In a dark room, there was a lamp in the corner, its faint light barely spreading through the space.
On the opposite side of the lamp sat a knight. He was holding his legs tightly with both hands, his face hidden, his body trembling.
"Nothing happened, nothing happened, nothi happened"
His voice was scared and low. He stopped midway.
The knight placed his helmet on his left side. Slowly, he straightened his posture, lifted his face, and remembered—
One and a half hours before…
He was walking on a road that led toward the top of a mountain, where a castle was situated at its peak.
The mountain stood at the center of the kingdom. A squad of knights—twenty-three in total—were moving upward, all wearing knight armor. They had departed from the kingdom below, summoned to the castle on the mountain by royal command.
The mountain was circular in shape and around 275 meters tall.
The road was a natural one. Along the edges, lamps hung from wooden pillars, their dim light guiding the path.
While walking, he suddenly stopped.
With a curious expression, he turned to his right and ran toward the cliff of the mountain.
Standing there, he removed his helmet. His hair was well kept, and with a calm look, he aimed his finger toward the view ahead.
From there, countless buildings could be seen.
A river flowed diagonally, its water stretching toward the ocean. To cross it, there was a stone bridge, and lamps hung from wooden pillars along the bridge.
Many mansions were visible, along with buildings, restaurants, and more.
With awe, he said—
" Frick see how beautiful our kingdom looks"
From the cliff, many houses could be seen—some big, some small—and even the sea was visible from that height.
While watching the view, he forgot that the other knights had moved far ahead.
Vashu realized this and immediately began running. In a few seconds, he reached them again.
Then, with a funny gesture, he said—
"Why you all don't stop for me to come
I am also a knight"
All the knights turned and looked at him. There were eleven knights now. Their expressions were annoyed 😑.
"Ok ok ok"
They started walking again, and after some time, they reached the castle.
At the entrance of the castle, there were two symbols—one on the left and one on the right.
♀️ The symbol looked like this, but straight.
They slowly entered the castle.
Vashu walked carefully, observing everything around him—huge pillars, vast halls, and many unfamiliar details.
They stopped at a point, and then a senior knight appeared and told them to go to the room on the left side.
They slowly went inside. When they entered, they saw a man talking with another person.
With curiosity, Vashu asked—
"Who is he?"
Frick replied with an annoyed look—
"Don't you know"
The other knights ignored Vashu and stood straight, including Frick.
The other man walked past them. He was wearing a red coat and a white shirt. His hair was well kept and combed to the left side.
Then the man ordered them to go to the Hall. His look was strict, leaving no room for disobedience. Even Vashu couldn't say anything.
"Let's go"
While walking, Vashu observed him closely. His hair was neat from the front, he had a small beard, and he looked around thirty-two to thirty-five years old. He wore iron armor.
Vashu remained silent, even after they reached the Hall.
The man said—
" King.. "
But then he stopped and continued—
"You all spread in two parts left and right with other knights and pose in standing position like other's.. "
With an annoyed expression 😒, he added—
"Half went to the right including frick and that higer guy means our leader and I on the left side and first in that straight line from our squad.. "
They divided into two parts, standing face to face.
After some time…
A man appeared whose face was fully covered by his hair. His body was filled with scars, including a large scar on his chest. He wore a dhoti, and his hands were bound with handcuffs.
Unable to stop himself, Vashu whispered—
"who is he?"
A voice whispered back from his left side. It wasn't from his squad but from another young man—
" Do you know the war of calamity?"
Vashu turned to the left. The young man's face was very beautiful. He wore the same armor but was smiling, which made Vashu feel they were similar yet different.
"Yes, you mean that war where two biggest empire clashes and completely destroyes a continent, 'vira' & 'the great empire' the most powerful and biggest empire's, am I right"
With a smile, the young man replied—
"Yah, your completely correct about it, but do you know why this war happened? "
"Oh, I know it is because of the conflict between to of them, I heard about it, in year 21/03/38 the vira empire stealed a part of the great one and also killed so many people's.. Which caused the war of calamity and it is the reason of millions of death isn't it? "
"Noo, your wrong"
Unbelievably, Vashu asked—
"why"
"Do you know, who invented number system and calander"
Vashu realized the man wasn't going to answer directly.
"Isn't obvious is vira the one who started golden age.. Now can you tell me why, and plz tell me.. "
With a smile, the young man turned his face straight and began—
" Ok ok, i have only one question, if someone like vira the one who started golden age and also one who was the reason of the rise of vira empire..
And if he really stealed don't you think he would complete occupied the great empire?"
Vashu thought.
"But he.. "
He stopped.
" Yah, your right, if he really that much genius then why he did it, there's no sense, so you mean that the great empire started war.. Am I right? "
"No, you aren't, do you know how he was that much genius and able to make strongest empire and also laws for cirmes? "
He paused.
"It's because of a thing which give him powers and that powers get him when he came from a island and no one had found that island and emperor vira knows the way and that made him genius, and that's why the great empire started war with him in
17/02/37..
That's why they started the war.. "
Vashu tried to speak, but the young man continued—
"And in that war the whole continent got destroyed, and even now no one can even land on the surface of that land but after some time in 12/04/79..
It comes that in that war there was one person alived and he knows that secret way to go in that island.."
Vashu asked with curiosity—
"Who is he"
The young man replied—
"he was no other then this guy, grand~grand father, after his grand grand father raghav vishram, run to the island in 12/07/77 .. "
"They ask from his son who was 15years old but they doesn't get any answer and thought he doesn't know.. "
Vashu asked—
" Why they didn't asked his wife"
The young man replied coldly—
"Isn't it clear if they only asked his son means his wife is dead. "
Vashu said—
"Okkk"
"So, they thought now no one know that how to go to that island but in 1/01/109.."
"His son 'vikram vishram' run away and then left his son who was 23 and he had a kid, then they quickly understand and arrest his grand son 'lakshan vishram' and his family but they left his son in homeless ones home.. "
"& now 13/07/142 and he is 35years old and his father and mother died and now his the only one left.. "
Vashu noticed a mark on the man's left hand but ignored it.
"And no one knows that he's here and if someone know this then history will repeat again and that's why our king is dealing with him"
Vashu asked—
" What's his name"
"Oh, his.. Name is vikram"
Vashu replied—
"oh"
Suddenly, he realized he had ignored the entire conversation between the king and Vikram.
He straightened his posture. For a second, he saw the mark on Vikram's hand again.
After Vikram left, Vashu asked—
" who are you"
With a smile, the young man replied—
" My name is general varna means 'varna adhikaansh'"
Vashu froze. In his mind, the words repeated—
general varna
After some time, they began returning to the kingdom.
The moment Vashu exited the castle, he started running.
His legs hurt, but he didn't stop. He fell, yet he didn't stop. He slipped from a rock and injured his leg, but still he kept running.
Eventually, his body gave up, and he slowed to a walk.
Finally, he reached his house.
Outside, his mother sat on a branch near the house, crushing red chilly to make powder. Nearby, women talked among themselves. Some people were returning to their families, while children played and laughed around the area.
Vashu entered his room.
The flashback ended.
He lifted his face and whispered—
" genral varna "
"genral varna"