tortured soul for the years of mourning he would go through. He walked at a snail’s pace; his
eyes combing the ground. They suddenly fell upon an object he recognised only too well.
He slowly bent down to pick it up. It was a bracelet of leather, burnt at the edges, its back-
hold destroyed. The heat of the fiery explosions had scarred its brown colour into black at most
places. The centre however, with an embroidered design, lay astonishingly unblemished. Shiva
brought it close to his eyes.
The crimson hue of the setting sun caused the Aum symbol to glow. At the meeting point of
the top and bottom curve of the Aum were two serpent heads. The third curve, surging out to
the east, ended in a sharp serpent head, with its fork tongue struck out threateningly.
It was him! He killed Brahaspati!
Shiva swung around, eyes desperately scanning the limbs scattered about, hoping to find
the owner of the bracelet or some part of him there. But there was nothing. Shiva screamed
silently. A scream audible only to him and Brahaspati’s wounded soul. He clutched the bracelet
in his fist till it’s still burning embers burnt into his palms. Clasping it even more firmly, he swore
a terrible vengeance. He vowed to bring upon the Naga a death that would scar him for his next
seven births. That Naga, and his entire army of vice, would be arinihilated. Piece by bloody
piece.
‘Shiva! Shiva!’ The insistent call yanked him back to reality.
Sati was standing in front of him, gently touching his hand. Parvateshwar stood next to her,
disturbed. Nandi and Veerbhadra stood to the other side.
‘Let it go, Shiva,’ said Sati.
Shiva continued to stare at her, blank.
‘Let it go, Shiva,’ repeated Sati softly. ‘It’s singeing your hand.’
Shiva opened his palm. Nandi immediately lunged forward to pull the bracelet out.
Screaming in surprised agony, Nandi dropped the bracelet as it scalded his hand. How did the
Lord hold it for so long?
Shiva immediately bent down and picked up the bracelet. This time carefully. His fingers
were holding the less charred edge, the part with the Aum symbol. He turned to Parvateshwar.
‘It was not an accident.’
‘What?’ cried a startled Parvateshwar.
‘Are you sure?’ asked Sati.
Shiva looked towards Sati and raised the bracelet, the serpent Aum clearly in view. Sati let
out a gasp of shock. Parvateshwar, Nandi and Veerbhadra immediately closed in to stare
intently at the bracelet.
‘Naga...,’ whispered Nandi.
‘The same bastard who attacked Sati in Meru,’ growled Shiva. ‘The same Naga who
attacked us on our return from Mandar. The very, bloody, same, son of a bitch.’
‘He will pay for this Shiva,’ said Veerbhadra.
Turning towards Parvateshwar, Shiva said, ‘We ride to Devagiri tonight. We declare war.’