Splash!~
Splash!~
"Hahaha~""Here I come!~"
Karna began their little game of fun with his younger brothers upon arriving at the mountain peak. On the other hand, Aarav gracefully settled on the tallest tree he could find beside the lake.
Shu~
At the highest point of the mountain, winds blew at a steady pace, making the soft feathers of Aarav flutter along with the breeze. It created a subtle aura of purity around him, turning him surreal and mystic as he enjoyed the view of his juniors having fun in the river.
He couldn't help but love this peace, devoid of any worries about the future... After all, even he felt grievous when his dear brother refused to rest, even for a moment, while being tortured by a myriad of thoughts regarding the future, present, and past. With each passing night, the nightmares kept increasing, and so did the pain.
Despite his linguistic inability to converse with his younger brother, he could understand the emotions Karna bore—emotions that could never be expressed with mere words.
Therefore, such moments were a luxury even for Karna, who could finally let go of all his worries and enjoy the present—making it a rare luxury for the little dove, who chirped happily while lying on the soft leaves of a sacred fig tree (Peepal ka ped), enjoying the gentle caressing of the wind.
Shua!
Swish!
Sadly, these moments of peace did not last long for Aarav. He abruptly stood, his calm eyes staring toward the western side of the forest.
Flap~!
Flap~!
A brief glance was all it took for him to find something unusual before vanishing from his spot—only after taking one last glimpse at the little game of his brothers, who were still immersed in their childish fun. They were clearly clueless about his untimely departure, as were the other creatures residing at the peak.
As he flew out, the aura of peace and order that surrounded Aarav turned into terror and chaos... and as for the reason, this lady has yet to know...
'Sigh'
Shu! Sha!
Thud-Thud!
The trees fell,The wind raged,And animals ran for their lives!
Any mother would feel immense grief if her children were mercilessly slaughtered. And here I am—a mother—unable to grieve this heinous act of chaos and slaughter. After all, the ones dying are my children... and so is the one killing.
And the best and worst part of it all is that—Both of them will return to me, as they take their last breath.Just their warmth would be gone, their cheerfulness lost.All that will remain is a dead, lifeless, dry corpse.It will disintegrate before my eyes as I powerlessly watch my children prey upon their elders to sustain their growth.Such is the law of nature...
Such is the misery of motherhood...
"Hahaha!!! Run, you puny beings!!! This Kaatru is here to reap all of your lives!! Hahaha!!"
And, as everyone might have guessed, the cause of all this mess is none other than Kaatru—a merciless Asura.
He, who had lived alone at the peak of barren mountains, desired nothing but chaos.His first victim was his mother... then his father... followed by his entire family and tribe...
His innate ability to command the winds as he pleased allowed him to act without restraint as he went on a rampage, killing innocents. At present, he has set his sights on the city of Hastinapur, desiring nothing more than to spread terror and chaos in the peaceful lives of common folk. And the reason for his madness lies in his... pleasure.
"Haah... it's not amusing anymore... These puny animals fail to give me even a sliver of pleasure. I should find some worthy prey to toy with to my heart's content. Maybe humans will do. Hahaha!"
His shrill voice echoed across the barren soil, now strewn with the lifeless bodies of birds, insects, and beasts—my children, resting, waiting to return to my embrace.
Meanwhile, he turned and departed, spreading chaos and death with every footstep. However...
Flap~ Flap~
"Who's there!"
His departure came to a sudden halt, halted by the presence of a little dove who stared at him curiously, unaffected by the sharp blades of wind that tried to shred him and the tree.
On the other hand, the dove—Aarav—stood as a spellbinding contrast. His presence struck both the Asura and the winds into silence. All at once, tranquility returned to the world.
A serene light enveloped the surroundings, as though liberating the tormented souls of my innocent children.
As for Kaatru, he stood frozen, staring absentmindedly at this unique dove...