admiration. Maybe what the others say about Shiva could be true. Maybe he is the man who
will finish Lord Ram’s task. Parvateshwar hoped that Shiva would not prove him wrong.
Shiva sat in the royal meeting room, with Daksha and Parvateshwar at his side. Two
legendary Arishtanemi brigadiers, Vidyunmali and Mayashrenik, sat a distance away. A
muscular and once proud man stood in front of Shiva, his hands together, pleading.
‘Give me a chance, my Lord,’ said Drapaku. ‘If the law has been changed, then why can’t
we fight?’
Drapaku was the man whose blind father had blessed Shiva in Kotdwaar. He had been a
brigadier in the Meluhan army before the disease which blinded his father also killed his wife
and unborn child. He had been declared a vikarma along with his father.
‘First, how is your father?’ asked Shiva. ‘He is well, my Lord. And he will disown me if I don’t
support you in this dharmayudh.’
Shiva smiled softly. He too believed this was a dharmayudh, a holy war. ‘But Drapaku, who
will take care of him if something were to happen to you?’
‘Meluha will take care of him, my Lord. But he would die a thousand deaths if I didn’t go to
batde with you. What kind of a son would I be if I didn’t fight for my father ’s honour? For my
country’s honour?’
Shiva still seemed a litde unsure. He could sense the discomfort of the others in the room
with this conversation. It had not escaped his notice that despite the repeal of the vikarma law,
nobody had touched Drapaku when he had entered.
‘My Lord, we are outnumbered heavily by the Chandravanshis,’ continued Drapaku. ‘We
need every trained warrior we have. There are at least five thousand soldiers who can’t battle
since they had been declared vikarma. I can bring them together. We are willing, and eager, to
die for our country’
‘I don’t want you to die for Meluha, brave Drapaku,’ said Shiva. Drapaku’s face fell instantly.
He thought he would be returning home to Kotdwaar. ‘However,’ continued Shiva. ‘I would like it
if you killed for Meluha.’
Drapaku looked up.
‘Raise your brigade, Drapaku,’ ordered Shiva. Turning towards Daksha, he continued, ‘We
will call it the Vikarma Brigade.’
‘How can we have vikarmas in our army? This is ridiculous!’ glared Vidyunmali.
Vidyunmali and Mayashrenik were in their private gym, preparing for their regular sword
training.
‘Vidyu...,’ cajoled Mayashrenik.
‘Don’t “Vidyu” me, Maya. You know this is wrong.’
The usually calm Mayashrenik just nodded and let his impetuous friend vent his frustration.
‘How will I face my ancestors if I die in this battle?’ asked Vidyunmali. ‘What will I answer if