stab but the Naga was too quick and deflected it. Swerving left, Parvateshwar rammed his
shield down hard on the knife still buried in the Naga’s shoulder. The knife chipped through the
shoulder bone. The Naga snarled in pain and stumbled. That was the opening that
Parvateshwar needed. Bringing his sword up in a brutal upward stab, he pushed it ruthlessly
through the Naga’s heart. The Naga froze as Parvateshwar ’s sword ripped the life out of him.
Parvateshwar pushed his sword in deeper, completing the kill. The Naga fell back motionless.
Parvateshwar was not above the Meluhan fascination with a Naga face. He kneeled to tear
the Naga’s mask off to reveal a horrifying countenance. The Naga’s nose was pure bone and
had grown to almost form a bird-like beak. His ears were ridiculously large while his mouth was
grotesquely constricted. He looked like a vulture in human form. Parvateshwar quickly
whispered what every Suryavanshi said when he brought down a worthy opponent, ‘Have a
safe journey to the other side, brave warrior.’
One down four to go, thought Parvateshwar rising. Correction, two down, three to go. He
saw Shiva bring down a gigantic Naga in the distance. Both Shiva and Parvateshwar saw each
other and nodded. Shiva pointed towards Parvateshwar ’s back. Parvateshwar turned to see a
ferocious Naga fighting five Suryavanshis singlehandedly. He turned back to look at Shiva and
nodded. Shiva turned to charge at another Naga as Parvateshwar turned to the one marked for
him.
Shiva dashed through the pitched battle scene towards the Naga who had just killed a
Suryavanshi soldier. He leapt high as he ran in close, with his shield in front to prevent the
standard swinging strike from the Naga. The Naga had brought his own shield up to prevent
what he expected from Shiva — the orthodox up to down swinging strike from a good height.
Shiva, however, surprised the Naga by thrusting in his sword sideward, neatly circumventing the
Naga’s shield and gashing his arm. The Naga bellowed in pain and fell back. He straightened
and held his shield high again, realising that Shiva was going to be a much more formidably
enemy than the previous Suryavanshi.
As Shiva grimly fought the fearless Naga, he did not notice another one at a distance. This
Naga could see that their assault was being progressively pushed back. It was a matter of time
before the Nagas and the Chandravanshis would have to retreat. This Naga would have to face
the ignominy of having led the first failed attack. And he could see that it was Shiva who had led
the counter-offensive. That man had to be destroyed for the future of the mission. The Naga
drew his bow forward.
Shiva meanwhile, unaware of the danger, had wedged his sword a little into the Naga’s
stomach. The Naga grimly fought on, stepping back slowly while ramming Shiva with his shield.
He tried in vain to swing his sword down to slice Shiva, who kept his own shield at the ready.
He kept fending the Naga’s blows while pressing ahead, pushing the sword in deeper and
deeper. It was a few more seconds before the Naga’s soul gave up. It slipped away as his
body bled to death and collapsed. Shiva looked down at the fallen Naga in awe.
These people maybe evil, but they are fearless soldiers.
Shiva looked to the left to find that Parvateshwar too had killed the Naga he had engaged.
He continued to turn slowly, trying to find the last Naga. Then he heard a loud shout from the
person he had come to love beyond reason.
‘S-H-I-V-A.’
Shiva turned to his right to find Sati racing towards him. He looked behind her to see if
anyone was chasing her. There was nobody. He frowned. Before he could react, Sati leapt
singke
(singke)
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