The Wrath of the Hellfires, page 1
Published by Jaico Publishing House
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© Shatrujeet Nath
VIKRAMADITYA VEERGATHA: BOOK 4
THE WRATH OF THE HELLFIRES
ISBN 978-93-90166-57-2
First Jaico Impression: 2020
No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in
any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any
information storage and retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publishers.
To
Santhosh Gopalan.
Rest in peace, my friend.
Index of Major Characters
(In alphabetical order)
Humans
The Kingdom of Avanti
Aatreya merchant of Malawa
Ajanya commander of the Imperial Army
Amara Simha councilor of Avanti
Angamitra captain of the samsaptakas
Aparupa daughter of Aatreya
Atulyateja garrison commander of Udaypuri
Barisa palace blacksmith
Brichcha father of Shanku
Dhanavantri councilor of Avanti and royal physician
Dveeja Aparupa’s companion
Ghatakarpara councilor of Avanti; nephew of Vikramaditya and Vararuchi
Greeshma bandit; escapee from the Dandaka Forest
Kedara captain of the Imperial Army
Kalidasa ex-councilor of Avanti
Kshapanaka councilor of Avanti; sister of Queen Vishakha
Kunjala physician at Avanti’s palace
Mahendraditya late king of Avanti; father of Vikramaditya, Vararuchi and Pralupi
Mithyamayi Vismaya’s niece; maid to Pralupi
Mother Oracle Shanku’s grandmother; head of the Wandering Tribe
Pralupi sister of Vikramaditya; Ghatakarpara’s mother
Pulyama captain of the Imperial Army
Satyaveda governor of Malawa province
Shanku councilor of Avanti; granddaughter of the Mother Oracle
Sharamana garrison commander of Musili
Suhasa commander of the Imperial Army
Upashruti mother of Vikramaditya and Pralupi; second wife of Mahendraditya
Ushantha mother of Vararuchi; first wife of Mahendraditya
Varahamihira councilor of Avanti
Vararuchi councilor of Avanti; half-brother of Vikramaditya
Vetala Bhatta chief councilor of Avanti; royal tutor
Vikramaditya king of Avanti
Vishakha wife of Vikramaditya; Kshapanaka’s sister
Vismaya chief of the Palace Guards
The Kingdom of Magadha
Ambalu Kikata spy
Ashrava councilor of Magadha
Asmabindu councilor of Magadha
Bhaskara councilor of Magadha
Daipayana general of the Magadhan army
Diganta councilor of Magadha
Kapila second son of late king Siddhasena
Shirsa commander in the Magadhan army
Shoorasena king of Magadha; elder son of late king Siddhasena
Siddhasena late king of Magadha
Uttama councilor of Magadha
The Kingdom of Vats
Chandravardhan king of Vatsa; ally of Avanti
Himavardhan brother of Chandravardhan; father of Ghatakarpara
Piyusha Shashivardhan’s bodyguard
Shashivardhan son of Chandravardhan
Yashobhavi councilor of Vatsa
The Kingdom of Kosala
Adheepa general of Kosala’s army
Bhoomipala king of Kosala; ally of Avanti
Gajaketu travelling musician
Kadru courtier of Kosala
Kirtana courtier of Kosala
Pallavan envoy and councilor of Kosala
The Kingdom of Matsya
Adri garrison commander of Kasavati
Baanahasta king of Matsya; ally of Avanti
The Anarta Federation
Yugandhara chief of the Anarta Federation; ally of Avanti
The Republic of Vanga
Bhadraka Vanga chieftain
Sudasan chancellor of the Republic of Vanga
The Hunas and the Sakas
Aab’za Saka chieftain
droiba Huna shaman
Ga’ur Thra’akha Kalidasa’s Huna name
Khash’i Dur chief of the Hunas
Nor’han Saka tracker
Zho E’rami late Huna chief; Kalidasa’s father
Devas
Agneyi apsara and chief of the fire-wraiths
Brihaspati royal chaplain of the devas
Gandharvasena a deva
Indra lord of the devas; king of Devaloka
Jayanta son of Indra
Manyu palace-keeper of Devaloka
Matali a deva
Narada envoy of Devaloka and advisor to Indra
Shachi wife of Indra; Jayanta’s mother
The Ashvins elite cavalry of Devaloka, led by Nasatya and Dasra
The Maruts the seven sons of Diti
Urvashi apsara of Devaloka and mistress of Indra
Asuras
Amarka asura general; son of Shukracharya
Chandasura asura general; son of Shukracharya
Diti sorceress and matriarch of the asuras
Hiranyaksha lord of the asuras; king of Patala
Hiranyakashipu lord of the asuras; older brother of Hiranyaksha and Holika
Holika witch queen of Patala
Laayushi demon and servant of Paurava
Paurava asura and first Wielder of the Hellfires
Shukracharya high priest of the asuras
Veeshada the thief of the Halahala
Others
Ahi the serpent-dragon
Betaal the Ghoulmaster; lord of Borderworld
Kashyapa sage and progenitor of the devas and asuras
Kubera lord of the yakshas
Shalivahana lord of the danavas
Shiva the Omniscient One
Takshaka lord of the nagas
Tribhanu lord of the kinnaras
Glossary of Indian Terms
(In alphabetical order)
aguru oil of agarwood
angavastram a stole or light shawl to cover the torso
apsara a beautiful, supernatural female being in Hinduism
aryaman possessor of greatness; also, a form of address
ashoka a rain-forest tree
ashtapada an ancient Indian board game
badi-maa elder mother; a form of address
ber jujube; Indian plum
bheri a large drum
chakram a throwing weapon, circular in shape
champaka magnolia
chaturanga an ancient Indian strategy game; ancestor of chess
chausar an ancient Indian board game; precursor to Ludo
chillum traditional Indian clay pipe
churail a legendary creature resembling a human female
danava a mythical race in Hinduism
danda a walking stick
devadaru a species of cedar
dhoti traditional men’s garment
ekashringa rhinoceros
ganjika cannabis
ghat steps leading down to a body of water, such as a holy river
goparasa myrrh
gurudev master or teacher; also, a form of address
jamun black plum; Java plum
kashayam a brewed Ayurvedic medicine
katari a fist dagger
kinnara a legendary tribe in Vedic India
koel cuckoo
ksheera traditional Indian rice pudding
mahaguru grandmaster or teacher; also, a form of address
mahashilakantaka a trebuchet or catapult
mahisha buffalo
mama maternal uncle
mandala a spiritual and ritual symbol in Hinduism representing the universe
manjishtha Indian madder
naga a legendary tribe in Vedic India
nana grandfather or old man; also, a form of address
nishigandha tuberose
parijata coral jasmine
peepal the sacred fig tree
pranaam salutation
raj-guru royal tutor; also, a form of address
rakshasa a mythical humanoid being in Hinduism
rani-maa queen mother
roti Indian bread
rudrapushpa hibiscus
rudra veena an Indian string instrument
samrat emperor or overlord
samsaptaka a tribe of mythical warriors
saptaparni devil’s tree
soma Vedic ritual drink
suryayantra a heliograph
tambulam paan; a betel leaf and ar
tilaka mark worn on the forehead by Hindus
til laddoo sweet made of sesame seeds and jaggery
urumi a longsword with a flexible whip-like blade
uttariya a scarf-like garment draped on the upper body
vaidya / vaidyanath physician; also, an honorific and form of address
vajra / vajrayudha thunderbolt; Indra’s weapon of choice
vajranaga monkshood
vyala a mythical beast
yaksha a mythical spirit in Hinduism
yashtimadhu liquorice
Contents
Index of Major Characters
Glossary of Indian Terms
Hunt
Resolve
Conspiracies
Disappointments
Ultimatum
Borderworld
Corpse
Matali
Brother
Attack
Rescue
Frontier
Shashivardhan
Janasthana
Hiranyakashipu
Vultures
Decisions
Kalidasa
Shalivahana
Ahi
Hellfires
Failures
Destroyer
Sacrifice
Halahala
Epilogue
Hunt
Crouched within the ruins of the burned-out building that backed up against the river, It waited and watched, scuttling from one vantage point to the other, narrowly observing the ragged line of approaching men.
Now that the drums had ceased beating, an overbearing stillness had settled over the forest, broken only by the lovelorn call of a koel from across the river, and the fleshy splat of rainwater falling from the eaves and branches above. In the forest, the silence was occasionally disturbed by the soft tread of the men’s feet on grass, the snap of a twig under a careless foot followed by a muffled curse. Thus, the hunting party, numbering a little over two dozen men, pressed forward in pursuit of its quarry.
It watched the hunters come through the undergrowth in a tightening semicircle, their bows half-drawn, arrows nocked and pointed at the ground, spears set at an angle in anticipation of a sudden charge. The men wielding the nets followed, ready to cast their snares if the prey exposed itself. The drummers were in the rear, their drums silent. The boar had been cornered. Their job was done.
It watched the unsuspecting hunters draw near. It arrived at a decision.
The big man. The biggest man in the group, the biggest man It had ever laid its eyes upon. The one with the long-handled axe and the hair knotted in a high ponytail.
That was the man It wanted.
Gripping the two swords between thick, webbed fingers, It got to its feet.
“The boar has taken refuge inside the garrison, your honour.”
“Are the trackers certain?”
The hunters were close enough for their voices to carry to the jumble of fallen bricks and rafters.
“They are, your honour.”
“Isn’t it ironic for a boar to choose a barrack of the Huna swine as a hiding place?”
A small roll of mirth swelled at these words. Hearing the men snigger, It peeked from behind a pile of rubble to see that the speaker was none other than the giant with the ponytail. The man grinned and spoke again. “It’s time to flush the swine out of these barracks all over again.”
More smiles and a flashing of teeth. One of the hunters addressed the man who stood beside the giant.
“Shall we enter, your honour?”
The man nodded, and at a signal, the hunting party began converging towards the broken-down gate of the fortification, weapons and nets at the ready.
Your honour.
The two words had been directed not at the giant, but at his companion. Intrigued, It turned its attention to the man with renewed interest.
The man wasn’t nearly as tall or broad as the giant, yet there was authority in the set of his shoulders and in the way he carried himself. Black, shoulder-length hair covered his head, which rested on a strong neck, and he had a firm jawline that ended in a chiseled chin. The ease with which the man bore his old, heavy sword told of hidden strength in those finely muscled arms.
It paused for a moment. The man had charisma. Perhaps he too should be challenged, and not just the giant.
The boar had run off to the left of the building, seeking shelter in the thickets that had sprung up around the kitchens and outhouses, where once fires had burned in pits and ovens to feed regiments of soldiers. The soldiers were dead and gone now, leaving behind a vacuum that nature was refilling systematically. Grass grew knee-high almost everywhere, creepers had laid claim to the walls and roofs, while nests, webs and cocoons festooned the corners and crevices of the derelict fort.
Now, as the hunters slipped past the battered gate, It began casting spells of ancient provenance that opened up illusory spaces in the compound—spaces that the hunters filed into unthinkingly, spaces that led the party away from the giant and his regal companion. Weaving spell upon spell, It separated the hunters into smaller groups, funnelling each group in a different direction. Once It was satisfied that its targets were well isolated, It began reeling the two men deeper into the ruins.
“I can never forget this place.” It was the other man speaking, not the giant. There was a dark inflection in his voice. “It was here that Varahamihira lost his leg.”
“Even those who weren’t here that day remember the battle,” the giant replied. “They say you fought like you were possessed. Really, how many Hunas did you strike down that afternoon?”
“I wasn’t counting. It’s all a blur anyway. We had lost men earlier in the ambush; we were hopelessly outnumbered. And then Varahamihira was brought down. If I had signalled a withdrawal, the troops’ morale would have broken. The only option was to not give up and keep on fighting.” A pause. “Besides, there was no question of letting what they’d done to Varahamihira go unavenged.”
Deep, pensive silence from the giant. The footsteps drew nearer.
It cast another spell, a whisper that rippled outward and spread, enveloping the two men. Neither heard nor sensed anything. Not yet.
“Quite some revenge you exacted,” the giant finally spoke. “The men still talk of the holy Kshipra running red with Huna blood for days after.”
“Once blood has been spilled, it is impossible to say whose blood it is. It’s all just red.” An element of pain in the man’s words carried through the brittle air. “I would rather—”
Halting midsentence, the man looked around, his brows furrowing in puzzlement. The giant too drew to a stop and instinctively gripped his axe tighter, tensing as he raised his guard, eyes darting from left to right.
“What’s this? What’s happening here?”
Without them realizing it, the space around the two men had shifted and transformed dramatically. Where a moment ago they were picking their way through the decay of overturned furniture, discarded armour and weaponry, and fallen debris from a caved-in roof, they now suddenly found themselves in an open courtyard, swept clean and tiled with smooth sandstone. A broad, shady verandah ran the length of the courtyard’s perimeter, where ornate sandstone pillars stood in brooding silence. A heavy urn made of polished brass occupied the centre of the courtyard, from which a nishigandha shrub flowered. Sunlight flooded the courtyard from the bright blue sky.
“Where are…?” The giant paused and looked over his shoulder. “Is that the way we came in?”
The other man glanced at the door that ought to have brought them to the courtyard. Whatever lay on the other side of the door was now steeped in inky darkness.
“I don’t remember walking in…” he hesitated. “And the men… where are they…”
Raising their weapons, the two men backed into one another, scanning the courtyard for trouble. The sunlight threw the verandah into shadow, making it hard for the men to see into its depths.
“Is this for real?” the giant asked. He didn’t wait for an answer. “What do we do?”
Drawing a deep breath, It shuffled out of the shadows of the verandah.
“We get out of here.”
“How?”
“The same way we got in, I supp—”
It stepped out from behind one of the pillars into the sunlight. Into the second man’s field of vision. He jerked his head to see better and their eyes locked.
“—who are you?”
