widened when he saw several kids, in their steam like forms, running around in front of him. Sena identified himself as the kid encircled by a red glow.

A stone appeared from nowhere and was heading towards the child glowing red. Another kid came between the unware child and the stone, and took the hit on his temple. The wound turned into a snake like scar, and years later Sena's childhood friend at the Assassin's academy named himself as "Naga" during the graduation ceremony.

Two teenagers sat facing each other. "Your eyes", said the red one, "What color are they?"
"When you put all the nine precious gems under the same ray of sunlight, the color they emit together called Ratna, is the color of my eye", replied the young girl.

One of them yelled, "I am your teacher."
The other said, "I am your vision."
The final announced, "I am the land you see and teach".
Giggling the three kids, Charya, Khan and Bali chased the glowing red child around.

A bunch of kids along with the blazing one, were gathered around a seated boy. They all were trying to disturb his meditation. But none could succeed. The siting child opened one of his eyes and winked at the red one.

Sena smiled at his own memory but sadness settled in quickly. The Monk had left the academy discretely.

A young lady was lying on the grass. Her visible flesh was filled with scars, and the glowing young man massaged her feet just below the tattoo of wings. "Hope", Valli said, "Wings bring hope for the birds to fly."

"How do you manage?" Kul asked an obese kid. "Yes, tell us", Rakh demanded. Pati pleaded before him by shrinking his eyes. Smiling at the child glowing in red, the obese kid said, "The goddess visits me in my dreams. She guides me. She shows me where the lost can be found. I simply bring them back to light. And her name in Kali." He winked at the red one, his partner in mischievous acts. They both robbed the others and gave them back what was lost. They amused silently looking at the surprised state of their friends.

Sena found his eyes moistening. Unfortunately, due to an accident during a mission, Kali was disabled and could not be a part of the Immortals.

Suddenly the ground before Sena opened up into a dark abyss. Scared, he pushed himself back quickly. Inside the dark hole there were twelve naked kids. Sena saw a white figure walking away from the pit. "Laka laka laka", echoed around Sena. He then heard a voice that he recognized as the voice of his Mentor Manickam, "Twelve days, then, you battle your way to the camp."

A food packet fell on the floor of the pit. It was brought to the glowing child by others. The rest eleven laid over the blazing kid to keep him warm during the cold night. They kept him healthy for the rest of days inside the dark pit. The flaming child got out of the pit alone on the twelfth day. With his bare knuckles he fought his way under the rain to the camp. He angrily walked to the storage room and tied crates to a rope and pulled it back to the pit. Using the rope, he brought the rest of the weak kids to the ground above and fed them with the items found inside the crate. The eleven followed Sena in the rain and stood before the house of their mentor like the Twelve Immortals.

Sena, the twelfth Immortal, had left the Academy when he had met Sughanthi.

On Karmegha, several decades later, Sena was watching his nine friends who had bargained their lifes away to save Sena's all the way through his adulthood. But they were no more at his side as a brotherhood, but were standing opposite to him as his enemy. The very thought made Sena scream at the top of his lungs over Karmegha. Only the thunder replied to his agony.

The battlefield suddenly bounced back to life when the steam like figures disappeared into the rage of the battle. Sena evaded Naga’s attack and lying flat on the ground, he witnessed Rana introducing his sword to the heart of Ratna.

Sena’s eyes turned blood red when he yelled, "No!"

... to be continued ...

[PARAMASHIVAN]

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/rajinikanth-cancels-sri-lanka-trip-after-facing-criticism-from-tamil-groups/story-rYqmXg0tGtqHvDEB44SsrM.html

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

If you try to cure evil with evil you will add more pain to your fate - Ajax (a Greek tragedy) by Sophocles.

Day Zero Five - Wise Shakes when Evil Awakes (Part 4/5)

Clash of Brothers

Rana bent down and removed the mask of the warrior whom he had killed. He saw the pretty face of a young woman whose dead blue eyes stared back at him. Suddenly, he felt a heavy boot landing on his shoulder which sent rolling on the ground beside Ratna. He regained his fall and gripped Vajrastra before lifting his head to meet his attacker. Rana was shocked to see his brother standing over him.

Swathi and Kacha followed a technique to neutralise the unit of Immortals who were disabling the swordsmen using a weapon called the Sword Catcher. Also known as the parrying dagger, the trident form is capable of catching blades easily and by twisting the curved quillons, it effectively disarmed the sword. Kacha moved like a tornado on the battlefield by allowing himself to be blocked by the enemy dagger, at the same moment he spun his body around his attacker while drawing out his stabbing weapon hidden in his belt. He inserted the knife into the ribs of his victims. The group of short swordsmen used similar tactics on their enemies. Together they were swiftly progressing to join Queen Vadhana who was fighting with a thick crowd of Immortal’s special units further inside the battlefield.

Swetha used speed shooting archery technique and fired seven arrows simultaneously. She walked around collecting arrows to fill her quiver and continued firing rapidly at the enemy unit wearing the gauntlet claw glows. Kanakavalli dodged the chain weapon Jiu Jie Bian thrown at her by rolling to her side. She double drew her bow while rotating on the ground and the dart drilled past the throat of her enemy. When she climbed back on her legs, she noticed Sena moving like a lightening across Karmegha. Her eyes opened wide when she saw him landing a kick on the ribs of Rana.

Sena discharged Arha and knelt on one leg beside Ratna. Tenderly he pushed the hair out of her eyes. He gently caressed her cheek with the back of the fingers before shutting the lids and covering her teal eyes. Rana wondered what was running inside his brother’s mind. He made quick steps to reach Sena, when five Immortals slowly emerged from the crowd of soldiers and started to circle the twins.

Kanakavalli fell to her knees when she saw Rana and Sena surrounded by heavily armed warriors. She searched for Sultan, and noticed him further from where the brothers were positioned. She got up and mounted on an abandoned horse and rode towards Sultan who was battling side by side with the Queen.

Sena’s eyes boiled with anger every moment he saw the dead face of Ratna. He stood up and stomped his feet hard. Arha lifted itself and settled on his right palm. Ratna’s weapon, a heavy épée, spun in the air and got fixed to Sena’s left palm. Dual wielding the combat swords, Sena marched infront of his brother. Rana raised his right hand at Sena, but quickly lifted Vajrasta in defense when he saw his brother charging towards him. Rana successfully blocked his brother’s strike. He tightened his eyes in rage. The twins were face to face starring at each other above the crossed swords.

Seeing the clash of brothers, Nobleman got down the platform and ran towards Karmegha. Yesodha Putran took another route and when Nobleman was at the barricade gate, he halted the chariot for his companion to climb in. They both rode fast over the battlefield and when they neared the zone of battle, Yesodha Putran ducked down to avoid the multiple arrows shot at him. After the darts flew past him, he raised his head and quickly turned to check on Nobleman. Yesodha Putran forced all his horses to halt at the middle of the war zone.

Rana rotating himself with elegant sword footwork landed heavy blows on Sena who moved backwards while defending his brother’s strikes. He used his right feet to brake and smoothly changed the techniques in mid-motion that broke the sword flow of Rana. With immense power he pushed his brother away. Rana halted few feet from Sena. Spinning Vajrastra in his left hand, he ran towards Sena who swung his sword towards his brother. When the Devine Swords of their Father met, the force pushed the brothers further from each other, while faint thunder echoed above Karmegha. The twins skidded to a stop and without losing time, they both charged at each other and when they met they launched their weapons at each other in rapid succession. Their act seemed as though each one anticipated the others move even before the respective one had thought over the shift in action. The swordfight looked like, two artists painting themselves using their swords as brushes. The identical images fought with identic vigor.

Charya, the Immortal carryin Jiu Jie Bian, walked past the battling brothers discretely. He kept his eyes on his mark, Queen Vadhana. A crooked grin embedded itself on his cloth mask when he heard his target yelling, "Guard the line with your life."

Kanakavalli alerted Sultan by pointing him towards the direction of fighting brothers. He witnessed the battle of the twins and immediately looked around the battlefield. He saw Kacha close by and ordered him to protect the Queen. He took off on foot with Kanakavalli not understanding what was boiling between between the blood brothers on the battlefield. The Empires United army was not certain about the duel of their commanders. They fought in a confused state which made them an easy prey to the enemies.

The five immortals – Naga hiding zhanmado behind his back, Rakh holding the trident dagger in front of him, Pati placing Yari on his shoulder, Bali griping recong to face the ground and Kul juggling Lonnars Hammer between his palms - watched the fierce fight before them. After exhibiting silent nods at each other, the five moved into the swift action.

Sena blocked Rana’s Vajrastra with Arha, at the same time broke the strike of a mysterious trident dragger launched at Rana with Ratna’s epee. Rana reacted to the presence of a new member in the sword fight, but before he could raise his sword, his brother pushed him away. Sena continued to defend Rana from the five immortals and whenever Rana set his foot to combat, Sena pushed his away violently.

Sultan reached the brothers and raised his sword against Bali, the Immortal who had disabled his chariot using a recong. A heavy foot landed on his chest before he could bring down his sword on the Immortal. Sultan was carried backwards by his foot without his permission and he came to a stop beside Rana. He saw Sena dual wielding his sword against the five enemies. Sultan dusted off his chest armor with his free hand and charged angrily at Sena. When he was close by, he hesitated, and then with immense courage he pulled his sword to wound Sena. His strike was blocked from the side, and Sultan was surprised to see Rana challenging him by holding Vajrastra before his face.

Several spears were launched at Vadhana’s horse. The wounded animal stood carrying its queen on its back for long and fell down bringing the Queen along with it, trapping her legs under its body. Kacha and Swathi came to Vadhana’s aid. Swathi pulled her Queen and Kacha holding the leg of the horse, pulled the dead animal away. Several enemies who tried to approach them were killed by the arrows shot from Swetha’s bow. The three warriors rescued their queen, and along with her they tightened the defense of the gained territory.

Sena stood in the middle of two fighting groups – The Immortals on one side; Rana and Sultan on the other. He safeguarded them by not allowing them to attack each other. He charged heavy blows on Rana and Sultan to distract them. He used his legs vigorously to kick the Immortals to the ground and gained time in keeping them separated. Sena hit Rana on his face with the handle of Arha. He quickly threw Arha into the air and made successive punches on Rana’s chest and pushed him away with a final blow with both his palms. Rana moved back and looked at Sena coughing blood. Sultan rushed to the aide of Rana and holding him he witnessed Sena catching back Arha and fighting the five immortals all at once.

Yesodha Putran rode back to the camp, where Nakulan came to his assistance to carry Nobleman, who was floating over his own blood inside the chariot.

Vadhana and her special units fought courageously and pushed back the enemies. Charya moved in close to Vadhana and started surveilling the surrounding. The body guards of the Queen were unaware of his presence. The assassin saw an opening and calmly positioned himself in line with his target. He pulled back his chain weapon and launched it at the Queen of Kottaipattinam.

Kanakavalli saw Sena pushing all the Immortals to the ground. She, also, noticed an enemy drawing his weapon at Vadhana. She quickly ran to Sena and placed her hand over his right shoulder. Sena immediately brought Arha to her neck, but he forced himself from inserting it into her throat. Kanakavalli stood scared seeing the blood shot eyes of Sena. His face was bleeding. For the first time, Kanakavalli noticed a vial around his neck. The Demon Eye blinked at her. She regained herself by swallowing a huge lump of fear down her throat and pointed her finger behind him. Sena slowly turned to meet with what Kanakavalli tried to exhibit to him. He saw Charya pulling his chain weapon on the ground and walking towards the Queen. Sena screamed the Queen’s name loudly and his fear attracted Rana and Sultan who watched at the same direction. Sena dropped his weapons and took off on foot screaming madly. Rana tumbled and rolled on the ground. With one elegant movement, he was back on his feet and raced towards his wife. Sultan acted quickly by Picking up Arha from the ground and fought the Immortals, trying to stop them from chasing the twins. Kanakavalli, running close to Sena, heard him uttering incomprehensible phrases.

The sharp spear head of Jiu Jie Bian steadily cut past the wind and was on its way to meet the Queen’s heart. Sena, while charging fast, removed his belt knife and threw it at the flying chain. The dragger hit the spear head and altered its direction slightly upwards. Instead of piercing her chest, the sharp edge drilled Vadhana’s shoulder and exited through her back.

Pain revealed itself as tears in Vadhana’s eyes. Charya pulled back his weapon, which on its return journey to its master created a bigger wound when it exited from Vadhana's body making her shiver in pain.

A thin sheet of whiteness dropped before Vadhana and she started to drop to the ground. At the same moment, a close by enemy saw it as an opportunity to finish the Queen. He raised his sword and prepared himself to separate Vadhana’s head.

Sena, feeling helpless, increased his momentum. Swathi was out of arrows. Swetha and Kacha were unable to break from the fight they were involved in. Rana, coughing blood, gripped Vajrastra and let out a mild cry which resembled to the name of his wife. Kanakavalli stopped and drew her bow and aimed the single arrow at Vadhana’s attacker. The crowd of battling soldiers made it hard for her to fix onto her target.

The commanders and bodyguards, even though positioned close to Vadhana, were not in a suitable situation to save their Queen. The visions of despair projected to them the attacker's sword reaching Vadhana's neck.

... to be continued ....

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

Day Zero Five - Wise Shakes when Evil Awakes (Part 5/5)

A partially serrated blade, glided in the air over Karmegha, cutting the wind with its ferocity and drilled the forehead of the swordsman trying to decapitate Vadhana. The serrated bastard sword entered through the temple and exited through the other, pushing its victim dead to the ground before he could lay his weapon on the Queen. When its tip, sticking out of its victim's head, hit the rigid mud floor of Karmegha, the sword gradually retreated backwards and stuck to the head like a sword in a stone.

The battle stopped momentarily and the soldiers watched the collapsing Queen against the backdrop of the setting sun.

Kanakavalli looked beyond her target and saw a chariot driven by six horses charging into the battle field. A white shadow jumped out of the moving chariot. While hanging in midair, the White Shadow threw a shining blade at Vadhana and before the bright form landed on the ground, the attacker of Vadhana had fallen dead, killed by a bastard sword pinned to his forehead.

Sena fell to his knees and skidded under Vadhana to break her fall. He pulled both his arms forward and caught her before she fell to the ground. He gently made her lay over his laps and held her head close to his chest. He held his cheek close to her nose and lifted his head in solace when he felt faint air hitting his cheeks from Vadhana's nostrils. His eyes blinked weakly and his lips started to shiver when he saw Vettaiyan marching towards him.

Vettaiyan was amused by the drama unfolding before him on Karmegha. He sat on his throne over the Palace staircase and cherished every single moment of the clash between the brothers. Their duel had fabilised the Empires United army and the enemy soldiers were falling like dead leaves. Then, his sight meet Charya's spine-tingling walk across Karmegha. Vettaiyan jumped out of his throne and paced down the staircase keeping an eye on Charya. He mounted The General's chariot and ordered him urgently to drive into the zone of battle.

The General was glad about the advancement and a smile of victory flashed under his mask. The moment made him proud to serve the Emperor. He admired the cleverness of his Emperor to strategically deploy the Immortals in the battle. The special units have completely brought the enemies to their knees. The General carried Vettaiyan on his chariot into the battlefield and the stampede of the six speeding stallions sounded the fall of the Empires Unites.

Vettaiyan standing inside the chariot witnessed Charya launching his chain weapon at Vadhana. He noticed another dragger diverting the direction of the spear head. The tiny smile that lingered at the corner of his lips did not stay for long. It was replaced by annoyance when one of his soldiers dominated the scene and was about to blow a fatal strike on the Queen. Calculating that the events were turning unfavorable to the Queen's bodyguards and certain that she will meet her end, Vettaiyan leaped out of the chariot and launched the Sword of Destruction at Vadhana's attacker.

Rana saw the enemy before Vadhana falling to the ground after being hit by a giant sword. He noticed Sena drifting past the fallen man and collecting his wife into his arms. Rana looked ahead of him and saw Vettaiyan gradually advancing towards his brother and his wife. Rana accelerated to cover the remaining distance faster and when he was closer to the Emperor, he fell to his knees and holding Vajrastra above his head, he skidded to cut the lower body of Vettaiyan.

The Emperor was close to his sword,. Noticing Rana making an fatal attack move on him, Vettaiyan with an elegant hand gesture removed his sword that was buried inside a dead soldier's head with his left hand and swung it in front of him. At the same time he raised his right leg and pushed it forward.

The timing was perfect - Rana dashed on Vettaiyan's right foot, simultaneously, Vajrastra was stuck hard by the Emperor's Sword. Blocking his foot on Rana’s shoulder, Vettaiyan deviated Vajrastra from harming him and the force from the Sword of Destruction sent Rana's sword flying above his head.

Vettaiayan calmly pocketed his sword, and pulled his left hand above his head. Vajrastra settled inside his grip. He bent down, still holding Rana under his foot, and brought his face close to Rana. Vettaiyan smiled at Rana and whispered "Laka Laka Laka."

Vettaiyan removed his foot and held Rana by his hair. He pushed his right hand hard on the crown head of Rana to keep him knelt down before him. Rana took a slouched posture and his head was no more controlled by his neck but was moving lousily within the hold of Vettaiyan. His tired eyes blinked lethargically at Sena. His brother sat starring at Vettaiyan while holding Vadhana tightly.

The Emperor released his grip from Rana's hair. He brought Vajrastra around Rana's throat and slowly circled it around his neck while encircling Rana. The Rana’s sharp blade made a significant thin red line mark when it stirred around his neck. Vettaiyan watched the frightened warriors of Empires United with a grin on his face. He titled his face while laying his eyes on Kanakavalli. He tried his best to produce a charming smile but ended up giving her a cold smirk. He positioned himself in front again and held Rana’s dropped chin with the tip of Vajrastra.

Darkness crawled over Karmegha. The sun started hiding its brightness and dissipated behind the hills.

Vettaiyan looked at Sena and then, at Ran. He glanced back and forth at the brothers who were knelt before him. He smiled at his thought of having the twins bow down before him.

Vettaiyan spoke with a wide smile, "We three have been in existence since the begining, but ..." He looked down at Vadhana who was lying unconscious on Sena's laps. He fixed his eyes on her abdomen and announced, "You do not know who you are and when you do, You and I are One."

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love. - Extract from the novel The Brothers Karamazov (1879) by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

A Tree-Climbing Fish

"It’s all a lie", Vettiayan spoke loud and clear, "Read it aloud, or hear it spoken."

The Emperor varied his pitch, raising or lowering his voice occasionally, to create emphasis :

This world, contrary to what was told and what is understood is not the manifestation of a dream. It is a creation to dispose a threat - a mere depot to dump the dirt.

Just like how interested the Humans were to grab the Light, well before them, the Asuras, the dwellers of the Second World, sought the eternal energy. The darkness had brought illness to their homelands. Babies were born blind, and sometime they were born without a nose to breath. The teats started to disappear and there was no means to feed the new born.

The leader of Asuras, Rakshas, climbed the sacred stairs to meet the Owners of the Light. He pleaded with them to share the energy with his people. His objective was to rebuild from a deformed society.

But they laughed at him. They mocked him by calling him a curse. They rejected him stating that the Light belongs to where the gifted ones shall reside. They described his world as dirt in the universe.

Standing at the foot of the sacred stairs, raising his head and his voice, Rakshas argued. He stated the facts about the existence of the two worlds since the beginning. He pointed out being discriminated. He highlighted the law that stated that the Light was to be shared. He spoke about how he and his people were cheated by the ones posing as the Supreme. He concluded that his ancestor's ignorance had made them thrust their faith in the Devine.

Thus, Rakshas opposed the Devine. He talked about fairness. He sought justice. He got nothing, but could only gain their anger.

After Rakshas left issuing a warning, his arrogance pushed the Devine Ones to eliminate the second world. The Asuras were massacred. They had nowhere to go and the Wariors of Light chased them in the darkness and hunted them considering it as a sport. To save his world, Rakshas challenged the Devine Ones to a duel. He reached the sacred stairs and stood before the Three Supreme and spoke, "We have been in existence since the beginning. We have seen both, our rise and our fall. We have fought shoulder in shoulder to bring balance in this universe."

"You needed us to decorate your palaces. We worked. You needed us to bring the rivers to your feet. We obeyed. You needed us to guard the Light. We did. You needed us to dwell in the darkness. We accepted."

"Now, when you need us no more, you refuse to share, which rightly belongs to us. I come before you as their savior. Leave my World and fight me instead."

The Three Supreme laughed and then, one of them replied, "Run. Hide. You are just a hare. Leave before I turn you to ashes."

Rakshasa smiled in a spirit of disenchantment. With tears of disillusionment floating in his eyes, he addressed the Devine:

"O! The One who posses a third eye : You can burn me, but my ashes will fall as a blanket and blind the World of yours."

"O! The One with the ocean as the skin : You can watch myself burn, but from the ashes I will be reborn and dry the seas."

"O! The five faced One : You can see me perish, but I will come to drag you into the pits of darkness."

"O! The Mighty Trinity : I will eradicate faith. I will establish hopelessness. I will bury you so deep, you shall never rise again."

"Enough", called out the One sitting on the lotus.

"We heard enough", shouted the Blue One.

Furious, the Third Eye burnt Rakshas into ashes.

The particles started to fly in the air, each one circling around the Mighty Trinity as a tiny menacing face of Rakshas himself.

The Blue One blew his conch hard. The vibration from the heavy blow carried the ashes across the universe further away from the two worlds.

They knew he will return. They needed container to contain the dispersed ashes from which Rakshas cannot escape and come to destroy their Devine World.

The Creator created this world and made the ashes of Rakshas to settle down here. The ashes tried to climb back to the Devine World, but the passage doors between the worlds were shut down permanently.

"What so I can't reach them", spoke Rakshasa from the darkness in a threatening voice, "I will make them come down here and fight me. I will not rest until I have my revenge."

Vettaiyan stopped his narration abruptly and looked at Sena, and then at Kanakavalli who still had her single arrow aimed at him. He continued :

But they knew the ashes will fly again and find its way to their Devine Kingdom. Thus, Yasha is put to wait. She will strike when the dirt takes over this world completely by destroying faith and murdering hope.

He paused again and looked at Rana. "And in between all this, there is You and There is Me. Born from the same ashes", Vettaiyan declared.

Vettaiyan pointed his finger backwards and the ocean of soldiers paved away, making a path that led to the staircase of the Vettaiyan Palace. "There", he challenged, "I will meet you there, at the foot of my sacred staircase", Vettaiyan pinned Vajratra to the ground with immense anger. He removed his sword from the scabaggard and admired it in front of his face.

"The Sword of Destruction”, he called out, "gifted to me by Kochadaiiyaan", he announced. He watched everyone's eyes widening. "The Father of the Devine Twins. And a double agent."

Vettaiyan turned towards the west and cherished the last rays of the setting sun and said, "That's a different story, for a different time. I believe the sun has set."

Instantly the battlefield turned grey. The trumpets and conches announced the end of the fifth day of battle of Karmegha.

Vettaiyan pocketed the Sword of Destruction. He pulled his right leg behind his left leg and made it stand on its toes. The action drew a curved line on the battlefield.

"Indru Poi Nalai Porukku Vaa", Vettaiayan said to Rana with a pleasant smile on his face. He quickly rotated his body, his right foot playing as an axel, and made majestic strides to his chariot.

... to be continued ...

Footnote

1/ "Indru Poi Nalai Porukku Vaa" from Ramayana by Kamban / Valmiki.

Sitting on his chariot, Ravana was emerging victorious. Lakshmana was unconscious on the battlefield and Hanuman, who was carrying Rama on his shoulders, was shot by Ravana. Seeing Hunuman (a tiger among monkeys describes Valmiki) wounded, Rama was struck with rage. He charged at Ravana's chariot and tore it into pieces (Valmiki Ramayana, Yudhha Kandam, Slogam 136/137).

Rama wiped the entire army of Ravana and for the very first time Ravana sets his foot on the battlefield (describes Kamban) - Ravana always fought from his chariot. Ravana stood alone before Rama. He had his head bowed down and in shyness (blackened with shame describes Kamban) Ravana drew lines on the ground with his toe (Niram Karindhida, Nilam Viral Kilarandhida Nindraan writes Kamban).

Why Rama decides not to kill Ravana is an entirely different theory, nevertheless, Rama seeing Ravana weaponless and tired before him, excuses him from the battle saying :

Aal Ayyaa,
Unakku Amaindha Ellaam Marudham Araindha Pulai Aayina Kandanai,
Indru Poi Porukku Naalai Vaa.

[O! Worthy One,
All those who followed you and all that you had carried with you
Have flown off like a dust blown away in a cyclone
And that you have witnessed yourself,
Go back now, and come after duly rested and properly equipped tomorrow.]

Kamban describes how Ravana left the battlefield:

Varanam Porutha Maarbum, Varayinai Edutha Tholum,
Naratha Munikku Erpanayam Pada Uraitha Naavum,
Tharani Mouli Pathum Sankaran kodutha vaalum,
Veeramum Kalathe Kottu, Verungaye Meendu Ponan

[The Jeweled (Airavata) Chested,

(Airavata - During the battle with Indra, the tusk of Indra's elephant broke while it dashed on Ravana's strong chest. The tip of the tusk embedded itself in Ravana's chest and he did not remove it, rather converted it into a permanent jewelry decorating his chest.)

The jeweled chested,
The strong shoulders with power to bore the weight of Mount Kailash,
The singing tongue that thought music to Naradha,
The Shankara's Sword,
And finally his valor;
Ravana lost everything in the battle field
And left empty handed.]

There are also events describing how Ravana felt about Rama excusing him from the battle. Ravana was in love with Sita. After the defeat, he walked over the battlefield with his head hung down. He was not ashamed of how his men will look at him. He felt nothing over the defeat in the hands of Rama. He was not distressed that the Devas, whom he had chased away, would mock at him. But the thought of Sita laughing at him - "Mithilai Vandha Janaki Naguval Endre Naanathal Sambugindran" - killed Ravana instantly.

* The errors in transliterations and translations are entirely mine.

A soundtrack from the Tamil language film Sampoorna Ramayanam (1958) has a song written by A. Maruthakasi titled Indru Poi Naalai Vaaraai sung by C. S. Jayaraman to the music of K. V. Mahadevan. The song follows after the defeated walk of Ravana on the battlefield and sees T. K. Bhagavathi (playing Ravana) sitting before Lingam and complaining about severe pain to his Idol.

2/ A Tree-Climbing Fish - extracted from Albert Einstein's cite.

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

The Fifth Moon part (1/3)

Your pretty empire took so long to build, now, with a snap of history's fingers, down it goes. - From V for Vendetta by Alan Moore.

... At Vettaiyan Palace

"I doubt your commitment to this war", The General, controlling his fury behind his mask, addressed his Emperor.

Vettaiyan had his back turned on The General. He was empting Myil from a tiny vial and pouring it into a glass.

"You are being judgmental", the Emperor swung back and said, "My General." He walked lazily towards the chief of his army churning Myil in his left hand and nonchalantly circled around The General.

"You should have eliminated Rana when you had him knelt before you", The General raised his voice.

"Just because you are older, it doesn't mean you are right", Vettaiyan completed a full round and exhibited his charming smile at The General, "It might mean that you have been wrong for longer."

Vettaiyan searched for something inexistent with his fingers in the space between their faces. "She", he exclaimed, "The brunet belle of Karimedai. She would not have missed." Resting his head on his left shoulder, Vettaiyan asked, "You wish me dead, My General." He laughed hysterically pointing at the widened eyes of The General.

"Victory is a crown and a crown shall never retire with the ruler. It passes from one head to another. But history, My General, is a boon of eternity that keeps the ruler immortal long after he is buried."

"And", Vettaiyan winked at The General, "History is what that is told and not what had happened."

"Always leave a wound to remember, the scar will take care of the rest. The Empires United was ripped apart when their commander was pushing himself pathetically under my foot. I have written the chronicle of events for the future to read it out loud. It shall address me as the Emperor who rewarded his enemy with life. Beggars will be them, Generous shall be me", Vettaiyan laughed his roaring laugh.

Suddenly he stopped his amusement and took a serious tone, "Everyone I knew wants me dead. Before his head hit the floor, I would be lifeless on the ground; my dead eyes staring at the cradling face ... tick-tok ... tick-tok". He moved to his princely armchair which was sitting over a raised platform inside his chamber.

"But ...", The General tried to argue but The Emperor turned his head and stopped him with his stare.

"Why I rescued the Queen ?", Vettaiyan stooped before his chair and spoke looking at the glittering Myil inside his glass. "Victory by death of a leader, reads the Declaration of War."

"This war shall abide my wish. I could snap my fingers and the kingdoms shall topple. Do you think it is easy to enter into a King's Palace and murder him? Or burning a fortress where the wounded queen was resting? My roots crawl everywhere. Corruption, my General, corruption. It is the future. Nepotism is a welcome crime too, that served as a pathway to invade my own palace", Vettaiyan smiled coldly.

"I will drown this world in dishonesty and then lend my hands to lift the victims exploited by frauds, thus, becoming their savior."

"So, My General, this war is not about victory; it's the end for them. We have kept them separated, yet they are standing together before us. They are opposite forces born together and they will attract each other irrespective to how far being parted."

"How are we going to eliminate them? By arresting them and executing them?," Vettaiyan giggled fiercely, "Nobles will rise to teach us how to treat our prisoners. Study the past if you would define the future ... now who said that!", The Emperor wondered to himself.

"The twins must die at this war, until then the battle will rage. Annihilation shall commence soon after", Vettaiyan declared furiously.

Vettaiyan drank Myil and threw away the glass. Holding the arms of his chair as support he looked towards Fort Ayan outside his window. The stronghold was glowing like a fiery eye, lit by the bright lights of wooden torches. He turned his neck to face The General and he asked him calmly, " Curious, isn't It? They were particular in gaining a piece of Karmegha, and took much effort to construct barricades around it? "

"Maybe they consider themselves weaker, and take solace in their fortification", The General chuckled.

"They were short of military power ... yet fought to keep control over the area ... center of the battlefield ... But stayed behind the sight range of the fortress", Vettaiyan pondered while Myil was taking full control of him. His eyes became tiny and started to close without his permission.

"The morons will try to storm the stronghold and capture it from the exterior, which is unworkable", The General said.

"Unless ...", Vettaiyan exclaimed.

"Unless ...", repeated The General

"They have already infiltrated the fort and are going to capture it from the inside ...", Vettaiyan sank and blacked out on his chair; The General looked out of the window at the glowing tower of Fort Ayan with his eyes wide open.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

The Fifth Moon part (2/3)

Never say more than is necessary - Richard Brinsley Sheridan

... At Fort Ayan

The sharp eyes of the guard at Fort Ayan followed a dark and muscular man carrying two cannon solid shots on each shoulder. After dropping the huge iron balls, the skivvy walked back into the storage room. The guard moved his eye down the long shaft - the Tongue of the cannon, and surveilled the dungeon floor where several chained captives were cleaning the oil spills.

"Nine", Maveeran whispered to Shamu, "Three monitoring from the platform and six are patrolling around the Tongue."

Shamu, the Prince of Shambala, disguised as a slave nodded his head in acknowledgement.

"Fifth moon has risen", Shamu said in a serious tone under the single burning torch light, "We prepare at once. The attack must occur simultaneously - at dawn between the first and second fire." Shamu made eye contact with the three associates with whom he was holding the meeting inside the storage room - Sampada and Videha on either side and Maveeran in front of him.

Shamu rechecked the tiny pieces that served as the models of specific points inside Fort Ayan – platforms, staircase and guard towers - arranged over a barrel around which the the discussion was happening.

"Let us go through what we've been planning for several moons one more time", Shamu spoke with a new intensity:

"Sampada will clear the way - the platforms and the stairways. Discretion is the key and his men will replace the downed guards until the break of the dawn."

"Once the path across two floors is clear, Maveeran and his armed men will move to the top of the fort and hide in the shadows. Kill only if necessary"

"Videha will lead his team with handmade explosives and set charges on the wall separating the dungeon and the palace. Make no noise."

"We strike at the same time - between the second and third fire of cannon Vettai. Maveeran will be supported by Sampada. I will join Videha and set off the charges. We will advance through the tunnel clearing it from any patrolling palace gaurds. After the large gun is brought under our control, Sampada will handle the tower and Maveeran will get down to the dungeons and liberate the enslaved. Securing the children and aged members, the rebellious men and women will march towards Palace Vettaiyan through the hole on the wall. We will regroup at the stairway leading to the interiors of the palace and jointly launch an attack."

Shamu made eye contact once again and declared, "No rules, but one - make no mistake"

The trio nodded their head in agreement with the Prince, when a fragile man entered the storage room.

"For generations I have lived here", he spoke weakly to Shamu, "Have seen both birth and death, but never tasted life. I am glad that you have come to liberate us, but I doubt how sure you are about doing it. I fear you are leading us into our own doom. Behind this closed walls, you cannot see the battle from inside. I wonder what makes you feel confident and be sure that your army can control the entrance of the fort? You don’t even have the assurance whether they have reached this far?"

"Faith and Hope, respected Slave King", assured Shamu, "I have set my belief on them, as they are the mantle of the light source and the protective globe of the Lamp of Life allowing the Flames of Freedom to burn unhindered."

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

The Fifth Moon part (3/3)

The soul becomes dyed with the colour of its thoughts - Marcus Aurelius (The Wise).

... At Empires United Camp

Sultan walked into the empty pavilion. He took a deep look at Arha and placed it on the sand table below the model of Vettaiyan Palace. He walked out of the tent and he was met by a guard who informed him that his presence was demanded by the council at the camp's hospital tent. Sultan followed the informant reluctantly.

The day's unfriendly events danced inside his mind. Sultan wondered what his role was during the short trip between the tents. He was under the assumption that he was enveloped by friendship, but the kick he took on his chest inferred with the proof of the fact that he was indeed a stranger caught in a battle. He had fancied about unearthing invaluable treasure when he had met Rana and Sena, but everything was looted in front of his eyes when an aggressive blade revealed reality before his face. He walked with his head pulled down, gnashing his teeth and his hands balled into fists at the end of stiff arms wanting to beat down his foes.

Rana stood up as soon as he saw Sultan entering the nursing tupik. He walked directly to Sultan and placed his hand apologetically on his right shoulder. Sultan's nose wrinkled is distaste. His nostrils flared in anger. But the cot at the corner of the room distracted him. He saw Nobleman laid on it. Clothes soaked in blood were scattered around the bed. He noticed Kanakavalli, who was sitting by Nobleman's head, looking up sorely at him. Sultan pushed Rana out of his way and walked briskly towards the group assembled around Nobleman. When he saw the fragile man, he fell down on his knees beside the cot.

Nobleman's body was completely punctured with holes. There were several broken arrows sticking out of his naked torso. The wounds were left open and blood was lethargically oozing out. A military nurse was wiping the blood flowing down his body with a clean white cloth which turned red instantly.

"The arrows", Yesodha Putran, standing behind Sultan, informed him, "We entered Karmegha when we noticed a dispute amoung our commanders happening right in the middle of the battle. I escaped the rain of arrows. He had taken twenty seven direct hits. Nineteen were removed. The rest are left stuck in his body. Drawing them out may lead to heavy exsanguination."

Sultan rotated his head and looked up at Yesodha Putran. The glimmer in his eyes questioned Yesodha Putran about the condition of Vadhana. "The Queen is recovering", Yesodha Putran replied to Sultan's unasked inquiry, "She is under constant monitoring inside the adjacent tent."

Sultan noticed that an eye and an ear missing on wounded man's face and the other eye that stayed in its place was blinded by a blood clot. Nobleman was breathing slowly. With his single left eye, he blinked signaling Sultan to come closer. He whispered in his ears, and the blood came gushing out of the tiny hole near his throat. Sultan softly noded in agreement with what he heard. He straightened himself and got to his feet. He turned and walked towards Rana. Yesodha Putran followed him. Kacha, who was seated by the feet of Nobleman, saw rage in Sultan's eyes when he walked past him. Kali occupied a silent corner further from the cot and Kalai stood folded arms beside him.

"Where is Sena ?" Sultan spoke between his teeth by the side of Rana without looking at him.

"None have seen him since he had deposed the wounded Queen in the infirmary", Kalai spoke softly while walking towards Sultan.

The four men exited the tent and walked towards the pavilion. Kalai asked Sultan mid way, "What did you hear ?"

Sultan looked at Rana and replied, "He asked me to be his eyes and let him see the end of this war."

None spoke with each until they reached the entrance of the Pavillion.

"He suffers enormous pain. It’s up to him to stay alive", Yesodha Putran informed them and cleared his throat before entering inside the pavilion. They looked around the empty space and Sultan slowly walked to the sand table.

"It’s gone", he exclaimed, "Arha."

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

The Inner Dialogue (part 1/4)

To a greater or lesser extent, every novel is a dialogized system made up of the images of languages, styles and consciousnesses that are concrete and inseparable from language. Language in the novel not only represents, but itself serves as the object of representation. - The Dialogic Imagination: Four Essays by Mikhail Bakhtin (1975)

Travelers from afar

Kalai walked fast past the military camp looking for Sena. He fixed his ears to the faint sound of rejoice that rose from the enemy camp. His fear became real when he reached the prison site. The three maximum security penitentiaries were empty. It looked as though the guards and the prisoners vanished into the bright moonlight.

Sultan decided to search for Sena around the barracks. Leaving the pavilion, he went around the tents peeping inside each as he gradually walked through the dense trees on the edge of the dark mountains.

Rana stormed into the battlefield. He wondered about the reason to rejoice at Palace Vettaiyan. As he approached the battlefield, the celebrations at the enemy camp trumped. Rana quickly walked on the floor of dead. He tried hard to keep his balance. His mind was playing tricks on him by forcing him to sense terror. It was constantly hammering the nail of thought inside him that Sena had been captured by the enemies. Rana looked around him without caring where he was heading. He reached a piece of land surrounded by the ocean of dead. Streams of dry blood decorated the ground. Rana's head began to spin. He closed his eyes which increased the dizziness. His visions from the Lake of Ghosts ran in spiral before him. He reopened his eyes and stared at the dry blood on the floor of Karmegha - the moment when his dream at the Pit of Bhairavi collided with reality. Rana fell unconscious and drowned in the sea of dead.

Yesodha Putran watched Sultan move into the residential area and his eyes followed Kalai disappearing behind the sentries. He looked straight ahead of him and found Rana awkwardly walking on the battlefield. Yesodha Putran advanced towards the silent war zone and calmly limped over Karmegha. He saw Rana stumbling and a few distance away from the fallen twin, he witnessed Sena kneeling on the floor of Karmegha facing him with his head loosely fallen towards the ground.

Sena was exactly at the spot where Rana had knelt down before the Emperor. Yesodha Putran reached Sena and stood before him under the dark lined grey clouds. He surveyed the surrounding. He slowly turned to his left and observed unconscious Rana lying among the dead. He waited patiently before Sena, noticing silently the quietness before him. He admired the inversed mirror image - at dusk Rana sat in silence facing the Palace and now under the moonlight, Sena had occupied the same place facing the other side.

Sena lifted his head and stared pathetically at Yesodha Putran. He looked small and shrunken. He tilted his head and set his sight behind Yesodha Putran. He beheld the image of his life in the flesh eater feeding on a dead soldier. His lips shrunk when he saw the vulture plucking the flesh. The dead soldier was staring back at Sena with his dead eyes. The flesh eater rotated its grey eyes and wilderness beckoned to him. The eyes of the vulture were cold and without emotion and Sena breathed deeply, closed his eyes and rotated his head.

An anonymous soldier was weeping over a pool of blood. Drowned inside was someone he had known.

Behind Sena, two warriors were carrying someone who was missing an arm. The neck of the wounded man was completely fallen and his eyes were wide open watching and blinking occasionally at Sena.

At several places men stood around in groups and prayed. The whispered chants echoed in Sena's ears and reminded him of loneliness. Smell of dry blood circled under his nose. The foul odor was coupled with distant cries. The injured warriors from both sides who were left unattended made sad sounds of pain. It’s a mystery how much pain the body could take before surrendering to death. The patience of death was cruel.

Unable to take anymore, Sena closed his eyes and hung his head down.

Yesodha Putran saw numerous black serpents and scorpions crawling out of the ground. They moved around Sena and few battled with each other while climbing all over him. Several raced behind Sena and fought their way to get inside his back. As and when the serpents and scorpions entered Sena back, his red tunic bulged making it look like he was thrusted up with something heavy on his back. A giant black serpent with yellow stripes moved up his head while sticking out his split red tongue. It licked Sena's face and settled itself on top of Sena's crown head. Its dark purple eyes stared at Yesodha Putran and the snake raised its head and hissed violently at him showing its sharp canine teeth.

Sena nodded his head once and said, "I have travelled this far carrying misery. I lost the one I loved. I sacrificed the one I cared. I am tormented by monstrous demonic absence."

"I have only witnessed people around me fall and they fail to get up. The fallen were burnt to ashes by my own shadow. I am a danger to anyone close."

"I need answers, but I am out of questions as I am caught in between the brother with whom I shared the inside and the brother with whom I discovered the outside. By challenging them, I am blinded. I search for words to convince myself to see with only one eye for the rest of my life, but can't find any!"

"Carrying the weight for this long, I have befriended misery. These hallow voices inside my mind preach to tread with the serpents and scorpions. The constant chattering pound my head shattering it into pieces."

"How am I going to deliver freedom, when I am a prisoner within myself? I share the cage with a lamb, the monster wants all of it. I am dying from inside, living deadman’s life from outside."

Sena raised his head and declared softly, "I shall fight no more."

Gripping Arha with both his hands, Sena planted his Father's sword into the ground before him. The force cracked the mud floor, inserting half of the blade firmly into the ground. Fine mud particles raised in the air hitting Sena's face with dirt.

The yellow striped serpent sitting on the head of Sena hissed violently at Yesodha Putran while coiling its tail around Sena's neck.

Sena could not control the irritation when some of the dirt entered his eyes dimming his sight by turning his watery eyes blood red. It looked like the serpent was choking him, making his eyes redder.

Sena's vision was interrupted by crisis of faith. He sat back on tip of his feet and fell silent. With his shoulders hung down in despair, Sena closed his eyes seeking shelter at the castle of lost hope.

Silence took over Karmegha. It seemed as though nature had halted. No swinging winds or chillness in the air. Sena felt being enveloped by a fog of stillness.

"You may wonder who am I ?" Sena heard a voice coming from in front of him.

"Believe that I was here before you, I am here with you and I will be here after you", assured the Voice, "I have roamed this world as a Prince. Welcomed by grace and with happiness everywhere I went. Greed made me a Pauper. No one cared for me anymore. I became their valuable object of sacrifice. In time I became crippled, just like how you are now before me, but at least I still stand on my single leg."

"I am truth", announced the Voice "And we are fighting this war to avoid myself crawl into the future."

Sena heard a distant thunder.

"It’s difficult to find out who you were, or to alter what you are. You are who you are. But you can certainly decide what you shall be", Truth started its conversation with Sena.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

The Inner Dialogue (part 2/4)

One is never afraid of the unknown; one is afraid of the known coming to an end. - Jiddu Krishnamurti

Freedom from the Known

"Tat Tvam Asi", Sena listened to Truth attentively :

You are neither body nor life. You are Pathfinder. Tat Tvam Asi, That you are.

In the beginning there was Being Alone, one only, without a second and from that Non-Being, Being was born. As the bees gathering nectars from the flowering trees in every direction and those nectars, who do not know from which tree they belong become one single honey, Being is born from Non-Being.

That which is the finest essence, the whole universe has That as its soul. That is Reality, That is Self, and That you are. Tat Tvam Asi.

One might lead a blindfolded man from his Motherland and abandon him in an uninhabited place. He would travel to the east, the west, the north or the south, but he would never know where he is heading, since he had been blindfolded and abandoned. And just as someone has removed the blindfold would tell him the right direction, That resourceful man will start asking the learned in every village and would arrive at his Motherland from where his journey had started.

That is the Master who teaches him that he shall not be released until he has broken the bonds of ignorance. Then, he will arrive home.

By whose wish did That first thought alight upon the mind ?
Of That first breath to ensue, which cause is behind ?
By whose desire That one utter the words ?
Who was the agent of the eye That saw, the ear That heard ?

Tat Tvam Asi.
That which is not thought, becomes thought.
That which is not heard, becomes heard.
That which is not known, becomes known.
That you are.

Identity is a mere verbal distinction. With a single lump of clay one would know about everything made from clay, the difference being a mere verbal distinction, just a name, the reality is only 'clay'. Similarly, identity comes from the Motherland, comes from the language spoken, and comes from the way of life itself. But all these are mere verbal distinction. The absoluteness is Tat Tvam Asi.

The Self is beyond identity but is prisoned inside the cobweb of ignorance. Fell to free the Self from the Known. Feelings and Known are two wings that carry the body with the Self trapped inside. Fail to fly; the Self will set up the way. Unite with the Self to eliminate confusion and thus, the course shall be cleared. When the blindfold is removed, the path will be seen through the Self and not by the eyes that project what the conscious mind instructs it to see.

The creation is the root and desire is the cause. The Creator desired and creation happened. He desired more. He wanted his creation to think of Him and Him only. He brought His war to this world and won them all to give his creations a reason to think of Him. He went a step ahead and became partial to certain of His own creations allowing him to be blinded from the fact that all were His own. He fought the war that was not rightly His to fight.

This desire of His, caused the Birth of Evil. His desire to desire more produced a weed that had the ability to grow and reproduce itself just like an unwanted plant between the crops.

A being was in conflict with his brother. The Creator shot him dead to gain the respect of the being, not knowing that He was watering the weed all the while. He, later, realized being a slave to the King Ego. A Devine Enlightenment occurred – The Creator desired not to desire.

By that time, the weed had already established its own Kingdom. The Evil wished to throw down the Creator and take his place. It fed the minds with lies and falsehoods, all the while building his own army against the Creator. When the Evil came to know that Light was the prime source of Universe and processing Light is power, it tricked a Human to steal it from the Creator. Thus, the Creator hid the Light inside his creation and made them forget about Him, so that they shall not be influenced by the Evil anymore.

That you are - a chariot carrying the Light back to its Source.

"O! Prime Mover", the Creator listened, "What shall become the poor souls ? Will they realise been abandoned ?"

"None shall be abandoned, none shall be guided neither. It is up to them to realise that they are none other than Me. Lost they will roam, but just like the stream reaching the ocean, they will blossom again in my Garden", assured the Architect of the Universe.

O! Lord of Creation, The Creator observed keenly, "In this maze of life, allow them to at least see the Light."

Bharatavarsham, this land is named, where the Creator grouped his creation that carried His Light, a land between Sagarmatha, the Mother Source and Mahasagar, the Great Ocean. Bha, the Light; Rathavarsham, the chariot carrying the illumination. To allow the forgotten souls to remember, the Creator visited Bharatavarsham taking the forms of the nature.

The woodcutter saw a man on flames. The sheepherders witnessed a naked woman seated on snow. The sailors noticed a man walking on the sea. The sentries witnessed a woman flowing with the wind. The villagers registered the presence of a form that could not be seen.

Thus, The Holy Spirit reached to the lost souls. It taught them realization and methods to eradicate the dirt that covered the Light. These five forms portraying the Nature gifted the lost souls the verses of the Creator : Santhana Dharma - You have the Light, it’s up to you to enlighten.

Sanathana Dharma is like a free flowing river, it has no custodian, and anybody can quench their thirst from it.

An intelligent man who wrote poetries at the snap of his fingers used to sit outside his house. He cherished every moment when the passerby greeted him and praised him. Every day he saw a washer man carrying dirty clothes on his head, but he never looked at the Poet or praised him.

One day the Poet sang a song on the washer man to amuse the crowd gathered in front of the house :

My dog is so special among,
Cleans my feet with its tongue.
Every day it walks with new sorrow wrung,
Just like a washer man not so young.

The crowd laughed, but the washer man kept walking away. The next day the washer man carried twice the pile of dirty clothes on his head and started to run in circles in front of the Poet's house. People ran to all corners thinking that the washer man had become mad. The Poet stormed out of his house and yelled at the washer man :

Fool, stop running carrying that heap of dirt on your head !

The washer man stopped running and replied :

I can halt anywhere. I can discharge the dirt anytime.
But you moron, how will you, all that dirt in your mind.

The blindfold around the Poet’s eyes was removed. The Poet’s eyes brightened. In the Lightness he sang :

Wish I were a Washer man of Conscience,
And clean all the dirt in my mind.

From then, the Poet sung songs about enlightenment addressing his Self, sometimes as his Kid, at times as his Sight, and often as the one he loved the most.

The Kingdom of the Creator on this world flourished under the Devine verses of Sanathana Dharma, until the resting Evil found its way to creep back again. Similar to the roots of the weed that does not perish; the Evil crawled into the Varna and entered the three Gunas of man's mind:

नियतं सङ्गरहितमरागद्वेषतः कृतम् । अफलप्रेप्सुना कर्म यत्तत्सात्त्विकमुच्यते ॥
यत्तु कामेप्सुना कर्म साहंकारेण वा पुनः । क्रियते बहुलायासं तद्राजसमुदाहृतम् ॥
अनुबन्धं क्षयं हिंसामनपेक्ष्य च पौरुषम् । मोहादारभ्यते कर्म यत्तत्तामसमुच्यते ॥

niyatam sanga rahitam araga dveshatah kritam | aphala prepsuna karma yat tat sattvikam uchyate||
yat tu kamepsuna karma sahankarena va punan | kriyate bahulayasam tad rajasam udahritam ||
anubandham kshayam hinsam anapekshya cha paurusham |mohad arabhyate karma yat tat tamasam uchyate ||

The Evil took complete procession of the lost souls. It twisted the Creator's words and planted a false message inside the wandering minds.

Thus, the first disturbance among the creations happened. Dispute within Motherland and quarrel over spoken language led to the question of identity. Alas, Bharatavarsham is no more addressed the same way. It is called by another name that is not even the proto-language that these ignorant are striving to safeguard.

The language of the universe is silence. The language of the ignorant is the tongue.

Remember, O! Muddled One, all are the sprouts from the same seed. Neither the mountains are dead as they don't breath nor the humans are alive because they breathe. The landscapes - hills, plains, plateaus, deserts, oceans - and the vegetation - grass, shrubs, climbers, and trees are just like the various qualities of a human.

All belong to a single system and I, My and Self are all one and the same. Tat Tvam Asi.

... to be continued ...

Footnote :

1/ Tat Tvam Asi - Chandogya Upanishad 6.8.7

2/ नियतं सङ्गरहितमरागद्वेषतः कृतम् । ... mohad arabhyate karma yat tat tamasam uchyate ||
- Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 18, verses 23–25

That action which is devoid of fruitive desires, free from attachment and repulsion, which is performed as duty, is the nature of goodness.
That action which one with desires for fruitive results or egotistical performs with great endeavor, is the nature of passion.
That action which begun out of illusion, without considering the consequence, destruction, violence and one's own ability to fulfill it, is the nature of nescience.

3/ Varna - Kind (order)

4/ Guna - Virtue

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

The Inner Dialogue (part 3/4)

The conscious mind determines the actions, the unconscious mind determines the reactions; and the reactions are just as important as the actions. - Eli Stanley Jones.
[Author of The Christ of the Indian Road (1925); Mahatma Gandhi: An Interpretation (1948, 1st edition) aka Gandhi - Portrayal of a Friend (1993, 2nd edition)].

Conscious of the Unconscious

चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागश: | तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम् ||

chatur varnyam maya srishtam guna karma vibhagashah | tasya kartaram api mam viddhyakartaram avyayam ||

The verses recited by Truth slipped like honey inside Sena's ears :

The four classifications of Varna are based on Guna and Karma - Prarabdha Karma, Agama Karma, Sanchita Karma - and not by birth or nature of occupation.

This is where the Evil played its biggest trick. After dodging the wandering mind with Gunas, the Evil was unable to fully conquer the lost souls. Dharmas - Sadharana Dharma, Svadharma, Ashrama Dharma and Sanyasa - were still guiding them. Thus, The Evil produced a new meaning to Varna. It poisoned the mind by twisting the Creator's instructions - The four categories is based on birth and activities and Varna is not the nature of Comic Order but belongs to the Social Order.

By doing so, it brought hell and lightened it in this world. The ignorant easily fell into the pit dug for them by the Evil. Humans fought with each other for no reason on the Tree of Life, where each Being hung as a fruit.

ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च परन्तप | कर्माणि प्रविभक्तानि स्वभावप्रभवैर्गुणै: ||

brahmana kshatriya visham shudranam cha parantapa | karmami pravibhaktani svabhava prabhavair gunaih ||

Varnas - Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra - depend upon what a child become in his life and his class is not determined by his birth but by Guna – his right, his duty and his nature.

कारुरहं ततो भिषगुपलप्रक्षिणी नना |

karuraham tato bhisaghupalapraksisi nana |

I am a bard, my father is a physician, and my mother's job is to grind the corn.

According to which everyone is born a Shudra, an ignorant but should become a Brahman, the enlightened, through his own effort.

तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया | उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिन: ||

tad viddhi pranipatena pariprashnena sevaya | upadekshyanti te jnanam jnaninas tattva-darshinah ||

The Transcendental Knowledge inquired highlights two implications in Varnas, the first sense that describes the body that holds the Light :

Vasti Guha with its skills and services are referred to as Shudra.

Udar Guha which supports and sustains to body is referred to as Vaishya.

Uro Guha which forms the part of armor on the chest is referred to as Kshatriya.

Siro Guha which constitutes the organ of perception of Gyan as Brahman.

The second sense gives the physical mode - the legs, the laps, the chest and the mouth. As a new born uttering incomprehensible sounds and trying to standup on its feet and starting to walk after falling several times, the wisdom must be acquired from everywhere the legs takes the body, supported by strong laps, pushing forward the flat chest, guided by the information collected and spoken by the mouth. The Shudra, The Vashya, The Kshtriya and The Brahman must be put to work together to reunite the Self with the Supreme - Aham Brahmasmi.

O! Navie One, The doctrine of Varnas in the Cosmic Being of the Vedas does not make it hereditary. So what are those instances in the Vedas where Varnas has been made a matter of hereditary transmission ?

Varna points singly to a soul alone - Being One.

The four Vedas - Rig, Yajur, Sama, Atharva; the four Yugas - Krita, Treta, Dwapara, Kali - and the four Varnas - Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaisya, Sudhra; jointly maintain ordinance in the system. This is exactly where the Evil wishes to strengthen its root - right at the center of the system.

Destruction is the shadow of Creation and an equal part in the system. The destruction of morning is the creation of noon and the destruction of noon is the creation of night. As this chain of continuous destruction and construction maintains the day, the destruction of childhood is the creation of youth and the destruction of youth is the creation of old age. In this process of birth and death the individual is maintained, who must apply Varna in each stage to gain realisation.

A Man of Realisation, then, will be able to face the brightness, and his actions, thoughts and desires are in perfect accordance with his Self.

Where else the Evil would like to lay its hands upon? Destruction in the hands of the Evil, murders realisation and influences identity. Such a weapon wins over the King Soul and thus, the body is reigned by King Ego.

A conscious mind dreams seated upon the unconscious mind. It is played to be a fool of the present and made to strive to see its dream come true. A dream made out of untruth that shrinks it under the weight of cupidity. The dream state pushes closer ones further, and pulls further ones closer, creating a constant tide of psychic turbulence.

An unconscious mind is powerful. It is vast like the universe with unlimited information - wisdom. But it is often considered as an enemy poisoning the conscious mind. The low lying mind specifies the duties to perform. It is more attached to the body and always guides to the right path, as it knows the existence of Light within and preserves its carrier.

But the conscious mind always rejects the unconscious mind by carrying the body away with false caring bundled with unwanted thoughts. It introduces momentary pain making the body feel like carrying a burden heavier than the body itself. Misery, an infliction of confused actions, is fabricated by the conscious mind.

Ugram Viram Maha Vishnum
Jvalantam Sarvato Mukham
Nrisimham Bhishanam Bhadram
Mrityur Mrityum Namamy Aham

O! Troubled One, Be Conscious of the Unconscious. For with such wisdom, misery is inexistent.

Illusion of hearing is a ploy planted by the Evil. Certain words are overlaid tampering the process of decoding the message of the inner voice. Thus, it turns into a behavior led by a false thought.

O! Earless One, listen conscientiously. The whispers are chants of action directly associated with duty. Those hallow voices sounding from the unconscious mind do not preach to tread WITH the serpents and scorpions. Listen thoroughly. They are saying :

Behold, I give unto you power to tread ON serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

... to be continued ...

Footnote :

1/ chatur ... avyayam - Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4, verse 13.

2/ brahmana ... gunaih - Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 18, verse 41.

3/ karuraham ... nana - Rig Veda 9.112.5

4/ tad ... darshinah - Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4, verse 34.

5/ Swami Vivekananda's letter, 7th day of August, year 1889 :

The doctrine of caste in the Purusha-Sukta of the Vedas does not make it hereditary — so what are those instances in the Vedas where caste has been made a matter of hereditary transmission ?

6/ Ugram ... Aham - Sri Nrsimha Maha Mantra
[May my head be protected by the moon colored one, who is the greatest among humans. My obeisances unto the ferocious and powerful, the great Visnu, the fiery one, who's faces are on all sides, the fearful one, Nrsimha, who causes the death of even death personified.]

7/ Gyan - Knowledge

8/ Behold ... you - Luke 10:19

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

The Inner Dialogue (part 4/4)

The rich will make temples for Siva. What shall I, a poor man, do?
My legs are pillars, the body the shrine, the head the cupola of gold.
- The lord of the meeting rivers: Devotional poems of Basavanna (12th century Philosopher)
[Translated from Kanada to English by K.V. Zvelebil] (1984)

Creation of God

Sena felt light as the fiery black serpents and scorpions descending from him at a slow speed while Truth continued delivering its monologue :

The good and the right co-exist with the bad and the wrong - The Cycle of Nature. That which interrupts the fluidity of this cycle is belief. Belief is visionless. It does not have the capability to distinguish between what is good for you and what is right for you. It often overlooks truth, but quickly turns itself into a rigid standpoint. The believers and the non-believers have one thing in common - God, without which, they do not have a side to pick.

O! The Scarlet One, Who knows the Self, Knows All. He never chooses sides. He is beyond boundaries. He drinks from the river of wisdom and is always warm under the heat of enlightenment.

The Messengers taught Sanathana Dharma, the direct Speech of the Creator. As they were complex, the enlightened ones simplified the preaching and certain scholars converted the instructions into stories. And a story is narrated with characters. And the characters should speak the essence of the tutorial. Down the lane of time, several of its meaning was diluted. The stories started to get adapted accordingly, crushing the important details using two weapons of destruction - translation and interpretation.

In time, man ignored that teachings were always universal, and are neither balanced by time nor guarded by any creed. Thus, the stories to explain a theory, diminished the theory itself, slowly making a character called God roam on this land.

Religion and politics were created by man. Thus, God is manmade, from where fear sparks out from the flames of guilt feeding on the woods of confusion. Godlike men emerged promoting the God that they had created and in the process, they reaped wealth instead of providing knowledge. They destroyed the Garden of the Creator, The Nature. They erected huge idols and temples to pray and plead, practicing a kind of psychic torture by assuring the dejected souls that God hears them all.

Why would God ask to destroy that which is part of Himself ? What is the need of a huge building to talk to God, when He is a part of One Self ? Just like how the nose finds the food without the need of an eye, similarly, one does not need a place to converse with the Creator. God should be realized within. The human body is the Temple; the Self is the adobe, where God resides. There is no need for an idol or a place to find or rest God. Worship Self, that is the real God.

Understand that you are not in a state of confusion, but at an intersection leading to hesitation and uncertainty trying to decide what is good and what is right, completely eliminating the existence of the bad and the wrong.

O! Great Traveler, you have come this far. The moment has arrived to stop believing and see reality of That You Are. Behind you is the cause. Before you is the reason - a travel point that divides acceptance and questioning. Let the Light guide you, that which shall dim all your needs, that which erases all your questions, that which strikes away the reasoning and that which fades away confusion with its uninterrupted brightness. And under the Light you will gain an indefinite joy - The greatest joy of Kri when releasing for what you are put on this earth to do.

A Prince obtained everything he wished for in his life. Some landed on his palms; the rest just invited itself to him. He was rich. He was famous. He took things that he wanted by force, and the things he needed with negotiations. The world saw him as a leader and garlanded him with success. Unhappiness closely rooted itself under his feet watered by immense glory and victory.

His elder brother struggled from his birth. He led a life of toil. Success was always a step ahead of him. He did not halt, but continued to chase the unknown. On the path, he accumulated misery. The dirt coated itself all over him; there is no more difference between his body and his shadow. He saw pain as love, and love as unfair.

The two paths of Kri - Kriya : to do, to act and react; and Karma : the natural principle of cause and effect.

As years passed, the younger Prince found that his elder brother was getting more attention than himself. Out of grief he broke down before his uncle Kri-sna who was a flutist. He requested his uncle to play his flute and pipe away his confusions: "I am Him. Our actions are the same. Yet how are we different ?"

Kri-sna, combing a peacock feather, smiled at his depressed nephew.

The two brothers were given a mountain of wealth and Kri-sna ordered, "Dusk. This wealth should not belong to you."

The younger brother assembled a huge team of warriors, workers and miners to cut the rocks of wealth from the mountain. His messengers ran to all corners of the kingdom spreading the generosity of the Prince. People crowded around the mountain and rushed back to their homes with huge deposits of wealth. Dusk knocked the doors of the evening sky and half mountain full of wealth still remained.

"I may have failed", he announced to Kri-sna, "but I am still the People's Prince."

Kri-sna walked away, silently followed by the Prince.

When they reached the other mountain, the Prince laughed and said, "Just look around you before you pronounce your judgement, Uncle".

Kri-sna stared at the tall mountain of wealth. Not a drop of gold was missing. He, also, saw a fragile man sitting in the path gazing at the huge mountain.

"Who shall you be ?", asked Kri-sna.

"Nobody. One who owns this Mountain", replied the stranger. Kri-sna smiled.

"I am a passerby and a man in princely armor said to me that the mountain belongs to him no more, but to me from dusk. I waited and his words seem to be richer than all the wealth put together. I regret. I regret that he never heard my gratitude. He was already gone even before my lips were closed."

"Kri", Kri-sna preached to the Prince, "Offering inhaling breath into the outgoing breath, and offering the outgoing breath into the inhaling breath, the yogi neutralizes both these breaths; he thus releases the life force from the heart and brings it under his control. Thus by quieting the heart and its desires, the yogi learns life control."

Unfortunately the two brothers crossed swords and fought a war against each other that was not rightly for them to fight. But the wrong must be corrected; the bad must be beheaded. Unwilling to fight his own brother, The Prince laid his bow down on the battlefield and said, "I shall fight no more."

A union occurred. Kriya Yoga preached by Kri-sna liberated the brothers from Karma, when they realized the bright pedaled flowers of Kri and understood their duty. The misery burned them no more. The dirt no more masked their vision. They were strengthened like an unbreakable chord. Together they were garlanded with wisdom. Thus, an upward outcome happened aided by acceptance of Kri - the Prince who sided the good, killed his own brother who supported the bad.

There are always two paths, which are not a choice, but eventually one will be walking on either. Some realize the path they had taken, some won't even after the travel.

O! The Blessed One, Self is the Light that emits true wisdom and the one who receives understanding irradiates the dirt. A journey is not a failure if the destination is not yet reached. It’s a failure if the journey was never started.

Suganthi ...

As soon as Sena heard Truth uttering the name of his beloved, the vision projected before his closed eyes lightened up.

... the green eyed angel. The Nature and her Child were murdered. The one who pulled the strings is guilty, and not the murderer. You were allowed to experience such an agony, so that you can understand how ignorant you were about the bad happenings around you. You were merely dreaming with eyes open while the Evil was strengthening its Kingdom over your motherland.

O! The Devine Disciple, As Knowledge has closed the shutters of your eyes, you dream no more.

All this sufferings my Child are not lessons, but a map to your path. Travel until the End. Enlighten Your Self. Become that strong chariot. In the end, even a tiny detail that was long forgotten will be the major weapon to dismiss the Evil beside by just lying down along with it.

O! The Warrior of Light, by slaying them, you are liberating the trapped souls from the clutches of the Evil. By uprooting the Evil, you find how much deep it has strongly buried itself. In this eternal war between the Good and the Evil, someone else will replace you to finish what you have started. Get back on your feet. Stay on the path of Truth. Make the first step to wash away the dirt and cleanse your land with righteousness. Don't think who is with you ? Dont count who is following you ? You and your Self is absolute.

O! The Enlightened One, His Kingdom must come down.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

"We rise by lifting others." - Robert G. Ingersoll

Lightning Rises

Sena discovered silence. Steadily, the soft blowing winds whispered in his ears. He felt the wings of the blue butterfly brushing his forehead. Sena reclaimed calmness. Sena smiled.

He slowly opened both his eyes simultaneously. Thousands of tiny lightning bolts partied over the dark sky above his head. The white dancing lights reflected the placid white color of Sena's eye. The burning sensation vanished and his his eyes sparkled like two stone crystals. His smiling scarlet lips represented the color of silence. His tranquil face exhibited the acceptance of the sea rock on which the waves hit constantly.

"You cannot part with your duties, just like, you can never part with it, the Devine sword that chose you", Sena heard the voice of a man who was walking away from him. Sena sat knelt watching the limping form that was cutting through the grey mist over the battleflied in front of him.

Sena stood up by pulling both his knees together. Arha, the Devine Sword of His Father, which was planted on the ground before him shivered. The tiny stones particles around Arha trembled. Sena pulled his left nostrils towards his left eye parting the corner of his lips and showing his canine tooth in anger. He yelled wide mouthed, at the same time lifted and stamped his right foot hard on the floor of dried blood.

Thunder roared around Karmegha. As soon as Sena imprinted his foot, the force made the dust and dirt covering his face and clothes detach themselves away from him, making the serpents and scorpions crawling over him go flying in the air around him. The impact of Sena's foot sent shock waves over the floor and entered into the area around Arha and uprooted the Devine Sword which spun its way across in the air towards its Master. Before settling itself in the right hand of Sena, Arha chopped the head of the giant black serpent with yellow stripes that was circling itself around Sena's neck. The slaying of the giant serpent burnt the tiny serpents and scorpions suspended in the air around Sena. Red and yellow sparks busted in the darkness when the reptiles and arthropods turned into ashes. The beheaded black snake powdered to black dust before hitting the floor.

All of a sudden, a cool breeze washed away all the filth and stain around Sena, who stood cleansed holding Arha. Normalcy returned back on Karmegha, and the sadness of death ringed around the battlefield amidst the cries of joy from Vettaiyan Palace.

Sena took his first step and walked towards the direction where his brother Rana was laying unconscious.

Kalai and Sultan waited impatiently at the camp's gate. As the night slipped past, they worried about their failure to find Sena and delay in Rana's return, who had entered the battlefield to look for his brother. Fear of them both being captured by the enemies enveloped the warriors of Battalion from Heaven. Cool breeze wiped their faces without their permission and they both saw a limping man walking out of the grey towards them.

"Did you find him", Kalai asked hurriedly.

"Where is Rana ?", Sultan questioned looking the emptiness beyond Yesodha Putran.

Yesodha Putran looked at both of them. He walked past them into the campsite in silence. They both watched his back and heard him say, "The Brothers of Right shall find their path on their own. Come and rest. The night is mortal."

The cloth doors of the pavilion opened and Sena, carrying Rana on his left shoulder and holding Arha in his right hand, entered unannounced. He slowly walked towards the sand table. Kanakavalli saw a distinct tranquility in Sena's eye. Kali stood up and his face buried itself into a huge grin. Kacha admired Sena's composure while Kalai and Sultan pushed the objects over the sand table away. Sena carefully placed Rana over the table. He, then, lifted his head and made eye contact with everyone present inside the pavilion. They exchanged mild nods at each other. Sena, then, fixed his eyes on Kanakavalli. Her eyes locked on to Sena.

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन | मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ||

karmany evadhikaras te ma phaleshu kadachana | ma karma phala hetur bhur ma te sango stvakarmani ||

Rana woke up reciting something in a language unknown to anyone present inside the pavilion. He quickly regained himself and stared at everyone present around him. He looked at Sena and asked, "Did I say something ?"

Sena smiled. The others joined him and shared their laughter with each other.

Rana and Sena entered the nursing room. Yesodha Putran stood by the feet of Nobleman. Sena sat over the corner of the bed and spent the night beside the wounded man. Rana excused himself and paid his wife a visit, who was still recovering from her shoulder wound. Sultan and Kali stood at either side of Sena and Kalai along with Kanakavalli and Kacha left the room to prepare for the war that awaited them at dawn.

... to be continued ...

Footnote:

karmany ... stvakarmani - Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 47.

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Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

"The unseen enemy is always the most fearsome" - A Clash of Kings [2nd novel in 'A Song of Ice and Fire' series] by George R.R. Martin

Day Zero Six - Ruins of Belief (part 1/5)

"I witnessed lightning", Sultan stood beside Nobleman and whispered in his ears. A special bed was made to rest the wounded Nobleman. The cot could be made to stand horizontal or could be bent flat and laid parallel to the floor. Nobleman stood attached with belts to the bed facing the battlefield on the raised platform listening to Sultan. Kanakavalli wiped the leaking blood with white cloth napkins.

"Thunder bolted", Sultan continued, "Strom clouds from every direction are gathering over the battlefield. All the signs for the War of Karmegha approaching its end are here. But, it has not rained yet."

There was no reaction on Nobleman's face. His heavy breathing sound acknowledged Sultan.

Rana and Sena walked together briskly. Fully geared for the battle, the Brothers were headed towards the infantry army units. Rana turned back and looked at Sultan conversing with Nobleman.

"Thought we would have a rough time with the merchant, but he seems to be getting along just fine", Rana informed his brother.

"Sultan", Sena said, "took the curse on your behalf while hunting for the Golden Dragon Turtle."

Rana walked beside Sena wide mouthed.

"That adventure of yours costed his life. When Nobleman came to know about the curse, he received it onto himself, thus, liberating Sultan from the curse of death by a One Eyed Shooter. He accepted to be shot by One Eye, the ranked officer in The General’s army, when he was riding inside the chariot driven by Yesodha Putran. He took the arrows on behalf of Sultan and the merchant is guilty about it. Sultan was about to leave, when he saw his own fate seated before him and watching him with its dead eyes. He has sworn to see the end of this war."

"Post war ...", Rana enquired.

"We have to face Sultan for whatever happened at the battlefield", Sena replied looking at Rana with a smile.

The Brothers continued their discussion while walking swiftly together. "Mentor Manickam ...", Rana started to ask about Sena's tutor and leader of Pachonthi Guilt. Sena stopped him by taking an authoritative voice, "He is of no importance now."

"Why would you release the prisoners and the Ayus ? Did you hear the welcome cry at the palace ? When I could not find you, I was scared that they had captured you !"

Rana waited a moment and when he got no reply from Sena, he continued, "Gudakesha and his supporters are leaving the camp tonight. ..." and Sena growled, "Let them leave."

"But we cannot implement Chaturmukha Vyuha without those units. We will lose this war. The enemy is yet to show its true face ...", Rana started to worry.

"Victory does not exist without defeat, and vice versa. Winning and losing does not exist to the yogi who desires either", Sena said calmly.

Rana nodded his head in disagreement, "And what about the Clown", Rana asked, "We still got no intelligence on it. We not prepared ..."

"When I meet the Clown, I promise to give you more intelligence", saying so, Sena walked past his brother and Rana stood staring at Sena's back. He jogged to catch up with his brother and they both arrived before the infantry units assembled by Kalai and Kacha.

"A lot of emotion has been sprinkled onto you past few moons", Sena walked casually before the infantry square while addressing the army. "I see each face wet with fear and uncertain about what to believe. A belief that has turned to terror."

"But in this dampness, grows the sprouts of courage. Honor shall root itself very far underground watered by the blood spilt by the enemy."

A huge roar from the infantry units thundered around the campsite.

"Each day at war is a trail. Not an experiment on being alive, but a try-out to prove to this world that this day I fought and my valiance lived."

"There is a huge cannon pointed at us. It is up to us to decide; Now and Here; Where shall it point at ? At our chest or at our backs !"

"Chest … Chest ... Chest …", the Battalion from Heaven chanted together.

"First flies iron to paralyze us. Next rains oil to rinse us in fright. Finally, the cannon will split fire."

The soldiers tapped their shields, thumped the spears on the ground and hit their armors and helmets with their swords aggressively.

"Fear not Warriors of Light, the blanket of valor shall protect us, as we are fighting for a greater cause – Freedom, Freedom for our children from a dangerous world and to permit them to run and play on this battlefield together without any difference or discrimination. This war is the answer to their future and this land, soaked in blood will become, once again, a garden of eternal joy decorated with peace and harmony."

"With this spirit we will alight the beast with our bravery, this day my brothers, this dawn my sisters."

"At dusk, the fort that stands as a beast in our way will be mere ruins. Ruins of Belief ... Ours .... and ... Theirs."

Nobleman heard the whole army cheer violently. Sultan took the wounded man's hand and placed it over his chest. Carefully putting it back on the standing cot, Sultan walked towards the battlefield. Kanakavalli softly caressed the forehead of Nobleman with the back of her fingers and then, followed Sultan. Yesodha Putran and Padayappa replaced them.

The miniature sand table beside Yesodha Putran was empty. The war strategist looked straight ahead at Fort Ayan and watched the vigorous activity on top around the Cannon Vettai. He knew that as soon as Sena and his men entered the battlefield, the cannon would be operational and if the events have not yet been carried out inside the fort as planned by the Brothers with Prince Shamu, then, this day would pronounce the end of the war of Karmegha and Vettaiyan will regain his throne and rule the world as the undisputed Emperor.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

"Life is a full circle, widening until it joins the circle motions of the infinite" - Anaïs Nin

Day Zero Six - Ruins of Belief (part 2/5)

The General of the Emperor and Veera Mahendran, the ally of the Emperor, sat on their horses hearing to the loud war cries from the enemy camp. Veera Mahendran, the King of Kalingapuri, looked around him and admired his army assembled on the battle field. He looked at The General and found his eyes staring at the enemy camp without blinking. He bent down over the neck of his horse and grinned at The General. The army captain turned and stared at Veera Mahendran.

The King of Kalingapuri shook his shoulders and mocked The General, "You scare me". The General kept his eyes on Veera Mahendran and clutched his teeth in anger under his iron mask.

"You seem to be scared yourself", Veera Mahendran said, "Aren't you confident about your own defense ? The Great Fort Ayan ! Don't you worry; Veera will gain you victory by slaying the man who took his father’s life in front of his own eyes and made him flee the battlefield. And I assure you that I will not let you down even if you had abandoned my fleet."

The General turned his horse and rode towards the palace gate. Veera Mahendran laughed while watching the retreating general.

Sena and the commanders of allied forces gathered for a briefing. Rana and Kanakavalli walked away from the group and entered into the infantry square. Horses pulling a single cart were lined up behind the foot soldiers. Along with Swehta, Swathi and Kali, they will take care of bringing back the wounded from the battlefield in-between the attack of Cannon Vettai.

Sultan stood to the right of Sena. Behind him were the spears men. He held on to his two headed golden spear. Kalai stood to the left of Sena commanding the units of Karimedai swordsmen. Kacha fell behind Sena controlling the units of short swordsmen. Together they will advance towards the fort and challenge Cannon Vettai.

Sultan and Kalai kept their eyes on Sena who was gazing at the sky. The timid sun scarcely painted the dark sky scarlet. Sena brought his chin down and nodded his head once.

Holding Arha in his left and the Shankha in his right, Sena entered the battlefield. He blew the conch sending vibrations to every corner of the battlefield while walking straight towards Fort Ayan. There was no war horns blown from the Vettaiyan Palace, but heavy percussion was heard from Fort Ayan. Sultan and the spears men carrying shields ran to the right, while Kalai holding on to his double edged two handed sword led his men to the left. Kacha waited for the path to clear on either side and then, instructed the short swordsmen to form the outer curve.

Mandala Vyuha versus Cannon Vettai
Circular Formation versus Cannon Vettai
Sena's Defense vs Vettaiyan's Attack

Mandala Vyuha is a circular formation, where the soldiers packed themselves together inside a human ring. Primarily a defense formation, Mandala Vyuha can be deployed to withhold an approaching army. No particular or special military units are needed to form the Mandala Vyuha. Due to the density of soldiers standing together inside, Mandala Vyuha can also be transformed into an attack formation. The soldiers separate into smaller units and start battling the enemies. When such a clash occurs, Mandala Vyuha looks like a large space with several systems (military units) operating together, thus, it gets an another name - Galaxy Formation.

The in-charge of Fort Ayan, the Emperor's officier who profited a good service from Sultan's girls, stood on top of the stronghold. He watched Sena blowing the conch. A wicked smile escaped his lips. He handed over the telescope to his deputy and walked away to his cabin which was situated behind the fort facing the river. The deputy issued the order to activate Cannon Vettai by lifting his sword above his head and cutting it in the air. Cannon Vettai was turned towards the approaching enemy.

Sultan and Kalai met at a point in front of Fort Ayan. They broke from their respective units and ran towards Sena who was standing in the middle. Their units split into two - one continued to build a human wall and the others followed their commanders. At the rear, Kacha worked out a similar strategy. When the three commanders met with Sena, the ring was secured. The spears men held out their shields and the swordsmen knelt under its shade. They assembled themselves without leaving space between them.

Archers took full defense control of Fort Ayan. Three rows of long swordsmen in heavy armor resembling to huge metal giants guarded the entrance. Two-storey below Canon Vettai, broad chested slaves moved the wheel of the supply shaft called the Tongue. They were cruelly commanded by the fortress guard with whips. Two gunners on either side of Cannon Vettai checked the load and reported to their captains.

"Cannon ready to fire, Sir", one of the captain yelled. The deputy raised his sword in front of him and pointed it directly at the enemy settled before the stronghold and shouted, "Fire !"

Upon the order from the deputy of Fort Ayan, Cannon Vettai was discharged.

"Hold", yelled Kalai. The shields raised and position above the heads to form a metal canopy under which the foot soldiers took shelter. As soon as Cannon Vettai ejected the shrapnels, violence bursted on Karmegha. The iron rations covered the open sky like a blanket and darkness danced above the warriors grouped inside the metal umbrella. The sharp shells landed like tiny missiles over the shields. They quickly and easily tore rigid metal and forcefully pierced their victims after weakening their armors. The impact of the iron waste created turbulence sending the broken shields into the air and exposing the foot soldier sheltered under. Blood fountained high like a gigantic geyser and Manadala Vyuha sat upon a basin of red fluid. The pieces that did not find a victim planted itself on the ground.

A load roar of cheer came from Fort Ayan. Six soldiers quickly poured water on Cannon Vettai. Steam poured out like a wild storm. They started rubbing all the parts of the cannon with a wet sponge to cool it quickly. The two captains gave orders to re-load the cannon for the second attack at the same time passed instruction to orient the cannon upwards so that the shower of oil would spread wide.

Sultan removed a sharp rusty piece of iron rod from his shoulders. His hand was burning in pain. He looked around the fallen soldiers. Almost half of his units were wounded badly and unable to move. Kacha examined the lines of scratches on his body. He pulled away the remaining chest armor sticking to his torso and with blood oozing out of his wound, he checked his unit and found them on the ground rolling in pain. Kacha found warm liquid flowing down his face. Ignoring it, he rushed to aid his soldiers who were struggling to stand up.

Sena watched the chaos silently. The shields were completely broken. The warriors were wounded and lying helplessly on the battle ground.

The archers around the facade of the stronghold panicked. The long swordsmen took attack stance when they saw enemy horse cavalry running into the battlefield. But they stood at ease when the cavalry halted by the wounded units. Each horse cart had a rider and a traveler. The traveler got down and loaded the cart with a wounded comrade whom he would replace and the rider fled back to the camp. Rana and Kali stayed back with the commanders inside the Mandala Vyuha.

The commanders and the warrior of the allied forces faced the beast without any armor to protect them. With nowhere else to run, the chain of attack from Cannon Vettai - flammable liquid followed by fire mortars - will turn them into dust on Karmegha.

"Cannon ready to fire, Sir", called out the captain, and Cannon Vettai was discharged for the second time.

Yesodha Putran silently watched the horror before him. He closed his eyes when oil rained on the battlefield. The heavy drops of combustible spit by the beast splashed all over Mandala Vyuha, drenching the warriors completely.

Sena held his head high and faced the sky with his eyes closed. When dampness hugged his face, Sena smiled.

As soon as Cannon Vettai was fired for the second time, the four captains looked at each other. The deputy climbed down the platform and gazed at his captains wide eyed. He quickly ran to the staircase to report it to the fort in charge. At the entrance of the staircase, he ordered the two guards to follow him. When he made few steps down the stairs, he heard the noise of breaking bones and immediately after, saw a guard roll down the stairs past him. He turned and looked at the other guard.

Seeing a devilish form standing before him, the deputy opened his mouth and invited the devil's long knife sword between his jaws.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

When I discover who I am, I’ll be free - Invisible Man (1952) by Ralph Ellison.

Day Zero Six - Ruins of Belief (part 3/5)

It seemed as though time had stopped the actions of the nature. A white dove which was disturbed by the loud commotion and flying off from the fort, froze in midair with its wings spread wide. Through its eyes, a fast motion erupted and continued down the stairs past the deputy who stood wide eyed with the sharp knife sword stuck to his mouth. Two floors under, at the entrance to the large hall where the slaves operated the Tongue, the fast movement halted before the cloudy images of three strangers conversing. Their secret conversation echoed around the stairway -

Sena : Before the fifth moon, the barrels of oils must be secretly emptied and filled with water.

Rana : Apply oil everywhere so that the guards will not doubt the water. And wait until Cannon Vettai is discharged twice.

Sena : Strike when the enemy is surprised.

The quick moment continued down the large hallway crossing the salves and soldiers who stood as breathing statues. After passing over the whip held high by a guard, the rapid moment pushed itself into the store room behind the raised platform and settled itself behind the murky images of four men in conversation -

Shamu : Fifth moon has risen. Sampada will clear the way. Maveeran and his men will move to the top of the fort and hide in the shadows as fort guards. Videha will lead his team with handmade explosives and set charges on the wall separating the dungeon and the palace. We strike at the same time, between the second and third discharge of Cannon Vettai.

Maveeran : Move the children into safety. There is an underground cell beneath us. Videha, I thrust the task upon you.

The speedy motion started its journey upwards passing the stunned guards and entered inside the blackhead of the deputy through the hole drilled by the knife sword and exited through his mouth, stopping momentarily before the devil that had stabbed the deputy on the staircase. It paced away and buried inside the eyes of the dove.

Nature was released by time and the dove flew away flapping its wings hard. A white feather glided and settled on the helmet of the devil.

The devil removed the helmet and the undead eyes of the Deputy and his mouth picked by a knife widened more when he identified the devil before him. Maveeran pulled his knife sword from the deputy's mouth, at the same time kicked him on his chest. The deputy tumbled down the stairs and stayed motionless at the bottom.

Watching the commander of the enemy smiling in his red armor, a fort's archer turned and looked at his neighbor without hiding his shock. His neighbor turned and raised his bow. An arrow shot from point blank range entered between the eyes of the shocked archer. Shamu removed his cloth mask and looked around him. Several archers fell to the floor and the ones who were standing beside them moved quickly from their positions and disappeared into every direction inside the fort.

Two out of six soldiers who were occupied to sponge the cannon were salves disguised as fort guards. With a dagger in each hand they killed the other four before the cannon’s captains. Terror took over the captains. They made quick steps backwards while removing their swords and pointing it in front of them. They hit on a rigid wall, and when they turned, they faced Maveeran and a handful of salves dressed in red military uniforms blocking their way. The heads of the four cannon’s captains rolled over Fort Ayan, beside the strides of Maveeran.

The emperor’s guards on top of the fort were quickly surrounded and pushed to the corner. Before them were the furious salves with swords and behind them was the free fall - a difficult choice to make for the scared soldiers.

"Freedom is yours, Gentlemen", Maveeran said coldly.

Many guards jumped from the fort in fear. The rest stayed dead over Fort Ayan with a hole punctured in their chest.

The in charge of Fort Ayan heard a huge explosion. The items inside his cabin trembled, just as his nerves. He quickly dashed to the exit, but backed off slowly from the entrance back into the room. An aged man entered the cabin.

"You sick pig, don't you dare set your dirty foot in my office", shouted the fort’s in charge.

The fragile man ignored the order of the officer and approached the barbarian who was posing as a military captain. He stood close to him and whispered at his face :

"With evil by your side, you have nowhere to hide.
With Dharma by my side, I am no more afraid of your side."

The fragile man inserted a rusty sharp object into the pelvic area of the cruel captain of the emperor.

"You go down along with the monster, Barbarian. Freeman, I live."

The in charge officer of Fort Ayan laid dead over his desk while the freeman, who was born, who had grown older and who had led the life of a salve inside the stronghold, left through the open archway to embrace freedom.

Sampada, who was assisted by a group of warriors, took control of Cannon Vettai. The guards around the Tongue were neutralised and the shaft was being loaded with Shell, the explosive payload-carrying projectile. The heavy artillery on top of Fort Ayan was oriented towards Vettaiyan Palace.

Once the top of the fort was secured, Maveeran and his men ran down to the dungeons and met with Shamu and Videha. The blast had created a massive hole inside the wall, but there was still one more wall standing inbetween them and the passage leading to Vettaiyan Palace.

Veera Manendran quickly reacted to the chaotic situation. He found many of the fort guards falling off from the stronghold. He observed the heavy swordsmen at the entrance of Fort Ayan being attacked by men dressed in Emperor's military uniforms; but they were no match for the barbaric long swordsmen. He heard the enemies rejoicing after being hit by the cold shower from Cannon Vettai, which was supposed to be flammable liquid. He noted the delay in the final discharge of the cannon. He monitored the surrounding of the defense building when an explosion occurred from inside. He watched a battalion - units of animal cavalry and foot soldier - being moved inside the battlefield under the leadership of Kanakavalli, the Princess of Karimedai; Veera Mahendran had washed his hands in the blood of her grandfather King Soruban. And finally, he looked at the enemy preparing to advance towards Vettaiyan Palace, ignoring the giant building completely. He tracked Rana who was assembling his units and kept him in his sight. With immense anger he ordered the army of Kalingapuri to attack.

The second explosion weakened the third wall that was built to seal the secret passage between Vettaiyan Palace and Fort Ayan. Few kicks from the warriors created a huge ring hole into the wall. Two men proceeded into the dark halo but quickly returned flying backwards and fell onto the floor before Shamu and Maveeran. Videha who was moving into the fort halted and watched the two dead men wide eyed. Each had an axe stuck to their chest.

When the dust cleared, Shamu saw Aye, the commander of The General, watching him from the other side with her eyes above the red bandana covering her face.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

In shallow men the fish of little thoughts cause much commotion. In oceanic minds the whales of inspiration make hardly a ruffle. - Sri Yukteswar Giri

Day Zero Six - Ruins of Belief (part 4/5)

"The eyes of the Emperor are everywhere", announced Aye.

"But not as sharp as my foot", shouted back Shamu with a grin on his face, at the same time removing his wooden leg and exposing his deadly sword.

"This little leg walked over a Bigman and buried him inside the sands."

Aye's eyes sharpened in anger when she heard Shamu mocking the death of a memeber of her syndicate. She calmly waved both her axe in front of her ordering her band of bandits to attack the escaping salves. Countless men dressed in red tunic and covering their faces with red bandana climbed through the hole and launched a massive attack with their axes at the salves inside the fort’s dungeon.

The sun peeped out of the dark cloud erasing the gloominess over Karmegha. Bright and warm rays of light hit Sena's face. Yesodha Putran was gald to see the dark clouds disappearing from the sky, which assured him that they are still at war. When Yesodha Putran saw the army of Kalingapuri approaching the warriors of Nations United assembled inside Mandala Vyuha, he ordered Padayappa to carry the flag to announce to them the strategy of attack.

Shakata Vyuha versus Suchimukha Vyuha
Waggon Array Formation versus Needle Formation
Rana's Attack vs Vettaiyan's attack

Shakata Vyuha is a wedge shaped formation broad in the front and narrow at the back. Its main purpose is to slow the enemy and gain time. Also, while keeping the enemies occupied with Shakata Vyuha, the commanders can built another formation hiding behind it and use it to surprise the enemies who march past the Waggon Array Formation. Just like a cart occupying the path, Shakata Vyuha is huge and sits over the entire side of the battlefield. It is formed using several units where the fierce and fast ones, like the animal cavalry, form the battle line while the strong and steady foot soldiers guard the rear. Lines of military units intersect in the middle to quickly replace the fallen. Sometimes, the warriors assembled at the center, move in a cart wheel shape formation to keep an uninterrupted site over the battle.

Suchimukha Vyuha is a huge needle formation primarily used to penetrate through a dense enemy military. The commander of the needle formation sits and governs his units as the needle's eye. Formed with chariots lined up by spearmen, Suchimukha Vyuha strikes hard dismantling the enemy's stance. Packed inside with horse cavalry and armored swordsmen, the Suchimukha Vyuha is fast and difficult to be disrupted.

Getting notified by Padayappa, the commanders of Nations United rearranged the Mandala Vyuha into Shakata Vyuha along with the battalion brought by Kannakavalli. Riding as the eye of the needle, Veera Mahendran took his army and made them dash the thick line of warriors assembled by Rana. The army of Kalingapuri was quickly surrounded by Kanakavalli who led the units of horse spearsmen around the attacking enemies. She positioned herself behind the eye of the needle and launched a heavy attack to break the needle's crown.

The band of bandits forced their way to enter Fort Ayan. They outnumbered the tiny army of salves. Maveeran fought empty handed. He carried the enemies and launched them at the wall. Shamu elegantly stood on One Foot and fought with Aye's men, kicking them with his Sword Foot. Videha and others gathered the military equipments scattered around the pathway and battled hard to stop the bandits from entering the fort.

Rana's sword Vajrastra tore its way through the needle formation. Sena used Arha to eliminate anyone trying to cross past the broad line of Shakata Vyuha. Kacha with his short sword and Sultan using his golden spear, neutralized the spearmen and entered the middle of Suchimukha Vyuha to take down the chariots. Suddenly Sultan was surrounded by a crowd of enemies. He pushed his spear behind his back and took a chariot’s wheel lying on the ground. He spun it above his head and with one swift foot movements, he closed into the enemies and smashed the faces with the spinning cart wheel. Kacha joined to support him and they both penetrated the Suchimukha Vyuha; their every stride weakened Veera Mahendran's Needle Formation.

Aye fought her way into the large room picking up the opponents with her axes. She circled around the Tongue, kicking and stabbing the men dressed in red military uniforms. Seeing her rushing towards the top with all her men blindly following her, Shamu spoke rapidly to Maveeran, "They are not here for us. They are here for Cannon Vettai. At any cost, the fort should not fall into their hands."

Maveeran waited for Shamu’s guidance.

"The lives of our men on the battlefield are at stake. If the Emperor regains the fort, then we shall not be able to advance any further on the battlefield."

Shamu looked straight into the eyes of Maveeran and said, "The stronghold must be destroyed along with the bandits and barbarians inside. This may buy us some time to escape through the tunnel and reach the palace before dusk."

Without showing any hesitatation, Maveeran spoke with Videha who urgently ran towards the top of the fort. He nodded at Shamu to lead the men and carry on through the tunnel and then, Maveeran silently slipped into a manhole that led to the sanitary sewer.

A big blow knocked the Suchimukha Vyuha. Five heavy fire mortars landed on the army of Kalingapuri, washing away every soldier standing on its path. Sampada's men started to cool off the cannon when he saw Videha running towards him.

"The beast must fall", he said between heavy breaths.

"What ... ?" Sampada spoke in a surprised tone, "but we can take them down with it ..."

"We are being attacked. They smelled our escape and are reaching here as a hungry pack of wolves", Videha spoke urgently.

Sampada, without posing any more question, ordered the men around him to weaken Cannon Vettai’s installations. Picking up long metal rods and using spears heads, the men picked the floor around Cannon Vettai while many others rocked the beast to weaken its roots. After a collective effort from the muscular men, the cannon started to sway.

Maaveran walked through the sewer tunnel. The back water was flowing timidly through a small gap leading to the river. He arrived below another open manhole above his head. The liquid around the area was thicker. The oil was emptied into the sewers after sealing the sewer's exit, so that the oil does not float over the river. Grabbing the pores of the rock wall with his fat fingers, Maveeran climbed into the shaft and landed inside a tiny room stocked with barrels. Crude oil was still leaking from several containers. He walked to the adjacent wall, picked up a burning torch light and threw it into the manhole.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

Trust your heart if the seas catch fire, live by love though the stars walk backward. - E.E. Cummings

Day Zero Six - Ruins of Belief (part 5/5)

Cannon Vettai uprooted out of the floor. The arms of the salve warriors were powerful to destroy the structure holding the heavy artilery. The group of muscular men, then, proceeded to push Cannon Vettai against the walls to topple it from the top of Fort Ayan. During their preparation to drop the beast, Aye and an army of bandits reached the top of the fort. They crowded before Sampada and his men. Aye launched her axe at a salve and it stuck to his right shoulder. The victim released his grip from Cannon Vettai and fell to the floor crying in pain. The band of bandits readied themselves to attack the small group holding the heavy artilery. Looking at the enemies who were resembling to wolves, Sampada feared that he will loose Cannon Vettai to them.

With a circular shield for defense and a basket hilted rapier to attack, Kanakavalli fought her way through the eye of the needle. A buckler hung to her back tightly tied using leather belts inrersecting over her chest. She gradually approached Veera Mahendran who was yelling at his millitary commanders to keep the Suchimukha Vyuha intact. The mortars from Cannon Vettai had disrupted the needle formation and had turned it into a chaos where the units gradually detached from the formation. Each separated enemy units were taken care of by Sultan, Kacha, Rana and Sena. Slowly, but steadily the Kalingapuri soldier’s head count was decreasing.

"Sit with the beast, or, make it fall from the wall", Sampada shouted while running towards the enemies assembled on top of Fort Ayan. Aye yelled ferociously and advanced towards Cannon Vettai to halt it from being dropped from the stronghold. A huge explosion was followed by fountains of fire from the floor pushed Aye and Sampada to their respective corners. Several bandits caught fire and ran helplessly around. The air was eaten by the hungry fire peeping through the entrance.

At the same time of the explosion, the warrior salves managed to push Cannon Vettai and the Crown of Fort Ayan fell down towards Karmegha.

Sena looked at the burning building and the falling heavy artilery. Cannon Vettai fell hard on the armored barbarians defending the stronghold. The fallen beast crushed all the three rows of heavily armored long swordsmen, when fiery fire was painitng all over Fort Ayan.

After throwing the burning torch into the sewers, Maveeran joined Shamu. Along with a group of warriors they managed to enter the tunnel through the hole in the wall. With barrels and blocks of wood found by the walls of the tunnel, they sealed the entrance. They fought their way towards Vettaiyan Palace.

The General watched the defense tower blazing in flames. His clutched his teeth under his mask and watched Veera Mahendran’s army struggling on the battlefield. Cursing about the incompetence of his ally and the failure of his commander Aye, The General walked away from the scene of the battle with his head hung down.

The explosion and fire that had brought down Cannon Vettai startled the army of Kalingapuri. Fear engulfed them as the heat from the burning fort hit their face making them an easy target for Battalion from Heaven.

A thick wall of fire stood between Sampada and Aye. Watching the fire rapidly consuming every corner of the fort, Aye backed off and along with the remaining bandits she jumped from the fort into the river.

Videha suddenly turned hysterical. He ran around in circles pulling his hair. When he tried to walk through the fire, Sampada pulled him to his side. He pushed him to the wall where thick chords were launched from the top of the fort. Griping the ropes, the trapped salves descended to the ground. Few of them were attacked by the wild fire and alighted, they fell to the ground. As soon as Videha landed his foot, he tried to enter the burning fort. He was pulled by several others. With tears rolling down his eyes, he ran into the the battle zone like a mad man.

Watching the burning drama unfold before him, Yesodha Putran, along with Padayappa, commanded the resting units towards Fort Ayan. From the entrance of the stronghold to the camp, he formed a military chain separating the battlefield into two distinct parts. The soldiers guarded the passage way through which the survivors walked to safety.

As soon as Videha spotted Rana, he fell to his knees in the middle of the battlefield.

"I have failed", he wept. Rana waited for him to explain himself.

"I was told to safeguard the children and the aged. I had locked them in the dungeon cell beneath the fort, so that I can find a way to evacuate them. Things started to happen quickly and when it turned ugly it was already too late. Dharma and Maveeran are under the impression that I had shifted the needy from the dungeon cell. I have failed. All the trust thrusted ..."

Rana started to run towards the stronghold without hearing completely to the confession of Videha. Sena approached the kneeling man. He removed the whip attached to Videha's hip belt and threw it at Rana. When the whip was alongside of Rana, he caught it with his left hand without stopping or looking back. No words were spoken by the Brothers. No alerts were given. Yet, thoughts turned into actions, like a conversation between the conscious and unconscious minds.

Kanakavalli battled her way breaking the eye of the needle and stood before Veera Mahendran. Holding the rapier in her right hand and the circular shield in her left, she stared at him with vengeance boiling in her eyes. She pulled the rapier backwards, and ripped the enemy who tried to attack her from behind. She quickly swung the sharply pointed sword and threw it to her left. The rapier inserted itself into a advancing enemy and pushed him to the ground. It stood straight on his chest.

Veera Mahendran grinned at Kanakavalli and charged at her. She stamped her right foot on Karmegha and the buckler bounced into the air behind her. It spun its way to the front and rested in her right hand. Pushing the central handle with her fist, Kanakavalli activated the spikes that laid flat on the surface resembling as decorations. The sharp spear head pointed straight at Veera Mahendran. When she pushed the handle of the circular shield, tiny curved knives peeped out along the circumference.

Fort Ayan burnt brighter than the setting sun. Rana jumped past the dense black smoke and quickly examined the flaming interior of the stronghold. The exploding oil barrels had energized the flames which completely surrounded the large space and was destroying the entire structure. Rana calculated a safe route through the fire walking, crossing and swinging over burning wooden beams and reached the dungeon cell three floors below, the area from where the fire had started its journey upwards. He stood before the burning wooden door and his fierce kick shattered it into pieces. The needy trapped inside saw a glittering form in blue surrounded by grey smoke. Rana walked towards them and guided them towards the exit. He instructed the young ones to hold to the little ones and to the grown up, he asked them to take care of the aged. Together they crossed over the fallen debris. Suddenly a huge wooden log fell from the ceiling. An aged woman was quick enough to cover her young partner with her entire body and sacrificed her life to save the child. Several found their to the exit of the fort and while few went awry. Rana quickly collected them all together and put them on the right path by clearing the way. A young girl pointing her finger to the ceiling shouted, "Maya". Rana looked up and saw a child holding on to another much younger to her. "Mira is afraid of fire", the young girl informed Rana, "from the time she witnessed her parents burnt alive in front of her."

Rana instructed the rest to run towards the entrance. Using the pores on the wall, he climbed up to the ceiling and met with the sisters. Carrying the elder one on his back and holding the scared one in his right hand, Rana carefully crossed the burning beam. He threw the whip onto the adjacent beam and tried to glide across but the weak support broke and he was left suspended in the air with Maya clinging to his shoulders, but Mira slipped from his grip. The little girl managed to break her fall by holding on to a broken wooden pole.

Kanakavalli blocked Veera Mahendran's strikes with her shields. She walked on her knees stretching each leg respectively to push her forward; at the same time she juggled the shields respectively to block Veera’s attack. Her proficiency in handling shields was no match for Veera Mahendran. He angrily raised his sword breaking his rhythm, and Kanakavalli used the opportunity to dash her pike buckler onto his chest. The sharp spear heads punctured Veera Mahendran's armor and exposed his torso.

While hanging from the burning wooden beam Rana's head spun dizzily. Images flashed before him. He closed his eyes tightly and suddenly pictures of flames crossed in front of him. He saw his Father Kochadaiiyaan caught in a similar situation; carrying a child on his shoulders while being surround by fire. His Father tried hard to hold on to the fingers of another little girl who was beneath over a fragile floor and desperately stretching her hands towards Kochadaiiyaan. Something terrible happened. The wooden floor gave away and his Father lost his grip to hold on to the little girl. Shama's sister Adithi fell into the fire pit.

Veera Mahendran tore of his armor and made giant strides towards Kanakavalli. He charged fiercely at her. She moved backwards elegantly blocking his attacks with her shields. Veera took a moment to raise his sword higher again, to strike heavily. Kanakavalli once again inserted the buckler, this time harder. Blood fountained out of Veera's mouth.

Kanakavalli walked slowly around Veera Mahendran while still holding on to the buckler fixed on to his chest. Poistioning herself behind him, she brought the knife shield to his throat and marked it with the line of vengeance. She freed him and Veera Mahendran hit the floor. Kanakavalli dropped a small object over his dead body and walked away towards the setting sun. The tiny item rolled off and fell beside Veera Mahendran’s face and the cuff button spun on the battlefield, before lying flat on the ground exposing the letter 'M' marked on it - "V" disguised in the middle of the letter "M".

The army of Kalingapuri panicked when its soldiers saw their King dead on the battle field. They started to retreat. Sena ordered his warriors not to chase the fleeing enemy. With the commanders by his side, he rushed to the entrance of the Fort Ayan and met with Yesodha Putran. Along with a huge crowd of warriors and freed slaves he watched closely the entrance of the fort.

Rana came back to reality and found the beam held by the whip was weakening too. He quickly unwound the whip and fell along with the Maya. He masterly caught on to the same broken wooden pole and joined Mira. Unable to withstand the weight, the pole began to crack. Rana looked below him and the fire was climbing up faster. He caught the tiny hands of Mira to assure her that everything will be alright. He heard Maya’s teeth shattering in fear beside his ear. Within a blink of an eye, the wooden pole gave away and Rana along with Maya and Mira started the fall towards the floor on fire.

Flames completely consumed the dropping trio, when the tip of the whip flew past the raging blaze.

A little boy standing beside Sena raised his hand and pointed his finger at the entrance of the burning stronghold. Through the dark and dense smoke decorated with flying fire sparks, Rana walked out of Fort Ayan carrying Mira on his shoulders and holding Maya in his right hand. The whip that he held in his left hand tailed behind them sweeping over the ashes of ruins.

The crowd before the blazing stone monster erupted in joy and Rana was invited by the vibrating sound of the conch and war horns announcing the end of the day's war.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

'A little muzhik was working on the railroad, mumbling in his beard. And the candle by which she had read the book that was filled with fears, with deceptions, with anguish, and with evil, flared up with greater brightness than she had ever known, revealing to her all that before was in darkness, then flickered, grew faint, and went out forever.' - Anna Karenina (1873-77), a novel by Leo Tolstoy.

Burning Candle

Vettaiyan stood before the window watching Fort Ayan being consumed by fire. The angry flames reflected in his eyes while he kept staring at the top of the burning structure, unhappy to find its crown, Cannon Vettai, gone missing.

The Emperor's silence was killing The General. It’s been a while he had been standing behind Vettaiyan, and his Master had not uttered a single word. The General stood hearing the rhythmic breathing of Vettaiyan. He took courage and disturbed the aggrieved silence, "My Lord," The General called out. Finding no reaction from his Boss, The General continued, "A revolt has broken ... our ally ... the death of Veera Mahendran has shocked the army of Kalingapuri and they urge to abandon the war and leave to their motherland ..."

Before The General could finish his report, Vettaiyan turned to face him and growled loudly, "Then, handle the situation aptly ..."; with a calm voice and a displeased smile he said softly, "My General."

"We have accompanied our King to fight his war", Dhaya, the brother-in-law of Gudakesha, spoke before the despaired army of Kaligapuri. "The dynasty that ruled us has fallen. Their personal conflict with Kottaipattinam kept our families separated for generations. Leaderless, we must unite. We are, now, not forced to support any side. We will get back to our lands and wait patiently for the outcome of this war. We will invite the vanquisher and decide the future of Kalingapuri with them. We will argue to get our rights. If Kottaipattinam is victorious, we will embrace them with familial love. If the Emperor is recrowned, we will convince him by dealing the days we had fought alongside Central Kingdom. Without a ruler, more than this war, our families need us now. Kallingapuri is greiving."

Dhaya looked at the mourning faces and declared, "Let it be clear, I compel none. I am leaving to my motherland tonight."

He walked to the leader of Ayus and said, "Thank you for being with us."

Dhaya walked towards the barrack's entrance gate and the entire army of Kaligapuri followed him. The Ayus stood watching their partners leave. They gathered around together and decided to follow their friends, when the unexpected happened.

"Dharma has set us all free", the Freeman spoke before Rana. They were assembled inside the pavilion where the shadows of the flames from the burning stronghold were waving inside. "Here is Sampada and Videha, the two lieutenants chosen by Dharma himself. I wish Dharma and his shadow Maveeran have escaped the fire and safely traveled through the tunnels. All who are standing under the open sky shall fight along with you, Brother of Dharma."

Kacha approached Kalai and asked softly, "Who is Dharma ?"

"Prince Shamu", replied Kalai. "They believe the Legend of The Man From Nowhere which states that 'He has one leg, whose shadow falls on the three worlds - one leg over the base of desire, a hand on the forms of destination and the other guide into the realms of liberation. Dharma shall be his name'."

"I'm overwhelmed and deeply humbled by everyone's kindness", Rana informed the aged man. "But we cannot keep you all here. There isn't enough food nor space to shelter them all in the military camp. Once again, I appreciate your courage", Rana finished addressing Freeman with a broad smile.

"We can work. We can cut trees. We can go to battle", pleaded Freeman.

"Well, now you make me guilty", Rana announced, "Except those who can assist us, the rest - aged, women and children - will leave the camp tonight. There is a team heading towards the harbor. They will sail with them to Kallingapuri where they will be welcomed as one of their own."

Saying so, Rana turned and looked at Gudakesha. The captain walked forward and bowed before Rana, "It shall be my honor to take the new citizens of Kalligapuri home, my Commander."

Rana called the fleet captains to submit their reports.

"The three major ports are under the control of Nations United. The Southern Harbour still faces a mild resistance, but nothing uncontrollable."

Rana looked around the pavilion and asked, "Where is Sena ?"

Getting silence as the reply, he cursed under his breath, "Not again !" and left the pavilion urgently. Yesodha Putran presided the meeting to plan the strategy for next day's battle.

In the adjacent nursing tent, Sultan sat beside Nobleman whispering in his ears. He spoke softly on how the giant and the beast were taken down by the Nations United. He sung with pride the valiance of Rana who had entered the flaming building to save the needy. Nobleman drooled while listening. Kanakavalli wiped the corner of his lips with a clean cloth.

The burning stronghold stood like a huge torchlight in the middle of Karmegha. The Ayus, the gentle giants belonging to a rare tribe who were salved by the Prince of Kalingapuri, watched the gates of the barracks open and the entire army of Kalingapuri walking out into the battlefield. When they were about to follow them, they heard hissing noise washing away the calmness in the air.

The soldiers of Kalingapuri started to hit the ground one by one when they were struck by a massive rain of arrows. They started to run into the battlefield, but the sharp darts followed them non-stop. The warriors shouldering the wounded tried to move quickly into covers, but they were too slow before the heavy bolts. Several managed to sprint into the battlefield and they were taken down considering as a target practice. The Ayus backed off and stayed inside the barrack's area. They saw One Eye on top of Vettaiyan Place and the flames from Fort Ayan danced over his face.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

'The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease for ever to be able to do it' - Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Fantasy of Reality

Rana found Sena near the empty prison by the mountain cliff. He was sitting alone on a rock gazing at the stars glittering in the black blanket above. The moon shied behind the tiny hills. Four items were neatly arranged around Sena; Rana identified only two of them – Chakora, the compass that showed the destination and Europa, the lens which sees through time. The third one was a dagger and Rana was shocked to find a chillum next to Sena.

"Never knew my own brother", Rana stood behind Sena and spoke sarcastically not knowing what to say about his brother’s unusual habits.

Sena turned and smiled at Rana. He picked the chillum and spoke softly, "Chillum Method - a sort of immunity towards Darkness."

"What’s it doing in your hands ? I see no darkness while the moon is hovering above. The light from the huge burning candle casts our shadows on the ground !", Rana questioned pointing at Fort Ayan.

"Our Father went into a meditation stance to prepare himself to voyage to the circular library called the Mandali Bibliotheque which is a floating building constructed inside a cosmic universe called the Celestial Temple. The library holds the Sittha Records - the accounts of Life, Existence, Death & Rebirth of a soul", Sena answered calmly.

"Wait ! I don't see where this conversation is heading. We have enemies at our gates, and you lecture about a fantasy library that my adventurous brain does not encourage to believe", Rana tried to cut the conversation short.

"I heard voices when I was in the battlefield the other moon", Sena informed Rana. "It was like someone was talking to me but when I reopened my eyes, I was alone with the bodies of the dead."

Rana laughed. "I have visions, you hear voices. My visions, they are not foresight but my insight. You will get along fine if you don't rattle yourself too much over it."

"What the Emperor spoke on the battlefield was partially true", Sena told Rana and he gained his attention. "Even though it is clear that his heart has been poisoned by evil – how and when, I don't know – but the second part about our Father is true. He was presented the Sword of Destruction by our Father and I don't know what other influences were passed on between them."

"'Listen to me carefully', said the Voice on the battlefield", Sena continued, "'What I am going to say is about the mysteries around your Father's death; which could have been avoided. He had stepped out of his path. Through a record from the Celestial temple, he came to know about the future. He could have stopped this war when he still had the chance but he surrendered the Sword of Destruction to the Evil. His actions remain a mystery, but the puppeteers could not tolerate his disobedience. It's up to you to find out who really murdered your father and why; what records he had accessed and what made him go awry from his path. The answers await at the Celestial Temple."

Rana looked at Sena without hiding his shock. "You cannot get yourself manipulated by your own mind. Such places don’t exist. No evidence. No proof."

Sena pocketed the chillum concluding to himself that he will not get any assistance from his brother on the matter. He took the item which was in between Chakora and Europa.

"Whether you beleive it or not, The Emperor is not going to die by your sword Vajrastra nor by you bow Inesh", Sena declared to his brother, "The only weapon that could stop the beating of the heart which is taken over by Evil is this …", he handed Kilaka, the mystical weapon for subduing demons and exorcising their souls from their temporary body.

Rana was fascinated to see a dagger with three heads as its crown. "It’s warm", he exclaimed.

Sena explained Rana about Kilaka and how to use it inside Apana Mudra while uttering the Kilaka Mantra.

"From now on, Kilaka will be hidden inside my hip belt", Sena briefed Rana. "Don't hesitate to take it, if I am not in a position to use it."

Rana looked at Sena with sorrow in his eyes and said, "We will see to End together, that I promise." Sena smiled.

"And one more thing", Sena spoke urgently. He showed a vial hung around his neck. Suddenly a single eye blinked ar Rana. "Rather two things", Sena corrected himself, "When I am in the influence of Demon Eye, don't near me. Secondly, don't hesitate to take it, too, if I am not in a position to use it." Sena smiled at Rana.

"The drug will multiply your strength and allow you to face a battalion of elephant cavalry. Next time my eyes meet the Emperor, he will be my last vision and The Demon Eye will dig his grave."

Loud cries distracted the brothers. The commotion was coming from behind them. The Brothers doubled towards the campsite.

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

'Be the change that you wish to see in the world.' - Mahatma Gandhi

The Last Wish

Dhaya managed to get past the line of sight of the archers. He halted and turned around. He fell to his knees when he found no one following him. He found his brothers lying over each; their blood joined together and ran as a small stream over Karmegha. One Eye took his bow and a loaded a broad headed arrow. He pulled the string and fired the arrow which flew on Karmegha and entered into the chest of the last man standing in the army of Kalingapuri.

Dhaya knew that if he took out the dart he would die instantly. He wanted to inform about the massacre to his relative in the Kottaipattinam army. He crawled over Karmegha to reach the area where the Nations United was camped on Karmegha. At a distance, he saw several soldiers running towards him.

One Eye prepared for a second shot seeing enemies running towards the crawling man. The General placed his hand on the bow and pushed it down. He issued his order to his shooter by nodding his masked face from side to side.

Kali along with Videha were put in charge to evacuate the slaves rescued from Fort Ayan. Gudakesha assisted them to unite the members and guide them to march along with the nineteenth regime of Kottaipatinam. A war vessel waited for them at the Pirate's bay. Yesodha Putran briefed the military captains inside the pavilion aided by Kalai, the army General of Katrupuzha. They decided to deploy the massive army of foot soldiers in the battle, when they heard painful shouts from the battlefield. They exited the pavilion and rushed to the new defense gate which was under construction on the gained territory near the stronghold on fire.

Gudakesha was the first to react to the hue and cry. When he entered the battlefield he immediately understood what had been triggered. He blindly ran into Karmegha when he spotted his brother-in-law Dhaya taking an arrow in his chest. Several other soldiers followed him shouting the names of the known.

Gudakesha laid Dhaya carefully on the ground at the entrance of the campsite. They were surrounded by several who had lost a member in thier family during the masacre on Karmegha. Dhaya smiled at Gudakesha and coughed blood.

"Not for your sister. Not for me. Not for you. But for the united people of Kottaipatinam and Kalingapuri, you must see to that the E ...", Dhaya fell silent before finishing his sentence. His eyes kept staring at Gudakesha, when Rana and Sena sprinted towards the group of soldiers at the entrance. They looked at everyone bewildered.

Rana walked towards the small crowd and the members paved way for Rana. He stood beside Gudakesha who was staring back at the dead eyes of Dhaya. He gently placed his left hand on the shoulder of his army captain. Gudakesha closed the eyes of Dhaya with the tip of his fingers and spoke softly, "Your last wish shall be fulfilled. I will face the entire army until none stands. But how am I going to face my sister to whom I had promised to protect the one she loved the most", Gudakesha wept silently.

He lifted his head and took a deep breathe. He raised his right hand to reach behind his head. He took the head wrap and unbundled it. His black hair fell like a black carpet on his back.

Gudakesha vowed revenge, "Until the heads of the sinners are coated with mud, Gudakesha shall not wrap his hair."

He turned swiftly and stood up. His hair caressed Rana’s body. Wiping his tears, he faced Rana. He knelt down and said in a high tone, "I, Gudakesha, the Captain of the nineteenth regime of Kottaipattinam infantry, and his army serving directly under the First in Command, await you order, My Commander."

... to be continued ...

[mappi]

Chaturmukha Part 3 - mRdayopaliptaM

Chapter Six - The Master, The Monkey and The Monster

I am ashamed to call this love human and afraid of God to call it divine;
I am in the house of mercy and my heart is a place of prayer.
- Jalaluddin Rumi (From The Love Poems of Rumi).

Day Zero Seven - Sacred Battle part (1/3)
(Rated-R)

Saints of War

"I appoint you as the Governor", Yesodha Putran nominated Padayappa to command the clash behind the sand table. Padayappa smiled generously, but his eyes flared with uncertainty.

"You will do fine", Rana assured Padayappa. Looking at Yesodha Putran he addressed the young Governor, "With such a mentor, you learn without knowing that you have learnt. Time for action, young man."

Rana looked at tensed up Sampada and said, "There is nothing to worry about. Kali is an experienced traveler and Videha will handle the journey like an expert. They will return once our grand family have boarded the convoy ship safely." He placed his left hand gently on his right shoulder and said, "Be by the side of Padayappa. All you need to do is follow his instructions. War is as simple as that."

Carrying Inesh around his right arm, Rana followed Yesodha Putran to his chariot. The Nations United army was assembled on the battlefield while the sun was still struggling to break through the mountains. Several military workers were removing dead soldiers from Karmegha, and irrespective to the army the dead belonged to; every fallen soldier was taken to the banks of Daboya and respected with a final ceremony. Several men who were freed from Fort Ayan were indulged in chopping trees and gathering wood to honor the Saints of War.

Sena rode on his horse and settled beside Rana who was inside his chariot. Foot soldiers were gathered in front of them with their respective commanders. A small unit of horse cavalry stood o either side, while the war chariots grouped themselves behind Rana's chariot.

The General of the Emperor rode on his horse before his battalion. He eyed his faithful captain One Eye who commanded the quiver of archers. The Immortals dressed in black mingled with the soldiers. Naga's eyes were painted with vengeance. His weapon was charged with anger to reap the ones who had killed Ratna. He turned and identified his associates hidden among the crowd of soldiers. Khan, Valli and Pati returned his gaze. Naga wondered about status of the mission taken by Bali and Charya - to stop the salves from entering the Vettaiyan Palace through the tunnels; a critical assignment after the failure at Fort Ayan.

The leader of Ayus dropped out of the orderly line and blocked The General's Path. His horse neighed softly when the giant jumped before it and its master caressed its neck to calm it down. The Ayus stood before The General and tapped its chest. It raised its hand and pointed at the battlefield. The General nodded his head in agreement. The Ayus returned to his group and shortly after, assembled all the members of its rare tribe as the leading row in the General's army.

The mist on Karmegha was yet to clear when the sky towards the east turned red. Sena blew his conch and heavy drums rolled around Vettaiyan Palace. The army of the Nations United held to their positions waiting to defend the enemies charge. They kept their eyes on the grey blanket of haze that separated the two warring groups. Sweat was already running down their temples - the silence of time was frightening.

The ground shook mildly. Tiny sand particles started to jump and dance with each other. A dull sound, as that of a heavy object striking a solid surface echoed around Karmegha. The faint thuds became a loud thumping noise, when the army of Ayus broke through the thick curtain of fog speeding towards the soldiers of Nations United.

"No", Kacha cried out loud, "Not them."

Kalai smiled at Kacha. He removed his sword and holding it pointed to the ground, he watched the fierce Ayus approaching fast. The horse cavalry panicked and turned uncontrollable. Sultan, who was further from Sena, managed to put his horse back on four legs and turned to look at Sena. Neither his horse nor Sena seemed to be disturbed by the commotion. They both watched the Ayus calmly.

Sena got down from Nameless and gently tapped its neck. Nameless nodded its head and neighed softly. Sena walked through the infantry square carrying Arha on his back. Rana descended from his chariot and followed his brother.

The Ayus proceeded towards the foot soldiers. Their rush towards the enemies dissolved the mist and The General watched the Ayus advance towards the stationed enemy troops. When the Ayus were neared to the infantry defense units, they carefully made their way through the crowd of soldiers, attentive not to hurt anyone around them. An Ayus gently pushed Kacha from his way and entered the infantry square.

The Leader of Ayus saw Sena walking towards them. It halted and raised his hands at its sides. The army of Ayus halted in between the enemy soldiers. The confused infantry units quickly surrounded the standing giants pointing their weapons at them. An Ayus smiled at the warriors showing both its big, sharp canine teeth. The soldiers stood scared between the groups of rare beings from the mountain. The leader of the Ayus slowly walked towards Sena. It bent down to put its huge face in front of Sena and started to utter words softly, but its voice was monstrous :

You ... fed ... Ayus ;
You ... freed ... Ayus;
You ... friend ... Ayus.

It turned and looked towards Vettaiyan Palace. It put its face once again before Sena. The masacre of Kalingapuri army flashed befire its eyes. Teary eyed, the words escaped through its sharp teeth when the leader of Ayus declared :

"Ayus ... side ... You."

Sena Smiled.

Padayappa watched the Ayus scattered within the army. He looked towards Vettaiyan Palace. He immediately blew the conch to alert an imminent danger. Hearing the vibrating sound coming from the campsite, Sena looked ahead of him. His eyes widened when he witnessed the enemy quickly assembling into a deadly Vyuha on the battlefield.

... to be continued ...