Author's Notes:

Back from Yorke Peninsula, longest fishing trip ever. Longest road trip in South Australia ever. And farthest I've been to the outback and frontier since WA.


With the prevention of the 107mm rockets pummelling the Royal Palace and in the process, ending the line of Min, Ajay was left with the last two dissidences of the Rebellion. He approached the one that was at death's door first, and let the newly-arrived soldiers watch over Guang Min and Bipin while attending to injuries Saras might've sustained.

Solomon was lying on the floor with a tennis ball size hole next to his heart, but was all the more mortal in nature. Nevertheless, Solomon wasn't rude enough not to extend a greeting which he did.

"Ah…. Brother." Solomon called out to him in a tone of familiarity, Ajay did not refute the dying man's last wishes.

"Solomon. Even after our brief encounter and conversation. You still cling to that abomination of an ideal that even Pagan doesn't hold."

"Who ever said it was Pagan's that I was practicing. It is my own and no one elses. It is- (Cough) born from my understanding of the world."

"You've limited yourself to one what you know."

"Of course! How would I know of what I don't! How does anyone, we live by our own experiences and judge based on that limitation. That is humanities greatest flaw, but it is also out greatest source of innovation."

"….."

"Even then, we still have gauges to mark ourselves by. To climb the highest peak, to go the farthest, to run the fastest, to excel, to be stronger than anyone else, to be smarter. And so what are we?" Solomon asked like he was schooling Ajay.

"Laws of the jungle." Solomon grinned widely.

"Laws of the jungle….. that's where we're the same, you and I." He agreed to Ajay's answer.

"But unlike you, I still have one thing that puts me apart from you."

Ajay took a kneel beside the dying Solomon to listen closely.

"I still have my soul. The very essence of what makes a human a human being… Precious beyond all worth. But you….."

Ajay had stood over him, casing the image like some sort of demi-god. After all Solomon threw at him, he should not have been able to reach him or the hostages, only watch in despair. And in the process, create a vengeful demon that would help him crush the land. Instead, a miracle occurred that swept away all of Solomon's plots and who was the auditor of all this but Ajay himself. Something was inherently wrong with his nature.

"In exchange, you have everything humanity had hoped to achieve. But you lack the very thing that defines you as a man, Ajay brother." Solomon began to cough violently for raising his voice. The fact that he could even talk exhibited the willpower that drove Solomon.

"And that was why I despise you, why I joined in on this farce of a Rebellion. This was my one shot at either standing triumphant over a monster or setting it upon those unworthy of being called kin of Kyrat. My goal of the entire staged Rebellion was you."

"... Was this everything you hoped for?" Ajay asked to which Solomon grinned widely.

"Everything… and better….. So long as there is a demon who threatens our way of life. All of humanity will spend every ounce of strength to destroy you just like anti-bodies crushing a cancer. And in the process… Kyrat shall be cleansed as well." Solomon could foresee the forces at work that would move to destroy him when his existence was more widely known. It was after all part of his masterful plan. This Rebellion was the opening embers to a Global effort in destroying Ajay and Kyrat. This Rebellion was made to catch and lure the world powers into intervening over Kyrat and in doing so, profit out of Kyrats suffering. When you became the sacrificial lamb to the world, there was no escape. Only god could turn the odds around.

Ajay was quick to understand Solomon's hidden motives. He had been too late in realising the true damage Solomon's existence could cause and had left him alive to be punished by the proper authorities which didn't and had instead given him free reign.

This was all on Ajay. And he knew that.

But even so… "They can try."

"Yes… hahaha…. They can…. Spoken like a true Asura. And in doing so, you will understand that your presence is more of a danger than to your people than not existing." Solomon gave his final prediction of the world to come after his passing. Solomon's state seemed almost at the verge of collapse and his eyelids were heavy as lead.

"I'll see you on the flipside then, brother." Solomon gave a thoughtful look at him when he called him by that, as the energy from his body was finally dissipating.

"Perhaps…. We could've been-… the very best of friends." He held out a hand shaking.

"In another life." Ajay answered and clasped it in a handshake as Solomon repeated after him in agreement and with a smile on his face that said he was the happiest man on earth.

"..In-…. Another-…" Solomon's last and final moments were the best he'd ever had. A worthy foe who he'd won the respect of, completed his entire being. One day, the philosophy of Solomon Khoo would spread through Kyrat and maybe the world in one form or another. And one day, humanity would be great again.

"Goodbye, brother." Ajay swept his hand over the wide eyes of the corpse belonging to the most peculiar arms-dealer and opponent he'd ever faced whom had given him the opening stage to being Badala.

Ajay got up from his kneel as the soldiers collected Solomon's body respectfully for the morgue.

"Stay with us, son! Stay with us!" At a critical junction of a certain Canton's live, Sun Kwan cried out louder, hoping to anchor him to the world of the living instead of descending into hell where the King of Hell awaited.

The reason why Saras didn't immediately approach him on his wellbeing was precisely to attend to Han Feng who was hanging on a thread due to a similar hole in his chest but caused by a bullet of considerably smaller calibre but to the heart.

A combat surgeon was doing the best he could to stop the bleeding but it was looking to be an impossible job as he cringed at the sight of the severity of the mortal wounds.

"I'm sorr-." The surgeon was barely able to get out that sentence when Sun Kwan grabbed him by the collar shaking him.

"You call yourself a doctor!? You fraud!" Sun Kwan fell into a state of upheaval, unable to control his emotions and was at the brink of falling into madness. He flung the doctor against the floor and casted him away, the surgeon left to attend to others who were in dire need of his help as well.

Ajay bent down next to the rest surrounding Han Feng.

"Ajay." Saras called out in a severely fatigued voice. "He saved my live…."

Hearing this from Saras was all he needed to know that Han Feng was alright, contrary to his record.

But there was nothing Ajay could do save, listen to his last dying requests.

Han Feng reached into his shirt and pulled out a chain necklace and held it out to Saras.

"Give it to-."

"Give it to her yourself! Fool! No one asked you to do this!" Saras fell into tears as she shoved his hand away.

Han Feng turned to Ajay.

"Will you grant this dying man his last request?" He asked with a resolve to his fate.

"Do you realise you're asking a favour of?" Ajay asked.

"I do, but I know that if you accept my wish will surely be granted."

"Let's hear it then." Saras and Sun Kwan were greatly saddened by the reality.

"Kanaan…. Kanaan Hamal."

"What about her?"

"Please make sure she is safe, that she is taken care of, that she has someone to love to the end of days. Please ensure her happiness for all time." Sun Kwan cried painfully, hearing his son pour out a heart of gold even moments before death.

Han Feng looked at Ajay with fierce eyes that were gradually weakening by the minute. Ajay remained quiet as he was being told something in his mind by the demon whispering internally. Then he looked to Han Feng.

"Wish granted."

Han Feng sighed in a relief he hadn't felt before, ready to let go and pass on. (Slit) Ajay ran a kukri across his palm he held above Han Feng as it dripped blood onto his wound where the hole to his heart was.

"What are you doing?!" Saras called out in alarm though there was no reason to.

"I'm doing as he asked. I'm giving Kanaan a person that would love her, protect her and give her a future of happiness." The remaining three couldn't understand what he was saying, had he lost his mind.

"In other words, Han Feng. I choose you."

As the blood trickled into his wound, a burning sensation happened. His wound began to cauterise and seal by itself.

Sun Kwan's eyes widen as Ajay performed a miracle before his every eyes.

"But when her time comes to pass, you cannot follow her suit. You will be chained to a duty of standing watchful over Kyrat till the end of its days. Only then can you re-join her in the cycle of reincarnation." Ajay repeated the words that the demon within had whispered to him on how he could save his life by creating a bond to himself as he had to Vasu, by casting a spell of eternal servitude upon him. Ajay set his expectations high because he wasn't sure of the real consequences of this blood-bond spell.

Unbeknownst to Han Feng or Saras and Sun Kwan, a living tattoo embroiled itself upon his wrist. Resembling the mark of an undying pale Bear. For bearing the untold burdens upon himself, the sacred guardian chose him as its host.

"This is my curse upon you Sun Han Feng. You will be my fifth Kshatriyan Lord."


It wasn't like the atrocity of Lanka where they were met with an empty victory in the form of the entire garrison and thousands dead. This Rebellion had been anticipated and been in the making for nearly sixteen years, no one had expected it to even come on a day like this. It was truly a Day of Reckoning.

And so, there was a celebratory mood about the Royal Fortress, the garrisons and the overall population that heard of the quick end to the Rebellion of the Cantons. It ended all seeming class supremacy the Cantons had over Kyrat in one fell swoop and opened a new dawn to Kyrat. Little did anyone know of the invasion by Golden Path, who'd returned from the mountains.

Despite this occasion, there was only one group which were not at liberty to do so, these were of course the Canton and Nobles who openly rebelled against the kingdom. Over a few thousand people were gathered and made to sit in the compound of the Royal Fortress in neat rows and columns. They were surrounded by over-watching guards whom were on their wits to kill anyone who showed motives to escape their trial. At the very front of these rebels and their relatives whom were arrested and brought here was the Ringleaders of the Rebellion. Or at least half of the remaining leaders.

Guang Min, Sun Kwan, the Lau Representative, Fang Siu Wei and Bipin Kadayat. Raghu, representing Hamal had died at Ajay's hand. Solomon and Richard Khoo had died as well, leaving no one in their family ready to accept the responsibility of the family head.

At the podium, seated facing them was Ajay. He sat with his eyes closed as if meditating over the occurrences upon his abrupt awakening. Sun Kwan was in a similar posture, he was preparing to stand up as the ringleader of the Rebellion and receive judgement. Ajay had performed for him a deed he would never forget. It might've cursed him in some manner, but at least the Sun Family would stand to continue existing. But most of all, his son was ok and in good hands. Ajay was there to vouch his stand against the rebellion so hence would not be judged like the rest. It would now be left to him on what the future would bring.

Ones that weren't in the same mindset were Guang Min, the Lau representative of the rebellion and almost every member of the rebellion. Including every of their family members whom were not directly involved but would be punished for their fathers and sons' actions. They were all aware of the temperament King Min held, and they had pushed him to this extent.

A commotion occurred higher up the path towards the Royal Palace coming down to the compound. This commotion came in the form of cheers. Those in the compound had an idea of what was happening, the King had arrived.

Garlands were thrown on his pathway down to the Royal Fortress compound. Under more relaxed circumstances, Pagan would've ecstatically welcomed it. However, on his entire trip down towards the parade square, he wore a dignified expression that held a conviction over the many burdens of royalty. In other words, he was starting to look like a king. Yuma travelled close by without interfering in his graces, she was clear of her standing for today's itinerary. Ajay felt they were act contrary to the personalities all together, this rebellion had really changed them drastically. Then again, he'd also changed in some way. If it were before, he would've executed all of the Cantons till there was no even a single dissidence left to judge by the time Pagan arrived. He had learnt so much from his temporary unconsciousness.

When Pagan arrived into their view, the rebels unconsciously lowered their heads in shame. If they'd won, it would have been a very different matter entirely. But they lost, so they had no say and they knew that.

Pagan walked up next to Ajay who stood up and scanned the masses gathered before him. Pagan sighed internally, the sight of men and women he once called friends would turn on him. Loyal subjects whom declared a life of servitude had taken up arms against him and the kingdom. And if a genuine factor like Ajay didn't exist, their usurpation would have been a reality.

"Walk with me." He said to Ajay as he beckoned him to follow him up to the former golden statue of himself. Surprisingly not even a word was said about it.

Ajay obeyed and silently followed alongside him.

"I would've never expected this from you."

"I'm not just some wild dog on a leash, I know the value of keeping them alive and grateful."

"Which is?"

"We're not out of the woods yet, Golden Path and a powerful ally have gathered on Akaash. They attacked Lanka during the strife."

Pagan grimaced and thought hard.

"That's not all the bad news I think." Ajay nodded his head.

"I have Willis and Lynch detained in Sagarmatha. And….. I managed to get Willis to spill the beans."

"I'm all ears."

"We have a serious problem."

"Oh….. We'll talked about the rebellion for now then, shall we?" They reached the top next to the parapet where the Golden Statue of Eric once was.

"First order of business, we'll have you stand for the sculpture this time." When Pagan heard this, he couldn't hold back his laughter.

"That humour, how you'd hurt Eric's professionalism, again." Pagan patted Ajay on the back as he had tried to kill the serious mood that was brewing, he did a good job at that.

"But perhaps it's for the better, this statue crumbling to gravel symbolises the end of the old era. No more of cult personality, no more lies to shroud truth. We'll play it the good and honest fashion."

"The world isn't going to take kindly to our, the four nations expansion." Ajay spoke realistically.

"They can put a sock in it! Just months ago, I bet they probably never even heard of Kyrat till China mobilised Chengdu."

With the end of the Yinke-Kyrat war, almost every world nation was aware of China's movements via satellite imagery. CNN reported it as a massive Chinese exercise in the Himalayas to respond to Indian retaliation. How much of the news was censored to the public ear? It was incredible. Was this orchestrated by the Central Committee or was this done intentionally by the US intelligence agencies. Either way, the PLA wouldn't let that stain be known to the world.

In a way, India had benefited from this confrontation with valuable data on the Chinese Air strategy and piloting behaviour. They had also gotten a better idea of their own pilot competence which they were most impressed. Pravindra was becoming a sensation back at home along with Commander Amar Singh.

"Now, you were saying something about some powerful ally the Golden Path had." Ajay turned to Pagan, unsure of he should tell him. He had the responsibility to yet, would he believe in such a fantasy tale?

"They are the reason why my father rose from the grave." Hearing this, Pagan couldn't help but stiffen. He had long thought about how Mohan would have just returned when he was clearly buried in Utkarsh.

"They are the ones giving the Devas and Golden Path fighters unnatural strength and durability. And this isn't even a smidge of their capabilities."

"You're starting to scare me, Ajay." Pagan laughed it off but he wasn't afraid.

"I'm being dead serious, I went looking for them. And came back half-dead."

"…"

Pagan rested against the foundation of the golden statue legs and fiddled with his pen engraved with a memoir.

"It looks like I haven't been taking this king business seriously for the last twenty-five years. And I've made you all suffer for it."

"I met him." Pagan didn't need to know who he meant, he knew there was no one else he was referring to.

"All I saw was a reflection of myself."

"You are not him, Ajay!" Pagan said sternly.

"Maybe. But he was right about one thing, the more I deny being in relation to him, the more I will fall the same way. That was what he was trying to tell me. He no longer has reign over Golden Path or the movement behind him."

Pagan didn't know what to say.

"… He was sorry for what he did." Ajay said to Pagan concerning Mohan.

"For Ishwari? Or for Lakshmana?"

"I would like to think both."

"It doesn't really matter now at his stage." Pagan waved off.

"How're you and Yuma?" Ajay went on to ask. "How's Pagan Jr." He added with a smirk.

"We're not sure if it's a boy or a girl yet. But if it's a girl then-… well, we're of no shortage of names really. Yuma seems more eager to have a girl than a boy."

Ajay leaned against the foundation next to Pagan.

"Any bright names for your step-sister?" Ajay chuckled.

"Yunno, before all this. Before mom's condition became serious, I used to think of having a family with Daisy." Pagan was quite aware of his love life back in the states, he'd watched him his entire life.

"It was a very naïve fantasy-."

"It is simple but achievable." Pagan said straight to Ajay's own doubt.

"The name I would've picked for my little man would've been Abhay (Fearless)."

"Oh, going for more of a traditional name, I like it."

"I hoped he wouldn't follow the same path as me and soldier on in finding his way, without fear." Ajay had thought hard about the meaning behind the name of his children's names. But with the current state he was in, he was fairly sure that would never happen. The enemy was something out of this world, that he had very little options against. Why they stayed their hands this far, only Darshan knew.

"If it was a girl, then Gwendolyn." Pagan was surprised by the sudden change in direction.

"The world run by men is a cruel one that I hope she wouldn't be involved in."

"If you weren't such a good fighter and leader of men, you would've made it quite well as a writer or poet." Pagan lit a cohiba he'd found in his pocket.

"I had every opportunity to be who I wanted, and I squandered it on nothing."

"You didn't squander it on nothing, look at you. Here you stand as one of the highest powers in Kyrat."

"But that's not me, Pagan. And I know that very well…. I'm sorry to have to say this to you now, but it's been long overdue for me to not keep this from you. I-."

"I know, son. You don't want the throne. (sigh) Even without saying it or Yuma's girl saying it to her. I guessed it from your interactions with the people here. But are you sure, Ajay? Do you want to serve under another?"

"Isn't a king also in servitude to the state and his people?"

"….."

"This dynasty might've been established based on regicide, but that is what Kingship is all about. A king is ordained by the heavens to govern the lands and rule fairly."

"And when the king is usurped, then the heavens deem him unworthy of leading and therefore granted divine intervention to the rebellion." Pagan answered, being more than familiar with classic Chinese Dynasty rule.

"The Himalayas have a similar order around here, the fact that Tenzin of Yinke, Dhir of Papir, Manendra of Kumsa all recognise you as the rightful sovereign to Kyrat is sufficient. If the world doesn't then they're just being a bunch of sore losers who can't amend to their own historic rulings."

"I'm sorry, my boy Ajay. I've pushed my own selfish ambitions onto you and made you pay the price in your freedom and dreams."

The fact that Ajay remained quiet proved it to be true, as he sat gazing into the horizon of the approaching dawn. Thinking about the remaining days he had left.

"Make the best of whatever time you have to yourself. If you can't control the motions that'll lead to a quick end, you can always make a day worth a year of memories. That's how I used to think when I was challenging my half-siblings for rule over the Min Triad." Pagan shared some wise words of the past to help Ajay reflect on the present differently. Ajay truly did take it into consideration as his mood brightened.

"Gwendolyn, eh? Princess Gwendolyn Min. I think Yuma might like the sound of that." Pagan mused.


The Rebels were in shock, the Loyalists were in greater shock when those words left his mouth.

"I will let them live." Implying the capital punishment would not cost them their lives.

Some of the Canton members, young and old bend lower than before. Kow-towing to him as their ancestors did before such a magnanimous pardon of a painful death with mercy. Some Nobles and officers were the same. But there were a few who saw it as an insult to their efforts, like he was looking down on their valour to rebel. And there was Guang Min, who wore an expression of disdain and conceit.

Pagan was quick to notice this and waved to Ajay whom knew what he wanted. Ajay pulled out his unsuppressed "Sandman" custom 1911 and passed it over to Pagan. All eyes fell on Pagan holding the pistol.

"I knew your motives since the day we decided to leave Hong Kong, Lou Guang. But try as you might, that ship had sailed when Interpol collaborated with the rest and the Police. We would gain nothing from staying. I know you ratted on us once, but I forgave you in light of your support that brought me to that moment."

"Which is it? Kill me or spare me! You ungrateful rotten, don't forget who pulled you out of that gutter and brought you into a standing equal to your siblings." Guang Min spoke of a long-forgotten past in which he'd helped Pagan rise to challenge his brothers and sisters for the succession as the Min Triad Head. Guang Min had one thing he was sure of in respects to his life. The fact that Ajay hadn't killed him immediately and that he was sitting amongst the Rebels not segregated from them. The Pagan he knew would never forget debts, he would always pay them in full. That was his style and why many followed him in his code of chivalry back in Hong Kong. There was still honour amongst thieves.

Pagan held the surprisingly balanced gun for having more accessories on it than needed for its use as a backup weapon. He had intentionally motioned for the handgun for a reason.

"This pistol is just one of the works done by a very special friend of mine. If not for you, I would never have come here and had the privilege of his services." Guang Min grinned widely.

"So you do feel appreciation once in a while. Who is this man, I'd like to acknowledge his efforts as well." Pagan gave a very wry grin at Guang Min's careless comment.

"His name was Samar Shah, and he was my Palace Guard Chief who died protecting me against the soldiers you ordered to kill me." Guang Min's face turned exceptionally pale at the sight of a hostile glare that materialized out of nowhere at the end of this declaration.

Pagan raised the business end of the pistol towards Guang Min's head.

"W-Wait a minute-.. if it's an apology, I'll give it! A hundred- no- a thousand kow-tows! You want my possessions I've gathered over the years?! A Swiss bank full of money, conflict diamonds, women who would readily throw themselves upon you!-." Guang Min became erratic with his behaviour in the face of certain death.

"Thank you for all you've done, Lou Guang. Consider this coup de grace instead of a life of suffering as my way of absolving your crimes against the kingdom."

"I don't want to die! I want- (Bang)." (Plop) His execution was swift, a bullet pierced his head and instantly killed him. The barrel smoked after Pagan had laid out justice in front of the entire mass despite saying he would spare their lives.

This revived the more anxious of rebels' fears once more. From Ajay's point of view, nothing would change from what he said, except that Guang Min was pushing the envelope by himself. If he had shown a bit of humility perhaps the result would've been different-…. No. It wouldn't. Many felt that Guang Min deserved a more horrible fate, but the King had delivered him to the doorway of hell himself so there was nothing more to be said about Guang Min, the former head of the Min Family.

"Ajay, you decide their punishment." Pagan said as he threw the gun back to him.

Ajay held an emotion of bafflement as he believed he heard Pagan say he was to decide their sentence. The same could be said for all of the members of the Rebellion. There was some who couldn't control their weeping when it was confirmed. Ajay was after all the undisputed Demon of Kyrat whether he was once Mohan's son or not.

Ajay wanted to throw the hot potato back at Pagan, but to refuse him here and now was to disobey the king in front of his subjects and put his loyalty and the king's dominance at question. So Ajay answered-

"Yes."

Pagan nodded to him curtly and looked to Sun Kwan and gave the same compliments. Sun Kwan bowed respectfully, he was ready to receive which ever fate.

Pagan left with Yuma formally to deal with the repairs of the Royal Palace and many other important infrastructures in need of repairs. Arjun had been freed some time ago by Han Feng and had hidden away in a shelter with his family members till the fighting blew over.

Arjun was not pleased with the programs Ajay and Yuma had initiated behind his back without actual authorisation. Yuma's Four Virtues intelligence group otherwise known as V4, and Ajay's 6th Mechanised Airborne Battalion which was not even on the charts. He shipped over five hundred tonnes of hardware over and kept it hidden, effectively making it his private army. But now they would be properly integrated into the Airforce Ground Forces.

The soldiers over-watching the Rebels awaited his word on what to do.

"Keep them under house arrest in Rajgad Gulag, away from the inmates." The soldiers moved at the effect of his words, shouted and shoved them to move towards the vehicle depot to be loaded up and sent to said place.

An officer came to him, expecting to hear the rest of what he had to say.

"My lord." He saluted.

"Tell the warden they're just being kept there, they will not be serving a sentence. Feed them, shelter them, and in three days have them sent back here."

"My lord, if I may-." The Officer seemed to want to protest.

"I've not given them any punishment yet. I need time to think, don't get wise in trying to interpret my actions. I want them well taken care of, I want all of them here intact. If I find that any of them suffered in any way, I wouldn't be finding the warden, I will be finding you." Ajay made his point clear to the Officer so that he wouldn't play with his words.

"Y-Yes… Your Grace." The Officer submitted to his orders.

Ajay turned, ready to leave when the officer called out once more.

"What of Captain Kadayat?" He inquired about the hero of the Yinke-Kyrat War being amongst the Rebels. Many were aware of Bipin's original task of being Ajay's attendant, did it still apply? Would he be absolved?

"What about him?" The officer understood what that meant. He had after all casted his lot with the rebellion, why should he be different from the rest?

"Understood." The officer asked no more and went to lead the Rebel members to be loaded to be housed at Rajgad Gulag till Ajay's final verdict.

The reason Ajay hadn't given his command on the outcome of the rebels was that it wasn't something he could decide in an instant and be happy with. He had numerous factors to consider, one was the populations' opinion of the Cantons. How he dealt with them had a major effect on how he was perceived in future by the people and external powers as well. Rebellion was rebellion, there was a need to punish, but the question was how severe?

Bipin silently followed the rebels without objecting, passing a glance Ajay's way before continuing on. What went through his head, he didn't know?

The matters of the state were attended to by the appropriate personnel. Arjun, who'd taken shelter thanks to Han Feng had also come out with his family members safe and sound. Immediately returning to the military affairs.

And so, Ajay decided to pay a visit to a certain place which he hadn't visited in a very long time to contemplate. It was a place which he had only gone to once when he had first woken up back where it all began.

To the Shrine that housed his mother and half-sister's ashes up on the highest residence over all of Kyrat.


It was during this time, Pagan addressed the whole of Kyrat. Assuring the neighbouring countries that it was but a minor rebellion put down swiftly and without any detriment to their progress as a member nation. For the people, he assured them that those responsible have been put to justice.

But what the people were all wondering was how? He made no comment on it other than leaving it in the hands of Badala. In that time, he dispatched his spies and V4 agents to suppress the knowledge of Ajay Ghale being Badala as best as he could. Within 24 hours of the knowledge spreading via rumour, those rumours went back to being mere speculations.

Pagan also declared a nationwide holiday to commence a week from when he announced. A parade was to be held over the path heading towards Baghadur. All were invited to come and the preparations were already on the way. By then, Ajay would've dispatched his sentence upon the rebels. And this Canton Rebellion would be nothing but bridge under the water, because the real war was about to set in. It was critical that the hearts and minds of the people as well as the soldiers had this moment to rest and recuperate with aspirations for a better tomorrow about them, instead of caving in to the pressure.

But these were left to more capable people to handle.

Ajay was where he needed to be. Within the Shrine, he found a strange solace. For the first time in a long while, he felt free. He started by cleaning the altar and sweeping the dust from the tablet and urns, providing new incense to burn.

He talked to the urn for a while at one point, informing her on the events that had transpired. Asking for some form of guidance, but was obviously met with tranquillity. Where did Kyratis go when they died, to the Hindu underworld ruled by Lord Yama, or a heavenly stairwell to Shangri-la?

With the recent events that occurred, Shangri-La was proving to be the real deal, and unlikely a place where the dead ascended. Vel had passed on a rather cryptic message during the Campaign in Yinke.

"Meet in Shangri-La….. who are you? And why am I so important?" Everyone was keeping something hidden from him, something that would allow him to change his fate or doom him to one. It was a familiar frustration he felt when Sabal and Amita used to keep intel for him to manipulate him into destroying Pagan from them, all the while fattening up to become the next leader of Kyrat.

Sometimes it felt like he knew this woman, he'd been having fragmented dreams about an ancient world that nobody knew. His instincts couldn't determine if she was telling truth from lie or just outright lying to use him as well. Yet, he strangely felt no hate from her actions. It was a dangerous feeling that dulled his edge when it was clear she orchestrated everything since his father rose from the grave and reunited the Golden Path in their struggles.

"Can I come in?" A voice called out from behind him.

Ajay made no answer but a mere grunt of acknowledgement. Saras took it as an ok without saying it. She looked around the thoroughly cleaned and renovated Shrine.

"You've been busy, and not too bad at all." She complimented him.

"Why are you here?" Ajay asked in a rasped voice, like he was extremely tired over everything.

"Hey, haven't you forgotten?" Saras took his hand and placed it on her cheek.

"What do couples do in times of strain?"

Ajay looked away, not wanting to say. But was taken in a more positive way by Saras as him acting boyish for a change.

"I know that look. It's says it all, doesn't it? You could have done better….. if only you knew how." Saras held him in an embrace.

"It sometimes reminds me of how much of child you are deep down."

"…." Ajay added to the embrace with his own hands, holding tightly.

"You've already found the answer, yet you're here because you can't accept it, either because it isn't enough or you would rather have fate decide it for you."

"Have you settled Han Feng in-."

"Don't change the subject." She said in a straight tone, reminiscent of her mother. Ajay sighed like an adolescent child being told off.

"You're here because you have too much bottled down for yourself to handle. But you hold something that you wouldn't even tell me, instead you came here to talk to the dead instead." Saras's expression held a tinge of disappointment and some sadness in it as she prepared to open to him what she already knew.

"Memories for power?" Ajay's eyes widen as he heard this and immediately dug into his harness to look for that journal which he found to be missing.

But Saras held out a small book that seemed to resemble his. Ajay felt like his heart dropped into a deep pit.

"Noore read it. She gave it to me to return it back on the condition that I not to read the contents but hear it from you directly instead."

Some relief returned to Ajay's expression frozen rigid by the reality he thought. She held the book out for him to take.

"So how did you know about that?" Instead of taking the book, he asked her.

"She told only those worth telling. Amita, Samson, Jeeval, Layak, Maya and Daisy-."

"What the fuck! Even Daisy?! Just what is Noore thinking!? Does secret mean nothing to her now?!" Ajay stood up greatly angered she leaked this to even an uninvolved person like her.

"You were out of the game and she had only here wits to depend on, Ajay! She made a difficult call between letting things stand as they were or preparing us for the worst! Lanka would've fallen had Layak not prepared Gopan's staff of officers, Amita would not have assembled the Tigers to fight this Rakshasa I've been hearing about. Samson kept Elina and Lakshman vigilant. Her decision to tell us singlehandedly saved thousands and prevented the Rebellion from having the advantage."

"….." Ajay was speechless, it was as Saraswati said. Noore had made the right call that paid off well. He had no right to criticise her.

"Ajay…." Saras called to get his attention to her set of eyes focused deeply into his.

"Please don't keep anything away even from me? You know that I want nothing but to help you, and if I can't then I will be there to listen and support you all the way."

Ajay was having a difficult time. One one hand, he would very much like to pour out what he had inside. But on the other-…. Perhaps he was deeply afraid of letting her know about the genuine truth he kept hidden from everyone save Noore which he nearly regretted telling.

But the more his eyes showed doubt and conviction, Saras's hands tightened around his hand she wrapped them around.

"Please don't leave me behind again." She said in a very distressed tone, as if this was all she could.

Something cracked inside of him, how many times did he meet with this sort of pleading? He lost count, he hated how weak he was. He hated that knowing everything was still not enough to change the odds. Something new always took the place of difficulty in keeping the peace in Kyrat and for himself. Why did they come find him to beg? They should know he wasn't capable of changing all things, but then again they didn't.

A new feeling swept over him, he was tired. Dead beat from having to keep up with the charades all the while from everyone. It didn't enjoy him, he wished he could just sprout out the existence of the Rakshasa and let everything collapse onto itself.

-I don't care anymore….-

"Have you ever wondered if a single moment could change the future that unfolds so drastically it decides the turning point of a nation?" Ajay said in a half residing voice over fate and half he didn't care at all.

Saras didn't know how to answer that question. She couldn't possibly imagine.

"Then what if there was a slight difference in the way things were? What if I wasn't fighting for Kyrat by Pagan's side. But against him."

"W-…what are you saying, Ajay-?"

"What if I was fighting for the Golden Path, Amita to the left, and Sabal to the right. And I climbed all the way from Banapur all the way to the very peak of the Royal Palace. Killing all who got in my way, Royal Army, Royal Guard. I left Paul to his fate. I watched Noore take her own life. I let Bhadra get taken. I left Hurk alone. I killed Yuma in an intoxicated state…"

Saras almost backed away unconsciously.

"I stabbed Pagan to death."

It should've just been a story, and yet it almost sounded as if he'd been through an entire saga. Her mind raced until she finally pieced something together, the past which he would never speak of was not a past.

"Watch as Kyrat burned itself to the ground and that petty Sabal fighting over scraps for his sickeningly annoying tradition. Tell me, Saraswati Roka…. Does such a person deserve a second chance?" He said in a mocking tone, even if he was only laughing at himself.

It was his reality in a different timeline.


Ajay wore a maddened smile as he confronted Saras with the pathetic truth. He felt as if a few of his screws to his sanity were popping out at this very moment. He even pictured the expression that Saras would hold over knowing such a thing from him. He was a bona fide monster.

He held knowledge over every possibility in Kyrat and he'd kept it to himself to dictate his own fate, by distorting other's. Distorting her fate to share affection for him.

He was sure she understood how manipulative he actually was.

"Ahahahahahahahahaha…." Ajay lost control over his cool and began to laugh at the pitiful reality of the situation.

"I'm so sorry." Saras embrace over him was something he did not even remotely expect as the reaction from her.

"Now I see… you knew the direction that Kyrat was headed. That feeling of helplessness as you tried as hard as you could to change it."

Ajay tried to push her off when he felt awkward. "Get off."

"No!"

"Get off!"

"No!" She shot him down again.

He gave up on using physical means to ply her off and went for a psychological approach instead.

"You disgust me."

"I know you don't mean that."

"Yes I do. To think you would willingly hang on, knowing there was a possibility I knew you from a previous encounter. Know all the lines to "win your heart" and gain your sympathy. You must really enjoy being such a whore."

It was at this moment when Saras let go of him as expected and followed on with appropriate reaction from saying such a thing. (pak)

Her palm struck his cheek strongly. But even then, there was no contempt for him in her tearing eyes. Only sympathy and sorrow.

"I know you don't mean that." She repeated softer as she rested her head against his shoulder.

"What makes you so sure?" His mouth had the sudden urge to ask and said it out loud.

"Because if you did….. you wouldn't be crying like you have been all this while."

Ajay reached up and touched his face to find a certain salty wetness running from an unsealed faucet in him.

"It's the sign that your heart can't lie anymore. I'm so sorry for putting you through this emotional path. It was selfish of me to assume it was remediable."

Ajay reached out to wipe the tears, but Saras's embrace was in the way.

"And I know that you've never seen me before. Call it a woman's intuition."

"I don't belief in such a thing." He said back.

"But even if you did, I don't think it's impossible I'd fall for you all over again." Saras gave him a kiss unrestraint.

Ajay didn't know what made this woman so aggressively passionate towards him, no one had ever been this way to him. There simply was nothing in him worthy of affection. So why did Saraswati think otherwise?

Ajay was beginning to feel he was falling for this woman in more ways than one. He followed on to the kiss like he meant to tell her all of his secrets and pain through a simple contact of lips. For someone so dedicated, it was the first time for him that he felt like he could lay out his entire life for her a thousand times over. Repeat the timeline just so he could continue on a life just by sharing a brightly coloured smile or a simple show of affection through contact.

When that mouth to mouth cohesion finally ended and part of his strength of will restored. Ajay got on to asking with a wry smile.

"You sure I'm the only one who's experienced a timejump? Perhaps by chance, you have as-."

"Don't get any wrong ideas, lover boy. If that were the case I'd be sure to even keep all those other women from even coming into contact with you. Noore, Daisy, Maya, Bhadra."

"Scary…. And why even Bhadra? Don't tell me you feel threatened even by a pre-pubescent teenager." Ajay jokingly said.

"Of course not, but I'd like them to know who owns you first."

Ajay enjoyed a brief chuckle and laugh with her before everything turned quiet in the shrine again.

"I have something to say." Saras straightened out as she was awaiting to hear what he had to say in regards to his condition.

"Channelling the Yalung's blood doesn't just burn my memories, but their memories of me as well. Karma is what fuels this power, and Karma is what I lose."

Saras did her best to maintain a composed face, but to hear that she risked forgetting him as well, now she understood why it was such a difficult life to live for him even with such short time when he wasn't sure what to say.

"But…."

"But?"

"While we might forget certain things, there are some memories that can't be destroyed no matter the sacrifice." Ajay reached into his pocket where he last left a certain item he had custom made in Papir the last he visited.

He held in his hand a small velvet box which he opened and pulled out a small dazzling object which slide right onto Saras's ring finger.

"Some memories are everlasting."

The brilliance shone into her eyes as she held it out with what appeared to be a heavily embroiled ring with a simple yet elegant finish, leaving her speechless.

"I'm glad you like it."

"Like it? Ajay….. I love it." She giggled cheerfully, unable to hold her bearing and composure like just a while ago.

Ajay stood up and held out a hand.

"I might lose old memories, but I can make new ones just with you. Until I have memories of just you."

"Sometimes you say the sweetest of things, no wonder all the girls get so easily swept up. I'll be sure to keep my eye on you in future, dear." She replied with a mischievous smile, much like Ajay wore on occasions.

Saras held out her hand to be raised from the ground, he kept his hand wrapped around hers as they opened the door and left the shrine together.

Because of the nature of the shrine being just at the backyard of Pagan's house, he was quick to notice Ajay's departure after a full-on three days within the shrine. He had the intentions to invite him and Arjun's daughter over for a meal with himself, Yuma and Bhadra. Bhadra, being the chef had cooked them up some highly nutritional foods, mainly for Yuma and the child but also for himself and the shrunken staff due to the attack. Pagan held a sample of one of her dishes to entice him to come on over, a baked potato inlaid with salmon, avocados and delicious soft carrots which brought out the sweet flavours almost reminiscent of a sweet potato without being a sweet potato.

He had just passed by the external corridor when he noticed Ajay and Saraswati walking out hand in hand. He chuckled at the sight, but then they were young.

He decided to crash their little moment for a more appropriate reason such as eating Bhadra's delicious food when he noticed a silhouette standing by the shrine looking in Ajay and Saras's direction.

(plop)

The baked potato fell from his hand as his extremities lost total control over strength. All power was sent to processing that image in his head directly from his eyes. His eyes were surely playing a trick on him.

Because that bright figure was unmistakably- "Is-…Ishwari."

But that translucent figure could not hear him, it was solely concentrated on the son whom had paid her a long visit and revealed such terrible things in store for him.

Pagan was quick to catch it, yet he was helpless to prevent it where he would have quickly wiped it away back in the day.

A tear fell from her face. A tear shed not for the past he suffered but for what was to come.