Immortals of Meluha (46 page)
The archers had been placed in a semi-circular formation, to cover as wide a range of the Chandravanshi army as possible. Five thousand archers rained death on the Chandravanshis as the sky turned black with a curtain of arrows. The hapless Swadweepans were easy prey in their tight formations. The arrows, nearly as powerful as short spears, easily penetrated the leather and wood shields of the irregular Chandravanshi soldiers. Only the regulars held metal shields. It had been just a few minutes of the ruthless massacre with arrows raining down onto the squads of the first legion that the Chandravanshi lines started breaking. The first legion was taking too many casualties to hold on to their position. The irregulars started running back, causing chaos. Confusion reigned in the legions behind.
Parvateshwar turned towards Shiva. ‘I think we should lengthen the range, my Lord.’
Shiva nodded in reply. Parvateshwar nodded to his flag bearer who relayed the message. The archers stopped shooting for just a few moments. Turning their wheels right, they rapidly raised the height of their foot rests. With the longer range quickly set, they drew their arrows. And let fly. The arrows hit the second legion of the Chandravanshis now. The pincer attack of the retreating first Chandravanshi legion and the concurrent hail of arrows created bedlam in the second legion.
Shiva noticed the Chandravanshi cavalry moving into position to attack. He turned to Parvateshwar. ‘General, their cavalry is moving out. They would aim to flank us and attack the archers. Our cavalry needs to meet them midfield.’
‘Yes, my Lord,’ said Parvateshwar. ‘I had expected this move from the Chandravanshis. That’s why I had positioned two cavalries, comprising the Arishtanemi, led by Mayashrenik and Vidyunmali, on the flanks.’
‘Perfect! But General, our cavalry must not move too far ahead or our arrows will injure our own men. Nor must they retreat. They have to hold their position. At least for another five minutes.’
‘I agree. Our archers need that much time to finish their job.’
Parvateshwar turned to his flag bearer with detailed instructions. Two couriers set off rapidly to the left and right. Within moments, the eastern and western Arishtanemi, led by Mayashrenik and Vidyunmali respectively, thundered out to meet the Chandravanshi counter-attack.
Meanwhile, the disarray in the second legion of the Chandravanshi army only increased as the unrelenting and ruthless wall of arrows pounded down on them. The Suryavanshi archers, unmindful of their tiring limbs or bleeding hands, bravely continued their unremitted assault. The second legion line started breaking as the Chandravanshis tried desperately to escape the ruthless carnage.
‘Higher range, my Lord?’ asked Parvateshwar, pre-empting Shiva’s words. Shiva nodded in reply.
Meanwhile the Suryavanshi and Chandravanshi cavalries were engaged in fierce combat on the eastern and western ends of the batdefield. The Chandravanshis knew they had to break through. A few more minutes of the Suryavanshi archers’ assault and the batde would be all but lost. They fought desperately, like wounded tigers. Swords cut through flesh and bone. Spears pierced body armour. Soldiers, with limbs hanging half-severed, continued to battle away. Horses, with their riders missing, attacked as if their own kves depended on it. The Chandravanshis were throwing all their might into breaking through the line that protected the archers. But to their misfortune, they had run into the fiercest brigadiers amongst the Suryavanshis. Mayashrenik and Vidyunmali fought ferociously, holding the mammoth Chandravanshi force at bay.
The archers meanwhile had begun their onslaught on the third legion of the Chandravanshis. Their legions were bleeding to death or deserting in great numbers. Some of them, however, grimly and courageously, held on. When their shields were not strong enough to block the arrows, they used the bodies of their dead comrades. But they held the line.
‘Do we stop now and charge, my Lord?’ asked Parvateshwar.
‘No. I want the third legion devastated as well. Let it go on for a few more minutes.’
‘Yes, my Lord. We should also let half the archers raise their range a bit more. We can get the weaker sections in the fourth legion as well. If their lines are also broken, confusion would rein right into the heart of their troops.’
‘You are right, Parvateshwar. Let’s do that.’
Meanwhile, the Chandravanshi cavalry on the western flank, sensing the hopelessness of their charge, began to retreat. Some Arishtanemi riders moved to give chase but Vidyunmali stopped them. As the Chandravanshis retreated, Vidyunmali ordered his troops to wait at their present positions, lest the Chandravanshis launch a counter-attack. Seeing their enemy ride rapidly back to their lines, Vidyunmali ordered a withdrawal to their initial position on the flank of the bow formation.
The Chandravanshis facing Mayashrenik, however, were made of sterner stuff. Despite taking severe casualties, they fought grimly, refusing to retreat. Mayashrenik and his men fought fiercely, holding their enemy. Suddenly, the hail of arrows stopped. The archers had been ordered to stand down. Now that their mission was accomplished without their intervention, the Chandravanshi brigadier ordered a retreat of his cavalry. Mayashrenik, in turn, withdrew his troops quickly to his earlier position to prepare for the main charge, which he knew was just a few moments away.
‘General, shall we?’ asked Shiva, nodding towards the left flank.
‘Yes, my Lord,’ replied Parvateshwar.
As Parvateshwar turned to mount his horse, Shiva called out, ‘Parvateshwar?’
‘Yes, my Lord.’
‘Race you to the last line of the Chandravanshis!’
Parvateshwar raised his eyebrows in surprise, smiling broadly. ‘I will win, my Lord.’
‘We’ll see,’ grinned Shiva, his eyes narrowed in a playful challenge.
Parvateshwar rapidly mounted his horse and rode to his command on the left. Shiva, followed by Vraka, Nandi and Veerbhadra rode to the right. Prasanjit geared his tortoise corps in the centre for the attack.
‘Meluhans!’ roared Shiva, dismounting smoothly. ‘They lie in front of you! Waiting to be slaughtered! It ends today! Evil ends today!’
‘Har Har Mahadev!’ bellowed the soldiers as the Meluhan conch shell, announcing the Suryavanshi attack, was blown.
With an ear-shattering yell, the infantry charged towards the Chandravanshis. The tortoise corps moved in their slow, yet unyielding pace towards the Chandravanshi centre. The sides of the bow formation moved quicker than the centre. The cavalry cantered along the flanks, protecting the infantry from an enemy charge. Courageous remnants of the third and fourth legions of the Chandravanshis meanwhile were rapidly reforming their lines to face the Suryavanshi onslaught. But the mass of dead bodies of their fallen comrades did not allow them the space needed to form their traditional Chaturanga formation, which could have allowed some lateral movement. They were huddled together in a tight but thin line before the Suryavanshis were upon them.
The battle was going almost exactly as per plan for the Suryavanshis. By the time they reached the Chandravanshi line, they were in a tight, faintly curved line of trained and vicious soldiers, with their flanking line of light infantry being slightly behind the level of the slower moving tortoise corps at the centre. The unstoppable tortoise corps tore ruthlessly into the Chandravanshi centre. The shields provided protection for the corps against the best Chandravanshi swordsmen, while their trishuls ripped through the Swadweepans. The Chandravanshis had but two choices. Either fall to the trishul, or be pushed towards the sides where the Suryavanshis were now bearing down hard on them. As the centre of the Chandravanshi army broke under the unrelenting assault, the Suryavanshi flanks tore through their sides.
Shiva was leading his flank ferociously into the Chandravanshis, decimating all in front of him. To his surprise, he found the enemy lines thinning. Letting his fellow soldiers charge ahead of him, he rose to his full height to observe the movements. He was shocked to see the Chandravanshi line opposing him, moving towards the centre. They were attacking the only exposed flank of the tortoise corps, their right side, which could not be protected by shields. Someone in the Chandravanshi army was using his brains. If any of the tortoises broke, the Chandravanshis would swarm through the centre in a tight line, devastating the Suryavanshis.
‘Meluhans!’ roared Shiva. ‘Follow me!’
Shiva’s flag bearer raised his pennant. The soldiers followed. The Neelkanth charged into the sides of the Chandravanshi lines bearing down on the tortoises. Caught in a pincer attack between the trishuls and the charge from Shiva’s flank, the spirit of the Chandravanshis finally broke.
What was a mighty Chandravanshi army was now reduced to independent stragglers fighting valiantly for a losing cause. Shiva and Parvateshwar led their respective sides to complete the job. The victory was absolute. The Chandravanshi army had been comprehensively routed.
CHAPTER 24
Sati rushed out of her tent, followed by Krittika and Ayurvati.
‘A little slowly, Sati,’ cried Ayurvati, running to keep up. ‘In your condition…’
Sati turned and grinned back at Ayurvati, but did not reduce her pace. She sprinted to the royal tent where she had been informed Shiva and Parvateshwar had reached after the declaration of victory. Nandi and Veerbhadra stood guard at the entrance. They moved aside to let Sati in, but barred Ayurvati and Krittika.
‘I am sorry, Lady Ayurvati,’ said Nandi apologetically, his head bowed. ‘I have strict instructions not to let anybody in.’
‘Why?’ asked a surprised Ayurvati.
‘I don’t know, my Lady. I am very sorry’
‘That’s alright,’ said Ayurvati. ‘You’re only doing your job.’
Veerbhadra looked at Krittika. ‘I’m sorry darling.’
‘Please don’t call me that in public,’ whispered Krittika, embarrassed.
Sati pulled the curtain aside and entered the tent.
‘I don’t know, my Lord,’ said Parvateshwar. ‘It doesn’t make sense.’
Sati was surprised at Parvateshwar calling Shiva ‘My Lord’.
But her joy at seeing Shiva safe brushed these thoughts aside. ‘Shiva!’
‘Sati?’ mumbled Shiva, turning towards her.
Sati froze. He didn’t smile when he saw her. He didn’t have the flush of victory on his face. He hadn’t even got his wounds dressed.
‘What’s wrong?’ asked Sati.
Shiva stared at her. His expression worried her deeply. She turned towards Parvateshwar. He looked at her for an instant with an obviously forced smile. The way he usually smiled when he tried to shield her from some bad news. ‘What is it, Pitratulya?’
Parvateshwar looked at Shiva, who spoke at last. ‘Something about this war troubles us.’
‘What could trouble you?’ asked a surprised Sati. ‘You have delivered the greatest victory ever to the Suryavanshis. This defeat of the Chandravanshis is even more comprehensive than what my grandfather achieved. You should be proud!’
‘I didn’t see any Nagas with the Chandravanshis,’ said Shiva.
‘The Nagas weren’t there?’ asked Sati. ‘That doesn’t make sense.’
‘Yes,’ said Shiva, his eyes carrying a hint of foreboding. ‘If they are so thick with the Chandravanshis, then they would have been there in the battlefield. If they were being used by the Chandravanshis against us, then their skills would have been even more useful in the battle. But where were they?’
‘Maybe they’ve fallen out with each other,’ suggested Sati.
‘I don’t think so,’ said Parvateshwar. ‘This war was triggered by their joint attack on Mandar! Why would they not be here?’
‘Shiva, I am sure you’ll figure it out,’ said Sati. ‘Don’t trouble yourself.’
‘Dammit Sati!’ yelled Shiva. ‘I can’t figure it out! That’s why I am worried!’
A startled Sati stepped back. His uncharacteristic vehemence stunned her. He wasn’t like this. Shiva realised what he had done. He immediately reached his bloodied hand out. ‘I’m sorry Sati. It’s just that I…’
The conversation was interrupted as Daksha, accompanied by an aide, raised the curtain and swaggered into the room.
‘My Lord!’ cried Daksha as he hugged Shiva tight.
Shiva flinched. His wounds hurt. Daksha immediately stepped back.
‘I’m so sorry, my Lord,’ said Daksha. Turning to his aide he continued, ‘Why is Ayurvati outside? Bring her in. Let her tend to the Lord’s wounds.’
‘No wait,’ said Shiva to the aide. ‘I had said I didn’t want to be disturbed. There is always time to address the wounds later.’ Shiva turned towards Daksha. ‘Your Highness, I need to speak about something…’
‘My Lord, if you will allow me first,’ said Daksha, as enthusiastic as a little boy who had just been given a long denied sweet. ‘I wanted to thank you for what you have done for me. For Meluha. We have done what even my father couldn’t! This is an absolute victory!’
Shiva and Parvateshwar looked briefly at each other before Daksha garnered their attention again.
‘Emperor Dilipa is being brought here even as we speak,’ said Daksha.
‘What?’ asked Parvateshwar taken aback. ‘But we had sent some of our soldiers to their camp just a little while back. They couldn’t possibly have arrested him so soon.’
