Chapter 38 The Explosion and the Oblivion
The Empire of Grief
The palace of Nabhgadh now looked like a vast cremation ground Where until yesterday there was the sweet fragrance of roses and jasmine now there was the stench of ash and burnt cloth Where music echoed now there was only silence A heavy suffocating silence that loomed in every corner
Agni was at the edge of the abyss He was kneeling on a mound of sand and in his hands was the crushed blue lotus He was pressing it to his chest as if it was his final solace His eyes were open but they were not seeing They stared ahead with an empty broken gaze There were no tears The tears had dried long ago Only two moist streaks remained dried on his dirty blood smeared cheeks
Voices came from afar
Margdarshak Margdarshak Agni
Aksh and Kalpit came running down the path of the abyss Their steps were stumbling and their breaths were ragged Their clothes were torn and their faces were smeared with dust and sweat
When they saw Agni they stopped
Kalpit looked at Aksh A sharp questioning glance Aksh nodded A small firm nod
They slowly approached Agni There was the sound of water The strong current of the river coming from below And another sound The sound of grief echoing in the air with every moment and every breath
Margdarshak Kalpit said softly and his voice was a whisper Compose yourself Come We all need you
Agni gave no response He just sat there pressing the lotus to his chest
Aksh stepped forward He placed his hand on Agni shoulder A light respectful touch
Get up Margdarshak Aksh said and his voice held a firmness A firmness born of pain We must take revenge for the murder of Margdarshak
Agni nodded A very slow barely perceptible nod But he did not get up
Aksh looked at Kalpit and then down at the ground His eyes narrowed
Suddenly Aksh placed his hands on the ground His palms began to glow A faint golden glow And from beneath the ground roots began to emerge Thick flexible roots that rose up entwining around each other
Those roots rose into the air and began forming a shape Like a huge bridge Like the petals of a flower Leaves and branches began joining together forming a natural living boat
Kalpit stepped forward and lifted Agni Agni body was heavy and lifeless but Kalpit loaded him onto his back His muscles tensed but he did not waver
Aksh used his power to launch that plant bridge into the air The bridge slowly rose floating in the air
And all three Aksh Kalpit and Agni Reached the top of the abyss
The Return And a New Nightmare
In the palace Akshansh and Vedika came running Vedika veil fluttered behind her and there was fear on her face Akshansh eyes were wide and his lips were dry
Margdarshak Margdarshak They screamed
When they saw Agni loaded on Kalpit back with the crushed lotus in his hand their breaths stopped
Margdarshak Are you alright Vedika whispered and her voice trembled
Agni opened his eyes He looked at Akshansh and Vedika With a blurry distant gaze Then his lips moved and one final word escaped so soft that it seemed to dissolve into the air
Neer
And he fell unconscious
Everyone screamed together Margdarshak
Kalpit lowered Agni from his back and lifted him in his arms and carried him inside the palace He went straight to Agni chamber and laid him on the bed
Vedika ran She returned and in her hands were herbs Green fresh herbs that glowed faintly She sat beside Agni and used her healing power
Her palms began to glow A soft golden glow She began moving her hands over Agni wounds and wherever her touch went the wounds began to heal The cut skin began to join The bleeding stopped And the swelling began to reduce
Everyone looked at each other With a ray of hope Akshansh smiled A tired relieved smile
Now Margdarshak will recover soon Akshansh said
Just then a soldier came running
Prince Prince His voice held panic A panic beyond fear A disaster has occurred
Everyone looked in the other direction together and ran outside
A New Massacre
Outside there was another part of the palace And there was a scene there that was worse than the worst nightmare
It was the chamber of King Uday and Queen Urmila The door was open and inside was blood
There were splatters of blood on the walls Red fresh splatters that had not yet dried Rivers of blood flowed on the floor A deep gleaming red that shone in the moonlight
And in the center lay two corpses
King Uday lay on his bed There was a deep wound on his chest A straight precise wound that had gone straight to the heart His eyes were open and they held surprise A surprise that had frozen at the moment of death
Queen Urmila had fallen on the ground One of her hands was extended towards the King as if she wanted to touch him in her final moment There was a deep cut on her throat So deep that the bone was visible
And beside them on the ground lay their swords Soaked in blood
Akshansh screamed
This scream was not human It was the scream of an animal An animal whose everything had been taken away in a single moment
Father Mother
He ran to their corpses and gathered them in his arms and began crying uncontrollably His sobs began to echo in the air A breaking pain filled sound that pierced every heart
Father Mother
Vedika went to Akshansh She placed her hand on his shoulder but Akshansh did not feel it He just kept crying A continuous breaking cry
Prince Vedika whispered and her voice held tears Calm down
And she also began to cry
Aksh Kalpit Anvay Everyone had tears in their eyes Everyone began to cry That part of the palace where until a while ago the joy of the new bride arrival was being celebrated Where the shehnai played and people laughed Now every corner of the palace had turned into mourning
The Arrival of Margdarshak And a Bitter Truth
Just then Margdarshak Vishrayan arrived there
He came slowly and his steps were heavy His face held a peace that comes only after very deep pain His eyes Those deep wise eyes Were observing the entire scene understanding every fragment and every tear
Everyone bowed their heads An automatic respectful response
Margdarshak went to Akshansh Akshansh looked up His eyes were red and swollen filled with tears
Margdarshak Akshansh whispered and his voice broke Margdarshak My parents have been murdered By that Nirag What should I do now
And he began crying again Clinging to Margdarshak like a child
Margdarshak hugged him A strong protective hug He placed his hand on his head and spoke softly
Son This was destiny Your parents life was only this long Compose yourself son And perform the last rites of your parents with full rituals son So that they can attain their next life and liberation from this world
Margdarshak took a deep breath You must compose yourself You must become a fresh warrior Because the time to come will be even harder than this
A tear fell from Margdarshak eye A single drop that flowed down his cheek and disappeared upon hitting the ground
Just then Aksh stepped forward
Margdarshak He said and his voice trembled Margdarshak Neer is no longer in this world
Worry spread across Margdarshak face A deep heavy worry
Kalpit stepped forward And Margdarshak Margdarshak Agni is also not well now
Margdarshak nodded A heavy tired nod
Anvay stepped forward Yes Margdarshak While searching for Margdarshak Neer when Margdarshak Agni jumped into the abyss he sustained many injuries and fell unconscious
Margdarshak placed his hand on Akshansh head Son Perform the last rites of your parents I am with you
And Margdarshak walked away from there Towards Agni chamber Behind him followed Aksh Kalpit and Anvay
Vedika remained sitting beside Akshansh giving him consolation and courage Akshansh eyes had turned red from crying A painful swollen redness that had spread across his entire face
The Coma And a Terrible Secret
Margdarshak reached Agni chamber Agni had now regained consciousness He lay on his bed with his eyes open staring at the ceiling
When he saw Margdarshak tears began streaming from his eyes Slowly Continuously No sobs No crying Just tears flowing down his cheeks
Margdarshak went to Agni He stroked his head A gentle fatherly touch Then he held his hand and spoke
Son I know you are in great pain right now On one side you have lost Neer And on the other side On the other side you have lost control of your body
Everyone was startled to hear this Their eyes widened and their breaths stopped
Anvay stepped forward Margdarshak What do you mean by this Margdarshak has lost control of his body
Margdarshak looked at Anvay A sorrowful understanding gaze
Agni has entered a sleep in which his body has fallen asleep forever but his mind has not Agni has gone into a coma
Everyone was astonished to hear this And shocked
Coma
The word hung in the air echoing in everyone mind Agni The Agni who was fire Who was life Who was strength Was now in a coma In a living death
Agni closed his eyes Tears were still flowing but now they were faster and deeper And his fist closed So tightly that his nails dug into his palm and drops of blood began to emerge
Margdarshak opened his fist and in it was that crushed lotus Neer golden lotus Now it was even more crushed and Agni blood was smeared on it
Margdarshak looked at the lotus A long sorrowful gaze Then he placed it back in Agni palm and closed his fingers around it as if it was a final gift
Sleep son Margdarshak whispered Sleep And perhaps in dreams you will find what was lost in the waking state
Agni breaths slowed Very slow And his eyes closed but tears were still flowing forming two moist streaks on his cheeks
Silence filled the chamber Only the sound of Agni breaths remained Light Regular And very very far away
And outside the palace of Nabhgadh now looked like a vast graveyard Where the living dwelled among the dead and the souls of the dead floated in the air singing an endless song of grief
© 2026 Aaryaveda All rights reserved Do not copy or repost without permission