The battle was bloody and for Alexander and his army the situation grim. Alexander on top of Bucephalus hacked and slashed his way through the enemy horde till he was surrounded. He fought off below after below but soon his sword arm began to tire and droop causing him to miss some of them.
Wounded and battle weary the Macedonian army and it's leader pushed forward pushing the Indian army back. They thought they had the battle in their favour, that was till the elephants came.
They ploughed their way through the Macedonian line caused them to descend in to chaos, Ranks fell apart, men field the battlefield in terror of these gray giants.
"Cowards." Alexander screamed at them " Cowards."
He pushed forward alone, he thought he heard someone calling him back. He ignored them hacking and slashing his way towards the lead war elephant. The sight of the lead war elephant made Alexander stop Bucephalus, sat on top of it hurling down spear after spear on the was one of Alexander's Indian allies, he had been doubled crossed,
He turned Bucephalus towards the elephant and gently nudged him forward. The horse had other ideas and turned to turn back stomping his front hoof into the ground pulling on the reigns
"Come friend." Alexander urged he looked at the elephant and at the men dying at it's hand, his men he had to do something. He lent forward so that he was close to the horse's ear.
" You and me," he whispered " One last time."
Again the horse stomped his hoof and pulled against the reigns turning his head away.
" Please." he begged " I need you."
Bucephalus ' head dipped up and down and very slowly he turned towards the advancing elephant.
"Thank you, old friend."
Hephaistion had just dispatched an enemy with a below to the side of the neck. when he saw Alexander riding full charge and all alone towards the lead war elephant. He had called to him but Alexander didn't or couldn't hear.
Alexander was so very close when an arrow came flying across the sky and buried it's self deep into Alexander's chest cause him to fall backwards off Bucephalus and land heavily on the ground. Hephaistion saw Alexander try and fail to get up and reach his horse, who had been swamped by enemy soldiers and it's cries echoed across the battlefield.
"The king is down." He called over his shoulder to those closest to him " To the king"
He swung his own horse around and kicked it into a canter towards the fallen king.
The below caught him on the side of the head. He sprawled, vision spinning. He shook his head to clear it. He was on the ground with enemy and friendly horses and troops closing in. He got his shaky legs under him and scrambled up before he was trodden on. He found his sword, he was going to make it to Alexander even if he had to fight his way through on foot. He swung his sword with his failing strength and caught one in the belly, another in the n chest and separated a head from a body . He looked up just in time to see Bucephalus fall, he could see the blood splatters on the horse's jet black coat from so many potentially fatal wounds. The moment lost of concentration caused an enemy to deal a below to Hephaistion, the axe caught him in the top of his leg. Hephaistion screamed in agony and swung his sword but the wound robbed him of what little strength he had left and it feel short, he would have been hacked to death on the ground if it hadn't been for an arrow in the eye.
From the ground he could see Ptolemy and the other companions reach Alexander and carry him off the battlefield. As they carried him off everyone including the enemy stopped fighting and watched as he went passed, at one point as the carried him away he reach out to Bucephalus Perdiccas was crouched stroking the blood soaked main in comfort in the horse's last moments. They carried him passed Hephaistion where their eyes meet, Alexander's were filled with a deep sadness and they seemed to say I'm sorry before they turned away .
He laid there drifting for a long time before anyone came looking for him.